Ummm...What??

[weltschmerz]

While speaking to reporters on Air Force One late Wednesday, Trump said he has "major companies looking" at the option.



"Look, there's no better place for solar than the Mexico border — the southern border," Trump said. "And there is a very good chance we can do a solar wall, which would actually look good. But there is a very good chance we could do a solar wall."

Trump also said that he thinks the wall should be transparent as a security measure.

"As horrible as it sounds, when they throw the large sacks of drugs over, and if you have people on the other side of the wall, you don't see them — they hit you on the head with 60 pounds of stuff? It's over," he said.

fortune.com/2017/07/13/donald-trump-mexico-border-wall-solar-transparent/

So, it has to be made of solar panels and be transparent, as well? What the hell is this guy smoking?
And how many people have been clobbered in the head with 60 pounds of drugs?
Anyone?

[mroped]

There was a meme about a month ago saying that the wall should be made of solar panels so the tree hugging liberals can't turn down funding for it.
He must've thought that the concept is actualy pretty cool!

[Value Buy]

Well at least we do not have to wait for a bankrupt Mexico to pay for it. The sun will make it a huge profitable endeavor!

[Opti]

Jul 14, 2017 6:07:56 GMT -5 mroped said:

There was a meme about a month ago saying that the wall should be made of solar panels so the tree hugging liberals can't turn down funding for it.
He must've thought that the concept is actualy pretty cool!

What he's changed it to though is just solar panels on the top. Which would get damaged regularly if people figure out how to scale it. Part of the reason the wall hasn't been built is it cuts through quite a few US property owners property. For some of them they might lose half of their land, and they've been fighting this for a long time. I don't think solar panels and a see through wall is going to change their minds.

[swamp]

I just hope we are being punked

[thyme4change]

The border walls that I have seen are often slats, so sand and wind can go through them, which makes them a lot more practical. You can generally see through them, but I'm pretty sure that wasn't the point. The solar idea might not be a bad one, although...how does the coal industry feel about that one?

I think most of the places were a wall is effective, there is already a wall. Increased funding for border agents and technology is a much more effective way to spend the money. But it won't give us solar power.

[mroped]

Alrighty then! Solar panels as part of or the wall itself is not a good idea. Actually, being as nice as one can be, is a stupid, idiotic idea!!!
Just for shits and giggles if the solar panel wall were to happen, the new national sport of Mexico would be "stone throwing". The competition would invariable take place at the US-Mexico border and the winner would be awarded the cherished and respected title of "National Hero". There would be songs and stories about them.
Earch competition would have a new champion every few seconds. The competition would take place generally 365 days a year. Every fourth year there would be 366 days of competition.

How does that wall idea sound now?
Can we tell the Mexicans that they can't have a competition like that or where should the competition take place?


There is thousends of acres of unused/unusable land in the desert areas on the southern border. If you want clean and green energy then have solar farms there. Not on the border!

[weltschmerz]

Jul 14, 2017 6:07:56 GMT -5 mroped said:

There was a meme about a month ago saying that the wall should be made of solar panels so the tree hugging liberals can't turn down funding for it.
He must've thought that the concept is actualy pretty cool!

...ad how does Trump plan to transport this solar energy to the places that need it?
Maybe he wants the wall to light up at night in a kaleidoscope of colours?
Otherwise, why bother?

Oooh, the wall should be hollow plexiglass with piranhas swimming in it!

[Virgil Showlion]

Jul 14, 2017 2:21:11 GMT -5 weltschmerz said:

fortune.com/2017/07/13/donald-trump-mexico-border-wall-solar-transparent/

So, it has to be made of solar panels and be transparent, as well? What the hell is this guy smoking?
And how many people have been clobbered in the head with 60 pounds of drugs?
Anyone?

Weltz, the sun is shining, the bees are buzzing, the birds are tweeting. Life is too short to waste making technical assessments of politicians' proposals.

Just... briefly know what it feels like to be an engineer listening to a politician.

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

Wait wait I thought solar panels were destroying our electrical grid and there needed to be an investigation to see if alternative sources of energy really are helpful. I thought that coal is the only way to save us from an energy crisis.

Did I miss something and the solar lobbyists managed to outbid the coal lobbyists?

[chiver78]

Jul 14, 2017 9:39:25 GMT -5 swamp said:

I just hope we are being punked

for just the solar panel wall, or the entire presidency?  

[Virgil Showlion]

In fairness to Pres. Trump, shortly after he took office there was an RFP put out for designs on the border wall and (if memory serves) there were designs that incorporated solar panels. I also recall seeing several designs where the wall was "transparent" (in the sense that one side was visible from the other side).

What I don't recall is if any of the proposals had both features. If they did, the "transparency" would have been whichever parts of the fence were devoid of panels, although transparent photovoltaics do exist (!).

