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Ask a Supergirl

13 May 2014 22:27 #36451 by Camille Jones
Replied by Camille Jones on topic Ask a Supergirl
Yeah, I was lucky that I got all A's this semester. And Highlander, I think a lot of them would be offended but sure, what do you need me to lift?

You'd think that superspeed would make me more punctual, huh?

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21 May 2014 22:11 - 21 May 2014 22:12 #36534 by The Highlander
Replied by The Highlander on topic Ask a Supergirl
I certainly hope not (believe me I don't want to offend anyone, especially when they have superpowers), but some of the things I need help with require more than just raw strength, which is why I thought of you.

As you might know I work for a road maintenance company, and there are quite a few jobs coming up which would be well suited to your unique skills. The first thing I was hoping for help with is rather simple, there's a haulage company that's trying to deliver a 210 tonne electrical transformer for a new substation, unfortunately there's a lot of week bridges in the area and there're having a real difficulty finding a suitable route. Do you think you would be able to give them a little lift? There are also a couple of bridges that my company are planning fairly major repairs to where we don't have any reliable drawings for what is already there. If you could have a look at them with your x-ray vision it would be very useful to us.

However the main project I was hoping you could help out with the refurbishment of one of the our major structures, the Kessock Bridge Link . One part of the refurbishment involved installing remote strain gauges on the cables, which is obviously going to be difficult given the heights involved. Do you think you could either install the gauges for us, or fly up one of the engineers to do the work (I'm sure I could find a willing volunteer)? However the biggest part of the refurbishment is installing new wearing surfaces to the pintle bearings, giant figure of eight shaped pieces of metal inside four of the bridge's piers that help to hold the deck in place as if flexes from the traffic loads. To replace the wearing surfaces normally involves using hundreds of tonnes of weights to press the bridge deck down enough to remove the bearings (and keep it there while they are replaced). If you used your telekinesis to press the deck down instead it would make the job a lot quicker and easier (which would result in less delays for everyone else).

I hope can see how why I asked you for help as opposed to some of the local superwoman, and hope you will be able to find time in your busy schedule to land a hand.
Last edit: 21 May 2014 22:12 by The Highlander.
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22 May 2014 08:16 #36540 by Woodclaw
Replied by Woodclaw on topic Ask a Supergirl

The Highlander wrote: I certainly hope not (believe me I don't want to offend anyone, especially when they have superpowers), but some of the things I need help with require more than just raw strength, which is why I thought of you.

As you might know I work for a road maintenance company, and there are quite a few jobs coming up which would be well suited to your unique skills. The first thing I was hoping for help with is rather simple, there's a haulage company that's trying to deliver a 210 tonne electrical transformer for a new substation, unfortunately there's a lot of week bridges in the area and there're having a real difficulty finding a suitable route. Do you think you would be able to give them a little lift? There are also a couple of bridges that my company are planning fairly major repairs to where we don't have any reliable drawings for what is already there. If you could have a look at them with your x-ray vision it would be very useful to us.

However the main project I was hoping you could help out with the refurbishment of one of the our major structures, the Kessock Bridge Link . One part of the refurbishment involved installing remote strain gauges on the cables, which is obviously going to be difficult given the heights involved. Do you think you could either install the gauges for us, or fly up one of the engineers to do the work (I'm sure I could find a willing volunteer)? However the biggest part of the refurbishment is installing new wearing surfaces to the pintle bearings, giant figure of eight shaped pieces of metal inside four of the bridge's piers that help to hold the deck in place as if flexes from the traffic loads. To replace the wearing surfaces normally involves using hundreds of tonnes of weights to press the bridge deck down enough to remove the bearings (and keep it there while they are replaced). If you used your telekinesis to press the deck down instead it would make the job a lot quicker and easier (which would result in less delays for everyone else).

I hope can see how why I asked you for help as opposed to some of the local superwoman, and hope you will be able to find time in your busy schedule to land a hand.


I can certainly see why you asked for heavy duty help (no offense Cam), the IMT might have the tech to handle this kind of situations, but surely not the simple muscle power.

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23 May 2014 01:47 #36550 by Camille Jones
Replied by Camille Jones on topic Ask a Supergirl
Alright Highlander, give me about a day and I can definitely help you out with that.

You'd think that superspeed would make me more punctual, huh?

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25 May 2014 00:00 #36592 by Camille Jones
Replied by Camille Jones on topic Ask a Supergirl

The Highlander wrote: I certainly hope not (believe me I don't want to offend anyone, especially when they have superpowers), but some of the things I need help with require more than just raw strength, which is why I thought of you.

As you might know I work for a road maintenance company, and there are quite a few jobs coming up which would be well suited to your unique skills. The first thing I was hoping for help with is rather simple, there's a haulage company that's trying to deliver a 210 tonne electrical transformer for a new substation, unfortunately there's a lot of week bridges in the area and there're having a real difficulty finding a suitable route. Do you think you would be able to give them a little lift? There are also a couple of bridges that my company is planning fairly major repairs to where we don't have any reliable drawings for what is already there. If you could have a look at them with your x-ray vision it would be very useful to us.

