Matt, if you were driving north on I-5 after 3:00 pm, you were probably cought up in traffic because of the idiotic HOV lane that Oregon has on I-5. Since the vast majority of the vehicles are one person occupied, guess what, the biggest majority of traffic is forced into 2 lanes. That's good thinking, right. It would help if they would let THROUGH trucks use the HOV lane, but they won't. Each semi takes up about 3 car spaces, so it would really help. But I guess that makes too much sense.

Great launch Ed. And join the club for making the Merc twice in one day. Very good.

Looking forward to meeting you.

@ujfoyt: Why does it take 1.5 tons of metal to move a 200 lb person? I don't think that has anything to do with the HOV lane, I think people are so stuck in their ways that they can't see a better solution even when it is staring them in the face. I'll give you a hint: I've heard many people complain about the traffic and how it sometime takes them 3 hours to go 5 miles. I can walk twice that fast, and I broke my foot 5 months ago.

The only other alternative is that our cars aren't actually tools for us to use, but humans are really tools for cars to use.

Matthew, most of the people in the traffic jams are traveling much more than 5 miles. Also, there are people, that for various reasons, can't walk 5 miles. Do you walk your 5 miles in the rain, or in the winter when it's snowing and/or icy? I don't know many that do.

Great article Matt, but for the record, it was the University of South Florida (in Tampa) www.usf.edu I don't know why, but everyone always wants to write it "Southern Florida."

Also, as we discussed, though I promised myself I wouldn't run unless I can get the qualifying contributions, I will revisit that issue at the end of January. What I"m finding in my canvassing are an inordinate amount of people who support me, but don't even have $5 to contribute. Times are THAT hard for LOTS of people.

I hope everyone will vote "Yes" on measures 66 and 67 (raising the corporate minimum tax). We need to decide what quality of life we want in our state, and that includes basic things like schools, roads, and law enforcement, as well as basic health care for kids.

Ed Garren