This Week’s Winner!
The Absurdity Awards debut, despite its featuring of raw, uncut, unedited, smack-you-in-the-mouth extravagance was ineffective in attracting a large Hollywood-sized crowd and so, operating in the context of the Bush Doctrine, I am forced to try, and try, and try yet again until my efforts yield results. This week’s winner, Verizon, who in an effort to provide high-speed fiber optic internet to residents in Hillsborough County, Florida, managed to wreak more havoc than Dennis the Menace on a sugar-trip. Congratulations guys!
Hillsborough County ordered Verizon to halt work on its multimillion-dollar fiber-optic cable project Tuesday after contractors repeatedly ruptured water lines, leaving neighborhoods without water and opening gaping holes on busy streets.
The order came one day after a 12-inch water main was broken at Lakeview Drive and North Dale Mabry Highway on Monday, sending 12,000 gallons of water per minute gushing into the intersection for seven hours, said county water department spokeswoman Michelle VanDyke.
County crews fixed the problem about 10 p.m. Monday.
Since August, nearly 200 water, sewer and reclaimed water lines have been broken across the county. Those breaks have affected nearly 3,000 customers, leaving some with sewage and water spewing through their front yards, others with ripped-up driveways and streets, and some dealing with a boil-water notice as a health precaution.
I wonder if FEMA picked up the check for those people that had sewage spewing into their living room.
Update: Recipients of such awards deserve to have video (Windows Media Player) accompanying their plaques.
November 17th, 2004 at 5:12 pm
I used to live on Lakeview Drive! Usual HC management problems. You should have seen the flooding problems after Hurricane Frances.
February 6th, 2007 at 6:34 am
[…] Congratulations to Verizon! After reading Sticks of Fire, Hillsborough County officials told Verizon to cease and desist upgrading all neighborhoods’ fiber-optic cable lines. In addition, Neil Shah at American Street has awarded them its absurdity of the week prize because of their unique construction techniques. Hat tip to Michael Hussey. […]