June 2008 Archives

The newest version of the Associated Press stylebook is out -- and so are some of the words that have been in the book for years.

Among the entries eliminated, according to Editor & Publisher:

>> milquetoast: "not milk toast when referring to a shrinking apologetic person. Derived from Caspar Milquetoast, a character in a copic strip by Harold T. Webster."

>> Photostat: "a trademark for a type of photocopy."

>> riffraff, barmaid, blue blood

>> WAC: "which is no longer used by the U.S. military but may describe a woman who served in what had been the Women’s Army Corps," according to the AP.

>> malarkey: "not malarky."

The reference book, which is used by journalists and worshipped by journalism students, made way for 200-plus entries including anti-spyware, high-definition, outsourcing, podcast, text messaging, social networking, snail mail, Wikipedia, anti-virus, iPhone, WMD, minicamp and wild card.

Which words should the AP add?

Posted June 27, 2008 at 8:24 a.m.

The CTA can be a saviour for bicycling riders.  They can enjoy the beauty of this Chicago summer (now that it finally showed up) on their bikes and, if they get weary, climb aboard the bus or trains -- during certain hours, in the latter case. 

Sweet deal, huh?

Not always, according to two-wheelers who have written to "Going Public" recently with two different camps of complaints  The first issue focuses on the bike racks situated on the fronts of buses, particularly those connected to Comcast ads. 

Quoth a cyclist about the arrangement which he initially found impressive:

"When you lower the bike rack, to actually use it for something other than advertising, those Comcast signs block one of the two  red braces for your front tire from moving. This means your bike has nothing to hold it in place.  Of the two spots available for bicycles on the front of each bus, only one of them is usable. To revue, 50 % of the bicycle carrying capacity has been eliminated because some inovative ad executive found  a new revenue stream. Genuises."

The final complaint, which a rider actually illustrated for me with the photo below, is not about the CTA, but about the lazy CTA cyclists who don't remove their bikes from station racks. This photo, the rider told me, came from the Noyes Street stop and describes, at least the one on the right, as "quite weathered." 

What are your beefs -- cyclists or non-cyclists-- about bikes on the CTA?

In the past I thought about becoming a vegetarian, not really for moral reasons, but I knew I could never give up chicken.

Ever had a Chick-fil-A chicken sandwich? I rest my case.

Flexitarianism is the middle ground between vegetarianism and carnivorism. Sometimes flexitarians eat vegetarian meals and sometimes they eat meat.

At least 10 percent of adults consider themselves vegetarians even though they eat fish or chicken occasionally, according to Vegetarian Research Group, as reported by Cox News Service.

By cube neighbor Brian Moore, retired author of RedEye's "Vital Idol" blog, considers himself a vegetarian, though he loves bacon. Mmmm bacon.

He IMmed this to me:

spicyeditor: flexitarian: I hope PETA doesn't come after me, but I admit it: I sometimes eat meat. Or, should I say bacon. I love the smell, the taste, the cripy burnt edges. Veggie bacon is good, but nothing beats the original.
spicyeditor: "nothing beats the real thing."

Is there a middle ground between vegetarians and carnivores?

Posted June 25 at 3:02 p.m.

Sometimes, even "Going Public" gets called out.  And it happened yesterday, for sure.   While tallying "Rotten Route" votes from my e-mail and this blog, I received a call from a woman who said she was a CTA employee and boy, was she mad and seemingly ready to let me have it.  She said she knows things aren't 100% with the CTA, but it infuriates her to constantly read rider complaints in the RedEye maligning transit agency employees when riders themselves are part of the problem.

"These people need to have a mirror put up to their faces," she told me during the approximately 10-minute conversation.  She pointed out, and rightfully so, that buses do not pull out dirty in the morning and that only happens once riders get in on the equation.  One particular pet peeve, she offered, in response to those who say bus operators are rude:

"We face bad attitudes all the time, especially from the ones who come in from the suburbs and think that $2 buys them the world."  By the time the call ended, I encouraged her to sound off on this blog with more stirring insights, and I hope she takes me up on that offer.  I got an ear full, but felt I learned something too.

Then, today, I got another note from a gentleman who said he is a bus operator.  His e-mail was very humble and I could totally sympathize with his situation, as he appealed to riders to get up on time, use the Internet to plan their routes, and use some restraint when taking out their system-inspired anger on individual employees. 

In closing, he wrote: "Thank you for this opportunity and I wished the best to all customers of Chicago and  others, and remember we will be there for you." 

So do you have empathy for CTA employees? Do the many get a bad rep due to the actions of a few bad apples? Or is the apple cart rotten through and through? CTA employees, we want to hear from you too.

The Tribune's Bacon Headquarters thoughtfully dropped off "The Daily Candy Lexicon: Words that don't exist but should," which comes out next month.

I haven't had time to go through the whole book, but a few words in the "work" section caught my eye.

>> e-maul: to stalk someone via e-mail.

There's always a delicate balance of how quickly one should reply to an e-mail so as not to see too eager. The same goes for text messaging. But I don't know if you can really stalk someone via e-mail. You can certainly stalk someone via Twitter, Facebook and MySpace. You can look through their friend lists, study their Wall postings and analyze their status updates. I think e-maul should be used to describe people who are overeager to correspond with you via e-mail.

>> promotion sickness: the queasy feeling one gets when someone really stupid gets promoted.

I whole-heartedly agree with this definition and concept. Promotion sickness usually involves an eye roll and an audible sigh.

>> reply-arrhea: e-mail incontinence; an inability to stop e-mailing.

Personally, I would use reply-arrhea to describe people who hit "reply all" to mass e-mails instead of just sending a response to the original sender. Daily Candy describes this phenomenon as no cc ums, "the pesky e-mails that everyone gets -- whether they're relevant to the recipients or not."

