Nature's Paradoxical (Me Too)

For the last 6 weeks or so I've been nurturing a very sore shoulder. I'm not sure how it became that way, but I suspect it's from hanging onto the computer mouse too many hours. Last year I had the same thing. I walked away from the computer for a few days and it disappeared.

So how come it is when you think you have nature all figured out it turns your logic inside out? That little previous trick of mine hasn't worked out at all for me this time.

Being cheap and (even more so) bullheaded I'm determined I don't need to see a doctor for a cortisone shot (kenalog) and anti inflammatory meds (naproxen). Much would be the same case if I were to go the route of a chiropractor. Sure it would be the intelligent thing to do and my troubles would have been gone weeks ago. But hey..

I'm the same guy who thought my wrist would heal after a fall last year. Everyone who saw it declared it broken. NOT ME!

The cheap part relates to what my insurance denies provides. The bullheaded part is to be in denial over the fact that my wrist could possibly be broken, despite the severe pain and my hand wasn't lined up with the rest of my arm.

Apparently prayer and the mind over matter thing ain't all it's cracked up to be. :-)

Well after 3 weeks of denial I broke down and had the surgery. I was billed for $27,333! Course with a whole lot of luck and lots of back and forth negations over the next 8 months the total insurance allowed costs came in at around $5,100.

Yeah I may be cheap but the $27,333 certainly had me scared to hell!

Now back to this shoulder thing I'm trying to self heal. This is the part were nature interjects it's satirical humor and becomes paradoxical. Friday we went for a bike ride (yeah like that made my arm feel any better). While we were gone doesn't the 50ft sycamore tree decide to drop a 5" x 17 foot branch onto the street and come to a rest leaning on top of the neighbor's car.

Fortunately it did not damage her car because it didn't directly fall on it. Even more fortunate is the fact it didn't hit one of our many sidewalk walkers.

Now explain to me how we've had rain storms with 60mph gusts.. NOTHING. Explain to me how all winter in 20" snows.. NOTHING Then explain to me how on a day like Friday where there was no wind and nothing but blue sky, this branch decided to take a suicide leap? I'll tell you why. It's because Friday after the bike ride, my shoulder was screaming and nature likes to prank.

Rather then use the bow saw to cut it up and beat up my shoulder I got the bright idea to saw it up with my reciprocating saw. Instead it doubled my fun. My arm did more "reciprocating" to my sore shoulder then the damned saw that was supposed to be recipricating! Let me tell you severe vibro-therapy doesn't work all too well either for treatment of a painful shoulder. :-)

AND as a bonus.. I got a grandaddy of a blister. When I was done I also noticed I bendt the "shoe" on it too...DAMN.

Now, as I'm typing, I'm further aggravating the silly sucker. I sure don't heal in 24 hours like I used to. Guess I'm not a 20 year old anymore.

So it looks like today I will forced put away the ice packs and heat patches and pick up the telephone and call the doc and get me some meds..

I SURRENDER!

(video courtesy ConsumersUnion)

Now is a good time as any to warn people how dangerous trees are. I personally knew two people who were actually killed by falling tree branches.

Rail Transportation Study I (Mine)

Here is a link to the official March 2010 FINAL REPORT by Systra Consulting, Inc.

Here's a couple of highlights that I found interesting..* The proposed Allentown station would be located basically where the former LVRR terminal once stood. The property would have to be reacquired. The Bethlehem station would be located 1,500 feet from the Sands Casino.

* Norfolk Southern RR own most of the 'right of 'way' so this plan would be contingent upon their acceptance.

Although not stated in this report.. Norfolk-Southern RR previously indicated their freight would have the preference as to right-of-way on their mainline. Therefore passenger trains may on occasion have to wait on a siding for freight to pass. Although I suppose it's how wise the dispatcher organizes the scheduled runs. Also new lock switches and other signaling devices are going to have to be installed to upgrade the current freight mainline to satisfy the safety standards for passenger trains.

* Between Phillipsburg and Allentown is 16.94 miles. Rail construction would cost an estimated $20 million per mile. An estimated $658.9 million total.

