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18 Nov 2010 00:13

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U.S.: Two dudes floated NYC-Subway-under-Hudson-River idea first

  • Know what’s awesome? When you offer up a crazy idea to make people’s lives easier, it gets ignored, and then, all of a sudden, The New York Times is playing it up as a lead headline. Such is the life of Steve Lanset and Ralph Braskett, who floated the idea of putting a NYC Subway tunnel under the Hudson River a whole five years before Michael Bloomberg got to the idea. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

07 Oct 2010 22:27

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U.S.: Chris Christie’s N.J. rail tunnel cancellation = Shaky political ground

  • New Jersey’s governor just gave public works projects a body blow today. Why, you ask? Well, Chris Christie, frustrated over the possibility of putting taxpayers on the hook for billions in cost overruns, ordered the shutdown of a massive, long-in-the-works plan to build a passenger rail tunnel under the Hudson River between New Jersey and New York City. While his reasons are fiscal conservative to the core, let’s just emphasize a few things about what he’s costing his state by shutting down the largest public works project in the country:
  • $8.7 billion, the estimated cost of the New Jersey rail project
  • $3
    billion     the amount the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey had already promised for the project
  • $300
    million     the amount New Jersey may have to pay back the federal government for the unfinished project
  • $2.7B the anticipated cost overruns of the already-in-progress public works project
  • 6,000 the number of jobs the project would have given New Jersey construction workers
  • 20 the number of years the wheels had been turning on this highly-anticipated project source
  • » And lots of people are pissed, too. Even considering the costs of this project (which had bipartisan support, by the way), the potential benefits could’ve been long-term and might’ve paid for themselves. Homeowners lost out on higher home prices. Commuters lost the possibility of less-annoying commutes. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood sounded like he wanted to shout in Chris Christie’s face so loudly it ripped the governor’s skin off. And Christie, while bolstering his support among the right, could hurt his re-election chances because of the perceived flip-flop. This is dangerous ground no matter the fiscal benefits.
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

29 Sep 2009 01:42

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U.S.: Welcome back Sully: The heroic Hudson pilot goes back to work

  • The months since January 15 have been very full, and my family and I have had some unforgettable experiences. However, I have missed working with my colleagues at US Airways and I am eager to get back in the cockpit with my fellow pilots in the months ahead.
  • Capt. Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger • On returning to work in a slightly different role. The US Airways pilot will be returning as a management pilot and will also play a larger role in safety management. Considering the pin-point landing he made with Flight 1549, he’s going to be perfect for that role. • source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

25 Jan 2009 10:37

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U.S.: “Sully” stays humble even after plane crash heroics

  • It was circumstances that put this experienced crew (in charge) of that plane on that particular day. We were simply doing the jobs we were trained to do.
  • Chesley B. “Sully” Sullenberger • the heroic pilot of the US Airways flight that crashed into the Hudson River in New York City earlier this month; everyone survived largely because of his heroics. Sullenberger was honored in his hometown of Danville, Calif. yesterday. • source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

22 Jan 2009 09:08

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U.S.: Passengers of the Hudson River crash make bank

  • $5,000 for NYC jet crash passengers source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

16 Jan 2009 09:01

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U.S.: The pilot in yesterday’s crash is the wind beneath your wings

  • That pilot has to be commended. He steered that plane so well. I just can’t believe how well he did. We’re all alive because of him.
  • Passenger Beth McHugh • Who, like every other passenger on the plane, should consider joining the Facebook group put up in pilot Chesley B. “Sully” Sullenberger’s honor. • source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

15 Jan 2009 22:26

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Tech, U.S.: Oh yeah, Twitter was on the plane crash scene first

Just as the plane hit the water, one Twitter user was on the scene first. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 

15 Jan 2009 22:17

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U.S.: On the plus side, nobody died in the plane crash

  • 155 people got out of the floating plane safely source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
 
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