Let's Play Politics without Playing Dumb 2016

Hi, good to see you again.

Once again "It's been a long time, I shouldn'ta left you..."
Life has kept me hyper busy, I was away most of last summer on a film series (I'm blessed) but there is so many thoughts I want to share in response to some wonderful and intelligent friends’ comments on social media, especially Facebook, who seem to have caught what I call "Trump-itis".

You know the condition caused when people are exposed to so much Trump coverage that alarm bells go off in a person's subconscious and results in them spending a lot of time and posting a lot of words discussing Donald Trump’s presidential chances with no eye or ear to the fact-based realities of his chances of being the next President of the United States.

So in short I wrote all this. Trump has little chance of being president of the United States, if a majority of the electorate shows up.

Now I do have a lot to say about a lot of recent NYC and of course especially Brooklyn news, like the planned streetcar line, the method of redevelopment in East New York, the (I'd estimate) 500 new units of housing coming to small area of Crown Heights destined to shift lift further from "affordable", and best of all The Brooklyn Community Foundation, a non-profit that is directly and positively impacting Brooklyn communities.

So posts on all that will come. However I’m going to put that on hold to address more of this Trump fascination.

First, I'd ask you to humor me and do this: swap Bernie Sanders for Barack Hussein Obama, and Donald Trump for John McCain (remember early 2008 John McCain? The very experienced, war hero, centrist who speaks plainly and has the support of all sides!!) and it becomes obvious that a lot of what's happening in media coverage year is playing out like 2008. Personally on the Dem side I know many friends support Hill over Bern, and that's fine because it doesn't matter. We all on the Dem side essentially have the same politics, it's a matter of who we prefer and trust (for a number of reasons) to enact and fight for a majority of those policies.

I believe voting matters, but given the opposition, at this point if the Democrats nominated that creepy robot in the new Boston Dynamics videos everyone will come around and support it. It doesn't matter, after the convention there will be one Dem candidate and we'll all support them.

After the Dem convention someone electric probably joins someone's ticket maybe one of the Latino-American political twin Castro brothers from San Antonio TX, and then they go campaign, with 2 (maybe 3) former Democratic presidents in tow, because the Dems won't make the mistake of 2000 again and not use the sitting president's bully pulpit to galvanize turnout among African Americans especially (which is one reason why the talk of if Bern can get support from the African American electorate is silly)

So no matter who is nominated on the Dem side, no significant number of voters on the Democratic side are going to defect to Trump, Rubio or Cruz. Just like no significant number defected from Hillary to McCain in 2008. I'm sure some people in 2008 refused to vote for Obama, but ultimately twice in the last two elections, with wars and soldiers abroad and a bad economy all making people feel unease, the majority of presidential voters picked the guy who supposedly couldn't overcome the heated anger of the Right wing.

Trump doesn't have the numbers to win. And the entire GOP set of candidates this year are too extreme (Except Kasich who interestingly, Trump's wins is pushing out of contention) to get any major traction with the entire electorate.

And a note about Trump’s “wins”.

Primaries in most states are closed, meaning usually when Trump wins he's winning ONLY among Republicans, he's getting no Democratic votes and no Independent votes because most of those voters are not allowed to vote in the Republican primary. For example in Nevada there are approximately 750,000 self-identifying Latino’ s in the state.

Of that number about 16% are and were able to vote in the Republican primary and Trump won 7% of them with the other Republican candidates splitting the remaining 9%. Trump declared that he had won the Latino vote in Nevada, and if you’re counting that 16% as the entire vote, yes his 55% of that 16% is a win, but it’s not near all the Latinos in the state. The Democrat and Independent self-identifying Latino's in Nevada are over 70% of all Latino. Trump didn’t "win the Latino vote in Nevada" he spun it, said he did, and everyone keeps repeating.Please stop.

Many people are writing, and endlessly reposting these and other numerically inaccurate stories about Trump, and Trump's chances and its a waste of time, energy and a distortion of reality. A better more important more long impacting story is about the remaining vocal fringe of unabashed racist Americans that make up a significant number of his supporters.

It’s a difficult habit to break, reporting sensationalism. The news media gets more money in views, paper sales, and TV ratings by talking up Trump, they think they have to. But it's as useful as when the NYC media pretends to be excited for a new New York Knicks and Nets seasons, knowing damned well they are not going to be anywhere near the championship when the season winds up.

