Good evening ES….. hopefully happily healing

Eureka!

Good evening katymine.. Doing my best… hope the same for you.

newtonusr! Check out the new rail map. I can’t believe Arkansas is in on the first build.

Have fun in San Antonio!
Congrats!

es! fine voice on marissa

Doh! I only go to Texas if I have to… to get to new or old Mexico.

Damn! Hope this comes to pass, ES.

High Speed Railways in America?

About time …

And efficiency …

And thinking about a sustainable future …

Fabulous!

;~DW

The last week of my drug holiday and enjoying tasting food….. tonight was pasta purses(stuffed with prosciutto)in alfredo sauce, salmon and spinach…. yum…

Mellow, but a nice voice… Video worked well with he song as well. Glad you liked it, Suz.

“There’s a ‘NEW’ Mexico now?”
-Montgomery Burns

OMG Cleveland is on that map! Please let it be true.

and dog in the video – how could i not like it :)

Well… it’s just a dream map at this point, but we Americans need several visions, don’t we?

love the vid

Hey I moved up to frozen – easy to prepare meals this week. Good to hear your appetite is strong.

So excited that there will be high speed trains in the good old USA…. now if they can put cell phone cells and high speed internet on those trains like they do in MOST OTHER countries…… we just might join the 21st century…

I wondered if they edited him/her in. ’twas a nice touch.

gotta have high speed internet everywhere in the country too – esp rural areas…. and good cell service everywhere too.

Wow,

Howard Dean has once again become the ultimate outsider.

Personally, if I were Obama, the last guy I’d want watching my back is Rahm. And if I had Rahm watching my back, I’d want Dean around to keep him honest.

On a lighter note, I realized that my last Gizmo video actually isolates and quantifies what happens in the heart when one smiles.

So I made history this week.

Take me back to the Jamez warm springs.
-Eureka Springs *s*

appetite was never an issue…. how I could be hungry while I had nausea, heartburn and unable to taste completely puzzles me.

In Asia and Europe you do not loose cell or internet when you go into a tunnel. Instead of the proto exam by TSA many people can use high speed rail and continue to work.

If I were Obama, I’d have made Rahm’s appointment as COS contingent on his changing his middle initial to “N” and his last name to “Noodles.”

now we need lighter than air “station keeping” dirigibles to hold water hoses to extinguish fires in our western states this summer.

we have 3rd world internet access and cell service and are charged way more than those in europe

And give up dual citizenship.. if indeed his chief of staff has one.

After almost a decade of nightmares, some good and timely ‘dreams’, suggesting rational and reasonable visions sound pretty ‘good’.

There are only several hundred ’small’ matters, like another (not so) Great Depression, torture, and, well, a Hugh’s List of things that need to be dealt with yesterday, as well as single-payer, Social (In)Security BS and so on to cause any small or tiny misgivings …

Well, all you leftist anarchist thought-provoking, foul-mouthed fem- blogging souls, I’m gonna lurch off to dreamland with visions of a better tomorrow (hopefully) to dance in my head …

Good night, and good news tomorrow!

Poof!!!

I agree, read Chris in Paris from Americablog where you can buy bundled services at a very reasonable rate AND you can choose between providers as there is competition. The worst is cable as they pretty much lock up a market as the sole provider.

Would seem to pose a slight conflict of interest. Surely he’s not the only appointee in the executive branch to have held a dual citizenship, though.

Your sleeper car is the third one back. /s G nite, DWB.

Competition? Merely some sort of socialist gimmick.

yeap, i read chris is paris – forking sucks

I rather doubt he’s the only current member. But it’s just a hunch on my part.

We really should know these things… dual allegiance in these areas should be considered a conflict of interest, imo.

Grrr! I don’t know how many times people have asked me “Oh where’d you learn to talk English if you’re from Mexico?” New Mexico. “Yeah, the new part.”

Hi ES, everyone!

If dual citizenship was the only trouble with Rahm I might be willing to overlook it.

DUGG

When in France it was fun to learn about some of their benefits provided to the people….. One is a stipend for employees to eat lunch, 5 euros is given to each employee and the employer expects that employees will eat out at local restaurants which stimulates that section of the economy. Employees comeback from a “real” lunch relaxed, in their shortened workweek they are more productive workers than Americans.

How America can survive this economic crisis without all the safety nets found in other countries?

Hi Margot and nahant.

Hiya Margot!
I should be leaving too…waiting for snow.

