Every day they have the blues

On the mass media front, the Fuku stories we've been reading are mostly about closing doors after the horse has left the barn. For example, they just discovered that they let some radioactive beef from the Fukushima province into the market before it was tested, and some people have already eaten it. Mmmmm... cesium. I hate it when instead of telling you how many ounces the steak will be, the restaurant rates it in chest X-ray equivalents.
http://bojack.org/2011/07/every_day_they_have_the_blues.html

Would you rather keep your old car or trade it for a lifetime travel pass?

Well, some spanish city is giving its citizens that option. Would you take it?

Cop and fire pension chickens coming home to roost

In Portland, the percentage is lower, but the problem is the same: Too much money going out to the public safety officers of the past, with not nearly enough money left over for a livable present or future. Portland will soon be paying more -- much more -- to retired police and firefighters than it does to current police and firefighters.

http://bojack.org/2011/07/cop_and_fire_pension_chickens.html

Something TriMet has yet to do

Retire the high floor bus fleet!

And we think Portlanders are bike nuts?

Check out China.

MAXaction

Summer Cleanup Time!

Fast Buses

Something I wish TriMet had, but doesn't.

Man who killed Angela Burke gets 60 months in plea deal

Bike Portland

RSA Reports!

Al found 'em! They are quite interesting to read, I'd say.

5 New Fare Inspectors to Come?

Trimet general manager says "everyone needs to pay"

Does a "trimet luggage tag" actually exist?

I want to see one of those.

Happy Lawyers

http://maxredline.typepad.com/maxredline/2011/07/happy-lawyers.html

Suppl-i-ments?

http://rantingsofatrimetbusdriver.blogspot.com/2011/07/suppl-i-ments.html

Trimet general manager says "I need a labor relations/human resources 'executive'..." Trimet general manager says "I need a labor relations/human resources 'executive'..."

HR202

Ask not what your country can do for you

News Only Avaliable on the Internet

Seattle residents line up to support transit

‪Line outside Metro bus service cut hearing

Riding TriMet? Plenty of bugs could be sharing your seat

Still, John Townes, Oregon Health & Sciences University director of infection prevention and control, wasn't alarmed by the findings. The risk of being infected by harmful bacteria on public transit, he said, is probably no greater than it is at a movie theater or shopping mall. 
...
The reality, Townes said, is that many people walk around with staphylococci living on their skin and in their noses. The best protection remains regular hand washing, trimmed finger nails and covering open sores, he said. 

http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2011/07/riding_trimet_plenty_of_bugs_c.html

"Planning by the River"

http://rantingsofatrimetbusdriver.blogspot.com/2011/07/planning-by-river.html

Light rail face-off cancels BCC meeting

Citizens demand public vote on Milwaukie light rail line
And then we have Milwaukie MAX....

We're not even close to finished with Milwaukie MAX

And they're already talking about another MAX line down Barbur Boulevard and through to OHSU (via a tunnel like we have for the zoo).
Why can't we just take it one project at a time? Oh, that's right: we're in Portlandia and this is related to TriMet and TriMet loves MAX and will do anything to get it.
Sigh
It is hardly even worth ranting about these TriMet MAX boondoggles anymore...

Light Rail Down South

Well, we're going to get light rail through Southwest Portland, along Barbur Boulevard. As is always the case, it's a done deal, and there won't be a vote. It's going to happen because the "planners" need to get ready for the influx:Projected Growth

Population 2010: 140,000 ƒ

2035: 206,000 ƒ

Employment 2010: 163,000

ƒ2035: 251,000

http://maxredline.typepad.com/maxredline/2011/07/light-rail-down-south.html

That's not good

I've heard through Al that apparently there was a fire on the max, westside, at Murray tonight.