The real issues are making sure more than 40% of the eligible electorate comes out to vote, because the national electorate swings overwhelming democratic. (It doesn't seem like that because of news and congress, but the congressional districts have been rigged by Republican (and sometimes Democratic) governors to corral people into voting districts based on their party affliction.

So I suggest the real issue is getting more people to vote. I suggest we share those articles about denial of voting rights, about voter registrations drives.

Post more articles about what people need to be sure and do so they are prepared to vote. That information better ensures a democratic win. Sharing the news on how much our vote matters is the best news to share this election season.

NYTimes posts a used-to-love letter to 5Ptz

The New York Times posted what I'm coining a "I used-to-love letter" to the subject of the erased murals on the 5ptz building in its Friday, Dec 20th, 2013 online edition.

I noticed a small headline and link reading "A Beginning For 5Ptz not the End" whose title conceit inspired me to read it since last word and image from 5ptz, the iconic mural and graffiti coated building in Long Island City, Queens, was of all it's art, tags and massive murals, some of it a decade old had been destroyed in gut wrenching fashion and the middle of the night by the land owner and developer.

Immediately after I read the letter which was posted in the City Diary section and who's message seems to be telling us, to borrow a movie line,"nothing to see here move along" I wondered if any vested real estate interests help blow this bit of prose up the grey lady's skirt. And if so how much?

For you I present my interpretation of the letter, the article to the actual is at the end.

Dear Diary,

I used to love, a boy, he was cool, an artist, with a cool name. I'm giving you the superficial details because I have a word count to watch and there really wasnt much more depth to my interest than that.

It wasn't my fault but I missed out on the New York of lore, fortunately thanks to my crush-love I was granted access into a sliver of that world and a chance to sight-see. It was great. My crush, wrote me in small letters into a world of characters, among them; self-proclaiming types, and a  disappearing/reappearing tabby cat(Cheshire, duh). Finally I surfed on the edge of inclusion. From the roof, I watched the sunset on this world and it's magic.

Long after I got a fb message from my crush-love (who by now I realized, I didn't really love anyway) he showed me the art work of that world was taken away. Interestingly he didn't care much.  Since he's of that world and willing to see the developer's middle-night white out of all it's artwork (including my non-crush's artwork (ephemeral, duh)) I know what happened doesn't matter, and I clearly should not see it as a big deal that the art work was destroyed without any attempt to save even one mural.

My erased-crush thinks it's like a blank canvas for new art to grow, like say the uniqueness of the edifying edifices of luxury high-rise condos. My once-crush is giving me permission not to see the developer's actions as an insult, an example of the excessive greed and ego that has dictated much of the gentrification of the city in the last ten years, or a symbol of petty vengeance by a sore winner/developer with a desire to take an eraser to a world renown aspect of New York City.

So like an online fling we should just move along and be happy there still pictures somewhere on the internet to look at.

P.S.: No word on the tabby, I'm sure he'll pop up somewhere else, maybe he'll just appear in one of the new luxury condos because that's how magic works.

Love
Alice

Liked,
Kristen

The City Roll Diary article refered to can be found here: 
http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/12/20/a-beginning-for-5pointz-not-the-end  

“Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?"
"That depends a good deal on where you want to get to."
"I don't much care where –"
"Then it doesn't matter which way you go.”
― Lewis Carroll

Photo Wednesday 07/03/13 : Independence Edition

Biggggg past week and weekend saw the closing of throwback hole in the wall venue, BPMStudio.




Pride and pageantry and Ru Paul thousands more proud folks floated down 5th ave in the City

And a new cafe emerges on Bedford Ave and Park Place taking over my brief beloved burger spot.

Clearly we're free to do what we want, (?) whether we're being watched, eh, who can say.

Have a Happy and safe Fourth of July!

Bike Clot!!

Not my best title but I havent thought up poetry for this post. It's a busy 1st summer weekend in NYC, (Mermaid Parade tomorrow!) so before I over think, I figured I'd write and here it is.

The Bike Lanes need drano, for right now my peoples, they are clogged.

I'm stunned, sincerely. As one who is pro most things bicycle let me tell you I was shocked dismayed astounded and more. A metaphorical snake couldnt even get through because people were maintaining speeds and spacing so the type of maniacal darting and weaving I'd be likely to do through traffic was only going to get some other cyclist hurt so I resigned to be down with the slow-go crowd.

