6 ms·

I visited Hoover Dam a couple of years ago. The physical scale of the thing is just astonishing. You can look at it from the top, from a bridge nearby, from ins

I visited Hoover Dam a couple of years ago. The physical scale of the thing is just astonishing. You can look at it from the top, from a bridge nearby, from inside looking out and up, and it is just mind bogglingly big. Then there is the audacity of what it does. It reroutes an entire river and moves the water through these enormous turbines to generate power. Actually, the individual turbines are surprisingly small considering what they do, (to me anyway). Sort of the same magnitude as one of those stills in Islay that distill whisky. But one of the most amazing things, neglected by the article, is this: The project was done ahead of schedule and under budget. It went from concept to working machine in a very short period of time. It seems to me that this was peak capitalism, working exactly as it should. I cannot conceive of anything so large today being built ahead of schedule and under budget. The parasites at Bechtel and Halliburton and whoever else would get involved would find ways to suck up time and money forever, and then the flaws would be discovered after all the checks had been cashed.

snowwrestler 11y ago
As they say, it was a simpler time. The dam builders hired unemployed workers, paid them cheaply, and violently broke up any attempts at unionizing or collective bargaining. Over 100 workers were killed during construction. There was of course no environmental impact statement or review; to the contrary, it was broadly taken for granted that it was man's destiny and duty to "improve the land" through massive engineering projects.
- geophile 11y ago
  Think about the same project being attempted now. Unemployment is now officially pretty low, but I believe the numbers omit people who are "underemployed", (e.g. part time when they would prefer full, no longer looking for work). Pay would likely be very low, and unions have been pretty much busted, so no more collective bargaining. Maybe fewer would die. Environmental review would probably take place, but a large enough corporation seems to be able to bully its way through anything. The main difference I see is that corporations have become more expert at modifying the system to suit their own interests. And of course, this country is no longer capable of doing large projects (or even basic maintenance) because congress is completely broken. How's that highway trust fund coming along?
icewater0 11y ago
As I get older, among my regrets are not having gone to see either the Grand Canyon, or the Hoover Dam. I have half-made plans to take the trip, some day.
- geophile 11y ago
  They aren't that far apart. If you haven't gone by now, I assume it's because you can't stand Las Vegas? Me too, but there was an event there that I couldn't resist, and so Hoover Dam was just a short drive.
  - icewater0 11y ago
    > I assume it's because you can't stand Las Vegas? Haha, I have no idea because I haven't been there, but you're right that I can't stand even the idea of Las Vegas :-)

snowwrestler 11y ago

As they say, it was a simpler time. The dam builders hired unemployed workers, paid them cheaply, and violently broke up any attempts at unionizing or collective bargaining. Over 100 workers were killed during construction. There was of course no environmental impact statement or review; to the contrary, it was broadly taken for granted that it was man's destiny and duty to "improve the land" through massive engineering projects.

geophile 11y ago
Think about the same project being attempted now. Unemployment is now officially pretty low, but I believe the numbers omit people who are "underemployed", (e.g. part time when they would prefer full, no longer looking for work). Pay would likely be very low, and unions have been pretty much busted, so no more collective bargaining. Maybe fewer would die. Environmental review would probably take place, but a large enough corporation seems to be able to bully its way through anything. The main difference I see is that corporations have become more expert at modifying the system to suit their own interests. And of course, this country is no longer capable of doing large projects (or even basic maintenance) because congress is completely broken. How's that highway trust fund coming along?

icewater0 11y ago

As I get older, among my regrets are not having gone to see either the Grand Canyon, or the Hoover Dam. I have half-made plans to take the trip, some day.

geophile 11y ago
They aren't that far apart. If you haven't gone by now, I assume it's because you can't stand Las Vegas? Me too, but there was an event there that I couldn't resist, and so Hoover Dam was just a short drive.
- icewater0 11y ago
  > I assume it's because you can't stand Las Vegas? Haha, I have no idea because I haven't been there, but you're right that I can't stand even the idea of Las Vegas :-)