That's new, isn't it?

[Credit where due: My Camera. Peggy's Eye!]

They've opened a section of Light Rail here that is finally functional for "MOI".  Peggy and I joined the masses and explored it for free for a day. I am so excited.

I was actually doing a daily radio feature back in the 70's called "Tighten Your Belt." It was motivated by one of our other energy crises. On a particular week I'd explored the on-going reluctance of citizens to get into car pools.  So let me run this by you as kind of a test.

Car Pools don't work in the West because?

A. Western Folks like their personal freedom.

B. Nobody goes to work in the same direction at the same time.

C. It's tough to get more than two people at a time in the cab of a pickup.

D. People moving here from Chicago, Boston, New York and D.C. are alone behind the wheel for the first time in their lives.

Well this was a time of great in-migration in this state. And the answer from regional planning surveys of the time?  Uh, huh! D!! So as is turns out....most of us born and reared out here in God's Country will kill to let someone else do the driving.  Cars are for vacations and business trips.

I take my students on little "Golly Gee" walks near campus a couple of times a semester.  I love to point out that Light Rail actually originated in this "Cow Town."  And that was apparently the problem, and part of the reason it's taken another hundred years to get it going again. You see?  The early railcars were driven by electricity installed right down there with the track.  Seems you get a good rain? Well, SPARKS FLY. And? Say goodbye to some cows and horses and a few good men.  I'm sure there  is some "myth" in there somewhere.  But I'm assured that's all ESSENTIALLY true.

This light rail thing was a big story for me while I was reportin' for a livin'. I can ramble on till you keel over suffering from severe ennui. Not gonna happen.

I'm going to steal some wit and wisdom from local schizoid reporter Adam Schrager. (He is a print and TV reporter on the same days.) Sharing with one of my classes a few years ago he says, and I quote I think, " In print I write to explain. In TV? I write to enhance."

Take one more look at Peggy's picture. I've already over-enhanced.