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- Designs (14)
- Misreadings (16)
- Permusations (38)
- Recommendations (3)
- 19. April 2009: Drifting with Dieter at the Flea market
- 9. April 2009: Imperceptions
- 29. March 2009: To Mail or not to mail
- 6. March 2009: Blogging while delirious
- 27. February 2009: A study in contrasts
- 22. February 2009: Southern Hospitality
- 10. February 2009: Surly Signs are Done
- 9. February 2009: From the Mouths of Babes
- 5. February 2009: Toast
- 26. January 2009: Hogan's Heroes-The Movie
The Long Drive
I was driving home from North Dakota the other day after visiting my Mom. Not much to see on that road back except road signs and billboards. I misread a few.
A saw a sign on an exit ramp somewhere between Bismarck and Fargo. I thought it said “No Survivors.” And as I looked to my right and saw a couple run down farm building, I thought, “Perhaps.” The sign actually said no services, which is obviously a common sign on exit ramps in North Dakota. I wondered whether No Survivors meant “if you’re looking for someone they are probably not here” or “if you take this exit you may not survive.” I few years ago it was probably the first thought. But with oil booming and windpower growing the state has become a decent energy exporter with the state budget surplus this year over a billion, maybe they’re just trying to keep the opportunists out.
Then upon approaching Fargo I saw I a billboard that said “Industrial Medicine Services.” I wondered if this was an alternative to managed care. Kind of like industrial equipment, maybe. Like the difference between a hobbyist table saw and an industrial table saw, or the difference between a $50 Black and Decker paint sprayer and a $4000 paint sprayer. The cheaper smaller equipment can be used by most anyone, can be set up quickly and kind of works for your needs and is efficient for small jobs. Whereas the big equipment probably takes some training, requires more setup and so is best used for big jobs and pushing lots of units through.
Hey, hold on. That sounds just like managed care. See they thought they could pull one over on me. No siree. Whoever they are.
Oh, I did see a good sign out front of a Walmart in North Dakota. In front of a cage filled with X-mas trees I saw a sign that said “Christmas Trees are Free.” Alas it really just said “Christmas Trees are here.” Then I thought maybe a new priceless Visa commercial could go “Christmas is free. Enjoying it is not. Visa, it’s everything you want Christmas to be.” But that is so cynical. Come on, the Whos proved you could enjoy Christmas without presents. I mean, all I need is some eggnog and a battered copy of The Ref.