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06 Oct 09 - 12:22 PM (#2739665) Subject: BS: DC Terrorist Attack From: Ron Davies That's what some people probably thought. Just what this "capital city" needed for its already jangled nerves. Jan was on the subway. I was late --still at home. She called from the Red Line (where else?, the same one where 9 people, as I recall, were killed in a crash earlier this year--and the same one I take Mon through Fri. She told me there was a problem: Big boom in her car and several cars behind. Lifted the cars off their tracks. First car on fire. Corridor of her car full of smoke. Screaming from the first car. The train did get to Meto Center. Everybody evacuated. She was quite calm when she called. She agreed that it must be some sort of malfunction--again. Terrorists would do more than lift the train off the rail. This time it turns out, per Washington Post online: "a collector shoe, which sends power from the third rail to the train, fell off a train, causing a fire under the lead car of a six-car train." No terrorists will ever have to attack DC. It will grind to a halt just from speculation arising from our collapsing infrastructure and transportation system. |
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06 Oct 09 - 12:46 PM (#2739686) Subject: RE: BS: DC Terrorist Attack From: Donuel Residents don't bat an eye when ever the Georgetown man hole covers start exploding and sail high into the air. It happens on a regular basis. |
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06 Oct 09 - 01:00 PM (#2739694) Subject: RE: BS: DC Terrorist Attack From: gnu WHEW! |
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06 Oct 09 - 02:17 PM (#2739769) Subject: RE: BS: DC Terrorist Attack From: Stringsinger More hysteria and panic for nothing. More likely to be hit by a flood or thunderstorm. The "Terrorist" bogeyman is a right-wing ploy to make people afraid enough to want to support war. |
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06 Oct 09 - 02:38 PM (#2739790) Subject: RE: BS: DC Terrorist Attack From: Ron Davies What I'm far more concerned with than terrorism is the--more and more likely--possibility of burdensome regulations--for instance, all bags being checked just to enter the subway system. There are enough factors already to consider when using the subway--including Big Sister--it's a female voice-- forever telling us to ask fellow passengers: "Is that bag yours?". We don't need or want compulsory anti-terrorist measures like the bag-checking. And I would hope Metro does not in fact want to push more of us to use cars. |
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06 Oct 09 - 04:48 PM (#2739907) Subject: RE: BS: DC Terrorist Attack From: Rasener I bet you needed the toilet Ron :-) Glad things turned out OK |
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06 Oct 09 - 06:06 PM (#2739961) Subject: RE: BS: DC Terrorist Attack From: Ron Davies Thanks, Villan. It was Jan who was on the train. I thought I'd have to go pick her up. I volunteered to do it. But her sang-froid is impressive. She just waited in a coffeehouse and took the Red Line back again when it re-opened. But she's pretty disgusted--and has back and neck problems which are aggravated by this sort of thing, especially the jerking around and the fact she had to stand up the whole way going downtown. She's talking about taking a taxi next time to get to downtown DC. We don't have that kind of spare cash--and you would hope the cumulative disasters would result in better maintenance. Otherwise Metro can expect to be sued bigtime. Which is probably happening already as a result of the deadly accident earlier this year--also on the Red Line. |
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06 Oct 09 - 06:13 PM (#2739968) Subject: RE: BS: DC Terrorist Attack From: Ron Davies And the Georgetown manhole covers do not in fact sail into the air on a regular basis. It has happened. It is not a common occurrence. Can you say "hyperbole"? |
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06 Oct 09 - 06:19 PM (#2739975) Subject: RE: BS: DC Terrorist Attack From: Bill D They, in fact, did a BIG repair project several years ago on those wires that were shorting out under Georgetown and causing various accumulated gases to pop off manhole covers. (But it was sure interesting when it WAS a serious problem) |
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06 Oct 09 - 09:36 PM (#2740102) Subject: RE: BS: DC Terrorist Attack From: Rapparee The bridges, railroads, highways, streets, sewers, and the rest of the US infrastructure is decaying. It's as if the prevailing notion is "build it and forget it". If you don't maintain what you've built as it is needed (and even to prevent problems!) you'll pay in the future with far, far more money to rebuild it -- not to mention the lives that can be snuffed out by such negligence. |
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06 Oct 09 - 09:46 PM (#2740107) Subject: RE: BS: DC Terrorist Attack From: SINSULL Oh dear. I have visions of someone asking Kendall "Is that bag yours?" and Jacqui slamming him with her handbag. |
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06 Oct 09 - 09:46 PM (#2740108) Subject: RE: BS: DC Terrorist Attack From: SINSULL Or skewering him with a crochet hook. |
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07 Oct 09 - 11:53 AM (#2740464) Subject: RE: BS: DC Terrorist Attack From: Charley Noble Ron- Consider asking to change the title of this thread. There was , in fact, no terrorist attack. I certainly assumed the worst. Charley Noble |
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07 Oct 09 - 04:52 PM (#2740712) Subject: RE: BS: DC Terrorist Attack From: Greg F. Apparently Ron can say "hyperbole"- or rather shout it. Curious thread title from a "Simple Seeker After Truth" |
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07 Oct 09 - 09:11 PM (#2740883) Subject: RE: BS: DC Terrorist Attack (not really, but what From: Ron Davies Yes, the title was hyperbole--before it was made certified safe for consumption. I never claimed it was not. And it's the first time there's been anything but rigid truth in advertising in any Mudcat title. Or perhaps not. A couple of things. 1) I keep telling Jan: assume nothing. Don't assume positive, don't assume negative. Check for yourself. It's good advice for everybody. 2) As Mudcatters may be aware, one of the main goals is to get somebody to actually read a thread--to pique their curiosity. First step is a title that will catch the attention, in the competitive marketplace of ideas which is Mudcat. 3) Maybe I could have said "Fire on Metro". Maybe if I'd been more alert I'd have done that. I throw myself on the mercy of the court, on the basis that I'd just recently come back from the Getaway, having stayed up singing and playing til 5 on Saturday morning--(I did think that was crazy even at the time), til almost 5 AM Sunday, and til 6 Monday. Then I drove home, since I had to get stuff accomplished Monday (in theory, at any rate). So Tuesday I still had a sleep deficit. By the way, Greg, I love you too. But seriously, come on out to the Getaway next year. |