Week Beginning 10/27/08:
Many railers don't know that the B&O (Baltimore & Ohio) Railroad was the first railroad in the country. It was the first to take the country on a rail ride and now, the country is facing a new B&O Express (Barack & Obama)that plans to railroad the American public so a woefully inexperienced and left-leaning world citizen with a paper-thin resume can reside in the White House.
My frustration is not with a political philosophy that differs from my own, but rather, the deception involved in trying to make a candidate's beliefs more acceptable to the average voter. In an attempt to throw a switch and re-route this political freight train-turned-Acela, I shall address several issues that have been presented as the Gospel according to St. Barack.
95% of Americans will get a tax cut. Huh? When 40% of the population doesn't pay income taxes, a check from the federal government is nothing but a transfer payment. It's the whole wealth-transfer discussion. Obama wants to tax those making too much (by his definition) to be able to send a check to others. It has nothing to do with tax reduction. Also, the repeal of current Bush tax rate reductions is a tax increase, not to mention increasing capital gains tax rates and increased social security taxes.
Sarah Palin is unqualified to be a heartbeat away from the Presidency. Double huh? Her resume is significantly deeper and more relevant than BO himself and he's applying for the job of the heartbeat of the Presidency! It's a joke to use this as a reason to vote for the Obama ticket. Examine Joe Biden! Can he make any more foot-in-the-mouth gaffes? Plus, he has 36 years of being wrong, and it's usually on foreign policy! Experience only counts when it puts you on the correct side of a decision.
Eight years of failed economic polices. Hello! American family net worth had grown by $20 TRILLION during the last 8 years prior to the economic calamity of the last two months. This exceptional growth was AFTER the dotcom bubble-burst and recession, 9/11, and funding an expensive war on terror! This is an economic failure? The financial mess that has dominated the markets is the result of social engineering that was mandated by Democrats in control (Frank and Dodd) of key oversight committees so that more "disadvantaged" people could obtain home loans. This pressure combined with selected institutional greed and corruption overextended the capacity of the system.
The worse economic environment since the Great Depression. Wrong again. 1987 was worse. It represented a larger % decrease in the Dow. Also, unemployment in 1980 was 11%, significantly higher than the current rate and the prime interest rate was 21%! Some analysts have opined that the market continues to be resistant to the Federal rescue plan due to fears over an Obama administration and the expectation of an increasing deficit and new taxes.
Past acquaintances don't matter. Isn't a big part of executive decision making involved with making judgements? Particularly when you have large political ambitions. The Big O's track record on this count has been dismal: Ayers, Wright, ACORN, Khalidi and Rezko to name a few. If he can allow himself to be associated with these questionable "colleagues", then deny his relationships, this has to call into question his judgement, voracity and character.
He's a genius! He can read a teleprompter extremely well, but so can an evening news person. When caught on his own, he seems very mortal, offering the usual amount of himming and hawing. He generally repeats the same talking points and mentions change, with very few real details. I'm sure he's bright, but genius, not!
Let me make this perfectly clear! This is a speech habit that means that the next thing out of his mouth is a boldface lie. It's like the person who claims "It's not about the money." In that case, it's always about the money.
He's even-keeled and doesn't seem to get rattled. This only applies when he knows the environment will be friendly. Whenever he's challanged, he's VERY uncomfortable. His eyes narrow and his body language changes and he gets VERY TESTY. He clearly doesn't like to be admonished or have his positions questioned. He generally pushes the interviewer by saying he wants to make his point. He'll say, "Now hold on a minute" and will continue with his talking points. Many said he came out of the Washington conclave during the bailout discussions with very little to say and appeared at a loss as to what to do.
All Aboard! Let's hope not!
Monday, October 27, 2008
The Color of Money
Week Beginning 10/27/08:
Many in the media are proclaiming that the election is over. Mrs. Twain and I don't buy it for a second. I believe it could be a landslide for McCain, with Obama winning only 13 states. The mainstream media, of course, wants to try and influence the undecided lemmings and publishes that Obama has a double-digit lead in some polls and that all that is left is to plan the inauguration. In fact, stories have been printed that describe the victory rallies that are being planned. "It's money in the bank," they say. The question I pose, however, "What is the new color of money?"
In my view, the answer is red. This is because the money we're seeing in this election is being promised to be taken from one group and is to be handed ("handout") over to another, and what should ordinarily be prosecuted as larceny becomes re-characterized as "fairness". This "spreading of the wealth" via someone else's pocketbook sure does not pass the smell test (a "red tide"). Now some have raised an issue (a "red herring?") that if you criticize Mr. Obama, then you are really racist and just can't deal with voting for a person of color. What color is Barack Obama? Again, like money, it's red!
Obama has run on a message of change, one where he claims to present new ideas for fixing the problems in Washington. He has done a marvelous job, along with a schoolgirl exuberant and complacent mainstream media, of perpetrating this myth. I submit that everything he has presented is a re-hash of very old ideas, ones that we saw from FDR, LBJ, WJC, the French Revolution and KHM (Karl Heinrich Marx). How "new" is it for BHO (Barack H. Obama) to tell the middle class (nee proletariat) that they have been taken advantage of by greedy capitalists. That it's not fair that they don't have a better life, and that it's government's job, in fact, its government's responsibility to help give the people a leg up! He even trumpets wanting to grow the economy "from the bottom up, not from the top down." Can he point to a national economy that has prospered in this way? The idea in this country that has fueled our economic engine as the envy of the world is the dream and the desire to become rich, to make it to the top. People on the bottom can make it to the top if their ambition is not quashed by a system of over-regulation and taxation, and when bureaucrats believe they create jobs and are needed to control the show.
This, my dear readers, is not, in my view the role of government. It seems to me that government's social role should help those truly in need and not able to help themselves. It should not be in the business of trying to create a bigger class of needy! Yet that is the step-progression in a socialist society: segregation, confiscation, re-distribution and then, elimination of opposition (The Fairness Doctrine). The message from Obama embraces these tenants. His writings, associations and now, through recently released audio tapes of interviews given when he was an adjunct law professor (2001), proves beyond a shadow of a doubt, that he is not the centrist reformer he claims to be.
Color BHO a very scarlet red! A Democratic executive branch, coupled with a super majority in the Senate and control of the House would bring a whirlwind of new spending and social engineering (listen to Barney Frank and Nancy Pelosi). Obama has said that "the Constitution is fundamentally flawed" as it relates to issues of race discrimination. His litmus test for the Federal judiciary and Supreme Court nominees will be a dozy!
All of this "red-or-ic" also changes the color of money. This has been a record-breaking campaign haul and media spend. The ability to buy advertising time and present uninterrupted infomercial-style collectivism propaganda by BHO is part of this political "obamination." Donors give in order to get. The more they get from someone else's W-2, the more we slip into the self-perpetuation of dependent constituencies. Witness the almost universally accepted belief that "progressive" taxes are "fair!" "They can afford to pay more" is the mantra. That's why liberals prefer to call themselves progressives!
