Some Random Thoughts

I’m hoping to get a solid column up tomorrow in regards Russia and the world. Right now, I’m dealing with more mundane things.

While it is still not official, some things happened this morning that indicate my early retirement is indeed on track. It will be later in the month before I will be fully able to confirm that, but right now it looks good.

The car will be headed to the transmission shop here in a bit. Part of this morning has been spent arranging the tow and letting the shop know it is on its way. Letter going over everything discussed with the shop is printed and on the dash, along with contact information. Using the tow service recommended by the shop saved $100 off the tow. Here’s hoping that trend continues.

Took the bus yesterday to do some shopping. Had to take one bus all the way in to the new transit center as options to transfer to the line I needed earlier are now gone. The drivers on the line I take in have all be nice and helpful. Switching to the new Red Line, I noticed that the drivers like to fly low, not stop, and aren’t quite as helpful. To be polite. Had one of them who had to stop off-station as, despite multiple stop requests, she blew by the station. Eight plus people needed off. The more I see these new lines in operation, the less impressed I am. And I was not a proponent of them from the start. If you want to do it wrong, just look to see what IndyGo did or does.

I got to spend part of that Red Line trip with “Big Dawg” and crew. Learned a bit about bail, bonds, and how having to pay $100 to bond out was “bullshit.” Seems you don’t have to pay anything in Chicago. Interesting the things you learn these days on the bus.

Years back, I took the bus a good bit. Most passengers were workers or elderly. You occasionally had a homeless person riding around just to be under shelter. People causing trouble were not tolerated. Rules were enforced equally.

Yesterday was an eye opener. Workers and the elderly were a distinct minority. They also tended to be vigilant or even hyper-vigilant. Quite a few apparent homeless who were using the bus as a means to keep warm. Given our weather, I’m glad for the option. Quite a few, however, were what used to be called the troublemakers. Bragging about scams, crime, etc. Moving to new places until they get kicked out of there. And they wonder why IndyGo is having problems and former core ridership is dropping out.

My thoughts on the mentally ill among the homeless deserve a full post. What has been done to them in the name of doing right by them is a travesty. A complex and expensive travesty full of lies, distortions, and deceit. And graft. They deserve a lot better than they are getting, and so does the rest of the public.

I did get my shopping done, though I mis-remembered the distance between the two stores. I thought it was maybe half a mile or so. I was wrong. Very wrong. Good exercise though, even in the extremely frigid cold. Got some needed things, and a couple of nice-to-haves. Amazing what all you can fit into an assault ruck, including the small ice chest/micro-cooler, which came in handy. Felt it last night, but was good.

More soon.