Hunter's Canvas

I heart David Byrne

Here's a Boing Boing TV video featuring David Byrne and his crazy musical installation, Playing the Building. 

Sue Simmons drops the f-bomb!

Sue Simmons was my newscaster growing up (odd how she has barely aged) and it's just really weird to hear her yelling a curse.

UPDATE: This video is no longer available, so instead watch the video below it of Sue doing the news in 1983!

The inevitable...

C, originally uploaded by DavidGardinerGarcia.


It feels inevitable.  It seems all of New York that was once old, sturdy, beautiful, full of history and a different better way of life will yield to looming towers, greed, and disconnection from the neighborhood.  What seems so obviously destructive to our culture and how we live amongst each other has become the norm.

It's especially interesting when this push for new buildings becomes very literally destructive - in this case the crane that ripped through the apartments and lives of a few East Side tenants.  The New York Times published a follow-up story today illustrating what's wrong with the New York real estate situation:

'Given the perverse logic of Manhattan real estate, the crane accident, a symbol of runaway development in New York, may end up paving the way for even more of it. “The landlord has no motivation to do repairs when he could tear a building down and build a highly profitable office tower instead,” says Adam Leitman Bailey, the lawyer for Crave Ceviche Bar.'

And so it goes.  Property owners are extremely influential and hold much power over the future and culture of a city.  And with money it seems as their sole motivator, our neighborhoods and our values do not stand a chance. 

 

Super Bowl XLII Recap!

Eric and Aldo at Super Bowl XIX, originally uploaded by darsys.

OK, so until a couple weeks ago, I didn't understand football at all.  I didn't understand the mechanics of the game and never really understood why people get so fanatical about it.  But I recently moved to Providence (home of the Patriots) from New York, my home town and a city I love dearly, and I now realize that it's really just about pride.  It's totally silly and pretty meaningless in the scheme of things, but I was proud to be a Giants fan last night (even when they were down a bunch of points with only minutes to go) and it's mostly because I'm proud to be from New York. Really kind of silly.

It was a very exciting game to watch.  And who can't enjoy a tear-filled interview with a wide receiver named Plaxico? That was certainly more entertaining than the ads this year.  Overall they were awful, with two great standouts:

And:

So I'm basically a sucker for anthropomorphic animation, and now football as well.  Go Giants!

Why the hell are all these people on strike?

Lots of strikes going on write now in the streets of NY and LA.  Though I am not too sure of the validity of the Broadway stagehands' strike, I do think that the WGA writers have a good reason to strike; they should be compensated for their work published online.  Here's a great YouTube video created by the writers of the Daily Show:

Via BoingBoing

Coney Island remains open for another season!

Coney Island will stay open through next season.  I am very happy to hear that we can enjoy Burlesque at the Beach once again.

Pic Cred

Pic of the day / Oct 20

originally uploaded by Eli Valley.

Eli Valley on Flickr has fantastic shots of life in good ol' NYC.  I especially love his Dogs of New York set.

Pic of the day / Oct 18

Taken at the this year's Mermaid Parade over the summer by Flickr photographer Daniel Arnold, aka Sandwich!  Check out the rest of his Mermaid Parade pics here.

Pic of the day / Oct 17

Dinner, originally uploaded by ShhPeKo.

I always appreciate a photographer who can shoot pictures of strangers; you must be fearless to be a great photographer. 

I love how intense his stare is, though there's a kindness there.  And I think it's great that his kitten is making the same face.  A great shot.

 

This dog needs a home!

I almost came home with a dog yesterday.  He's a little Beagle mutt, he's 6 years old and very sweet.  No barking, no jumping, but friendly.  If you are looking for a dog or a cat, or know someone else who is, you should call the Brooklyn Animal Foster Network at 718-789-6865.  This organization places pets in foster homes so they can eventually be adopted and saved from being put to sleep.  While you foster the pet, a good chance to see if it will work out, the BAFN pays for veterinary bills.  They have dogs and cats for fostering in front of John Jay High School on 7th Ave and 4th St in Park Slope almost every Saturday and Sunday.

If these animals are not fostered and adopted they will be put to sleep!