Why are we all so angry lately?

RX Reven' said:

93EXCivic said:

In reply to RX Reven' :

There are a number of reasons I'd prefer high speed rail over flying.

Interesting, what do you see as the advantages?

I assume there'll be the same TSA requirements adding time to the trip and limiting what you can carry and I doubt you'll be given much more room but maybe I'm wrong.  Also, I see it as being less safe as it's a lot easier to derail a train than to take down a commercial jet. 

My experience with distance rail travel is that there is more room and comfort. It is easier to move around with bigger seats and nicer toliets and food options. Plus not having to deal with whole airport/airline "experience". At least that was my experience in Europe.

Also the environmental aspect. 

Safety to me is a wash. Both are considerably safer then driving and in reality pretty safe.

I'd love to see it work but the distances in the US does make it more difficult. Although Japan is a bit longer then Cali and they have the bullet trains. Honestly I see them more replacing long drives and short flights then cross country flights.

In reply to 93EXCivic :

My future wife and I took the high speed train from Brussels to Paris and I agree, it was nice. 

Good point about the environment but I'd just be nervious going that fast knowing anybody with half a brain could figure out how to derail the train.

Maybe I'm worrying too much given that high speed trains have been operating for decades elsewhere and we don't see them getting derailed.

I love that I pointed out how other countries are getting stuff done and the conversation went to China, Mussolini, and Hitler.  I was talking about Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Switzerland....

Y'all are dark 

Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) 

Y'all are dark 

You want it darker?

Leonord Cohen died two months after he released this. We don't all live happy lives.

93EXCivic said:

In reply to RX Reven' :

There are a number of reasons I'd prefer high speed rail over flying.

High speed rail is only possible because of tax dollars, IE, everyone's tax dollars supporting it. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think only two high speed rail lines in the world pay for themselves. 

....crap I'll stop myself there. I don't want this to turn into something else (and yes I realize airlines here are heavily subisidized which I also don't agree with).

In reply to Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) :

I love that I pointed out how other countries are getting stuff done and the conversation went to China, Mussolini, and Hitler.  I was talking about Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Switzerland....

Y'all are dark 

I just pointed out that why we should be skeptical about graphs, by pointing out that China was suspiciously absent on Covid deaths. I thought it was obvious to everyone in the free world that funny numbers were involved. Instead, Snowdoggie picked up the torch and ran with it- not only believing the graph was accurate, but that it was a positive example of how China gets stuff done. I'm actually at a loss for words. 

Boost_Crazy said:

In reply to Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) :

I love that I pointed out how other countries are getting stuff done and the conversation went to China, Mussolini, and Hitler.  I was talking about Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Switzerland....

Y'all are dark 

I just pointed out that why we should be skeptical about graphs, by pointing out that China was suspiciously absent on Covid deaths. I thought it was obvious to everyone in the free world that funny numbers were involved. Instead, Snowdoggie picked up the torch and ran with it- not only believing the graph was accurate, but that it was a positive example of how China gets stuff done. I'm actually at a loss for words.

I never said the numbers were accurate but go on with your attack. 

Typical.

z31maniac said:

93EXCivic said:

In reply to RX Reven' :

There are a number of reasons I'd prefer high speed rail over flying.

High speed rail is only possible because of tax dollars, IE, everyone's tax dollars supporting it. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think only two high speed rail lines in the world pay for themselves. 

....crap I'll stop myself there. I don't want this to turn into something else (and yes I realize airlines here are heavily subisidized which I also don't agree with).

The one in Texas is being done with private funding.

Snowdoggie (Forum Supporter) said:

Boost_Crazy said:

In reply to Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) :

I love that I pointed out how other countries are getting stuff done and the conversation went to China, Mussolini, and Hitler.  I was talking about Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Switzerland....

Y'all are dark 

I just pointed out that why we should be skeptical about graphs, by pointing out that China was suspiciously absent on Covid deaths. I thought it was obvious to everyone in the free world that funny numbers were involved. Instead, Snowdoggie picked up the torch and ran with it- not only believing the graph was accurate, but that it was a positive example of how China gets stuff done. I'm actually at a loss for words.

I never said the numbers were accurate but go on with your attack. 

Typical.

I think a lot of the problem is that we can't agree on a basic set of facts.  What people believe to be true depends on where their opinions lie, not emprical facts that can be verified.  I don't think anybody on this thread is cheerleading for China, but they do get the stuff done that they want to do.   While, for example, we don't seem to be able to agree that we need to invest in infrastructure until things start collasping, and even then we can't agree on what needs to be done to move forward and fix the problems.  We have become paralyzed by our division.  I don't think social media created this problem, but it most definitely has amplified it.  I don't have any answers, just my .02  

z31maniac said:

93EXCivic said:

In reply to RX Reven' :

There are a number of reasons I'd prefer high speed rail over flying.

