For the the New Yorkers who have to walk this morning.........

[NorthELiberal]

Focus on the broader issue if you can't completely sympathize with just the transit workers. If Al Gore had not had the election stolen in 2000 we would have had a President who was much more sympathetic to the poor, middle class and labor in general. 75% of New York voted Kerry. Even the New Yorkers who voted for Bloomberg still think Bush is a totally incompetent leader. Channel the frustration and focus on the wider issues. When you walk to work this morning, across a bridge, carry a sign that says.........

IMPEACH BUSH!!!!!!!!!!!!

[OKNancy]

1. I'm having a hard time being sympathetic

In theory I support the unions, but when it's hits you personally and messes up your life it sucks.
My sister has lived in Manhattan for 25 years ( Greenwich Village to be exact.) We are planning a big Christmas here in Oklahoma will all the sisters getting together. She doesn't know how she is going to get to Newark to catch the plane tomorrow morning. It's impossible to call a car service, and getting a cab is impossible. None of her friends own cars. It really pisses me off because she only gets out here once every two years.

[NorthELiberal]

2. My life and the lives of all my friends, and family have been.....

disrupted as well....... channel the frustration and turn it to something positive.

[sir_captain]

3. I'm with you Nancy

But she'll make it out ok. Tell her to start walking toward Penn Station--she'll probably be able to catch a cab at some point, and even if she doesn't, it's a much shorter walk than the one I'm about to start to head to work (took me almost 4 hours each way yesterday.) From Penn Station, she can take NJ Transit straight to Newark for about $8.

Hope she makes it out ok...

[OKNancy]

4. Thank you!

I'll pass that on to her. Good luck to you too and hang in there.

[Autumn Colors]

7. If you're talking about NJ PATH trains

try to see if there's still a PATH station at Canal Street! That's much closer to the Village than Penn Station. It's been many, many years since I lived in NJ, but I thought there used to be a NJ Transit (PATH) station on Canal Street. She may have to change trains at Hoboken to get the one to Newark, but it's a small train station and changing trains is far better than walking all the way to Penn Station.

If you're not talking about the PATH trains .... then, my bad.

[NorthELiberal]

5. Wow......

I guess it's tough to ask people for a little sacrifice. I hope the strike is over also...... I think the workers do too...... and I don't see it going on for much longer....... but while it is going on, I am going to use to make a point.


P.S. - I do thank you for giving the lady directions (I don't want to be taken the wrong way)....... but don't forget (while your traveling) the Impeach Bush buttons.

[OKNancy]

6. Update

I just got an e-mail. She thinks it will be OK since she is leaving at 6am and she said if she can't get a cab, the New Jersey train is just across the street. She said the biggest hassle will be the luggage and the bag of presents. She seems optimistic.

[Longhorn]

9. Have a great visit with your sisters!

I'm glad she worked out the details. Deep in the heart of Texas, where there's not a bus within ten miles of me (and no subways or commuter trains,) it's hard to imagine what it must be like up in NYC right now.

[newyawker99]

22. I hope she makes it Nancy and have a great holiday.

:hi: :loveya:

[Jersey Devil]

10. How would she get to Newark Airport without a strike?

Most people going to Newark Airport from NYC either use livery service or public transportation which is still available in NYC at Penn Station. If she was going to take a train to Newark Liberty Airport how did she plan to get to Penn Station, by subway, with all her baggage? Probably by taxi more likely, which are not on strike.

[JHB]

12. PATH stations

Christopher St. at Hudson,
or 9th st. at 6th Ave.

Have her take it to Grove St, then switch to the train going to Newark Penn Station.
At Newark Penn she can take a cab, bus, NJ Transit or Amtrak to Newark Liberty Airport.

The Path train she'll take in Manhattan will say it's going to Journal Square. Don't take the ones going to Hoboken (much less the ones going uptown to 33rd st.)

http://www.panynj.gov/path/pathmaplinks2.html

But from your #6 above, it sounds like she already knows this...

[OKNancy]

19. Yes, the one on 9th street

Without giving away too much info... I'd say by looking at her address...the 6th Ave. at 9th station is very close.

