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November 30, 2004
Pallid Plaza
Today Tranfer brings a fine example of the 1961 Plaza Bonus gone sick, with bad intentions firmly in place, a priori construction.
It's common knowledge that many of the Plazas contructed to get bulk restrictions expanded (up to 18%), are hardly a beacon for use, or remarkable in any form. In fact, because of this, some have resorted to reminding city dwellers of their very existence.
But this pile of steel framed boredom that rises from the corner of 40th and 3rd, an ascent of inconseuqence and total banality, is begging to be taken to task. Just so happens to be one of the worst Mies rip offs one can find in Midtown...
Yet, they were able to beat out even their own height of detestable design, by making the "Plaza" even more odious than the structure itself.
Besides the easily amendable: bulbously bad lighting, elephantitisly ugly planters, ominously barren concrete flooring, dispiriting steel fencing, and complete lack of seating options...
The very plaza itself, on the unlit backside of the building, is completely useless, and unused. It nearly comical they even open the steel gating. Its one thing to have a plaza facing the Ave, sunlit, appropriate for noon hour gawkers, touching the street and the pedestrians in fluidity. But this?? Let the bitterness shiver out your fingertips, as we point you to another hatable hunk of New York acrhitecture.
Posted by jmarston at 01:53 PM | Comments (4)
Sounds & Images
Touch is offering one track per month, of a performance in Sweden [Live at Fylkingen, Stockholm, 26th August 2004] by electronic heavyweights Fennesz, Hazard, and Z'ev. You can also download 2 internet only tracks from the very recent release on Touch - Fade to White - by BJNilsen [Hazard].
I stumbled on this German mix tape blog, which hosts a whole slew of sets, videos, mp3s, etc. They have an interesting video of Squarepusher in Italy - but you must slodge thru alot of garbage to get the gems...
VPRO has many streams of DJ sets from the likes of P. Jeck w/ Biosphere, R. Villalobos, Gene Farris, Oliver Ho.
Strange new documentary on Mies van der Rohe, via Daily Dose.
This beautiful new Godard film I highly recom'd, Notre Musique, currently playing at the Film Forum.
Today, styPod is hosting a track from the ever engaging and cosmic, William Basinski.
Posted by jmarston at 12:16 PM | Comments (1)
November 29, 2004
Wandering Fever
A passage from the amazing book, Songlines, by Bruce Chatwin.
"The names of the brothers are a matched pair of opposites. Abel comes from the Hebrew 'hebel', meaning 'breath' or 'vapour': anything that lives and moves and is transient, including his own life. The root of 'Cain' appears to be the verb 'kanah': to 'acquire', 'get', 'own property', and so 'rule' or subjugate'..." ...
"His [Jahweh] sanctuary is the Mobile Ark, His House a tent, his altar a cairin of rough stones."
I took these two photos in lower Manhattan. Just imagine what a little less grid, and lot more natural curving would do to the experience of our buildings?? Is it any wonder that New York's famed Broadway, follows the orginal (natural) walking path/trail north?
Pascal said, "Our nature lies in movement; complete calm is death."
New York Songlines provides a memory of sites as you navigate the grid, while you engage the Cruise.
Posted by jmarston at 02:39 PM | Comments (2)
November 24, 2004
Architecture in Bloggerville
Yesterday we covered some music blogs, and today, in accordance with our Mandates at Transfer, we'll cover the best and brightest architecture/urban blogs. Of course, a shameless plug, to never miss a beat with Transfer's Hatin' column... Onward and Upward!
This image, Taos NM, comes from our favorite of sites, Earth Architecture. If only because of our desire to live in a rammed earth building, constructed by hand. By my hands. Get me off the grid, or at least into a Mockbee inspired building. "Proceed and Be Bold".
Playing favorites is easy with this site, A Daily Dose of Architecture, written by Chicago based architect John Hill. Frequent and fascinating posts. Same goes for the slick little number, Life Without Buildings. Both are indespensible.
