Oh, so that's why there are flower decals on all the cabs. They were produced by a group called Garden in Transit, and the flowers were designed by kids. Horrible, hateful, evil kids. "Many New Yorkers have been delighted" by these decals, claims Jennifer 8. Lee. We dispute that made-up characterization! In any event, the project celebrates the taxi's 100th anniversary. [NYT]

Heads up. The taxi hacks are back on their semi-strike today. While it's $10 just to open the door, beware if you're riding with someone else. For instance, Penn Station to the East Village is apparently in one "zone" and so just $10—but the cabbie will shrug and say "$10 bucks each" when you get out. Strike or grift? You decide!

You know that thing where sometimes when you leave the subway you're kind of disoriented and you maybe walk half a block in the wrong direction? The City of New York and the Grand Central Partnership, inspired by an unnamed Upper East Side man quoted in the Times last year, have come up with a brilliant solution to that nagging problem: giant compass stickers with smallish directions printed on them and stuck right on the ground outside the stops. So now instead of wasting 30 seconds walking the wrong way every now and then you can claw through 500 retards stopping directly at the top of the stairs to study the goddamn ground in the middle of rush hour. [NYT]

"It's an outrage! The first time I saw one of these taxis, I smiled and shook my head, as in, you see such amazing things on the streets of New York. But I kept seeing more and more of them, and, while it is amusing to see your first one, seeing two or three on the same street is alarming, and the thought of all New York taxis being decorated with these kitschy flowers is horrifying. What's happening to us? Are we becoming Cute City? This is what comes of letting families live here." [Manhattan Street Project]