| Name: |
architect
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| Subject: |
Dept of Defense cuts!
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Date:
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2/5/2013 8:12:07 AM (updated 2/5/2013 8:21:02 AM)
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I have never served in the military and have no expertise on what should or should not be cut from the defense budget, but to anybody who says NO cuts should be made, please go to Columbus GA and take a gander at the recent "additions" to the entrance of Fort Benning at the end of I-185. This over the top architectural and sculptural monstrosity would make Benito Mussolini and Albert Speer orgasmic!! Now, I have no idea where the funds (and it must be at least 7 figures) for this exercise in stupidity came from...but wherever...it is not money well spent!
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| Name: |
MrHodja
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| Subject: |
Dept of Defense cuts!
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Date:
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2/5/2013 8:33:48 AM
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I have been pretty closely associated with the DoD in varying capacities since 1967. I have no idea what you are referring to, but without a doubt there are places that the Defense budget can be cut. I am not referring to cuts in the "tooth" of the DoD dog (i.e., actual combat capacity), but the "tail". My Navy customer in Charleston alone has sent its people to so much training that they are hardly available to do their jobs. The DoD is also in constant "reorganize" mode, as the latest management gimmick comes along and they jump headfirst, spending millions in the transition, just to start all over again once the newest gimmick comes out or they get a new boss who wants to implement his or her way of organizing.
There are other areas, but I won't belabor them here. I do know that when I was in Charleston last week a long-time customer and friend was telling me that the civil servants there are facing a forced every Friday off without pay from April through September. I wondered for a bit if it didn't make more sense to just have a reduction in force, but I can see the sagacity of their approach.....if the sequestration nonsense were to be somehow eliminated in the future they still have their entire work force and there are no RIF/rehire admin costs.
These are certainly interesting times. We (large defense contractor) are in the throes of preparing to write a proposal for an Army system enhancwement....but the Request for Proposals hasn't been released, and as an enhancement it may face the budget axe....and the RFP may never come out. Meanwhile we are spending a lot of money in preparation for the RFP coming out....and can't afford to wait until it does to start our proposal, as the statement of work contains hundreds of "the contractor shall" statements, each of which must be answered.
"Fun" times, these are.....
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| Name: |
h_hob
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| Subject: |
Dept of Defense cuts!
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Date:
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2/5/2013 9:27:45 AM
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Archiebelle,
This is probably one of the few times I will ever agree with you. I think the military throws too many bones to starving decorators that couldn't make it as decorators so they bill themselves as architects to milk money from people. Why couldn't a civil engineer design more of our buildings for the military than some girly-man than bills himself as an architect?
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| Name: |
Council Roc Doc
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| Subject: |
Dept of Defense cuts!
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Date:
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2/5/2013 10:55:32 AM
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Do you mean this?
URL:
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| Name: |
Council Roc Doc
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| Subject: |
Dept of Defense cuts!
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Date:
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2/5/2013 10:57:31 AM
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Sorry, this?
http://www.kltv.com/story/15689850/2011/10/13/7-million-fort-benning-gateway-project-complete?clienttype=printable
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| Name: |
h_hob
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| Subject: |
Dept of Defense cuts!
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Date:
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2/5/2013 11:05:27 AM
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Perfect example why I said an architect was nothing more than a decorator that couldn't make it as a decorator. Too light in the feet to make it as an engineer but too butchy to make it as a decorator.
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| Name: |
MrHodja
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| Subject: |
Dept of Defense cuts!
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Date:
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2/5/2013 11:28:09 AM
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Archie, you might be interested in the following, if Doc's post is what you speak of:
"With stimulus funds, private donations and money from the state, they were able to build a massive gateway monument to rival some of the best in the world.".
Doesn't look like DoD funds were involved. Doesn't change the fact that DoD has fat, just like all Federal agencies, but this one isn't part of it.
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| Name: |
Council Roc Doc
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| Subject: |
Dept of Defense cuts!
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Date:
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2/5/2013 11:28:52 AM
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From what I read about the FB project, majority of 7 mil funding was from the stimulus. Looks pretty from the roadway during the day. Have heard that the fountains rarely work all at one time, lighting on the flags and statues is erratic and maintenance has been spotty. Has anyone been by there lately?
