NY 5S – NY 162 Interchange in Sprakers

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This moderate-speed interchange was built to address run-away trucks roaring down NY 162, unable to stop before hitting NY 5S, and recognizing that the prominent direction of flow of traffic is towards Fort Plain and Canajoharie from NY 162. Vehicles heading west on NY 5S from NY 162 can simply merge over to the outer lane to continue without stopping.

Waiting Out the Rain

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Sitting out the rain showers at the Five Mile Mountain Leanto. This lean to is not well suited for rain, as it certainly must get wet in a bad storm. At night though when the sunsets it much be purty for sure.

Taken on Saturday May 30, 2009 at Tongue Mountains.

Unusual Cross-Ideological Agreement in Tyler v. Hennepin County

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Unusual Cross-Ideological Agreement in Tyler v. Hennepin County

This morning, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Tyler v. Hennepin County, an important Takings Clause case involving the practice of "home equity theft," under which local governments can seize the entire value of a property in order to pay off a much smaller delinquent property tax debt. Geraldine Tyler, the plaintiff in the case, is a 94-year-old widow whose home, valued at $40,000, was seized by the County government after she was unable to pay off $15,000 in property taxes, penalties, interest, and fees. The County then proceeded to keep the entire $40,000 for itself, as Minnesota state law allows it to do. Tyler contends this violates the Takings Clause of the Fifth Amendment, which requires the government to pay "just compensation" anytime it takes private property.