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WHEN IT COMES TO THE FIVE BOROUGHS OF NEW YORK CITY, WHY IS IT NEARLY ALWAYS ABOUT MANHATTAN?
This should be a letter to the present mayor (and to all wanabee future mayors of New York City). Instead of just some political column, I could title it:“Start treating the outer-boroughs right; enough is enough”. Today is Wednesday 29th December, 2010. I am only minutes removed from midnight. I am writing this because I am a little pissed. You see, in about a twenty-hour time frame between Sunday and Monday last, we saw this humongous snow storm hit New York City: no big thing; we've been there before. The people who claim to know what they are talking about (weather-wise) said it cracked the top-ten list of worst snow storms ever faced in the city. Fine; but I have seen worse. And yet, it's like every time some big snowstorm comes (which is somewhat rare when all things factual are considered), these folks on television say the same friggin thing: “this is one of the worst snow-storms ever”. Talk about being hyperbolic! I wish they would stop talking that crap. Really. It's played out. Just give me a few relatively good predictions (say 90% accuracy) as to what to expect over the next week and I am happy. I hate being all dressed up in my birthday suit -on some nude beach in July- only to have incessant rain soaking my moneymakers. It's very frustrating. It's even worse during winter. When equipment freeze up it doesn't function. Not too many things work well in cold weather. I know from experience. By the way: why is it that nearly all the pretty blonde weather-people on TV, get the prediction stuff wrong most times? Ever noticed that the uglier the forecaster the more accurate the predictions. Muse on this while you sip on your Drambuie before dinner tonight.  SOMEBODY MAY BE RESPONSIBLE FOR TWO CASUALTIES DURING THE NYC BLIZZARD-- AND THE FINGERS ARE A POINTING... Posted by FreedomParty NY1 Exclusive: Snow Hindered EMS Response To Dying Mother, Queens Woman Says By: CeFaan Kim Death of newborn baby among several blizzard tragedies as city is accused of 'dropping the ball' http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/12/29/2010-12-29_help_arrives_too_late_to_save_baby.html Sanitation boss John Doherty's street plowed clean, but nearby streets remain winter blunderland http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/12/29/2010-12-29_a_madhouse_out_there_but_not_for_boss.html Sanitation Workers Say Cuts Take Toll on Snow Cleanup http://blogs.wsj.com/metropolis/2010/12/27/sanitation-workers-say-cuts-take-toll-on-snow-cleanup/ NYC Sanitation workers say Goldsmith is dumping on them while they scramble to clear snow Sanitation Union Fires Back At Accusations Of Slow-Down Snowbound New Yorkers Upset About Unplowed Streets http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=132371994 Two Days Later, Bed-Stuy Streets Still Covered in Snow Bloomberg administration under fire for lackluster snow removal efforts http://bed-stuy.patch.com/articles/a-day-later-bed-stuy-streets-still-covered-in-snow Remote NYC neighborhoods more isolated by storm http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/12/29/AR2010122900487.html Blizzard Exposes The Deplorable, Declining State Of America’s Infrastructure, & The Indifference Of Corporate Controlled Government Posted by FreedomParty "The severity of the storm is undeniable. However, its crippling impact on transportation and public facilities in general, reveals the disastrous consequences of rampant budget-cutting and fanatical “free market” deregulation and privatization, as well as the unpreparedness of local and state authorities. "Perhaps nowhere is this more starkly on display than in New York City, where the stupefying wealth of Wall Street billionaires co-exists with extreme poverty and want. New York’s Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who has spearheaded a campaign of slashing city services and jobs, spelled out the contempt felt for the general population by US officialdom at a press conference Monday. "Defending the city’s response to the storm, Bloomberg commented, “There’s no reason for everybody to panic. Our city is doing exactly what you’d want it to do, having the government providing the services that people want, particularly adjusted to the conditions.” He added, “The world has not come to an end. The city is going fine. Broadway shows were full last night. There are lots of tourists here enjoying themselves. I think the message is that the city goes on.” Whether complacency or stupidity predominates here, it is difficult to say. "While the upscale business and entertainment district of Manhattan might have ‘gone on’—it was the only area of the city where roads were cleared—the residential boroughs went