2008 Ravens

Well the NFL season as ended for my team the Baltimore Ravens.  Although the Steelers where our down fall, what a Great Season the Ravens had.

For a team the talking heads and most fans didn’t think would even be 8-8 it was incredible.  An unbelievable season considering this team went to the AFC championship game without a bye weekend, with a un-known running back and a rookie quarterback.  Our defense as always was exceptional.

I think finally we’ve found a quarterback for hopefully the next ten or so years.

Already looking forward to the draft and next season.

DC MetroRail Fire and Train Evacuation

I was a passenger on the DC MetroRail Red Line train that caught fire on December 12, 2008.  Unfortunately it didn’t occur to me to snap some photos so you’ll have to settle for my account the event.

I caught the train at Shady Grove like I do every day.  The ride itself was uneventful until the fire and evacuation.  I wasn’t really paying attention to my morning commute to DC as I was deeply engrossed in a good book I am currently reading.

After we had passed Friendship Heights station the train stopped in the tunnel.  Soon afterwards the train operator announced that there was a fire and we should evacuate the train.  Of course this took us all by surprise and we all just sat around looking at each other.  About then we started seeing smoke in our train car.   The operator made a couple more announcements to evacuate. After that there was no other announcements or help from metro employees.  I guess the operator beat feet also.

In this situation it appears Metro has no over-ride to allow the operator to open the train doors.  Metro needs to seriously review this because if the operator had opened the doors evacuation would have been easy.

Now I’ve been riding metro for 15 years and this was a first for me and I learned many things that I’ve never really paid much attention to.  First in an emergency situation only the center door on metro rail cars open and only one half of the door opens. Initially passengers tried to open our metro rail door and could not.  As the smoke in our car increased fellow passengers continued with their efforts to open the door.  (To be fair I was observing as there were four men who I considered capable of opening the door working on it and thought myself jumping in at that time wouldn’t have helped the situation.)

As our passengers worked on the door we began to see other passengers outside the car and this lead to some degree of panic.  A couple passengers gave the windows a push but quickly realized breaking the windows to get out was not possible.  I actually thought about the passengers who died in the MARC train crash in Rockville a few years ago because the windows on the train couldn’t be opened.  About this time the guys working on our door got it open.  There was an elevated level of smoke in our car, although a serious concern I didn’t think it had reached a critical level.  You could see it sort of like fog. You could also most certainly smell it when you breathed and taste it.  But it wasn’t at a level causing coughing or choking but most certainly gave cause for alarm that we were in a serious situation.  I guess if you had some physical issues particularly respiratory the situation would have been much more difficult.

Luckily we were calm and exited the train in an orderly manner.  Although our car was only about half full when we stopped in the tunnel it felt like an eternity waiting to get out.  You know what is like getting off a DC MetroRail car with three doors open at the platform.  Imagine half a car load of people trying to get out half of one door, in poor light conditions and having to step down to the track level.

Eventually our car emptied and we followed the line of people making their way slowly to the Friendship Heights station.  There wasn’t much light but it was enough to walk along the tiny path between the train and the wall of the tunnel.  I didn’t see any people with walkers or wheelchairs etc on my car.  I’m not sure how anybody with those kind of disabilities could have evacuated.  Scooters, wheelchairs and walkers would have been to wide to fit on the skinny walking path.  The path was about as wide as a goat trail.  The path had several obstructions protruding from the tunnel walls.  There were also little rocks and the like that somehow overtime fell down onto or were kicked up onto the path by trains and people.  Movement was slow but steady and the person in front of you pointed out hazards and you told the person behind.

I had always thought in this situation you walked to the next station platform and exited.  We never made it to the station, I guess because a Metro employee took us another way. We ended up climbing a metal scaffolding like stairway from the tracks to Wisconsin Avenue.  It must have been ten to twelve stories give or take.  Many passengers had to rest on the landings to catch their breath and recover.  As with everything that morning it was eventful as the stairs wobbled back and forth because of the weight and movement of the people. Eventually I popped out on Wisconsin Avenue at Friendship Heights station no worse for experience and with a story to share at work.

