Tuesday, November 5, 2013
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Game Winning Goal by Chara
Has anyone heard whether Katjana Ballantyne values that sweet goal by Chara?
Friday, January 13, 2012
PDS Leadership Team
Congratulations to the newly elected members of the Progressive Democrats of Somerville Leadership Team.
I'm especially impressed with the choice for Secretary: Ward 7's own Katjana Ballantyne. It's remarkable that she was able to progress from not being a member of that organization last August to becoming an officer in less than five months time. I'm sure she'll become more familiar with PDS' endorsement process now that she's Secretary.
I'm especially impressed with the choice for Secretary: Ward 7's own Katjana Ballantyne. It's remarkable that she was able to progress from not being a member of that organization last August to becoming an officer in less than five months time. I'm sure she'll become more familiar with PDS' endorsement process now that she's Secretary.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
More Help with your Trash Needs
Pop Quiz: Which one of these objects is a trash receptacle?
Believe it or not, many people get that one wrong.
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Believe it or not, many people get that one wrong.
Monday, January 9, 2012
Trash, trash everywhere
It's trash pickup day for many of us up here in Ward 7 so, as usual, there are many "urban tumbleweeds" blowing around the streets - mostly due to loose items in the cans and recycling bins. This weekly occurrence is annoying (and preventable if people would ensure that all of their trash is in bags); however, it is the more deliberate littering that really makes our city look like a dump.
The man who casually dropped his used tissue onto the sidewalk of Holland St. the other day is certainly doing his part to prevent the city from being clean.
But, it is the 'creative litterer' that always makes me wonder. You may have seen his efforts: such as the bag of dog excrement hanging from the fence (seen last week on Broadway), or the empty cup inverted and perched on the fire hydrant. Does this person think that his ability to find a surface other than the ground (or sidewalk or street) or his ability to find a geometrically similar position into which to place his trash excuses him from disposing of it properly?
In this example, the litterer needed to put his Dunkin Donuts cup through the large opening at the top of the fence in order to be rewarded by the ever-so-exciting slide of the cup to the its final resting place at the bottom. I'm sure the thrill of the cup's ride was part of the litterer's joy. Adding to that joy had to be the fun of knowing that a mere 5 parking spaces away (yes, 'parking spaces' is a legitimate unit of measure) was a trash barrel.
The man who casually dropped his used tissue onto the sidewalk of Holland St. the other day is certainly doing his part to prevent the city from being clean.
But, it is the 'creative litterer' that always makes me wonder. You may have seen his efforts: such as the bag of dog excrement hanging from the fence (seen last week on Broadway), or the empty cup inverted and perched on the fire hydrant. Does this person think that his ability to find a surface other than the ground (or sidewalk or street) or his ability to find a geometrically similar position into which to place his trash excuses him from disposing of it properly?
In this example, the litterer needed to put his Dunkin Donuts cup through the large opening at the top of the fence in order to be rewarded by the ever-so-exciting slide of the cup to the its final resting place at the bottom. I'm sure the thrill of the cup's ride was part of the litterer's joy. Adding to that joy had to be the fun of knowing that a mere 5 parking spaces away (yes, 'parking spaces' is a legitimate unit of measure) was a trash barrel.
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Fill the Teele Square Hole
Now that Teele Square has a smaller version of the Downtown Crossing Crater, what would you like to see built on that spot (yeah, I know it's not up to us)?
I'll vote for a sports bar.
I'll vote for a sports bar.
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Sidewalks, ISD and Traffic & Parking
So, here we are - we've had our usual 'warning shot' snowstorm (and what a warning with tree damage and power outages); nearly all the leaves are down ("leaves are down and the sky is gray..." - sorry, that damn Pandora won't leave me alone); and we're just a few weeks away from walking in a winter wonderland (no, not the T stop) and that's what I want to talk about: walking.
