Damn, I just saw what must have been the world's biggest rat

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PolyTech
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Damn, I just saw what must have been the world's biggest rat

Post by PolyTech »

IP, I'm up in your town, and was waiting for the E train uptown at the 50th and 8th station about 4:30 this afternoon, and see this ratzilla creature. You could have put a saddle on that thing! This Asian woman sees me trying to get my phone out to take a picture and she starts telling me all about it, how she sees it in there all the time and how it lives in the bottom of a trash can at the other end of the platform. Seriously, though, this thing must have been 8-10" from tip of nose to end of it's butt (not counting the tail) and had to weigh somewhere between 1 and 2 pounds. I tried to get a picture, but this kooky old lady was walking the platform ahead of me and started talking to it, shooing it along. It shows up in the picture, but not distinctly - all I can say is that you can see the size of the shadow it casts in the picture even in the dim fluorescent lighting of the station.

It's also starting to smell up here some; I guess when it's in the 80s like today, you get that smell sour street trash drainage smell. The worst, though, is walking over those particular street grates where there must be open sewage below - a quite distinctly filty smell in comparison to the garbage.

How does anyone put up with this place long term?
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Re: Damn, I just saw what must have been the world's biggest

Post by ip_law-hokie »

PolyTech wrote:IP, I'm up in your town, and was waiting for the E train uptown at the 50th and 8th station about 4:30 this afternoon, and see this ratzilla creature. You could have put a saddle on that thing! This Asian woman sees me trying to get my phone out to take a picture and she starts telling me all about it, how she sees it in there all the time and how it lives in the bottom of a trash can at the other end of the platform. Seriously, though, this thing must have been 8-10" from tip of nose to end of it's butt (not counting the tail) and had to weigh somewhere between 1 and 2 pounds. I tried to get a picture, but this kooky old lady was walking the platform ahead of me and started talking to it, shooing it along. It shows up in the picture, but not distinctly - all I can say is that you can see the size of the shadow it casts in the picture even in the dim fluorescent lighting of the station.

It's also starting to smell up here some; I guess when it's in the 80s like today, you get that smell sour street trash drainage smell. The worst, though, is walking over those particular street grates where there must be open sewage below - a quite distinctly filty smell in comparison to the garbage.

How does anyone put up with this place long term?
Sounds about right. I couldn't put up with living at 50th and 8th ave long-term either.
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PolyTech
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Re: Damn, I just saw what must have been the world's biggest

Post by PolyTech »

The smell isn't isolated, and I'd guess the rats aren't either.
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Re: Damn, I just saw what must have been the world's biggest

Post by ip_law-hokie »

PolyTech wrote:The smell isn't isolated, and I'd guess the rats aren't either.
You should probably stay in Time Square then. Enjoy.
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Re: Damn, I just saw what must have been the world's biggest

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Stayed there before on work trip; didn't this time, though. As for the rest of the city, I'm just not sure what the BFD is.

And serious question - what's the deal with the shirty beer selection at the bars and restaurants? I'm sure there are plenty of places with great selections, but I didn't run into any. Has the microbrew revolution not quite hit there yet?
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Re: Damn, I just saw what must have been the world's biggest

Post by ip_law-hokie »

PolyTech wrote:Stayed there before on work trip; didn't this time, though. As for the rest of the city, I'm just not sure what the BFD is.

And serious question - what's the deal with the shirty beer selection at the bars and restaurants? I'm sure there are plenty of places with great selections, but I didn't run into any. Has the microbrew revolution not quite hit there yet?
Where did you go beside Time Square?
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Re: Damn, I just saw what must have been the world's biggest

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Probably spent most of our time in the east village. Didn't go to Times Square.
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Re: Damn, I just saw what must have been the world's biggest

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PolyTech wrote:Probably spent most of our time in the east village. Didn't go to Times Square.
I thought you said you were at 50th and 8th? I'm surprised you were not able to find anywhere to get good beer in the east village.
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Re: Damn, I just saw what must have been the world's biggest

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Got off the train too early - saw it while we were sitting in the station waiting for the next one. Was heading for the 51st and Lexington station and Mrs. Polytech said that was our stop. She can be convincing...
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Re: Damn, I just saw what must have been the world's biggest

Post by ip_law-hokie »

PolyTech wrote:Got off the train too early - saw it while we were sitting in the station waiting for the next one. Was heading for the 51st and Lexington station and Mrs. Polytech said that was our stop. She can be convincing...


