Sifting through the mail today, I came across an advertisement for the Portland Cement Association on the back cover of a magazine. I stared at it for a moment wondering why the cement trade group would need to advertise in a popular current affairs newsmag. Being the inquisitive bloke I am, I resolved to dig deeper. A quick visit to cement.org gave me the answer, or the "hard" facts if you'll excuse a pun. Federal por... er, stimulus, money. Seems the cement people are lobbying hard to inform you, humble taxpayer, that concrete is far more durable and cheaper than asphalt for road construction. As with so many things these days, the answer is politics and the money trail leads back to Washington. Hey - maybe we can get these guys to fit the Treasury's printing presses with some cement shoes. Now that would be money well spent!
Incidently, did you know that Thomas Edison invented a new process for building with Porland Cement? Nor did I until my recent visit to Edison's home, Glenmont, in West Orange, NJ. It's a national historic park and well worth the trip, particular if you enjoy Victorian art and architecture. And - nerd alert - the Edison Company laboratory is set to re-open in the fall after a 7-year renovation. Seven years, huh? Wow, I sure hope my government healthcare system operates just as quickly as the Park Service!
Disclaimer: that "concrete answers" title came from the cement.org site, much as I'd like to take credit for another zippy pun.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment