May 2008 Archives

One of my favorite scenes from "High Fidelity" is when Jack Black accuses John Cusack of wearing a Cosby sweater. I doubt Cusack was being ironic when he wore the ill-fitting striped sweater at his record store. He had just lost his girlfriend, and apparently, his fashion sense.

The term "Cosby sweater" is used to describe a garish male sweater that conjures images of Bill Cosby in the hit '80s sitcom "The Cosby Show."

The sweater has experienced its own revolution in recent years. The fifth annual National Cosby Sweater Day will occur Jan. 20, 2009 to celebrate a garment whose "powers are too unfathomable to comprehend in mere words. Normal humans are reduced to wide-eyed gawkers at the woven menagerie of bright hues and visionary patterns."

So if you want your very own Cosby sweater and don't want to scour the basement racks in your local hipster consignment shop, three pullover Cosby sweaters will be auctioned on eBay next month, Bloomberg reports.

Opening bids start at $5,000 per sweater, according to Bloomberg. I guess irony comes at a high cost.

Posted May 28, 5:56 p.m.

Whoa, whoa, wait...am I reading this right?  Did the CTA take responsibility for something within the same day that it happened? 

Check this Tribune article about the Green Line derailment out and tell me if I should get a refund on my Lasik surgery.

At any rate, it appears that the CTA -- which has been getting better about speeding up its explanations about accidents like today's Green Line derailment -- is copping up to its role in the incident-- the same day it happened.  You may want to sit down for this one.

To summarize, CTA President Ron Huberman himself spoke of a preliminary finding, acknowledging that it appears a motorman, with 31 years experience, took the train through a red signal  "causing an emergency device at trackside to stop the train automatically," the Tribune reported.

For CTA cynics, this might be more of a d'oh moment...of course you should 'fess up if you've done something wrong, but this development is a far cry from Huberman's immediate reaction to April's Blue Line derailment when he blamed some of the problem -- and botched evacuation -- on riders who took matters into their own hands and escaped the trains sans isntruction.

It seems the CTA has learned a few transit tricks from its previous experience.  But does this admission make you feel any safer or better about traveling on the "L" post-derailment, or are you looking for another way to work/school tomorrow?

Were you on the Green Line train that derailed today?  Was your commute directly affected by this harrowing incident?  Feel free to share your experiences here.  I know I've got some Green Line posters based on response to this earlier item on shoddy service.

In the meantime, here's the latest news and service instructions on the development, courtesy of the CTA.

Earlier today, a southbound Green Line train derailed at the 59^th Street junction on the south branch of the Green Line.  Service is currently suspended both northbound and southbound from the Garfield/55th station to Ashland/63^rd and East 63^rd/Cottage Grove.

CTA will continue to operate bus shuttle service in both directions as a substitute for Green Line service from Garfield/55^th to Ashland/63^rd, and from Garfield/55^th to Cottage Grove/East 63^rd.

For the evening rush, Green Line service will operate normally in both directions between Garfield/55th and the Loop.  There will be no Green Line service south of Garfield/55^th.

A few girlfriends and I spent girls night last Thursday at a Bucktown bar typically known for its outdoor patio and large TVs to showcase sporting events.

But Thursday night the bar also became known for the man-date: two men drinking beer and chatting over candlelight with no female companions in sight.

I watched several of these man-dates and noticed that the men often drank dark beer and sat across from each other at a table for four. They did not get up to flirt with ladies and no women sat with them.

Were these unfolding bromances? I wrote a story a few months ago about the bromance, the unsexual bond shared between two heterosexual men.

Men embroiled in a bromance told me they often express their devotion with a hug, a compliment on their friend's body or outfit, or an "I love you, man." These companions say they act as a couple on platonic "dates" to dinner, a movie or a bar.

But there are rules to these man-dates. So if you're in a bromance, get with the brogram.

>> Never bail on your buddy. In "Superbad," Seth carries a drunk Evan out of the party as the police raid the bash.

>> Don't act like a brophylactic. Be a wing man for your buddy like the duo in "Sideways." Never fight over a girl.

>> If you're celebrating a special "broccasion," do it at a "breastaurant" like Hooters, said Daniel Maurer, who wrote a book about guy-speak. No white tablecloths.

>> Make sure to eat dude food: "Do the Dew, not fondue," Maurer said.

>> "Don't hesitate to indulge in brostalgia, the nostalgic retelling of good times you've had with your bro," especially before he was married, Maurer said.

>> When bonding, stay safely in the testoster-zone with topics like sports and scantily clad women, Maurer recommends.

>> Always cave in to "beer pressure: the pressure your peers put on you to have just one more beer before you go," Maurer said.

Do you agree with this brotocol? Do you think it's unfair that men are singled out for this behavior but two females chatting over candlelight, sans men, don't garner stares?

Posted May 29, 8:50 p.m.

There's nothing wrong with a CTA rant.  It helps us blow off CTA steam after a super slow commute, close encounter with an ornery operator, or getting splashed by a subway puddle of who-knows-what. 

But there is no excuse for the race-based rants that occasionally enter the "Going Public" inbox.  They start in the usual fed-up rider format, but then delve into tirades about Latinos doing this, whites doing that, Asians doing this, and blacks doing the other...

Each time, I've tried to explain to the offensive e-mailer that gross generalizations won't do anyone any good.  More importantly, haven't we all realized by now that CTA stupidity is raceless, classless and gender-less? 

Apparently not, as two eagle-eyed riders sent me the same racially charged post from Craig's List.  Though it pained me to read it, it pays to know what some ignorant people are thinking.  That's why I'm sharing it with you.  Check out this foolishness from a poster who sounds like he or she could use some grammar lessons as well as a stint in a racial sensitivity seminar. 

The post is titled "Why do blacks run from one CTA car to another?"

