Merry 9/11 and Happy Holidays - New General Megathread for the 11th-13th of September 2024
Building implosion
In the controlled demolition industry, building implosion is the strategic placing of explosive material and timing of its detonation so that a structure collapses on itself in a matter of seconds, minimizing the physical damage to its immediate surroundings. Despite its terminology, building implosion also includes the controlled demolition of other structures, like bridges, smokestacks, towers, and tunnels. This is typically done to save time and money of what would otherwise be an extensive demolition process with construction equipment, as well as to reduce construction workers exposure to infrastructure that is in severe disrepair.
Building implosion, which reduces to seconds a process which could take months or years to achieve by other methods, typically occurs in urban areas[citation needed] and often involves large landmark structures.
The actual use of the term "implosion" to refer to the destruction of a building is a misnomer. This had been stated of the destruction of 1515 Tower in West Palm Beach, Florida. "What happens is, you use explosive materials in critical structural connections to allow gravity to bring it down.
The term "implosion" was coined by my grandmother back in, I guess, the '60s. It's a more descriptive way to explain what we do than "explosion". There are a series of small explosions, but the building itself isn't erupting outward. It's actually being pulled in on top of itself. What we're really doing is removing specific support columns within the structure and then cajoling the building in one direction or another, or straight down.
Stacy Loizeaux, NOVA, December 1996
Building implosion techniques do not rely on the difference between internal and external pressure to collapse a structure. Instead, the goal is to induce a progressive collapse by weakening or removing critical supports; therefore, the building can no longer withstand gravity loads and will fail under its own weight
Numerous small explosives, strategically placed within the structure, are used to catalyze the collapse. Nitroglycerin, dynamite, or other explosives are used to shatter reinforced concrete supports. Linear shaped charges are used to sever steel supports. These explosives are progressively detonated on supports throughout the structure. Then, explosives on the lower floors initiate the controlled collapse.
A simple structure like a chimney can be prepared for demolition in less than a day. Larger or more complex structures can take up to six months of preparation to remove internal walls and wrap columns with fabric and fencing before firing the explosives.
I've been attempting to be a Baseball Guy for a bit but kinda wanna start with the classics. The nerd shit appeals to me hard. I think I just need to find some really cool games from the past to watch. I'm not a sports guy and I think I'm approaching it like I would a TV series where even if it's close to a century old, I'll start from the start. The days of Paunchy Baseball kinda seems cooler anyway
How classic we talking? You can find recordings if radio broadcasts for some really old games but video can be pretty tricky until into the 1950s. The 1955 World Series is considered a classic, it was the Brooklyn Dodgers' first championship and one of the first times the Yankees got upset. Tons of legends in it like Jackie Robinson, Roy Campanella, Yogi Berra, Mickey Mantle, Whitey Ford, Phil Rizzuto, Billy Martin. Jackie Robinson stealing home in that series is one of the most famous (infamous to Yankee fans, Yogi Berra insisted for the rest of his life that Robinson was actually out lol) plays of all time.
I'm a Mariners lifer, so Game 5 of the 1995 ALDS is probably my favorite game of all time. Game 4 of the 2004 ALCS where the Red Sox started the first and only reverse sweep down 3 games to none and went on to break their curse and won the World Series for the first time since they traded Babe Ruth to the Yankees is legendary too. Game 7 of the 2016 World Series is a modern classic too.
I wanna start as close to the star as possible, also radio broadcasts are fine too. I liked playing as a kid, worked with a dude who'd take me to local games cause he was a big fan and I wanna be so id be a guy he coukd drink beer with and tslk at which was fun as hell and i learned a lot. It's a Special Interest that I know I have brewing and would like to get off.the runway but I don't care about sports usually and can't see ever having a favorite team.
Ken Burns is a big nerd that loves hagiographizing US imperialism but his baseball documentary series is pretty good if kinda schmaltzy if you want a comprehensive history.
(Feel free to ask any baseball questions or strategy or jargon shit too, this is definitely one of my special interests too. Baseball is to sports and being on the spectrum what trains are to transportation or Sonic the Hedgehog is to videogames, there's endless trivia and stats to nerd out about.)
Love a train, not into sonic cause Nintendo kid, but I know almost everything about every first party Nintendo franchise. Baseball needs to be crossed off that list