whyroots

This year, in addition to the obvious sense of gratitude that comes with being part of the first ever white majority to put a black guy in charge, I am thankful for public transportation. 

Having been in London for two months now, the integration of my daily life with the transport system is thorough. The tube is not simply a track where an occasional train shows up to give you a ride (cf. San Francisco Muni); it is an ever-flowing current that within seconds or minutes of your arrival sweeps you up and thrusts you toward your destination. Besides being remarkably efficient, the tube does something bigger. It's an integral experience of the daily lives of most Londoners and in that way unifies the consciousness of the city. It's a shared space where people, rather than seal themselves off in capsules at the end of the day, are in constant contact, for better or worse.

Also, while the unforeseen state of global economics may have thrown a wrench in this plan, there is word that Ryan Air will be offering transatlantic flights for £6 by 2009. That would be amazing.

-- Jacob Levine

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