...one hand holding the crotchof His His Baggy Gang Banger Pants He runs from this car to the next Car to the front of the Train to the last car of the Train than He takes a look through the glass of the Train Car (could He be trying to make sure thre are no Police? (He dosent have to worry about doing that! the Police are at Duncan Donuts!) And go ahead folks, feel free to light up a Ciggarette or a joint...the Police dont seem interested in having under cover Detectives on the CTA Trains. The Uniformed Police are a total Joke! all the Uniformed CTA Police do, is Arrest Homeless People for having alcoholic Beverages in there Bags, or Drinking on the Train, or sleeping on the Train. If You go to the 95th Street CTA "end of the Line" stop, between 2:00 and 4:00 You can enjoy watching the brave Private Security Guards of the anti Homeless Squad kick the Homeless off of the train! I's fun to listen to the "spanglish" speaking Lateno Security Guards tell the Homeless "You not supposed to be here!" "You gotta pay again! Do You unner-stan Me?" At least I have a Job and an Apartment. The Homeless Bums that ride the CTA seem for the most part rather well behaved. (smelly yes, but well behaved.) The Criminal element appears to be (generaly) well dressed (in clean looking Gang atire)Young, Male and Black. I have seen vary Young Black Children running from one car to the next (with no Adult) after 12:00 Midnite. Dose the CTA and the Chicago Police Department prefer to ignore the problem because it is overwhemingly BLACK? O.k. now: 1: Criticize My Spelling, punctuation and grammar. 2:Call Me a "Racist" or a "Hater" 3: Flag this Post.

How about introducing option #4? Ban this obnoxious Archie Bunker from further written communication as well as riding the rails and routes. 

The CTA is a mass transit  melting pot, making it a bigger shame that people insist on bringing their ignorance onboard along with their overstuffed backpacks.

I was reading the Chicago Tribune editorial page Friday morning as I killed time before my flight from Rockford to Miami. One of the words in the editorial about slow airport travelers caught my eye: meanderthal.

About a half an hour later I became very familiar with meanderthals, travelers who take their sweet time getting through the airport security line.

I waited as one woman wearing an embroidered cowboy shirt decided between putting the hairspray or the deodorant in her overfilled plastic bag.

I waited as parents tried to corral their children and prevent them from running around the metal detector.

I waited as travelers fumbled with their belts and shoes and the keys and coins they forgot to take out of their pocket.

Oh, and by the way, the Rockford airport only has one security line.

Midway Airport recently instituted a system to try to ease the security lines, according to the Chicago Tribune. There are three lines: one for families, beginners and other meanderthals; another for intermediate and casual travelers; and a third line for expert travelers.

I haven't tried the Midway system yet, but sign me up if it means bypassing all the meanderthals. Should all airports institute the Midway system?

Posted May 27, 8:26 a.m.
Hello there, public transit peepz.  Hope you enjoyed a nice, long weekend and maybe even some good grilling.  Now, it's back to bus and train business.

It's been about two months since the CTA allowed regular riders to join its Mystery Shopper program, evaluating areas of the CTA from cleanliness to on-time service and even employee attitudes.

Since then, over 2,000 filled-in surveys have been submitted, according to Adam Case, the agency's head of customer information who talked to me for today's "Going Public" column.  He also told me that the results of these rider write-ins have been turned into reports being e-mailed, mailed and posted online at transitchicago.com this week, so keep your eyes peeled.

But for those of you who like immediate gratification, I've got a sneak peek of what the CTA will be sending out.   Check out this screen shot I captured last night.  It's a page from their two-page report on the rails.   

In short, it  -- as well as the bus report -- details top concerns and kudos written about by riders, as well as initiatives the CTA has undertaken to solve pervasive public transit problems. 

So how much promise do you see in this program? Are you impressed by this information, or are you still a skeptical shopper?

I'm all ears....well, eyes.

Posted May 23 at 9 a.m.

"Going Public," for one, is glad to see the CTA get advertising of any sort.  For me, it means more mass transit for everyone.  Plus, some bus and train wraps -- especially if they are of a vivid color -- make the aging equipment look a bit better.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not for ads plastered everywhere like a scene from some sci fi movie, but it seems justifiable for the beleaguered agency to catch as catch can.  We want the agency to rope in revenue, through a variety of streams from increased ridership to advertising deals.

But there is such a thing as over-advertising, according to a Rogers Park rider, who is lamenting the loss of his view out of the bus window:

It’s bad enough that the CTA is forced to sell its walls to advertisers to cover what should be paid by public funds (and taken from corporations through taxes). But now they are selling our windows?! Not only do we have to grovel in Springfield every year (while Daley feigns innocence) for what should be the first item on any budget, but advertisers now add insult to humiliating injury, offering us a devil’s bargain. In exchange for still-underfunded service, we give up our rights to look out the window. Have we really sunk so low? Has the corporate colonization of the earth really gone so far that no inch of glass or ounce of dignity is free? Outrage.

Joseph Grim

Feinberg
Rogers Park

What do you think?  Is there such a thing as too much advertising on the CTA?  For example, are you CTA spooked by holographic images in tunnels or possible ads on "L" car video screens? 

Or are you of the opinion that anything goes, advertising-wise anyway, as long as the result is more green for mass transit?

Posted May 22 at 12:53 p.m.

Desperately seeking a social security card and driver's license. 

Please check out this plea and post any information that might help reconnect a woman with her wallet. 

Yes, it's a long shot, but there's always hope, right?

So, here goes:

My wife’s wallet was stolen around the North/Clyborn stop on a southbound Redline train around 8:45AM this morning.  It is a black microfiber DKNY wallet with a silver clasp and a silver zipper.  She was able to cancel all the credit cards but she’s hoping that she can get her license and social security card back somehow.  If it is found email her @ kjs65@comcast.net.

Posted May 22 at 8:49 a.m.

Feeling a little rail rage?  If so, you've got something in common with a Green Line rider who seemingly has had it up to here with the emerald-hued route and some of its stations.  He writes:

"So, what's up with the Green line, that runs once after five Orange and four Pinks? Why do the South-side riders have to wait so long for the trains? There are really not that many people going to Midway that the Orange line needs to run every 3 minutes -- it's ridiculous! What a slap in the face to all the Green line riders to have to sit through this humiliation! We are paying customers, too. I leave my office at 5:00 pm on the dot and by the time I sit down on a Green line train, the first one to show up arrives at 5:27pm. Something needs to change. This system needs to be set up more equitably.

Another reason I'm writing is, can't the CTA spend a little money on restroom facilities at the L train stations? I am so sick and tired of getting on the elevator and there is literally no place to stand except in a puddle of pee. Aren't there enough brilliant people working for the CTA that can come up with a solution to this problem? Unfortunately for me, the stairs are not an option, and I don't always feel like getting run down by the cattle drive on the escalators, especially if no one can get past me."

