The NYC Blizzard, Unions & Garbage, Dec. 30, 2010 (video)

For previous videos in this series, go here>>

Part 6:  December 30, 2010. The Bus is Gone.

We got traffic and even a couple of snow-plows passed-by within 5 minutes of each other….

But, we STILL got garbage and with lack of good-honest snow removal, we got plugged storm-drains and pools of slush.

It’s New York. We’re tough but our Tax Dollars were supposed to cover Safe and Sanitary conditions, which have not prevailed.

We paid the Sanitation Department to slow-down? To snooze.Do drive-by’s with the plows raised? Mayor Bloomberg, the customer is not satisfied.

In this video above, on the 30th of December, I noted the growing mounds of garbage & the creativity of pedestrians and deliveries dealing with the snow and slush ( that should have been cleared days ago.)

Then I  took a last pass through Times Square before it becomes a sea of raucous humanity. Locals know better than to go near this insanity,

One more video remains for Dec 31st…the last day of 2010.

Looking ahead to 2011 , Mayor Bloomberg has got some ‘splainin’ to do.

January 10. City Council Investigation. The whole city should be there and demand criminal charges be filed.

Heads should roll…

…

The Blizzard,Bloomberg & the Union Slow Down (Day 3 & 4) Video

This is Part 5 in a series on the blizzard and the missing snow-plows…

The evening of the 28th December, 2010, the city was getting messier. Sure we’re used to trudging through snow, this is New York, but this was different.Where sidewalks are cleared, the businesses have done the job. Looking at Grand Army Plaza…completely covered  I am taking a ‘wild-guess; that it’s city-owned and neglected that the rest of the city. Except Times Square. You can see where the Mayor’s priorities are by what he has cleaned up and what is not.

The bus was finally moved on the 29th around 5 PM. Think I’m going to miss it…just a little. A  snow plow passed through (wish I’d been there) but next morning TWO snow-plows pass by within 15 minutes of each other. Now we got over-kill…

Headed out on the 29th, next day, to take-in the sights. The garbage.

There are  plugged drains from the frozen snow (that wasn’t plowed) Garbage that was pre-blizzard (and even a few bikes) frozen in the snow and growing mounds of uncollected garbage. Seems the Mayor has issued a ‘request’ that people not put any more garbage out. So, where are they supposed to put it?  Starting to  look as disgusting as a Garbage Strike.

Late in the evening, there were FIVE City Sanitation cars hanging around 46th and 8th Avenue, while a familiar pile of snow was hauled off. One digger, four trucks and FIVE sanitation inspectors? For ONE pile of snow?

On the 29th, Mid-town Manhattan remains the same.  Started seeing a few garbage trucks (which had been AWOL) but there’s A LOT of garbage.  Apparently they do double-duty as snow-plows (which have ALSO been AWOL)

The mess  the sanitation goons have orchestrated.We now know Sanitation Union Thugs called for a work slow-down (of course they deny it.) And Bloomberg claims they were all on-the-job. Hard to support that fantasy over the protests of the people who are snowed in. Sadly people died. Who will pay for this hooliganism remains to be seen. Expect cover-ups.

The city is getting ready to lock-down midtown for the New Years Eve insanity. Streets and sidewalks  shut down for security and crowd control. When we should be digging people out and picking up garbage. Nope. The Mayor says we have to wait til the tourists go home. And wait til January 10, when the City Council will hold a hearing to “investigate” the missing snow plows. bet  Bloomberg and the Unions will come out  unscathed.

Predictable and Disgusting.

Is this any way to run a city, Mayor Bloomberg?

Links to Parts 1,2,3, and 4 can be found here

After the Blizzard comes the Slush (Part 4 video)

December 28, 2010.

Day 3

Silly me, I actually expected the bus to be gone by now. I mean …come on…Mid-town? An airport bus? Guess the driver could be just a bit embarrassed. One expensive cup a java…in the midst of a blizzard…made such a mess!

But, NY-ers trudge on.  Even though  the intersections and sidewalks remain blocked with snow, businesses and deliveries…the MAIL… try but they can’t always get through the mess. I noticed  one petite mail-carrier need to ask for assistance just to get her cart across the street.

