Excellent food and great beer selection on draft. Owner Alfredo is very entertaining and takes the time to visit customers getting to know them, all said great time was had by all our group!
waaaaaay too salty!! breakfast tacos are a total joke.


text:
Q: A Different Color for "Thanks for your edit" message Currently, it looks like this:

When mixed with a question that uses quotes starting with the > character, the "Thanks for your edit" message might be accidentally interpreted as part of the original post.

A random example of why it might be confusing:

You might say: Yeah... Just read what it says and you will realize it's not part of the actual post...

Previous suggestion:
What I'm suggesting is to make it differentiable at first sight. Something like this could work:

(Ignore the different font type and color please, it's a very rough example)

Newest suggestion:
I just realized using/modifying this message could solve the problem very well:

This is the message displayed after editing a documentation. It is displayed in the top right-hand corner, which may or may not be better.

Benefits:

*

*Instantly distinguishable from the other quote(s).

*I also think it should be changed to green since that is the standard color for good things happening in StackExchange (accepted question color, earn reputation color, etc.), and it's more soothing as a thank you message.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


We are a can-do nation. But the U.S. surface transportation program, which was created as a way of building new highways, is hopelessly outdated. Its "highways only" focus is not leading to the transportation infrastructure that America needs, and its reliance on a flat gas tax for revenue is not generating enough funding to support the roadway it does build. Furthermore, the program is unfocused, poorly understood, and often self-defeating.
The next president will need to create a true and comprehensive vision of America's transportation infrastructure, a program to pursue that vision, and honest mechanisms to fund it. This report addresses the new principles that should serve as a foundation for a future transportation program that will enable America to meet its potential.
In sum, there are four interlocking issues that have resulted in the crisis. The first is a lack of national vision that has resulted in a program still focused on the challenge of the 1950s—building an interstate highway system. The second is a political system that has made identifying such a broad vision unlikely. The third is President Obama's Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) legislation, which is inadequate and does not answer our major needs or point us in a constructive direction. The last is the funding limitations of a gasoline tax stuck at the level Congress set over twenty years ago.
Change #1: Repair the current system first. The bulk of federal funds should go to states and transit agencies for maintenance and replacement projects. Only after repair needs are addressed should money go to new projects.
Change #2: Replace a program that moves cars, trucks, and buses to one that has as its core principle moving people and goods. Thus, land development and all modes of transportation should be given an equal place beside roads in the nation's planning and funding.
Change #3: Reward innovation through competition and performance management. We already have a small minority of programs that require projects to be submitted for analysis. A smart and rapid scaling of competitive funding would spur innovation and should consider the impact of transportation investments on the environment, the economy, and broad access to jobs and opportunity.
Change #4: Meet transportation needs with transportation funds. Funding would most easily come from an increased gas tax in the short run, but over the long-run could include strategies such as a vehicle miles traveled (VMT) tax, congestion pricing, and value capture (to be explained below). Transportation agencies that need help with a large project that overwhelms its immediate means could utilize competitive funding, federal loan programs, or self-fund. Transportation funding must get away from the gimmicks and gap fills of recent years.
Our current transportation program is designed to build highways—which it often does at a community's expense, rather than benefit.
Another problem with the current program is that it has no clear purpose. In the past, politicians often got their favored projects funded by earmarks; and as long as each politician got their priority project funded, they did not concern themselves with the substance of the overall program. Now, earmarks are gone, and what remains is bipartisan confusion about the purpose of the nation's transportation program—and the outcomes that we should expect—making it hard to effectively criticize the current system.
President Obama has recently proposed a $10 tax on every barrel of oil produced for his fiscal year 2017 budget, and pledged to dedicate that revenue to programs that will provide travel options, benefit the environment, and deploy new transportation technologies. This would be a good start, but increased funding will not improve the program adequately if its priorities are not revised. The next president should lead the fight for a surface transportation program focused on moving people and freight by all effective means, instead of always favoring cars and trucks; ensure our system is safe, efficient, and maximized, before adding to it; and implement funding that rewards innovation and high performance.
Coupling increased funds with programmatic reforms and improvements may seem simple enough. But this debate has been absent from the campaigns of presidential candidates of both parties. The leaders of this country should assure the American people that they will get more from the program in exchange for additional investment.
Our surface transportation program—often referred to simply as "the highway program"—was conceived at a time when most people lived walking distance from their grocery store, bank, and school. Mass transit was readily available, and many streetcars were privately run. However, a drive between two cities was challenging, because the driver would need to travel on local roads and highways, slowed by signals and local traffic. The Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 led to the building of an interstate highway system that made it possible to travel longer distances at high speed.
State-level departments of transportation (DOTs) ably led the designing and building of the interstate system and developed expertise building these expressways. Since then, private streetcars have gone extinct, the majority of cities have only modest transit systems at best, and most new communities have been built lacking sidewalks or crosswalks. While Congress has made attempts to support multimodal transportation networks, it has continued setting priorities according to state DOTs, whose expertise is primarily highway construction.
Not surprisingly, the result is a program in which state DOTs apply the rules of highway solutions to all transportation problems. Rural development needs, traffic bottlenecks, downtown redevelopments—whatever the problem, a highway is usually the proposed solution. Even when local governments seek a traditional main street, they often find themselves in conflict with their state DOT, which is concerned that a main street's narrow lanes are unsafe (which is not accurate4), or that it does not move traffic fast enough (which is not the point), or that federal funding cannot be used for this purpose (which it can).
And even though most state DOTs and local transportation agencies claim their biggest challenge is repairing the extensive and aging system of roads we have built over the last half-century, the pressure to add on to that system is also strong. The nation spent over $200 billion on highways and bridges at all levels of government in 20135, and still has a $76 billion backlog just to replace deficient bridges.
On the issue of funding, the current method of generating revenue is through a road user fee, intended to make drivers who use roads pay for their construction and maintenance via taxes on gasoline (currently 18.4 cents per gallon at the federal level) and diesel (24.4 cents per gallon). That system worked, as long as Americans were driving at least 1–2 percent more every year, and driving cars with a fuel economy that improved slowly (or not at all). The gas tax may not have been indexed for inflation, but with people driving considerably more each year—thus paying more gas tax—Congress could act like it was. From Congress' perspective, each time it reauthorized the transportation program back then, more money was available than before, and it appeared that the biggest challenge was how to divvy up the funding—a fun task that made working on a bipartisan basis easy and drew little scrutiny over whether spending was smart or sustainable.
Only after our roads got older and required reconstruction did we realize that the gas tax did not provide enough funding to cover essential maintenance and also address improvements and additions.
With its inflated funding levels and flat revenue from the gas tax, the program will exhaust its reserves by 2021 and will require an additional $17.3 billion a year to support the current authorization.9 That gap equals almost 30 percent of the total program.10 While this forecast of a staggering deficit is troubling, such a funding crisis creates a good opportunity to rethink and improve the program—but first, there needs to be a greater understanding of what the program currently does.
Most Americans, including even some in government, do not understand how the federal transportation program works. For example, many people do not realize transportation is paid for with a gas tax. Even fewer people understand how much of the gas tax is assessed by the federal government, and how much by states and localities. And fewer still know where these taxes go, and what they pay for.
In sum, our current legacy transportation program—which does little more than support plans for building highways—is ill-suited to meet America's needs, has an insufficient revenue stream, and lacks accountability. The time is ripe for planning and funding a transportation program for the future—but, in order to set out on this path, we must first set our national priorities, identifying the changes we need.
Below are proposals for reforms to the transportation program, based on the principles cited above, and with examples to support them.
Every time a political leader talks about transportation, they talk about fixing "crumbling infrastructure." However, when federal funding goes to state DOTs12 for transportation projects, there is no requirement that the funding be spent on repair. It is one of several eligible uses.
In Alabama, the state DOT plans to spend $5.4 billion over the next two decades to build the Northern Beltline in Birmingham.15 The purpose of the project is to reduce traffic in Birmingham by 1–3 percent. This is a city that ranks eighty-first in the nation for congestion, according to the Texas Transportation Institute.16 At the same time, Alabama would need to spend $630 million annually for the next twenty years to get the current backlog of poor-condition major roads into a state of good repair and maintain all state-owned roads in good condition. Furthermore, area planners rank no less than thirty-five projects as more important than the Northern Beltline, and all of them together could be built for less $1 billion. It sounds ridiculous, but this is the decision-making that the current federal program supports.
The next president should demand a better approach. The bulk of federal funds can and should go to states and transit agencies on a guaranteed basis but restricted to maintenance and replacement projects. The needs and priorities would be established through coordination between the state DOT, MPOs, and transit agencies. The predictability of formula funding is important for transportation agencies to plan for the maintenance of current infrastructure. Only after repair needs are reasonably addressed should money go to new wants and needs.
As transportation agencies replace aging infrastructure, they should analyze the context and see if the size of the infrastructure and the design is still appropriate. If less is needed, they can reduce the program to save money. If the design is harmful to the surrounding community or dangerous, it should be improved. If the existing infrastructure is not being maximized, design and operational improvements should be employed to ensure we move as many people as we can and get the most out of each investment. Inexpensive techniques, such as timing traffic lights, better incident management, and encouraging ride sharing, can increase the roadway capacity without adding expensive new lanes. But our existing program is so focused on building new infrastructure that these less-expensive techniques are often not considered.
A wonderful example of breaking this cycle comes from Rochester, New York. Rochester's Inner Loop—a beltway that circled the city's downtown area—was constructed in 1965, when Rochester's population was a third larger than it is today. When the Inner Loop needed rebuilding, the city decided to convert an underutilized section of the twelve-lane sunken expressway to an at-grade boulevard, including space for bicycle lanes and walking paths. In doing so, city planners sought to knit the once-divided neighborhoods back together.18 Not only will the city now have less roadway to maintain, it also will be able to bring in tax dollars from converting expensive empty lanes to areas for economic development.
While most everyone agrees that transportation should connect people to their daily needs and businesses to the economy, it is not what our current transportation program always delivers, because it grew out of an effort to build highways and move cars quickly. While getting drivers to their destinations quickly is one element to consider, the emphasis on speed has often led to expensive, large highways that divide communities, force residents into cars for even short trips, push destinations further away, and create congestion—that is often addressed with wider highways. This approach is misguided, as it does not consider the totality of transportation, including people moving by transit, bike, or foot, or freight moving by train, ship, or plane.
If regional planners seeks to build an intercity rail connection, there would be no funding available at all from the federal government. For example, if a transportation agency wants to address a congested stretch of highway by adding highway lanes, the federal program could pay up to 80 percent of those costs—and approximately 80 percent of the federal surface transportation program is available for highway spending. If the agency also seeks to add a transit line, the federal government will pay only 50 percent of the costs of the project.
If regional planners sought to build an intercity rail connection, there was no funding available at all from the federal government. Under the FAST Act, Congress authorized $98 million in fiscal year 2016, increasing to $330 million in fiscal 2020, for new intercity rail projects, as well as rail safety improvements. But none of the rail funding or the funding for new transit projects are protected from budget cuts year to year. Only highway funds and transit maintenance funds are. So if a region sets off on a new rail or transit project, there might not be money available to fund the project when it is ready. If planners instead choose a highway project, there would be guaranteed annual formula funds to use.
After sixty years of the highway-centric approach, it is time to try something new.
After sixty years of the highway-centric approach, it is time to try something new. The next president should focus the federal transportation program on federal priority outcomes, regardless of mode.
Some say that revenues from gas taxes should be used only to build roadways that directly benefit the drivers paying the tax. In other words, building transit, rail, bus rapid transit, sidewalks, and so on, should not be paid for, because they do not benefit drivers.
In response to that argument, consider the Washington, D.C., metro area, where 27 percent of commuters use transit to get to work (or Seattle where it is 19.5 percent, Los Angeles where it is 11.5 percent, or Denver where it is 7.8 percent). How many auto commuters would be excited to drive to work if these transit systems closed for the day? Even in Houston, where only 3.9 percent of commuters use transit, drivers would notice it if overnight the nearly 300,000 daily transit trips turned into additional car trips.
These same road-only advocates often claim that building roads that are safe to pedestrians does not benefit drivers. To counter that, consider an example from Denham Springs, Louisiana. There is nothing atypical about the community of Denham Springs. (In fact, it is pretty much near the countrywide norm.) As Figure 3 shows, a three-block walk to the grocery store in Denham Springs requires residents to walk along Route 64, which is a two-lane highway with a 45 mph speed limit, no sidewalks, and no shoulders. With no true option for pedestrians, what should be a short walk to the store becomes a drive, and the sum of many unnecessary car trips slows other cars and trucks traveling on Route 64.
It is not a benefit to drivers to force every trip to every destination, no matter how short the distance, to be taken in a car. In fact, that is the single best way to create major traffic congestion within a neighborhood. In the end, people who have to drive, or even those who just wish to drive, would benefit by getting the people that do not want to drive, or cannot drive, out of their way. Our transportation program should make this goal easier.
And of course, it is not just "auto-only" advocates who would have concerns about this funding approach. Supporters of transportation alternatives, such as transit and bike/pedestrian infrastructure, might also worry if their projects had to compete with highways, and they currently can rely on a programs dedicated to their favored modes of travel. But while these programs were meant to create a floor for funding transportation options, they have, in many cases, become ceilings. Further, some of these programs are constantly a target and have been cut back substantially during the Obama administration (a supporter of alternative transportation).
The next president should move the transportation program from one that prescribes discrete modal solutions (highways, transit, rail, and so on) to one that finds the best, most cost-effective projects to support federal priorities, regardless of mode. Doing so would also allow the program to grow with the ever-changing transportation sector, as new technology and options, such as car-sharing and self-driving cars, become more available.
Many transportation problems emanate from land use, or development, mistakes or poor coordination between land use and transportation decisions. When communities build housing far away from jobs, or spread development out without creating town centers, they create a need for large, expensive roadways. A good example is the metropolitan area around Cleveland, Ohio. Figure 4 shows the region in 1948 and in 2002, which over time, urban development spread across the county, yet the population actually stayed about the same.
This pattern of urban sprawl means that the same number of people now have to pay to maintain almost double the amount freeway and arterial roadway miles. And for their increased investment, they now get significantly deteriorated transportation performance. While the population actually decreased from 1982 to 2007, the amount of travel time spent in congestion in Cleveland went from 10 percent to 23 percent, and rush "hour" has increased from three hours to five hours.22 This is often identified as a transportation problem, but the reality is that our current transportation program actually enabled this situation, and looking to current policy for solutions will only make things worse.
Clearly, land use and transportation impact one another, and should be coordinated. However, land use decisions are made at the local level, and most transportation decisions are made by the state. When the local municipality and state government do not work together, development of our transportation system goes down the wrong path, like it did in Cleveland. And when things reach the crisis stage, both the municipality and the state expect the federal government to pay for a solution. By that time, however, the solutions are quite expensive.
Local governments are closer to the taxpayer and more familiar with their transportation priorities. They are more sensitive to accommodating short-distance travel and moving those short trips off of the roadways. States, on the other hand, often consider those trips to be too small to worry about.
In Florida, as part of their effort to improve bicycle and pedestrian safety across the state, the Florida DOT is building more "Complete Streets," or roads that are built to be safe for those traveling in and out of a vehicle.25 Part of their approach is to invest their funds where the locality agrees to development patterns that support the Complete Street approach—moving storefronts close to the sidewalk, increasing density, and allowing a mix of development (housing, restaurants, businesses, and so on).
The next president should encourage coordination between transportation and land use through reforms to the planning or project selection process or through the use of competitive programs to support it. Regardless of how it is done, failure to coordinate land use and transportation is too expensive for the federal government to support. Areas that want a more expensive development pattern should foot the bill for the accompanying high transportation needs themselves.
The current transportation program is organized around modes of travel, including the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) itself, which is divided into nine "modal administrations" that each focus on a kind of travel, as broad as aviation and as specific as truck and motor coach safety. As a result, the actual surface transportation responsibilities of the department—safety, research, performance maintenance, and system enhancement—overlap in many of the agencies and can be difficult to coordinate. Currently, USDOT has safety responsibilities for surface transportation spread across six agencies, resulting in separate regulations on individual issues, such as "distracted driving" initiatives for drivers of cars, trucks, buses, and trains.
Measuring the performance of the system, which Congress required in the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) that passed in 2012, is also divided among three agencies. Congress created overlapping systems that sometimes support each other and sometimes conflict. Research is also divided, many times with similar research being done by multiple agencies.
Even the congressional side is siloed by mode of transportation. In the Senate, the committee with jurisdiction over highways and waterways is the Environment and Public Works Committee. Transit is in the Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee. Rail, aviation, and shipping are in the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee. Financing the program is in yet another committee. The House of Representatives is better coordinated but still hampered by the divided Senate. As a result, where Congress should be setting out clear goals for the transportation program, there is more focus on committee jurisdiction.
To reach greater outcomes and efficiency, not only should USDOT be organized based on its responsibilities (such as safety and performance), so should Congress.