However the main project I was hoping you could help out with the refurbishment of one of the our major structures, the Kessock Bridge Link . One part of the refurbishment involved installing remote strain gauges on the cables, which is obviously going to be difficult given the heights involved. Do you think you could either install the gauges for us, or fly up one of the engineers to do the work (I'm sure I could find a willing volunteer)? However the biggest part of the refurbishment is installing new wearing surfaces to the pintle bearings, giant figure of eight shaped pieces of metal inside four of the bridge's piers that help to hold the deck in place as if flexes from the traffic loads. To replace the wearing surfaces normally involves using hundreds of tonnes of weights to press the bridge deck down enough to remove the bearings (and keep it there while they are replaced). If you used your telekinesis to press the deck down instead it would make the job a lot quicker and easier (which would result in less delays for everyone else).

I hope can see how why I asked you for help as opposed to some of the local superwoman, and hope you will be able to find time in your busy schedule to land a hand.


Well, so long you have told your co-workers about me then and what I can do then I am more than happy to help! I figured that since I am going to be doing a lot of physical lifting, I decided to wear something comfortable – a tanktop, yoga leggings, socks and comfortable sneakers. My hair is tied back in a low braided ponytail, so it doesn’t get in the way as much.

After telling the truck drivers to either buckle up or get out of the truck, I squat down and proceed to lift the truck with the transformer on its flatbed. I shift the truck and the weight here and there until I find the point where I can balance it. Of course, to keep it from snapping, I used some of my telekinesis to hold it together. I gently fly over the river; the massive transformer and the truck do not even put much of a strain on me, before setting the truck down next to the drop-off point. The suspension of the truck groans as it was back on the ground with the transformer on top of it. Ensuring that no damage was done, I fly up until I was above the bridge with a notebook and a mechanical pencil.

It only took me about a few seconds to scan the entire bridge with my x-ray vision. As I did take a glance at it, I drew out everything on my notebook as well as the various points in which the bridge was compromised. I transferred all of my drawings onto a blueprint, making sure everything is measured in meters and ensuring that I highlighted the various points that needed repairs. For comparison, I drew a new blueprint with the bridge with the suggested repairs.

I honestly believe in the power of teamwork, so I figured that since you came up with the idea, you can get to be the one to fly up with me. As soon as you have your tools and necessary equipment, I hoist you up from your waist and slowly ascend high up to where you need to install the remote strain gauges. While I pressed the deck down with my telekinesis, I was also holding you aloft and moving you from bearing to bearing, though I gave you a few moments to adjust to being weightless. I was also very much capable of holding the old bearings and send them down while keeping you in the air and pressing the deck down until you are able to install the new bearings. Once the four bearings are back in place, I stopped pressing down on the bridge and gently take the two of us back down on the ground.

All in all, I am more than happy to help you out Highlander. Now, how about a round of pints at your favorite pub?

You'd think that superspeed would make me more punctual, huh?
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25 May 2014 21:01 #36602 by The Highlander
Replied by The Highlander on topic Ask a Supergirl
Well it took a while to convince my bosses to let you help, but I think they were pleased with the results!

Sorry about not warning you about the size of the truck earlier, while the transformer might have only been about 210 tonnes by the time you added the trailer and tractor the total weight was nearly 400 tonnes! Still, you didn't seem to have any problems with it (I guess a few hundred tonnes is nothing to someone who lifts mountains for fun), and the look on the driver and escort's faces as they watched this huge vehicle float through the air was priceless! The drawings you made will also come in very handy, why anyone would only put reinforcement in half of an arch is beyond me but at least now we know what to expect when we start digging it out. I've also passed your suggestions for repairs along but I don't know if we'll use them or not, there's a bit of debate about what's going to happen to that bridge in the long term, but at least it's given everyone something to think about. I should also thank you for picking me up (literally) and flying me to site and back. Much faster than using the work van!

I have to confess that even after all the flying we'd done earlier in the day being lifted up to the Kessock Bridge cables still took a bit of getting used to (not to mention how distracting it was having your breasts pressing into my back!), but I managed to get all the gauges installed eventually and apparently they are working fine so I must have been concentrating more than I thought! The work crews changing the bearings got a hell of a shock when you pressed the bridge deck down, but to their credit they managed to install the new wearing surfaces without too much delay. It was a bit of an odd experience for me directing the work while dangling a few hundred meters above the water, but not entirely terrible once I got used to it. I recon the commuters of Inverness would also like to thank you for avoiding the disruption that would normally have been caused by these works.

You definitely deserve a night out after all your hard work! There's a particularly nice pub I know of in town, serves a lot of high quality local ales and has live traditional music most nights. I also know some good local restaurants if you fancy a meal beforehand. Although you might want to change your clothes first (especially if they got dirty lifting that truck).
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26 Jul 2014 15:40 - 26 Jul 2014 15:40 #37489 by The Highlander
Replied by The Highlander on topic Ask a Supergirl
Hello again Camille, how are you doing? I just wanted to think you for that lovely night out after your day working with me, the look on everyone's faces when you walked in was priceless! It was great being the centre of attention for once, and I suspect all the men were rather jealous of me (even though I know you already had a boyfriend)! You also seemed to enjoy the fiddle music in the pub, maybe I should invite you back next time there's a céilidh on! I hope Tom enjoys those bottles of beer you took home for him.

Speaking of Tom, how did you two get on during the World Cup? I hope there weren't any disagreements when Germany and America were playing. Speaking of Germany, I don't suppose you had anything to do with their 7-1 victory over Brazil?
Last edit: 26 Jul 2014 15:40 by The Highlander.

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