Many in the media are proclaiming that the election is over. Mrs. Twain and I don't buy it for a second. I believe it could be a landslide for McCain, with Obama winning only 13 states. The mainstream media, of course, wants to try and influence the undecided lemmings and publishes that Obama has a double-digit lead in some polls and that all that is left is to plan the inauguration. In fact, stories have been printed that describe the victory rallies that are being planned. "It's money in the bank," they say. The question I pose, however, "What is the new color of money?"
In my view, the answer is red. This is because the money we're seeing in this election is being promised to be taken from one group and is to be handed ("handout") over to another, and what should ordinarily be prosecuted as larceny becomes re-characterized as "fairness". This "spreading of the wealth" via someone else's pocketbook sure does not pass the smell test (a "red tide"). Now some have raised an issue (a "red herring?") that if you criticize Mr. Obama, then you are really racist and just can't deal with voting for a person of color. What color is Barack Obama? Again, like money, it's red!
Obama has run on a message of change, one where he claims to present new ideas for fixing the problems in Washington. He has done a marvelous job, along with a schoolgirl exuberant and complacent mainstream media, of perpetrating this myth. I submit that everything he has presented is a re-hash of very old ideas, ones that we saw from FDR, LBJ, WJC, the French Revolution and KHM (Karl Heinrich Marx). How "new" is it for BHO (Barack H. Obama) to tell the middle class (nee proletariat) that they have been taken advantage of by greedy capitalists. That it's not fair that they don't have a better life, and that it's government's job, in fact, its government's responsibility to help give the people a leg up! He even trumpets wanting to grow the economy "from the bottom up, not from the top down." Can he point to a national economy that has prospered in this way? The idea in this country that has fueled our economic engine as the envy of the world is the dream and the desire to become rich, to make it to the top. People on the bottom can make it to the top if their ambition is not quashed by a system of over-regulation and taxation, and when bureaucrats believe they create jobs and are needed to control the show.
This, my dear readers, is not, in my view the role of government. It seems to me that government's social role should help those truly in need and not able to help themselves. It should not be in the business of trying to create a bigger class of needy! Yet that is the step-progression in a socialist society: segregation, confiscation, re-distribution and then, elimination of opposition (The Fairness Doctrine). The message from Obama embraces these tenants. His writings, associations and now, through recently released audio tapes of interviews given when he was an adjunct law professor (2001), proves beyond a shadow of a doubt, that he is not the centrist reformer he claims to be.
Color BHO a very scarlet red! A Democratic executive branch, coupled with a super majority in the Senate and control of the House would bring a whirlwind of new spending and social engineering (listen to Barney Frank and Nancy Pelosi). Obama has said that "the Constitution is fundamentally flawed" as it relates to issues of race discrimination. His litmus test for the Federal judiciary and Supreme Court nominees will be a dozy!
All of this "red-or-ic" also changes the color of money. This has been a record-breaking campaign haul and media spend. The ability to buy advertising time and present uninterrupted infomercial-style collectivism propaganda by BHO is part of this political "obamination." Donors give in order to get. The more they get from someone else's W-2, the more we slip into the self-perpetuation of dependent constituencies. Witness the almost universally accepted belief that "progressive" taxes are "fair!" "They can afford to pay more" is the mantra. That's why liberals prefer to call themselves progressives!
Off to College
Week Beginning 10/27/08:
I'm riding the rails south today, headed to a meeting in D.C. As I get closer to our nation's capital, I'm thinking of the power that resides here, and the sense of the upcoming election is almost overwhelming. This election represents so many critical outcomes that will have a major bearing on the future of our Republic. The economy and the role of our federal overseers, international trade and tariffs, national security, foreign policy, taxation, and judicial appointments that will steer the social contract will all be on the table.
As I ponder the weight and responsibility that each citizen has to become an informed voter, it dawned on me that very few of those that will be pulling the lever for the candidate of their choice knows anything about the history or operations of our electoral college, the proces and institution that actually decides the next caretaker of the Oval Office. Try this on for size:
The 1888 Presidential election was very close. Democratic party candidate President Grover Cleveland and running mate Allen G. Thurman of Ohio won the popular election by 95,713 votes. President Cleveland, however, was not re-elected because he lost the electoral college vote by 65 votes. Instead Benjamin Harrison, former senator from Indiana and the Grandson of President William Henry Harrison, was elected as the 23rd President of the United States.
Today a President must win 270 electoral votes, a majority, to become President. If no candidate wins a majority of electoral votes, the 12th Amendment to the Constitution provides for Presidential election by the House of Representatives with each State delegation receiving one vote. Twice in our history, the House of Representatives has chosen the President -- Thomas Jefferson's election in 1801 and John Quincy Adams' election in 1825.
The first constitutional crisis occurred when Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr received the same number of electoral votes. Even though they were both Republicans and Jefferson was chosen as the Presidential candidate and Burr as the Vice Presidential candidate, it took the House of Representatives 36 successive ballots to finally elect Thomas Jefferson as President. Twenty-four years later, again no candidate received a 131 vote majority of electoral votes needed to become President. In this case, the House of Representatives voted for John Quincy Adams over Andrew Jackson and William H. Crawford on the first ballot.
These instances in our political history remind us of the important role that the Electoral College plays in electing a President. Few voters know that the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is the repository for essential evidence that documents the rights of American citizens, the actions of Federal officials and the national experience. A little known function of NARA, however, is the administration of the Electoral College by the Office of the Federal Register. As part of the documentation of the rights of American citizens, the Federal Register plays a key role in ensuring that the complicated and sometimes confusing steps in the electoral process are followed exactly.
The Electoral College was devised by the founding fathers as a compromise between the election of a President by popular vote and by the Congress. The College currently consists of 538 electors -- based on the total number of Representatives and Senators, plus three District of Columbia electors. U.S. territories are not represented in the College. The electors are a popularly elected body chosen by the states and the District of Columbia on the day of the general election
(November 2nd). The slate of electors for the Presidential candidate who receives the most popular votes is recorded on a Certificate of Ascertainment.
Rather than directly voting for the President and Vice President, United States citizens cast votes for electors. Electors are technically free to vote for anyone eligible to be President, but in practice pledge to vote for specific candidates and voters cast ballots for favored presidential and vice presidential candidates by voting for correspondingly pledged electors. Most states allow voters to choose between statewide slates of electors pledged to vote for the presidential and vice presidential tickets of various parties; the ticket that receives the most votes statewide 'wins' all of the votes cast by electors from that state. U.S. presidential campaigns concentrate on winning the popular vote in a combination of states that choose a majority of the electors, rather than campaigning to win the most votes nationally.
Each elector casts one vote for President and one vote for Vice President. In order to be elected, a candidate must have a majority (at least 270) of the electoral votes cast for that office. Should no candidate for President win a majority of the electoral votes, the choice is referred to the House of Representatives. Should no candidate for Vice President possess a majority of the electoral votes, the choice is given to the Senate.
The next step is for the electors in each State to meet to cast their votes (this year it will be on December 15th). Certificates of Vote are prepared listing all persons voted for as President and as Vice President and the number of electors voting for each candidate.
