B.C. by Mastroianni and Hart for March 10, 2014

He’s invented the asphalt roller! Now they can have paved roads!

First known racing slick……

The right answer always depends on perspective.

I got vision and the rest of the world wears bifocals. (Butch Cassidy to Sundance Kid)

Specificity lacking

There was also a strip in which he ends up with four wheels, each on top of the other.

Should have started out with a 2 wheeler.

Im a steamroller for you baby

One more log and two wheels per log,

It’s not whatchya do, it’s the way thatchya do it.

Built exactly to specification.

I worked for a company that built a prototype software package for the U.S. Army. When it came time to go to production, the Government would not award us the contract because we were not on their list of usual donors – erm – I mean we weren’t a big company that they normally did business with. After all, everyone knows you need a large factory to produce software.

If we wanted a piece of the action, we had to partner with a company on the Government’s “good old boy list.” The company would provide oversight for the development which means they essentially do nothing other than add overhead.

As we put together the proposal, they would change it. When we asked why, they responded that “That’s what the Government asked for.” We came back and said, “But it’s not what they need.” They came back, “Then we’ll hit them up for a change order.” In other words, they intended to build it exactly as specified while deliberately misunderstanding the intent.

We won the contract and our management collected their bonuses. The original development staff (including self) were rewarded with pink slips with the explanation, “The staff in California needs the coverage.” I then went to work for a “real” company.

Enter Fred Flintstone to correct the arrangement and accessorize.

but your contractors did

“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”—Thomas Edison

If those wheels were round….. a bit of string/rope, some support beams – and a toy is born.

Come on, it’s 4-wheel drive!