Hundreds of manhole covers disappear

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/odd_missing_manhole_covers

by cglee • 18 years ago

3 4 18 years ago

news.yahoo.com

cglee• 18 years ago

This is relevant for context: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manhole_cover_theft

dfranke• 18 years ago

Disgruntled Microsoft interviewers are the prime suspects.

bootload• 18 years ago

"... Take the lowly subject of 'manhole covers'. The humble manhole cover reproduces many of the dilemmas of computer-security in miniature. Manhole covers are, of course, technological artifacts, access-points to our buried urban infrastructure. To the vast majority of us, manhole covers are invisible. They are also vulnerable. For many years now, the Secret Service has made a point of caulking manhole covers along all routes of the Presidential motorcade. This is, of course, to deter terrorists from leaping out of underground ambush or, more likely, planting remote-control car- smashing bombs beneath the street. ..."

I remembered this bit reading the "Hacker Crackdown" by Bruce Stirling ~ http://www.mit.edu/hacker/part3.html The caulking involved bolting the manhole covers down with a super glue adhesive to secure the thread to the bolt to the concrete & steel forming a very secure join. Anyone ever seen one of these?

You can listen to it here ~ http://www.boingboing.net/2008/01/13/podcast-of-bruce-ste.ht...

gaius• 18 years ago

A few years ago, before the anti-capitalism movement ran out of steam, before May Day you would see crews spot-welding manholes in the City, London's financial district. The eco-terrorists liked to tear up the cables, I suppose if they were still around today they'd be carrying (petrol-powered!) angle grinders to get at them.

Hundreds of manhole covers disappear

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