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  1. BridgeSmith

    Boeing again

    Sorry, I didn't realize there was a thread for that specifically. I'll look for it.
  2. BridgeSmith

    Boeing again

    I just heard the preliminary report on the Alaska Air 737 fake door blow-out incident has been released. Apparently, the 4 bolts that hold it in place were never installed. 4 bolts missing from Alaska Airlines door plug before blow-out: NTSB report
  3. BridgeSmith

    Large Taiwan bridge collapses from earthquake

    I didn't do alot of looking, but I haven't found any background information for the bridge yet. Rod Smith, P.E., The artist formerly known as HotRod10
  4. BridgeSmith

    Large Taiwan bridge collapses from earthquake

    Gaoliao Bridge in Hualien County, Taiwan collapses from earthquake Preliminary quake magnitude, depending on the source, was either a 6.4 or 6.8, or somewhere in between. As I watched the video, there did not seem to be much reinforcing hanging out of the broken pier shafts. Rod Smith, P.E...
  5. BridgeSmith

    Why heavy floods?

    It depends on the landscape. In the US, most everywhere that creating a reservoir is feasible, has one. Rod Smith, P.E., The artist formerly known as HotRod10
  6. BridgeSmith

    Why heavy floods?

    This forum is more for the 'how' than the 'why'. Perhaps there is a place for this discussion on the site, but I don't think this is it. Rod Smith, P.E., The artist formerly known as HotRod10
  7. BridgeSmith

    2 dead in Tesla accident "Noone wasdrivingthe car"

    So, the 6m proximity is just a bogus number put in the manual to make people feel better, and Tesla's could be driving all over the place without the owner being anywhere around? That's comforting. What if someone hacks the owner's phone? Who is held responsible for the damage and injuries? Rod...
  8. BridgeSmith

    2 dead in Tesla accident "Noone wasdrivingthe car"

    Something peculiar about that story, or at least the car manual's description of the Smart Summon feature: There doesn't seem to be anyone within 19' of the vehicle. If you do have to be within 19' of the vehicle, the feature would seem to be of very limited usefulness. I guess if someone...
  9. BridgeSmith

    2 dead in Tesla accident "Noone wasdrivingthe car"

    There's also the issue of what happens when it encounters an object that's not in the list, which is bound to happen. Rod Smith, P.E., The artist formerly known as HotRod10
  10. BridgeSmith

    2 dead in Tesla accident "Noone wasdrivingthe car"

    Yeah, I avoid that, too, and turn off the traction control whenever the roads are slick. I'd turn off the ABS if I could. Rod Smith, P.E., The artist formerly known as HotRod10
  11. BridgeSmith

    2 dead in Tesla accident "Noone wasdrivingthe car"

    Until the vehicle can handle all situations, without the need for a human to intervene at all, having the vehicle be capable of steering itself is an disaster waiting to happen. Expecting a human who isn't actively driving to be ready to at a moments notice is ridiculously naive. Just my...
  12. BridgeSmith

    America’s Worst Nuclear Disaster Was in California. Who Knew?

    Probably true, at least temporarily...the first time. After the initial panic subsides, the perpetrators' readily apparent ineptitude would likely work against them in their quest to incite fear in the future. Rod Smith, P.E., The artist formerly known as HotRod10
  13. BridgeSmith

    America’s Worst Nuclear Disaster Was in California. Who Knew?

    Again, even surviving long enough to accomplish the mission goals would be a challenge when dealing with the materials from an MSR. Rod Smith, P.E., The artist formerly known as HotRod10
  14. BridgeSmith

    America’s Worst Nuclear Disaster Was in California. Who Knew?

    The bomb maker has to survive at least long enough to build it, though. (See the last paragraph of my previous post) Rod Smith, P.E., The artist formerly known as HotRod10
  15. BridgeSmith

    America’s Worst Nuclear Disaster Was in California. Who Knew?

    Again, I know what a radioactive dirty bomb is, but thank you Alistair_Heaton for explaining it one more time. I never claimed a Thorium reactor produced no material that could be used in a dirty bomb; only that it would produce far less of that material than a Uranium-based reactor of the...
  16. BridgeSmith

    America’s Worst Nuclear Disaster Was in California. Who Knew?

    Given enough time to stockpile it, I suppose; although the origin of the discussion was concerning microreactors falling into the hands of terrorist groups. In that context, I find it unlikely that a Thorium reactor of that size would have enough U-235 in it to contaminate much. Certainly far...
  17. BridgeSmith

    America’s Worst Nuclear Disaster Was in California. Who Knew?

    I understand what a radioactive dirty bomb is. My reason for contending that a Thorium nuclear power is safer in this respect compared to Uranium based nuclear power, is due to the minuscule to non-existent amount of radioactive waste produced. Rod Smith, P.E., The artist formerly known as...
  18. BridgeSmith

    America’s Worst Nuclear Disaster Was in California. Who Knew?

    A little more background on the Thorium reactor function and a waste material comparison to a U-235 reactor: Thorium Converts to Uranium Inside the Reactor Rod Smith, P.E., The artist formerly known as HotRod10
  19. BridgeSmith

    America’s Worst Nuclear Disaster Was in California. Who Knew?

    My understanding was that a typical Thorium reactor made the conversion of the Thorium to U-233 as it was needed for the reaction, so there would not be much, if any, U-233 present once the reaction was shut down. I could be wrong. I haven't read extensively on the subject, and I've never worked...
  20. BridgeSmith

    America’s Worst Nuclear Disaster Was in California. Who Knew?

    I don't know if it's really making the "war is bad" argument; maybe 'nuclear war is bad'. It is a fact that it's nearly impossible to create materials for nuclear weapons from a Thorium reactor, which is the main reason Uranium reactors were chosen back in the day. It does require a small...

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