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There's probably a good reason Cambridge isn't our nation's capital

For the past several days, Cantabrigians have been complaining about motorcades of black vehicles screaming around town. Or as Monica Anne Higgins put it today:

Why is a police motorcade screaming back and forth on Broadway/Cambridge? & Creepy SUV of men lunging out windows with rifles?

Or maybe it's just move-in week at Harvard.

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Comments

How have Harvard students already annoyed the locals enough to organize drive-bys? This seems way too quick.

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Same thing - cop at Binney and Main pushing traffic through on the red, clearing the way for a black-SUV motorcade following down Broadway to Main.

What is up?

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They reply:

We can't share specifics, but we can say there's no cause for concern or threat to public safety.

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In one word - Lame!

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but if it's an SUV full of armed men, it's probably nothing

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We can't share specifics, but we can say there's no cause for concern or threat to public safety.

Really? I'm pretty concerned about armed teams driving dangerously around my city in unmarked vehicles, bringing automatic weapons into my community, and my police department refusing to tell me why.

I don't care if you're the princess of Japan or some minister from Korea. Your ass can sit in traffic just like everyone else, instead of delaying thousands of other people. This isn't the middle ages where VIPs care carted around past 'commoners', and I'll be damned if my taxes are going to pay for this.

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America is like this, and your taxes are paying for it. The best part is that their taxes probably aren't paying for it because of some tax loophole put in by their buddies at Harvard!

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The host country provides escorts for those who need them.

And no, you don't get a right to know, as this might compromise the security of those involved.

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They pay for details for their escorts. If you're willing to pay for enough police details, they'll clear intersections and pull you through as well.

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The other countries don't pay.

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With this Syria thing, I hope she says "tomahawk" on video for use as a sound clip. Tomahawk, as in cruise missile.

Washington D.C. legislators are on summer break, so could be doing their back to school shopping too.

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I've seen the same thing, Monday morning and Wednesday afternoon, heading down Broadway toward Harvard. A friend of mine theorizes that it's for Princess Kako, who is apparently in town.

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Princess Kako to have homestay in Massachusetts:

Princess Kako, 18, the daughter of Prince Akishino, the emperor's second son, and Princess Kiko, will have a homestay for a month in Massachusetts next month, the government said Tuesday. ...

The Aug 3-Sept 4 homestay will be part of the princess' summer vacation and she will stay at the home of a Harvard professor who is acquainted with her parents, NTV reported.

And it's her first time abroad by herself!

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How come nobody told her she has to ride a bicycle in Cambridge, walk, or take the T? Carpooling isn't a mode promoted by Livable Streets or MassDOT.

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Seems she is bringing along 530 of her closest friends.

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Scott Brown meeting with Kings and Queens (and a princess)?

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I saw them go down Broadway around lunch on Tuesday and Wednesday (including a school bus both days!), and then saw them all (including the bus!) parked on Cambridge Street a block or two down from the underpass. I'm sure it's some lame/swanky Harvard thing, but why all the secrecy? I mostly just want to know why a school bus is included in a motorcade...

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School bus is for perhaps for Tactical Operations .

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Post Newtown etc.

Could also be a prisoner transfer given the school bus.

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High police presence is due to a Vietnamese political dignitary[ies] visiting the CGIS South building this week. I work in the north building and they have secret service and state troopers around both buildings.

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Deputy PM visits Boston for Harvard leadership programme:

Upon arrival, Phuc was met by Vietnamese researchers and students working and studying in the US, who expressed their wish for a working environment at home that would allow them to contribute to the national development following their graduation.

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but from the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam to the People's Republic of Cambridge. Seems even more like they ought to be using bicycles, motor-scooters, or cyclos than big, black SUVs.

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by writing Viet Nam.

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until I looked more closely.

Not sure whether this proves that I'm a dumbass or that Vietnamese and English just make for weird cognates. Probably both.

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Compare Cambridge http://rwinters.com and Boston City Councils http://anopenbostoncitycouncil.blogspot.com

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I am guessing this is related to the tons of black SUVs, State Police and crazy-looking security I've been seeing in front of the Hyatt Regency on Mem Drive every morning on the way to work?

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This isn't the middle ages where VIPs care carted around past 'commoners'

except that it is.

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I think it's a pretty normal thing, and something that any normal Bostonian should be used to (we do live in a somewhat world class city with frequent visits from domestic and foreign dignitaries). Our diplomats and politicians get special police escort/security here and in other countries, and their dignitaries should get the same when visiting.

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