[Dorian Gray]

14. Actually....

My friends called a car service last night, with absolutely no problem, for airport car service tomorrow morning. Their flight is at one p.m., and they called it for ten a.m. just to be on the safe side. It's quite easy to get airport service. The other alternative is to take one of the MANY MANY MANY taxis that are still picking up people to Penn Station, and take the Air Train to Newark airport.

Just leave a lot of time for herself to get through the travel plans.

I know that I'm not a huge fan of this strike myself. But, it's not as difficult to get around as you would expect.

Some car services to try calling ASAP:

Carmel (1-212-777-7777)

Tel Aviv (1-212-666-6666)

Legends (1-718-788-1234)

And there are a bazillion other car services in NYC.

Good luck to your sis. I hope she gets out safely. :)

[cantstandbush]

21. Americans a by nature self-centered. For unions until it inconveniences

us. Nevermind that CEOs get millions in bonuses and pay raises without having to even ask and it ultiimately cost billions to average consumers in one way or another. The courts are stacked against ordinary workers, the Congress is stacked against ordinary workers, NY City government is stacked against ordinary workers. We applaud ridiculous sports contracts, entertainer fees, fools like Limbaugh charging money for sucker momentos, and chruches ripping millions off every Sunday. But let a hard-working public service worker ask for a decent wage and benefits and everyone curses their very existence. Is it because of the color of the skin of most of these workers? Is it because we devalue public services and those who provide them? What is up with America? When the workforce was predominately white and male, the unions could do no wrong and it helped make America a nation with the highest standard of living because most workers had rights and relatively good wages thanks to unions. Now we despise unions as almost un-American. Somtimes my country sucks!

[Cassandra]

8. Good idea!

I'll be walking about 4 miles this afternoon and using my backpack instead of my usual tote, so I'll decorate it for the season......the impeachment season. :-) It's supposed to be about 35-37 this afternoon, so it shouldn't be too bad.

[NorthELiberal]

13. "so I'll decorate it for the season......the impeachment season."

Thanks....... and don't forget to tell the people along the way..... to channel the frustration.

[Cassandra]

23. I've done up a sign in permanent marker on a plastic bag...

that says:
Impeach Bush and the MTA and attached it to my backpack. I hope it doesn't prevent me from running into a store on the way downtown and using the bathroom.

[Zensea]

11. I've been needing the exercise anyway

I ended up walking a total of 6 extra miles yesterday & I don't mind one bit.
& I'm not exactly that young either, I'm 49.
Saw a couple of neighborhoods up close in the Bronx that looked really nice that I wasn't familiar with that I might research to see if the apartments are relatively cheap since they're in the Bronx.
Saw a cabbie get arrrested for no apparent reason.
Kind of entertaining.
Looking forward to the same today.
My legs are a little stiff and sore, but it's a good feeling just the same.

[Cassandra]

16. Me, too.

I'm 51 and I'm finding this an excellent reason to walk a lot. I went two miles each way yesterday to a friend's art gallery (she was trying to have a holiday show and sale, she'd ordered food for 100 people and about 10 showed up). I woke up a bit sore today but I think I can manage the 4 miles downtown today and I'll take a cab back because it will be late when I'm leaving. It's nice to wander along streets I don't normally use.

[DoYouEverWonder]

15. Maybe some people will rethink about where they live

I've never understood why people want to work in one place and then live 20 to 50 miles away in another place. They waste 2-3 hours of their lives every day just to get to work. Not to mention the environmental impact of burning all that fuel needed to get back and forth.

[pointblank]

17. Wow

You must live in Utopia. I only wish it worked out that way, but unfortunately here in the real world it doesnt.

Maybe I will get an apartment by my job and my wife can get a separate apartment by her job and we can see each other on the weekends???

[DoYouEverWonder]

18. Not everyone has a choice

but a lot of people do.

[pointblank]

20. All I can say

is that I wish St Louis would run a metrolink train line by my house so that I could use it every day, but the locals in my area would never allow it because they think it would bring more crime into their little world...fuckin selfish bastards.