Kind of like the real pilots who fall asleep and fly hundreds of miles past their destination or who forget to turn off their radios while they discuss things that shouldn't be broadcast to the world.
The only expansion projects are more than offset by abandonment of unused spurs and lines due to lack of demand. If you think that their is some pent up demand for passenger rail service, maybe you should take a ride on an Amtrak train sometime. If you dont think that truckers pay their own way, maybe you should pay some attention to the price of diesel fuel next time you fill up your prius (or at least research to see what percentage of that price is tax).
It doesn't have to make a profit but it should be the public's well informed choice to make. Most of the proposals for HSR have the appearance of billion dollar boondoggles rammed through by greedy or corrupt politicians. Not all infrastructure spending is good (bridge to nowhere comes to mind), some are just pork. I'm sure that if someone in the US can put forth a well thought out proposal and can justify its existence with real numbers, support will materialize.
Personally I feel this is way down the list of things that the government should be doing. I live in a very rural area and it seems that if there is a need then it should be filled with private enterprise and private dollars. Rural co-ops have served in this capacity very well for phone service and cable tv in the past and have worked very well recently for broadband. People need to start wrapping their minds around the fact that if the government pays for it then the government thinks it should regulate it and decide how to make it 'fair' for everyone. The people that say "this is something that the government should do" are usually the first people to complain when the government starts trying to enact usage policy and regulate content on the internet.
It's difficult to decide who I trust less the government or big business; maybe that's because there isn't much difference between the two.
Wow. After reading this article, it looks like you need to be very worried about the government. Socialist and Marxist lobbying groups seem to be having free reign under current management. Its starting to look like energy regulation under the previous administration. If you cant get the laws you want, just send someone that works for you to work for the government to make a new law. At least with big business, you know where their motivation comes from ($$$$). Some of these groups seem to have a totally different view, than the majority of the population, of where our country should be headed.
I use it to pick routes for pipelines in areas without roads. This will eventually be very handy once its coverage is increased. Accuracy to within 50' will be the only requirement. This will just speed the on the ground verification process.
I think the most a nuclear-equipped Iran means to the world is the oft stated goal of the destruction of the Jewish state. Not to mention that the violence in Iran exists now. It just doesn't get a whole lot of open press. Iran also doesn't seem all that stable right now. I surely don't relish any more nuclear weapons in the world than currently exist and don't want to wonder what happened to Iran's after the government is overthrown or collapses.
Have you listened to our president? Claims to be trying to be bi-partisan in one speech and then gives a speech hours later to a more favorable audience and lambastes republican leaders for not seeing it his way. Why not have your cake etc....
Wait a minute. How can we have the unintended consequences of our wonderful new restrictions if you point them out in advance. They are only trying to protect you from your own stupid self.
The problem I see is that GM is still saddled with unrealistic and non-market driven wages and benefits. It might just be postponing the inevitable. I am a huge GM fan but I think that had they been allowed to fail somebody would have purchased the brands or products that where popular or potentially profitable. Not everyone would have kept their jobs but this has been inevitable for years. It wasnt that long ago Ford was close to filing for bankruptcy. They made some good decisions and pulled it out of the fire but are still not the company they could be (minus oppressive government restrictions and union weight). The companies and unions have made their bed and should have to lie in it.
Future taxes immediately introduce uncertainty in the economy. Personal savings rates go up. Business investment goes down. Risk taking behavior increases. http://www.jstor.org/pss/248251
Bond yields change and this in turn affects the income of many people (primarily retired people or people near the retirement age) as we are seeing now. These changes lead to money flowing out of the economy (and the country) in an effort to avoid the eventual increase in taxes. http://investoffshore.wordpress.com/2009/10/01/whither-future-tax-rates-hint-they-are-not-headed-downward/
I would like for any sane person to explain to me how taking money from the economy (taxes) and then magically putting it back in to the economy (stimulus) after running it through a horribly incompetent, inefficient, and corrupt government does anything but slow growth and stifle business. Oh wait... I keep forgetting how much smarter our political class is than us. Never mind.
Slashdot Mirror
Kind of like the real pilots who fall asleep and fly hundreds of miles past their destination or who forget to turn off their radios while they discuss things that shouldn't be broadcast to the world.
The only expansion projects are more than offset by abandonment of unused spurs and lines due to lack of demand. If you think that their is some pent up demand for passenger rail service, maybe you should take a ride on an Amtrak train sometime. If you dont think that truckers pay their own way, maybe you should pay some attention to the price of diesel fuel next time you fill up your prius (or at least research to see what percentage of that price is tax).
