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As large-scale Arab riots continue to rage in Jerusalem for the third day running on Friday, newly released video and photographic evidence shows just how destructive the violence has been. Arab mobs threw rocks, Molotov cocktails and firebombs at police starting Wednesday, after an Arab youth was found murdered; claims of Jewish "revenge" for the murder of three Israel teens sparked violence, despite the total lack of evidence for such claims. Video taken from inside an IDF vehicle traveling along the Light Rail lines in north-eastern Jerusalem shows just how extensive the damage has been, highlighting the three stations that...

During the last twenty years, roads and bridges have taken a back seat to commuter and light rail projects. This was never clearer than in a 2010 report by the Metropolitan Council titled, “Regional 2030 Transportation Policy Plan,” which virtually gives up on constructing any new vehicle lanes in the seven-county metropolitan area. Instead, the plan places heavy emphasis on rail projects. The population of the metropolitan area is about 3.3 million. Minneapolis and Saint Paul are only about 20 percent of that. In other words, most people live and work outside of the two cities. So why is there...

Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges .. hours after she lost the Southwest light-rail vote, she visited a Somali mall on E. 24th Street in a blue hijab, accompanied by her Somali liaison, Abdirahman Muse. Hodges’ office said she is fulfilling many of the promises she put forth in a 100-day plan for the Somali community, including asking the city attorney for a review of small business regulations. In an upstairs room, Somali shopkeepers praised her for showing up, and poured out their concerns through translators, telling her they needed more space to park, more opportunities for idle youth, and more Somali...

And the chief captain answered, with a great sum obtained I this freedom. And Paul said, but I was free born. Acts 22:28 It appears the stranglehold of the Marxists may be loosening from America. Not only was the national election in Florida for David Jolly a major victory, but here in deep blue Oregon we had a special election on Light Rail that Conservatives won. Not only was it a defeat for the crown jewel of liberalism, but we won the election against the Oregon Democrat machine which never loses. This election was in a town that runs pretty...

there's no reason to believe the Honolulu's rail project will do anything to improve traffic congestion. In fact, it's likely to divert resources from more-affordable solutions. "The one thing about these projects [is that] they are very inviting politically," says former Hawaii Gov. Ben Cayetano. Along with Cliff Slater of Honolulutraffic.com and University of Hawaii's Roth, Cayetano has filed a federal lawsuit against the rail project that's held up construction. They claim the city misled the public about the total cost of the project and didn't deliver fully on a required review of alternative solutions to a rail line. Panos...

Existing conventional modes of transportation of people consists of four unique types: rail, road, water, and air. These modes of transport tend to be either relatively slow (i.e., road and water), expensive (i.e., air), or a combination of relatively slow and expensive (i.e., rail). Hyperloop is a new mode of transport that seeks to change this paradigm by being both fast and inexpensive for people and goods. Hyperloop is also unique in that it is an open design concept, similar to Linux. Feedback is desired from the community that can help advance the Hyperloop design and bring it from concept...

The Church of England is reviewing its investment in a company building Jerusalem's light railway amid concern that the tramline "will help to cement Israel's hold on occupied east Jerusalem". But the Church has stopped short of endorsing a campaign urged by Palestinian churches to boycott "everything produced" by Israel's West Bank occupation. The boycott call was made in a document known as 'Kairos Palestine', issued by Palestinian Christians last December. It denounces "Israeli occupation of Palestinian land" as "a sin against God and humanity". Last week, the Methodist Church voted to circulate the document among its members, taking up...

Just how many new riders would jump on a train to one of Silicon Valley's most desired destinations? About 200, it turns out -- and it would cost taxpayers up to $175 million to build the rail line to Los Gatos. The new projections come from the Valley Transportation Authority's updated forecast for a long-envisioned light-rail extension. Still years from reality, the Los Gatos line would be one of the least-used light-rail extensions planned in the nation -- and would reduce South Bay vehicle traffic by a mere 0.01 percent.

A wide range of California voters are willing to give Gov. Jerry Brown's tax initiative the support it needs in November, but that could change in a hurry if the Legislature approves billions of dollars for the proposed high-speed rail project later this week, a new Field Poll shows. More than a fifth of those voters backing Brown's tax plan, which would temporarily boost the sales tax by one-quarter of one cent and increase state income tax for those making more than $250,000 a year, say they would be less likely to support it if the state starts spending money...

Government officials in the Washington region, as well as nationwide, are looking increasingly to bus rapid transit for new transit options as they face tightening public purses. BRT plans are under way in Alexandria and Arlington County, where buses are planned to travel from Braddock Road to Pentagon City. Alexandria expects to begin construction in July and start running buses in dedicated lanes in December 2013, said Abi Lerner, Alexandria's deputy director of transportation. Arlington expects to complete its half of the system in spring 2014. Across the Potomac, Montgomery County officials have proposed a 160-mile system with 23 routes....