Oh, who could forget my daily crack habit, I mean, Curbed habit.
The next two sites come from big heads in the world of urban bloggers. First, the City Comforts blog, covering all things related to urban design, by David Suchy, who wrote the urban design book of the same name, City Comforts. The second comes from the somewhat neotraditional architect and commentator, John Massengale, who writes Veritas et Venustas. He has some great photo albums on site.
Althought somewhat sporadic in posting, MissRepresentation has some fantastic musings and condemnations on architecture and politics in New York, highly rec'd. From Italianate to Queen Anne, also of note is Brownstoner, who covers all things Brooklyn & row home, & because Tranfer loves and lives in the BK , this can lead to coveting. Careful.
The posts are at times infrequent, but check back, because they are always interesting, Beyond Brilliance, Beyond Stupidity.
The above image comes from Lightningfield, photoblogging the New York built experience. In that vein, check out Overshadowed...
Finally, in closing, and in the vein of yesterday's closing rec·om·men·da·tion, Tranfer gives the big thumbs up to The New York Social Diary, because we I know you'll love it like a cocktail weenie.
Posted by jmarston at 10:09 AM | Comments (6)
November 23, 2004
Bloggerville Musics
Gotta thank the MP3 bloggin' massive for pointing me in the direction of some new (to me) & amazing music. Although not in the realm of electronic per se (or obscure workings thereof) - 'cause frankly I've been trying to get my hair unstuck. Maybe thats what Fall does. Although, speaking of which, the new Johann (even according to the wildly inane navel gazers at Pitchfork) on Touch is phenomen-onal. But I really needed some new music, singer/songwriter party Americana, and the past week has delivered some gems. I can't tap out enough keys in praise these three...
1. Shearwater
2. Grizzly Bear
3. United States of Electronica
There are some really amazing folks putting together some pretty cool MP3 blogs out there...
I've mentioned this one before, but I have a huge heart for the music of West Africa - Senegal & Mali particularly - so another deserving pitch for Benn Loxo du Taccu.
Part of the Stylus online magazine, StyPOD, posts from everywhere on the gamut of interesting music, even guesting writers for the column. Great stuff.
He's always putting together interesting posts, on the history, or situation of some London Massive music. From Coil to Dizzee. A big pitch for Gutterbreakz.
Anyone that loves Goodie Mob (with CeeLo) is a friend of mine... Old school and new school, Cocaine Blunts.
A fantastic hip hop blog who declares today, "Television is like what music will become- too available to need a review." Stroll over, Hip Hop Blogs.
A big player, who gave the best ODB RIP of anyone I read in blogland... The Tofu Hut. This fellow has the Sam Prekop pre-release, nuff said, Scissorkick. Great crate digger, from all over the place, lately Peru, Soul Sides. And the more electronic focused, Dozer.
Oh Lord, I've always hated the NYTimes weddings section, if you've ever seen them, you'd hate them yourself - the blogger in question has put it well: "superficial, pretentious, pseudo-aristocratic vanity". This blogger has taken the section, and all those annoying people that put their Vows in the paper, to task - with hilarious percision. So Funny, Veiled Conceit.
Posted by jmarston at 10:27 AM
November 22, 2004
On Wisconsin
You can't even believe how on point this list is...missing you Wisco on this T-giving weekend.
Jeff Foxworhty: On Wisconsin.