Tourists are showing up to take pictures of “the Bus” and snow plows just pass by. But, there are smaller trucks with plows.Surely one of them to clear the street? Get the cars moving and maybe then…

“The Bus” could be towed.

Garbage continues to pile up. Stuck in the melting snow/ice/slush. Bus-stops are useless…if you get a bus…since there’s a large ridge of snow between the sidewalk and the bus, getting ON the bus is problematic..

Snow. Heaps of Snow. Buried Cars. Piles of garbage. Soupy slush. The Elderly and others with canes…trying to walk through the slippy mountains of snow…. Nice job, Bloomie.

You should-a quit when you were ahead.

Parts 1 , 2 and 3 videos are posted here ,  here and here

NYC Blizzard & Dreams of Snow-Plows (Day 2-Video Part 3)

Parts 1 and 2 videos are posted here and here

December 27, 2010: When I returned to Duffy Square in the afternoon, the Times Square Street Cleaners were still working  to clear away the snow to get the square ready for New Year’s Eve. Guess money talks,. The $$ the city makes off New Year’s Eve. Maybe Bloomberg might buy some more snow plows.

Or not…

Watching from McD’s I had a good vantage-point but after awhile, I moved on . Wanted to check out the side streets.  On 46th street I discovered some activity that at first, wasn’t clear. Fire truck…but no fire? Yep. It was all about the winds.

Walking through  the canyons of Manhattan can be risky during a storm….you never know what might come crashing down from on high and we’d been struggling against the blizzard winds all day. Stronger than usual. The wind at my back was lifting me off the ground a few times.  And apparently these same winds had managed to dislodge some solar panels from the roof of the Scientology Building. Can’t say i was surprised.

So, I hung around. Watched for a bit. The cold finally made me move on (again). Day 2 was still one day away from the real slush-mess. Too cold still…this kind of snow offered up some playful  fun for the kids, but cars? Not fun. They remained buried by the original snow OR…the snow plows that managed to  pass-by. Garbage was piling up. The sanitation trucks…if there’s a slow-down, are they the same drivers? And that BUS….that blocked our street. It was still buried so we remained un-plowed. What gives?

Got some back ground on how the bus got stuck. And why at such an odd angle. The driver went for coffee at the Dunkin Donuts. When he returned to his bus it had no traction. The snow was higher than when he went in. Wheels spinning, he was NOT going anywhere.

Heard the Department of Sanitation is trying to find the driver…or any driver to move the bus…Really?  Its December 29th as I write this. That bus is STILL stuck Blocking the street and I’m not buying…

Union slowdown for the snow-plows. Busses and EMT’s without chains for a blizzard. Incompetence. Selfishness. Politics?  A storm we all knew was coming. Heads should roll.

The January 10th inquiry won’t come fast enough. Is this anyway to  run a city?  Mayor Bloomberg: Shame on you…

The Blizzard and NYC City- Day 2 (December 27, 2010)

(Please scroll down for the video)

Monday morning, December 26, 2010. Looked out my window and saw there had been NO snow-plow. Most unusual. The street was completely covered. Beautiful. But this was an impassible snow-fall that still covered the street. Very odd.

As I headed out my front door, I captured some fun. A man and his dog. Playing in the snow. “Why not?”, he said and then I saw “Why Not”. There was a BUS (and AIRPORT bus) blocking our street.

At a very odd angle.

This is a very busy side street for taxis and busses. Thought a bus would be moved post-haste but as of today Decmeber 28 (evening  of Day 3) it’s still there. Plan on posting more video and pics on this road-block. It’s become a bit of a tourist sensation…

Meanwhile back to Day 2. By now Bloomberg and his errant snow-plows are leading the news. And walking around mid-town Manhattan it’s apparent what shoveling that’s been done (sidewalks and streets) is by the businesses and apartments (and even that’s hit and miss. )

Most amazing are the crosswalks for the pedestrians. These remain BLOCKED by piles of snow. Pedestrians are forced to walk in the street with the cars, trucks. Once again, very odd. And certainly not safe.

As I passed through Times Square (Duffy Square actually) the very intense cleaning of this area is because of New Years Eve. Not because of say…the people….The crews there shoveled ALL day. I left and came back and they were still shoveling Duffy Square. I asked and they said…it was for New Years Eve .

Would that Bloomberg had focused on the city as he did on Duffy Square, maybe we wouldn’t be feeling so neglected.

