High speed trains def mean 200+ mph. That it takes 7 hrs to travel b/t charlotte to richmond on rail is a joke. I understand there's not the density of travel is the SE as the more densely populated NE, but folks in urban areas in the southeast are no less sophisticated than our neighbors to the north. Atlanta has a highly sophisticated metro rail system, but we are discussing intercity ridership here. The NE certainly has more everyday biz riders than the SE due to population density and the proximity of major cities. However, as one or 2 anons said, we are looking to move fwd, not backward, and investing in our transportation system and catching up w/our international rivals is a huge investment in our future with tremendous future ROI.
Someone mentioned Obamacare is 20% of our annual spending, but that person is badly misinformed. Just like folks who say the bailout was wasteful spending by our government even though it's slated to turn a profit for the govt and reduce our national debt. That same person mentioned wasteful spending on unneccessary wars - a point w/which I wholly agree - and looking to our future I believe we are in for a long long bumpy ride if we don't begin to invest again at home.
Infrastructure, education, corporate regulation to protect citizens, and ensurance of healthcare rights for all are our most important priorities at home.
I would like to either see the GOP move back twd the center right and away from the ultra conservative, or we should just move to a multiparty system w/representation from everyone from the TP/Libertarian to the Green Party, to extreme lefists, as well. Americans comprise one of the largest citizen populations in the world, and there are certainly more than 2 political views. There's no longer any such thing as black and white, though many are disillusioned enough to believe there is.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Friday, November 5, 2010
Rail Transit
Contractors subsidize large projects by taking out loans and betting on their profitability, then bidding out work to subcontractors. When it comes to billion dollar and multimillion dollar govt projects, states can't always build the required revenue at home, so, as the top subcontractor, they rely on the big contractor (the feds) to help subsidize state run projects, i.e., infrastructure and transportation. Our rail system as it stands pales in comparison to the Euro rail network, which actually requires international cooperation - though geographically Western Euro govts placed on a North American map would be divided into several regions, some state and some regionally sized. Yet, they have a more developed and effiencient rail system than the US. If done properly, our rail system could rival the Euro system, but it would take a great investment into our national infrastructure.
I'm going home to VA for a wedding next week and debating an 8hr amtrack ride from CLT to Richmond vs a 4.5 hr drive. With a high speed, Euro style train system, I could be home in 2-3 hrs, including stops, likely for a few more dollars than the current Amtrak rate, though much less than airfare, which I'm not even considering since it costs 5-6 times more to fly home vs train or roads.
I much enjoy the train and I'd like rail travel to become a more efficient means for Americans to travel between cities, as well as within urban areas.
Improving our transportation networks - rail, air and highway - is an investment in our future, not stealing from the future.
The same can be said for investing in public school education and offering benefits to companies who actually manufacture products within our borders.
We live in a world nearly devoid of economic borders, and while we must continue to assert ourselves as an international leader in commerce, we cannot look to the outside world while turning our back on our domestic responsibilities.
In order to contine to be a great nation, we must have the foresight, the gall and the will to take care of home, first and foremost.
If we want to continue as a, nee, the premier nation in which to live in the world, we must take care of our own and grown and build our own resources.
I'm going home to VA for a wedding next week and debating an 8hr amtrack ride from CLT to Richmond vs a 4.5 hr drive. With a high speed, Euro style train system, I could be home in 2-3 hrs, including stops, likely for a few more dollars than the current Amtrak rate, though much less than airfare, which I'm not even considering since it costs 5-6 times more to fly home vs train or roads.
I much enjoy the train and I'd like rail travel to become a more efficient means for Americans to travel between cities, as well as within urban areas.
Improving our transportation networks - rail, air and highway - is an investment in our future, not stealing from the future.
The same can be said for investing in public school education and offering benefits to companies who actually manufacture products within our borders.
We live in a world nearly devoid of economic borders, and while we must continue to assert ourselves as an international leader in commerce, we cannot look to the outside world while turning our back on our domestic responsibilities.
In order to contine to be a great nation, we must have the foresight, the gall and the will to take care of home, first and foremost.