In short, while a transparent, solar-powered wall would be quite expensive and may or may not make practical sense, it is technically possible.

As for immigrants catapulting 60 lb bags of coke over a 40' fence: yeah. No.

[justme]

Jul 14, 2017 14:03:33 GMT -5 weltschmerz said:

Jul 14, 2017 6:07:56 GMT -5 mroped said:

There was a meme about a month ago saying that the wall should be made of solar panels so the tree hugging liberals can't turn down funding for it.
He must've thought that the concept is actualy pretty cool!

...ad how does Trump plan to transport this solar energy to the places that need it?
Maybe he wants the wall to light up at night in a kaleidoscope of colours?
Otherwise, why bother?

Oooh, the wall should be hollow plexiglass with piranhas swimming in it!

Psh if there were sharks with fricking laser beams attached to their heads we wouldn't need that many border patrol personnel.

[thyme4change]

Maybe the power can be used to electrify the wall and the surrounding ground so anyone who tries to jump the wall will be killed instantly. And the electricity can be deep in the ground so digging a tunnel will also be a death penalty. And if you don't throw 60 pounds of drugs across, no one can pick it up without being electrocuted to death. I love this idea bigly.

[weltschmerz]

Jul 14, 2017 16:16:14 GMT -5 thyme4change said:

Maybe the power can be used to electrify the wall and the surrounding ground so anyone who tries to jump the wall will be killed instantly. And the electricity can be deep in the ground so digging a tunnel will also be a death penalty. And if you don't throw 60 pounds of drugs across, no one can pick it up without being electrocuted to death. I love this idea bigly.

Wouldn't that kill all the migrating animals that are trying to cross?


Ooops, silly me! Trump cares not a whit about sick or poor people. Why would he give two craps about animals?

[thyme4change]

Jul 15, 2017 0:07:11 GMT -5 weltschmerz said:

Jul 14, 2017 16:16:14 GMT -5 thyme4change said:

Maybe the power can be used to electrify the wall and the surrounding ground so anyone who tries to jump the wall will be killed instantly. And the electricity can be deep in the ground so digging a tunnel will also be a death penalty. And if you don't throw 60 pounds of drugs across, no one can pick it up without being electrocuted to death. I love this idea bigly.

Wouldn't that kill all the migrating animals that are trying to cross?


Ooops, silly me! Trump cares not a whit about sick or poor people. Why would he give two craps about animals?

The wall has already screwed them up. Making it longer has way more effect that most people imagine.

And you are correct - Trump doesn't give a shit.

[Tennesseer]

Jul 14, 2017 15:55:21 GMT -5 justme said:

Jul 14, 2017 14:03:33 GMT -5 weltschmerz said:

...ad how does Trump plan to transport this solar energy to the places that need it?
Maybe he wants the wall to light up at night in a kaleidoscope of colours?
Otherwise, why bother?

Oooh, the wall should be hollow plexiglass with piranhas swimming in it!

Psh if there were sharks with fricking laser beams attached to their heads we wouldn't need that many border patrol personnel.

Maybe the next Sharknado movie theme should be about the wall separating the U.S. from Mexico.

[Tiny]

Jul 14, 2017 7:47:01 GMT -5 Value Buy said:

Well at least we do not have to wait for a bankrupt Mexico to pay for it. The sun will make it a huge profitable endeavor!

I'm sure the Coal Industry and Workers who voted for Trump are cheering wildly.

[Tiny]

Jul 14, 2017 11:29:00 GMT -5 @anne81 said:

He talked about solar panels in the wall a few weeks ago in a speech. I think he's trolling.

Edited: OTOH his rhetoric appears to have caused illegal border crossings to go down by over 60%.

www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2017/apr/25/donald-trump/illegal-immigration-lowest-17-years-trump-said/

 isn't that low percentage partly because of the Great Recession... when jobs for immigrants vanished overnight?   

[Tiny]

Jul 14, 2017 16:16:14 GMT -5 thyme4change said:

Maybe the power can be used to electrify the wall and the surrounding ground so anyone who tries to jump the wall will be killed instantly. And the electricity can be deep in the ground so digging a tunnel will also be a death penalty. And if you don't throw 60 pounds of drugs across, no one can pick it up without being electrocuted to death. I love this idea bigly.

We'd be better off with land mines.... I'm pretty sure we already make the mines  and I hear the mines have a 3 (or maybe 5 year) life span... so the thousands of miles of mined no man's land would be a huge on going economic boost - we'd have to build the mines, lay the mines, and then go back and start the process over again (as the mines go inert)...

It would be like our endless highway/road maintenance/construction.

[Tiny]

Jul 14, 2017 16:16:14 GMT -5 thyme4change said:

Maybe the power can be used to electrify the wall and the surrounding ground so anyone who tries to jump the wall will be killed instantly. And the electricity can be deep in the ground so digging a tunnel will also be a death penalty. And if you don't throw 60 pounds of drugs across, no one can pick it up without being electrocuted to death. I love this idea bigly.

