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RR Conductor
Ridin' the rails
Premium Member
join:2002-04-02
Redwood Valley, CA
ARRIS SB6183
Netgear R7000

RR Conductor

Premium Member

What happened to the US?

Remember when the US was the leader in new and leading technologies? (ie.computers, high speed rail, electronics, etc.) Now we follow, I guess when you're busy fighting stupid wars and giving money out to your oil buddies by the boatload, it's hard to invest it on your own country.
chgo_man99
join:2010-01-01
Sunnyvale, CA

chgo_man99

Member

we are not leaders in high speed rail. We may be in future a leader in cars. American cars have recently catch up with Japanese models.
Synbios
join:2002-05-18
Arlington, VA

Synbios

Member

said by chgo_man99:

we are not leaders in high speed rail. We may be in future a leader in cars. American cars have recently catch up with Japanese models.

We don't need to be leaders in high speed rail. The MARKET speaks for itself, planes are better.
WernerSchutz
join:2009-08-04
Sugar Land, TX

WernerSchutz to RR Conductor

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to RR Conductor
said by RR Conductor:

Remember when the US was the leader in new and leading technologies? (ie.computers, high speed rail, electronics, etc.) Now we follow, I guess when you're busy fighting stupid wars and giving money out to your oil buddies by the boatload, it's hard to invest it on your own country.

What happened ? Comcast, AT&T and the government regulators not doing their jobs.
elray
join:2000-12-16
Santa Monica, CA

elray to chgo_man99

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to chgo_man99
said by chgo_man99:

we are not leaders in high speed rail. We may be in future a leader in cars. American cars have recently catch up with Japanese models.

According to whom?
JD Power doesn't tell the whole story.

My folks have been bribed to "Buy American" for decades, as employees of GM.

Each and every "American" car they've acquired was a steaming pile of dung requiring dozens of dealer service visits beginning the first year of ownership, for relatively little use (3KMi/year). The last Epic Failmobile was traded in with barely 10K miles on it, dead in the water. Its replacement continues the legacy.

Contrast that with the Japanese cars they bought - which had no defects or mechanical failures for the lifetime of the cars (200K+ miles before California emissions law killed them off.

My lady owns a Toyota, now seven years old, with 85,000 miles. She had not one mechanical issue, not one defect, not one failure, in the entire life of the vehicle since new. The brakes didn't require service until this year; the engine service to date consists of oil and filter changes, and a precautionary transmission fluid change (contradicting factory spec, but the mechanic tends to be right.)

My latest basic built-in-japan car has been happily running without anything other than oil changes for five years. NOTHING goes wrong.

I love American design and ride. I'd much rather be driving an Impala. But I simply can't afford to maintain something that constantly breaks.
chgo_man99
join:2010-01-01
Sunnyvale, CA

chgo_man99

Member

Actually I meant in the last few years they have become more reliable. Those are not the same cars from 90's, even early 2000. Look at 2009, 2010 models.
chgo_man99

chgo_man99 to Synbios

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to Synbios
Except most regional planes are old, overpriced and almost all flight companies have negative balance sheet. Some regional flights are too expensive, especially those with less popular destinations (i.e. Chicago to St.Louis, its cheaper to fly from Chicago to Miami).
Sammer
join:2005-12-22
Canonsburg, PA

Sammer to Synbios

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to Synbios
said by Synbios:

We don't need to be leaders in high speed rail. The MARKET speaks for itself, planes are better.

How many major U.S. cities are within 600 miles of each other? Jet planes are a tremendous waste of resources for short trips and you have to get to the (taxpayer subsidized) airport three hours before a commercial flight takes off.
Synbios
join:2002-05-18
Arlington, VA

Synbios

Member

said by Sammer:

said by Synbios:

We don't need to be leaders in high speed rail. The MARKET speaks for itself, planes are better.

How many major U.S. cities are within 600 miles of each other? Jet planes are a tremendous waste of resources for short trips and you have to get to the (taxpayer subsidized) airport three hours before a commercial flight takes off.

They only recommend two hours for international flights. For domestic flights like Boston to NYC, I usually show up 20 minutes before the gate opens and I just walk through security.

Logan has the best security lines I have ever seen.

If you think you're waiting too long, then the plane system needs improving, but I still think trains are a waste of time. They are SLOW.