What do you think of this list?

This morning I fell victim to an all too common phenomenon in Chicago: bus bunching.

For my non-Chicago readers, bus bunching is when buses arrive at stops in bunches instead of arriving at regular intervals.

After 20 minutes of waiting this morning, the #65 bus arrived at my stop packed with passengers. Two minutes later, another overfilled bus arrived. The bus that came 30 seconds later was not full at all.

CTA officials say they are working at reducing bus bunching by instituting bus trackers on various routes. But the #65 is not currently one of these tracked routes.

So often I Flo-Jo to the bus stop, only to be disappointed that I have to wait for a cluster of buses to arrive.

To sound off more on the CTA, check out my work bestie Kyra's CTA blog.

Is bus bunching common where you live?

I apologize for taking a break from posting this past week. I was busy reporting and being the office Magellan.

What I should have been doing is preparing for The O. Henry Pun-Off World Championships. Every year, punsters from around the world gather to sling groan-worthy puns and put on punny performances.

You better believe this pun'dit will be there next year.

The Tribune recently wrote about the championships and the Pun American Newsletter, a quarterly publication "jest for fun."

The newsletter and the Pun Club is based in Highland Park, a suburb of Chicago.

I'm going to have to work my Magellan magic to find that suburb since all the 'burbs look the same here in Chicagoland.

I feel like I'm going to need a punny team name to compete in the championship. I'm wavering between SwartzCenter and Swartz Bras (for extra support).

What would your pun team name be?

Posted June 24, 2008 at 8:15 a.m.

Awww yeah, it's time for the second-annual Rotten Route Challenge.  Check out the official criteria and rules in today's "Going Public."  I'm accepting votes at goingpublic@tribune.com and would love it if you would pretty please put the route number in the subject field and include your full name, age, and neighborhood.  Also add a few lines about why your bus gives you the blues. 

Remember, it's all about improvement, so let's highlight which route needs a helping hand.

I'm tallying votes until Friday at 5 p.m., and feel free to sound off here as well.  The most Rotten Route will be revealed soon, so stay tuned.

In the meantime, bring ont he bus routes.

Posted June 23, 2008 at 2:15 p.m.

This morning while waiting at the 35th Street Red Line stop, I looked down and marveled at a mass transit mess.  It's not that I've never seen litter on the tracks before, but this amalgamation of items suggested just plain slobby behavior from riders.

There were plastic bottles.  (New recycling plan?)  There was a Sox cap.  (Disgruntled fan from the Crosstown Classic, I'm guessing.)  And most ridiculous of all: a Harold's chicken bag.  I took some photos with my BlackBerry...you can make out the telltale green label, though I didn't want to fall onto the tracks trying to get more detail.

Now, we know that litter can be a factor in small track fires, so what's up with all this trashy conduct?  Do you see some rubbish on the rails?  E-mail me a phot and I'll post it. 

Let's shame these CTA riders into finding a trash can or recycling bin.

Posted June 23 at 12:01 p.m.

Forgive me a little CTA self-indulgence, but I must speak out about a ridiculous Red Line commute this morning.  The story starts out smoothly enough with a promptly arriving No.35-35th Street bus, which I knew was coming courtesy of the bus tracker.  (Thanks bus tracker!)  But once I got to the 35th Street Red Line stop, the commute hit a kink-- a serious one.

Despite the notion that trains should arrive in timely intervals...I waited not 10, not 20, but 30 minutes for a train headed to the Loop.  This was worsened by the fact that two fake-out trains ( a training train and an express) whizzed past with no regard to the quite evidently infuriated riders on the platform.

Three southbound trains went by until finally, some slovenly northbound train arrived. 

So a trip that could have taken about 30 minutes from the bus to the Grand stop, where I disembark, turned into about a 55-minute nightmare.  So much for rapid transit, huh?

Believe me, I know this is a tired tale by now, and other riders have it 100 times worse, but I just had to share. (Taking deep, cleansing breath) I'm OK now, I promise. 

Your turn.  Share your most recent, annoying run-in with the rails. 

Posted June 20, at 1:22 p.m.

This just in:

Prepare yourself for some Blue Line Blues.

Going Public" just got a press release from the CTA with a very strong good news/bad news factor.

The good news: The CTa is getting uber-aggressive about stamping out slow zones between Rosemont and O'Hare, actually ramping up ongoing efforts to make the repairs needed to transform the branch back to a rail service instead of a tortoise trek.

The bad news, particularly for those who hate CTA shuttle service: the transit agency today announced that for three weeks in July shuttle service will replace rail travel between the O'Hare and Rosemont stops until (gulp) Monday, July 28.

Posted June 20, at 12:32 p.m.

Cramped cars full of angry riders.  Standing room only for long stretches of rail. 

Sounds like a page ripped from the CTA public transit playbook, but this time it's the Metra riders getting steamed over space constraints.  A Tribune article today details how rising gas prices are pushing more people onto the Metra, no doubt what the rail system would want.  But the agency definitely needs to plan for the squeeze.

I know what CTA riders are saying.  "Pardon me while I play the world's smallest violin."  Yes, I think Metra riders have it better with a reputation for cleaner cars, brisker commutes and the Holy Grail: functioning schedules.  I used to patronize the system myself, when I grew up in Beverly on the South Side, and more often than not, it was an absolute pleasure to ride. In fact, anytime my relatives from other cities come into town, they actually want to ride the Metra downtown.   No such statement is true for the CTA, though.

But reading articles like today's "Riders feel pinch" wakes you up to the fact that you have to keep your eye on the ball as a transit agency or you can squander even decades of good will.  So what do you think CTA-ers?  Any sympathy for your Metra brothers and sisters?

Posted June 18, at 12:32 p.m.

