Portland METRO

Well. Hi there. It sure has been a while.

So, I was looking at the Portland METRO site yesterday. It's the site that covers the Greater Portland Transportation District. The site is usable, but just. I was having trouble planning any sort of a trip without switching back and forth between different route schedules. Then it occurred to me that "Hey, Google does it for me!" So, I headed on over to Google Maps. ("It's the best." / "True that!" / "Double True!" - Anyone? Anyone?) Unfortunately, after a try at their public transit direction, I noticed that, well, it didn't work. So I dug up the Google Transit, which is the same as the transit layer in Maps. Portland is not represented. Nor is anywhere in Maine. Or NH or VT.

Fools, I thought. Spend a bunch of money on IT and still have a half-ass'd website, or let Google do it for you. For free. And also better.

Well, in one of those moments of civic-minded web browsing, I decided to write to METRO. Within the site it is actually pretty difficult to find a "contact us" type thing. So naturally I settled for emailing the president of the METRO board of directors. I mentioned Google Transit and mentioned that in a tech savvy town like Portland they should really be involved. I didn't expect results, certainly, or a response of any sort. That guy is probably too busy for me, plus I may have come across as a bit snide. (Although I didn't mean it.)

And so, my first blog post in years is this news: This morning in my inbox I had a reply! Thank you, Kevin Donoghue! Unfortunately, METRO and other regional providers are in queue with Google. And "it could be a while ..."

So I'm psyched, but not, all at the same time. And, just to give Kevin more props, I will mention that I emailed the several other agencies, mostly at the State level, this summer. And never got a single response, even from the email address' listed for help and questions.

Beer Rules

I wish I'd found this one, but i didn't. If you love beer, then click on this link and be happy that Goose found it, and simultaneously sad that you didn't.

Walmart sucks.

Exxon Mobil

A couple weeks ago Exxon Mobil announced their third quarter profits. They again set a US record, with almost 15 billion dollars made.

From CNNMoney.com :

The latest quarter's net income equaled $1,865.69 per second, nearly $400 a second more than the prior mark.

Oh, and remember when Obama promised to enact a 'windfall' tax on the oil and gas industry, and use it to help families pay their heating costs? Well, that promise is gone off into the wild like the oil that blasts out my old uninsulated walls. (You can check his official www.change.gov to see where it isn't - in the economic section.) I guess its back to business as usual.

Cynicism Continues [an email to Ken Silverstein]

In looking at your posts from 5 November I feel jealous of Len Cassamas' position, namely that he feels like a citizen again. I wonder if he lives in Ohio or Pennsylvania or some other battleground state. If he does I wonder if he would feel the same way if he did not?

I, unfortunately, am having trouble not being cynical – for many of the reasons (money) that you point out. I do rejoice at the notion that we have elected a black man president. But some evidence already raises questions in my mind. In my little corner of the country all the McCain signs are down. But what of the Obama signs? Many still line the roads and intersections. This seems telling. Are they left there standing proud because of this historic vote, or are they there gloating in self-satisfaction? If the first, then well justified. If the second then we have good reason to be cynical.

I think my cynicism can be dispelled through some important acts, which must take place not within the first 100 days of Obama's term, but in the first 10.

1. Commence closing the Guantanamo Bay detention camp. The suspension of habeas corpus is the most troubling of the many offenses for which the sword of impeachment should have been swung on W. The closing of this camp would not go unnoticed around the world.

2. An executive order halting the use of torture and rendition for the DOD, CIA, FBI, everyone. And re-affirmation that the USA is in fact a signatory of the Geneva Conventions, and that they apply to our captives.

What a start that would be. Then maybe I'll start feeling like a citizen of the world again.

LSD

On this day in 1938 LSD was invented. And music quickly got better.

Open Comment to Hannaford

The past few times I've been into the Damariscotta store I have only been able to locate Mexican avocados. This particular item is of particular importance because the US import restrictions on Mexican avocados have recently been loosened. (Californian avocado growers are alarmed by this, not only because they have enjoyed some level of protectionism, but also due to very real pest and disease concerns.) I think that you should offer customers a choice of USA/Californian fruit vs. Mexican fruit. I don't think the lowest price should be the only criteria for your produce buyers.

This I think also applies to many other produce items and other goods. Especially in these uncertain/poor economic times, consumers should have a choice among competing local/national/international goods.

Thanks for your time.

Observation

Between here and Rockland there is not a single visible McCain sign still stuck in ground. There are, however, dozens of Obama signs still upright and visible. Gloating, anyone?