High speed rail is only possible because of tax dollars, IE, everyone's tax dollars supporting it. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think only two high speed rail lines in the world pay for themselves. 

....crap I'll stop myself there. I don't want this to turn into something else (and yes I realize airlines here are heavily subisidized which I also don't agree with).

Kinda like how the interstate system is only possible because of tax dollars?

06HHR (Forum Supporter) said:

I think a lot of the problem is that we can't agree on a basic set of facts...

I understand what you are saying and generally agree.  I would dig down a bit deeper and clarify by what is meant by "facts".  Now, most will say, something like "absolute truth", but.....    there is never really an "absolute".  There are always other factors or context that affect the absolute relevance of any "fact", making it less of a fact in context of the discussion / situation.

E.g. DA states crime rate has dropped. Fact.  Thus crime is not getting worse.   

More realistic:  You can only measure what you see. Since the DA will no longer prosecutes a lot of (what are normally) crimes, no one is arrested for those, thus less crime is recorded.  Extreme example.  If nothing is illegal (anarchy) then the crime rate is zero!

Another famous one:  Lawyer:  "We win 90% of our cases!"   Fact.  

More realistic:  They don't take cases they don't think they can win, so, realistically, a more reasonable fact is "we actually manage to loose 10% of the case we are sure we can win"

Snowdoggie (Forum Supporter) said:

z31maniac said:

93EXCivic said:

In reply to RX Reven' :

There are a number of reasons I'd prefer high speed rail over flying.

High speed rail is only possible because of tax dollars, IE, everyone's tax dollars supporting it. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think only two high speed rail lines in the world pay for themselves. 

....crap I'll stop myself there. I don't want this to turn into something else (and yes I realize airlines here are heavily subisidized which I also don't agree with).

The one in Texas is being done with private funding.

I was speaking of ones that exist. Not ones that have been mired in legal battles for a decade that will likely not come to fruition. You're literally bringing up something that doesn't even exist, it's still in Eminent Domain hearings as we speak...........how is that a relevant comparison?

Even normal rail, AMTRAK, in the far more densley populated area of the NE took decades of government money to come close to profitable. So forgive me if I'm a bit skeptical. 

the_machina said:

z31maniac said:

93EXCivic said:

In reply to RX Reven' :

There are a number of reasons I'd prefer high speed rail over flying.

High speed rail is only possible because of tax dollars, IE, everyone's tax dollars supporting it. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think only two high speed rail lines in the world pay for themselves. 

....crap I'll stop myself there. I don't want this to turn into something else (and yes I realize airlines here are heavily subisidized which I also don't agree with).

Kinda like how the interstate system is only possible because of tax dollars?

My apologies, the only things I've seen publicized have been intrastate, not interstate high speed rail systems. 

z31maniac said:

Snowdoggie (Forum Supporter) said:

z31maniac said:

93EXCivic said:

In reply to RX Reven' :

There are a number of reasons I'd prefer high speed rail over flying.

High speed rail is only possible because of tax dollars, IE, everyone's tax dollars supporting it. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think only two high speed rail lines in the world pay for themselves. 

....crap I'll stop myself there. I don't want this to turn into something else (and yes I realize airlines here are heavily subisidized which I also don't agree with).

The one in Texas is being done with private funding.

I was speaking of ones that exist. Not ones that have been mired in legal battles for a decade that will likely not come to fruition. You're literally bringing up something that doesn't even exist, it's still in Eminent Domain hearings as we speak...........how is that a relevant comparison?

 

The Texas Supreme Court is reconsidering it. Another example of the Billionaires beating the Millionaires in court by throwing more and bigger law firms into the battle. The Wall Street Investors who own the rail company and who finance it who are Billionaires verses the cattle ranchers who are only Millionaires. The Billionaires are promising job creation and modernizing the transportation grid. The Millionaires are crying about property rights and poor Bossie the Cow being disturbed by those awful trains. Want to take bets on how this one goes? The poor cattle ranchers can't even get Governor Abbott on thier side.

In reply to aircooled :

...or you're a science denier if you dare question a scientist or scientific theory.

First, science is all about questioning (at least it is if you're doing it right) and second, being a scientist doesn't inoculate one from coercion, or greed, or???

For some, the fact that scientists often disagree with each other doesn't serve as a proof that they're not always right.

