Early this morning, Harvard Square was all aglow with an underground fire that sent flames shooting out of manhole covers like in an action movie. But don’t head over in hopes of getting some apocalyptic pictures to put on your MySpace profile. Authorities say the fire is out and repairs will begin shortly.

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We’ve been pretty worried about the state’s visible infrastructure lately. The Longfellow Bridge’s sidewalks are in danger of crumbling under the weight of fireworks watchers. Gov. Deval Patrick wants to borrow $1 billion to repair the state’s troubled roads.

Maybe he should set aside some of that money to work on our subterranean infrastructure while he’s at it. Not even a week after a water main broke in the Financial District and wreaked havoc with the area’s gas supply, an underground electric cable has started a fire in Harvard Square.

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Starting on Monday, the MBTA will begin posting ads like this one. (Click here for a larger version; it advises victims of inappropriate touching to call police or take a picture with their phone.) It’s a more public version of the MBTA’s current anti-groping effort, in which undercover officers scan the subway for roaming hands, and is an earnest, welcome effort to address a legitimate problem. Many a sketchball, after all, own Charlie Cards.

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Look at this photo from today’s BU Daily Free Press. Now let me ask you something: When did college kids become so lame? I ask because, you know, last year I was one and if memory serves, I was lame—some might even say sophomoric and all to willing to fall back on a good fart joke—but I wasn’t this lame. Come on BU students. You have got to be kidding me. Don’t you have some form of alcohol or drug you could be intaking somewhere?

And do your parents know they’re spending $35K a year so you can run around with a broom between your legs? (more…)

When tourists think of Boston landmarks, they often mention the Bunker Hill Monument, the Old North Church, or even the Bull and Finch Pub. But those are small-time compared to one of the city’s greatest monuments—the Pour House.

From college students who take advantage of the half-priced food nights to baseball fans who enjoy one of the bar’s huge beers after a game, it’s a tough place not to like. Which is why we were heartbroken to read the rumors flying around RedSoxNation.net and Yelp that one of our favorite dives was about to close.

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Last month, Boston’s zoning board voted unanimously to prohibit more than four undergraduate students from living in a single apartment. The proposal faced criticism from students who argued that the law discriminated against them.

Now a lawyer is leading the charge against the proposal.

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In the March 2007 issue of Boston magazine, Peter Manso detailed the allegations of racial bias in the jury room during  the Christina Worthington murder trial. Christopher McCowen was convicted of the fashion writer’s murder in 2006, but in November of last year, a judge said he would call the jury back to determine whether the racist comments affected the outcome.

Today, Judge Gary Nickerson rejected McCowen’s bid for a new trial.

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We’re all about New Kids hype today, and while it’s a fun diversion for some, the truly devoted fans have already developed their excuses to get out of work early so they can head to the KISS 108 studios for a live appearance from Joey, Jordan, Donnie, Danny, and Jonathan.

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That was fast. Boston.com reports that Gov. Deval Patrick has scored a deal with Broadway Books. The governor’s autobiography will be released in 2010. Looks like that personal day in New York was worth it after all.

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The Globe had a story yesterday about a Burlington Internet firm that unknowingly hosted a terrorist website, Leemedia.net. It was a strange piece. Acknowledging that the government played no role in the site’s closure, the Globe nonetheless spent all its time talking with a “senior U.S. counterterrorism official who asked not be identified because of his sensitive position.” Like the guy was a big get.

Well, the paper missed the bigger story: that a Boston-area man helped shut the site down. (more…)