For the puddling 'vators, the CTA is seeking a solution, in the form of rubber flooring that forms a seal to prevent seepage and can also easily be mopped up.  Nobody wants to ride in an outhouse that goes up and down. 

I'll check into the progress of this CTA situation, but in the meantime:  How big a mess is the Green Line, South Siders?  And if so, what is your biggest Green Line gripe?

A co-worker and I got into an argument earlier this week about the definition of canoodle. The word is often used by tabloids to describe relations between celebrities.

My co-worker said physical interaction such as hugging or kissing has to occur between two people to be considered canoodling. I believe that no physical interaction is necessary. A couple can be canoodling if they lean in close and whisper to each other. You don't need to touch to canoodle.

Canoodle tops Bestweekever's no-no list of words that only exist in gossip magazines.

The rest of Bestweekever's list and links to examples:

>> 10. Beau: actual or unconfirmed boyfriend, often qualified with "new"

>> 9. Bod: body, usually a hot one, on display

>> 8. Item: noteworthy enough couple; information of value, sometimes "juicy" or "blind"

>> 7. Crooner: singer of R&B and/or vague, uncategorizable music; "American Idol" contestant

>> 6. Pix: plural for "pictures," typically unsolicited or raunchy

>> 5. Pop Tard: hilarious breakfast pastry-related nickname for very public, troubled female musicians

>> 4. Dish: to relay personal or inappropriate information

>> 3. Tipster: anonymous individual who feeds firsthand information to gossip press; nobody

>> 2. Baby Bump: visible sign of female pregnancy, usually speculative

>> 1. Canoodling: to snuggle affectionately, or just to be in the same building or city as one another. Almost exclusively used in participle form

Bestweekever honorable mentions: C-lister, popwreck, hubby, celebutard, celebuspawn, rep, spies, prenup, exclusive, Cloud 9, retracted, mommyhood

Tracy's honorable mentions: Bromance (used in the incorrect form), sizzle, exclamation points

What are your honorable mentions?

Posted May 21, 1:42 p.m.

It's a serious subject, and one that I've heard about from riders over the years: sexual harassment and even assault on the CTA.  But it appears that a group is trying to do something about it, or at least call more attention to the issue.  Check out this note from the Roger's Park Young Women's Action Team.

Earlier this year, one of our members came into our office and announced that she "would no longer ride the EL" to get to school.  She had been physically touched by a man on the train and this was not the first time that this had happened.  As she recounted her story, almost every other YWAT member shared a similar incident.  Some young women discussed being verbally harassed, others had been followed, and a few had been physically accosted.  After a couple of "venting" sessions, members decided to do what they do best -- TAKE ACTION against sexual harassment and violence experienced on Chicago's public transit system.  To launch this next campaign, we are hosting a SPEAK OUT event on Thursday May 22nd from 5 to 7 p.m. If you are unable to attend, you can still participate in our action research project by completing the survey at the bottom of this announcement or on our home page (www.youngwomensactionteam.org).

I wrote a story about this a year ago, and heard suggested solutions from adding another person to the train staff (as in years before) or a stronger police presence on buses and trains.  Have you ever been assaulted, sexually or otherwise, on the CTA?  Share your stories, or any solutions you can think of.  Also let me know if you will attend this event tomorrow evening?

Posted May 21, 8:26 a.m.
Is the CTA performing up to par? We know—we're opening a can of worms. So let's just focus on how the agency evaluates itself. In Tuesday's "Going Public," columnist Kyra Kyles detailed and judged the agency's recent upgrade of its performance metrics on transitchicago.com. The reports—now monthly, rather than quarterly—provide details on CTA ridership, customer service and even bus and train accident rates.

Riders responded with their own assessments of the revamped reports and sounded off on other CTA-related issues.

Agency needs 'green'
Took a look at the CTA's "2008 Performance Metrics" chart. Very impressive looking. But isn't there too much red and yellow in the "efficient" and "on-time" categories? Shouldn't really shock anyone though, should it?

Lots of green numbers in the "ridership" category in February and March, thanks to the eventual state legislature bailout after multiple "Doomsdays."

So [there's more] money there, but efficiency and service are not up to par, apparently.
Michael Madsen, 48, Edgewater

'Hubermoon' over
What's the deal with no "L" or subway service in the east part of the Loop [May 10]?

It's easy for Ron [Huberman] to [spread] blame for recent missteps, but this planning blunder falls squarely in his lap. There is no excuse for planning work on both [elevated tracks and subway tracks] at the same time. Think it through. What if you're at State and Lake and need to get to the Pink Line? What does someone who's coming from O'Hare do? [That Saturday] morning I saw more confused Cubs fans than ever trying to get to the game, having walked to State Street from the Metra station only to be sent to a closed "L" station and then back to the other side of the Loop. Sadly this has been repeated many times over. The Hubermoon's over.
Nancy Glover, Forest Park

Back it up
How about we make it a rule—that is enforced—that you have to get off in the back of the bus. Nothing is more frustrating than pulling up at a stop and seeing 15 people waiting to get on and having to wait for 15 people to get off first. I constantly see people who are sitting in the back of the bus anyway walk up and push people out of their way to leave from the front door. Why? Get off in the back. While you are getting off, others can be getting on. It just makes sense.
Amanda Kuecherer, 29, Ukrainian Village

Posted May 20, 11:26 a.m.

Oh, our poor public transit peers in New York.  One out of every six elevators and escalators in the subway system was on the blink for more than a month last year, according to transit agency’s data reported on by the New York Times.

When you click on the link, check out the look of sorrow on the repairman's mug, and compare that with the faces of fury and confusion of riders around him.

The CTA for its part, has been working on keeping its elevators and escalators up and running, proudly posting the results in the performance metrics area of transitchicago.com.  Most recent stats show that in March, elevators were working  99.1% and escalators at 97.5% of the time.

Indeed, I don't get as many e-mails about malfunctioning 'vators and escalators along the CTA as I have in years past. 

But have you spotted one at your station lately? 

Or do you agree with the statement that we aren't suffering like our subway brothers and sisters in the Big Apple.

Posted May 19, 11:52 a.m.

Sometimes, CTA riders do dangerous things. 

Waltzing out into a busy street trying to see if a bus is coming. 

