Once upon a time a fat telecom company named Pyg swaggered in to the shire throwing coins to the people and shouting from a megaphone, "I will bring connectivity to your hinterlands and employ your villagers. Let me in!" Smiling people from away threw confetti and sang songs about Pyg's goodness as the mayor handed him the keys to the castle.
After the neighbors welcomed Pyg with casseroles and bean suppers, they waited patiently to be connected to the rest of the world. They waited and waited but their screens remained dark and their telephones became silent. The people became angry and marched in the streets. Pyg then took off his mask and said, "I am big but not strong or smart enough to connect you. I must go to the City to get more coins and confetti."
Gee Wallaby Ibis was a nice little telecom company. She and her friends dreamt of someday befriending Pyg and working together in his castle. They tried and tried without success. One day they rolled up their sleeves and began connecting the village to the world in a new way. The good people on the farms and in the hills were happy because their blue screens lit up and their phones began to ring.
When King O announced a connecting contest, Gee Wallaby Ibis and her friends invited Pyg to join them and seek the prize, but Pyg was jealous and cranky and refused.
Using the best blacksmiths and the strongest metal, Gee Wallaby Ibis and her friends built a beautiful and sturdy chain to connect the entire shire with the wide wonderful world. After the king's knights spent 40 days testing the chain, Prince Locke rode in to the square and declared with pomp and circumstance Gee Wallaby Ibis the winner. Trumpets sounded. The people cheered, "Hurray! We will be connected at last!"
Pyg's castle began crumbling around him as he seethed with anger. Instead of using the coins he got in the City to fix his castle, he bought a new mask and disguised himself as a Gentleman Blacksmith. Whispering to the people that Gee Wallaby's chain would break and they would be lost at sea, the Gentleman Blacksmith began spreading fear and doubt in the land. In hushed and somber tones he told the people that Pyg had a bigger and better chain hidden behind the castle walls.
Some of the good people became very afraid and confused. They urged Gee Wallaby Ibis to send back the prize, and give her chain to the Gentleman Blacksmith to fix.
The wise elders of the community gathered and spent many days thinking. The people waited with baited breath until finally the wisest of all stepped forward and told the people, "The Gentleman Blacksmith is a Pyg in disguise who must fix his own castle. Gee Wallaby Ibis built a beautiful new chain that will connect us. Let us have courage to change the things we can!"
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3 comments:
Really?!?! Is that the knowledge you bring to the Maine House of Representatives? Comeout and say what you mean. Stop hiding behind crap like your fairytale.
The millions that Gee Wallaby and their partners applied and received were granted based in LIES. You know that, and that is the reason you are trying to jam 1778 down peoples throats.
Those nice "Gentleman Blacksmith" that you refer to in your fairytale, were also the one who had told you NOT to let the deal with Fairpoint and Verizon to go thru.
They were right back then, and they are right about this ill conceived bill of yours, 1778. Please tell the people the truth. This bill is to cover tracks that should have been done prior to applying for the money. It is CROOKED!!!
$31 milliom will not get GWI and its partners out of Cape Elizabeth, let alone to the last mile customers. What then? Where will the additional money come from? THE TAX PAYERS!!!
Stick to fairtale writing. I rather enjoyed it. Stay out of pushing ILL CONCEIVED legislation down people's throats!!
Don't you think it would be better to spend the money in a way that would truly expand broadband to the areas that need it so very badly?
Thanks for reading and having a sense of humor! The true story is, of course, that the Three Ring Binder project was created by a group of small businesses and the University. When the grant was awarded because of its excellence and Maine's need for rural middle mile fiber, investors were called upon to come up with the required 20% matching funds. I'm hopeful the project can begin soon so all my new red-shirted friends can start working on it! I know you will do a fabulous job.
Cynthia
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