--As if it couldn't get any worse for the MBTA. Hackers have been playing with the Charlie Card. [Boston Herald] --The owner of Tai Ho Restaurant, where Boston firefighters Paul Cahill and Warren Payne died, wants to reopen. It's worth remembering that the fire gathered in the ceiling because grease accumulated in the vents. [WBZ] --A task force has decided, after much back and forth, to take down the homemade signs on highways thanking......

Mike of The Food Monkey has joined Bostonist to share his thoughts about cooking, food history, restaurant trends, and any other Epicurean issues. He promises to discuss what tastes good, but not always what is in good taste. For more on consuming the opponents and other food news, go to The Food Monkey website. To contact Mike, go to the Food Monkey's contact page. It’s that time again. Time to spin the wheel and......

--More fire department turmoil: A panel of union firefighters determined that the alcohol and drugs found in the bodies of firefighters Paul Cahill and Warren Payne in August's Tai Ho Restaurant blaze did not cause their deaths. But the fire commissioner begs to differ. [Boston Globe, background: Bostonist] --While it's good that the mayor is throwing his efforts behind saving Hendry Street from the foreclosure crisis, the housing problems in Dorchester aren't limited to......

Opera Boston Underground "Quickies" Tonight, doors at 7:00 p.m. (Bostonist suggests getting in line early), show at 7:30 p.m. Lizard Lounge (1667 Mass. Ave., Cambridge) $8 cover, 21+ Opera Boston Underground is the casual, subterranean branch of Opera Boston (whose smart, cute Semele we enjoyed earlier this month) and tonight they return to the Lizard Lounge for a handful of semi-staged mini-operas, with three libretti (and one score) by the late Gian Carlo Menotti. A......

--A massive fire that started in an abandoned nightclub and eventually destroyed 14 buildings in downtown Lawrence broke into the national news. In a miracle given the size of the fire, no one was hurt. However, 30 families were displaced. Authorities think the fire is suspicious. The owner, who was in the process of turning the spot into a restaurant, says he has no insurance and that someone "jealous of his success" started it.......

Those who keep a vegan diet will probably tell you that eating a healthy breakfast out can often be a challenge, especially when hoping to get something quickly. Breakfast in America is heavily focused on animal products and often the only options involve bacon, eggs, milk, or all three! Enter the chain of Bagel Rising and Espresso Royale cafes in Boston. These green-leaning, eco-friendly, and vegan-catering cafes are warm, inviting, and most importantly, delicious!......

--Another snowstorm is on its way and is expected to have its greatest impact tonight. [WCVB] --Speaking of snow, Bostonist has the temperature and weather-condition icons at the top left of the home page. If you click on that icon, you'll get all the latest weather news. --People got cold in order to protest the heat of global warming during yesterday's Polar Bear Plunge in Concord. [AP/Globe] --Patriots owner Robert Kraft is partnering with......

--An off-duty firefighter was stabbed early this morning in East Boston, possibly for racist reasons. According to WBZ, a firefighter was at Chivas Restaurant last night when he said a group of Hispanic men "they did not want any 'Gringos' at the restaurant and he should leave." Later on, the same men followed him as he drove to the Saratoga Street fire station, and they stabbed him in the chest. His injuries are non-life-threatening. The......

The last word that should be used to describe Boston is "cheap," but housing prices compared to New York City's are a steal. The cellist for the Magnetic Fields, Sam Davol, has moved his family up to a new pad in Boston's Chinatown above Jumbo Seafood Restaurant. Of course, "cheap" is relative. The New York Times did a piece on how Davol and his spouse decided a move to Boston would allow them to quit......

-- 18 protesters were arrested during yesterday's Veterans Day ceremony at City Hall Plaza. They were members of Veterans for Peace, an organization of former soldiers opposed to the Iraq War. The American Legion had placed the group in the rear of the Veterans Day parade and told them that they could not carry signs protesting the war. The Veterans for Peace responded by blocking the official ceremony podium with gags in their mouths and......