NARA plays an important role in educating the states regarding their responsibilities vis a vis the Electoral College. It also ensures the facial sufficiency of the Certificates of Ascertainment and the Certificates of Vote and controls the integrity of the Certificates by limiting the number of people handling the documents. It is responsible for transmitting two of the original Certificates of Ascertainment to the House and Senate and making one original available for public inspection at the Federal Register. Finally, NARA ensures that all 538 electoral votes are accounted for on the Certificates of Vote and are delivered to the Congress to be unsealed and counted on the date of the official tally
(January 6th).
After one year the Certificates of Ascertainment and the Certificates of Vote are placed in the permanent custody of NARA where they serve as an enduring testimonial to the strength and resilience of our political system.
God Bless America!!!
I'm riding the rails south today, headed to a meeting in D.C. As I get closer to our nation's capital, I'm thinking of the power that resides here, and the sense of the upcoming election is almost overwhelming. This election represents so many critical outcomes that will have a major bearing on the future of our Republic. The economy and the role of our federal overseers, international trade and tariffs, national security, foreign policy, taxation, and judicial appointments that will steer the social contract will all be on the table.
As I ponder the weight and responsibility that each citizen has to become an informed voter, it dawned on me that very few of those that will be pulling the lever for the candidate of their choice knows anything about the history or operations of our electoral college, the proces and institution that actually decides the next caretaker of the Oval Office. Try this on for size:
The 1888 Presidential election was very close. Democratic party candidate President Grover Cleveland and running mate Allen G. Thurman of Ohio won the popular election by 95,713 votes. President Cleveland, however, was not re-elected because he lost the electoral college vote by 65 votes. Instead Benjamin Harrison, former senator from Indiana and the Grandson of President William Henry Harrison, was elected as the 23rd President of the United States.
Today a President must win 270 electoral votes, a majority, to become President. If no candidate wins a majority of electoral votes, the 12th Amendment to the Constitution provides for Presidential election by the House of Representatives with each State delegation receiving one vote. Twice in our history, the House of Representatives has chosen the President -- Thomas Jefferson's election in 1801 and John Quincy Adams' election in 1825.
The first constitutional crisis occurred when Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr received the same number of electoral votes. Even though they were both Republicans and Jefferson was chosen as the Presidential candidate and Burr as the Vice Presidential candidate, it took the House of Representatives 36 successive ballots to finally elect Thomas Jefferson as President. Twenty-four years later, again no candidate received a 131 vote majority of electoral votes needed to become President. In this case, the House of Representatives voted for John Quincy Adams over Andrew Jackson and William H. Crawford on the first ballot.
These instances in our political history remind us of the important role that the Electoral College plays in electing a President. Few voters know that the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is the repository for essential evidence that documents the rights of American citizens, the actions of Federal officials and the national experience. A little known function of NARA, however, is the administration of the Electoral College by the Office of the Federal Register. As part of the documentation of the rights of American citizens, the Federal Register plays a key role in ensuring that the complicated and sometimes confusing steps in the electoral process are followed exactly.
The Electoral College was devised by the founding fathers as a compromise between the election of a President by popular vote and by the Congress. The College currently consists of 538 electors -- based on the total number of Representatives and Senators, plus three District of Columbia electors. U.S. territories are not represented in the College. The electors are a popularly elected body chosen by the states and the District of Columbia on the day of the general election
(November 2nd). The slate of electors for the Presidential candidate who receives the most popular votes is recorded on a Certificate of Ascertainment.
Rather than directly voting for the President and Vice President, United States citizens cast votes for electors. Electors are technically free to vote for anyone eligible to be President, but in practice pledge to vote for specific candidates and voters cast ballots for favored presidential and vice presidential candidates by voting for correspondingly pledged electors. Most states allow voters to choose between statewide slates of electors pledged to vote for the presidential and vice presidential tickets of various parties; the ticket that receives the most votes statewide 'wins' all of the votes cast by electors from that state. U.S. presidential campaigns concentrate on winning the popular vote in a combination of states that choose a majority of the electors, rather than campaigning to win the most votes nationally.
Each elector casts one vote for President and one vote for Vice President. In order to be elected, a candidate must have a majority (at least 270) of the electoral votes cast for that office. Should no candidate for President win a majority of the electoral votes, the choice is referred to the House of Representatives. Should no candidate for Vice President possess a majority of the electoral votes, the choice is given to the Senate.
The next step is for the electors in each State to meet to cast their votes (this year it will be on December 15th). Certificates of Vote are prepared listing all persons voted for as President and as Vice President and the number of electors voting for each candidate.
NARA plays an important role in educating the states regarding their responsibilities vis a vis the Electoral College. It also ensures the facial sufficiency of the Certificates of Ascertainment and the Certificates of Vote and controls the integrity of the Certificates by limiting the number of people handling the documents. It is responsible for transmitting two of the original Certificates of Ascertainment to the House and Senate and making one original available for public inspection at the Federal Register. Finally, NARA ensures that all 538 electoral votes are accounted for on the Certificates of Vote and are delivered to the Congress to be unsealed and counted on the date of the official tally
(January 6th).
After one year the Certificates of Ascertainment and the Certificates of Vote are placed in the permanent custody of NARA where they serve as an enduring testimonial to the strength and resilience of our political system.
God Bless America!!!
Training to be President
Week Ending 10/24/08:
During the closing days of this presidential campaign season, I can’t help but think about how the American people reach their conclusions regarding the candidates. During the first half of the 20th century trains became a big part of gaining public exposure. Remember, these were the days prior to easy airline connections, cable news, internet blogs and cell phones. Radio, almost non-existent TV and print newspapers were the only mediums to project a message, and all of those mass communications were controlled by a few media titans.
Trains became the way to traverse the country to see the people, making stops in both large metro areas as well as rural stations along the way. At one time, the private Pullman car on a special train was for the president what Air Force One is today, allowing him freedom to make important trips, campaign for re-election, and to do the nation's business wherever he was needed.
John Quincy Adams was the first to ride a train and Harry Truman became the last “railroad president”, although Bill Clinton decided to do a little barnstorming of his own and created several photo ops reminiscent of FDR. Truman’s successors learned to depend on the automobile and airplanes to travel.
The issues, too frequently, become a secondary consideration for many voters. When asked, these information-intolerant ballot casters have responded “I just like him.” Likeability, however, can be overcome by other qualities or circumstances, as demonstrated by Hoover, LBJ and Nixon. Some folks base their decision on a candidate’s military service. Examples such as Washington, Jackson, Grant, Teddy Roosevelt and Eisenhower come to mind. Others weigh public service as a critical experience factor, i.e., Adams, Van Buren, Buchanan , and Polk. Communicators carry the day as well with Reagan, FDR and Clinton being the best. How about academics: Jefferson, Madison and Wilson . Sometimes it’s just plain speaking “common sense” that resonates with the people: Lincoln, Coolidge, Truman and Carter. For others, it’s good looks and charisma, witness Kennedy and Pierce.
Picking a president should be serious business. It should represent the elevation of the candidate that wins the most electoral college votes. It should not be a subverted or corrupted outcome, where ineligible voters are allowed to cast an invalid claim, or where the candidates themselves, camouflage their real identities and agendas. I’d prefer each pretender, I mean, contender, to clearly define what they believe and let each voter decide based on a transparent platform.