1. If your local Dairy Queen (or A&W) is closed from November through March, you might live in Wisconsin. 2. If someone in a store offers you assistance, and they don't work there, you might live in Wisconsin. 3. If you may not have actually eaten it, but you have heard of Lutefisk, you might live in Wisconsin. 4. If you have worn shorts and a parka at the same time, you might live in Wisconsin. 5. If you have either a pet or a child named "Brett", you might live in Wisconsin. 6. If your town has an equal number of bars and churches, you might live in Wisconsin. 7. If you have had a lengthy telephone conversation with someone who dialed a wrong number, you might live in Wisconsin. 8. If you know how to say Oconomowoc, Waukesha, Menomonie and Manitowoc, you might live in Wisconsin. 9. Your idea of a traffic jam is ten cars waiting to pass a tractor on the highway. 10. "Vacation" means going up north past Hwy 8 (Tomahawk) for the weekend. 11. You measure distance in hours. 12. You know several people who have hit deer more than once. 13. You often switch from "heat" to "A/C" in the same day and back again. 14. Your whole family wears Packer Green to church on Sunday. 15. You can drive 65 mph through 2 feet of snow during a raging blizzard, without flinching. 16. You see people wearing camouflage at social events including weddings. 17. You install security lights on your house and garage and leave both unlocked. 18. You think of the major food groups as beer, fish, and venison. 19. You carry jumper cables in your car and your girlfriend knows how to use them. 20. There are 7 empty cars with their engines running in the parking lot at Mill's Fleet Farm at any given time. 21. You design your kid's Halloween costume to fit over a snowsuit. 22. Driving is better in the winter because the potholes are filled with snow. 23. You refer to the Packers as "we." 24. You know all 4 seasons: almost winter, winter, still winter and road construction. 25. You can identify a southern or eastern accent. 26. You have no problem pronouncing Lac Du Flambeau.
27. You consider Minneapolis exotic. 28. You know how to polka. 29. Your idea of creative landscaping is a statue of a deer next to your blue spruce. 31. You were unaware that there is a legal drinking age. 32. Down South to you means Illinois. 33. A brat is something you eat. 34. Your neighbor throws a party to celebrate his new pole barn. 35. You go out to fish fry every Friday. 36. Your 4th of July picnic was moved indoors due to frost. 37. You have more miles on your snow blower than your car. 38. You find 0 degrees "a little chilly." 39. You actually understand these jokes, and you forward them to all your Wisconsin friends.
Posted by jmarston at 01:02 PM
November 19, 2004
Hixton Wisconsin - Further 1994
I had to. I wanted to wait, because this party (94,95,96,98) represents in so many ways, the truest expressions of what the Midwest was (is) all about. I can't even begin to delve into the Further memories just yet, but perhaps at some point during this 10 year mileposting. Some more can be found here, Drop Bass, and Simon Reynolds wrote some wonderful words on the Further experience in his seminal Generation Ecstasy. Big Up.
Posted by jmarston at 01:58 PM | Comments (1)
November 17, 2004
To Minneapolis, With Love
Because I’ve spent so much time there, formative time, and even more so because my parents have left the area (for FL), I have a strong affinity to the simultaneously Forward and Backward thinking of Minneapolis. Especially in terms of it’s Urban & Architectural Heritage & Vision. I’ve been living in Brooklyn, watching from afar, that scraggy cosmo town on the cold windswept prairie. Making both great Advances, and continuing with myopic blunders. It is from that, and from here, that I write this love letter.
Minneapolis is a northern Midwest river town. Not quite a Great Lakes city, not quite a gateway of westward expansion. Owing itself to one of the 19th century’s greatest economic engines, the Mississippi, it was incorporated in 1856 with a population of only 1555, but grew to a population of 143,000 by 1887. It did so, nearly single handedly, by harnessing St. Anthony Falls to become the country’s leading flour producer, with the great mills of Pillsbury and Gold Medal Flour.
St Anthony Falls & The Stonearch Bridge
The Twin Cities are HQ for such biggies as 3M, Cray/SGI, US Bank, Honeywell, UofM, Prince, Target, Wellstone [RIP], Replacements, Medtronic, the world’s first heart transplant, and the Walker Art Center. Minneapolis is home to a theatre district that claims more theatre seats, per capita, then New York City. Home to a huge Scandinavian population & a long-standing African American community, it has also has become homestead for Somalis, the Hmong (on lead from Lutheran churches) & more recently, immigrants from Mexico. Yet its population sits at 370 thousand – less then the 540 thousand that lived there in 1950.
