Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM)

July 19, 2008


Video: YouTube

It’s probably the Engineer in me that loves this stuff… these machines are awesome and I’m very impressed with the way Malaysia solved their traffic and flood mitigation problems.

This initially is going to sound a little hypocritical, when I mention that I was a draft dodger. No it wasn’t that I wouldn’t fight to protect Australia… I just wasn’t going to be involved in propping up a corrupt South Vietnamese government. Actually, I’m in favor of National Service… not necessarily in the military service, but more for full Citizenship Rights; including tax benefits.

Now the National Service which I would like to see implemented in Australia, is I believe, more along the lines of Norway’s National Service, where people who had ideological issues with the military, could opt instead for positions within other government organization or on national projects.

What has this to do with TBMs? Well, when I see these machines, I see an opportunity for Australia to carry out large long term projects. Projects such as using a variety of these TBMs to rebuild our dilapidated and wasteful storm water and drainage systems, which would then incorporate power, gas, and water mains… that would get rid us of those godawful and dangerous power lines, thereby reducing the numbers of people killed and horribly injured on the roads (and save countless billions of dollars in the long run). It would also reduce the likelihood of increasing power outages from the probable increasingly frequent and violent storms caused by climate change… and it would allow us importantly, to make use of whatever storm water we get.

No doubt I’ll be shouted down by a variety of people, but I don’t see any government being likely to under take such huge projects, those morons cant see past the next election, and their sole method of insuring they win, is pleasing big business, who likewise are short sighted and can’t see past their own bottom lines.

If I was Emperor, after I’d rid us of most of the Lawyers (spit on the ground) and politicians; I’d run the country by referendums like Switzerland. The first thing I’d suggest, is that we maximize the funding to the universities, collages and schools, get them to come up with the necessary alternative plans needed to run Australia… part of my idea is to reward participants for their two years of National Service, by giving them a fully funded University or Collage education, or conversly a low interest business loan or home loan. A dumb country only serves the elite few, whilst an educated country serves the majority… you either spend money on jails or schools.

By doing this we could undertake national projects that could extend for decades and which would normally never be undertaken by governments… or businesses. We could do the things that politicians are now totally incapable of doing, and perhaps gain a few fringe benefits, such as engendering some national pride and camaraderie, which I’m sure would come when people from differing walks of life work together, as they did on the rare but incredibly successful Snowy Mountain Scheme… anyway I’m raving again and my finger is getting sore from typing, so enjoy the other clips.

Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) in action in Kuala Lumpur


Video: YouTube

POST CONTINUES

SMART Tunnel


Video: YouTube


Malaysia SMART Water Diversion Tunnel Tested Ok 3 Sep 07


Video: YouTube



Written by Beam · Filed Under Climate, People, Political, Sustainability, Technology, Transport 

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