1. Insanity. We can build all the runways we want, they just won't be downtown. 2. That's true, but we already have trains that are very efficient when it comes to fuel cost, and they could run on electricity just as easily as high-speed trains. 3. There is no way that these will move enough freight to negate our old rail or road system. This additional expenditure, not alternative. 4. Again, we move freight just fine with our regular rail and road system. Our ability to get things places isn't the problem, its our ability to make things. 5. That's possible, although I tend to think the FAA's troubles are their own failt. 6. Once again, this is only going to help people on the Atlantic and Pacific corridors. Where they already have trains. Which lose money. 7. This is the best reason I can think of for mass transit, but I feel that localized projects can solve it better because no 1 solution is good for every city. For instance, many western cities are huge and have non-centralized populations, so a subway or train is a horrible idea. Cheap or free buses are better(you could even make them electric for the pollution), but eastern cities subways and elevated rails are a good use of space and resources.
For the $53 billion, they could come up with the money easily enough, that's not the issue, I just don't see compelling reasons to make this thing.
Those short trips would only improve if you lived right by the track. So that does no good for most of the country, especially middle-America... Oh, I get it, its the Democrats doing this isn't it?
You want to actually inspire people? Challenge us to make it to Mars before the end of the decade. It would be a true show of superiority, unlike building something China has had for years, and we might just get some useful technology out of it.
Plus, if it doesn't work we can just fake it like last time!
We already have trains that connect all of our cities. They're plenty fast at delivering freight, and they are far cheaper to operate than this is going to be considering the massive upfront investment.
I ordered a part I couldn't find locally online yesterday, I checked just now and its out for delivery with the UPS guy. I just got a package from 2 states over in a fucking day for about 8 bucks extra. Yea, our system works pretty well as it is. Lets maintain it so it continues to and try to climb out of this economic situation with something actually useful, or at least actually inspiring(like a Mars mission we can just fake if we don't make it).
I hate the assumption that the US having bases overseas is bad for US security. Its great for security, and its money well spent.
I really hope I don't live to see it, but there will be another big war someday, and we better fucking hope we still have massive projectable military might, or we might wind up in a situation that modern 1st world citizens simply cant comprehend.
This isn't a troll, I would really like someone to explain the situations where a high speed train is better than an airplane or a car.
The security will be just as bad as at an airport if the government runs it, especially considering that just as many trains get bombed by terrorists as airplanes. So the speed gain would only show up in a few very specific cases, like maybe LA to Vegas.
Wouldn't we be better served either putting that 53 Billion into our roads and infrastructure? Or not spending it at all?
Maybe because we don't need a Fast train? In fact, the only reason to build more trains is if we plan to be too poor for average Americans to drive their own cars in 50 years.
I don't think my neighbors have assumed anyone was being murdered when I yelled at my computer within the last 48 hours... thats still pretty good right?
I was going to rush in here and post something about Darwinism at work, only to find that like 4 of the first 5 posts were all Darwin related. I guess everyone else is exactly as unoriginal as I am.
I'm not reading all of that, but to imply that allowing students to wake up at 11am, watch their classes on TV, then email in their assignments is a replacement for actual school is insanity.
Hardly a nanny state, I have family over their and paradoxically its less (in some ways) of a nanny state than Australia, the way they can let fireworks off in the street is only one example, their OHS rules or lack their of is another.
So who's the nanny state?
Still China.
Thats cool about the fireworks and Occupational Health and Safety though, its nice to see that their intrusive laws are all related to curbing dissent rather than protecting their citizens.
I wonder if all of those quiet Chinese kids in college were quiet because they didn't speak english, or if it was just because they spent the previous 19 years of their life not allowed to look up from their homework so they had no idea how to interact with people.
In Colorado, the data captured by the interlock device is periodically downloaded by the installer and sent to the Department of Revenue. If the driver has failed the test 3 or more times in a 12 month period their license is again suspended regardless of the cause of the failure.
False positives are a common occurrence and result in more than just the inconvenience of not being able to start the car.
The device itself is a point of failure that can render your car useless until you have it towed to a shop for repairs.
You might believe that repeat offenders deserve the hassle of the interlock device but requiring all vehicles to have some sort of alcohol monitoring system is costly, ineffective, dumb and wrong.
This sort of thing would be a deal breaker for this device. For it to be a standard safety feature you would have to lack the ability to store or transmit data.
Slashdot Mirror
My answer to that is Spain, Japan, and England.
1. Insanity. We can build all the runways we want, they just won't be downtown.
2. That's true, but we already have trains that are very efficient when it comes to fuel cost, and they could run on electricity just as easily as high-speed trains.
3. There is no way that these will move enough freight to negate our old rail or road system. This additional expenditure, not alternative.
4. Again, we move freight just fine with our regular rail and road system. Our ability to get things places isn't the problem, its our ability to make things.
5. That's possible, although I tend to think the FAA's troubles are their own failt.
6. Once again, this is only going to help people on the Atlantic and Pacific corridors. Where they already have trains. Which lose money.
