January 27th - February 2nd, 2006

A Community with a Chinese Essence

Friday, January 27: Chinatown, home to the two-week Lunar New Year celebration currently underway, does not have a corresponding name in Chinese, the New York Times reported. Chinese Americans have coined the term "huabu" to describe their community, the paper continued. "Hua is the distilled essence of being Chinese, free of fissures caused by wars and colonization," read the paper. "You can be hua even if you hold a passport from Singapore, the United States, or Peru. You can be hua even if you have never set foot in China and don't speak a word of Chinese."

Firecrackers and gongs for the celebration on Sunday are for sale along the streets, but their use will be limited to a centralized location by the City of New York, the paper added. For more information about upcoming Lunar New Year celebrations, click here.

Giuliani's Archives Delivered to Bloomberg

Sunday, January 29: Former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani turned over a complete collection of documents from his term as mayor to the Bloomberg administration this week after having the files archived by a private company, the New York Times reported.

Giuliani agreed to the unusual practice when Mayor Michael Bloomberg took office in light of the attacks on the World Trade Center, the paper continued. The documents include everything from memos from President George Bush to a request for a meeting from the emir of Qatar, the Times continued. The information contained in the archive shows an administration that worked diligently to get through difficult times while still having to conduct business as usual, the paper added.

Clinton Urging Fund for WTC First Responders, Workers, Residents

Monday, January 31: Senator Hillary Clinton intends to address ground zero cleanup workers' health on the Senate floor in the near future, Newsday reported. The Senate will soon vote on the Fairness in Asbestos Injury Resolution Act, which will determine who will be covered by the newly created Federal Asbestos Compensation Fund. Clinton would like to add 9/11 first responders, workers, and nearby residents to those eligible to collect from the fund, the paper continued.

"These first responders, workers, and residents should be allowed to seek compensation for their asbestos injuries," Clinton said in a recent statement, according to Newsday. Asbestos is believed to have been released into the air with the collapse of the twin towers.

The bill calls for creation of a $140 billion fund with contributions from existing corporate defendants and their insurers. It would halt current lawsuits over asbestos claims by workers and bar courts from hearing new lawsuits from asbestos victims, Newsday reported. Unions, companies, and several senators have voiced opposition to the bill, arguing that the proposed fund is not big enough and could leave taxpayers picking up the tab, the paper added.

Building Green

Thursday, February 02: More and more builders and designers are building green these days, and developers in Lower Manhattan are among those striving for coveted LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification, the New York Times reported. Buildings such as 7 World Trade, the Freedom Tower, and the Millennium Tower Residences in Battery Park City are among the 3,400 buildings that will seek LEED certification upon project completion, the paper added.

"We really have reached a point of critical mass in these big high-rise green projects," Carol Willis, founder and director of the Skyscraper Museum, told the Times. "From developers to construction managers to vendors, all the components of green building are in place, poised to be adopted in a broad market."

The Skyscraper Museum currently features an exhibit highlighting 15 such projects, titled, "Green Towers for New York: From Visionary to Vernacular." To learn more, click here.