Racing up station steps during a rainstorm.  Can we say slip-and-slide?

Don't even get me started on those who casually cross through "L" cars.  I want you to be safe, so I'm going to start calling out reckless riders.

As Ice Cube once famously rapped, "check yourself, before you wreck yourself."

This advice applies to some conduct at the 95th Street stop, which I've personally witnessed, but a concerned citizen even took a photo of it:

Writes Shea Prater from Roseland Heights: "Pedestrians cross in front of cars exiting 94 at 95th all the time. Lots of near misses."

As the photo shows, you do not want to run across this intersection unless you are at the crosswalk. Cars rush right by there, even though there are clear lines.

What are some other unsafe CTA behaviors we need to put a stop to?

Posted May 19, 10:52 a.m.

Bus riders, I'm putting out a red alert on behalf of Dee, who lost her engagement ring on a CTA bus on Friday, May 16. 

Now, ladies, you know it can be tricky to get a committment -- let alone a nice rock -- out of the fellas, so we CANNOT take this loss lightly.

Here are the deets, and please note that Dee is offering a reward.  If anyone has any info, please post below and re-connect this ring to its rightful owner.

Today on the 3:45 bus #192 from the University of Chicago Medical Center to Union Station, I lost my beautiful platinum solitaire engagement ring. I was sitting behind the rear doors (it's a double bus), in the second row, on the right-hand side, facing forward.

My fiance and I are devastated. I have called the CTA lost and found several times and the keep telling me to call back later, which I will. But please, if anybody found my ring, please let me know. Thanks for posting lost-and-founds on your website.

Was anyone else surprised that Ashlee Simpson and Pete Wentz, the couple also known as Pimpson or Ashlete, tied the knot this weekend despite multiple denials they would do just that?

At Ashlentz's wedding, Ashlee's sister Jessica Simpson and Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo were spotted "kissing and holding hands throughout the night," a source told People magazine.

"Jessica & Tony's Wedding Day PDA," People declared in a headline.

PDA stands for public displays of affection such as holding hands or kissing (in public).

A few months ago I wrote a story how comfortable people are with PDA.

Is it OK on trains, at weddings or in the movie theater?

Choosing the wrong public spot to smooch can be the kiss of death. Before you embark on a public tour of booty, know the rules of these popular makeout places.

>> The movie theater: Don't pull a Jerry Seinfeld, who was caught making out during "Schindler's List" in an episode of "Seinfeld." Be discreet. Go to the back of the movie theater, traditionally one of the hottest spots to swap spit, said Michael Christian, author of "The Art of Kissing." But beware that at least one theater company, Regal Entertainment Group, offers patrons a hand-held device to alert management about noisy PDA. The device is available in more than 100 theaters but not in the Chicago area.

>> The airport: Trying to kill time before your flight or find a steamy way to say goodbye? A lengthy PDA may not fly. Karen Pride, a spokeswoman for the city's department of aviation, said Chicago airports adhere to local public indecency laws. In Illinois, an adult caught in a sex act in a public place can face a misdemeanor charge for a first-time offense.

>> The train: What could be more romantic than indulging in some liplock on the "L"? CTA spokeswoman Catherine Hosinski said the CTA does not have a specific policy regarding PDA, though if a customer is uncomfortable because of the actions of other passengers, the customer can approach the operator with a complaint.

How much PDA are comfortable engaging in or witnessing? Where do you fit on the squirmometer?

>> light touching

>> hand holding

>> hugging

>> kissing on the cheek

>> kissing on the lips

>> lengthy makeout

The Washington Post ran a great story this week about how the word "awkward" is used to describe a multitude of situations.

To some, awkward is "that guy in the dorm who is so tall that he sees over shower stalls without even trying." Or awkward is "having dinner with your new girlfriend when your ex-girlfriend and her new girlfriend show up at the same restaurant (you, in this instance, are a he)."

The Post also detailed some awkward variations, or awkwords as I call them:

>> Gawkward: Being caught staring at a woman’s cleavage.

>> Stalkward: Getting busted loitering outside your ex’s building.

>> Spockward: Running into someone you know at a totally dorky location.

>> Jockward: The social agony particular to gym class.

>> Rorschachward: Unintentionally revealing something embarrassing about your psyche.

>> Barackward: Learning that a friend supports Clinton, after you’ve put an Obama sticker on his shirt.

Here are some of my awkwords:

>> Docward: Uncomfortable experiences in a doctor's office can include putting on a gown backward or running into a friend while carrrying embarrassing prescriptions.

>> Lockward: When you get locked out of your house and you're forced to call a neighbor or your ex for keys.

>> Frockward: Showing up to a party wearing the same dress as a friend.

>> Clockward: Being embarrassingly late.

>> Sockward: Getting caught wearing two different socks.

>> Hawkward: Sporting a faux-hawk, pony-hawk or foie-hawk.

What are some of your awkwords? What are some situations you find awk-ward?

Last night I screened "Journey to the Center of the Earth" with fellow RedEye blogger Curt Wagner of Show Patrol fame.

The 3-D movie is slated to be released in July, according to imdb.com. Brendan Fraser, who plays a scientist in the movie, and director Eric Brevig are touring the country showing the movie and answering audience questions.

Last night at the Chicago stop, movie-goers asked whether more films will embrace 3-D technology like "Journey to the Center of the Earth." How would someone watch a 3-D movie at home?, one woman in the audience asked.

"Will the day come when we call them the flatties?," Fraser said, referring to movies not made in 3-D.

In the last year, I've enjoyed watching Fraser's movie and "Beowulf" in 3-D in the theaters but I wouldn't want to don Buddy Holly glasses just to watch films in my home. I don't think the 3-D would have the same effect in a non-theater setting. Brevig said 3-D friendly TVs are being manufactured.

3-D television that doesn't require the viewer to wear glasses could be a reality in five years, the London Telegraph reported in February.

Would you like to watch 3-D at home? Or would you prefer to watch a flatty?

Posted May 16, 11:27 a.m.

As you know, I love a good rider letter.  That's why I had to immediately post this rant I received this morning from a rider named Brandie Renae.  She absolutely went off on the CTA today after some serious mass transit miscommunication.  Check out what she has to say, and let me know if you've ever had a similar experience. Ready, set, vent!

