Constructive Construction

During my brief time in Chicago between LA and Shanghai roads were being reconstructed all over Chicago. It was a tremendous pain in the ass. To commute was to understand the infinite wait ahead of you. It was a Zen exercise that helped Chicago commuters appreciate the joys of completed infrastructure. I have been in Shanghai just over 2 months now. They have ripped apart and resurrected the sidewalk in front of my building 3(!!) times. When I return from the land of one man one jackhammer, I'm going to need to find a Sharper Image (who knew a struggling economy would turn its back) that sells a ratchet noise machine. Strangely this is not uncommon in Shanghai. Everything in the city is under construction. The streets are under construction. The sidewalks are under construction. The buildings are under construction (with badass bamboo scaffolding). But the odd thing is the construction is done quickly. The construction is efficient. Then the following week they rip it all up. They start over again. The World Expo is about 1 year from today. The Expo explains the construction. The Expo does not explain the repetition of construction. It feels like a Soprano's episode. In the analogy the Chinese Government is the Soprano Family. In this analogy I am every innocent bystander who is afraid to say anything or gets beaten with a lead pipe. I can't say China lacks for a commitment to strong infrastructure. I'm afraid to say they lack for insight on what to do with government directed labor forces (oops). Keep em busy, keep em happy. China may be onto something. The unemployment rate in the US is 8.5%. Perhaps it is better to keep people unnecessarily busy.