One of the most astounding news of 2023 must be the creation of the position of the "rat czarina" by the New York City mayor. Just last week, a friend was asking if I have noticed any improvement since she began her reign. I could not think of a single thing she has done. Well, this New York Post article tells us her accomplishments (link). She said "numbers don't lie".
She apparently created a new rule that says garbage cannot be put out on the sidewalk before 8 pm. As a result, "rat complaints to 311" went down by 26 percent compared to last June.
I immediately have a few questions: first, what was the level of April and May rat complaints compared to last April and May? also, what was the level of June all complaints compared to last June? what is the year-on-year variability of these levels?
Assuming that the stated causal relationship holds, the question is why? Presumably, when the garbage arrives later, the rats show up later, fewer people are outside to witness them, and so fewer complain. Does that solve the rat problem? Or just the rat complaint problem?
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The next new rule is going to be forcing buildings to put their bags of trash inside storage containers.
The NYC mayor explained the logic of this rule with this amusing quip: "rats love garbage bags." So I guess he thinks rats hate storage containers.
I'm not sure they understand the problem. The storage bags would have been fine if people aren't dumpster-diving. You put something out there on the streets, and someone will show up to tear open the bags looking for stuff - food, stuff that people throw out to make space, empty beer cans, etc. This won't change if the bags are put inside storage containers!
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