So we've got cameras, GPS tracking, and touch-n-go pay pads on CTA buses.  Yesterday, we learned that buses could someday run on battery power.  It seems like the CTA is at least creeping toward Tomorrowland with its whizz bang devices, but I've got one more addition to the arsenal:

Ejector seats.  I've long championed -- at least inwardly -- for this amenity in movie theaters with all the gabbing, popcorn tossing, littering and texting going on during the picture show.  But this morning, while riding the No.3-King Drive into work, I damn near stood up and demanded it.

Being a dutiful rider, I sat in an inward seat to make room for other public transit patrons, only to be joined by a woman who was eating.  I am personally against chowing on buses and trains, due to the littering often left behind, but that wasn't my beef with this bus rider.  My beef is with what she chose to eat-- a slider.  At 10:30 a.m. in the freaking morning, this woman pulls out an extremely odorous White Castle burger and eats it as if it is her last meal.

I don't want to be too graphic, but I felt like an attack of the sick-ups was coming on, as the onion-y odor wafted my way.  I slid over to the left until I was practically out the window, until thankfully, she moved so she could continue her mobile meal on a row that opened up.

That likely didn't please her new neighbors, whom I saw make faces when she moved there.  That's why I want to put this out there again:  ejector seat, CTA, ejector seat.  This would also helpful for dealing with those who think they belong in priority seating for no other reason than that they exist.

Anyone else want in on my public transit plea?  And who would you use ejector-seat power on?

Posted June 18, at 8:58 a.m.

A justifiably disgusted rider let "Going Public" know about an odious encounter at the Red Line's 69th Street station during a recent Kudos and Comments post. 

I also ran her post, as I do with many of your online comments, in today's "Hey, CTA!"

I also addressed the issue with the CTA because we're not just about observations, but finding actual answers.  Heck, we're into public transit problem-solving, right?

Here's what the CTA told me about the smell along the "L," in response to the poster's statement that the customer assistant did not report the problem. Here's my question and a CTA spokeswoman's answer:

"Going Public" asks: "A rider said that on June 16, there was a terrible smell on the platform at the Red Line's 69th Street stop.  Did the CTA receive a report of this from a customer assistant?"

CTA Answer:  Yes, CTA did receive a report of an odor near the 69th Red Line station platform.  Upon inspection of the areas surrounding the rail station and platform, the source of the odor was identified and the area was cleaned and sanitized.

What else are you curious about?  Let's see if we can get some bus and "L" explanations.

Today's RedEye cover story is about people who rent paparazzi to follow them around and take their picture so they feel fame-ish.

Fame is difficult to measure. Most people would probably consider John Cusack famous but would you consider "Top Chef" Stephanie Izard or Bag Boy famous?

Reality TV (and guys with bags on their heads) have helped blur the line on who's famous. If you're a pop culture figure in music, TV or movies and I recognize you I probably consider you famous.

But, sadly, I didn't recognize Blues legend Buddy Guy last month when he was filming near my apartment in Wicker Park. I did, however, recognize JM J. Bullock at a New York City cafe a few years ago.

One of JM's last ventures was playing Serge, the wedding planner on "The Bold and the Beautiful," according to imdb.com. But I guess in my book, he's still famous.

Where do you draw the line between famous and fame-ish?

Update: New York magazine has a new article out about the micro-fame game. Would you play by these rules?

Posted June 17, at 12:10 p.m.

Today's "Going Public" talks about tickets issued by the CTA. That's right, CTA bus supervisors and managers can write citations for drivers blocking bus lanes. 

What do you think of this public transit phenomenon?  I agree that cars need to respect the routes, but as the column details, one rider says that employees appear poised to abuse their power. 

The Baltimore Sun has an interesting article about an activity that I have been practicing for years: hypermiling.

Hypermilers "strive to maximize the number of miles they get per gallon of gasoline by, say, driving at or below the speed limit and braking as little as possible," according to the Sun.

The practice has become popular as drivers try to save money on gas and help the environment.

I try to hypermile because I've always hated going to the gas station, not just because of gas prices. It's one of my least enjoyable errands.

I also hypermiled when I grew up in Sarasota, Fla. That wasn't by choice -- the pace of driving there is about 30 mph. Thanks, old people!

The Sun reported "Consumer Reports" studied hypermiling and recommended getting better gas mileage by:

>> driving at a moderate speed (55 mph instead of 65 or 75 mph).

>> keeping tires properly inflated

>> avoiding frequent bursts of acceleration, sudden braking, the use of premium fuel and driving on a cold engine.

Do you hypermile? What are some other ways you save on gas?

Posted June 16, at 12:54 p.m.

Update at 5:29 p.m.: CTA spokeswoman Noelle Gaffney e-mailed me to call attention to a March 12 press release the CTA put out mentioning upcoming changes to the No.X20 and other routes, and her point is well taken. The RedEye also reported on the changes. However, it seems that RW is not the only rider who was taken aback by the altered routes, per my other posting.  I've e-mailed Gaffney back to find out exactly what the CTA did and see why some may have been left out of the loop.

Happy Monday!  Or not so much from some West Side riders.  More anger e-mails are entering my inbox about the changes the CTA recently made to "enhance" West Side service.  Among them is this e-mail from a rider dubbed "R.W.":

"I'm writing to "EXPRESS" my anger regarding recent changes to the X20 bus. Who does CTA talk to before making route changes?! I take the X20 Washington/Madison Express from the westside to downtown. This morning (6/16) there's a notice at my bus stop stating the X20 will now make all stops between Austin & Hamiln. The bus will then make express stops from Hamlin to Halsted. For anyone that lives west of Hamlin the X20 is no longer an "express" bus. I thought the main purpose of the route was to provide faster service from the far west side to downtown. With this change it'll be slow service as usual along Madison for westsiders."

