NYC Transit Mania

While I fully appreciate a good struggle for workers' rights (I'm sure I am about to partake in my own individual one for the year), the transit workers' union is going too far. First of all, your average bus driver makes more than I do, and they get around an 8% raise every year, so my hope of catching up is pretty slim.

My teacher friend actually makes less than everyone in the MTA except the cleaners, who, in my obviously unqualified opinion, don't do a very good job for it either. When I came out of the subway at 51st & Lex this morning, the entire platform smelled like some unimaginable combination of rotten meat and poo.

There's so much construction it's impossible to get anywhere on the weekends, there are often ridiculous waits for trains during rush hour, during which time the platform fills up and it's all about throwing elbows to get yourself on the train, where one of the following is guaranteed to occur:

• your pocket is picked
• you are squished into Smelly Homeless Guy, who insists he is being pushed from behind as he grabs your butt
• you are squished into Loud Preacher Guy, who insists on shouting (in your ear) about how you are a sinner if, in short, you're a liberal
• you miss your stop because of schmucks who won't get out of the way
• ...

The main sticking point in the arguments is the MTA's proposed new pension plan, in which MTA employees will have to put in a few extra years before retirement. Not to discredit anyone at the MTA who actually does a lot of productive work, a few more years of hanging out on the platform, doing seemingly nothing useful, yet still making a paycheck doesn't seem so bad.

Maybe if NYC transit was perfect - clean, safe, on time, few service disruptions - I would change my opinion. It just seems to me that now that the MTA has announced a surplus, the workers want to get their hands on it, when it really should go towards improving transit. Maybe they could actually start on the 2nd avenue line they've been promising for years. Maybe the daily commute wouldn't smell like doody. Maybe leaving the house on time to get somewhere would be a good indicator of when you will actually arrive. The possibilities are endless.

You know it's been a late night of studying when...

Oh, to be an Erbium-Doped Fiber Amplifier:

An EDFA involves taking a weak arriving optical signal and combining it with a locally generated higher power optical signal in a length of fiber that has been doped with the erbium. The erbium atoms are excited by this action and they generate photons at the same phase and direction as the arriving signal.

Is that hot or what??

Shopping!

People who know me also know I despise shopping. I have but one weakness, and they don't have a store in all of Manhattan. Until this winter.

That's right, ladies & gentlemen. New York & Company is opening a brand new store across the street from my office.

Man, is my wallet in trouble.

High Strung Computer Science Folk

Is it me, or are people growing progressively arrogant, lazy/illiterate, and high-strung?

I'm taking an online class working towards my MS-IS. It's the third online class I will have taken at the school. The interface can seem daunting at first, but if you read the online help section, you'll figure it out by the second week of class. The course isn't a beginner course (the course ID# is 666), so you assume you have some intelligent computer/math nerds in the mix.

Within the first week of class, two people have already posted these raving, panicked posts about how they can't understand the problems, don't understand the wording (but haven't read anything yet), don't get how the interface works, don't understand posts by classmates that were intended to assist, and generally seem rude both to the professor and classmates.

Could some people be indulging in way too much caffeine for way too early in a semester?

I understand being nervous at the beginning of a semester, and that computer geeks are unnecessarily arrogant as a general rule, but if you don't understand something that's going on, you have a better chance of finding out an acceptable answer if you ask nicely rather than blowing up like an impatient little kid. It drives me nuts when people can't take accountability for their own lack of comprehension.

On a more positive note, in response to a friendly student clarification question, the professor put up a "fun" formula involving e. I like this guy already.

Talk about getting started at an early age...

"The accusers, who were 5 and 6 at the time of the trial, recanted their earlier
testimony and said their grandmother told them to say Smith was responsible for
the abuse rather than their 9-year-old cousin. The cousin, who can't be
prosecuted because of his age at the time of the crime, is serving a life prison
sentence for murder. The grandmother has died."

Something tells me sheltering the 9 year old cousin backfired...

http://www.cnn.com/2005/LAW/08/18/refused.pardon.ap/index.html

If I've been speaking English all my life...

Why do I find it impossible to talk? I just had a conference call with 4 people, none of whom I am particularly intimidated by, and all I had to say was 5 words to sum up my thought. Could I do that? Noooo. I had to stammer and sputter through about 90 seconds of drivel before I spat out something coherent.

Maybe it has something to do with translating empirical bubbles of thought to words, I don't know. I knew exactly what I was trying to say in pictures in my head. Unfortunately, the monitor displaying "pictures in Emma's head" hasn't been invented yet.

What the heck is wrong with me, and do I really want to know the answer to that?

If only we could all be so lucky

"We have performed autopsies on six people. Our conclusion is they had circulation and were breathing at the time of death," Koutsaftis said.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/europe/08/15/greece.crash.1437/index.html

Am I the only one who finds humor in that statement?