Speaking of Rahm, openleft had an interesting post about him and the New Dems today.

Most Americans are, uh, not so good with geography. Sarah Palin couldn’t name the countries in NAFTA… admittedly the sort of thing only elitists living in ivory towers would know.

AND THE KILLIN’ GOEZ ON AND ON AND…

Citizen Eureka Springs and the Firepup Freedom Fighters:

OK…first night back since the 20% hours cut-back, so keep the music hot and the arguments hotter…had the full range of pulmonary stress tests today and it’s confirmed: I’M GROWIN OLD!! Shit, I coulda told ‘em that and had the insurance company pay ME fer Christ’s sake!

And is anyone else out there in FDL-land havin as much fun as I am watchin’ wingnut heads explode as Obama’s popularity skyrockets and fascist Governors contemplate turnin’ down the billions for jobs so their out of work constituents ken roit and burn the state house down. And what about poor California, the fascists are holdin their breaths and stompin their little feet and lettin’ the whole operation come to a screechin’ halt this AM…only way they’re gunna get rid of Prop.13 and the tax cap…maybe they ken get rid of the term limit boondogle too!

KEEP THE FAITH AND PASS THE AMMUNITION AND DON’T LETCHER DAUGHTERS DATE FASCISTS!!

Be careful, Chris. (Can you see over the mounds of snow yet?)

Can you believe more winter is heading our way? After the ice storm… I’m over it! Can’t feed the fireplace with one arm… and I can’t wear a shirt.

walking slowly by and will not mention that it will be high 70’s here all weekend….

All gone, except for the shadows in my garden. But we are expecting some inches tonight (yea!)

Amazing anybody still has the nerve to sing that “over-regulation is the root of all government evil” tune. I can remember when I was growing up, regularity was considered a GOOD thing.

Great tune ES! I was looking at the high speed rail map and it is a good start. Living in the West I would like to see LA to Vegas, LA to Phoenix. Amtrak used to have the Desert Wind from LA to Salt Lake on the Union Pacific’s old Los Angeles & Salt Lake Railroad but that ended about ‘95. Amtrak still operates the Sunset Limited from LA to NOLA but you have to drive an hour south of Phoenix now to Maricopa to catch it. I don’t know why they don’t put a high speed rail in between Dallas and Houston.

What in the hell are the CA GOPers trying to do? Would be nice if this really did result in the end of prop 13.

I always claim that I’m over it, and then it SNOWS 30 inches on Easter… sheesh!

Maybe we should send Rahm and the new dems a can of prune juice each. /s

Flagstaff should get up into the 50’s this weekened and I need to get there and do some shopping.

i had a visitor today

If we’re investing in a new rail system, let’s redesign the restrooms. I took an Amtrak to New Orleans once and the mens room was a horror. Bought a pair of hip waders for the trip back.

wow!

Evening all.

Effing ISP seems to be throttling me. 45 mins good – disconnect every 5 mins thereafter.

Hi ES hope that broken wing is healing quickly and doesn’t hurt too much!

Agreed, there were some very odd places left out… such as Memphis ( what should be a big hub). But it does make a lot of sense as a start if you think about it, overall.

I wonder if our own domestic infrastructure could produce the needed steel? And do they still use trees for railroad ties?

Cool!

so cool!

Lucky you… nice shot. I never see them on the ground in my neck of the woods.

knew it was a big bird but didn’t know what it was until i uploaded the zoomed pictures

boy that brought a memory out of the old card file….in nursing school if it got up over 65 and they would open the sun roof. we were out there sunbathing most of the day (hey who knew in those days)…… next day we woke up to a 12-18 inches of snow on Easter…. we went out and built snow people hurting from sunburns.

Work today, goodnight all.

Concrete ties for most rail projects these days. Lots of steel, today’s rail is much heavier than what they used 50 years ago. If you have dedicated high speed track it may not need to be as heavey as freight rails.

Pain level has dropped dramatically.. taking less than half the meds I was a week ago… but it’s going to be a long haul i’m afraid. Thanks, nahant.

Several years ago a friend of mine camped at Devil’s Lake in Wisconsin and got lots of shots of eagles plucking fish from the water. Pretty nifty (probably less so to the fish).

i’m headed out also – baby girl is bogarting token

g’nite all

ES, is there still rail service into Eureka Springs?