Posted June 13 at 5:28 p.m.

It seems the CTA and some riders have differing opinions on some upcoming West Side bus service changes. 

What the CTA is calling "experimental enhancements," one rider has dubbed a sneaky service cut.  Rider Thelma Lofton left "Going Public" several phone messages this week upset that the No. 38-Ogden/Taylor will end at California/Ogden. 

When I talked to her today, Lofton said that the change will negatively affect a number of riders.  She claims that she saw some signs around the East portion of the route, but more Westward riders were not properly informed of the change.  Lofton said that CTA personnel, only beginning Wednesday ,climbing aboard buses and passing out flyers about a service set for a bit of hacking as of Monday.

The CTA, however, seems to think that the change to the No.38, plus a number of other West Side-serving routes is good news and said as much in a release put out today a little before 5 p.m. 

Believe me, "Going Public" will most certainly ask CTA officials how riders were notified and what the logic is behind this move.

Though the transit agency often defends its decisions with ridership surveys, they evidently didn't get data from the group that Lofton belongs to...the angry group. 

Check out the full CTA press release below, and let me know, is this a good or bad move?  If you are a No.38 rider, or a rider affected by any of the changes below, do you feel you were adequately informed?

CTA Improves Service to Several Bus Routes: Experimental Service Enhancements Begin Sunday, June 15^th

The Chicago Transit Authority will enhance several existing bus routes beginning Sunday as part of a range of ongoing experimental service improvements for the West Side. The service changes are the result of customer feedback, as well as observation and analysis by CTA staff. In March, the Chicago Transit Board extended the experimental period for new and improved routing first introduced to customers in 2006. The initial experiment included the launch of CTA’s eighth rail line, the Pink Line, increased frequency of the Forest Park branch of the Blue Line, and improvements to 13 bus routes. Several adjustments will be made to service to improve efficiency during the next phase based on customer feedback and ridership trends.

Morning and evening rush period service will operate more frequently running every six to 10 minutes during the morning rush period, every 7.5 to 10 minutes during the evening rush period and every 10 minutes during midday. On Saturdays, frequency of service will be every 12 minutes in the morning and evenings, and every 10 minutes during midday.

Midday service will operate every 12 minutes on Sunday.

Weekday hours of operation will be extended to 10 p.m. and service during the morning and

midday will operate more frequently. Currently, #126 Jackson buses begin service to Illinois Medical District at about

7 p.m. As a result of later #7 service, #126 buses will only serve the Illinois Medical District after

10:25 p.m.

#X20 Washington/Madison Express

Establish additional bus stops west of Central Park on Madison to provide more convenient access to customers further west.

Midday service will be added to the route with service intervals of every 15 minutes to enhance connections between the east and west campuses of UIC and to the Polk Pink Line station. The route will also be adjusted to terminate at California/Ogden, which will allow for continued service to Mt.Sinai Hospital and meet the demand for service along the higher ridership portions of the route.

Running time will be adjusted on weekdays to provide more reliable service on the route.

#127 Roosevelt/Madison Circulator

Service on the #127 will be eliminated and the operational savings used to add service to the #12

Roosevelt route.

#60 Blue Island/26th

#38 Ogden/Taylor

Experimental Bus Service Enhancements Effective Monday, June 16#7

Harrison

Experimental Bus Service Enhancements Effective Sunday, June 15#12

Roosevelt

Posted June 12 at 8:34 a.m.

Hey there, public transit peepz. 

As "Going Public" will often do, I want to open up the floor and hear from you. 

Is there anything random about the rails and buses, you'd like to get out there?  Good, bad, indifferent? Give me your kudos and complaints starting....now.

Posted June 11, 2008 at 4:36 p.m.

Update at 5:15 p.m.: CTA confirmed that the 20 routes below will go live on June 23.

A sign of something big, North Siders. 

First spied by a poster to this blog, plus a RedEye staffer with a super sharp eye, I followed up with a round-trip to Belmont on the Red Line today to behold a posting the CTA might not have wanted you to see-- just yet, anyway.

This sign (pictured left), just outside the Belmont station, says that bus tracker is expanding on June 23 with 20 more routes, by my count.  I'm waiting for the CTA to confirm having contacted them to ask about this latest expansion for two days straight, but in the meantime here is what I scribbled down from the sign:

No.54A-North Cicero/Skokie Blvd.

No.56-Milwaukee

No. 56A-North Milwaukee

No.68-Northwest Highway

No. 77-Belmont

No.78-Montrose

No. 80-Irving Park

No.X80-Irving Park Express

No. 81-Lawrence

No.81W-West Lawrence

No.84-Peterson

No.85-Central

No.85A-North Central

No.86-Narragansett/Ridgeland

No.88-Higgins

No.90-Harlem

No.90N-North Harlem

No.91-Austin

No.92-Foster

No.152-Addison

June 11, 2008 at 2:05 p.m.

From time to time, riders ask "Going Public" about the status of the super-shuttle to O'Hare and Midway airports, a plan perceived as a pet project by Da Mayor who has seen similar service in other cities.  The idea: a super sleek and premium public transit service that could compete with limo service and cabs for discriminating travelers.

But today, the CTA showed some common sense by putting somewhat of the brakes on the ambitious plan, which began back in 2003 under former CTA President Frank Kreusi's regime.  The CTA will be seeking more private investment to get the project complete and running, while focusing limited capital funds on more important issues, say, like uh, I dunno: buses that didn't start running in the Stone Ages.

Don't worry, the CTA will still work on finishing the tunnels connecting the Red and Blue lines to the station with a finish date projected by the end of '08, but here are more deets from the official release.

