I suspect the fact you haven’t provided any counter data to show I’m incorrect means you can’t find any, and that is the reason you “can’t argue”. I have no issue being wrong, so long as data is provided that counters any data I’ve provided and not just some ramblings about “wrong facts” or talk about “idiot citizens”. That just comes across as a “get off my lawn” argument.
My friend groups are mostly childfree or the children have moved far away. Many are widowed. As we age and people's driving becomes more limited it gets surprisingly harder, just when we start needing more medical trips. Isolation is a real problem in this country.
My boyfriend was 9 years Air Force. When he got cancer in his 30s he didn't go to the VA because, in his words, he wanted to live.
Yeah, I wouldn't go to any of those states in their current state.
Good for me. Bad for those states. Just booked my October vacation to New York. They will get my tourism money.
We must've been in bizarro world alternate universe. It was 2015, he was diagnosed just as he was laid off. The Long Beach VA said no while he was on COBRA. He ended up with a few months of Covered California after that before aging into Medicare.That is sad, and yet the VA will try and take you (away) from your current insurance and/or doctor. Or at least the VA was doing that in the mid 2010's. Not sure what it's like now.
I fell for that trap over a decade ago as I aged toward official retirement demographics, and I had a pretty darn good VA doctor for a few years who had a very good sense of humor. But eventually I felt a little guilty after a few trips to the VA Hospital in Long Beach where there were a lot of men my age who clearly had lived a hard life, long after the Vietnam War ended and the world had moved on without them.
What this country, and its popular culture, did to Vietnam War veterans five decades ago is criminal. But that's another topic.
I'm still (Still!) on the VA's radar through basic government intel, and they have one of my current email addresses. I could return to them for treatment if things get less fortunate for me. I only knew that free rides for VA patients were a thing because of that darn mailing list they won't release me from!
https://www.va.gov/healthbenefits/vtp/
No you weren't in bizarro world, this seems to be a common story with the VA, not the first time I've heard it. And I think its going to get worse as the current Administration looks to cut the VA completely and try to privatize it at a time when our Veterans can least afford it.
www.reviewjournal.com
It is heart breaking that despite the clear indications of failure the powers that be continuing to pour exorbitant amounts of money into this bottomless pit.I’ve been a pretty big cheerleader for Brightline West, and HSR in general, but this has me really worried… new construction estimates are in and they’re much higher, over $21 billion, I think it’s still getting built but I don’t see how it ever makes a cent in profits.
Brightline FL had approximately 3 million passengers last year, if West can match that, and average $100 a ticket in PROFIT, it’ll take them 70 years just to break even. Their own projections of 9 million a year (seems high) would still take 23 years just to break even, that’s a ROA that’s not going to convince anyone to invest in HSR in America.
Unless they can find a way to get HSR costs down a substantial amount I don’t think we are ever going to see a true HSR system in America, $100 million a mile ($18,000 per FOOT) isn’t going to cut it, especially when that’s the “cheap” version, CSHR is coming in around 2.5x that price, closer to about $50,000 a FOOT. The construction prices are insane, which is resulting in insane ticket prices, which is likely going to just keep most people flying. I think it’s a failed business model in America.
Cost of Brightline’s Vegas-to-LA project skyrockets in new document
The Brightline West high-speed train project between Las Vegas and Southern California is seeking a $6 billion federal loan as its price tag swells to $21B.
I’ve been a pretty big cheerleader for Brightline West, and HSR in general, but this has me really worried… new construction estimates are in and they’re much higher, over $21 billion, I think it’s still getting built but I don’t see how it ever makes a cent in profits.
Brightline FL had approximately 3 million passengers last year, if West can match that, and average $100 a ticket in PROFIT, it’ll take them 70 years just to break even. Their own projections of 9 million a year (seems high) would still take 23 years just to break even, that’s a ROA that’s not going to convince anyone to invest in HSR in America.
Unless they can find a way to get HSR costs down a substantial amount I don’t think we are ever going to see a true HSR system in America, $100 million a mile ($18,000 per FOOT) isn’t going to cut it, especially when that’s the “cheap” version, CSHR is coming in around 2.5x that price, closer to about $50,000 a FOOT. The construction prices are insane, which is resulting in insane ticket prices, which is likely going to just keep most people flying. I think it’s a failed business model in America.
Cost of Brightline’s Vegas-to-LA project skyrockets in new document
The Brightline West high-speed train project between Las Vegas and Southern California is seeking a $6 billion federal loan as its price tag swells to $21B.
