Union Pacific Railroad are Handing out Traffic Tickets
Two Weeks ago along Wetmore road, Union Pacific railroad in two locomotive units went back and forth down the track looking out for motorist who where running around down gates and sitting on railroad tracks waiting for the light to turn green.
For the most part, people are unaware of what railroad track belongs to whom and what, there are actually trains? Just go outside and go down to the nearest railroad track. Do you see a train? Probably not at all because freight rail doesn't run by a schedule at all, but when the train need to go. Since the formation of Amtrak, the general public has been separated by the trains that bring coal for electrical power, carries the grain we eat and the junk we by at Walmart. We don't even realize the significance of what happens when there's a traffic jam on a railroad track and the reason behind it. A car got hit by a train.
Union Pacific makes billions in profits per year and they intend to keep those billions coming in by reducing cost of delays. They are separated by the general public for the most part except when a train blocks traffic for a few minutes. This negative encounter usually outrages motorist because a train is blocking their path that the state transportation department gave them the right to go down and on average, adding an additional three minutes to their drive. Even a 15 second Amtrak train will infuriate motorist for blocking the road ahead. And guess what hits the idiot that decides that 3 minutes is just too much time?
When a train hits a car, it is found about a mile down the track and then the investigations starts. During that time, traffic backs up down the line. Cars can go around a car accident, but not trains. A train can't jump off the tracks and go around the down train and get back on. So Union Pacific goes out and informs the public on the local news and with a ticket or two.
Now Union Pacific does have a outreach program like it's steam train excursions that tries to connect to the general public. They even carried the Olympic Torch twice, but that don't really cut it if people are stopping on railroad tracks waiting for the light to turn green. Now Union Pacific use to have daily interaction with the public, it was called the passenger rail such as the City of Los Angeles. But now Amtrak takes that role eliminating the actual contact between the railroad and the public.
Taking look at two states, you see a difference between train and vehicle collisions. New Jersey had 387 highway-rail incidents during the last 10 years compared to Texas which had 2,498. Whats the difference other than size? Well its passenger rail. New Jersey has passenger rail mainly commuter rail operations all across the state operated by New Jersey Transit. Texas, well we have long freight trains that pass by with in 3 minutes on average. If the solution to reduce collisions is as simple as having a frequent rail passenger operations, then the occasional ticket issuing event that took place on February 3 or Steam Train excursions, then the railroad should really take this simple fact into account when trying reducing highway-rail collisions.
Now your probably asking yourself, what a minute Mr Day, Texas and New Jersey are completely different states. After all, Texas is way bigger. Yes that is true, so lets look at two counties in Texas. Dallas County which has miles of light rail, and Bexar County which has no light rail. Bexar County, the County that houses San Antonio, TX has had a total of 105 highway-rail incidents compared to Dallas County that has a total of 99. Dallas has had a change of 72.73 % in reduction compared with Bexar County of just 30.77% in reduction. Now what about Houston, after all there light rail is the most accident prone ever. Well Harris County has had a change of 61.9% in reduction over the past 10 years. In 2011, only 21 incidents were reported compared to 53 when the light rail started operations in 2002.
This is over a 10 year period and it shows that providing passenger rail services will reduce railway grade crossing accidents. This is because the public has for once a actual positive connection to the rails compared to a negative one when a freight train blocks traffic. If Union Pacific is really seriously about reducing highway-rail incidents, then they will make an effort and support the building of light rail or commuter rail in metro areas.
Sources:
http://safetydata.fra.dot.gov/officeofsafety/publicsite/Query/tenyr2a.aspx
http://www.ksat.com/news/Railroad-works-with-police-to-improve-safety/-/478452/8594356/-/1qfvoi/-/index.html
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Monday, February 6, 2012
It Doesn't Matter, YOUR ANTI TRANSIT.
In San Antonio, the city I call home, somebody by the name of George Rodriguez of the SA Toll Party is threatening to sue the County against the Rail Streetcar Project in San Antonio, Texas. Apparently the majority of the funding comes from the Advance Transportation District (ATD), a district that was voted for by the public to raise the sales tax by 1/8 cent sales tax to pay not just for public transit, but for streets and highway improvements as well. According to them, we were told that this wasn't going to be used for light rail and well it ain't. But since these people are not keen on the definitions of different types of rail, they wouldn't know the difference in the first place. If ATD money was being used for a High Speed Rail station in San Antonio, they would still sue claiming that the money was being taken away from roads and being used for Light Rail.
