Jay-Z Announces 2010 Tour Dates. Chicago Not On List.
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Around Town
Health Care Bill Heads To U.S. House Floor For Debate, Vote
Alleged Lottery Ticket Con Artists Charged
At a news conference this morning, Mayor Daley criticized the CTA's response to last week's Blue Line clusterfrak, particularly the agency's hour-long delay before contacting the Office of Emergency Management and Communications. "I'm not trying to blame anyone. I'm just saying we all can do a better job," he said. When he's right he's right.
Ron Huberman agrees that the CTA can improve, saying that the "human element" is the biggest challenge and that last week's mess was a "series of a cascading events."
Huberman says that in the next few weeks, the CTA will be giving all Red and Blue Line operators cell phones, which will serve as back-up should the radio system fail like it did last week, and requiring additional communications training for its operators; there's also $14 million going towards improving emergency exits. [S-T, CBS 2]
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Am I the only one who is honestly surprised that the CTA didn't give out cell phones in the past? Those Nextel push-to-talk would've worked perfectly as backup in this situation.
I picture the next CTA crisis involving one of the operators blowing a signal while on the phone to a friend racking up charges on the CTA's dime.
Ron Huberman was in charge of the city's effort to revamp its 911 system. In a NYTimes article (Sept 20, 2004) he was called a "techno geek" for his ability to implement cutting edge surveillance technology so that the city could get and utilize information quickly.
Apparently, all that was needed was for someone to use a rotary phone and let Ronny's old place of employment know what was going on.
How long does Chicagoist think it took for Ron to find out what was going on? 10 - 20 minutes, right? Couldn't Ron have called the 911 center?
Oh, I forgot, Chicagoist rarely questions Ronny.
I don't think Nextel work underground. Hope they get the US Cellular phones.
i think all phones work underground somehow, it's just a matter of the companies doing something to make it fair game ... i have a magic sprint phone that i can use underground. it just is "roaming" when i'm underground and it's an analog signal instead of a digital one.
alas, my sprint "ambassadorship" ends at the end of this month. le weep.
Maybe if Daley rode the L or bus just once in his lifetime it might work better.
But then there wouldn't be room for anyone else on the train because all his bodyguards would take up all the rest of the seats & standing areas!
His highness will not mix with the commoners, you racists oppose his take over of grant park and whine about taxs.
How will cell phones help? If there's a cell phone that works in the tunnels, then let me know immediately so I can get that service
US Cellular has worked in the tunnels for over a year now.