They're not interested in cities with longstanding rail systems, like New York, Boston and Chicago. Instead they want "success" stories from cities that have recently jumped on the light-rail bandwagon ("Monorail, monorail").
So when should we expect a visit to Houston, and the accompanying blowjob feature story? We shouldn't.
How "explosive" things got is a bit debatable, but East Enders let Metro know they are plenty pissed about the agency's plans for their neighborhood.
Metro is looking at putting in a six-lane bridge and a large bus-repair center in the East End; Julio del Carpio of the Harrisburg Merchant Association says 40 or so businesses would be eliminated by the plans.
It's a glossy, fancy mag put out by Conde Nast, offering in-depth profiles of business giants.
This month's stars: Joel and Victoria Osteen.
Osteen gives the magazine a ton of access, resulting in a glowing article describing the theology-lite church as a brand right up there with Oprah.
About 30 Metro employees picketed the downtown transit center this morning, demanding that Metro save benefits planned to be cut, and improve other benefits.
Members of Transportation Workers Union 260 told the Houston Press that contract negotiations were planned today, and they feared losing benefits like paid vacation (some long-time drivers said their vacations would be cut to one week) and a “longevity” package where workers get an annual bonus after three years of employment. Metro Spokeswoman Raquel Roberts would not comment on the protest or the negotiations, saying, “We’d rather discuss it with the union than in the media, at this point.”
A 13-year driver told us that drivers are sometimes put in harm’s way, and their benefits packages should reflect their hard work.
“We’re getting jumped on, beat on…[we’re] unappreciated,” she said.
Last night, Metro officially decided to move the University light-rail line so that trains wouldn't be rumbling down Wheeler Avenue on their way to and from UH and TSU.
Residents had been hopeful of such a move a week or so ago after meeting with Metro officials behind closed doors, but the agency has a way of disappointing such raised hopes.
I love you but we need to talk. A friend and I recently rode one of your trains down to the Museum District to join another friend staying at the Hotel ZaZa. I didn’t want to pay $22 to valet park my car, see, and the train was a cheaper option. After walking out my door, I was at the hotel in around 20 minutes, just a dollar poorer and quite fond of you.
Metro, that silly hotel is a lot of fun. We hung out by the pool, ordered room service and chatted away until it was quite late and time to take the train home. We got to the northbound stop around 12:30, bought our tickets and waited. And waited. We were sure our train was coming, because we kept hearing announcements for trains going south. But after about 20 minutes, somebody wandered by and informed us that the last northbound train had left at 12:18. Defeated, we decided to just walk home.
So let's get to the first question!
"Q: Mr. Pennington seems to be a very talented man with numerous flattering credentials. I met him once about two years ago by mistake but he seemed to be a pretty nice guy. It does give me hope that the light rail system will turn out to be an overwhelming success."
Interesting train ride home yesterday…I get on a packed car about 5:30 last night, a Zeppelin playlist cranked to 12 on my iPod. I notice a commotion among the other passengers in my immediate surroundings, but I can’t hear what’s going on. Apparently the guy seated near the door across the car from me – an older guy with copper skin and Deputy Dawg features – is yelling at the woman right in front of me, a heavy set young black woman whose face I cannot see.
People, looking amused and a little afraid, kind of clear out all around the two of them, and by extension me. I decide to take one of my earbuds out just to eavesdrop…
“You an Uncle Tom motherfucker!” the woman yells at the man.
“You got me wrong.”
“Uncle Tom-ass bitch!”
In towns with real public transportation, people are used to interacting with the crazies on a daily basis. In Houston, not so much. Most of us keep our windows rolled up and the AC on. But I happen to live on the Main Street rail line, and today I took it to work.
The train was pretty crowded. I was standing up holding a rail, and there was a young man sitting across from me. The conversation started off innocuously enough.
“I like your shoes,” he said.
“Why, thank you,” I replied, and gave him a smile. Then things got weird.