For the most part, I've been against Toll Roads because they would be sold to foreign companies to began with. How unAmerican is that, selling your highway system to a corporation from overseas. But I'm willing to change my position in opposition of the SA Toll Party if they bring this law suit against the County. For the first time in living memory, VIA are committing funds to a transit route that will never be removed, that will not go away but be there for decades to come.
The people who are against the Light Rail to began with use every single tactic in their arsenal to halt a project from getting off the ground. They will point out how inefficient it is. How costly the rail vehicles are and most of all, they will point out the fact that more buses will do a better job. Well if that's the case, why are we as a nation, cutting the more efficient, cheaper bus lines?
In this video from ReasonTV titled, “17 Miles in Just 78 Minutes! Light Rail vs Reality in LA” he used the famed pop up video routine to point out all the faults with the Los Angeles transit System. 1St, he point out how there's no train to the Airport. Second, the point out how While The Train appears fuler during rush hour, it runs all day and night at much lower capacity. Third, he points out how buses are cheaper, flexable and better. (Remember that word FLEXABLE) And finally, he points to the false fact that it is not energy efficient.
Let me point out to why sir, you have a fuck up Los Angeles Public Transit System....
1. After WWII, the transit company tore up all the Light rail lines in the first place in favor of more cheaper efficient, flexible buses.
2. Using old data on how non Energy efficient rail lines are is like pointing to an airplane and telling me how it uses less gasoline than a family driving cross country. This old data which by the way comes from Galveston, TX Streetcar, doesn't even show the actual data on how fuel efficient it really is. Instead they point to the number of people it caries on average compared to a car. They use the fact that it ain't carrying maximum number of people against the amount of fuel it uses per weight. If this was a true, then the Major Freight Railroads of the North America could no longer be in business because I guarantee you, they wouldn't be able to compete against to more fuel efficient trucks. But we are lead to believe that because it doesn't carry as much people as it suppose to, it uses more energy to get around. I guess CSX and Norfolk Southern are lying out of there with there current commercials.
3. Guess What? While Buses “appears fuller during rush hour, it runs all day and night at much lower capacity”
3. Buses are flexible all right. They're so flexible that they're flexible to be permanently removed.
In City after City across the United States of America, bus lines have been cut all together from services forcing people like me to own cars to get around because buses might appears fuller during rush hour, it runs all day and night at much lower capacity. And when we can't afford cars to get around, well we don't find work.
A news story from 2010 from the Huffingtonpost had a story on a number of people who couldn't find jobs because they didn't have cars.
But what got me going was a professional woman was demanded that she get a car before get get a job for the Milwaukee transit system.
All this in a state in where the newly elected governor touted more jobs in his campaign speech. Good luck on those jobs governor. Your going to have a lot of people who simply can't find work in the first place.
But there's another reason why people don't ride buses. Well, there not romantic at all to began with. They're bumpy, uncomfortable to ride let alone to get aboard. We all know the words to “Weird Al” Yankovic of Another One Rides the Bus. Maybe because they're perverts in the back riding the bus.
Trains have tons of songs about riding them. One of them is called the “The Red Line” by It's Casual. He didn't take the bus, he took the Subway. And then there's Thomas the Tank Engine. He beats the bus between destinations on that little island of his. Trains are simply smoother than automobiles to begin with and are more comfortable to ride.
So the next time you hear how it is more efficient, more FLEXIBLE to have buses instead of passenger rail. Always point to the fact that a bus service is FLEXIBLE enough to be permanently removed. Buses are simply not fun enough to ride. And in the end you are not being pro transit by being anti light rail, your just being anit good public transportation in general.
Sources:
Out Of Service: Milwaukee Budget Cuts Hit Bus Lines -- And Keep Residents From Jobs
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/05/milwaukee-budget-cuts_n_844551.html
Foes threaten legal action to derail downtown streetcar project
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/article/Foes-threaten-legal-action-to-derail-transit-2884177.php#ixzz1ldaevA3I
For the most part, I've been against Toll Roads because they would be sold to foreign companies to began with. How unAmerican is that, selling your highway system to a corporation from overseas. But I'm willing to change my position in opposition of the SA Toll Party if they bring this law suit against the County. For the first time in living memory, VIA are committing funds to a transit route that will never be removed, that will not go away but be there for decades to come.
