Have you seen the new SEPTA signs? I noticed this a few weeks ago; the signs in the photo here are located at Broad and Walnut Streets (the first one I spotted) but there are also posted at 13th & Market, 15th & Market, 18th & JFK, 19th & Market, and 15th & Locust.

The first thing I thought when I saw the sign was “T? Like in Boston?” but the lines of the T do look a bit like rail lines, so I guess it’s an interesting design choice.

What I like more than the huge posts are the signs on the stairwells, explaining the lines and connections that can be made at the station, and the exit orientation signs, giving directions and street intersections. Have you ever come up from the subway feeling disoriented? Well, maybe not if you’ve been riding for years, but occasional riders and tourists probably don’t know which is the northeast corner of Broad and Walnut just standing around in the concourse.

If you’ve seen the signs and have any comments about them, there is a survey for SEPTA and PATCO users to submit.

Do you think these signs will be useful? What would you do differently, or do you think the city’s had a good idea with these?

There’s been a signal at Broad and Jackson for who knows how long, but last Friday on my way to the subway I noticed that the light was out, and the intersection was a free-for-all. The cars on Broad Street seemed to think they had the right of way (being on a wide four-lane state highway with parked cars for a median), while the cars on puny little one-lane one-way Jackson Street just tried to sneak through across the intersection. The ones turning right from Jackson onto Broad had it easier. Woe to the driver insane enough to try a left turn onto Broad!

Even though Chapter 2 of the PA Driver’s Manual, “Signs, Signals and Pavement Markings”, clearly states that “[a] non-functioning traffic signal should be treated as though it were a four-way STOP sign”, does the city of Philadelphia really expect that drivers remember those silly rules from their learner’s permit days? Apparently not! Sometime over the weekend, big bright red stop signs were installed at each corner of Broad and Jackson.

Did this help the situation? Watch and learn!

The poor woman yelling “stop sign!” at all the drivers had been walking her dog and made several attempts to cross the street. She’d been waiting for about five minutes when she finally got fed up and marched right into the intersection. I myself did the same thing, because no one—seriously, no one—was stopping for pedestrians.

Friends of the Free Library have posted about several meetings and rallies to help save the library, and will be holding a press conference at 12 noon on Monday (November 17) in front of the Haddington Library branch. The website also lists steps you can take if you would like to participate or donate.

The Kingsessing branch has started its own blog, Save Kingsessing Library! They are holding their own rally tomorrow, rain or shine, at 2 p.m. in the meeting room.

More news as it develops!

November 15

• M83, School of Seven Bells at Starlight Ballroom, 8pm

November 16

• Blacklisted, Ceremony, Have Heart, Let Down, The New Lows at the First Unitarian Church, 3pm
• SOLD OUT: Gregory and the Hawk, Dan Malloy at First Unitarian Church, 7:30pm

November 18

• Margot & The Nuclear So and So’s, Wild Sweet Orange, Kaiser Cartel at the First Unitarian Church, 8pm

November 19

• SOLD OUT: Tom Gabel, Emilyn Brodsky at the Barbary, 6:30pm

November 20

• mc chris, Totally Michael at the First Unitarian Church, 7:30pm
• Subtle, Zach Hill, Pattern is Movement at Johnny Brendas, 9pm

November 21

• Mischief Brew, Brian McGee and the Hallow Speed, Lusts at the Barbary, 6:30pm
• Baroness, Coliseum, Minsk at the First Unitarian Church, 7:30pm

This Saturday, across the country, protest rallies will be held to repeal Prop 8. The Philadelphia rally will be held at Dilworth Plaza at City Hall, starting at 1:30pm. Join the Impact is hosting the event, and you can share the info or RSVP for the rally through the Facebook group.

On a personal note, I am totally against marriage bans of any sort, and believe it would be a lot easier to completely change the way “marriage” is perceived instead of writing laws allowing or banning one thing or another. I think of marriage as a personal, religious, or spiritual title, that is altogether separate from civil unions. If two people—male, female, or otherwise—want to enter into a legal union, who are we to stop them? It would be unconstitutional.

But then, that’s the beauty of the peaceful protest! If you don’t like the way something is done (or not done) then work to change it!

I had no idea where I wanted to spend my 30th birthday—this accomplishment required an impressive night of partying, right? I went through many suggestions before a friend of mine mentioned a place I’d never heard of before: Yakitori Boy at 11th and Race in Chinatown.

