Overhyped Loop

As expected, a HyperLoop looks like another disappointment.  Not as bad as that time Geraldo unearthed Al Capone's Segway.  

I do share the desire for a better system.  It's embarrassing what we're willing to settle for in this country. 

Monorail

I'm probably reacting more negatively than I should to a plan like this - and if someone actually builds a prototype and proves it can be done with awesome sauce I'll be thrilled - but there is a weir…

http://www.eschatonblog.com/2013/08/monorail.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FbRuz+%28Eschaton%29

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Your Rightwing Shill if the Day: Glenn Hubbard

If Glenn Hubbard says its raining, you can safely leave your umbrella at home. 

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Glenn Hubbard is Unhappy About the Budget Deficit | Beat the Press

http://www.cepr.net/index.php/blogs/beat-the-press/glenn-hubbard-is-unhappy-about-the-budget-deficit?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+beat_the_press+%28Beat+the+Press%29

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Bloomberg/Kelly Stop-and-Frisk Practices Unconstitutional

This has been blatantly obvious for some time, but now we have a judge's ruling. 

Judge Rules Current Stop-and-Frisk Practices Unconstitutional

NYPD cadets. (Photo: Getty) In a major blow to Mayor Michael Bloomberg's much-touted policing agenda, a judge has declared the NYPD's controversial stop-and-frisk policy in violation of constitutiona…

http://politicker.com/2013/08/judge-rules-current-stop-and-frisk-practices-unconstitutional/

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Wrong Way Cop From the 76th

About two months ago I was heading up Route 8 in Connecticut (a separated highway) at about 10:00pm.  I was really annoyed that some guy coming the other way had his brights on.  Until I realized that he was in my lane, driving directly at us.  I merged right, my wife dialed 911, and the guy drove right past us. 

I didn't really have time to be scared, and to my surprise had no physical reaction (no adrenaline rush).  But objectively, wrong way drunk drivers are terrifying. Turns out the latest one in the news is a cop who works in the 76th. Ouch. 

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Off-duty cop arrested for drunkenly driving wrong way on freeway - Daily News

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/off-duty-arrested-driving-wrong-freeway-article-1.1423768

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Weekend Subway Work

The provincial:

From 11:15 p.m. Friday, August 9 to 5 a.m. Monday, August 12, Coney Island-bound F trains are rerouted via the M line after 36th Street, Queens to 47th-50th Streets due to station work at Lexington Avenue-63rd Street for Second Avenue Subway project.

From 11:45 p.m. Friday, August 9 to 5 a.m. Sunday, August 11, Jamaica-bound F run express from West 4th Street to 34th Street-Herald Square due to track tie renewal at 23rd Street, 34th Street-Herald Square and 42nd Street-Bryant Park.

From 11:45 p.m. Friday, August 9 to 5 a.m. Monday, August 12, there is no G train service between Court Square and Nassau Avenue. G trains operate between Nassau Avenue and Church Avenue. There is no G service at Greenpoint Avenue, 21st Street and Court Square. Free shuttle buses operate on two routes:

1. Via Manhattan Avenue between Nassau Avenue G and Court Square
2. Via McGuinness Blvd between Lorimer Street L and Court Square

Customers may transfer between:

• G trains and shuttle buses at Nassau Avenue
• L trains and shuttle buses at Lorimer Street
• E and 7 trains and shuttle buses at Court Square

And the whole magilla:

http://secondavenuesagas.com/2013/08/09/weekend-work-impacting-17-subway-lines-shark/

Second Avenue Subway Phase 2

I'll go further.  We should be doing phases 2,3 and 4 all together, and begin planning for the extensions to the Bronx and Brooklyn for this line.  Think big.

Maloney, Silver urge forward progress on SAS Phase 2

Pressure from certain realms of New York City politics to keep moving forward on the Second Ave. Subway has grown stronger over the past few weeks as Representative Carolyn Maloney has trained her att…

http://secondavenuesagas.com/2013/08/09/maloney-silver-urge-forward-progress-on-sas-phase-2/

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The Dangers of Secrecy

A good read. 

"It is possible that the world is so terrifying that anyone privileged enough to know the details would support what the NSA is doing. But the problem is that none of us mere mortals have any information on that one way or another, and asking us to just trust the privileged few is wholly unacceptable. It's not just that it's a violation of the basic principles of our democracy. It's also that financial, military and governmental elites haven't exactly had the greatest track record. There's no reason to believe them when they say they need these powers, and there's no reason that even if they're sincere in their conviction that their wisdom and judgment is superior to that of the wisdom of crowds."

Ellsberg, Kissinger, and the cultural danger of extreme secrecy in government, by @DavidOAtkins

Ellsberg, Kissinger, and the cultural danger of extreme secrecy in government by David Atkins I recently came across an old Kevin Drum column from 2010 that deserves more attention in the wake of …

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2013/08/ellsberg-kissinger-and-cultural-danger.html

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