The mayor wants a former Big Dig contractor, Paul Pedini, to return two foo dogs to Chinatown. The contractor had "liberated" them to decorate his snazzy sustainable home, which was built from Big Dig recyclables. The contractor claimed it was okay for him to take the two foo dogs because they were going to be replaced by brand-new ones. There were four old foo dogs—two went to Pedini, and two went to the Kowloon Restaurant......

The story of the drugs and alcohol found in the toxicology results for the bodies of firefighters Warren Payne and Paul Cahill has three threads--the freedom of the press, public safety, and the memory of the firefighters themselves. As noted earlier, all news outlets except WHDH reported yesterday and today about the toxicology results. WHDH couldn't report because Suffolk Superior Court Judge Merita Hopkins silenced them at the request of the firefighters' union. WHDH appealed,......

Last night, word broke out that firefighters Warren Payne and Paul Cahill, who perished in a blaze at the Tai Ho Restaurant, had drugs and/or alcohol in their system. This morning, many citizens are expressing outrage at the smear on their memories on the local news. Several outlets are reporting that Warren Payne had cocaine in his system, and Paul Cahill was legally intoxicated. However, the report comes from, in the Globe's words, "A......

Boston firefighters Paul Cahill, of Scituate, and Warren Payne, of Canton, died last night in a fire at the Tai Ho Mandarin and Cantonese Restaurant in West Roxbury. At least 10 firefighters were injured, two critically. The West Roxbury Transcript reported that the critically injured firefighters are on life support. The fire began at 9:00 pm, and 100 firefighters responded. The fire was so strong that, according to reports, flames at least 15 feet high......

--Neighbors and family in Weymouth are still stunned by the murder of Joanna Mullin, allegedly by her own allegedly drug-addicted, not-allegedly spitting cousin. The judge who dealt with Ryan Bois called him an "animal" before sending him for a psychiatric evaluation. Norfolk DA Robert Nelson is arguing that Bois was fully aware of what he was doing when he attacked his cousin and took her body out of the house. --It turns out that, while......

During Restaurant Week, which runs from now to August 17 (skipping Saturday, August 11), you can eat three-course lunches for $20.07 and three-course dinners for $33.07 all over town. You still have to pay for tips, tax, and beverages alcoholic and otherwise, but that's still not a bad deal. You can see a full list of participating restaurants here, and you can make reservations through OpenTable. From there, it's beg, borrow, or steal to get......

--After a lengthy undercover operation called "Operation Roadkill," the feds took down 15 alleged members of the Outlaws, a biker gang based in Taunton. In the raid, they picked up large quantities of drugs and, as Boston NOW gleefully noted, a stripper pole. We're not sure how the feds took the stripper pole from the house without leaving significant damage behind, but, by golly, the feds were going to take that stripper pole as evidence!......

Who knew that Commish Ed Davis' radical new idea of having police officers patrol the streets might actually work? According to the Globe, crime is down in Bowdoin-Geneva, Grove Hall, and Downtown Crossing, where the new beats started. Since the back-to-basics plan is doing so well, Davis wants to add even more regular foot patrols. We agree that the Blotter looks slightly less crazy as of late. But we're curious. What happened to the Guardian......

Via Universal Hub - Earlier this week, the Herald wrote what they probably intended to be a thoughtful editorial on the stem cell debate. But all that changed once they kicked off the piece with the following sentence: There is a story going around town - one now verging on urban myth - that somewhere in the basement of a Thai restaurant in Allston is a refrigerator that is home to a number of newly......

If you happen upon a frazzled-looking group clutching film equipment this weekend, don't go assuming that Kevin Spacey's MIT blackjack movie has run into tough times. Instead, give local filmmakers a hand (or a triple shot of espresso), because the 48 Hour Film Project is likely pushing them to their creative edges. Teams in 55 U.S. cities (and a few abroad) will be gathering early this evening to celebrate and prepare for two full days......