My dad’s sister taught on a reservation school and then married, lived in Phoenix. I loved visiting them…when it was snowy in NM, it was spring in Phoenix. Bougainvilla all over the walls, sweet smells, fruit, ahh.

g’nite Christine

I’m turning it too. Should have done it much sooner but was too lazy to go to bed.

Gee looks awfully close to a Bald Eagle /s But then again I did see one up real close when fishing the Nestucca a few years ago. And wouldn’t you know it I left my camera back in California…Daym
But real good photos Suz!!

Is your arm still feeling weird?

found a surprising thing in pictures I took at the Child’s glacier at Cordova AK, we walked all round the part and looking at the pictures…… what were those black blobs on the river beach….. OH sh*t….. those were black bears……

Dugg it

Good night Suzanne….. sweet dreams….

Nite Suz, beautiful photos.

Citizen Suzanne:

Yo Sister Suzie…eagles make ya believe that maybe things will be all right…they’ve been comin back here in the St, Croix River Valley for the last 20 years and NUTHIN’ scares ‘em…now if they’d jest aquire a taste fer cats our neighborhood would be perfect!

No, not really… been a long time. We do have a nice antique railway which serves as a dinner rail only. Most of its cars was a railway in southern AR, not far from where I grew up. The train follows me.

Yes. Guess it will until things actually reattach.

Hi neuro

Build the future trains but keep the past. The Verdi River Rail and the Grand Canyon RR are pretty spectacular. Like to see the scenery going through the Columbia Gorge between Oregon & Washington…..

Getting old IS a Drag. One reason I don’t play hockey any more… those next days are just too painful and it takes a lot longer to heal.

Hey Neuro how goes it?

These eagles fly over my house nearly every afternoon in winter.

old! I’m 43… good gawd.. is that what this is, getting old?

Phoenix juststarted light rail service in Janury: Light-rail ridership exceeds expectation

The region’s light-rail system beat ridership expectations in its first month of regular service.

Metro chief Rick Simonetta reported Wednesday that by every measure, Metro carried more riders in January than planners had predicted would ride after a year of service.

Average weekday ridership was nearly 5,000 more than expected. More surprisingly, Saturday ridership was about 10,000 more than expected, and mostly attributed to special events.

The numbers are important for several reasons. If light rail’s popularity holds, the ridership numbers will bolster the region’s claims that the federal government should help pay for light-rail extensions being planned. More riders also mean more revenue, which reduces operating subsidies from Phoenix, Tempe and Mesa.

…

You have made it to the slippery slope ES! /s

Riders also demanded expanded hours to cover the bar closings. With the new strict DWI enforcement/laws people are demanding a safe way to return home from events.

Oh honey you are a spring chicken…… try being 57 and begging to look 60 in the face and then 65 then 70……

Ok, just fell asleep at on the sofa with the laptop…… think that is a sign I should mosey on to bed….. Good night everyone…..

707

Life is series of slippery slopes. /s

Good night, katymine.

Heading to bed too. Have a great night everyone!

Yup! And I do wish I was only 43… but then again I would have to go through some things twice….I don’t think so…

Nitey night Katy… Sleep well and have great dreams(:>))

Good to see you AZ Matt, rest well.

I would think out west high-speed rail could be largely solar powered… just build panels along the rail routes wherever the exposure/angle is good.

So long as the trains don’t need to run at night.

Not quite but it would offset how much power would need to be generated by other means. The concept IS being looked at by the planners.

Hoboing is so in vogue…foreclosed take youe family on the rails and sleep in hobo camps…see America complements of the Rethugs.

Mornin’/evenin’ (as the case may be ) -

Been meaning to ask…….has anyone seen Tommy Yum recently or heard how his son Esten is doing these days?

Made me think of the movie Darjeeling Unlimited.. which takes place almost entirely on a train in India.

Good evening, waccamaw. Just saw his name on face book.. and wondered that myself.

Seems like the grid would or could be in place along the way.. since the train will be electric anyhow.

Citizen Eureka Springs:

About 8 years ago our extended family (wife’s side) had a cabin on a small local lake (sometimes referred to by my son as “the local urinal”)…sine it has a healthy population of Walleyes and Crapies especially in the Spring and early summer I would camp my scrawny ass on the end of the dock every weekend and catch enough ta feed the family a few times before dog days set in. Well, one sunny June mornin’ I was standin at the end of the dock checkin my set lines with flaoting jigs riddin off the bottom and as I reached down ta check a line, a shadow cast over the entire dock…as there wasn’t a cloud in the sky I looked up and saw a magnificent male Baldy 20′ over my head with his eyes locked on the spot that my line enetered the water…a wonderful cold chill shot up my spine as I mumjbled a prayer to the Eagle gods and hoped he hadn’t spotted the 14″ Walleye lunchin on a leach on my line.