Before anyone anti-bike gets too excited, it's not like this everywhere, in Brooklyn for example I still get to cruise like Elaine after Kramer widened the highway, but in Manhattan it's like being trout in the Pacific Northwest (no pun intended, granted I can't speak for KimYe). here is one detail the surprised me most, as I rode down 2nd Avenue midweek, midday, and crawled through BIKE TRAFFIC, (BIKE!!) it wasn't at all deadly or safety concern inducing, because everyone in the lane, citibike or not (and the citibikes were out numbered 4 - 1 that day) was riding as slow as cabbies in traffic court.

A majority of the bike riders I encountered on the city bike lanes was slow, and riding like they were on a country path someplace bucolic where the need to make space for your fellow rider doesn't matter because there is no other country rider.

In some ways it was beautiful. People traversing, obviously enjoying, slowly savoring the city, with zero harmful emissions, save the rage steam pouring out my ears as I wished wistfully that I could get off that damned path and take my chances with the cabbies. Sure some of the cabbies are driving with their cousin's license, but they're driving fast!

So yeah on the 1st day of Summer let's all bask in the sun, bake away troubles and have a great time but please pull your big blissfully unaware ass over and let people pass. There's ya poetry.

Bike safe NY.

I didn't think there were any fixtures left on Ludlow to go

Unfortunately I was wrong. Another piece of the Lower East Side 90's & 00's went the way of the Dodo. 

Courtesy of the NY York Times

The Pink Pony closed it's doors, likely for good, on Jan 31st.

Detailed below by the New York Times, the story talks about the neighborhood leaving the familiar and moment essential bar more so than the bar leaving the neighborhood. 

Damn this thing change. Same thing that made Reagan a Republican. Damn, Damn, Damn. The article photo of the cafe front features a posted, leaning Jim Jarmusch at the entrance. I myself ran into Jim often there and made an ass of someone, probably me, by asking a few too many questions of him during dinner.

Ah youth, it goes so fast.

Well, now we know who's the last one to turn out the lights on Ludlow Street. To paraphrase Bugs Bunny, "There. Sports Bars...Take it away"

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/02/11/another-90s-fixture-of-lower-east-side-is-gone/

Sandy Aftermath, Sights Seen

Yesterday I took the bike into Lower Manhattan for a look around. Flooding aside with the power out there were no subways rumbling, no red lights for people to ignore or linger of front of which meant no horns blasted in disgust. Granted there was vehicular movement, but it had the ebb and flow more in common with country intersections than city speedways (although the cab's did all seem powered by Red Bull). Here's a lot more of my musing from the trip:

The food in most of the small biz food spots, diners etc was being eaten by the staff as they sat in front of the establishments.

People have realized you electric outlets are everywhere, saw people sitting on the floor at the bank charging laptops and phones

I was busy standing almost in the street taking photos of a flooded tunnel when I noticed a city bus creeping up on me. I quickly got out of the way and walked passed, only to realize the bus driver was taking pictures of the same thing.

Homeland steaks started cooking their entire inventory on the street at 9th ave btw 15th & 14th streets. smoke billowed a line formed (most people not exactly sure for what) and smiles floated through over the sidewalk along with the scent of marinated steak grilled to perfection. Then the police showed. Their window rolled down and a steak was offered to them as to the other New Yorkers and soon they were on their way. It was the kind of classic New York scene you only find in memory or a movie like Ghostbusters. Steak was delicious by the way, I'll have to go their for dinner when the world is a little less upside down.

(as mentioned) It's weird how quiet manhattan is if you just take away the subway and red lights. seriously I heard almost no horns. because no one was reminding someone to go through the green light. drivers for the most part have to look to see whether they can drive. much more attentive that way.

had this thought,"The Street Lights have fallen!! Give over your allegiance to our new lord and road masters the taxi!!"

Cabbies were speed demons.

Streets were nearly to totally empty. If ever you wanted to film a dystopic future set movie or that zombie apocalypse that everyone is so found of, now's the time. early morning especially.

I had a "I Am Legend" moment as I approached a barricade at the South Street Seaport not far from the base of the Brooklyn Bridge. The moment got more surreal when suddenly two blackhawk helicopters appeared and landedgreated by reporters and troops. I don't know what that was about.

I only saw three people who looked hilariously stereotypically shady to me. I mean pick any movie with a criminal and these three dudes (of diverse backgrounds but essentially the same grimy gear) fit the mold. the were trying doors at an office building.

