What Once Was, and what is now September 17, 2007
Posted by truthspew in Cosimo, objectionable material, RIPTA, transportation.add a comment
I finished reading Edwin Black’s “Internal Combustion”. Very interesting book in that even back in the early part of the 20th century they had urban electric vehicles with ranges of 100 or so miles.
But he spends an awful lot of time slamming GM, Standard Oil, Firestone, etc. Standard Oil is no more, it’s nearest equivalent is Exxon-Mobil.
In any case, up until about 1948-1950 Rhode Island had electric trackless trolleys. They went everywhere and were clean, efficient, and well liked. They got their power from an overhead catenary. No third rail for Rhode Island.
But in that period of 1948-1950 a consortium called National City Lines convinced Rhode Islanders that stinking diesel buses were better. So we ended up with these:
Oh sure they run low sulfur diesel fuel now but they still spew particulates and other nasties into the air particularly certain forms of carbon monoxide and dioxide.
Then of course they’ve got the Chance Coach trolleys that run on CNG but while CNG is billed as a clean fuel it still generates carbon monoxide among other things.
They keep toying with light rail in Rhode Island and it’d more likely than not be electric light rail but it never gets anywhere. Same as they keep talking about commuter rail stations in Warwick, RI, Wickford, RI, and Westerly, RI but that doesn’t seem to be moving very fast. I think the Warwick station (Which is 1,500 feet from T.F. Green Airport) is progressing but get this, the only one that has agreed to stop there is the MBTA. Amtrak won’t stop there.
The big issue in Rhode Island is that we don’t have anymore room to build highways and roadways. So we have to start looking at alternatives and mass transit is one those alternatives, in fact the only alternative.
We need to do something and quickly. But I’m thinking of leaving here anyhow, the job and housing picture sucks.
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Now playing: Parliament – P. Funk (Wants To Get Funked Up)
via FoxyTunes
Goodbye Randy January 5, 2007
Posted by truthspew in cats, Cosimo, Emily, Randy, Tom.4 comments
Today we had to put down my cat Randy. I’ve had him for eighteen years and he was my boy through and through. Last March the vet did say that she felt a small mass in his belly but based on his age and general health, thought he should be good for a year or two.
Well, he only made it ten months. On Wednesday we noticed he was lethargic, couldn’t stand up, etc so this morning Keyron took him to be euthanized. I’ll miss my bright boy. His real name was Random Numbers from the R.A. Heinlein book “To Sail Beyond the Sunset”.
He came into my life when I was 25, just divorced having realized that there was something about me that could no longer be denied nor changed. I was managing a local BBS called Syslink and got to be friends in real life with a few participants in particular one who went by the handle polocalvinfluff. It turns out his real name was Ron and Polo was a dog, Calvin and Fluff were cats.
One day I noticed kittens up for adoption so that’s how I met Ron and Mike, and adopted a twelve week old kitten with ear mites and ringworm. Randy got over both, while I got over my first case of ringworm.
I had a new pal who we now know as Randy. He was my first cat. Not only that, the first cat I’d ever heard growl, or the first one I’d ever seen play fetch. Or the first I’d ever seen chatter when he saw birds. Learned how bonded a cat can be with its human. Ah well, for the first time in eighteen years I’m now without any pets.
It’s funny – after putting down one other cat and having another die on the way to the vet I wasn’t terribly emotional about Randy. What hit me was the end of our morning ritual – every morning when I shower he’s right there, waiting. He waits until I finish, and then turn the faucet down to a slight drip. He loved to drink straight from the tap, sometimes so much that he’d immediately throw up. But it was our ritual.
The other endearing trait was worming himself into my lap, along with my laptop, book, or what have you. He was also a very vocal cat, he let you know what he wanted and when.
Tonight I met a three year old male cat who has taken a liking to me. We’re adopting him. He isn’t Randy, nor is he Emily or Cosimo. But he’s a new cat that’ll have his own quirks, etc. He’s also a known mouser. His current name is Tom, but we’ll see what nicknames work their way to the surface. At least he won’t be going to the pound.
Weapons of Mass Distraction 