The Soapbox

Joined: 01/04/2001 Posts: 9123
Likes: 12215

What's this?

I had an interesting discussion with a contractor when we were in ...

graduate business school.

He said to me, "Do you know what an elephant is?"
I said no.
"It's a mouse drawn to government specs."

I thought about it and at the next break I asked him, "Do you know what a mouse, a rat, a mink, and a mole have to do with government contracts?"
He said no.

"A mouse is what the government wanted. A rat is the level of capabilities the contractor promised AT THE SAME PRICE! A mink is what the contractor charged the government for. And a mole is what was delivered."

There was no reply from him.

(In response to this post by southdenverhoo)

Posted: 07/15/2017 at 9:02PM

PREV NEXT REPLY

Insert a Link

Enter the title of the link here:

Enter the full web address of the link here -- include the "http://" part:

Current Thread:

'pubs want 1.6b for 74 miles of border fencing? What materials are they -- Hoo05Dave 07/15/2017 6:56PM

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! ** -- WaxHoo 07/16/2017 10:28AM

Soon as Mexico cuts the check, let's git her done! ** -- Shenhoo 07/16/2017 10:24AM

And not one minute before ... ** -- WaxHoo 07/16/2017 10:33AM

Wrong - Mexico will pay for the WALL ** -- FfxStationHokie 07/16/2017 07:53AM

I guess we were supposed to take Trump literally after all. -- VAGentleman05 07/16/2017 05:04AM

Take everything he says literally unless it subsequently turns -- 111Balz 07/16/2017 11:30AM

The whole thing is a damned boondoggle. ** -- Seattle .Hoo 07/16/2017 12:14AM

Load that mofo up with Solar panels and wind turbines ** -- Tuckahokie 07/15/2017 8:37PM

Are the contractors going to build it for free? -- dajoka004 07/15/2017 7:09PM

I'd give up this fight. Putting aside whether or not you think the -- BocaHoo91 07/16/2017 10:13AM

From what I remember of the article 30ish miles of that 74 are new wall. -- Hoo05Dave 07/16/2017 11:15AM

Continuing to play the perfect idiot here 'joka. $21 million is the avg -- WaxHoo 07/16/2017 08:54AM

My point was to highlight that the total cost includes -- dajoka004 07/16/2017 09:15AM

I was trying to set up amusing answers... gold plated, most will go into -- Hoo05Dave 07/16/2017 11:08AM

Fine, and so does a mile of Interstate Highway. Does it realy make -- WaxHoo 07/16/2017 10:07AM

Provide me a breakdown of the two costs -- dajoka004 07/16/2017 10:13AM

Just eyeball each and tell us what your intuition is ... ** -- WaxHoo 07/16/2017 10:16AM

Seems high -- dajoka004 07/16/2017 10:36AM

It just seems beyond comprehension that design, engineering, -- WaxHoo 07/16/2017 10:38AM

Don't be a dunce, joka. ** -- CyberHoo78 07/16/2017 12:41AM

That's not a well thought question. ** -- 111Balz 07/15/2017 10:14PM

What would be free is not building the damned thing at all, perhaps that's -- southdenverhoo 07/15/2017 10:29PM

How would you like to tackle the border security issue then? -- dajoka004 07/16/2017 06:54AM

A year ago I would have made a smart-ass remark but that is a very good -- southdenverhoo 07/16/2017 08:41AM

Nailed it. Businesses want immigration, labor does not. -- KCHoo 07/16/2017 2:46PM

Nice post. ** -- Shenhoo 07/16/2017 10:23AM

I'm sure some agreeable bipartisan form of amnesty could be created -- dajoka004 07/16/2017 09:24AM

But isn't the starting point for Republicans that ALL undocumented -- WahooRQ 07/16/2017 09:30AM

Of course all illegal immigrants are criminals -- dajoka004 07/16/2017 09:49AM

Because that's obviously the only alternative to $21M/mi ** -- southdenverhoo 07/15/2017 8:36PM

I had an interesting discussion with a contractor when we were in ... -- HowieT3 07/15/2017 9:02PM

Are you aware that these are competitively bid out for -- HoosGuy 07/16/2017 12:09AM

You mean to say there's already a wall?!? Say it isn't so... ** -- Hokie5150 07/15/2017 6:58PM

People have been saying this for quite a while; I guess some -- 111Balz 07/15/2017 9:54PM

Where was the outrage and cries of racism and xenophobia when -- Hokie5150 07/15/2017 9:56PM

Perhpas the people that built it did not base a political campaign -- 111Balz 07/15/2017 10:03PM

Or perhaps the outrage is selective...a trait you regularly exhibit. ** -- Hokie5150 07/15/2017 10:51PM

I know you need that to be true but reality is that things ARE relative -- 111Balz 07/16/2017 11:02AM

I guess some people complain only when it's Trump. ** -- Cold Hoober Hoo 07/15/2017 10:01PM