The Personal Democracy Forum was, unsurprisingly, awesome. Highlights:
- Larry Lessig (now high on my list of favorite people for punning about “GNU politics”) signing my copy of Code.
- The line “power corrupts, PowerPoint corrupts absolutely.”
- My growing addiction to Twitter.
- The purchase of a bumper sticker reading “RIP DRM LOL.” It’s for a friend, I swear.
- Randomly accosting Julian Sanchez — again.
- …and a lot of cool stuff about technology and politics, which I’ll write about when I’m not plotting the messy death of a national rail system. (I hate Amtrak. So much.)
In other news, I have engaged in single combat with PHP and CSS. After my victory in our epic battle, I bring you the blog’s new look.
If you have any suggestions or things that you’d like changed, shoot me a comment. Or an e-mail. Or whatever other form of electronic communication floats your seastead.
Hating Amtrak isn’t a reason to destroy the national rail system, it’s the reason to have a good national rail system like every other civilized country (and a lot of the uncivilized ones, too).
No, no — I will messily destroy Amtrak (our national rail system), and then we can have a good one! Shit like this would never happen on the TGV.
If that’s what you mean then we’re on the same page. Amtrak is indeed an abomination. But I have an inordinate love for trains in general, and thus am extremely excited about the prospect of California building a bullet train (it’s on the ballot this November) and will hate anyone who wants to stop it - because, regardless of their arguments - no possible use of the money could be cooler than a 2.5 hour train from San Fran to L.A., especially given that it will also go to my home city.
Trains that work would be the best thing EVER. I’d love to not have to drive, and once you’re actually on the train it’s not that bad. It’s the surly customer service and the delays that make me cranky.
It remembers who I am? It’s the personal touches.
Amtrak is way less delayed (at least in the NE) than airplanes. Or I’m luckier. Also, the last time I drove from DC to CT, two weeks ago, they closed I-95 to one lane from the GW Bridge to New Rochelle. 15 miles, 2.5 hours.
I’ll take Amtrak every single time.
Hate Amtrak is an understatement. I went to DC today. I figured that I’d buy an Acela round trip and get there faster. My trip to DC was about 20 minutes late. No explanination was given. Leaving Dc my train got about 1/2 mile and broke down. We sat for about 30 minutes before we could get going at an amazingly slow speed for about another 10 minutes. It was a good thing I sprung for the extra $200.00 for the “fast’ trains. Otherwise I would still have the cash in my pocket. I am also an avide railroad buff. I collect lot of enparta from around the country. Amtrak stuff is the absolutly least sought after material around. It is less valuable then things from the worst run Railroad around, SEPTA.