We have been quite busy, it seems, because so many of you are asking after our various secret projects. Island Dweller, who has yet to complete his many assignments (notably, switching the East and West Magnetic Poles), is suspicious about this one:

Most gracious and puissant Majesty:

I’m all for football at the high school level, and if the citizens of a school district are freely willing to support an endeavor like this, that’s their business. But they’ve got to be just a little upset at the results of the prime contractor’s activities, unless of course there’s another cause known only to loyal minion readers of this blog:

The voters in Katy, Texas, who recently rejected a $70 million high school football stadium proposal, must be breathing a sigh of relief after what has become of the most expensive prep athletics facility in U.S. history built just 18 months ago by another football-crazed town four hours north on Rte. 45.

To put it mildly, the $60 million tax-funded Eagle Stadium that is home to the two-time defending Class 5A, Division I state champ Allen (Texas) High football program just became a complete and utter disaster.

. . . the state-of-the-art 18,000 seat facility has been closed to address “extensive cracking” in the concrete. . . The cracks in the stadium’s concourse were first discovered when the stadium opened in August 2012 and have since grown to as large as three-quarters of an inch….”

The story goes on to tell of an extensive contract and construction review, cancellation of this spring’s graduation ceremony scheduled to be held in the stadium, and fears home games could be affected this fall.

The prime contractor is building a separate $32.5 million facility for the school district that is also allegedly under review.

We’ve been hearing about certain unexplained “booms” and vibrations being felt in various parts of the country. Could those conditions, and the progressive cracking and possible structural weaknesses in this stadium be somehow related to another Gormogon’s secret project?

ID

Actually, the Gormogons are indeed cruel and ruthless, and sometimes are not above breaking a few eggs to promise undeliverable omelettes. But acting as a general contractor? We are not that heartless. ‘Puter shares scrapple recipes, for crying out loud.

So, if you would refer to your Master Projects List, and turn to the index sorted by geography, you will note that we have nothing to do whatsoever with Katy, Texas, and their football stadium. Of course, the GC will blame the structural engineer, who will of course claim that substandard materials were substituted after submittals were approved. The usual, and very understandable.

The weird booms, though, yeah, of course that’s us.

Also, speaking of pedantry—well, we weren’t, but we are now—this little nursery rhyme came across our desk from the Retired Spook:

With all due respect, both to Your Immensity and Operative JAB, Seoul’s airport is Kimpo, not Incheon.

Incheon is where MacA landed the forces that cut the NorK’s supply line, and forced them back behind the 38th Parallel.

The Czar will give you a dollar if you can prove to him where he made this claim.

Because the referenced post comes from Ghettoputer, not the Czar. There shall be no rutabagas in your dessert tonight, Retired Spook, for erring. And it was not even JAB—the comment was made by ‘Puter himself, who gives haircuts with chainsaws.

And what makes this worse? You’re still somewhat in error. Inchon International Airport definitely serves Seoul, and long displaced Gimpo as the primary airport serving Seoul… to the point that it is indeed commonly called—ready?—Seoul Incheon Airport by most travellers, especially now that Gimpo is restricted to domestic flights only.

And while Seoul Incheon’s technical name is ICN, and is properly called 인천국제공항, you will find it very commonly called Seoul Incheon since about 1992 to differentiate it from Seoul Kimpo. Oh dear.

The Czar of Muscovy

Божію Поспѣшествующею Милостію Мы, Дима Грозный Императоръ и Самодержецъ Всероссiйскiй, цѣсарь Московскiй. The Czar was born in the steppes of Russia in 1267, and was cheated out of total control of all Russia upon the death of Boris Mikhailovich, who replaced Alexander Yaroslav Nevsky in 1263. However, in 1283, our Czar was passed over due to a clerical error and the rule of all Russia went to his second cousin Daniil (Даниил Александрович), whom Czar still resents. As a half-hearted apology, the Czar was awarded control over Muscovy, inconveniently located 5,000 miles away just outside Chicago. He now spends his time seething about this and writing about other stuff that bothers him.