Chicago Transit Authority President Ron Huberman said that after a thorough review of the CTA’s Block 37 project to develop a transit center, track connections and direct airport train service, he plans to recommend to the Chicago Transit Board that the CTA go out to bid for a private sector partner to building out the station and develop and operate the service.

“I have carefully read the business case for airport service and believe that a premium service built and operated in conjunction with a private sector partner is the way to go,“ said Huberman. “To replicate the success of premium service in other major cities, we really need to leverage private sector resources and expertise.”

Huberman said staff will work with the City of Chicago which is partnering with the CTA to develop a request for proposals to seek that partner.  In the meantime, the CTA will continue constructing underground tunnels to connect the Red and Blue Lines to the new station.  It will also continue to work with Joseph Freed & Associates, the Block 37 master developer, to finish the shell of a station that would serve both lines.  Scheduled work on both is expected to be completed by the end of 2008.

Huberman said that it would not make sense to completely build out the station or create the final tunnel connections until a partner is selected because final layout, technology and finishes are dependent on an operating plan.

“We have limited capital resources and would prefer to direct them toward removing slow zones, replacing aging buses, updating signal systems, and investing in other improvements to our existing system.  The work we have done so far is valuable, but we don’t want to spend additional money speculating on a future partner’s needs,” said Huberman.

The cost to complete the tunnel work and the station shell will cost an additional $45.6 million.  Build out costs would be more and would depend on the needs of the future partner. The project was conceived in 2003 and the initial budget estimate was $213.3 million with a CTA share of $130 million.

Tonight is the season finale of "Top Chef Chicago," where Chicagoan Stephanie Izard will compete against fellow chefs Richard Blais and Lisa Fernandes for the title of top chefferson.

If Stephanie wins tonight, she'll be the first female "Top Chef" and the first winner from Chicago. Here's a look at other Chicagoland televictors, winners of reality TV competitions.

>> Bill Rancic: The winner of "The Apprentice" Season 1, Bill wrote "Beyond the Lemonade Stand" and "You're Hired: How to Succeed in Business and Life." Bill speaks at events across the country and has served as guest judge on "Apprentice" episodes. He married "E! News" anchor Giuliana DePandi in September. The couple will host ''America Undiscovered,'' an entertainment convention July 10-13 at the Westin Chicago Northwest in Itasca.

>> Adrianne Curry: Adrianne won the first season of "America's Next Top Model," then quickly distanced herself from the show because she said she didn't get the prizes she was promised. She starred on "The Surreal Life" and met future hubby Christopher Knight of "Brady Bunch" fame. She stars with Knight in "My Fair Brady." She and Knight will appear in the upcoming "Celebrity Family Feud," according to Entertainment Weekly.

>> Jaslene Gonzalez: Jaslene won cycle eight of "Top Model." She appeared in subsequent seasons of "Top Model." She worked with Liz Claiborne and its "Love is Not Abuse" campaign, according to USA Today.

>> Katie Doyle: Katie, who appeared on "Road Rules The Quest," won "The Inferno," a challenge for "Real World" and "Road Rules" stars. She has appeared in two episodes of "Lost," according to imdb.com.

>> Matt Lorenz: Matt won the first season of Bravo's "Top Design." His studio is on West Grand Avenue, according to his Web page.

Who do you like? Who did I miss?

Posted June 11 at 8:53 a.m.

Come on, riders.  Let's help some "L"ovebirds make a match.  A rider wrote to me frustrated by attempts to find that special someone via Craig's List and even subway crush.  Said rider has seen this transit temptation twice, but no dice. Sounds daunting, but I'm inspired by the spirit of Commuter Cupid, so if this sounds like you (or someone you know), please post here:

I saw you 26/5 Monday morning on the Red Line. We both left the train at Fullerton, around 11:30. I thought you were stunning and had a great smile (you were rocking that green Flogging Molly shirt), but I didn't work up the nerve to talk to you. My loss. You and your buddy were going to the Cubs game later that night. Then 27/5 around 6pm, when I got on the wrong train in a rush, I ended up on the Brown Line north from Fullerton to Diversey. There you were again. I spoke to you briefly (asking if you had fun at the game) but since I was leaving at Diversey...I didn't say much. 26/5 I had on a Sammy Hagar shirt. 27/5, I was in a black coat. I'd love to meet you out for dinner or coffee or a just a chat somewhere. You look very Continental, and I'd love to know more about you.

Posted June 10, 4:36 p.m.

On Friday, I promised to share video of a rider who visited "Going Public" and performed a rap song about rail and bus service. 

With no further ado, here it is: Pilsen rider Jon Esparza 38, put on a CTA-inspired outfit and stood out on the street spitting lyrics about his dissatisfaction with the CTA.  Check out his rhyming rant in the video below. 

He also asked me to post the lyrics.  Feel free to rap along.

"Yo, listen up this here's a song I wrote to express my extreme displeasure with the:
Inept, incompetent, ineffective, inadequate, insensitive, inadvertent, inattentive, inconsiderate, incomprehensible, inconvenient, incorrect, incorrigible, indecent, indecisive, indelicate, and infantile way the CTA treats us every day!"

Let me hear ya commuters:

C.T.A!
Criminals Taking Advantage!
C.T.A!
Criminals Taking Advantage!
That's all they is!

Yeah, they run two car trains on their busiest nights,
They ignore complaints like we ain't got no rights
They do as they please and no one sez a thing,
So hear are my pleas in this rap that I sing!

Now, we wait all day for the C.T.A.
Then stand in a crowd the entire route!
Yeah, we pace all night for a bumpy ride
Then get packed in like cheap sardine!

They change train times in the blink of an eye
They switch bus routes and they don't let us know!
They close down stops with no reason why
They run express or they run too slow!

C.T.A!
Criminals Taking Advantage!
C.T.A!
Ciminals Taking Advantage!
that's all they is...word!

