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Date: November 02, 2012 at 04:35:22
From: Dave in La., [DNS_Address]
Subject: This is no way to get us up & running |
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This is starting to sound more and more like milk chocolate man from N.O.
From: Tom Clarke 11/2/2012 6:28:17 AM
Read Replies (1) of 518505
This is no way to get us up & running
By TARA PALMERI, LARRY CELONA and DOUG AUER
Last Updated: 4:09 AM, November 2, 2012
Posted: 2:24 AM, November 2, 2012
As hundreds of thousands of Big Apple residents suffer in homes left without power by Hurricane Sandy, two massive generators are being run 24/7 in Central Park — to juice a media tent for Sunday’s New York City Marathon.
And a third “backup” unit sits idle, in case one of the generators fails.
The three diesel-powered generators crank out 800 kilowatts — enough to power 400 homes in ravaged areas like Staten Island, the Rockaways and downtown Manhattan.
Since emergency executive orders have been issued, the governor, mayor — or even President Obama — could take the generators for a more important use, explained Pace University law professor Bennett Gershman.
Such an emergency action would need the approval of the City Council, state Legislature or Congress. And they would have to compensate the owners of the devices.
But plenty in the city wish they had taken such decisive action. After all, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie postponed Halloween for safety reasons, so Gov. Cuomo or Mayor Bloomberg should issue an executive order for lifesaving generators.
“We’re struggling here, and we want the city to know that,” Councilwoman Margaret Chin of Chinatown said yesterday.
She asked the Office of Emergency Management on Tuesday for a generator to run pumps to get water to stranded seniors.
“They’re telling me there are other priorities,” Chin said.
One hotel on Staten Island has its priorities straight.
Frank Sanchez, the general manager of the Hilton Garden Inn, said he will not honor marathoners’ reservations if it means throwing out storm refugees.
“While we understand they have reservations, we know they are going back to their regular lives in two days. Our neighbors will not have that opportunity,’’ he e-mailed The Post.
The New York Road Runners Club, which organizes the world-famous race, is paying for the generators, which were supplied by Long Island-based On Site Energy for the massive, 80-yard-long tent, which also will be used by runners carbo-loading during a pre-race pasta dinner tomorrow.
Neither would say how much the machines cost, but a Fire Department permit revealed a $37,500 fee to run them constantly through Nov. 6.
“These are our private generators. We are not draining any resources from the city’s plan to recover,” Road Runners spokesman Richard Finn angrily insisted.
Still, Con Ed said yesterday that some of its customers would remain without power for more than a week.
Meanwhile, sources told The Post precious city resources were also being diverted to prepare for the marathon, including more than a dozen NYPD flatbed trucks taken from disaster-relief work at sites including Breezy Point, Queens, where more than 100 homes burned to the ground.
The trucks, normally used to carry metal barricades for parades and other events, had been transporting residents hard hit by the storm.
But they’re all being recalled to get cleaned up so they can bring the barriers that will line the route of the marathon, a police source said.
“People could still use our help,” the source said. “We’re serving a purpose shuttling them back and forth.”
Plans call for up to 100 cops from all around the city to deploy the barricades today.
“You know what this is about? This is all so Bloomberg can stand at the finish line Sunday and tell the world we bounced back,” the source said.
“But these poor people on Breezy, who knows when and if they will bounce back?”
Bloomberg defended the decision to keep the race on track.
“The marathon is not going to redirect any focus. Keep in mind, by Sunday, we’ll have electricity back downtown,” he predicted.
“That will free up an enormous number of police.”
Staten Islander Sue Somma, whose neighbors — John Filipowicz Sr. and his 20-year-old son, John Jr. — drowned in their flooded basement, said, “People don’t realize what other people are going through.
“This is the way we live — with stupid decisions,” she said.
“The city always does these stupid things.”
A veteran police lieutenant noted the National Guard was distributing free food last night at several spots in lower Manhattan — while the administration keeps the marathon a priority.
“How can you run a marathon when you have people starving in Manhattan?” he asked.
Other sources said NYPD and Department of Transportation personnel who had been providing relief on Staten Island were told to drop what they were doing and report to Brooklyn today to get ready for the marathon.
Official race preparations yesterday included closing all lanes on the Staten Island-bound upper level of the Verrazano Bridge for more than an hour of work.
Staten Islander Joseph Masella, 62, called running the marathon “the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard.”
“Have some respect for our citizens . . . They’re still finding bodies here,” he fumed.
Staten Island Councilman James Oddo said, “The notion of taking one cop, one first responder, one resource, one asset and diverting it so that they stand at a post to watch runners go by when we’re still searching for bodies? It’s sinful to me!’’
Brooklyn Councilman Vincent Gentile said, “With some neighborhoods still smoldering, I think postponing the marathon would be a better option.”
