It’s a bad week to ride the Green Line
Plus: 🤖 AI could throw you out of work
It’s Wednesday, Boston.
🥲 Boy, do we have a Hump Day treat for you: Noah Kahan’s Tiny Desk Concert just dropped, and he debuted not one, but TWO new songs. Sad girl playlist about to go CRAZY.
👀 What’s on tap today:
- AI could throw you out of work
- Beacon Hill’s boomer moment
- The barefoot marathoner
Up first…
TRANSPORTATION
B branch DOWN!
Image: David L. Ryan/The Boston Globe. Illustration: Emily Schario.
It’s a bad week to be a Green Liner. The B branch will be OOO between Kenmore and Boston College from April 22 to 30. And this shutdown is anything BUT straightforward …
Here’s what to know:
🚃 Shuttles will hit most of the line’s usual stops. Here are the exact locations.
🙅 Except for a few … Due to “accessibility issues,” shuttles will skip Griggs Street, Allston Street, and Packard’s Corner. Translation: You’ll need to walk to Warren Street, Harvard Avenue, or Babcock Street if those are your stops.
⏩ The shutdown extends to Copley from April 25 to 26. As will shuttle buses. During this time, Green Line frequency will be reduced between Copley and Government Center, so the MBTA is encouraging riders to hop on the Orange Line at Back Bay for service downtown.
😅 Chunks of the C and B branches will also be out that weekend. Shuttles will replace service on the C and D branches between Copley and St. Mary’s as well as Brookline Hills. Visual learner? Here’s a map.
🚌 The Route 57 bus will be free during the shutdown. Good news: The route runs along the B branch between Kenmore and Packard’s Corner if you want to skip the shuttles. Bad news: The bus won’t be free on April 25 and 26 because Kenmore won’t be open.
⏰ Per usual, you’ll want to budget extra time. The MBTA recommends 10 extra minutes for riders travelling between Boston College and Park Street. But FWIW, as a B branch rider, Gia will be giving it closer to 30.
💥 Why is this all happening? Thank the GLTPS. That’s the Green Line Train Protection System, a fancy new system being installed that’s going to help the Green Line avoid derailments and train-on-train collisions … like this one.
🫣 C and E branches, don’t think you’re off the hook. Nine- and eight-day shutdowns are coming for you in May and June, respectively. Here’s a sneak peek at the damage.
😭 Did you get all of that? Here are all the deets.
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CITY
Quick & dirty headlines
Image: Michael Dwyer/Associated Press
🤖 AI could throw A LOT of locals out of work. That’s according to a new Tufts study that says 207,000+ Boston-area workers and 260,000 statewide are likely to lose their jobs to AI systems over the next five years. And that’s assuming businesses and governments adopt AI at a moderate pace (could be slower, could be faster). Not-so-fun fact: Mass. actually has the highest risk of AI job losses among U.S. states, with writers and editors first on the chopping block, followed by coders. Gulp …
💸 Some restaurants might automatically add a tip during the World Cup. Tipping hovers around 20% in the U.S. and 10% in Argentina, but in Japan, tipping could be considered rude. So some local restaurants are noodling on including a 20% gratuity on a visitor’s bill during the six-week tournament to avoid any *confusion* among international visitors. Assuming this happens, a Massachusetts Restaurant Association board member said customers would be notified on menus of the policy.
📲 Beacon Hill is having a boomer moment with social media bans. At least some critics think so … ICYMI: Governor Maura Healey and state lawmakers have been coming in hot with their own bills to curb social media usage among teens. But some think the proposals are clumsy, invasive, and raise a host of practical, constitutional, and privacy challenges. And TBH, they raise a good point. One argued kids need to learn how to use social media so they don’t use it irresponsibly, which requires education, not a flat-out ban.
🛍️ Found Boston really is THAT girl in Boston’s thrift scene. The Cambridge consignment store has been a key player in transforming local vintage shopping from just shopping to an ~experience~. Think: Themed events like Found After Dark, $20 Fill a Bag, and scavenger hunts, all of which keep new (and mostly young) people funnelling in and out. Plus, having food, drink, and bathrooms (yes, those weren’t always a given) at these events make it possible to hang even if shopping isn’t the vibe.
THINGS TO DO
Upcoming picks from The B-Side
This month, B-Side Members can save more than $150 across our events plus monthly freebies like free coffee at Flour Bakery.
👩⚕️May 20: Salute to Nurses Celebration. Free for nurses. The Boston Globe and Keches Law are hosting a complimentary celebration at The Grand at 6 p.m. to honor local nurses’ dedication and hard work. Because nurses deserve more than just pizza parties. RSVP here.
💬 April 27: Young and Thriving in Boston. Free. The Boston Globe is hosting a community conversation at Artists for Humanity about what it takes to build a life in Boston as a young person — housing, work, social life, etc. Expect a panel discussion, audience Q&A, networking mixer, plus arts and crafts. RSVP here.
🎤 May 29-30: The WBUR Festival. $25+. Get ready for two days of talks, podcast tapings, and performances from influential voices like Bryan Stevenson, José Andrés, and Celeste Ng. Members get 15% off the $25 one-day pass. Book here.
Members: Use code BSIDE15 to redeem your discount.
Start a membership for $3/month for your first year!
🔑 P.S. After you sign up to become a Member, we’ll email you promo codes for these events.
🔑 Members: Find your giveaway links and discount codes here.
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ONE LAST THING
The people’s marathoners
Photo collage: Annie Jonas/Boston.com
Sure, John Korir might’ve shattered a Boston Marathon course record. But these runners DEFINITELY stole the show.
See: This guy who obliterated a quart (!) of Legal Sea Foods clam chowder after running a PB of 2:37:43 (it’s apparently his post-Boston ritual).
Or this guy, who ran the marathon BAREFOOT. His training regimen actually included running on a spread of Lego bricks, kicking a watermelon until it bursts, and stabbing his feet repeatedly with a fork. This is what his feet looked like post-race — TBH, we thought it’d be worse!
Or this British Olympian who ran a 2:43:58 … while 22 weeks pregnant. HELLO?!
You can dig into all of the wacky, weird, and wonderful headlines here.
— Written by Gia Orsino and Emily Schario
🦶 Thanks for reading! wikiFeet about to have a FIELD DAY.
💜 Special shoutout to today’s sponsor, Babson College, for supporting local journalism and helping you turn career “what ifs” into actual plans.
🍞 The results are in: It was close, but around 29% of readers agreed that “If you walk, I’m telling Nike” was the best sign from Marathon Monday. One reader threw another sign into the ring: “Pain is the French word for bread!” Ha!
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