The people who are against the Light Rail to began with use every single tactic in their arsenal to halt a project from getting off the ground. They will point out how inefficient it is. How costly the rail vehicles are and most of all, they will point out the fact that more buses will do a better job. Well if that's the case, why are we as a nation, cutting the more efficient, cheaper bus lines?
In this video from ReasonTV titled, “17 Miles in Just 78 Minutes! Light Rail vs Reality in LA” he used the famed pop up video routine to point out all the faults with the Los Angeles transit System. 1St, he point out how there's no train to the Airport. Second, the point out how While The Train appears fuler during rush hour, it runs all day and night at much lower capacity. Third, he points out how buses are cheaper, flexable and better. (Remember that word FLEXABLE) And finally, he points to the false fact that it is not energy efficient.
Let me point out to why sir, you have a fuck up Los Angeles Public Transit System....
1. After WWII, the transit company tore up all the Light rail lines in the first place in favor of more cheaper efficient, flexible buses.
2. Using old data on how non Energy efficient rail lines are is like pointing to an airplane and telling me how it uses less gasoline than a family driving cross country. This old data which by the way comes from Galveston, TX Streetcar, doesn't even show the actual data on how fuel efficient it really is. Instead they point to the number of people it caries on average compared to a car. They use the fact that it ain't carrying maximum number of people against the amount of fuel it uses per weight. If this was a true, then the Major Freight Railroads of the North America could no longer be in business because I guarantee you, they wouldn't be able to compete against to more fuel efficient trucks. But we are lead to believe that because it doesn't carry as much people as it suppose to, it uses more energy to get around. I guess CSX and Norfolk Southern are lying out of there with there current commercials.
3. Guess What? While Buses “appears fuller during rush hour, it runs all day and night at much lower capacity”
3. Buses are flexible all right. They're so flexible that they're flexible to be permanently removed.
In City after City across the United States of America, bus lines have been cut all together from services forcing people like me to own cars to get around because buses might appears fuller during rush hour, it runs all day and night at much lower capacity. And when we can't afford cars to get around, well we don't find work.
A news story from 2010 from the Huffingtonpost had a story on a number of people who couldn't find jobs because they didn't have cars.
“Across Milwaukee County, workers want jobs, and businesses want workers. Eric Isbister is the chief executive of GenMet, a metal fabricator located one blocknorth of Milwaukee county. He needs new employees -- the expansion of his business depends on it -- but he can't get them. The nearest bus stop is more than two miles from his factory. He advertises in newspapers, and regularly interviews prospective employees, but he continually runs up against the same problem. Often, he said, he'll see an interviewee's friends or family waiting in a car outside, ready to give the person a ride home. When he sees that, he knows he won't be able to hire the worker.”
But what got me going was a professional woman was demanded that she get a car before get get a job for the Milwaukee transit system.
“"She said you have to be able to drive," Schulz recalled. "I was just so dumbfounded. This was, like, the job I was meant to have."”
All this in a state in where the newly elected governor touted more jobs in his campaign speech. Good luck on those jobs governor. Your going to have a lot of people who simply can't find work in the first place.
But there's another reason why people don't ride buses. Well, there not romantic at all to began with. They're bumpy, uncomfortable to ride let alone to get aboard. We all know the words to “Weird Al” Yankovic of Another One Rides the Bus. Maybe because they're perverts in the back riding the bus.
Trains have tons of songs about riding them. One of them is called the “The Red Line” by It's Casual. He didn't take the bus, he took the Subway. And then there's Thomas the Tank Engine. He beats the bus between destinations on that little island of his. Trains are simply smoother than automobiles to begin with and are more comfortable to ride.
So the next time you hear how it is more efficient, more FLEXIBLE to have buses instead of passenger rail. Always point to the fact that a bus service is FLEXIBLE enough to be permanently removed. Buses are simply not fun enough to ride. And in the end you are not being pro transit by being anti light rail, your just being anit good public transportation in general.
Sources:
Out Of Service: Milwaukee Budget Cuts Hit Bus Lines -- And Keep Residents From Jobs
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/05/milwaukee-budget-cuts_n_844551.html
Foes threaten legal action to derail downtown streetcar project
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/article/Foes-threaten-legal-action-to-derail-transit-2884177.php#ixzz1ldaevA3I
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
The Hay's Street Bridge Complaints but none From Waco Bridge.
