Recharger The Dog » immigrants

A Turd Grows in Brooklyn

Recharger — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 20:27:33 +0000

Let us turn for a nano-second from the site of Britney’s panty-less in-betweenness to a more important site — the Atlantic Yards project, a $4 billion office and residential development that would build an arena for the Nets and 16 skyscrapers along a 22-acre tract in downtown Brooklyn--the biggest real estate project in the borough’s history. (see before and after simulated photos above). Bruce Ratner, CEO of Forest CityRatner, isn’t bringing pro b-ball to Brooklyn because he’s a fan; he’s bringing pro b-ball to Brooklyn because he knows everyone loves the idea so much they won’t care about him building the skyscrapers and using eminent domain to destroy the surrounding neighborhoods. But opposition is growing. On Wednesday at 2 pm, a group of homeowners and businesses — including the great Freddy’s Bar — will meet Ratner in court as part of their eminent domain lawsuit (Ratner’s the defendent). If judge doesn’t throw out the suit, the anti-Ratner lawsuit will go forward.

From the website of DDB: “About two dozen people — including homeowners, a commercial property owner, Freddy’s Bar on Dean Street and families and individuals who rent — are arguing that use of eminent domain is unconstitutional.

“You have a Puerto Rican extended family, a Romanian immigrant, you have a Pakistani family with nine kids — this is New York. This is Brooklyn,” said plaintiff Daniel Goldstein, who helped organize the anti-arena group, Develop Don’t Destroy Brooklyn.

The 8-million-square-foot project will create 6,400 housing units, including 2,250 units for low- and middle-income families. About 600 of those affordable apartments will be for sale. A spokesman for Forest CityRatner declined comment for this story.”

Having lived a few blocks from the project from nearly 27 years, we have mixed feelings. While we are not crazy-in-love with Atlantic Avenue, we hate, hate, hate Ratner’s other project--the Atlantic Mall.

Duh

Recharger — Fri, 22 Sep 2006 13:30:30 +0000

Back in 1979, a mere pup, Recharger picked apples in Washington State’s Winatchee Valley, earning a whopping $8 per bin, about $60 per day for him and his partner.

This he learned: NEARLY ALL THE PICKERS IN THE VALLEY ARE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS. So he has followed the anti-immigrant debate with more-than-passing interest, knowing that our fruit and vegetables come from the hands of undocumented workers, and if there were no undocumeneted workers--a situation most Americans desire--then we would have no fruit or vegetables (see--they gotta be picked by hand).

Todays NY Times has a way-late story, reporting that because of the Republican-led crackdown on illegals, orchards around the country have lost a third of their workforce. (imagine going into a McDonalds missing a third of its workers and you begin to get the picture). This despite bi-partisan efforts, the combined support of agri-business and the United Farm Workers union, to create a guest workers program that would allow illegals to work in the fields. Problem is, that while Congress has cracked down on illegals, it has not allowed some of them to harvest our food.

More proof we can’t survive without immigrants

Recharger — Sat, 12 Aug 2006 21:20:45 +0000

Came across this interesting hut at the end of the Shore Parkway bike path. Some states from the Census Bureau: 35.2 million immigrants in this country--legal and illegal. About half of the immigrants who’ve settled here in the past five … Continue reading →

Immigrants Live Longer

Recharger — Mon, 24 Jul 2006 06:16:15 +0000

It’s a true fact, according to the city’s health department. Compared to New Yorkers born here, immigrants smoke less, drink less, are thinner, and are less likely to contract HIV. And, they are less likely to have a regular doctor, mainly because of language barriers.

Weirdly, the DOH study recommends ways for immigrants to improve their health, including access to medical literature printed in their langauge.

Fat American protesting skinny immigrants.

Here’s a link.

-- Aye Hnin Phyu