We read this post in the Universal Hub, regarding a soon-to-be-ex MBTA rider who will now choose to drive to Boston.
When we read that "they're raising my Subway pass from $44 to $59," we consulted our Fare Hike of 2007 worksheet. There's only one teensy-weensy problem with her statement.
First, the Subway Pass, Combo, and Combo Plus passes no longer exist, as the T is eliminating them in favor of the singular LinkPass. The three older passes, at $44, $71, and $79, will all be replaced by a Link Pass for $59 per month. The elimination of her Subway Pass, and herding her to the new LinkPass, does make her monthly purchase go up $15. Perhaps she didn't know about this, or perhaps wanted to make her statement more appealing to the anti-MBTA crowd, but we want to make sure this got cleared up. (This is why we do the research, kids!)
Moreover, riders who usually bought the Combo or Combo Plus pass will see their monthly rate go down by $12-20 - a huge savings. The $15 extra for the LinkPass also includes bus service, which would cost her $40 if she purchased a Bus pass seperately - so she would have saved money regardless.
12/27/2006
Prop 2-1/2 is already in the crosshairs!
The more and more we read into the SJC's decision to allow same-sex couples to marry, the more and more we get confused.
We were going to write a screed last night, but after reading Jon Keller's article, we pulled a Jay Severin - allow us to retract and rephrase. (And we agree with Jon Keller - Prop 2-1/2 is not just in the crosshairs, but ready to be attacked like Fort Wagner. And all couples and families will be facing much larger property tax increases should Prop 2-1/2 be repealed.)
Who, exactly, is on the wrong side of this issue? Not the couples who want to marry and have it legally in the books as Mrs. and Mrs. Smith or Mr. and Mr. Jones. The very act of betrothal is an legal act of commitment, in the books of the county seat, that if married person A dies or gets sick or divorces, married person B is not required to jump ugly with the county probate court - where children or property might be involved.
The SJC, in their wisdom, took an approach that the opponents and proponents of same-sex marriage have bent and twisted way out of proportion. It is neither "the courts have spoken and can never be voted on" nor "the courts have overstepped their boundaries and violated the Constitution." The SJC took pains to say, "This same-sex marriage law looks all right, but make sure all the bases are covered."
The bases, sadly to say, are covered - with ginned up lawyers, crooked pols, and militant activists. The real issue is for one side to convince the public that their position is right, and if they win, would they mind keeping up their winning streak with a donation or two, or perhaps a vote for me in the primaries?
What doesn't help is that the Massachusetts state legislature has become more like the Soviet Politburo, mixed in with Mafia crime family machinations for good measure. The same yahoos who are clamoring for these Legislature to defy the SJC's request to do something, other than dance and babble in front of a camera, either put too much trust in their pols, or don't have enough smarts to know they're being bamboozled.
Remember the Clean Elections Law, in which candidates would only receive public money if they accepted no contributions or private or personal funds? After the hacks got really scared that a "Clean Elections" candidate didn't have to work hard or press the flesh as often as the tried-and-true back-room dealings, where pork and committee chairmanships could be bought and sold with a glass of scotch and a handshake, Tom Finneran & Co. killed it off.
Who's to say that if same-sex marriage did come to a vote and became truly legal as the SJC intended it, the legislature wouldn't hesitate to suffocate that law too - and effectively giving the anti-same-sex crowd an unintentional victory - and immediately making same-sex marriages null and void. Caveat emptor.
We were going to write a screed last night, but after reading Jon Keller's article, we pulled a Jay Severin - allow us to retract and rephrase. (And we agree with Jon Keller - Prop 2-1/2 is not just in the crosshairs, but ready to be attacked like Fort Wagner. And all couples and families will be facing much larger property tax increases should Prop 2-1/2 be repealed.)
Who, exactly, is on the wrong side of this issue? Not the couples who want to marry and have it legally in the books as Mrs. and Mrs. Smith or Mr. and Mr. Jones. The very act of betrothal is an legal act of commitment, in the books of the county seat, that if married person A dies or gets sick or divorces, married person B is not required to jump ugly with the county probate court - where children or property might be involved.
The SJC, in their wisdom, took an approach that the opponents and proponents of same-sex marriage have bent and twisted way out of proportion. It is neither "the courts have spoken and can never be voted on" nor "the courts have overstepped their boundaries and violated the Constitution." The SJC took pains to say, "This same-sex marriage law looks all right, but make sure all the bases are covered."
The bases, sadly to say, are covered - with ginned up lawyers, crooked pols, and militant activists. The real issue is for one side to convince the public that their position is right, and if they win, would they mind keeping up their winning streak with a donation or two, or perhaps a vote for me in the primaries?
What doesn't help is that the Massachusetts state legislature has become more like the Soviet Politburo, mixed in with Mafia crime family machinations for good measure. The same yahoos who are clamoring for these Legislature to defy the SJC's request to do something, other than dance and babble in front of a camera, either put too much trust in their pols, or don't have enough smarts to know they're being bamboozled.
Remember the Clean Elections Law, in which candidates would only receive public money if they accepted no contributions or private or personal funds? After the hacks got really scared that a "Clean Elections" candidate didn't have to work hard or press the flesh as often as the tried-and-true back-room dealings, where pork and committee chairmanships could be bought and sold with a glass of scotch and a handshake, Tom Finneran & Co. killed it off.
Who's to say that if same-sex marriage did come to a vote and became truly legal as the SJC intended it, the legislature wouldn't hesitate to suffocate that law too - and effectively giving the anti-same-sex crowd an unintentional victory - and immediately making same-sex marriages null and void. Caveat emptor.
12/23/2006
The best and most accurate M(B)TA map
If you're a pre-MBTA transit buff, here's a blast from the past , courtesy of Thinking of a New Title. Back then, stations had different names - or no longer exist.