Where the existing system has been maximized and new infrastructure is still needed, transportation agencies should be able to come to the federal government for support. However, that support should be through a competitive process that allows the federal government to analyze the benefits and costs of the various proposals and see which ones best address federal priorities.26 Such competition would also encourage project sponsors to make limited dollars go further and try more thoughtful approaches to solve their transportation challenges in an attempt to outshine their competitors.
When competing for TIGER funding, transportation agencies that previously may have dismissed building projects employing innovative project delivery techniques, green infrastructure, or new safety features almost never fail to propose such elements in their applications for TIGER funding. As a matter of their regular program (funded with reliable formula dollars), designing a project in a new way is challenging and difficult to justify. It might raise the cost or slow the delivery of the project. But in a competitive grant program such as TIGER, the innovation is necessary to beat their competitors. Once these techniques are successfully used on a TIGER project, they are also more easily incorporated into the regular program.
The competition under TIGER is so oversubscribed at the moment that it creates immense pressure on the USDOT to provide support for as many projects as possible. USDOT currently funds only 5 percent of applicants for TIGER funding, but even at that level, the grants max out at around $25 million to ensure there is enough funding to support even that small percentage of applicants. Knowing the competition is fierce likewise encourages applicants to find the lowest cost solution or to find as much local, state and/or private funds to match TIGER funds. Both help to get the federal taxpayer strong results from their investment.
Through TIGER, USDOT has funded projects that are too multimodal for the federal formula program. It has funded nationally significant undertakings, such as CREATE in Chicago, a group of seventy-one projects that will relieve the nation's biggest freight rail bottleneck. TIGER also has funded projects that are necessary for local economic development but are not a state priority, such as the rebuilding of the main street in Whitefish, Montana—the gateway to Glacier National Park. The program has also funded projects that run counter to a culture used to building highways, such as the reconstruction of Route 34 in New Haven, Connecticut (an underutilized downtown highway that dead ends into a parking lot), into an urban boulevard that supports new development and stitches the community back together.
In spite of its incredible accomplishments, TIGER remains less than 1 percent of the federal transportation program, funded at $500 million for fiscal 2016. And while most of the highway program has guaranteed funding until fiscal 2020, TIGER does not. Congress could end it as early as 2017.
The next president should make TIGER the model for funding new capacity projects.
In the FAST Act, Congress did recognize the importance of competitive programs, creating the Nationally Significant Freight and Highway Projects program, which will receive $800 million in fiscal 2016, rising to $1 billion in fiscal 2020. While this is an important step forward, it has two deficiencies. First, all but 10 percent of the program is reserved for projects that cost over $100 million, or over 30 percent of a state's annual highway apportionment. As a result, it is focused more on high cost than on outcomes. In TIGER, the competition favors those who innovate to find less expensive solutions with big outcomes. Under Nationally Significant Freight and Highway Projects, a $95 million project in Arkansas would not even be eligible to compete, unless it adds $6 million more in cost.
Second, the Nationally Significant Freight and Highway Projects for the most part can only fund highway or bridge projects on the National Highway System, intermodal projects on the National Multimodal Freight Network, or rail-highway grade projects. TIGER can build highways, bridges, main streets, bus rapid transit, streetcars, commuter rail, intercity rail, freight rail, intermodal, and port projects, as well as bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure. Under the FAST Act, Congress funded a program that favors a narrow type of (high-priced) project over a program that rewards good outcomes, however they are achieved.
The next president should seek to reorganize the transportation program to use competition to fund new transportation infrastructure and expansions, reserving formula funds for maintenance and repair. The competition should be used to fund surface transportation projects of all modes that support national priorities, encourage innovation and efficiency, and the sponsoring agency can maintain along with the rest of their system.
Transportation agencies consistently measure three areas of performance: system condition, in order to schedule regular maintenance; traffic collisions and fatalities, along with their causes;28 and traffic flow. In fact, maintaining free-flowing traffic conditions at all times of day (including rush hour) is frequently a concern regarding roadways. Even a few minutes of slow-down in a day is sometimes identified as "traffic congestion" that requires attention.
The way traffic flow is projected, however, is based on very shaky traffic demand projections. For decades, the amount of travel (referred to as vehicle miles traveled, or VMT) increased consistently every year. Then, as the number of households with kids shrunk, as some people have moved back to the city, as suburbs have retrofitted to be more walkable and create town centers, and as many businesses left far-flung office parks,29 VMT flattened out. But in spite of the change, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) continued to project that VMT would rise at the traditional pace in its biennial Conditions and Performance report (see Figure 5).
FHWA's projections were the same no matter whether the economy was strong (as it was in 2002) or weak (as it was in 2010), whether the price of gas was low (as it was in 2002) or high (as it was in 2008). This is not entirely FHWA's fault, as they simply relied on state projections to put their national projection together. After over a decade of being consistently wrong, FHWA is developing its own projections for VMT that look at economic conditions and other factors that impact it.
These poor projections not only contribute to inaccurate federal reports, they also impact the spending of taxpayer dollars. For example, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the state DOT wants to spend $800 million to double-deck I-94 based on questionable projections of future traffic increases. This is despite the DOT's own data showing projected traffic increases are not materializing, and objections from local officials and citizen groups. Unfortunately, the DOT has justified several highway expansion projects using similarly dubious data. Research done in 2013 by a local interest group in Wisconsin found that traffic counts on seven recently completed highways were well below the projected amounts that were used to justify the expansions.30 Yet the state DOT continues to project future transportation demand using the same faulty method.
A big part of the problem is that the traffic projections used to justify projects through the planning process and environmental reviews are always and only forward-looking. Nothing in the federal program requires transportation agencies to look back to see if their traffic projections—statistics used in the design of every single project—have been accurate.
The next president should require transportation agencies to report on the accuracy of their modeling based on past performance. He or she should ask that this information be included in agency planning and environmental review documents so that stakeholders and the public can fully understand the quality of these proposals.
Under the MAP-21, states, MPOs, and transit agencies will measure some areas of performance of their transportation systems. It is an exciting step forward but a limited one. USDOT is still writing the rules that will govern this process, which will involve three USDOT agencies.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has already released a rule that requires state highway safety officials to set targets for safety improvements. The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) is developing a rule to set transit safety performance measures and to define "state of repair" for transit measured by the condition of equipment, rolling stock, infrastructure, and facilities.32 FTA funding recipients (state DOTs and transit agencies) will set targets under each of these measures and report their progress regularly.
FHWA is also working on rules to establish twelve measures covering a wider range of goal areas, including safety, infrastructure condition, congestion reduction, system reliability, and air quality.33 Then state DOTs and MPOs will set targets under each of these measures and explain to the public how they plan to reach those targets. Progress will be reported to the public and, where a state DOT or MPO misses their target under safety or infrastructure condition, they will lose flexibility over a small portion of funds earmarked for these areas. For the other measures, failure to reach a target will be reported to the public.
How these performance areas are defined will have a major impact on how states, MPOs, and transit agencies invest their transportation dollars. For example, the Obama administration could require states and MPOs to set targets to reduce carbon emissions under the mobile source emissions performance measure. It could also choose to measure congestion more precisely than any slowdown in traffic speeds at any time (which is current practice) and, instead, focus on the bottlenecks that interfere economic growth.
The Obama administration could also choose a congestion exposure measure that considers more than just drivers. There is certainly traffic in New York City, but 65 percent of commuters do not enter the congestion due to the availability of transit, biking, and walking. This is certainly a better story that the one in San Jose, where 85 percent of commuters are subjected to serious congestion.34 The way we measure congestion should account for this difference.
If the Obama administration fails to manage this process in a way that addresses greenhouse gases, focuses on heavy congestion and considers all travelers, the next president should take the time to fix it.
Beyond MAP-21, the next president should push the country to measure the things that politicians brag about when transportation bills are passed. We should measure the extent to which federal investment leads to permanent jobs and a strong economy, not just how traffic is moving. Traffic can, and often does, move better when economic activity is weak.
Secretary Foxx has also pointed out that Congress failed to require states and MPOs to measure whether people have good, multimodal transportation access to jobs. An uncongested trip by roadway, for example, does not get a non-driver to work or to school. And that very highway that cars are cruising down may actually be a barrier to the pedestrian trying to cross it on the way to work or school.
In the world of transportation, and in many things, there should be rewards for doing well, and consequences for doing poorly. Under the current program, states and agencies that miss all of their self-selected targets typically get more federal funds to try again. Sometimes, the target might even be to do worse—that is, slow the descent of a certain performance measure, such as going from 500 fatalities one year to 525 the next—and, even if that target is missed, there is little consequence. Hopefully, the fear of public embarrassment and reproach is enough to force some improvements to the existing system. However, this lack of accountability should not stand, and the next president should demand more.
The next president should use the bully pulpit to magnify the results of the first round of performance measurement, praising those that were ambitious and did well, and criticizing those that tried little and accomplished less. Additionally, future programs should tie money to results. There could be bonus funds for those that set and meet ambitious targets. And the extent to which a future program moves toward competition, those programs could give weight to transportation agencies that are performing well.
Funding problems create the opportunity to talk about reforms, but even with reforms, there will be a funding gap. Simply put, the program either needs to be cut, to be supplied with additional funds to address the growing gap between gas tax receipts and the size of the transportation program, or a combination of the two. The reforms proposed in this report can help to keep costs down, but in the end, more funding will be needed.
President Obama offered several proposals over the past seven years to improve the current surface transportation system by rewarding innovation, removing silos, and increasing accountability. Most recently, his fiscal 2017 budget proposal35 included a $10 tax on every oil barrel produced to fund an ambitious set of green transportation initiatives. This new tax on oil would generate $30 billion a year that the president would dedicate to new programs to reduce traffic, provide transportation alternatives, and lower carbon emissions.
$200 million per year for an autonomous vehicle deployment pilot.
These are exciting and innovative ideas that could have been an important part of the FAST Act in terms of a viable funding source for the program and better outcomes for the country. Unfortunately, these proposals essentially became moot with the signing of the FAST Act. And while President Obama had shared exciting transportation reform ideas before this year,36 the administration did not fight hard for their consideration, and Congress included very little of them in their reauthorization bills.
With the signing of the FAST Act, Congress and President Obama have actually created a transportation funding headache for the next president. While the bill keeps existing program levels (even with a bump for inflation), these were not paid for honestly. Instead, they used gimmicks and took non-transportation funds to close the gaps, while still protecting the program's funding from annual budget cuts as if it were still fully user-funded. The inflated funding levels and the flat revenue from the gas tax mean that the program will exhaust its reserves by 2021, and will require an additional $17.3 billion a year to support the current authorization. That gap equals almost 30 percent of the total program.
The next president should insist that this program be funded honestly. By the simple math of politics, if transportation is a priority, then Americans will fund it. If they are unwilling to fund it, then it is not a priority.
There has been bipartisan fear of saying this, but raising the gas tax is the easiest way to fix the funding crisis in the near term. The U.S. gas tax is low by international standards and can certainly be raised if transportation is the priority that everyone claims it is. The effectiveness of the gas tax in raising funds will erode as vehicles continue to become more fuel-efficient. But there is plenty of time to get some use out of it.
To address the impact of fuel-efficient vehicles on raising funds, the next president could push the program toward a VMT tax, so that every vehicle pays for its use of the system, rather than how much gas it burns. Oregon currently is piloting this approach under a program called OReGO.37 The Oregon DOT charges volunteers 1.5 cents per mile, and then gives a tax credit for gas tax paid. Volunteers track their mileage through a mileage reporting device selected from a couple options by the participant and managed by a private vendor.
Other ways to raise funds include a more widespread use of tolling and congestion pricing. Tolling is not permitted on existing Interstates, but the Obama administration proposed to remove the ban. Tolls might not come to the federal government for dispersal but they do lessen the need for additional federal funds. The next president should revisit the ban on tolls.
The next president should also join the Bush and Obama administrations in elevating congestion pricing as an option. Under congestion pricing, tolls increase as congestion increases. Drivers pay not only for the use of the highway, but the use of the highway during high-demand times. This kind of system incentivizes people to move discretionary trips to lower-demand times of day and to use modes of travel that increase capacity and throughput, like carpooling, vanpooling, and transit. Such a plan could not only raise funds but also result in more efficient roadway use by distributing traffic away from rush hour peaks.
Another funding option that has been a best practice for decades and, yet, continues to be under-utilized is value capture. This refers to any tax, assessment, or fee structure collected on land that increases in value due to a transportation investment. The tax is then used to fund the building, operation or maintenance of the project itself. Value capture strategies tie project funding to the benefits created by the project.
For example, Kansas City's new downtown streetcar is being financed by special property and sales taxes within a Transportation Development District, a defined area within approximately one-quarter mile of the new rail line.39 In 2012, a special mail-in vote approved an extra 1 cent in sales taxes within the district for twenty-five years, along with special increased property tax rates. The city has issued bonds against this new revenue in order to finance the construction of the transit line.
The next president could require projects that generate land value increases to capture at least part of that increase to pay for the system. Or project sponsors could be required to at least consider value capture as an option in order to qualify for federal funding.
These are not the only ways to raise more money for the transportation system. But most other options raise smaller increments of funding. Some propose bonds or other methods of borrowing money, but this would just spread out payments, not create more funding.
In the end, we are all going to have to pay more than we currently do for what we use, reduce the overall program, or pay on credit.
If a project does not address repair needs, or accommodation of federal priorities, then the cost of that project should fall on the sponsor. Transportation agencies that need help with a large project that overwhelms their immediate resources could utilize one of the federal loan programs, such as the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA). This program provides favorable repayment terms and lends at the Treasury rate (which was 2.61 percent as of April 17, 2016).40 Because the state or locality that takes out the loan would bear the responsibility for paying it back, this program would not, and should not, require the level of scrutiny of a grant program.
However, even in the case of a loan, the federal government should consider whether the project sponsor can afford to maintain the project once it is built, and whether the agency can maintain the rest of its transportation system while it repays the loan. Currently, the law only allows USDOT to consider the agency's ability to repay the loan, allowing states to run up credit card debt for projects they cannot afford.
For example, USDOT provided a $209 million loan to Ohio in 2015 for a $634 million bypass of Portsmouth, praising it as an "important project"41 for the region. This loan will be paid back out of future Ohio budgets for a project that will reduce trip times through the region by sixteen minutes, but that will also take traffic away from a small, struggling town that has lost half of its population over the past eighty years. While the importance of this project was rated as "significantly below average"42 by Ohio's own Transportation Review Advisory Council, the state still made the project possible through USDOT's loan. At a time when the state has 2,200 deficient bridges in need of repair,43 this might not have been the wisest decision.
The federal government cannot stop state and local governments from making questionable choices with state and local funds. But the federal program should not support such decisions. Loan applicants should be required to demonstrate that they can maintain the assets being built and their other assets before getting favorable federally backed loans.
Transportation continues to be a bipartisan issue, in an era during which there are few of them left. But this bipartisanship has supported an increasingly aimless program, one that is funded with gimmicks, and, in the end, is unsustainable. The next president should look with a critical eye at this program and propose ways to get the taxpayer a higher return on their substantial investment.
The next president should focus on the four main changes detailed in this report, setting the tone for transportation policy within DOT and driving systematic reforms. These are big changes, but changes that will improve the system, and thus increase faith in the program.
With leadership from the top and a call for greater accountability, we can make sure our funding goes farther and accomplishes more. We can deliver to the American people the results that we continually promise them—a safe, reliable, well-maintained transportation system that connects them to jobs and opportunity.
Some politicians say that the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards and availability of alternative forms of transportation are problematic because people buy less gasoline, which means less gas taxes flowing into government coffers. From that angle, the best thing for the transportation program is for everyone to drive gas-guzzlers long distances and in traffic. Even if this makes budgeting easier, this clearly cannot be the goal of the program.
The federal government has control over a handful of competitive programs, but that is a very small percentage of the overall program.
Compare that to the seventy projects that make up CREATE in Chicago, possibly the most significant transportation improvement in the country. For just over $3 billion, these projects will relieve the largest freight bottleneck in the country, improving travel for 1,300 passenger and freight trains a day. It will also improve safety and reduce the impact of these trains on neighboring communities.
The FAST Act increased the amount of money that goes to MPOs by a small amount but did not give areas under 200,000 any greater role in determining how that funding is spent.
In 2015, USDOT received 627 eligible application requesting $10.1 billion, or twenty times the available funding. The program had only enough funds to support thirty-nine projects in thirty-four states.
In spite of major improvements, 30,000 people die on our roadways each year.
"Core Values: Why American Companies Are Moving Downtown," Smart Growth America, June 18, 2015, http://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/core-values.
Tom Van Heeke, Tony Dutzik, and Bruce Speight, "Road Overkill: Wisconsin Spends Big on Questionable Highways, Even as Driving Declines," WISPIRG Foundation, May 2013.
Required under sections 5326(c) and 5328 (d) of title 49, United States Code.
Beth Osborne is the vice president for technical assistance at Transportation for America, a nationwide alliance of elected, business, and civic leaders in favor of smart, home-grown, locally driven transportation solutions. Previously, she was acting assistant secretary for transportation policy and the deputy assistant secretary for transportation policy at the U.S. Department of Transportation.


