I Hate the M.T.A.

Excerpts from an article in today's New York Times:

"Buoyed by an unexpected surge in tax revenue, the
Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced yesterday that it would have
a
surplus of $833 million this year and that it would consider using the
money to
create a giant platform over its West Side railyards, which it
could then sell
to developers for office and apartment towers.

Despite the surplus, the authority indicated that it still
planned to raise fares and tolls in 2007 and 2009. ......

The windfall represents a remarkable - but probably
short-lived - reversal of fortunes for the authority, which in February had
projected a tiny surplus for the year and large deficits starting next year.
It
now predicts that a combination of soaring tax revenue and low interest
rates
will add $493 million, all of it not previously anticipated, to its
coffers by
December.

Now, instead of looking for a developer with the resources
and confidence to invest an estimated $350 million and nearly three years to
build the platform, the authority is looking to do the job itself. Doing so
would attract more bidders for the property and, presumably, a higher
price....

Neither phenomenon is expected to last, and the authority
projects that its revenue from taxes and subsidies will be largely flat
through
2009. "These transactional taxes are extremely unstable," said the
city's budget
director, Mark Page, who sits on the board. "These things
historically are
always cyclical. It is extremely hard to predict when the
cycle is going to turn
down on you."
The authority expects a deficit of
$194 million in 2007, rising
steeply to $1.5 billion in 2009 without planned
fare increases and budget
cuts......

In 2003, the authority raised the cost of a base ride to
$2 from $1.50, and this year, it raised the price of unlimited-ride fare
cards.
Asked if any part of the surplus should be used to avoid future fare
increases,
the authority's chairman, Peter S. Kalikow, was noncommittal.
'There are 25
things we're talking about, that possibly being one of them,"
he said, referring
to the proposal. "The plan is just for
information.'"

Judge-ment Day

Last week, President Bush nominated John Roberts to the Supreme Court of the United States. I think he managed to dissapoint both the far right and far left and made a pretty good choice, all things considered. (Both sides seemed to be somewhat looking forward to a good brawl played out on cable news stations and I think that is part of the dissapointment).
I'm a pretty liberal person, in general, I think. I don't really want to see Roe vs. Wade overturned and generally fall on the 'left'ish side of things that come before the court but what you have to remember is that Bush was elected not once, but twice being pretty much open about his pro-life stance and although he didn't say it, it was pretty clear he wanted a pro-life judgeship. OK, maybe he was only elected once but whatever, you know I mean.
This guy is a solid upstanding citizen. Top of his class at Harvard and, by all accounts, a good person. I haven't heard a word to the contrary.
Yes, he is a 'conservative' in that he reads to the letter of the law in most cases - but he doesn't seem like an unreasonable idealogue. Many of the things liberals are going to throw at him will be stances he took when he was working for the solicitor general, so he was really voicing someone else's opinion. He also said in his confirmation hearings for his judgeship he now holds that he accepts Roe vs. Wade as the 'law of the land' or something to that effect. He doesn't really seem to blindly follow an agenda, he seems to really think about each case and take rulings seriously. Not like a Scalia, who is a 'strict constructionist' except not always.
I guess I think he seems like a conservative, thoughtful, good person and that's not really a reason to deny him a place on the court if nominated by the President who, quite frankly, probably would have gotten away with a more right wing person. Also, I hear mad people on the left complaining that they don't know enough about this guy but that also means people on the right don't either. It's a bit of a risk that Bush is taking because if he ends up voting, say, to uphold Roe vs. Wade (which, in the Casey case, by the way was upheld with a 6-3 vote anyway), Bush's right wing constituents are going to go apeshit and Bush can kiss his spot on Mount Rushmore in 2058 goodbye. I mean, if he hasn't totally made up his mind on some issues that's a good thing. There are 'activist' judges on both sides of the spectrum but he doesn't seem to be one.
Roberts should undergo some grilling and then be passed by the vast majority of Senators. To filibuster would be ludicrous. I applaud President Bush for finding an option that won't divide the country, (for once).

