>> In case you missed it Metro’s now got a blog called The Source, written by Steve Hymon, previously writer of Bottleneck Blog for the L.A. Times, and Fred Camino of MetroRider LA, who blogged about his decision to join Metro’s blog team here.

>> Villaraigosa wants to speed up the Subway to the Sea project with his 30/10 plan (shrinking the current 30-year timeline for many transit projects down to 10 years). Reports Streetsblog LA:

One part of the plan that is sure to be controversial is his plan is to front-load funding for transit projects over the next ten years.  By pushing transit first, the Mayor hopes to attract more federal and private investment.  Villaraigosa is hoping to avoid a fight amongst rail activists by moving all projects quickly at once.  Metro estimates he’s going to need to find another $12 billion in funds, in addition to the $13 billion of Measure R funds that are available for rail projects, to meet his ambitious goal.  All of this is assuming he can convince the Metro Board to go along with his plan in the first place.

>> How do Hummer owners rationalize their Hummer ownership? Rob Walker investigates in NYT Magazine:

Conflict with vehement critics turns out to play a key role, with the Hummer owner casting himself or herself as a “moral protagonist” who must, according to this theory, “defend sacrosanct virtues and ideals from the transgressive actions of an immoral adversary.” And what sacrosanct virtues would those be? To oversimplify a bit: American exceptionalism, rugged individualism, love of the frontier, community and freedom.

Earlier: Hummer humping and Make your own subversive hummer slogan

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