Over the past few days, readers have written in with claims of seeing a very bright yellow orb in the sky. Many say they have been blinded by this phenomenon in areas where it suddenly pops into view. I?ve done some research and have discovered that this orb is something called “the sun.” Apparently, it is a source of high energy that can heat the air and lead to the removal of layers of clothing. For many, it necessitates the wearing of devices know as “sunglasses” to protect the eyes.
The serious truth is that in the past month or so since we have seen the sun, we may have forgotten the areas in which it will pop into our view as we drive. It?s the same thing that usually happens during time changes. The sun is blinding and can lead to accidents if you are not prepared. A good pair of sunglasses and clean windshields are good ways to combat the negative effects by allowing you to see ahead of you on the road.
Squeaky wheels save MARC?s Brunswick Line stops
In response to my semi-rant the other day about the shortcomings of MARC?s Brunswick Line, Dan writes: “Even compared to other commuter rail lines (much less light rail), MARC?s Brunswick route provides very low frequency service. It runs a handful of trains into D.C. in the morning and a handful out in the evening. Some destinations are served by as few as two trains in the morning commute. This is because the track is owned by the freight rail lines, who will only allow a handful of passenger train runs per day. … Brunswick line?s infrequent service makes it totally unusable for anyone who doesn?t fit an extremely narrow niche of working hours. This is compared with the Penn line, which runs approximately three times as many daily trains frequently enough for riders to schedule their day around their own needs and take whichever train is most convenient, rather than scheduling their day around one or two train options.
“The stations being considered for closing, which you cite as proof of the Brunswick line?s failure, were/are in extremely rural locations where few potential riders live, and are thus a detriment to the vast majority of riders. … The removal of those stops would have made the service better, and was in absolutely no way related to the relative success or failure of the line as a whole to attract riders.”
The battle to save those few stops was initiated by a very small (fewer than five) number of people who wanted the stops to remain. They got the attention of the media and eventually got the state?s transportation administration to leave the stops in place. This may be one of those examples where the wants of a few supersede the needs of many. This happens rather frequently in transportation, where those withthe loudest voices get their way.
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