Estoy Sin Una Computadora in Mi Apartamento

For the last year or so, Dave, Chris and I have been using a dated yet serviceable computer at our place. It was actually Jerry's computer from college - circa 1998. It was a bit slow, froze at times and was generally quirky but it served its purpose (and thanks for the computer, Jerry). About two weeks ago it froze and when i restarted it it went to the DOS program where it informed me that 'windows' did not exist (or wouldn't open or something). What a frustrating moment, there was nothing I could do. I tried to think back to my PC Junior days of elementary school, immediately remembering one command, DIR. This is roughly what followed:

DIR: (all the programs show up)
DIR WINDOWS: DID NOT UNDERSTAND COMMAND
RUN WINDOWS: DID NOT UNDERSTAND COMMAND
HELP WINDOWS: DID NOT UNDERSTAND COMMAND
DIR WINDOWS: DID NOT UNDERSTAND COMMAND
PLEASE WORK: DID NOT UNDERSTAND COMMAND
FUCK YOU: DID NOT UNDERSTAND COMMMAND
WHAT THE FUCK: DID NOT UNDERSTAND COMMAND
BITCH: DID NOT UNDERSTAND COMMAND
DIR: (all the programs again)




After a few rounds of the above, I resigned myself to the fact that the computer was finally dead. I mean, we knew it was coming, it was like when my friend Lilah's dog, Molly, was mad old and deaf and fucked up and stumbling around. We all knew it was going to die but she was still bummed when it finally happened (actually, Chris, Dave, Jerry and myself actually found the fucked up dog kind of funny, but, hey, we were like 12 or 13).
So now, we are without a computer. I could bring back my work laptop to the apartment but that's kind of a pain, especiall if I have a gym bag too.

If you have been wondering why I haven't been writing much, now you know. Hopefully, we'll get a new one soon, but you're talking about three guys who took the better part of this century to buy a new stereo.

Isiah, Please Hire Larry Brown

There seems to be mixed sentiments on this, but I think the Knicks DEFINITELY need to hire Larry Brown.

I like Herb Williams, he seems like a good guy and I'm sure he's a good coach, but Larry Brown is arguably the best coach in basketball right now. Certainly the best available one.

He'll come in and teach these guy how to play defense and how to play 'the right way'. He'll give the Knicks heart and toughness, something they haven't had since the Jeff Van Gundy years.

They'll be in a much better position as a franchise when he quits in two or three years, too.

Yea, he's kind of a jerk (talking to Cleveland in the playoffs and basically telling people about it was very unprofessional) and he always bounces after a few years (although, coaches do get fired all the time so I don't think quitting before you get fired is necessarily that bad) but let's face it, the Knicks are awful and desperate. They can't afford not to jump at an all-time coaching great if he's available.

What a Nice Day

It makes me think of the 'Hello Song' from Ms. Clatworthy's music class in grades 4 & 5. It's a call and response song and at he beginning of music class, she'd pick one person to sing the call and the rest of the class would respond. This was one of the more terrifying things about 4th and 5th grade for me. I had to sing the solo part in fourth grade, although in fifth grade I dodged the bullet. Anyway, without further ado - here's the song (with solo on the left, chorus on the right and the parts where everyone sings to gether in the middle):

Hello

Hello

How d'you do?

How d'you do?

How are you?

How are you?

I'm fine

Me too

I'm happy

I'm happy

Seeing you

Seeing you

Been a long time

Been a long time

What's new?

What's new?

It's a beatiful day

A beautiful day

To take a walk

To take a walk

A beautiful day

A beautiful day

To sit and talk

To sit and talk

Hello

Hello

How are you?

How are you?

I like you!

I-like-you!

It's a beautiful day

To take a walk

To sit and talk

And say

Hello

Hello

Heeeeellllllllllllllloooooooooooooooo!

Surround Sound

As many of you who have spent time at my two apartments over the last few years (as well as Chris and Dave's Gold Street aparment) know, the stereo we had - given to me by my parents circa 2001 - had seen better days. It skipped, the display didn't work, the CD player tray was broken (you had to use the CD-R drive), and didn't always even turn on (although it turned on by itself every night at like 11:02). It was a major source of frustration.

In about 2003, Dave and I vowed to purchase a new stereo. Two years and three apartments later, the ol' gray bandit has been retired.

Dave and I set out yesterday afternoon to buy a new rug for our living room and, instead, returned with a Phillips 750 megawatt surround sound stereo (with a CD/DVD player as well as radio) complete with four wall mounted speakers, a center speaker and a woofer.

We are planning on office-spacing the stereo on our rooftop. Those of you who have seen the movie know what I mean.

An Historic Post

In an unprecedented move, untried by any in my friends' blogging community I am going to turn over the e-pen to Mr. Richard Thompson McKay to make history's first known guest-blog-post. So all my loyal readers - strap on your e-seatbelts....Ricky, it's all yours:

This morning at 7:30, I awoke to my alarm and to find myself the guy on the couch. Evan was asleep on the lazy boy after a night with Jack and Johnny. He did not seem very excited that my alarm went off. I was excited because the New Harry Potter Book is being released today.

