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Draft Horses Used To Lay Fiber-Optic Cable
mysqlrocks writes "In Vermont, FairPoint Communications has enlisted draft horses to help lay fiber-optic cable in remote locations. Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin has pledged to bring broadband to every last mile by 2013, including many remote areas that have been neglected in the past. Private companies have been unwilling to invest in the expensive infrastructure needed to reach these areas. However, Vermont's congressional delegation helped to secure $410 million in federal money earmarked for broadband development and Vermont has partnered with private companies, like FairPoint, to bring high-speed Internet access to all Vermonters. From the article: 'The difficulty of getting cable to "every last mile," is where Fred, the cable-carrying draft horse, comes in. "Hopefully it pays off," says Hastings. "We could maybe get a four-wheeler in here," he continues, gesturing to the cleared swath of boggy, fern-studded terrain that he's working in today. But definitely not a truck, and Fred's impact is nearly invisible. Residents rarely complain about a draft horse tromping through their yards.'"
It turns out that a horse is a self-replicating semi-autonomous rover optimized for negotiating tough terrain, and it was developed without DARPA assistance. It is powered by biofuels that can be produced using COTS technologies, but which for which no DOE research is required. Its waste stream is biodegradeable, and in the quantities generated by a single horse, facilities for the storage and processing of the waste pending biodegradation do not require EPA approval.
No wonder nobody uses the damn things anymore!
Well, they've only just recently begun breeding horses that poop fiber optic cable. The price will come down soon enough.
I am sure that there will be those that will say this is a waste of government resources but I would disagree. One of the things that government should do is build out public infrastructure to areas that the private sector won't serve or wouldn't be feasible without the government doing it. Here is hoping that the current providers there don't file lawsuits preventing the state from laying fiber like they do to proposed municipal ISPs.
Time to offend someone
Had to be said.
What do you mean they cut the power? How can they cut the power, man? They're animals!
I saw a show one time in Tijuana where they used a donkey to lay some pipe!
Hey-o!
Look at my horse, my horse is amazing!
Feed it some glass, mmm it's currently lasing!
It transmits frames, an optical backplane!
Ping it again and again and all its lights go blinky!
Be relentless!
Wildlife: Check
Fairly well worn t-shirt for press photos: Check
Tin of chew in front pocket: Check
We're good to go!
That's what a high fiber diet will do to you.