Streetsblog has the text of a letter from Assemblywoman Millman in response to inquiries about her stance on congestion pricing. The full text is available here.
Some people view this as anti-congestion pricing. I disagree; I think it's perfectly reasonable to express some reservations about the plan's impacts.
Let me be clear: I support congestion pricing 100%. However, implementing the program is going to have impacts, and those impacts must be addressed. For our stretch of Brooklyn, which already has congestion at rush hour, we can expect significantly increased ridership on the F line due to the plan and to continued population growth.
The MTA can cheaply and quickly improve subway service for a wide swath of Brooklyn by reinstating express service on the F and extending the V into Brooklyn. If I were Joan Millman (a man can dream, can't he?) I would support the mayor's plan but demand that the F & V line improvements be made concurrently or before.
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
CB6 Purged!
Gowanus Lounge has the rundown on the CB6 purge.
Interestingly enough, Markowitz, Yassky and DeBlasio are all term-limited out after this term. I don't think any of them are retiring from politics . . . maybe building some new alliances in preparation for their next moves, respectively?
Interestingly enough, Markowitz, Yassky and DeBlasio are all term-limited out after this term. I don't think any of them are retiring from politics . . . maybe building some new alliances in preparation for their next moves, respectively?
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Bush Authorizes Acts of War Against Iran
Via ThinkProgress (video included), Bush has signed off on a presidential finding
Makes one wonder whether the Iranian-American "spy" that Iran has detained is a spy after all. All the press reports I've read seem to treat it as a foregone conclusion that the woman in question, Haleh Esfandiari, has been wrongly accused.
But now we have this ABC report which sounds remarkably similar to what Esfandiari is charged with in Iran. And not two weeks, ago, we learned from the Federation of American Scientists (h/t ThinkProgress) that
Something stinks.
that puts into motion a CIA plan that reportedly includes a coordinated campaignWill it never end? They're running our government like a criminal enterprise, and for whose benefit?
of propaganda, disinformation and manipulation of Iran’s currency and
international financial transactions.
Makes one wonder whether the Iranian-American "spy" that Iran has detained is a spy after all. All the press reports I've read seem to treat it as a foregone conclusion that the woman in question, Haleh Esfandiari, has been wrongly accused.
But now we have this ABC report which sounds remarkably similar to what Esfandiari is charged with in Iran. And not two weeks, ago, we learned from the Federation of American Scientists (h/t ThinkProgress) that
U.S. intelligence recently undertook a "significant" covert action without
notifying Congress, as required by law, the House Intelligence Committee
disclosed in a new report on the 2008 intelligence authorization bill.
Something stinks.
Comprehensive Subway map
From Newsday via SecondAvenueSagas, we learn that the MTA is hiring someone to map out all the forgotten corners of the subway system, ostensibly for security purposes. What I wouldn't do to get that map on my office wall in blueprint size.
When I was about twelve or so, the X-Men introduced a storyline about a community of mutants living in an abandoned subway tunnel deep under Manhattan. Preposterous! I thought, as I suspended my disbelief for telekinesis and adamantium claws.
But damned if I wasn't shocked to learn, as a full grown man, that there's a lot of abandoned track down there, and some of it apparently unmapped. I hope this comprehensive map does not get locked down entirely, but is available to planning and transit groups. It would be a useful tool for identifying areas to reopen or extend the system, e.g. express service on the F in BKLN and of course, the 2nd Ave subway.
When I was about twelve or so, the X-Men introduced a storyline about a community of mutants living in an abandoned subway tunnel deep under Manhattan. Preposterous! I thought, as I suspended my disbelief for telekinesis and adamantium claws.
But damned if I wasn't shocked to learn, as a full grown man, that there's a lot of abandoned track down there, and some of it apparently unmapped. I hope this comprehensive map does not get locked down entirely, but is available to planning and transit groups. It would be a useful tool for identifying areas to reopen or extend the system, e.g. express service on the F in BKLN and of course, the 2nd Ave subway.
The Duke-stir
Back in summer 2003, I was at the ACLU convention in DC. One of the big activities was for everyone to gather by state/district and go barnstorming your Representatives and Senators.
Being from New Jersey, it was a fun day. I took a picture with Corzine, and my Democratic Rep's Chief of Staff was very cordial to our group as well. It was a great day.
Getting back on the bus later, I ran into a 40-ish woman and a teenage boy from California, and asked, "How was your day?"
Terrible! Their Congressman, on hearing the word "ACLU" came charging out of his office, red-faced and screaming obscenities. After calling his constituents commies, traitors, etc. in far more colorful language, he kicked them out. Well, that man's name was Randy "Duke" Cunningham . . . this Duke Cunningham.
I was blown away at the difference in experience that we had with our elected officials . . . and that little tangential experience in my life multiplied the schadenfreude when the Duke went down in flames. Currently serving more than 8 years in the Federal pen . . . maybe he can turn one of thos eindustrial prison laundries into a new hot tub.
Being from New Jersey, it was a fun day. I took a picture with Corzine, and my Democratic Rep's Chief of Staff was very cordial to our group as well. It was a great day.
Getting back on the bus later, I ran into a 40-ish woman and a teenage boy from California, and asked, "How was your day?"
Terrible! Their Congressman, on hearing the word "ACLU" came charging out of his office, red-faced and screaming obscenities. After calling his constituents commies, traitors, etc. in far more colorful language, he kicked them out. Well, that man's name was Randy "Duke" Cunningham . . . this Duke Cunningham.
I was blown away at the difference in experience that we had with our elected officials . . . and that little tangential experience in my life multiplied the schadenfreude when the Duke went down in flames. Currently serving more than 8 years in the Federal pen . . . maybe he can turn one of thos eindustrial prison laundries into a new hot tub.
Karmic Joy, Craigslist Finds, and Co-op Hell
We recently moved within the neighborhood to a floorthrough apartment in an old brownstone. You'd never find a deal like this through a broker, but good karma comes back to you; friends tipped us that a tenant of 23 years was moving out of a neighboring house. [For the record, it's not rent stabilized; just a rare find on a gorgeous block.]
Unfortunately, moving out of a 400 sq. ft. crack den into the apartment of one's dreams has one teensy drawback: we don't have any furniture. Craigslist to the rescue - we have found great used furniture that we could not afford to buy new. With a little patience (and a car) you can get exactly what you want for less than half of what you'd pay for new stuff.
Our latest find is a gorgeous Pottery Barn bookshelf. The only problem? The seller's coop building prohibits moving anything after 5 or on the weekends. Now we've got to Mission:Impossible the thing out of there over the holiday weekend. I'm sure there will be more to this story.
Unfortunately, moving out of a 400 sq. ft. crack den into the apartment of one's dreams has one teensy drawback: we don't have any furniture. Craigslist to the rescue - we have found great used furniture that we could not afford to buy new. With a little patience (and a car) you can get exactly what you want for less than half of what you'd pay for new stuff.
Our latest find is a gorgeous Pottery Barn bookshelf. The only problem? The seller's coop building prohibits moving anything after 5 or on the weekends. Now we've got to Mission:Impossible the thing out of there over the holiday weekend. I'm sure there will be more to this story.
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