"WHAT.THE.HELL!!??!  I walk all the way up to the Lunt entrance of the Morse stop....scan my card (PAY) at 6:15am ...  go up to the platform and walk to where I normally catch the train, and wait....and watch .... as an *EMPTY* Redline train - zooms by on the OUT-SIDE-TRACK!!... EMPTY .... it was.... EMPTY!!!  I have to be TO WORK at 7:30am (not later than).  I say, out loud "what the HELL?!!?" a gentleman waiting on the other side of the platform answers me.  "The trains aren't stopping here today - we have to ride to Howard and then catch the train downtown"  Funny -- nothing was posted on the website -- there are no signs on the UN-MANNED entrance of the station, there were no "oh yeah by the way -- you need alternate plans" notices posted anywhere -- even in the Red Eye; god forbid it be mentioned on the "commuting" segment of the Morning TV news.........I reply "how do you know?"  "oh, they announced it a little bit ago over the sound system".....  Yet - the entire time it took me to walk from the Lunt entrance to the opposite end of the platform - I heard the "mic cuing" noise - but no announcement. I've gone to the Howard station before -- that station is the largest mishmash of disorganization I have ever encountered in trying to get *anywhere*.  Workers standing in clusters chatting, laughing...doing nothing...I rarely see any actual - REAL work being done by anyone NOT wearing a hard hat. It LITERALLY takes me 45 MINUTES....to get from MORSE....to SOUTH BOULEVARD!!!  Anyway, I quickly do the math, based on personal past experience and realize that, if I want to get to work -- ON TIME -- I have to run back up to Sheridan Road, and catch.....A CAB to downtown (a $25 ride) !! (this, on TOP of ... paying $2 to get INTO the Morse Stop)  Furious, much?  yes.  I can honestly say I am livid. I know this letter is tantamount to screaming in a hurricane....there's already so much ignored 'noise' it's not going to affect anything to make any change; it'll just be added to the other screaming going on.  Lily Tomlin did a character back in the 70's ... it was a spoof of the Phone Company in those days - Large, bloated, ineffective - but; "the only game in town" ... the painfully true comment I remember most? "We're the Phone Company - we don't care ...We don't have to" ..."We're the CTA ... We don't care, We don't have to"....hm...  somehow - it fits."

Posted May 14, 3:01 p.m.

Red Line riders, pained by slow zones and the work to cure slow zones, rejoice! 

The CTA is stepping up work to improve your public transit plight, according to an announcement from their board meeting earlier today.  According to a Trib story about how they will accomplish this fantastic feat six months earlier than projected, they will spend a lil' extra money in the hopes of reaping more ridership as a reward. 

So how have slow zones made your life a one-way track to hell?  Share, share.  Do you think the CTA will get 'er done in six months, or is it a public transit pipe dream?

Posted May 14, 12:15 p.m.

Outsourcing.

It's a touchy topic and trend that has entered our American society, with more and more companies handing off duties and responsibilities to employees outside of this country. 

Some welcome this as part of growing globalization while others see it as a negative force, bleeding America of industry and jobs.

But I have to say, outsourcing seems to be a solution for some riders, most recently a customer named "Tim" who has boldly suggested another type of outsourcing: handing the CTA over to another country.

Tim says:

"The RTA should be handed over to whoever runs the system in Tokyo, Germany or another country/city who are able to run their systems competently. At least bring in advisers from those systems to help guide the RTA to competency. It is crazy that the US/Chicago is so far behind everyone else.The systems in Japan are amazing... Why aren't ours?"

Excellent question, and in "Going Public" discussions with CTA President Ron Huberman, he has told me he is modeling mass transit improvements and features after cities in other nations, including Shanghai.  A little closer to home, I always point out Washington D.C. as a train that serves, as OutKast might call it, the "prototype" of public transit.

This goes out to all my traveling transit buddies:  Give me some best-class examples of transit you've seen in other cities -- outside or inside the nation.  What should the CTA adopt from those places?  Me, I'd love to see a rough-and-tough CTA-originated police force a la Washington D.C.   

H/T to my mother, who alerted to me to today's phrase of the day, house party.

There seems to be some controversy about the meaning of this phrase, which was used in describing Jenna Bush's wedding last weekend.

Jenna's twin sister Barbara served as maid-of-honor and 14 other females served as attendants, according to various news accounts.

Forbes calls these attendants the "house party." "That's 'Southern' for bridesmaids," Lela Rose, the New York-based designer who designed the dresses for the house party, told Forbes.

But others disagree. Chatter on message boards indicates that the house party is a group of women who aren't a part of the ceremony but contribute to the wedding preparations so their feelings aren't hurt.

I have been a maid-of-honor once and a bridesmaid once. In both cases, females outside the bridal party pitched in with last-minute help with the wedding and the shower.

Since women who stand up in a wedding are called bridesmaids or attendants, I think house party should be the term given to the friends who help with the wedding details but don't take part in the ceremony.

What do you think? Check out my story about a Chicago woman who has been a bridesmaid 33 times.

Posted May 13, 5:15 p.m.

Today, I enjoyed a leisurely bus ride with minimal cell phone chatter, a friendly bus operator and no trouble with my Chicago Card. 

But enough about me, what happened during your commute?  Share the good and the bad. CTA employees, feel free to weigh in as well.  Aren't we all just one big dysfunctional family, after all?

Whatever it is, I want to hear about your ride, so post it.  Particularly stirring statements could end up in the paper.  Check out some "ripped from the blog" comments in tomorrow's "Hey, CTA!"

With no further ado, fill 'er up!

I noticed that political fundraiser Tony Rezko, the defendant in a federal corruption trial, recently shaved off his bushy moustache.

A couple of months ago I wrote a story about how facial hair is back, but some critics said men with stubble aren't taken seriously.

There are more job opportunities for clean-shaven men, especially in this volatile job market, said Corey Greenberg, editor and creator of shaveblog.com.

"Beards are not back," said Greenberg, a former Pilsen resident who lives in New York. "You deserve to come over and repave my driveway if you have a beard. That's the kind of job you should expect."

