Text Alerts

Are you going to sign up for text alerts to find out why the T is late?

I think I would rather seek it out than have it sent to me.

Holiday Rush

I don't know about you...but has the subway been packed the last two days?

Is it because people are looking to get out of town for Turkey Day?

Is it because there have been system wide delays?

People were shoving and yelling at each other at State St. No lie.

I have a lot to be thankful for.

School Spirit

Since it is Thanksgiving week, Malden High School is having 'school spirit' week...at least that is what I can tell from what the kids were wearing to school today. Most of the girls were wearing pajamas. I overheard one of the kids saying it was "Wacky Tacky" day. Not sure what that means, nor do I understand why wearing pajamas to school means you are full of school spirit...but I'm not a kid anymore.

My high school had school spirit week and the adminstration asked that certain classes wear certain colors; i.e., Juniors wear white. I guess the thinking behind it is if everybody does the same thing, then we all feel unified....and therefore...we are full of school spirit.

I always felt they were reinforcing conformity...and I wasn't sure I agreed with it.

Still don't.

Examining The Boston Now Selling Techniques

Ok, I know they are not really selling anything...but there are a few techniques in play at Malden Station in the Boston Now paper distribution industry that I would like to discuss.

On the back side of the station, there is the guy who sings and I have talked about him before: The Malden T Stop Singer

On the front side of the station, there is this fairly new to the scene guy who takes a different approach.

• He addresses the oncoming crowds as "America". For instance, he will shout, "Boston Now! It's free, America!"


• He shouts, "Participate, don't discriminate!"


• He spells the word "Now" as a variation to saying the word "Now".
  

There are other things he says, but those three are the best.

Comments:

Although I see myself as an American, I think he should localize his target a bit more. I think it would be better addressed us as "Massachusetts" or more precisely "Malden". I just don't feel like "all of America" as I rush through the doors to get to the Orange Line.

Just because I don't want a paper doesn't mean I am discriminating. I like the guilt angle though. Well played.

The spelling of "Now" really punctuates the theme of the paper. N! O! W! It's not happening later...it's happening...now! Get it before "now" is over.

I still haven't taken a paper from this guy...but after breaking it down...I just might. Just don't call me America.

Yeah That Was Sweet

The bus was beeping throughout the whole ride. I think the driver finally got annoyed by it and turned off the engine at one of the stops.

At the engine shutdown, some guy in the back bus exclaimed, "Flipping Sweet!" (but he didn't say 'flipping').

I think he thought the bus had broken down. His shout didn't get much of a reaction from anybody else on the bus. I wonder if he felt a little embarassed for saying that once the bus started right back up again.

Probably not.

Air Conditioning

Not sure why, but our Orange Line car had the air conditioning on. If I was a little groggy from the hour change, the A/C certainly lifted the fog.

I was wide awake.