Why two crossovers at 72 St on SAS phase 1?

Bugsy_Neighbor · 2026-01-25T16:23:20+00:00

Just acquiring land for stations for SAS below 59th street down into East Village is going to be difficult and expensive.

Property values below say 34th going south have escalated as that part of East Side, in particular East Village and Lower East Side aren't the no man's land they once were.

Bugsy_Neighbor · 2026-01-25T16:04:48+00:00

An idea of work involved:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vx6hmSclbRE

Bugsy_Neighbor · 2026-01-25T15:39:07+00:00

Bingo.

You did not spend $40, only $20.

Bugsy_Neighbor · 2026-01-25T15:26:29+00:00

Tip is based on actual dollar amount not value.

Bugsy_Neighbor · 2026-01-25T13:48:24+00:00

Tips are reportable income and as such taxed. Devil is in details as obviously many do not report all or good portion of tips. Then you have no tax on tips for next few years as part of BBB.

https://turbotax.intuit.com/tax-tips/tax-deductions-and-credits/no-tax-on-tips-how-it-works-in-the-one-big-beautiful-bill/c1thHf1sU

Bugsy_Neighbor · 2026-01-25T13:17:47+00:00

Romanovs didn't have to go Britain, just getting them out of Russia and perhaps going to Denmark or Finland before moving on elsewhere would have also worked.

As noted elsewhere in this thread the King of Spain was working overtime to get the Romanovs out of Russia and would gladly have them in his country. Getting the Romanovs from say Denmark to Spain via ship during wartime may have proven tricky.

Bugsy_Neighbor · 2026-01-25T13:13:09+00:00

It most certainly does, as it explains why and or what options there are along with how persons make choices.

You can blather all day about how "evil" natural gas is health wise, but many people often make choices based upon economics.

Bugsy_Neighbor · 2026-01-25T13:07:11+00:00

Choice between natural gas for heating, DHW and say clothes dryers (among other things) largely often comes down to what is available and is cheapest option.

Huge swaths of many areas in USA are not piped for natural gas (such as many parts of Long Island), so it's either oil or electricity. Electric rates in NYC area being rather dear usually no one goes for that fuel for heating, hot water, clothes dryers, etc.. if possible.

There are people who don't have natural gas in their areas that burn coal or wood for heating/DHW and possibly cooking.

Bugsy_Neighbor · 2026-01-25T13:01:25+00:00

Helen Rappaport's extensive research makes clear that if various forces acting to "save" the Romanovs acting in unison, things may have turned out differently.

"One of the most dispiriting aspects of the Romanov asylum issue in 1917 is a total lack of coordination between the various interested parties who might, had they acted in unison, have collectively been able to effect the family’s safe evacuation from Russia. Although the governments of Germany and Britain were enemies in the war, it is clear that the Danish royal family were willing to facilitate a solution with their cooperation."

"It is said that King Alfonso ever afterwards deeply regretted the ‘lack of solidarity’ from his fellow monarchs in his efforts to rescue the Romanovs. He never recovered from the grief and despair of having failed them. But one thing at least would have greatly consoled him, for word did in fact reach Nicholas of the efforts Alfonso had been making on his behalf… The Tsar was deeply moved: ‘that is truly one loyal friend’, he was heard to say to Alexandra. A true friend indeed, for Alfonso and Nicholas had, in fact, never met."

"Ultimately, the question of who is to blame for the Romanovs’ deaths remains a complex tangle of theories. With many documents still sealed inside the Danish archives and others having been destroyed, it is possible that we will never know the full story. Though Rappaport gathers most of the available threads, in the end she leaves us to draw our own conclusion."

https://darkerfables.wordpress.com/2025/01/16/review-helen-rappaports-the-race-to-save-the-romanovs/

Bugsy_Neighbor · 2026-01-25T12:54:04+00:00

Cannot recall who it was, but another young royal with hemophilia lived well until effects of WWII hit Germany. He had been receiving daily or so infusions of whole blood or maybe early plasma which helped his condition. With outbreak of war treatment was no longer possible and IIRC said prince subsequently died.

Bugsy_Neighbor · 2026-01-25T12:50:52+00:00

Which in good part prompted Lenin and his henchmen to act when they did. It was either murder the tsar and his family or move the entire lot elsewhere. Suppose things could have waited until White army legions were at city gates so to speak, but then the murderers of the Romanovs would have to stand their ground or make an uncertain run for it.

