Life moves fast in the Northeastern U.S., particularly the NYC metro area. Not sure if there is a federal standard for crossing gate timing, but if the railroad and/or local government have any discretion with the timing, it’s probably kept to a minimum given the amount of traffic and frequency of trains in the area.

True, but that’s not saying much considering how old and beat everything was to begin with. Regardless, there are still 20+ cutters on active duty that are 40+ years old, which is a large proportion of the fleet (and the 270's were garbage when new, and even those are ~30 years old now).

Because the wall will be ineffective and will be a very expensive symbol at best. The boat actually keeps people and cargo from illegally entering the country, among other productive uses such as search and rescue, drug enforcement, fisheries enforcement, etc.  

But they lead to a much higher chance of a successful mission.

Everyone eats lunch.

It’s a good way to do something productive while being out on the water, such as a bookend for some training or being on patrol on what is likely to be a busy day for search and rescue. Also, you would be surprised how many boaters don’t carry enough/any life jackets, flares, strobes, etc., or how important these…

Until just a few years ago when the trickle of new cutters started to replace the old ones, being stationed on one was basically a guarantee that you would experience nautical time travel back to 1968.

The Coast Guard may be able to do more with less, but it can’t do everything with nothing*. When it comes to the military, and even government in general, it’s a model of efficiency, but no good deed goes unpunished...

The frustrating thing is that there used to be enough of a market to justify producing and selling such cars before the SUV craze, but then enough clueless suburbanites rolled them or put them into the ditch that manufacturers slowly turned them into beefy-looking vans without filling the void that said transformation…

Be careful applying tax law to a predominantly non-tax issue.

The fact that 99% of the American population doesn’t seem to have the slightest clue how cars work, nor do they care to know, even though it’s one of the most important and expensive purchases an average person makes aside from a house.

Stock is a way to pay workers that doesn’t really cost anything besides the marginal hit to your earnings (i.e., it’s not actual cash), which according to the other comments doesn’t happen until it vests; it gives workers a stake in the company; and presumably the employee will cash out when the stock has appreciated,…

Where I grew up the train was roughly 2x faster than driving into the city at rush hour, and often faster than driving even during off-peak hours. I still don’t understand people that choose to drive when the train is an option.

I haven’t heard that name around here in a while, thank god. In addition to being a car geek, I live in a large city and am a public transit advocate, but her narrow worldview of “ban all cars/gluten/shaved armpits, etc.” was absolutely infuriating.    

Did the pretty much the same thing, GTI > Civic. I was attached to the GTI, but I’m sure glad I made the switch. The Civic feels like an appliance, but at least it’s an appliance that doesn’t go through ignition coils on a monthly basis and has working A/C. It also helps that I only drive on the weekend now.

I agree, I think it’s flawed. But for the sake of argument, is the species not improved by denial of the future ability to procreate and therefore have a larger impact on the gene pool, regardless of the past?

I’m very well acquainted, but simple post, simple answer. Regardless, it doesn’t need to be a law. If anything, it can be solved via the absence of a “law” in the form of regulation: if regulators don’t require insurance companies’ policies to pay out claims for people who weren’t wearing their seat belts, they’re…

Good call, and I think we already have the optimal legislative solution: a small fine. It’s the “2 cent tax on plastic grocery bags” of driving: enough to encourage a large portion of the population to wear seat belts (who weren’t already), and not an overwhelming burden on those who absolutely refuse to and are…

This is a complete non-sequitur, but I like it nonetheless.

If they don’t want to, they don’t have to: put it in insurance contracts.