Back to Central Park and the Apple Store. Fifth Avenue seemed to be moving (though jammed with traffic) it was moving.  And I even saw a snow-plow!

But, as I left the store, I was greeted by another bus that was  STUCK in the snow. There was quite a commotion from the MTA officials trying to figure out how to get the bus dug-out and towed.

And Central Park. The Park was beautiful in the new-fallen snow (as always) and I even found a flock of pigeons huddled and glistening in the sunlight over-head. Some more fun.

It’s all here…in the video of Day 2

The subway back to midtown was another eye-opener. Not fun.Wish I’d had my camera on when the announcement came over the intercom. The LIST of trains that weren’t running was unbelievably long. One train after another, so I fully expected to be told I was waiting at a FREEZING platform for naught. At least I could have walked unlike so many who were stranded all over the city.

There’s more to report on Day 2 from mid-town….and then Day 3…It’s been quite an adventure…

Part 1 video is posted here: http://thesilentmajority.wordpress.com/2010/12/28/snow-and-the-city-nyc-december-2010-video/

SNOW and the City—NYC—- December 2010 (video)

Seemed like the Blizzard of 2010 was going to pass us by. Thought maybe it was a false-alarm. But, once it started and after hours of a steady snow-fall we were now looking at a LOT of snow. (we even had some thunder-snow )

11:30 PM I hit the the streets which were now filled snow. It was fun. Beautiful. The sidewalks, the streets were mostly untouched . Since the snow was still coming down hard, maybe it pays to wait the shovel and plow but, try to explain that to the cars stuck in that snow. (of course…snow tires might have helped)

Found 3 cars stuck at 45th st and 9th Avenue. 9th ave was quiet but basically clear enough for cars to move but, not the side streets and that’s where these 3 cars got hung-up…trying to go west on 45th. Their knight in shining armor…. was a mighty sidewalk snow-blower….working like Little Toot to get those cars moving. That too was fun…to watch….

Then came the city snow plows. And they had no mercy for the cars stuck or parked at the curb. I love the waltz of the snow plows (they seem to work in groups of 4) but the snow plows were NOT coming to the rescue of the cars stuck in the snow. In fact, they were making things worse as the snow was piled at the side of the avenue….

9th avenue was cleared but the cars were on their own and by morning the streets were even more amazing. They were filled with snow and cars seriously buried. This was a deep snow.

But, where were the snow plows?  Part 2 video is posted http://thesilentmajority.wordpress.com/2010/12/29/the-blizzard-and-nyc-city-day-2-december-27-2010/

Dhimmi Bloomberg’s aides provided political support for Ground Zero Mosque….

The NY Daily News has exposed more of the dirty deeds and cover-ups that surround the Ground Zero Mosque.

“Mayor Bloomberg’s top deputies went to great lengths to help the developers of a planned mosque near Ground Zero – even drafting a letter to the community board for them.

A flurry of emails released by City Hall yesterday revealed the coaching Hizzoner’s brass gave to the imam pushing to build the mosque, Feisal Abdul Rauf.”

One of these deputies is Fatima Shama who  was first mentioned by this blogger when she represented Mayor Bloomberg at  at a screening for “Inside Islam: What a Billion Muslims Think” in November of 2009.

Her bio reads: Fatima Shama as Commissioner of the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, Commissioner Shama currently serves as Senior Education Policy Advisor in the Mayor’s Office, where she previously served as the Health Literacy and Language Access Coordinator.

No  film was taken of the speakers that evening, there is, however,  a written report  here.

We also noted later that one of the organizations that had promoted the screening that evening was Intersections,which  just happened to have employed the drunken cameraman, Michael Enright, who made a pathetic attempt at slashing a muslim taxi driver in August of 2010. Of course, once the media was aware of his association with  Intersections, the stuperous cameraman and his very unclear motives …..other than being blind drunk,  conveniently disappeared from the media; no longer a useful anti-American tool.

We next saw Fatima Shama at the Annual Muslim Day Parade 2010, representing Mayor Bloomberg…

As the Mayor’s representative she spoke at the parade  (video includes her speech )

Seems Bloomberg doesn’t bother to show up at these events, just Fatima Shama,  so we are not surprised that there has been coaching via emails  or favoritism of any sort when it came to  the Community Board and the Land Commissions SUPPORT of the Ground Zero Mosque.

