CTA Tattler

New CTA ads ARE rocket science

A rocket scientist helped develop the concept behind new ads that "turns a subway wall into a makeshift movie screen," the Sun-Times reports today.

The new ads for Target sound pretty cool.  They're on the wall in the Blue Line subway near Clark/Lake. I don't ride the Blue Line much, so all you Blue Line riders, let us know how you like them.

CTA PDA: Pretty Damned Annoying

I'm no prude. I'm OK with Public Displays of Affections -- as long as they aren't so obvious and annoying. Unfortunately, some are both.

• A couple in their early 20s sits on the Red Line. The woman is playing on her phone, her boyfriend with his arm draped around her shoulder. He begins nuzzling her neck with kisses while she still works her phone. Pay attention, girl!
• I spy another couple on the Grand platform. The guy is sitting, his back against the wall. The girl is between his legs squatting, her face sucking his. Get a hotel room next time, OK?
• Yet another couple boards at Addison after a game, in full Cubs regalia. She is rubbing his bare back under his T shirt as he leans forward, looking totally despondent and unresponsive to his touch. Cubs lose! Cubs lose!

CTA silent so far on bailout

As the Illinois state legislature raided pension funds to balance the budget and stave off deep cuts to CTA service, the CTA has remained eerily silent on the developments.

The CTA's Web site as of Monday evening still showed the same tired story from April 13 about the details on planned service cuts that have now been averted.

Perhaps they are waiting for Rod's signoature on the budget accord before they count their chickens?

Tasty napkin, plus dessert

This reader Tattler Tale is brought to you by coffeejedi, who wins the "moniker of the day" award:

I took my first trip to Chicago last weekend. A friend and I were riding the train from O'Hare and a well dressed reasonably attractive young woman got on.

She had a cell-phone and a to-go bag from McDonalds with a salad. After eating the salad, she proceeds to take out a napkin, rip a piece off, cumple it up, and quickly pop it in her mouth. She does this for the entire napkin, making sure that noone is looking. (I saw all this out of the corner of my eye.)

This continues for 2 more napkins. After this strange meal, she gets lip-liner out of her purse, and applies it. I'm talking to my friend, scanning the car, when I notice that she looks around, and proceeds to lick the stick before putting it back in the tube!

A guess when you eat a meal of napkins, you need a fitting dessert.

Deal near on CTA funding?

It's the Memorial Day weekend -- deadline time for the state legislature to hammer out a budget for next year without needing a super majority to pass it. And it appears there is agreement on how to fund the CTA's $55 million shortfall:

Rob Peter to pay Paul!

The plan is to underfund state pension plans and move that cash to the schools and the CTA.

Am I the only one who thinks that's just not right?

Those pensions are already way underfunded. I'd be really pissed if I were a state employee or a teacher.

From the CTA Lost and Found Dept.

We all know that scary things can happen in the Hobo Corner.

For you CTA Tattler neophytes, that's the closed-in compartment opposite the driver's perch.

The other day we found this different sort of snow globe in the Hobo Corner. It's an alligator holding a Florida sign in its outstretched arms.

And that's scary.

And we really don't need it, so if it's yours email me.

You see, we already have one.

Fair warning from motorman on Cubs fans

As we approached the Addison station on the Red Line at about 9:30 on the night of a Cubs game, the motorman gave us fair warning:

"OK folks, you're gonna have company in a minute. We're heading into the Addison station -- you know what that means -- Cubs fans."

He said it in an ominous tone.

"Now, it's not as bad as if we were going south, not as crowded, but just be aware you're getting more company."

That was odd. I don't remember ever being warned about Cubs fan. But hey, it was a great publice service.

The disoriented birthday girl

My daughter was on the Red Line, on the way home from high school. Sitting next to her was an 8- or 9-year-old girl, sound asleep. Her snooze was occasionally punctuated by snores.

She finally woke up around Thorndale, and innocently asked: "Did we pass Belmont yet?" My daughter told her she had missed the stop.

"Oh man! And today is my birthday too!" she sighed.

"What are you doing for your birthday?" my daughter politely inquired.

"Oh, I'm having dinner with the president and then having some cake!" she gushed.

My daughter wisely decided not to pursue any further explanation.

The girl got off at Howard and took the Purple Line back to Belmont, and her date with Dubya.

The sneering mutterer

A tall, lanky guy about 30 years old sits by himself on the Red Line headed north. He has shoulder-length brown hair, round, blue-tinted sunglasses and a goatee.

And he mutters.

He mutters the entire trip. I can't really hear what he's saying. But he mutters the entire trip, with an awful, hateful sneer crossing his mouth.

A Red Line party!

I'm heading home, going north on the Red Line, when two young women board at North and Clybourn.

They start talking about having a party on the Red Line -- my kind of gals!

"Wouldn't it be cool if we just turned the train into one big party?" said one to the other.

"Yeah! We could have one of the cars be the bar car, and play music and dance all the way home!"

OK, who's in? When should we have our Red Line CTA Tattler party? I'm thinking some time in early June to celebrate the first anniversary of this blog (June 10). What say you? If they can do it in New York, we can do it in Chicago.

UPDATE: Here are details on our first anniversary party.