They make lots of cash but they want mo' money, mo' money, mo money!
They raise the fares and do as they like
And now they want yet ANOTHER fare HIKE!!??!
Huh! No way, joseaaaaaaaaaay..!

'Cos, we spend all day (night!) waiting for a bus (train!)
Or at the least a very long while
And then this happens to all of us:
We see four [bleeps] in a single file!

C.T.A!
Criminals Taking Advantage!
C.T.A!
Criminals Taking Advantage!
C.T.A!
Criminals Taking Advantage!
That's all they is...Word and peace out!

And if you want to speak your mind or exhibit CTA-inspired art of any kind, let me know at goingpublic@tribune.com or post it in a comment.  I'll do my best to offer you a public transit platform for your expression.

Tina Fey recently told New York magazine that she was "walking around the Upper West Side in, like, the worst outfit ever: mom sneakers, capri-length jeans, and a T-shirt that was clinging to my muffin top. I was like, 'I have turned into such a hideous, unkempt mother.'"

Fey said she often dons capri pants because "when you're at home with your kid, you have to wear stuff that can just get ruined. So you have to wear capris. Because I am officially too old for shorts."

How old is too old for shorts? "The official age cutoff for shorts is 7. I saw it on the British 'What Not to Wear.'"

Fey may not be the most fashionable, but she knows how to throw hip words around.

>> mom sneakers: typically white Reeboks, these sneakers have to withstand running copious errands, corralling children and constantly pushing mini-van pedals. Moms usually have more than one pair.

>> muffin top: fat that oozes over the top of your pants.

Other ma-pparel:

>> mom jeans: high-waisted pants that have become popular among thirtysomething hipsters.

>> mom shorts: typically have an elastic band to move as moms move.

Any other ma-pparel faves?

My iPod died this morning midway through my run. It's my own fault. I thought I had enough power to get through the workout, but it gave out after a couple of miles.

So my spirits were dampened this morning by my diePod, an iPod that breaks or fails to work when you need it to.

What are some other (electronic) equipment failures you've experienced?

I'll start with two: craptop (when your laptop won't boot up even though it looks like it's properly connected) and slackberry (when your Blackberry is slow pulling up Web pages).

My colleague, Web editor Jimmy Greenfield, wrote a funny column today about the fist bump, when two people touch fists as a sign of affection or triumph.

The fist bump made news this week when Illinois Sen. Barack Obama and wife Michelle shared a bump at a rally in Minnesota after Obama clinched the Democratic nomination.

Jimmy said while he found the Obama fist bump endearing, fist bumps are not nearly as cool as the high-five.

He writes: "The biggest problem with the fist bump is it's unnecessary. Let me remind you that the fist bump's older, cooler brother—the high-five—is still far and away a better, easier and more appropriate way to express excitement with your hands.

Whereas the high-five is loud and boisterous, the fist bump is quiet and boring. Whereas the high-five can be quickly adjusted to be a low-five, slow-five or backhand five, the fist bump is what it is."

I completely agree with Jimmy. I always find it awkward when someone tries to engage me in a fist bump.

I prefer and encourage the high-five. Already today, I've high-fived someone twice: both times at a River North bar early this morning. The bar is second-best place to participate in a high-five.

The best place is on a field or in a gym as part of a team-setting. The third-best place is at a bowling alley.

Which do you prefer: the fist bump or the high-five?

Posted June 6, 1:51 p.m.

I am so excited right now.  As a longtime rap fan who is addicted to VH1's "Miss Rap Supreme" and wants the Wu-Tang to perform at her wedding,  I am honored that a rider is coming in today to share his CTA rap with me.  The lyrics reflect his angst with the system so even hip-hop haters might find themselves nodding their heads (yes, yes y'all) as he performs.

You're right.  I can't keep this all for myself, so come back to this blog on Monday morning when I will post an excerpt of his public transit-related performance.  That's right, I plan to videotape it. Till then, put your hands in the air, and wave 'em like you just don't care...and if you're sick of CTA and all of their delays, somebody scream "Oh yeah!"

OK, I'm done.  I promise.  Stay tuned for Monday's mini-concert and much, much more.

I caught the second half of "The Real World Hollywood" last night just in time to see fellow Gator Greg Halstead of Daytona Beach get kicked off the show.

Greg was chided for not attending improv shows as required by his teacher Charna Halpern of ImprovOlympic. (For more on the comedians Charna has mentored check out a story I wrote a few months ago about comics made in Chicago.)

Anyway, I have not seen such blatant disregard for a job since Montana got kicked off "The Real World Boston" for offering a child alcohol. Even then, she got to switch jobs so she didn't have to leave the show.

When Charna announced Greg had to pack his knives and leave -- sorry, still in "Top Chef" mode -- not one of his roommates stood up for him. That's not a surprise.

Greg, who was chosen by viewers to be on the show, is known for playing odd pranks in the house like putting rocks in Will's bed and panty-raiding Sarah's drawers.

I thought Greg consistently upped the drama in the house, which helped prevent this season from being yet another boring "Real World."

But pranks aside, the problem with Greg is he's portrayed as a man who devalues women. He calls women he dates or has gotten close to his associates.

Nevertheless, he has at least one woman hanging on his every word. I wonder if it's to get close to a shot of that "Real World" fame.

Posted June 5, 8:58 a.m.

I believe it was the father of Ricky Bobby, fictional race car driver, who said it best in "Talladega Nights":

"If you're not first, you're last."

That's the way I feel about the news that Chicago is tied for third out of four cities  still competing to host the 2016 Summer Olympics.  Sure, it's an honor to be in the running and certainly other factors were weighed, including Chicago's need to build new sporting venues and finance issues.  But the CTA is certainly a worry when considering it would have to transport us, plus an international audience.