More from the NY Daily News:

“Another email shows that Immigrant Affairs Commissioner Fatima Shama expedited a temporary public assembly permit for the group to conduct prayers in January at the site, known as 51 Park.

City Hall says it is the job of the community and immigrant affairs commissioners to assist community groups, including drafting letters for them. Officials noted Bloomberg has always been in favor of building the mosque near Ground Zero.”

And , of course, we mustn’t forget that since 2009 the NYC Police Department  has had its very own  Muslim Chaplain

Khalid Latif

video is of his acceptance off the chaplaincy in 2009

As Khalid pointed out….a steady plan to ‘educate’….(sort of like creeping sharia)…..And back in 2002, you can even catch a familiar name here (that’s right…. Adil Almontaser)  as plans to form the NYC Muslim Police Officers Association (AMLEOA) were announced in 2002 and who have stated more recently in 2010:

AMLEOA and its Members Fully Support the establishment of a Muslim Community Center near Ground Zero.

Muslims were not only victims of the terrorist attacks

but were also first responders!!!!!

Let’s Never forget that!!!!!!!!

So what’s next, Bloomy? Transparency? Conflict of interest? Be a man, not a tool.

Own up to your abuse of office that has characterized this whole dishonest affair and read more from Atlas Shrugs here.

Congressman Allen. B West’s Weekly Wrap-Up (December 2010)

Greetings Patriots!

Greetings to all of you who shall receive this weekly missive. What a week, as we draw closer to a very Merry Christmas.

We received our Congressional committee assignments this past week, and I was humbly pleased to secure positions on the House Armed Services and Small Business committees. These two committees will afford me the ability to serve America by protecting our military and also the foundational economic engine for our country, small businesses.

In keeping with the latter, I also had the chance to visit several places that promote job creation and opportunity in our South Florida community. First, I had an impressive tour at the main campus of Keiser University in Ft. Lauderdale. During the tour, I learned how the Obama administration is attacking “for profit” education institutions. Next, I had a breakfast with members of the Ft. Lauderdale Downtown Development Authority. After that, I went to the groundbreaking for the United Technologies Test Fire and Safety site at the Pratt Whitney, Sikorsky campus. During the tour of Pratt Whitney, I had a chance to walk through the Blackhawk helicopter assembly line…brought back some great memories!

Also very memorable, was my attendance at the annual Holocaust Survivors luncheon, held in Boca Raton at Temple B’nai Torah. I cannot even begin to express the emotion of being with those who suffered through such a horrific ordeal. In my remarks to the crowd, I stressed my firm commitment that “never again” means exactly that. It is a message which America must clearly send to the despots, dictators, autocrats, and theocrats who threaten the modern State of Israel, which we rededicated in 1948…but has existed for 5771 years.

There were a couple of events this week which were simply fun to do. The first was Thursday evening in Jupiter where I spoke to the Palm Beach Sheriffs Office SWAT annual Holiday dinner. I told these brave men and women that they are the everyday guardians of our community and examples of leadership. Being in that room with them reminded me of what it means in America to be exceptional…..and a hat tip to SWAT Captain Robert Allen.

On Friday morning, I visited the high school of my oldest daughter, Aubrey, and talked with several Senior classes on our current economic situation. These young people are far more attuned and savvy than we were back in 1979 when I was a high school senior!

Also this week, I sent a letter to GOP Majority Leader-Elect Eric Cantor referencing the 2011 House calendar pertaining to it only having 123 days for us to be in session on Capitol Hill. Perhaps I have come from a different background, but I truly believe that the desperation and criticality of these times demand greater exertions from those elected to serve America. We shall see if the calendar is adjusted.

On December 14th my wife Angela celebrated another birthday…and I am not so stupid as to say how many. It is always a nice time for Aubrey and Austen to sing to Angela and express their love…..no, I do not sing and my love had better be expressed in a gift!

December 14th will now also have another significance for me…in memory of someone that I have never met and did not know…but yet I am bonded to forever. It was the day that Marine Lance Corporal Jose A. Hernandez, of Lake Worth, Florida, lost his life in Afghanistan. Hernandez would have turned 20 years old this coming week. On Friday night I was privileged to attend, along with Angela and former Congressman Mark Foley, the beach side candlelight vigil for this young warrior who gave the last full measure of devotion.