On Tuesday, July 20th, 2010, the Hays Street Bridge, being blocked off for almost 30 years finally reopens not to vehicular traffic as it was originally designed for, but to bicycle and pedestrians turning this dilapidated structures that has been seen for as far as I can remember from driving on Interstate 37. Its a nice place to be especially on a hot afternoon because that is where the wind is blowing. Its basically a park on a bridge with joggers and cyclist from the neighborhood next to it just hanging out, watching the trains go by.
But from the comments from the news story page and letters to the editor, it sounds like government waste at it's best. The neighborhood has a history of being a rough place, but my friend is moving to that same neighborhood and she likes being near the center of town. last I check, she's a very attractive woman with a nice rack if you get my meaning. Other have complained about drugs and crime, but check out this news story, it looks like the the North West side of town are the worse place to be if you go by homicide rate yet now one is worried about getting mugged there. http://media.mysanantonio.com/images/sahomicides_p1.jpg
The bad comments where made as letters to the Editor in the San Antonio Express news. http://www.mysanantonio.com/opinion/letters_to_editor/your_turn__july_18_2010_99134524.html?showFullArticle=y Frank Goll in July 25 letters stated "City leaders seem to find plenty of tax dollars for items like the Hays Street Bridge restoration ($3.7 million) plus a few million for pet projects like the South Side San Antonio River beautification, light rail, red bike project, paddleboats, bike lanes, green job corps and other wish list items for our mayor and his cronies at City Hall." Yet he failed to mention the fact that City hall has been aggressively seeking Federal Funding to keep Police and Fireman in place. Right now, there asking for new recruits in the city.
And on July 26, Robert Mendez complained about the weeds over Salado Creek on Glember Rd and was there any money to clean it up. Maybe somebody should tell him the phone # 311. That is where if you have a complaint about the sidewalks, parks, bridges in San Antonio, they'll find the resources and time to clean it up. http://www.mysanantonio.com/opinion/letters_to_editor/your_turn__july_26_2010_99137579.html?showFullArticle=y.
Now what about Waco and the recent opening of the Washington Avenue Bridge there just two days later. It has the same design as the Hays Street bridge and from the local paper there, it seem to be getting praise from the residents of Waco, Texas. Here's one quote from http://www.wacotrib.com/opinion/columns/whitaker/Bill-Whitaker-Old-Washington-Avenue-Bridge-spans-our-failures-our-hopes.html Bill Whitaker saying "Most celebrants won’t be aware of it in their patriotic glee, but there’s something wonderfully ironic and reassuring about the old Washington Avenue Bridge being re-opened to foot traffic in time for this evening’s Fourth of July festivities in Indian Spring Park. For a year and a half, the 109-year-old bridge has undergone reconstruction to bolster it again for two-lane traffic." And so far the only Letter to the Editor there praises the opening of the bridge. http://www.wacotrib.com/opinion/letters/LETTERS-Readers-sound-off-on-Wacos-spay-and-neuter-law-bicycle-paths-and-Washington-crossing-the-Brazos.html From Hats off for headline by Sandy Spark Corwin of Waco "I laughed out loud when I read the Friday headline, “Washington crossing the Brazos.” Hats off to the writer. That’s the kind of reference to history we can all appreciate. As a native of Waco and one whose dad, Dr. Milton Spark, served the people of all parts of Waco but had his office in East Waco, I’m delighted this old bridge is back in service." After all this bridge renovation only cost $4.8 Million dollars.
But wait, I know why people are complaining about the hays Street Bridge, it doesn't allow Cars on it anymore and second, it in a neighborhood that has a pseudo reputation about it. It tales of drugs, drive by's and crime will probably keep old timers stuck in there car. No wonder it is a waste of money. But just as Waco using there bridge to connect neighborhoods, we are also using this bridge to connect neighborhoods that are cut off from Downtown. Only this time, it to the future of pedestrians and bicycles because just ask anyone who lives and works downtown, finding parking is a pain in the (add curse word of your
choice here).
