Comments for Blueprint America http://www.pbs.org/wnet/blueprintamerica Blueprint America | PBS Tue, 01 Dec 2009 01:03:48 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 Comment on The New New Deal: Civilian Conservation Corp by IsaacAlgaze http://www.pbs.org/wnet/blueprintamerica/reports/the-new-new-deal/civilian-conservation-corp/664/comment-page-1/#comment-596 IsaacAlgaze Tue, 01 Dec 2009 01:03:48 +0000 http://www.pbs.org/wnet/blueprintamerica/?p=664#comment-596 I wasborn in 1926 into a poor family at the time,and remember that during President Hoovers reign we were in a depression. His motto was "A Chicken in every pot." Our answer to this was "Who has a pot." I served in the navy during World War 2 and remember Franklin D Roosevelt being elected. He immediately started creating jobs. The CCC boys and WPA were formed to get our boys to workand earn money. My generation survived those days, but I wonder if the Americans of today will survive as well. I see us going into another depression. Hard times are coming! We must bring back manufacturing to this country. I wasborn in 1926 into a poor family at the time,and remember that during President Hoovers reign we were in a depression. His motto was “A Chicken in every
pot.” Our answer to this was “Who has a pot.”

I served in the navy during World War 2 and remember Franklin D Roosevelt being elected. He immediately started creating jobs. The CCC boys and WPA were formed to get our boys to workand earn money.

My generation survived those days, but I wonder if the Americans of today will survive as well. I see us going into another depression. Hard times are coming!

We must bring back manufacturing to this country.

]]> Comment on Road to the Future: Interview: Rep. Earl Blumenauer by Mike O'Brien http://www.pbs.org/wnet/blueprintamerica/reports/road-to-the-future/interview-rep-earl-blumenauer/643/comment-page-1/#comment-595 Mike O'Brien Mon, 30 Nov 2009 01:06:03 +0000 http://www.pbs.org/wnet/blueprintamerica/?p=643#comment-595 He's for real: Earl Blumenauer rides a bike! Some folks resist getting out of the car because they think it would be weird for an adult to ride a bike. However, as Portland's bike ridership grows, it's become the accepted norm to see all kinds of people cycling to work and running errands. Our new favorite holiday is the Sunday Parkway Bike Ride, when miles of local streets are closed to traffic and thousands of families turn out to ride between parks. For younger people, bikes are cool again. Guys compete, for example riding "fixies" with no gears and no handbrakes. Riding in Portland is often fun, which you can't say about driving a car. He’s for real: Earl Blumenauer rides a bike!

Some folks resist getting out of the car because they think it would be weird for an adult to ride a bike. However, as Portland’s bike ridership grows, it’s become the accepted norm to see all kinds of people cycling to work and running errands. Our new favorite holiday is the Sunday Parkway Bike Ride, when miles of local streets are closed to traffic and thousands of families turn out to ride between parks.

For younger people, bikes are cool again. Guys compete, for example riding “fixies” with no gears and no handbrakes.

Riding in Portland is often fun, which you can’t say about driving a car.

]]> Comment on Keep on Trucking?: Video: Keep on Trucking? by Joe Dunst http://www.pbs.org/wnet/blueprintamerica/reports/keep-on-trucking/video-keep-on-trucking/806/comment-page-1/#comment-594 Joe Dunst Fri, 27 Nov 2009 23:32:12 +0000 http://www.pbs.org/wnet/blueprintamerica/reports/by-program/now-on-pbs/video-keep-on-trucking/806/#comment-594 "One man's meat is another man's poison." I don't know who coined this phrase...but it's certainally true according to the competive nature of these two industries. “One man’s meat is another man’s poison.” I don’t know
who coined this phrase…but it’s certainally true
according to the competive nature of these two industries.

