Posts by Bart Janssen
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Hard News: Where nature may win, in reply to Sacha,
Sacha the top of upper queen street to the waterfront is about 2 km
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a frustratingly slow place
Yup.
But a couple of things to note, no robot has ever been successfully used in a mine rescue. So getting upset because we didn’t have enough robots quickly enough is a bit pointless. They are using robots because there is nothing else that is possible at the moment not because they have any real expectation that the robots will be able to effect a rescue. The best they can hope for from the robots is a better idea of conditions deeper in the mine and it give folks something to do, which is actually an important factor. And who know there is always the chance that this is the first time a robot is used successfully.
The real progress is being made by a drill which is limited by simple physics of drilling through rock. Once they get a hole into the deeper part of the mine they will be able to sample directly in the area where it matters. The drill hole(s) will allow them to see and sample, which will tell them if it is possible to send people into the mine. If anyone is alive it is likely to be the drill holes that will determine that.
None of what they are doing at Pike river is easy, least of all dealing with the fear and emotions involved. Second guessing and criticizing from our seats here does not help anyone, not even us since it isn’t a great way of dealing with the frustration. Try having a coffee with some friends to alleviate the stress instead.
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Hard News: Where nature may win, in reply to Craig Ranapia,
not least John Campbell himself. So WTF is going on?
TV3 is a business run by accountants. It’s purpose as far as they are concerned is to make more money. That is what accountants do, which is fine. The problem is accountants shouldn’t be allowed to make decisions that affect the purpose of a company, In this case the purpose of TV3 news is to provide news, an accountant will never understand that.
But you know all that.
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Just thought I'd remind folks that essentially what the rescue team is looking at is a 2.5 km long pipe bomb! I'd put more exclamation points in there but it shouldn't be necessary. That is also the reason they won't allow anyone up at the mine head.
There is indeed a significant chance that the methane/air/coal dust mix in the mine explodes.
There is no scenario where it is acceptable to take a risk with such a large explosive situation. All joking aside, this isn't a situation for Hollywood theatrics. It is a situation for boring, careful, informed and sadly slow progress.
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Hard News: Where nature may win, in reply to Dismal Soyanz,
This is too cool we are going to have Bruce Willis AND William Shatner to help with the rescue?
Unless Stallone beats them to it.
Must get autographs ...
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you are not providing a convenience for drivers, you are just confusing them
This. Remember some of them are easily confused. Be predictable. Really try to do the thing the car drivers expects you to do.
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Hard News: Where nature may win, in reply to Ian Dalziel,
it made them look shallow and exploitative
Isn't that in the vision statement?
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Hard News: Where nature may win, in reply to Craig Ranapia,
to the media pack:
“Do your job responsibly, so I can do mine.”
They call it fiction for a reason
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For comparison
This is the result of a chinese coal mine explosion, 37 dead.
The chinese mines are inherently more dangerous but coal mines are bad places to be when an explosion occurs.
Although China’s mine safety has improved from the low point of 2002, when 7,000 deaths were recorded, the death toll has begun to tick up again and reached 2,600 last year.
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Hard News: I'm not a "f***ing cyclist".…, in reply to Craig Ranapia,
who found her conversation with her gal pal much more important than other pedestrians
Every now and then when I'm feeling grumpy I take pleasure in not diving out of the way of the gaggle of usually three or four ladies chatting who have decided the footpath is theirs and theirs alone. Since I'm not small, most folks bounce off me when they collide with me. It's petty and beneath me but it is fun.