For the future, I got a little plastic thing that sticks to the windshield into which I can insert the parking passes. I have self laminating adhesive sheets I use to laminate the pass so it’s not externally sticky.

I just ask the auto shop to scrape it off when I do my inspection and oil change at the same time. They have the tools and are always nice enough to do it.

At this point, you’ll have to either pay the fine or take it the next level up which might be a lawsuit. It’s highly unlikely to be worth your time and money. You’re probably better off paying it.

Yeah it’s a crap situation.

I don’t think they can incorporate by reference policies that they can change any time that cost you extra fees. You probably have a strong argument there, and if you were okay with not renewing the lease that might be the way to go. But the big risk is that they might not renew the lease.

I would assume if it was in the lease that tenant can't install their own and has to pay $90 per unit to have them installed, and the lease contained a requirement to remove them in the winter, then it's probably not illegal. I tried to find some legal language and came up completely empty handed. It's a bizarre situation. All I'm finding about odd fees is landlords can't require payment of amenity fees - but can restrict tenants right to access the amenities if the tenant chooses not to pay the fee.

Does your lease require you to remove the air conditioners? If no, you don't have to remove them.

https://www.masslegalhelp.org/housing/lt1-chapter-5-rent.pdf This doesn't mention anything about fees, and it's a pretty comprehensive guide to rent in MA. So I don't think there is anything else about fees or actions that are in your lease.

If the lease requires the fee to install ACs, then that is something you can't get around. My guess is it's not in your lease to remove the ACs. That means, probably, that you don't have to remove the ACs, meaning you would not need an install in the summer, meaning you wouldn't incur the cost. However, best case scenario there is the landlord does nothing (possible, since it sounds like you need to keep your windows open in the winter to stay cool - btw look into outlet thermostats plus a window fan that has manual, non-electric controls - that's a life-saver in those situations). I would expect though that your landlord will write it into all lease renewals in the future that window ACs must be removed before a certain date, at which point you would either need to accept the terms or move (or try to negotiate it out, but that's unlikely). There's also the risk that the landlord would not renew your lease if you push back, or increase the rent, or take other retaliatory actions, which is crappy but that's what might happen.

If both the install fee, and the removal requirement, were in the lease, then there's not much you can do. It's basically a higher rent amount but only if you want those services, which my guess is legal in MA. So then you need to decide if this new higher rent amount is worth it.

That’s a shame and needs to change. From police accounts, it sounds like this was a tragedy, but I’m not sure they did anything wrong. At the same time, I can’t trust the word of cops anymore. Too many of them have been proven wrong too many times. And everyone is monitored and supervised at work, this should be no different.

I agree from a policy perspective, but those better less-likely-to-be-lethal methods need to be in place in officers' vehicles and they need to be trained on them before events like this. If the officers did not have anything else available to them, and the deceased was coming at them with a knife, then their reaction is understandable/justifiable. Though I agree that we should be looking for and deploying better ways, whatever they may be.

I am a little bit annoyed, like I always am, that there are no body cams. Body cams would resolve ALL ambiguity here, and would show whether the police were in the right or were in the wrong. I think it's shameful and embarrassing that there are no body cams. And for this reason, I think we should all take a healthy heaping of salt with the police statement. And I think this kind of a disclaimer needs to be placed before all police statements when they fail to have body cams.

That being said, it sounds from the police description of the event like something went wrong. The deceased sounds like he was having an issue, or a breakdown, or something. Jumping out of another apartment, knife/machete in hand, cutting himself with that and/or glass. Not putting down the weapon, not putting down the weapon after being shot with a "less likely to be lethal" weapon, culminating in him approaching the officers knife in hand and getting shot. If that is what happened, then I wish that there had been other things tried (if possible) to deescalate, or a tazer or something... but as a last resort, an officer shooting someone coming at them with a knife is justifiable.

I hope that we get more information.

Yep agreed. I was in the bathroom and my first thought was airplane - no, too loud, building collapsing? - no, no movement - what is it? Then my GF said it was probably military jets.

Bad idea, especially with no warning. Articles about it now generally seem on the same page: https://www.bostonherald.com/2023/01/02/flyover-for-bruins-game-at-fenway-park-freaks-out-boston-area-residents-almost-had-a-heart-attack/

The most important rule in life is “don’t be an idiot”. This applies to all.

Drivers: pay attention. Follow the rules of the road, unless doing so in a specific situation is less safe than not following them, in which case do the safest thing. Drive safely and avoid accidents. Try not to succumb to road rage. If you’re going to speed, do it in a safe way - not in residential areas near playgrounds or schools. Speed limits aren’t there to slow you down for no reason, they’re there because most drivers don’t pay attention and pedestrians die at high speeds.

Pedestrians: be visible. Be predictable. Cross when you have the explicit right of way or when you’re sure you’re not impeding the flow of traffic. Look both ways before crossing, yes, even in crosswalks and even on one way streets. Make sure that cars have ample time (5+ seconds) to see you and stop before crossing. Reaction time is like 1-2 seconds, plus stopping time 2 seconds or so. It won’t kill you to wait 5 seconds, it might kill you if you don’t.

I moved to Somerville about 10 years ago and condo prices are about 100% higher than they were then. Rents up closer to 75%. It has definitely already gotten more expensive.

From a price perspective, I think it’s baked in for the most part. From a rent perspective, it’ll probably keep being baked in over a year or so following the opening of the Medford branch.

Honestly everything is so expensive already, that at this point, all that’s left is the benefit of the green line. The costs are already here. Then we’ll see how the green line changes the neighborhood and how that impacts costs.

That’s why Somerville just redid zoning and said “fine, new units don’t get on street parking.” Hopefully that will lead to more housing units approved.

Yeah. Even ONE competitor can be a game changer. I had RCN at $35/mo for 500/15. They upped it to $80/mo after the contract. Then, I cancelled, my gf signed up with RCN for… $30/mo for 600/15. We have Comcast in the area too but I’d rather use anyone else if possible. But just having another name to put on the account is great.

Natural gas prices are volatile now. From $5 last November up to $9 and then recently back down to $5.66. https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/MHHNGSP

Anything being negotiated now is likely based on futures market prices required to lock in the cost of generating the power. I wonder if the recent drop in natural gas prices will impact regulators’ view on the price increase.

Seconding this, and it makes sense to check to make sure you’re on it. Somerville just negotiated Dec 22 to nov 24 rates. Perfect timing, and the rates are pretty good. Still an increase but much less than proposed for the eversource basic.

People also need to check their bill. My building has 3 meters (2 units and 1 common). All 3 were on different plans (Somerville green, eversource basic, and one other one). I just switched them all over to Somerville green which will be a net reduction in electric cost.

Can’t get insurance without a license.

It was worded poorly, and the choices were labeled confusingly. It was ok for me because I spend most of my work day reading contracts, but they shouldnt expect voters to parse that word salad.

Two concerns I have:

1. voting yes means insurance plans have incentive to pay more for procedures so they can charge patients more and collect more premiums; and

2. the lack of reporting in the system is terrible and more reporting is better imo.

2 outweighs 1 for me. But both are concerns.

You need to shop banks for financing. Average used car rates look like they’re around 5.5% for good credit buying used. https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/average-auto-loan-interest-rate

Find some local banks and some national banks, get a few quotes. Sounds like this guy doesn’t know what he’s doing.

If you really want to annoy him, make sure the loan he’s getting you is prepayable without penalty and then get refinance quotes from banks. Get the lower price they give to people who finance with their crappy credit company, and refinance it the next week when the paperwork is all settled. They’ll probably lose out on the financing charges /bonuses.

Damocleez nuts