A Ballsy Plan In Indonesia
When they need to stop the mud flow they show they’ve got brass, er, concrete ones
SURABAYA, Indonesia (AP) — An Indonesian official hit back at critics of a plan to control a gushing mud volcano by dropping concrete balls into its crater, saying something must be done to stop a nine-month-long eruption that has displaced 11,000 people.
A team of geologists and engineers hope the plan, believed to have never been tried before, will reduce the amount of mud flowing from the geyser at a gas exploration site on Java island by up to 70 percent. The mud is now surging out at a rate equivalent to about a million oil drums a day.
It seems to me that this might just build up the pressure for a big kaplooey later, but what do I know.
Critics have said they doubt the new attempt will work, and that it may be dangerous or cause the mud to flow out from different points.
“Those experts can say what they want, but we have to do something,” said Rudi Novrianto, a spokesman for a government task force handling the disaster. “There is no time to debate and sit around.”
That’s the spirit!
Fun | Mr. Bingley | 
February 23, 2007 8:00 am
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Shooting from my hip, I suspect that this effort will probably be wasted. With few (and highly focused) exceptions, when humanity goes up against natural forces, humanity tends to lose. When Mother Gaia™ says “Move!”, that means move.
I could be wrong, of course. But if I were asked to lay money on the table, I’d go for Mother Gaia™. I think it’ll take significant technological advances in energy production and matter manipulation to influence (let alone control) tectonic forces.
Whoops! Forgot to mention……this is strictly politically motivated. That comment from Novrianto says it all.
If “doing something” includes lounging around half a world away, then sign me up.
If we could only synthesize the mud into ethanol our oil supply problems would be over..
“They’ve got the biggest balls of them all…”
Sorry, AC/DC features pretty prominently on my workout mix.
Gotta get to work on those volcano-lancing lasers…
“to control a gushing mud volcano by dropping concrete balls into its crater”
They’re about to invent to world’s biggest shotgun.
You might be right Gunslinger. I sure wouldn’t want to holding onto that puppy when it goes off.
Maybe we can get a flock of moonbats to fly over head about the time Ma-Nature pulls the trigger.
“Pull!”
Maybe they can stuff Algore; he wants to save the earth, and everyone knows the Gorezilla is made from concrete.
Can’t hurt, might work!