If we want to continue as a, nee, the premier nation in which to live in the world, we must take care of our own and grown and build our own resources.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
On Hard Hits in Football...Don't Turn the NFL into the NHL (No Hitting League)
Football is no more violent this year than it was a year ago or 2 or 5 or 10 years ago. Granted, players are bigger, faster and stronger than they were 30 or even 20 years ago (William "Refrigerator" Perry was among the first 300 lb players in his 1985 rookie year), but not so much more physically enabled than they were, say 10-15 years ago. In fact, if anything, players have become quicker and more nimble now as a necessary response to today's prevalent offensive style of play predicated on spreading the field and isloating mismatches, much like in today's NBA.
However, tackle football at every level, from peewee ball to high school, from college and to the pros, is a violent sport. To maintain the integrity of the sport, this can not be allowed to change.
Now, I understand and appreciate protecting players, especially those who are in defenseless positions - and the NFL and lower levels of football have correctly and admirably outlawed dangerous "horsecollar" tackles, chop blocking, etc. - but the NFL should not legislate against hard hits.
As an 8 year old association player and throughout my high school career, I was taught to move at full speed and to tackle with my head up, more for my safety than my opponent's. High speed hat-to-hat collisions were, and should be, discouraged, but "knocking your opponent's block off" and "puttin his you know what in the dirt" were encouraged and praised, as they should be.
Maybe helmets need to improve - perhaps everyone in a Steve Tasker helmet - and whatever happened to wearing neck braces to prevent whiplash?
I am all for enforcing punishment on dirty play, and the Merriweather (Patriots) helmet hit on Todd Heap was dirty and suspending him for a game would be justified, but fining and suspending professional football players for hitting too hard is antithethical to the spirit of the game.
Ronnie Lott's finger would roll in its jar...or wherever it ended up.
However, tackle football at every level, from peewee ball to high school, from college and to the pros, is a violent sport. To maintain the integrity of the sport, this can not be allowed to change.
Now, I understand and appreciate protecting players, especially those who are in defenseless positions - and the NFL and lower levels of football have correctly and admirably outlawed dangerous "horsecollar" tackles, chop blocking, etc. - but the NFL should not legislate against hard hits.
As an 8 year old association player and throughout my high school career, I was taught to move at full speed and to tackle with my head up, more for my safety than my opponent's. High speed hat-to-hat collisions were, and should be, discouraged, but "knocking your opponent's block off" and "puttin his you know what in the dirt" were encouraged and praised, as they should be.
Maybe helmets need to improve - perhaps everyone in a Steve Tasker helmet - and whatever happened to wearing neck braces to prevent whiplash?
I am all for enforcing punishment on dirty play, and the Merriweather (Patriots) helmet hit on Todd Heap was dirty and suspending him for a game would be justified, but fining and suspending professional football players for hitting too hard is antithethical to the spirit of the game.
Ronnie Lott's finger would roll in its jar...or wherever it ended up.
My thoughts on Broncos after Week 6 loss to the Jets
I thought Denver played well vs the Jets and would've won if not for the questionable PI call on Cox (Holmes put his hands on Cox first to get position which could have cancelled out the facemask) and even still had a chance till the bad shotgun snap to Orton by a rookie center. Still, I would’ve loved to win that game.
I’m cautiously optimistic about the 2010 Broncos, though, and think that in this year’s AFC West, with the Chargers playing poorly, the team has a chance eclipse 8-8 for the first time in 4 or 5 seasons.
At the start of the season, I said I’d be happy w/9-7 or 10-6 but could not reasonably expect any better. I mainly wanted to see improvement, and I have…especially w/the run game stepping up last week.
2011 is the bellweather year for Coach McD, and though I was critical of the young coach and the wholesale moves made by the team early on – I was admittedly angry at Bowlen for canning Shanny when we had the #2 offense in the league and really just needed a defenisve overhaul – I am now in his corner and buying into his system.
I think Josh McDaniels will be an outstanding coach and have a great career and hope he has the success in Denver to make it a long run and restore my Donkeys to the caliber of our glory days teams of the 80s and 90s.
