US – Tuesday, February 9
The Senate’s Weak Health Care Bill
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid “got to 60” at 1:08 yesterday morning, clearing a key Republican hurdle and keeping the Senate’s version of a health care reform bill on track for passage before Christmas.
 
Patrick jumps on jobs bandwagon
As Washington leaders work furiously on national job creation legislation, their Beacon Hill counterparts are now doing the same. Tomorrow, Gov. Deval Patrick is expected to detail plans that include offering a $2,500 tax credit for every new job a small business adds — a move that could wind up creating 20,000 positions.
 
DeLeo wants house troops to go retail
Speaker Robert DeLeo has a message for the seven score or so House Democrats who will try to get reelected in the fall: Scram.
 
Will a two-phase plan ever finish?
For years, Somerville and Medford residents have anxiously awaited the Green Line's extension into their transit-deprived neighborhoods. But now it’s a question of how far the MBTA line will actually go.
 
For a really good time, call ahead
As Marvin Gaye so beautifully sang, “Let’s get it on.” Who are we to disagree, especially with so many smoochable spots to enjoy Valentine’s Day? It doesn’t have to cost the earth, either. 
 
[not too shabby]
“[title of show]” is a silly, little show filled with nudge- nudge, wink-wink moments and enough self-congratulations to make a Hollywood award show look like a spiritually-driven mission of mercy. And though there’s been a dearth of musicals that proclaim, “look at us, we’re a musical making fun of musicals,” there’s something fresh and oddly charming about this one.
 
Beanpot on its way back to the Heights
The outdoor game at Fenway Park last month went to Boston University.
 
What’s next for the Bruins?
After 10 agonizing games filled with near-misses, bad breaks and downright sloppy play, the Bruins ended their epic losing streak with a cathartic win on Sunday. Now that the distraction of that brutal run is over, here’s what to look for as the Bruins go forward:

 
T time
What to do and where to go. 
 
Updated 23:49, November the 25th, 2007
 

Need T info? Try TXT

Pilot program sends text messages, e-mails on delays to commuters

BOSTON. Commuters fed up with rushing to make their trains and arriving to find they are actually delayed, have a new tool to make their lives more convenient.

Beginning this week, the MBTA is launching a pilot program that will allow riders to subscribe online to a service that offers real-time text messages and e-mails about subway, train, bus and ferry delays.

The MBTA is one of the first transit agencies in the country to launch this subscription-based service; the New York transit system announced earlier this month they were implementing a similar service.

“A lot of customers go to our Web site before they leave to go home, but if they’re out and about they don’t know of delays,” said MBTA General Manager Daniel Grabauskas. “Even if you are running an errand after work or dropping the kids off at school and then heading to the train, this will give you real-time information on any delay greater than 15 minutes.”

The alerts can be sent to an e-mail address, cell phone, pager or personal digital assistant (PDA).

On Wednesday, the first 3,000 people who subscribe on the T’s Web site will be part of the pilot program, which is expected to last a few weeks. Then, after hearing commuter feedback through the Web site, the service will be launched system wide, Grabauskas said. It can accommodate hundreds of thousands of users, he said.

The T entered into the $86,000, two-year contract with a California-based company a few months ago, and has been testing the system internally.

The service offers subscribers the opportunity to receive information on three different lines, and on escalator and elevator interruptions along those lines. When subscribing, the user can choose what hours of the day they want the notifications so they aren’t inundated with messages that aren’t useful, said Grabauskas.

The service will be free, but people who are signing up for text messages will be charged from their cell-phone provider the normal text message rate.

 
 
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MMMpod
The February MMMpod features conversation from Ozzy Osbourne. Michael Emerson from "Lost" tells us about his days enjoying punk rock in Boston. We also dig up an old interview from the late great Howard Zinn. We have a song from Delta Spirit and The Soft Pack, who tell us where they got their name.