For all your infrastructure news needs

February 5, 2009 10:34 AM

Infrastructurist. Although the blog is only a few days old, they've already debunked some of the myths of 24, interviewed Michael Dukakis, and grappled with Amtrak economics.
posted by Horace Rumpole (26 comments total)

Check the Dukakis interview. That's some heavy-duty wonkin'...old school!
posted by jonp72 at 10:42 AM on February 5, 2009

This looks cool. Thanks!
posted by saulgoodman at 10:44 AM on February 5, 2009

So they have managed to do what every other paper did by 2004?

Sorry. I'm just being pissy because of their clear anti-zombie editorial slant.
posted by Astro Zombie at 10:45 AM on February 5, 2009 [1 favorite]

The server encountered an internal error or misconfiguration and was unable to complete your request.

Someone needs to bail out their web infrastructure. BAZING
posted by ALongDecember at 10:52 AM on February 5, 2009

We broke it.
posted by waraw at 10:53 AM on February 5, 2009

IT'S BACK UP!
posted by boo_radley at 10:55 AM on February 5, 2009

As much as I like 24 the plot is pretty ludicrous. I mean, really: Terrorist takes over computer system that protects the infrastructure. President asks "What can we do?" The answer? "Nothing: It took us YEARS to put this network together! It would take YEARS to replace it again!"

My first question at that point would be "Well, why can't you put back the old version until we find a way to fix the problem with the new one?" I mean, come on - it works for MeFi, it should work for everything else.
posted by caution live frogs at 11:06 AM on February 5, 2009 [1 favorite]

It got attacted.
posted by AwkwardPause at 11:08 AM on February 5, 2009

I can't believe this didn't exist before and now I have even less chance of getting anything done at work. Thanks!
posted by kittyprecious at 11:10 AM on February 5, 2009

Dead again.
posted by jquinby at 11:12 AM on February 5, 2009

I am for infrastructure.
posted by everichon at 11:24 AM on February 5, 2009

Why, WHY do people have websites where you cannot get to the home page by clicking on the icon/header? There's not even a [home] tab anywhere. Their infrastructure sucks.
posted by oneirodynia at 11:43 AM on February 5, 2009

Also: "Congratulations! metafilterist.com is available"

[NOT ISTIST]
posted by everichon at 11:47 AM on February 5, 2009

"I'm just not worried about it." The cyberattack scenarios that he finds most realistic and frightening involve hydro-electric dams, pipelines, and the electric grid. "Anyone who could get inside those networks could cause some real mischief," he says. The potential threats could involve flooding, chemical spills, and mass power outages.

Hmmm. That's interesting.

*crosses air-traffic-control off list, adds hydro-electric dams, pipelines, and electric grid*

What?.. it's just vacation planning. I swear!
posted by quin at 11:59 AM on February 5, 2009

Why, WHY do people have websites where you cannot get to the home page by clicking on the icon/header?

yeah, actually, on closer look what's up with that? clicking on the banner from the main page brings up a completely different site for me (http://www.watchingwhatweeat.com/). the content seems interesting--at least, it's an interesting subject area. the piece on 24 seemed a little undercooked to me, somehow. maybe this is not yet ready for prime time?
posted by saulgoodman at 11:59 AM on February 5, 2009

Amtrak is managed by morons? I never would have guessed.
posted by Inspector.Gadget at 12:07 PM on February 5, 2009

24's "master firewall" nonsense reminds me of Die Hard 4. Which reminds me of this:

We'll need to hack all IPs simultaneously!
posted by meowzilla at 12:23 PM on February 5, 2009

The banner works fine for me...you guys have zombies/raptors in your computers.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 12:27 PM on February 5, 2009

maybe it's no-script's fault.
posted by saulgoodman at 12:54 PM on February 5, 2009

Rachel Maddow Show - Rep. Peter Defazio (D-OR) discusses the stimulus and infrastructure
posted by homunculus at 1:39 PM on February 5, 2009

Somewhere, Rachel Maddow shivers in delight. Oooh, infrastructure.
preview: damn you, homunculus!
posted by luftmensch at 1:48 PM on February 5, 2009

Amtrak's using point-to-point pricing, not per-mile pricing. It's the same thing the airlines use such that it costs (say) $200 to fly from Minneapolis to Fargo, because they have to pay for a plane that's usually half-full or whatever, but it only costs (say) $100 to fly from Minneapolis to Las Vegas, switch planes, and from Las Vegas to Fargo. Because Vegas is such a high-traffic hub they can use it to subsidize the rest of the system, even if they're flying your 180 pounds thousands of miles.
posted by dhartung at 2:03 PM on February 5, 2009

Very interesting, thanks Horace.
posted by turgid dahlia at 2:29 PM on February 5, 2009

Thanks for the heads-up on this blog - it looks great.

And I love Rachel Maddow, too; I wish she'd join MetaFilter. Girl is wicked smart.
posted by heyho at 3:35 PM on February 5, 2009

Watching Rachel Maddow made me realize I'm a lesbian trapped in a man's body.
posted by jamstigator at 4:32 PM on February 5, 2009

Check the Dukakis interview. That's some heavy-duty wonkin'...old school!

Hell, we should call Michael Dukakis the O.W.--Original Wonksta!! He was steady wonkin' with mad skillz way before policy wonkin' was cool!
posted by jonp72 at 8:59 AM on February 6, 2009