Someone mentioned cab drivers would rack up because of the lack of transportation. I disagree. Cab driving in this situation is risky because most fares looked packed to get the hell out of dodge. If that happened the cabbie would spend way to much time on one-way fares.

Who was racking up? Food cart dudes. Matter of fact if you know anyone with a coffee truck, send them to astor place stat. (Gothamist posted a story about this later)

North of 30th Street no one seems care, they aint waiting, they aint worried.

Having a bike is gonna be so awesome when the electromagnetic pulses start.

Combing the Beach in Times Square

Combing the Beach in Times Square, originally uploaded by b'klynborn.

Summer! Mermaid Parade today Gentrifying Brooklyn tonight Events all over

Ah summer time of fitting in more temperate joy than there are hours in a day..

I'm thinking of hitting up the Mermaid Parade at Coney Island in a few hours and giving some love to the Brooklyn Boardwalk.

Also tonight at Coney Island is the season opening for the Brooklyn Cyclones, the Mets' minor league team, they face off against, who else, the Staten Island Yankees!

There's a screening tonight of a film called Gentrifying Brooklyn at FiveMyles Gallery in Crown Heights

In Prospect Park tonight at the bandshell there's a revisiting of "Bitches Brew" a celebration of the original Miles Davis release, part of the "Celebrate Brooklyn" series.

Habana Outpost is always a good look for good lookings in Fort Greene

The green markets at Fort Greene Park and Prospect Park's entrances are underway

The Brooklyn Flea is going on of course at Bishop Loughlin Field in Clinton Hill

and whatever more is happening give a shout and I'll post it

In the city at SummerStage in Central Park there's a NYC Pride Rally with Me'Shell Ndegeocello, Martha Wash, The New York Gay Men's Chorus, Vickie Shaw, Billie Myers, Bruce Vilanch, Wendy Williams and More. That's a good look, Me'Shell Ndegeocello is a musical genius.

Photo Wedns: 8/5/09 Your Own Personal Jesus Edition

whew, set up a posting routine, then go and miss it by one post and it feels like an eternity since I've been active on this. The reason? Life. No, nah, good stuff. Reconnected with friends over the weekend, (so much so that I missed everything come Monday) and last night there was Depeche Mode.

Fun and Exciting, and occassionally Awesome. Although, upon entering Madison Square Garden I wondered if the concert would have been better titled "The Paunchy Khaki Shorts Wearing, Middle Aged White Guys (and the former Goths and High School Sweethearts They Married) Tour"

After the show we were shown to the Titanic Boiler Room that is Madison Square Garden's back staircase. I think I passed a cow wearing white makeup on the way down the stairs.

Beer Summit (or not....)

I thought the inner turmoil raised by the intersection of race and politics was the most unbearable thing I had experienced (in minutes that last weeks after all I've personally been embraced and snubbed by the Skipper, both times in a case of mistaken identity) but that was nothing compared with the inner conflict that arose from announced drinking choices for the much publicized "BEER SUMMIT"!

HoneyMoon over?

For those who don't know, the cop (Sgt. James Crowley of the Cambridge P.D.) that arrested Dr. Henry Louis "Skip" Gates (noted Black guy) for breaking into his own home, selected (appropriately) BLUE Moon, while out of preference (or the implied subversive palette choice?), Dr. Gates chose (apparently Sam Adams, see my update below)RED Stripe. Those, I kid you not, are my two fave widely distributed bottled beers. My god. Why must we choose sides?

More importantly the Beer Summit suggested by Prez. Obama and joined by V.P. (and foot in mouth disease sufferer) Biden (how greatly awkward must that convo have been ?Luv ya Joe, fer reals!) seems to have gone flat.

My question; why wasn't a funnel involved? Politicians, even President Swagger are supposed to be skilled at ramming things down our throats, couldn't that skill have been employed to generate a Stevie/McCarthy moment?. Frankly I'm still thirsty. For Harmony!

Btw this entire post (which has nothing to do with Brooklyn) is all written to support my graphic, of which I find cool and refreshing.

For those who didn't take the reference/link plunge, I now ram this down your throat:

(UPDATE) It seems that the star of my amazing graphic, Red Stripe, never made it to the party and was instead replaced by Sam Adams (who's going to tell the Jamaicans?!?) I don't know what happen but I suggest an appropriate distraction from this story is to look at your healthcare premiums (or especially, lack of coverage) and drink until the situation becomes even more blurry yet incredibly attractive.

