Originally Posted By Mr X This high speed train is my absolute favorite, the Nozomi 500 (not many were built unfortunately..too expensive..but MAN, I always tell people that if you airbrush out the tracks you could throw this baby into any Star Wars movie and it would fit perfectly!). <a href="http://www.radicalrouting.com/psyplex/500/nozomi500-10.jpg" target="_blank">http://www.radicalrouting.com/...0-10.jpg</a> <a href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2393/1796835139_81b4f196c6.jpg?v=0" target="_blank">http://farm3.static.flickr.com....jpg?v=0</a> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bkoz8aEUssQ&feature=related" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...=related</a> And, for a speed comparison, here's the test track for the JR Maglev... <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPSd9GULjFo" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...d9GULjFo</a> Yeah, I'd say stuff like this is a useful, forward looking way for the government to stimulate the economy.
Originally Posted By Mr X <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVHZgz3ekBg&NR=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...kBg&NR=1</a> What it's like looking out. (one thing I found a touch annoying, it went so fast that I couldn't really look outside for long periods of time without getting a little queasy..but basically it's like being on a long, long runway just before takeoff..that's kinda how it feels I think)
Originally Posted By dshyates "That would still be (assuming it's even practical) a journey many hours longer than a flight wouldn't it?" I can drive to Orlando in about the same amout of time it takes to fly there. I have to drive to Charleston WV (about an hour) fly to Charlotte, NC wait for a connectin flight, then on to Orlando. I can drive there in less then 11 hours. Or I can drive to Charlotte (about 3 hours then fly, or keep on trucking to Orlando. Now if you can get a direct flight from where you are thats a different story. But I would think that at a lower price high speed rail would be an option. I can get a train to Richmond and catch a high speed rail than it would be an option.
Originally Posted By trekkeruss I love the look of the Nozomi 500's as well. They are definitely a railfan favorite. It has a few problems though. The cool aero shape came at a cost, not just in the added expense of building, but the trains also had less capacity due to the radically shaped end cars, and a more cramped feeling in the cabins. The design too creates more air compression when entering tunnels; the trains are audibly louder than the newer and less cool-looking 700 series trains.
Originally Posted By Mr X Yup..I realize it was a big trade off for the handful of MPH they actually gained (which amounts to a journey ONLY a couple of minutes shorter), and I can attest to the fact that they feel cramped as I paid extra for the "green car" (first class), and it STILL felt cramped lol! Still, I'm glad they made the thing and I got to ride in it.
Originally Posted By Dabob2 I thought Jindal's response was a disaster; partly for the content, but mostly for the tone. Obama had just spent over an hour speaking to us as though we were adults. Jindal's tone was like he was Mr. Rogers speaking to a group of less-than-gifted 5 year olds. "We can do ANYTHING!!!" The man clearly has political ambitions beyond Louisiana, but he'll have to do better than that in the future.
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan >>Jindal's tone was like he was Mr. Rogers speaking to a group of less-than-gifted 5 year olds.<< I kept waiting for him to say "lock box."
Originally Posted By velo lolol!! I'm glad you guys said that. I kept thinking "he sounds like he's reading to children..he reminds me of someone.." His whole tone bothered me. Yuck.
Originally Posted By jdub >>Jindal's tone was like he was Mr. Rogers speaking to a group of less-than-gifted 5 year olds.<< YES! So well-put (I was only going to write that he was talking to us as an idiot talks to children)! I kept waiting for him to refer to himself in the third person: "Bobby's going to make it all better, o-KAY?"
Originally Posted By BlueDevilSF Hey, at least Jindal didn't find some way to work in his experience in assisting with an "exorcism": <a href="http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/06/bobby_jindals_dance_with_the_d.php" target="_blank">http://tpmelectioncentral.talk...he_d.php</a>
Originally Posted By Hans Reinhardt >>Hey, at least Jindal didn't find some way to work in his experience in assisting with an "exorcism"<< Oh dear.
Originally Posted By Hans Reinhardt "as do I and you're right - the southern accent makes one double take." Some people are saying its affected, which is probably true. He is a Rhodes Scholar after all.
Originally Posted By wahooskipper I don't recall too many responses from either party that really resonated with me. I wouldn't want the gig. Instead of speaking to a live audience (half of whom would clap for you if you sneezed) you are speaking to a camera crew in a sterile environment. Every year they tout the person picked to respond and then you rarely hear from that person ever again.
Originally Posted By mawnck >> Instead of speaking to a live audience (half of whom would clap for you if you sneezed) you are speaking to a camera crew in a sterile environment.<< Yes, but it's also a *controlled* environment. The lousiness of Jindal's response went way past "no audience to play off of." Everything was off about it - the speech, the tone, the makeup, the lighting, the blocking, never mind the message. I guess the staircase in the background was pretty, but that don't win elections. I'm trying to think of a politician who did a worse job at just being a talking head, and I can't. W? Unh unh - he was usually fine with a prompter. Winky? Ditto.
Originally Posted By Dabob2 Gore was a little stiff, but also usually fine with a teleprompter. He did get the most popular votes in 2000 even with his flaws. Can't see Jindal doing that unless he gets a whole lot better.