Here is a series of videos from Metro showing the truck-train accident Tuesday morning (Related news article and photos).

SNIPPET: "CHARLOTTE, N.C.— The FBI is asking for the public's help in identifying a man who was seen near a restricted area along the light rail near uptown Charlotte. A worker monitoring security cameras said the man was spotted in the area in late April, according to investigators. The man was clearly in an area he wasn't supposed to be in and was acting suspiciously, the FBI said."

BALTIMORE (WJZ) — The Maryland Transit Administration says more training may be called for after three MTA officers detained a man for taking pictures at a light rail station. Pat Warren has more on the incident. According to the ACLU, this isn’t the first time MTA Police have overstepped their bounds. In a YouTube posting, Christopher Fussell left the camera rolling when he was confronted by three MTA officers for taking pictures at the Baltimore Cultural Light Rail Station. “It is my understanding that I am free to take pictures as long as it’s not for commercial purposes but for...

A study released earlier this month by the Cascade Policy Institute questioned whether pricey mass transit options in Portland, Oregon are really being used by the public. The city has been a leader in securing funding for various forms of passenger rail and trolley systems. The Obama administration, for example, pledged $745 million in federal gas tax dollars to pay for the construction of a $1.5 billion, 7.3 mile light rail project connecting Portland to Milwaukie. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has singled out the city’s priorities as for praise. “By adding innovative transit opportunities, Portland has become a model livable...

DALLAS — DART resumed rail and bus service at Mockingbird Station late Saturday afternoon after a suspicious package forced evacuation of the transit center and an adjacent movie theater as a precaution. Earlier on Saturday afternoon, witnesses reported seeing a suspicious person getting on and off DART trains at several downtown stations. He was carrying a large duffel bag and a large box and had been offering to pay people to help him move the items.

Al Qaeda Confirms Osama Bin Laden's Death Al Qaeda have confirmed Osama Bin Laden's death in a statement posted on jihadist internet forums. The U.S. monitoring group SITE Intelligence reported the development, which comes five days after the Pakistan raid. In the statement, the terror group warned their leader's "blood will not be wasted" and attacks on American and its allies will continue. The confirmation followed claims by US officials that it had been planning an attack on the U.S. rail network to mark the 10th anniversary of 9/11. The plot was apparently uncovered as US agencies went through information...

CIA watched bin Laden from nearby safe house inside Pakistan By Augustine Anthony and Michelle Nichols Fri May 6, 1:44 am ET ABBOTTABAD/NEW YORK (Reuters) – Extensive surveillance of Osama bin Laden's hideout from a nearby CIA safe house in Abbottabad led to his killing in a Navy SEAL operation, U.S. officials said, a revelation likely to further embarrass Pakistan's spy agency and strain ties. The U.S. officials, quoted by the Washington Post, said the safe house was the base for intelligence gathering that began after bin Laden's compound was discovered last August, and which was so exhaustive the CIA...

Metro officials say tests are expected to begin Monday for a planned light rail subway line Downtown. The daytime tests will check noise and vibrations and will measure underground conditions along Figueroa Street from the Metro Center station at Seventh Street north to Second Street. From there, tests will be made parallel to the Second Street tunnel and on Bunker Hill at General Koscuiszko Way, near Disney Hall. Work is also expected to be conducted on the Gold Line on Second Street near Alameda Street, near the Little Tokyo Station. The tests will include sonic core drilling, which measures geological...

Large crowds gathered at Porky's in St. Paul Friday, a few days before the decades-old restaurant closes its doors. Nora Truelson and her late husband opened Porky's in 1953, establishing it as the St. Paul gathering place on Saturday nights. Truelson declined to speak on camera, but her son told 5 EYEWITNESS News light rail construction along University Avenue was a factor in the decision to close. The Truelsons say they are selling their property to their next door neighbor, Episcopal Homes. The restaurant is scheduled to close Sunday; everything at Porky's will be auctioned off Monday. The Preservation Alliance...

Phoenix / Valley Metro Light Rail Report Card: FDecember 15, 2010, 10:45 am Folks who read this site know I have been critical of Phoenix light rail since well before it was opened.  So often, folks just willfully misinterpret my criticisms.   The actual rail line and its service is pretty nice, and the facilities are quite attractive (lets see what they look like in 10 years though).  If Santa Claus had just delivered the Phoenix light rail system for free to Phoenix, I would be thrilled with it.   But Santa unfortunately was not involved, and instead the rail line was...