Comments on: Staggering Costs http://crookedtimber.org/2007/12/26/staggering-costs/ Out of the crooked timber of humanity, no straight thing was ever made Sun, 21 Mar 2010 03:56:35 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Secretly Ironic » Blog Archive » Sure, The Big Dig Was Cheap, But It Was Way Less Efficient At Killing Civilians http://crookedtimber.org/2007/12/26/staggering-costs/comment-page-2/#comment-223320 Secretly Ironic » Blog Archive » Sure, The Big Dig Was Cheap, But It Was Way Less Efficient At Killing Civilians Wed, 02 Jan 2008 23:36:36 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2007/12/26/staggering-costs/#comment-223320 [...] Shaw, Crooked Timber, and the rest of the political world are noting that the grossly, outrageously expensive Big Dig [...] [...] Shaw, Crooked Timber, and the rest of the political world are noting that the grossly, outrageously expensive Big Dig [...]

]]> By: joe shaw / you can’t even buy a war for $12.2 billion http://crookedtimber.org/2007/12/26/staggering-costs/comment-page-1/#comment-223065 joe shaw / you can’t even buy a war for $12.2 billion Sun, 30 Dec 2007 22:27:14 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2007/12/26/staggering-costs/#comment-223065 [...] Well, that’s it. The Big Dig is over. It came in a little over budget, sure, but you need to keep things in perspective. [...] [...] Well, that’s it. The Big Dig is over. It came in a little over budget, sure, but you need to keep things in perspective. [...]

]]> By: Steve LaBonne http://crookedtimber.org/2007/12/26/staggering-costs/comment-page-1/#comment-223010 Steve LaBonne Sat, 29 Dec 2007 23:11:45 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2007/12/26/staggering-costs/#comment-223010 Sebastian, I'd say the post probably wasn't directed at people like you who recognize the truth of both propositions. Sebastian, I’d say the post probably wasn’t directed at people like you who recognize the truth of both propositions.

]]> By: Sebastian Holsclaw http://crookedtimber.org/2007/12/26/staggering-costs/comment-page-1/#comment-223009 Sebastian Holsclaw Sat, 29 Dec 2007 22:58:21 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2007/12/26/staggering-costs/#comment-223009 Hmmm, the Iraq war has been a horribly mismanaged waste of money on a national scale. The Big Dig was a horribly mismanaged waste of money on a city scale. I can agree with that. That was the point, right? Hmmm, the Iraq war has been a horribly mismanaged waste of money on a national scale. The Big Dig was a horribly mismanaged waste of money on a city scale. I can agree with that.

That was the point, right?

]]> By: fred lapides http://crookedtimber.org/2007/12/26/staggering-costs/comment-page-1/#comment-222945 fred lapides Fri, 28 Dec 2007 22:17:37 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2007/12/26/staggering-costs/#comment-222945 Hey! get back to Boston!! they deserve all that can be spent on them! Look at the Red Sox! If the comments here are an example of what the educated can do, lord help us all. Hey! get back to Boston!! they deserve all that can be spent on them! Look at the Red Sox! If the comments here are an example of what the educated can do, lord help us all.

]]> By: mpowell http://crookedtimber.org/2007/12/26/staggering-costs/comment-page-1/#comment-222944 mpowell Fri, 28 Dec 2007 20:08:43 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2007/12/26/staggering-costs/#comment-222944 I think that occasionally you are bound to run into people who have just stumbled onto the concept of blogging. Its certainly possible that Obst is just now learning that there is a world outside of conservopedia and, unfortunately, he finds it pretty hostile. That's because the difference b/w the Marshall Plan and Iraq has already been discussed hundreds of times on this very blog and fatigue has set in from dealing with the usual trolls on the issue. That being said, some of his comments seemed aimed to provoke and irritate. If Obst is not an experienced troll, he is a natural. I think that occasionally you are bound to run into people who have just stumbled onto the concept of blogging. Its certainly possible that Obst is just now learning that there is a world outside of conservopedia and, unfortunately, he finds it pretty hostile. That’s because the difference b/w the Marshall Plan and Iraq has already been discussed hundreds of times on this very blog and fatigue has set in from dealing with the usual trolls on the issue.

That being said, some of his comments seemed aimed to provoke and irritate. If Obst is not an experienced troll, he is a natural.

]]> By: Kevin http://crookedtimber.org/2007/12/26/staggering-costs/comment-page-1/#comment-222943 Kevin Fri, 28 Dec 2007 18:42:38 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2007/12/26/staggering-costs/#comment-222943 ed @40: Please come back and tell us this was a joke. (If you are, in fact, serious, then please don't come back at all. Ever.) ed @40: Please come back and tell us this was a joke.
(If you are, in fact, serious, then please don’t come back at all. Ever.)

]]> By: JP Stormcrow http://crookedtimber.org/2007/12/26/staggering-costs/comment-page-1/#comment-222942 JP Stormcrow Fri, 28 Dec 2007 18:00:35 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2007/12/26/staggering-costs/#comment-222942 The age works out, but just about nothing else per the blog (and profile) that his sig links to. The age works out, but just about nothing else per the blog (and profile) that his sig links to.

