“China’s Industrial Speedrun”

[Bucky Cornstarch]

OMG.... "some" red tape issues. That's like saying the US has some debt.

The entire state is one gigantic roll of red tape. Government is so entrenched in every aspect of everything that goes on there... absurd would be a relief.

Thankfully, we have concerned citizens such as Nutboy doing their part to make California even better by running away like scared little schoolchildren when they figure out that the state, like the world, is passing them by.

[ghuns]

...There has been talk of a high speed rail between KC and St Louis...

Isn't it just called I-70?

I mean, as long as it has less than .1" of snow on it, people see to go pretty fast.

[beej]

Isn't it just called I-70?

I mean, as long as it has less than .1" of snow on it, people see to go pretty fast.

yes. and right now they are building a 3rd lane across the entire state. the cost of that lane is 2.8 billion for 200 miles. that include all of the work being done to the overpasses to accommodate it.

The cost of the high speed rail in Cali is currently estimating a total cost of 128 billion to finish phase 1.

it's not hard to see the temptation to disregard high speed rail with those numbers. And then you throw in the fact that to use it, I'd have to drive 1 hour the wrong direction so that I could get to KC in 1.5 hours instead of 3 hours. So if I'm only saving a half hour, I'd rather just have my own vehicle when I get there. so it limits who would actually use the service.

[jstell]

Geddy Lee has a voice like Yoko Ono.

I always felt like he violated the number one rule of making a record:  If you're going to take your cat to the recording studio with you, don't step on it while the tape is rolling!

[neurosis]

There's a reason some of their best songs are instrumentals? 

La Villa Strangiato anyone?

[Smit]

yes. and right now they are building a 3rd lane across the entire state. the cost of that lane is 2.8 billion for 200 miles. that include all of the work being done to the overpasses to accommodate it.

The cost of the high speed rail in Cali is currently estimating a total cost of 128 billion to finish phase 1.

it's not hard to see the temptation to disregard high speed rail with those numbers. And then you throw in the fact that to use it, I'd have to drive 1 hour the wrong direction so that I could get to KC in 1.5 hours instead of 3 hours. So if I'm only saving a half hour, I'd rather just have my own vehicle when I get there. so it limits who would actually use the service.

I don't think KC to St Louis would make sense but NY to Chicago might. Or any of the big cities really.

We have a few street cars in KC that I thought would be a waste of money but now that they're in service I gotta admit I was wrong. They are very popular.

They're free to ride so I don't know how they justify them though.

[ghuns]

...They're free to ride so I don't know how they justify them though.

Socialism?

[neurosis]

Now I just had to play it.

[Smit]

Socialism?

I guess so.

I don't pay KC taxes so that works for me. 😀

[jstell]

Google/Gemini summary of how KC pays for streetcar:

Kansas City's light rail (streetcar) is primarily funded through a voter-approved Transportation Development District (TDD) with dedicated funding sources, including a 1% sales tax within the district and special property/parking lot assessments, supplemented by significant federal grants (like FTA grants) and local investments, keeping rides fare-free for riders.

Key Funding Sources:
Sales Tax: A 1% sales tax on most purchases within the TDD, which covers the downtown/main street corridor.
Property Assessments: Special property assessments on commercial and residential properties, plus pay parking lots, located near the streetcar line.
Federal Grants: Large federal grants from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) cover a significant portion of capital costs, like the Main Street expansion.
Local Bonds & Investments: City special obligation bonds and funding from entities like the KCATA (RideKC) contribute.
Sponsorships: Private sponsorships also add to the revenue.

How it Works:
Voter Approval: The TDD, which collects these specific taxes, was approved by voters to create a dedicated funding stream for the streetcar.
Fare-Free: Because of these dedicated local and federal funds, the streetcar remains free for passengers.
In essence, it's a mix of local tax revenue from those who benefit directly (businesses/shoppers near the route) and federal taxpayer dollars, all working to keep the system running without requiring individual fares

[Smit]

Ya know, the scary part about China's manufacturing capacity is military. They might not have the technology the U.S. has but they have the numbers.

Think about the German technology in WW2. The Panzer and Tiger were superior to American Sherman tanks but we were able to produce those Shermans so fast we could overwhelm the better tanks.

China is positioning themselves to do the same things to us if we have to fight them.

China also has hypersonic antiship missiles. We don't have them. That puts our superior technology in extreme danger. The hypersonic missiles cost a fraction of what an aircraft carrier, or any of our high tech ships, cost so overwhelming our defenses is very possible.

At this point I don't know how we can even respond to that threat.

This isn't a partisan thing. We've been losing manufacturing capacity, especially for defense, for so long nobody can claim to be better than anybody else.

Top admiral says China is outbuilding the US on warships at a shocking rate

Excerpt:

China is building warships much faster than the US, a top US admiral said.
   
The head of US Indo-Pacific Command said the rate of Chinese ship production to that of the US is 6 to 1.8.
   
China's military buildup and modernization efforts have been a top priority for leader Xi Jinping.

China's military is outbuilding the US on warships, the top American commander in the Indo-Pacific said.

This isn't a new revelation, but the rate at which a top rival is outpacing the US in a critical area is astonishing.

Last week, the head of US Indo-Pacific Command, Adm. Samuel Paparo, testified in front of the US Senate Armed Services Committee on the regional challenges, with China a top talking point.

Asked about China's ability to produce military assets, Paparo said it's building naval combatants at the rate of 6 to 1.8 to the US, roughly three times as many warships.

"And I could go through every force element that we are talking about," he added. He said the rate at which China is building fighter jets compared to the US is 1.2 to 1.

[Elmer Fudd]

Old Rush is good stuff.

[beej]

Ya know, the scary part about China's manufacturing capacity is military. They might not have the technology the U.S. has but they have the numbers.

Think about the German technology in WW2. The Panzer and Tiger were superior to American Sherman tanks but we were able to produce those Shermans so fast we could overwhelm the better tanks.

China is positioning themselves to do the same things to us if we have to fight them.

China also has hypersonic antiship missiles. We don't have them. That puts our superior technology in extreme danger. The hypersonic missiles cost a fraction of what an aircraft carrier, or any of our high tech ships, cost so overwhelming our defenses is very possible.

At this point I don't know how we can even respond to that threat.

This isn't a partisan thing. We've been losing manufacturing capacity, especially for defense, for so long nobody can claim to be better than anybody else.

Top admiral says China is outbuilding the US on warships at a shocking rate

Excerpt:

The upside, if there is one, they are running a debt of 300% Gdp. That's not nothing.

[gcode]

It was Joseph Stalin who said
"Quantity has a quality all it's own"

Then again, a lot of what China builds is junk.
Their giant apartment building are famous for collapsing, and they recently had a world record breaking bridge collapse. Their military / industrial complex is over run with corruption.

I read an article recently about Chinese tanks being used in the Cambodia/Thailand border fight. The barrels are exploding, killing the crews.

All the same, if someone shoots a thousand missiles at you and only 10% function properly, you are still in deep shit.