Quite a debate about this.
[poll=6]
(Yes, I know this isn’t NYC)
Month: June 2008
Beijing Starts Security Checks at All Subway Stations
In preparation for the summer Olympic games, Beijing has started security checks at all of their subway stations. No, they aren’t a joke like they are in the NYC subway system.
“It’s just as strict as the airport security checks.” [Source]
They have wands to scan passengers for weapons, and all large bags go through X-ray machines. Liquids are checked unless the passenger takes a sip from the container.
Compare that to New York City’s methods…the same NYC that is daily terror target every day of the year. In most cases, it could be weeks before you see any formal security procedures beyond an officer standing around the platform.
The bag inspection system is laughable. Quick survey, out of the last 50 times you’ve walked by one of the NYPD inpection tables, how many times have you seen someone having their bag inspected? Maybe 2 or 3? That’s what I thought.
Most of the time, the table is just there for show. They only inspect a handful of people.
After years of riding the subway and carrying a semi large computer bag, I’ve only been inspected once. I started to open the the bag, and the cop said, “Nahh don’t worry about those [smaller pockets]. Just open the large compartment.”
Ohh…ok. So those other pockets couldn’t possibly contain anything suspect because the terrorists would never think to hide a biological weapon in the smaller, hidden pockets. They just use the big one.
Anyway, just another example where the US is falling behind other nations.
FREE Ads On SUBWAYblogger.com
For a limited time, SUBWAYblogger.com is offering free, 1 week banner ads in our left sidebar. That’s right…FREE. No strings attached.
If you’re interested, send your request to: free [at] subwayblogger.com.
You will receive instructions for claiming the ad in just a minute or two.
Enjoy!
– SB Team
UPDATE: Free ads are SOLD OUT. But, we are going to do it all again next month. So come back on August 1st for details about our monthly free ads.
Thanks for the reminder, Hopstop
Got this email yesterday…
Hello,
I work for Hopstop and I’m a fan of your site. I’ve noticed you haven’t posted an entry about Hopstop in a while. Hopstop has recently acquired partnerships with Duane Reade and NY Magazine. We’ve also been featured on ABC News…
http://www.hopstop.com/video/abc2.html
http://www.hopstop.com/video/abc1.html
I would love for you to write another post regarding Hopstop’s growing popularity.
Best,
Name Removed to protect the intern that sent this (per her request)
Hopstop Inc.
—–
I guess it has been a while. Have a feeling this will hold me over for quite a while now.
Expanding SUBWAYblogger?
So we have been kicking around the idea of expanding SUBWAYblogger to include other cities around the country and around the world. However, we would keep each city separate.
SUBWAYblogger.com would remain the New York City portal. However we would create additional subsites. For example:
dc.subwayblogger.com
boston.subwayblogger.com
london.subwayblogger.com
etc.
In essence, a network of SUBWAYblogger sites would be created, but you wouldn’t lose your local flavor.
There are some challenges, mostly having to do with money. We wouldn’t be able to pay someone to run the other sites from a content point of view. However, we could easily provide all of the hosting, technical space, coding, etc.
So we would probably want to find existing subway sites to absorb into SUBWAYblogger. The publisher could still have complete control over content and advertisement revenue.
It would be nice to find, for example, some Blogger.com sites that wanted to make the jump to WordPress and become a more legit player in the space.
Perhaps the idea is a bit too ambitious.
No More Free Ride (or Drive) for MTA Board Members
The MTA vowed today to end the policy of allowing MTA board members to have free E-ZPasses and train fares for personal use.
However, it seems that they may still get a free ride if on official MTA business. However, that seems to be a bit much in my mind. They should have to pay out of pocket for that too. If I am on official company business, I don’t get to ride for free. I can expense the ticket and get reimbursed from my company. However, the company is a private entity spending it’s own money. The MTA is a publicly funded organization using our tax dollars.
And they should have to feel every penny of the decisions that they make. So if they want to increase fares and tolls, they should feel the financial burden just like the rest of us.
Meanwhile, Former MTA board member Warren Dolny has assumed the roll of uber a-hole.
“There’s only 34 of us. That’s all there are. How many years is that gonna go? How many total dollars is it according to the budget? You heard the amount of moneys that are being spent. You know what the budget of the MTA is. What does this amount to? One tenth of one tenth of one tenth of one percent? It’s like a postage stamp on a football field,” said Dolny. [WCBS TV]
I think he completely misses the point from high atop his pedestal. It isn’t about the cash savings. It’s the principle that in times where New Yorkers are being asked to pay more for public transportation, the very same organization should not be giving free perks to their multimillionaire board members.
Baby Born on F Train Platform
No, I’m not kidding.
Soleil, the newest straphanger, was born right on the F train platform.
Her mom was on the F train when Soleil decided she wanted OUT. A fellow passenger helped her to the platform when when her water broke.
As if in a movie, a nurse stopped to coach her through the birth as well as some concerned citizens. Some say the trains kept running, which is not a shock to me at all. Haha.
Mom and baby are reportedly just fine at Bellevue.
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
Metrofart T-Shirts?
Ahhh the joy of reader emails. This one goes in the classic pile:
Hello SubwayBlogger!
Hopefully you’ll get a kick out of the new MetroFart t-shirt, just made available on DiggerTees.com.
A recent trip on the 6 train inspired this t-shirt design; I jumped on the train at 33rd street, to head home to the UES. I immediately detected a foul odor from the passenger standing next to me…only for the doors to open at the 42nd street stop, and an even fouler odor wafted in from the platform. It was unreal…
…but hey, we all come out of this winners, we now can proudly sport the new MetroFart t-shirt!
When will 59th Street Columbus Circle Close?
Honestly, there’s about 20 square feet of the entire 59th Street station complex that’s NOT under construction.
Every time I have to get off there, it is impossible to miss the fact that there’s very little area not walled off, torn up, or fenced. It’s getting a little insane.
They may want to just shut it down till it is done. Why? Because one morning, we will litterally get off the train and have no where to go.
On top of that, they’ve started laying tile in lots of seperate areas without completing a section. So a lot of the areas do not meet up seamlessly. So effed up.
More Trains Become Reefs
A barge full of subway cars head out to sea for their watery graves. Judging by how long the MTA keeps trains in service, I would estimate that those trains were made in 1903. See more at Gothamist
SUBWAYblogger 