This barrel-aged leviathan is breaching the surface—singing its sonorous song resounding with notes of roasted malt, dark chocolate, toasted oak and vanilla. As elusive as it is colossal, Night Whale is sure to swing open the great floodgates of the wonder-world.
Reviews are done by Jim Matt, our Chief Science Officer, who is also a veteran FoBAB judge, GABF judge, and BJCP Master judge.
At 15.1%, Night Whale is a beast of a brew. What was the inspiration behind this Imperial Stout?
We wanted to unveil a new stout that was higher in ABV than anything we had brewed before. Ink is a great beer, but we wanted to up the ante with something bigger, badder and bolder.
What makes you want to drink this beer?
To get a good buzz going? Actually, the level of flavor and complexity in this beer really draws you in to want to try it!
Appearance: Black/opaque. Medium-low carbonation. Medium-thick tan head with excellent retention.
Aroma: Medium high malt aroma with notes of dark fruit, licorice, chocolate, coffee. Medium bourbon notes, a good dose of vanilla pops through as the sample warms. Low hop aroma, medium fruity esters, a waft of alcohol.
Taste: Medium high malt flavor, with roasted coffee, a light, "chocolate covered cherry," note, chocolate, and a slight nutty flavor. Moderate bourbon character with some raw wood notes and vanilla. Medium hop bitterness, low hop flavor, medium fruity esters. Finish is fairly dry.
Mouthfeel: Medium-full body. Creamy, some moderate alcohol warmth.
Overall: An intense Imperial Stout that was made from the ground up to be barrel aged. Deep, dark and dangerous!
What foods would pair well with Night Whale?
Chocolate covered cherries or strawberries or a rich beef stew.
Ideal glassware for Night Whale?
A 10 oz snifter glass or even a whiskey tasting glass.


