{"id":3870,"date":"2005-05-29T18:07:13","date_gmt":"2005-05-29T22:07:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.law.harvard.edu\/formerlyknownas\/2005\/05\/29\/all-punditry-is-local-today-a"},"modified":"2011-08-05T14:57:41","modified_gmt":"2011-08-05T18:57:41","slug":"all-punditry-is-local-today-anyway","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/2005\/05\/29\/all-punditry-is-local-today-anyway\/","title":{"rendered":"all punditry is local (today, anyway)"},"content":{"rendered":"<blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<blockquote><\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: x-small\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif\"><em>unofficial start<br \/>\nof summer &#8212;<br \/>\nparkas huddled &#8217;round the grill<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;font-size: xx-small\"><em> <span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman,Times,Serif;font-size: x-small\"> <\/span><\/em><a href=\"http:\/\/blogs.law.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/stories\/storyReader$3281\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman,Times,Serif;color: #000000;font-size: x-small\"><strong>dagosan<\/strong><\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman,Times,Serif\"><span style=\"font-size: x-small\"> <em> <\/em><\/span><span style=\"font-size: xx-small\"><em> [May 29, 2005]<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><em><strong><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman,Times,Serif;font-size: x-small\">potluck<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: x-small\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman,Times,Serif\"><em><strong><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/blogs.law.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/files\/2007\/10\/feet2.gif\" alt=\"\" \/> shoeless in schenectady<\/strong><\/em>:<\/span> <span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\">Our curmudgeonly columnist Carl Strock, admits he<\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: x-small\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"> was quite <\/span><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\">surprised this <\/span><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\">week. You see, the U.S. Justice Department has decided <em>not<\/em> to<\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;font-size: x-small\"> prosecute two ex-Schenectady cops for violating the civil rights of David Sampson in<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;font-size: x-small\"> July, 1999.  Strock asks: &#8220;How could anyone in his right mind conclude that what the<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;font-size: x-small\"> cops did was not a violation of someone&#8217;s civil <span style=\"color: black\">rights?&#8221; (<em><a href=\"http:\/\/www.dailygazette.com\">Sunday Gazette<\/a> <\/em>[Schenectady,<\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;color: black;font-size: x-small\"> NY], &#8220;Ex-cops get weird break from feds,&#8221; May 29, 2005, B1, $ubscr., <em>but see<\/em> reprint<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;color: black;font-size: x-small\"> at Reply 3, and related articles, at the Schenectady Info website). <\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;font-size: small\"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">\n<blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\">spring breeze&#8211;<br \/>\nthree ride the same horse<br \/>\nhome<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">\n<blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;font-size: small\"><span style=\"font-size: xx-small\">&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;.. by Kobayashi ISSA<\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;font-size: small\"><span style=\"font-size: xx-small\">, translated by D. G. Lanoue<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;font-size: x-small\"> Srock may have a point:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;font-size: x-small\">The police officers &#8212; Richard Barnett and Michael Siler,<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;font-size: x-small\"> who are white &#8212; &#8220;picked up this guy they knew to be a shady character, David Sampson, who wasn&#8217;t doing anything illegal at the time, drove him eight miles out of the city to rural Rector Road in Glenville, at night, and dumped him there shoeless to fend for himself.&#8221;  Sampson, who is black, says they also roughed him up and tossed his Timberland boots into the woods.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;font-size: x-small\">In a deposition, Barnett has admitted taking Sampson that night to<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;font-size: x-small\"> the secluded road, but denied the &#8220;roughing up.&#8221;  Barnett and other local cops also admitted that police officers practiced a &#8220;relocation policy&#8221; of leaving perceived troublemakers outside the city limits, with the approval of SPD management. (see Albany [NY] <em>Times Union<\/em>,<\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/timesunion.com\/AspStories\/story.asp?storyID=364233&amp;category=SCHENECTADY&amp;BCCode=&amp;newsdate=5\/29\/2005\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;font-size: x-small\"> Claim against ex-cops rejected<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;font-size: x-small\">, May 26, 2005; <span style=\"color: black\">and <\/span><\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.schenectadyny.info\/cgi-bin\/Blah\/Blah.pl?b=cc,m=1117099584\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;color: black;font-size: x-small\">SchdyInfo<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;font-size: x-small\"><span style=\"color: black\">.com<\/span>)<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;font-size: x-small\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/media-cyber.law.harvard.edu\/blogs\/static\/ethicalesq\/copPair.jpg\" alt=\"copPair\" \/><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;font-size: x-small\"> Don&#8217;t think badly of Schenectady, though.  