Bitching about Boston

Falling Concrete Triggers Concerns

Chunks Fall From Allston Bridge Sidewalk

August 12, 2010

BOSTON --
A chunk of concrete falling from an Allston overpass has again sparked concerns about the safety of crumbling roads and bridges in the state.

Most recently, debris fell from the sidewalk on the Cambridge Street bridge onto railroad tracks below.

No one was hurt.

Last year, a big chunk fell from the same bridge and hit a woman, who survived.

http://www.thebostonchannel.com/news/24604420/detail.html
 
Accused 'Craigslist killer' Philip Markoff commits suicide in Boston jail

Accused “Craigslist Killer” Philip Markoff committed suicide at Nashua Street Jail in Boston, where he was being held awaiting trial in the slaying of Julissa Brisman, according to Steven Tompkins, spokesman for the Suffolk County Sheriff's Office.

Markoff, 24, was pronounced dead at 10:17 this morning. While authorities are still investigating, Markoff was alone in his cell and all evidence collected so far indicates that it was a suicide, said a statement released by Boston Police Commissioner Edward Davis and Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley.

Markoff’s next court appearance was a hearing scheduled for mid-September, he said.

Markoff, a former Boston University medical student, was also charged with armed robbery and kidnapping in two similar incidents in which the victims were not injured. Prosecutors contend that Markoff, who may have been motivated by gambling debts, preyed on prostitutes and erotic masseuses he met at hotels after seeing the women's ads on the Craigslist website.

http://www.boston.com/
 
What New England university, will General Stanley A. McChrystal be teaching at?

If you are in the Worcester area? Get off the road and seek shelter. Big storm.
 
Life On Mars premieres on Tuesday September 7 at 9pm
wgbh I am glad, that I skipped the American version.
 
Johnny Damon decides not to return to Boston.

He'd rather be in a city that's cleaner, safer, and has classier residents: Detroit.
 
Bait and Switch artist?

Real-estate mogul Steven Roth, the chairman and driving force behind Vornado Realty Trust.

Boston is left with something that looks like a smaller 9/11. Will he do the same thing to New York?

How to get money and breaks on everything, by making promises, and delivering nothing?

Filene's and all the shops and cafes associated with Filene's-

"The store closed in September 2007,

Roth tore down most of the building in 2008, leaving some of the facade intact.

But construction plans stalled, and the site has remained a vacant lot flanked at each end by two partially demolished structures.

APRIL 14, 2010

"Then last month, Mr. Roth sparked Mayor Menino's ire by publicly suggesting that he had intentionally let the former site of Alexander's department store lie fallow in New York City in the 1990s."

In his own words-
Mr. Roth also said that he was waiting for the "price to go up a lot" before he built, according to the article.


Tower Near Empire State Building Wins Council Consent
August 25, 2010

Business week

Aug. 25 (Bloomberg) -- New York’s City Council approved Vornado Realty Trust’s plans for a 1,200-foot (366-meter) Manhattan skyscraper over objections from the owners of the nearby Empire State Building.

Eight Years

The permitting, demolition of the hotel and building of the tower would have taken as long as eight years, David Greenbaum, president of the real estate investment trust’s New York office division, told a council subcommittee on Aug. 23. City approval “streamlines” that schedule by three years and provides a more realistic timeline to attract tenants, he said.

Menino was good enough, to send New York a warning about what Roth is like.
And there are plenty of other examples, to show what Roth has done in the past.

Track record? Pattern of behavior?
 
Last edited:
Vornado Realty trust bulldozed Filene's.
And left part of the building's skeleton, to rot.

Just imagine, if someone removed the Macy's, in New York.
And left the destruction and empty pit, sit and do nothing, but rot.

Roth created a giant eyesore in the middle of Boston.
Anyone walking by, would be reminded of what happened to the twin towers in New York. It looked like it had been bombed.

Behind the plywood covered, tall, steel chain-link fences-
The dirt pit was soggy and moldy from being under the buildings for a 100 years.
The smell was not pleasant.
When the pit dried out, it made nasty dust clouds.
Filene's is not far from the Boston harbor.
The sea winds blew the dust everywhere.
People coughed and choked.

Filene's was a landmark. Filene’s was built in 1912.

"The store closed in September 2007, leaving the once-thriving shopping district without its traditional anchor."

(Translation?- Vornado cut the heart out of a shopping district. It used to be a busy street and a social scene for everyone.
The square between Filene's and Jordan Marsh, was used for mini concerts.
The Filene's clock was a place to met up.
You could sit and enjoy a snack at the outdoor cafe.
Buy fresh fruit and veggies.
Enjoy yourself with friends before going to see a movie or a concert or play.

