# 340 Ton Boulder Heading For Los Angeles! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 29, 2012, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/340-ton-boulder-heading-for-los-angeles/614306 "2012-02-29T02:18:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2012, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/340-ton-boulder-heading-for-los-angeles/614306/21 "2012-03-02T00:19:51Z")
More likely, something happens to cause a failure in the lift vehicle, and the 340-ton rock flattens someone like in a Looney Tunes cartoon. ---
**Author:** ![MacCat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maccat/32/216_2.png) [@MacCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacCat)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2012, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/340-ton-boulder-heading-for-los-angeles/614306/22 "2012-03-02T04:30:16Z")
Acme heavy lift dirigible. ---
**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2012, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/340-ton-boulder-heading-for-los-angeles/614306/23 "2012-03-02T04:59:23Z")
From an engineering perspective, I find this fascinating. (I am not an engineer) From an artistic perspective, I find this ludicrous. (I am not an artist) As a Californian, I am palming myself in the face so hard my head hurts. (I am _not_ a native) ---
**Author:** ![Ostrya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/35a633/32.png) [@Ostrya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ostrya)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2012, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/340-ton-boulder-heading-for-los-angeles/614306/24 "2012-03-02T13:52:20Z")
> [@treis](#): > > Man, what a waste of money. I don’t even understand it. It’s a rock. Not even a particularly attractive one. Exactly. What a ridiculous waste of resources. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2012, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/340-ton-boulder-heading-for-los-angeles/614306/25 "2012-03-02T15:07:59Z")
It will be shrink-wrapped for protection? Why? What kind of damage do they expect to happen to a 340-ton hunk of granite? Oh. LA. Grafitti. The route is crazy. They should have just taken it on the 10. Even at 5 MPH, it wouldn’t slow down traffic too badly. Yes, I know there were concerns about bridges and whatnot, but if they used that 1200 horsepower to get the rock up to a decent speed, overpasses won’t stand a chance. [QUOTE=the lone cashew] What a ridiculous waste of resources. [/QUOTE] Believe this was all funded with private donations. ---
**Author:** ![MacCat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maccat/32/216_2.png) [@MacCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacCat)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2012, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/340-ton-boulder-heading-for-los-angeles/614306/26 "2012-03-02T15:35:41Z")
Just as I’m reading the last post, a This Old House promo came on the TeeVee, showing the three guys trying to budge a good sized boulder. With a bar that would bend (not quite) like a wet noodle with any real attempt. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2012, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/340-ton-boulder-heading-for-los-angeles/614306/27 "2012-03-02T15:51:41Z")
Here’s a thought – instead of the boulder being the work of art, the _act of moving the boulder_ is the Work of Art. It’s one o’ them _Conceptual Artworks_. Or maybe even a form of _Performance Art_ They can call it “Sisyphus” ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2012, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/340-ton-boulder-heading-for-los-angeles/614306/28 "2012-03-02T15:52:26Z")
> [@Floppy\_Joe](#): > > I wonder why they’re not using some kind of heavy-lift dirigible, or LTA craft. Makes more sense to me. Probably quicker, too. Quickest way would be a catapult. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2012, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/340-ton-boulder-heading-for-los-angeles/614306/29 "2012-03-02T16:39:23Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > Here’s a thought – instead of the boulder being the work of art, the _act of moving the boulder_ is the Work of Art. Given the number of people who are turning out to watch the process, that’s a pretty reasonable statement. ---
**Author:** ![Truman\_Burbank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@Truman\_Burbank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Truman_Burbank)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2012, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/340-ton-boulder-heading-for-los-angeles/614306/30 "2012-03-02T17:08:17Z")
The wife and I drove by to take a gander last night, I was not too impressed, and the rock is wrapped in plastic, so I cannot attest to its attractiveness or lack thereof. Quoth she: I thought it would be bigger. Cue the “That’s what she said” joke about…now. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/340-ton-boulder-heading-for-los-angeles/614306.md?page=1)