Daisuke Matsuzaka Mania has already jumped the shark, and the season hasn't even started yet. The Globe had a long, loving look at how the arrival of Matsuzaka is going to juice up Boston's economy. (Better hide Pastor Wall's warning to tourists about the risks of getting shot around here.) We are anticipating Matsuzaka's official debut as much as the next sports fan. And we are tickled that one guy is expected to pump $14......

Oldways will talk about Setting the Oldways Table at the Brattle Theatre tomorrow, Wednesday, March 28, at 6:00pm. A reception will follow at Casablanca Restaurant. Tickets for the event are $3, and tickets for the event and the reception at Casablanca Restaurant are $55. Tickets are available at Harvard Book Store and by calling 617-661-1515. Some of us have neither the time nor the money to eat well. Often, Ramen or Campbells are considered food......

Usually when we feature a map we only give it the title of map of the day, even if we don't feature one every day. Today we feature the map of the week. Why? Because this week is Boston's Winter Restaurant Week 2007. The map comes from BostonChefs.com and their "unofficial guide" to Restaurant Week. It appears that the little chef icon on the map indicates the restaurants who have upgraded their listing with......

While Bostonist loves the idea of brunch, we often get a little miffed when we see all the happy couples in love eyeing each other over their french toasts. Yet, when we heard about a breakfast place that has lots of happy families and a killer, cheap meal, we decided to go check it out. We ventured out to Union Square in Somerville to try the generically named Neighborhood Restaurant. Since it was a sunny,......

In a world where there's nothing to do but watch movies. In a city full of theaters, museums, and libraries. One moviegoer who can be in three places at once. Friday 9/15 Chuck Norris Film Festival The action starts with 1985's Invasion USA, and culminates in Saturday's midnight screening of the early Norris classic Breaker! Breaker! Somerville Theatre Starts at 8 pm (see schedule) Chuck Norris: web site (warning: plays "Hi, this is Chuck Norris"......

A bit of a misnomer this year, Boston's Summer Restaurant Week spreads itself leisurely over a 14-day span, affording the populace twice as much time to spend money they don't have on food they can't afford. And we at Bostonist couldn't be happier about it! This biannual event (winter and summer only) provides a beacon of light for culinary adventuring, allowing even us poor writers a chance to taste the good life. The difficulty......

The first day of summer has finally passed and the ice cream season is in full swing. While we've already hit up Emack and Bolios, J.P. Licks, and Toscanini's, we are all ready to kick it up a notch in our ice cream consumption. So when we heard about a mini ice cream party this Sunday in Inman Square, we RSVP'ed "yes" immediately. Boston's own chocolate guru, Dana Zemack, is the chocoholic behind the website,......

There is something intriguing about snooping around your neighborhood to see what is going in the vacated spots that once housed a locally owned business. In February, many were surprised when arriving at Zathmary’s in Coolidge Corner for some matzah ball soup and the doors were locked, bread in front of the door, with no sign of life inside. The place was gone forever without a last chance to hit up the great salad bar.......

Although Bostonist generally gravitates to low-cost eateries, when a local newbie makes it into Conde Nast Traveler, we sit up and take notice. We'll let you in on a little secret – high priced eateries usually offer more affordable brunches. It's a great way to sample the atmosphere and nosh without taking in the full bill of dinner. It wasn’t long before we found ourselves in the darkened bar of OM Restaurant and Lounge, eager......

If, like Bostonist, you totally flaked out on Boston Winter Restaurant Week and now can't even get a 10 p.m. reservation at any of the 90 participating establishments since it's Thursday...well, luck be a lady! Some of the restaurants have declared the week so successful that they're extending the $20.06 lunch/$30.06 dinner pricing structure for another week. A complete list of eateries participating in the extension here. Remember: prices are per person, for a......