You don't need to know the time when there's no such thing as clocks

[sovay]

I don't even live in New York City and the news that Amazon, in the face of local public and political opposition, has canceled its planned headquarters in Queens feels like a victory.

I hope the ghost of Jane Jacobs is proud.

Comments

[asakiyume]

I am sure she is!

[sovay]

I am sure she is!

I don't know where the ghost of Robert Moses is in all of this, but he should probably feel bad no matter what.

[asakiyume]

I'm on board with that.

[rosefox]

I was thinking the other day that when Cuomo is thinking about his legacy, he needs to remember how much New Yorkers hate developers. The one who made it to the White House is still probably second in the villain pantheon to Robert Moses. (A close second.)

[sovay]

The one who made it to the White House is still probably second in the villain pantheon to Robert Moses. (A close second.)

Have you heard John Forster's "The Ballad of Robert Moses?"

[rosefox]

I had not! I will add it to my fond memories of the two different musicals I've seen about Robert Moses. (Boozy: The Life, Death, and Subsequent Vilification of Le Corbusier and, More Importantly, Robert Moses was better than Bulldozer.)

[sovay]

(Boozy: The Life, Death, and Subsequent Vilification of Le Corbusier and, More Importantly, Robert Moses was better than Bulldozer.)

I knew about the first of these, but not the second. I am delighted that there are competing Robert Moses musicals.

[rosefox]

They're not really in competition, in the sense that Boozy could sit on Bulldozer and not notice.

[sovay]

They're not really in competition, in the sense that Boozy could sit on Bulldozer and not notice.

It is true that Bulldozer seems somewhat lacking in Freemasons.

[sara]

...goldangit now I have to explain to my fifteen-year-old why I'm laughing this hard.

"Okay, so you have to...well. Okay. The history of real estate development and urbanism in New York City, which has implications for the rest of the country...look, how much do you really want to know about this? Because if you want to get why "Boozy: The Life, Death, and Subsequent Vilification of Le Corbusier and, More Importantly, Robert Moses" is making me laugh this hard, it's going to take a while."

"You can tell me as much as you want to, but I'm going to go clothe myself first." Child walks into the (walk-in) closet, slides the door shut, and seems entirely disinterested in hearing more about urbanism.

[rosefox]

I admire your child's clear priorities!

[sara]

Well, she was getting out of the bath.

I actually wonder how the Amazon announcement relates to Bezos' divorce, given that he's filed in Washington and that means half of what's his isn't his any more.

[kore]

Robert Moses should feel bad for everything he did.

[tb]

As a Jane Jacobs fan also living in NE I share this sentiment 100%. I felt similarly when Boston dodged the Olympic bullet.

[sovay]

I felt similarly when Boston dodged the Olympic bullet.

Oh, seriously. I wrote letters about that.

[redbird]

I am very pleased, and hoping this doesn't mean Somerville tries again.

[choco_frosh]

f'ing h, yeah.

[redbird]

I just sent an email to Mayor Curtatone saying that Somerville shouldn't try to get Amazon here, mentioning why a lot of New Yorkers didn't want them.

[sovay]

I just sent an email to Mayor Curtatone saying that Somerville shouldn't try to get Amazon here, mentioning why a lot of New Yorkers didn't want them.

Good call! I shall, when I am not in the midst of doctor's appointments and insurance phone calls (two great tastes . . .), endeavor to do the same.

[landofnowhere]

Good news, Amazon has said that it's not planning on reopening the HQ2 search at present.

[sovay]

Good news, Amazon has said that it's not planning on reopening the HQ2 search at present.

That is good news. They can learn to limit their city-wrecking ambitions.

[kathmandu]

Won't happen, not unless Jeff Bezos gets a summer home around here. "Second headquarters" was always a euphemism for "Jeff Bezos wants an office near each of his houses, with a LARGE dedicated support staff".

[sovay]

Won't happen, not unless Jeff Bezos gets a summer home around here.

If he does, I'll picket it.

[pameladean]

It feels like one to me, too. I just hope that other cities will wise up and also refuse Amazon's extortion rather than offering themselves up as sacrifices.

P.

[sovay]

I just hope that other cities will wise up and also refuse Amazon's extortion rather than offering themselves up as sacrifices.

Amen. It was a bad bargain.

[thornsilver]

Ohhh, this is the first time I hear about it. Go-go, Queens!

[sovay]

Go-go, Queens!

Indeed!

[kore]

REALLY?? FUCK YESSSSSSSS

[sovay]

REALLY??

REALLY.

FUCK YESSSSSSSS

YEAH THAT.

[kore]

also, just casually leaving this here as the kids say if you haven't seen it

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/feb/14/stunningly-preserved-fresco-of-narcissus-discovered-in-pompeii

[sovay]

also, just casually leaving this here as the kids say if you haven't seen it

I have not. Thank you! What a lovely Valentine's art.

(Okay, I always heard he turned into a flower, I never heard that he melted . . .)

[kathmandu]

A side note, on the connection between unions and democracy:

There are national holidays, and then there are local or regional holidays that reflect the regional values. So Boston port closes for Patriots' Day. New Orleans port closes for Mardi Gras. And New York port closes for ...Election Day.

[sovay]

And New York port closes for ...Election Day.

Nice.