7. This is the best reason I can think of for mass transit, but I feel that localized projects can solve it better because no 1 solution is good for every city. For instance, many western cities are huge and have non-centralized populations, so a subway or train is a horrible idea. Cheap or free buses are better(you could even make them electric for the pollution), but eastern cities subways and elevated rails are a good use of space and resources.
For the $53 billion, they could come up with the money easily enough, that's not the issue, I just don't see compelling reasons to make this thing.
Those short trips would only improve if you lived right by the track. So that does no good for most of the country, especially middle-America... Oh, I get it, its the Democrats doing this isn't it?
You want to actually inspire people? Challenge us to make it to Mars before the end of the decade. It would be a true show of superiority, unlike building something China has had for years, and we might just get some useful technology out of it.
Plus, if it doesn't work we can just fake it like last time!
We already have trains that connect all of our cities. They're plenty fast at delivering freight, and they are far cheaper to operate than this is going to be considering the massive upfront investment.
I ordered a part I couldn't find locally online yesterday, I checked just now and its out for delivery with the UPS guy. I just got a package from 2 states over in a fucking day for about 8 bucks extra. Yea, our system works pretty well as it is. Lets maintain it so it continues to and try to climb out of this economic situation with something actually useful, or at least actually inspiring(like a Mars mission we can just fake if we don't make it).
I hate the assumption that the US having bases overseas is bad for US security. Its great for security, and its money well spent.
I really hope I don't live to see it, but there will be another big war someday, and we better fucking hope we still have massive projectable military might, or we might wind up in a situation that modern 1st world citizens simply cant comprehend.
This is fantastic and I salute you sir.
Just remember, you're going to wind up going through the same security bullshit getting on a high speed train as you would with an airplane.
And I seriously doubt anyone is going to be riding this to work anywhere that they don't already ride a train, monorail, or subway.
This isn't a troll, I would really like someone to explain the situations where a high speed train is better than an airplane or a car.
The security will be just as bad as at an airport if the government runs it, especially considering that just as many trains get bombed by terrorists as airplanes. So the speed gain would only show up in a few very specific cases, like maybe LA to Vegas.
Wouldn't we be better served either putting that 53 Billion into our roads and infrastructure? Or not spending it at all?
Maybe because we don't need a Fast train? In fact, the only reason to build more trains is if we plan to be too poor for average Americans to drive their own cars in 50 years.
I don't think my neighbors have assumed anyone was being murdered when I yelled at my computer within the last 48 hours... thats still pretty good right?
In a related story, I heard on the subway that vaccines cause autism!
Look, the job market is shit. I'll take whatever they feel like giving me.
Also, as my second act, I'm increasing my salary as a retention incentive.
I'll do it.
Take his place that is.
Problem solved!
So, do I get payed via check or direct transfer or what?
I was going to rush in here and post something about Darwinism at work, only to find that like 4 of the first 5 posts were all Darwin related. I guess everyone else is exactly as unoriginal as I am.
I'm not reading all of that, but to imply that allowing students to wake up at 11am, watch their classes on TV, then email in their assignments is a replacement for actual school is insanity.
Its a good thing people in Texas are tolerant of those different from them, this should go really smoothly.
Its much more literally a "nanny state". They're giving more power to nannies!
Hardly a nanny state, I have family over their and paradoxically its less (in some ways) of a nanny state than Australia, the way they can let fireworks off in the street is only one example, their OHS rules or lack their of is another.
So who's the nanny state?
Still China.
Thats cool about the fireworks and Occupational Health and Safety though, its nice to see that their intrusive laws are all related to curbing dissent rather than protecting their citizens.
Did you vote Democrat? Then you are part of the problem!
Did you vote Republican? Then you are part of the problem!
Did you vote 3rd party? Then you are some sort of weirdo or mutant!
I wonder if all of those quiet Chinese kids in college were quiet because they didn't speak english, or if it was just because they spent the previous 19 years of their life not allowed to look up from their homework so they had no idea how to interact with people.
Yep. Its kind of a sick way to look at this, but it is good for policy in the US.
There is no way that the "Internet Kill Switch" is going to fly now, it would be political suicide.
I got out of the Marine Corps 6 months ago after 5 years in the infantry.
I absolutely believe that there are things we need to be doing in the middle east, and some of it involves troops on the ground.
But dealing with Egypt isn't one of those things. And I don't think anyone in power in the US is saying that it is.
Look, what would you have done? We needed those smurf-berries or it would have been lights out by the end of the month!
In Colorado, the data captured by the interlock device is periodically downloaded by the installer and sent to the Department of Revenue. If the driver has failed the test 3 or more times in a 12 month period their license is again suspended regardless of the cause of the failure.
False positives are a common occurrence and result in more than just the inconvenience of not being able to start the car.
The device itself is a point of failure that can render your car useless until you have it towed to a shop for repairs.
You might believe that repeat offenders deserve the hassle of the interlock device but requiring all vehicles to have some sort of alcohol monitoring system is costly, ineffective, dumb and wrong.
This sort of thing would be a deal breaker for this device. For it to be a standard safety feature you would have to lack the ability to store or transmit data.