Rubbish Collections

The first garbage strike in 57 years left residents peering into full trash containers Thursday as garbage company managers scrambled to empty hospital, hotel and other commercial bins. "I'm not bummed yet, but check with me in a week. I might be bitter then," said Tom Kearney, who lives in the city's Sunset district. More than 500 garbage collectors stayed home or picketed after rejecting an offer from Norcal Waste Systems, which operates Sunset Scavenger Co.

The first garbage strike in 57 years left residents peering into full trash containers Thursday as garbage company managers scrambled to empty hospital, hotel and other commercial bins. "I'm not bummed yet, but check with me in a week. I might be bitter then," said Tom Kearney, who lives in the city's Sunset district. More than 500 garbage collectors stayed home or picketed after rejecting an offer from Norcal Waste Systems, which operates Sunset Scavenger Co.

The biggest peril usually comes from angry residents. "They threaten, 'If you don't pick up my trash, I'll kick your butt,' " said Ernest Holly, a supervisor in the Los Angeles Sanitation Department. "But it usually doesn't materialize." Recently, however, garbage collection has turned hazardous. Three city trash collectors have been held up at gunpoint and robbed of cash this month--the lastest on Wednesday morning.

The biggest peril usually comes from angry residents. "They threaten, 'If you don't pick up my trash, I'll kick your butt,' " said Ernest Holly, a supervisor in the Los Angeles Sanitation Department. "But it usually doesn't materialize." Recently, however, garbage collection has turned hazardous. Three city trash collectors have been held up at gunpoint and robbed of cash this month--the lastest on Wednesday morning.

On my third walk through Kobe, more than a week after the earthquake, the city seemed more somber. The police had cordoned off the most dangerous areas, and in some areas downtown, pedestrians had to walk in the middle of the street. You didn't see people carelessly scrambling in and out of teetering buildings anymore, the way they had 48 hours after the quake, when I first arrived.