Running Bear's January 2019 Coffee Shop


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That is a totally uninformed quote. Nuclear reactions are the cheapest way to boil water. It is just that even with all France as a working model, we stupid American's can't figure it out.
The quote was from Albert Einstein.
If you want to call him uninformed, be my guest.
 
What are you trying to do?
NO, you cannot take away my "longest post title"!

Sherrel: I have no intention of encroaching on your achievement, although I was afraid I was getting close.

hat is a totally uninformed quote. Nuclear reactions are the cheapest way to boil water. It is just that even with all France as a working model, we stupid American's can't figure it out.

Horseman: Americans are not stupid, uninformed perhaps, but not stupid. Most of our primary information sources are controlled by people with other interests, ergo they get to determine what is disseminated.

For years, I was opposed to Nuclear Power Plants, primarily, because I worked in the Railroad Industry, and we hauled a lot of coal to numerous power plants. Nuclear power plants were considered a threat to our jobs and income.

In the aftermath, of Three Mile Island, which was adjacent to the (then) Columbia Branch approaching Harrisburg, and a little more than 100 miles from Morrisville where I worked, understandably, the hysterical media coverage didn't help my perception. The media driven fearmongering which resulted in the closure of Indian Point in the aftermath of 9/11 sort of sealed the fate of domestic Nuclear Power Generation.

Boris
 
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The quote was from Albert Einstein.
If you want to call him uninformed, be my guest.
Meh. Einstein was a theoretical physicist; I never heard anything about him knowing how to actually build and operate a reactor. So, yes, he was largely uninformed about the practical side. Just like an architect probably isn't a qualified general contractor.
 
afternoon All,

Today I did something incredibly stupid by burning (2nd degree) my four left finger tips on a hot burner on my glass top stove. I only mention it since I'm down to one hand typing so I will follow along but probably won't post for a couple of days. Really dumb on my part:oops:.
 
afternoon All,

Today I did something incredibly stupid by burning (2nd degree) my four left finger tips on a hot burner on my glass top stove. I only mention it since I'm down to one hand typing so I will follow along but probably won't post for a couple of days. Really dumb on my part:oops:.
OUCH! Aloe Vera and ice water, but not at the same time.
 
My friend stopped drinking altogether when he worked for the railroad because the railroad would call him in to work on short notice. He could not afford to lose his job, and therefore did not want even a trace of alcohol in his body.

Garry: I don't blame him. You can finish work, and be called for the next assignment as early as six hours after finishing. Once on the phone, you are expected to accept the call. It's the individual employee's responsibility to manage his rest. Crew Management is only concerned with filling jobs, they are not responsible for managing hours of service. Fatigue is likely to be more of a factor in train accidents than impairment due to substance abuse. Where else do you still have six and seven day work weeks.

I once received a letter of reprimand, for missing four days in one month. The Crew Management supervisor, only looked at unpaid time lost, that month I worked twenty - three days out of a possible twenty - seven days that month with an average work day of 13 hours plus an average 90 minute commute each day. Keep that pace up for a couple months and you get punchy. The Irony was that two of the lost work days were taken to bridge a then unpaid mandatory Rules Class. The FRA considered such unpaid class time as service, under the Hours of Service Act. That's why crews get aid for attending classes now. Hey, night work sucks enough as it is. Of course, the reprimand was rescinded, but that's the way Conrail operated.

When I returned to the tools, I pretty much gave up social activity, there was no time for it. I was meeting myself coming and going. That's one of the main reasons why I went over to Amtrak, a more stable and predictable work environment..

Boris
 
afternoon All,

Today I did something incredibly stupid by burning (2nd degree) my four left finger tips on a hot burner on my glass top stove. I only mention it since I'm down to one hand typing so I will follow along but probably won't post for a couple of days. Really dumb on my part:oops:.

Curt: Ok, you win the award ! LoL. Like Willie suggested is a good idea, also egg whites are supposed to be very good.
 
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Been raining for the last 5 hours = probably a hard drizzle for U folks.
Poor pups have not been out all day except early AM.
I guess that we have had about 1/2 inch - maybe little more.

Just ran out and checked my bucket ... Right at ONE inch!
 
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Good evening ....

Curt .... Sorry to hear about your painful mishap.

Boris .... Thank you for your insights regarding operating rules, etc. .. Always appreciated.