Whoever wins, somewhere between 45 -49% of the electorate will be unhappy, a number much too large for the winner to claim an overwhelming mandate. The party that comes out on the short end of the stick will believe that their horse was robbed, cheated and disenfranchised and will have to bear the emotional scars for four long years. Let's hope that the political process has not degenerated to a point where large blocks of voters will not acknowledge the validity of the election results, when each state’s tally’s will be called into question and will resort in lawlessness and anarchy.
During the closing days of this presidential campaign season, I can’t help but think about how the American people reach their conclusions regarding the candidates. During the first half of the 20th century trains became a big part of gaining public exposure. Remember, these were the days prior to easy airline connections, cable news, internet blogs and cell phones. Radio, almost non-existent TV and print newspapers were the only mediums to project a message, and all of those mass communications were controlled by a few media titans.
Trains became the way to traverse the country to see the people, making stops in both large metro areas as well as rural stations along the way. At one time, the private Pullman car on a special train was for the president what Air Force One is today, allowing him freedom to make important trips, campaign for re-election, and to do the nation's business wherever he was needed.
John Quincy Adams was the first to ride a train and Harry Truman became the last “railroad president”, although Bill Clinton decided to do a little barnstorming of his own and created several photo ops reminiscent of FDR. Truman’s successors learned to depend on the automobile and airplanes to travel.
The issues, too frequently, become a secondary consideration for many voters. When asked, these information-intolerant ballot casters have responded “I just like him.” Likeability, however, can be overcome by other qualities or circumstances, as demonstrated by Hoover, LBJ and Nixon. Some folks base their decision on a candidate’s military service. Examples such as Washington, Jackson, Grant, Teddy Roosevelt and Eisenhower come to mind. Others weigh public service as a critical experience factor, i.e., Adams, Van Buren, Buchanan , and Polk. Communicators carry the day as well with Reagan, FDR and Clinton being the best. How about academics: Jefferson, Madison and Wilson . Sometimes it’s just plain speaking “common sense” that resonates with the people: Lincoln, Coolidge, Truman and Carter. For others, it’s good looks and charisma, witness Kennedy and Pierce.
Picking a president should be serious business. It should represent the elevation of the candidate that wins the most electoral college votes. It should not be a subverted or corrupted outcome, where ineligible voters are allowed to cast an invalid claim, or where the candidates themselves, camouflage their real identities and agendas. I’d prefer each pretender, I mean, contender, to clearly define what they believe and let each voter decide based on a transparent platform.
Whoever wins, somewhere between 45 -49% of the electorate will be unhappy, a number much too large for the winner to claim an overwhelming mandate. The party that comes out on the short end of the stick will believe that their horse was robbed, cheated and disenfranchised and will have to bear the emotional scars for four long years. Let's hope that the political process has not degenerated to a point where large blocks of voters will not acknowledge the validity of the election results, when each state’s tally’s will be called into question and will resort in lawlessness and anarchy.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
RevOlation of Politics
Week ending 7/27/08:
Greetings faithful railers! It's been many miles since my last entry, but here I am, motivated to share a story or two. It appears my great trek northbound has come to a halt. My work in Gotham has been concluded (at least that chapter)so I find myself parked in Charm City. Politics can be a blood sport, and not for the glass-jawed. Whether this is a temporary condition remains to be seen. I still have mucho rapido reward miles to redeem should the need arise. I am currently working on a couple of locally flavored assignments, so time will tell.
While consuming my usual diet of magazines, newspapers and blogs during the commute de jour, I've been amazed with the frenzy of media coverage surrounding the B&O Express. You know, that Barack Obama-rama that has the media acting like schoolgirls at a Beatles concert (circa 1964). I was particularly moved by my blogging colleague, Gerard Bakers' brilliant piece in the Times of London. Here we go. It's a beaut:
AND ON THE SEVENTH DAY, BARACK RESTED
By GERARD BAKER
Last updated: 2:54 pm
July 27, 2008
Posted: 3:56 am
July 27, 2008
And it came to pass, in the eighth year of the reign of the evil Bush the Younger (The Ignorant), when the whole land from the Arabian desert to the shores of the Great Lakes had been laid barren, that a Child appeared in the wilderness.
The Child was blessed in looks and intellect. Scion of a simple family, offspring of a miraculous union, grandson of a typical white person and an African peasant. And yea, as he grew, the Child walked in the path of righteousness, with only the occasional detour into the odd weed and a little blow.
When he was twelve years old, they found him in the temple in the City of Chicago, arguing the finer points of community organization with the Prophet Jeremiah and the Elders. And the Elders were astonished at what they heard and said among themselves: "Verily, who is this Child that he opens our hearts and minds to the audacity of hope?"
In the great Battles of Caucus and Primary he smote the conniving Hillary, wife of the deposed King Bill the Priapic and their barbarian hordes of Working Class Whites.
And so it was, in the fullness of time, before the harvest month of the appointed year, the Child ventured forth - for the first time - to bring the light unto all the world.
He traveled fleet of foot and light of camel, with a small retinue that consisted only of his loyal disciples from the tribe of the Media. He ventured first to the land of the Hindu Kush, where the Taliban had harbored the viper of Al Qaeda in their bosom, raining terror on all the world.
And the Child spake and the tribes of NATO immediately loosed the Caveats that had previously bound them. And in the great battle that ensued the forces of the light were triumphant. For as long as the Child stood with his arms raised aloft, the enemy suffered great blows and the threat of terror was no more. From there he went forth to Mesopotamia where he was received by the great ruler al-Maliki, and al-Maliki spake unto him and blessed his Sixteen Month Troop Withdrawal Plan even as the imperial warrior Petraeus tried to destroy it.
And lo, in Mesopotamia, a miracle occurred. Even though the Great Surge of Armor that the evil Bush had ordered had been a terrible mistake, a waste of vital military resources and doomed to end in disaster, the Child's very presence suddenly brought forth a great victory for the forces of the light.
And the Persians, who saw all this and were greatly fearful, longed to speak with the Child and saw that the Child was the bringer of peace. At the mention of his name they quickly laid aside their intrigues and beat their uranium swords into civil nuclear energy ploughshares.
From there the Child went up to the city of Jerusalem, and entered through the gate seated on an ass. The crowds of network anchors who had followed him from afar cheered "Hosanna" and waved great palm fronds and strewed them at his feet.
In Jerusalem and in surrounding Palestine, the Child spake to the Hebrews and the Arabs, as the Scripture had foretold. And in an instant, the lion lay down with the lamb, and the Israelites and Ishmaelites ended their long enmity and lived for ever after in peace.
As word spread throughout the land about the Child's wondrous works, peoples from all over flocked to hear him; Hittites and Abbasids; Obamacons and McCainiacs; Cameroonians and Blairites.
And they told of strange and wondrous things that greeted the news of the Child's journey. Around the world, global temperatures began to decline, and the ocean levels fell and the great warming was over.
The Great Prophet Algore of Nobel and Oscar, who many had believed was the anointed one, smiled and told his followers that the Child was the one generations had been waiting for.
And there were other wonderful signs. In the city of the Street at the Wall, spreads on interbank interest rates dropped like manna from Heaven and rates on credit default swaps fell to the ground as dead birds from the almond tree, and the people who had lived in foreclosure were able to borrow again.
