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Getting In and Around New York City

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As one of the world's busiest and most populous capitals in the United States, New York City enjoys a good number of connections - through air, land and sea, such that travelling to the city can be fairly easy wherever your place of origin may be.

By Plane. The city has the busiest airspace in the United States and to serve the hundreds of millions of travelers that go in and out are three major airports in New York City: the John F. Kennedy International (JFK), Newark Liberty International (EWR) and the La Guardia Airport (LGA). JFK is in the Queens borough and is a major international hub for airlines such as Delta, American Airlines, Air France and Lufthansa, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic. Newark Liberty International is located in Newark and Elizabeth, New Jersey. One of the three terminals in this airport is home to Continental Airlines. Meanwhile, LGA or La Guardia Airport mostly provides domestic services for the city. All three are being administered and managed by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

By Land. There are several options for travelling into New York City - by train, by commuter rail and by bus. Amtrak has its largest hub in the east-coast system in the New York Penn Station. It provides regular commuter service between major points on the East Coast from Washington, D.C. up to Boston, with convenient stops at Baltimore, Philadelphia, New Haven and Providence. Other points of service include Chicago, California, New Orleans, Miami, and to Toronto and Montreal in Canada.

Meanwhile, there are three commuter rail lines serving New York City: the Long Island Rail road (LIRR) which basically serves points in Long Island but has stops at Jamaica Station, Hunters Point, Queens and Atlantic Terminal Station in Brooklyn; the Metro-North Rail Road has service to points in Westchester, Putnam, Duchess Counties in New York as well as Connecticut; and the New Jersey Transit which, like the LIRR, operates from the New York Penn Station but services to points in New Jersey. All these commuter rail lines also offer transfers or connecting services to either the airport or the train station.

Travelling by bus to and from New York City has its share of advantages - they can be cheap if booked well in advance, tickets can be booked through wifi or outlets, and with more bus lines sprouting, the service stops across New York City are also increasing. Traditional stop for most buses remain at the Port Authority Bus Terminal. "Chinatown" buses, so called because they mostly stop in Chinatown, are said to have the lowest walk-up fares. Other bus lines include Boltbus, Greyhound, Megabus, NeOn, Peter Pan Bus Company, New Century Travel and Tripper Bus to name a few.

By Sea. A ferry system connects Manhattan to various areas within and outside the city. The Staten Island Ferry runs between Staten Island and Lower Manhattan and is considered the busiest ferry in the United States.

Getting around New York City is fairly easy - most people take the extensive New York City Subway which is still by far the best and most convenient way to travel around the city. If you plan on renting a car to drive around, you may want to think twice about it because traffic in the city is always congested and safe parking is an expensive privilege. Of course, the healthiest alternative is to walk and New York residents are known to walk everywhere.

For information on finding a chiropractor in NYC, visit AnselmiChiropractic.com.

California Transit Authority 07 - "Danny speaks-band intro"

Danny Seraphine and CTA (California Transit Authority) play a free show at Border's in Chicago to promote their new CD "Full Circle." August 9, 2007. Part 7 Danny introduces the band and talks about being back in Chicago etc.

Beginnings - Chicago - excerpt cover

First opening chords are a "A minor" looking chord on the 5th fret, then down to the 3rd fret.

boyd about todays world.mpg

Boyd Grafmyre is a 60/70 music promotion Icon. Created the Seattle pop fest that included the likes of Led Zeppelin, Chuck Berry, The Doors, Alice Copper, Tim Buckley, Chicago Transit Authority, Albert Collins, Bo Diddley, Flying Burrito Brothers, Guess Who, It's A Beautiful Day, Charles Loyd, Santana, Ten Years After, Ike & Tina Turner, Vanilla Fudge, Jimi Handrix, Janis Joplin and many more. see www.boydgrafmyre.com

Beginnings (Chicago)

Frank Walker's acoustic take on Chicago's classic upbeat love song!

Chicago I'm A Man Starlake 1994

An amazing version of I'm A Man from Chicago Transit Authority featuring Robert Lamm, Jason Scheff and Dawayne Bailey on lead vocals! For those who think that Chicago can't rock, you need to watch this video! Dawayne delivers an amazing guitar solo and amazing soulful vocals! I love how Jason goes up with his bass for times to end the song! This rocks! This song reminds me of the Festivus Seinfeld episode where that goofy guy tells Elaine "I'm a Man!"

