I can say that this story is worthy of the Enquirer.

I have worked at NTS many times. The equipment they have was thrashed when they shut down in '92. They are still using this thrashed equipment. The mining gear - which this drill rig is - is third-world thrashed. Leaks all over, unsafe, not worth the expense to maintain, much less repair.

Regarding those trucks - the organization I work for had first pick. We took the cream of the crop in '93. They were thrashed when we got them. We won't take them off base - it's a liability thing. Hit a civilian vehicle with one of these funky clunkers, gauranteed lawsuit. If they get a flat we scrap them because they aren't worth putting used tires on.

Copiers? Computers? 1989 technology. 486es.

There are warehouses full of older TVs, electronic test equipment and machine tools I'd like to get my hands on. But anything that wears as it works is beyond worn out over there.

I don't know where you'd find the time to have a life, because where I come from, any disposal or even any SCRATCH upon government property, requires the filing of much paper work.

I highly doubt that the peices of Government property you were using, were so easily thrown away.

Even the Military (by far the most efficient of the paper handlers) still is burdened with reports for every ding that shows up on their equipment.