Thursday roundup

• More on the departure of the Gaming Board head here (Inky) and here (DN).
  
  
• More on SEPTA and transportation:
  
  
  
  • The head of the Delaware Valley Association of Rail Passengers argues with SEPTA's reasoning for the transfer elimination.
    
    
  • No more buses wrapped with Colt 45 ads after pressure from Brady and others.
    
    
  • The DN opinion page argues against the PA lawmakers trying to derail the I-80 toll plan, saying that their objections make no sense.
    
    
  • Dan U-A opines about arrogance and misguidance among SEPTA's representatives, sparking a lively debate about how best to get rider input into the system, the role of judges in getting fairness, and... um... a bunch of other stuff. (It's YPP, after all!)
    
    
  • Weakly related but amusing: NYC's Bloomberg likes to claim himself as a regular subway rider, but it turns out he only likes express lines, taking a hefty SUV trip to bypass most of his commute.
  
  
• Nutter suggests that Philadelphia needs more than occasional lobbying in DC, suggesting a permanent office there to help establish our city's importance to the country.
  
  
• Alert to all who hate telemarketers: Pennsylvania's Do Not Call List is about to expire, meaning that everybody needs to sign up again if they want to stay pester-free.
  
  
• Apparently November's mayoral ballot will include a Socialist candidate from pinko hotbed Germantown. He's most famous for having challenged Pennsylvania's loyalty oath at some point in the past.
  
  
• A number of interesting bits in the new CityPaper (links by subtitle):
  
  
  
  • Police shootings on the rise, but watchdogs go unheeded.
    
    
  • In his grim new novel, ex-Black Panther Milton McGriff looks to the past to find the future.
    
    
  • With the two leading Democratic contenders already competing for local dollars, 2008 presidential politics is in full swing this summer.
  
  
• DN opinion: Diversity Inc. -- how to make sure that the diverse community is represented in business and the boardroom.
  
  
• Ray Murphy: Building a union movement one hotel at a time -- surprisingly, the Doubletree Hotel's workers might join the Steelworkers' Union.
  
  
• AAJane: Another Update on Flooding -- plans to forestall and handle future flooding in SE PA.