National Debt Clock in Times Square Catches Fire - "It Couldn't Keep Up"
NEW YORK- The National Debt Clock, a billboard near Times Square that keeps a running total of the US National Debt, had to be turned off on Monday after catching on fire.
"We got a couple of reports around 11:30 saying there was smoke coming out of it," said FDNY spokesman Eric Cassel.
"We sent a crew in to investigate. They found some material that was smoldering, and at imminent risk of a full-scale combustion. They immediately ordered it to be shut down."
The Debt Clock's owner, New York real estate investor Keller Woodbine, said he was happy to comply with the order.
"I put it up there to scare people. But I certainly don't want people to be afraid of it because it's a fire hazard," said Woodbine.
"When I first put it up in 1989, it was because our national debt was $2.8 trillion, and growing by over $10,000 per second. Even then, it taxed the capabilities of the computer and the electrical system," said Woodbine.
"Now, with the debt up over $8 trillion and going up more than $30,000 a second, the system just got overwhelmed. It tried, but it couldn't keep up."
FDNY Spokesman Cassel would not say whether or not the Debt Clock would be turned back on, or under what conditions.
"We didn't consider the Debt Clock a hazard previously, but given what's happened, I think we'll have to review it pretty carefully," said Cassel. "Obviously, it was under-engineered for the job, so substantial upgrades in the wiring, cooling and insulation would be required, at a minimum."
Not all were disappointed to see the clock shut down, however.
"I think it's high time and a good thing," said Wendell Pugh of the Center for American Initiatives, a conservative think tank. "Perhaps its time for the owners to change tactics. Rather than harping on bad news, they could use the clock to track good news. Such as the number of jobs being added to the economy."
Reacting to Mr. Pugh's suggestion, Mr. Woodbine replied, "that would work, since those numbers would add up much more slowly. I mean, really slowly."
"I will have to assess my options. I was going to have to shut it down pretty soon anyway, since it's nearly out of digits. I didn't plan for it to hit $10 trillion," added Woodbine.
"We got a couple of reports around 11:30 saying there was smoke coming out of it," said FDNY spokesman Eric Cassel.
"We sent a crew in to investigate. They found some material that was smoldering, and at imminent risk of a full-scale combustion. They immediately ordered it to be shut down."
The Debt Clock's owner, New York real estate investor Keller Woodbine, said he was happy to comply with the order.
"I put it up there to scare people. But I certainly don't want people to be afraid of it because it's a fire hazard," said Woodbine.
"When I first put it up in 1989, it was because our national debt was $2.8 trillion, and growing by over $10,000 per second. Even then, it taxed the capabilities of the computer and the electrical system," said Woodbine.
"Now, with the debt up over $8 trillion and going up more than $30,000 a second, the system just got overwhelmed. It tried, but it couldn't keep up."
FDNY Spokesman Cassel would not say whether or not the Debt Clock would be turned back on, or under what conditions.
"We didn't consider the Debt Clock a hazard previously, but given what's happened, I think we'll have to review it pretty carefully," said Cassel. "Obviously, it was under-engineered for the job, so substantial upgrades in the wiring, cooling and insulation would be required, at a minimum."
Not all were disappointed to see the clock shut down, however.
"I think it's high time and a good thing," said Wendell Pugh of the Center for American Initiatives, a conservative think tank. "Perhaps its time for the owners to change tactics. Rather than harping on bad news, they could use the clock to track good news. Such as the number of jobs being added to the economy."
Reacting to Mr. Pugh's suggestion, Mr. Woodbine replied, "that would work, since those numbers would add up much more slowly. I mean, really slowly."
"I will have to assess my options. I was going to have to shut it down pretty soon anyway, since it's nearly out of digits. I didn't plan for it to hit $10 trillion," added Woodbine.
posted by Ish at 11:35 AM
1 Comments:
1) funny
2) Did you think we would not notice that you removed the link to K's blog? What gives? Is this because she is supposedly going to write a bit more about you?
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