August 2011 Open Thread


This is the debt ceiling edition of the Open Thread. Have at it!


34 responses to “August 2011 Open Thread”

  1. We’re all gonna die, die , die!

    I like Bojacks take on all the mess.

    This country has got its head up its arse, I was hoping for default to be honest, let’s get it over with.

  2. If you are really panicked but not very risk tolerant, Everbank https://www.everbank.com/offers US guaranteed CD’s pegged to foreign currencies. Norway, Switzerland and Singapore recently received high fiscal ratings. Euro could dive with the US dollar.

    My Australian dollars have gone from .65 to 1.10 in less than two years, but I have little else to brag about.

    And remember to ask ODOT to do the N/NE Quadrant first! Please!

  3. I’m moving to Portland, from Long Beach, California.

    While using MAX and the buses to get around last week (finding a place to rent), I noticed a huge amount of smoking on the platforms and at bus stops, much more than is normal even in poor areas of South Los Angeles.

    Why do Oregonians smoke so much? Should I tell them to go off the platform to smoke, or is this a losing battle?

    I have many family members with asthma, so this isn’t just a quality of life issue; second hand smoke is dangerous.

  4. Why do Oregonians smoke so much? Should I tell them to go off the platform to smoke, or is this a losing battle?
    One off duty cop did that and got beat up a few months ago!

    Thanks
    JK

  5. Oh, what gloom – Cheer up!

    I have incredibly good news about the future!

    The cost of gasolene made from natural gas could be only $1.75/gal. This will enrich all of us and raise our standard of living by freeing up gas money for better food for the family, a family vacation, help towards college tuition or a new set of clothes for the kids.

    At Cascade Policy Institute open house last Friday, a guy told me that natural gas now costs 1/4 the cost of crude oil per BTU. That got me wondering what would the cost of gasolene made from this natural gas cost?

    The New York Times reported (Dec 23,2010) that the refining cost of diesel from natural gas is just 19 cents more per gallon than from crude oil (50 vs. 31 cents). It is a simple matter to estimate the costs involved:

    Components of gasolene from crude oil price:
    Average West Coast retail gasolene…………….$3.65
    Average Western US gas tax…………………….$0.61
    Cost of refining (use diesel price)……………….$0.31
    Cost of crude oil in gasolene…………………….$2.73 ($3.65-.61-.31)

    To estimate the cost of gasolene from natural gas, we only have to divide the energy content cost by the cost ratio of oil/NG and apply the appropriate refining cost:

    Components of gasolene from natural gas price:
    Cost of natural gas……………..$2.73/4.4*…….. $0.62
    Average Western US gas tax……………………….$0.61
    Cost of refining (use diesel price)…………………..$0.50
    Resultant gasolene price…………………………….$1.73 (sum of above)

    * source of the 4.4 factor:
    Natural gas spot market price (July 24, 2011) :.. $4.64 per million Btu.
    Spot price of crude oil (Brent, 7/26/11) :…… $118.14 per 5.8 million BTU
    (118.14/5.8) / 4.64 = 4.39

    Yes I know this is not exact.

    Thanks
    JK

  6. Natural gas has been as high as $14.00 per BTU, in recent years, (Oct-Dec 2005, at Henry Hub) when the storage was low. However, there is so much natgas available that should normally not be a problem.

  7. Just heard about JOULE Corp. of Cambridge, Mass. and their “direct-solar bio-fuel” which they say is a genuine diesel produced with CO2, algae and solar power. Projected cost 60 cents per gallon.
    http://www.jouleunlimited.com/

    But where would they get the solar power?

    Just would love to see some liberal Bostonians down in NM and AZ making a new kind of diesel!!

  8. Josheph E:

    You can try and remind them that smoking isn’t allowed on platforms. I might just do that depending on who it is.

    Better yet, TriMet could enforce the most *basic* of rules and hold people accountable with reminders, tickets, and exclusions.

    I suppose asking TriMet to enforce simple rules is too much these days, even though supposedly they’re cracking skulls with more fare enforcement recently.

    I remain skeptical on that.

    And don’t feel bad about complaining about this issue. It’s one of those small issues that really makes people angry and choose not to take transit and drive instead.

    Personally, I think there should be a 100% ban on smoking in public spaces.

    We got it wrong in banning smoking indoors for private places–people can choose to not go to those places.

  9. Something missed earlier; TriMet will start offering rolling 30-day passes, good for 30 days after the date of purchase. Currently, monthly passes are only valid for a stated calendar month; if you need a pass that covers the 15th to the 15th, you currently would then need four weekly and two daily passes.

  10. Smoking was legal on outdoor MAX platforms and at bus stops until about 2007, and I don’t think enforcement has been too heavy since. And it is still legal on MAX platforms and bus stops (outside of shelters) that are on public sidewalks.

  11. And it is still legal on MAX platforms and bus stops (outside of shelters) that are on public sidewalks.

    Although that may not apply to Pioneer Courthouse Square. The city (and Square management) state that the boundaries of the square extend curb-to-curb and that it is not part of the normal public right-of-way. (Thus, activities which are clearly legal on a public sidewalk, such as holding a protest sign with a post that touches the ground, have been prohibited by square management on what most people would consider to be a public sidewalk.)

  12. In the news :
    3 bike riders hit tonight in Beaverton area.

    ———- NONE HAD LIGHTS!!! ————

    Please get good lights.

    I just saw one go buy that had a light that actually lit up the pavement in front. Fooled me – for a minute I thought it was a car’s headlight. That is what ALL bikes should have.

    And BRIGHT tail lights TOO!

    Thanks
    JK

  13. JK’s post was 100% on track. It may seem light late here, but it’s still a good idea to have lights to make sure other drivers see you.

