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Oil rig inspection is a dangerous business. Traditionally roughnecks dangled from a wire, in gale-force winds if needed, to manually log wear and tear on the girders. Assessments include giant chimneys — called flare stacks — that belch fire during million-dollar-a-day shutdowns.
Increasingly the industry has found that swapping abseiling humans for small drones equipped with high-definition and thermal cameras can save time, cut costs and improve safety.
"These are large metal structures in a big pond of seawater. They will rust a lot, particularly in the North Sea where rigs designed to last 20 years are lasting more than 40. They are continually getting cracks and physical damage from the waves and need to be refurbished and fixed," says Chris Blackford, Sky Futures' chief operations officer.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by Runaway1956 on Monday August 24 2015, @03:51PM
"It is also improving for it."
Citations needed. Along with a definition of "improving". The politically correct definition certainly has not been proven to win wars and battles. (and yes, I'm aware that the US has been on a losing streak anyway for the past few decades, so maybe it doesn't matter)
"For a real adventure just go by yourself and don't tell anyone when you'll be back or where you're going."
I never knew myself where I was going, until I got there - how in hell could I have told anyone else my itinerary? A buddy and I head out of town for the weekend, and make up our minds as we traveled, where we were going. Ditto for the wife and I. And, many many times, I did the same alone. Itinerary? WTF needs an itinerary? I'm no international diplomat!
(Score: 2) by bob_super on Monday August 24 2015, @05:10PM
>Citations needed
Well, instead of a bunch of disciplined men unquestionably blowing the stuff the big brass points at, the military now includes a bunch of disciplined men, gays, women, and philosophers unquestionably blowing the stuff the big brass points at.
When you run out of sh*t to blow up, the diversity is more enriching.
As a side-effect, when you're invading countries with retrograde views, having a few women and philosophers can help with the locals.
(Score: 2) by tibman on Monday August 24 2015, @06:30PM
As far as the military goes, I will be your citation. Racism and homophobia only hindered my work. Women are fine too as long as traditional gender roles have been thoroughly broken for everyone involved. My former MOS, 19D [wikipedia.org], still does not permit women. But i have always enjoyed judo and combatives with fit women in my weight class. In the US Army i saw no "Political Correctness" when it came to fighting. That is something poges dealt with. In my US Army everyone was a guy and we were all green (or tan and sunburnt, lol). No gender or colors. People can fuck who they want and it's none of your (or my) business.
You are talking about not needing an itinerary to drive somewhere? I think you'll make it just fine. I am talking about hiking/camping. When off-trail hiking you will never see another human being. You'd better have a rough plan of where you are going. That is going to tell you how much food to carry and where water sources will be. Or, die i guess. They may find your bones. If you don't believe me, try a 50 mile hike on a trail. Then imagine what that would be like without the path, bridges, and any other person in sight. It would be a great experience for you and your friend. If you were saying you and your friend just wandered off into the forest like Daniel Boon without a map, supplies, or a plan, then you are quite a great woodsman. But if you and your friend wander down trails until half of your time is spent and then double back the way you came, then i'd say you are have a great adventure and hope you have plenty more in the future. But you aren't the kind of person that the forest rangers are worried about.
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(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Monday August 24 2015, @07:09PM
Hiking and camping, or just heading out into the wilderness on a motorcycle - I've mostly just followed my nose. If I plan to spend more than a day or two, then the planning gets a little more serious. In all honesty, most of my hiking and camping have been in areas with plenty of water. I'm not - uhhh - mentally adjusted to long term survival in the deserts. A guy can carry a lot of food with him, if he doesn't have to also carry combat gear. In well watered areas of the earth, food can always be scavenged.
Wandering into any wilderness without a map or a plan is worse than foolhardy, and you know that. But, the plan has always been a "rough plan" for me.
As for finding my bones - ehh - I don't much care about that. We all leave this world eventually. It's usually unplanned, but we all leave eventually. Leaving my bones for the wildlife to gnaw on seems as good as being tossed into a hole in the ground, don't you think?
In all seriousness, I'm not the Daniel Boone that I may have implied, but I have trekked fairly deep into the mountains in Alaska and much of the western US. You will note my chosen nickname, of course. I spent my entire summer after junior year of high school in the woods. All summer long, I only interacted with maybe a dozen people. Memorial Day weekend was my undoing - everyone came out of the city for picnics and barbeques, and they stumbled over me, LOL. Ehhh - I shared in the picnic, then rode back into town to see the police chief, then started my senior year of high school.