If you were on the E train, you were not coming to or from the East Village.
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Re: Damn, I just saw what must have been the world's biggest

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ip_law-hokie wrote:
PolyTech wrote:Got off the train too early - saw it while we were sitting in the station waiting for the next one. Was heading for the 51st and Lexington station and Mrs. Polytech said that was our stop. She can be convincing...


If you were on the E train, you were not coming to or from the East Village.
I bet the rat is a registered democrat.
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Re: Damn, I just saw what must have been the world's biggest

Post by PolyTech »

ip_law-hokie wrote:
PolyTech wrote:Got off the train too early - saw it while we were sitting in the station waiting for the next one. Was heading for the 51st and Lexington station and Mrs. Polytech said that was our stop. She can be convincing...


If you were on the E train, you were not coming to or from the East Village.
Sorry, west village. Went to dinner in the east village one night, tho. Also a shirty beer selection.

Brooklyn Lager is all that saved you from complete beer shirtiness.

Seriously, had a couple of beers before we went to sleep right around the corner from the hotel at this rooftop bar on the Kimberly Hotel. Pretty nice view and outdoor spot, but the best brew they had was Lagunitas IPA. And that was pretty much the only thing they had that was even drinkable.
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Re: Damn, I just saw what must have been the world's biggest

Post by ip_law-hokie »

PolyTech wrote:
ip_law-hokie wrote:
PolyTech wrote:Got off the train too early - saw it while we were sitting in the station waiting for the next one. Was heading for the 51st and Lexington station and Mrs. Polytech said that was our stop. She can be convincing...


If you were on the E train, you were not coming to or from the East Village.
Sorry, west village. Went to dinner in the east village one night, tho. Also a shirty beer selection.

Brooklyn Lager is all that saved you from complete beer shirtiness.

Seriously, had a couple of beers before we went to sleep right around the corner from the hotel at this rooftop bar on the Kimberly Hotel. Pretty nice view and outdoor spot, but the best brew they had was Lagunitas IPA. And that was pretty much the only thing they had that was even drinkable.
I used to work in that area. Definitely a rooftop bar scene designed for the business visitor on a charge account - I've been to the bar at the Kimberly rooftop.

For better bars for regular people, you should have ventured down to 2nd avenue between 50th and about 55th.
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Re: Damn, I just saw what must have been the world's biggest

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ip_law-hokie wrote:
PolyTech wrote:
ip_law-hokie wrote:
PolyTech wrote:Got off the train too early - saw it while we were sitting in the station waiting for the next one. Was heading for the 51st and Lexington station and Mrs. Polytech said that was our stop. She can be convincing...


If you were on the E train, you were not coming to or from the East Village.
Sorry, west village. Went to dinner in the east village one night, tho. Also a shirty beer selection.

Brooklyn Lager is all that saved you from complete beer shirtiness.

Seriously, had a couple of beers before we went to sleep right around the corner from the hotel at this rooftop bar on the Kimberly Hotel. Pretty nice view and outdoor spot, but the best brew they had was Lagunitas IPA. And that was pretty much the only thing they had that was even drinkable.
I used to work in that area. Definitely a rooftop bar scene designed for the business visitor on a charge account - I've been to the bar at the Kimberly rooftop.

For better bars for regular people, you should have ventured down to 2nd avenue between 50th and about 55th.
I think it's time you recognize that VA has an impressive beer scene, especially with the microbrews. We didn't get Stone Brewery because of our pretty faces. Just little ole RVA has not 1, but 2 bars that regularly ranked in the top 10 bars in the US. We like our beer, it's how we deal with the smell of the poop factory by the river.
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Re: Damn, I just saw what must have been the world's biggest

Post by ip_law-hokie »

awesome guy wrote:
ip_law-hokie wrote:
PolyTech wrote:
ip_law-hokie wrote:
PolyTech wrote:Got off the train too early - saw it while we were sitting in the station waiting for the next one. Was heading for the 51st and Lexington station and Mrs. Polytech said that was our stop. She can be convincing...