* Trains would depart for High Bridge, NJ connection from 4 locations (ABE and Phillipsburg). Currently buses head to NYC from 9 (when you include P-burg).

* What I wasn't aware of is you would board the train. Get off in High Bridge, NJ to transfer trains. Then in Newark you must transfer to yet another train into NYC at the current time. There is a project scheduled to be completed in the future that may eliminate the switching trains for some passengers. But as I stated this is still in future plans and not the case currently.Again I reiterate will people park their cars to take the train?

Will folks who use the current buses be willing to transfer to three trains which may not be timed to your exact arrivals? Will they stand out in the cold winter months on train platforms to do so?

Or would they prefer to just make a single boarding on a bus which takes them right into Port Authority one block from Times Square?

Will folks who can currently travel by bus to NYC in around 1.25 hours be willing to endure more then the 2 hours it would take by train?

Keep in mind the $658.9 million is in 2010 dollars and it does not include the rail line to High Bridge, NJ. If that extension should cost $20 million a mile, the price tag could easily come to over $1 billion. Then there's always those unforeseen costs overruns.

The buses are already running at no costs to the taxpayer. Should taxpayers spend what will most likely be over $1 billion to reinvent the wheel?



Thinking Outside The Box: If we were serious about using public transportation-- I would think far less money would be spent by encouraging current commuters to use the public transportation that we do already have.* This could done by creating incentives through the use of designated lanes for buses, car pool lanes, etc.

Why not create new highways designated for the exclusive use of commercial vehicles and public transportation only.

That may sound dumb on the surface, but isn't that exactly what we're already proposing to do when we create these train tracks? And I bet we could create these for far less the $20 million a mile! Plus it would take the huge 80,000 lb trucks out of the equation. These don't mix well with cars anyway on our current highway systems. I bet truckers would like that one!

Think about this and give this a second thought. What if when I-78 was built it was built only for buses and trucks. Drivers either would have had the choice to continue driving that sucky old Route 22 OR pile on a bus that that flies up I-78.

* Bus issued vouchers for discounted future rides. Perhaps a deduction on the state's income tax where you submit these with your state income tax returns. These could have already been paid for by what we already spent just studying this thing.

* Although I'd prefer incentives not punishment I'll throw this out there anyway. Since inspections already track mileage between inspections, this could be something else to consider since it directly relates to highway signaling, policing, wear and tear, etc.

* On a local level. Remember the days of Park & Shop when stores refunded your parking fees? How about LANTA in conjunction with retailers?Point is rather then focusing on tossing $1 billion the public most likely resist, why not offer them a carrot instead?

Now this is what I call local transportation.. TOO LOCAL :-)

D-Day Remembered

Did you remember it's today?

Better yet why hasn't anyone else? Not the newspapers or TV..

Am I the only one?

I THINK SO!

Today In History

Wikipedia: D-Day
The U.S. Army Center Of Military History: Normandy: 6 June-24 July 1944

The Official U.S. Army's Page- D-Day

UPDATE:

Oops.. The Morning Call Posted This Later This Morning

(after I already visited TMC early today)

Mother's Day

Singer, Songwriter Rachel Aldous Song, "A Mother's Prayer"

"This song came straight from my heart one night as I prayed over my sleeping daughter.

As I stared at her beautiful frame I was just moved to tears by what an amazing gift from God she really is. She was born with neurofibromatosis and is considered legally blind. Some would have advised while she was still in the womb that I should have had an abortion because she isn't "perfect". That would have been a tragedy.

My hope is that this song would inspire all mothers to pray over their babies, no matter how old, and to see the value of human life".

Today Is Cinco de Mayo

MORE INFO: Cinco de Mayo

Amazing- Penguins That Fly!

Everyone Knows Penguins Can't Fly.

Birds R MIA

With the best of intentions we have a bird feeder in the backyard to help out those hungry birds.

That is, when 4 squirrels aren't foraging up anything you put out and chase them away.. RODENTS!

Now I've spotted this predator.

It's a BIG bird.

Fascinating how this hawk puts the breaks on
just before landing on a nearby branch. It wasn't our intention to feed the hawk too!