Shot this video from my office in bellevue and time-compressed it--showing how they add sections to those sky-scraper construction cranes.

Let the "erection" jokes begin...

---- Brian

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vx5Qt7_ECEE

Imagine being that dude operating that thing--and having it fall over like that one in Bellevue--and live to tell about it.

I always wondered how the built those.

Oh, I might add that this crane *IS* the one (or more accurately the replacement for the one) which fell down in bellevue! I have pix of that mess, too.

That was preety cool. I cant believe how much the crane arm tilts when they pick up a new section.

Engineers and those involved in large-scale construction always amaze me with their knowledge and ingenuity.

Megabuilders and Megastructures on Discovery have all kinds of cool programs on things like huge TBM's (tunnel-boring machines), dam construction, airport construction, and bridge construction. Watching how everything from Hoover Dam to the Golden Gate Bridge was built blows my mind.

And people say there's nothing good on television. Bullsh!t. Turn off American Idol and turn on Discovery, TLC, NGC, The Military Channel, or the History Channel.

Nothing. All are good channels.

It's just that if I have to choose between seeing the anchors set to hold the cables on the GG Bridge, or seeing a guy install a sprinkler system or give a living room a makeover, I'm going with the bridge.

I guess the point is, there's plenty of good TV.......too much, in fact. And yet, American Idol sits atop the ratings.

That was cool.

I bow to your Alpha Geekness. I am not worthy.

I think when they are finished they use the crane to lower itself to the ground and leave the orignal tower as a elevator shaft. Pretty cool video.

tragic when the crane dropped on that job. i work on the bellevue towers project just diagonally across the street. i was already at home sipping beers when that [censored] happened. the job im on has two cranes and soon to be raising them to suit the needs of a rising set of twins for the wealthy.