CNN reports that the cost of California high-speed rail has tripled, and it correctly points out that federal taxpayers will be expected to pay for most of it. While this is a somewhat belated report, it is nice to see this boondoggle get the attention it deserves.
CNN gets some numbers wrong; as the Antiplanner has previously noted, the original $34 billion cost was adjusted for inflation while the current $98 to $108 billion projection is not, so the cost estimate has really doubled, not tripled. But the basic point is correct. We can supply generic medicines purchase viagra online http://www.heritageihc.com/buy8816.html as per the National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse. Single moms often tend to fall victim to these issues because they have more responsibilities on their shoulders, and that burden can purchase viagra in canada be overwhelming. A useful and simple way to distinguish between physiological and psychological impotence is to determine whether the condition of your spine has already improved. buy cialis usa Brown Spot Remover Lightening of brown spots or hyperpigmentation involves a lot of patience and india viagra understanding of a variety of treatment selections. This project really made no sense at $34 billion. It certainly makes no sense at the much-higher current projected cost, whatever that is.
I’m surprised CNN went as far as to talk about HSR. Usually only Fox talks about boondoggles. I always thought CNN was too liberal and supportive.
No, no, no. CNN is too centrist to rock the boat. They are to cable news what USA Today is to newspapers. McNews.
I am frankly appalled at the blatant racism spewed on this site and by others of the liberal persuasion. Irish people are an oppressed class, having long endured racial slurs and discrimination throughout American history. The use of the Irish surname prefix Mc,which means son of, to denote sameness maligns the rich heritage of the Irish. Think about what you’re saying before you say it: Son-of-News? Does that make sense to you? Would you use the word Nigg**News? How about KikeNews? GuidoNews? I don’t think so. Stop the Irish bashing!
Hey Frank,
The “Mc” in McNews or McMansion refers to McDonalds. As in CNN and USA Today are to news what McDonalds is to food. McMansions are to architecture what McDonalds is to food. It’s processed, full of filler and bad for you.
The fact that you think McNews and McMansions are about the Irish is both sad and laughable. Your pop culture clulessness has reached new bounds. Take it easy pal.
bennett,
If you think that was serious, you’re the one who needs to take it easy, buddy.
Even Irish comedians bash the Irish, continue with the Irish bashing please, it keeps comedians in business. I’m probably part Irish and I don’t give a crap. I like most Americans am a mutt, probably a mixture of Dutch, Scandinavian, Anglo, German, English something or other with a splish splash of black, Native American and Irish. In other words I’m white or W.H.I.T.E. which is short for WHY the HELL, I’M THINKING about ETHNICITY.
I’m more sick of people bashing McDonald’s. They sell burgers and fries for goodness sake, they were never some farmers market. If you don’t wanna eat their, don’t. I hate when people say…”I haven’t been to McDonalds in a month”. They say it with a sense of pride, they seem as if they’re setting some kinda goal. They do exactly what capitalists do which is sell products and services other people seem to enjoy. What an original concept. Morgan Spurlock could have gone to fancy French restaraunts, combined with his lethargy and lack of exercise, in his 30 day experiment he would have gotten just as obese.
I applaud McDonalds, they’ve eliminated the social stigma with eating. Regardless of whether your rich or poor if your at a McD’s your basically ordering the same thing. Scandal sells but in the midst of highly published criticism McDonald’s has received it’s important to take note of the positive things that McDonald’s has done. Ronald McDonald House Charities which offers lodging to parents so that they can be close to a child who is receiving medical treatment far from home. Restaurants often include donation boxes where customers can donate their spare change funding the house. McDonald’s can counter accusations of perpetuating globalization with the menu adaptations it has made for its restaurants in various countries. In India, for instance, it offers culture-specific selections and got rid of beef to accommodate Hindus who don’t eat it. McDonald’s attempts to promote its brand while keeping local cultures intact. McDonalds does affect the cultures it touches, but rather than hurting them, the restaurants actually benefit these cultures with lifestyle improvements. In “Golden Arches East,” author James L. Watson credits McDonald’s with raising the standards of bathroom cleanliness in Hong Kong. Before McDonald’s started setting up restaurants there in the 1970s, the majority of public restrooms were filthy by some standards. But the popularity of McDonald’s restaurants clean bathrooms caused local restaurants to permanently maintain higher sanitation practices and introduce new kinds of food and food service in China encouraged customers to take on better table manners. The exotic experience and atmosphere of McDonald’s encouraged patrons to be polite. McDonald’s does for communities, providing benefits like jobs and revenue. For some contend globalization the very phenomenon that McDonald’s is attacked for spearheading, in truth helps people in developing economies climb out of poverty with better paying jobs than typical Third World alternatives.
