Texas Talk

 Texas-chatter came up....Dem's want a high-speed rail project.

Route?  Dallas....going south....hitting Waco.....then Austin....ending in San Antonio.  If you figure in a 5-min stop in Waco and Austin....the total trip is about 2 hours and 45 minutes (roughly).

Cost of such a ticket?  Unknown....they left this info out of the draft bill.  My humble guess.....round-trip?  Probably in the $250 range.

To be kinda honest....the Dallas to Waco 'leg'....probably would never have anyone riding.  

How many runs per day?  With a 3-car train and 250-odd passenger max for each trip...no more than three runs is my guess.

Why leave Houston out of this?  That's another odd feature.

If you left this for public talk?  It would not be in the top 100 improvements for the state.  

The funny thing?  You could start up a bus-trip....same route....taking 6 hours....for $39 each way.

Taboo Chatting

 I sat this morning....reading over a list of taboo subjects....listed by the top things you probably shouldn't engage upon.

Number one: whether whites are smarter than blacks, because of genetic reasons.

Number two: whether brother-sister sex is harmful for consenting adults.

Number three: whether trans stuff is a mental disease.

To be honest, after reviewing the forty-odd items listed.....there's probably a zero chance of me bringing up any of these....anywhere....with anyone.

Somewhere down the list....was the topic of socialism being better than capitalism (being taboo to discuss).  I pondered over this....if someone did want to engage me on this....I'd probably try to find a exit door and leave....preferring not to waste my time with a capitalism-is-doomed discussion.

Oddly, we don't think of taboo-chatter much.  

Where This Credit Card 'Evolution' Goes

By the end of 2027, I'll predict these changes coming over credit cards:

1.  Rate is established at 10-percent. 

2.  Immediately, the C/C companies put out a letter.  Around one-third of all holders (mostly folks making $40k or less) are given their 'freedom'....no more credit.  Just pay your debt situation and be finished.

3.  From the remaining crowd....there's going to be a yearly fee (probably minimum of $100, on up to $1,000) to have 'status'.

4.  From this crowd....half will be limited to a max of $8,000 of credit. The rest will have some formula....50-percent of your yearly income.

5.  Some major congressional hearings about will occur....drawing negative attention over M/C and Visa.  At a key hearing, the 'bosses' of the card empire announce that forty Senators/Congressmen....have over $80,000 in credit card debt....suggesting that they might announce the names of the individuals.