Its former Corporation Counsel Michael Brockbank<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;color: black;font-size: x-small\"> told <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.wten.com\/Global\/story.asp?S=3398931\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;color: black;font-size: x-small\">WTEN <\/span><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.wten.com\/Global\/story.asp?S=3398931\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;color: black;font-size: x-small\">news<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;font-size: x-small\"><span style=\"color: black\"> (<\/span>May 26, 2005) he believes what the officers did was not the best thing, but<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;font-size: x-small\"> it was not done arbitrarily.  Brockbank noted that the two officers, after an investigation sparked<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;font-size: x-small\"> by Sampson&#8217;s allegations in 1999, were convicted of drug-related offenses. &#8220;It clearly shows the<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;font-size: x-small\"> type of officers they were, willing to take a cowboy action and that caught up with them.&#8221;  Thus,<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;font-size: x-small\"> according to WTEN, &#8220;Brockbank said neither the federal investigation, nor the convictions,<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;font-size: x-small\"> should  lead people to believe the police department targeted certain communities.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\">don&#8217;t cry, geese!<br \/>\nfrom now on<br \/>\nI&#8217;m a traveler too<\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-size: xx-small\">&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;.. by <a href=\"http:\/\/haikuguy.com\/issa\">Kobayashi ISSA<\/a>, translated by D.G. Lanoune<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"><span style=\"font-size: x-small\"><em><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/media-cyber.law.harvard.edu\/blogs\/static\/ethicalesq\/keysmall001.gif\" alt=\"!key 2\" \/> <\/em><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"><span style=\"font-size: x-small\"><em> <strong>tolerant in schenectady?<\/strong><\/em><strong>:<\/strong> Last Monday, May 23, the traditional invocation prayer before the<\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;font-size: x-small\"> City Council&#8217;s public meeting was given by a Muslim Iman, Faisal Ahmad.  When the Iman then<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;font-size: x-small\"> started asking the Council for help getting visas for Afghanis, a member of the public stood up<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;font-size: x-small\"> and said &#8220;There&#8217;s a war going on.  It&#8217;s in very bad taste.  We have veterans here and we&#8217;re listening<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;font-size: x-small\"> to his prayer. Shame on us all!&#8221;   Now, I disagree that a Muslim prayer is less appropriate than<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;font-size: x-small\"> that of other religion&#8217;s, if there is any prayer at all at Council Meetings (I vote &#8220;no prayers.&#8221;)  Still,<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;font-size: x-small\"> I am taken aback by what happened in reaction to the outburst: <\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\">\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;font-size: x-small\">Four days later, more than a<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;font-size: x-small\"> dozen religious leaders held a press event in City Hall, with the mayor and other City officials<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;font-size: x-small\"> participating.  They read and passed out <em>A Statement of Concern and Witness<\/em> urging citizens<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;font-size: x-small\"> to celebrate and practice diversity and to practice tolerance.    The text of the Statement begins<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;font-size: x-small\"> by saying it is in response to the citizen&#8217;s words at the Council Meeting &#8212; naming and quoting<\/span><span style=\"font-size: x-small\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"> her and saying <\/span><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\">they &#8220;have concern&#8221; for her.   This seems a bit of an over-reaction to one person&#8217;s<\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;font-size: x-small\"> stating an opinion &#8212; and seems very likely to deter the expression of any but the &#8220;correct&#8221; opinions<\/span><span style=\"font-size: x-small\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"> at <\/span><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\">Council meetings.  (<em>Daily Gazette<\/em>, &#8220;Religious leaders call for tolerance,&#8221; May 28, 2005, $$,<\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"><span style=\"font-size: x-small\"> but <span style=\"color: black\">see <\/span><\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.schenectadyny.info\/cgi-bin\/Blah\/Blah.pl?b=cc,m=1117226484\"><span style=\"color: black;font-size: x-small\">SchdyInfo reprints<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: x-small\"><span style=\"color: black\">, including<\/span> Reply 1; and Capital News9, &#8220;<\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.capitalnews9.com\/content\/your_news\/capital_region\/default.asp?ArID=133090\"><span style=\"font-size: x-small\">Meeting of religious leaders<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: x-small\">,&#8221; <\/span><\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-size: x-small\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\">May 27, <\/span><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\">2005).  Note:<\/span><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;font-size: x-small\">The rebuked citizen is Karin Maioriello, who has a son in the<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;font-size: x-small\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"> military serving <\/span><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\">overseas.  She stands by her words: &#8220;I object . . .<\/span>because it was Memorial Day and I think it was in bad taste.&#8221;<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;font-size: x-small\">No member of the Muslim faith attended the press conference,<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;font-size: x-small\"> although Iman Ahmad sent a statement, which was read.<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman;font-size: small\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">\n<\/blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman,Times,Serif;font-size: x-small\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/cyber.law.harvard.edu\/blogs\/static\/ethicalesq\/littleitalyL.gif\" alt=\"LittleItalyL\" \/> <em>Little Italy Gateway<\/em> <\/span><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman,Times,Serif;font-size: xx-small\">[<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman,Times,Serif;font-size: xx-small\">original image <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.schenectadymetroplex.org\/ContentManager\/index.cfm?Step=Display&amp;ContentID=4\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman,Times,Serif;font-size: xx-small\">here<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman,Times,Serif;font-size: xx-small\">]<\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"><strong><em><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman,Times,Serif;font-size: x-small\">Chutzpah in <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.schenectadymetroplex.org\/index.php?page=Misc-projects_city.txt\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman,Times,Serif;font-size: x-small\">Little Italy<\/span><\/a><\/em><\/strong><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman,Times,Serif;font-size: x-small\">:  I forgot to report that I attended the official dedication<\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman,Times,Serif;font-size: x-small\"> last Saturday, May 21, 2005, of the Little Italy &#8220;Gateway&#8221;<span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"> <\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman,Times,Serif;font-size: x-small\">on N. Jay Street in<\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman,Times,Serif;font-size: x-small\"> Schenectady.  My skepticism over local efforts to create a Little Italy where<\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"><span style=\"font-size: x-small\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman,Times,Serif\"> none was apparent was covered here at <em>f\/k\/a<\/em> in <span style=\"color: black\">March &#8211; <\/span><\/span><\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/blogs.law.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/2005\/03\/01#a3356\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman,Times,Serif;color: black;font-size: x-small\">schmittle Italy<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: x-small\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman,Times,Serif\"><span style=\"color: black\">.<\/span> None<\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman,Times,Serif;font-size: x-small\">theless, I wanted to see if there&#8217;s been any progress &#8212; beyond the new $900,000<\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman,Times,Serif;font-size: x-small\"> &#8220;streetscape&#8221; [sidwalks, bricks] and gateway monument.     The politicians at<\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman,Times,Serif;font-size: x-small\"> the dedication thanked a lot of people and talked about our &#8220;<em>tourist attraction<\/em>,&#8221;<\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman,Times,Serif;font-size: x-small\"> but I saw nothing to brag about, even after walking both sides of the entire one-<\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman,Times,Serif;font-size: x-small\">block Italian heritage district.  It still has lots of boarded up windows [with un<\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman,Times,Serif;font-size: x-small\">painted plywood] and not one building that anyone I can think of would call<\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman,Times,Serif;font-size: x-small\"> charming.  