Friday, July 31, 2009
NOW IF THEY HAD JUST STUCK TO BUSES IN THE FIRST PLACE
Red Line MAX service west of the Washington Park MAX station has been disrupted due to mechanical problems. Shuttle buses are transporting riders between Washington Park and Sunset Transit Center while crews work to move the stuck train. Blue Line trains traveling east and west are getting through the tunnel and able to go around the stuck train. Red Line trains are turning back at SW 11th Avenue downtown to avoid congestion near the tunnel. It is unknown how long the disruption will be. There may be delays on all westside trains during the disruption.
THE STRATEGIC DIRECTION
(interesting how these goals are listed)
1-Continue to build the total transit system
2- Maximize the use of existing resources and make capital investments that enhance efficiency and prevent future problems
3- Increase ridership
4- Focus on service quality
5- Demonstrate environmental leadership
6- Integrate transportation and land-use goals
7-Increase agency diversity by attracting, training and retaining employees who reflect our community
8- Maintain strong fiscal controls
9-Respond to customer needs
STEVE BANTA
I want to thank everyone in Operations for their hard work this week in the extreme weather. Many of you worked in locations where the heat was inescapable: monitoring the system in the field, repairing equipment, keeping our facilities running, operating vehicles and assisting customers.
While temperatures reached record highs outside, many don’t realize that sitting in the operator’s seat, reaching under a hood, and walking in the ballast places employees in even higher temperatures.
Most employees in Operations do not have the benefit of working in an office where they can escape from the heat. Many thanks to you all for continuing to come to work, for your patience with your customers, and for handling the heat with professionalism.
BRING WATER
Red Line MAX service on the westside is being restored after a train with mechanical problems was taken off the track. The disruption is causing significant delays to Blue and Red Line service on the westside. Delays may continue for several hours as trains get back on schedule.
WHAT KIND OF BENEFITS DO OUR CONGRESSMAN GET?
Members of Congress receive retirement and health benefits under the same plans available to other federal employees. They become vested after five years of full participation.
Members elected since 1984 are covered by the Federal Employees' Retirement System (FERS). Those elected prior to 1984 were covered by the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS). In 1984 all members were given the option of remaining with CSRS or switching to FERS.
As it is for all other federal employees, congressional retirement is funded through taxes and the participants' contributions. Members of Congress under FERS contribute 1.3 percent of their salary into the FERS retirement plan and pay 6.2 percent of their salary in Social Security taxes.
Members of Congress are not eligible for a pension until they reach the age of 50, but only if they've completed 20 years of service. Members are eligible at any age after completing 25 years of service or after they reach the age of 62. Please also note that Members of Congress have to serve at least 5 years to even receive a pension.
The amount of a congressperson's pension depends on the years of service and the average of the highest 3 years of his or her salary. By law, the starting amount of a Member's retirement annuity may not exceed 80% of his or her final salary.
According to the Congressional Research Service, 413 retired Members of Congress were receiving federal pensions based fully or in part on their congressional service as of Oct. 1, 2006. Of this number, 290 had retired under CSRS and were receiving an average annual pension of $60,972. A total of 123 Members had retired with service under both CSRS and FERS or with service under FERS only. Their average annual pension was $35,952 in 2006.
Study: 63% of Seafood Species Depleted
In environmental news, a new study says 63 percent of the world’s seafood stock are below their target levels. The study, published in the journal Science, says rampant overfishing has spread from “rivers to coastal areas to the (Continental) shelf to the deep sea.”
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Letters: Suffering, sarcasm in response to rising temps
Posted by Readers , July 29, 2009 8:00PM
Categories: Letters to the Editor
Print publication: Thursday, July 30, 2009
I am horrified to learn that TriMet is sending drivers out in buses without air conditioning on days when the outside temperature is in the neighborhood of 106 degrees Fahrenheit.
I am horrified to learn that TriMet is sending drivers out in buses without air conditioning on days when the outside temperature is in the neighborhood of 106 degrees Fahrenheit.
We all know the warnings against leaving our children or pets in such virtual cookers. And if there was any doubt, Wednesday's Oregonian provides a recipe for baking cookies on the dashboard when the outside temperature is "at least 95 degrees."
Yes, the air is moving -- somewhat -- in the buses. Yes, the passengers without underlying health conditions might not be at significant risk during a 20-minute ride.
But nothing justifies requiring workers to pull a four- or eight- or 10-hour shifts in these murderous conditions.
TriMet, please rethink this policy immediately. Please do not put these valued citizens' lives at risk for one more day or one more hour.
