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jbrenner assigns HOMEwork - Planning Atlantis

Posted by $ jbrenner 10 years, 9 months ago to The Gulch: General
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An assignment I give my students in almost every course I teach is what I call a questions and issues sheet. Students are asked to come up with a list of at least 25 questions and issues on a process design, product design, or failure analysis of my choosing. Students start by brainstorming either by themselves or in groups for 0.5 to 1 hour, and then categorize their questions and issues into the following categories: technical/engineering, economic, legal, regulatory, quality, environmental, safety, health, logistical, project management, and social impact. It is better for the questions and issues to be in the form of a question such that the question can be answered with a yes/no or a number. In that way, the exercise serves as a checklist to keep the project on track. Points are given for the number of questions, category coverage, identification of all of the key issues, depth of insight, creativity, and for thoroughness of the list. A critical issue not considered is often the project killer. Your assignment is to participate in this exercise for the development of a physical Atlantis.


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  • Posted by $ 10 years, 9 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Tropical storms are problematic there, but not as often as you might think. That is farther west than the tropical storms typically go.
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  • Posted by $ 10 years, 9 months ago in reply to this comment.
    The problem with those is that water is as precious a resource as air on Mars and the moon.
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  • Posted by $ johnrobert2 10 years, 9 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Stray thought. Is it possible to knit a sweater with multiple layers? Say you complete a sweater and wish to add to its pile(?). Could that be done? Just asking as a point of curiosity.
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  • Posted by $ johnrobert2 10 years, 9 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Feasible, yes, but you now really have safety and security issues with large tropical storms on the one hand and a large piratical and/or drug cartel presence on the other. Either one could really ruin your day.
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  • Posted by $ johnrobert2 10 years, 9 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Read a short story once, 'Crucifixus Etiam', which describes a similar venture while terraforming Mars. Also, another short story, 'The Far Look', described potassium tetraoxide as an oxygen producing agent when mixed with water. This was a lunar milieu.
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  • Posted by $ 10 years, 9 months ago in reply to this comment.
    The professor in the office next to mine recently finished a project for NASA describing the mining of a metal oxide in Mars' crust and subsequent conversion of that oxide into breathable oxygen. That's one of the fun things about working at a university on the Space Coast.
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  • Posted by $ 10 years, 9 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Check out the Wikipedia post for New Utopia. The developer for that project, Lazarus Long, is dead, but his idea of seasteading on a bank between the Caymans and Honduras is feasible.
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  • Posted by $ 10 years, 9 months ago in reply to this comment.
    One thing we haven't discussed yet as a group is whether we want a high rise condo for everyone or individual domiciles. Logistically, the former is much easier, but I think that we will lose considerable interest without individual domiciles. A small resort with hotel rooms as a starter, but enough land to expand later probably is a good idea.
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  • Posted by Robbie53024 10 years, 9 months ago in reply to this comment.
    OA: After reading that, I think that Switzerland is already the Gulch. Too bad it's nearly impossible to gain swiss citizenship (yes, they passed less restrictive laws, but try to actually obtain citizenship, it's nearly impossible).
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  • Posted by Robbie53024 10 years, 9 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Agreed.

    A defense force would need to be constituted as any able bodied adult. As any person with any military background knows, there is a huge tail to tooth ratio - and logistics is what wins in the long run. Unfortunately, in a limited society, resources are going to be finite, so being noticed and subject to attack is the greatest threat.
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  • Posted by Robbie53024 10 years, 9 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Problem is, in many areas, land is taxed, and where it is taxed, you cannot be "off the grid."
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  • Posted by Robbie53024 10 years, 9 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Identification and quantification of the complete and correct set of customer requirements, and the measurement of those requirements demonstrating that they have not exceeded acceptable tolerance limits.
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  • Posted by khalling 10 years, 9 months ago in reply to this comment.
    I think both ideas are great. I saw a picture today of a railroad car used as a bridge. I like the mobility. Also the nod to tthe book. :)
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  • Posted by Robbie53024 10 years, 9 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Nauseating for me. I love scuba diving, but hate "bobbing" on the surface waiting to go down. I made a few trips with the Boy Scouts to Sea Base. Their process for diving had everyone get in the water and hold on to a rope until all were ready to dive. I always was the last in the water, as if I spent any time at all bobbing, I'd be "feeding the fishies" as the scouts loved to say.

    Thanks for your service. My Goddaughter just graduated from Great Lakes boot camp this past Friday. I support the Navy 364 days a year.
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