Additional reporting by Philip Messing, Yoav Gonen, Brian Lewis and Bruce Golding
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/this_is_no_way_to_get_us_up_running_egrMk4ukpzFCGhSF8oM5kN#ixzz2B3l0aIiP
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[7835] [7836] [7838] [7842] [7841] [7848] |
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Date: November 02, 2012 at 11:19:00
From: Judy/W, [DNS_Address]
Subject: Re: This is no way to get us up & running |
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Dave, This is insanity. It shows how sociopathic people in leadership postions are right now. A Marathon ranks higher than needy constituents who weathered the storm of the century! Unbelievable/ Judy
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Date: November 02, 2012 at 13:29:58
From: Terry/S.Utah, [DNS_Address]
Subject: Re: This is no way to get us up & running |
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The people of New York need to run Bloomberg out of town. There is no way that marathon should be run. I saw on the news the city crews setting up stands, banners, etc. instead of helping people out. I would like to see the people that are hurting from Sandy block the route on Sunday. Bloomberg is showing how out of touch he is with the citizens of New York.
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Date: November 02, 2012 at 13:56:53
From: kay.so.or, [DNS_Address]
Subject: Re: This is no way to get us up & running |
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i even looked up his office and emailed him, telling him he better not rum for re-election with this decision!....I wonder if he failed the apgar test as a baby!
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Date: November 02, 2012 at 14:14:06
From: Linda in N Carolina, [DNS_Address]
Subject: Re: This is no way to get us up & running |
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Maybe all the able-bodied runners could all run food to the needy? THEN, this would be okay. I guarantee, most of those runners would throw a fit, but really? Really??? Come on!!!
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Date: November 02, 2012 at 14:13:58
From: burnedmyrrh, [DNS_Address]
Subject: This is no way to get us up & running |
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Everyone is making a big deal of this, but honestly I agree with City Hall cs they will make MUCHO $$$$ out of this marathon and so will a lot of businesses from all the tourists coming in.
So 2 big generators for this alone, to me, is no big deal right now if it could bring in as much as $50-60 million to the city in a few days. That's A LOT OF $$$$ coming in for a city and a large area that is hurting right now!
I figure if NYers treat these tourists right, some could stay a little longer and spend a bit more to help us out and to me that would be WONDERFUL!
So there's 2 sides to this.
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Date: November 02, 2012 at 20:33:58
From: Canny, [DNS_Address]
Subject: Re: This is no way to get us up & running |
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I'm up near Kingston, NY, Burnedmyrrh & I agree with you.
But the Marathon has been canceled.
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57544624/nyc-marathon-canceled-amid-outcry/
'Bloomberg called the marathon an "integral part of New York City's life for 40 years" and "an event tens of thousands of New Yorkers participate in and millions more watch."
He still insisted that holding the race would not require diverting resources from the recovery effort, but understood the level of friction.
"It is clear it that it has become the source of controversy and division," Bloomberg said. "The marathon has always brought our city together and inspired us with stories of courage and determination.
Earlier, Bloomberg had said he hoped to lift spirits and unite the stricken city when he decided to press ahead with this weekend's marathon. Instead, the move became a source of division Friday, with some New Yorkers - even some runners - saying this is not the time for a road race'
'The marathon's start is in Staten Island, the hardest hit part of the city, with at least 19 dead.
Before the race was canceled, some marathon runners had posted Facebook messages vowing to head to the race's starting line in Staten Island to spend the day volunteering, not racing.
Even some hotel owners took a stance on the issue. The Hilton Garden Inn in Staten Island, which has served as a refuge for people affected by the storm, has vowed to turn away marathoners - even those with reservations - in order to preserve rooms for storm evacuees.
"How do I tell people who have no place to go, that have no home, that have no heat, that you have to leave because I have to make room for somebody who has to run a marathon?" hotel owner Richard Nicotra told NY 1 News.'
******
I'm still wondering how you call an evacuation order for 2 of 3 zones on an Island that is by the Verrazano Bridge. It's official name is The Verrazano-Narrows Bridge.
'It is a double-decked suspension bridge that connects the boroughs of Staten Island and Brooklyn in New York City at the Narrows, the reach connecting the relatively protected upper bay with the larger lower bay.''
That's basically the opening to the Hudson River Bay from the Atlantic Ocean. That bridge was closed early because of the high gusting winds of Sandy. Maybe they should have evacuated the entire Staten Island, maybe minimizing deaths there.
But in another week or so this all will be a bad memory for many in the US, when some new catastrophe occurs.
I cringed hearing many people in low laying areas of NY,telling reporters last Friday & Saturday that they were not planning on evacuating because 'Irene was not such a bad storm for them last year'. To bad not many NYC reporters came up here & further North to seek out the story about Irene. But we are not the City of NY.
The problem with Irene last year was the sudden, very serious flash flooding when the many small rivers & streams ran way too high in many upstate areas because of the high amount of rainfall from Irene. Plus a dam further north broke releasing more water downstream.
I am glad Gov Cuomo, for the 1st time in NY State history, had a big dam upstate drawn down, lowering the water level of the dam. NJ's Gov did the same with 4 dams in North Jersey. I heard some reporters on the news saying many Jersey rivers started to run upstream as Sandy came inland. Lowering the 4 North Jersey dams saved many lives.
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