  14. Ninja Cyclists are definitely a problem around here. I passed three this morning on my way to work. Part of the problem is the fact that bikes come with those worthless reflectors. If cars came with reflectors instead of headlights, I wonder how many we would see driving around without lights on.

  15. I think bicyclists should be required, by City of Portland ordinance, to wear helmets, too.

    I am required to wear a seat belt, by state law but that also includes within Portland, although the chances of being injured in a collision under 25 mph are slim. At least mine are; I always brace myself with something, like the steering wheel in an emergency. I’ve always used them while on the freeway, even before it was a legal requirement (my dad always had Ramblers) and wouldn’t be without one at 70 mph. At low city speed where you are making a lot of stops it seems inconvenient.

    Fair is fair: Everyone uses seat belts in a car; everyone on a bike wears a helmet.

  16. Fair is fair: Everyone uses seat belts in a car; everyone on a bike wears a helmet.

    Aren’t they already mandated for children? Seems like a simple step to add adults. I agree with JK about the lights and with you about helmets. When I see young, healthy people riding past without a helmet I want to pull them over and give them a stern lecture (well, I’m old).

    Both my son and my nephew have been in serious bicycle accidents. Although they both sustained injuries, both had their helmets cracked open rather than their heads.

  17. Although the chances of being injured in a collision under 25 mph are slim … At least mine are; I always brace myself with something, like the steering wheel in an emergency.

    That only works if you see it coming. I’ve seen an accident where someone was traveling well under 25mph who was T-boned by a red light runner doing likely over 50 in a 35 and nobody saw it coming.

  18. T-boned by a red light runner doing likely over 50 in a 35 and nobody saw it coming.

    Then that accident wasn’t under 25 mph was it?

  19. Ron,

    His point is that using your “I’m not going over 25” logic, you would not be wearing your seat belt. It doesn’t matter how fast you are going, because some idiot could be flying down Burnside at 50 and t-bone you.

    Similarly, I wear a helmet when I ride because of other drivers. I’m not concerned that I’m going to fall over or crash, I’m concerned that someone will hit me.

    Since we are discussing the long-range bike plan and helmets, I think it is fair to point out that in cities like Amsterdam and Copenhagen, where safe, separated bike routes exist, very few people wear helmets.

  20. Perhaps we should mandate everyone wear motoring helmets! This is silly. Perpetuating the idea that biking is unsafe is not in our best interests if we want to increase ridership

  21. Perhaps we should mandate everyone wear motoring helmets! This is silly. Perpetuating the idea that biking is unsafe is not in our best interests if we want to increase ridership

    Biking is perfectly safe. Biking intermingled with automobiles and trucks is not safe, and requires diligent attention and basic safety equipment.

    The numbers don’t lie: http://www.bhsi.org/stats.htm

  22. It’s certainly not going to hurt anyone to wear a helmet. Unless you’re completely bald.
    From one of your sources:

    # About 4 percent of bicyclists or 2.04 million, were injured while riding in the past two years. About .5 million of these were hit by a motorist.

    # Half (50%) of bicyclists wear a helmet for at least some trips, with 35 percent using them for all or most trips.

    # Nine of 10 support helmet laws for children, while 62 percent support such laws for adults.

    # Nearly half (48%) of those 16 and older are satisfied with how their local community is designed for making bicycle riding safer. About as many (47%) would like to see changes including more bike lanes (38%) and bike paths (30%).

  23. The Obama administration today is supposed to announce new fuel standards for heavy road vehicles, including transit buses. According to initial reports, the standards for buses will increase efficiency by about 10%. This would be the equivalent of taking 66 buses off the streets in the TriMet district.

    It might be a while before we get reasonable cost estimates for the change. There had been talk of requiring transit operators to switch to hybrids, but that may not be part of these standards.

  24. Uh-oh… the manager of Portland’s on-street parking, one Ellis McCoy, is being investigated by the FBI for corruption, with an unannounced warrant being served today by his office. Apparently there are allegations that he received kickbacks from Cale Parking Systems, the vendor of the city’s SmartPark meters.

    City officials, unsurprisingly, refused comment on the matter.

  25. Here is a one minute video of Taipei, Taiwan, taken from the air.
    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/11/taipei-on-high-time-lapse_n_923279.html

    My question: How can poorer, “developing” countries afford a high rise lifestyle (which is common in Latin America, too) but it is far out of the reach of most Americans? I think it shows that there is little inherently expensive about producing a high rise condo. The nexus is in the planning and contractual relationships.

  26. Bad news for those looking for a dirt-cheap ride from Portland to the Puget Sound Area: the now sort-of-famous bus between Tumwater and Vancouver (called the “dollar bus” by some) is being discontinued after tomorrow (Saturday), as the Lower Columbia Community Action Program (who ran the service) will focus their efforts on transportation between northern Vancouver and Chehalis:
    http://www.columbian.com/news/2011/aug/11/i-5-van-service-vancouver-expands/
    http://www.theolympian.com/2011/08/10/1756385/van-service-from-tumwater-to-chehalis.html

    Portland to Seattle on public transit might still be possible, but will involve checking schedules for Twin Transit and Rural&Tribal Transportation, the latter of which appears to operate on an ‘appointment’ basis. Nonetheless, riding Greyhound or Amtrak between the two cities, despite the cost difference, has been a clear winner in terms of trip time as well as ease of travel.

    (Yes, this is a cross-post of what I just posted on the Seattle Transit Blog. Oh, and up in Seattle the equivalent to Fareless Square is going away next year. With scattered exceptions, no more free rides on anything for anybody there.)

  27. Some comments on other threads considered the federal fuels tax. At $.184 for gasoline and $.244 for diesel, it’s partially responsible for diesel’s generally higher pump prices and discourages consumers from considering relatively efficient diesel vehicles.

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