I don’t expect to ever have another Elway come along, and we’d be lucky to get a second coming of TD in the next 10-20 years, but I feel good about the team and I'm looking forward to the rest of the season and coming down to the wire with at least a chance to play a 17th game. That’s all I’m asking for…just a chance!
Go Broncos!
I’m cautiously optimistic about the 2010 Broncos, though, and think that in this year’s AFC West, with the Chargers playing poorly, the team has a chance eclipse 8-8 for the first time in 4 or 5 seasons.
At the start of the season, I said I’d be happy w/9-7 or 10-6 but could not reasonably expect any better. I mainly wanted to see improvement, and I have…especially w/the run game stepping up last week.
2011 is the bellweather year for Coach McD, and though I was critical of the young coach and the wholesale moves made by the team early on – I was admittedly angry at Bowlen for canning Shanny when we had the #2 offense in the league and really just needed a defenisve overhaul – I am now in his corner and buying into his system.
I think Josh McDaniels will be an outstanding coach and have a great career and hope he has the success in Denver to make it a long run and restore my Donkeys to the caliber of our glory days teams of the 80s and 90s.
I don’t expect to ever have another Elway come along, and we’d be lucky to get a second coming of TD in the next 10-20 years, but I feel good about the team and I'm looking forward to the rest of the season and coming down to the wire with at least a chance to play a 17th game. That’s all I’m asking for…just a chance!
Go Broncos!
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Get off your soapboxes, Boise Haters! aka, Hokies...
What is with all this vitriol I've seen spewed at the Boise State football team after beating Va Tech on Monday? It was a great game, Boise took advantage of early Tech mistakes (a fumbled qb exchange under heavy pressure from the Boise D-line), a block on a punt deep in their own territory (Beamer Ball?) and fell behind by 17 before managing to come back and take the lead. Boise St, though, came through down the stretch and won the game. It's called football. As for the Broncos' ranking...it's deserved based on what they've done in previous seasons and esp last season w/20 starters returning after an undefeated season and BCS bowl victory.
I still say, let's have a playoff of some sort, but don't hate on Boise State. Va Tech, you could've at least won what was essentially a home game in your own backyard.
I still say, let's have a playoff of some sort, but don't hate on Boise State. Va Tech, you could've at least won what was essentially a home game in your own backyard.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Football Season is here
College football season officially kicked off tonight and I couldn't be happier to watch games that actually count. I began the night watching USC East (the Gamecocks) demolish Southern Miss and now watching a tight Pitt v Utah game. USC West is playing Hawaii now over on ESPN, so once this Big East/Mt West nail biter is over, I'll be sure to switch over. Looks like this one could go to overtime, though.
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Towns
Oh, Charlotte, NC. You're a tempstress. I'm a resident. I'm a lover of all you have to offer. Your golf courses. Your weather. Your major professional sports teams. Your music venues. And even your lakes. Try as I may to think I'm too far from the water, your lakes are right there. In my face.
Oh Richmond, you're so romantic, though, at least in my eyes. You host my family and many of lifelong friends. My traditions. The James River. The sunshine (not that Charlotte doesn't have it!). No matter what, you're still my "home." Or, at least, my hometown.
Who knows where I'll end up. Oh Denver. Oh San Francisco. Oh DC. Oh New York. Oh...Charlotte.
People are the connections to my hometown. Richmond. The town I miss and long for, though Charlotte has at least as much to offer. If only I could make the James flow a few hundred miles to the southwest. Lord.
Lord have mercy! There's something worse to ask for than choosing b/t a great place or 2 to spend your time.
Oh Richmond, you're so romantic, though, at least in my eyes. You host my family and many of lifelong friends. My traditions. The James River. The sunshine (not that Charlotte doesn't have it!). No matter what, you're still my "home." Or, at least, my hometown.
Who knows where I'll end up. Oh Denver. Oh San Francisco. Oh DC. Oh New York. Oh...Charlotte.
People are the connections to my hometown. Richmond. The town I miss and long for, though Charlotte has at least as much to offer. If only I could make the James flow a few hundred miles to the southwest. Lord.
Lord have mercy! There's something worse to ask for than choosing b/t a great place or 2 to spend your time.
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