Links to Sources.
http://www.wacotrib.com/opinion/letters/LETTERS-Readers-sound-off-on-Wacos-spay-and-neuter-law-bicycle-paths-and-Washington-crossing-the-Brazos.html
http://www.wacotrib.com/opinion/editorials/97642899.html
http://www.wacotrib.com/opinion/columns/whitaker/Bill-Whitaker-Old-Washington-Avenue-Bridge-spans-our-failures-our-hopes.html
http://www.wacotrib.com/opinion/editorials/EDITORIAL-Bridge-to-Somewhere.html
http://www.mysanantonio.com/opinion/your_turn__july_26_2010_99137579.html.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/opinion/your_turn__july_18_2010_99134524.html
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/running_through_east_side_history_99172694.html
http://www.mysanantonio.com/corrections/Corrections_July_19-25_2010_98896144.html
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/hays_street_bridge_opens_98884294.html
http://www.mysanantonio.com/livinggreensa/old_span_may_becomea_bridge_to_the_future_98688589.html
But from the comments from the news story page and letters to the editor, it sounds like government waste at it's best. The neighborhood has a history of being a rough place, but my friend is moving to that same neighborhood and she likes being near the center of town. last I check, she's a very attractive woman with a nice rack if you get my meaning. Other have complained about drugs and crime, but check out this news story, it looks like the the North West side of town are the worse place to be if you go by homicide rate yet now one is worried about getting mugged there. http://media.mysanantonio.com/images/sahomicides_p1.jpg
The bad comments where made as letters to the Editor in the San Antonio Express news. http://www.mysanantonio.com/opinion/letters_to_editor/your_turn__july_18_2010_99134524.html?showFullArticle=y Frank Goll in July 25 letters stated "City leaders seem to find plenty of tax dollars for items like the Hays Street Bridge restoration ($3.7 million) plus a few million for pet projects like the South Side San Antonio River beautification, light rail, red bike project, paddleboats, bike lanes, green job corps and other wish list items for our mayor and his cronies at City Hall." Yet he failed to mention the fact that City hall has been aggressively seeking Federal Funding to keep Police and Fireman in place. Right now, there asking for new recruits in the city.
And on July 26, Robert Mendez complained about the weeds over Salado Creek on Glember Rd and was there any money to clean it up. Maybe somebody should tell him the phone # 311. That is where if you have a complaint about the sidewalks, parks, bridges in San Antonio, they'll find the resources and time to clean it up. http://www.mysanantonio.com/opinion/letters_to_editor/your_turn__july_26_2010_99137579.html?showFullArticle=y.
Now what about Waco and the recent opening of the Washington Avenue Bridge there just two days later. It has the same design as the Hays Street bridge and from the local paper there, it seem to be getting praise from the residents of Waco, Texas. Here's one quote from http://www.wacotrib.com/opinion/columns/whitaker/Bill-Whitaker-Old-Washington-Avenue-Bridge-spans-our-failures-our-hopes.html Bill Whitaker saying "Most celebrants won’t be aware of it in their patriotic glee, but there’s something wonderfully ironic and reassuring about the old Washington Avenue Bridge being re-opened to foot traffic in time for this evening’s Fourth of July festivities in Indian Spring Park. For a year and a half, the 109-year-old bridge has undergone reconstruction to bolster it again for two-lane traffic." And so far the only Letter to the Editor there praises the opening of the bridge. http://www.wacotrib.com/opinion/letters/LETTERS-Readers-sound-off-on-Wacos-spay-and-neuter-law-bicycle-paths-and-Washington-crossing-the-Brazos.html From Hats off for headline by Sandy Spark Corwin of Waco "I laughed out loud when I read the Friday headline, “Washington crossing the Brazos.” Hats off to the writer. That’s the kind of reference to history we can all appreciate. As a native of Waco and one whose dad, Dr. Milton Spark, served the people of all parts of Waco but had his office in East Waco, I’m delighted this old bridge is back in service." After all this bridge renovation only cost $4.8 Million dollars.
But wait, I know why people are complaining about the hays Street Bridge, it doesn't allow Cars on it anymore and second, it in a neighborhood that has a pseudo reputation about it. It tales of drugs, drive by's and crime will probably keep old timers stuck in there car. No wonder it is a waste of money. But just as Waco using there bridge to connect neighborhoods, we are also using this bridge to connect neighborhoods that are cut off from Downtown. Only this time, it to the future of pedestrians and bicycles because just ask anyone who lives and works downtown, finding parking is a pain in the (add curse word of your
choice here).
Links to Sources.
http://www.wacotrib.com/opinion/letters/LETTERS-Readers-sound-off-on-Wacos-spay-and-neuter-law-bicycle-paths-and-Washington-crossing-the-Brazos.html
http://www.wacotrib.com/opinion/editorials/97642899.html
http://www.wacotrib.com/opinion/columns/whitaker/Bill-Whitaker-Old-Washington-Avenue-Bridge-spans-our-failures-our-hopes.html
http://www.wacotrib.com/opinion/editorials/EDITORIAL-Bridge-to-Somewhere.html
http://www.mysanantonio.com/opinion/your_turn__july_26_2010_99137579.html.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/opinion/your_turn__july_18_2010_99134524.html
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/running_through_east_side_history_99172694.html
http://www.mysanantonio.com/corrections/Corrections_July_19-25_2010_98896144.html
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/hays_street_bridge_opens_98884294.html
http://www.mysanantonio.com/livinggreensa/old_span_may_becomea_bridge_to_the_future_98688589.html
Friday, July 23, 2010
The Unemployment Check are stimilous checks.