Missed it Mondays: Wknd of 7/18-7/19 Edition

Well I missed it this time! I didn't do most of what I listed in the Weekend Oneliners (okay they're usually longer than one line). And the highlight of the weekend was not even in Brooklyn (ay fuhgeddaboudit!) But that highlight was the Summerstage concert featuring Little Dragon, Chester French and headlined by Q-Tip (and others I haven't googled for a reminder yet). Giant Step produced the event and it was a high energy, rhymhn love give and take between Q-Tip and the audience, and even a dancing Diddy. For a moment a few security guards were on the wrong note, (I comment about it in the video clip) but the party went on....Video after the jump.





And just to show my appreciation for Q-Tip click this link if you wanna buy his music.

All Steak No Sizzle: New Lt. Gov sworn in rare ceremony

Okay now, I haven't chimed in on the little matter of our state government being totally hijacked by intemperate state senators, since it demonstrates that 62 2 elected officials can take away the rights of citizens and government which makes me furious and the baby jesus cry. But, now that something seems to be happening after 30 plus days of stalemate, chime I do.

Not because the Governor enacted the controversial step of appointing Richard Ravitch Lieutenant Governor, to give the state a new second in command, which Gov Patterson was, back when previous Gov Spitzer still had a social life, and to help get the State Senate going again. And not because of the threat that the other politicians may sue the governor, and not because the new Lieutenant Governor is a career politician who has worked in gov since 1959.

My soap box song comes from the fact the new Lt. Gov got sworn in at Peter Lugar's Steakhouse here in Brooklyn.


The reason being is that whole suing thing I mentioned, Gov Patterson's people wanted to get Ravitch sworn in before lawsuits blocked the appointment and made it impossible.

Quoth the new Lt. Gov.:

‘This is my favorite restaurant, and I wouldn’t take the oath of office anywhere else.’

image editing by bklynborn©

Ms. Spiera — whose father, Sol Forman, bought the historic restaurant in 1950, and whose family owns the two Peter Luger restaurants, in Brooklyn and in Great Neck, on Long Island — added: “It seemed to be a fait accompli. I don’t know what the legalities are. I only know from steak.”

Something about all this seems perfectly normal and surreal, like our state government.

How appropriate.

Details in the Times: http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/09/ravitch-was-sworn-in-at-brooklyn-steakhouse/

Itching for some scratch: From the NY Times: Fired? Just DJ!

Photo credit: Earl Wilson/The New York Times

AHH HA HA HA! Yup, I didn't even read it. The headline alone is enough for me.
Apparently the work force' loss is nightlife's gain (or at least weddings and Bah Mitzvahs) Lost your job? "Just bust a move"!! AHHH HA HA.... It's funny cause it's not true... The grey lady continues to amuse me.
Enjoy: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/08/nyregion/08dj.html

Battlestar Galatica Ends

So BSG is over as of tonight's two hour series final.

Le sigh.

I'm still trying to figure out who's massive widescreen tv I'm watching it on, so let a brother know! Meanwhile here are some strangely fascinating cupcakes I found while trolling for a watch-spot. Frak.
Cupcake report from "Cakes That Take the Cake"

The obligatory snowfall post

Here's an outsidah' brooklyn post made more interesting since when I entered the subway in Bk there was no snow on the ground and when I exited, I beheld the scene above.


I've been trekkin out to 23rd street recently, for reasons reason obvious to fans of discount dentistry, to begin the next major urban renewal project, my bridgework.

The pics are from Madison Square Park and since I know you know (and I'm too lazy to research) what are those treehouses all about?



Anyway I took these, as testament to the beautiful of fresh snow and to proclaim that while I have close to no idea what a picture my camera takes will look like (since the spill to concrete it suffered) it does in fact take pictures. The element of the unknown is kind of cool in a retro-("ohmygawd did i get it??", "did i get it?!?!?)annoying sort of way. It's basically like taking pics with an old 110 point and shoot. wow. that's the sound of me dating myself.

Gone WTF Wind

So this is not a Brooklyn related posting. In fact if I want to be more organized this is an outsid'ah Brooklyn sighting but whatever. Point is earlier today I watched four, counted'em four aircraft in succession slide across the skies, sideways.

