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December 1st, 2008

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07:18 am - Thought For The Day, 1939 Edition
Into every corner of our social and economic existence, the railroad is tightly interwoven. It is the backbone of the country, no, even more, it is its veritable lifeblood. In its 250,000 miles of steel veins, it flows to every far corner of a far-flung land, it binds in its living, throbbing embrace city and town and village, the open country, the forest, the mine, the forge, the factory, and the sea. It is indeed the nation's lifeblood, the great arm not only of its industry, but of its military defense. If it were to die, then the nation would die.
Foreword to the Railoads on Parade program guide, 1939-1940 New York World's Fair

(10 comments | Leave a comment)

Comments:

[User Picture]
From:tyopsqueene
Date:December 1st, 2008 01:21 pm (UTC)
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Dear Spatch,

do you know about the Modern Mexhanix blog: http://blog.modernmechanix.com/
Because if you don't you oughta, the covers gallery is a world of delights: http://blog.modernmechanix.com/covers/
(Deleted comment)
[User Picture]
From:derspatchel
Date:December 1st, 2008 03:57 pm (UTC)
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STEEL
RAILROADS
REARDEN METAL
PERPETUAL MOTION
PARASITES
LOOTERS
LOOK MA, I'M PLAYING BIOSHOCK
UNF UNF UNF

Sorry, what were we talking about again? :)

there's one Objectivist I know who might object to this little display, but she knows that I kid because I love. to kid.

Anyway, I find the difference in pamphlet covers up above quite interesting. The tone in 1939 definitely was AMAZING MODERN LIFEBLOOD OF PROSPERITY AND CONQUERING SOMETHING I THINK PROBABLY TIME. Then they went all retro for 1940 to better illustrate the path of progress, it looks like. Intellectual Conquering was no match for Public Nostalgia.

And I still like railroads despite Rand's machinations. I bet we could help de-Randify them for you with a ride or two on some of the more special short lines out there!
[User Picture]
From:cheezdanish
Date:December 1st, 2008 08:03 pm (UTC)
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*Mildly objects, in that perpetual motion wasn't really a plot point.* ;)
[User Picture]
From:derspatchel
Date:December 1st, 2008 08:14 pm (UTC)
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Well, it was John Galt's little super fun time toy. I'd have gone and used SUPER DUPER DISINTEGRATION RAY AND BROTHER, WHEN IT DISINTEGRATES, IT DISINTEGRATES!!1 instead, only now I can't, since you can't edit comments after someone's responded.

EDIT: in before uneditable

Edited at 2008-12-01 08:14 pm (UTC)
[User Picture]
From:cheezdanish
Date:December 1st, 2008 08:21 pm (UTC)
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Hurf durf no not perpetual motion, just magic energy from the air. BIG DIFFERENCE.

EDIT: To play along with the cool kids doing all this LJ comment editing these days.

Edited at 2008-12-01 08:21 pm (UTC)
[User Picture]
From:wring
Date:December 1st, 2008 03:35 pm (UTC)
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the US needs its own bullet train :P
[User Picture]
From:derspatchel
Date:December 1st, 2008 03:45 pm (UTC)
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There's always Acel--

oh.

Yeah. It does. We do. Sad face.
[User Picture]
From:maga_dogg
Date:December 1st, 2008 07:31 pm (UTC)
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Man, I wish wanksome techno-gushery was still written in the Verne Futurist style. Someone do this for Twitter, please.
[User Picture]
From:giantfightbot
Date:December 1st, 2008 07:52 pm (UTC)
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I often wish for a bullet train along the west coast. San Diego to Vancouver BC, with stops in-between.
[User Picture]
From:lindito
Date:December 1st, 2008 10:14 pm (UTC)
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that would really rock. it may even lure me to that time zone one day.

may.

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