Black gold gushed from the ground at prices well below $140 per barrel. In hospitals across the land the sick were cured even though they were uninsured. And all because the Child had pronounced it.
And this is the testimony of one who speaks the truth and bears witness to the truth so that you might believe. And he knows it is the truth for he saw it all on CNN and the BBC and in the pages of The New York Times.
Then the Child ventured forth from Israel and Palestine and stepped onto the shores of the Old Continent. In the land of Queen Angela of Merkel, vast multitudes gathered to hear his voice, and he preached to them at length.
But when he had finished speaking his disciples told him the crowd was hungry, for they had had nothing to eat all the hours they had waited for him.
And so the Child told his disciples to fetch some food but all they had was five loaves and a couple of frankfurters. So he took the bread and the frankfurters and blessed them and told his disciples to feed the multitudes. And when all had eaten their fill, the scraps filled twelve baskets.
Thence he traveled west to Mount Sarkozy. Even the beauteous Princess Carla of the tribe of the Bruni was struck by awe and she was great in love with the Child, but he was tempted not.
On the Seventh Day he walked across the Channel of the Angles to the ancient land of the hooligans. There he was welcomed with open arms by the once great prophet Blair and his successor, Gordon the Leper, and his successor, David the Golden One.
And suddenly, with the men appeared the archangel Gabriel and the whole host of the heavenly choir, ranks of cherubim and seraphim, all praising God and singing: "Yes, We Can."
Greetings faithful railers! It's been many miles since my last entry, but here I am, motivated to share a story or two. It appears my great trek northbound has come to a halt. My work in Gotham has been concluded (at least that chapter)so I find myself parked in Charm City. Politics can be a blood sport, and not for the glass-jawed. Whether this is a temporary condition remains to be seen. I still have mucho rapido reward miles to redeem should the need arise. I am currently working on a couple of locally flavored assignments, so time will tell.
While consuming my usual diet of magazines, newspapers and blogs during the commute de jour, I've been amazed with the frenzy of media coverage surrounding the B&O Express. You know, that Barack Obama-rama that has the media acting like schoolgirls at a Beatles concert (circa 1964). I was particularly moved by my blogging colleague, Gerard Bakers' brilliant piece in the Times of London. Here we go. It's a beaut:
AND ON THE SEVENTH DAY, BARACK RESTED
By GERARD BAKER
Last updated: 2:54 pm
July 27, 2008
Posted: 3:56 am
July 27, 2008
And it came to pass, in the eighth year of the reign of the evil Bush the Younger (The Ignorant), when the whole land from the Arabian desert to the shores of the Great Lakes had been laid barren, that a Child appeared in the wilderness.
The Child was blessed in looks and intellect. Scion of a simple family, offspring of a miraculous union, grandson of a typical white person and an African peasant. And yea, as he grew, the Child walked in the path of righteousness, with only the occasional detour into the odd weed and a little blow.
When he was twelve years old, they found him in the temple in the City of Chicago, arguing the finer points of community organization with the Prophet Jeremiah and the Elders. And the Elders were astonished at what they heard and said among themselves: "Verily, who is this Child that he opens our hearts and minds to the audacity of hope?"
In the great Battles of Caucus and Primary he smote the conniving Hillary, wife of the deposed King Bill the Priapic and their barbarian hordes of Working Class Whites.
And so it was, in the fullness of time, before the harvest month of the appointed year, the Child ventured forth - for the first time - to bring the light unto all the world.
He traveled fleet of foot and light of camel, with a small retinue that consisted only of his loyal disciples from the tribe of the Media. He ventured first to the land of the Hindu Kush, where the Taliban had harbored the viper of Al Qaeda in their bosom, raining terror on all the world.
And the Child spake and the tribes of NATO immediately loosed the Caveats that had previously bound them. And in the great battle that ensued the forces of the light were triumphant. For as long as the Child stood with his arms raised aloft, the enemy suffered great blows and the threat of terror was no more. From there he went forth to Mesopotamia where he was received by the great ruler al-Maliki, and al-Maliki spake unto him and blessed his Sixteen Month Troop Withdrawal Plan even as the imperial warrior Petraeus tried to destroy it.
And lo, in Mesopotamia, a miracle occurred. Even though the Great Surge of Armor that the evil Bush had ordered had been a terrible mistake, a waste of vital military resources and doomed to end in disaster, the Child's very presence suddenly brought forth a great victory for the forces of the light.
And the Persians, who saw all this and were greatly fearful, longed to speak with the Child and saw that the Child was the bringer of peace. At the mention of his name they quickly laid aside their intrigues and beat their uranium swords into civil nuclear energy ploughshares.
From there the Child went up to the city of Jerusalem, and entered through the gate seated on an ass. The crowds of network anchors who had followed him from afar cheered "Hosanna" and waved great palm fronds and strewed them at his feet.
In Jerusalem and in surrounding Palestine, the Child spake to the Hebrews and the Arabs, as the Scripture had foretold. And in an instant, the lion lay down with the lamb, and the Israelites and Ishmaelites ended their long enmity and lived for ever after in peace.
As word spread throughout the land about the Child's wondrous works, peoples from all over flocked to hear him; Hittites and Abbasids; Obamacons and McCainiacs; Cameroonians and Blairites.
And they told of strange and wondrous things that greeted the news of the Child's journey. Around the world, global temperatures began to decline, and the ocean levels fell and the great warming was over.
The Great Prophet Algore of Nobel and Oscar, who many had believed was the anointed one, smiled and told his followers that the Child was the one generations had been waiting for.
And there were other wonderful signs. In the city of the Street at the Wall, spreads on interbank interest rates dropped like manna from Heaven and rates on credit default swaps fell to the ground as dead birds from the almond tree, and the people who had lived in foreclosure were able to borrow again.
Black gold gushed from the ground at prices well below $140 per barrel. In hospitals across the land the sick were cured even though they were uninsured. And all because the Child had pronounced it.
And this is the testimony of one who speaks the truth and bears witness to the truth so that you might believe. And he knows it is the truth for he saw it all on CNN and the BBC and in the pages of The New York Times.
Then the Child ventured forth from Israel and Palestine and stepped onto the shores of the Old Continent. In the land of Queen Angela of Merkel, vast multitudes gathered to hear his voice, and he preached to them at length.
But when he had finished speaking his disciples told him the crowd was hungry, for they had had nothing to eat all the hours they had waited for him.
And so the Child told his disciples to fetch some food but all they had was five loaves and a couple of frankfurters. So he took the bread and the frankfurters and blessed them and told his disciples to feed the multitudes. And when all had eaten their fill, the scraps filled twelve baskets.
Thence he traveled west to Mount Sarkozy. Even the beauteous Princess Carla of the tribe of the Bruni was struck by awe and she was great in love with the Child, but he was tempted not.
On the Seventh Day he walked across the Channel of the Angles to the ancient land of the hooligans. There he was welcomed with open arms by the once great prophet Blair and his successor, Gordon the Leper, and his successor, David the Golden One.
And suddenly, with the men appeared the archangel Gabriel and the whole host of the heavenly choir, ranks of cherubim and seraphim, all praising God and singing: "Yes, We Can."
