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All the residents of the North End received this flyer in January reminding us of the trash ordinances in the neighborhood.

Notably:

• Trash is collected Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings
• Trash must be placed in a black 2-ply plastic bag
• The bag must be tied (secured)
• (implicitly) there can be no loose trash
• Recycling should be secured in a clear plastic bag and only put out on Fridays (Thursday nights)

I walked from my apartment to Shop MFI (see map at left) at about 8 PM on Sunday night. I took a picture of every bag/box/large piece of trash I saw on the way there. The table below is what I found.

100% non-compliance. Every one of the properties with trash out at 8PM between Commercial CT (where I live) and Shop MFI (on Lower Salem) was in violation of the Green Ticket Bill and are subject to fines between $25 and $40.

As someone who has fought the North End rodent problem first-hand and who is disgusted by the litter on Foster Street (among others), I understand the need for strict trash codes. But why bother having them if they are simply ignored? And chatter about random blatant violations doesn't mean it's being addressed. It looks to me like 100% non-compliance with next to zero repercussions.

I started this post with addresses included. But, first of all, they would be estimates. Second, I'm not trying to call out landlords or tenants - I'm just confused as to why we have these ordinances and fines on the books but make no effort to enforce them. (and third, I'm sure most residents can figure out which buildings are which)

Key: BT = Bag Type, BC = Bag Closed, LT = Loose Trash, RV = Recycling Violation

Photo	Comments	BT	BC	LT	RV
	Kitchen Bags/white/not 2-ply
	Kitchen Bags/white/not 2-ply
	Good bags, but the box is loose trash
	Kitchen Bags/white/not 2-ply loose trash
	Kitchen Bags/white/not 2-ply Loose trash Appears that the paper bag is recycling set out on the wrong night and not in sealed clear platic bag.
	Good secured bags, but the portruding white rod makes it unsecured/loose
	Kitchen Bags/white/not 2-ply Loose trash
	Kitchen Bags/white/not 2-ply
	This isn't even real trash. It's phone books that were delivered two months ago still sitting on the stoop.
	Kitchen Bags/white/not 2-ply
	This person appears to have done everything correctly - 2-ply black bag, recycling separated in a clear plastic bag, all properly sealed. The only problem is that recycling can only be set out on Fridays
	Kitchen Bags/white/not 2-ply
	Kitchen Bags/white/not 2-ply
	Unsecured
	Kitchen Bags/white/not 2-ply
	Kitchen Bags/white/not 2-ply
	Kitchen Bags/white/not 2-ply Bag not closed
	Kitchen Bags/white/not 2-ply The box is loose trash
	I don't know what this is

Tonight, Boston was hit with the dreaded tornado plus burning tree combo. It was devastating.

Actually, the power plant in Chelsea made a funny cloud and my camera's exposure was set too high.

This is a picture of Steve Jobs at a company retreat in 1987. (for real)

Why does he look so interested in that beach ball?

Those who know binary and those who don't.

(hee hee)

click here for the javascript binary clock source file

Somebody told me today that all I do all day is "call things". For instance, I had a picture of the Danish curling team as my wallpaper weeks before it was discovered that Madeline did soft core pornography.

I've had some unique experiences in my life. Given those experiences, I feel like I can predict this:

Homosexuals will not be 11B.

What does that mean? Our current president has made a big deal about rescinding/eliminating the don't ask don't tell policy instituted during the Clinton administration. He (and even GEN George Casey) are on the record. They feel that homosexuals should be able to serve openly side by side with the other men and women in our Army.

Cool.

Here's something you don't know.

Certain MOSs (Military Occupational Specialty) are not open to women. Period. If you are a woman, you can't - CAN NOT - be an Eleven Bravo. Furthermore, you can't serve in certain units that are primarily the "tooth" of our military. See 1/503 IN (AASLT) and 1/22 LIGHT IN for examples. This is done quietly. We and the media love stories about women "on the front lines". Frankly, they aren't.

So, the real question is: Will openly homosexual men be allowed to serve in such units?

When the inevitable headline comes out (no pun intended) next month that proudly declares "Gay men now allowed to serve" ask yourself - and the General of the Joint Chiefs of Staff - Are they really?

I'm calling it now. They won't.

Oh. And since I'm on the issue of calling things... both David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez will be playing baseball in 2011. You heard it here first.

I can't be 100% sure, but I'm pretty sure I'm still alive... much to Menino's chagrin.

Related Post:
LNG Tankers in the Boston Harbor

I came across some guy named Michael Kontopoulos' website today. He has some really great stuff.

First, a set of machines that almost knock themselves over, aptly titled: Machines that Almost Fall Over:

Then, there's the machine that strikes one of two wood blocks each time 1) the artist blinked during the movie The Conversation, or 2) The editor made a cut in the same film. When the two sync, we get treated with a tiny cymbol crash:

And, finally the artist attempts to capture what he is missing when he blinks so that he could "experience the world in its totality":

NBC has conveniently provided a "boss" button next any live coverage video you watch on NbcOlympics.com. Presumably this is for people who are watching at work and hear their boss coming. It changes the screen to what I guess NBC thinks "work" looks like.

The only problem is that it's one TINY, EMPTY workbook. On Windows 7! With a popup in the middle that reads, "Press ESC to exit full-screen mode" followed by the NBC Olympics URL.

So hopefully work for you means staring at a blank workbook and your IT department has upgraded your machine. And/or that your boss has really bad eyesight.

I think sticking to ATL+TAB is probably your best bet.

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