An interesting article from today's newspaper: http://www.fresnobee.com/2010/10/21/2127168/motorists-will-pay-for-dirty-air.html Seems people are being punished because the technology forced upon them is bad. Why are the consumers charged a penalty; shouldn't it be the producers of the product: the gas companies, the automobile manufactures and the tire companies? And; since the people of the San Joaquin Valley have been stripped of a transit alternative, is bus fuel less polluting than the fuel of an automobile?
Ninety years of land-use kayos has created LA as an excellent model of what unsustainable looks like. Western society has embraced itself as an automobile centric culture, this unsustainable base creates addiction. Environmental, social and economic decline is the product of a unsustainable land-use foundation.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Sunday, October 17, 2010
To a comment about the economy
Necessity today for our society is to grow beyond the technological accommodations from the 1800s. Land-use planning has to change from the unsustainable foundation of the automobile to a mode of transportation that is sustainable. Trains were a wonderful invention back in the early 1800s, however, we have advanced technologically since then. Throughout the world, civilization has created less costly sustainable maglev (magnetic levitation) transit systems, with others being developed in the US that are even more efficient.
In less time than it would take the proposed old heavy rail train technology that the CA High Speed Rail Authority is pushing to be built, at its $70million to $120million per mile cost; a smaller vehicle system (which has direct to station destination capability) could be fully implemented with 1,000+ mile per hour capability for less than $15million per mile elevated. The comparison in reduced time to build is the lack of necessity for heavy structure engineering: those costs simply don't exist. Smaller vehicles weigh less and the structures have less weight to engineer and build.
Political tradition is the barrier to efficient transportation. Ignorance on behalf of the political officials is a detriment to everyone. The technique of "pork barrel spending" to achieve failed status-quo policy is a system doomed. Our current economic meltdown is the evidence.
Our current system of sprawl land-use is broken. New Technology Transit is the solution.
In less time than it would take the proposed old heavy rail train technology that the CA High Speed Rail Authority is pushing to be built, at its $70million to $120million per mile cost; a smaller vehicle system (which has direct to station destination capability) could be fully implemented with 1,000+ mile per hour capability for less than $15million per mile elevated. The comparison in reduced time to build is the lack of necessity for heavy structure engineering: those costs simply don't exist. Smaller vehicles weigh less and the structures have less weight to engineer and build.
Political tradition is the barrier to efficient transportation. Ignorance on behalf of the political officials is a detriment to everyone. The technique of "pork barrel spending" to achieve failed status-quo policy is a system doomed. Our current economic meltdown is the evidence.
Our current system of sprawl land-use is broken. New Technology Transit is the solution.
Saturday, October 16, 2010
amusing sidenote
In another unreported story, except what a local tv station news cast aired: Facebook protest. It is amazing that the more people find out about the old technology train, the more unfavorable it becomes.
Trains were a wonderful technology when they were introduced in the 1,800s. Our society has evolved intellectually over the past 150+ years. There is much less expensive technology available that is far superior to old fashion heavy trains.
Nonetheless; caught-up in tradition, we are forced to watch political jealousy in the fight for the proposed maintenance yard for California's fantasy train: it is pathetic. The Bakersfield newspaper, the Californian, reported Monday 180 acres has been offered to the CA HSRA in an effort to bring the maintenance yard of the proposed fantasy train to Bakersfield. This is like a sacrificial offering. The Fresno Bee reported the story a little different.
Want to know the real story behind the scenes in the world of politics with the HSR? The significance of choosing Shafter; it happens to be the home of one of the HSR Board Members: Fran Florez. Why would this matter or have any say in anything? Politics is favors and Fran's son is CA State Assemblyman Dean Florez. Dean had launched a strong campaign for Lieutenant Governor and was several months into the campaign when he suddenly withdrew to comply with the party line and handed over his efforts to that mayor from SF.
Since the mayor of Fresno is a staunch supporter of the other governor candidate Whitman, a Jerry Brown win as governor would logically cement the selection of CA's proposed HSR maintenance yard to the city of Shafter. Jerry Brown likes to thank people who have supported him.
Having said this, the Bakersfield paper article says the Paramount Farms 180 acre property is worth $7million to $8million. This must be prime real estate to be able to capture a huge write-off like that. Everywhere else in the Valley, developed farm land is only worth $3,500 to $7,000 per acre.
Trains were a wonderful technology when they were introduced in the 1,800s. Our society has evolved intellectually over the past 150+ years. There is much less expensive technology available that is far superior to old fashion heavy trains.
Nonetheless; caught-up in tradition, we are forced to watch political jealousy in the fight for the proposed maintenance yard for California's fantasy train: it is pathetic. The Bakersfield newspaper, the Californian, reported Monday 180 acres has been offered to the CA HSRA in an effort to bring the maintenance yard of the proposed fantasy train to Bakersfield. This is like a sacrificial offering. The Fresno Bee reported the story a little different.
Want to know the real story behind the scenes in the world of politics with the HSR? The significance of choosing Shafter; it happens to be the home of one of the HSR Board Members: Fran Florez. Why would this matter or have any say in anything? Politics is favors and Fran's son is CA State Assemblyman Dean Florez. Dean had launched a strong campaign for Lieutenant Governor and was several months into the campaign when he suddenly withdrew to comply with the party line and handed over his efforts to that mayor from SF.
Since the mayor of Fresno is a staunch supporter of the other governor candidate Whitman, a Jerry Brown win as governor would logically cement the selection of CA's proposed HSR maintenance yard to the city of Shafter. Jerry Brown likes to thank people who have supported him.
Having said this, the Bakersfield paper article says the Paramount Farms 180 acre property is worth $7million to $8million. This must be prime real estate to be able to capture a huge write-off like that. Everywhere else in the Valley, developed farm land is only worth $3,500 to $7,000 per acre.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
catching up
A month since the last post means there is a lot going on.
Meanwhile Shweeb racing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDpwkZirSNU is an interesting project in New Zealand.
In the transit world, MagnaMotion continues it's progress. For the latest news:
http://www.magnemotion.com/corporate/project-news/main.shtml#update
Other news is happening but, still in the works.
Meanwhile Shweeb racing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDpwkZirSNU is an interesting project in New Zealand.
In the transit world, MagnaMotion continues it's progress. For the latest news:
http://www.magnemotion.com/corporate/project-news/main.shtml#update
Other news is happening but, still in the works.
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