Rant of the Day: The LIRR (Long Island Railroad for you out-of-towners). They jacked up the fares over 25% recently because the MTA was crying poverty. Turns out they were cooking the books and had presented one set of books for public view, yet retained a whole other set of internal books. Once this was discovered, they were ordered to roll back the fare increase until the matter could be investigated further. They cried and screamed that a roll-back would cost them MILLIONS because they would need to retro-fit their equipment. Huh? Last time I looked, this was 2003, doesn't the MTA have their system computerized? What needs to be retro-fitted? All you have to do is change a program. Subway rides are now sold on metro cards, which is a paper ticket. I would think the computer program only needs to be adjusted to take out less (or more) of the value of the card per ride. Same thing with LIRR and MetroNorth train tickets. Additionally, did it cost them MILLIONS to adjust the "system" when the fares were rolled forward? If so, we never heard about that. So anyway, they were given a certain amount of time to roll back the prices and New Yorkers are still waiting.

In light of all this, I am paying about $130 a month to go eight miles. That would be bad enough, but going home at night, I have to be on my train 15 minutes early to ensure that I actually get a seat. And the seat I do end up in, invariably is duct-taped in some spot, basically assuring that I will end up with some gummy, sticky duct-tape glue on my butt. Add to all of this the fact that already this Summer I have been on trains with no air-conditioning no less than five times. Luckily, two of those days weren't particularly hot days, but the other three were. This morning was one of those unbearably hot mornings. The air was so oppressive you could almost cut it with a knife (this was pre-storm, that showed in the afternoon). No A/C. The train was also so crowded that I felt like I was riding the subway again. (I, of course, did not have a seat. At least I didn't end up with duct-tape glue on my butt.) For this our fares have gone up over 25%. It just makes me so mad because we have no recourse and no alternatives. Damn the MTA.

I'm sure I will rant about this subject again.