I must commend my fellow passengers for working together as a team and not panicking.  Once the door opened everyone was helpful, courteous and calm.  Of course there is always one person.  One woman who was panicked kept cutting the line and going around others to save herself I guess.  She passed me at the base of the stairs before the climb up to Wisconsin.  However she wasn’t in good enough shape to speed up the stairs.  I passed her about halfway up as she rested on the stairs after burning out.

As a result of this experience I am convinced that Metro needs to make at least one window on each side of every train car an emergency exit that can be opened by passengers in emergency situations to exit.  Also the operator should be able to override the safety controls and open the doors in the tunnel to facilitate evacuations in the future.  I sent an email to Metro about my experience suggesting these improvements.  In today’s restrained monetary environment I doubt Metro will spend money on these safety enhancements.

I only wish it had occurred to me to take some pics, so much for my citizen journalism.

Driving in Cali

I recently spent a week in Cali and actually thought that Cali/LA drivers were much better than DC drivers.  If you live in DC you know the drivers here are the worst.  Then if it rains or snows forget it.  You’ll have white knuckle drivers going 5 mph because there is some snow on the road.

Anyhow about the only decent thing about Europe are their driving laws.  I’m speaking specifically about Germany and Italy where I’ve driven significantly.  What really burns me in DC and most of the east coast is drivers who block the fast lane going 55 mph.  Soon 10 to 20 cars pile up behind these fools.  Eventually you have to weave between lanes to get around them.

Of course their argument is something like “the speed limit is 55, you’re not allowed to go higher than 55 even when passing, it’s my right to be in the fast lane” blaa blaa etc.  These people are so myopic that they don’t see how they are disrupting the traffic flow and that they could go 55 in one of lanes right of the passing lane without affecting the traffic flow.  Try doing that in Europe and you’ll be involved in an rear-end collision quickly.  In Europe you pass and immediately get out of the passing lane because somebody going faster than you is coming soon.

If U.S. drivers were smart enough to adapt this policy I believe traffic would flow much better in most places.
So here’s to the majority of the 405 and 5 drivers I encountered in Cali who passed and moved to the right allowing faster moving cars to pass them.  Most Cali drivers will disagree I’m sure, but compared to DC drivers at least in Cali drivers have a clue.

No bailouts, not for anyone

Well the pigs are running to the Federal trough.  GM, Chrysler, Ford came the other day.  Citibank bellied up to the trough.  Fanny and Freddie are in line.  Who else is going to come to feed at the Federal trough filled with the taxpayer’s money; your money and my money?  Perhaps the airline industry, insurance industry, print industry, cattle associations or milk producers?  The line will never end.

We should let all these companies fail.  The auto industry foolishly entered into agreements with the UAW unions that forced them pass vehicle costs on to consumers in the form of higher car prices to pay for ridiculous UAW union worker wages and benefits.  Add to that perceived lower quality than other manufactures and building cars nobody wants to buy.  Why should we pay for this failure of all these highly paid experts?

As for Fanny and Freddie let them fail.  I’d like to have a large house but instead bought a condo I can afford.  I could have had a big house with a zero percent loan or no principal loan but I didn’t.  Banks that gave out loans to poor credit risk consumers should pay for their mistakes as should people who bought beyond their means.  No redos.  Corporations that bought band loans from banks too bad, eat your losses.

I wish someone would bail me out of my condo loan or my car loan or my student loan for graduate school.  Somehow I don’t see any bailout money coming my way or to any other normal person trying to make it.

Here’s an idea.  Take the bail out money what ever it ends up being and give it back to where it came from.  Yes, back to you and I the taxpayer.  It is our money to begin with.  Prorate it for everyone who paid taxes over a certain period.

