Normal F Train Subway Service For Roosevelt Island This Weekend

Image from MTA

According to the MTA, there will be normal weekend F Train Subway service to and from Roosevelt Island this weekend. RIOC is reporting no Tram advisories but there is a Roosevelt Island Bridge work advisory for this weekend. Plan accordingly.

Public Safety Officers Come to the Aid of Roosevelt Island Resident

Image from RIOC

Roosevelt Island Public Safety Director Keith Guerra forwards the following appreciative message from a Roosevelt Island resident regarding assistance provided by Public Safety Officers:

On the morning of April 8 I took a very hard fall while jogging around the island. I was dazed and bleeding and had suffered a fracture. Lucky for me Officer Jasmine Walker, who was off-duty, saw me fall and came to my aid by calling EMS & Island Public Safety. She stayed with
me until help arrived.

In addition, another female PS Officer kindly allowed me to sit in her vehicle until the ambulance arrived. I'm sorry, I don't know her name.

Both Officers should be commended, especially Officer Walker who
unselfishly gave her up own time to assist me.

Good job by these officers. From the RIOC Public Safety Department:

If you need to report a crime or need assistance, you may call Public Safety at 212-832-4545. Also, the New York City Police Department has installed eight solar-powered yellow emergency call boxes on poles around the Island for immediate communication with NYPD. For life-threatening fire, police or ambulance emergency assistance, call 911.

Responding to emergency calls is an important part of Public Safety’s duties. When an emergency call comes in, we will immediately contact 911, before Public Safety officers respond. But because we can get to the scene immediately, our officers often handle incidents ranging from verbal disputes to physical assaults. All officers have training in recognizing and dealing with domestic disputes and violence. When the law is broken, we are obliged to make a report to the police; they in turn, will take action.

The entire 24 hour Roosevelt Island Public Safety reports from January 1, 2008 through May 1, 2008 are available here.

Build The Incredible Queensboro Bridge Wind Turbine Machine to Celebrate Bridge's 100th Birthday!

Image of Queensboro Wind Turbine from Andrea Polli

Yesterday morning, the New York City Bridge Centennial Commission announced a series of events to commemorate the 100th birthday of 6 New York City Bridges. As Gothamist reports:

The six centennial spans are the Madison Avenue, Manhattan, Borden Avenue, Pelham Bay, University Heights and Queensboro bridges.

It would be fitting to celebrate the 100th birthday of the Queensboro bridge by re-visiting the proposal of New York City artist Andrea Polli to install several wind power turbines at the top of the bridge. Polli, a media professor at Hunter College is also:

a member of the steering committee for New York 2050, a wide-reaching project envisioning the future of the New York City region, she is currently working with city planners, environmental scientists, historians and other experts to look at the impact of climate on the future of human life both locally and globally.

Depending on the ultimate size and design of the Queensboro Bridge Wind Turbine Machine, it could provide a renewable source of energy powering the necklace lights on the bridge and power our own Roosevelt Island walkways directly below while restoring the look of the original bridge spires. (Hat tip to Roosevelt Island 360)

Video is from Current.com

Here's some more information on wind power turbines as a potential renewable energy resource:

• Technology smooths the way for home wind power turbines (NY Times)
• Harvesting winds at the Fresh Kills Landfill (NY Times)
• Corporate sponsorships for wind farms (NY Times)
• Wind Turbines at the Brooklyn Navy Yard (The Brooklyn Paper)

For Sedentary Roosevelt Islanders - Lose 57 Pounds By Next Year with the Treadmill Desk

Image from Treadmill Desk

If any Roosevelt Islander out there, like me, spends way too much time sitting at a desk on the phone or at your computer putting on the pounds and not doing enough exercise, this may be the answer - The Treadmill Desk:

Dr. James Levine of the Mayo Clinic came up with the idea of a "Treadmill Desk". The idea is to slowly walk on a treadmill while working at a desk built around the treadmill...a Treadmill Desk.