After a coffee and a short ride to Lincoln Center, i arrived at the Barnes and Nobles.
Walking up subway stairs to the street I was greeted by the usual fanfare. I counted 7 Harry Potter's, 5 Dumboldore's, an assortment of Hermoine and Weasley Children, and 2 Hagrid's. There was one middle aged Professor Snape who looked he was rather surly in his day to day life. Needless to say most of these people were families with children dressed up as characters and twenty to thirty something folks who looked like they were hard up for a date or to move out of their parents basement.
After reminding myself as i did at the premiere of Stars Wars a few months ago, I can make fun of these folks but only up to a certain point; it was the midnight opening night for Star Wars and I have been saving my seat for the last two and a half hours.
So into the Barnes and Nobles, 8:47am, I walked up to the display of Harry Potter Books arranged beautifully and majestically, as I reached for on near the top I was informed by a security guard that my Harry Potter book was behind the counter in one of those neat boring piles.
I paid for my book and was very excited. As I was on line, appartenly, something was happening outside. I walked out into the commotion, there was a group of Star Wars Fans that had come up to ridicule the Harry Potter Diehards, they had signs about how Jedi's could kick wizards asses, light sabers being played with threateningly by a couple of balding jedi, 3 darth vaders were insulting the hagrid's costumes, and I saw a bobofett grin and give a group of Harry Potters the finger.
Needless to say I was torn between two loves, Hogwart's and the power of the force. I decided that I would think about this a lot more clearly after reading the new Harry Potter book. I ran for the subway nervous that i would see friends from the respective conventions and be forced to choose sides.
I bought an atlas and pretended I was a tourist. After borrowing some scissors I cut two eye holes so I could see when I avoided everyone outside.
It was only after getting on the 9 train did I realize I had a map of Alaska.
The first 92 pages of the new book are good so far. I have to go read now.
Ho yes, Rick

Marbury is a Two-Guard

I really think the Knicks should try Stephon Marbury, their current starting point guard, to the off-guard spot.

They guy is a top-notch talent with mad skills. He doesn't seem to be able to 'make his teammates better', though. He's never been past the first round of the playoffs and it must drive him crazy that he's been traded for two other point guards in his career and each time his former team was lightyears more successful than when he was there.

He's about 6'2, 180 or 190 and because of his height he's always played the one-spot - which is fine but....

With the Knicks he is their only hope. You're not trading him - or at least I hope not - because you're not getting equal value at this point (people think he's a talented guy but not a winner). They need to totally build around his talents and his number one talent is scoring baskets. I say move him to the two, let Jamal Crawford play point, who can guard the other team's two on defense if you think Marbury's shortness is an issue. Even though he's not that tall, he is 6'2 (which is two inches, at least, taller than Iverson who pulled off the same thing) but he's pretty built - he won't get pushed around. He averages like 20 points a night now, I think if he's an off-guard - you can bump that up to at least 25 average a night.

Red Rover, Red Rover

I have to admit that I really enjoy watching this new Karl Rove thing play out.

This is a brief synopsis, as I understand it (you can skip this paragraph if you know the story):

The CIA was investating a claim that Iraq was trying to buy 'yellow cake' from Niger so Valery Plame, who is married to Joseph Wilson, suggested to her boss that they send her husband to check it out. The boss apparently agreed and sent him. He went and apparently says he found no evidence (Fox and the right seem to be calling him a liar, I'm not sure why - in any case the initial claims seem to be based on a forged document). Bush gave his State of the Union address and cites the bullshit claim about Niger/'yellow cake'/Iraq and uses as evidence that we need to go to war. Then Wilson wrote an op-ed in the NY Times calling him out. The Bushies were mad pissed off and Karl Rove (and apparently others) made a bunch of calls to reporters saying the only reason he was sent is b/c his wife is in the CIA and suggested him for the trip (which I'm not sure why this is a huge deal). Trouble is she was a covert operative and they revealed her identity, so the CIA asked for an investigation. A special prosecutor was named and has been investigating for a year or two at this point and has been going after Judith Miller, who never even wrote a story and Matt Cooper, who wrote a story after Robert Novak broke the story. According to Cooper's emails, Rove was the source which causes problems b/c of the legality issues and politically b/c Bush said he'd fire whoever it was and Rove and Scott McClelland (Press Secretary) emphatically denied that the source was him.