Everybody .... I asked if anybody is considering going to the 150th anniversary of the Golden Spike in Utah. .... So far nobody else is. .... Maybe you should consider attending this historic event .

Chet ..... I might be interested in going to Livingston in May also if the club layout is open for visitors. Let me know.

Here is an old photo showing the three Hobbytown PA1's I painted and put together several years ago.

35762340415_94fed38a2e_b.jpg
 
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afternoon All,

Today I did something incredibly stupid by burning (2nd degree) my four left finger tips on a hot burner on my glass top stove. I only mention it since I'm down to one hand typing so I will follow along but probably won't post for a couple of days. Really dumb on my part:oops:.

Curt,
I'm sorry to hear that, I hope you heal quickly.

You are not alone, we all pull a bone head move from time to time. Yesterday I was hurriedly washing dishes, before my wife would do it. It was not enough to bother with the dishwasher. A hit a glass with a ceramic coffee cup. I did not check the glass before washing it. I ended up stabbing myself in my hand when the glass broke. As soon as I felt it go in my hand I though "I knew I should have checked that glass first" and then I thought of foghorn leg horn telling me "boy you are about as sharp as a bowling ball"
 
I remember the quote that using nuclear power in that manner was a very expensive way to boil water.

I think Albert Einstein had a good sense of humor. :)

For the record; I am an ardent supporter of nuclear power.

That is a totally uninformed quote. Nuclear reactions are the cheapest way to boil water. It is just that even with all France as a working model, we stupid American's can't figure it out.

Many Americans can't even read.

More than 60 percent of twelfth-grade students scored below the proficient level in reading achievement, and 27 percent scored below the basic level in reading.
thencbla.org/literacy-resources/statistics/

The data shows 67% of fourth grade students are below proficiency in reading.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Educational Statistics, NAEP Data Explorer.

Many Americans are stupid and it's only getting worse!

My oldest daughter is a reading specialist. She is being over worked because most of the students in her school are reading below grade level. She often does not get home until 8 pm after preparing her plans for the next day. Baltimore County does not pay her overtime.
 
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Everybody .... I asked if anybody is considering going to the 150th anniversary of the Golden Spike in Utah. .... So far nobody else is. .... Maybe you should consider attending this historic event .

Here is an old photo showing the three Hobbytown PA1's I painted and put together several years ago.

35762340415_94fed38a2e_b.jpg

Garry, forgive me, I should have acknowledge your question. I would love to go to the Golden Spike anniversary! My problem is my physical limitations make traveling uncomfortable at best.

As always I enjoy your pictures.
 
I’m with you 100%! Nothing better than last nights leftovers for breakfast. Ever noticed how certain things are so much better the next day?

I agree completely with chili, but Pizza? I must be reheating it wrong. I only like New York style pizza, very thin crust, maybe that's the problem.

I’m with you 100%! Nothing better than last nights leftovers for breakfast. Ever noticed how certain things are so much better the next day?

My wife's Hungarian Gulyás (Goulash) gets better and better, but it seldom ever makes it past the next day.

Bless me for I must confess, I have been known to hide a serving or two, maybe 3 in the back of the refrigerator. My kids, never look in the back of the refrigerator. They don't know that is where the good stuff is!
 
Bless me for I must confess, I have been known to hide a serving or two, maybe 3 in the back of the refrigerator. My kids, never look in the back of the refrigerator. They don't know that is where the good stuff is!
Reminds me of my college days when I would stash beer in the vegetable drawer, my friends never looked for it there!
 
[QUOTE="Bruette, post: 448786, member: 4773"]Boris, I remember the 1987 Maryland train collision if you have time check that link and let me know if it is accurate.
Louis: The link is generally accurate, although some of the references can be taken with a grain of salt. The sole cause of the accident was that the Conrail Lite Engine movement, failed to comply with Rule 292, (STOP SIGNAL), on #1 track at Gunpow Interlocking, and crossed out on to #2 track in front of train #94 (or #194). The other "Contributing factors" Gates and Cromwell's drug usage, the lack of a split rail derail coming off of #1 track, at Gunpow, the distraction of the portable TV set, the failure of the on duty trainmaster to check the physical condition of the crew upon reporting, the supposedly excessive speed of the passenger train, because a conventional car restricted to 110 MPH, mixing of freight and passenger trains on the same tracks are irrelevant. The cause was a blown stop signal.

