Month: May 2006
Another nail in Amtrak's coffin?
I’m not trying to knock Amtrak as so much declare there is a major need of a revamped national railway system…
This latest incident is proof positive of it.
Amtrak, the federal rail authority, operates passanger service throughout the continental United States. Where the federal government has been more than happy to subsidize the auto industry and the airline industry, Amtrak has been another story…
Operating on antiquated tracks, sharing tracks (and playing second fiddle) with freight trains and having a sub-par/failure of a High Speed Rail option are proof positive Amtrak needs a makeover. Congress and the current administration are fast to say that it’s weight should be shed entirely but that’s really lacking forsight.
The network needs to be upgraded — via a private entity or the federal government — and would provide thousands of jobs by doing so. Ultimately it can shrink dependance on foreign oil…
…but of course, you can’t do it any time soon. The financial black hole fo the Bush administration prevents us from doing that.
Six years later, President Gore addresses the nation
Crooks and Liars has the President’s addres.
Three cheers for Baseball commissioner George W. Bush…!
Britney Spears preggo again!…Why is this news?
What has Britney Spears done lately to deserve all the attention she is getting about having another baby except for providing examples time and again of how not to raise your child?
Listen, I can deal with TomKat and Suri, I can deal with Lindsay “I was hotter as a Tween” Lohan and even the Eurotrash inspired heiress Paris Hilton. Spears, on the other hand, had her 15 minutes and they are up. Please cease and disperse, people! Nothing to see here! Please disperse! Nothing to see! Keep moving!
But, alas, the media keeps her in the spotlight like they do with so many other things that don’t matter worth a damn (even in the entertainment industry)… Oh well.
Restriction-less
The St. Petersburg Times ran a story today about how watering restrictions are needed — Now — in Hillsborough County. It also went on to point out restrictions in place:
Commissioners put off until May 17 a hearing on whether to reduce watering to once weekly from two days. Some other area governments, such as Pinellas County and Brooksville, already impose that sound restriction. With the last heavy rain in February, and nothing significant expected for weeks, the region’s demand for water has soared. Last month’s demand was 22 percent higher than what utility officials expected. And for the first time, demand in Hillsborough outstripped Pinellas. Hillsborough commissioners should have seen the impact they could have made to help the region scrimp along until the wet summer months.
Excuse me, did you say Pinellas?
Living at the top’o’the’bay here in Pinellas county, I’ve seen neighbors watering twice a day every day for the past few weeks. I’ve seen absolutely nothing in the paper (be it the Times or the free Suncoast News ) suggesting Pinellas is restricting water usage, let alone enforcing watering restrictions.
I don’t know if this is bad journalism (I doubt it) or more like bad – if not terrible – enforcement and advertisement of watering rules in county.
Megalomaniac in Chief
George W. Bush is now referring to the War on ‘Terror’ (which is a “war” against a tactic to begin with — not against a defined group, though the base of supporters labels Arabs as the terrorist boogeyman) as World War 3.
Yeah, that’s right folks. World War 3… Where the “Coalition of the Willing” are a bunch of weak willed countries that need to be paid off in order to support our efforts. Where our traditional allies have turned their backs because we’ve started military action in a country that did not call for action against it…
In all honesty, this is another Crusade. Maybe the last Crusade. George W. Bush — who is trying to project himself as an elite ruler — is King Richard, who marches into the Holy Lands in order to try to free them (or make it safe for US oil companies in this case). It’s all glory, it’s all bravado and all for his legacy and ego. Meanwhile, back at home, the nation is suffering in the King’s “abscence”. While Boy George focuses on winning his war everyone at home is being robbed … Not by Robin Hood either but the numerous Sheriff’s of Nottingham.
169th Unconcious Mutterings
It’s been a hell of a long time since I took part in Luna Nina’s Unconcious Mutterings. For the uninformed, it’s basically word association. 10 words, ten responses…
- Out of place :: anarchy
- Helicopter :: whirly
- Francis :: Bean
- Ryan :: Seacrest
- Wedding :: blues
- Apalled :: shocked
- Historian :: classics
- Powerful :: Yoda
- Sex symbol :: pop culture
- Uncomfortable :: an unadmitted crush