Aircraft Maintenance Engineer - Unknown Fact

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When we are in the airport, a lot of times we can see the pilots and cabin crew walking by us and begin admiring their glamorous career on board the aircraft, but do we know who is the one responsible for the maintenance aspect of the aircraft that they working on? That person is Licensed Aircraft Maintenance Engineers, he is the one responsible to make sure that an aircraft is save to fly, to carry passengers or cargo's from one point to another point.

All aircraft maintenance engineer must have a license from local aviation authority to exercise his privilege which is to certify that an aircraft the he had inspected is fit for release to service.

How to become an engineer? Well, first of all you must have an interest on the aircraft itself because if you don't like it or feel that there is nothing special about an aircraft then it will be more likely that you will not pass the exam or test to get the license. Practical knowledge is essential as it will make it easier to answer the questions in the license exam.

There is a lot of aircraft maintenance engineer training school that offering course to become an aircraft maintenance engineer, in fact Malaysia Airlines as well as Air Asia does have their own training department to recruit new aircraft maintenance engineers.

Training normally will took around 4 to 5 years, Malaysia Airlines for instance will provide an allowances to the trainees that join their training program however they will be bonded for few years once the trainee succeed his training program and established as licensed aircraft maintenance engineer.

Aircraft maintenance engineer can be divided into few categories, it can be Line Aircraft Maintenance Engineer or Base Aircraft Maintenance Engineer, apart from that they furthermore can be divided into trades that they are rated which is either Airframe Maintenance Engineers, Engines Maintenance Engineer, Avionics, Electrical or Radio. Aircraft Maintenance Engineer can be multiple trade as well. Normally Airframe Engineer will hold Engine license. Electrical, Avionic and Radio Aircraft maintenance engineer normally has all 3 rating with them.

Line Aircraft Maintenance Engineer normally attached in front line of service as they handle the aircraft for departure or in transit in the airport terminal while Base Aircraft Maintenance Engineer is the person who will inspect an aircraft when it is in the hangar for major inspection.

For trade classification, Airframe Maintenance Engineer will responsible to the defect or inspection related to the airframe part of an aircraft which is the fuselage, flight control, hydraulic, air conditioning system, including the passenger seats and so on. Engine Maintenance Engineer for the engine and auxiliary power unit of an aircraft, same goes for other trade. However only Airframe and Engine rated aircraft maintenance engineer has the privilege to release an aircraft back to service (flight) as a whole, for instance if there is a defect of electrical component, electrical maintenance engineer will rectify it however he will only certifying whatever job he did, before the aircraft can fly, the airframe and engine engineer then inspect the aircraft base on the inspection procedure laid down by the manufacturer and then certify that the aircraft is safe to fly. Certification will be in a form of signature plus the approval number from authority or company, stamped or be wrote down on the aircraft legal document which will be on board. One copy of the signed document will be leave on the ground before the door of the aircraft close for departure.

Once he put his signature in that document, he is responsible for the safety of the aircraft, the passengers, the cargo as well as the crews. Anything happen to the aircraft, licensed maintenance engineer that released the aircraft for flight will be the one that will be called by the aviation authority for an investigation. Base on this information I'm sure know the readers will realize who has the biggest responsibility once the aircraft lift off from the ground.

Helmi Shafandy Buhollia ia working as Flight Maintenance Engineer in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, maintaining Boeing Business Jet (Boeing 737) for VVIPs. To read his experiences and articles related to aircraft maintenance, go to http://www.flightengineer.co.nr

Security and the Rule of Law For Nigerian Enterprise Development and Revolution

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As significant a development as it was, the return of relative political stability did not bring about the automatic cessation of internal divides and hostilities that one might have wished for. Nigeria's volatile economic and political unity continues to be a threat to its security and stability. The existence of potentially destabilising forces within its boundaries has long been obvious to the international community. Radical separatist groups, some demanding devolution and others autonomy, have sprung up across both northern and southern territories. Although more of a recent phenomenon, growing Islamic extremism is emerging as another point of grave concern for Abuja. The cumulative socio-economic impact of these activities has been tremendous.