Was AWSOME and humbling and made me believe that maybe there was life in nature after man fucked it up.

They are making one strong comeback… I thought one had ta go to Alaska to get them to act like that.

They will do the scavenger act if the opportunity presents itself. Had the thrill of feeding them my salmon discards after cleaning one fine summer.

Like I said IT is being contemplated:

The report makes clear that California high speed rail can be powered by 100% renewable energy at an affordable cost – but only if the Authority is “committed early to renewable energy.” In other words, to achieve the maximal environmental and economic benefits that 100% renewable energy provides, the Authority must decide soon whether it will commit to that goal.

Rest of story

Took a third class train car in India from Delhi to the boondocks…wall to wall bodies.. found a spot under a seat..never again
Train are a culture unto themselves with songs, poetry and SF is the Hobo capital of America.
I hoboed a train in Tanzania after hitching the “Hell Run” in Zambia, Was caputered and tried as a suspected spy, Was jailed as mosquito bait for a week tried ans sent packing to Dar Es Salaam where I caught a freighter to Porambor India near Mumbai (then Bombay). Caught a train to gekhi which ws electric and the engine caught fire…we waited for a replacement…trains

Ain’t they great?!!

Thanks for the link.

way to stay on top…This is so totally cool a train run off of a solar thermal powered grid green jobs less carbon…let’s get it done.

I always wanted to hop a freight train to nowhere.. even put together a plan and had a friend who was ready to drive across country to pick us up if we did so. Don’t remember now why we never completed our plan.

Grand, Norske.. thy are grand. There is a certain time of the year when they gather in large groups down here… right about this time. I love looking into a giant old oak and counting 25 to 30 eagles.

Don’t do face book but do know his real name from the drive to raise money for Esten; heading in his direction today and thought I might try to find him in the phone book. Sunny and I are gonna meet up for breakfast and really looking forward to that. :-)

Gotta close up shortly and finish packing to hit the road. Probably won’t see much of you guys ’til next week.

I have a friend who is some how involved in this high speed rail stuff here in California and he has been sending me stuff on it.

Well have a great time… one of these days I hope to meet some fellow pups in person.

Going to call it a night myself.

Good night fabulous firedogs.

I’ve heard of two interesting ways to store solar energy for use say at night:
– using the energy to compress air into a mine shaft and letting the air out through a turbine to recover the stored energy
– storing solar heat in molten salt and using the heat of the salt to make steam for a steam turbine.

G’nite, ES and everyone.

nite ES pain free sleep for ya!

Waccamaw, you still here?

never to late find another friend…go to meet up some hobos thast know the good rail yards and routes…get a good survivua book…get some Hot Chillys thermal wear…learn to make pemmican…collect seeds…follow mice trails and set traps…make a rock bed over a trench to funnel camp fire smoke to sleep on…see the unseen

Read about both of those methods. The salt one seemed to me the better of the two as you need a real large underground cavern to store the compressed air… But hell what do I know??

I agree.

Design the grid to move energy in the opposite direction of the sun. When it is light in the West is dark in the East, That may add some time. Trade energy solar in the day other at night. Wind and wave are not sun dependent

Good Niight ES
You can make a loop with a rope and drag wood to your fire. Wear blankets like a shawl to stay warmer.

They are also looking at using fuel cells for storing the power. They would use the solar electricity and using electrolysis generate hydrogen, release the oxygen and then n in fuel cells at night to generate the power needed. The hard part is storing the hydrogen under the required pressures.

I guess that sort of a shift could give the West coast an extra three hours of solar power in the early morning and the East coast an extra three hours of solar power in the evening. And so on.

Well time for me to hit the hay!! night Pups(:>))

Yeah, just stepped outta the shower. Think I’ll be getting off as expected or just a few minutes late. ‘Course, if I don’t tear my self away from the forkin’ computer, you’ll never see me. *G*

G’nite Nahant

I’ll probably be there an hour or so earlier. Taking my laptop for entertainment. Drive carefully. Weather is fine.

Attaturk is upstairs!
Freebasing with the base