If you were on the E train, you were not coming to or from the East Village.
Sorry, west village. Went to dinner in the east village one night, tho. Also a shirty beer selection.

Brooklyn Lager is all that saved you from complete beer shirtiness.

Seriously, had a couple of beers before we went to sleep right around the corner from the hotel at this rooftop bar on the Kimberly Hotel. Pretty nice view and outdoor spot, but the best brew they had was Lagunitas IPA. And that was pretty much the only thing they had that was even drinkable.
I used to work in that area. Definitely a rooftop bar scene designed for the business visitor on a charge account - I've been to the bar at the Kimberly rooftop.

For better bars for regular people, you should have ventured down to 2nd avenue between 50th and about 55th.
I think it's time you recognize that VA has an impressive beer scene, especially with the microbrews. We didn't get Stone Brewery because of our pretty faces. Just little ole RVA has not 1, but 2 bars that regularly ranked in the top 10 bars in the US. We like our beer, it's how we deal with the smell of the poop factory by the river.
I don't dispute that. My favorite mass-produced beers come from Pennsylvania (Yengling) and Texas (Shiner). Not that much of a micro-brew aficionado, other than to say that I got really drunk at a micro-brew in Milwaukee and had a great time (Lakefront Brewery).
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Re: Damn, I just saw what must have been the world's biggest

Post by awesome guy »

ip_law-hokie wrote:
awesome guy wrote:
ip_law-hokie wrote:
PolyTech wrote:
ip_law-hokie wrote:
PolyTech wrote:Got off the train too early - saw it while we were sitting in the station waiting for the next one. Was heading for the 51st and Lexington station and Mrs. Polytech said that was our stop. She can be convincing...


If you were on the E train, you were not coming to or from the East Village.
Sorry, west village. Went to dinner in the east village one night, tho. Also a shirty beer selection.

Brooklyn Lager is all that saved you from complete beer shirtiness.

Seriously, had a couple of beers before we went to sleep right around the corner from the hotel at this rooftop bar on the Kimberly Hotel. Pretty nice view and outdoor spot, but the best brew they had was Lagunitas IPA. And that was pretty much the only thing they had that was even drinkable.
I used to work in that area. Definitely a rooftop bar scene designed for the business visitor on a charge account - I've been to the bar at the Kimberly rooftop.

For better bars for regular people, you should have ventured down to 2nd avenue between 50th and about 55th.
I think it's time you recognize that VA has an impressive beer scene, especially with the microbrews. We didn't get Stone Brewery because of our pretty faces. Just little ole RVA has not 1, but 2 bars that regularly ranked in the top 10 bars in the US. We like our beer, it's how we deal with the smell of the poop factory by the river.
I don't dispute that. My favorite mass-produced beers come from Pennsylvania (Yengling) and Texas (Shiner). Not that much of a micro-brew aficionado, other than to say that I got really drunk at a micro-brew in Milwaukee and had a great time (Lakefront Brewery).
The great thing about them is I have no idea what I'm drinking. Capital Ale House, a top 10 place to get a beer (actually, 2 of their locations get ranked. Mekong is the other bar that's top 10) has a phone book sized beer catalog. I never remember what I drank, just that liked it or didn't. I also make selections by sorting on APV, so that contributes to memory loss.
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PolyTech
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Re: Damn, I just saw what must have been the world's biggest

Post by PolyTech »

ip_law-hokie wrote:
awesome guy wrote:
ip_law-hokie wrote:
PolyTech wrote:
ip_law-hokie wrote:
PolyTech wrote:Got off the train too early - saw it while we were sitting in the station waiting for the next one. Was heading for the 51st and Lexington station and Mrs. Polytech said that was our stop. She can be convincing...


If you were on the E train, you were not coming to or from the East Village.
Sorry, west village. Went to dinner in the east village one night, tho. Also a shirty beer selection.

Brooklyn Lager is all that saved you from complete beer shirtiness.

Seriously, had a couple of beers before we went to sleep right around the corner from the hotel at this rooftop bar on the Kimberly Hotel. Pretty nice view and outdoor spot, but the best brew they had was Lagunitas IPA. And that was pretty much the only thing they had that was even drinkable.
I used to work in that area. Definitely a rooftop bar scene designed for the business visitor on a charge account - I've been to the bar at the Kimberly rooftop.

