Pardon me, my nerdy side is showing

[smeddley]

So I really don't like Discovery's new show Smash Lab. Not because of the things they do - to be honest, some of the stuff they play with is pretty interesting. No, I dislike it because it's couched in terms of 'problem solving'. They're going to make highways safer with super-airated concrete slabs that collapse under the weight of the vehicles... except, it only kinda slowed down a bus, no effect on cars. And not exactly cost or space effective. And then they're going to cover mobile homes in a fabric to protect it from tornadoes... except it was never mentioned how much that high-tech fiber would cost, and isn't the point of a mobile home affordability? Not to mention tethering is still a bit of a problem. And a home can be earthquake-proofed if you build it on rollers... sure, if the house is only 20'x20', doesn't have any attached porches or sidewalks, and is relatively light. And yet they claim retrofitting would be 'easy'. In what world would that be?

But tonight's was just so bad I don't think I can watch it anymore. I was putting up with the annoying people who sound worse than B-movie actors reading from cue cards. I was putting up with the dubious science and the hackneyed experiments. But patting yourself on the back and claiming to have developed a great prototype when you've missed one big, giant problem? Not cool. Yes, you played with sand. Yes, it was neat. No, it is not a viable solution.

For those of you who didn't watch the show, good for you, here's a quick recap. If you bubble air up through sand it acts like a fluid - things sink in it (think quicksand). Their theory was it could be used to stop a bank robber from escaping after the heist by building large pits outside the bank to trap both the person on foot and the vehicle (though let me ask you, does your bank have a guard shack? What the hell was up with that?). And yes, they did stop both the person on foot and the car by triggering the air and sinking them (and then when the air is turned off, they're stuck fast - at least stuck enough to be captured).

Let's ignore a lot of the question (what if the bank robber has a gun, or explosives, or a hostage) and focus on the one question they didn't even raise, let alone work into an experiment.

What if it's raining?

Comments

[gelsey.livejournal.com]

LMAO. ROFLMAO.

Raining. *dies*

That does sound like very shoddy science, though. Ugh.

[smeddley.livejournal.com]

It is, totally not worth watching. :/ I don't know why I've watched as much as I have!

[dynastic-queen.livejournal.com]

I missed it earlier, but I'll record the 2 AM showing and watch it tomorrow--just for a good laugh.

*eagerly rubbing hands together like evil scientist*

[smeddley.livejournal.com]

Yay! I'll have someone to commiserate with!

[dynastic-queen.livejournal.com]

YECCH.

All of the sand and liquifying experiments were pretty interesting. But that bank robber scenario was plain RE-tarded. As if someone trying to keep a low profile would drive up to the front doors of a bank with tires squealing and doing donuts. Getting everyone's attention as the passenger jumps out to go rob the place. R-I-G-H-T. Stoopid.

And on top of that, as soon as the first sand trap is sprung, no matter where that is, an emergency announcement would go up on the Association of Thieves and Robbers website to avoid EVERYTHING BUT ASPHALT. That dog would never hunt again.

Oh, smeddley.

[smeddley.livejournal.com]

I know! If they'd just left it at 'hey, now, this is a really cool and interesting thing to do with sand, let's see how far we can take it - ohhh, we sunk a car! Yay!' I would be cool with that.

Ha! I want to see the 'Association of Thieves and Robbers' website! Again, another great story idea, alas, I should be cleaning today... *pouts*

[penchaft.livejournal.com]

That's how they make airplane windows!

[smeddley.livejournal.com]

I do love the fact that if you heat up sand enough, it turns to glass. Where does the beige go?!

[penchaft.livejournal.com]

Switzerland!

[smeddley.livejournal.com]

Good answer!

[http://users.livejournal.com/anam_cara_/]

T. hates this new show too. He thinks it's just a really crappy version of Mythbusters, which he loves.

[smeddley.livejournal.com]

I couldn't agree more!

[a-l-p-h-a-b-e-t.livejournal.com]

See, this is why I don't watch CSI:Anywhere anymore. I was always a little gaffawed about the "software" they used to find that improbable clue, but I was watching CSI:Miami when they had the tsunami, when someone showed a computer monitor with "GPS Receivers" on it and they found one that was transmitting which supposedly was the container they were looking for. um... Gps receivers only receive... how the hell do they know the location of the receivers if they don't transmit?

They want to stop a robber from exiting a building? How about an array of tasers at the door? If some innocent bystander get's zapped in the process, just tell them it's better then a hail of bullets.

[smeddley.livejournal.com]

I can't stand the CSIs. Except... they put me to sleep like you wouldn't believe. If I'm not feeling sleepy, I turn it on and I'm out in 15 minutes. I think my brain is fleeing to the safety of unconsciousness rather than watching that horrible, horrible 'science'.

We were talking about more effective ways, and also came up with that foam that hardens instantly. You could rig the door frame to completely cover the robber leaving.