NYC transit rant...

Yes, I think I am obsessed with this web site

Conductor: Ladies and gentlemen, we have some good news and some bad news. Bad news is that our engine has stopped. The good news is that you're not on an airplane.

--MetroNorth train
(fyi for non-locals - the commuter rail to Westchester and CT)

Why this is so funny:

Once when it was 10 degrees out and I was coming back to the city, this happened to me just outside of New Rochelle. They got a little engine thingie to push the train to New Rochelle station, where we got out of the train and waited outside (remember, 10 degrees) for 4 hours while they arranged for 2 buses to bring 500 people to the Pelham station (25 people at a time), where we could get on another train to the city (which waited there for all 500 people).

Other annoying things about NYC transit:

• Smelly/hot subway platform or bus stop
• Trains/buses not showing up for 20 minutes during rush hour
• 300 sweaty people waiting 20 minutes for a train, only to wait 20 more minutes when they won't fit on the one that finally comes
• 300 people lubed up with sweat sliding against you in the crowded train/bus
• Subway announcement thanking riders for "riding with MTA NYC Transit!" (as if we had a choice)
• Musical performers (particularly trumpets and mariachi trios) - confined space people!!
• The preacher guy who shouts gospel to the car for the entirety of his ride. If I wanted to be lectured about being a sinner, I'd go to church

And people wonder why I don't do boroughs???

http://www.overheardinnewyork.com/archives/002270.html

Who doesn't love getting hit on by the homeless?

This about sums up everything I've ever thought while in this woman's situation.

http://www.overheardinnewyork.com/archives/002256.html

In a related note...

Someone Should Complain to Her Soup-ervisor
Bag lady: Ladies and gentlemen, my husband and I are homeless. We can't stay at our shelter during the day so we come on the train to get food. Today we are asking for money so we can do laundry. Anything you can give will help.
Hobo: Why don't you just admit that you're gonna buy crack? I'm in the same line of work, don't believe her.

--N train

http://www.overheardinnewyork.com/archives/2005_07.html

No one wants to hear you!

Is it possible to emphasize enough how utterly annoying it is to pay $76/mo for NYC MTA Subway fare and not, in exchange, ever have a peaceful ride to or from work?

Yesterday, to my surprise, I left work a few minutes early and got a seat. Just as I started to unwind and start reading my book, in comes a bum, begging for money. Does he do a short speech asking for everyone's assistance? Noooo of course not. He spends 3 stops explaining how he's in some organization or other and trying to get on his feet. Does it get him anywhere? Nope. He didn't get a dime, and some woman at the end of the car yelled at him on his way out.

This morning, coming in at a far more crowded time, I was smooshed into the usual crowd of commuters. Who comes in but Annoying Minister Guy. I've had the "pleasure" of his presence before, but usually he changes cars at the next stop. Ohhhh no. Not this morning. I got to hear his "God loves you, he died for us, the devil makes war, divorce, and gay people" tirade for 5 express stops (that's like 4 minutes between stops), leaving me only one short stop in relative peace. It's ok, I didn't want to read that chapter of my book yet anyway.

Am I the only one that gets irritated at these things? What is it with people? If you don't have anything useful to say, leave the rest of us alone.

Meet the world's newest health nut...

Latest book on the reading list: Fat Land by Greg Critser
Describing the modern history of fat in the US, Critser leads you quickly through the government-induced increase in accessibility of fattening products and the evil marketing geniuses who created value meals. He follows this up with a detailed description of what excessive fat actually does to your body parts, which is guaranteed to scare the bejeezus out of anyone who's ever had a sip of coke.

What is interesting about the book are the facts provided about how the government changed agriculture/trade regulations to allow for the reduction in price of fattier foods (also, assumedly, healthier foods, but that's beside the point). I also never knew that the adult value meal also came before the kids' happy meal, or that the physical fitness test in physical education class was derived from two different ideals, one of which focuses on physical activities and the other on flexibility and BMI. The apathy towards controlling obesity, at least as presented by Critser, is appalling.

The one major disagreement I have with Critser is his argument that people will go out and eat fast food simply because it's cheaper and they can have more of it. Personally, if I could spend $6 on a McDonald's value meal, or $6 on a salad from Cafe Metro, I'd go for the salad 9 times out of 10. For one, I won't feel like a giant grease ball after my meal, and two, my body may actually process and use some of it, rather than eject it almost immediately. Don't any other people in the world have this kind of common sense? It should not take a genius to figure out a portion of greasy potato sticks fried in lard will make you fatter than eating the same size portion of baked potato (which is readily available at Wendy's for about the same price as the bag of fries). Does every consumer, regardless of class, have an option to eat better? I believe so. Will the healthy option taste as good? Probably not, but isn't that what makes the bad stuff so appealing?

