Fresh from NYC
Every time I run into, or see a video of something like this, it reminds me of what I love about NYC. This guy needs to quit his day job.
Russo hung a sign that says, “Forget all the noise, traffic and the impact of the 2nd Ave Subway. Enjoy the Music. -Hard Hats and Microphones”
Russo says at the end of the video he’s just trying to give back a little. Let’s see if we can get this guy on the Today Show by the end of the week!
This is one of those things that really should be the definition of “that goes without saying”, but time and time again, it seems it needs to be said. If you are on a subway platform and drop something on the tracks, unless it’s your child or perhaps some other living person possibly related to you, do not take it upon yourself to try and retrieve whatever you dropped.
Not only are you unnecessarily putting your own life at risk, you’re potentially threatening the sanity and emotional well-being of everyone else that is about to see you crushed by an oncoming train. Not to mention what it does to the conductors of the trains, having to live with the fact that they’ve taken someone’s life even if it was through no fault of their own.
“You can’t see anything until you are actually in the station,” the motorman said. “When I came into the station, he was about sixty or seventy feet down the platform. The only thing I could do was activate the emergency brakes.”
Fatal accidents can be tramautic to train operators. Some hang up their keys, never to return to the motorman’s cab. Others take extended leaves.
This was the motorman’s first fatality.
“It’s very uncomfortable,” he said. “I”m managing but I’m going to see a shrink, definitely. I woke up six times last night.”
In fact, there should be a new law that if you see someone jump on the tracks to “rescue” their keys or iPhone or whatever they think is worth risking their life for, you should be legally allowed to help pull them off the tracks and then beat the shit out of them for being a fucking idiot.
Photo courtesy of the NYPost
Legend has it that the NYC band Atomic Tom had their band equipment stolen by some asshole. They must be pacifists because instead finding the thieves and beating them to a pulp they took to the subway and made a totally fucking awesome music video using nothing but iPhones.
I’d never heard of these guys before but this song kicks much ass and the way they manage to use their iPhones kicks even more ass. I’ll shut up now, just watch.
If you live in New York and use public transportation lately you probably also know that the subway, no matter how hot or smelly or crowded it can be, is also a brief reprieve from digital leashes that are harnessed to you the entire today. At least that’s what you could tell yourself to try and make the smell of urine more palatable.
Now, even that “silver lining” is about to come to an end.
After an almost three-year delay, work is set to begin on a $200 million plan to bring mobile- phone and Wi-Fi service to New York’s subway stations.
After three years with no progress many New Yorkers assumed the project had fallen by the way side. Thanks to Broadcast Australia’s injection of a new revenue stream the project is once again gearing up and will reportedly have six stations wired up and ready to go within the next two months.
Does anyone want to get in on the over/under on the first cell phone related brawl happening on a subway platform?
Waiting for a training on a hot, smelly platform while running late for work can be stressful enough. Add into that equation a hundred or so people with no sense of “inside voice” having conversations on their cell phones around you.
This is quite possibly the worst thing I can imagine happening to the MTA Subway system.
If you’ve ever taken the subway somewhere only to find out that you were at the front of the train and needed to exit at the back of the train, fret no more.
Taking the 1 train uptown to 28th street? Get on right behind the middle conductor. Need to transfer to the L at Union Square from the N downtown? Ride in the 1st car. Detailed diagrams eliminate the guesswork and frustration from your ride, making your subway trip easier and faster.
If you’re lazy, dumb, curious or all three then this app is definitely for you. This would be a cool, free iPhone app, but at a price of $1.99 I think I’ll take my chances and, heaven forbid, walk to the closest set of stairs.
Tired of all the ads you see on nyc buses and trains that are about something 20 blocks away or not directly behind you? You’re in luck.
New York’s transit agency is testing digital advertising screens on the sides of buses.
The screens can target ads for specific neighborhoods. The ads, which resemble TV commercials, could even advertise coffee in the morning, and beer after work.
Titan Worldwide has a 10-year, $800 million contract to sell ads throughout the city’s bus and commuter-train systems. The company says GPS technology allows it to change the ads based on the buses’ locations.
I can’t wait for the first, “Follow me to Whole Foods, it’s only 4…3…2…1 block(s) away. You’re here!” If there’s one thing more annoying than the ads on buses and trains it would have to be those same ads constantly changing enroute while be more like TV commercials at the same time.
Waiting for the train this morning I was shocked to see my train roll into the station sporting ads on the outside.
I’m used to seeing bunyon removal, ConEd, learn English now and various beer ads on my commute but this new revenue stream through me for a loop.
Hopefully this means the MTA will actually be able to overcome its massive budget deficit without raising fares any time in the near future, although I’m not holding my breath.
I don’t know about you but I’m super excited about the first time I’m waiting in the station and I get to see Dr. Zizmor come whizzing by me at 15 mph. You know it’s only a matter of time. Come on Dr. Z what are you waiting for?
Since this is fairly early on in my blogging career I guess I should let you know a little about me. I’m not good at talking about myself unless I’m drunk or trying to get laid (those usually go hand in hand) so here goes.
Last night I got me one of those fancy new root canals I’ve heard so much about. At least step one of the root canal experience. Apparently this fine new dental procedure comes in three parts, and I got the first part done last night. It actually wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be. The worst part about it was actually having to keep your mouth locked open for two hours. I learned a whole new level of respect for hookers last night. I honestly don’t know how you girls do it, I can barely stand to have a DumDum sucker in my mouth for too long let alone a huge cock. I really gotta give you women credit for that one. Way to take one for the team.
Temp work is what I’m currently doing now, along with bartending on the side and a few web projects here and there. I do a little bit of everything. I’m sort of like a modern day renaissance man, a really, really poor renaissance man. This is my first real temp assignment that I’m on right now. It’s fairly laid back and pretty easy. All I know is that there must be some really fucking stupid temps working out there because when they do tell me to do something they tell me three times really slow and then stare at me to make sure I’m retaining it. I keep waiting to be rewarded with a piece of fruit every time I finish a task. Not to mention the questions I get asked, “James, are you familiar with a stapler? If I needed you to staple these papers do you think you could handle that? Just push down on the top of this thing after you put the paper in. You think you can do that?” Yes, being a temp is like being, well I bet it’s a lot like what being a Mexican feels like. You get the absolute shittiest work that no one else wants to do and everyone thinks you don’t really understand what the hell they’re talking about. Unite my Mexican brothers! We shall ride out this oppression together! Ole’!
Ahhhh yes, the express bus. The one real thing that makes my life worth living. It’s like a magic time machine that gets me from Brooklyn to Manhattan in no time flat. The express bus is like no other form of transportation in the city. I’d rather kill a dog than take the subway now. The express bus has spoiled me and gotten me used to the finer things in life. There’s always (well almost always) a seat on the express bus. They serve cocktails and appetizers on the express bus. They have a four piece orchestra in the back of the bus that plays quietly while you either dance or sleep. The first time I ever got on the express bus and there weren’t enough seats, a nice looking woman made eye contact with me as I looked around. She knew it was my first time and wanted it to be enjoyable. We stared at each other, our eyes locked as she knowingly smiled. I watched, stunned, as she opened the window next to her and jumped out just as we merged onto the B.Q.E. She sacrificed herself so I could have a seat. That my friend is what the express bus is all about. I occasionally still mingle with the commoners and ride the train, but if I want to leave my house late and still get to work on time, there’s nothing quite like the express bus.
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