Aries Off Road Bumpers from an Authorized Dealer.
Products 1 0 of. Bestop HighRock x Modular Front Bumper For Select Jeep Wrangler JK. Havoc Offroad Aluminum Mid Width Front Bumper 0 1 Jeep Wrangler JK. Aries Automotive TrailChaser Steel Full Width Front Bumper w Full Brush. Bestop HighRock x Modular Front Bumper Matte Black 0 1 Jeep Wrangler JK. Aries TrailChaser Mid Width Modular Front Bumper with LED Lights. Turn on search history to start Aries Offroad Modular Aluminum Front Bumper remembering your searches.
Or removed as desired to change the look any time LEDs feature waterproof aluminum housing and 0 000 hour lifespan Flood beam pattern.
Aries Automotive TrailChaser Rear Bumper for Jeep JK Aluminum.
Jeep Modular Bumpers! All products. Aries Automotive Front Modular Replacement Bumper Brush Guard Tubes Carbon Steel Arb 4x4 Accessories Tred Pro Mounting Bracket Tpmk.
Front end bumper kits are available in full configurations or mid configurations.
The Aries Automotive Jeep Modular Bumpers feature six modular parts for 1 different configurations and a rust free aluminum build Aries Offroad The Standard 4 Inch Oval Nerf Step Bars Cab Length Stainless Steel S223039 2.
Aries Aluminum Rear Full Width Bumper with Stubby End Caps in Silver for 0 1 Jeep Wrangler JK.


