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Massive underground explosions continue to shake my block daily as the Second Avenue subway construction barrels on. I never hear the blast warnings but I do hear the "all clear" whistles after my furniture has stopped moving.
I thought The Joker was a criminal. What's he doin' givin' money away? Anyway, amazin' what the other clowns are willin' to do for a buck.
Every square inch of the S train is covered with Lady Gaga. And there are four small TV screens in each car playing Born This Way on a loop.
A man having some kind of psychotic episode got naked on the 6 train while yelling racist slurs. After begging a cop to shoot him, the man attacked other passengers on the platform. And of course, instead of fleeing this clearly seriously deranged person, some folks rushed forward with their iPhones to record the entire sordid scene. Others helped the seemingly hapless police officer subdue the man. I don't know what this all says about New York City, the NYPD, the subway, social media, and the mental health care system, but it probably says something. The below clip (which includes full-frontal nudity) has, of course, gone viral and has been running (in very edited form) on NYC's news channels. NSFW in every way.
UPDATE: YouTube has pulled the clip. LiveLeak is hosting it now.
Take a trip back to the time of turnstyle tokens, rampant graffiti, and really big hair via this just-posted clip of the Times Square station in 1986. I never knew there used to be a K train.
Embiggen the above image to read the details on this reimagining of the Mississippi River system as a subway map.
NYC's Department of Health is taking its controversial HIV prevention campaign to the city's trains, where posters warning of HIV-related complications such as osteoporosis, dementia and anal cancer will appear beginning this week. Via press release:
“We are very concerned with rising rates of new HIV infections in young men who have sex with men, particularly those who are African-American and Hispanic,” said Dr. Thomas Farley, New York City Health Commissioner. “More than half, 57%, of all new HIV diagnoses in New York City were among black and Hispanic men in 2009. These messages are designed to remind young men that, even with the tremendous progress that has been made in treatment for this disease, it is still dangerous and the best way to stay HIV-free is to use condoms consistently.”Some AIDS activists have complained loudly about this campaign, saying that such scare tactics may terrify people out of getting tested. The city has placed banner ads here on JMG and I've gotten a number of angry emails. Below, a representative of the Department of Health defends the campaign.
UPDATE:Housing Works is very unhappy with this expansion of the campaign.
New York City's MTA is considering installing a system of sliding subway platform doors as the number of deaths and injuries from suicide attempts and falls continues to rise. Ninety people were struck by subway trains in 2009, resulting in 40 deaths. The proposed barrier/door system would be similar to that used by the JFK Airtrain, seen above.
NYC Transit has drafted a two-page list of requirements for the platform-edge barriers in what is called a "Request for Information" that is due back from manufacturers in March. It asks companies interested in the project to describe their qualifications and how they might proceed if selected. Proponents say the door would do more than just help protect passengers - it would also help reduce the number of lawsuits and the million-dollar payouts the agency faces each year. Another added benefit: The doors would prevent trash from being tossed or blown onto the tracks. Hundreds of trains are delayed each month by small fires ignited by sparks from trains and the electrified third rail.Costs would surely run into the several billions at least, were the change made system-wide at MTA's hundreds of stations. The beleaguered agency is already facing a stiff budget deficit.
The girlfriend of JMG reader Brenda spotted the above graffiti on two MTA signs at the Canal Street station. Since the signs are locked, an inside job is suspected. But like our tipster, we are far more offended by this abuse of punctuation than by its infantile message.
