Open Thread Wednesday

By on February 13, 2018 11:46 pm in open thread

What’s on your mind? Comment away! And happy Valentine’s Day.

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  • Jeffrey Smith

    Reggie, that sounds so reasonable. But the reality of course, is the opposite. They may “present” a already in motion to various local bodies which are part of various entrenched establishments. The press NEVER presents this to the public in such a way what it will get into the general notice and cause real opposition. It’s a very neat system. The DOT is “vested” with the “ability” what entitled entrenched self justification (and congratulation) You know Reginald, this is Exactly why New York lost its middle class. Nonsense like this. When people feel that there are no sane limits on authority And they see those in authority doing things which are nuts…they split. I’m sure none of the above fits into either casino or millenial think, but in the real world….

  • Reggie

    You know, you and I have had similarly absurd “conversations” about government in the past. The government has certain powers and responsibilities and assigns those to different agencies and other units of government, which undertake initiatives. That’s the real world. The world where you get a telephone call (in this instance from the Department of Transportation, aka DOT) to ask your opinion about everything it is considering in the neighborhood where you live is a fantasy. Oh, and by the way, last time I checked there were plenty of middle class people living in New York City and more are coming every day. In fact, that is part of the problem; too many cars and not enough curb space. So DOT has established a pilot–that’s test to see if an idea actually works–to find out if car sharing reduces car ownership.

  • Jeffrey Smith

    This is an example of establishment channeled thinking. Reginald, in a republic people have to know that there are strong and effective legal and political structure limiting governmental actions. AND they have to see a government which is NOT corrupt and isobserving of basic rules of order (been to Albany lately Reginald?) They also cant find a press which is dishonest or has grown do comfortable in their situation that they are an effective adjunct to the political structure. Such media standardly does
    not give effective notice on governmental programs until the programs are well under way or all but installed. They also can not also find self appointed “neighborhood associations” which roll-over whenever the power that be want something to go foward If they do not feel well founded confidence with all of the above they either replace or reform the system, or, far more likely they vote with their feet and simply put distance between the corrupt or unreliable system and thier families. Exactly what happened here…. Oh by the way, there still a stable middle class in the city now? Really? (There should be a DSM code for that kind of thinking process.)

  • Robert Perris

    Mr. Smith: DOT presented twice to CB2 on this pilot program and the agendas for those meetings, which were open to the public, were announced in advance. If you or anyone else would like to receive notices about the community board’s meetings and other topics of potential interest, please email cb2k[at]nyc.rr.com. Some notices, due to the topic, are targeted by neighborhood, so please share yours if you would like to receive those as well.

  • Jeffrey Smith

    The entire “community board” system has a long, long history of having “hearings” and then making decisions “for the community” which A) no one in the general public ever effectivly hears about prior or subsequent. That’s the basic, real, function and structure of your boards from day one in the early 70’s when John Lindsay saw to your system being put in place. And you are seldom representative of the sense, will, or better interests of this community. Were you our representative when big RE interests wanted to destroy our library and you approved it? Were you representative of our sense or better interests with what happened with the BBP with all it’s well understood effects? You don’t even allow neighborhood residents to SPEAK at your meetings. Except under very controlled circumstances. You NEVER effective notify. And a group of entrenched activists, with long history of social change advocacies (who have now been key factors in several major debacles) YOUR our “representatives”?
    How disingenuous.

  • Robert Perris

    Are you done? Okay. If you want effective notification, send us an email and we will tell you about all of our meetings and more. Not allowing the public to speak was a problem in the past and has been addressed. And finally, representative government doesn’t mean that the body is always a mirror of the populace or even more narrowly, the most vocal part of it. Don’t forget to email.

  • Jeffrey Smith

    This is amazing attitude and amazing thinking. The boards entire history has been laced with questionable behavior and inappropriate use of position, which I hardly need to tell you. But after your organization being one of the main vehicles for the library disaster and the installation of the BBP, (just the behavior of your chairman and board members towards Heights interests alone) I don’t we need to consider you (plural) as any kind of valid reference point. You have simply facilitated too many destructive and questionable measures the Heights is now effected by. Your statement “representative govt doesn’t mean that the body is always a mirror of the populace” says it all about your (again plural) mindset and behavior. You are irresponsible power. And your board members are often arrogant. And with every
    arbitrary and harmful or simply wrong govt, ngo or private initiative you facilitate…you give up any right to be considered a legitimate ethical body. You have simply behaved as a hostile entity to our interests too many times.

  • Robert Perris

    Hyperbole much?

  • gc

    Absent the hyperbole, I agree with Jeffrey.

  • Jeff Smith

    Only when it’s deserved. BTW None of this is aimed at you personally, it’s the behavior of the board.
    And, more broadly, the entire history of the NYC CB system from it’s origins.

  • streeter

    Someone brought it up last week, and tonight it’s back: what’s that high pitch beeping noise/hum along the river?

  • Robert Perris

    What you seem to be saying, Mr. Smith, is that if the process does not result in an outcome that you agree with, then the process is flawed, which is solipsistic at best. But going back to the original question, there is a way to be better informed about certain issues in the neighborhood.

  • Robert Perris

    How so?

  • Jeffrey Smith

    No, what I am saying is the boards SYSTEM was set up to be a carefully controlled system which allows anyone in power to push forward whatever programs they want with the cover story that they “consulted” the community”.(Well, that program was approved by the local community board…the line always goes) also neatly places a wall between many levels of elected and appointed official and anyone who even questions let alone protests a program or policy. Then the visibility of boards of the boards, like precinct community councils are kept at an absolute minimum
    and they are invariable peopled with the fringe of the local democratic clubs as a rule. So the structure Itself is odious. Then it’s the whole idea of putting a council over several areas which have no or very little commonality of culture or interest. In this area it’s far worse, because, as you well know, areas surrounding the Heights have a historical, and visceral hostility towards the Heights. There’s a reason why your board so willingly did thier part to impose the BBP on the Heights. But you know, it’s interesting, in every board I have seen in NYC, the board always has an urbane
    Mr. (or Mrs) Peabody to act as the smooth front person to make even something like the destruction of the library outrage sound So…normal and reasonable. When I talk to “representatives” of the European Union or club of rome guys I get the same line as yours. But no one wants to play Sherman in your (group) act….

  • Robert Perris

    I hear you. I find little of it convincing but I do hear you.

  • gc

    It is my sense that the Community Board has not acted in the best interest of the members of the community they represent.

  • Jeffrey Smith

    What’s not to understand? The my observations are an explicit examination of (The most major) factors in what is wrong with the boards system. Its an X-RAY not some kind of even partially obscured picture. And what is wrong have had their effect. These major factors are features in an overall mechanism of downward flight which has brought this once grand city to its present state. And the perspective? Well, what if You had a Dusenberg or a Bugatti, something which is a great work of art and a major historic and cultural object and someone helped some kids to break the locks on a secure area and damaged or trampled the vehicles. How would You feel towards the enabler. Especially if he or she was later arrogant in defending their role?
    (Like some board members I could name)

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