WELCOME
to Issue #2 of On The QT. We hope you'll enjoy another tiptoe
through the tulips of political corruption and/or absurdity.
While hoping the ultimate result will be public demand for
REFORM. We believe the urgent need for reform transcends
traditional ideological divisions and has become a movement
unto itself. Neither the Left nor Right sufficiently represent
change. QT covers subjects ranging from the national to the
neighborhood. The connections are yours to make. And speaking
of connections, what do
ROBERT TORRICELLI'S SUITS & CLAUDIA SCHIFFER'S UNDERWEAR
have in common? Answer: They've both made politicians into
fashion victims. In Senator Robert Torricelli's case, the suits
were custom made by Korean tailor Chang Hwan Choi. Federal
prosecutors hope to use them to prove payoffs were made to New
Jersey Senator Torricelli by businessman David Chang. Mr. Chang
made contributions of more than just suits to Torricelli and
supposedly Torricelli returned the favor by arranging business
deals for Mr. Chang with the South Korean government. To
Mr. Chang's credit, he also paid the tailor for the suits. As to
Claudia Schiffer's undies, Albany Mayor Jerry Jennings had his
sense of decency outraged by H&M ads on Albany bus kiosks
featuring Claudia in teeny tiny unmentionables. Burgermeister
Jennings (so dubbed by Euro fashion site "confettiwelt")
used his bully pulpit to force their removal. (The ads not
the undies.) Noble to care so deeply about the
QUALITY OF LIFE
Others consider drug activity, neglected properties, garbage,
vandalism and noise to be quality of life blights. Noise is now
NUMERO UNO QUALITY OF LIFE COMPLAINT in cities across the United
States. No doubt thundering boom cars have contributed to its
rise in status. Some of them pull up to
PROBLEM CLUBS
that spew drugs, drunks and guns into local neighborhoods.
Despite objections by the New York City Police Department's
Civil Enforcement Division, The Roxy and Twilo in mid-Manhattan
go on making neighbors miserable. These particular mega dives
have started hiring private ambulance services to haul their drug
OD cases to the hospital. In the interest of speedy treatment say
they. To keep the incidents out of police reports say others.
But we're
HAPPY TO REPORT
that due to intense (and how!) opposition by Chelsea residents,
the State Liquor Authority (SLA) did the right thing and nixed a
liquor license to Tambourine Entertainment. Tambourine was
planning a 5 story sushi & booze barn on 23rd Street as a
permanent venue for a Japanese pop group called Dreams Come True.
Oops-- guess they didn't. Shortly before the local Community
Board (CB4) was to make a final vote on its recommendation to the
SLA, Manhattan Boro President Virginia Fields removed several
board members who supported neighborhood opposition to
Tambourine. Community Boards in New York City are largely made
up of civic minded types appointed by local elected officials.
Board members receive no pay but their opinions carry some weight
in local decisions. Community Board 4, which represents areas hit
hard by problem clubs, has a surprising number of appointees with
liquor industry ties. But strong neighborhood opposition and the
support of State Senator Tom Duane, Councilmember Christine Quinn
and Assembly Member Richard Gottfried outweighed CB4's waffling.
Ta Ta Tambourine.
ALSO HAPPY
that plans to build towering tombstone apartments at the tail
end of the Palisade Cliffs in a section of Jersey City
called "The Heights" has been dealt a set back via legal
challenges lodged by neighborhood groups. In nearby Hoboken
overdevelopment has produced Hell on the Hudson.In the Big 80's,
Hoboken promoted itself as "Hip & Happening" and packed those
who responded into renovated-read-subdivided tenements and
cardboard high rises. One bedrooms in the Mile Square City now
run between $1,500 and $1,800 a month. But not everyone lacks
affordable housing-- Mayor Anthony Russo pays $900 a month for
his 3 bedroom high rise digs. Hoboken used to house families.
Families who if they had a car, had only one. But each hip &
happening atomized roommate came complete with wheels. Driving
and parking problems on Hoboken's narrow streets have reached
crisis proportions. And developer mega bucks have overwhelmed
local politics. Hoboken's political scene was never clean, but
once upon a time it represented a broader social spectrum.
CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM is really important here, says a
Hoboken activist. Truer words--
DID YOU HEAR THE ONE
about the guy who was rented an apartment in a prominent high
rise on the Jersey City waterfront before the developer had
completed construction? The tenant couldn't figure out why the
hall was so cold. Peeking into a unit at the end of the icebox
alley he discovered-- no wall! Just a clear unobstructed view of
the Manhattan skyline. Lucky he wasn't blind...
MORE HAPPY NEWS
The Today show did a piece about Providence, Rhode Island's
Mayor "Buddy" Cianci and his multi count corruption indictments.
Remarkably, the segment's producer John O'Rourke did not paint
"Buddy" as a lovable rogue. Kudos also to The Providence Journal.
Their coverage of "Operation Plunderdome" has been thorough and
informative. And columnist Charles Bakst has consistently nailed
the moral issues. But back to
LOVABLE ROGUES
There are legions of rogues. It's hard to love so many.
Ever notice how much defensive research is needed when buying
a house or a car? Or hiring a professional? Scamming and skimming
have become more common as "nice" people feel more comfortable
cheating. Particularly since the culture increasingly defines it
as savvy business practice. Many who used to save or invest
modestly, now speculate wildly. Houses cease to be homes and
become real estate. The growing flow of government money into
private business also undermines ethics. When elected officials
characterize Department Of Transportation, or Housing and Urban
Development funds as "free money" citizens stop thinking twice
about taking other peoples' money to shore up private
investments. And support bought by politicians degrades democracy
as surely as payoffs that flow the other way. No money is free--
not even other peoples'. You wake up one morning and some red
faced bozo owns you. You can't say zip.
WE WANT YOU TO
unzip. Send your local issues. Enter QT's essay contest:
MY DETERIORATING NEIGHBORHOOD. If you live in any kind of
ghetto, if crime is making you cringe, if developers
are driving you crazy, if rents are rising or property values
falling, if your local government doesn't respond, we want to
hear from you. Next issue, grad stu George Foley weighs in on
STUDENT GHETTO life. A sample quote: "The area looked
like bombed out Beirut-- but only if the bombs were made from
pizza boxes and beer bottles."
COMING ATTRACTIONS
HUD Along the Hudson. Leaking Gas Tanks in Kansas. Masters of
Eminent Domain. Manhattan Theater District Dystopia. Coruptoid
Updates. Internet Paul Reveres. And more more more.
"A primo factor in the fall of Byzantine civilization was
corruption. The average citizen of Byzantium finally shrugged and
said what the hey. Let the Turks overwhelm us. I owe too much
money and the system of bribery is too onerous."
Professor Waldo Theotokos Lydecker, Arriva Derci New Roma!
"The Net interprets censorship as damage and routes around it."
John Gilmore, Electronic Frontier Foundation
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