It sold the largest street car network in the country, to Mexico City, and bought into General Motors bus racket. The Gateway Project, as it was dubbed, cleared more blocks for 1960’s urban renewal than any other US City. Having long suffered, from being unhindered by natural boundaries, it has lost dollars upon dollars to the suburbs - for it seems a millenia. Is it any wonder the first totally enclosed shopping mall, Southdale, was built in a suburb outside Minneapolis?
Edina, MN
Yet, it has had a picturesque capturing of the right industries – technology and creative – which translated to a boom at the right time, in the harsh transition away from small farms and Great Lakes Region union factory jobs.
Perhaps it was the ability of boosters to always differentiate the "Twin Cities" from definitions of other regional midwestern cities. It has always seemed more Copenhagen or Stolkholm - than St. Louis. A northern outpost, but never on par with the gritty mine towns of the Iron Range, or the harsh lumber towns that built Paul Bunyan. By any standard the Twin Cities are huge, in geographic circumference, but the metro area tops just over 2 million persons. Making it still a mostly suburban 2nd-tier Midwestern metro. But with the cosmopolitan sheen of Northern Europe, & just enough gritty urban imagination to be resolutely Great Lakes.
The perfect combo for young creative dreamers who dot the Midwest, abandoning their seemingly simpleton small town upbringings for the regional heart of commerce in the tri-state area – which always makes for interesting culture.
Now the lofts have come to downtown, and Fingerhut is trying its damnedest to shut down First Avenue. Crime rates still heat the poor neighborhoods, and Minneapolis police are still notoriously bad despite media attention. While suburban aggregation eats the surrounding farmland at gargantuan rates - and the sucking sound continues.
But these issues aside, amazing new projects arise. Minneapolis’s Int’l Airport, MSP, (Northwest Airlines HQ’s), was just expanded and enlarged, and will be connected to downtown by, *finally*, the Hiawatha Light Rail Transit line. The Minneapolis Park System is the largest of its kind in the world – 6500 acres – with a record 15 million visitors in 1999. The Guthrie is closely approaching the completion of their Jean Nouvel masterpiece on the Mississippi, a new Central Library by Cesar Pelli (who also did the delightful Deco Norwest Center), and of course the newly expanded Walker Art Center, by Herzog & de Meuron.
Walker by Herzog
Guthrie by Nouvel
Library by Pelli
Yet you read articles like this, from the Star Tribune, about wholly uncompromising boards and remarkably impetuous design reviews. Only to be expected when it comes to residential architecture, this leads to my biggest gripe with Minneapolis, density & residential construction.
"The firm's all-glass design for Parc Centrale, a 21-story "Vancouver-style" residential tower in Loring Park, went down in flames this fall after a slew of neighbors opposed the height. It has redesigned the project as a six-story building inspired by the nearby classical Loring Park Office Building."
Admittedly most of the city center neighborhoods are many times beautiful, home of some of the finest residential examples of Prairie, Shingle, Richardson Romanesque, and Chateuesque homes – not to mention the fine-looking Queen Annes in South Minneapolis, and the eclectic Lake of the Isles. Yet Minneapolis residents beg for investment in areas like the Phillips neighborhood. Indeed loft conversation & construction continues, catering to returning wealthy suburbanites or child less professionals. A start, but a very one-dimensional development scheme.
A plea, to Minneapolis, to recognize your great feats as a city, as a Midwestern jewel of forward architecture and economics, and lay off the petrol, and retro low density housing, cause I miss not coming home to her over the holidays.
I love prairie construction – but let’s try it in row home form, and condo towers, lets look at metro planning more. Take a chance on moving beyond those great blunders of the past – and embrace a vision of residential living, that is architecturally and urbanistically intelligent.