After <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.dailygazette.com\/outlook\/italy.htm\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman,Times,Serif;font-size: x-small\">five years<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman,Times,Serif;font-size: x-small\"> of planning and effort, Schenectady&#8217;s Little Italy<\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-size: x-small\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman,Times,Serif\"> <\/span><\/span>continues to consist of one restaurant (lured there with a large development finance package), one bakery, and one tiny spumoni\/sandwich shop.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">\n<ul> <span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"> <\/span><\/p>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman,Times,Serif;font-size: x-small\">It&#8217;s gonna get worse: Civitello&#8217;s Spumoni Shoppe is about to move<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman,Times,Serif;font-size: x-small\"> from the so-caled Little Italy to a more &#8220;high-profile location&#8221; outside of Schenectady. A co-owner says, &#8220;Nothing&#8217;s changed, except the sidewalks are beautiful.&#8221; (&#8220;<\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.bizjournals.com\/albany\/stories\/2004\/12\/13\/focus2.html?t=printable\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman,Times,Serif;color: black;font-size: x-small\">Sch&#8217;dy, Troy promote Little Italy districts<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman,Times,Serif;font-size: x-small\"> to renew inner city life,&#8221; <em>Albany BizJournal<\/em>, Dec. 10, 2004).<\/span>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"> <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"> <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul> <span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"> <\/span> <span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"> <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"> <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman,Times,Serif;font-size: x-small\">Also, there&#8217;s the problem that the City of Troy <em>has<\/em> a <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.troyny.gov\/neighborhoods\/littleitaly.html\"><span style=\"font-size: x-small\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman,Times,Serif\"><em>real<\/em> Little Italy<\/span><\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman,Times,Serif;font-size: x-small\"> (see <a href=\"http:\/\/www.littleitalytroy.org\/\">Little Italy Troy.com<\/a>), comprising an entire intact<em> neighborhood<\/em>, with resaturant<em>s<\/em>, specialty<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman,Times,Serif;font-size: x-small\"> shop<em>s<\/em>, Italian markets, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.littleitalytroy.org\/boc.htm\">bocce courts<\/a>, and great architecture nearby.<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman,Times,Serif;font-size: x-small\"> It is only 14 miles away.  Not to mention New York City down the road.<\/span><\/li>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"> <\/span><\/span><\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"> <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul> <span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"> <\/span> <span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"> <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"> <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: x-small\">You know, the traditional Italian alphabet has no &#8220;j&#8221;.   What we think of<\/span><span style=\"font-size: x-small\"><span style=\"font-size: x-small\"> as the &#8220;j&#8221; sound is made with the letters &#8220;gi&#8221; &#8212; a &#8220;soft g&#8221; as in your Editor&#8217;s surname.    I&#8217;m not sure if it is dimly ironic <\/span><span style=\"font-size: x-small\">or brilliantly coincidental, therefore, that our Schenectady Little Italy is located on &#8220;No. Jay St.&#8221;<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"> <\/span><\/span><\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"><span style=\"font-size: x-small\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"> <\/span><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"> <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"><span style=\"font-size: x-small\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"> <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"><span style=\"font-size: x-small\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"><span style=\"font-size: small\"> <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"><span style=\"font-size: x-small\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"><span style=\"font-size: small\"><span style=\"font-size: x-small\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman,Times,Serif\"><em><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/cyber.law.harvard.edu\/blogs\/static\/ethicalesq\/tinycheck.gif\" alt=\"tiny check\" \/> Not Mi Familia<\/em>:  Given my belief that most urban economic development is a sad display of poor planning and a misuse of public funds, please <em>nota bene<\/em> that, to the very best of my knowledge,  I am <em>not<\/em> related to <\/span><\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.mlive.com\/news\/fljournal\/index.ssf?\/base\/news-29\/111643140037900.xml\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman,Times,Serif;font-size: x-small\">this Giacalone<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman,Times,Serif;font-size: x-small\">, who was accused this month of stealing $1.1 million in business development loans from downtrodden Flint, Michigan.