https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/GeopolymerGoogling around looking for what Elon Musk might have been hinting at in this twitter exchange. There’s an interesting alternative to Portland cement based concrete associated with a guy who argues that the great pyramid was mostly built by pouring it into wooden forms in place rather than moving stone blocks.This geopolymer stuff happens to be stronger and more waterproof and in general be better suited to tunnel casing. It also produces MUCH less CO2 than Portland cement which is a major source of carbon emissions.Obelisks may be a reference to this stuff. It seems like a serious greener alternative but not yet used at scale, something TBC could correct since it would use enough to pay for it’s own supply chain.
I suspect obelisk is a reference to Kubrick's movie 2001.
Quote from: Ludus on 01/01/2018 05:13 amhttps://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/GeopolymerGoogling around looking for what Elon Musk might have been hinting at in this twitter exchange. There’s an interesting alternative to Portland cement based concrete associated with a guy who argues that the great pyramid was mostly built by pouring it into wooden forms in place rather than moving stone blocks.This geopolymer stuff happens to be stronger and more waterproof and in general be better suited to tunnel casing. It also produces MUCH less CO2 than Portland cement which is a major source of carbon emissions.Obelisks may be a reference to this stuff. It seems like a serious greener alternative but not yet used at scale, something TBC could correct since it would use enough to pay for it’s own supply chain.Obelisks sounds like a reference to N.K.Jemisin's book series The Broken Earth https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N._K._Jemisin#Broken_Earth_series
Quote from: JamesH65 on 01/07/2018 10:01 amQuote from: Ludus on 01/01/2018 05:13 amhttps://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/GeopolymerGoogling around looking for what Elon Musk might have been hinting at in this twitter exchange. There’s an interesting alternative to Portland cement based concrete associated with a guy who argues that the great pyramid was mostly built by pouring it into wooden forms in place rather than moving stone blocks.This geopolymer stuff happens to be stronger and more waterproof and in general be better suited to tunnel casing. It also produces MUCH less CO2 than Portland cement which is a major source of carbon emissions.Obelisks may be a reference to this stuff. It seems like a serious greener alternative but not yet used at scale, something TBC could correct since it would use enough to pay for it’s own supply chain.Obelisks sounds like a reference to N.K.Jemisin's book series The Broken Earth https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N._K._Jemisin#Broken_Earth_seriesIt’s specifically a reference to making Obelisks from material excavated by TBC. Jemisin’s Novels seem to be Fantasy without much emphasis on science and technology and the “Obelisks” are magically floating crystals that don’t seem to be connected to that.Musk might just be joking. He might be alluding to something fictional. Often though that sort of cryptic comment is a reference to something that makes sense later.
Quote from: Ludus on 01/10/2018 04:52 amQuote from: JamesH65 on 01/07/2018 10:01 amQuote from: Ludus on 01/01/2018 05:13 amhttps://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/GeopolymerGoogling around looking for what Elon Musk might have been hinting at in this twitter exchange. There’s an interesting alternative to Portland cement based concrete associated with a guy who argues that the great pyramid was mostly built by pouring it into wooden forms in place rather than moving stone blocks.This geopolymer stuff happens to be stronger and more waterproof and in general be better suited to tunnel casing. It also produces MUCH less CO2 than Portland cement which is a major source of carbon emissions.Obelisks may be a reference to this stuff. It seems like a serious greener alternative but not yet used at scale, something TBC could correct since it would use enough to pay for it’s own supply chain.Obelisks sounds like a reference to N.K.Jemisin's book series The Broken Earth https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N._K._Jemisin#Broken_Earth_seriesIt’s specifically a reference to making Obelisks from material excavated by TBC. Jemisin’s Novels seem to be Fantasy without much emphasis on science and technology and the “Obelisks” are magically floating crystals that don’t seem to be connected to that.Musk might just be joking. He might be alluding to something fictional. Often though that sort of cryptic comment is a reference to something that makes sense later.The obelisks in Broken earth were indeed floating crystals, 'manufactured' from excavated material....And yes, NKG books are indeed fantasy/SciFi. As are Bank's Culture series.
The Maryland Attorney General’s Office has called into question the state’s authority to grant permission to Tesla founder Elon Musk’s tunneling startup, The Boring Co., to build several miles of tunnels for his high-speed Hyperloop transportation system below the Baltimore-Washington Parkway
But the Hyperloop system “is not a utility under federal standards or SHA’s federally-approved utility accommodation policies,” Assistant Attorney General David Stamper wrote in a Jan. 2 letter sent to state Sen. Ed DeGrange about the project. The letter was obtained by The Baltimore Sun on Tuesday.“A Hyperloop system does not produce, transmit, or distribute communications, cable television, power, electricity, light, heat, gas, oil, crude products, water, steam, waste, or ‘other similar commodity,’” the letter said. “A Hyperloop moves people, automobiles and cargo. For this reason I do not believe SHA can authorize the construction of the proposed ‘transportation tunnels’ within the B-W Parkway right-of-way by issuing a utility permit.”Stamper pointed out that any proposal to grant a utility easement through state-owned property “must undergo a review and comment process … and an easement agreement must be presented to and approved by the Board of Public Works.”“An SHA utility permit, on its own, does not grant an easement,” he wrote.