Today, the president sign the Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2010 that will extend benifits for another 6 months. But this is nothing new, the only difference is that this time the money is going to the unemployed, not the employed.
Remember back in 2008, when Bush issued out checks? I got one and I believe a few years earlier they issued them again. The were called Stimilous Checks and at first, I was told I didn't make enough money.
Can't you guys see this is as the same thing, the stimilous checks during Bush, the unemployment extension under Obama; they're both the same. There are there to keep us spending and here's why. Our Economy is based on "spend here and spend now." But this stimilous will not keep the economy going for long.
The big problem with capitalism, the economic system worse except all others is that it requires people to spend there money for this and that. I could never understand this at all because once you spent your money, well you didn't have anymore. Although you go out and earn some more and that is what was pushed on to me except I begin to wonder, what if there was no more money to earn anymore?
And that is the whole problem with our economy right now, is that there's less money to be earned. And the Capitalistic system has been in place for over 500 years now since the inception of the East India Company. We call the periods of "less money to be earned," depressions and recessions. And like anything of nature, which our economy is no different, it has cycles and season of birth, growth, aged, and Death. We call these seasons Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter. And that is the problem with the entire system, it fails to accound the cycles, the aged and death, the fall and winter in our economy. As long as we have intellictuals and business man who fail to account for the fall and winter parts of our economy, then well have depression and recessions. How many people back in 2004 or 2005 and said, "our economy will go on like this forever." How many people back in 97 said that?
Now I'm not demanding we all become communist, or socialist, even though our economy is more socialistic in nature than capitalist. I'm simply asking those who make policy realize the nature of things and that things don't grow forever. I'm asking for a change in the way we plan, the way we see things coming around the corner. And as long as we have economist and CEO's failure to think long term and in cycles, we'll continue to have recessions and depressions in the future. A human Being doesn't grow forever, he/she eventually ages and dies. So do all lifeform on this planet. What makes you think you can go against nature, or if your religious, GOD.
Remember back in 2008, when Bush issued out checks? I got one and I believe a few years earlier they issued them again. The were called Stimilous Checks and at first, I was told I didn't make enough money.
Can't you guys see this is as the same thing, the stimilous checks during Bush, the unemployment extension under Obama; they're both the same. There are there to keep us spending and here's why. Our Economy is based on "spend here and spend now." But this stimilous will not keep the economy going for long.
The big problem with capitalism, the economic system worse except all others is that it requires people to spend there money for this and that. I could never understand this at all because once you spent your money, well you didn't have anymore. Although you go out and earn some more and that is what was pushed on to me except I begin to wonder, what if there was no more money to earn anymore?
And that is the whole problem with our economy right now, is that there's less money to be earned. And the Capitalistic system has been in place for over 500 years now since the inception of the East India Company. We call the periods of "less money to be earned," depressions and recessions. And like anything of nature, which our economy is no different, it has cycles and season of birth, growth, aged, and Death. We call these seasons Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter. And that is the problem with the entire system, it fails to accound the cycles, the aged and death, the fall and winter in our economy. As long as we have intellictuals and business man who fail to account for the fall and winter parts of our economy, then well have depression and recessions. How many people back in 2004 or 2005 and said, "our economy will go on like this forever." How many people back in 97 said that?
Now I'm not demanding we all become communist, or socialist, even though our economy is more socialistic in nature than capitalist. I'm simply asking those who make policy realize the nature of things and that things don't grow forever. I'm asking for a change in the way we plan, the way we see things coming around the corner. And as long as we have economist and CEO's failure to think long term and in cycles, we'll continue to have recessions and depressions in the future. A human Being doesn't grow forever, he/she eventually ages and dies. So do all lifeform on this planet. What makes you think you can go against nature, or if your religious, GOD.
Friday, June 25, 2010
A City Divided and shows in City Council Vote.