According to a Tribune article, the International Olympic Committee specifically cited concerns about "the aged nature of the city's subway and bus systems."

Ouch.

I'm sure we can all concede we've seen at least some CTA improvement along the system over the past year.  We have to allow time for innovation and fixes to kick in, but I couldn't help but feel embarrassed by the Committee's comments.

What would you fix -- and fast-- along the CTA to help boost Chicago's public transit profile in advance of further Olympics decision making?  Or do you think it's Games Over already?

Posted June 4, 3:50 p.m.

Mass transit manners.  Always a point of debate on the CTA.  Some say it's every rider for him or herself, while others stress civility is important.  I am of the latter camp.  But one rider took a transit etiquette issue to the next level.  Yes, we're talking Dear Abby.

The rider, Amanda Krauss, wrote to ask Abby what she thinks of men taking seats from women, particularly pregnant ones.  In her response, it seems Abby was of the opinion that manners count, but the long and short of it is that women might need to practice some CTA chivalry:

"With more people using public transportation because of increased fuel prices, seats are at a premium," Abby wrote in the response. "One would hope that the commuters would practice good manners, but if a man didn't offer a pregnant woman his seat during the commute, I would offer her mine rather than force her to stand on swollen feet and ankles."

That's what I do, actually, and I know we've gotten into this before, but is chivarly on the CTA officially dead?

Posted June 4, 8:01 a.m.

In today's "Hey, CTA" an angry letter-writer sounded off about what he described as Securitas -- CTA outsourced security" turning a "blind eye" to fare-jumpers at the Green Line's California stop around 4 p.m. on weekdays. 

I asked the CTA about this, to make sure that this was Securitas, rather than the customer assistants that the guards are sometimes mistaken for because they too sit in the booths.  Here is what CTA spokeswoman Sheila Gregory told me about the Securitas cited in the rider letter: 

"The guard on duty functions as both a security guard and Customer Assistant.  In that capacity, when encountering an issue related to theft of service, the guard is directed to contact CTA's Control Center which takes steps to increase security at that location for a period of time in an effort to capture [the] future fare-jumper."

Hmmm, based on what the e-mailer told me, some more stepping up needs to take place.  Personally, I think we need to train Securitas in mass transit mixed martial arts or arm them with more than a proverbial flashlight.  Hey, and let's hear from the Securitas themselves...do you feel adequately equipped to do your job?

Yesterday's RedEye cover story about detox reminded me of the week I spent last summer as a fruitarian, a consumer of only raw fruits.

Fruitarians believe that cooked food creates addiction and weakens the immune system. They choose to adopt a "pure" lifestyle.

But I chose short-term fruitarianism to shed a few pounds and test my willpower. I love mangos, strawberries and pineapple and I thought that would be enough to get me through the challenge.

The first day was tough. I made the mistake of eating an orange, which upset my stomach. In fact, some experts advise fruitarians not to consume a lot of citrus because it can harm teeth. I felt sluggish at work that first day and craved anything but a piece of fruit.

But on the second day, fruitarianism started to grow on me. I made fruit salads and I started to train my stomach not to constantly feel hungry. This lasted for four more days and six mangos.

I felt lighter and more energetic at the end of the fruit fast. But I knew fruitarianism wasn't something I could sustain for a long period of time especially since I'm fond of eating out.

So I broke the fast and ate a hamburger. Then I felt bad.

Since Kyra wrote about detox, we've been talking in the office about detox programs we would like to follow. Have you ever done a detox or Master Cleanse? Do you have any tips?

Posted June 3, 12:10 p.m.

Are you wondering what's up with yet another derailment on the CTA?  This time, on the Red Line.  True, the CTA transports millions of riders a day and there are bound to be slip-ups and accidents, but what gives? 

I put in a call to the union that represents CTA rail employees to get some insight into possible causes, though the Red Line incident is still under investigation.  I spoke to the union's first vice president, Calvin Tillery, and here's what he said when asked how derailments typically occur.

"Well, that's hard to say," Tillery told me during a phone interview, during which he explained that other causes -- such as 90-degree temperatures spreading the tracks -- are rare.  "In most cases, we find it's human error.  I could paint a rosier picture, but human error is the largest factor if we look at the records."

Indeed, the CTA already has pinpointed operator error in the recent Green Line derailment.  This despite what Tillery described as refresher training every two years.  Tillery said the union seeks ways to get to the root of such problems, but:

"Sometimes, it's like we go through periods," Tillery said.  "I don't know how to explain it, historically it comes in three's...ironic it happens that way."

We certainly understand there will be some incidents, as drivers of all vehicles -- including trucks-- make mistakes despite training.  So what happens to those operators responsible for derailments?

"Everything is taken on a case by case basis," Tillery said.  "The union always takes position that individuals are worth saving, but the [CTA] has the right to run business way sees fit.  In many cases it's a retrain, people don't necessarily lose their jobs."

So I saw the "Sex and the City" movie this weekend and I was ... disappointed by the plot but not by the pun count.

If you haven't seen the movie yet, stop reading here. There are some spoilers in this post.

First, the puns. I counted six, which is about on par for "Sex and the City." There's usually one or two puns per episode and the movie was about five episodes long. Here are the puns:

>> Carried away: Samantha uses the phrase in her wedding speech to Carrie and Mr. Big. Though when/if I get married I'd like my maid of honor to use a pun in her speech, Samantha shouldn't have picked such a trite phrase.

>> Mexicoma: Carrie's self-described state of depression in Mexico after her wedding is called off.

>> Poughkeepsied her pants: Charlotte had a bowel problem after eating pudding cups from Poughkeepsie and sort-of drinking water in Mexico.

>> Lost Angeles: Samantha feels like she's missing something from her life when she lives in L.A.