More than half of the 148 million Nigerians are officially docketed as poor, while an estimated 35% of the population lives in extreme poverty. Human development indicators are abysmal across the board and many see this condition, existing despite considerable national wealth, as the primary reason behind its emerging as a prominent centre of international criminal activity. This brings up the second important aspect of Nigeria's internal security: crime and the rule of law.

The spectrum of criminal activity in Africa's second largest economy and its most populous nation is understandably extensive and diverse. The country's strategic location makes it a key transit point for a host of illegal networks, including major international drug routes. Administrative inefficiency and malpractices fed by the billions in annual petrodollar profits have also made it a centre of massive economic corruption and fraud. In fact, the country was listed by the inter-governmental Financial Action Task Force as a non-cooperative country until 2006, when it finally issued formal commitments to fight economic crime. Nigerian scams called 419s are known for ingenious ways of targeting foreigners across the globe and causing both monetary loss as well as personal harm. The condition is much more unsettling at the street level, where armed assault, burglary, kidnappings and extortion, involving both individuals and gangs, are everyday occurrences across the country. The US state department reports 44 abductions of foreign oil workers from Nigeria since 2008.

There are several reasons behind the lawless disrepair in Nigeria's state of affairs:

o Economic disparities that grew out of non-inclusive policies and the exclusive dependence on oil, which destroyed indigenous economies and livelihoods, spawned critical levels of inflation and unemployment, and left millions reeling in poverty.
o Political misrule, corruption and neglect of social development projects that over the years alienated the vast majority of Nigerians, amplified urban-rural divides and deepened fractures along religious and ethnic lines.
o Flaws in the judicial and law enforcement process, largely due to the existence of multiple criminal justice systems based on often contradicting but separately applicable penal codes, Islamic edicts and customary laws.
o Legislative emasculation brought on by decades of military rule. This severely curtails the government's ability to enforce relevant policies and gain sufficient supervision and oversight of core development programmes.

While this by no means exhausts the list of challenges facing Nigeria, the return of civilian rule sparked a triumphant renewal of national ambitions. Abuja embarked on a process of radical reforms and restructuring to correct decades of misdirected economic policy and reinforce its standing as a significant regional and global economic power. The Vision 2020 and Millennium Development goals have forced the government to sharpen its focus on rapid SME development as a means of driving accelerated economic growth. Nigeria's long-term objectives are critically dependent on achieving rapid enterprise development across sectors to sufficiently diversify and consolidate the non-oil economy. Considering the enormous imbalances that continue to plague the system, what the country effectively needs is a sustained enterprise revolution that channels its vast economic potential in one determined push. Reinforcing the security situation is one of the first hurdles on the way.

The Nigerian federal government suffered an estimated $20 billion in oil production and export shortfall losses in 2008 due to militant violence in the Niger Delta region. While this is a considerable amount, it pales in comparison with the billions more it loses annually to aborted contracts, production delays and business closures because of security issues. Even more significant are the repercussions on latent economic sectors like tourism.

The Nigerian government admits the possibility of earning more revenue from tourism than it does from oil, and has been involved of late in developing a tourism profile to attract international travellers. Between 2000 and 2004, international air arrivals jumped from 12,000 to 190,000, while the hotel and restaurant sector's contribution to GDP grew from N4.9 billion to N6 billion. Going by such indicators, the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation is understandably confident of developing the country as a world-class circuit of important monuments, landmarks, nature retreats and heritage sites. Yet, tourism, as a profitable economic activity, is virtually nonexistent in this corner of sub-Saharan Africa; hardly surprising considering the long list of nations that have stern advisories against travelling to Nigeria unless absolutely essential.

A similar dictum seems to guide investments flowing into the country. Foreign direct investment (FDI) in Nigeria was over $62 billion in 2007, well under desirable levels considering that most of the funds were concentrated on the oil industry. The security situation is largely to blame for a very small fraction of FDI reaching other sectors, as it is for keeping away expatriate Nigerians from investing in their country of origin. The spectre of violence and lawlessness has proved a strong deterrent against business ventures by the Nigerian diaspora, a critical failing that keeps away billions of dollars in potential investment. Where countries like India and China have reaped huge benefits from expatriate investment, Nigeria has been far less fortunate because the risks involved in doing business in the country are too large.