Perhaps Rezko was afraid his facial hair wouldn't help his cause. Nevertheless, celebrity fuzz is all the buzz. Here's a look at the facial divide:

>> Viggo Mortensen at the Oscars
The cut: Bush League
Popular with: Explorers, adventurers and world travelers

>> Bulls forward Drew Gooden
The cut: Newcomber
Popular with: Men who don't have time to shave because they are settling into new jobs

>> Johnny Depp at the Oscars
The cut: Goatee grunge
Popular with: Bad boys and men who go to demon barbers

>> Abraham Lincoln
The cut: Hairy Prairie
Popular with: Civil War buffs and men looking for emancipation from shave products

>> Seth Rogen at the Oscars
The cut: Manhood growmance
>> Popular with: The post-pubescent crowd and gamers too busy to shave

>> Conan O'Brien's strike scruff
The cut: Playoff beard
Popular with: Hockey players, mountain men and men who have completely given up

>> Santa Claus
The cut: Cheer genius
Popular with: Tim Allen and men spreading holiday spirit

Posted May 13, 4:05 p.m.

Update: May 14, 11:08 a.m.:

CTA's head of Customer Information, Adam Case, e-mailed me back in response to questions about a glitch in the Mystery Shopper survey, i.e.: the No. 134 Stockton/LaSalle Express being MIA from the Mystery Shopper dropdown box (see image below) and the fact that the buses are arranged alphabetically on Mystery Shopper survey, rather than numerically by route.

Here's what Adam said:

"This was a good catch by your writer, the 134 was missing. As of 7 pm, that route is available for mystery shopping. Please apologize to any 134 riders you are in contact with, we definitely want their feedback! I also went through all of the other available routes and did not see any others that were missing, if you have heard of any others could you please let me know As for the listing of bus routes, I believe our goal was to provide the routes in a very accessible format so all riders, even mystery shoppers on a new route for the first time, or new or casual riders, would be able to identify what they were traveling on if they caught only the route name (or in many cases, what street they were traveling on) and not the route number (of course the number is also there for them to identify that way if they prefer). However, this is one I'd definitely be interesting in hearing feedback from your writers about, as we are continuously making improvements both to the mystery shopping program, and to the information we post on our website, and it would be great to hear what people prefer so we can improve accordingly."

Let Adam and his team know what you think of the Mystery Shopper survey and I'll forward them along.  More posts please.

A rider just wrote in to me with a tiny bus bone to pick with the CTA's Mystery Shopper survey. 

Before we get into this, first of all, I commend the agency for introducing Mystery Shopper, a long-overdue program that allows garden-variety riders to secret shop on the system and report their findings -- good and bad-- via an online survey.  Presumably, these findings will result in fixes.  Niiiiiice.

But as the rider points out, it is a bit odd that when you are filling it out, the bus numbers are alphabetically organized by route name...rather than numerically arranged by route number, as it is on the CTA's online bus schedule.  For example, you'd have to go to a dropdown box and select "King Drive-3," rather than 3 King Drive on the bus schedule.

"It seems like they went through the painful exercise of "translating" the existing database of bus routes and never matched the two lists. So much for trying to improve the service..."

Making matters worse, there is a route number missing from the drop down window, as the astute rider pointed out: the No. 134 Stockton/LaSalle. 

Is anyone else mystery shopping for mass transit?  See any mistakes?  Or what tweaks would you like to see to make it easier, more efficient?

Posted May 8, 11:57 a.m.

It's no great surprise that Google is a to-die-for tool when it comes to finding useless information.  Just a few clicks and you can find old friends, obscure song lyrics, or the fate of that high school biology teacher who gave you a C- for refusing to dissect that frog. 

You can even use it for travel, and a little while back, the CTA signed on with Google Transit in an attempt to make travel easier.  But it's not exactly working out for everyone.  Here's a comment from a rider who isn't too ga ga over Google when it comes to CTA directions.

Alan Ferguson of Andersonville writes:

Please bring back the old trip planner on the website or improve the one from [Google].
1. It doesn't give you the option of trains only or buses only.
It gives you two or three ways to get somewhere but what if both options aren't viable? I don't want to take three buses when I could take a train. I tried to piece together my own schedule but the PDF train and bus schedules don't give exact times when the trains or buses arrive/leave. Even if you don't want to give exact times, give approximate times ... Something, anything. Not this "Every 7 to 10 minutes" business. Let me get my slide rule and my graphing calculator so I can figure multiples of 8 for when I will arrive at a certain station or when I need to get to a certain station.
It's a massive headache to try to get the Google planner to do what you want. The old one was really easy and user friendly so please bring it back.

So what's the verdict, riders?  Is Google helpful for your CTA travels? If so, give our Andersonville friend your best tip on how to get around using these techno tools.

Say it ain't so, Jennie Garth.

Garth will star in the new 90210-spinoff as a guidance counselor at West Bev High, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

No, no, no. Now I am a 90210phile. I started watching the show when I was 7. I was only allowed to watch an hour of TV during the week growing up so I always reserved Wednesday nights for "90210." I would spend commercial breaks on the cordless phone with my bestie Sara reviewing the 90210nos -- screwups of our favorite characters.

When the show went off the air while I was in high school, my girlfriends got together and threw a farewell party. There was even a "90210" cake. (Don't judge us.)

Later, I stuck by the actors through their Lifetime movies, "Dancing with the Stars" missteps and poor relationship choices.

But Jennie Garth's choice to reprise her role as Kelly Taylor has to be the worst. Will she be with Dylan or did Brandon come back and sweep her off her feet? Though I am no scorekeeper, I have always been in Brandon's camp (except for that one time he cheated on Kelly with that interloper Emma).

There should not be a "90210" spinoff. And if there is, Jennie Garth should definitely not be a part of it. Spinoffs that include a major character from the original show never work. Look at "Joey." That show just made "Friends" look terrible.

What are some other shows you wish didn't have spinoffs? Any spinoff favorites?

Posted May 12, 8 a.m.

Do not be alarmed, I haven't committed a crime...yet.  No, I'm covering the R. Kelly child pornography trial on behalf of the RedEye.  So, starting Monday, my GP posts won't be as copious, but please know that I am still here, watching and registering your kudos and complaints.  So keep the party going with comments, and e-mails to goingpublic@tribune.com.

Today's post is in honor of mamas and all they do for us. They raised us, helped us with our schoolwork, and in some cases, managed our multimillion-dollar careers.

