I just wanted to share a photo from my last adventure.

Bad order bulk head.

This photo is from a southbound UP train this summer.

When I read this news story I just felt like I had to post it here. You can see the source at the following address.

http://tinyurl.com/2qzdc6

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McDonald's Blasted for Advertising on Report Cards
December 06, 2007

By Kenneth Hein

Susan Pagan was recently surprised by her 9-year-old daughter's report card. Her daughter had made the honor roll, but that wasn't a shock. What was surprising was that her daughter was now entitled to a free Happy Meal because of her grades.

"She came home bubbly and happy about her report card," said Pagan. "On the cover was a McDonald's ad. I was blown away."

As part of a joint business partnership with The School Board of Seminole County, Fla., McDonald's offered students food prizes for A's and B's, citizenship and attendance. The offer was valid for kindergartners through fifth graders.

Pagan viewed this ad as "preying on our children's vulnerabilities especially in light of the obesity epidemic."

District spokesperson Regina Klaers said the sponsorships had never been an issue before. It previously had a partnership with Pizza Hut for 10 years. "As long as we've been doing it, it has never come to a head like this...the letter from one parent was the only complaint we've had."

Klaers said the district, which began the promotional relationship with McDonald's this year, will continue to run the McDonald's ads on report cards for the rest of the year. However, it "will take the complaint into consideration for the next school year."

In July, McDonald's was one of the 11 companies who pledged to either ban advertising to children under 12 or limit them to food and snacks that meet certain nutritional guidelines.

Additionally, last month 44 companies were required to send the Federal Trade Commission detailed information about their marketing practices.

"This is yet another example that self regulation by food marketers has failed," said Susan Linn, director of Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood. "I'm not shocked that McDonald's tried to do this, I'm shocked the school district went along with it."

The Seminole County district said it has created such partnerships for years. Pizza Hut had been a partner for a decade and opted not to participate for the 2007-2008 school year. McDonald's took its place. Under the terms of the deal, McDonald's fronted the bill ($1,600) for the printing costs associated with produced report cards for 27,000 students.

"McDonald's has a long-standing and rich heritage of supporting education and academic excellence," said William Whitman, a rep for McDonald's USA, Oak Brook, Ill. "McDonald's does not advertise in schools. However, we continue to support education initiatives in the communities we serve."

Darrin Tristano evp of the food-service consultancy Technomic, Chicago, said McDonald's efforts to aid schools should be applauded. "Providing to funds for the ability to promote themselves is a good thing for them. They are supporting education and good academics."

He points to the fact the McDonald's has made strides in what they offer. Happy Meals now offer apple slices, milk and premium chicken. "I think this parent is in the minority view. Most people are happy to get a free Happy Meal for their kids because they go there anyway."

Not Pagan though. She said explaining to her daughter that they weren't going to collect the free Happy Meal "made me look like the bad guy."

Here is an important update on the LNG In Oregon Issue!

There are a host of new fossil fuel projects proposed in Oregon. 3 LNG terminals and 4 major pipelines are now actively seeking approval from local, state, and federal agencies. All of these projects will effectively use Oregon as a "back door" to hook California and the rest of the West Coast on a new generation of foreign fossil fuels.

This is an update to get folks up to speed on where things stand with these major fossil fuel projects. Give Ted Kulongoski a call or a letter to let him know that Oregonians think this is a bad idea.
(see contact info below!)

GEOGRAPHIC UPDATE - LNG IN OREGON & NEW GAS PIPELINES

Three LNG terminal development projects are currently seeking State, local, and FERC permits in the State of Oregon. These three terminals now also involve multiple pipelines in the states of Oregon and Washington. Oregon uses approximately 0.64 bcf/d, on average. Each of the three LNG terminal projects is proposed to export approximately twice this amount. All pipelines are 30-36 inches, high pressure (over 1000 psi), and non-odorized.

