The federal government is on the verge of spending billions of dollars on highways and public transit projects, beginning in 2010. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood views this as a historic moment in American history, when federal money will back policy aimed at getting Americans off the highways, out of our cars and into public transit and high-speed rail. LaHood steps through the many areas of American life in which he's now shaping policy. (click through for the full interview transcript)
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Comments [5]
Mr. LaHood is poor? If you check the following link, you'll see he makes over $163,000 a year. I wish I were so poor.
http://www.paywizard.org/main/VIPPaycheck/salaries-president-obamas-administration/president-obamas-administration-salaries/vip_details?id=ray-lahood
We all know how we hate traveling in public transit where we have to breathe in others people stinky arm pits. Especially if we have to breathe in when they are sneezing or coughing. So I came up with a product idea and wanted to know your feedback. I have created a survey to gauge the product’s utility value and would really appreciate your input. Thank you all !
Survey Link : http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/public-transit
Matt wrote -- "Mag-lev is purely electrical (no emissions) and insanely efficient vis-a-vis converting power to motion." -- No emissions? Where are you getting your electrical power? Most U.S. power is coal fire generated which produces plenty of CO2 and other pollutants. Hard coal, lignite and natural gas, all carbon fuels, generate 56% of Germany's power; hardly emission free. While leap frogging sounds cool ask Boeing about the risk of leap frogging with its outsourced 787. France's TGV has already demonstrated a reliable high speed rail system can be implemented and expanded.
Woa, wait a second. We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to leap frog to the front of high speed train technology but it sounds like we're merely settling for "catching up."
The time for mag-lev (magnetic levitation) technology has arrived. Both Germany and China already have rolled out functional, commercial mag-lev lines. Even the DOD is planning on incorporating mag-lev technologies into our aircraft carriers. Mag-lev is purely electrical (no emissions) and insanely efficient vis-a-vis converting power to motion. That means that they can go insanely fast. Mag-lev is so good that the main limitation on a train's operational speed ceiling is the discomfort caused by G-forces when going around a curve. (There is also the need to design the routes so the tracks aren't interrupted by intersections).
How can we justify creating a train infrastructure that will be outdated even before it is completed?!!
Mr. Lahood, you're POOR? May I have your government job so you can leave for the private sector and upgrade yourself to the middle class. I'm sure I can make ends meet with my relatively frugal lifestyle.
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