»In which we postpone the inevitable, again

Another item to file under "Public transit infrastructure that will not happen in my lifetime: the California High-Speed Rail. Their motto: "Fly California / Without ever leaving the ground!" makes a lot of sense, because this project is nothing but a flight of fancy.

He said the high-speed rail measure would have a better chance of passing in 2008, when it wouldn't be in competition with a $37.3 billion public works bond package approved by lawmakers earlier this month.

Torrico also said lawmakers were discussing how to provide about $116 million the state would need to complete engineering work and begin buying right of way for high-speed rail over the next two years.

Eventually, the project would link San Diego, Los Angeles, Fresno, Sacramento and the San Francisco area with trains running at top speeds of more than 200 mph.