We’d save the money, perhaps we’d invest it.  Maybe we’d spend it.  Perhaps we’d pay off our mortgage.  Maybe we’d buy a car from Ford, GM or Chrysler.  Let us put the money back in the economy where we want to rather than rewarding failure.

That’s how I think we should spend some 750 billion dollars.  Give back to those who created it in the first place.  We’ll spend it better than any faceless government or corporate bureaucrat.

Inward Journey

With the approach of winter I’ve put my road bike away and haven’t been looking forward to going back to the gym on the elliptical machine.  I decided that I would mix up my routine and try something different; so I am now taking Yoga.  The gym won’t go away but some gym time is being replaced with yoga.

After a bit of searching, visiting yoga studios and talking to people I’ve settled on Thrive Yoga in Rockville.  The owners, instructors and atmosphere at Thrive is wonderful.  It’s a great place to be exposed to yoga or if you’re more advanced to move to higher levels.

I’m specifically taking a fundamental yoga class at the moment.  The fundamental class is based on Hatha Yoga.  Hopefully I can get to the point where I feel comfortable taking the Vinyasa Flow yoga classes.  That seems to be the more popular classes once you’ve got the basics down.

Much of what I’ve read about yoga talks about the inward journey you have embarked upon.  I can’t say I’ve figured this mystic part of yoga out yet.  But I can tell you this.  I never really thought much effort was needed to practice yoga.  I was wrong about that.  I’m finding that yoga is physically hard and mentally demanding.  Much more so than I had ever thought it was.  If it wasn’t for those blocks I think I might snap in half!!!!

After my weekly yoga class I feel great for a 2-3 days afterwards.  All of my little bodily aches a pains are gone or diminished. I’m sure there is a connection here. Thanks to Susan and Claudia for getting me moving in the right direction! (I was going to say straight, but that didn’t seem like the right word)  lol

If you haven’t tried yoga before give it a try.  One great thing about yoga is that it is all about you.  It doesn’t matter what the people around you are doing only that you are improving with each class.

NFL Fans Never Sell Your Tickets If Your Team is Playing the Shittsburgh Squealers

I watched the Washington Deadskins game against the Shittsburgh Squealers and felt bad for the Deadskirts fans last night. A very unusual situation because the Deadskins deserve every bad thing that happens to them but not all those piss yellow jerseys in the stands last night.  As usual a stadium, in this case FedEx Field in D.C., which is relatively close to Shittsburgh was over run with a large amount of Squealers fans.

As a Ravens fan I run into this problem regularly.  Squealers fans are dedicated I’ll give them that and they travel to see their team.  As a matter of fact I think that’s great.  However for the home team it is disappointing to see large amounts of Squealers fans cheer the visiting team in your house.

This problem could be fixed easily.  If you’re playing the Shittsburgh Squealers at home don’t sell your tickets. NOT TO ANYBODY FOR ANY REASON. Even if you can’t go it is better to eat the ticket price than have Squealers fans in your seats.  That’s the only way to ensure that your stadium isn’t looking piss yellow on game day.

Now your Shittsburgh Squealer fan comes in two varieties.  The good kind is the die hard unemployed Shittsburghin who luckily scores some tickets to a local game and goes to cheer their team on.

The other and by far the worst is the transplant traitor.  This is a Squealers fan who left Shittsburgh for a number of reasons but usually because the city is historically economically depressed and the person can’t get a job.  This person assimilates into his new community usually living until retirement even cheering for the home team.  But when the Squealers come to play they break out their piss yellow jersey and go the game cheering for the Squealers.  If you talk to one of these “Manchurian” fans they’ll aways give you some line like this; “I grew up in Shittsburgh as a kid, bla bla bla.”  Come on get over it you moved away 20 years ago.

So what is the point: NFL fans and ticket holders if you’re playing the Shittsburgh Squealers at home don’t sell your tickets. NOT TO ANYBODY FOR ANY REASON.