Posted by jmarston at 04:57 PM | Comments (4)
Nightlife Panel
As if we didn't already know, now we've had a panel of experts (seriously) convened - and they've confirmed our worst fears. Not only is Bloomy stifling nightlife, but Greed is destroying it... From A Brooklyn Life,
"It all came back to money and how creativity and money don't go hand-in-hand anymore, at least not in New York. Which I found sad and a little inspiring. ... The question doesn't seem to be "Can we make enough money off this to support ourselves?" but "How much money can we make off this?" Most of the people running the clubs today are people who do it solely to make money (although they probably have a teeny bit of hubris involved as well :) and not to do anything for the scene... So where do we go from here?"
Posted by jmarston at 10:41 AM
November 16, 2004
Eastern Parkway
Can this man...
Mario Procida
...and this man,
Richard Meier
...create something remarkable on my block?? If not, I think we ought organize for a beat down - Brooklyn style. They're talking about 17 stories, so lets make them sexy - cause they're going to face our biggest joys in the BK. Grand Army Plaza, Prospect Park, and the Brooklyn Central Library.
Posted by jmarston at 05:46 PM
Security Architecture
Hatin' coming heavy, but not towards a building this time. In fact, I love the new HSBC building - its wrap around the old - on the corner of 40th and 5th. What's not to be loved, is the obnoxious new security lumps they've installed, in double time at the corners, and in single file on 5th and 40th.
Wondering here, what to protect from, truck bombs I presume? More likely enflamed Pakistani cabbies who had to deal with an HSBC executive. But really folks, whats the deal here. Since when is HongKongShanghaiBankofChina a top target? Wouldn't Bank of New York be a better "hi-profile soft target". Surveillance conducted at their site, shows nothing like these inane blobs.
Whats really forstalling a catastrophic event as HSBC is the two security guards walking the perimeter, in Orange Security vests with clipboard in hand. Lucky I use the oh-so-discrete technology of the terrorists, the handy camera phone.
Go on and enjoy the clusterfuck these barriers have caused on an already small sidewalk. No time to rest on the barriers though, we must move along with the wheels of commerce. HSBC, visionaries of both security & design.
Posted by jmarston at 10:39 AM | Comments (3)
November 12, 2004
GMO Humans
I realize that the posts have strayed from the Chosen Course of our Blogland, and although it is hard, I swear I will return to assignment, and never waver. But I thought I would post one last Election piece, alerted to me by a dear politico operative deep in New Mexico. Just leave Resusci-Annie for dead.
All the photos were taken by Christopher Morris, who has some serious war photographs here.
Posted by jmarston at 10:29 AM | Comments (1)
November 11, 2004
3 Park Avenue
Hatin' heavy on this beautiful Thursday afternoon. Every New Yorker knows this monstrosity, the catty-whompus 42 story brick monolith on 34th and Park. Always out of place, always an eyesore as you gaze, well just about any direction...
It is the Norman Thomas High School for Commercial Education - and we wonder why truancy rates are so high? The irony is Norman Thomas was a leading US socialist. Hey, flat-topped building, facing the street grid of Manhattan at a 45-degree angle, thats not way to show your desire for equality!
Funny, it is the last building built by Shreve, Lamb & Harmon, the same firm that built the Empire State Building. How Dare?
I dare, photograph you stinky pile of brutalism! Oh, my mistake, international style.
But of course, this hapless dump of architecture has a security guard who dutily reflects the buildings' ideology. Big boy tried to get ole' Dave to give it up for 'security reasons', or at least provide 'identification' or, at last, an 'architecture license'. Long of the short, I told him to Lick Deez Nutz. America!
More hatin' at the corner of 34th and Park on the way...
Posted by jmarston at 02:13 PM | Comments (6)
November 10, 2004
Songs of Saturn
The New Scientist is reporting that "Saturn's magnificent ring system - a huge disc resembling an old gramophone record", emits melodic tones lasting 1-3 seconds and, "The evidence suggests that each tone is produced by the impact of a meteoroid on the icy chunks that make up the rings."