Dr Levine's research revealed that on the average his subjects burned 100 extra calories every hour while walking slowly -- at 1 mile per hour -- than while sitting in a chair.

Dr. Levine believes that if individuals were to replace 8 hours a day of sitting at their "normal" desk with a Treadmill Desk, and if other components of energy balance were constant, a weight loss of 57 pounds a year could occur.

Hat tip to Instapundit

Here's a You Tube video of Treadmill Desk in operation on Good Morning America.



You could probably also have lunch while on your Treadmill Desk though I guess that defeats its purpose. Nonno's grandma pizza on a treadmill, yum.

Update on Roosevelt Island Suspected Gas Leak Incident

Image from 2007 NY Times of Con Ed worker testing for gas on Bleeker and Christopher Street

The 4/29-30 Roosevelt Island Public Safety 24 Hour Incident Report advises that there was a gas leak across the East River in Long Island City on Vernon B'lvd between 36th - 37th Avenues.

Gas Leak- Off Island- On Vernon Blvd Bet 36 Th. and 37 Th. Ave. 911 Supv notified PSD

Not know at this time whether Vernon B'lvd gas leak has anything to do with last Monday night's suspected gas leak at the Roosevelt Island Subway Station that sent three people to the hospital. However, during the testing at the subway station on Monday night, I was advised by Con Ed representative on site that it was possible gas fumes could be coming from Queens.

When RIOC officials were asked for information about subway incident, President & CEO Steve Shane responded:

We have no idea. The City and MTA are the responsible parties and, I am sure, are looking into the matter.

Shane did provide helpful assistance in contacting MTA Public Affairs group.

The NY Times reported on a a similar incident in January 2007.

A strong odor permeated parts of New York City and nearby areas of New Jersey during the morning commute today, forcing several schools and companies to evacuate and interrupting traffic along some subway and train lines. Authorities investigating widespread reports of the smell, which some described as a gas-like odor, said it did not appear to be harmful.

... Mysterious odors come and go in the New York City area, sometimes never identified.

In August, a pungent smell wafted through Staten Island, alarming hundreds of residents. The City Department of Environmental Protection dispatched a hazardous materials crew, using equipment to test air quality for “volatile organic compounds,” which are emitted from a range of products from stored fuels to aerosol sprays to paint.

But the investigation into its source proved fruitless.

In a city scared of terrorism, pungent odors, sweet or sour, can raise vague worries about some kind of chemical attack.

Future NY Yankees and Mets Taking Batting Practice for Roosevelt Island Little League Pennant Race!

The Roosevelt Island Little League season has begun. Future Jeters, Posadas, Arods, Wrights and Reyes' were brushing up on their batting skills at the Roosevelt Island Youth Center's batting cage in preparation for the rest of their little league season. Here is the season's schedule and the standings after first week.

STANDINGS AFTER WEEK 1:

MINORS:

ATHLETICS 1 - 0

CUBS 1 - 0

CARDINALS 0 - 1

TIGERS 0 – 1

MAJORS:

CARDINALS 1 - 0

TIGERS 1 - 0

CUBS 0 - 1

ATHLETICS 0 - 1

The April 26, 2008 Main Street WIRE Sportswire (not yet available on-line) reports:

The Roosevelt Island Youth Program Beacon Little League Baseball season got under way last week with a bang! And a boom, a stomp, and a clap. The source was a Saturday morning parade down Main Street, featuring a world-class marching band, a float with a six-foot novelty baseball cap, and all of the Little League players and coaches. The parade culminated at Tony Capobianco field, where everyone stood at attention while Little League coach Owen Johnston sang the National Anthem. The first pitch was thrown out by Umpoire Nestor, who has patrolled the base paths on Roosevelt Island for over 15 years.

A question. Why are there no Roosevelt Island little league team named Yankees or Mets?

