Musings on 'point.

My Kind of Busker

2010-01-14T18:39:00.000-08:00

A nerdy engineer from Columbia in a Boba Fett mask? Props to Gothamist for reminding me I took this picture. Make sure you watch the video.

The 8-7: Looking Sharp

2010-01-14T18:33:00.000-08:00

This is that old precinct they are converting to affordable housing. The garage, I would assume, is going to be a communal recreation room. Looks sharp.

Skateboard Furniture

2010-01-14T18:09:00.001-08:00

Industrious skaters are pouring some well crafted skateboard furniture under the BQE.

Stuffed Animal Massacre

2010-01-14T18:04:00.001-08:00

41 Cooper Square

2009-11-03T16:10:00.001-08:00

As an alumnus of the Cooper Union, I was invited to do some party time in the new building. The following are personal highlights, in no particular order:

Corner detail of the Alumni Terrace on the 8th floor.

A grated egress stair.

I believe this is a wind tunnel.
I'm sure this is a urinal.
This is a tension-compression machine. It was put in the cellar before the slab was poured above it; that means it's big. Word on the street is they used it to test what it took to punch through a NYC manhole cover.
You can see it sits on several W Sections [think I-Beam] embedded in concrete. The whole thing slides on the steel beams, if you need to reposition it--for any reason.
Atrium stair detail.
The red egress stair.
Classy recycling.
Framing the Foundation Building.
At the very end of this garden, you may be able to see one of the original eagle sculptures from the original Penn Station. It used to sit in the courtyard of the old engineering building.

Sweet eyewash.

Detail of the steel mesh that runs through the atrium meeting a column
The atrium.
Artist studios on the top floor. Notice the north-facing skylights above?

Intimate auditorium in the cellar. The texture is brought to you by some fine, crumpled wire mesh. Both acoustical and aesthetic.

350 5th Avenue, 54th Floor

2009-11-02T17:10:00.000-08:00

aka: The Empire State Building

On The Train

2009-10-28T16:14:00.000-07:00

I saw something on the train the other day. I've been taught that if I observe a suspicious package or behavior on the platform or train, I shouldn't keep it to myself. This falls under suspicious behavior on the train.

Can't Remember Where I Parked My Personal Watercraft.

2009-10-15T16:49:00.000-07:00

Let me know if you see it.

No AM. No Metro.

2009-10-13T15:13:00.000-07:00

I'm renewing my crusade to have the AM and Metro newspaper-hander-outers that plague the underground passage between the L and the 1/2/3 eliminated. This video was taken just outside the subway entrance at Lex and 42nd. Please take note of the hander-outer properly disposing of his day's excess (several bundles) papers in the recycling bin.

In an effort to bolster my argument that we should banish AM and Metro to the "land of wind and ghosts," I'm asserting that these publications have swollen carbon footprints. I'm glad they appear to use recycling bins for leftovers, but let there be no doubt that the energy and fuel used to produce and transport their product grossly outpaces their efforts to reduce such waste.

350 5th Avenue, 54th Floor

2009-09-29T19:48:00.001-07:00

I Hope He/She Didn't Get a Ticket

2009-09-29T19:30:00.000-07:00

Officer,
This vehicle can not be
curratly [sic] inspected due to no
engine in the car there will
be one going in the car
by the end of this week
I'd appreciate it if no tickets were
given about inspection since there
is no emissions since I'm pushing
it.
The PBA card may have helped too, but the sign seems pretty genuine in its own right. I'm betting a ticket was issued anyway. Great effort though.

Kick Nads

2009-09-24T19:02:00.000-07:00

Seems to be a punk band from Ohio.

1 Wall Street, 49th Floor

2009-09-23T20:28:00.000-07:00

I had to stop myself from uploading more photos; there are more. This is the Bank of New York Mellon building. It's kind of unbelievable that they started building this at the beginning of the depression in '29, to me anyway.

Towards Jersey.

M'kay.

That's 49 stories down.

Quite erotic, if you ask me, and a fine coat rack indeed.