The following are some of the broad and specific measures the government needs to be looking at in order to convincingly resolve the situation:

o Correcting the deficit in administrative legitimacy by addressing core issues that feed violence and organised crime. Genuine grievances and concerns must be effectively addressed to soothe popular discontent.
o Using economic growth and prosperity at ground levels as a weapon to isolate extremist and criminal elements, effectively denying them the public support and collaboration their operations rely on.
o Enhancing effectiveness of security operations in sensitive areas through better strategy, increased vigilance along industrial clusters and improved cooperation between state and federal law enforcement agencies.
o Re-evaluation of centralised policing in favour of devolved powers for control and deployment of police forces. Nigeria's federal structure and complex state laws make a strong argument in favour of a decentralised police force.
o Maintaining the authority of democratic institutions and the rule of law by increasing transparency in governance; initiating effective measures against corruption and bureaucratic red tape.

Economic expansion in Nigeria is critically linked to internal security and the effective rule of law. The country's high crime rate, frequent communal violence and deep-rooted ethnic divides are severely detrimental to both business development and sustainable growth. Nigeria must be able to reposition itself firmly as a safe destination, for tourists and investment alike, if it is to achieve these goals.

By Peter Osalor FCCA, CTA Partner Peter Osalor and Co Chartered Certified Accountants and President Success in your business.com

Does Anybody Know What Time It Is by Chicago Transit Authority

Mr. Woody Poles live in the studio doing a great cover by Chicago Transit Authority later the group was just called Chicago. This was one of my favorite groups in the 70's along with many more the music was pure.

Pumpkin

Just messin around with old VHS tape from 94

Chicago - Beginnings - Chicago Transit Authority

Columbia- 1969 Red Label- Beginnings CS 9809 (GP-8) Stereo Side 1 Track 3 Songs Property of Columbia Records of Sony Music Entertainment and Chicago. Enjoy and request more songs.

CHICAGO- Questions 67 & 68 (Paris 1969)

CHICAGO performs "Questions 67 & 68" in Paris. A song that was written by keyboardist/vocalist Robert Lamm. This song was also the first released single in 1969 from their debut double-LP 'Chicago Transit Authority'. This video illustrates the dangers of white people dancing and/or using drugs. This is an educational video. VISIT FRANCE! Enjoy!

Washington Metro Commuter Train Accident Raises Questions of Passenger Safety

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The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) is a tri-jurisdictional government agency that operates train and bus transit services. The Metro, as it is called, is funded by the District of Columbia, Virginia, and Maryland.

Nine people were killed and many more passengers were injured when two Washington Metro subway trains collided on June 21, 2009, Monday afternoon in Washington, D.C.  One commuter, known as Metro train 112, crashed into the back of another stationary commuter on the Metropolitan Area Transit Authority's Red line between the Takoma and Fort Totten Metrorail stations. The National Transportation Safety board (NHTSA) is investigating but won't likely have a report on what caused the collision for many months. Here is what we do know.

Metro train 112 was the oldest in the fleet and was delivered to Metro sometime between 1975 to 1978.  The subject train was being operated by an employee with 3 or so months of experience.  However, Metro 112 was typically controlled by a computer as opposed to the operator, unless the train was in a manual mode. It is being reported that Metro 112 was in "automatic mode" at the time of collision meaning that the computer was operating the train, not the train operator on board.  It is also being reported that the emergency brake on train 112 had been depressed, which could mean that the train operator tried to manually stop the train to avoid collision.  The lever could have, however, been forced forward by body contact or other contact. The NTSB has also confirmed that Metro 112 was two months overdue for scheduled brake maintenance.

The other piece of information our attorneys are focusing on is that federal officials had recommended that train 112 should have been replaced because of concerns about its age. Safety watchdogs warned Washington's metro operators three years ago about weaknesses in aging subway cars like train 112 on issues of crashworthiness. The NTSB has also said that it told Washington Metro in 2006 that the carriage in its 1000-series trains, like train 112,  was likely to unreasonably crumple in an collision jeopardizing the safety of passengers and crew.

Clearly, the investigation is presently focused on the onboard computers that control the trains speed and braking, the Metro track signal system which was specifically designed to prevent collisions such as this one, and on the age of train 112, one of roughly 300 1000-series. We won't know for months what the cause, or multiple causes, of this deadly commuter train accident were.  However, it is already clear that this accident could have been avoided.  The safety systems and procedures are designed to preclude and accident like this from ever occurring.  Something clearly went wrong. Recall it was only 8 months ago that another commuter train in Los Angles California claimed the lives of 20 passengers.  The operator in that instance was operating a cell phone at the time of the collision.

