After George Zimmerman shot Trayvon Martin, a narrative quickly emerged that Zimmerman “profiled” Martin, that he considered Martin suspicious merely because of the color of his skin and the fact that he was wearing a hoodie. Leaving aside the question of whether that narrative is accurate in the particular case of the Zimmerman / Martin… Read More: On the rationality and wrong of racism »
I’ve spent some time taking a look at all of the declared candidates for Boston’s mayoral election. Here are my initial reactions, for those who might be curious. People worth considering All of these are people I’d be happy to see elected. John Connolly (Web site.) Current City Councillor. I very much liked what he… Read More: My current take on Boston’s mayoral candidates »
I met several months ago with MBTA management to present my concerns about toxic fumes in certain MBTA buses. Thank you, again, to State Senator Will Brownsberger and his Legislative Counsel and Policy Advisor, Michael Buckley, for making that meeting happen. I am pleased to report that the MBTA took my concerns seriously, investigated them, and… Read More: Fumes in MBTA buses: significant progress »
To: Shawn Williams, Massachusetts Supervisor of Records Cc: Lori Sullivan, the staff attorney in Williams’s office who research my appeal Cc: Susan Krupanski, the MBTA employee who denied my legitimate public records request Cc: Will Brownsberger, my state senator and an all-around good guy Cc: On the Media Cc: The Boston Globe Cc: The Boston… Read More: MA Supervisor of Records denies my appeal based on specious… »
A side effect of my attempts to get information from the MBTA about toxic fumes in the passenger compartments of their buses (I will write more about that later, after a followup meeting I’ve been invited to by the MBTA) was my discovery that the MBTA is not terribly good at responding to public records… Read More: MBTA obstructs public records request, Secretary of State drags feet »
A public service announcement for my readers in Massachusetts… Several years ago, the Massachusetts RMV stopped mailing out paper letters reminding people to renew their driver’s licenses. Not mailing these letters supposedly saves the RMV about $600,000 per year; if that’s true, then stopping them seems like a reasonable thing for them to do. Because… Read More: MA RMV no longer emailing reminders about license renewals »
In my meeting today with the MBTA about the air quality inside T buses, I suggested that the fact that we sometimes see exhaust smoke coming from underneath the buses, despite the fact that the buses’ exhaust pipes are on top of the buses, might indicate a broken exhaust system which might explain how exhaust… Read More: Unfiltered diesel exhaust from MBTA buses »
Today, I met with the MBTA to discuss my concerns about poor indoor air quality (IAQ) inside some T buses. I am extremely grateful to Michael Buckley, Sen. William Brownsberger’s Legislative Counsel and Policy Advisor, for arranging the meeting and attending with me. The following T employees were present: Jeffrey Gonneville, Chief Mechanical Officer; Dave… Read More: Meeting with MBTA about bad air in buses »
Last month, I sent the MBTA a public records request, trying to obtain more information about how aware they are of the problem of air quality problems in the passenger compartments of their buses, and what they are doing about the problem. The Massachusetts Public Records Law requires “custodians of records” like the MBTA to… Read More: MBTA responds to my public records request »
I just sent the following letter to the MBTA. January 14, 2013 Beverly A. Scott General Manager, MBTA 10 Park Plaza, Suite 3910 Boston, MA 02116 Re: Massachusetts Public Records Request Dear Ms. Scott: This is a request under the Massachusetts Public Records Law (M.G.L. Chapter 66, Section 10). I am requesting that I be… Read More: Public Records Request to the MBTA about air quality in… »