The Outraged Liberal ponders the governor's plan to increase the income tax but cut the sales tax:
As a practical matter, the proposal was dead on arrival. But it will no doubt launch a loud and raucous debate about the quality of life and services in Massachusetts and our neighbors. That alone would be debate worth having -- and may have been an underlying goal of Deval's Dream Speech.
Well, not them, of course, but all those other developers. The Boston Business Journal explores the angst among developers about the 6,000 or so luxury apartments that could be built in Boston over the next couple of years.
The folks at the Boston City Archives wonder if you can figure out when and where this photo was taken. See it larger.
The T is alerting inbound riders that there's plenty of Orange Line service at Ruggles, should they wish to get off the train there.
The Globe reports Gov. Patrick will propose an increase in the income-tax rate to pay for improvements to our transportation and education systems, in his state-of-the-state address tonight.
The Globe reports on a proposal by state officials to spend an extra $10 billion over the next decade to keep our roads and public-transit systems from collapsing. Naturally, we're talking new taxes to pay for it all.
Meet like-minded progressives and get connected to great social justice organizations in Boston. Haven't been to a Socializing for Justice event? It’s time to meet the friendly faces of the group that’s grown to over 2200 members, hosted 145+ events and fostered hundreds of connections since our founding 6 years ago.
Join us if you are ready to go BEYOND ALLIES and build a CROSS-ISSUE PROGRESSIVE MOVEMENT.
January 31st, 2013
6-9pm
Lir Irish Pub & Restaurant
903 Boylston St, Boston, MA
RSVP at www.sojust.org - Newcomers always welcomed!
Cost: $5-$20 collected at the door. Newcomers always welcomed!
(every $10 includes raffle ticket for a $25 Trader Joe's gift card)
Complimentary appetizers will be provided.
THIS IS NOT A MEETING - IT'S A FUN NETWORKING SOCIAL!
No Program. No Speaker. Just Us. For Justice.
As always we'll help you meet people - so no worries if you're new to SoJust, plus we'll have "I'M LOOKING FOR" and "ASK ME ABOUT" tags, a CATALYST CORNER staffed by our amazing STARZ (regular attendees), our wildly popular JOBS BOARD and ACTION STATIONS to make it even more likely you'll find the right connections.
The folks at the Boston City Archives challenge you to say where and when this Boston photo was taken. See it larger (and in stereoscope mode).
The Boston Fire Department reports that for the second year in a row, "the City of Boston recorded the lowest number of fire deaths for large cities nationwide."
In 2012, only one person died in a fire in Boston, compared to 12 in Baltimore, 25 in Philadelphia, 8 in Milwaukee, 6 in Phoenix and 7 in Washington, DC.
Rex Trailer's death last week got Maureen Rogers to reminiscing about all the other characters who greeted kids on Boston TV stations in the 1960s.
I also liked Salty Brine, who wore a sea captain hat and sat around in a fisherman's shack, and had and showed Jasper Jinx cartoons.
Everybody has stories about Boston driving. What's yours? What's the funniest, most amazing, worst, most romantic (yes, it can happen!) thing that's happened to you in a car in the Boston area?
The best story submitted by 6 p.m. on Thursday wins a pair of tickets for this Saturday to the New England International Auto Show at the South Boston convention center.
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[/float]Hello Kitty is the unofficial mascot for Bostonians For Less Lethal Gun Violence, a loosely knit gun safety coalition.
Good read on Hitlers progression & abuses of German gun laws stephenhalbrook.com/article-nazila… We must fight to the death for 2nd Amendment #mapoli
— Norsu (@Norsu2) January 11, 2013
Seems people want to know:
Q) Is it okay to smoke a "joint" while waiting on the platform for my train?
No.Q) Is it okay to smoke a "joint" while riding on the bus with my friends?
No.
Confirmed flu cases (l) and rates of ER visits for flu-like symptoms. Source: BPHC.
City statistics for the week ending Jan. 5 show Roxbury and Hyde Park had the highest percentage of emergency-room visits due to flu-like symptoms while Charlestown had the highest per-capita number of confirmed flu cases. The latest Boston Public Health Commission flu report shows a total of 750 confirmed flu cases city wide for this flu season - 231 of them since Dec. 31. Most are Influenza A with a small number of Influenza B cases.
On Wednesday, Mayor Menino declared a public-health emergency in part because health-care facilities are now at or near capacity. One out of four of the confirmed cases have been among people who had to be hospitalized; four people have died.
Neighborhood health centers are running free flu-shot clinics for Boston residents this weekend and next week.
The Boston Licensing Board is warning bars with food-serving licenses they better start serving up food with their booze.
Several bars across the city got warnings from the board this week after police detectives cited them for possessing food-serving licenses without serving food. At a series of hearings on Tuesday, a police detective testified that, in some cases, bar workers admitted they hadn't served food regularly in years.
The city plans to ring the phones - more than half belonging to senior citizens - following yesterday's declaration of a public-health emergency. A transcript:
Hi. This is Dr. Anita Barry calling from the Boston Public Health Commission. Yesterday, Mayor Menino declared a public health emergency because of the high number of influenza cases in the City of Boston.
Residents who have not already been vaccinated against influenza this year are urged to get vaccinated by calling their doctor, or visiting a nearby community health center during a free vaccination clinic.
A man with a record that includes convictions for armed assault with intent to murder and assault with a dangerous weapon was arrested early yesterday on weapons and drug charges after police spotted the car he was in weaving and ignoring a traffic signal, the Suffolk County District Attorney's office reports.
Silas Rankins, 33, was a passenger in a car stopped around 3 a.m. on Howland Street, the DA's office says:
Rex Trailer in Wakefield on July 4, 2008. Photo by Mark Sardella. Used under this CC license.
Associated Press reports that Rex Trailer died yesterday in Florida. He was 84.
Why, some are rolling up their sleeves and getting flu shots (although probably not in Somerville) on air. And then shooting footage of their syringes.
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