Tuesday 4 December 2012

New York update


New York post-Sandy

From Jenna Orkin




The city is giving the finger to Sandy victims in a way that seems designed to arouse a furor.  


As soon as the hurricane passed last month, the dearth of aid from official quarters led some Staten Island residents to take matters into their own hands.  One of them, Aiman Youseff, constructed a makeshift "hub" on the ground where, a few days before, his house had stood.  Here volunteers brought food and other donated supplies which could be picked up as needed by residents (to the extent that you can be called a resident when your residence has been destroyed.)


Now the City has declared the hub "unsafe" and restricted its activity, even sending away a Red Cross truck. 


Though lacking the midnight raid aspect, the move is reminiscent of the end of Occupy Wall Street at Zucotti Park last year, particularly in its pseudo-concern while at the same time, the government's own lack of help tells a different story.  Doubtless the restraint the city is exercising in the current instance is intended to convey their sympathy with the blameless victims of the storm.   


But in a development sure to delight the gods of irony who actually pull the strings in the universe, one of the "positive" effects of Hurricane Sandy is that it boosted November car sales.  Honda reports having its best U.S. auto sales rate in almost five years and Toyota's sales rose 17%.  

Halliburton would be proud. 

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.