Mayor Tom Menino is steamed because people are being injured by steam coming from manholes. He wants the private energy company Trigen-Boston to get it together, do its job, and fix the pipes, some of which haven't been updated since the 1950s.

Beyond injuries, Dave Wedge at the Herald notes that one especially steamy manhole led to a "rush-hour shutdown on Congress Street." He also said that Menino was ready to "blow his top."

Maybe that's what's to blame for Menino's perpetually ruddy complexion.

What's the message? Until the company gets it together, walk around those steamy manholes. They may look like atmospheric city fun in the movies, but you don't know what's going on down there.

This entire post is an excuse to show off perhaps the craziest album cover of all time, featuring the band Steam. Image from Amazon.