Bradwood LNG. Capacity 1.3 bcf/d. NorthernStar Natural Gas is the developer, and NorthernStar is funded by a NY vulture capital firm, Matlin Patterson. The LNG terminal, located 38 miles up the Columbia River, has filed a formal application with FERC. The DEIS was issued in August 2007. NorthernStar Natural gas is also the developer for the Clearwater offshore proposal in So. California. NorthernStar will sell its Bradwood pipeline, which extends 35 miles across the Columbia River into Washington State, to NW Natural Gas, a major private utility in Oregon and Washington. There are homes within ½ mile of this facility on Puget Island, Washington, and the tankers will pass within ½ mile of the city of Astoria, Oregon. The project requires 700,000 cubic yards of dredging in critical salmon habitat for the LNG tanker turning basin. The project now clearly also involves the Palomar Pipeline Project (see below).

Also see: link to www.dailyastorian.com

(This is a very powerful article, with other gas companies giving their own perspective on the NorthernStar project. Kudos to the Daily A for their amazing journalism!)

Oregon LNG. Capacity 1.5 bcf/d. Oregon LNG has taken over Calpine's Astoria proposal, and is now owned by Leucadia National Corporation out of NY. Oregon LNG has just filed with FERC in the pre-application process. Their project involves a 117-mile pipeline from Warrenton, Oregon (near Astoria) to Molalla, Oregon. This pipeline would likely connect to the Palomar Project, as well. Oregon LNG's project has potentially serious impacts on commercial and recreational fishing at the mouth of the Columbia, and it also requires a large amount of dredging in habitat for threatened and endangered salmon. The pipeline would cross multiple major river and hundreds of streams.

Palomar Pipeline Project. This project is a joint venture of NW Natural Gas and Transcanada. The pipeline would extend 220 miles from near Bradwood to Maupin, Oregon, where it would connect with the major North-South Transcanada GTN pipeline. The Western half of the pipeline (from Molalla to the Columbia River) would only be constructed if LNG is approved at Bradwood or Warrenton. The Palomar Project is most closely linked with Bradwood, though, which has already responded to Palomar's open season and will send the majority of its gas through Palomar. NW Natural has only asked for 100 mmcf/d from this project to go to its own customers. The rest is presumably available for other Western markets.

Jordan Cove LNG Project. Capacity 1 bcf/d or more. The main project developer is Fort Chicago, a Canadian company. The project recently filed its application with FERC, and is also seeking multiple state and local permits. The project also involves the Pacific Connector Gas Pipeline, a joint venture of PG&E, Williams Pipeline Co., and Fort Chicago. The Jordan Cove LNG terminal would require massive dredging in Coos Bay (probably several million cubic yards). The LNG terminal is being justified as a way to develop a container receiving terminal in Coos Bay (funds from the successfully approved LNG terminal will be used to develop Coos Bay's North Spit). There are many homes and multiple schools within 1 mile of this facility and the proposed LNG tanker path into the Coos Bay. The Pacific Connector will cross 223 miles of rugged Southern Oregon mountains and rivers, including the Coos, Umpqua, Coquille, Rogue, and Klamath Rivers. The pipeline will tie directly into PG&E's pipeline at Malin, Oregon.

Bronco Gas Pipeline. This project, recently announced, would connect Malin, Oregon to the Rocky Mountains. The 650-mile pipeline is proposed by Spectra Energy. Because the Northwest is constrained by pipeline capacity in its ability to use Rockies gas, Spectra Energy is arguing that it will deliver gas to "underserved" Western markets. This is a new project, and we have seen no application to FERC, yet.

Organizations fighting LNG in Oregon:

Citizens Against LNG (Coos Bay). www.citizensagainstlng.googlepages.com
Southern Oregon Pipeline Information Project. www.nocaliforniapipeline.com
Friends of Living Oregon Waters (FLOW). www.oregonwaters.org
Columbia Riverkeeper. www.columbiariverkeeper.org
Rivervision (Astoria). www.columbiarivervision.org
Landowners and Citizens for a Safe Community (Longview).
- http://www.landownersandcitizensforasa fecommunity.com/
Cascadia Rising Tide. (Portland). Rising Tide North America. www.risingtidenorthamerica.org
Wahkiakum Friends of the River (Washington State). www.nolng.wahkiakum.info
Oregon Citizens Against the Pipeline(s). (Willamette Valley) www.OCAP.oregonfirst.net.