So, my thoughts:

• Robert Novak is a bitch: He, first of all, knew he was outing this lady b/c he refers to her as an operative in this article he wrote. He also clearly cut a deal with the prosecutor to reveal the source and won't talk about it now.
• Judith Miller is a badass: She didn't write anything about this story and her only 'crime' is knowing who did it. Now, you can argue about where the lines of freedom of the press should be drawn but say what you will about the tenets of protecting your sources no matter what, but at least it's an ethos.
• Karl Rove is also a bitch: I really hate Karl Rove, he's just a mean vindictive person who will win at all costs - including spreading lies about people (see McCain, John). He is also a political genius. He definitely shouted Plame out on purpose to get back at Wilson for embarrassing the administration. I don't believe the 'oh, he didn't know she was a covert operative' argument. If he did, he wouldn't have called mad people on the DL like he did. Also many of them didn't print the story because the knew it was fucked up. Certainly, it wouldn't have been in 'double super secret background' - do these reporters and politicians really use terms like this? What a bunch of nerds. However...
• I don't know that he broke a law. The 1982 law against this type of thing is apparently very limited so it's not clear that he did anything criminal.
• Politically, Rove and Bush are in a tough spot b/c Rover denied and Bush pretty much said he'd fire whoever this was.
• Don't give me the liberal media is on a witch-hunt shit. Please. The 'liberal media' person, Miller from the NY Times, is the only one who didn't sell Rove out. Novak, the 'conservative media' guy involved, sold out quicker than the Care-Bear section of Toys-R-Us on Christmas Eve in 1985.
• They have got to be bringing a case against Rove if they're going after the press (especially people who didn't even write anything) so aggressively. If not the Prosecutor (Fitzgerald?) is a major beeitch. Also, let's not forget that depending on what Rove said to the prosecutor's office, he may have perjured himself in the course of the investigation.
• Finally, it's too bad that everyone runs to their respective partisan sides and follows their party lines. If the parties involved were switched, many would do a complete 180 here. Everyone on the news seems to be arguing about whether or not Plame had Wilson sent and whether or not that was fucked up, what he did or didn't find and whether or not Rove was being vindictive or just trying to put the story in perspective: all of that doesn't matter. Someone outed this lady, it was shady, the CIA asked for it to be investigated, Rove pulled a Shaggy ('it wasn't me!'), Bush said he'd fire whoever it was and now it turns out Rove did it.

So, there may be no crime here but the administration is definitely put in a tough situation no matter what - fire the dude that's responsible for its existence? Go back on your previous position? Both bad choices. It will be interesting to see how this plays out.

bahama mamma

i'm in the bahamas right now and it is beautiful.

i put suntan lotion on my face and around my neck yesterday but then i went snorkeling and my back is redder than a mississippi born again christian.

i've lost $100 in the casinos already.

blog names

ziad and i were talking about him starting a blog and i think i have the absolute best name for it: letmetellyousomething.blogspot.com.

can anyone do any better than that?

maybe a-mazing.blogspot.com, duma.blogspot.com, letsgorightnow.blogspot.com

goldie should be studentsforasensibleblog.blogspot.com or GIVEMETHREEEXAMPLES!!!!!THREEEXAMPLES!!!!AAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.blogspot.com

happy fourth of july

and let me tell you something, pendejo!

i went bowling on saturday night at bowlmor lanes on university place and i bowled a 156 in one game which, i believe, is my highest score ever.

and the results are in...

so this was rick's dinner order on this, the first night in july:

1. one large orange juice (freshly squeezed - he turned down tropicana)
2. green tea
3. chicken caesar salad on pita bread
4. grilled cheese with bacon
5. one small tortellini salad
6. one slice of cheese cake

quite an ecletic order - i wasn't that far off

win it ricky!

rick is the most indecisive person ever. he is sitting on my couch right now studying a menu from strokos (a restaurant near my apartment) for going on ten minutes now (i'm having the chicken kabab).
here's my predictions on his order, i'll post what he actually did order later:

1 . a litre of orange juice
2. a side of bacon
3. a grilled cheese
4. a mr. goodbar
5. some kind of soft drink or fruit shake
6. corned beef sandwich on rye

to be continued...

mike and the mad dog marathon

mike and the mad dog (who is chris russo), for any of you who don't know, are the hosts of a popular sports talk show on wfan in new york city. i actually think it's nationally syndicated. anyway, they're on the air from about 2 until 6pm usually. i really don't listen much because i'm usually at work.
mike francessa is this fat dude that knows a lot about sports. he's a smart guy and all that i suppose but he is extremely pompous. he thinks he has like sports phd and everyone else is like the equivalent of high school level student.
chris russo, i'm not sure how i would could explain him to someone that didn't know who he was. he's this skinny little high-ish pitched voice dude that is an ENORMOUS sports fan. i actually don't mind him that much. i love when he starts the show and after that retarded theme song goes "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYBODY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HOW ARE YOU TODAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
he gets worked up over everthing. he has a distinctive laugh that i won't even try to appropriately represent in text.
anyway, i went to bed last night at like 11:30 and they were on, which was kind of weird. but then i woke up at like 5:30 am and they were still on, then i fell asleep again and woke up at like 7:45 and they were still on. that was kind of weird, did anyone else notice that?

this post was kind of anticlimactic, i suppose.