W o w.
You can see some of the photos and data gathered by the Cassini mission, whose plasma/radio gear picked up the frequencies. here.
I can't wait to hear some of these frequencies. I'm thinking of an Ash International release, compiled by Andrew Lagowski (SETI), in conjunction with the scientist - Don Gurnett - who discovered the radio waves, and was “completely astonished" when he heard the musical notes."
Check Out some of Don's favorite sounds from space.
Posted by jmarston at 10:27 AM | Comments (1)
November 09, 2004
Maps
(click to enlarge images). Being somewhat of an amateur map junkie myself [thanks Joe Gilbert for the ESRI/GIS software], I found these latest US Election cartograms to be fascinating. Blah, Blah, Maps are powerful weapons. But this became especially apparent when 56 million people realized they were on the losing team, and the winning team, seemed to dominate the visual landscape of the final score. Well, not so quick. Things are not as they seem.
Everyone has seen the Red dominated flat maps - antiquated representations - of the Bush victory. But these fine folks at the Univ MI have created some very interesting maps, much more visually representative of what our country is looking like.
These are some other resources for all you online mapping dreams.
Geography Network, United Nations cartographic division, New York Public Library Map Room, Gov Loc maps of 1500-2002, and the really cool - old school - David Rumsey Map Collection. David is a rich ass mofo who has championed the digitization of his priceless collection of maps from an·tiq·ui·ty, and also sells highly regarded reproductions for a fair fee. Bravo Mr. Rumsey, Have a look see.
Posted by jmarston at 10:25 AM
November 08, 2004
Gang Gang Dance
Gang Gang Dance are Brian DeGraw, Liz Bougatsos, Josh Diamond, and Tim Dewitt. I saw them at North Six on Saturday - lucky for those who didn't, they'll be playing again on Nov. 21 - Knitting Factory. I was terrified, by how much I loved their afferent sonics. This is what a four piece outfit should be, and do. It is a completely different type of arrangement then their recorded work, and frankly, much of it was even better - than their LP on Chris Freeman's Fusetron label. Savant time signatures with intuitive guitar work, all built with budding tension and clozapine like aural fuzz. I don't know which of these fellas is the keyboard player, but Damned was his little late set solo good. Imagine that, talented musicians who can take you there, and father on. Blammo. My shoe isn't gazing, I am, and lovingly so. (I was sorry Black Dice cancelled, family emergency from what I understand, I hope everything works out o.k.) I can't say enough for this performance. Enough! Animal Collective was nearly upstaged, if it wasn't for their brilliant drummer, who was inductive beyond the click of Kung. I happen to love Animal Collective, now especially their recordings - they capture something so, unutterable. But Live I get a little tired of the vocal stylings, except when they start screaming...AHHH.
I always told my friends in other parts of the country, in a true New York styled snobbery, that Dancehall would soon be as pop as soda, and to a large degree, it is. This commercial has got to be a measure of this, and of the latent racism that still plagues our ad-execs... who cleared this dung? Skippy Peanut Butter.
...and on the lighter note. Don't miss it. Its gotta be the sweetest, finest, well written warmth this year. See it with anyone. They need more Lily Tomlin in their life. Ohh, and Markey Mark is the Shit! The Man I say!
Posted by jmarston at 03:18 PM
November 04, 2004
Lost in the Groove
Routledge, the publisher I wage slave for, has an interesting new title for the music heads out this week. The last thing I wanna do is provide free PR for my employer, problem is, I really enjoy some of our titles. Lost In The Groove: Scram's Capricious Guide To The Music You Missed. "...an immensely entertaining, informative and sometimes exasperating encyclopedia, in which more than 75 contributors offer over 250 entries (a series of "miniature love letters") about their favorite artists and albums." Should be a b l a s t.