]]> Comment on Choke Point: Analysis: Gone Electric: The Rise and Fall of America’s First Electric Freight Line by mark http://www.pbs.org/wnet/blueprintamerica/reports/choke-point/analysis-gone-electric-the-rise-and-fall-of-americas-first-electric-freight-line/552/comment-page-1/#comment-592 mark Sun, 22 Nov 2009 16:53:28 +0000 http://www.pbs.org/wnet/blueprintamerica/?p=552#comment-592 actually Milwaukee Road bought it's electricity from two power companies in the areas that they were electrified. Which was the same way the the Pennsylvania railroad received it's electricity in it's northeast electrified area. Also the MILW's catenary was already 23 feet above the rails which was enough to clear a double stack container train however with only a foot of clearance. That close clearance means that the maintenance on the track would have to be more frequent to keep it from becomming uneven under the catenary. It is still feasible to have the catenary 24 feet above the rails which would give more clearance for double stack container trains, the real problem it's the catenary it's having to make things like tunnels taller in order to have enough room for the catenary and the trains. Also we didn't just one railroad operating electric freight operations. byt the 20's two major railroads had electric operations, the Milwaukee Road and the Pennsylvania. The Pennsy actually had more electrified track even though it had less route miles electrified but the present day northeast corridor is built on the PRR's electrified area the reached from Sunnyside yard in Brooklyn to Washington DC and to Harrisburg PA. Then the New Haven which was electrified a few years before the PRR was. Thier electrification involed locomotived that could run on the 11,000 volt overhead catenary that they used or the 600 DC third rail the the New York central used going in to Grand Central Terminal. The virginian was also a rather extensively electrified rail line. Even Norfolk and Western had an electrified zone. It would have made great sence to extend many of these electrified zones however most railroads opted to abandon electrification after Diesel powered locomotives appeared. Really the last hold outs were the PRR and Milwaukee Road and Conrail up until the early 80's operated what they inherited of PRR's electrified trackage then they too abandoned the electrification in favor of diesels. And just think, PRR was contemplating electrifing through the mountains and possibly all the way to Chicago when they first planned thier electification. They ended up not being able to complete bwyond Harrisburg due to cost and running out of government loan funds. That would have been a magnificent electrified system, even more so than the one they already had which was already to most extensive in the country. actually Milwaukee Road bought it’s electricity from two power companies in the areas that they were electrified. Which was the same way the the Pennsylvania railroad received it’s electricity in it’s northeast electrified area. Also the MILW’s catenary was already 23 feet above the rails which was enough to clear a double stack container train however with only a foot of clearance. That close clearance means that the maintenance on the track would have to be more frequent to keep it from becomming uneven under the catenary. It is still feasible to have the catenary 24 feet above the rails which would give more clearance for double stack container trains, the real problem it’s the catenary it’s having to make things like tunnels taller in order to have enough room for the catenary and the trains. Also we didn’t just one railroad operating electric freight operations. byt the 20’s two major railroads had electric operations, the Milwaukee Road and the Pennsylvania. The Pennsy actually had more electrified track even though it had less route miles electrified but the present day northeast corridor is built on the PRR’s electrified area the reached from Sunnyside yard in Brooklyn to Washington DC and to Harrisburg PA. Then the New Haven which was electrified a few years before the PRR was. Thier electrification involed locomotived that could run on the 11,000 volt overhead catenary that they used or the 600 DC third rail the the New York central used going in to Grand Central Terminal. The virginian was also a rather extensively electrified rail line. Even Norfolk and Western had an electrified zone. It would have made great sence to extend many of these electrified zones however most railroads opted to abandon electrification after Diesel powered locomotives appeared. Really the last hold outs were the PRR and Milwaukee Road and Conrail up until the early 80’s operated what they inherited of PRR’s electrified trackage then they too abandoned the electrification in favor of diesels. And just think, PRR was contemplating electrifing through the mountains and possibly all the way to Chicago when they first planned thier electification. They ended up not being able to complete bwyond Harrisburg due to cost and running out of government loan funds. That would have been a magnificent electrified system, even more so than the one they already had which was already to most extensive in the country.

]]> Comment on Road to the Future: Video: Full Documentary by Mato Nanji http://www.pbs.org/wnet/blueprintamerica/reports/road-to-the-future/video-full-documentary/648/comment-page-1/#comment-591 Mato Nanji Sat, 21 Nov 2009 23:59:38 +0000 http://www.pbs.org/wnet/blueprintamerica/?p=648#comment-591 I love Denver and Portland, Portland being my home town. Unfortunately Denver is a mess the transit system is not very reliable or easy to use relative to Portlands' Tri-Met system. Its heartbreaking to see Denver get uglier and uglier everytime I go there... I love Denver and Portland, Portland being my home town. Unfortunately Denver is a mess the transit system is not very reliable or easy to use relative to Portlands’ Tri-Met system. Its heartbreaking to see Denver get uglier and uglier everytime I go there…

]]> Comment on Investing in Disaster by The Asphalt Blogger.com http://www.pbs.org/wnet/blueprintamerica/blogs/the-no-13-line-investing-in-disaster/837/comment-page-1/#comment-590 The Asphalt Blogger.com Fri, 20 Nov 2009 03:02:50 +0000 http://www.pbs.org/wnet/blueprintamerica/?p=837#comment-590 "ditto"!?! Really? lol With all do respect sir, ditto is more suited for a Seinfeld episode than a comment from a professional in the "architecture and/or engineering" field. The facts are there. The proof is in the collapse of the Minneapolis Bridge, in the numerous pot holes and rotting telephone/electrical poles. Granted, the system may not disappear like the Wicked Witch of the West when water is applied, but the system is failing us. But who knows, maybe we'll see each other at the new CCC facility when the time comes to make even more drastic repairs and/or replacement. WORD! “ditto”!?!

Really? lol With all do respect sir, ditto is more suited for a Seinfeld episode than a comment from a professional in the “architecture and/or engineering” field.

The facts are there. The proof is in the collapse of the Minneapolis Bridge, in the numerous pot holes and rotting telephone/electrical poles. Granted, the system may not disappear like the Wicked Witch of the West when water is applied, but the system is failing us.

But who knows, maybe we’ll see each other at the new CCC facility when the time comes to make even more drastic repairs and/or replacement.

WORD!