largely unplowed. As of Tuesday morning, most of the secondary and tertiary streets in the working class areas of the city were still piled with snow. "This state of affairs is a consequence in part of cuts to the city’s Sanitation Department. Harry Nespoli, president of the Uniformed Sanitationmen’s Association, told the Wall Street Journal that the department was understaffed by 400, leaving plows and other snow equipment unmanned. Last month Bloomberg announced a planned reduction of the sanitation budget that would cut the workforce down by a further 265 workers by 2012. "Impassable roadways, skeleton crews on emergency squads and high winds contributed to a spate of accidents in New York. Auto accidents, which killed at least five people, have been attributed to the storm and the inability of emergency responders to help. New York City responders said they faced a “backlog” of 1,300 calls, and at one point some 100 ambulances were stuck in the snow. Paramedics were forced to park their vehicles blocks away from the scene of a given emergency and then carry patients through unplowed snow. "The region was also subject to multiple devastating fires. On Sunday night, a five-alarm fire raged through the top floor of a six-story Queens apartment building, injuring three residents and four firefighters. Firefighters said they had difficulty reaching the fire because of abandoned vehicles and uncleared roads, and crews worked for more than three hours before bringing it under control. The blaze displaced 100 families. "A downtown apartment building in Bridgeport, Connecticut was destroyed by fire, rendering homeless 18 residents, including four children. In the coastal town of Scituate, Massachusetts—struck first by the storm and then by major flooding—a fire leapt from house to house, prompting the evacuation of multiple families by boat." --WSWS.ORG  Feliz Navidad, Amigo (Latinos never forget that there are 12 days of Christmas). I wanted to weigh in on this subject, albeit flying off on a tangent if you don't mind. The disparaties run deeper than Manhattan versus the "outer" boroughs. Within each boro exists other disparaties with a variety of city services. I am constantly amazed at how well DSNY performs here in East New York (Brooklyn Community District 5) despite major differences in staffing and resources in comparison to other community districts of Brooklyn. Just like I am constantly annoyed at how horrific our streets and avenues are when compared to boro's other districts. This all despite the fact we have enough people in our community district to fill a small city, and many more miles of roadway, heaviliy traveled, than a lot of the other community districts. Perhaps this can be legislated or fixed through some policy changes. But there is a flip side to this: There will always be a part that is addressed through chronic complainers, the "squeeky wheels". We are not a community that complains. Our roads are horrendous, but how many potholes do we report come the end of winter? We suffer from pervassive noise during the summer, but how many noise complaints do we make? Don't get me started on the number of people that dump commercial garbage in vacant land--sometimes in plain sight--but who's calling them in? The city's response to the storm left a lot to be desired, yes, but as the hearings begin and the accusations fly, I hope that the deeper problem, the one that has existed for as long as I've been alive, also gets looked at. Manny Burgos, Mother Calls EMTs Who Ignored Her Dying Pregnant Daughter 'Inhuman' Tuesday, December 22, 2009 The Brooklyn District Attorney's office is looking into the actions of two emergency medical technicians accused of refusing to help a pregnant woman who collapsed in the coffee shop where they were taking a break. A spokesman for the office said it was investigating to see if any laws were broken. The two were suspended from their jobs Monday, and Mayor Michael Bloomberg called their behavior inexcusable. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,580873,00.html Let's see the same righteous indignation and sorrow coming from Bloomberg when it comes to the infant that passed away during the blizzard... The priority of snow removal in a location where thousands or tens of thousands work is not the same as the priority of a side street where dozens or hundreds live.
For the Manhattan bias charge to stick, it would have to be shown that residential side streets in Manhattan north of 60th Street got plowed faster there than comparable streets in the other boroughs. Perhaps this could be measured.  Abe Beame, from Brooklyn (though by the time he was elected Mayor, he had pretty much moved to the Rockaways).
Pretty clear, Manhattan gets most attention because people like Hackshaw help elect people like Bloomberg.