text:
New York imposes travel restrictions on visitors from Texas, the latest coronavirus hot spot
By Meena Venkataramanan
Visitors from Texas will soon have to quarantine for 14 days if they travel to New York, New Jersey, or Connecticut, according to the three states' governors, who also took aim at Texas' handling of the coronavirus outbreak on Wednesday.
The move comes as coronavirus cases and hospitalizations hit record highs in Texas, surpassing 5,000 new cases in a single day on Tuesday and making the state one of the country's coronavirus hotspots.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New York, Gov. Phil Murphy of New Jersey, and Gov. Ned Lamont of Connecticut, all Democrats, held a joint press conference Wednesday to announce the policy, which will affect nine states whose infection rates have met thresholds indicating "significant community spread," including Texas, Arizona, and Florida, according to reports.
"We need to do things right inside the four walls in our respective states," Murphy told reporters.
The restriction on Texas travelers marks a notable shift in which states are being flagged nationwide for the most alarming increases of coronavirus cases. Earlier in the pandemic, Texas touted comparatively low hospitalization rates and was pointing the finger at other states where the virus was raging.
In late March, Texas imposed a 14-day quarantine on travelers from New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Washington, and California – some of the early coronavirus hotspots. The state also mandated quarantines for those driving or flying to Texas from neighboring Louisiana as well as flying from Miami, Atlanta, Detroit, and Chicago. Those orders have since been lifted.
Gov. Greg Abbott struck a new tone of urgency at his Tuesday news conference, encouraging Texans to stay home as much as possible and to wear masks when they can't socially distance. Texas was one of the earliest states to begin reopening businesses, which Abbott intends to continue, he said.
Meanwhile, other states in the Northeast have expressed concern over Texas' handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Those states that had this blind, 'OK let's do whatever we want to do and we'll reopen immediately,' they have serious problems now," said Cuomo on the Today show earlier on Wednesday. New York was previously the hardest-hit state in the country.
Cuomo defended New York's own response to the pandemic, which included weeks of shutting down businesses and public spaces that ultimately lowered infection and death rates.
"Anyone who thinks we could have opened sooner, look at Florida, look at Arizona, look at Texas, look at the other 23 states that are going up, and it shows that we were smart and right," he said.
Murphy indicated the move was necessary to prevent a second wave of the coronavirus.
"We've taken our people … through hell and back," Murphy said. "This virus is risky enough on its own, in terms of the potential to flare back up."
Mayor Bill de Blasio of New York City, which bore the bulk of New York's coronavirus cases, reaffirmed the need to be cautious about travelers from other states.
"It's clear…there is a problem in a number of other states and we have to be very careful about the impact that would have on New York," said de Blasio on Wednesday.
Abbott's office did not respond immediately to a request for comment.
"New York imposes travel restrictions on visitors from Texas, the latest coronavirus hot spot" was first published at https://www.texastribune.org/2020/06/24/travel-restrictions-texas-new-york-coronavirus/ by The Texas Tribune. The Texas Tribune is proud to celebrate 10 years of exceptional journalism for an exceptional state.
Previous articleVirus cases surging among the young, endangering the elderly
Next articleCoronavirus patients crowd some Texas ICUs as Gov. Greg Abbott touts "abundant" hospital capacity
Texas Tribunehttps://www.texastribune.org/

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Brain is the most important organ of the human body.
The most vital component in the human system.
It's the brain that controls every body part.
Brain is the king of all human body parts.
Patient Name: Sanjay Singhania.
Symptom: Anti retrograde Amnesia. Short term memory loss.
Hey, look at this one.
This one's my project.
No. - Sir, but why?
Forget this case.
But it's such an interesting case.
Interesting yes, but it's also a police case.
Sunita, you want me to call your parents?
Fine, I won't take it up.
But as medical students, we want to know.
That is Sanjay Singhania.
Hit on the head with an iron rod.
After the incident, he lost his memory.
He is unable to remember anything now.
We call it short term memory loss.
He remembers events for only about 15 minutes.
...he forgets everything.
For example, he'd ask your name...
...and in 15 minutes he will have forgotten it.
He recalls only fragments of the incident.
But we can't say how much of it he remembers.
Regular tasks like eating...
...drinking, driving, also his feelings...
...lie embedded in his sub-conscious mind.
How does he go about his everyday routine?
How does a child perform instructed tasks?
By committing to memory, learning by rote.
Or, by jotting things down in writing.
Likewise, he remembers tasks by writing.
What was that incident? Who assaulted him?
This, no one knows.
Unfortunately, he doesn't even recall a face.
How can someone live on like this...
I wonder, what he's doing this moment...
Ghajini.
Killed, just like Mangesh.
The second, this week.
Even if I've to search every street...
...l'm going to get this one in 48 hours.
Find out who...
I must find him before the police gets to him.
Orchard Avenue. Pin 400076. My street.
We're in Orchard Avenue.
Take the next right.
Odyssey. It's a building on your right. I want to go there.
My building...
...73 Rupees.
Whose address is it?
Kill him. Find Ghajini.
Find him Kill him.
House Keys.
Wallet.
Cell phone.
Camera.
Gun.
Remove T shirt.
Revenge.
Kalpana was killed who is Ghajini?
Check notes, Photos.
Find Ghajini.
Kill him.
Day before yesterday. 10 am. From Hiranandani to Andheri Station.
Yes, I sold that ticket.
What's written behind it?
He paid me with a five hundred note.
I didn't have change. So I wrote it on the back.
He forgot to take the change... hey, it must be him.
This one always forgets.
Sometimes he forgets to buy a ticket, sometimes it's the change.
At times, he'll go on buying tickets.
He keeps on asking the names of bus stops.
Can you recognise him? - Why not... looks a strange sort,
keeps his head shaven, has a long scar on the head.
Every morning at ten, he takes the bus from Hiranandani.
It's nine.
We got an hour to get him. Come on.
Take camera.
Bus 392.
There he goes.
See you in the canteen after the lecture.
Excuse me... excuse me, sir...
Hi sir! I'm Sunita.
Sunita. Final year medical student.
You don't know me. But I know you.
Can I talk to you for two minutes... please?
As a medical student, I want to know how...
What's that?
My camera.
Why is it beeping?
It buzzes every 15 minutes.
So that I can take photos... of important things, people...
...to inscribe on them, to remember.
On photos?
Making notes...
Tear it out, throw it away. Do it.
Can I see a photo?
My watchman.
My doctor.
My manager.
My building.
Hiranandani? Do you live there?
Can I ask... how you got injured in the head.
My professor told me about some accident.
Do you remember anything about the incident?
What happened? Who hit you?
We aren't friends enough for me to confide in you.
Sorry sir... sorry.
I'd like to meet you again.
Take my photograph...
I'll use it to remind you when we meet again.
One more... one for you and one for me.
I hope I'm a friend now? Please write on it "My Friend".
The next time we meet, I'll show this to you.
You think the police is incompetent?
My name is Sanjay.
Sanjay Singhania.
Business is my passion, it's also my job.
My dad dreamt of turning the enterprise...
...into India's largest cellphone company.
His dream is now my purpose.
And I'll leave nothing undone in order to achieve it.
I live in Mumbai. My mother was born in this city.
Here we are, in Air Voice.
In my office.
And they are my most trusted employees.
Dad said, put all your emotions into work,
don't get emotional about it.
Across India,
we're targeting a 500 million subscriber base.
Are you shocked?
I can achieve it.
And I'm not being vain, I'm just confident.
It's a fine line between vanity and confidence.
That I can achieve, speaks my confidence.
Only I can achieve, would speak of my vanity.
We need confidence, let's build on it.
Kindly leave vanity outside office.
Swing in the rhythm "Jhoom jhamak jhoom".
Tap out the beat "Tum tamaak tum".
Tap out the beat "Tum tamaak tum'' - Hey kiddo!
Hey kiddo, you better hear.
Right from my heart, here's the order.
Just live it up,
there are no limits,
no borders.
There's a heady cocktail,
in wines of merriness.
If you got a taste for life,
toe the line of happiness.
Listen, here's the secret.
There's no life in EMls, take a deep breath.
Don't you hold back, just give it away.
Why hide in hearts, what you can say.
Sing and smile,
it's what life teaches.
Swing it, beat it,
we aren't hostages.
Swing in the rhythm of "Jhoom jhamak jhoom".
Ride the rhythm of waves,
abreast all tides and ebbs.
Swing it, give it a shake.
Kalpana!
The call sheet said nine o'clock.
You're in at ten thirty!
Everyone's waiting.
So much traffic today...
Don't make excuses. Go and change.
Okay, sir.
Hi... am I too late?
What life... filling in for a crowd...
...and she... preens like a superstar.
Can I go for lights? - And roll?
Lights.
Roll camera. - Rolling.
Action. - Rub and scrub...
...till my hands tire.
The yellow just, will never wear.
Camera pan.
Action, ma'am...?
That's why you must get Kite! Then you'll discover white.
Sparkling white in one Rupee.
Gleaming, glistening whites.
It'll be our eighth display site on this road.
Are all six hoardings available? - Three, sir.
Next choice? - Over here.
This one...
...a hoarding on the terrace...
...will be visible from the fly-over.
Looks okay to me.
Who lives here? - A girl. Kalpana. We can approach her.
Do that.
Now what? - Battery problem.
What's going on? Now it's the battery...
Excuse me, can we talk to Kalpana-madam?
Kalpana isn't "madam". Plain Kalpana.
And you are...? - We're from Air Voice.
I'm Mr Sanjay Singhania's executive assistant.
Air Voice?
Myself, Satveer Kohli. I run this ad film company.
We've done a range of ads... soaps, oils, toothbrushes, digestive pills.
Our latest was Monkey Brand toothpowder. You want an ad film?
We just want to see Kalpana madam. Mr Singhania has sent me here.
Kalpana... is in the green room. Go ahead.
Excuse me, ma'am...
Yes? - I'm Shroff. From Air Voice.
Open the door, go in.
Serve them tea and come out.
Sorry, don't try to convince me.
Your boss is enchanted? But so what?
The proposition ought to be acceptable to me.
It's a matter of love... matter of love.
Please madam, on behalf of my boss, I request.
Please think it over.
What's there to think over? You have heard my decision.
Now leave, please.
They're going.
Madam, please... - Tell your boss, Kalpana is displeased.
If you change your mind,
here's my card.
Do call.
Sorry... I'll get ready in two minutes.
Madam, one minute...
Madam...?
Kalpana ji...
Ji...?
I apologise for intruding upon your personal affairs.
But all of us heard whatever went on inside.
Spot boy, find a chair for madam.
Let me surmise what might've happened.
Sanjay Singhania saw you somewhere.
And when he saw you,
it was love at first sight. Thereby hangs a question.
He pins his hopes on a yes from you, it's why he sent his men to you.
And you for one, are putting him away?
Am I correct, madam? Correct?
Yes, correct.
Why are you spurning a fine proposition?
Today, it's a man who owns Air Voice. Tomorrow, it'll be a Bill Gates.
Think, what a wonderful opportunity it is!
On a nod from you, our company will be transported to such heights!