Filene's let you know what holidays were coming.
They decorated inside and outside.
There was always a huge Christmas tree and a huge Menorah symbol.
Filene's always participated with the community. They were generous with everything. Money. Space. Contributions.
It had advertisements for community projects in it's windows.
It's window displays promoted diversity and celebration of all nations.
They had very small box windows displays, to let the public know about entertainment venues and events.

Roth promised Boston, that it would have stores and proper restaurants, more cafes.
Services for the elite residents of the condo building and shoppers.

Roth promised a better place to connect with the subway lines.
(Just like it is promising to New York, right now.)

Why did Roth do this?

Boston residents resented the fact that a good store,
was to become a condo building for the elite.

We put up with the noise of the demolition.
The bulldozers and the cranes. Jackhammers.
The clouds of cement dust from the destruction.

We were expecting Roth to be true to his word.
We were expecting something better, in place, of what we were losing.

Roth would make money on this deal.

Other condo buildings, nearby, sold quite well.
Having an elite luxury condo in that area, would be desirable to some people.
Quick access to all that Boston has to offer.
Who might have moved in, to somewhere that offered New York level luxury and security? People from-
Finance district? State house? The legal eagles? The heirs and heiresses?
Boston movers and shakers?
Not everyone has inherited something nice, on Beacon Hill or Back Bay.

So, New York. You might have ideas and dreams, about what you might get.
All Boston got, was disappointment and a ruin with a pit.

And a whole city block, full of happy people with jobs of all kinds, were told to get lost.

The people who manged everything. The buyers. The clerks. The unloaders.
The rack and shelf stockers. Security people. The office people.
The decorators. The construction crew. The cleaners. The maintenance crew.
The renovation crew.
All these people were part of the community.
They used the banks and snack places for lunch.
Bought things from the stores. Paid taxes.

And the people who used to shop and eat and enjoy themselves,
were told to get lost, too.

Is this how Roth operates? Uses people's optimism and hopes against them?
I am guessing he does not have a special membership, to that club on Wall Street.
They do the same thing. But, on a world- wide scale.

Yes, we were suckers, to believe him. But at least we have hearts,
where he only has a ruin and an ugly pit, where his should be.
 
Vornado
destroys a city
just like a tornado?

Sept, 11, 2010

Will there be a big ugly pit, next to the Empire Sate Building?
Just like the pit Boston has, next to Boston's Freedom Trail,
and Historic District?

Vornado Realty Trust tore down Filene's Department store in Boston. Filene's was a hundred year old landmark.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/12/us/12filene.html?src=me&ref=us

Now Vornado will tear down the Hotel Pennsylvania in New York. Built in 1919.
The Empire State Building is next to the Hotel Pennsylvania.

The hotel has the oldest continuing phone number in New York City.
Famous enough to have Glen Miller Orchestra sing about it in 1940.
PEnnsylvania 6-5000.

Vornado is promising New York a 3 billion dollar tower.

Vornado tells Boston it will get a scaled-down project that would include some stores,
including a Filene’s, and a parking garage.
No promises about when that will happen.

In Providence, R.I., a crumbling brick facade is all that remains of the landmark Providence National Bank building, which was razed in 2005.

Seattle lost a beloved example of mid-century modern architecture, a curvy-roofed building that most recently housed a Denny’s restaurant, to the wrecking ball in 2008.

Other cities, including San Diego and San Francisco, have so many empty lots that officials have discussed filling them with temporary tree farms, parks or public art.

The Wall Street Crash of 2007-20008 has left holes, everywhere.
Except for the banker's pockets.
The holes in the banker's pockets were filled with taxpayer's money.
 
Giving directions, will get easier.

Sep 17, 2010
Citgo Sign Outside Fenway Park Gets Relighted

BOSTON (AP) ― The giant Citgo sign visible over Fenway Park's famous Green Monster left field wall will soon be lighting up the night again.

They are saying they will light it up, at the seventh inning at the Fenway game, tonight.

Looks like the weather will be cleared up, by then.

Boston had it's own storm, last night. So, not counting any hatched chickens, yet.
(Boston's Thursday storm was nothing, compared to New York's whomping.)

The wind and rain, gave New York a severe blasting.

October 15, 2008

The flames from the Red Sox' skidding season seem to be spreading. The Citgo sign that looms over Fenway Park caught fire this morning, the plastic partially melting in a small electrical blaze inside the storied sign.