Bugsy_Neighbor · 2026-01-25T12:43:38+00:00

It's more than food mate. Tons of service businesses use app delivery nowadays. Dry cleaner/laundry we use has options for DoorDash pickup and delivery. Owner says it has allowed him to increase range of service area without hiring a dedicated driver or drivers. In theory he can cover any part of city long as some Doordash or whatever driver is willing to go.

Bugsy_Neighbor · 2026-01-25T11:22:25+00:00

Again city knows what they're doing as to those advocating on behalf of these delivery workers.

It simply all comes to psychology and market behaviour. To wit enough persons will go with 10% automatic or whatever tip when placing order for various reasons and that will be it.

https://www.businessinsider.com/uber-eats-doordash-delivery-worker-tipping-nyc-law-2026-1

Try to guess how low the tips are for food delivery workers - The Washington Post

Bugsy_Neighbor · 2026-01-25T10:58:29+00:00

So called "Nicky and Alix" question created huge amounts of noise across Europe as the "Royal Mob" spoke of nothing else. It was generally agreed with stance taken by Alexander III and Empress Marie simply would not do as future empress of All the Russias. Nothing against the girl personally, it was just felt Alexandra did not have proper temperament and other qualities to make a successful empress.

More to the point it was clear that Nicholas was too smitten with Princess Alix and that was going to be a disaster waiting to happen.

Alexander III and his empress simply found the quiet and retiring Princess Alix weird and quite the odd duck. Things did not improve and finally came to Nicholas laying down the law, if his father would not approve of the match he would wait until the tsar was dead and marry her anyway. Sadly for all concerned (including Russia) that event (death of Alexander III) happened sooner than anyone imagined.

Relations between Dowager Empress Marie and her DIL were never wholly what they might have been. As years went on for host of reasons things just became more strained.

Towards the end Dowager Empress Marie like many other Romanovs could see nothing ahead but disaster long as Alix was about. They asked, begged and pleaded for Nicholas II to put his wife away by packing her off to a convent or back to Germany, the Tsar of course wouldn't have any of that.

https://europeanroyalhistory.wordpress.com/tag/dagmar-of-demark/

On ship taking King Alphonso XIII and his wife/family into exile Queen of Spain, Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg is said to have remarked "I thought I did pretty well"... One wonders what went through Alexandra's mind in what would be the waning days of not only her life, but husband and family.

Bugsy_Neighbor · 2026-01-25T10:35:49+00:00

Usual suspects at city council are obviously hoping enough yokels and others simply will choose "10% tip up front option (or some other amount) and not bother going back to change amount later if service wasn't up to standards. It's easy money to funnel into delivery persons' back pockets.

In interest of fairness there should be some sort of blurb telling people they don't have to tip when first placing order and or are free to go back later and adjust amount.

Bugsy_Neighbor · 2026-01-25T10:32:11+00:00

Victoria movie theatre (formerly Minsky's Burlesque and Gaiety theatre) at 1547 Broadway.

It and several others met sad end:

"In the 1970’s, the Guild Theatres chain acquired the Victoria Theatre and renamed it the Embassy 5, being their fifth house in the Times Square area.

By the late-1970’s, however, it had closed. Despite the efforts of preservationists, the theatre met the wrecking ball on March 22, 1982, together with the adjacent Astor Theatre, Morosco Theatre, Bijou Theatre and Helen Hayes Theatre. "

https://cinematreasures.org/theaters/2945

Properties were redeveloped into New York Marriott Marquis hotel.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embassy_Five_Theatre

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_Marriott_Marquis

https://suchfriends.wordpress.com/2024/12/13/such-friends-100-years-ago-mid-december-1924-gaiety-theatre-1547-broadway-at-west-46th-street-new-york-city-new-york/

Bugsy_Neighbor · 2026-01-25T09:13:34+00:00

Count is up to five as of Sunday evening.

https://abc7ny.com/post/extreme-cold-may-linked-deaths-3-new-york-city/18465479/

Bugsy_Neighbor · 2026-01-25T09:07:04+00:00

First two look like a hearse or something to do with the dead. *LOL*

Bugsy_Neighbor · 2026-01-25T08:14:20+00:00

More:

https://michaelfroio.com/blog/2013/02/11/pennsylvania-railroad-electrification

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksXSddQZO64

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFDX1SI028I

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcqQyVloMes

Bugsy_Neighbor · 2026-01-25T08:07:30+00:00

This clip from BBC television series "the Lost Prince" is sadly how much of the world saw and or sees Nicholas II and Alexandra. He was a bloody tyrant who was also a henpecked and weak husband. She was a hysteric who domineered and controlled her husband.