The following morning, the sacrifices of this young Marine were immediately apparent. We turned over almost a thousand toys to Marine Reserve Non-Commissioned Officers for the Toys for Tots program. The service of Lance Corporal Hernandez means we live in a Country where we are free to give to those less fortunate. We live in a Country where warriors such as our Marines can serve on distant battlefields and yet show their kind benevolence towards those who are less fortunate here in America.

May my Warrior Brother requiem en pace…………

In keeping with the theme of sacrifice, our family attended the 27th Annual First Baptist Church of Ft. Lauderdale Christmas pageant. The wonderful evening full of spectacular singing and performances reminds us of what Christmas truly means. It is the time to remember that “God so loved us all that he gave us His only begotten Son”. This is the most special gift of sacrifice for those of us who are looking for that which will fill the spiritual void in our lives.

We must understand that there is nowhere in our founding documents where separation of church and state is mentioned. It is a reference to a letter from Thomas Jefferson to a Baptist minister alluding to our country never having a head of state which is also the head of church. Separation of Church and State does not mean the separation of faith from the individual. Many thanks to Pastor Larry Thompson and First Baptist Church of Ft Lauderdale for an incredible pageant event.

Also, thanks to my own Pastor, Scott Eynon of Community Christian Church in Tamarac, for calling me this week just to say he was keeping me in his prayers!

Something to watch out for! My appearance on Israel TV January 18th on the number one English language show in Israel, “Tuesday Night Live in Israel.” The show is broadcast throughout all of South Florida on Comcast, Atlantic Broadband and on JLTV on DIRECTV, and into 26 million homes nationwide. I had the chance and be interviewed with the show’s host, Rabbi Jeremy Gimpel on Sunday while he was in town briefly. The taping will be aired on the January 18th show-which by the way will be taped live in America- in Ft. Lauderdale.

In closing, I would like to offer my congratulations to President Barack Hussein Obama for coming to grips with the reality check of November 2, 2010. His efforts to ensure that the American people will not have a huge tax increase on 1 January is to be commended. However, we in the 112th Congress shall work hard to end the necessity of unemployment checks before the 13 month extension point. Furthermore, we look forward to working with the President on creating effective, efficient, and limited federal government as we curtail spending and reduce the size and scope of a bloated, redundant, and duplicitous Washington DC.

Lastly, just a final thought…the past two years have seen the highest amount of casualties in Afghanistan, we have ten of our Warriors sitting in prison at Ft Leavenworth, North Korea has sunk a South Korean naval vessel and fired 200 artillery rounds into South Korea, Iran marches on towards reaching nuclear capability, our borders are unsecure and a border patrol agent was just killed as Mexico begins to resemble Iraq or Afghanistan………..and the most important Strategic defense issue for the lame duck Congress was to repeal the policy called “Dont Ask, Dont Tell”.

My priorities will be to ensure the enemy which killed LCPL Jose A Hernandez gets killed, whereever he exists……my concern is not making our military conform to individual behavior. However, the liberal left of this lame duck Congress, and some misguided Republicans, are truly more concerned with whom members of our fighting force sleep and appeasing, at a last gasp, impertinent special interest groups.

Utterly disturbing, totally pathetic.

Steadfast and Loyal,

Allen

POSTPONED: AFDI/SIOA Protest NYC December 14: Yes to Wal-Mart/No to Victory Mosque

From Pamela Geller:

“The New York City Council has canceled the “ban Wal-Mart hearing” that had been scheduled for tomorrow at 1pm. They caved. They were afraid the public and the nation would be made aware of their hypocrisy: no to Wal-Mart but yes to the Islamic supremacist mosque. The limousine liberals deign to deny the working class and the poor jobs and prices they can afford.

The council canceled tomorrow’s hearing at the last minute, in the dark of night, and will reschedule it when no one will come and there is no notice. But we will be there.

Christine Quinn, the shameless shill for the Ground Zero mosque, told the New York Times:

The New York City Council was supposed to hold a hearing this Tuesday about a renewed campaign by Wal-Mart to open its stores in the city.

“We needed a bigger room,” the Council speaker, Christine C. Quinn, said. “We heard from unions all across the city, small business leaders from across the city. It’s a growing list of people.”

