S02.E04: Infrastructure

[Athena]

America's crumbling infrastructure: It's not a sexy problem, but it is a scary one.

[Victor the Crab]

Perhaps in the opening credits, we'll see a tribute to Leonard Nimoy under the title Prosperous Longus.

[scarynikki12]

I wish Infrastructure was a real movie.

[DrScottie]

 

Perhaps in the opening credits, we'll see a tribute to Leonard Nimoy under the title Prosperous Longus.

Yup, Viva E Prospero.

 

As for Infrastructure: The Movie, I too wish it were one. By the way, they should break out the giant scissors and ribbons just for re-opening bridges too. What politician doesn't love a good photo-op?

[Irlandesa]

It was such a silly joke but I loved "I am the best dam[n] inspector there is."  I just loved it. 

 

I lived in the Twin Cities when the one of the busiest bridges collapsed, killing 13 people.  I think a few more of those tragedies will have to happen before people get serious about infrastructure. 

[ottoDbusdriver]

I loved all the cameos in the Infrastructure movie trailer -- in addition to Edward Norton and Steve Buscemi, there was:

 

Vincent D'Onofrio

Hope Davis

Michael Gaston

Dan Hedaya

 

ETA:

Josh Lucas

Campbell Scott

 

In fact Last Week tonight just tweeted the entire list of cameos (https://twitter.com/LastWeektonight) because I missed Campbell Scott and Josh Lucas.

Edited March 2, 2015 by ottoDbusdriver

[Victor the Crab]

I must say, nobody does a better job of dissing Vladimir Putin than Ollie. Last night helped prove that. It wouldn't surprise me if Putin had Ollie on an enemies list of his, for which Ollie would take great pride in.

[b2H]

This is one of those issues that we as voters should be speaking out on.

 

Infrastructure is not the same as health insurance, social security or other issues where our legislators don't have a dog in the hunt.   They use the same bridges, highways, airports, etc., as we use.  They are as likely to die in a tragedy of collapse as any of the rest of us.  That's what makes this whole thing about being all about infrastructure such hypocrisy.  Were they really that excited about it, the politicians would make sure that there was money to ensure the money for these repairs is more than available.  Clearly they are spending the money on something, since the fund is all but empty.  So where is the money going?

[DrScottie]

All of this reminds me of the Sim City 2000 transportation advisor who warned about cutting infrastructure funds.

You do that, and the bridges start collapsing and the roads fall apart. .  

Edited March 2, 2015 by DrScottie

[Traveller519]

 Clearly they are spending the money on something, since the fund is all but empty.  So where is the money going?

 

 

I think the case was that it's being spent on necessary repairs, but it's not being filled appropriately because the gas tax hasn't changed since 1993, while Inflation since that time has been roughly 62% (around 4% per year).

[dusang]

I think the case was that it's being spent on necessary repairs, but it's not being filled appropriately because the gas tax hasn't changed since 1993, while Inflation since that time has been roughly 62% (around 4% per year).

 

Yeah -- there's a lot of infrastructure to maintain, you could spend a lot of money and hardly make a dent in the to do list.

[peeayebee]

I must say, nobody does a better job of dissing Vladimir Putin than Ollie. 

I completely agree, Victor. I hope Putin doesn't kill you.

 

Wonderful show. The infrastructure movie was the best, but the whole show was great.

[biakbiak]

This is one of those issues that we as voters should be speaking out on.

 

Infrastructure is not the same as health insurance, social security or other issues where our legislators don't have a dog in the hunt.   They use the same bridges, highways, airports, etc., as we use.  They are as likely to die in a tragedy of collapse as any of the rest of us.  That's what makes this whole thing about being all about infrastructure such hypocrisy.  Were they really that excited about it, the politicians would make sure that there was money to ensure the money for these repairs is more than available.  Clearly they are spending the money on something, since the fund is all but empty.  So where is the money going?

It would also in many, many cases be a win for politicians because maintenance, repair and building of new infrastructure is a proven local job creator.

 

The show is clearly in the pocket of the powerful flea lobby because except for one quick flash of a picture of a flea the actual transmitters of the bubonic plague escaped blame. If it wasn't rats or gerbils they most likely would have found some other host to carry them on their deadly mission!

[attica]

The poor beleaguered Tappan Zee Bridge (famous for that apocalyptic coffee cup) is in fact being replaced as we speak. Partial financing was approved during the 'shovel-ready' period of the Obama Stimulus, and other funding has since been gathered. Construction is well underway.

[iMonrey]

I hope Putin doesn't kill John Oliver. Seriously, he's on so many shit lists right now it's not even funny. 

 

 

The show is clearly in the pocket of the powerful flea lobby

 

LOL, yeah they kind of abandoned the premise in favor of the joke because I never really got how gerbils were involved.

[Hanahope]

While the topic of this episode wasn't as sexy as prior episodes, it was definitely important.  I'm a bit surprised he didn't talk more about or show pictures of some of the actual bridge collapses that have happened.  But the story about the bicyclist who hit a pot hole and got flown into a car was horrible.

