Crazytopics: February 2007

FLIP - Weird Flipping Ship

Published 28 February 2007 by markzmann.

FLIP (FLoating Instrument Platform) is an 355 feet long open ocean research ship designed to partially flood and pitch backward 90 degrees, resulting in only the front 55 feet of the vessel pointing up out of the water. FLIP was designed to study wave height, acoustic signals, water temperature and density, and to collect meteorological data.

Because of the potential interference with the acoustic instruments, FLIP has no engines or other means of propulsion. It must be towed to open water, where it drifts freely or is anchored. When the ship is in horizontal (traveling) position, the long, hollow ballast area trails behind. Once it reaches the targeted location, the tail is flooded with 1500 tons of seawater and the nose sticks straight up into the air. It takes about 28 minutes to flip from horizontal to vertical position.

During the flip, everyone stands on the outside decks. As FLIP flips, these decks slowly become bulkheads (the name sailors use for walls). The crew step onto decks that were, only moments before, bulkheads. Inside, decks have become bulkheads; bulkheads have become decks or overheads (ceilings).
Some of FLIP's furnishings are built so they can rotate to a new position as FLIP flips. Other equipment must be unbolted and moved. Some things, like tables in the kitchen and sinks in the washroom, are built twice so one is always in the correct position.

Because most of its length lies in the untroubled waters beneath the waves, FLIP fulfills the scientific need for a steady platform even in stormy conditions. A 30-foot wave only causes FLIP to move 3 feet vertically in the water column.

Floating Instrument Platform was conceived and developed in 1962 by the Marine Physical Laboratory (MPL) at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego. To date, FLIP was used in over 300 operations worldwide.

Lemon Festival In Menton

Published 27 February 2007 by markzmann.

Every year in February the Lemon Festival (Fête du Citron) takes place in Menton, a city of just over 28,000 residents on the French Riviera. Menton is the lemon capital of France and the Festival is a celebration of all things related to that small yellow fruit.
During the festival large constructions made of lemons and oranges parade down the streets and huge citrus fruit sculptures are built.
This year Menton is hosting the 74th Lemon Festival from 17 February - 7 March 2007.

Bagger 288 - Gigantic Excavator

Published by markzmann.

The Bagger 288 (Excavator 288) is a bucket-wheel excavator, the largest in the world.
It was built in 1978 by German company Krupp for the job of removing overburden prior to coal mining in Hambach, Germany. When its construction was completed, Bagger 288 superseded NASA's Crawler-Transporter (that used to carry the Space Shuttle) as the largest tracked vehicle in the world.

By 2001, the excavator had completely exposed the coal source at the Hambach mine and was no longer needed there. It took 3 weeks to transport the machine 22 kilometers (14 miles) to the Garzweiler mine and the move cost around $8 million. Moving Bagger 288 in one piece was more economic than disassembling the excavator and moving it piece by piece.

BAGGER 288 FACTS:
- it took 5 years to design and manufacture it at a cost of $100 million
- the excavator is approximately 240 m long and 96 m high
- its weight is 45,500 tons
- it can excavate 240,000 tons of coal or 240,000 cubic meters of overburden daily
- the Bagger's operation requires 16.56 megawatts of externally supplied electricity
- it can travel 2-10 m (6-30 ft) per minute (0.1-0.6 km/h)
- the chassis of the main section is 46 meters (151 feet) wide and sits on 3 rows of 4 caterpillar track assemblies, each 3.8 m (12.5 feet) wide
- the excavating head itself is 21.6 m in diameter and has 18 buckets each holding 6.6 cubic meters of overburden.

Giant Sinkhole In Guatemala

Published 26 February 2007 by markzmann.

A giant sinkhole opened in Guatemala City on February 24, 2007 and swallowed about a dozen homes. Officials said the 100 meter deep (330 feet deep) sinkhole in a crowded neighborhood of poor, concrete homes was caused by recent rains and an underground sewage flow from a ruptured main.

City spokesman said the sewage main ruptured after becoming clogged, the city was aware of the blockage and the army had considered a controlled explosion to clear the pipe which carries both rainwater and sewage for much of the capital. City residents also knew that something was wrong, they had been hearing noises and feeling tremors for about a month before the ground opened up.

From the air, the sinkhole looked like a bottomless black pit surrounded by concrete streets and tin-roofed shacks. The pit was emitting foul odors, loud noises and tremors and shaking the surrounding ground. A rush of water could be heard from its depths and authorities feared it could widen or others could open up. 1,000 people were evacuated from their homes and police cordoned off a 500-yard security perimeter around the hole.