KATHERINE DREYFUS
Southeast Portland
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Study Shows Danger of Texting While Driving
A new study warns of the dangers of texting and driving. The Virginia Tech Transportation Institute found that truckers who were sending text messages on their phones were twenty-three times more likely to be involved in a collision than when they weren’t texting. Despite the danger, texting while driving is still legal in thirty-six states.
Monday, July 27, 2009
SERVICE ALERT? [expect delays where, max?]
Expect delays after 5 p.m. August 2-15th due to Washington Park concert congestion.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
THINGS ARE SLOWING DOWN!
Due to high temperatures, MAX trains are operating at slower speeds. Expect minor delays of 3-5 minutes.
TOO BAD, CAN'T GO ROUND, YOU GET TO LEAVE WHEN WE DECIDE
Police action at E 181st Ave MAX station causing buses to serve stations between 181st and Cleveland Station. Expect some delays.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
TriMet July 2009 Board Meeting
INDIVIDUAL EPISODES HERE:
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=0447EC0252D2787C
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=0447EC0252D2787C
Friday, July 24, 2009
Thursday, July 23, 2009
YET ANOTHER STUNING SUCCESS FOR GEORGE W BUSH
Study: Teen Pregnancies, STDs Rose under Bush
New figures show teen pregnancies and certain sexually transmitted diseases saw a sharp rise during the administration of former President George W. Bush. According to the Centers for Disease Control, teenage pregnancies have risen in half the United States since 2005, reversing a long trend of decline. The number of teenage girls with syphilis also rose by nearly half. A two-decade decline in gonorrhea infections is now on the reverse. And the number of teenage males contracting AIDS has nearly doubled. The Bush administration pursued an evangelically driven policy on sex education that shunned contraception and instead promoted abstinence. Pregnancy and STDs were highest in Southern states, where abstinence education has been most widespread.
MERANWHILE BACK AT THE RANCH
US Toll Passes 5,000 in Iraq, Afghanistan
Meanwhile, the official US death toll in Iraq and Afghanistan has surpassed the 5,000 mark. The Pentagon has recorded at least 5,002 military deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan. The number doesn’t include the dozens of soldiers who have committed suicide in war-related incidents.
THEY WHINE ABOUT OUR BENEFITS AND SAY NOTHING ABOUT THIS!
Top Banks Set Aside $74B for Bonuses
And new figures show some of the top beneficiaries of the Wall Street bailout are increasing their employee bonuses over a year ago. According to the Washington Post, the top six US banks have allotted $74 billion to pay their employees, up from $60 billion at the same point last year.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
BIKES AND BUSES ON WILLIAMS AVE
Thoughts, observations on N. Williams bike traffic
BikePortland.org - Portland,Oregon,USA
I WROTE THIS ABOUT 7 YEARS AGO:
I attempted to get a decent photo of the "swarm" before they entered
into attack phase, however I could not activate my camera phone in
time.
As some of you know, these bicycle swarms attack buses using two
attack units, the "blockers" and the "confusers".
The bus generally comes upon one of these swarms at red lights. When
the light turns green the swarm breaks up into these two types of
attack units. The "blockers" pedal as fast as they can to get ahead
of the bus, their aim is to prevent the bus from ever getting ahead
of them, thereby "blocking" the bus. See my photo "blockers"
The "confusers" stay behind the bus, swarming to the left and right,
so the driver really never knows where they are or how far back they
are. This of course confuses the driver almost to a state of utter
despair.
Like the hyenas of the Serengeti, who relentlessly hound their prey
until they eventually just give up to exhaustion, the bicycle swarms
hope to break down the poor exhausted bus driver!
Gov’t Agency Withheld Research on Dangers of Cell Phones & Driving
The New York Times reports the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration under the Bush administration withheld research showing that cell phone use by drivers caused nearly 1,000 fatalities and 240,000 accidents overall in 2002. The agency withheld the evidence in part because of concerns about angering Congress. Clarence Ditlow of the Center for Auto Safety said, “We’re looking at a problem that could be as bad as drunk driving, and the government has covered it up.” Federal researchers also shelved a draft letter they had prepared for Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta to send, warning states that hands-free laws might not solve the problem. Research shows that motorists talking on a phone are four times as likely to crash as other drivers and are as likely to cause an accident as a drunk driver with a blood-alcohol level of 0.08.
Watchdog: Financial Bailouts Could Cost Taxpayers up to $24 Trillion
The watchdog overseeing the federal government financial bailout says the government’s maximum exposure to banks and other financial institutions could total nearly $24 trillion, or about $80,000 for every American. But Neil Barofsky, the Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program, said the government would only be on the hook for that much money in a doomsday scenario. Barofsky said, “We’re not suggesting that we’re looking at a potential loss to the government of $23 trillion. Our goal is to bring transparency, to put things in context.” In a report issued Monday, Barofsky also criticized the lack of transparency in the Obama administration’s management of the giant financial services bailout program. Barofsky said the Treasury Department has declined to require bailout recipients to explain what they are doing with their government funds.