Suspected Gas Leak at Roosevelt Island Subway Station

Details are sketchy, but there is a suspected gas leak at the Roosevelt Island Subway Station. Right now, representatives of the FDNY, NYPD, OEM, RIOC Public Safety Department and Con Ed are on the scene investigating and maintaining crowd control. According to OEM and FDNY officials, at approximately 8 PM three people were overcome by suspected gas fumes and taken to the hospital including two police officers. F train subway service has been suspended at least on Roosevelt Island.

UPDATE - 10:40PM: Roosevelt Island Subway service resumed at approximately 9:45PM. After testing, officials on site report no gas or carbon monoxide leaks detected.

Update on Octagon Boat Prow Dock Graffiti

From this post concerning the graffiti at the Octagon Boat Prow Dock:

While walking towards the Octagon Park this past weekend, I passed by the West Promenade dock shaped like the prow of a boat and was disgusted by the amount of graffiti plastered all over it. The graffiti strewn dock, both inside and out, is quite an eyesore and has been like that for years. It should be cleaned up.

RIOC President Steve Shane responds:

The prow has always been an attractive grafitti spot, has been cleaned many times. Gets done on summer list.

I hope they do something about the dog droppings as well!

Wallet Test for Roosevelt Island - Passed With Flying Colors!

Wallet contents image from Wallet Test

A feel good story to start off the work week. On several occasions this month, wallets lost by Roosevelt Island residents have been found by their neighbors and turned into the Public Safety Department where they were kept until retrieved by their owners. For instance:

April 2 Public Safety Report:

Found Property - RIOC bus found wallet. Owner contacted and property returned.

April 3 Public Safety report:

Found property - Person returned wallet to PSD. Owner picked up wallet.

April 13 Public Safety Report:

Found Property-F/O 549 Main Street a woman's wallet with $260.25. It was secured at PSD. Later the owner came and retrieved the wallet.

April 19 Public Safety Report:

FOUND PROPERTY- Black wallet, returned to owner

Public Safety Director Keith Guerra elaborates a bit on the return of the wallet containing $260.25:

The wallet was given to Officer Walker by a resident. She then turned the wallet in to Sgt. Rivera, who vouchered it for safe keeping. The owner came in to our Headquarters and was happy to get the wallet back in tact.

It's gratifying to know that Roosevelt Islanders did the right thing and helped get a lost wallet to its rightful owner. Acts of kindness and good deeds do get returned.

Why are some people more likely to return a lost wallet than others? Times on Line asked the same question.

Here's the conclusion of Charles Munger:

Man’s excess of self-regard typically makes him strongly prefer people like himself. Psychology professors have had much fun demonstrating this effect in “lost-wallet” experiments. Their experiments all show that the finder of a lost wallet containing identity clues will be most likely to return the wallet when the owner most closely resembles the finder.

At Wallet Test.com a hidden camera experiment was conducted in which 100 wallets were placed in a variety of locations to determine if people would return a lost wallet or keep it.

...Each of the 100 lost wallets contained $2.10 in real money, a fake $50.00 gift certificate, some miscellaneous items and a clearly written ID card identifying the lost wallet's rightful owner. We were curious as to how honest people would be and wanted to see how different groups would compare to each other.

The results? Of the 100 lost wallets, 74 were returned and 26 kept. Here is a You Tube video that describes the lost Wallet Test experiment.



What would you do in similar circumstances? Keep the wallet or return it? Here's a You Tube video showing a news report of a homeless man returning a lost wallet he found.

If you do lose your wallet here are some tips from Bank Rate.

In these days of burgeoning identity theft, industry insiders insist you pick up the phone instantly. Cate Williams, vice president of financial literacy at Money Management International, lives by a more real-world time frame. If you're in public -- as in you had it at Macy's but not JC Penney's -- she imposes a 15-minute rule, just enough time to retrace your most recent steps. If you're at home, she increases that limit to an hour.