As a residence of San Antonio since I was 8 years old, I came to realize somethimg about the city. That there is a disconnect between its sides and parts of town. That one side of town is totally different from the other side. Like small cosmic universe of a certain culture, the difference is almost like night and day. As a resident of the far East Side, you begin to feel that your city don't even care about you unless you drive a car and own a home in the Dominion.
This disconnect between those who live in side the loop and those who live outside the loop at the Thursday city council meeting. The council voted 8 to 3 to Denounce Arizona's new Immigration law. Those that supported AZ new Law are the City councils are 8, 9 and 10. All Clearly these districts are out side of Loop 410. I don't know if this is a sign of thing to come for other things that effect the city such as development, law enforcement, and transportation but I'm starting to see at the public meetings on certain sides of town. At the South side Smartways SA meeting on June 23, I was told by almost all who attended was that "enough! don't ride the bus, we do and that should be shown in the number of bus routes and services provided on the South Side." These attitudes and feeling in my opinion have been dormant for decades and are only now coming to the surface. With a new Generation coming of age and demanding to live with in the center of the cities themselves, It only a matter of time that we'll see the South Side Become A power house just Northsiders as the North Side is today.
Already they are reconstructing the San Antonio River on the South Side to be a park just like Brackenridge. They are building the New Texas A&M Campus on the Southside. Also I've started to see more and more people who live on the South Side attend public meetings more and more. Although we lack bookstores and such, We are starting to have problems with traffic jams that are just unheard of in decades past. Only now are we starting to see the tide turn south.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/council_approves_resolution_denouncing_arizona_immigration_law_97100349.html?c=y&viewAllComments=y
http://webs.sanantonio.gov/council/maps/CouncilDistrictMap09.pdf
Smartwayssa.com
This disconnect between those who live in side the loop and those who live outside the loop at the Thursday city council meeting. The council voted 8 to 3 to Denounce Arizona's new Immigration law. Those that supported AZ new Law are the City councils are 8, 9 and 10. All Clearly these districts are out side of Loop 410. I don't know if this is a sign of thing to come for other things that effect the city such as development, law enforcement, and transportation but I'm starting to see at the public meetings on certain sides of town. At the South side Smartways SA meeting on June 23, I was told by almost all who attended was that "enough! don't ride the bus, we do and that should be shown in the number of bus routes and services provided on the South Side." These attitudes and feeling in my opinion have been dormant for decades and are only now coming to the surface. With a new Generation coming of age and demanding to live with in the center of the cities themselves, It only a matter of time that we'll see the South Side Become A power house just Northsiders as the North Side is today.
Already they are reconstructing the San Antonio River on the South Side to be a park just like Brackenridge. They are building the New Texas A&M Campus on the Southside. Also I've started to see more and more people who live on the South Side attend public meetings more and more. Although we lack bookstores and such, We are starting to have problems with traffic jams that are just unheard of in decades past. Only now are we starting to see the tide turn south.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/council_approves_resolution_denouncing_arizona_immigration_law_97100349.html?c=y&viewAllComments=y
http://webs.sanantonio.gov/council/maps/CouncilDistrictMap09.pdf
Smartwayssa.com
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Immigration isn't so simple anymore.
When I heard about AZ new law, My thought was, "this is 20 years to late." And let me tell you why it to late.
Take Eric Balderas, High School valedictorian, and Harvard Student. He was here since age 4. Every morning, like any other school kid, he put his right hand on his heart and said 'I pledge allegiance to the flag, of the United States of American. And to the Republic for which it stands one nation under god indivisible with liberty and justice for all.' How is this kid any different from any other who was born with in our borders?
The Reason why AZ Law is 20 years out of date is because we have kids like Eric here who no nothing of their birth country. They are American as you and me. They know English and speak no different from others who they grew up with.
Until We enact the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act that has been introduced without success in Congress since 2001, we'll be seeing more and more people like Eric get deported to a country which sucks and have no memory of or don't speak no Spanish. That's Right, Mexico Sucks, why do you think Eric parents came to America?
The next time you support tough immigration enforcement, just remember, their are kids like Eric Balderas that will get sent back to a country that sucks and no nothing about. Why people want to send back intelligent people is beyond me. Now I haven't mention the ones that died in Iraq who are serving a country there not suppose to be in. Today, the Immigration debate isn't simple anymore. It not about sending back Illegal Aliens, but about sending back our undocumented Citizens.