Another new book we released this month also comes highly recommended. It was written by Dark Passage curator Julie Solis. New York Underground covers the subterranean architecture of New York City, in fascinating narrative style. I can tell you, this is real burner. Get it, go get it.
[last election note. gop hacks like noonan keep talking about how more people voted for bush, than any other president in history (Reagan got 54 mil). Well, more people also voted Against Bush, then any other president in the history of this country - 55,685,899 in this here USA never wanted this - or even dreamnt of it actually happening.]
Posted by jmarston at 12:08 PM | Comments (1)
November 03, 2004
Park Here, Jerk
Hatin' hard on this pair of buildings. Note to property owner: If you're gonna gut a pair of buildings in Herald Square cause your thinkin' you can get more per sq ft to park Lincoln Navigators, well, at least keep them looking like they're structurally stable. Thats not even addressing the fact that There are Too Many Damn Cars Anways... No Loft Conversations possible at this site. Ha.
Posted by jmarston at 04:28 PM
Values and Vancouver
BC is looking really very nice this afternoon.
All of the post-election coverage has been focused on the issue of values. Values and Morality. Kerry lost on the Values ticket. But is it not apparent that the conservative christians and multinational corporations, the two groups the Bush re-election depended on - have very different moralities - and very different values.
Reuters reports that, U.S. stocks surged on Wednesday as President Bush won re-election, boosting shares of companies in sectors seen benefiting from Republican administration policies, such as defense and drugs.
What the hell do these moral voters think, that the Bush administration is as Moral in its policy decisions, as it is in it's Rovian Rhetoric? What is this idea that the Rich, and the Faithful, have the same interest in leadership? Take the chasm between the culture of sex, and the business of sex. It can only be skewed by Bush & the Neocons for so long, because they bait both, and will pay for it. Not in this election.
S11 allowed the shaky base of Bush's neocon group to hold on, ever so slightly, to a margin of "unification", but that will implode just as soon as the jagged differences within the base aren't glazed over by wartime jingoism. S11 did more for the Republicans, then it did for Osama. Two steps back, for three steps forward.
Posted by jmarston at 02:44 PM | Comments (1)
Shock And Awe
Wtf. 4 more years of, well, oh boy. I can't go there. I was so confident yesterday, wrongly so, in the faith that Americans could see through the Rovian deception, that we could see beyond Bush and Dick - that the American public had a deeper grasp on whos corner the GOP is really in. I was wrong. It surely seems that much of America has been gerrymandered into believing that the Republicans are the Moral party, the party of Values. This is the biggest hoodwink in American politics.
I was also hopeful Alaska would pass their ballot initiative, but I saw it as mutually exclusive to a Bush win. But now Bush won, and the Alaska initiative lost. Oh jeez... Then Tom Daschle lost. Then the GOP gained superiority in the rest of our Govt's marble halls. I'm not the only one convinced a book will be published long after my death about K. Harris and Jeb Bushes Diabol(ical)d voting machine hack in Florida.
Barack, our new Wellstone.
In other news, yes sad news, First Avenue closes.
Posted by jmarston at 11:05 AM | Comments (1)
November 02, 2004
Vote Chimp, Vote!
Vote, blah blah blah, Vote. Yesterday, I saw 12% of eligible voters were still undecided. Huh? I wonder, to all the indecisive ones, What crack rock have you been living under?! This has got to be the most clear cut choice in sometime. Are you in the top 1% of income earners or not? Thats all you need to ask yourself, or I guess you could just hit that light bulb again...
Since every media outlet has wall to wall election coverage, seems we should find something else to hate on. Never fear, there is no shortage of garbage architecture to hate on in this city. Let this be the first in the Catergory: Hatin'
I'm happy my camera phone was finely calibrated this noon hour, to get a shot of this 80's-update monstrosity, located on Broadway at 39th St.
an argument, in and of itself, against coke heads.
Posted by jmarston at 02:17 PM | Comments (4)