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| Name: |
MrHodja
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| Subject: |
Dept of Defense cuts!
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Date:
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2/5/2013 11:32:19 AM
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Then this is no longer on Archie's 8itch list, as it is one of those things that his Messiah pushed and crowed about creating so many jobs (stimulus).
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| Name: |
architect
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| Subject: |
Dept of Defense cuts!
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Date:
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2/5/2013 12:03:42 PM (updated 2/5/2013 12:06:45 PM)
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I don't give a rat's rear if it was from a private doner...it is at best a poorly advised use of money and a worst a downright stupid use of money. I suspect Columbus and Fort Benning still have some potholes that could be filled.
As for "rivaling the world's best monuments"...well even if it was a reasonable design does the army really need a modern day version of an imperial triumphal arch?
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| Name: |
h_hob
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| Subject: |
Dept of Defense cuts!
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Date:
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2/5/2013 2:59:31 PM
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Maybe the Army would have been better served giving that money to obama so he could spread more wealth to your people.
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| Name: |
MrHodja
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| Subject: |
Dept of Defense cuts!
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Date:
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2/5/2013 3:15:57 PM
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If you want to go down that road you architechts are responsible for some of the most un-useful features on buildings worldwide.
I'm not commenting on whether the thing is deserved, but are you telling me that you have never designed a building that had non-functional, "just because" features?
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| Name: |
architect
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| Subject: |
Dept of Defense cuts!
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Date:
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2/5/2013 6:22:12 PM (updated 2/5/2013 6:24:45 PM)
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I will freely admit that I have produced some designs of which I do not brag (the client is always right???) but all had a use and purpose. I completely agree with you that in recent times, actually throughout history, architects have turned out useless and non-functional follies...just take a look at the Fort Benning Gate. Take a drive to Columbus and let me know what you think.
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| Name: |
MrHodja
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| Subject: |
Dept of Defense cuts!
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Date:
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2/6/2013 12:34:13 AM
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Not worth my time or gas. Bottom line is you raised a stink about DoD budget cuts, railing against whatever the thing is, just for us to find out no DoD money was used, and in fact it was your Messiah's stimulus that funded the most of it. This isn't worth any more of my time.
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| Name: |
wix
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| Subject: |
Kind of interesting
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Date:
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2/6/2013 9:31:10 AM
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That no one mentioned to Archy that lots of the building at Ft Benning recently has been the moving of other closed facilities like Ft. Knox to Ft. Benning. DOD certainly can throw away money faster than anyone around other than the o-BAMA family, but the base closings have been going on for years with the guidance of our wonderful Congress. Haven't seen the gate, but I did see what o-BAMA spent on vacation.
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| Name: |
architect
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| Subject: |
Mr H
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Date:
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2/6/2013 7:48:32 PM
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You are right...not worth spending more time on...except for me to point out that, while it was my assumption was it was defense funds since it was spent on a military base, in the original post I made it clear that I had no knowledge of where the money came from. I it was taxpayer money it was mis-spent...if it was private money it was mis-spent. You see, I do not object to the government spending money that needs to be spent. I do object to the government wasting money. If this was stimulus funds that does not in any way change my thinking. If it was stimulus money it should have built a bridge, hired a cop or kept a teacher in the classroom! If it was private funds it should have been given to the Cancer Society, built dozens of habitat houses, or be spent on anything USEFUL to society!
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| Name: |
buzzbuster
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| Subject: |
Mr H
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Date:
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2/6/2013 9:02:40 PM
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This is a birdge to nowhere.
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Obama wanted the cuts before he didn't. The problem is there is no spending he does not like. Any spending cuts, even the ones he insisted on, like these, when the time come he cries the sky is falling and it will destroy the recovery ... yet he thinks nothing about raising taxes and feels the economy will absorb tax increases just fine as long as he can keep spending all he wants borrowing a trillion dollars a year.
Does the GOP want to cut defense ... no, that is not where the spending problem is ... but that is what Obama insisted on thinking the GOP would never let those cuts go in to effect .... but since he refuses to put alternatives on the table and the GOP has, along with a balanced budget (something Obama has never done) ... now he will have to live with the cuts he wanted.
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