For some good old fashioned NFL rivalry check out http://www.steelerssuck.com/

Still Wacco for Flacco

Well Baltimore Ravens fans are still “Wacco for Flacco.”  Flacco has certainly improved with each game this season.  He has proven his value as a number One draft pick.  Today’s victory over a division rival, the pumpkins ,i.e. the Brownies, was huge!! Again Flacco’s play along with those of many others contributed to this victory.

The Ravens over the years I’ve been a season ticket holder haven’t had the ability to usually score 21 points or more let alone come from a 14 point deficit to win. Usually when the opponent scores 17 points or more the Raven lose.  However in this game the Ravens defense gave up more points than they typically do.  The D did however in the second half consistently force the pumpkins into 3 and outs.  The O then scored 17 unanswered points to take the lead and secure the win.  The D then capped it off with an interception by LB Suggs that was returned for a TD.

(Baltimore Sun photo by Gene Sweeney Jr. / November 2, 2008)

Finally lets put an end to this BS “Suggs” package.  The “Suggs” package and the Miami “Wildcat” are just gadget plays.  These type of plays work occasionally if never used.  But when teams game plan for them like the Ravens did against Miami or the Brownies did against the Ravens today they don’t do anything.  Although it was fun watching the Smith to Flacco 43-yard play I cringed watching the Oakland linebaker dive on Flacco after the play.  Yes I know any player can get hurt on any play in the NFL.  Still why do want to increase the risk of injury to your QB?  Remember when the NY football Giants put CB Jason Seahorn back to return punts?

Joe Flacco is the Ravens QB for the foreseeable future.  He’s earned it by proving it on the field on game day.  He’s getting better each game. All you Smith fans need to get over it and move on.  Smith is not starter QB material in the NFL.  If he was the Ravens would never have drafted Flacco to begin with.

(Baltimore Sun photo by Gene Sweeney Jr. / November 2, 2008)

I can’t say enough about the running attack that both Ray Rice and LeRon McClain bring to the Ravens. Congrats to both Rice and McClain; what a huge game!!!!!!  That Rice 60-yard run broke the Brownies back and the McClain steam roller over the Brownie’s safety Sean Jones got the Ravens back in the game.

Highway Robbery part 2

This post is a follow up to an earlier post titled “Highway Robbery.” One commenter stated that in Montgomery County signs are posted ahead of speed cameras that are part of the “Safe Speed” program. So I investigated and discovered this is true.

Speed Camera Sign on Quince Orchard Blvd in Gaithersburg

I went to a speed camera zone in Gaithersburg close to where I live on Quince Orchard Blvd. There were posted signs, perhaps a bit to close to the cameras. But if you’re paying attention you should be able to lower your speed prior to the camera. Of course I was only looking at the physical location of the camera and had no idea of where the targeted zone was in relation to the camera or the warning sign. Also I don’t know, but will assume, that the mobile speed camera’s that are being deployed also have warning signs. (Can anybody verify this?)

So if you run through a clearly posted speed camera zone and get a speeding ticket I don’t see what you have to complain about.

I don’t however believe that Montgomery County’s and Gaithersburg’s “Safe Speed” program has anything to do with lowering speed. With 178,000 people receiving tickets at $40 each since our local governments started using these devices against us nine months ago this program is all about a new revenue stream for local government nothing more.

Speed camera mounted on a pole. Note you can see the speed camera sign behind the SUV on a pole.

This program still stinks. I believe there are real problems contracting law enforcement activities to include traffic enforcement to corporations whose monetary compensation increases with each ticket issued. If you see a speed camera sign and don’t slow down I guess that’s your problem.

Of course our local government’s contractors are placing these devices in areas with a high probability of finding speeders such as the 25 mph zone shown above.  Like another commenter said this is a “good old fashioned” speed trap.  Speed trap yes, but old fashioned I’m not so sure about.

