The MTA Hikes

My greatest experience with public transport may be the MTA song we used to sing at camp. That being said, the New York MTA system will be experiencing fare hikes and reduced service. While this directly affects me just about zero, I do believe there was and is a way to avoid the drastic solution to keeping the system afloat.

Back in my days as an economist, I wrote a paper about the benefits of a congestion charge, especially in places like New York. Such a fee would charge automobiles for using the streets of downtown Manhattan during peak hours. There are scaled prices for residents, and obvious passes for emergency and service vehicles, and pubic transport. 

Singapore has been a shining example of how a system can be implemented. Since implementation, the city has experienced significantly reduced traffic, lower travel times, and reduced greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, the congestion charge system raises funds towards the upkeep and construction of infrastructure.

Such a system in the NYC would not only open up the roads, but also raise the needed funds (or be a good start towards) continuing the current level of service and pricing for the MTA system. Now, it definitely has its drawbacks, one of the big ones being financial discrimination on a public causeway. But the benefits outweigh the costs, despite what would assuredly be a public outcry upon implementation.  

I like talking about this, and could go on. Let me know if you want to discuss further.

Per usual, TFR.

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The great debate

Today I was eating a lovely tuna sandwich, as one should eat a sandwich. It was uncut, and on oblong bread (i.e. not the typical square sandwich bread). My friend, who was eating her sandwich, held hers the opposite way of mine. One of us held it by the short side, with the longer side facing the mouth, with the other holding it vice-versa. A great debate ensued.

I am intentionally ambiguous here, because I want unbiased results from the general public. In the scenario above, which side of the sandwich would you take the first bite out of? I don't care if your answer is the corner- in that case, which side is the second bite out of? I also do not care about you sandwich elitists who only eat cut sandwiches. Get over it.

Long story short, leave your responses in the comments section below.

Per Usual, TFR.

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Biggest Loser Ironies

Biggest Loser provides me with many of the ironies in my life. Many of them are my fault- for instance, eating stuffing while watching it. Including stuffing in my omlette tonight while watching it. Eating breakfast foods combined with dinner foods, while I watch it. (Note: yeah, I eat weird things. but it was delicious.)

But most of all, it was that the challenge involved how bad fast food is for you, particularly a pizza with lots of meat on it- like 490 calories and 27 g of fat per slice. Next commercial on: Round Table Meatball Pizza. I couldn't make this up.

I won't even begin to rail against a pizza with meatballs on it, despite its obvious place on a worst ideas over list. It speaks for itself, and is better suited for a David Miller rant- check out his sandwich rant, over at DMBulliten (linked on the side). But you get the picture.

Per usual, TFR.

Dis

Why San Diego is better than New York.

New York: one foot of snow.

San Diego: http://www.weather.com/weather/tenday/92111?from=36hr_topnav_undeclared

Shameless plugs

Pot Roast put up videos from the last Knighta Komedy. This one is my personal favorite.