"Oh the last bus is gone. Or maybe I'm wrong - it just doesn't exist ... so I'm walking the long miles home."

yes, there are songs at the end of this rant

It's official - SEPTA is on strike. So Philly's 400,000 bus, trolley, and subway/EL riders (wage slaves, fixed-income elderly, high school students, etc.) are up shit creek with a turd for a paddle. The last strike was 40 days.

I can't believe that after narrowly escaping massive layoffs due to a state bailout, these workers are risking permanantly weakening their employer because they don't want to contribute 5% of their health insurance costs. Which is a far better deal than most of their riders get, including yours truly ($130/month thank you). To be fair, of course, SEPTA management is barely qualified to run a hot dog stand.

Lucky for me I'm only 25 blocks from work - a nice bike ride when it's not raining. But man, the traffic - riding up 16th Street was like weaving through a parking lot this morning and if it rains hard I guess I'll get wet or stay home. Of course, it's not all glum - this is a great time to be Curtis at Via Bikes or a used car salesman, that's for sure. Parking attendents and cabbies will no doubt be raking it in as well.

So anyhow, for those in Philly, here's some songs to get you through it. And for those who don't, enjoy getting to work on time.

Violent Femmes - Waiting For The Bus
Richard Thompson - Walking The Long Miles Home
Hindu Love Gods (Zevon fronting REM)- Walkin' Blues
King Arthur & The Carrots (a young Kinky Friedman) - Schwinn Twenty-four