I was in lower Manhattan, and in a uncomfortable frame of mind as I get when I'm on Church and Vesey streets, I went into the deli there between church and broadway, the same one featured buy many stories from that terrible day seven years past. Partially I was in there because I was fiend'ing for a hamburger (after seeing Josh Brolin eat one in his latest film)and partially I thought to myself, I haven't been in here since... so no time like the present to make a new start. I got my burger, I stood in the street and e'te it and then turned to the subway when "WTF!" up above the streets, framed visually by the buildings on Maiden Lane, was a passenger jet sliding wing first, like a flying SUV hydroplaning across the clouds.

The plane which looked to my (geeky, plane enthusiast) eyes to be a 737 was moving sideways led by it's left wing. The only thing more striking than the direction was that it was very low and that there was no other motion, not a wobble or anything.

I just looked up in shock and by the time I reached for my camera the plane was already out of sight. the sight of a enormous flying machine careening across the skies really made my stomach drop. several hectic thoughts in a few seconds later I became aware of the wind, and most of all the clouds, there was an area of clouds, darker than the general overcast sky the seemed to be swirling in the area where I spotted the plane. I ran in that direction up Vesey, because frankly I never saw anything like that before and I wanted to be able to prove I wasn't hallucinating.

I kept my camera out and stood on broadway across from J&R music world and sure enough another shriek of jet engine noise and another sideways slide from possibly the same plane or another of the same size. The planes seemed to be over the east river, and I am certain based on their location that they were in bound to LaGuardia (I've lived in under the LaGuardia flight path for decades). three more planes of various sizes skidded through the clouds after as I tried to record video of it with my camera.

the idea of flight is something we've accepted and I for one love flying, I dig it as much as I can and am always up for a plane trip. but physics aside, it's some crazy shit we do, and we've accepted it as normal. but seeing a plane moving sideways instead of forward, as if swatted by some great unseen cat paw really brings home how out of control the situation can be in a way i've never experienced, despite all the history I've seen.

eventually the swirling clouds became so dense that the last plane I saw was enveloped as it came into view and I tried not to image being on a plane, above New York City, descending sideways, while blinded. no moral, no followup, and no mention of it on the news(although there was a published delayed scheduled of four hours due to wind posted on the LaGuardia website) for all I know this is normal. Just another of the outlandish, possibly life altering scenarios we all simply allow without a second thought.

All I could think as I walked away was "shit, there is so much in this world of ours that is out of our hands." I guess that's why it's vital to make decisions whenever possible.

Outsidah Brooklyn: Florent Closes. Forever

outsidah brooklyn:06/29/08

"Next!"

Florent a restaurant of French and flamboyant charm opened in a raw and rough tumbled Meat Packing District in 1985 and for the first time since then the 24 hour source of life will close it's doors. Tonight and forever.

I enjoyed myself there for years and especially these last mondays where there have been a series of performances in the restaurant as a tailored presentation of the five stages of grief. I got to see "Bargaining" and "Depression". The place at these last sessions was as packed as ever but aside from the great and congenial staff, it wasn't the place I remembered patron-wise. It became demise as dinner theater. Which I guess is to be expected.

To be honest I can't remember when I first went there(and Florent would probably say, "good!". I know I became an infrequent regular in the late ninties, but I can't shake the feeling that in my illicit days as a highschooler incredulously sneaking into clubs, I was probably brought by friends to Florent sometime in the late 80's.



You can read alot of history about how this area of Manhattan was breathed new life (which now it now chokes on) all over the internet and in the press. However Florent Morellet (the owner, spiritual force and namesake of the restaurant)has specified throughout the monthlong process of closing the restaurant that we all refrain from nostalgia. So I will skip the parts about unique, eclectic city life not to be found elsewhere, and the part about cutthroat capitalist destroying the golden geese of culture and I will abide by Florent's request by saying only if you experienced Florent count yourself fortunate and if not, then at least appreciate whatever remains.

If that's not enough for you then go ahead read the many articles (like this,this, this, this, this, this, or even this) written about the past, google "Florent" or click this. I can say and do no more to foster nostalgia without dishonoring the wishes of a true New Yorker.

Thanks for sharing your imagination, Florent.

Outsidah Brooklyn: Mario Taxi!

Mario the plumber of Mario Bros. Nintendo fame will be hailing taxis for New Yorkers on Thursday in Midtown. Awesome. For details see Wired.com