For better bars for regular people, you should have ventured down to 2nd avenue between 50th and about 55th.
I think it's time you recognize that VA has an impressive beer scene, especially with the microbrews. We didn't get Stone Brewery because of our pretty faces. Just little ole RVA has not 1, but 2 bars that regularly ranked in the top 10 bars in the US. We like our beer, it's how we deal with the smell of the poop factory by the river.
I don't dispute that. My favorite mass-produced beers come from Pennsylvania (Yengling) and Texas (Shiner). Not that much of a micro-brew aficionado, other than to say that I got really drunk at a micro-brew in Milwaukee and had a great time (Lakefront Brewery).
I was surprised to see how far behind NYC really is in that respect. I do appreciate the microbrew culture, as it tends to produce just kick-ass places to drink (and eat). If you folks think RVA is good because it has a couple of microbreweries, head on down to Asheville. I think there are 7 major microbrewers and a bunch of smaller ones - it really is beer city, USA. Me and Mrs. Poly went over to Sierra Nevada a few weeks ago - that place is absolutely incredible. The second best place in the world to have a Sierra Nevada (besides the deck on the pizza place in Curry Village in Yosemite). Asheville is in general a fantastic town, once you get past the huge population of lesbians in their many-stickered Subarus and too many tourists in general, you can enjoy. Great restaurant town.

Now, that said, I kinda agree with IP that many, many microbrews are overrated. Sometimes I think that if I see another ridiculously named microbrew ("Smutty Nose", "Hog Slap", and "Arrogant Bastard") I'm gonna scream - it's just marketing again over quality. And the stupid IPA craze is just that - stupid. It's the easiest style to make, and most versions just over-hop with the rough-tasting Cascade hop. Go back sometime to a reasonable quality import (even something like Bass) and you'll see what you're missing: Malt flavor that shines through, the much smoother-tasting Fuggles and Goldings hops, and you can actually taste the fruity esters that the ale yeast produces. I, too, am a Yuengling and Shiner fan. Also good beers: Boston Lager (on tap only, you really get the floweryness of the dry hopping), Anchor Porter, Spaten Octoberfest, any of the products from the Budvar brewery in the Czech republic.
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PolyTech
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Re: Damn, I just saw what must have been the world's biggest

Post by PolyTech »

I have to say, the NYC subway is the worst subway I've ever ridden, and it's not close.

And it looks like I'm not the only person to notice this, or the rats, or the smell:

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2015/05/14/ ... bage-rats/

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — An audit by New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer has revealed that subway tracks are filled with rats, dirt and garbage.

The audit found only 3 percent of tracks in 276 underground stations were cleaned according to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s own standards, which include cleaning track beds at underground stations every three weeks and using special equipment to vacuum up trash from the tracks every six months.

“The MTA is constantly reminding riders to clean up after themselves, but they’re setting a poor example by letting piles of trash on the tracks fester for months on end,” Stringer said. “Our auditors observed rats scurrying over the tracks and onto subway platforms, and it’s almost as if they were walking upright – waiting to take the train to their next meal. This is a daily, stomach-turning insult to millions of straphangers, and it’s unworthy of a world-class city.”

So what is the MTA cleaning? An employee told CBS2’s Marcia Kramer on Thursday her job was to shine the outside on the agency’s litter baskets and buff the turnstiles.

Kramer then spoke with Stringer.

Kramer: “How ironic is it that the MTA is having this woman polish the outside of the litter bins when the tracks are really disgusting?’

Stringer: “It makes no sense. The whole way the MTA (has) approached cleanliness is just something that is beyond belief. When you look at what our auditors found you realize that a world-class city has a second-rate subway system. It looks and smells terrible.”

Stringer said there are two track-cleaning trains that work the entire system and one was out of service for most of a year while the other is run on low power for fear of damaging the tracks, 1010 WINS’ Al Jones reported.

“You gotta buy better, more effective vacuum cars,” Stringer said. “Why are you keeping in service vacuum cars that aren’t vacuuming?”

The MTA told CBS2 it has increased its budget for cleaning tracks by 25 percent over the last six years, adding in March it approved a new $23 million contract for three new vacuum trains to pick up debris, Kramer reported.
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