Boston to host global climate-change summit next year

And it'll probably get a bit worse before it gets better - but you can't put that on Baker (but you can put it on Deval, and Swift and Romney to be an equal opportunity blamer).

One bright note - saw a piece on TV that the green line was having like 7-8 derailments per year in 2015 and 2016. They did a study on the cause, addressed the issues and apparently zero derailments in the past 12 months. Progress - but virtually unnoticeable as you note. Let's just hope the state continues to have the means to throw $100 million a year plus in supplemental subsidies at the T.

Baker is caught up in his legacy desire to meet all the carbon targets under the Paris Accord. He will have absolutely zero choice but to completely improve, modernize and upgrade the MBTA and commuter rail if he even wants to get to 2030 targets, let alone 2050. DOT Secretary has been saying this to his face: it is mathematically impossible to reduce emissions to those levels even with entirely electric autonomous cars.

There is a need to encourage short trips on foot or bike and longer trips by reliable transit.

Ego issue, economic growth issue, and carbon and pollution issue.

1) We've settled this already. The T had to take on about $50 million in additional debt servicing in the first year of forward funding. In return, they got an additional $75 million in sales tax revenue. After that, debt servicing flat-lined for over a decade while revenues almost doubled. I.e. - they spent it on salaries and benefits - not on much needed capital improvements. They are finally getting resources where needed. the assumption that the state somehow should have funded the T and also paid down the big dig debt is fantasyland. Those resources didn't exist.

2) The T is still hand to mouth and reliant on the state to balance its books at the end of the year, despite an extra billion dollars in funding over the past 15 or so years. They had to cut expenses or increase revenue to make ends meet without overly taxing the state budget (or more accurately - us the taxpayers). What would you have cut? Or what revenue streams would you have increased? there's no Magic T Fairy to make money appear - and every dollar the state spends on the T has to come from the state budget 75% of which is education or human services - so more for the T means less for that.

As for the new GM - a) you don't need relevant industry experience if you are a good C-level exec. That we don't know - only time will tell. b) As for crook - irregularities at his past firm could be his fault, also maybe not. I'm not pro or con - just saying I know too little about the man to pass judgement.

And Keolis - probably some very technical negotiations - but for sure it's not like they are walking away with huge profits. They are reportedly losing money on the operation. My understanding is that there were payments to make them whole on things that weren't their fault and take on maintenance of an expanded fleet - not a "bonus" for good performance. Again - bottom line - we don't have the information to really judge this one way or the other.

that there's little demand for meat and dairy restaurants, but that some restaurants are still pretty meager in how they address vegetarian and vegan requirements. In the dark old days in Boston, the best you could hope for was a salad or some sides: very token efforts.

I recall a meal at the very swanky Julien Room in the old Le Meridien. My vegetarian-leaning date could only get a plate of steamed vegetables. But that was 15 years ago. Most upmarket restaurants here do much, much better nowadays.

As in many areas of life, the South is still kinda backward on this score.