Why aren't our elected officials saying more. We have only heard from Tish James, Jummanne Williams, a few from the Queens and finally Nick Perry. So many other have been silent Have not heard from Kevin Parker, John Sampson, Ed Towns and many more Are they not feeling the pain or do they not care the people in the neighborhoods have been locked down to there blocks in the great NYC. or is everyone afraid of the BIG Bad wold Bloomy. "Why aren't our elected officials saying more."
Seriously. We're heading for an institutional collapse. What are they going to do in June? Propose massive tax increases. Borrowing massive money to put off bankruptcy another year or two? (And will anyone lend it -- I won't buy municipal bonds).
What they could do is try to organize people on each block to try to respond to these sorts of emergencies themselves. HACKSHAW NEVER HELPED BLOOMBERG. HE PROTESTED PUBLICLY WHAT BLOOMBERG DID TO TERM LIMITS. HE OPENLY TESTIFIED AGAINST IT. HE OPENLY SUPPORTED BILLY THOMPSON. WTF????? WHERE DO THESE ATTACK DOGS COME OFF? ROCK SHOULD STOP WRITING ON ROOM EIGHT. THIS BLOG IS GOING TO THE DOGS.
Rock Hackshaw should stop posting replies as Joe Blow.
We finally got this Avenue cleaned. I tried calling my Assemblyman and they were closed and voice mail was filled so I emailed him and we got our Avenue cleaned. There were 5 buses stuck on the Avenue on Monday and all but one were removed by yesterday morning. The city was only able to clean one side of the Avenue (eastbound) because of all the cars, and suv's that were abandoned blocking access to the westbound side of the avenue. Some side streets are still blocked and the mountains of snow that have been piled on the avenue you can ski on. The "N" train is still not working but the "F" is. The response from the city and the lies like Doherty stated the full force of the storm didn't happen until around midnight on Sunday night so tell me why my niece's fiancee was stuck on the N train at 9:30 PM and had to walk from 20th Avenue in Bensonhurst to Avenue X and those people on the "A" train were stuck from 7:00 PM? I was out about 1:30/2:00PM and saw how bad this storm was at that time, my car already covered and there was almost no blacktop on the streets so why is Doherty lying, does he think we're all stupid or what? Yea, we all know how fast Manhattan is cleaned but they always cleared these streets first. After all, what does it matter that the workers mostly come from the other 4 boroughs as long as the cabs and limos have clear paths down Park Avenue and the tourist can go to the theatre? I remember many, many other blizzards and except for '69 (I'm aging myself) when Lindsay forgot to clean Queens but this is the worse in terms of screw the other 4 boroughs. Tell me, why they didn't have those sanitation vehicles that melt the snow and why they didn't call in tow trucks to remove any vehicle blocking access? The Mayor and his yes men are responsible for 2 deaths that we've heard of thus far and I'm sure there are others. They should be charged with murder. By the way, Rudy was born and brought up in Brooklyn.  By the time these guys get to becoming mayor they would have already adopted that Manhattan mentality of superiority over those from the outer-boroughs. No matter where they were born, or where they grew up. They embrace a certain type of elitism that's disturbing.
I didn't post as Joe Blow. Maybe your whoring mother did. I don't need to do what you do with your cowardly self (which is post anonymously while attacking someone from behind your KKK mask). And BTW: I believe and suspect that you are black like I am (but the KKK mask is what it is no matter who wears it: COWARDICE AND IMMORALITY). For years you do this stupid crap you obese player-hater you.People defend me here because they tell me by the score how tired they are of these incessant and unnecessary attacks. I have so many people who only read my columns from my esoteric e-mail list rather than come up here on Room Eight, that it isn't even funny anymore. And that's a shame. Fools like you have been trying to destroy sites like these for years. You can't create anything so you destroy other people's work. JACKASS. And that Bill Lynch sobriquet? Truth be told is you dishonor a great man. Shame on you.
