Metro to Red Line Riders: Take the Bus
The Red Line is our special Montgomery County part of the Metro system. Its horseshoe swings down from Gaithersburg, where upcounty commuters come in from Germantown, Damascus, Poolesville, it loops through Rockville, Bethesda, Chevy Chase, taking workers into the city, and on the other end it brings people from Takoma Park, Silver Spring, Wheaton, Glenmont. In the morning the Red Line bring masses of people into DC to work, and in the evening it takes them home again.
Last month there was a terrible crash on the Red Line, and ever since it has been a big mess. I have no idea what Metro thinks they're doing, but there are bizarre delays, offloadings, single-trackings, slowdowns, you sit in tunnels waiting without explanation, trains are pulling up to the end of the platform so people have to run to get on, cars are jam-packed, they actually make announcements telling you to plan for at least thirty more minutes for your daily ride.
But Metro has an idea to help you out. From The Examiner:
It's like, gee thanks, you move to a place in the suburbs so you can work in town, you kind of figure you'll have a way to get there.
Last month there was a terrible crash on the Red Line, and ever since it has been a big mess. I have no idea what Metro thinks they're doing, but there are bizarre delays, offloadings, single-trackings, slowdowns, you sit in tunnels waiting without explanation, trains are pulling up to the end of the platform so people have to run to get on, cars are jam-packed, they actually make announcements telling you to plan for at least thirty more minutes for your daily ride.
But Metro has an idea to help you out. From The Examiner:
Metro is urging Red Line riders who are getting sick of the daily train delays after the June 22 crash to think about taking the bus instead.
The push came Tuesday, more than a month after the crash killed nine and injured more than 70 people. “It’s just a friendly reminder that the bus is still an option,” Metro spokesman Steven Taubenkibel said.
But the reminder may signal that delays will continue, even after the National Transportation Safety Board wraps up its investigation.
“Whatever the NTSB recommends, we know that we will likely need to replace some standard parts, such as track circuit cable, which takes weeks to manufacture and deliver,” Metro General Manager John Catoe said. “We want to have these parts in stock and available to us.”
However, Taubenkibel said the agency has not ordered any equipment because it doesn’t know what will make the system safer. “We will be stockpiling some equipment,” he said. And that work may lead to more delays. Metro urges harried Red Line riders to take the bus
It's like, gee thanks, you move to a place in the suburbs so you can work in town, you kind of figure you'll have a way to get there.
posted by JimK at 9:07 AM
22 Comments:
I've been on the Orange line when they unload a train and everyone gets on the next one. Makes you wish hitchhiking came back.
government monopoly, boys
it's a preview of what national health insurance would be like
looks like America's grand experiment, giving Democrats one last chance, is failing:
"(July 30) -- As President Obama struggles to get a health care reform plan through Congress, his poll numbers are looking more sickly.
Gallup finds Obama's approval rating has fallen three points in a week to 56 percent, the lowest of his presidency.
Other surveys show similar results.
And on health care specifically, skepticism is growing.
The Washington Times notes that Obama often defends himself now by pointing to the previous administration.
And Politics Daily's Jill Lawrence reports Democrats hope the anti-Bush sentiments carry over into the 2010 elections."
Sir BO, the fabulous one-term wonder!
And the relationship between Jim's post about Metro and your screed about the President's health care hopes and his current polling numbers is what, "Anonymous"?? Am I missing something here?
Once again (and repeatedly, to the point of ridiculousness) you try to hijack this site to suit your own ego needs. Please go elsewhere for your ego stroking!!
Citizen
From the Urban Dictionary:
Blog Whore--
A person who posts an insane amount of blog posts whether on social networking sites such as MySpace or Nexopia as well as their own personal blogs. These people are known for making blog posts about useless junk no one cares about or will ever likely read.
Guy1: Oh my god this person makes like 5 blog posts a day about useless crap.
Guy2: Yeah what a blog whore.
Robert and Citizen
Complaining about off topic comments while commenting off topic.
Sheez...
"Although Obama had invited Crowley and Gates as part of what he called a "teachable moment," it wasn't quite reachable for the masses.
The coverage allowed the public to get the we've-come-together photos and video footage that the White House wanted, while keeping the discussion private among the men.