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Secret Asian Man
Week ending 4/18/08:
Spring is in the air, except on Amtrak. Same old funky sights, sounds and smells. No flowers or fragrant bouquets. It's actually a weird time for the climate control measures on board. There's never a sure measure at this time of year to keep the heating system toasty or crank up the AC. In any case, we railers are left to our own diversions and distractions, responsible for own comfort. At least the crowds have not been overwhelming and traffic control seems under control.
We are lucky not to be subject to what appears to be a "normal" commute on the Tokyo Railroad. A recently posted video demonstrates the pushing and shoving that is required to jam as many railers into a car as possible. Literally , like sardines in a can! It starts with the commuters themselves leaning, then pushing, then jamming each other forward into the car like a railer scrum. It's completed when a transit cop squishes the last few remaining limbs, clothing and any other body part into the car and tries to force the doors closed, again almost bursting at the seems! The Auschwitz rail road accommodations appears spacious by comparison! Here's a link. It's unbelievable. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BE35onlIySk.
One note worthy event occurred this week during the morning excursion into the city. It involved one of the regulars, Secret Asian Man ("SAM"). He gets on in Philly and heads to Gotham. He usually sits in the same seat and snuggles in quickly to catch a nap, never making a sound until someone disturbs the sanctity of the Quiet Car. Then he springs into action. Out of his seat like a shot out of a cannon and into the space of the offending rule breaker. He has actually taken over for Nona the Hatchet Lady when it comes to enforcing the peace (Nona is nona longer a railer). Anyway, SAM does his thing when he hears the cell phone and this time, the non-compliant perp is a very Afro-centric black woman, in her 30's with plenty of attitude to share! Sort of like Cleopatra Jones! Not only did she NOT appreciate a reminder of the "no cell phone" prohibition, but she took personal offence to this perceived intrusion, and the minute her phone conversation was completed, she was out of her seat and in the air space of SAM. She read him the riot act, talking a mile-a-minute and sticking her 4-inch nail-enhanced finger in his face. She warned him that if he ever did that again to her, she would view that as an assault where she would be forced to defend herself and that he would suffer the consequences! Now SAM is no shrinking violet and he decides to "holla back" in Secret Asian Man lingo. No one (accept an associate of SAM's who was sitting next to him) knows what-the-heck he's saying, but its sounds fierce! The next thing, a new player, Mr. Clean, jumps into the fray. He's a 50-something, 6'2", 250 lb. white guy, with a bald head, no neck and dressed all in black. He looks like he's sent from central casting as a former special-ops guy brought out of retirement and recruited by the CIA to save the world. He just stands there next to Cleopatra, his arms folded across his massive chest, not saying a word. He didn't have to. His expression said "if there's a problem, maybe you want me to fix it." Cleopatra and SAM both sat down and Mr.Clean went back to his paper. The rest of us go back to sleep.
Spring is in the air, except on Amtrak. Same old funky sights, sounds and smells. No flowers or fragrant bouquets. It's actually a weird time for the climate control measures on board. There's never a sure measure at this time of year to keep the heating system toasty or crank up the AC. In any case, we railers are left to our own diversions and distractions, responsible for own comfort. At least the crowds have not been overwhelming and traffic control seems under control.
We are lucky not to be subject to what appears to be a "normal" commute on the Tokyo Railroad. A recently posted video demonstrates the pushing and shoving that is required to jam as many railers into a car as possible. Literally , like sardines in a can! It starts with the commuters themselves leaning, then pushing, then jamming each other forward into the car like a railer scrum. It's completed when a transit cop squishes the last few remaining limbs, clothing and any other body part into the car and tries to force the doors closed, again almost bursting at the seems! The Auschwitz rail road accommodations appears spacious by comparison! Here's a link. It's unbelievable. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BE35onlIySk.
One note worthy event occurred this week during the morning excursion into the city. It involved one of the regulars, Secret Asian Man ("SAM"). He gets on in Philly and heads to Gotham. He usually sits in the same seat and snuggles in quickly to catch a nap, never making a sound until someone disturbs the sanctity of the Quiet Car. Then he springs into action. Out of his seat like a shot out of a cannon and into the space of the offending rule breaker. He has actually taken over for Nona the Hatchet Lady when it comes to enforcing the peace (Nona is nona longer a railer). Anyway, SAM does his thing when he hears the cell phone and this time, the non-compliant perp is a very Afro-centric black woman, in her 30's with plenty of attitude to share! Sort of like Cleopatra Jones! Not only did she NOT appreciate a reminder of the "no cell phone" prohibition, but she took personal offence to this perceived intrusion, and the minute her phone conversation was completed, she was out of her seat and in the air space of SAM. She read him the riot act, talking a mile-a-minute and sticking her 4-inch nail-enhanced finger in his face. She warned him that if he ever did that again to her, she would view that as an assault where she would be forced to defend herself and that he would suffer the consequences! Now SAM is no shrinking violet and he decides to "holla back" in Secret Asian Man lingo. No one (accept an associate of SAM's who was sitting next to him) knows what-the-heck he's saying, but its sounds fierce! The next thing, a new player, Mr. Clean, jumps into the fray. He's a 50-something, 6'2", 250 lb. white guy, with a bald head, no neck and dressed all in black. He looks like he's sent from central casting as a former special-ops guy brought out of retirement and recruited by the CIA to save the world. He just stands there next to Cleopatra, his arms folded across his massive chest, not saying a word. He didn't have to. His expression said "if there's a problem, maybe you want me to fix it." Cleopatra and SAM both sat down and Mr.Clean went back to his paper. The rest of us go back to sleep.
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Am-trick
Week ending 3/14/08:
What a week in New York! The steam-rolling gov became the steamy rolling ex-gov! Apparently, Governor Spitzer was a little to fond of young party girls. Now a 22-year old "Kristen", a.k.a. Ashley Dupre gets to join Judith Exner, Fanny Fox, Donna Rice and Monica Lewinsky in the ranks of infamous political paramours.
Part of Spitzers' ongoing legal dilemma stems from his use of Amtrak to provide interstate transport of his party favors, a felony in violation of the Mann Act (ironic name for the law, isn't it). According to news reports, Ms. Dupre was given (courtesy of the gov) round trip Amtrak tickets from New York to Washington D.C. for the purpose of meeting him in his Mayflower Hotel room. The F.B.I. had recorded detailed conversations between Spitzer and the booking service used to secure the attention of Ms. Dupre and his repeated use of Amtrak as his love connection. I found it interesting that Spitzer wouldn't pay to upgrade the ticket to Acela. I mean, $1,000 an hour hookers are only provided so much accommodation. Now, I'm wondering how many regular commuters are scratching their heads trying to recall if they have seen this tattooed cutie on their ride out of Penn Station. My guess is a lot more young, attractive and unattached woman traveling to D.C. are going to be given the hairy eyeball by those "lonely" businessmen interested in becoming friends.
What a week in New York! The steam-rolling gov became the steamy rolling ex-gov! Apparently, Governor Spitzer was a little to fond of young party girls. Now a 22-year old "Kristen", a.k.a. Ashley Dupre gets to join Judith Exner, Fanny Fox, Donna Rice and Monica Lewinsky in the ranks of infamous political paramours.