Why are you always being so racist in your replies? Criticism in itself is not racist and does not reveal racial comments. But many of your replies refer to things like KKK mask. And why would you support someone like Bill Lynch? He's the keeper of the flame for the Harlem Club, and perhaps Harlem's biuggest flack, hack and lobbyist, and paid crony of Columbia University's efforts to displace many in West Harlem. Supporting Lynch is supporting disgraced people like Charlie Rangel. That's right, you're part of the Virginia Fields/Bill Lynch Fan Club. A Hack Hack Hack, that's who you really are!
Not everything Bill Lynch has done I support and/or agree with; but his overall contributions to politics in this city is something I admire and respect. I met this man long before he was a king-maker. I don't support many of his clients but that's his prerogative. He has a company to protect and defend. He needs clients to pay the overhead bills and staffers. And BTW: I am in no one's political fan club- so stop that bullshit. I am no lackey or hack. Anyone who has read my columns over the last 5 years will know this. Don't make yourself look ignorant and stupid. I try to critique people fairly. Bill Lynch has had his success and has paid his dues.STOP PLAYER-HATING AND JOIN THE HUMAN RACE OF COMPASSIONATE AND DECENT FOLK.
Hiding behind anonymity to constantly attack someone (over years and years) is no different from wearing a KKK mask. BTW: there are blacks who do that right here on this site. I know when I am being attacked by blacks: trust me; I do suspect when that is happening. I personally believe that most of my attacks here come from black folk. When it comes to dealing with facts and hard core truths in political analysis, blacks, whites, Hispanics, et al, are no different. The truth by its very nature is controversial. Ask yourself this: why do you guys read me so much? BTW: if I were so racist in my replies (as you suggested); then why do I have such a large white readership on these blogs in NY?
Can't we stick to the topic at hand? Sooner or later, Rock is going to say something so outrageously off the mark that a response will be compelled. It would be far easier then to get him to engage the issue at hand if he hadn't been conditioned by this sort of crap into thinking that all criticism of him came from trolls. The likes of you makes it so much more hard for those of us here who are not part of Rock's cult. On behalf of all of us, we would like to tell you to STFU aleady. We got it; you don't like Hackshaw. Election results would seem to indicate that you are not alone. But the constant degredation of this blogger and this site will surely eventually result in all your IP numbers being blocked. A note to that effect will be going out to Mr. Smith this morning. Genug is genug. You're absolutely correct but I just wanted to bring out the fact (even though I couldn't stand Rudy) that he was born and grew up in Brooklyn BEFORE adopting a Manhattan life.
IS THE SO-CALLED "SECRET STRIKE" BY SANITATION WORKERS STILL GOING ON? SOME STREETS ARE STILL BLANKETED IN SNOW Posted by FreedomParty New York Streets Still Not Plowed! By: NY1 News Thursday, December 30th 2010 3:14 PM http://www.ny1.com/content/top_stories/131394/mayor-calls-city-s-blizzard-response--unacceptable- Bloomberg Misses Mark on Plowing All Streets by 7AM Thursday By JAMES FORD and FEMI REDWOOD wpix.com 11:22 a.m. EST, December 30, 2010 http://www.wpix.com/wpix-streets-plowed-thursday-deadline,0,3159923.story East New York residents still buried in snow By WABC Wednesday, December 29, 2010 http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=news/local/new_york&id=7870950 Staff shortage causes slow snow cleanup in New York The mayor said city hall even hired 1,900 laborers to shovel sidewalks and clear roadways, but he admitted the city lacks snow plows. (AHN) Vittorio Hernandez New York, NY December 30, 2010 07:26 am EST Stephen Goldsmith, deputy Mayor of New York, tweeted 'Good snow work' night of blizzard BY Erin Einhorn Thursday, December 30th 2010 On ("Black") Friday 13th August, I wrote a lengthy column about Charlie Rangel. This column speaks for itself as to where I stood on that issue. GO READ IT FOOL.
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Add on the jobs supported by the spending in other places by people who work in Manhattan but live elsewhere (like me), and by businesses elsewhere that provide services to Manhattan, and by tax dollars collected in Manhattan and spent elsehwere in the city and state, and you have three quarters of New York State's economy.
It's not where I live or would want to live, but there is a reason it gets the attention is does. Even those who don't live there show up there some of the time.