Day: April 13, 2007

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The Imus thing

I can’t muster up much energy to write about Imus’ firing. I’m not a listener, so I can’t characterize his show and “what he meant” or offer any other context-creating remark. I feel bad that this whole event has helped Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson consolidate their roles as Kings of All Black People In America, since they’re a couple of charlatans.

I do marvel over the fact that, while he got fired for making a dumb comment about female athletes, his comment had nothing to do with the most prevalent stereotype about female athletes.

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Less than Zero

Here’s an update on the construction efforts of the Freedom Tower and environs. I know you’ll be shocked to discover that the budget is skyrocketing:

Barry LePatner, Hon. AIA, a real estate attorney and construction cost expert, contends that the Freedom Tower’s initial bid numbers were virtually meaningless — unless construction companies agree to sign fixed-cost contracts, which seems unlikely. The problem, he explains, is that contractors often lowball their estimates to win projects and then file change orders and add other fees to make up the difference later.

An additional problem, as Ron Rosenbaum wrote last year, is that it’s tough to get private companies to buy space in a building that will be the #1 target for domestic terror strike.

But I’m starting to think the budget issues — and attendant regulatory bickering — will grow so enormous that the building won’t be finished till we’ve, um, won the war on terror.