They were seen chatting with each other, each with a mug of beer — except Biden, who had a nonalcoholic drink.
The media were stationed far away, out of earshot, and ushered away quickly.
In Massachusetts, meanwhile, a black sergeant who was with Crowley at Gates' home said he's been maligned as an "Uncle Tom" for supporting the actions of his white colleague, according to an e-mail that CNN said it received from the sergeant.
The officer, Leon Lashley, said he "spoke the truth" about the arrest, and he said Gates should consider whether he "may have caused grave and potentially irreparable harm to the struggle for racial harmony.""
for David:
"The Internal Revenue Service has withdrawn its plans to audit Pastor Gus Booth over sermons he preached as part of last September's Pulpit Initiative, a project of the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF).
Booth sent the tax agency a copy of sermons he preached at Warroad Community Church concerning May and November elections.
After launching an audit of the church in August 2008, the IRS recently sent a letter announcing that it is closing its examination of the sermons — due to a procedural problem.
Disappointed with the move, Booth said he wanted his day in court. He and other pastors hope it will bring an end to unclear IRS restrictions on political speech in church services, which is one of the goals of the Pulpit Initiative.
"Either a court battle or even a legislative it doesn't matter to us," he said, "(as long as) freedom of speech can be proclaimed from America's pulpits again."
ADF Senior Legal Counsel Erik Stanley said the IRS continues to leave churches in limbo while it refuses to clarify the tax code.
"It illustrates everything that is wrong with the current enforcement of the Johnson Amendment," Stanley noted. "After an 11-month audit, it is disingenuous for the IRS to simply close the file and walk away as if nothing happened."
The Johnson Amendment, passed by Congress in 1954, revised the IRS code to forbid non-profits, including churches, from endorsing or opposing political candidates."
Representative Anthony Weiner of NY introduced an interesting Amendment to eliminate funding for Medicare to the House Energy and Commerce Committee last night, the 44th anniversary of Medicare. The vote was 0 yeas and 57 nays
It seems no member of that House Committee, not even a single GOP member, was willing to vote to eliminate funding for Medicare, even though it is "socialized medicine" and a "single-payer system" that 43 million Americans rely on. Maybe next they can vote on funding the socialized single payer VA and military health systems, just to remind themselves that government run health systems are worthy and cost effective.
"anonymous"
You just don't get it, do you? You really are a slug-head. Let me put it to you simply so that you might understand the complaint:
Do NOT change the subject of a blog in order to suit your own ego needs. Stick to the subject! Or, even better, find another site where you can babble on and on and on about what only YOU think is important. Robert is right: you are a Blog Whore!
Citizen
I find it interesting that Jim has not posted anything about the health care debate, though it is leading news story.
He is talking about metro instead.
And in typical fashion, liberals who are not willing to have an honest debate about a subject they can't defend, jump all over Anon with personal insults.
So, so typical.
Different Anon.
"You just don't get it, do you?"
Citizen, the nationalization of health care and the failure of the government-funded transit system are so related, it makes me sick.
The government runs Metro and the system is arrogant and incompetent.
It's what health care will be like when Sir BO has accomplished his agenda.
You'vre got to think about what you're saying.
Sure, let's talk about health care.
Do you think everyone is pleased with the way health care works these days? They're not.
Millions of American complain about:
Preexisting conditions
Canceled policies
Denial of benefits
Decision delays
Claims processing errors
Fee schedules
Deductibles
Out of network specialists
"Reasonable and customary rates"
Pre-authorization
to name but a few.
See how many hits you can get when you google search for FIGHT FOR YOUR HEALTH CARE.
Then go see what health insurance companies do with all that money they don't use to pay for your medical needs, in addition to their CEO bonuses of course.
