If you're not a Simpson's fan, you probably won't get this riff on one of their best episodes, "Marge vs. the Monorail," written by Conan O'Brien.Basically, Springfield is swindled into buying a monorail made of state-of-the-art-technology, such as the "Seld-M-Brake," from the 1964 Word's Fair. It's a perfect analogy to Metro, which is underfunded, dilapidated, outdated and, worst of all, managed by incompetents.
This Simpsons episode is highly recommended. A so-so quality clip available here. Another clip here.
Other news:
Inside the crash (WaPo)
Washington Examiner Op/Ed piece on Metro's crash
Is automation good? (WaPo)
VRE raising fares (WTOP)
Metro's e-fails (Balt. Sun)
Washington's metro trains carry more passengers daily than a a major airline. An individual train transports more people than a 747 jet airliner. It's scary that WMATA and its board have no one to oversee them. And there is no govt metro transit regulatory and/or safety agency!
ReplyDeleteum...would you like to move to Boston where the T is from the 1800s, crashes regularly, and can't even hope to have a time table.
ReplyDeleteMetro isn't dilapidated, you have no idea how good you have it.
When was the last fatal accident in Boston?
ReplyDeleteLast year -- trolley operator was killed when his train rear ended another. They just had similar crash in May when an operator ran a red while texting.
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ReplyDeleteI like how people keep slamming this blog for expecting Metro to be run efficiently, to keep up with regular maintenance and to generally not suck. Just because other cities have crappier transit systems doesn't mean we shouldn't expect more from ours.
ReplyDeletealright, this is just too much. you guys need to stop ripping off why i hate dc. they had this photo up on on friday (of course, without the shitty photoshopping).
ReplyDelete6/8: why i hate dc suggest train operators use post-it notes to remind them of how many train cars they have.
6/9: you say "hey, metro should use post-it notes!
6/8: why I hate dc features Tyson's ad that looks like vietnam veterans memorial.
6/9: you say "oh, we saw this first". no you didn't, you jackasses. you post whatever little tidbit you think you hear on some other blog as soon as you can. you're just pissed why i hate dc found it and you didn't.
6/26: why i hate dc has post about metro with Simpsons monorail photo.
6/29: unsuck dc metro has the SAME PHOTO, albeit with shitty photoshopping. it'd be a great original commentary using pop culture if someone else didn't do it three days before you.
bitching about the metro is one thing. ripping off someone else's bitching and reposting it as your own is just sad.
Don't read your site. Honest.
ReplyDeleteI love it when people leave crappy comments under Anonymous. grow up.
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