I’m not one to automatically equate success and popularity with quality. And I think you wrong about Spurlock. Part of the doctors assessment of him had to do with the amount of nitrates, preservatives and artificial fillers that are in McFood. Maybe he would have put on several lbs eating creamy french cuisine but the theory is that food that is less processed, has less hydrogenated oils, and has fewer preservatives and fillers would be much healthier, fat and cholesterol content being equal.
Anything at the scale of McDonalds is going to have many positive aspects associated with it and you’ve pointed most of them out. But I will continue to hate. I hate on a lot of successful popular things I don’t like because I find them mostly, if not inherently, bad. For more analogies… Brittany Spears is the McDonalds of music. Twilight is the McDonalds of literature. Donald Trump is the McDonalds of real estate investors. I could go on. My point is that all of these things/people are popular and very successful, but ultimately, all of them are crap and do us more harm than good.
But I don’t want to take my hatred for these things too far. I choose to criticize them and that is the extent of it. Believe it or not, I too believe in personal liberty and think that people should be free to spend their time at a McDonalds in a Trump casino listening to Brittany Spears reading the Twilight series, if that’s what they want to do. I do not support attempts to legislate these thing into extinction.
Spurlock has pretty much been shown to be a fake. He was making a movie and he couldn’t sell the movie unless he made himself unhealthy. You could make the same movie about any restaurant.
Shakespeare and Mozart were the Brittany Spears of their era. Most great movies never receive Academy Awards, and those which do get Academy Awards are quickly forgotten.
I don’t think it was a surprise to anybody that eating breakfast, lunch and diner for a month at McD’s is bad for you, but I disagree that the outcome would be the same at any restaurant. At some, but not any.
I also disagree that Mozart was the Spears of his era. Actually, you’ve got to be f’ing kidding me. Let’s start with some basics. Mozart was a composer and musician who wrote all of his original music. Spears is a phenomenon in modern marketing, not music. She rarely writes her own lyrics and NEVER composes or produces her own music. Also the context of music has completely changed. You couldn’t be a no talent ass-hat in western Europe in the 1700’s and be a successful musician or composer. Now they’re a dime a dozen, and they’re making money (and blowing it) hand over fist. I guess the main flaw in my original analogy is that McDonald’s has resiliency. Shena Easton anyone?
I would also argue that a lot of movies that do win academy awards are also quickly forgotten. Also, academy award winners are not usually blockbusters. It’s like McDonald’s having a lot more in sales than fine french bistro, but food critics recognize that one is far superior than the other. Again, financial success and popularity are not necessarily a indicator of quality.
Bennett, hate is a strong word. Sure, Trump is an ass and so is Britney, but I wouldn’t use the word “hate” to describe my personal dislike of them. You seem like a reasonable guy, so what’s with statements like But I will continue to hate, unless you mean hate on in the Internet sense of “criticize” and heap disdain upon.
You’re right. My use of the word was meant to be taken in more of a slang context, as in “haters gonna hate.” More like “I be hatin’ on Trump.” It’s not particularly vitriolic, but more on the critical side. I should be more careful tossing that word around so lightly, especially when I don’t mean it in a serious way.
I’m for civil liberties, but I’m against double standards. That’s why I’m against frauds like O’Toole.
What does McDonald’s have to do with California high-speed rail?
California high-speed rail is the McDonald’s of public transit? Lol.
That would imply that it would have to be both 1) cheap, and 2) popular.
Touche.
Who’s on first?
Maybe a reply to HSR’s rebuttal…?
http://us.mg6.mail.yahoo.com/neo/launch?.rand=3ni7knfn4r4b7
Sent wrong link (pls delete).
Try http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/08/03/EDTD1KID15.DTL
Negative again (sorry). This be it.
http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?llr=swmydddab&v=0015U2tEoPRVkgw8308J3P6h1M4Y1R4uvluEyAOlkrfMkSreXTxR3SgDCNFIk3MZbnMHJiWoN8aiw9PVyC1TdbAGKMvDGnSPxMRnO0ZUa7y0ZMFiVoEDSWUDtCVImfeLbwlrxVLeIhx4dQRsVsSLXF8GhMZ5hMyHXCbpe9kBO6VQImNp8j71fe4lPxpP6J2m44gfs44HNrxdoqw79oJ5BbhGdI5qvRAE0pDBcFf5jslq3KxEAGlVIKC5SaR4tJMNuNiIBDhlIhpX1k%3D