3000 Missles in the sky now

3000 ballistic missiles overhead now

by Tim Castleman

At any given moment there are about 3000 jet aircraft hurtling along at nearly 600 MPH carrying several tons of explosive fuel and around one hundred passengers. On holidays the number doubles to 6000 potential Weapons of Mass Destruction blasting in and out of the very heart of our population centers hundreds of times per day. 

All it takes is a few dedicated individuals, or even just one person with nothing left to lose…who has not seen the potential for devastation worldwide on color TV from the events of 9/11/01? 

This industry that serves less than 1% of the public each day consumes tens of billions of taxpayer dollars in the form of subsidies, tax relief, grants, and political favor.  How many tens of billions? It is hard to calculate the total because of the industries relationship to the defense industry. The very same companies that build, maintain and profit from passenger aircraft also build bombs and weapons to wage war from the air, raining death and destruction from 30,000 feet. The crossover into space should not be forgotten, and all of the related industries and jobs that result from all this technological ingenuity that always needs an enemy to destroy.

But wait! It gets even more disgusting when we come face to face with the reality that it is the average American who likes jet air travel so much that they are willing to ignore this reality of the most energy intensive, polluting, hazardous way to travel ever devised. 

Even the most vocal and active ecological preservation groups are consumers, even promoters, of jet air travel. None has taken this particular bull by the horns. In fact, the few who have dared to propose real conservation are rejected and marginalized by the very organizations blowing their horn the loudest. 

Meanwhile, since 9/11, 10,000 more pedestrians have been killed and tens of thousands have been struck and maimed by cars and trucks for the crime of walking or riding a bike. The national passenger rail system is in shambles due to neglect, under funding and outright sabotage by corrupt politicians made wealthy by the auto, defense and petroleum industries. In fact, it is outright embarrassing that the nation that sent a man to the moon decades ago cannot get a passenger train over the grapevine from Bakersfield to Los Angeles and you cannot take a train from Los Angeles to Phoenix because non stop there anymore.

The MISSION of the PEACE TRAIN to DC is to deliver a message of PEACE THROUGH CONSERVATION to the WORLD. 

http://TantricTravel.com

The MISSION of the Drive 55 Conservation Project is to reduce petroleum consumption by 20%-50%.

http://Drive55.org

Average BTU consumed Per Passenger mile by mode of travel:

SUV: 4,591

Air: 4,123

Bus: 3,729

Car: 3,672

Train: 2,138

Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics

http://199.79.179.77/publications/nts/index.html

According to a 2004 Transportation Research Board report, public transportation:

* Reduces CO2 emissions by more than 7.4 million tons per year in the U.S.

* Produces 95% less CO, at least 92% fewer VOCs, and nearly half as much CO2  and NOx for every passenger mile traveled than private vehicles

Tim Castleman