I found this book to be more informational than the Super Size Me documentary because it's not only about the evils of fast food. Overall, I recommend the read.

Pop Princess and Wife Beater Queen

Now this is the lovable Britney Spears I remember...

Dave Letterman Top 10 Reasons to Watch Britney & Kevin: Chaotic
10. Britney: There's never-before-seen footage of me wrestling an alligator.
9. Kevin: Unlike those "Desperate Housewives" chicks, we're not, like, 60 years old.
8. Britney: It's like "American Idol" except no one sleeps with Paula Abdul.
7. Kevin: In the first episode, you can see my ass.
6. Britney: I'm hot.
5. Kevin: She's hot.
4. Britney and Kevin: We haven't had nearly enough media coverage.
3. Britney: It's gotta be better than this show.
2. Kevin: If enough people tune in, maybe my wife will make out with Madonna again.
1. Britney: In the season finale, you'll find out that Dave is the father of my baby -- oops.

Darwin Nominee of the Day

A man jumped off the Eiffel Tower last night, intending to use a parachute and promote clothing, and died when the 'chute got snagged and detached after he jumped. (see CNN article). Common sense says don't jump in the first place, but if you still feel compelled, common sense might have you triple checking your equipment. Though they do say truly smart people lack common sense. Just a thought to ponder.

On a more interesting note from the article:

"Franz Reichel, a mustachioed Austrian tailor, was killed leaping from the first deck in 1912 to test a tent-like parachute coat he had invented. He is said to have died of fright before hitting the ground."

No word on how old this man actually was.

The Fountainhead, All Wet?

This weekend I finally finished reading The Fountainhead, the famous book by Ayn Rand that almost everyone else in the country read long ago, before me, and "LOVE love love love love loved" it.

The book is 800 long pages, and I labored through it for about a month, including a week haitus when I couldn't take it anymore, and finally found some chapters at the very end that captivated me enough to say I couldn't put the book down (maybe 50 pages, total).

I generally don't go around trash-talking about books that are commonly accepted as wonderful, but I honestly need to call this an overrated novel. Maybe it's because I became predisposed to hating it because so many random strangers on public transit insisted on interrupting me to mention how much they love the book. Maybe it's because everyone says the exact same thing and has the exact same opinions about the book, which, ironically enough, seems to contradict what Ms. Rand so thoroughly and relentlessly promotes. Maybe it's because I don't personally have the patience for a repetitive, slow-moving soap opera with characters I can't quite care about.

This isn't to say that I don't find the writing style to be eloquent, or that I lack appreciation for the ideal presented. I think the concept of selfishness for the greater good is fascinating, as do lovers of Ayn Rand works. Anyone who has ever been made to feel inadequate would logically feel this way. I don't discredit the effort to create such a lengthy, epic tale, but I feel like a few of the hours spent reading this would have been better spent elsewhere.

And you wonder what I'm doing instead of blogging. ;)

Foot in mouth disease... the plague returns

Last night I went out and finally got the chance to meet my boyfriend's close friend who was in town for the night. Not that friends should really be a relationship determinant, but you still never want your significant other's friends to hate you. So, of course, unknowingly, I spit out something completely rude. Basic conversation dialogue as follows:

Him: Where are you from originally?
Me: Connecticut.
Him: The only thing they have there are prep schools and farms.
Me: That's not totally true...
Him: It definitely is.
Me: Well... there actually is this prep-boarding school in my town, but the only people that go there are kids from the rich CT towns whose parents don't want them.
Him: Which school is that?
Me: Choate.
Him: I went there.

Crap. What are the odds of that happening?

I would like to register an official complaint about the general population of NYC (particularly females) who feel that, after having one (count it, one) freakishly warm April day (Wednesday, April 20, 82 degrees), the skank tanks and short shorts should be scavenged from the depths of storage and worn outdoors (even though the temperature has dropped to a more characteristic 55 degrees, Farenheit).

Let me give some of you a bit of advice. It's April. It's still too gosh darn cold out to be exposing that much of your birthday suit. Especially when, having obviously not completed the age old springtime regiment of burning off the winter jello-belly so as to actually look good wearing such clothing (in June, when summer starts), there is far more birthday suit than the norm being exposed.

Don't get me wrong, this matter wouldn't be so complaint worthy had the hoochie skirts and crop tops went away after that one day. But just because we had one day of lovely weather, somehow it seems that several people have already gone ahead and put all of their spring clothes away never to be seen again. It makes me hope for a freak mid-afternoon blizzard and that causes frostbite in unthinkable places for those less prepared to face the elements.

Introducing...

My random opinions, back on the web again. Who would've thought.