I'm a science nerd and I believe that agenda-free good scientific observation / experimentation offers the best hope.

Unfortunately though, even science is now routinely weaponized to serve somebody's agenda and the blind faith we're supposed to place on anybody that happens to be wearing a lab coat has transformed science into a kind of religion.   

In reply to RX Reven' :

Yep, because research without a patentable technology doesn't generate profit. So they have to look for funding that influences their findings. 

How many times has the science community gone back and forth if eggs are bad for you? Even cholesterol medicines have the disclaimer of "may not prevent heart attack or stroke." Ok, so if you're meds aren't going to prevent the ailment, why should I take them......I didn't mean to open that can of worms. 

How long until Margie puts us all under a patio?

In reply to RX Reven' :

Amen. 

In reply to z31maniac :

Good news everyone...there's now a treatment for Peyronie's disease (you know, a crooked banana).

The side effects are an absolute riot "warning, your banana may break off or die" not to mention what the treatment involves...I'm sure the commercial is on YouTube.

RX Reven' said:

In reply to z31maniac :

Good news everyone...there's now a treatment for Peyronie's disease (you know, a crooked banana).

The side effects are an absolute riot "warning, your banana may break off or die" not to mention what the treatment involves...I'm sure the commercial is on YouTube.

I'll be honest, I don't know if you're mocking me or not. 

z31maniac said:

RX Reven' said:

In reply to z31maniac :

Good news everyone...there's now a treatment for Peyronie's disease (you know, a crooked banana).

The side effects are an absolute riot "warning, your banana may break off or die" not to mention what the treatment involves...I'm sure the commercial is on YouTube.

I'll be honest, I don't know if you're mocking me or not. 

My friend, I promise I'm not mocking you...mozy on over to YouTube and find the commercial for Peyronie's desease.  Warning, you'll be grabbing your junk and chanting nope - nope - nope.

RX Reven' said:

z31maniac said:

RX Reven' said:

In reply to z31maniac :

Good news everyone...there's now a treatment for Peyronie's disease (you know, a crooked banana).

The side effects are an absolute riot "warning, your banana may break off or die" not to mention what the treatment involves...I'm sure the commercial is on YouTube.

I'll be honest, I don't know if you're mocking me or not. 

My friend, I promise I'm not mocking you...mozy on over to YouTube and find the commercial for Peyronie's desease.  Warning, you'll be grabbing your junk and chanting nope - nope - nope.

That commercial is practically on a loop down here in Florid-duh, on network TV.   I like the one for that online ED meds service, Roman I think it's called, it's funny..   

z31maniac said:

RX Reven' said:

In reply to z31maniac :

Good news everyone...there's now a treatment for Peyronie's disease (you know, a crooked banana).

The side effects are an absolute riot "warning, your banana may break off or die" not to mention what the treatment involves...I'm sure the commercial is on YouTube.

I'll be honest, I don't know if you're mocking me or not. 

That is absolutely true, the commercial ran a dozen times while I was waiting for my return to work physical. It's hysterical.  

uh, heh heh.  Daily stretching and straightening exercises.  Heh

In reply to RX Reven' :

Questioning science scientifically is not being a denier.

Just throwing a bunch of irrelevant but leading questions, junk science, and other crap at it hoping some sticks (in the public mind, anyway) IS being a denier.

Boost_Crazy said:

In reply to Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) :

I love that I pointed out how other countries are getting stuff done and the conversation went to China, Mussolini, and Hitler.  I was talking about Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Switzerland....

Y'all are dark 

I just pointed out that why we should be skeptical about graphs, by pointing out that China was suspiciously absent on Covid deaths. I thought it was obvious to everyone in the free world that funny numbers were involved. Instead, Snowdoggie picked up the torch and ran with it- not only believing the graph was accurate, but that it was a positive example of how China gets stuff done. I'm actually at a loss for words. 

I'm not saying that China was reporting accurately or inaccurately.  I wouldn't put it past their government to downplay the impact, but the other allied countries who are typically very accurate in not only counting and reporting, they are countries that specifically work in conjunction with WHO, NATO, and other allying organizations.  I do have much greater faith in those numbers.

One of the troubles with the potentially skewed numbers from India is the large rural population.  Per an NPR segment I heard, one of the biggest problems there is access to both healthcare and communication.  If you're a corn farmer north of Udaipur and the nearest phone is 30 miles away, you just die when you get ill.  No confirmed case, no reporting, you're just dead.  Very difficult to accurately report disease numbers when there is no way to track it.