Wouldn't they just use a "cannon" or a catapult or trebuchet to launch the 60 pounds of drugs past the electrified area?

[thyme4change]

Jul 17, 2017 10:23:53 GMT -5 Tiny said:

Jul 14, 2017 16:16:14 GMT -5 thyme4change said:

Maybe the power can be used to electrify the wall and the surrounding ground so anyone who tries to jump the wall will be killed instantly. And the electricity can be deep in the ground so digging a tunnel will also be a death penalty. And if you don't throw 60 pounds of drugs across, no one can pick it up without being electrocuted to death. I love this idea bigly.

Wouldn't they just use a "cannon" or a catapult or trebuchet to launch the 60 pounds of drugs past the electrified area?

They use trebuchets now. Walls have limited effectiveness.

Aren't Republicans against the unilateral usurping of land by government?

[thyme4change]

Jul 17, 2017 10:21:29 GMT -5 Tiny said:

Jul 14, 2017 16:16:14 GMT -5 thyme4change said:

Maybe the power can be used to electrify the wall and the surrounding ground so anyone who tries to jump the wall will be killed instantly. And the electricity can be deep in the ground so digging a tunnel will also be a death penalty. And if you don't throw 60 pounds of drugs across, no one can pick it up without being electrocuted to death. I love this idea bigly.

We'd be better off with land mines.... I'm pretty sure we already make the mines  and I hear the mines have a 3 (or maybe 5 year) life span... so the thousands of miles of mined no man's land would be a huge on going economic boost - we'd have to build the mines, lay the mines, and then go back and start the process over again (as the mines go inert)...

It would be like our endless highway/road maintenance/construction.

We are better off with technologies - like drones, cameras and ground detection equipment, as well as experienced border agents.

We also need to police the expiration of Visas better and increase punishment of businesses and people that employ undocumented workers.

That wall ain't doing shit.

[Tiny]

Jul 17, 2017 10:31:12 GMT -5 thyme4change said:

Jul 17, 2017 10:23:53 GMT -5 Tiny said:

Wouldn't they just use a "cannon" or a catapult or trebuchet to launch the 60 pounds of drugs past the electrified area?

They use trebuchets now. Walls have limited effectiveness.

Aren't Republicans against the unilateral usurping of land by government?

I think they are when the land being usurped is theirs... if it belongs to someone else, not so much.

[Tiny]

Jul 17, 2017 10:34:07 GMT -5 thyme4change said:

Jul 17, 2017 10:21:29 GMT -5 Tiny said:

We'd be better off with land mines.... I'm pretty sure we already make the mines  and I hear the mines have a 3 (or maybe 5 year) life span... so the thousands of miles of mined no man's land would be a huge on going economic boost - we'd have to build the mines, lay the mines, and then go back and start the process over again (as the mines go inert)...

It would be like our endless highway/road maintenance/construction.

We are better off with technologies - like drones, cameras and ground detection equipment, as well as experienced border agents.

We also need to police the expiration of Visas better and increase punishment of businesses and people that employ undocumented workers.

That wall ain't doing shit.

But, I thought that for America to be Great again we needed jobs - lots and lots of jobs... maintaining thousands of miles mined land would create a whole plethora of jobs that would be long term- from low skilled to high skilled across a variety of businesses (raw materials, transportation, warehouses, factories, and then the labor force necessary to maintain/run it all.)

Technology is nice - but we'd have to do the R&    (and spend huge amounts of money on a few jobs) and then the Chinese would steal it, make it all cheaper and then sell it back to us - thus NOT creating many American jobs.

(FWIW:  I am joking.).

[tallguy]

The continuing clamor for building a wall proves only one thing:  Simplistic solutions satisfy simpletons.   

[thyme4change]

Jul 17, 2017 11:16:23 GMT -5 Tiny said:

Jul 17, 2017 10:31:12 GMT -5 thyme4change said:

They use trebuchets now. Walls have limited effectiveness.

Aren't Republicans against the unilateral usurping of land by government?

I think they are when the land being usurped is theirs... if it belongs to someone else, not so much.

Most of the land owners on the AZ Mexico borders are hard core republicans. They won't even drive a blue car. That is rural, gun-loving, Trump loving people all the way. But they don't want their land taken away.

I imagine Texas has a similar situation. California seems to have a fence most of the way, but inland, same deal, it is rural farmers up against the border. They love the idea of protections, but not the idea of eminate domain.

[Virgil Showlion]

Jul 17, 2017 11:37:13 GMT -5 tallguy said:

The continuing clamor for building a wall proves only one thing:  Simplistic solutions satisfy simpletons.   

Effective solutions satisfy people who are genuinely concerned about resolving a problem.

Sometimes the most effective solutions also happen to be the simplest ones.