Execs, Top Earners Account for More than Third of All US Wages
The Wall Street Journal is reporting the nation’s corporate executives and other highly compensated employees now account for more than one-third of all salaries earned in the United States. According to Social Security Administration figures, top earners pulled in $2.1 trillion of the total $6.4 trillion paid in 2007. The numbers don’t include several types of stock options and other benefits that would add hundreds of millions to the top bracket’s earnings. From 2002 to 2007, the average worker saw a 24 percent pay increase, half the 48 percent increase for the highly paid. The rising pay for top earners appears to be adversely affecting Social Security. With more wages beyond the maximum that can be taxed to contribute to the Social Security trust, less money is available to fund retirement benefits for American workers.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Monday, July 20, 2009
Sunday, July 19, 2009
THE COMPLETE PLAYLIST ON THE CURRENT TRIMET HEALTH CARE HYSTERIA
RESPONSE TO THE LIES OF KATU AND JOHN CHARLES
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpQ-Xhv7t2I
FRIDAY JULY 17, 2009
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNmf4i-YDTI
SUNSET BOB FOR KOIN 6 ON THE HEALTH BENEFITS CONTROVERSY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06UC31fhS5k
DRIVERS DISCUSS THE MEDIA STORY ON BENEFITS
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGSHxs_x6Bw
DRIVERS DISCUSS THE VARIOUS BENEFITS AT TRIMET
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48BUuAUBStw
ATU 757 PRESIDENT JON HUNT RESPONDS TO THE HEALTH CARE CONTROVERSY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZuU09NDaN4
JEFF ACKERSON ON THE HEALTH PLAN UPROAR
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMlNkTxBN0s
WHERE IS ATU 757 IN ALL THIS MESS?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzpPoJ9bDsI
IS STEVE BANTA GUILTY AS CHARGED?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uF6A9Qokmeg
ONE OF TRIMET'S MORE ARTICULATE DRIVERS BLAMES MGMT FOR THE HEALTH STORIES
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3BgWE-oPOY
THE PATHETIC MARY FESTCH OFFERS NO DEFENSE OF OUR HEALTH PLAN
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-ibO6EmN5g
DRIVERS DISCUSS THE ATTEMPTS TO STRIP OUR HEALTH CARE!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vC6HdRcP068
SUNSET BOB HOSTS ROUND TABLE ON TRIMET HEALTH BENEFITS
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Friday, July 17, 2009
STEVE BANTA ON THE BENEFITS CONTROVERSY
I am sure that you have all heard about the recent news coverage taking aim at the health care costs of TriMet union employees. It is never pleasant to have your compensation discussed on the 11 o'clock news. I imagine that some of you may have received criticism from individuals who have heard these stories and are convinced that what you have is unfair.
I am disappointed that the story has been misleading to so many. Rather than go into details about how the story fails to look at the entire picture—and, in fact, it fails to ask the real question about the state of health care in America—I want to give you this message:
We are proud of our employees. We are proud that we have been able to provide them with good medical benefits. We will not bargain our contract with ATU through the news media. The process will happen as it should, at the table with the union and the District bargaining in good faith.
In the coming months, as negotiations begin in earnest, there may be those who will suggest that TriMet employees do not deserve a respectable health care plan. We disagree. We will work with the ATU to arrive at a contract that meets the needs of our employees, and that is responsible and achievable in today's financial climate.
I encourage you to remember that when someone accuses you of being undeserving of something, to carefully consider your response. Nothing will prove your value more than maintaining the respectful manner of a skilled professional. Thank you for your hard work and continued commitment to your customers.
JOHN CHARLES THINKS GLOBAL WARMING IS A "MYTH"
People actually think this guy has any credibility?
http://www.articlearchives.com/government-public-administration/government-bodies-offices/408439-1.html
http://www.articlearchives.com/government-public-administration/government-bodies-offices/408439-1.html
Far-Right "Think Tanks" (Propaganda Mills) - Who Are Those Guys?
Far-Right "Think Tanks" (Propaganda Mills) - Who Are Those Guys?
The fascist John Charles (Bill Sizmore wannabe) is one of those guys!
The fascist John Charles (Bill Sizmore wannabe) is one of those guys!
I SCORE THE HIGHEST NEGATIVES OVER AT THE FASCIST KATU BLOG! LOVE IT!
margu43542
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