Miscellaneous And Off Topic Subjects

[froot loops]

Yeah that post wouldn't pass the smell test from my wife.

[AlabamAlum]

She either agrees with that in its entirety or she is WRONG!

[Da Geezer]

Talent: I heard an interview this morning from Marsha Blackburn of KY, and she said that the number one infrastructure need in rural America is broadband. Not only had I never heard that, I'd never even thought of that. Do you have any insight personally or with the people who work on rural development about broadband?

[iam416]

I'm not sure re broadband. I mean, that's certainly an issue. So, in SE Ohio the number one concern is lack of commercial ready sites. And that includes requisite infrastructure such as, e.g., broadband. When a site comes on-line, it gets gobbled up.

There are two types of site development -- new site and reclamation. For the latter, you're talking about brownfields that need remediated. There's actually a fair amount of state and federal money out there available those types of sites, but it requires time. Lots of time. There's less money available for new site development and almost all of it is on a cost match basis. So, these rural communities with no money have to find a way to come up with money so they can attract businesses so that they can get some money.

Ohio has also recently completed an exhaustive site mapping of the Ohio River. WV and Kentucky have used up most of their sites so no the potentially available sites are in Ohio. And, oddly enough, the river is still a good source of cheap transport for some goods. However, most of the river sites are brownfields.

But, man -- if you have sites what you get is a workforce that costs roughly 77 cents on the dollar of the national average; outstanding highway access; river transportation; and the possibility of your own fucking natural gas well at dirt cheap rates. And you're located within a day's travel of over half the population of a country that is a ginormous consumer of goods.

That's why sites get gobbled up, but getting them on the market is a bear.

Honestly, if Donald J. Trump decided that he wanted to invest in infrastructure and poured tons into urban projects and tons into commercial site readiness in rural parts, he might actually deliver on some of his wild ass promises.

BTW, one of my top urban projects is demolition which is, in its own way, a site readiness prerequisite.

And, to be clear, urban areas are still the huge priority for State government because, duh, you reach more people. But they're starting to pick up on some of this rural initiatives, too. We'll see.

[AlabamAlum]

Hillspeople need a 36k baud dial-up modem and nothing more. You give them high speed internet and they'll be wanting roads, running water, and schools. No need to spoil those folks. Just leave them to their moonshine and feudin'. They'll be fine.

[entropy]

Hillspeople need a 36k baud dial-up modem and nothing more. You give them high speed internet and they'll be wanting roads, running water, and schools. No need to spoil those folks. Just leave them to their moonshine and feudin'. They'll be fine.

exactly... look what has happened in America's deep south.

:::heh:::

[entropy]

AA..

define rural in your broadband comment? My hometown? Yes, it has 280 people and broadband would be a problem. Grand Island? Rural by most standards (50K in pop) but does have broadband.

[AlabamAlum]

I am generally for any policy that restricts your internet access, Entropy.

(Seriously, I don't care. I am pro-broadband, pro bourbon, and pro bono (Sonny, not free stuff))

[entropy]

scotch guy myself..

[Wild Hoss]

...and pro bono (Sonny, not free stuff))

[AlabamAlum]

Yes, yes I am.

[edindetroit]

Does anyone remember Allen Bishop? He played with Harbaugh and just sold me a car.

[The Oracle]

Yup, DB who didn't play much til he was senior if I remember right.

[edindetroit]

[AlabamAlum]

You look a lot like Harbaugh!