All Over Albany

You didn't actually ask, but...

Believe it or not, there are some people who don't visit AOA via a bookmark, feed reader, irresistible urge, or unconscious habit. (Yes, shocking, we know.) Many of these people come in looking for something via Google -- and sometimes we can't help but take notice of what they're looking for.

Well, as you know, we like to help. So even though you didn't actually ask, here's the (an) answer...

March 18: do people use cdta

They do. And often. The bus system logged 14.5 million rides during its last fiscal year, which ended in March. [TU]

Most popular route? The latest numbers posted are online are for FY 2010-2011. In that year, there were 2,060,405 rides on the 55, which runs between Schenectady and Albany.

April 3: what is the egg made of in albany

In short: reinforced concrete and lots of it. From The Egg's website:

Though it appears to sit on the main platform, the stem that holds The Egg actually goes down through six stories deep into the Earth. The Egg keeps its shape by wearing a girdle - a heavily reinforced concrete beam that was poured along with the rest of the shell. This beam helps transmit The Egg's weight onto the supporting pedestal and gives the structure an ageless durability that belies its nickname.

Also, on some days, The Egg has a squishy filling made of people.

Bonus fact: The Egg was inspired by a grapefruit.

April 6: where did rachel ray go to culinary school

It's our understanding Ms. Ray attended the distinguished School of Persistence and Working Like Crazy. Snark all you want (and we have), that woman has a serious work ethic.

April 9: who did we get for making the best french fries in albany, ny
wether they like it or not

WTF? W[h]ether they like it or not? It sounds like you're trying to hire someone for the Al Qaeda cafeteria.

In an effort to keep the Capital Region's best practitioners of the fryolator arts safe, this question will go unanswered.

April 13: does stewart's milk have growth hormones?

Good question. So we called Tom Mailey, the spokesperson for Stewart's, to ask about the company's milk and rBGH. "All our farmers have pledged to not use growth hormone," Mailey told us today. He also said that Stewart's tests for antibiotics in each milk shipment and will reject a shipment if it tests positive.

Bonus fact: The average amount of time between when milk leaves one of Stewart's 30-40 dairy farms in the region and it ends up on a shelf in the store: 48 hours or less.

April 19: crazy bug with too many legs that lives in connecticut

Well, this isn't Connecticut, but there's a good chance it could be a house centipede. We have them here. And they definitely have too many legs.

April 21: joose purple is it good?

We have a strong suspicion the answer is"no."

April 29: how long does it take to go from albany, ny to long island by boat?

Let's do a little math. The Port of Albany is 124 miles nautical miles north of New York Harbor (not quite Long Island, of course). And if a tug boat can cruise at 12 knots, it would take about 10.5 hours.

May 7: why aren't there any wegmans in albany ny

Oh, boy. Well, it depends on who you ask. The skeptical (or conspiracy minded) say it's because of a "secret agreement" with Price Chopper (both companies deny this). If you ask Wegmans, it's just a matter of there being other places it currently considers better investments.

May 8: what is the advantages and disadvantages of lever machine voting

Advantages: satisfying kerrr-CHUNK

Disadvantages: the machines are old, hard to fix, don't provide a paper trail, and apparently weren't exactly accurate

We still miss that sound, though.

May 10: are chicharrones bad for you

It's deep-fried pork. Do you really have to ask?