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<DIV><FONT size=4>Some people DO get things for free in our hospitals. The
hospitals cannot turn anyone away so many go to ER but never pay bill.
Then those of us who DO pay pay more to make up for those that
don’t.</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV><FONT size=4>I agree, better to have it paid in taxes up
front.</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV><FONT size=4>Dwight</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV style="font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A
title=pittsburgh-railways@mailman.dementix.org
href="mailto:pittsburgh-railways@mailman.dementix.org">Fred Schneider via
Pittsburgh-railways</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>Sent:</B> Friday, 05 December, 2014 14:24</DIV>
<DIV><B>To:</B> <A title=rlattner@pa.gov href="mailto:rlattner@pa.gov">Lattner,
Raymond</A> ; <A title=pittsburgh-railways@mailman.dementix.org
href="mailto:pittsburgh-railways@mailman.dementix.org">Western PA Trolley
discussion</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>Subject:</B> Re: [PRCo] Berlin, DE -- Tram Ride</DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV>
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style='FONT-SIZE: small; TEXT-DECORATION: none; FONT-FAMILY: "Calibri"; FONT-WEIGHT: normal; COLOR: #000000; FONT-STYLE: normal; DISPLAY: inline'>Es
ist Deutschland. Natürlich. <BR><BR>You expected otherwise for
Germany, Ray? The European nations also expect you to pay
typically about half your income in taxes But they also have some of
the happiest people in the world because wealth doesn't necessarily make people
happy. <BR><BR>Those taxes do things like (1) good roads, (2) good
public transportation, (3) free health care for everyone and that results in a
longer lifespan than we have, (4) things like a year off with pay for one member
of the family to bond with the new baby, (5) free college education if you have
the brains to qualify --- and a German bachelor's degree is pretty much
equivalent to a US masters + bachelors, (6) a decent retirement.<BR><BR>Since
2000, we have been watching our highways crumble. Between 2000 and
2010, Germany built 1,300 kilometers of new expressways (that's an 11% increase
nationwide). Read this: <BR><BR>
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autobahn<BR><BR>Can you imagine, Ray, a state in
the USA with over 8000 miles of expressways. A large state.
Germany is a little larger than New Mexico. But that is almost three times
across the USA in one state. <BR><BR>But in spite of all those
roads, the number number of annual public transport trips per capita in Germany
is almost 6 times greater than in the United States. It Switzerland, it
approaches 19 times our numbers. The lowest in Europe is more than
twice us … that's Holland and it's so low because so many people don't use cars
or the buses or trains, they bicycle. <BR><BR>Ray, I remember being
with an American buddy in England when he had a stroke and fell on a street in
London. We hauled him into the restaurant behind him.
They must have loved the smell … he also defecated in his pants. Oh
well, the ambulance came and hauled him to the hospital. A few days
later when they felt he was OK to go back to his hotel, he tried to figure out
how to pay the nice people at the hospital. Would they take
Visa? Or an American check? The answer, "We have
National Health Service. We don't know how to make out a
bill. Now you have a nice day." He died a few years
later but I think he died with warm feelings for the British. And
Germany would be the same. <BR><BR>And we worry that someone in our
country might get something free in our hospitals. That wouldn't be
fair, now would it. <BR><BR>Sorry guys, I spent too much time in my
life observing how some other people do it. Maybe I came to
think they might just have a better idea. <BR><BR><BR>On Dec
5, 2014, at 7:33 AM, Lattner, Raymond via Pittsburgh-railways wrote:<BR><BR>>
Where are the potholes? Wow those roads are in great shape.<BR>> <BR>>
-----Original Message-----<BR>> From: Pittsburgh-railways
[mailto:pittsburgh-railways-bounces@mailman.dementix.org] On Behalf Of Herb
Brannon via Pittsburgh-railways<BR>> Sent: Thursday, December 04, 2014 6:10
PM<BR>> To: Western PA Trolley discussion<BR>> Subject: [PRCo] Berlin, DE
-- Tram Ride<BR>> <BR>> If you like German tram/trolley systems then take
a look at this video. It is best viewed in "full screen" mode.<BR>> <BR>>
I was not aware that Berlin had such an extensive tram system. There are several
different types of trams in operation. The system seems extremely well
maintained.<BR>> <BR>> Take note of the tram signal system and watch how
it is coordinated with the motor vehicle traffic signals. The tram signals are
very easy to figure out just by watching what happens at car stops and
intersections. Note also the very fast, very smooth and very quiet operation of
the system. This video is of Line 63. Check out some of the other lines on the
YouTube page.<BR>> <BR>> Berlin Tram Line 63
<http://youtu.be/pRJ4-4Lvpag><BR>> <BR>> --<BR>> *Herb
Brannon*<BR>> <BR>> *In Pittsburgh...........A City and*<BR>> <BR>>
<BR>> *..........................A State of Mind *<BR>> <BR>>
*Let's Go Steelers*<BR>> <BR>> *Let's Go Pens *<BR>> <BR>>
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