So we salute you, momager, and everything you do for your child's career. Some famous momagers:

>> Dina Lohan, also known as DiLo: The Long Island Lo-lita has had such a positive impact on the careers of daughters Lindsay and Ali, she was recently named "Mom of the Year" by the "Mingling Moms" of Long Island.

"I'm surprised. I'm very delighted. I think she deserves it," Ann Sullivan, Dina's mother and Lindsay's grandmother, told CBS in New York.

DiLo is so dedicated to her daughters' career, she is allowing E! to film her for a reality show called "Living Lohan," in which she helps guide Ali's singing and acting career. The show is set to debut this summer, according to Access Hollywood.

>> Jonnetta Patton, Usher's mom: Like many mothers and sons, Jonnetta and Usher have had their ups and downs. But very few sons get the opportunity to fire their mother like Usher did in 2007.

He told blackvoices.com through his publicist: "We are both very happy but are now working in different areas of the business. This is great for me because it means I now get to have my mother strictly as my mother with no added pressure. No one will ever know how much she has taught me as it pertains to living my life and having a successful career. ... I feel its best to separate my business life from my personal life."

Despite the reported blood feud, Jonnetta told People last year that Usher's new baby with wife Tameka Foster is a "blessing."

And let's not forget to raise our champagne flutes for the momagers on "I Know My Kid's a Star" and "Crowned: The Mother of All Pageants."

Who's your favorite momager? How would you feel if your mom managed your career?

There's nothing sexier than ... the green movement?

The Discerning Brute, a New York blogger, recently told Time Out New York for its horny issue why it's hot to eat local and vegan.

"The green movement is finally becoming sexy -- and it's because of food. Food is like sex: You interact with it physically, you put it in your body. I'd rather have an amazing meal than mediocre sex."

Though he is a vegan, The Discerning Brute told WOTS he is not a vegansexual, a vegan who only sleeps with other vegans and shuns meat-eaters.

New Zealand researcher Annie Potts coined the term, according to the New York Times. Last year, Potts surveyed 157 vegans and vegetarians on their lifestyle including romantic relationships.

A sampling of the results in regards to cruelty-free relations:

>> "My boyfriend is a vegeterian. I don't think I could live with a significant other who isn't ... It would disgust me to see my boy tucking into a chicken. I probably couldn't kiss him," one female respondent said.

>> "I have tried a relationship with someone who was not a vegetarian and found that although he was attractive sexually, sex alone was not enough to combat the revulsion created by the smell of dead bodies being cooked, and the associated lack of concern about the welfare of animals. For me, an intimate relationship needs to be based on shared values and moral codes as well as sexual chemistry," a different female respondent said.

Now, I understand wanting to find a mate who shares the same values and moral codes. And food is a big part of a person's life. My ex used to give me dirty looks because I preferred white wine and he's a red whiner.

How much should shared food interests play in a relationship?

Posted May 8, 11:57 a.m.

OK, let me begin by stating that I did not leave the house this morning intending to commit a CTA sin, but sin I did. 

I consider this among the minor  infractions, but I was waaaay behind a friend who was boarding a bus and didn't think I'd make it.  She kindly asked the operator to wait, and he did, but I felt really bad, especially since I didn't have my Chicago Card ready.  When I boarded, I searched for it, but ended up paying two bucks because I didn't want to drag the drama out further.

Lest you say what I did wasn't that bad, I did get at least two dirty looks as I strolled to the back of the bus.  Call it a Walk of CTA Shame.  It reminded me of another day last summer when I absent-mindedly door-blocked and felt like I should be stripped of my transit-watching duties.

What is the worst thing you've ever done on public transit?  Come on, confess.  I won't judge you.

The Tribune had an interesting article today about medical slang, including S.O.B., which stands for "shortness of breath."

The Tribune's Jeremy Manier writes: "Medical residents tend to pick up such terms quickly during training, and many said the lingo ranges from humorous to downright nasty. A patient not in obvious need of surgery may get the tag 'lgfd'—short for "looks good from the door."

Other popular medical lingo, according to the Tribune:

>> rock: a patient whose condition doesn't get better or worse

>> turfing: releasing a patient or transferring him or her to another department

>> hit: a newly admitted patient

>> circling the drain: someone likely to die soon

>> LOLNAD: little old lady, no apparent distress

>> Tune up: short hospital stay for the chronically ill

>> Winning the game: a resident has discharged or transferred all of his or her patients.

But this medical lingo has some drawbacks, Manier writes. "Medical educators are trying to curtail the use of more callous language that can lead doctors to think of their patients as obstacles to overcome, rather than human beings deserving of empathy."

Would you be offended if a doctor examined you, then said "S.O.B."? Make up your own medical slang.

Posted May 6, 11:41 a.m.

Top of the morning, public transit peepz.  I hope you made it to work, school or wherever you needed to go without getting CTA super soaked.  Even if you did get drenched, I think I have a commuter story that might make you feel a bit better.

Check out this sweet tale from Enjolee, who e-mailed me at goingpublic@tribune.com about a bus driver who went above and beyond the call of duty:

Not all of cta employees are bad, one day I was riding the 87th St. bus and it was around 12 a.m. and outside it was raining kittens and puppies, I knew the bus wasn't going past Western (I lived on 92nd and Kedzie) anyway, I was talking to the driver and told him i lived on Kedzie and for some reason i didn't bring an umbrella, anyway the bus makes it to Western and I get off and start walking as fast as i can because i had a looooong and wet walk ahead of me, so i start walking and get about a half of a block, when a hear a horn the cta driver turned that bus around and dropped me off the 14 blocks to Kedzie (I still had to walk to 92nd) but that was more than going above and beyond the call of duty. So to that driver thanks it's people like you that give the cta a ray of sunshine amidst all the clouds.

Your turn: Got a positive or positively awful story to share?

Posted May 6, 1:50 p.m.

I mostly receive e-mails, calls and, of course, your delightful postings about the CTA.  But from time to time, I get letters, which we rarely get a chance to run in the paper due to their length. 

A few minutes ago, I checked my mail box and saw a short and sweet note from an individual claiming to be a CTA employee who wanted to weigh in on last week's "Going Public" about spring cleaning, but said "I send this letter anonymously to you because CTA has a problem with people like me who contact the press without their permission." 

The letter-writer said that all the hub-bub about fixing up Wilson is based on it being an embarrassment to President Ron Huberman, and that there are stations much more in need of a fix-up.

