Reason.tv: The Glorious Rebirth of Bus Travel & Why the Gov't May Ruin it Again

[VIDEO] Reason takes a look at the bus industry and how government interference helped hasten its decline after the 2nd World War. Today the industry is making a comeback as it appears curbside bus service - especially for intercity travel - is allowing more people to take the bus.

When I attended school in Atlanta, my mode of transit was mainly Greyhound. I can see how curbside service could be attractive as it costs money to maintain stations and terminals. In the meanwhile with such services such as Megabus all you need is a bus, possibly a garage, and then a place for the bus to pick-up or drop-off passengers. Also I forgot about labor, the buses can't drive themselves.

Another thing reason correctly notes, in the years I've taken the bus even before the Morehouse College years Greyhound has changed. They repainted their buses, made changes to their terminals, they've even added amenities to their buses with places to charge mobile devices and free wi-fi. Also it helps that you don't have to go to the terminal to pick up a ticket you can even print it off at home. For the context of this video, Greyhound owns some of the bus services popular in NYC's Chinatown.

I have to think, this video portrays starting a bus transit service as being particularly easy back in the past. Just buy a vehicle and start picking up people and yes I realize it's not entirely that simple as well you have to let people know you're in business to start. All the same this could go for a number of industries.

How did it happen that government comes in and sets all these rules for what they expect businesses to do? How is it for anyone who wants to operate intercity bus services that companies must have a permit? Even then how is it government decides that cracks in the frame of a bus is a huge issue while an organization represented bus companies have acknowledged that these cracks aren't a serious safety issue?

There are a lot of questions to be asked for sure. It makes me want to support the strictest definition of laissez-faire.

How does the economy work now?

There are two items from The 312 blog posting courtesy of Chicago Mag. The one that caught my attention the most was how temporary workers were being screwed by the system. The linking article noted how temp workers can find themselves being paid below the minimum wage in Illinois. One way that happens, when you finally connect with a gig, you will somehow still get charged for transportation fees.

Alas in America it's reported that a temp agency is the second largest employer in America. Walmart is still no. 1 although the also use temp workers.

Of course it's that just under another brief write-up on how Doctors determine how to charge for their various services.

Those two combined is how the economy works right now!

Just learned of a shooting involving a Morehouse College student

As much as people are worked up about what happened with Trayvon Martin last year, sometimes I wish that people could get worked up for incidents such as this. This time it involves a Man of Morehouse and this article from the AJC notes that this was the third arrest in the murder:

A third person has been arrested in the shooting death of a Morehouse College student, the U.S. Marshals Service said Friday afternoon.

Anthony Finley, 23, was arrested Friday morning in Shiloh, about 75 miles southwest of Atlanta in Harris County, according to Supervisory Inspector Gavin Duffy with the Marshals.

Finley is third suspect in the June 13 shooting death of Joseph Gibbs. Gibbs, 23, died in his driver’s seat after being shot inside his car near the intersection of Parsons and Webster streets. He died near the campus of Morehouse College, where he was a few credit hours short of his diploma.

Atlanta police previously said the shooting appeared to be the result of a drug deal, though investigators have not released information about what led to the shooting.

Investigators believe after the first two arrests, Finley left the Atlanta area to stay with family member and elude capture. The case remains under investigation.

It's very disappointing that it was also reported that this crime was as a result of a drug deal. It's sad that a young man was cut down early once again, however, please remember that it's risky to be involved with drugs at all.

Ouch!!!

Well before I tell a long story let me set this post up. A long time Alderman - Richard Mell - will be retiring from his seat on the Chicago City Council. He was not only an Alderman but a ward boss as he was a Democratic Committeeman for his 33rd Ward. In that capacity he helped his son-in-law one Rod Blagojevich move up in the world of Chicago politics.

For his part Mell regrets that noting:

With the benefit of hindsight, "I think that he would have probably stayed a state representative," Mell said of his son-in-law.

Rich Miller went further, as a state political blogger he's had many dealings with the Blagojevich administration. It's obvious although he's free to correct me that he doesn't care for Blago at all:

Why even go that far? In hindsight, he should’ve been kept out of politics altogether.

Ouch indeed!

Needless to say I'm sure the history justifies that assessment. From Illinois House of Representatives to the US Congress to Illinois' Governor's mansion and now in federal prison for corruption. Could anyone have seen that coming?

State Journal-Register: Visit impresses British relative of Lincoln

Springfield, Illinois is the state capital and unfortunately it takes a back seat to it's much larger sister city of Chicago. As far as state government goes all the action is in Springfield especially during a session of the Illinois General Assembly. This is true in spite of the fact that most of this state's constitutional officers well all but one of six in fact resides in the Chicago area.

Springfield is known for it's association with America's 16th President who just so happens to be Abraham Lincoln who is known for leading this nation through a Civil War and during the course of that war freed the slaves. It's interesting that in this article we see that genealogists found President Lincoln's closest living British relative and they brought him to his cousin's adopted hometown.

It was such an enjoyable visit for him that he wants to tell others to visit Springfield. It just let's everyone know that Lincoln buffs are everywhere and they're willing to visit the sites where Lincoln lived or worked. And at that the sites such as Lincoln's Presidential Library that shows his place in history.

Welcome to Illinois Mr. & Mrs. Gilchrist hopefully the people you meet wherever you go in this state will show you nothing but great hospitality. And as a person who is an Illinoisian, Springfield is probably the one place that I need to visit in the future. All I've done in the past is pass through and that needs to change!

Lee Bey: Moo & Oink's leftovers revealed in an uncovered ghost sign

I'm sure paying a visit to a neighborhood Moo & Oink store was something of a tradition on holidays such as 4th of July. The stores that had existed for that chain has been closed since 2011 and the brand lives on in various grocery stores in the area. Therefore you can still by bbq meat items that are Moo & Oink branded.

Lee Bey an architecture blogger writes about the ancient signage at a shuttered Moo & Oink store near 71st & Stony Island. That is what you see pictured above. There are plans for this property and hence the work that's being done here and exposes the ancient artwork.

Another thing is that it's a bit of a holiday tradition from my family to purchase chitterlings from Moo & Oink from around the Christmas holidays. The stores are closed now but that doesn't mean that we can't at least go to Pete's Produce for example to buy them. However it appears that this item is out of season currently!

Ward Room: Pride Parade a Who's Who in Illinois Politics

While I didn't actually go to this event on Chicago's North Side there were many who were on their way to these festivities Sunday morning on the CTA. I'm starting to view this as just another party, however, it appears to be a very crucial party. Ward Room noted the many politicians who were present for this.

One of those politicians were actually a Republican, that person being current State Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka. She was listed as a "gay icon" for some reason but she was the only Republican spotted at the parade. It's possible any other Republicans there weren't recognized well enough for it to matter. Come to think of it, when it comes to gay marriage in Illinois there were some Republican supporters it's a bit surprising that some of them didn't attend this parade or at least weren't spotted there.

Also let's not forget that there's an election coming up in 2014. So the Pride Parade was one event where an aspiring politician might want to get their name out there and hopefully gain some voters. Some of the other politicans on the list would certainly explain that such as Gov. Pat Quinn who may well go down for the count next year as his record as Governor still leaves a lot to be desired. Also a downstate politician State Sen. Mike Freirichs also attended away from his hometown of Champaign, IL who wants to run for State Treasurer.

You know I think I should keep an eye for such a post when it's time for the Bud Billiken Parade. Who might come out for a back-to-school parade that is also another party for the Black Community. Will Judy Baar Topinka bring any other Republicans with here to the Billiken in August?