The lines back in the MTA were named as follows:
Green Line : Subway Surface to Arborway, Boston College, Cleveland Circle, Riverside, and Watertown
Orange Line: Main Line Elevated
Red Line: Cambridge - Dorchester Subway
Blue Line: East Boston Tunnel
There is also a black-and-white map here.
The lines back in the MTA were named as follows:
Green Line : Subway Surface to Arborway, Boston College, Cleveland Circle, Riverside, and Watertown
Orange Line: Main Line Elevated
Red Line: Cambridge - Dorchester Subway
Blue Line: East Boston Tunnel
There is also a black-and-white map here.
12/21/2006
Now on 7 News - giving CW56 staffers the bum's rush
From The Inside Track: Jack Hynes had a celebratory cup of coffee, Karen Marinella was signing autographs, and Mike Wankum was milling around with the rest of the sports crew.
Then the crew from Channel 7 came in like the street cleaners on Ash Wednesday (not like the Gestapo!) and swept out the revelers. After they drove the CW56 satellite truck a one-way trip to WSVN in Miami, and took away the celebratory coffee, the People Who Were There blabbed to the Inside Track - which prompted the 7News flacks to play the denial game.
No word on whether Jack Hynes scrawled a choice phrase or two on the satellite truck.
Then the crew from Channel 7 came in like the street cleaners on Ash Wednesday (not like the Gestapo!) and swept out the revelers. After they drove the CW56 satellite truck a one-way trip to WSVN in Miami, and took away the celebratory coffee, the People Who Were There blabbed to the Inside Track - which prompted the 7News flacks to play the denial game.
No word on whether Jack Hynes scrawled a choice phrase or two on the satellite truck.
12/20/2006
Brew coffee yourself for only 25 cents per cup - no language barrier required
The whole Starbucks vs. Dunkin Donuts fight is on...
...in this corner, Starbucks coffee snobs. The ones who prefer that their pristine coffee, served by surly philosophy majors and/or surly actors/actresses who are waiting for their big break, be as convoluted to order and pronounce as possible.
...and in this corner...Dunkin' Donuts fans, seeking to tweak down the upturned noses of Starbucks coffee snobs by dissing their offerings.
Us? One 20oz bottle of refreshing Mountain Dew, please.
...in this corner, Starbucks coffee snobs. The ones who prefer that their pristine coffee, served by surly philosophy majors and/or surly actors/actresses who are waiting for their big break, be as convoluted to order and pronounce as possible.
...and in this corner...Dunkin' Donuts fans, seeking to tweak down the upturned noses of Starbucks coffee snobs by dissing their offerings.
Us? One 20oz bottle of refreshing Mountain Dew, please.
12/19/2006
Next Up: Jack Hynes' (Satisfyingly Ripping) Final Word
It had equal parts hard news, equal parts teary-eyed reminiscing, and equal parts thanking the crew and viewers for their loyalty. The non-TRL version of the 10 o'clock news is no more, and the fadeout at the end was certainly goose-pimple inducing. Universal Hub gives all the details, plus a YouTube video (not subjected to the Crimson Rectangle of Shame - the box where YouTube becomes PrudeTube).
However, triple kudos goes to Jack Hynes, 50+ year veteran anchor and reporter for old WHDH*, WCVB, and WLVI. Jack Hynes, in his staid, yet rightfully angry manner, all but put Ed Ansin's underwear up on a pole on Morrissey Blvd for all of I-93 and Red Line riders to see. Good for him, as he's likely one of the last Boston media figures who isn't a political wonk, a blow-dried talking head, a blabby gossip, or a conspiracy theorist.
*For you TV geeks out there, WHDH was on Channel 5, and was a CBS affiliate from 1962 until 1972, when it became WCVB and an ABC affiliate. The WHDH currently on Channel 7 was formerly WNAC (the old ABC affiliate, which then became CBS in 1972), WNEV in 1982, and then WHDH in 1993. WHDH and WBZ switched affiliates in 1995, with WHDH becoming an NBC affiliate and WBZ becoming a CBS affiliate.
However, triple kudos goes to Jack Hynes, 50+ year veteran anchor and reporter for old WHDH*, WCVB, and WLVI. Jack Hynes, in his staid, yet rightfully angry manner, all but put Ed Ansin's underwear up on a pole on Morrissey Blvd for all of I-93 and Red Line riders to see. Good for him, as he's likely one of the last Boston media figures who isn't a political wonk, a blow-dried talking head, a blabby gossip, or a conspiracy theorist.
*For you TV geeks out there, WHDH was on Channel 5, and was a CBS affiliate from 1962 until 1972, when it became WCVB and an ABC affiliate. The WHDH currently on Channel 7 was formerly WNAC (the old ABC affiliate, which then became CBS in 1972), WNEV in 1982, and then WHDH in 1993. WHDH and WBZ switched affiliates in 1995, with WHDH becoming an NBC affiliate and WBZ becoming a CBS affiliate.
12/17/2006
Make Income Redistribution Illegal
Let's see if we have this right. Goldman Sachs is giving out $16 billion in bonuses - and the Feds will be getting $6 billion of that back in taxes (based on the 35% tax rate); New York state will be getting $1.2 billion in taxes (based on 7.75% state income tax), and New York City will getting $583 million (based on 3.648% NYC income tax).
The working poor should be getting the same bonuses, says Michael Fishman of the SEIU Local 32BJ in New York City.
As Gilbert Gottfried would say, "You fool!" You know the gubmints have to get their interest-free income first!
The working poor should be getting the same bonuses, says Michael Fishman of the SEIU Local 32BJ in New York City.
As Gilbert Gottfried would say, "You fool!" You know the gubmints have to get their interest-free income first!
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