Part of Spitzers' ongoing legal dilemma stems from his use of Amtrak to provide interstate transport of his party favors, a felony in violation of the Mann Act (ironic name for the law, isn't it). According to news reports, Ms. Dupre was given (courtesy of the gov) round trip Amtrak tickets from New York to Washington D.C. for the purpose of meeting him in his Mayflower Hotel room. The F.B.I. had recorded detailed conversations between Spitzer and the booking service used to secure the attention of Ms. Dupre and his repeated use of Amtrak as his love connection. I found it interesting that Spitzer wouldn't pay to upgrade the ticket to Acela. I mean, $1,000 an hour hookers are only provided so much accommodation. Now, I'm wondering how many regular commuters are scratching their heads trying to recall if they have seen this tattooed cutie on their ride out of Penn Station. My guess is a lot more young, attractive and unattached woman traveling to D.C. are going to be given the hairy eyeball by those "lonely" businessmen interested in becoming friends.
Saturday, March 1, 2008
Track Attack
Week Ending 2/29/08:
Amtrak recently announced that it will start randomly screening passengers' carry-on bags in a new security initiative designed to make our railing a happier, gentler and hopefully, bombless experience. Part of the push will include more police officers and army guards patrolling the rail stations with bomb-sniffing dogs and carrying fierce-looking weaponry - machine guns and the like, as well as special units called "mobile security teams" that will be trolling for terrorists on board.
It's all part of a significant shift for Amtrak with respect to giving the appearance of heightened security. In the past, of course, it's been a joke. Anyone (business commuter, students, weekday Broadway babies and shoppers of all ilks) can enjoy the ride by simply boarding a train. The extent of the "security" consisted of maybe having to show a ticket to an Amtrak ticket person, whose job is to try and make sure that the crush of humanity pushing to enter an escalator leading to the appropriate departure track, are each armed with a ticket bearing the correct train number. This is usually a "best efforts" attempt, since the desire is to get everyone down the shoot with a minimum of pushing, shoving and stampeding. Of course, all of this is a mere inconvenience to any would-be evil-doer, who has the options of (1) buying a ticket at the counter and then boarding; (2) buying a ticket at the kiosk and then boarding; or (3)just walking down one of the many staircases which lead to the tracks and are open to the public , none of which are staffed by anyone asking to see a ticket, and boarding, sans-ticket, if one chooses.
Keep in mind, that during a typical evening excursion from NY Penn Station to parts south, a railer is usually comfy in their seat, enjoying the scenery, for at least a half-hour to 40 minutes into the journey before a conductor comes along to collect tickets! So anyone with bad intentions has plenty of opportunity to make deadly mischief!
Under the new rules,the roving teams will show up, unannounced, and set up mobile screening stations. Passengers will be pulled out of line via random selection to have their bags screened. If a passenger refuses, then they won't be allowed on the train (how harsh). Of course, one way to avoid the screening is to avoid the line! I have not heard of any changes in keeping passengers from by-passing the lines, which I was able to do all this week, business as usual!
I would much rather see the investment made in an adequate number of specially-trained, super-sniffing K-9 units, patrolling the platforms and making a quick stroll though the train, prior to departure. As in most security issues, we are more lucky than good, and only through the grace of God do we reach our destination unscathed.
Amtrak recently announced that it will start randomly screening passengers' carry-on bags in a new security initiative designed to make our railing a happier, gentler and hopefully, bombless experience. Part of the push will include more police officers and army guards patrolling the rail stations with bomb-sniffing dogs and carrying fierce-looking weaponry - machine guns and the like, as well as special units called "mobile security teams" that will be trolling for terrorists on board.
It's all part of a significant shift for Amtrak with respect to giving the appearance of heightened security. In the past, of course, it's been a joke. Anyone (business commuter, students, weekday Broadway babies and shoppers of all ilks) can enjoy the ride by simply boarding a train. The extent of the "security" consisted of maybe having to show a ticket to an Amtrak ticket person, whose job is to try and make sure that the crush of humanity pushing to enter an escalator leading to the appropriate departure track, are each armed with a ticket bearing the correct train number. This is usually a "best efforts" attempt, since the desire is to get everyone down the shoot with a minimum of pushing, shoving and stampeding. Of course, all of this is a mere inconvenience to any would-be evil-doer, who has the options of (1) buying a ticket at the counter and then boarding; (2) buying a ticket at the kiosk and then boarding; or (3)just walking down one of the many staircases which lead to the tracks and are open to the public , none of which are staffed by anyone asking to see a ticket, and boarding, sans-ticket, if one chooses.
Keep in mind, that during a typical evening excursion from NY Penn Station to parts south, a railer is usually comfy in their seat, enjoying the scenery, for at least a half-hour to 40 minutes into the journey before a conductor comes along to collect tickets! So anyone with bad intentions has plenty of opportunity to make deadly mischief!
Under the new rules,the roving teams will show up, unannounced, and set up mobile screening stations. Passengers will be pulled out of line via random selection to have their bags screened. If a passenger refuses, then they won't be allowed on the train (how harsh). Of course, one way to avoid the screening is to avoid the line! I have not heard of any changes in keeping passengers from by-passing the lines, which I was able to do all this week, business as usual!
I would much rather see the investment made in an adequate number of specially-trained, super-sniffing K-9 units, patrolling the platforms and making a quick stroll though the train, prior to departure. As in most security issues, we are more lucky than good, and only through the grace of God do we reach our destination unscathed.
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Moral Imperative
Week ending 2/15/08:
Rude behavior has become a part of daily commuting. At some point in the week, one is sure to encounter a level of trespass that can range from minor annoyance to confrontation that can escalate to assault. When is it right to step in, to intervene at the potential cost of a more serious loss? Is it worth losing your life to say "you can't do that?" The answer lies within one's heart, within one's soul. Most action is an instinctive reaction to the stimuli of our environment and our sense of right and wrong. Throw in the "character" thing and some compound of DNA that cries out for justice and you have the imperfect recipe that can make a hero. Hopefully, there is some balanced measure that adjusts and moderates our call to duty. For example, an obnoxious and inconsiderate rider who decides to play their funky music should receive a different response than the menace who threatens someone else's safety. In your attempt to stop a fiend, he pulls a pistol and shoots you through the heart. Would your spouse say that it was worth the sacrifice? None the less, our moral indignation demands that we come to the defense of the defenseless.
We have countless examples of self-sacrifice, including the fictional Aslan of Narnia, Star Wars and Harry Potter, all of whom thinly-veil the Christ-model of giving of yourself so others may live. Chances are that not every intervention requires mortal consequence. As a society, I believe we are all called to a higher good. As French writer Alexis de Tocqueville obseved, "America is great, because America is good. If America ceases to be good, America will cease to be great." In my view, our citizenry is America. This week's tragic shooting at Northern Illinois University rekindled my memory of other senseless encounters where a crazed or delusional lunatic rained death and destruction on the innocent. It was in 1993 that Colin Ferguson casually strolled the aisle of a Long Island Railroad car, opening fire on evening commuters. He killed 6 and wounded 19 before being overpowered by three heroic railers. This incident is only one example where an armed civil patrol could have minimized the loss of life, but that issue shall be reserved for a future missive.
