Comments on: Overheard http://iamnotmakingthisup.net/4679/overheard/ My personal account of living real life in real Venice, and more Sat, 04 Feb 2012 23:39:46 +0000 hourly 1 By: gerry @ plasterers wandsworth http://iamnotmakingthisup.net/4679/overheard/comment-page-1/#comment-1768 gerry @ plasterers wandsworth Tue, 30 Aug 2011 11:40:14 +0000 http://iamnotmakingthisup.net/?p=4679#comment-1768 interesting article, very mundane indeed interesting article, very mundane indeed

]]> By: Erla Zwingle http://iamnotmakingthisup.net/4679/overheard/comment-page-1/#comment-526 Erla Zwingle Tue, 18 May 2010 14:51:39 +0000 http://iamnotmakingthisup.net/?p=4679#comment-526 "MOSE" isn't so much inspired as a mere efficient acronym for the Modulo Sperimentale Elettromeccanico. It's sometimes written as "MoSE." I'm not sure I follow your reasoning on some points, which seem to focus on details and not on the larger picture which I attempted to delineate. Saying that it would be useful even if it were functioning imperfectly strikes me as saying that your car would be useful even if it only had three inflated tires. A construction that costs five billion dollars isn't supposed to require apologies. In any case, I continue to maintain that it is a "solution" which creates more problems than it solves. And by the way, nobody has ever really explained to me why high water is such a big problem. Maybe you can enlighten me here. You'll be glad to know, though, that pumping groundwater ceased a good number of years ago. “MOSE” isn’t so much inspired as a mere efficient acronym for the Modulo Sperimentale Elettromeccanico. It’s sometimes written as “MoSE.”
I’m not sure I follow your reasoning on some points, which seem to focus on details and not on the larger picture which I attempted to delineate. Saying that it would be useful even if it were functioning imperfectly strikes me as saying that your car would be useful even if it only had three inflated tires. A construction that costs five billion dollars isn’t supposed to require apologies. In any case, I continue to maintain that it is a “solution” which creates more problems than it solves. And by the way, nobody has ever really explained to me why high water is such a big problem. Maybe you can enlighten me here. You’ll be glad to know, though, that pumping groundwater ceased a good number of years ago.

]]> By: John Wilson http://iamnotmakingthisup.net/4679/overheard/comment-page-1/#comment-525 John Wilson Mon, 17 May 2010 17:14:30 +0000 http://iamnotmakingthisup.net/?p=4679#comment-525 re MOSE Even if there were an exceptional high tide - say 3.2m, and MOSE is designed for 3.0m, then assuming it's still functioning, only the final 0.2 m would pour over the top, and only for the very highest few minutes of the tide - this would be nothing like a 3.2m tide with no barrier. For all tides up to 1.0m the water will flow in and out as at present so for much of the time things will be as now - it's only the highest high tides that will be mitigated. And even it it were functioning imperfectly it would cut down the bulk of the flow. And remember that the raising of tidal levels is relative to the Adriatic not relative to Venice - the damage in Venice is as a result of several factors in addition to sea levels - buildings sinking and the mud itself being lowered as a result of fresh water extraction from below the lagoon - now ceased I hope. Incidentally what an inspired name, though the original Moses was never claimed to have held back the Adriatic! re MOSE

Even if there were an exceptional high tide – say 3.2m, and MOSE is designed for 3.0m, then assuming it’s still functioning, only the final 0.2 m would pour over the top, and only for the very highest few minutes of the tide – this would be nothing like a 3.2m tide with no barrier.

For all tides up to 1.0m the water will flow in and out as at present so for much of the time things will be as now – it’s only the highest high tides that will be mitigated.

And even it it were functioning imperfectly it would cut down the bulk of the flow.

And remember that the raising of tidal levels is relative to the Adriatic not relative to Venice – the damage in Venice is as a result of several factors in addition to sea levels – buildings sinking and the mud itself being lowered as a result of fresh water extraction from below the lagoon – now ceased I hope.

Incidentally what an inspired name, though the original Moses was never claimed to have held back the Adriatic!

]]> By: Erla http://iamnotmakingthisup.net/4679/overheard/comment-page-1/#comment-460 Erla Thu, 25 Feb 2010 09:09:52 +0000 http://iamnotmakingthisup.net/?p=4679#comment-460 Thanks. For me, one of the biggest reasons for learning another language isn't to be able to argue with the plumber over the phone, it's to be able to pick up on a lot of the to-and-fro of neighborhood life. It makes me feel good. Thanks. For me, one of the biggest reasons for learning another language isn’t to be able to argue with the plumber over the phone, it’s to be able to pick up on a lot of the to-and-fro of neighborhood life. It makes me feel good.

]]> By: Michael http://iamnotmakingthisup.net/4679/overheard/comment-page-1/#comment-459 Michael Wed, 24 Feb 2010 23:28:00 +0000 http://iamnotmakingthisup.net/?p=4679#comment-459 Nice. I like these little touches. :-) Nice. I like these little touches.

:-)

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