It doesn't have to make a profit but it should be the public's well informed choice to make. Most of the proposals for HSR have the appearance of billion dollar boondoggles rammed through by greedy or corrupt politicians. Not all infrastructure spending is good (bridge to nowhere comes to mind), some are just pork. I'm sure that if someone in the US can put forth a well thought out proposal and can justify its existence with real numbers, support will materialize.
Personally I feel this is way down the list of things that the government should be doing. I live in a very rural area and it seems that if there is a need then it should be filled with private enterprise and private dollars. Rural co-ops have served in this capacity very well for phone service and cable tv in the past and have worked very well recently for broadband. People need to start wrapping their minds around the fact that if the government pays for it then the government thinks it should regulate it and decide how to make it 'fair' for everyone. The people that say "this is something that the government should do" are usually the first people to complain when the government starts trying to enact usage policy and regulate content on the internet.
I'm confused. Can I still punch a hippie or did you explain away my justification for it?
That's why I quit associating with vegetarians. Lack of meat kills their sense of humor.
I've met a few vegetarians that thought I could be cured of liking steaks if only I tried a little harder.
It's difficult to decide who I trust less the government or big business; maybe that's because there isn't much difference between the two.
Wow. After reading this article, it looks like you need to be very worried about the government. Socialist and Marxist lobbying groups seem to be having free reign under current management. Its starting to look like energy regulation under the previous administration. If you cant get the laws you want, just send someone that works for you to work for the government to make a new law. At least with big business, you know where their motivation comes from ($$$$). Some of these groups seem to have a totally different view, than the majority of the population, of where our country should be headed.
Maybe if you post the link one more time someone will see your point :)
I use it to pick routes for pipelines in areas without roads. This will eventually be very handy once its coverage is increased. Accuracy to within 50' will be the only requirement. This will just speed the on the ground verification process.
I think the most a nuclear-equipped Iran means to the world is the oft stated goal of the destruction of the Jewish state. Not to mention that the violence in Iran exists now. It just doesn't get a whole lot of open press. Iran also doesn't seem all that stable right now. I surely don't relish any more nuclear weapons in the world than currently exist and don't want to wonder what happened to Iran's after the government is overthrown or collapses.
I'm personally hoping that the fact that he admitted it means that the damage was so bad he doesn't feel they can hide it. Always the optimist :)
Have you listened to our president? Claims to be trying to be bi-partisan in one speech and then gives a speech hours later to a more favorable audience and lambastes republican leaders for not seeing it his way. Why not have your cake etc....
Its only rude if they don't hang up after they run into you :)
There goes a big chunk of ONSTAR's revenue
Wait a minute. How can we have the unintended consequences of our wonderful new restrictions if you point them out in advance. They are only trying to protect you from your own stupid self.
The problem I see is that GM is still saddled with unrealistic and non-market driven wages and benefits. It might just be postponing the inevitable. I am a huge GM fan but I think that had they been allowed to fail somebody would have purchased the brands or products that where popular or potentially profitable. Not everyone would have kept their jobs but this has been inevitable for years. It wasnt that long ago Ford was close to filing for bankruptcy. They made some good decisions and pulled it out of the fire but are still not the company they could be (minus oppressive government restrictions and union weight). The companies and unions have made their bed and should have to lie in it.
Future taxes immediately introduce uncertainty in the economy. Personal savings rates go up. Business investment goes down. Risk taking behavior increases. http://www.jstor.org/pss/248251 Bond yields change and this in turn affects the income of many people (primarily retired people or people near the retirement age) as we are seeing now. These changes lead to money flowing out of the economy (and the country) in an effort to avoid the eventual increase in taxes. http://investoffshore.wordpress.com/2009/10/01/whither-future-tax-rates-hint-they-are-not-headed-downward/
After Clinton I think that perhaps some of the 'excitement' at becoming a white house intern might be tempered just a little bit :)
Still taxes. Just future taxes. Plus now we are going to pay for it with interest. Probably interest to China
I would like for any sane person to explain to me how taking money from the economy (taxes) and then magically putting it back in to the economy (stimulus) after running it through a horribly incompetent, inefficient, and corrupt government does anything but slow growth and stifle business. Oh wait... I keep forgetting how much smarter our political class is than us. Never mind.
You forgot to put Max in there somewhere