Fellow Seaint members:
Regarding the warning for posting non-structural topic: I feel that these are some moments on which whole civil engineering becomes proud of. I appreciate that you brought this issue and I will try to refrain in the future about it.
Regarding the topic: I feel we should not get into politics, loans criteria and individual discrimination against countries. High Speed Railways is the one technology which I will prefer in countries like China, India etc. because of massive population, the individual road transport becomes a concert with respect to the environment. When we use High Speed Railways, we use very minimum energy/passenger and when the whole world is taking about Carbon credits etc, I feel this is one of the best technology to control it. These decreases pollution on a larger scale which helps globally, they help connect people throughout the country which brings unite to nation and last bu not the least they make rapid urbanisation restricted. These are the problems of countries like China, India which are densely populated and massive in length.
I still feel that we should appreciate China regarding the fact they have attained a position in HSR. Even California HSR is looking upto Chinese HSR for inspiration and contracts. And to bring different countries like Iran, Pakistan and India(my native country) may bring a strong resistance from my side regarding my country. So, I request everyone not to use such type of examples which may hurt the sentiments.
Regards
Avi Sharma
On Fri, Oct 29, 2010 at 9:22 AM, Glenn Otto <ggator1256@cox.net> wrote:
Mass transportation means everyone is the same and controlled.
Cars mean individualism and freedom.
High speed rail: communism better than capitalism posturing.
Glenn C. Otto, P.E.
A Structural Engineer, P.C.
"It's a freedom thing, you wouldn't understand"--Glenn Otto
"Contemplate the mangled bodies of your countrymen, and then say 'what
should be the reward of such sacrifices?' ... If ye love wealth better than
liberty, the tranquility of servitude than the animated contest of freedom,
go from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick
the hands which feed you. May your chains sit lightly upon you, and may
posterity forget that you were our countrymen!"
--Samuel Adams
NON-structural engineering post warning:
Now, I am a big proponent of mass transit and high speed rail, and
personally love train travel. The technological aspects of it are
exciting and interesting, and I support the initiative conceptually.
It works well in areas of Europe and Japan, and hopefully one day we
can get a few lines going here. But something about this does not sit
right with me, probably because it is China.
The whole thing, especially the press release, reaks of communist
posturing, just like the entire Beijing Olympics. It also seems
familiar: North Korea's rocket and nuclear program, Pakistan and India
having nuclear weapons, and Iran's whole nuclear deal. These are poor
countries with huge social problems that are putting their carts
before their horses in an attempt to launch themselves into the 21st
century. Meanwhile, the vast majority of people in these countries
live on a few bucks a day in abject poverty.
High speed rail seems like an anti-communism move, almost hypocritical
from a socialist perspective. It can be extremely expensive and likely
only affordable by the rich and tourists. I have to think that a
country with China's population and huge social, economic, and
environmental issues would be better off for the whole to solve more
common problems than cutting edge high speed rail technology. Why not
just drive around the countryside of China in a Porsche with the top
down with a big china flag on the hood, flipping the bird to all of
the sustenance farmers in the rice paddies... Let them eat cake?
(Yes, the US has lots of problems which I am aware of, but the article
was about China. Not picking on China, just their government's
decision making... Which ours needs picking on too!)
Andrew Kester, PE
Florida
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Avi Sharma
Student
Department of Civil Engineering
SRKNEC, Nagpur ,India
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Avi Sharma
Student
Department of Civil Engineering
SRKNEC, Nagpur ,India
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