Note, these two pictures are not of the same signs and camera device.

The top picture is the east end of Quince Orchard Blvd looking west.  The bottom picture is looking west on QOB but on the west end.

Georgetown University at Clarendon Stinks

This is a follow up to a previous posting entitled “How’s graduate school?” We’ll the answer is not so great anymore. Georgetown University in its ultimate wisdom has transferred my entire program to the new Georgetown University at Clarendon. This blows.

I didn’t enroll in Georgetown University at Clarendon. If I had wanted that I would have enrolled in George Washington University or Strayer University. Because the university has done a good job enrolling graduate students into the program they decided that we needed more space so they shipped us out.

Amazingly with all the “communications professors” on the staff of this program they forgot to tell any of the program’s stakeholders, the graduate students, that they were making this decision. Of course we did receive an email stating this decision had been made after the fact but we the students were not included in the decision making process in the least. Not even a heads up warning that there might be some program changes coming the future. Not one word from the program administrators. Gee I wonder who is getting which office and parking space? Unfortunately I’m to far along in the program to switch to another program so I’m stuck attending Georgetown University at Clarendon.

Being on and around campus at Georgetown University is what made this program special. Sure we’ll be in a slick corporate office building with marble floors and wood paneled walls and our diploma’s will even say Georgetown University. The problem is we don’t go to Georgetown University anymore. They say we’ll even have the “full weight of Georgetown University” behind us. What does that mean, we can access the website?

The truth is this is now just another cash cow graduate school program diploma mill at some off-site location not remotely associated with the university whose name it bears. I’m sure there will be a gold Georgetown University seal on the door and our bills of course, but that’s our only association with the university now. At this point just give me my B for paying some $2,250 per class and graduate and be done with it.

Perhaps on-line Georgetown University degrees are next. Talk about cash cows. No need to worry about space for administrators or students and no need to rent that office building in Clarendon.

Georgetown University at Clarendon; this stinks big time.

Glasses?

My new glasses

Well I received my first pair of glasses today.  It appears that I have simple myopia / Low myopia / Late adult onset.  What does this mean?  Essentially I’m near sighted (things far away look blurry), it’s not bad <3.00D, and occurred after I was 40 years old.  In myopia the eye focuses in front of the retina.

Of course there are some good and bad things.  First I can see again!   I can’t wait for the Ravens vs Titans game tomorrow; the players won’t be blurry.  My HD TV even looks better with glasses on.  And according to the Myopia entry on Wikipedia people with myopia are likely to be smarter than those without.  “A number of studies have shown that the prevalence of myopia increases with level of education[41][38] and many studies have shown a relationship between myopia and IQ.”  Sure glad I’m not one of those dummies with hyperopia when the eye’s focus point is behind the retina.

Glasses are expensive!!!  Somebody please explain to me why my Ralph Lauren frames cost twice has much as the lenses?   This is completely out of control.  There is absolutely no way that frame manufacturers are investing more expense into designing, manufacturing and selling frames than what goes into the actual lenses.  I do not believe that.

Compensating for myopia using a corrective lens. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myopia#cite_note-AOA-7

Yes I know I bought expensive designer frames.  But all the frames in the store were within $10-$20 of each other.  Unless you went for like the $100 frames then you really could see the difference between the expensive frames and the cheaper ones.  In any event this frame vs lenses pricing system is completely backwards.  There is no way that frames should be more expensive than lenses.

Also on the bad side I’ve never worn glasses before in my life.  This is going to be a major lifestyle change.  I asked about laser surgery and my doctor said I was a candidate for it but if they fixed my myopia with surgery I’d be wearing glasses to read and see things close up.  Either way it looks like I’m stuck with glasses so why risk the surgery if you can’t get ride of the glasses altogether?  Well I’m glad I can see again.  Highway signs haven’t looked this good in a long time.