Tuesday, November 29, 2011
A recent report says there's been a 16 percent uptick in T crime. Are you riding without worry or clinging to your belongings?
Our subways may be the oldest in the nation, but are they and the rest of the MBTA's services as safe as they could be? The Boston Herald published a recent report showing that 136 additional crimes above last year's total of 868 were committed this year, to make a total of 1,004 crimes in the survey year. This breaks down to between 2 and 3 reported crimes per day, every day of the year on the MBTA system. Given that "the average weekday ridership for the entire system is approximately 1.1 million passenger trips," according to the MBTA, do you feel like the odds of a safe trip are in your favor? Vote in our poll, and weigh in on the routes you ride in the comments section. Are your trips trouble-free, or do you seem to run into the …
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Everyone has a holiday Achilles' heel, something that brings out a little bit of the Grinch or Scrooge within us all. What's yours?
Maybe it's a cheesy Christmas song that seems to follow you everywhere, or the fried smell that won't go away after your latke-and-jelly-donut party. A winter solstice with too much sunshine, a Kinara that keeps lighting your ears of corn on fire--there are many ways in which the season can go south, quickly. We've given you a couple voting options covering what we're guessing are the major hassles, but comment and let us know where you fit in. Is this year you embrace all the Charlie Brown Christmas trees in your life, or the season your heart becomes three sizes too small? Editorial note: this article, poll votes, and comments section is shared between the Back Bay, Beacon Hill, and South End Patch.com sites.
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Do you spend the bulk of your holiday gift budget while visiting small businesses, chain stores, or websites?
Thanksgiving isn't just a day of giving thanks, it's also the last day before the holiday shopping season starts with a bang on with early openings and one-day-only deals on Black Friday. In addition, this year is the second Small Business Saturday, a day, according to the organizers, "dedicated to supporting small businesses on one of the busiest shopping weekends of the year," and this year's Cyber Monday, the Monday after Thanksgiving, is expected to draw an additional ten million shoppers to their screens over last years' total. Patch wants to know where the chips fall for you. Are you saving your money for internet sales, or did you complete the bulk of your shopping on November 25th? Is Small Business Saturday the day you'll be …
Friday, November 25, 2011
Do you brave the crowds or enjoy the comforts of home?
Black Friday is notoriously the busiest shopping day of the year in the country, and Massachusetts, even with its famous Blue Laws, is no exception. All things considered, Patch wants to know where you find yourself this November 25th. Will you be in line, coffee cup in hand, at 11:59 p.m. Thanksgiving night outside Target or the Wrentham Outlets, or are you content to wake up and hit the stores at the not-quite-leisurely hour of 4:30 a.m.? And what about people who are staying home? Do you avoid Black Friday shopping just because of the crowds, or do you have a more philosophical stance against going out that day, like the proponents of Buy Nothing Day? This is your chance to stand up and be counted, whether as a discount dilettante or…
Friday, October 28, 2011
Almanac predicts biggest storms at end of January, and mid-February.
The Farmer’s Almanac has weighed in on what’s in store for us this winter. With temperatures near or above normal, it is predicting many snow and rain mixes. But what do they know? Your guess may be as good as theirs. So tell us: Do you think this winter will bring as much snow as last year?
Margie Alberti
7:18 am on Thursday, December 1, 2011
I absolutely do NOT feel safe on the "T". A relative of mine recently had a gold chain ripped off her neck. Over a thousand crimes took place on the MBTA last year.....That's a thousand too many to suit me!! (and it's on the rise) I haven't taken the T in four years and don't ever intend to! more ›