 

I bet every single person that called into that CNN program were Republicans/anti-tax people.  They are the ones that think the middle class pays all the taxes and the poor slurp them all up in welfare.

 

I agree though, why can't they have a ribbon cutting ceremony to mark the "re-opening" of a bridge or damn after repairs.  Even if part was still open during repairs, it would still make for a nice photo op.

[Dandesun]

Okay, not even going to lie... I've started using 'I hope Putin doesn't kill you' as a friendly good-bye. My sister's the only one who gets it right now. Everyone else just gives me weird looks.

 

Why? I'm honestly wishing them well!

 

I hope Putin doesn't kill anyone here. Love you guys!

[biakbiak]

LOL, yeah they kind of abandoned the premise in favor of the joke because I never really got how gerbils were involved.

 

Fleas need a host in order to survive for more than a few days, it was long thought that rats were the main hosts that the fleas that spread the black plague used before they bite/transferred themselves to humans. Now apparentally there is evidence that it was actually gerbils who were the hosts not rats.

[Victor the Crab]

Fleas need a host in order to survive for more than a few days, it was long thought that rats were the main hosts that the fleas that spread the black plague used before they bite/transferred themselves to humans. Now apparentally there is evidence that it was actually gerbils who were the hosts not rats.

 

Shouldn't we blame the fleas for the Black Plague then?

[biakbiak]

Yes, that is why I accused the show of being in the pockets of the big flea lobby.

[ganesh]

Everyone bloviates about how infrastructure isn't 'sexy'. That basically means to me that they don't want to put the effort to actually do something about it. Bridges aren't sexy? The new Bay Bridge opening got huge press for the new design. 

 

I know no one wants to pay taxes, but when someone goes wrong you get: I pay my taxes! Fix this! Well, there's no money for it. 

[biakbiak]

I know no one wants to pay taxes, but when someone goes wrong you get: I pay my taxes! Fix this! Well, there's no money for it.

 

Anytime I get into an argument in public (ie usually bars/parties) where someone declares there is no need to pay taxes, I simply ask "how did you get here?" and it shuts them up right quick because even if they walked the sidewalks were paid for by taxes/government! Infrastructure it unites us all!

Edited March 5, 2015 by biakbiak

[fastiller]

Anytime I get into an argument in public (ie usually bars/parties) where someone declares there is no need to pay taxes, I simply ask "how did you get here?" and it shuts them up right quick because even if they walked the sidewalks were paid for by taxes/government! Infrastructure it unites us all!

I recall a story from about five or so years back about a small town in either Colorado or Arizona where there was a referendum to halt a $120/year town tax.  A couple of years later, the town's coffers were depleted so much that they had to close the town pool and the town recreation center as well as turn off most street lights.  However, if a homeowner wanted to pay the electric utility to power the street light in front of his/her house, they could, for $150/year.  More people were willing to fork over an extra $30/year to light the fronts of their own homes, but not be able to keep the town's pool and rec. center open.

[iMonrey]

 

While the topic of this episode wasn't as sexy as prior episodes

 

Much like the men you just saw talking. LOL, I loved that line.

 

 

Fleas need a host in order to survive for more than a few days, it was long thought that rats were the main hosts that the fleas that spread the black plague used before they bite/transferred themselves to humans. Now apparentally there is evidence that it was actually gerbils who were the hosts not rats.

 

So . . . there was some kind of massive gerbil infestation running through Europe at the time? That's what I didn't get - are "wild" gerbils as prevalent as rats and mice? How about hamsters? Guinea pigs?

[ganesh]

TDS did a piece about how KS eliminated property taxes and the roads went to total shit, they went into a huge debt.

[peeayebee]

So . . . there was some kind of massive gerbil infestation running through Europe at the time? That's what I didn't get - are "wild" gerbils as prevalent as rats and mice? How about hamsters? Guinea pigs?

I had heard something about this before, that these gerbils were from Asia and migrated thru Europe bringing the disease with them. Something like that.

[Jamoche]

Real roads have curves? He's never been to West Texas or New Mexico, obviously.

[OneWhoLurks]

Quote

 

It all started when Ali Darwish saw late night "news" comedians Jon Stewart and John Oliver poking fun at Alabama.

This time it wasn't about politics or racism, it was about dams. Stewart, the former Daily Show host, and Oliver, host of Last Week Tonight, both did bits on America's infrastructure crumbling, and pointed out that Alabama was the only state in the nation without a dam inspection program.

Darwish, now a doctoral candidate at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, was then an electrical engineering student at the University of Alabama in Huntsville. He and several engineering student friends at UAH had already formed a team to compete in a NASA competition to demonstrate practical uses for drones.

[...]

Their proposal, "One Crack Away from Disaster," advocates the use of smart drones, both flying and submersible, to inspect dams on their own – think a Roomba on steroids -- using high-tech sensors and virtual reality modeling to bringing the inspections to the engineers.

The system would help inspect dams more thoroughly, with airborne and submersible drones accessing places humans have a hard time getting to, and pinpoint the deficiencies and help engineers propose solutions.

 

Late-night lampoon of Alabama spurs high-tech drone plan