I know what you are thinking when you read "Government Efficiency" in the title line of this post - Oxymoron! It is right up there with Jumbo Shrimp, Senate Ethics, Plastic Glasses and so on. While that is certainly true it is not where I am going with this one. I have an actual example of government efficiency I wish to share.
A couple weeks ago I noticed that VDOT (Virginia Department of Transportation) had come along and painted some marks here and there in my neighborhood. I knew what they were for as soon as I saw them. They marked the spots where VDOT would install new road signs. There didn't seem to be any pattern or logic to their placement so I was mystified as to what they needed to suddenly regulate. I could only wait until they magically appeared.
The wait is over - shiny, new No Parking signs sprung up magically overnight on Friday. And today shiny, new parking tickets adorn the cars who are now in violation of this sudden new regulation. Signs go up on Friday and tickets are issued on Saturday - talk about efficiency. Still, seems like that is a pretty shitty thing to do to people with no advanced warning. There were no public notices of this impending change, no warning letters or stickers were left on cars who were destined to be in violation.
I feel bad for the family who might have taken off for vacation on Thursday. How many parking tickets will greet them when they get back into town? Only time will tell, but they certainly aren't much of a welcome home present.
Saturday, August 25, 2007
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
August 21, 2007
Song Lyric of the Day:
"I was flying back from Lubbock, I saw Jesus on a plane. Or maybe it was Elvis, you know they kinda look the same."
Artist: Don Henley
Song: If Dirt Were Dollars
Album: The End of the Innocence
Why It's In My Brain:
I was in line at the post office today. Minding my business, just waiting to mail a package, when I heard it. That voice! It was unmistakable. It was the voice of The King - Elvis Presley. I instantly looked up to see where it was coming from. There he was, a big, hulking man at the counter in a red shirt. Nope, way too young to be the King. He could be The King's secret love child though. So, that is something.
Random Good Thing:
After seeing Elvis's secret love child at the post office I got every green light on the way home. That is four straight green lights in the middle of suburban commuter hell on a Tuesday afternoon - pretty solid!
"I was flying back from Lubbock, I saw Jesus on a plane. Or maybe it was Elvis, you know they kinda look the same."
Artist: Don Henley
Song: If Dirt Were Dollars
Album: The End of the Innocence
Why It's In My Brain:
I was in line at the post office today. Minding my business, just waiting to mail a package, when I heard it. That voice! It was unmistakable. It was the voice of The King - Elvis Presley. I instantly looked up to see where it was coming from. There he was, a big, hulking man at the counter in a red shirt. Nope, way too young to be the King. He could be The King's secret love child though. So, that is something.
Random Good Thing:
After seeing Elvis's secret love child at the post office I got every green light on the way home. That is four straight green lights in the middle of suburban commuter hell on a Tuesday afternoon - pretty solid!
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Numbers
Every August I head North to the Pine Tree State for my family's annual camping trip. Here are some relevant numbers from the 2007 edition:
3 - the number of moose I saw during my 4 day visit to the Maine woods.
8 - miles from our campground to the nearest paved road.
9 - the cost in dollars, per person, per night for our lodging in a three sided lean-to.
11 - total number of aunts, uncles, cousins, cousins-in-laws and first cousins once removed (that is your cousin's kids, in case you were curious) that made the trip.
25 - number of miles I hiked during the trip. (Not to shabby, eh?)
45 - the temperature INSIDE my lean-to at 6:00am Monday, August 6th.
86 - the high temperature on Saturday, August 4th, the day I hiked 12 miles.
Infinite - the number of stars you could see after dark while lying down in the grass in the campground's picnic area. (I totally get the whole Milky Way thing now.)
3 - the number of moose I saw during my 4 day visit to the Maine woods.
8 - miles from our campground to the nearest paved road.
9 - the cost in dollars, per person, per night for our lodging in a three sided lean-to.
11 - total number of aunts, uncles, cousins, cousins-in-laws and first cousins once removed (that is your cousin's kids, in case you were curious) that made the trip.
25 - number of miles I hiked during the trip. (Not to shabby, eh?)
45 - the temperature INSIDE my lean-to at 6:00am Monday, August 6th.
86 - the high temperature on Saturday, August 4th, the day I hiked 12 miles.
Infinite - the number of stars you could see after dark while lying down in the grass in the campground's picnic area. (I totally get the whole Milky Way thing now.)
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