Privatization: Smashing Success!

As an American who emigrated back to England (I was born here and studied here before rail privatization and now endure its results), I wanted to comment on your piece about rail privatization. You describe the change as "Britain's failed experiment in railway privatization."

However, it is a smashing success. Taxpayer subsidy is double what it was before privatization, and this subsidy now goes to the wealthy directors and major stockholders of the rail companies, whereas before it went to the rail system (i.e. back to the taxpayer). Furthermore, the extra expense means that Neo-Labour can truthfully say "public spending has increased" and buff up its socialist facade and keep naive liberal voters happy; when in reality, Neo-Labour are the most ruthless gangsters to rule Britain since the Whig oligarchs of the early 18th century.

Sanjoy, via e-mail

Conservative or Realist?

RE: Maria Tomchick

That young lady sounds more like a conservative because of the way she has her facts...the mass transit article mentions that highways are on the public dole. But in fact, between gas taxes, tolls, vehicle taxes and others we actually supply money into the mass transit system.

John Kaes, via e-mail

MT replies: My point exactly. And we should put public money into the mass transit system. More money. Not less, as we've been doing lately. Here in Washington State, there are no toll roads, gas taxes fund mostly highway improvements, and vehicle taxes have been cut drastically because, horror of horrors, the funds were used for mass transit. On the federal level, Congress has been busy trying to dismantle our national passenger rail system because--damn!--it just doesn't pay for itself. But transportation will always be on the public dime; it's merely a question of which kinds of transportation serve the most people safely and with the least environmental impact.

Private Buses Suck

I used to live in Staten Island New York. It is the only borough of the five boroughs of NYC that doesn't have a train to take us directly into Manhattan. Of course we have the slow ferry (the one that killed 10 people last month) or we have Metropolitan Transit Authority express busses. Some of our dirt-bag politicians decided to let private companies handle the routes of the City buses. Well, invariably with companies like Academy, Liberty Bus, or Atlantic Express, they give up on a route once it becomes economically unfeasible. This, of course, stands hundreds of people.

The great Ralph Nader has written humorous but insightful articles about the "car and tire" lobby. I now live a mile from New Jersey Transit which is expensive but reliable. How sad, though, that most cities could use much more trains and other public transportation, but our money hungry politicians won't heed our needs.

James, via e-mail

A Promising Alternative

I appreciated Tomchick's mass transit article, and just thought I'd let her in on what I believe is a superior alternative to rail and bus public transport: personal rapid transit, or PRT. The basic difference is this:

Bus/train/subway scenario:

1) The passenger waits for the vehicle.

2) The passenger waits at every single stop until desired interchange.

3) The passenger waits for new vehicle at interchange.

4) The passenger waits at each stop until his/her destination.

As you can see there's a lot of wasted energy (slowing down and accelerating the vehicle full of people), and time.

PRT scenario:

1) Individual cars are waiting at each station, person boards individual car without waiting.

2) Passenger goes directly to destination station. (All of the stations are off the main monorail, so no stopping until reach final station.)

Also because of the lightweight cars, this system is MUCH cheaper than roads or rail--hence much lower subsidies. There's actually a company in Minnesota with a long-awaited functioning prototype: www.skywebexpress.com/.

I hope Tomchick is as inspired by PRT as I am--it has amazing potential, in my opinion.

Brant Buchika, a kindred spirit from Minnesota

Fun Paper--Good Work

I just left a phone message, and should not have expected anyone in the office so late on a Friday night.

I was cruising through links in search of research materials, and ran across your online version. Good Work. (Yes, I voted in favor of District Elections.) Obviously, you're a Seattle-based organization but with links and contacts to the bigger nation around us--and the world as well.

I'll continue to study your website on a regular basis, and perhaps would enjoy talking with you all soon.

Back about 25 or so years ago, I worked (volunteer) for a little publication called the Northwest Passage. It has perhaps a few similarities to your publication of today.

About 20 years ago, after I successfully organized the defeat of a garbage burning plant in Seattle, I went into political hibernation. Well, Clinton was bad enough, But President Jr. has caused me to come out of hibernation. When the bear comes out of hibernation, first he takes a big shit, then he goes hunting for food. Well, I'm still in the process of taking my shit (studying the landscape so to speak--how many people do you know that like to read as they sit on the throne?).

I've started putting together a website of my own, and have started talking with others whom I'm finding around the region and around the US. Once I've finished sitting on the throne, I'll be hunting for food. 'Tis time for some changes in this country and this world.

I hope to engage in more meaningful dialogue towards social change as time marches forward.

With My Respect,

Kurt, via e-mail

Saving Private Lynch's Virtue

Call it sexist, I do not care. Today's insanity of political correctness over common sense must stop. What did we think would happen to a woman taken capture? You have an enemy who hated Americans long before the war. You have an enemy who does not respect the Geneva Convention. You have an enemy who has not the morality of Western Civilization.

Enemy soldiers away from their families, and full of stress without any reason for restraint and we expect them to treat our women with respect. They do not respect their own women. We show the same disrespect for our daughters and wives by placing them into harms way.

Women have served in the military for decades but in positions behind our front lines. Sure some have even been captured under those conditions but they did not serve out among the enemy. Not until we lost our civilized common sense.

One cause or motive our men have for fervent fighting is to keep the battle on the enemy's home front, not ours where our families live. Women serving behind the front lines provide a similar sense that the men must not allow the enemy to advance.

Women in harm's way provide a distraction where a man's innate sense to protect the "weaker sex" kicks in. Let's face it. Men and women are created different in more ways than plumbing. Men without a morality will seek their own desires without respect of woman's person. Women, even without intent, draw the man's attention, provoking his temptation.

It is time to let common sense prevail. It is time to keep the brave women of our military behind the front lines under the protection of our men.

Roger Hancock, via e-mail

But in case that doesn't work out, perhaps we can at least reduce that tendency of women to, as both you and the Koran point out, provoke man's attention without even trying, by requiring women in combat to wear a burkha, or at least a headscarf.

Heidi Stands Up

It seems to me that a few months ago Heidi Wills opposed the mayor when he wanted to give "Patriot Act" type police powers to the Seattle police. Wills spoke up against such ideas as "sneak and peek" for local cops. For this alone, she deserves our support. Cheers,

Winifred, via e-mail

Call for Volunteers

I work for a non-profit called New Futures, and we are in desperate need of volunteers!

We serve a low-income community of over 500 families in Burien. I chose to e-mail you because I know of your work in the general community.

Our apartment community is composed of several different ethnic groups. Currently we serve three primary populations: Mexican immigrants, Purepechans (or Tarascans--an indigenous group from Michoacan, Mexico, that speaks their very unique native, indigenous language), and African-Americans.

We seek quality volunteers who can teach, tutor, mentor, and care for these families for a minimum of two hours a week, while keeping in mind our mission to move each family member toward self-sufficiency.

My most heart-felt thank you for any effort or time you can contribute to spreading the word about our volunteer needs to others!

Jenny Allen, Site Coordinator/Community Developer, New Futures (formerly Project LOOK), PO Box 66958, Burien, WA 98166, www.newfutures.us, 206-241-4840.