Speaking of bonuses, here's what private health insurance and other health company CEO's paid themselves in 2005:
United Health Group
CEO: William W McGuire
2005: 124.8 mil
5-year: 342 mil
Forest Labs
CEO: Howard Solomon
2005: 92.1 mil
5-year: 295 mil
Caremark Rx
CEO: Edwin M Crawford
2005: 77.9 mil
5-year: 93.6 mil
Abbott Lab
CEO: Miles White
2005: 26.2 mil
5-year: 25.8 mil
Aetna
CEO: John Rowe
2005: 22.1 mil
5-year:57.8 mil
Amgen
CEO: Kevin Sharer
2005:5.7 mil
5-year:59.5 mil
Bectin-Dickinson
CEO: Edwin Ludwig
2005: 10 mil
5-year:18 mil
Boston Scientific
CEO:
2005:38.1 mil
5-year:45 mil
Cardinal Health
CEO: James Tobin
2005:1.1 mil
5-year:33.5 mil
Cigna
CEO: H. Edward Hanway
2005:13.3 mil
5-year:62.8 mil
Genzyme
CEO: Henri Termeer
2005: 19 mil
5-year:60.7 mil
Humana
CEO: Michael McAllister
2005:2.3 mil
5-year:12.9 mil
Johnson & Johnson
CEO: William Weldon
2005:6.1 mil
5-year:19.7 mil
Laboratory Corp America
CEO: Thomas MacMahon
2005:7.9 mil
5-year:41.8 mil
Eli Lilly
CEO: Sidney Taurel
2005:7.2 mil
5-year:37.9 mil
McKesson
CEO: John Hammergen
2005: 13.4 mil
5-year:31.2 mil
Medtronic
CEO: Arthur Collins
2005: 4.7 mil
5-year:39 mil
Merck Raymond Gilmartin
CEO:
2005: 37.8 mil
5-year:49.6 mil
PacifiCare Health
CEO: Howard Phanstiel
2005: 3.4 mil
5-year: 8.5 mil
Pfizer
CEO: Henry McKinnell
2005: 14 mil
5-year: 74 mil
Well Choice
CEO: Michael Stocker
2005: 3.2 mil
5-year: 10.7 mil
WellPoint
CEO: Larry Glasscock
2005: 23 mil
5-year: 46.8 mil
Wyeth
CEO: Robert Essner
2005:6.5 mil
5-year: 28.9 mil
TOTAL 2005: 559.8 mil
TOTAL 5-Year: 14.9 billion
Enough! This system is spiraling out of control with CEO's taking exorbitant bonuses and salaries, making exorbitant political donations, and denying coverage while raising premium rates.
The US health system needs to be fixed permanently and publicly now.
Andrea-not anon
I was making an effort to take Metro every day- even though I have a long commute- but since the crash, I will not do it. I am not scared(as a co-worker is- who drives about a mile to get to our office) but I cannot deal with adding an extra hour or 2 a day to a commute that was already a hour in the morning and often 1.5 hours in the afternoon. I am driving to work and teleworking as often as allowable.
I usually use metro on weekends and haven't had problems, but I it's been a long time since I've used the Red Line. Is that the only line where it has slowed down?
"The US health system needs to be fixed permanently and publicly now."
Hate to shock you, Anon-B, but Obama has already abandoned fixing the system now.
Not the Obama's doing much participating in the discussion himself but Congressional are now saying the bill is a partial first step to "glide" us to single payer national health care system.
Right wingers are gearing up to disrupt townhall meetings to discuss healthcare during the August recess, while the GOP is running around lying in order to scare seniors that a voluntary office visit to discuss your wishes in your living will with your own doctor is somehow a slippery slope to euthanasia, among other things.
Right wingers are acting like there's no need to have an honest discussion about fixing our very expensive and very screwed up health care system -- they'd rather distract, disrupt, "throw Representatives off their message (like what the bill actually contains)," INFLAME, lie, confuse, and scare people in order to get Congress to do NOTHING AT ALL to change the current system.
Most Americans do not prefer we continue making the payments to health company CEOs listed above while those CEOs have their companies deny coverage for the reasons also listed above. They may not be on board for a one-payer system like Medicare, but when it is explained that Obama's plan will mean there are no more pre-existing conditions, that you can not lose coverage if struck by a serious illness or change of employer, that the US will negotiate drug prices with drug companies to lower costs, etc., Americans love Obama's healthplan by wide margins.
People who want to maintain the status quo of ever increasing health insurance premiums coupled with ever shrinking coverage, are in the minority. Most Americans agree our healthcare system is in desperate need of a complete overhaul.
