In yet another example that Sarah Palin is not the anti-earmark, anti-pork barrel spending reformist she claims to be, the Governor of Alaska allows a completely useless road to be built, just because the contract was already signed, an excuse that really doesn’t hold water. Contracts almost always have some sort of cancellation clause built in … sure, as governor, she may have had to pay the contractors to do nothing, but it wouldn’t have been the $26-million that the road cost. It would have saved the American taxpayers money to cancel the project.

The bridge failed, but the ‘Road to Nowhere’ was built - CNN.com

KETCHIKAN, Alaska (CNN) — The “Bridge to Nowhere” may have been shelved. But the “Road to Nowhere” is alive and well.

The proposed $400 million span that would have connected the coastal city of Ketchikan to its airport on Gravina Island died after it became a symbol of congressional excess.

But the three-mile access road that was built on the island is ready for residents to take a drive to nowhere. It was paid for by some of the $223 million in federal funding that sparked ridicule among opponents of congressional “pork-barrel” spending.

In stump speeches, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has touted her eventual decision to abandon the Gravina Island bridge, which she initially supported. But Palin, now the Republican vice presidential candidate, let the access road go ahead because the contract to build it had been signed, a campaign aide said.

Ketchikan Mayor Bob Weinstein calls the road, which was paid for by federal tax dollars, a waste of money that could have been used to fix his city’s roads and sidewalks.

“Gov. Palin could have stopped construction of this road,” said Weinstein, who wore his “Nowhere, Alaska” T-shirt to an interview with CNN.

Whilst others are out there suffering/enjoying 206 miles in the saddle from Logan to Jackson, I feel quite pleased with myself for getting out there and accomplishing a whopping 13.95 miles (but twice up Big Cottonwood Canyon Road past the Old Mill.

I seriously think this has been more of a wasted season than last year … how depressing is that? But at least I haven’t given up on the bike completely. We’ll see what I can accomplish tomorrow. But starting next weekend, I’m about to be very busy … most of my Saturdays from now through December are going to be spoken for.

Climber’s Trophy next week. The First Annual (Not) The Season Opener Cyclocross at the Canyons on the 20th … possibly the Ogden Twilight on the 26th … and then the UTCX season starts in full swing on the

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BLINK 182 - MISS YOU

Hello there
The angel from my nightmare
The shadow in the background of the morgue
The unsuspecting victim
Of darkness in the valley
We can live like Jack and Sally
If we want
Where you can always find me
And we’ll have Halloween on Christmas
And in the night we’ll wish this never ends
We’ll wish this never ends

(I miss you)
(I miss you)

Where are you?
And I’m so sorry
I cannot sleep
I cannot dream tonight
I need somebody and always
This sick, strange darkness
Comes creeping on so haunting every time
And as I stared I counted
The webs from all the spiders
Catching things and eating their insides
Like indecision to call you
And hear your voice of treason
Will you come home
And stop this pain tonight?
Stop this pain tonight

Don’t waste your time on me
You’re already the voice inside my head
(I miss you, miss you)
Don’t waste your time on me
You’re already the voice inside my head
(I miss you, miss you)

Don’t waste your time on me
You’re already the voice inside my head
(I miss you, miss you)
Don’t waste your time on me
You’re already the voice inside my head
(I miss you, miss you)

Don’t waste your time on me
You’re already the voice inside my head
(I miss you, miss you)
Don’t waste your time on me
You’re already the voice inside my head
(I miss you, miss you)

(I miss you, miss you)
(I miss you, miss you)
(I miss you, miss you)
(I miss you, miss you)

MAY DAY

I’ve decided to waste my life again,
Like I used to: get drunk on
The light in the leaves, find a wall
Against which something can happen,

Whatever may have happened
Long ago—let a bullet hole echoing
The will of an executioner, a crevice
In which a love note was hidden,

Be a cell where a struggling tendril
Utters a few spare syllables at dawn.
I’ve decided to waste my life
In a new way, to forget whoever

Touched a hair on my head, because
It doesn’t matter what came to pass,
Only that it passed, because we repeat
Ourselves, we repeat ourselves.

I’ve decided to walk a long way
Out of the way, to allow something
Dreaded to waken for no good reason,
Let it go without saying,

Let it go as it will to the place
It will go without saying: a wall
Against which a body was pressed
For no good reason, other than this.

  — Phillis Levin, Professor of English at the University of Maryland

ALKALINE TRIO - TIME TO WASTE

There’s someone down below blowing you a kiss
They watch from their windows
As all arms fall to their sides
And all eyes fix on the death of tomorrow
And you found everything you need
To make a life complete
Completely revolting and they have safety and relief
For sale on the street
I see you in line everyday

You had time to waste and I’m not sorry
Such a basket case, hide the cutlery
I had time to kill its dead and buried
You’ve got guts to spill but no one trustworthy

These creatures are waking up in these dark trees
Waiting like vultures
Eyes roll back turn white in time to feed
They salivate in hunger
For you and everything they need
To make a death complete
Completely unnatural and salvation lies
Behind those dead eyes that watch you while you sleep every night and…

You had time to waste and I’m not sorry
Such a basket case, hide the cutlery
I had time to kill its dead and buried
You’ve got guts to spill but no one trustworthy

You had time to waste and I’m not sorry
Such a basket case, hide the cutlery
I had time to kill its dead and buried
You’ve got guts to spill but no one trustworthy….

Neil Finn - Don’t Dream It’s Over

There is freedom within, there is freedom without
Try to catch the deluge in a paper cup
There’s a battle ahead, many battles are lost
But you’ll never see the end of the road
While you’re traveling with me

Hey now, hey now
Don’t dream it’s over
Hey now, hey now
When the world comes in
They come, they come
To build a wall between us
We know they won’t win

Now I’m towing my car, there’s a hole in the roof
My possessions are causing me suspicion but there’s no proof
In the paper today tales of war and of waste
But you turn right over to the T.V. page

Hey now, hey now
Don’t dream it’s over
Hey now, hey now
When the world comes in
They come, they come
To build a wall between us
We know they won’t win

Now I’m walking again to the beat of a drum
And I’m counting the steps to the door of your heart
Only shadows ahead barely clearing the roof
Get to know the feeling of liberation and relief

Hey now, hey now
Don’t dream it’s over
Hey now, hey now
When the world comes in
They come, they come
To build a wall between us
Don’t ever let them win