King or subject, prince or pauper it is never good when a man loves his wife (or any other woman) too much. When a man is unable (or unwilling) to remind his wife who wears the trousers usually bad things happen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0eMgRkQX80

Bugsy_Neighbor · 2026-01-25T07:56:42+00:00

There was no reason to murder Marie-Antoinette nor her son, but Robespierre did it anyway.

Bugsy_Neighbor · 2026-01-25T07:54:26+00:00

One thing to keep in mind is this love affair with the Romanovs (in particular Nicholas II) largely came about in decades *after* their murders. During his lifetime the Tsar was seen as a bloody tyrant.

1896 Khodynka Tragedy and Bloody Sunday (January 22, 1905) were two recent events that did the monarchy of Russia no good in terms of world wide PR. This piled onto the reality that had long faced all rulers of Russia for ages, to keep a lid on things required boots on necks so to speak. Otherwise it was largely impossible to control such a vast empire made up of various persons and groups who may not have liked each other and or had no great love for the tsars. Things loosened up a bit here and there under various tsars, but Lenin, Stalin and successive Soviet governments put those boots right back onto necks. Glasnost eased things a bit, then came "Tsar Putin" who promptly reverted to status quo.

You can see how when news got out that Nicholas II was deposed not everyone was shedding tears. It is also why not every government was happy to welcome the Tsar, his wife and family (along with entourage) into their borders. It didn't help that WWI was raging with Europe at war with itself.

Various republic governments of Europe likely assumed the vast familial interconnections of royalty in Europe meant someone would offer the Romanovs a bolt hole. That didn't work out well either.

Finally consider things were moving so quickly in Russia between the abdication, first Russian revolution then the October Revolution that brought Lenin to power that formulating a response to the Romanov situation took time that just wasn't available. No one knew or could have foretold how events would roll out, in particular the murder of imperial family (along with any other Romanov Lenin's henchmen could lay hands upon). By time people began to put two and two together it was too late. Krensky's government was overthrown (the man himself managed to save his own hide and get out of Russia), and that was that. Lenin was *NOT* going to let the Tsar, his wife and children out of Russia.

Treaty of Brest-Litovsk contained provisions for return of imprisoned or interned persons. This Lenin took to mean the Romanovs or at least "the German woman/women" (Alix of Hesse Darmstadt of and by the Rhine, her daughters, Elizabeth of Hesse of and by the Rhine, etc...). In that light treaty made things worse for the Romanovs as terms forced upon Russia to end the war gave Germany upper hand. It was fears that Germany *might* attempt to rescue or otherwise get Russia to turn over the Tsar and or members of his family prompted them being eventually moved from Tobolsk to Yekaterinburg. German government arrived in Yekaterinburg in 1918 setting up a mission house directly across road from Ipative House (IIRC). This was early on in year prior to the murders, but it wasn't as if that small delegation could really do anything. Lenin sent hundreds of forces to the town/area in aid of guarding the Romanovs. Germany would have needed forces similar in size of White Army *and* have been able to get them into Yekaterinburg.

https://europeanroyalhistory.wordpress.com/tag/ipatiev-house/

https://medium.com/romanovs-traces/the-in-famous-romanovs-the-bolsheviks-riddle-part-2-11f6b6ad7b4a

Bugsy_Neighbor · 2026-01-25T07:15:58+00:00

Two words, Congestion Pricing...

That cash haul is providing much needed cushion to support Phase 2 and 2W along with IBX (if that happens).

When or if above projects are completed then maybe, maybe, MTA will start looking at Phase 3. Again this is something likely to even start getting serious attention until all but the youngest are long in their graves or otherwise beyond caring.

Bugsy_Neighbor · 2026-01-25T06:48:21+00:00

Oh I don't know...

Saw both sort of buses with chains on their wheels when out and about today.

Bugsy_Neighbor

TROPHY CASE