Liar. They need a bigger room because we would overwhelm them. They need a bigger room because they are afraid of us.

They canceled because we were coming to call them out on their hypocrisy. We will reschedule the protest when they reschedule the hearing.

Let the NYC Council be on notice: we will be there wherever and whenever.

WATCH FOR A RESCHEDULED PROTEST IN JANUARY 2011!!

PLEASE NOTE: The Time for the Rally is at 1:00 PM . The time is on the flyer …next to the date.

The New York City Council has declared Tuesday, December 14 to be “Hate Wal-Mart Day,” and will hold a hearing against Wal-Mart entitled “When Wal-Mart Comes to Town.“

AFDI/SIOA will be there to point out the City’s astounding inconsistency and hypocrisy in working to ban Wal-Mart from New York while doing everything it can to facilitate the construction of an Islamic supremacist mega-mosque at Ground Zero.

This is not about Wal-Mart. It is about consistency from City officials, and about justice for the 70% of Americans who oppose the Ground Zero mosque.

Pamela Geller, executive director of AFDI/SIOA, and Robert Spencer of Jihad Watch will be there. Please join us and send this to your email lists, groups, list-servs, and tea party people.

AFDI/SIOA is calling on all freedom lovers, free market lovers, infidels, proud Americans, and people of conscience to stand for American values and against Islamic supremacism.

St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church Speaks Out at Ground Zero

UPDATE: December 12, 2010: ADDED MORE PICTURES TO THE FLICKR SLIDE SHOW (please scroll down)

At 2 PM on Sunday, December 5, 2010, the congregation of St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church gathered at Ground Zero.

This was a Vesper Service for the Feast of St. Nicholas and, nine years after the Twin Towers collapsed onto this tiny 80 years old church, it’s a mystery WHY it remains un-built.

They still have no church to worship in as they did for 80 years.

As we arrived and were being permitted to enter the Ground Zero construction area, the media was being told NO Cameras. No filming was going to be allowed for ‘security’ reasons!  Some of the press was packing up their tripods and cameras. Wonder if some of the left? I was very surprised (as was everyone) at these restrictions. About 15 minutes later, little by little, the word began to spread that only SOME people could film (the diocese) but that too was still ridiculous since this was an event to which the media was invited. Another 10 minutes or so  and  everyone started filming, so I figured that meant me, too. But, never was there a formal “Go” just a sort of whispered…I guess we can film now….

The children of St. Nicholas carried precious artifacts that were damaged yet miraculously survived on that horrific day:A splintered wooden icon, a tattered altar cloth, a crushed silver bowl, a twisted candelabra, a VERY bent brass bell, mangled candles and a liturgical book.

The vespers service last about 45 minutes. The video  is excerpts from the service with the complete homily from His Eminence, Archbishop Demetrious, Primate of the Greek Orthodox Church in America.

There was a large turnout by the congregation and media. However, it wasn’t clear who the other reporters were other than  The Daily News who identified herself and you’ll see City Comptroller, John Liu in the crowd. Since he’s been  a very vocal supporter of The Ground Zero Mosque and supports the use of city loans and grants for said mosque, what about St. Nicholas? Will he go on record in giving the same support to the rebuilding of the church? Will he support it financially, too?

Regarding it location, I was told the church (whenever it is permitted to rebuild) will not be at its original location, but just east of that lot. Which can be see a few times in the back ground of the video.

I’m sorry there’s distracting motion during the Archbishop’s homily. Without the tripod I was getting tired and fighting the sun. It’s only a few times. His homily is worth listening to for what he said in front of City Comptroller, JohnLiu, describing the Church of St. Nicholas in “Ground Zero Mosque Community Center terms”. It’s  outrageous that we haven’t heard enough, barely anything really, from the Mayor and his minions regarding the Church of St. Nicholas. But, since The city is falling all over itself to build a mosque in a clothing store and stonewalls a church that was in that location for 80 years, it seems more than a bit sad that they feel they must also be a ‘community center’.

Support for St. Nicholas. Simon Deng was there (of course)

This  should be a huge a story but the media coverage was low-key to nothing. Its up to us to make St. Nicholas a priority.

Slideshow of a few pictures

And as I walked to the subway…a patriot…