--A second MBTA-related noose incident: A black conductor found a noose on the floor of a Red Line cab before Halloween. [Boston Herald]

--Roberto Pulido, crooked cop extraordinaire who inspired one of the Herald's most salacious covers, is now blaming steroids for his behavior. [Boston Globe]

--A bus driver from Martha's Vineyard won $10 million smackers in the Massachusetts State Lottery. [Boston Herald]

--Some UMass-Amherst students are attempting a boycott. [Boston Herald]

--Elsewhere in the universities: Someone at Harvard suffers from Factiva-Mania. [Harvard Crimson]

--Headline of the Day: "Hikers Who Moon Train Face Crack Down" [WCVB]