]]> By: John Quiggin http://crookedtimber.org/2007/12/26/staggering-costs/comment-page-1/#comment-222934 John Quiggin Fri, 28 Dec 2007 04:53:32 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2007/12/26/staggering-costs/#comment-222934 Interestingly Google finds a real David Obst, with a <a href="http://www.amazon.ca/Too-Good-Be-Forgotten-Changing/dp/0471295388" rel="nofollow">book</a> and everything, including a Deep Throat conspiracy theory. Is it possible that he has just discovered Teh Intertubes? Interestingly Google finds a real David Obst, with a book and everything, including a Deep Throat conspiracy theory. Is it possible that he has just discovered Teh Intertubes?

]]> By: Walt http://crookedtimber.org/2007/12/26/staggering-costs/comment-page-1/#comment-222933 Walt Fri, 28 Dec 2007 04:19:41 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2007/12/26/staggering-costs/#comment-222933 Okay, that was funny. Trolls flouncing out when their trolling is not appreciated is an exciting new development in trolling technology. Okay, that was funny. Trolls flouncing out when their trolling is not appreciated is an exciting new development in trolling technology.

]]> By: David Obst http://crookedtimber.org/2007/12/26/staggering-costs/comment-page-1/#comment-222932 David Obst Fri, 28 Dec 2007 03:32:43 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2007/12/26/staggering-costs/#comment-222932 I have tried but I can't deal with you guys inability to formulate some kind of rational thought. I will move on and let you guys wallow in it. I have tried but I can’t deal with you guys inability to formulate some kind of rational thought. I will move on and let you guys wallow in it.

]]> By: ed http://crookedtimber.org/2007/12/26/staggering-costs/comment-page-1/#comment-222931 ed Fri, 28 Dec 2007 03:15:31 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2007/12/26/staggering-costs/#comment-222931 The difference is that the Bigass Dig was an elective project, The Glorious Iraq War was not. After Sandman Insane attacked us on 9/11, what rational choice did we have? The difference is that the Bigass Dig was an elective project, The Glorious Iraq War was not. After Sandman Insane attacked us on 9/11, what rational choice did we have?

]]> By: Steve LaBonne http://crookedtimber.org/2007/12/26/staggering-costs/comment-page-1/#comment-222928 Steve LaBonne Fri, 28 Dec 2007 02:09:34 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2007/12/26/staggering-costs/#comment-222928 And nobody asked us to do it, and we have no clue how to do it, and it ain't going to happen. Bush is indeed both evil and stupid for starting a hopeless and immoral war that had and has no justification whatsoever. Your fantasies about saving the world are delusions induced by mendacious propaganda. And nobody asked us to do it, and we have no clue how to do it, and it ain’t going to happen. Bush is indeed both evil and stupid for starting a hopeless and immoral war that had and has no justification whatsoever. Your fantasies about saving the world are delusions induced by mendacious propaganda.

]]> By: David Obst http://crookedtimber.org/2007/12/26/staggering-costs/comment-page-1/#comment-222925 David Obst Fri, 28 Dec 2007 01:02:00 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2007/12/26/staggering-costs/#comment-222925 First off, after WWII we started 'The Marshall Plan' to fix up Europe. We spent a lot of money on that and I believe that it worked well. Our main objective was not to help Europe but ease some of the conditions that prevailed after WWI and were some of the causes for WWII; mainly so we wouldn't have to come back and save their sorry asses again, also so they might leave us alone foe awhile. I believe that is what we are doing, or attempting to do, now. Are we making some mistakes doing this?, we sure are. I've recently read an article by Victor Davis Hanson at the Claremont Institute that every war we have been in the intel has been bad at times, we sent our troops not fully equiped, ie human and vehicular armour, not fully understanding our enemy, etc. In Afganistan, the taliban were a small minority and they ruled the whole country; in Iraq, Hussein and a small minority ruled that country. I believe in Iraq we are tying to give the average person a say in their government and maybe a better life. A 21st century marshall plan. With a religion and a history like they have, I know this is a very difficult job. It is like pulling teeth. This is not all happening because Bush is Evil. Oh, and stupid. First off, after WWII we started ‘The Marshall Plan’ to fix up Europe. We spent a lot of money on that and I believe that it worked well. Our main objective was not to help Europe but ease some of the conditions that prevailed after WWI and were some of the causes for WWII; mainly so we wouldn’t have to come back and save their sorry asses again, also so they might leave us alone foe awhile. I believe that is what we are doing, or attempting to do, now. Are we making some mistakes doing this?, we sure are. I’ve recently read an article by Victor Davis Hanson at the Claremont Institute that every war we have been in the intel has been bad at times, we sent our troops not fully equiped, ie human and vehicular armour, not fully understanding our enemy, etc. In Afganistan, the taliban were a small minority and they ruled the whole country; in Iraq, Hussein and a small minority ruled that country. I believe in Iraq we are tying to give the average person a say in their government and maybe a better life. A 21st century marshall plan. With a religion and a history like they have, I know this is a very difficult job. It is like pulling teeth.

This is not all happening because Bush is Evil. Oh, and stupid.

]]> By: Uncle Kvetch http://crookedtimber.org/2007/12/26/staggering-costs/comment-page-1/#comment-222919 Uncle Kvetch Thu, 27 Dec 2007 23:53:53 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2007/12/26/staggering-costs/#comment-222919 Not to mention all that yummy couscous! Not to mention all that yummy couscous!

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