Contact List:

Governor Ted Kulongoski
Office of the Governor
160 State Capitol
900 Court Street
Salem, OR 97301
503-378-4582

The Honorable Darlene Hooley
U.S. House of Representatives
21570 Willamette Drive
West Linn, Oregon 97068
(503) 557-1324 phone
(503) 557-1981 fax

The Honorable Greg Walden
U.S. House of Representatives
131 NW Hawthorne, Ste 201
Bend, OR 97701
Main: 541-389-4408
Fax: 541-389-4452

The Honorable David Wu
U. S. House of Representatives
620 S. W. Main, Suite 606
Portland, OR 97205
503-326-2901
david.wu@mail.house.gov

The Honorable Earl Blumenauer
U. S. House of Representatives
729 N. E. Oregon Street, Suite 115
Portland, OR 97232
503-231-2300

The Honorable Gordon Smith
United States Senate
One World Trade Center
121 S. W. Salmon Street, Suite 1250
Portland, OR 97204
503-326-3386

The Honorable Ron Wyden
United States Senate
1220 S. W. Third Avenue, Suite 585
Portland, OR 97204
503-326-7525

STATE:

Senator Betsy Johnson
900 Court Street N. E., S-314
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1716
sen.betsyjohnson@state.or.us

Senator Roger Beyer
900 Court Street, NE
State Capitol - Room S-217
Salem, OR 97301
(503) 986-1709 - Salem
(503) 829-6910 - District

Senator Peter Courtney
900 Court Street, NE
State Capitol - Room S-203
Salem, OR 97301
(503) 986-1600 - Salem
(503) 986-1717 - District

Senator Gary George
900 Court Street, NE
State Capitol - Room S-214
Salem, OR 97301
(503) 986-1712
(503) 538-4122

So I won a contest today for naming the new commuter rail train in Washington County (A suburb of Portland, OR). For those of you who don't know the project is to establish a new 14.7-mile passenger rail line between Beaverton and Wilsonville and It is the first commuter rail line in Oregon and one of the few suburb-to-suburb commuter rail projects in the country.

So the new name for it is WES, or Westside Express Service, or "the Westsider"

Here is a photo I took back in 2005 when I rode from Wishram, WA (try finding that on the map) to Vancouver, WA. I rode a TOFC (Trailer On Flat Car) which is a semi truck trailer on the train for you non train riders. Anyways I really lucked out since it was July and I got to ride in the Columbia River Gorge at sunset... If you go back a few posts, I have more photos to look at!

So on a cool September morning I left my partners place where I rest my head when I'm not traveling, I boarded the #75 bus to the Champ siding where UP NBDs, EBDs, and the rare SBD train will stop (M-HKRV & M-HKCO). I got off at the overpass but I didn't wait underneath it where most people wait since its fucking gross under there with a lot of porn mags, women's wigs, little kids underwear, and press on nails...Unless of course that's your type scene. I walked to my little hidden away spot in the bushes plopped my butt down on my bucket chair and I flipped my scanner on...Looking around I could tell some punk kids had been there just a little bit ago since they left me a mess of Vegan food wraps and an copy of Scam magazine which was still dry so I must of just missed them... After cleaning up after there dirty asses and relaxing for about an hour I heard over my scanner "UP 5503 M-RVHK blah blah" (talking to Omaha) they pulled up and stopped right in front of me with and open boxcar about 20 feet away with both doors open but as tempting as that was I passed on this ride since I hate Hinkle, OR.

After they sat there for about 30mins a NBD UP K-Line IM double stack with nothing but empties pulled in and stopped for there crew change and just as they pulled in my scanner battery's died and I forgot to have back ups, so I didn't catch there train symbol but I knew that they were going to Tacoma, WA and after a container trace it was confirmed that it was an interchange for BNSF in Tacoma, WA.

