Friday, April 18, 2008

Black Top

I wonder how much global warming is due to the fact that a significant part of the surface of the Earth is now covered with black asphalt for roads and parking lots instead of green grass or other natural coverings. Black surfaces absorb more heat - store it longer - and radiate it back out long after the sun sets. Even in very remote areas of the world you will find ribbons of blacktop roads.

We need personal vehicles that fly, have water for exhaust and can be folded up into a briefcase like George Jetson's car. That last part might be a bit far fetched, but I'm a firm believer that if it can be imagined - it can be done. In fact, I sometimes think that the imagination is actually a window to another dimension that actually can exist. I'll bet when my 4th grade teacher wrote on my report card "tends to daydream" he didn't realize I was being clairvoyant.

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