Albany Redux

I began thinking of Lobby Day in the context of Innis, McLuhan and earlier discussions on co-presence. What is clear is that transportation is in a very clear way a means of communication as much as anything else. It's also clear that it supports, in a very clear sense a personal privlidged oral communication between people in power as opposed to a textual rule based system. Political power is to a large extent still one of access and personality. Oh, and lunch.

The idea of a train being a form of communication is an interesting one to me. Ironically, I went there to try and extend the electronic emergency manangement capabilities of the State. Could have had the same discussion by e-mail or phone, but it never worked because you need to establish a physical connection first. You need to show up in a suit with a proper introduction from someone they know before you get access. The Internet doesn't matter. Democracy doesn't matter. You have to take the train.