text:
Meridian Central
Titled Lots
Home & Land
Display Village
My Meridian
Building Your Home
Construction Portal
CONSTRUCTION UPDATE FEBRUARY
We've hit the ground running with an exciting and busy month at Meridian and start to 2019. With construction running at full speed as the community continues to grow across all stages and the beautiful park and wetlands.
STAGE UPDATES: STAGE TEN AND ELEVEN Stage 10 & 11 are now Titled and the streetscape trees have now been complete. STAGE TWELVE AND THIRTEEN Now Titled. The streetscape tender has been awarded and landscaping will commence in March. STAGE FOURTEEN Now Titled. Streetscape plans have been approved and are out to tender. STAGE FIFTEEN Bulk earth works have been completed, with the exception of Ceduna Road, which will be finalised once our construction machinery is out of the Stage 15 wetlands in February. Sewer works have been completed and drainage will be completed in February. Watermain and Gas installation is scheduled to commence in February. Road boxing and rock has been completed in all areas, except Ceduna Road and the stone retaining walls are progressing well. Electrical install is scheduled to occur in March. Construction completion is anticipated to occur in April 2019. STAGE SIXTEEN Bulk earthwork are underway with sewer scheduled to commence in March, followed by drainage and road boxing. Construction completion is anticipated to occur in July / Aug 2019. PARK & WETLANDS UPDATE: CENTRAL PARK – Stage 5 The planting of the garden beds has been completed, and the BBQ facilitates are now available for use. The sea-saw in the junior play area is waiting on a replacement part, which will be fitted in February, when the fencing around it will then be removed. Grassing of the kick about area has been completed and once it is properly established, the kick about goals will be installed. PARAGON PARK – Stage 13 Located at the highest point of Meridian, Paragon Park includes a junior and senior play area, with custom designed equipment by TRACT and Adventure+, to take advantage of its elevated position and the topography of the park. The equipment features a 6m high slide with platforms providing views across the City of Casey, climbing nets, a junior slide with climbing walls, a ropes course and swings. The park also includes a 25m, double line, flying fox, running down the hill, leading to the fitness hub and a feature skate area, where the you can hang out in a hammock and relax. Centrally located to the play areas is the shelter and picnic tables, so you can keep a watchful eye on the kids while they play. The landscape plans for Paragon Park have been reviewed by Council and approval is anticipated in February. Tenders for the works will be issued to contractors in March, with construction anticipated to commence in April. Construction is anticipated to take approximately 5 months. VERDANT DRIVE PARK & WETLANDS – Stage 15 As the names suggest, this Park and adjoining Wetlands will be a green haven, embracing natural play elements and providing plenty of opportunities for little kids to discover and learn. At this park you can follow the journey of some of our wild life, including frogs, fish, turtles and birds. Explore the river bed for tadpoles, seek out the fish swimming in the reeds, hang out in the nest with the eggs, or watch the real wild life from the viewing platform, overlooking the wetlands. The play area features a slide, swings and a climbing net and some musical elements, as well as a shelter and picnic area. Landscaping of the Park and the Wetlands is due to commence September 2019. SUMMIT BUSINESS PARK – WETLANDS Our adjoining development, Summit Business Park, provides our Meridian residents with additional amenity to enjoy, including a fantastic 6ha wetland fronting onto Thompsons Road. BPG Civil will complete the construction of these extensive wetlands in February. The landscaping tender has been awarded and planting is scheduled to commence in April 2019. SUMMIT PARK Located at the intersection of Newgrange Blvd (west) and Matterhorn Drive (Summit Business Park), Summit Park has been designed with the Meridian residents, our local businesses and their employees in mind. The park features an outdoor gym, half basketball court, and small play area for kids, including a slide, swing, inground trampolines. The main feature of this park is the shelter, which is designed for communal dinning, to cater for those larger family gatherings, or a lunchtime office BBQ. But, if you are wanting some down time, you can seek out a sun lounge or relax in one of the seating nodes, located away from the activity on the main boulevard. The landscape plans for Summit Park have been submitted to Council and approval is anticipated in April. Tenders for the works will be issued to contractors in May, with construction anticipated to commence in June. Construction is anticipated to take approximately 5 months. TITLE FORECAST:
Be first to find out about Meridian's future releases and VIP offers.
I have read and accept the Privacy Policy and Disclaimer
BrownPropertyGroup_Communities_REV_CMYK
1880 Thompsons Rd, Clyde North
Open 7 days 11am - 5pm PHONE 1800 463 743
BE THE FIRST TO FIND OUT ABOUT MERIDIANS FUTURE RElEASES AND VIP OFFERS.
*all fields are mandatory


Vicente Ordonez is Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Virginia. His research interests lie at the intersection of computer vision, natural language processing and machine learning, with a focus on exploiting the natural connections that occur in vision and language using large amounts of data. Vicente was a recipient of the Best Long Paper Award at EMNLP 2017, the IEEE David Marr Prize in Computer Vision in 2013, a Yahoo! Key Scientific Challenges Award in 2012, and a Renaissance Technologies Fellowship. Vicente obtained a PhD in Computer Science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, an MS in Computer Science at Stony Brook University and an engineering degree at the Escuela Superior Politecnica del Litoral in Ecuador. He was also a Visiting Research Fellow at the Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence.


In order to grow & get a little handle on what's trendy in the art licensing/surface/textile fields, I signed up for MATS Bootcamp with Lilla Rogers (a renowned art licensing agent and arts instructor). The class has just begun, so far we have our first "mini". The prompt was "Edwardian Brooches", so I have been doing a lot of doodling! We will get a larger prompt in the 4th week of class that is thematically linked, so I'm pretty curious to know where we're going with it.
In researching brooches, I was inspired most by the portrait images. Fancy ladies in puff sleeves and high collars, men in monocles and bowlers (ok, maybe I'm adding the monocles, but I usually feel they're a nice touch).
Here's my first round of sketches, I'll keep you updated on my progress!
Monocles are ALWAYS a good idea. I really love the bird-lady.
7s9dela4 on New Project: Chalk-A-Day!