It is the shape of that overhaul we need to discuss seriously. We do not need to have a bunch of Crazy Eileens screaming about birth certificates to disrupt town hall meetings, or a bunch of GOP leaders scaring seniors with their lies. Why do the right wingers advocate these tactics?
MSNBC clears that up:
As Congress works on its legislation and as Obama campaigns to get an overhaul enacted, 42 percent now say that the president’s plan is a bad idea, which is a 10-point increase since last month. Thirty-six percent say it’s a good idea. ...
Americans who have private health insurance disapprove of Obama’s job on health care by a 51-38 percent margin [13 points]. Those who lack insurance, however, approve of his job, 52-29 percent [23 points].
Also, when read the specifics of his goals for health care — like requiring insurers to cover those with pre-existing conditions, providing low-income families with subsidies to help them afford insurance, and raising taxes on the wealthy to pay for the subsidies — 56 percent say they support Obama’s plan. Only 38 percent oppose. [18 points]
Hart, the Democratic pollster, thinks the Obama White House might see that finding as a silver lining in this survey. According to him, it means, “If I can get my message out, I am going to be there.”
These data show why the GOP is using heat instead of light in this debate. When the message gets out about what's in Obama's healthcare plan, the public wants it by wide margins. The GOP would rather send Americans concerned about their healthcare off on some birther wild goose chase than make have an honest discussion about what's needed.
"The GOP would rather send Americans concerned about their healthcare off on some birther wild goose chase than make have an honest discussion about what's needed."
It's interesting how often the controversy about Obama's birthplace is brought up in the healthcare debate.
It's kind of like saying Paul McCartney is dead because he is barefoot on an album cover.
The two have nothing to do with one another.
Everyone knows some kind of healthcare reform is needed.
Obama's fault is that instead of providing leadership he has punted the ball to the radical leftists in Congress.
If he would formulate a plan that would be acceptable to Blue Dogs and Republicans and use his influence to push it through, he would show the world that maybe, just maybe, he is Presidential material after all.
As for the controversy over his birthplace, polls show significant numbers of Americans aren't sure he was born in America.
Allowing public viewing of the records in Hawaii and interviewing his grandmother at a Congressional hearing could put the matter to rest.
You have to wonder what the resistance is about.
Yes you do have to wonder why birthers continue to deny facts and spin doubt about the first African American US President, don't you Anon? It's pretty clear to the rest of us why the birthers don't like Obama and cling to their smoke and mirrors.
Did you catch the Russian lawyer, dentist, realtor's interview on MSNBCM? Why is a Russian immigrant the biggest salesperson of this hoax? How'd you like that Australian birth certificate she tried to pass off as one from Kenya last weekend? Holy cow! I bet you bought that one hook, line, and sinker too.
Sinker being the operative word.
Glub glub glub
70 million Americans aren't sure where Barry O was born, Anon-B
that's quite a fringe element, huh?
I think Aunt Bea is a double agent for the CRG
70 million Americans aren't sure where Barry O was born, Anon-B
that's quite a fringe element, huh?
So you think 23% or 70 million is
"quite a fringe element" and President Obama should give them what they want?
So tell us how you square that assessment with these facts:
For years we've all heard you repeatedly call supporters of gay rights the "lunatic fringe." Well, Anon, if you think 23% is "quite a fringe element," what must the 56% of Americans who "think gay or lesbian relations between consenting adults should be legal" be? Or the 57% of Americans who think "homosexuality should be considered an acceptable alternate lifestyle?"
The way rational people see it is that over 50% of a population is not any sort of fringe group at all. Over 50% is the majority.
I think Aunt Bea is a double agent for the CRG
As usual, the jerk **thinks** it, and is wrong.
"what must the 56% of Americans who "think gay or lesbian relations between consenting adults should be legal" be? Or the 57% of Americans who think "homosexuality should be considered an acceptable alternate lifestyle?""
I agree with the first so I'd be a fringe element there. The second is a loaded question and it's not certain what the answerers would have thought it means.
Those who push the gay agenda are a fringe element.
"So you think 23% or 70 million is
"quite a fringe element" and President Obama should give them what they want?"
Well, if by "give them what they want", you mean address their concerns by producing the necessary evidence, then, yes, he should give that to them.
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