I didn't get on right away since I was guessing that they were going to sit there for about 2 hours before leaving and three cars away from me was a few ride able 45's (with forty foot containers in them) and I didn't want to get caught in a roll by so I waited, and waited for about an hour and half till they started to creep forward so I ran and grabbed my 45 and we were off.

We went WBD along the west end of the Kenton line till we hit the Peninsula Jct. where we headed north and on the BNSF Fallbridge Sub double track towards Vancouver, WA where it then becomes the Seattle Sub. This was a pretty fast ride in my eyes since going north we didn't have to stop for any of the bridges, which was nice for a change. After Vancouver we sided at Ridgefield South for two Amtrak Cascades train, one of which had about 30 'Whistle Blower' monikers on it. Once we got going again we sided only here and there at Kelso or Ostrander I'm not sure which one it was, Vader, and Centralia.

When we where just south of Tacoma I was kind of thinking how much Tacoma sucks and what not so I got my pack ready for debarking and as we were creeping (5mph) into Tacoma next to us was a SBD Rabanco BNSF trash train to Roosevelt, WA which in the Columbia River Gorge on the Washington side of the river. So I got off my train and switched to the trash train, which on this cool late summer night didn't even smell!
Before I knew it I was off for Vancouver, WA and back into Portland.

(The red line on the map below from Portland to Tacoma that is highlighted in yellow is the route I took.)

Here are some good resource I have found helpful in the time that I have been here. If you see something that is wrong or that I should add please leave a comment.

My mini Q/A: So many questions get asked on Newgrounds so many times just over and over again so I think the answers to these questions can't be in enough places. I'm not going to try to make a better FAQ then DnaDraxxus or cheekyvincent since I can't and I'm not going to waste my time trying but instead here are some of the more highly asked questions I see coming up a lot.

1.
Q: Is there a place where I can view how many whistle points you have and how many you have to flag before you go up or down a whistle?
A: No there isn't a location where you can view this. The whistle points system is a secret the just a few staff member know about, also there are rumors of how it works on the forums but these are just rumors.

2.
Q: I'm kind of new here and I still don't quite understand how the whole experience points thing works and I have already read the FAQ.
A: Everyday you vote on 5 submissions, you will receive 10 EXP points. Doing this often will give you more EXP points allowing you to level up and increase what your vote's worth. You can see a complete list of all the levels here.

3.
Q: When does the next Newgrounds day start so I can deposit my EXP points?
A: It starts at 12:00 am Eastern Standard Time.

4.
Q: How do I level up my whistle and what are the whistle levels?
A: To level up your whistle I would suggest that you read "Guide to get a deity whistle" by DnaDraxxus. Also the Whistle levels are Garbage, Normal, Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Deity.

5.
Q: How do I become a mod?
A: Well some good steps to take is to first not ask to become a mod, just be a model user and by that I mean you need to be helpful, act grown up, most likely have good stats, and get to know some of the other mods by helping them out and if a time comes where they need more mods you might become one.

6.
Q: How do you find the abusive reviews?
A: Well I often start by doing searches for things with offensive words in the title, or ill look for things that could piss people off in turn making that leave shitty reviews, or ill check the deposit ranks for people with real asshole type user names such as "fagsmasher90" or something else thats really crappy...

Links:
So, what's an abusive review? by DnaDraxxus
unAMAZING FAQ by cheekyvincent
Rage's gift to you: Abusive reviews
The FAQ
The Top 100 Flash Reviewers List
The Top 100 Audio Reviewers List
The Newgrounds Primer
Newgrounds EXP Calculator by Denvish

Flash:
Newgrounds Levels
Newgrounds in a Box
The NG Calculator

Contacts:
Administrators:
TomFulp [PM], WadeFulp [PM], liljim [PM], Ross [PM], and Tim [PM]

Staff:
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Here is a photo I took back in 2005 when I rode from Wishram, WA (try finding that on the map) to Vancouver, WA. I rode a TOFC (Trailer On Flat Car) which is a semi truck trailer on the train for you non train riders. Anyways I really lucked out since it was July and I got to ride in the Columbia River Gorge at sunset...