text:
Meet the 2018 MSPreps All-State Boys Soccer Teams
Meet the Clarion Ledger's selections for the 2018-19 All-State Boys Soccer Teams.
Meet the 2018 MSPreps All-State Boys Soccer Teams Meet the Clarion Ledger's selections for the 2018-19 All-State Boys Soccer Teams. Check out this story on clarionledger.com: https://www.clarionledger.com/story/sports/high-school/2019/04/14/meet-2018-mspreps-all-state-girls-soccer-teams/3459622002/
Clarion Ledger staff Published 6:00 a.m. CT April 14, 2019
Here's a look at the 2018 Clarion Ledger Boys All-State Soccer Team.
Dawson Albritton | Senior
The senior goalkeeper tallied 79 saves and allowed just nine goals on the season. His ability to make quick decisions allowed the Bulldogs to play a higher back line, which led to more goal scoring opportunities.
Gregory Anderson | Senior
The senior scored 21 goals for the Rangers to help lead them on to a Class 4A state championship.
Matt Burke | Senior
The senior scored 22 goals along with 16 assists to help lead Brandon to the second round of the Class 6A playoffs.
Peyton Coker | Senior
The senior captain is a utility player who filled gaps on the Patriots' back line left by injury. He was instrumental in Lewisburg's run to a Class 5A state title.
Santiago Diosa | Junior
Northwest Rankin
The junior led the Cougars in scoring to help them reach the Class 6A state championship.
Elian Fajardo | Junior
Scored 39 goals – second most in the MHSAA – while also tallying eight assists to help the Warriors to the second round of the Class 6A playoffs.
Brandon Marquez | Senior
The senior led the MHSAA with 40 goals scored in just 17 games, and added a nine assists as well.
Lucas Ragula | Senior
The senior defender anchored a Gulfport defense that allowed only 11 goals in 25 games on the way to a Class 6A state title.
Tres Ray | Senior
The senior team captain scored 33 goals and added 16 assists, helping the Hornets reach the second round of the Class 4A playoffs.
Johannes Sognnaes | Junior
The junior forward tallied 33 goals and 16 assists to help the Golden Wave reach the second round of the Class 6A playoffs.
Deon Travis | Senior
Madison Central
The senior team captain was a leader for the Jaguars, tallying 12 goals and 18 assists to help Madison Central reach the Class 6A semifinals.
Fabien Barker | Sophomore
Led the Jaguars in goals with 24 and added seven assists to help Madison Central to the Class 6A semifinals.
Jackson Bataille | Sophomore
St. Andrew's Episcopal
The sophomore scored 14 goals, but contributed most setting up other players to score with his 27 assists, the most in the MHSAA. He helped the Saints reach the Class 1A-2A-3A title game.
Gavin Gaudin | Junior
The junior helped lead the Cougars to the Class 6A state championship against Gulfport.
Joshua Guice | Senior
Scored 29 goals and added nine assists to help Franklin County to a 24-2-0 record and the second round of the Class 1A-2A-3A playoffs.
Miller Hayden | Sophomore
The sophomore scored 12 goals and added two assists in only 15 games played for the Class 1A-2A-3A state champion Crusaders.
Benjamin Mullins | Junior
The junior team captain scored 12 goals with six assists for the Class 5A state champion Patriots.
Griffin O'Neill | Senior
The Chargers' goalkeeper tallied 69 saves and helped Oxford to 14 shutouts in 21 games, allowing only nine goals all season.
John-Mark Rose | Senior
Jackson Prep
Scored nine goals in a season shortened by an ACL injury. He was selected to represent Jackson Prep in the MAIS All-State Game.
Carson Rounsaville | Senior
Brookhaven Academy
The senior team captain tallied 21 goals and 13 assists, earning a place in the MAIS All-Star Game.
Layken Simkins | Senior
The senior scored 11 goals and added seven assists as a key part of the Eagles' midfield.
Ashton Taylor | Junior
The junior co-captain scored 21 goals with 22 assists in 17 games to help Center Hill to the second round of the Class 5A playoffs.
Joe Falla Jr., Sacred Heart – After a 5-year championship drought filled with playoff appearances, Falla Jr. led the Sacred Heart boys to a Class 1A-2A-3A state championship for the first time since the Crusaders won in back-to-back seasons in 2012-13.
No. 1 2020 juco prospect flips pledge from Vols to fellow SEC school
Are the Vegas over-unders for Ole Miss too low?
Mississippi State football: Let's examine the over-under for wins
One of state's top DBs has committed to Notre Dame
A look back at Steve McNair's final days
How high should expectations be for MSU football in 2019?


So I'm more than 14 months into the rest of my life without booze. Here's what's different, and here's how I'm staying the course in my recovery.
With very rare exceptions, I'm much more comfortable socially as a non-drinker. Last year, just two months sober, I celebrated a special birthday and my husband and I went out for a nice dinner. The waiter approached the table with complimentary champagne. I awkwardly told him that I don't drink (the words felt so strange in my mouth) and he kind of grimaced and whisked the bottle away.
This past weekend, we celebrated the 40th anniversary of the day we met. Fast forward to another lovely restaurant; another polished and gracious waiter who approached the table with two flutes of sparkling wine. He said, "I hope you drink prosecco!" I gracefully smiled and replied, "Well, I don't – but he does!" And my husband enjoyed both glasses. The waiter asked what he could bring me and I ordered my standard club, cran, and lime. Which he brought in a champagne flute, also. He said, "For toasting!" And we did and it was just fine. None of the kind of skin-crawly uncomfortable moments I had to tough my way through during almost every "first" last year.
I think about not drinking a whole hell of a lot less. And it really doesn't bother me about 98% of the time.
I don't keep track of the days any more. I don't need frequent treats and/or rewards. We're so lucky in that we've reached a point in our lives that money (or the lack thereof) isn't an issue. What helps is that I grew up with very little, and times were extremely tight for the first several years of our marriage. So I'm really frugal, pretty low-maintenance, and extremely grateful to have some financial freedom in our advancing years. But if I really want or need something, I go ahead and get it.
I do my best to continue to avoid overwhelm. I've only had a couple of instances over the past three or four months where I took on too much and felt completely overwhelmed and, quite frankly, a little batshit crazy. After the last incident, my husband and I talked about it and he's said he absolutely will not allow me to take on too much again. EVER. Not that I'd pick up a drink – but I'm still figuring out how to handle extremely stressful situations in an emotionally healthy way.
Therapy is on hold for now; my counselor had to have some major surgery and she's still on the mend. Looking forward to unpacking some baggage I've accumulated since I last saw her. A very awkward and uncomfortable family reunion that I dreaded for months and ongoing issues with my mother will be right at the top of the list of discussion topics.
I just focus on spending my time with the people in my life who have earned it and deserve it. And I'm working hard to jettison any guilt that might be trying to worm its way in.
Exercising. Eating well. And healthy doses of treats.
All these things are working together to keep me grounded, sane, and so, SO happy. So at peace. So fully alive and present and aware of the joy that has blossomed since I quit.
So worth the hard work.


The key to making this white (wheat) bread taste well is to make half of the dough a day in advance and let it preferment. There are various opinions on the water to bread flour ratio in the preferment and in the total recipe, but keep it as wet as you can, as long as it still able to fold (see later). Also a high gluten bread flour is required to support the large holes that ciabatta is well known for. And finally baking the dough at high temperature helps the oven spring and crust formation.
This bread in the form of a slipper (ciabatta) is relatively new: it was first baked in 1982 by Arnaldo Cavallari, a baker in Verona, Italy as an alternative for French baguettes, which were used in Italy as sandwich bread at the time.
Fermentation with bakers yeast works best between 20 and 32 C. Within this range, higher temperatures promote faster fermentation. Having developed the recipe in my kitchen in Hong Kong, where kitchen temperature usually is 28 or 30 C, I always use a very tiny (maximum 0.1 g) amount of dry yeast in the pre-ferment. Thus yeast cells first have to multiply and grow before sufficient fermentation would appear. I leave the pre-ferment between 8-12 hrs at these temperatures, developing a yeasty flavor. Thus it is breaking down part of the bread proteins and starches into smaller fragments. Thereafter it is stored in the fridge overnight. This complex flour degradation is the base for the flavor developed in the final bread.
The other feature of making this bread is that it does not take a lot of work: it is more patience than effort.
Bake for 45 minutes at 230 C, carefully checking that the top of the bread does not get black.
If the very strong (high gluten) flour is not available, the bread will become flatter, but the taste is still superb. Additional gluten could also be added to the flour if the very strong flour is not available.
A high pre-heated oven temperature will help to create more oven spring.
No Replies to "Crusty rustique ciabatta"


text:
Q: How to remove overlay while drawing polygons on map? I have multiple polygons on map and list of polygons on side menu when i checked a polygon it draws on map. When i checked other polygon it creates other polygon but the issue is when i checked every new polygon its overlays old polygons. I am trying to null polygons before creating new but it's not working. Hope you understand my question.

 $.ajax({
 url: "{{route('ucs.active')}}",
 method: "POST",
 data: {'id': id, 'is_active': is_active, "_token": "{{ csrf_token() }}"},
 success: function (response) {
 let latLong = response.zones;

 let map;
 let polygons = [];
 let driverLat = latLong.map(({
  lat_long
 }) => lat_long)
 let color = latLong.map(({
  color
 }) => color)

 for (let i = 0; i < driverLat.length; i++) {

  let arrayCoords = [];
  let jsonData = JSON.parse(driverLat[i]);
  for (let j = 0; j < jsonData.length; j++) {
    let res = jsonData[j].lat.split(",");
    let lat = parseFloat(res[0]);
    let lng = parseFloat(res[1]);

    arrayCoords.push(new google.maps.LatLng(lat, lng));

   }
   if (polygons.length > 0) {
    polygons.setMap(null);
   }

  polygons = new google.maps.Polygon({
    editable: false,
    paths: arrayCoords,
    strokeColor: color[i],
    strokeOpacity: 0.8,
    strokeWeight: 2,
    fillColor: color[i],
    fillOpacity: 0.35,
    map: map,
    draggable: false,
    geodesic: true,
  });
}
}

A: When you click on the other check box, you need to set the DrawingMode from google.maps.drawing.DrawingManager class to null, before creating the other polygon.
  private _drawingManager: google.maps.drawing.DrawingManager;
  private _drawingOptions: google.maps.drawing.DrawingManagerOptions;

  this._drawingOptions = {
      drawingMode: google.maps.drawing.OverlayType.POLYGON,
      drawingControl: false,
      drawingControlOptions: {
        position: google.maps.ControlPosition.TOP_CENTER,
        drawingModes: [

          google.maps.drawing.OverlayType.POLYGON

        ]
      }
    };

    const dm = new google.maps.drawing.DrawingManager(this._drawingOptions);
    this._drawingManager = dm;

You need to set the drawing mode to null on Polygon complete:
google.maps.event.addListener(drawingManager, 'overlaycomplete', function(event) {
    if (event.type == google.maps.drawing.OverlayType.POLYGON) {
        if(polygon != null)
            polygon.setMap(null);
        polygon = event.overlay;
        var bounds = polygon.getBounds();
        drawingManager.setDrawingMode(null);
    }
});

Let me know if it helps. Thanks!!


