I’m not sure why, but I was wide awake at 3am this morning. Ugh. Can’t even read the news on the web, because the local papers haven’t finished their big update for the day yet. Of course I normally spend an hour or two putting together the links for the day each morning, so there was time to go back, but I’ve gotta do something about my sleep schedule.
- My page of 2004 Minneapolis Transit Strike linkage hit number one on google yesterday, and I’ve got proof!
- David Strom say we’re spending too much on transit, getting too little. Boy, it sounds like he’s a guy who’s either never ridden a bus, or if he has, it was the last-call 16 or something horrible like that. Jim has a long response that’s worth reading. [strib]
- This editorial in the Strib (from last Sunday) says that Strom’s no-transit theory doesn’t add up, and points out Atlanta, which built a ton of roads in the early 80’s, and no transit, and got some of the worst sprawl in the country out of the deal. [jim]
- But bus riders are feeling more stress as the bus-strike goes on. People are getting by, but not having the bus is taking its toll on free-time spent walking or waiting on a carpool, or in many cases, people who are just staying home, rather than trying to get somewhere without a bus. I did that over the weekend. Rather than riding the bus to see Cousin Dad down at Dulono’s, I stayed home both Friday and Saturday nights. [press-patch]
- Speaking of going without a bus and just staying home, the transit strike will be halting free St. Patrick’s Day bus rides here in the metro area. I was initially planning on going to the Boiled in Lead show down at First Avenue tomorrow, but I’m starting to wonder about the wisdom of that plan. There’s going to be a lot less of a safety valve for the drunks out there. Hey Jim, you want the comp to the show that I’ve got? [press-patch]
- I was wondering what they were doing: Transit police get new duties for strike, so they’re not just sitting around getting paid for doing nothing. Instead, they’ve
boosted the number of officers on duty and placed them at several garages, a repair shop and the offices of the Metropolitan Council
and are watching picket lines and bus shelters, too. So they’re actually doing more during the strike than they normally do. [press-patch] - My friend Vinnie got a Letter to the Editor published about concealed carry on campuses in Oregon. Here’s the original editorial he’s complaining about, and more information on the subject. Nice work, Vinnie! [vinnie]
- Here’s A Satirical Political Beliefs Assessment Test A Humorous Political Party Quiz to Test If You’re an Archconservative, Leftwing Wacko, Antigovernment Libertine or a Commie Sympathizer. It’s long, but has enough funny bits that I scrolled through the whole thing. [idiot]
- In another update, Unrest and clashes continue in N. Iran. Still nothing from big media. Also Assad loyalists said to have killed Kurds in Qahtaniya in Syria. But hey, it’s not like unrest in the middle east is important or anything, right?