Enrico Schaefer is a seasoned trial attorney and partner of Traverse Legal, PLC, a law firm specializing in complex litigation, class actions and mass tort. He has numerous multi-million dollar settlements and verdicts to his credit. You can find out more about Mass Tort Issues at the Washington Metro Train Accident blog. If you or a family member were victims of this accident, you can learn more about your legal rights at the Metro Train Victims FAQ page.

I know you motha fucka! Chicago's Transient Authority

Chicago's Transient Authority Fun times on the Chicago Transit Authority Pulaski 53 Northbound Bus. This video was uploaded from an Android phone.

How to Become Successful in the Field of Financial Consultants

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Financial Consultants are one of the fastest growing industries today. More and more people are requiring the services of a finance consultant to get out of debt, and/or prepare for educational and retirement expenses. The knowledge these consultants have creates an income potential for everyone involved.

Becoming a financial consultant takes time and money. It is not a get-rich-quick business, but it does lead to an unlimited income potential. Before you do anything else, you need to decide if you are committed to making the time to become a finance consultant. If you decide you are, then delve deeper and learn more.

Financial consultants are also called investment consultants, because they help you plan financially through investments. The best thing to do when you decide to become an investment consultant is to contact one of the many financial planning organizations such as the Financial Planning Association.

You will need to become a member of many of these financial consultant associations. You are also required to take class and an exam, before you can provide financial consultant services. Each association has its own credentialing system. While it is not necessary to have all the certifications, it is best to have several for professionalism and credibility.

Until you receive certification, you should get the requirements from the Securities and Exchange Commission as well as your State regulatory Authority for financial consultants. It is also required that you register with these agencies as well as the NASD and obtain licenses from them.

Once you are certified and licensed you are ready to open your investment consultant company. However, a few things need to be done before seeking clients. You will need to decide how you will be compensated for your services, and if you will specialize in a type of planning, such as estate planning, or generalize. You will also want to begin networking with other local people in the industry, such as accountants and lawyers.

Financial consultants have four compensation methods to choose from. When deciding on the compensation method for you, decide if you want to obtain more licenses and certifications. In almost any event, you will need to partner with insurance companies and at least on e securities broker/dealer.

You can offer your investment consultant services on a commission-only basis, fee-only basis, fee plus commission basis, or fee-offset basis. Of these three methods, only the fee-only method does not require partnering with insurance companies and securities broker/dealers, or obtaining extra licenses. A fee-only consultant creates a financial plan for the client, but the client is responsible for implementation of the plan. A fee-only consultant usually has a per hour fee or project fee.

Each of these methods of compensation has a good and bad side. You must consider the type of financial consultant business you want, and then choose the method that is appropriate for you. You can always change methods, but that can be tricky.

If you decide to go with on of the methods, other than fee-only, you will need to find your partners. It is best to partner with as many insurance companies and broker/dealers as possible. This will give your better tools and more options to work with for your clients.

While you are talking to companies, you should also talk with lawyers, and accountants in the field. They cannot only refer clients to you, but may be willing to work on projects with you for your clients. This is part of the networking you will need to do to succeed.

You need to invest for insurance for your investment consultant company as well. It protects you and your clients. This is a necessary part of the business. Should the unimaginable happen, you will be protected.

Clients will probably not fall in front of you when you first start. To gain experience and clients, offer your finance consultant services for a small fee, or even free, to friends and family. Ask them if you can use them as references. This will not just help your business, but it may help them too.

Once you have become a financial consultant, you will need to retain your certifications with continuing education in financial planning. Loot at web sites and books, they will keep you informed of industry trends, as will industry magazines. Stay affiliated with organizations at the national, State and local level. Your business is reliant on personal ability and honesty. Stay focused on this and you are bound to succeed.

© Copyright Randy Wilson, All Rights Reserved.

Randy currently has a website dealing with Reviews of Coffee Related Products such as coffee makers, espresso makers, coffee, k-cups, and more plus articles on coffee enemas and other coffee and health related topics. He also has a website of Reviews of Small Appliances such as ice cream makers, vacuum cleaners, mixers, irons, toasters, food processors, and many other appliances.