Even Marx, who's regarded more as a socialist, emphasized how disallowing people from owning land and personal property is the first step towards implementing communism in a nation.
"Karl Marx said if he could sum up communism in one sentence, it would be: 'abolition of private property,'" Ghetto Man explains.
It might sound nice in theory – the idea of universal equality and no wealth disparities. But equalizing everything as part of a socialist or communist format turns people into slaves of their own government.
No longer do individuals have the right to work, earn, and create on their own. Instead, they become beholden to handouts from the government – turning individuals into serfs, and government into their master.
This is essentially the platform of failed presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, whose socialist ideals represent exactly what Karl Marx wished to see implemented on a global scale. The leftist Democrat agenda as a whole embraces this as well, pushing communism using fresh terminology.
One such term is "globalism," which is really just communism rebranded. It's the idea of shedding all borders and nationalities and becoming "one" – which is exactly what communists throughout the ages have been trying to implement globally.
This is precisely why the nationalistic agenda of President Trump is so upsetting both to leftists and to "neo-cons" on the right. It aims to backtrack away from communist and towards the freedom that our founders intended – complete with borders, the rule of law, and a unique culture just our own.
Be sure to watch Ghetto Man's full monologue on communism at REAL.video.


Our first floor restaurant is a relaxed, airy room providing the perfect contrast to the busy bar downstairs. The menu is the same on both floors, only the atmosphere is a bit different. We only reserve tables for up to 8 guests at the restaurant, but we have a private room at the top floor for private parties.
We serve "bistro" food: we use the best seasonal ingredients we can find and always have our wine list in mind when designing a dish.
Our food is straightforward and designed to be shared with friends and family.
Our main focus is Italian and French cuisine, but you will find influences from the Middle East.
Wonderful, friendly (yet professional) service, starting in the bar before moving upstairs to the restaurant. Food was amazing (very inventive and interesting seasonal menu), with a wine to match (thanks to the well informed staff).
Will definitely be returning (however I'd advise booking in advance).
First time back at the Albertine since new owners took over. Glad to see the same easy going ambience has remained. The wines are as good as ever and glad to see the level of food has gone up from the home made fayre that used to be served up. We had the lardon and chili toast which was delicious, followed by the bavette which was good, though perhaps too close to the charcoals on the grill and ended up with a bitter burnt taste.
We were worried about Albertine losing its wonderful character with the change of ownership but it has lost none of the magic, it has just gained some fab food and lovely staff.
Very unassuming looking from the outside, but friendly staff and good fresh ingredients. Smallish menu, which is a good thing as they're not trying to offer something for everyone. The Bavette with chips and Bearnasie sauce was excellent!
Unfortunately, the restaurant had been fully booked for an event. So when we arrived, our booking was worthless. We had little option but to eat in the wine bar. The staff apologised and said that they had been trying to contact us by phone. But the double booking should never have occurred as the Open Table web site should have had that date blocked, thus preventing me from booking!
Short menu, full of robust flavours, perfectly cooked and served up with panache by Poppy. Very happy with our experience.
great to have a place like this in the area. Plus they allow dogs on the ground floor!
As ever we had a fantastic evening at Albertine. The bavette frites is definitely one of the best steaks in town! everything was declared delicious by all, particularly the fish stew. The wine list never disappoints.
I took my wife Beverley for a valentine's dinner and we had a fabulous evening. The wine was excellent and the starters were delicious. The staff were very accommodating and friendly. It was very special.
Hands down my favourite place in Shepherd's Bush. It's a wonderfully friendly and relaxed atmosphere. Each floor provides a different experience to cater to any number of dining requirements. Most importantly the food and wine is fantastic and great value. The greatest compliment I can pay, is to say, I can't wait to go again.
Great service, attentive and friendly. We had lovely food and the wine list was comprehensive. We had great advice from the staff too, will go back!
I enjoyed my second time at Albertine even more then the first.
The place is very cozy, especially if you choose to dine at the first floor.
The food is spectacularly good and a feast for your eyes. Chef Roberto (Bobo) Freddi has a great ability in understanding what could make you genuinely happy and sometimes surprise you. I wish I lived closer to go there more often.
Very friendly and knowledgeable staff but lack of attention to refilling wine glasses and clearing plates when they were not that busy! Not a cosy atmosphere although they have obviously tried very hard to create one.
Really intimate dining room where for most of the evening we were the only table so essentially our private room! Staff were laid back but attentive. Thoughtful too about a gluten free member of group who seemed to have a decent number of options. Nice short menu and done well.
My only issue was I felt there could have been more wine choices in the £20 and £30 range. The list really takes off around £40 which is a bit steep for location and actually most restaurants in the area. Having said that I loved it and will be back.
The downstairs is more lively and full of atmospheric but you can't book. The upstairs is quirky and quiet but a tiny bit lacking in soul (pictures on the walls?) HOWEVER the food is off the charts so I would go to either at any opportunity!
Great setting, gorgeous food & service very attentive & friendly. Will return!
Great find, creative cooking with some unusual ingredients.
Very attentive staff, Allegra talked us through the menu and her cooking method for each dish. Delightful, friendly and inexpensive.
Had a lovely meal and excellent wine here with friends. Cheese portions were quite small but great recommendation from the wait staff.
It was quite busy when we arrived so the service was a bit poor then but once it was emptied out a bit the staff were very lovely and attentative.
As fabulous as ever, probably the best steak (bavette) frites that I have had in ages. Wife's wild mushroom pats stunning too.
We used to meet at Albertine's before it was sold and refurbished. Perhaps the problem this time is that by booking online, we were automatically booked but the price was extortionate for the area. A three-course meal and a carafe of wine cost one of us over £70. I paid £50 for a three-course meal and one glass of wine. The third person had two courses and a hot chocolate and paid £25.. The food was nice, but not that nice. The waiter was interesting - quite funny. We may try again downstairs but if there isn't a major difference in price, we won't be back. It's just too expensive for a weeknight outing and the food is not on par with other places I would go to for that price for a special occasion. Shame. We loved Albertine's with its very basic dishes.
Great atmosphere at this cosy, slightly retro indy wine bar and restaurant. It has an exceptional wine list and very reasonably priced Mediterranean inspired menu, as well as bar snacks downstairs and sharing platters of charcuterie and carefully selected cheeses. Our dinner, from the silky smooth chicken liver pate to spicy mussels in an Nduja tomatoey broth and smoked cod's roe on chargrilled garlic bread, followed by dishes of mustard rabbit and pappardelle with spinach in in ricotta/blue cheese sauce plus the most moreish green beans in anchovy butter, was deliciously flavoured, we polished every plate. Menu changes with the seasons apparently! Knowledgeable staff readily recommend wines to match with the food you choose, and service here is smooth and friendly.
Top recommendation in W12 for a relaxing and flavoursome experience.
Cosy wine bar with excellent selection of wine and food. Bar downstairs is usually busy and buzzy and has a well-selected food menu to match. Upstairs the restaurant is calmer and has a broader menu. The mussels in an nduja sauce on garlic bread was especially satisfying. Service was willing and we appreciated pushing our food through quickly so we could get to an event on time. Will definitely be returning!
Excellent food, good wine by the glass or carafe and professional, friendly service.
Fabulous food and wine list. Wish I'd discovered it years ago! Will definitely visit again.
Just a fantastic little restaurant! Great food, great service and a cosy, relaxed atmosphere. Love to go there with friends for drinks & dinner.
Came here with the in-laws for a Saturday night dinner. The lady who served us was incredibly knowledgeable about the menu and the extensive wine list seemed to please my vineyard-owning father in-law. Only thing I could say is the upstairs room has been painted a bright white and is a bit dazzling.
I had high hopes for the restaurant but found that it was so loud in the restaurant that we asked to move downstairs to escape the noise.


Thank you for choosing TD Bank for your banking needs, Cody. We're happy to respond. At this time, in order to open an individual TD Checking, the individual must be at least 18 years of age. If you're currently under the age of 18, we do ask that an adult accompanies you at one of our nearby TD Bank Stores, during lobby hours to open a joint account. For help locating a TD Store locations and hours near you, please visit: http://bit.ly/TDStores. Please keep in mind that both of the adult and you will need to provide a valid form of identification such as Driver's License, Passport, Military I.D. etc. and Social Security number. As a minor, acceptable forms of identification for minors includes; School ID (preferably with a picture), Passport, US Birth Certificate or Social Security Card. If you haven't done so, please review our Checking Accounts here: http://bit.ly/1oXjGgF, or use our Checking Account Selector at: http://bit.ly/1vW1xnU to find an account which suits your needs. If you have any additional questions, please feel free to reach out to our Banking Specialists 24/7 at 888-751-9000. Thanks again for your inquiry, Cody. Have a great weekend!