After reading this recent study from WPC about the costs of various types of public transit, I thought of Britney. Hat tip to the David Boze show on KTTH 770, where I first learned of the study, and kudos to WPC's Michael Ennis for some great work.

The study extols van pools as far more cost effective than trains and buses. Some of the numbers are .mind boggling. See the link for the complete story, but the most striking to me was the graph on page 5, which lists 'total expenditure per passenger mile' for various types of transit:

Van pool..........$0.20 per passenger mile
bus.................$0.85
light rail...........$1.15
ST bus.............$1.70
Sounder rail......$5.39

So Sounder commuter rail costs 27 times more than a van pool! Given that, it seems crazy that we are even talking about expansion of rail. Naturally with the costs being less, the van pools require much less taxpayer subsidies, which the study also details.

Moreover, with GPS and mobile computing, it seems just a matter of time until 'on demand' van pooling is developed. You text your from/to addresses, and desired departure time to the system, and a computer finds the van in your area that would most efficiently handle it. The van stops at your door, and takes you along with several other passengers headed roughly the same direction, continually picking up and letting off passengers.

That would be the best of all worlds--nearly the same convenience as a personal car, and the efficiency/economy of scale of mass transit. If we could start to transition now towards van pools, we would be ready when on-demand van pools become available.

Note that my link is to part three of a four part study. WPC also has a video on youtube that talks about existing van pools and interviews a few users.

Catholic Bishop Publishes Extraordinary Letter Re: "Obstinate" Kennedy's Abortion Support
Tobin says to Kennedy, "Your position is unacceptable to the Church and scandalous to many of our members"

PROVIDENCE, Rhode Island, November 11, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) - After getting a public rebuke from his own bishop over abortion advocacy, Rep. Patrick Kennedy has refused to dialogue any further, calling it "very disconcerting" that his bishop would publicly declare he is not a Catholic in good standing.

The Providence Journal reports that Kennedy - the son of the late Sen. Ted Kennedy - stated he was "not going to dignify with an answer" the public rebuke published by Catholic Bishop Thomas Tobin that stated Kennedy could not consider himself a Catholic in good-standing and still support abortion.

Kennedy had earlier asserted in an Oct. 29 letter - the latest public back-and-forth between him and Bishop Tobin - that, "The fact that I disagree with the hierarchy on some issues does not make me any less of a Catholic."

Although the two men were scheduled to meet on Thursday to discuss Kennedy's abortion support, Bishop Tobin viewed Kennedy's assertion as a bridge too far, saying it "deserves a public response, lest it go unchallenged and lead others to believe it's true."

In a public letter released in the diocesan newspaper on Monday - just two days after Kennedy voted in the House against adding the Pitts-Stupak amendment to the health-care bill - the Catholic prelate made clear that disagreeing with the bishops on a "grave matter" like abortion "certainly does diminish their ecclesial communion, their unity with the Church."

"[I]f you don't accept the teachings of the Church your communion with the Church is flawed, or in your own words, makes you 'less of a Catholic,'" insisted Tobin, pointing to Church documents, Sacred Scripture, and Church Tradition to back him up.

Tobin also addressed the question of whether Kennedy could be considered a Catholic on a practical level.

"Do you accept the teachings of the Church on essential matters of faith and morals, including our stance on abortion? Do you belong to a local Catholic community, a parish? Do you attend Mass on Sundays and receive the sacraments regularly? Do you support the Church, personally, publicly, spiritually and financially?"

The bishop continued, "In your letter you say that you 'embrace your faith.' Terrific. But if you don't fulfill the basic requirements of membership, what is it exactly that makes you a Catholic? Your baptism as an infant? Your family ties? Your cultural heritage?"

Tobin also rejected Kennedy's defense that his advocacy of abortion fell into the same "imperfect humanity" that has to wrestle with "sins such as anger, pride, greed, impurity or dishonesty."

"We all struggle with those things, and often fail," Tobin said. However, rejecting the Church's teaching on abortion, the bishop said, "falls into a different category - it's a deliberate and obstinate act of the will; a conscious decision that you've re-affirmed on many occasions."