In a statement, MDOT spokeswoman Erin Henson said: “We respectfully disagree with the advice provided by the Assistant Attorney General for the General Assembly, which was given without consulting with the Maryland Department of Transportation. Instead of 10 pages, we could have clarified in one that MDOT does have the right and responsibility to permit construction under state highway right of way, including the conditional permit issued to The Boring Company to build a concrete shell under the Baltimore-Washington Parkway. As stated months ago, the Federal Railroad Administration would provide the appropriate federal approvals for Hyperloop. Maryland should be proud to be the home for leading technology that can add one more tool to fight congestion that plagues Marylanders every day.”
An article from the Baltimore Sun about the Maryland Attorney General's office providing an unhelpful opinion to legislators.QuoteThe Maryland Attorney General’s Office has called into question the state’s authority to grant permission to Tesla founder Elon Musk’s tunneling startup, The Boring Co., to build several miles of tunnels for his high-speed Hyperloop transportation system below the Baltimore-Washington ParkwayQuoteBut the Hyperloop system “is not a utility under federal standards or SHA’s federally-approved utility accommodation policies,” Assistant Attorney General David Stamper wrote in a Jan. 2 letter sent to state Sen. Ed DeGrange about the project. The letter was obtained by The Baltimore Sun on Tuesday.“A Hyperloop system does not produce, transmit, or distribute communications, cable television, power, electricity, light, heat, gas, oil, crude products, water, steam, waste, or ‘other similar commodity,’” the letter said. “A Hyperloop moves people, automobiles and cargo. For this reason I do not believe SHA can authorize the construction of the proposed ‘transportation tunnels’ within the B-W Parkway right-of-way by issuing a utility permit.”Stamper pointed out that any proposal to grant a utility easement through state-owned property “must undergo a review and comment process … and an easement agreement must be presented to and approved by the Board of Public Works.”“An SHA utility permit, on its own, does not grant an easement,” he wrote.QuoteIn a statement, MDOT spokeswoman Erin Henson said: “We respectfully disagree with the advice provided by the Assistant Attorney General for the General Assembly, which was given without consulting with the Maryland Department of Transportation. Instead of 10 pages, we could have clarified in one that MDOT does have the right and responsibility to permit construction under state highway right of way, including the conditional permit issued to The Boring Company to build a concrete shell under the Baltimore-Washington Parkway. As stated months ago, the Federal Railroad Administration would provide the appropriate federal approvals for Hyperloop. Maryland should be proud to be the home for leading technology that can add one more tool to fight congestion that plagues Marylanders every day.”http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/bs-md-hyperloop-ag-opinion-20180116-story.html
https://www.teslarati.com/elon-musk-boring-company-flamethrower-exists-video/Do we want to know why, other than as a lark, this flamethrower exists?
Quote from: Lar on 01/17/2018 07:39 pmhttps://www.teslarati.com/elon-musk-boring-company-flamethrower-exists-video/Do we want to know why, other than as a lark, this flamethrower exists? <video clip>Other than they ran out of hats and this video, yea just as a lark
The company will present its ideas to the City Council of Culver City and a public audience at just after 7 p.m. on Monday at Culver City’s City Hall.City officials have already toured the company’s test tunnel at the SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne, said Councilman Jim B. Clarke, who expects the Jan. 22 meeting to focus on potential impacts to the public or lack thereof.“When we were there about a month ago, there were still a lot of unanswered questions, and that may still be the case,” Clarke said. “This is informational. They still have to go through the [public approvals] process, and that would take months.”
On Monday evening, Boring Company operations chief Jehn Balajadia stood before the city council of LA County's Culver City, and spent 45 minutes explaining why Musk wants and deserves the right to dig a tunnel under their homes. The sometimes chippy meeting was packed with members of the public and highlighted both the exciting and not quite consistent elements of the transportation company's plans.
Quote from: Lar on 01/17/2018 07:39 pmhttps://www.teslarati.com/elon-musk-boring-company-flamethrower-exists-video/Do we want to know why, other than as a lark, this flamethrower exists?I think he was just joking but it turns out people do in fact sell recreational flamethrowers and they’re legal. >