Friday, January 05, 2007

I'm In A NY State of Mind

This is me, the Jaded NYer, talking to you, my fellow NYers, about something I can't help but care very deeply about: NYC.

It is no secret that I love this place, even when I'm full of bitter cynicism, jaded to the core, I love this place.

I was born here, grew up here, attended HS here. There’s no other place I could ever imagine as my hometown or where I’d like to raise my daughters; NYC is the SHYT! Hell, I divorced my ex in part because he moved us to New Jersey, so you can see where my loyalties are.

I tell you this as a preface to what I really want to say, so you can understand why I, Raquel I. Penzo, a girl who’s never given a damn about anything other than when’s John Cusack’s next movie coming out, am about to tell you this:

Recently, Mayor Bloomberg gave a speech in which he presented the results of a long-term land use study he initiated last year. In it he stated that we are headed for a major population surge- some 1 million people are expected to reside here by the year 2030. And that’s not including the 50 million tourists that will crowd Fifth Avenue annually.

With these 1 million people comes the need for more power, an upgraded transportation infrastructure, more housing, updated sewage systems and procedures in place to protect the land, air and sea around us from further contamination.

I direct your attention to this transcript of the Mayor’s speech.

When you are done reading what I think is a well-written, well thought-out list of goals towards a sustainable NYC, please log onto www.nyc.gov/2030 and participate in the “citywide conversation.”

This City is our home. It is our duty to sustain it.

Do it now; NYC is counting on you.

*smooches…cause I still love you, New York*
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i won't wait for you
to wonder
i'll just tell you why
i'm here
'cause i know
the biggest crime
is to just throw
up your hands
say this has nothing
to do with me