Date: Fri, 8 Jul 2005 18:53:53 -0400 (EDT) From: Louis Epstein Subject: WTC Rebuilding #383:Post Holiday,Post-Olympic Maneuvers The NYC Olympic bid has finished fourth, just as was predicted when it made the short-list. Whether Doctoroff no longer having this priority will affect Downtown development remains to be seen. The International Freedom Center,focus of recent family-group opposition that I've mentioned,has pledged not to do certain things they are worried about,and give the official memorial trustees veto power over some of its activities: http://nydailynews.com/front/story/325985p-278508c.html In a Post story a few days ago, a family activist was said to be slamming the WTC retail mall...since it's a registration-only site,I am not sure what aspects he was opposing. The Post gave mausoleum advocate Diane Horning its only column place on July 4,and a letter July 5 was also about the WTC. Family activist Tom Roger,who was the anti-Towers talking head rounded up for news reports when Trump endorsed Gardner-Belton,is a vice president of a construction company with contracts for work on the official plans...no wonder he opposes alternatives! It was on the news tonight that the Port Authority and MTA have responded to the London bombings yesterday by shutting off cell phone transmitters in their tunnels "indefinitely".(Perhaps until people die because the shutoff prevented them from calling for help while trapped in tunnels,or calling in reports of suspicious activity seen in the tunnels?) The NY Times printed a letter from Silverstein rejecting their editorial claim that he was bent on cost-cutting. He also claimed credit for the stupid idea forced on him of shrinking 7 WTC to let Greenwich Street be slammed through the site...I think we should continue to complain about this. (A certain lobby declared it a good idea and officials refused to consider any plans that didn't do it;but the DowntownNYC comment board attracted unanimous opposition to the idea from the public!) Another Times letter from a man from Massapequa asserted that making the entire site a park would be most appropriate; SICK! A word to those who think that if things don't happen soon one should give up...a recent story reported that a NYC park closed temporarily 84 years ago for the construction of the Holland Tunnel is finally reopening!NEVER give up! In Daily News letter columns...Tal Barzilai made it in Saturday http://nydailynews.com/07-02-2005/news/story/324428p-277737c.html Sunday had BAD letters (one rah,one anti-tall) http://nydailynews.com/07-03-2005/news/story/324680p-277562c.html But there was a good letter Monday http://nydailynews.com/07-04-2005/news/ideas_opinions/story/324905p-277751c.html As I said last time,in lieu of a July 4th rally,Brian Daroff (who came in from Pennsylvania) and I met and went around the site.We met up at Grand Central and went by some Midtown construction sites (the Times Tower is now up five stories) before going Downtown.I pointed out a few former World's Tallests to him and showed him Victor Marchese's design,which he liked. Once Downtown we went by Church Street,Liberty Street,and the latest exhibits on the Fraud'em Tower now at the Winter Garden.We gave out some flyers (http://www.put.com/wtc/flyer5.html is the latest WTCRM flyer),"YES I'd Work on the 110th Floor!" stickers,and Taustine REBUILD postcards,while I wore my TTT REBUILD (on flag background) shirt... very appropriate for July 4,and I got the shirt at the last July 4 rally. We shared pro-rebuilding views with a number of passersby,and I was delighted when a man who saw my petition clipboard,without any approach, asked what it was for and then quickly signed and joined this email list!One woman who was leading a tour group past the Winter Garden exhibit had a number of clippings about the Trump endorsement and other rebuilding issues...she would rather new Towers rise than the FT and some of those with her agreed! Curtis Sliwa has reportedly endorsed the Gardner-Belton plan on his radio show,with more media exposure planned soon. Of course,there IS a comment form at the renewnyc.com website and "Build TWO,TALLER" responses to the FT design are something they certainly deserve. See you on the 111th floor on 9-11-11! -=-=- The World Trade Center towers MUST rise again, at least as tall as before...or terror has triumphed.