Walking is a significant part of why I live in this city. I like to walk (especially when my walks are 'backed up' by a good public transportation system) and so I chose to live in a city to have sidewalks and useful places (stores, restaurants, bars, parks etc.) worth walking to. I would walk even if it were possible to be convicted for drunk driving in Massachusetts (and I'd like to thank the man who drunkenly staggered from Davis Sq. to Teele Sq., and ultimately into Theo's Pizza, on Sunday night for providing some great entertainment).
What's my point?
My point is this - the snow is coming and soon many of the sidewalks will be virtually impassable because many of my neighbors and fellow-Somervilliens do not (seem) to share my enthusiasm for walking. The signs are already visible with some sidewalks less-passable due to the leaves (check the sidewalk opposite Hodgkins-Curtin park, for instance - the leaves have been ground into tiny slippery leaf-nuggets by all the feet that have trod over them or notice the residents who seem to think that storing a new mondo recycling bin on the sidewalk ALL WEEK LONG is a good idea). Already I'm dreading the pedestrian-packed-ice-sheet that we can expect in front of the fire-ravaged block of Teele Sq. (many of the active Teele Sq. businesses fail to shovel properly - will we be surprised when the owner of a crater fails to clear the sidewalk?) and the extra time required to carefully pick one's way down Holland Ave. towards Davis Sq. through the slush-filled handicap ramps and the narrow paths created by other pedestrians.
What can be done about this?
Fines for sidewalk blocking fall under the Inspectional Services Dept. (ISD) which sounds reasonable until one considers that ISD personnel are traveling around in their cars and only issue a sidewalk-blockage ticket in response to a complaint. Meanwhile, we have a small army of Traffic & Parking personnel walking the very same sidewalks that are blocked as they do their daily rounds. Would it not make sense to put 'sidewalk enforcement' into the hands of the city personnel who are most often using those sidewalks?
Recently, Mayor Curtatone called on citizens to call 311Somerville whenever they hear the sound of aircraft. I'd like to call on other citizens to join me in calling on the city to write more sidewalk-blockage citations so that we can enjoy our city's walkability throughout the winter.
Who's with me?
Walking is a significant part of why I live in this city. I like to walk (especially when my walks are 'backed up' by a good public transportation system) and so I chose to live in a city to have sidewalks and useful places (stores, restaurants, bars, parks etc.) worth walking to. I would walk even if it were possible to be convicted for drunk driving in Massachusetts (and I'd like to thank the man who drunkenly staggered from Davis Sq. to Teele Sq., and ultimately into Theo's Pizza, on Sunday night for providing some great entertainment).
What's my point?
My point is this - the snow is coming and soon many of the sidewalks will be virtually impassable because many of my neighbors and fellow-Somervilliens do not (seem) to share my enthusiasm for walking. The signs are already visible with some sidewalks less-passable due to the leaves (check the sidewalk opposite Hodgkins-Curtin park, for instance - the leaves have been ground into tiny slippery leaf-nuggets by all the feet that have trod over them or notice the residents who seem to think that storing a new mondo recycling bin on the sidewalk ALL WEEK LONG is a good idea). Already I'm dreading the pedestrian-packed-ice-sheet that we can expect in front of the fire-ravaged block of Teele Sq. (many of the active Teele Sq. businesses fail to shovel properly - will we be surprised when the owner of a crater fails to clear the sidewalk?) and the extra time required to carefully pick one's way down Holland Ave. towards Davis Sq. through the slush-filled handicap ramps and the narrow paths created by other pedestrians.
What can be done about this?
Fines for sidewalk blocking fall under the Inspectional Services Dept. (ISD) which sounds reasonable until one considers that ISD personnel are traveling around in their cars and only issue a sidewalk-blockage ticket in response to a complaint. Meanwhile, we have a small army of Traffic & Parking personnel walking the very same sidewalks that are blocked as they do their daily rounds. Would it not make sense to put 'sidewalk enforcement' into the hands of the city personnel who are most often using those sidewalks?
Recently, Mayor Curtatone called on citizens to call 311Somerville whenever they hear the sound of aircraft. I'd like to call on other citizens to join me in calling on the city to write more sidewalk-blockage citations so that we can enjoy our city's walkability throughout the winter.
Who's with me?
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