I swear this isn't going to turn into a trash-reporting-only blog (much to Christina Hagar's chagrin... you know she called me the next day to see if I would make the original trash post a weekly thing, right?). But... early this afternoon (a Saturday) I walked literally a block and saw all of this. I couldn't stop myself from snapping some quick pics.

NOTE (for those of you not in the know): Trash is picked up three times a week in the North End: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. So trash put out on Saturday/Friday night will be on the streets for up to 70 hours. Gross.

First this HUGE cardboard box on Foster Street that had blown into the road:

Awesome. Can't wait to look at that all weekend. Thanks Foster CT residents. I think I looked at an apartment there once that was owned by the lawyer - or whatever he is - on the first floor on Commercial St on the other side. It was a shithole. There's also a bag of trash a bit up the street on the right.

Some new folks just moved into the apartment at 472 Commercial. They promptly put out some flower pots on either side of their door. Nice! Then promptly put their trash next to them... on a Saturday. Not nice!

How do I know it's their trash and not someone who lives next door? Because they put their pizza delivery box with their address facing up!:

Doh! Seriously though, maybe you're new. Here's a link to the North End trash regulations on Matt Conti's awesome neighborhood blog. The owner really should have provided you with a copy when you rented the place.

This was at the corner of Greenough Lane and Commercial. Surprised?

What a disaster! I don't know where to start - other than the fact that I DON'T want to know what's in that water bottle.

I had to include this one too - from a few weeks ago. For some reason, the City of Boston decided to surround ONE tree on Commercial Street (near the end of Greenough Lane) with a fence. I have no idea why they singled out this one tree. It looks ridiculous and the other trees are probably jealous. Anyway, it didn't take long for our friends on Greenough Lane to put it to good use (this was taken at about 9:45 AM on a Wednesday - well after trash pickup):

I have no idea what the intended purpose of this fence is, but I'm pretty sure it isn't this. Stay classy Greenough (and City Suites - who owns most of the property there).

What up Mikey - sitting behind me on the train on the 4th of July? This is my awesome incognito shot. I should have been a spy.

I was wearing my old Army PT t-shirt, and when we got off the train I told him, "Unlike you, I actually had a licence to drive those things":

OK. I didn't really say that. But how sweet would that have been?

Boston issued a "boil water order" on Saturday afternoon. As late as this morning, the word was they were hoping the length of the order would be measured in days - not weeks. And the official word was that once the problem was fixed, it would take at least two more days for tests to confirm it was once again safe to drink (and wash your hands with).

But, somehow, the Mayor said everything was A-OK as of this afternoon. Cool.

Nice title. "Adam Balsam: North End Blogger". I like the ring of that.

I want to point out that the essence of the original blog post was that there is nearly 100% non-compliance and next to zero repercussions.

My stance is that we should change the laws to reflect what is really being ticketed (gross non-compliance) or enforce the laws that we currently have (which we clearly aren't). I trust that our elected officials can figure out which is more prudent.

What drives me nuts is the current situation. The situation in which I'm told that I can't put trash out in a white bag but not told exactly why - and, most importantly, not punished if I do. That doesn't exactly instill a sense of confidence in those making the decisions.

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.

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'm tired of all this nonsense and political posturing regarding LNG tankers offloading in Everett.

Background

Distrigas of Massachusetts LLC has operated a liquefied natural gas (LNG) import and regasification facility located on the Mystic River in Everett, Massachusetts since 1971. They have received over 600 shipments of LNG imported from various international sources. To reach the facility, LNG tankers must pass through Boston's Inner Harbor.

About LNG

LNG is natural gas (widely used in the US for heating and producing electricity) that has been converted temporarily to liquid form for ease of storage or transport. Liquefied natural gas takes up about 1/600th the volume of natural gas in the gaseous state.

In its liquid state, LNG is not explosive and can not burn. For LNG to burn, it must first vaporize, then mix with air in the proper proportions and then be ignited. LNG tankers have sailed over 100 million miles without a shipboard death or even a major accident.

Local Opinions

The route LNG tankers must navigate through Boston's Inner Harbor to the Everett processing plant takes the ships within a few hundred yards of densely populated neighborhoods, notably The North End and East Boston. The giant tankers, carrying what we know to be flammable in a different state, are quite foreboding. Many residents, not knowing the facts about LNG see this as a major threat and security risk - especially following the domestic terrorist attacks on 9/11 nine years ago.

The Yemen Factor

On Christmas Day, 2009, a Nigerian born terrorist, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, attempted to detonate an explosive device on board a Northwest Airline's flight from Amsterdam to Detroit. Abdulmutallab attended school in Yemen in 2004, 2005, and 2009. This is where Abdulmutallab was introduced to radical Islam.

It was announced on Feb 3 2010 that the Everett facility would be receiving its first shipment of liquefied natural gas from Yemen this month. Due to this announcement, the fear of a terrorist attack on a tanker traveling through the harbor has grown. Specifically the tanker originating in Yemen.

Political Posturing

Many local politicians, including Boston Mayor Thomas Menino and District 1 City Councilor Sal LaMattina have expressed their fear of an attack and disappointment with the Coast Guard for allowing the tanker to travel through the harbor.

While it is understandable for local residents to have apprehensions about giant LNG tankers floating a few football fields away from their frond doors, I think it is the responsibility of politicians to learn the facts before taking a stand.

Sal LaMattina:

Thomas Menino:

The Real Deal

In order to ignite the LNG, it would have to be broken free from the multiple tanks which hold it on the ship, released and mixed with air (at a specific ratio - about 1 part NG to 9 parts air) and then be ignited.

I have never seen a credible scientific paper published that proves this is even possible much less probable.

Furthermore, Lieutenant Erik Halvorson of the US Coastguard (the branch of our Military responsible for and entrusted with guarding us from such attacks) released the following statement:

Are Mayor Menino and Councilor LaMattina then implying that we can't trust the US Coast Guard? If so, we have a much bigger problem. Personally, I think there is a problem with Menino and LaMattina.

Conclusion

The real problem I have here is the blatant disregard for science, educated decisions, and risk analysis. Science tells us that it is very difficult to convert LNG into a flammable state; and Lt Halvorson tells us that this ship movement is safe. The integrity of those we entrust with securing our coastlines and the legitimacy of the scientific method are being questioned.

Summation

From Boston Globe reporter Andrea Estes:

There is no gas on board an LNG tanker (hence the first letter in the acronym) nor is the cargo flammable.

This issue is not about risks. It is about xenophobia, spurious ties to Yemen, and political posturing.

Years ago, before google maps, the in thing for cities to do was hire an artist to draw extremely detailed maps of your town. The Library of Congress has a great collection of these from Boston.

In the image above, you can clearly see depictions of buildings that must have once sat on the mysterious foundations I have in my backyard:

The images are absolutely amazing. They're GIGANTIC (this one was over 12,000 pixels wide) and incredibly detailed. I've pointed out some of the highlights in this image:

Here's a view of the same area today:

Below are the scaled full map with the detail highlighted and another view of the highlight (click to enlarge and then click on the expand icon in the lower right for the full effect). Or click here for a very large version (3.5MB).

Update. Even better. You can zoom in and out of the image in all of it's full scale, full resolution awsomeness here:

And here's one from 1905. Just six years later. The changes are so dramatic. Especially downtown.