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The World's Longest Tunnel

fusconed writes "Bloomberg reports that the Russian government is proposing to build an underground tunnel between Russia and Alaska for transporting goods, electricity and natural resources. The tunnel would be twice as long as that between the UK and France. The $10 — $12b cost is not something to be overlooked, but Russia claims the benefits would pay it off in 20 years. It would take 10 to 15 years to build, but being an Alaskan, it sounds good to me!"

20 of 563 comments (clear)

  1. Has to be said by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    In Soviet Russia... tunnel digs you!

    1. Re:Has to be said by FST · · Score: 5, Funny

      No. Please don't.

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  2. Re:"goods, electricity and natural resources..." by maxume · · Score: 5, Funny

    Come to cold, barren Alaska...it's not Siberia!

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    Nerd rage is the funniest rage.
  3. It's a plan to take over all of North America by Waffle+Iron · · Score: 5, Funny

    They've already moved 27 armies into Kamchatka and surrounding territories, but then they discovered that the world maps that they were working on weren't totally accurate. Now they find out that they need to create an actual line connecting to Alaska to enable their attack. It's pretty brazen of them to ask us for help.

  4. Risky Business by rumblin'rabbit · · Score: 4, Funny

    So in 15 years we can attack Kamchatka from Alaska with 3 dice?

    1. Re:Risky Business by Timothy+Chu · · Score: 4, Funny

      Only when you have four armies on Alaska. Remember you must move as many armies as dice that you throw, and at least one must stay on Alaska.

    2. Re:Risky Business by Glowing+Fish · · Score: 4, Funny

      An important move to make, so that no one else can get the 7 armies a turn bonus for holding the entire continent.

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      Hopefully I didn't put any [] around my words.
  5. Hmm.... by lord_mike · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...Alaska is Senator Ted Stevens home state...

    I guess this brings a whole new meaning to "a series of tubes"!

    Thanks,

    Mike

  6. Bridge to nowhere? by sonofagunn · · Score: 5, Funny

    Sweet - when I visit Alaska one day I'll be able to take the "Bridge to Nowhere" on my way to the "Tunnel to Siberia."

  7. Re:How about the route to Canada and Continental U by lilomar · · Score: 4, Funny

    Sounds like a good trick for the ruskies to get us to pay for most of it then threaten to take back Alaska. Wow, you said that and my Risk instincts told me to start building up troops in Alaska...

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    The creator of this post (Jacob Smith) hereby releases it, and all of his other posts, into the public domain.
  8. Re:Cheaper Chunnel? by That's+Unpossible! · · Score: 3, Funny

    Is there any reason to believe this will actually be so?

    If you believe that ... I have a tunnel to sell you.

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    Ironically, the word ironically is often used incorrectly.
  9. road trip! by circletimessquare · · Score: 5, Funny

    seriously, how awesome would it be to stick the family in the SUV in florida and wind up in beijing? or berlin?

    "oh look a sign... next gas station, 1200 km"

    "daddy i got to goes to the bathroom"

    "not now honey, your pee will freeze to your dick or the polar bears might get you"

    "mommy, jessica is drooling on me!"

    "tell jessica we'll leave her at genghis khan's firecracker shack when we get to ulan bator if she doesn't knock it off"

    "honey, all this mcdonald's drive thru serves is skinned uncooked dog"

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    1. Re:road trip! by navyjeff · · Score: 5, Funny

      can you spell 'councelling'?
      Apparently, you can't spell 'counseling' either.
  10. Re:How about the route to Canada and Continental U by Dunbal · · Score: 4, Funny

    Sounds like a good trick for the ruskies to get us to pay for most of it then threaten to take back Alaska. Wow, you said that and my Risk instincts told me to start building up troops in Alaska...

    ha-ha! While you weren't looking I just took Greenland!

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    Seven puppies were harmed during the making of this post.
  11. Re:How about the route to Canada and Continental U by mpaque · · Score: 4, Funny

    Ground troops, you say? Through a tunnel between Asia and North America?

    http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0061387/

  12. Re:How about the route to Canada and Continental U by wall0159 · · Score: 3, Funny


    Reminds me of conversations I had with a mate in the navy:

    "So, how's life on the boat?"

    "It's a ship dammit - a SHIP!!" :-)

  13. Re:Look at a map for your answer. by Dun+Malg · · Score: 5, Funny

    it reminds me of a similar project on the island of Samos in the 6th century BC. They dug an aqueduct through a mountain over a km long. They dug it from both ends, though from what I read of it, nobody knows for sure how they managed to synchronize their digging.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eupalinian_aqueduct Why don't you try your scroll wheel and read the whole Wikipedia article. It explains exactly how they did it.
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    If a job's not worth doing, it's not worth doing right.
  14. Re:Look at a map for your answer. by zurtle · · Score: 3, Funny

    He's a subscriber to the dead scroll no-sees.

    Engineers aren't infallible. I work with a bunch of them and one in particular was, I'm sure, put on this earth to test my patience. She doesn't build tunnels... she makes me want to go live in an abandoned one.

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    Couldn't stand the weather
  15. Re:Look at a map for your answer. by RxScram · · Score: 3, Funny

    It seems that nobody else wants them.... so, rather than try to steal some other system, we just claim this unwanted, outdated system for ourselves!

  16. Re:A more current link by Zeek40 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Yeah, but the English and the French hate each other, the Americans and the Russians.... Oh, wait, nevermind.