Flames were actually visible from Storrow Drive during the fire, which caused $5,000 in damage, said Steve MacDonald, a spokesperson for the Boston Fire Department.

Firefighters quickly extinguished the blaze, which ignited just before noon. No one was injured. It was not immediately clear how long it would take to fix the sign.
 
Haven't been to Boston in a few years but we're be there soon for a short visit to catch up on fresh seafood dinners. Love Union Oyster House! Any other suggestions for great restaurants?
 
Sorry. Cannot recommend anything, personally. Home ownership,
is eating all of the fun money. And I live in tax-a chu-setts.

I would have said, to ask your hotel concierge.
But, people are so mean spirited, these days.

It all depends, on what you like.
I dream of the roti from the Penang restaurant.
(Malaysian? Singapore?)
It had a fun and charming decor.
When the experts cook it, it is like a toasty cloud-like dream.
I have'nt been there in ages.
 
Giving directions, will get easier.

Sep 17, 2010
Citgo Sign Outside Fenway Park Gets Relighted

BOSTON (AP) ― The giant Citgo sign visible over Fenway Park's famous Green Monster left field wall will soon be lighting up the night again...

We do know that Citgo is 100% owned by PdVSA ( OPEC founder Venezuela's state-owned petroleum company ), don't we?


PdVSA has been systematically looted by Hugo Chavez for the money that has funded his repressive dictatorship.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PDVSA



 
What did catch my notice, was Joe Kennedy II, worrying about how to get heating oil,
to the people that needed a hand.

Back in 2008, Citgo provided roughly $100 million in free fuel, 90 percent of the program's funding.
 
6 October 2010 Boston likes Red

News Headline-
Liverpool new owner 'to move club's debts' in deal

Liverpool's prospective new owner has vowed to clear the Premier League club's debts when it takes over

Liverpool FC are likely to be taken over by the consortium which owns the Boston Red Sox baseball team, but who is the man behind the bid?

John Henry, the 61-year-old businessman.

And members of the Consortium. (New England Sports Ventures)

Red Sox chairman Tom Werner

Larry Lucchino, president and chief executive of the Red Sox,

David Ginsberg, Red Sox vice-chairman

Phillip Morse, also vice-chairman

VS Current Liverpool Reds owners

Tom Hicks and George Gillett are the current owners of the Liverpool Reds soccer team.

The soccer team is in 405 million dollars of debt.
New England Sports Ventures seeks to buy the team for 480 million dollars.

The team is worth 600 million U.K. pounds, according to Hicks and Gillett .

And there is pressure because of an October 15 deadline. There will be a penalty of 60 million U.K. pounds,
if the debt is not paid.

If New England Sports Ventures does buy the team, there is a deal worked out between the Royal Bank of Scotland
and Wachovia Bank in the USA.

Thank you BBC

I heard them say, that the USA would be getting into international soccer,
but this is not the way I had imagined it would happen.

New England Sports Ventures did a good job, of patching up the Old Green Monster baseball stadium in Boston.
But, the Liverpool stadium is all the way across the pond.
 
Vornado Realty Trust

The dream of a castle in the air, has deflated.

Vornado wants to get their 150 million dollars back.

The Wall St. crash of 2007-2008 scraped away 50%-70 percent of the land's value.

And that was with all the developmental permits, that Boston gave Vornado.

Boston Redevelopment Authority has started voiding the permits.

The loss of permits will make the site worth even less. It is a stand off.

Vornado wants to wait.

Boston is sick of the mess. Is'nt there something legal, to make Vornado move,

in one direction, or another?

Is'nt it against some law, to create a blight in a city?

Thank you, Boston Globe Op Ed page
 
What Vornado Realty Trust and John B. Hynes promised Boston, in 2007-
39 Story Tower
166 luxury condos
stores
restaurants
cafes
hotel
parking garage
convenience stores
and an improved connection to the MBTA subway and trains.

What did we get? Empty promises and money taken out of the Mass taxpayer's pocket.
 
There were reasons, for Scott Brown and Mitt Romney getting elected.
And the reasons, were not good ones.

We have kept, what we had, before all this nonsense started.
 
Oh, great. We have illegal immigrants learning to fly, out in Stow, MA
If anyone, should be checking ID cards, it should be flying instructors.
 
And, over in Sunderland,Ma- a cooking magazine has an internet firestorm on it's hands.

A tale of caution- Give credit, where credit is due.

Thank you, Boston Globe news
 
First hail storm of the winter season. I hope this will not be another winter of ice storms.
Some other, part of the state had the first snowfall. For five minutes. :rolleyes:
 
Back
Top