I agree there are other stations in need of help.  Argyle, anyone?  In all fairness to the CTA, they told me about Wilson because I asked -- having gotten plenty of rider letters about it, not just from The Hube himself.

At any rate, I'll stay on top of the CTA about what is being fixed and when, but in the interim, what station do you want to see get a mass transit makeover?  Throw in some suggestions for improvements if you'd like...

Personally, I'd like to see Roosevelt get some nice seating on the subway level. 

Posted May 6, 10:50 a.m.

Riders, do you want the CTA to get rid of the Go Lane?  I touched on that topic during today's "Going Public" about brave new bus service. 

Personally, I think the CTA should get move all the sensors to the fare box, where they are on some buses, since having two different riders trying to pay with different media at the time obviously doesn't work. 

Don't you love when the bus operator has to summon you back to reswipe, Chicago Card/Plus users?

If the CTA does not want to admit the Go Lane is a bust, they could just slowly phase out all fare media until everything is in smart card format.  Face it: the Go Lane doesn't work unless everyone is on the same page...kinda like that check-card commercial where everyone is swiping away in a delicate dance of efficiency, until somebody shows up and wants to slowly write a check.   

Just last week, I stood behind some Captain Clueless who not only didn't have his magnetic-strip card ready,it was still in the plastic covering.  He was blabbing on a cell phone, holding a briefcase and unwrapping the transit card with his mouth (yes, his mouth) as riders with their smart cards waited impatiently behind him. 

Posted May 5, 1:19 p.m.

Are you oh-so envious of the 14 bus route riders who can look at their Internet-enabled devices and practically predict the arrival of their next bus?  Well, there are 18 more routes to be jealous of beginning May 19:

• #9 Ashland
• #X9 Ashland Express
• #X20 Washington/Madison Express
• #21 Cermak
• #44 Wallace/Racine
• #47 47th
• #48 South Damen
• #50 Damen
• #51 51st #52A South Kedzie
• #53A South Pulaski
• #55 Garfield
• #X55 Garfield Express
• #59 59th/61st
• #60 Blue Island/26th
• #63 63rd
• #67 67th/69th/71st
• #75 74th/75th

So, what's up, riders?  Are you using the bus tracker?  How is it working for you?  If you don't have it yet, and are not on this latest list (like me), tell me how badly you want it...

Sorry for the lack of posts last week. Things have been busy around the WOTS offices. Read: Cube.

I did not, however, miss the news last week that Jennifer Aniston and John Mayer were caught canoodling in Miami, according to several rag mags. The New York Daily News even called him the Mayer of Gossipville.

Over the years, Aniston has been linked to several celebs including ex-husband Brad Pitt, musician Adam Duritz and actors Vince Vaughn and Tate Donovan. Call them Manistons, male companions of Jennifer Aniston.

Here's some fun with coupling:

>> With Brad Pitt: Braniston, Pittifer, Anistitt

>> With Adam Duritz: Durfer, Adaston, Anitz

>> With Tate Donovan: Donoston, J-Tate, Anistate

>> With Vince Vaughn: Vaughnifer, Viniston, Jence

>> With John Mayer: Mayston, MayJ, Johnifer

Who else do you think she should date?

Posted May 5, 10:19 a.m.

Good morning, public transit peepz!  Happy Cinco de Mayo.  I know it's a warm, gorgeous day here in the Chi, but remember that we live in the Windy City.  That's why I need some help locating a lost jacket for a rider.  It's time for another "Going Public" lost & found mission.

Here's what we're looking for:

"I'm hoping someone has found my jacket. It's a light weight black with two white stripes down the sleeves. It has the Truman State University logo on the left chest. I think I lost it on the #70 bus going east around 5:30/5:45pm sunday may 4th. If you find it please let me know via email at nickfreed@gmail.com. Thanks so much!"

--Nick Freed

If you've seen this jacket, please help Nick out by e-mailing him.  Looking for something you lost?  Go ahead and post it below.

Posted May 2, 2:04 p.m.

Radiohead fans, you have just been put on notice. 

The masterminds behind "OK, Computer," want their supporters to take public transit to come see them perform live.  It's all part of the band's green initiative, according to a release sent over to RedEye.  Check out this excerpt:

Last year, the band commissioned carbon footprint analysts Best Foot Forward to calculate the carbon generated on their two previous US tours. The report showed that fans' travel to and from the shows accounted for the greatest proportion of the CO2 generated during each tour, something now widely accepted across the industry.

Following the report's recommendations, Radiohead are encouraging fans to consider public transport where available, or increased carpooling for shows outside city centers. Gig goers can compare the CO2 generated by different methods of transport by visiting an online calculator on Radiohead's website. Some of the venues have also helped by offering incentives to fans coming by public transport or in a full car.

What do you think of the band's travel requests for its fans?  Wisely co-conscious or just plain obnoxious? Tell me how you feel, then check out my green blogger buddy, RedEye's Supriya Doshi for her take on this subject.

Posted May 1, 5:03 p.m.

Ready for rhyme time on the bus?

You'd better be, if you're a Pace rider.  Today marked their first day of poetry on public transit via the TV screens aboard their buses, according to a Trib report. 

While I support literature in every format, I beg the CTA not to get any ideas from this particular concept. 

First of all, I like to read poetry, not listen to it, and to have it verbally visited upon me while I'm stuck on a vehicle...unacceptable. 

Art, after all, is a matter of individual taste.  I can think of other ways to enjoy the arts on public transit in a less in-your-face manner, such as the sculptures in some stations and poems that occupy some ad space.I even like to check out subway singing every now and again. 

How about you?  Or do you want a little rhyme with your ride?

Okay, not exactly free for all, but today is the first day that millitary personnel ride the CTA for free.  The rub: They must be in full uniform.  So, tell me how many uniforms you see on the system?  And do you think this is a wise move?

While I see value in offering those who serve our country a break in terms of bus and train fare, I'm not as sold on the senior citizens, who are also riding for free-ninety nine due to a doomsday clause from G-Rod.  I feel comfortable saying it because dozens of seniors have written to me saying they don't want the free ride, especially during strapped economic times for the CTA. 

So whaddya think?  Is CTA becoming a free-for-all, or are the deserving getting a much deserved discount?