"Sorry, you can't chalk it up to an 'imperfect humanity.' Your position is unacceptable to the Church and scandalous to many of our members. It absolutely diminishes your communion with the Church."

The Bishop of Providence, nonetheless, invited Kennedy "to enter into a sincere process of discernment, conversion and repentance" and offered his personal assistance if the Congressman requested it.

"It's not too late for you to repair your relationship with the Church, redeem your public image, and emerge as an authentic 'profile in courage,' especially by defending the sanctity of human life for all people, including unborn children," concluded Tobin. "And if I can ever be of assistance as you travel the road of faith, I would be honored and happy to do so."

Tobin's response looks like it may be the last word in the public debate between Kennedy and him. Kennedy brusquely told the Providence Journal that he was "not going to dignify with an answer" Tobin's public letter, adding, "I'm not going to engage [in] this anymore."

Kennedy's meeting with Bishop Tobin has been postponed for now, although Kennedy indicated he was willing to resume provided that matters of faith remained "between us."

The Providence Diocese told the Journal that the bishop was only responding to Kennedy's public comments, and that if the Congressman wanted to meet with Tobin on Thursday, the bishop would be available.

Read Bishop Tobin's complete letter here.

http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/nov/09111110.html

Pay ATTENTION Gregoire, Murray, Cantwell, Pelosi, Biden, Kerry, Dodd, Durbin, Leahy, Landrieau, Harkin, DeFazio, Dingell, Gillibrand, Kucinich, Rangel, et al.

McDermott didn't want to have town hall meetings this summer. Maybe he should have one today.

And maybe join us for a Tea Party.

Christopher Sweet....$6354
Robert Brusseau........6230
Jason Linn.................6230
Garbriel Olson............5311
Bryan Ensley..............5311
Spike Unruh...............5311
John McMillan..............5417
Dennis Tardiff.............5311
Daniel Mann................5526

The average salary is just about $68,000 per year. A tenth trooper, James Hotaling apparently was on military duty at the time. He resigned in July, along with John McMillan. The other eight toughed it out on paid leave for the full year. They are now back on the job, but will serve 3 to10 day suspensions. By my calculation, the 9 were paid a total of about $595,779 while on leave. Given the excellent benefits enjoyed by public employees, I am guessing that number would jump by another $200,000 if benefits were added. With the cost of the year-long investigation, and the cost of overtime for other troopers to make up for the absence of those on leave, it seems likely that this escapade cost taxpayers over $1 million.

Two points should not go unnoticed. First of all, it has been argued that these troopers were merely mistaken about the diplomas. After all, they duly submitted them to WSP HR, and were told that the diplomas were acceptable. But if we make that argument, why even suspend the troopers? In fact, why even put them on leave? I don't see a middle ground here. Either the troopers knew exactly what they were doing, in which case they should have been fired, or they didn't, in which case they should not be disciplined, period. WSP brass can't have it both ways.

Secondly, for WSP to release this news on a Friday afternoon before the election was clearly an underhanded tactic. This news was, like all news, was mostly ignored over the weekend, and lightly covered on Monday. Tuesday brings the election, news of which will completely bury this story. The tactic was effective.

Both of these points go to the culpability of WSP brass in this matter. I urge all to contact your state legislators, and Gov. Gregoire. Don't let the underhanded tactics win out, and don't let this episode be forgotten.

But if you thought Constantine couldn't sink lower, there's more. On the same blog, Bruce Ramsey calls out Constantine for LIBEL against the Washington Policy Center in yet another ad by his campaign. Ramsey says: "It's election time, and Constantine is running the ads his political advisers figure will help him win. And if the Washington Policy Center is ideologically libeled, well, they don't care much about that."

The question is, do you?

Why don't you take the time today to send this post to your friends? After Tuesday it will be too late.

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[P. Scott Cummins wants to know what you think - comment here first, and you are always welcome at The Urbane R Blog http://www.pscottcummins.com/blog/ ]