>> St. Louise: Carrie's name for her assistant Louise, played by Jennifer Hudson, from St. Louis. They played on this name a couple of times (Louise Vuitton) in the movie but I'm counting it only once.

>> Menhattan: The name of Carrie's appropriately titled book.

Other notable phrases:

>> real estate heaven: describes Mr. Big and Carrie's dream home on the Upper East Side.

>> man-friend: Mr. Big's relationship to Carrie since he's too old to be a boyfriend. Judging by his behavior, though, boy-friend may be more appropriate.

>> never-getting-married file: Samantha expressed surprise when Carrie told her she was getting married. Samantha had put Carrie in her "never-getting-married file." I also have a file for some of my friends, and I'm probably in this file for some of my friends.

>> faux soul searching: Enid, Carrie's Vogue editor played by Murphy Brown, told Carrie to save the faux soul searching (pretending to ruminate on a flattering decision you know you will say yes to) and agree to participate in a bridal couture spread in Vogue. Perhaps faux sole searching would be semi-contemplating buying a pair of pricey heels, only to know you're going to buy them.

>> love fax: Mr. Big isn't all into writing love letters to Carrie but he's sure his secretary has sent her a love fax.

>> a slip: Samantha's word for a one-time infidelity.

>> a circus: Mr. Big's word for a lavish wedding.

>> booty call: late-night hookup call.

>> perfect opening line: Charlotte has an opening line, I wouldn't call it perfect, for when she sees Mr. Big for the first time after he broke Carrie's heart. I think every woman should have one of these lines ready for a breakup in case they encounter an ex.

>> emotional cutter: slitting the heart instead of the wrists.

Other notes:

>> "Mamma Mia" does not look like it's going to be a good movie. Don't go down with the ship Colin Firth.

>> I cannot believe Mr. Big has changed this much. This is the part that's unbelievable to me. For six years this guy was painted as unreliable and selfish. He miraculously changed for the series finale, but I took that as a temporary change, a last-ditch effort to keep Carrie in his life so he momentarily changed his personality. Up until the wedding, Mr. Big is portrayed as the perfect boyfriend. It would be more believable if Mr. Big had made this leap in his '20s or early '30s but not during middle age. I groaned at this candy-coated Biginning.

>> Did Samantha's yellow jacket that she wore to the auction remind anyone of the jacket Kevin recoinnotered into a top on the full-figured women episode of "Project Runway" last season?

>> Samantha as maid of honor? I didn't see any of the girls with hurt feelings. Why would Carrie choose someone with such disdain for marriage? I expected her to pick Charlotte then Miranda over Samantha.

>> Why would Charlotte help Carrie organize her closet with post-it notes? Perhaps the Jack Berger subtext helped doomed her move?

>> TracySwartz of the iPhone blog could have shown Carrie how to use an iPhone to call Mr. Big on her wedding day.

>> Samantha's hot neighbor was named Dante? Mmmm ... too forced. Even I couldn't appreciate the Dante's inferno line.

>> Didn't the dress that Carrie wore when she reconciled with Big on the carpet of her closet look like the "naked dress" she wore on their first date?

>> Why doesn't Charlotte have any problems, except for the intestinal one?

>> I may have missed the message of this movie. Was it to forgive a lover's transgressions whether they are Big (abandonment at the altar) or smaller (one-time infidelity)? Or was it that love conquers all? It made me sad to see how all four women relied on the men in their life. I expect that from a rom-com or a primetime sitcom. But the theme of "Sex and the City" for so many years was that you didn't need a man to be happy and you didn't need to be married to find love. I'm afraid that theme didn't Carrie on into the movie.

What did you think of the movie?

Posted June 2, 12:01 p.m.

I don't know about you, but I am absolutely on the edge of my seat (bus or "L", that is) waiting for the bus tracker to go live on the No.3-King Drive or the No.4-Cottage Grove.

Having sampled the sweet nectar of public transit progress on the No. 35-35th and No.20-Madison has made the wait worse.  The same can be said for Berwyn rider, Tony Yusken, who hails from Berwyn and would like to get word to el presidente of the CTA.  Writes Yusken:

"When is bus tracker going to be extended to include north side buses, such as Forest Glen (Lawrence & Foster Avenue buses sometimes bus bunch) or North Park (the service is HORRIBLE on Broadway & Clark St. at times! and PLEASE don't get started on 11 Lincoln Avenue!!! extremely unreliable)???"

"Going Public" plans to delve deep into this topic. The bus-tracker should be rolling out over the next year, but when oh when will certain routes go live and what factors does the CTA use to decide where bus-tracker will appear next?  A Magic Eight Ball?

Stay tuned for answers.  The transit truth is out there.

Posted June 2, 8:58 a.m.

Have you ever gotten touched by one of your transit peers in order to help you, or rather their commute, along?

I remember a woman who put her hands on my waist and semi-slid me over while I was standing, in order to make her way off of the Red Line "L."  I thought it was wicked weird, since an "excuse me," would have done the trick, but ah well.  No harm, no foul.

But sometimes a touch is really too much, especially after I read a rider e-mail titled "Ride at Your Own Risk." 

It may make you think twice about being too transit touchy feely:

No rider should EVER put hands on another rider for any reason. Nobody is aware of another rider's physical condition/health risks.  Another boarder placed his two hands on the small of my back and shoved me hard in a failed attempt to push me up the bus steps faster. I was carrying a heavy load and was having a problem boarding. This man severely damaged my spinal cord. It's been a year and a half and I am still not healed and may never be. I am facing spine surgery now. I went from feeling like a forty something to feeling like a seventies something. I was 63 when this occurred in mid October 2006, boarding the CTA bus at the Broadway and Diversey stop around 9:00 PM.