Rude behavior has become a part of daily commuting. At some point in the week, one is sure to encounter a level of trespass that can range from minor annoyance to confrontation that can escalate to assault. When is it right to step in, to intervene at the potential cost of a more serious loss? Is it worth losing your life to say "you can't do that?" The answer lies within one's heart, within one's soul. Most action is an instinctive reaction to the stimuli of our environment and our sense of right and wrong. Throw in the "character" thing and some compound of DNA that cries out for justice and you have the imperfect recipe that can make a hero. Hopefully, there is some balanced measure that adjusts and moderates our call to duty. For example, an obnoxious and inconsiderate rider who decides to play their funky music should receive a different response than the menace who threatens someone else's safety. In your attempt to stop a fiend, he pulls a pistol and shoots you through the heart. Would your spouse say that it was worth the sacrifice? None the less, our moral indignation demands that we come to the defense of the defenseless.
We have countless examples of self-sacrifice, including the fictional Aslan of Narnia, Star Wars and Harry Potter, all of whom thinly-veil the Christ-model of giving of yourself so others may live. Chances are that not every intervention requires mortal consequence. As a society, I believe we are all called to a higher good. As French writer Alexis de Tocqueville obseved, "America is great, because America is good. If America ceases to be good, America will cease to be great." In my view, our citizenry is America. This week's tragic shooting at Northern Illinois University rekindled my memory of other senseless encounters where a crazed or delusional lunatic rained death and destruction on the innocent. It was in 1993 that Colin Ferguson casually strolled the aisle of a Long Island Railroad car, opening fire on evening commuters. He killed 6 and wounded 19 before being overpowered by three heroic railers. This incident is only one example where an armed civil patrol could have minimized the loss of life, but that issue shall be reserved for a future missive.
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Training Rules
Week Ending 1/25/08:
With the holidays behind us and the new year in full swing, I thought it was a good time to share my thoughts on some basic train etiquette that will assist all railers in a more enjoyable Amtrak experience. You remember etiquette, right? It does appear on occasion, and is becoming a lost art, or more accurately, an ignored accommodation. Webster defines etiquette as " the conduct or procedure required by good breeding or prescribed by authority to be observed in social or official life." While maybe not official, sharing the rails with others certainly seems to qualify as a social exchange that should require certain common courtesies. The word "etiquette", comes from Old French and means, quite literally, "ticket." Ironically, some ignorant or disrespectful train wrecks seem to believe their ticket entitles them to behave any way they please, with no regard for others.
Here are Lionel's suggested "Top 10" Training Rules:
1. Stay quiet in the quiet car. That means turn off your cell phone, stop talking with your friend who's sitting next to you. No paper shredding, snoring or other controllable body noises!
2. Don't leave trash. Does everyone need a nanny to pick up after themselves? Why people believe that it's too much effort to take their coffee cups, bottles, used napkins, candy wrappers, and believe it or not, pizza boxes, and that the railers who follow want to touch these germ-infested used paper products and dispose of them is beyond me.
3. Herding and pushing to get out of the car first. As wonderful as you think you are, you still can't ignore some basic laws of physics. No two bodies can take up the same space at the same time, so back off!
4. Throwing paper towels and toilet paper on the restroom sinks and floors. Come on, these facilities are bad enough, do we need to make them more of a mess?
5. Putting feet up on the seats. Do other railers really want to touch and sit where feet meet NYC streets? How do we spell "Yeeeeeeech"!
6. Blasting ipods so the sound pours out of the earbuds. I know you love your tunes, but x!@#$%^* and mother-x!@#$%&* is not my idea of music. Thanks, but don't share.
7. Letting kids run up and down the aisles. Not only annoying, but real dangerous for the kids, especially when shoeless. Enough of the "Britney School of Parenting".
8. Loud talking on cell phones. We know you're important, but please. Keep your affairs, both business and personal, to yourself. The rest of us are not interested in your dating life, account balances or dislike for your dysfunctional immediate family.
9. Return your seat backs and table trays to their original upright position. Where have we heard that? When you don't, it makes getting in and out of the seat next to you and behind you almost impossible.
10. When the train is sold-out or close to it, keep your bags, briefcases, coats and other stuff stored in the overhead shelves. Unless you have purchased more then one ticket, you're only entitled to one space. And save the dirty looks when you are asked to move your stuff so someone can occupy the seat.
If everyone would recognize and follow these common-sense guidelines, we'll all enjoy a more civil and comfortable commute in 2008 and beyond.
With the holidays behind us and the new year in full swing, I thought it was a good time to share my thoughts on some basic train etiquette that will assist all railers in a more enjoyable Amtrak experience. You remember etiquette, right? It does appear on occasion, and is becoming a lost art, or more accurately, an ignored accommodation. Webster defines etiquette as " the conduct or procedure required by good breeding or prescribed by authority to be observed in social or official life." While maybe not official, sharing the rails with others certainly seems to qualify as a social exchange that should require certain common courtesies. The word "etiquette", comes from Old French and means, quite literally, "ticket." Ironically, some ignorant or disrespectful train wrecks seem to believe their ticket entitles them to behave any way they please, with no regard for others.
Here are Lionel's suggested "Top 10" Training Rules:
1. Stay quiet in the quiet car. That means turn off your cell phone, stop talking with your friend who's sitting next to you. No paper shredding, snoring or other controllable body noises!
2. Don't leave trash. Does everyone need a nanny to pick up after themselves? Why people believe that it's too much effort to take their coffee cups, bottles, used napkins, candy wrappers, and believe it or not, pizza boxes, and that the railers who follow want to touch these germ-infested used paper products and dispose of them is beyond me.
3. Herding and pushing to get out of the car first. As wonderful as you think you are, you still can't ignore some basic laws of physics. No two bodies can take up the same space at the same time, so back off!
4. Throwing paper towels and toilet paper on the restroom sinks and floors. Come on, these facilities are bad enough, do we need to make them more of a mess?
5. Putting feet up on the seats. Do other railers really want to touch and sit where feet meet NYC streets? How do we spell "Yeeeeeeech"!
6. Blasting ipods so the sound pours out of the earbuds. I know you love your tunes, but x!@#$%^* and mother-x!@#$%&* is not my idea of music. Thanks, but don't share.
7. Letting kids run up and down the aisles. Not only annoying, but real dangerous for the kids, especially when shoeless. Enough of the "Britney School of Parenting".
8. Loud talking on cell phones. We know you're important, but please. Keep your affairs, both business and personal, to yourself. The rest of us are not interested in your dating life, account balances or dislike for your dysfunctional immediate family.
9. Return your seat backs and table trays to their original upright position. Where have we heard that? When you don't, it makes getting in and out of the seat next to you and behind you almost impossible.
10. When the train is sold-out or close to it, keep your bags, briefcases, coats and other stuff stored in the overhead shelves. Unless you have purchased more then one ticket, you're only entitled to one space. And save the dirty looks when you are asked to move your stuff so someone can occupy the seat.
If everyone would recognize and follow these common-sense guidelines, we'll all enjoy a more civil and comfortable commute in 2008 and beyond.
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