Category Archives: Creatures of the Planet (Non-Human)

All squirming things, great and small.

Archipelago in Queens – Tour Broad Channel in October

Posted on October 5, 2015 by rockviv

Over the years, I have repeatedly expressed my admiration for the community of Broad Channel, a picturesque village perched on three land masses in the middle of Jamaica Bay–Big Egg Marsh, Rulers Bar Hassock and Black Wall Marsh.  Until the … Continue reading →

Posted in Creatures of the Planet (Non-Human), Jamaica Bay, Meet Your Fellow Man, Planet Earth, The Built World, The Land We Share, The World of Human Beings, Water and waterways | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

People Marching (and Standing) for Something

Posted on September 23, 2014 by rockviv

Well, at least you can call it a victory in this sense–410,000 people in New York City were NOT watching football on Sunday afternoon.  With apologies to my family and friends in Pittsburgh and Indianapolis–I must say, that’s something I would celebrate! … Continue reading →

Posted in Air, Business and Economics, Creatures of the Planet (Non-Human), Meet Your Fellow Man, Planet Earth, The Built World, The Land We Share, The World of Human Beings, U.S. Government, Water and waterways | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Are You Better Off Than You Were in 1974?

Posted on October 26, 2012 by rockviv

Things have changed a lot in the past eight years. In October, 2004, I stood in front of my class of sixth graders at Channel View School for Research to teach a lesson on the skill of persuasive speaking–the literacy … Continue reading →

Posted in Business and Economics, Creatures of the Planet (Non-Human), New York City Government, Planet Earth, Water and waterways | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Starbucks Arrives on the Rock, In a Way

Posted on July 25, 2012 by rockviv

Somehow, they are getting to the peninsula—those ubiquitous Starbucks coffee cups.  The $6 Joe can’t be purchased locally, but we have become a “privileged” repository of the brand’s classy paper receptacles, and trash of various other kinds.  Everyone’s starting to … Continue reading →

Posted in Creatures of the Planet (Non-Human), piping plovers, The Land We Share | Tagged , | 4 Comments

Living Fossils Among Us

Posted on May 20, 2012 by rockviv

Here’s a cool story:  I helped find good homes for 30 living fossils in April.  Really, I did. The Rockaway Civic Association gave away 100 free trees donated by the New York Restoration Project and Million Trees NYC.  About a … Continue reading →

Posted in Creatures of the Planet (Non-Human), Horseshoe crabs | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

It’s Showtime!

Posted on August 25, 2011 by rockviv

Well, we’ve been talking about it and preparing ever since Mayor Bloomberg decided to devote millions of dollars to his plaNYC initiatives in 2007.  An actual serious emergency that could require evacuation of millions from low-lying areas of New York … Continue reading →

Posted in Creatures of the Planet (Non-Human), New York City Government, The Land We Share, Water and waterways | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

The Greening of Rockaway Beach

Posted on May 9, 2011 by rockviv

The first really warm and sunny weekend of the year brought folks of all ages out for some great activities in Rockaway Beach on Saturday, May 7. It started at 8 a.m., with a “topsoil fest” at the Beach 91 … Continue reading →

Posted in Creatures of the Planet (Non-Human), The Land We Share, The World of Human Beings | Tagged , , , , | 9 Comments

I Love MY Gateway!

Posted on February 14, 2011 by rockviv

Happy Valentine’s Day to my friends, neighbors and family!  These days, non-committed relationships are all the rage, and the terminology we use in our social interactions seems to be focused on mutual fulfillment, supporting one another, and every euphemism in the book as an alternative to … Continue reading →

Posted in Creatures of the Planet (Non-Human), The Land We Share, U.S. Government, Water and waterways | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Please Pass the Salt!

Posted on February 2, 2011 by rockviv

So Punxsutawney Phil did his work!  At 7:25 a.m. on Tuesday, February 2, 2011, he did NOT see his shadow, and predicted an early Spring. Phil was better off than the rest of us…he didn’t have to clean off his car … Continue reading →

Posted in Creatures of the Planet (Non-Human) | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Oy Vey, JFK!

Posted on January 27, 2011 by rockviv

As I write, the regional planning honchos are joining together at a conference in Lower Manhattan to debate the future of our local airports–to be specific, JFK…and Jamaica Bay.  A foot of snow may have delayed the breakfast portion of … Continue reading →

Posted in Air, Business and Economics, Creatures of the Planet (Non-Human), New York City Government, New York State Government, Planet Earth, The Built World, The Land We Share, U.S. Government, Water and waterways | Tagged , , , , | 12 Comments