That doesn't change things, alcohol or other drug impairment, distracting electronic devices, or male/female guests, do not belong on the "flight deck" of an aircraft, or the cab of a locomotive or control car. People, no matter how good intentioned, are human, and prone to error. That's why some segments of our economy want to automate flight operation, rail traffic, and even personal carriage, to eliminate the human factor.

Everyone, associates drug impairment with "illegal" substances, but prescription drugs, and over the counter medicines and supplements can also impair an individual given the right combination of chemicals. Alcohol has been legal since Prohibition was repealed. There is much political and economic pressure to legalize cannabis nationwide. Where does one draw the line? Where do we go from here?

Current regulations require approval of the corporate medical department, when a railroad employee is prescribed medication. If they deny permission, or determine that the medication will cause impairment, the employee cannot work. Most operating railroad employees don't get sick days, some arbitrator denied them because "he" felt that railroaders would abuse them. faced with no income, most people take their chances, or don't take the medication, and infect everyone. I'm talking about legally obtained medications, not contraband.

I was present for the very first post accident drug test at a hospital in or near Suffern, NY on July 1, 1987, the day the regulation went into effect. A crew out of Port Jervis, NY (EL), overshot the stop signal at SF Interlocking, in Suffern. They had to be tested. I was filling the Division Road Foreman's vacancy in Elizabethport, NJ and investigating the incident. Along with the Division risk management officer, we had to arrange for the "Post Accident Blood / Urine tests and actually walk the hospital personnel through the requirements. We were sailing on untested waters, and were effectively winging it, because no one had pre arranged for anything. Ultimately, the crewmembers were clean, and they served time for their screw-up, which was a simple case of misjudging braking distance .at daybreak. Fatigue may have been a factor, but everyone was concerned with the possibility of impairment.

The process we used to persuade the hospital to even participate in the testing, getting the crew to voluntarily agree to the testing. (Automatic 9 month suspension without pay for refusal), and the manner the facility administered the test were all subject to scrutiny from our bosses, senior management, the labor organizations and the Federal Railroad Administration. No one bothered to think of this in advance

FWIW, most people who use alcohol or "recreational drugs" are not addicts, just folks relaxing or having "fun". They do not see themselves as a threat to anyone, including themselves. Others are reckless and uncaring but they are in a small minority. Gates and Cromwell were functional until that day at Gunpow. Most of their generation smoked weed, it was part of the culture. I'm not justifying their behavior, but when something is glorified by the entertainment industry, and among peers, it becomes a culture. The cool factor! These two fellows, were hired under Jimmy Carter's program requiring Federal Contractors to hire the chronically unemployed. Well, there were reasons why these folks were chronically unemployed... something that well intentioned folk who propose these requirements, never seem to consider.

Having lived under intense Government Regulation and scrutiny for most of my railroad career, I am personally not interested in seeing any more laws or regulations at any level further, regardless of intention. I do not want anything reducing my personal freedoms. We have lost much especially since 9/11, and at times it appears that we live in a Police State. It's not a matter of my having nothing to hide, that's irrelevant. I shouldn't have to show identification, while on or about my property, for instance. The world is no more dangerous now than it was in the 1930s when all of those gangsters, glorified by the entertainment industry, were running about creating havoc.

Boris[/QUOTE]

As usual you exceed my expectations, thank you!

Have you ever heard of a Robitussin party? Drink enough Robitussin and you get high. I don't care what they are impaired by, I don't want stoners, drunks or whatever on the road with my kids. Or even out in public with them. Impaired people are unpredictable and that makes them dangerous.

A heroine addict told me "if you take methadone, zanax and drink alcohol its get you as high as heroine". They can get the methadone and zanax for free. No wonder we have zombies wandering the streets.

Methamphetamine is another plague. Yesterday I was at a traffic light on Pratt street @ Light street in downtown Baltimore. I saw a guy insanely dancing on the side of the road and singing to himself with no shoes on! As they say on the streets "he was tweaking". Lock these low life scumbags up!

I would legalize any and all drugs, but I would make sure the Police have the means to do proper testing. Do what ever they want, just keep it on your own property and don't harm anyone else. The sanctity of a persons own property should only be breached with a justified and valid court order.

In my mind your right to privacy ends at your property line. Public property needs to be kept safe for all of us.

I use to be in favor of complete anarchy, then I had kids. I can't be with them all day everyday. I have to have faith in law enforcement and our courts and I do.
 
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