Category Archives: Planet Earth

Air, Land and Water

Shifting Sands and Strong Foundations

Posted on April 4, 2011 by rockviv

Sometimes, I close my eyes and try to imagine what Rockaway must have been like in 1858.  When there were less than a dozen homes on the peninsula, and land was valued only for the salt hay it produced.  If … Continue reading →

Posted in Business and Economics, New York City Government, The Built World, The Land We Share, Water and waterways | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Sinners and Saints–Your Choice This Week!

Posted on March 14, 2011 by rockviv

In case you’re not a fan of beer drinking, here’s a novel way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day—by reading a great book about the history of Ireland. “How The Irish Saved Civilization,” the first title in Thomas Cahill’s “Hinges of … Continue reading →

Posted in Business and Economics, Local Government-Rockaway Peninsula & Broad Channel, New York City Government, New York State Government, Philosophy, Religion and Philanthropy, The Arts and Entertainment, The Built World, The Land We Share, U.S. Government, Water and waterways | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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

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 , , , , | 13 Comments

“Bus Hill” IS Our Mount Snow!

Posted on January 14, 2011 by rockviv

Ok, so we don’t have the long, rolling hills of Prospect Park, and Fort Tilden is no Yellowstone.  But we do have Bus Hill, Rockaway’s version of a slope for ski-boarding and sledding. Wrapped inside the ramps of the Gil … Continue reading →

Posted in New York City Government, The Land We Share | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Vandalia Dunes Are Gone–Is Four Sparrow Marsh the Next to Go?

Posted on January 14, 2011 by rockviv

Frankly, I’m shocked about the new stores being proposed for just north of the Flatbush Avenue exit of the Belt Parkway, near Toys R’ Us.  However, members of Community Board 18 in Brooklyn have “warmed” to the idea, according to Tuesday’s Wall Street Journal.  I’m sure … Continue reading →

Posted in Business and Economics, Creatures of the Planet (Non-Human), New York City Government, The Land We Share, Water and waterways | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Snow Drifts on the Monday after Christmas–Let’s Call it a Block Party!

Posted on December 27, 2010 by rockviv

The great Boxing Day Blizzard of 2010 (sixth largest snowfall in NYC history) finally ran out of steam on Monday, December 27, late in the morning, and everyone was boxed-in! Rockaway residents began to shovel out their driveways…and their sidewalks…and their … Continue reading →

Posted in New York City Government, Planet Earth, The Land We Share | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Round One–NYC Waterfront Advocates Dispute Rockaway’s Claim to “Sixth Borough” Title

Posted on December 1, 2010 by rockviv

I did not attend the waterfront conference in Manhattan yesterday, sponsored by Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance.  For those of us in the contingent work force, that would be rough.  What I earn each week on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday pays the rent.  However, the … Continue reading →

Posted in Business and Economics, New York City Government, Water and waterways | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Mailboxes are not Bulletin Boards. Street Trees Belong to Us All. Norman Rockwell’s Paintings Do Not.

Posted on November 26, 2010 by rockviv

Home values are affected by many factors.  Exclusive zoning is critical, and a tidy-looking, tree-shaded street scene contributes value to all the homes located on a particular block. When I was looking for a new apartment six months ago, the outdoor … Continue reading →

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

Oy Vey, Jamaica Bay!

Posted on November 13, 2010 by rockviv

Nothing like a Hunter’s Moon setting over Jamaica Bay.  Except, perhaps, that same moon setting over the marsh islands of Jamaica Bay, restored to some semblance of their natural, 18th-century beauty.  Verdant with native Spartina grasses, not choked with reedy phragmites (the bellwether of distressed marshes), … Continue reading →

Posted in Creatures of the Planet (Non-Human), U.S. Government, Water and waterways | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment