US – Friday, July 30
Arlington graves may be mixed up
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier has just gotten quite a bit of company: As many as 6,600 graves at the country’s hallowed Arlington National Cemetery for fallen U.S. service members may be mislabeled, one lawmaker said on Thursday.
 
WikiLeaks founder defends war posts
Julian Assange, founder of the website that published more than 91,000 secret U.S. military reports from Afghanistan, says he’s revealing injustices. President Barack Obama says he’s concerned that disclosure of sensitive information may harm military operations.
 
Short-term living in Jersey City
Subletting in NYC typically involves some kind of covert transaction. Try to find a budget traveler who hasn’t enjoyed the risk of Craigslist’s lease-free rentals. But thanks to a bill Gov. David Paterson signed into law last Friday, renting an apartment for less than 30 days isn’t kosher. Fortunately, there’s a saving grace for those in search of short-term living: Jersey City.
 
Taking a joy ride through Italy
Unless the locals covered you in meatballs and sang “Nessun Dorma” upon arrival, this vacation could hardly be more Italian. For this is a “Vespa vacation” — a two-wheeled tour of the nooks and crannies, the winding back roads and the off-the-beaten-track hidden gems of breathtaking Umbria, a beautiful region located in Central Italy.
 
She’s ready to Crosse the bridge
Telling Liris Crosse that she can’t do something might be a guarantee she will try.
 
Dinner and a movie plus something more
Around the corner from the marquee that bears the name of one of Hollywood’s founding fathers, Marcus Loew, and adjacent to one of Boston’s oldest cinemas, the newly restored Paramount, BiNA Osteria’s Cinema Italiano brings benchmark Italian movies (with English subtitles) to Downtown Crossing.  Pair, say, Fellini’s masterful three-hour stunner “La Dolce Vita” with BiNA’s Cinema Italiano three-course prix fixe ($35). Or choose the inky black seafood risotto ($23), which is as dark and decadent as the film’s finale. Next up: “Johnny Stecchio.”
 
Rabbis, controversy, and jail time at Chelsea’s wedding
Although facts on the famed Clinton-Mezvinsky wedding, which is rumored to happen this weekend, are tighter than Hillary Clinton’s smile, some details have leaked out. Sources report that groom Marc Mezvinsky  has “hurt” his father’s family by not inviting them to the wedding (Ed Mezvinsky pleaded guilty in 2002 to swindling investors out of $10 million.
 
PATRIOT TRAIN
School is in session at Gillette Stadium, where the Patriots kicked off their 2010 training camp Thursday.
 
HOPE THERE, BUT IT'S SLIM
As the clock ticks down to baseball’s trading deadline, the Red Sox don’t appear close to making any splashy moves. Deals can, and often do, come together at the last minute, however, so fans will wait on tenterhooks.
 
Updated 21:58, February the 7th, 2010
 
 

Will a two-phase plan ever finish?

Green Line grows

A look at the impact of the new Green Line extension:

  • The project stands to cost $932 million by the time it’s constructed.
  • The extension will add an expected 7,900 daily systemwide transit trips.
  • Lechmere station will be relocated across McGrath Highway.
  • The extension also includes a separate spur to Union Square in Somerville.
  • The location of a new maintenance facility has sparked community uproar in Brickbottom area of Somerville.
 

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.

State officials and advocates agree the project, a legal obligation as mitigation for the Big Dig, is critical. But financial constraints have forced splitting it into two phases, the first stretching only to College Avenue in Medford by 2014.

That has left some transit advocates frustrated over how long it will take, if ever, to build out to Route 16 — which they say could reach thousands of more riders. Further concerns include how long the College Avenue stop — in a more residential area — will serve as the terminus, as well as the need for more complete designs of a Route 16 stop.

“It’s totally impractical to do that in two phases,” added Ken Krause of the Medford Green Line Neighborhood Alliance.

Somerville Alderman Rebekah Gewirtz agreed and stressed the need for maximum air quality benefits.

MassDOT acknowledged it prefers the line to end at Route 16 and still aspires to meet that goal. Officials pointed to potential “flex” funding that could become available between 2016 and 2020 to complete the second phase.

 
 
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MMMpod
In the July MMMpod, Young Veins talk about breaking away from Panic! at the Disco, Keith Lockhart talks about Buckwheat Zydeco throwing the Boston Pops for a loop, Zooey Deschanel talks about how Roy Orbison inspired a She & Him song, Derek Miller of Sleigh Bells talks about how awesome Funkadelic is, and we talk about how awesome Jimmy Cliff is, who in turn talks about Sam Cooke and divine intervention. An explosive show for July! Oh yeah, and we also test your knowledge of America songs in the MMMPod medley.