Silicon Alley “Insider” Henry Blodget (above, in headphones, with handgun concealed in backpack) has gone on a rampage of personal growth and exploration. First, last week, Henry Blodget made his first visit to an Apple store. Over the weekend Henry Blodget discovered Starbucks. Now it’s the subway. Money quote:

Of course I was aware that these subterranean conveyances existed. But I must confess: in the course of a quarter-century in this city, I had never set foot in one. However, in the current climate of belt-tightening, it occurs to me that some of you may be looking for ways to save a few bucks, and therefore might be considering the subway as an alternative to a private car service or yellow taxicab. In that spirit I decided to plunge headlong into this vast and complicated network (more on the complexity in a later post) and report back what I found. So it was that this morning, with my guide, Karen, at my side and armed with a friend’s Glock 24 semi-automatic handgun, I successfully navigated the system and, while there pluses and minuses, I would say that I found the experience to be, overall, a positive one. First thing to know: the trains are not free. You can buy one ride at a time, or purchase a stored value card that gives you multiple rides, or you can buy a monthly pass. That flexibility is a plus. But the interface on the vending machines could be better; I would call that part of the experience adequate at best. The cars are reasonably clean, and on some, including our own, entertainment is provided …