I decided to spend the extra money and reserve a 20-person private room for my party, which was great because some people who’d normally never get up in front of a crowd of people and belt out “Eye of the Tiger” did so that night. The system (as illustrated in a photo on my flickr) is somewhat disorienting to search through, and all songs in English are listed under “Foreign”. All songs are under Men, Women, or Bands, listed alphabetically… except when they are not. For the life of me, I could not find Hall & Oates, and believe me, I tried.

We discovered that standing, jumping, or dancing on the couches was allowed, so long as we removed our shoes first. (It astounds me that this has happened enough that a rule was made about it!)

Besides that, YB is amazingly awesome. The servers were quick and polite, even when we made a mess with my birthday cake. Drinks and food were all wonderfully tasty, but I must admit, I spent most of my evening with a Pom Lychee in one hand and the mic in the other. Most everything was offered in small plates (hence the upstairs lounge name Japas) so we all got to sample a few different things. Sweet potato tempura! Oh my, that was good.

I had a bit of a mix up with my credit card near the end of the night when we went to settle the bill, but our server was graciously patient with me as we figured it out. I just hope my tip was enough, because I can’t imagine how frustrating my party must have been. Oh, not that we were obnoxious or nasty, there were just so many of us! I’m used to having small gatherings for my birthday, but because it was my 30th, about 25 people showed up.

On the way out of the place, so many people told me how much fun the evening was, and most of us plan to go back sometime. Perhaps a Metblog Happy Hour?

I have no idea what it’s for, but I am highly intrigued.

(My apologies for the quick post and lack of R5 news for today… I’m gearing up for my 30th birthday! More on that after the weekend…)

Update: More information at Philadelphia Will Do.

After two and a half hours and several back and forths, I now hold in my hand my renewed Pennsylvania driver’s license.

The adventure started several weeks ago, when I sent in my renewal application form online with my payment of $26 (plus an extra $1 for Organ Donor Awareness). PennDOT promptly sent me the camera card to get my new ID, and I promptly lost it.

Today: adventures.

I walk into the PennDOT office and ask information what to do. The guy hands me a new form and tells me it’ll cost an extra $5 (since I lost the camera card) and I need a check or money order. PennDOT will not accept cash or credit/debit cards. I’m searching through my purse but apparently the day I need it is the day I leave my checkbook at home. Sounding like he’s said the same line over and over today, the guy informs me that CVS has money orders.

I wait in line at CVS for a while, and when it’s finally my turn I’m told that to buy a money order you have to pay in cash—you cannot even use your debit card, and I was unaware of this! Unfortunately, there is only $5.50 in my purse, and the $5 money order costs $0.99. The cashier is very annoyed that she needs to void the sale, and I embarrassingly leave the store.

PNC (my bank) is directly across the street, but instead of waiting to use the ATM and waiting back in line at CVS, I inquire about money orders there. Interestingly, PNC changes $5 for a money order. Ouch! However, the teller, realizing I’m trying to pay for something at the DMV, tells me I can order a counter check from customer service, since that only costs $1.50. Woohoo, savings!

(Now, at this point, I could have dropped the adventure and waited until I brought a check from home, but after all that I am determined to get this ID renewed today!)

Back at PennDOT, I get my number in line: 621. They are currently on something in the 940s. My estimated wait time, according to my ticket, is over an hour and half. Luckily, the info girl tells me that I am allowed to leave and come back, as long as I don’t miss my number. Miss it, forfeit, get a new one… and the wait begins again. I run back to my office for a little while, then back to PennDOT again. By this time we’re at 603!

Once I’m done and I have my new camera card, the wait for the actual photo is a lot quicker. So quick, in fact, that the guy calls my number before the girl’s even finished handing me the ticket. Sit here, look here, CLICK.

And done.

I voted this morning around 11:30am, before I left for work. Since I moved back to South Philly recently, I had to show my ID for voting in my new district. Total time at my polling place: 4 minutes.

How are the lines near you? Did you wait hours to vote? Were you one of many lining up well before the 7am open times? Will you just sneak in before they close at 8pm?

Google Maps offers a customized map for US voters looking for their polling locations; just enter your home address and it will show you your place.

If you need more information than the address of your polls, check out the following sites for ballot information, candidates, resources, voter rights, and more:

• Committee of Seventy
• Votes PA
• SmartVoter’s PA page

So make sure you get out there on Tuesday and vote for the right candidate, and not that other guy.