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\">\n<blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"><span style=\"font-size: x-small\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"><span style=\"font-size: small\"> <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"><span style=\"font-size: x-small\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"><span style=\"font-size: small\"> <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"><span style=\"font-size: x-small\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"><span style=\"font-size: small\"><span style=\"font-size: x-small\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/cyber.law.harvard.edu\/blogs\/static\/ethicalesq\/schoolbus.gif\" alt=\"school bus\" \/> I need to give Schenectady lawyer Michael Braccini a call, to see if having a bus for a law office is working out for him.  I saw the bus for the first time yesterday, in the parking lot of the Domino&#8217;s Pizza shop on Broadway.   The bus is painted blue and white.   The message &#8220;Law Office of Michael Braccini&#8221; is painted near the top of the bus.  At the door, it reads &#8220;Legal Advice,&#8221; &#8220;Enter Here,&#8221; and &#8220;No appoinment necessary.&#8221;  Elsewhere, you&#8217;re told &#8220;Any Question, Any Time,&#8221; and numerous practice areas are listed: Bankruptcy, DWI, Misdemeanors and Felonies, Personal Injury&#8221; and more.   The phone number on the bus is no longer in service.   In the telephone book, Braccini&#8217;s address is identical to the pizza shop&#8217;s address.  Maybe there&#8217;s also an office in the small building &#8212; midnight on a Saturday night was not a good time to investigate.  There must be <\/span><span style=\"font-size: x-small\">a good story here, and I hope to give you more details soon.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">\n<blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"><span style=\"font-size: x-small\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"><span style=\"font-size: small\"> <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"><span style=\"font-size: x-small\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"><span style=\"font-size: small\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\">plum blooming&#8211;<br \/>\nmuddy straw sandals<br \/>\nand a sake cup<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<blockquote><\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"><span style=\"font-size: x-small\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"><span style=\"font-size: small\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\">cloudburst&#8211;<br \/>\nhanging over the village<br \/>\nthat doesn&#8217;t pray<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<blockquote><\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"><span style=\"font-size: x-small\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"><span style=\"font-size: small\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"><span style=\"font-size: x-small\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"><span style=\"font-size: small\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\"><a href=\"http:\/\/haikuguy.com\/issa\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman,Times,Serif;color: #ff0000;font-size: x-small\">ISSA<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman,Times,Serif;font-size: x-small\">, translated by <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/webusers.xula.edu\/dlanoue\/issa\/abouttran.html\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman,Times,Serif;color: #000000;font-size: x-small\">David G. Lanoue<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-size: small\"> <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"><span style=\"font-size: x-small\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"><span style=\"font-size: small\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\"><br \/>\n.. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"><span style=\"font-size: x-small\"><span style=\"font-family: Times New Roman\"><span style=\"font-size: small\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\"><span style=\"font-family: Geneva,Arial,Sans-Serif;font-size: x-small\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/cyber.law.harvard.edu\/blogs\/static\/ethicalesq\/feet2.gif\" alt=\"feet2\" \/><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>unofficial start of summer &#8212; parkas huddled &#8217;round the grill dagosan [May 29, 2005] potluck shoeless in schenectady: Our curmudgeonly columnist Carl Strock, admits he was quite surprised this week. You see, the U.S. Justice Department has decided not to prosecute two ex-Schenectady cops for violating the civil rights of David Sampson in July, 1999. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":94,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[2927],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3870","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-schenectady-synecdoche"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p6kP1R-10q","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3870","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/94"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3870"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3870\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13197,"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3870\/revisions\/13197"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3870"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3870"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3870"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}