Take Eric Balderas, High School valedictorian, and Harvard Student. He was here since age 4. Every morning, like any other school kid, he put his right hand on his heart and said 'I pledge allegiance to the flag, of the United States of American. And to the Republic for which it stands one nation under god indivisible with liberty and justice for all.' How is this kid any different from any other who was born with in our borders?
The Reason why AZ Law is 20 years out of date is because we have kids like Eric here who no nothing of their birth country. They are American as you and me. They know English and speak no different from others who they grew up with.
Until We enact the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act that has been introduced without success in Congress since 2001, we'll be seeing more and more people like Eric get deported to a country which sucks and have no memory of or don't speak no Spanish. That's Right, Mexico Sucks, why do you think Eric parents came to America?
The next time you support tough immigration enforcement, just remember, their are kids like Eric Balderas that will get sent back to a country that sucks and no nothing about. Why people want to send back intelligent people is beyond me. Now I haven't mention the ones that died in Iraq who are serving a country there not suppose to be in. Today, the Immigration debate isn't simple anymore. It not about sending back Illegal Aliens, but about sending back our undocumented Citizens.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Driving legally is getting harder to do
Today in the San Antonio Express News, there was a story on SAPD cracking down on those who run around railroad crossing gates and those who parked on the railroad tracks. It was an effort to inform people about the law and to collect some good old ticket dollars. This is response to 3 people getting killed because they couldn't obey the law.
But also it not just that, Last Legislative Session, several laws were passed to make it harder for people to get driver licenses.
In a state that requires every man, woman, and some children (teens) to drive here and there, maybe somebody should have shouted at this one sided policy and say "hey, they're idiots out there causing alot of accidents. Maybe we should invest in more transportation options." But no, it was "lets make it harder to make stupid mistakes by making young people attend drivers ed course this way those kids can spend there mother's money on a drivers ed course."
Also they are now enforcing kids, up to 8 years old to be force to sit in a child safety seat or shorter than 4ft 9in. When I was 6 years old, I was sitting down like a regular kid in the back seat and the safety seat was well history. And that was before we had air bags.
Is it just me, or is this state refusing to see the problem for what it is that there's only one choice to get around and thats by car. And if there is only one choice to get around and it turns out that it is an unsafe way to get around, shouldn't we invest in other modes of Transportation? I don't know about you, but maybe its time to ignor those who say we need more roads and instead say 'we need more buses, more trains, and more light rail.' After all, all those roads are getting clogged up with idoits talking on there cell phones.
Sources
Police issue tickets to drivers ignoring railroad warnings
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/police_issue_tickets_to_drivers_ignoring_railroad_warnings_95481069.html
Viewpoint: New drivers ed rules aim to make Texas roads safer http://www.mysanantonio.com/community/opinion/new_drivers_ed_rules_aim_to_make_texas_roads_safer_93466124.html?showFullArticle=y
Tickets loom if kids aren't in booster seats
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/motorists_now_fined_if_children_lack_booster_seats_95269799.html
But also it not just that, Last Legislative Session, several laws were passed to make it harder for people to get driver licenses.
In a state that requires every man, woman, and some children (teens) to drive here and there, maybe somebody should have shouted at this one sided policy and say "hey, they're idiots out there causing alot of accidents. Maybe we should invest in more transportation options." But no, it was "lets make it harder to make stupid mistakes by making young people attend drivers ed course this way those kids can spend there mother's money on a drivers ed course."
Also they are now enforcing kids, up to 8 years old to be force to sit in a child safety seat or shorter than 4ft 9in. When I was 6 years old, I was sitting down like a regular kid in the back seat and the safety seat was well history. And that was before we had air bags.
Is it just me, or is this state refusing to see the problem for what it is that there's only one choice to get around and thats by car. And if there is only one choice to get around and it turns out that it is an unsafe way to get around, shouldn't we invest in other modes of Transportation? I don't know about you, but maybe its time to ignor those who say we need more roads and instead say 'we need more buses, more trains, and more light rail.' After all, all those roads are getting clogged up with idoits talking on there cell phones.
Sources
Police issue tickets to drivers ignoring railroad warnings
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/police_issue_tickets_to_drivers_ignoring_railroad_warnings_95481069.html
Viewpoint: New drivers ed rules aim to make Texas roads safer http://www.mysanantonio.com/community/opinion/new_drivers_ed_rules_aim_to_make_texas_roads_safer_93466124.html?showFullArticle=y
Tickets loom if kids aren't in booster seats
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/motorists_now_fined_if_children_lack_booster_seats_95269799.html
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