Comments on: Today’s Headlines

By: Niccolo Machiavelli

Niccolo Machiavelli — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:27:31 +0000

I look at Thompson beating the point spread as bad for both Liu and DeBlasio. He came within 50,000 votes this time playing against Bloomberg’s money. It is up to him to remain (become) politically relevant in the next four years, always a problem for losers. Neither Bill D or John Liu will want to go head to head against Thompson in the primary for many reasons. Same with Weiner. Its his to lose at this point. Look for him nesting in some media position to keep his face on the screen. Ideally Bloomberg will hire him as Deputy Mayor for Deputy Mayors.

By: Glenn

Glenn — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:38:28 +0000

Kill me for saying this, but Weiner might be the best of the bunch, despite his opposition to bridge tolls he’s more progressive on cycling & ped issues.

By: Ian Turner

Ian Turner — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:16:37 +0000

Josh,

Not really. John Liu will say whatever it takes to get elected, and Bill De Blasio is an ass.

By: jsd

jsd — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:37:51 +0000

Ditto Boris.

By: Boris

Boris — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:27:54 +0000

Staten Islanders also chose to reelect BP Molinaro over bike-riding John Luisi- and by larger margins than 4 years ago, I believe. I’m ashamed of my borough.

By: TKO

TKO — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:26:36 +0000

Funny how angry people get at the fact that news papers come out against jaywalking which is not legal versus those who don’t helmets which is legal.

Interesting.

By: Larry Littlefield

Larry Littlefield — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:52:16 +0000

Back in 1998, I actually saw some cops giving out tickets to drivers who rode down the left and center lanes trying to cut in at the last minute, backing up the entire road (and stalling those willing to pay for the BBT).

You may recall that Giuliani had been elected on a “One City One Standard” platform. Meaning he would be cracking down not only on low rent infractions such as squeegying cars and begging for change, but also typically middle class anti-social behavior such as aggressive driving.

That lasted about two weeks.

By: vnm

vnm — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:31:11 +0000

LOL Cap’n.

By: Cap'n Transit

Cap'n Transit — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:23:45 +0000

The worst thing about living in Brooklyn — the debilitating traffic congestion on the Brooklyn Bridge’s entrance ramp from the FDR Drive

Gersh really has his finger on the pulse of Brooklyn living, doesn’t he?

By: BicyclesOnly

BicyclesOnly — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:22:44 +0000

The Podmore coverage suggests that the only law he was violating at the time he killed the woman was dirivng with a suspended license. I wonder if there is evidence of other violations as well, that would satisfy the so-called "rule of two" that prosecutors apply in declining to prosecute vehicular crimes in the absence of two simultaneous violations that contribute to the crash. Someone should make a Freedom of Information Law Request and post the results here (as was done with this fatal crash--so that the public will be in a position to evaluate the eventual decision of prosecutors as to whether or not to press criminal charges against Podmore.

By: J. Mork

J. Mork — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:02:13 +0000

Is Aaron Naparstek running?

By: Josh

Josh — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:05:49 +0000

So, assuming term limits aren’t extended again, is there a decent candidate for four years from now?

By: Marty Barfowitz

Marty Barfowitz — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 15:25:03 +0000

Re: the widening of the Brooklyn Bridge on-ramp:

What an incredibly moronic use of public funds. Am I missing something or will widening that on-ramp only move the traffic congestion from the right lane of the FDR on to the on-ramp and the bridge itself? I wonder how much the State DOT plans to spend on that? Obviously if you want to reduce congestion across the Brooklyn Bridge there are much better ways to do that — and they all involve getting people out of their cars.

By: Larry Littlefield

Larry Littlefield — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 15:07:40 +0000

I hate to double post, and I know folks are sick of hearing from me, but people are starting to catch on to something important. Samuelson had a Washington Post article on the possibility that the federal government might have a debt crisis and not pay its debts.

And now, at the state and local level, read this from Harvard Law.

http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/philg/2009/11/03/the-coming-collapse-of-the-municipal-bond-market/

“Barring some sort of miraculous boom in the economy and pension fund investment returns, state and local governments are headed for insolvency and default.”

But the longer they put it off, the more the generations in charge can take out.

By: Larry Littlefield

Larry Littlefield — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:58:14 +0000

According to news reports, Bloomberg owes his victory to big margins in Staten Island and middle class areas of Queens. The most auto-oriented areas in the city.

Evidently, most people there don’t mind his support for infrastructure for bicycles and pedestrians elsewhere, or for congestion pricing, since Manhattan is probably the one place they don’t drive.

He probably lost the plackard vote, there and elsewhere.