Reconnected for better or worse
Congratulations to TTKS author, Ryan who just got the internet after 3 months of waiting in his new home in the UK. I also moved to a strange land but I got my internet in one week thanks to an ambitious satellite installer who apparently didn't get the memo that, in the words of Adam, its cool to start living an idle life thanks to a government plunging itself into debt. I don't know how Ryan and co. did it because I was really starting to miss it after only one week.
And now that I have it I'm trying to figure out why I was so anxious to get connected. I find myself in my own little wannabe-Walden with a pond in my backyard and just a handful of neighbors. My fingers are stained purple from the mulberry tree out back. I got passed by 3 cars yesterday on a 20 mile bike ride on the most beautiful new pavement you've ever seen thanks to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. My girls are beside themselves with frogs and turtles to torment. We're paying roughly the same rent for a beautiful 5 bedroom home sitting on an acre that we paid for a 2 bedroom townhouse in Ohio.
And here is the clincher... I am actually scoring bonus points at work for 'being a team player' and coming out to a place like this.
Simplify! Simplify!
- Thoreau
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9 comments:
Glad to hear that the Generational Theft Act of 2009 is being used to re-pave roads nobody uses!
Good to hear from you Samwise. I was laughing at the road thing too. How did you know that it was an Obama-commissioned repavement? Does it have the Obama seal posted?
Also, I would say that as long as your connection isn't used for fraudulent or pornographic means, that it's a good thing you're connected. You're too dynamic to hide yourself from the world and only let your wife, kids, and a few co-workers know who you are. It just wouldn't be right.
Oh, Bitner, if you're joking, you haven't been watching. TARP-funded projects do indeed have roadsigns advertising as much every couple of miles.
I hope they also start putting pictures of The One on those signs.
Welcome back Sam, I hope your evaluation of the place holds up.
The Obama stamp of approval is all over the place. Even on projects that are not really funded by the stimulus. At least they were. They may have shelved them now that stimulus bill is proving to be an utter and complete disaster.
I wonder how much stimulus money was spent creating the propaganda signs?
There was one on I-215 in SLC, near the exit for the ski resorts. Story here.
Here is another example. And yes Bitner, it really does have a stamp of approval.
I can confirm that the roads proudly boast the source of their monies and it is from the stimulus package. They got right to work.
yeah, creating jobs sucks.
If "creating jobs" is the only standard, well I'd be happy to have a bunch of guys come over and dig holes. When they get done digging the hole then they can fill it in. Rinse and repeat.
But those signs don't pass the smell test for me.
The bill was singed into law Feb. 19. The signs started showing up shortly after that, maybe 30 days or so.
Am I supposed to believe that local governments were able to asses the need, put together a budget, pass that budget, bid out the project, send it on to the federal government who then reviewed and approved the budget, the project, etc, etc, send the money to the companies or governments doing the work, who then started and finished the job?
All within just 2-3 months? This is the government we are talking about. Not really a beacon of efficiency.
Or, did they just get these signs up at existing projects?
And another question. These fellows that "got right to work", let's say they were indeed funded by the stimulus funds. Well...now what? They paved the lonely country road that 3 cars a day drive on. Great work.
And now they are paving another unused road? Or are they waiting around for the next stimulus?
It's just not enough for me have a road sign that says "look here the stimulus is working!"
Bu then, I am a cold-hearted greedy bastard. So what do I know.
I believe the signs are misappropriated funds by local governments and contractors. They may be mandated, who knows, well i don't.
I actually like planning, so building a road before it is needed is generally cheaper and less disruptive than building a road after it is needed, which is the general practice in US transportation planning
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