In this fast paced world it is uncommon to find someone who has never flown somewhere. When I was younger most of my friends never left the state, let alone fly anywhere. But with gas prices rising, the horrid state of our economy, and fear of pollution it seems the jet setter trend is starting to slow down.

It is the day before Thanksgiving, one of the busiest travel days of the year. Where is everyone? I flew through security, I actually had an empty seat next to me on the flight here, and the atmosphere is suprisingly low key.

The economy and environmental relief efforts are the two main reasons for this. Take a look at this: 

Intercity bus service in the US jumped nearly 10 percent in the last year. In fact, the rate of growth was the highest in more than 40 years. Rising fuel prices played a role. But so did the revival of downtown districts and a growing acceptance of bus travel among younger travelers. Because of them, the atmosphere was spared roughly 36,000 tons of CO2 emissions

Thank you bus riders.

Meanwhile air travel in the same period declined 8 percent. Travel by private vehicle was down 3.3 percent. Train ridership increased about 3.3 percent.

Thank you train riders.

Much of the growth was driven by two companies, Megabus and Boltbus, a joint venture of the Greyhound and Peter Pan bus companies. Both started kerbside pick-up service in northeastern states in spring 2007. The two companies offer high-frequency service between major US cities and wireless Internet service on board.

 Thanks to the Chaddick Institute for Metropolitan Development at DePaul University in Chicago for the new study.

Julia Whitty is Mother Jones’ environmental correspondent, lecturer, and 2008 winner of the PEN USA Literary Award, the Kiriyama Prize and the John Burroughs Medal.

Keep it up young people and train riders! We are in the process of taking the idea of the conventional Jet Setter and transforming it to benefit the world around. Go us! We do know how to make a difference!

Experience this.

Imogen Heap “Hide and Seek”

where are we?
what the hell is going on?
the dust has only just begun to form
crop circles in the carpet
sinking feeling

spin me round again
and rub my eyes,
this can’t be happening
when busy streets amass with people
would stop to hold their heads heavy

hide and seek
trains and sewing machines
all those years
they were here first

oily marks appear on walls
where pleasure moments hung before the takeover,
the sweeping insensitivity of this still life

hide and seek
trains and sewing machines (oh, you won’t catch me around here)
blood and tears (hearts)
they were here first

Mmmm whatcha say,
Mmm that you only meant well?
well of course you did
Mmmm whatcha say,
Mmmm that it’s all for the best?
Of course it is
Mmmm whatcha say?
Mmmm that it’s just what we need
you decided this
whatcha say?
Mmmm what did you say?

ransom notes keep falling out your mouth
mid-sweet talk, newspaper word cut outs
speak no feeling no I don’t believe you
you don’t care a bit,
you don’t care a bit

(hide and seek)
ransom notes keep falling out your mouth
mid-sweet talk, newspaper word cut outs

(hide and seek)
speak no feeling no I don’t believe you
you don’t care a bit,
you don’t care a (you don’t care a) bit

(hide and seek)
oh no, you don’t care a bit
oh no, you don’t care a bit

(hide and seek)
oh no, you don’t care a bit
you don’t care a bit
you don’t care a bit

“I’m sitting in the library. Drinking Coffee. Shit that’s hot! Damn my internet is slow.

I have a lot of stuff to do. But I want to take a nap. Which I could, no one would notice.

I wish I had Starbucks.

I’m going to Chicago in two days. That will be fun! Finally get out of here!

My birthday is on Sunday. I’m not sure if i’m excited. But I will be in Chicago with my friends, it will be ok.

Thanksgiving is in a week. Cool. Back to the ol’ MA. See my friends who I miss dearly.

I really hope no one reads this because it is a bunch of crap that I am writing to pass time. God I know that in an hour I’ll be mad at myself for procrastinating so much.

I wish I could write poetry. Then people would listen to me. I mean I can if I really put my mind to it… maybe I’ll try soon. I’ll have the time in a few days. I have to sit down and do it.

There is a lot going on right now that could be used as inspiration for my poems.

There is a cute boy over there! “

Life throws unexpected things at you,
And you inevitably change because of them,
But I think this change was for the better.
I grew up.
I’m not naïve any more.
My heart is bullet proof now,
no one can get through.

Here we go! Love me or hate me!