Category: News and Opinion

Governor’s Island 4.0

|

The news broke earlier this week that the latest planning process for the redevelopment of Governors’ Island has been scrapped, and the agency charged with the redevelopment of the island would start over.  Again.

The latest plans called for a variety of uses, including hotels, condos, conference centers, and an amusement park.  Mayor Bloomberg’s earlier plan called for moving the CUNY campuses there, and using the existing campuses for public schools.  Mayor Giuliani’s plan called for a casino.  The next failed plan, which will no doubt provide positive publicity (and that is the point isn’t it?), will be the fourth.  Under the circumstances, you may be interested in what I suggested, while working at the Department of City Planning, when the first plan was being cooked up – moving the United Nations and all related embassies to the island.  That proposal may be read after clicking “read more.”

Governor’s Island 4.0

|

The news broke earlier this week that the latest planning process for the redevelopment of Governors’ Island has been scrapped, and the agency charged with the redevelopment of the island would start over.  Again.

The latest plans called for a variety of uses, including hotels, condos, conference centers, and an amusement park.  Mayor Bloomberg’s earlier plan called for moving the CUNY campuses there, and using the existing campuses for public schools.  Mayor Giuliani’s plan called for a casino.  The next failed plan, which will no doubt provide positive publicity (and that is the point isn’t it?), will be the fourth.  Under the circumstances, you may be interested in what I suggested, while working at the Department of City Planning, when the first plan was being cooked up – moving the United Nations and all related embassies to the island.  That proposal may be read after clicking “read more.”

Governor’s Island 4.0

|

The news broke earlier this week that the latest planning process for the redevelopment of Governors’ Island has been scrapped, and the agency charged with the redevelopment of the island would start over.  Again.

The latest plans called for a variety of uses, including hotels, condos, conference centers, and an amusement park.  Mayor Bloomberg’s earlier plan called for moving the CUNY campuses there, and using the existing campuses for public schools.  Mayor Giuliani’s plan called for a casino.  The next failed plan, which will no doubt provide positive publicity (and that is the point isn’t it?), will be the fourth.  Under the circumstances, you may be interested in what I suggested, while working at the Department of City Planning, when the first plan was being cooked up – moving the United Nations and all related embassies to the island.  That proposal may be read after clicking “read more.”

Governor’s Island 4.0

|

The news broke earlier this week that the latest planning process for the redevelopment of Governors’ Island has been scrapped, and the agency charged with the redevelopment of the island would start over.  Again.

The latest plans called for a variety of uses, including hotels, condos, conference centers, and an amusement park.  Mayor Bloomberg’s earlier plan called for moving the CUNY campuses there, and using the existing campuses for public schools.  Mayor Giuliani’s plan called for a casino.  The next failed plan, which will no doubt provide positive publicity (and that is the point isn’t it?), will be the fourth.  Under the circumstances, you may be interested in what I suggested, while working at the Department of City Planning, when the first plan was being cooked up – moving the United Nations and all related embassies to the island.  That proposal may be read after clicking “read more.”

Tuesday’s Big Loser – Rev. Al

|

People like me who think Al Sharpton is more a creation of the media than an authentic leader of the African-American community were hopeful that Rev. Al’s truly pathetic vote totals when he ran for President would cause people to stop taking him seriously.

In that year, Sharpton lost the black majority District of Columbia primary to Howard Dean, finished 3rd with less than 10% in South Carolina where Blacks were 50% of the turnout and lost badly to “soul brother” John Kerry in both of Central Brooklyn’s Congressional districts.

NY Sun vs NY Times vs NY Observer

|

Since the New York Observer has anointed me as an expert on New York Times endorsements, I feel compelled to point out what’s wrong with these comments in Tuesday’s New York.

First, not even New York City Democrats listen to what New York Times editorials tell them to do. The Times endorsed three candidates in closely contested races: David Yassky in a Brooklyn congressional race; Ken Diamondstone in a race to represent a Brooklyn district in the state Senate; and Mark Green in the race for attorney general. All three candidates — Yassky, Diamondstone, and Green — lost. The New York Observer ran a 2,000-word article last year claiming that "It’s a given among the city’s political classes that an endorsement from The Times in a race for City Council, the State Legislature or a judgeship is tantamount to election in affluent, Times-reading neighborhoods." Not anymore.

Mouthstradomus (brought to you by New York’s solipsistic blogger diva)

|

"And Coppolla, jr. won the Senate seat in Buffalo. The Times saw a story here that wasn’t. Look, however, for young Cop to be the second in his family to take the seat in a special and lose it in the next primary."

Posted by: Gatemouth | March 1, 2006 05:06 PM on The Politicker

"Perhaps all of DDDB’s superheroes: [Bill] Batson, Major Minor, The Black Barron, Diamondhead, and Super Cop can all meet together in Jonathan Lethem’s Fortress of Solitude to offer a victory toast to Super Cop, who, in solitude, will likely be the only one holding a new elected office come January."

Posted by: Gatemouth | August 21, 2006 08:26 PM  on The Politicker (Note: the quote is far funnier, and less offensive to those with delicate sensiblites, in its original context, here.

No Recounts in NY

|

The day after a Primary always have a few losing candidates, their supporters and gullible reporters talking about "demanding a recount".

Let’s make it clear. There are no recounts in New York because there hasn’t been an official count yet.

The results that are out there now are unofficial. They are called in by election inspectors after the polls closed Tuesday night. Numbers are not double checked and mistakes are always made. No absentee, affadavit or emergency ballots have been counted yet.

In the next week or two, the Board of Elections will conduct the official count by recording the numbers off the machines and counting the paper ballots.

Thanks Tom Suozzi

|

American doesn’t love a loser, so today is not a day many people will be thanking Tom Suozzi for his work and his campaign.  I was going to drop him a note, but I’m a blogger now, so what the hell, I’ll do it here. 

Thank you for turning your back on the safe path of careerism, trading favors, waiting for the death or indictment of an incumbent, and occupying a seat.  Instead you took on the corrupt and seemingly impregnable Nassau County Republican machine, made many of the hard short run decisions – higher taxes, reduced services, tougher labor negotiations – required to begin turning the situation around for the long run.  Thanks even more for taking on the disgrace our state government, once one of the best in the nation, has become.  That was even harder, because it required that you not only call out the other side, but also your own side and its supporters.  It made a lot of enemies, which has cost you.  But from my point of view, they include many of the right enemies.  And thanks for running for Governor.  You offered your service.  The voters decided to choose otherwise.  So be it.  That isn’t anything for Tom Suozzi to feel bad about.

Thanks Tom Suozzi

|

American doesn’t love a loser, so today is not a day many people will be thanking Tom Suozzi for his work and his campaign.  I was going to drop him a note, but I’m a blogger now, so what the hell, I’ll do it here. 

Thank you for turning your back on the safe path of careerism, trading favors, waiting for the death or indictment of an incumbent, and occupying a seat.  Instead you took on the corrupt and seemingly impregnable Nassau County Republican machine, made many of the hard short run decisions – higher taxes, reduced services, tougher labor negotiations – required to begin turning the situation around for the long run.  Thanks even more for taking on the disgrace our state government, once one of the best in the nation, has become.  That was even harder, because it required that you not only call out the other side, but also your own side and its supporters.  It made a lot of enemies, which has cost you.  But from my point of view, they include many of the right enemies.  And thanks for running for Governor.  You offered your service.  The voters decided to choose otherwise.  So be it.  That isn’t anything for Tom Suozzi to feel bad about.