France breaks TGV speed record--as Californians watch.

AP's all over this story (via CNN and others), but let's skip down to paragraph 12 for this interesting detail:

Transport Minister Dominique Perben received a California delegation hours before Tuesday's record attempt. California is studying prospects for a high-speed line running from Sacramento in the north to San Diego, in the south, via San Francisco and Los Angeles.

California's economy depends on mobility. And if Congress and the DOT won't provide it, Californians will look elsewhere for it.