]]> Comment on Investing in Disaster by Ronald D. Ferguson http://www.pbs.org/wnet/blueprintamerica/blogs/the-no-13-line-investing-in-disaster/837/comment-page-1/#comment-589 Ronald D. Ferguson Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:15:40 +0000 http://www.pbs.org/wnet/blueprintamerica/?p=837#comment-589 In response to the first question of comment #2 - the terms 100-year storm, 50-year storm are indeed misleading but not intentionally misleading. 100-year storm is actually 1% chance of annual occurance each year, 50-year storm is 2% chance of annual occurance each year, etc. This data is based on past occurances, the annual peak storm for the time period studied, usually the period of record. The "predictions" are based on what has occurred since we obviously dont have a record of what will occur. Maybe the methods of "prediction" will change once we have a better idea of how much things are going to change, but then that is a prediction based on a prediction. I would suggest that anyone who knows a better way of prediction share with everyone else. Anyone can criticize, but few can offer real solutions. In response to the first question of comment #2 – the terms 100-year storm, 50-year storm are indeed misleading but not intentionally misleading. 100-year storm is actually 1% chance of annual occurance each year, 50-year storm is 2% chance of annual occurance each year, etc. This data is based on past occurances, the annual peak storm for the time period studied, usually the period of record. The “predictions” are based on what has occurred since we obviously dont have a record of what will occur. Maybe the methods of “prediction” will change once we have a better idea of how much things are going to change, but then that is a prediction based on a prediction. I would suggest that anyone who knows a better way of prediction share with everyone else. Anyone can criticize, but few can offer real solutions.

]]> Comment on Investing in Disaster by Richard D. Kiss http://www.pbs.org/wnet/blueprintamerica/blogs/the-no-13-line-investing-in-disaster/837/comment-page-1/#comment-588 Richard D. Kiss Wed, 18 Nov 2009 20:48:24 +0000 http://www.pbs.org/wnet/blueprintamerica/?p=837#comment-588 I am disappointed that you would publish an article that claims the sky is falling and oh my goodness we now need to rebuild all of our infrastructure to fend off this end of the world scenario. Most of us that practice in the field of architecture and/or engineering rely on proven science and do not go off half cocked as it appears the authors of this article have. I ditto the previous commentors observations about this Al Gore lead hysteria that is certainly less than proven science and more a propaganda that is driving a political agenda. Hopefully this same group that was crying that the next ice age was coming not too many years ago to now claim we are all going to die in a fireball will be seen for what they are........environmentalist nuts!! I am disappointed that you would publish an article that claims the sky is falling and oh my goodness we now need to rebuild all of our infrastructure to fend off this end of the world scenario.

Most of us that practice in the field of architecture and/or engineering rely on proven science and do not go off half cocked as it appears the authors of this article have. I ditto the previous commentors observations about this Al Gore lead hysteria that is certainly less than proven science and more a propaganda that is driving a political agenda.

Hopefully this same group that was crying that the next ice age was coming not too many years ago to now claim we are all going to die in a fireball will be seen for what they are……..environmentalist nuts!!

]]> Comment on Wind turbine imports increase; can U.S. factories catch up? by Dean S. Santopoalo http://www.pbs.org/wnet/blueprintamerica/headlines/headlines-wind-turbine-imports-increase-can-u-s-factories-catch-up/523/comment-page-1/#comment-587 Dean S. Santopoalo Mon, 16 Nov 2009 23:42:58 +0000 http://www.pbs.org/wnet/blueprintamerica/?p=523#comment-587 I understand the explosion into the wind turbine industry in America but am a little frustrated why they are being manufactured oversees. Labor rates are not the total answer and what I would hope to see is with all of the stimulace money coming from Washington and with the economy being what it is, there would be a mandate that a certain percentage is to be "Made In America". Someone help me to understand this. I understand the explosion into the wind turbine industry in America but am a little frustrated why they are being manufactured oversees. Labor rates are not the total answer and what I would hope to see is with all of the stimulace money coming from Washington and with the economy being what it is, there would be a mandate that a certain percentage is to be “Made In America”. Someone help me to understand this.

]]> Comment on Investing in Disaster by David F. Murray, P.E. http://www.pbs.org/wnet/blueprintamerica/blogs/the-no-13-line-investing-in-disaster/837/comment-page-1/#comment-585 David F. Murray, P.E. Mon, 16 Nov 2009 21:35:15 +0000 http://www.pbs.org/wnet/blueprintamerica/?p=837#comment-585 Using stricter criteria as a basis for design makes sense. Ascribing this to Climate Change does not. We change land use that affects 100 year storm events. Storm surges are real. But using the fake science of the Climate Change as a basis for engineering decisions is foolish. Risk and cost-benefit analyses, yes: Al Gore and his Chicken Little scenarios, no. Using stricter criteria as a basis for design makes sense. Ascribing this to Climate Change does not. We change land use that affects 100 year storm events. Storm surges are real. But using the fake science of the Climate Change as a basis for engineering decisions is foolish. Risk and cost-benefit analyses, yes: Al Gore and his Chicken Little scenarios, no.

]]>