Jeff Larson's post on a driver on the 77 bus is interesting for two reasons. The first is the shock of learning that the honcho at SmartRoutes Traffic takes the bus home from work (I always pictured him in an SUV avoiding the backup by Ponkapoag or the Braintree Split or something). The second is that his real point is to rave about the driver on bus 0660 on a recent commute home:
Karl reports on a man he spotted in Porter Square wearing a T shirt reading: "Don't let your friends derive drunk."
... It was sponsored by M.A.D.D.: Mathematicians Against Drunk Derivation. ...
Josh Ourisman reports from Porter Square, where an older lady, the small import in which she'd apparently gotten the gas and brakes confused and several vehicles that were suddenly in her way proved a bad combination. No injuries, at least:
Karl reports he got one of their chocolate-chip granola bars at the Porter Square T stop today:
... Personally, I prefer the peanut butter chocolate chip granola bars from satan, but I guess I'll take what i can get. Free food, is free food even if this granola bar came with a bar claiming that "This is our simple way of saying that God loves you." ...
The Bachelor in Porter Square reports the Red Line is no longer crawling between Harvard and Porter Squares (he also re-infects our brains with the slogan for a long-gone local furniture chain - what is it about local furniture stores that make their ads so annoying?).
Carmen reports on an unusual pair of stinky panhandlers who got on at Central Square:
The Bachelor in Porter Square reports:
One of my co-workers who lives in Porter Square let me know today that someone broke into his apartment {Tuesday night]. Apparently there was a "rash of break-ins" [Tuesday] on the Cambridge side of the commuter rail tracks. ...
Larry Davidson spots an odd notice on the wall at Blue Fin in Porter Exchange: If you want a drink, you can show a Massachusetts driver's license, a passport, military papers - or "ID issued by the Mexican consulate:"
... Why only Mexican? Why not the Japanese consulate, say? Is Japanese food a particular favorite of Mexicans? Do Mexican visitors tend to frequent Porter Square? ...
Talonvaki was at the Porter Square T stop last night heading inbound when the announcement came on that service was suspended in both directions because of a "medical emergency" at Harvard, and that riders should go upstairs for shuttle buses:
... So I get up to the surface along with everyone else and there's lots of shuttle buses going to Alewife. But Harvard and points south? Not so much. Some people took the 77 bus, but then one of the drivers said it wasn't a shuttle and was making people pay again. ...
Feel free to post yours!
Gary McGath reports from Cambridge: Porter Square was a disaster, but Harvard Square seemed OK.
A BadTransit correspondent gets to watch as an entire row of Charlie machines reboots at Porter Square - right into Windows XP.
On The Mock-Up, Jonelle surveys recent acts of petty churlishness that are turning Porter Square into a very uncivil place.
This morning, Karrie watched some guy outside the T stop feeding hundreds of pigeons:
... The Porter Square Pigeon Enthusiast was not only feeding the birds, but allowing them to perch on his fur-trimmed hat while he rocked back and forth. ...
From Cambridge to Framingham, from sashimi to Ethiopian food, local bloggers have been eating up a storm:
Boston Mamas: East Coast Grill is great - and kid friendly (Inman Square in Cambridge).
Boston Restaurant Talk: C.F. Donovan's in Dorchester Is the Perfect Neighborhood Restaurant.
Commuters on both lines seem to be playing a game of "Oh yeah, top this!" Today, it's the Fitchburg line's turn, thanks to this report from Gary McGath, which features a bad morning commute (train canceled due to equipment failure, next train one car short) and an even worse return trip:
It's nice that the MBTA is finally upgrading North Station. Gary McGath wonders when the T will do something about the Porter Square commuter-rail stop:
... Go down to the station from Porter Square and you'll find the walls covered with graffiti, the railbed covered with garbage, and the walkways covered with pigeon droppings. ...
Evan captures a rainbow over Harvard after tonight's downpour (which downed some major tree limbs on the VFW Parkway and off LaGrange Street in West Roxbury).
Mike Mennonno got caught in the storm:
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