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June 10, 2008
It came from the Blogosphere...
Gowanus Lounge, Hardcore Demolition Porn Video, Senior Citizen Edition
GoLo on the video taken last week of major demolition activity outside an elderly woman's window:
We’ll leave aside the assertion in this video as to whether or not this video shows “harassment” of senior citizens by Bruce Ratner to get to the crux of the issue: it painfully the demonstrates the extreme violence being done to the quality of life of an elderly woman that is enduring Atlantic Yards demolition work going on outside her window. The video shows how deeply construction and demolition work can violate the core of one’s life.
...
We often joke about demolition porn, but this video, frankly is about as pornographic as things get. Hardcore.
Daily Intel, Neighborhood Watch
Prospect Heights: The law firm that lost a 2005 Connecticut eminent-domain case in the U.S. Supreme Court has filed to get the Supremes to stop the Atlantic Yards project, saying that government officials approved it as a favor to developer Bruce Ratner. [NYS]
NoLandGrab: This isn't quite right; the Institute for Justice did not file a case to STOP the Atlantic Yards project, it an AMICUS BRIEF arguing that the Supreme Court should set some limits to the use of eminent domain and that the case concerning Atlantic Yards should be sent back down to be heard in the lower court.
Yonkers Tribune, Institute for Justice (IJ) Files Amicus in Brooklyn Eminent Domain Case
The Yonkers news and politics blog posted the press release from the Institute for Justice. Since Bruce Ratner is their favorite overdeveloper too, they like to keep an eye on what's doin' in Ratnerville, Brooklyn.
Room8, Strange Bedfellows
More commentary on the amicus brief from the Institute for Justice:
Why is DDBB so intent on being the right’s useful idiots?
Whatever DDDB’s intent, the roster of Justices who took their side in Kelo were all the usual far-right suspects. It would have been far better to fight for changes in eminent domain law in the legislature, rather than to try to repeal two centuries of constitutional law. Or did they think this was Dred Scott?
Atlantic Yards opponents have an unhealthy belief that if something is bad public policy it is therefore unconstitutional, and should be struck down, by any means necessary, no matter what the consequences.
NoLandGrab: Crazy — how come when a bunch of bleeding-heart right-wingers make some sense, knee-jerk arch-lefties have to take the opposite view?
Author J. Cheever's suggestion that legislative reform is the way to go in NY State betrays a worrisome lack of interest about how things get done (or don't get done) in Albany.
Also, if something may be unconsitutional and gets stuck in the courts because citizens are trying to get a fair hearing regarding their property rights, it certainly isn't good public policy.
Neighborhood Retail Alliance, O'Keeffe's Kerfuffle
You gotta love Richard Lipsky. When Daily News columnist Michael O'Keeffe writes a scathing column about last week's "I-heart-Ratnerville Rally," it's because O'Keeffe "doesn't like Bruce Ratner." Sure, it had NOTHING to do with the fact that the rally was lame and was attended by folks looking for a free sandwich and people bussed in by paid supporters.
The reality here is that our client Forest City and the Nets see the youngsters as their future stakeholders once the team comes to Brooklyn, as it will in two years in spite of O'Keeffe's willing disbelief.
There's nothing sinister in enlightened self-interest, whether it is expressed by FCRC, the Brownsville Rec Center, the Flatbush Youth Association, the Brooklyn Falcons, the Brooklyn Saints, or the CYO contingent-well represented by hundreds of happy young folks who appreciate the company's support and look forward to a continuing partnership once AY is opened and the team is finally playing in 2010.
Bay Ridge Journal, Ratner Hosts Brooklyn Day "Rally"
BRJ reblogged the Daily News article that heralded last week's Go-Atlantic-Yards Rally.
Posted by lumi at June 10, 2008 3:56 AM