This is the private bank on the first floor. Private meaning you can't enter unless you have a Radio Flyer full of cash. The red tile walls are pretty nuts. "The artist Hildreth Meière coordinated the installation of the mosaics, which were made by Ravenna Mosaics in Berlin and Long Island City."

The ceilings in this room are about 30' high and are clad, I shit you not, in Indonesian sea shells. This is the seven diamond hooker of board rooms.

Oragami?

I think these could possibly be the original furnishings from '31, less the exit signs. That green marble mantle-thing is more green in person.

Cougar Town?

2009-09-21T18:28:00.000-07:00

I'm surprised no one has made a stink about this faux real estate advertisement for Cougar Town(apparently it's a show on ABC), so let me be the first.

Dear Sirs:

You have not only offended my aesthetic sensibilities, but also section 32-60 of The New York City Department of City Planning's Zoning Resolution (ZR).

This is an "advertising sign" as defined by ZR 12-10 and such signs can only be located in commercial zoning districts C6-5, C6-7, C7 and C8. Not only was this picture taken in a residential district, but you'd be hard pressed to find any of the aforementioned zoning districts anywhere in Greenpoint or Willliamsburg.

The offending signs are everywhere and starting to grate; I demand satisfaction.

A Novel

2009-09-21T18:20:00.001-07:00

Graham and Conelyea: I'm confused.

65 East 55th Street, Roof

2009-09-21T18:14:00.000-07:00

First things first: this is David Copperfield's triplex penthouse, allegedly. I went ahead and tried to indicate the extent of it with that faint orange bracket on the left (go ahead, click on it). Take a look at those 25' columns. Odd detail, no? It looks alien. It looks as if it's descended from space and attached itself to a normal apartment house.

Citicorp.
I'm going to start a series on this blog called "Show Me Your Window Washing Rig." This is the first installment. All buildings of this size have them, though you don't see them much and we never talk about them, do we? I find them rather beautiful.

The railing you see there is the track that the window washing rig rides on. The rig itself is stored in a glass and steel pyramid on this level. There's a giant garage door that opens and the rig rides around the perimeter, then back into the garage/pyramid.

Below: if you'll direct your attention to the upper left, those are the reflecting pools of the Segram's Building.

1515 Broadway, 43rd Floor

2009-09-17T19:07:00.000-07:00

I find clicking on the pictures enhances my experience.

And then there were two: Bank of America Tower (under construction) and Conde Nast.

Westin Hotel and NYT Building.

The glass cube on the left with the circular floors inside is the top of the Marriott Marquis.

Towards 825 8th Avenue (World Wide Plaza).

Me, looking anonymous.

Jersey.

Towards 1 Penn Plaza.

Looking 49 Floors Down a Fire Tower

2009-09-17T18:53:00.000-07:00

Title pretty much says it all.

It's a 10'x16' hole running through a large office building in Midtown. Back in the days before sprinklers, they used to create a vestibule before you entered the egress stair. The vestibule has a railing and opening into the "fire tower." The idea is to be able to vent smoke from a floor on fire without contaminating the egress stair.

I can tell you that this thing works like a giant straw and even the slightest breeze blowing over the top of the shaft creates some serious negative pressure; meaning it's very hard to close the vestibule door after you've opened it.

An Update

2009-08-31T18:01:00.000-07:00

A quick update regarding my letter to the honorable Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo: I received a nice letter (good stationary and all) from his office thanking me for bringing it to their attention. They copied The City of New York Tax Commission on the correspondence and The Commission quickly wrote me a letter indicating that they had determined it was a matter under the jurisdiction of The Department of Finance; they forwarded my complaint to the DOF and I'm waiting to see if they think I'm a total nut or if there's some merit in my complaint.

I'll keep you posted.

The Anti-Air Conditioner Sleeve

2009-08-12T19:20:00.000-07:00

Be Glad This Isn't Your Office

2009-08-04T18:22:00.000-07:00

It's not my office either and this video doesn't truly capture the ambiance; the ambiance being a 1500 square foot, flashing LED sign. Keep in mind that this was taken at pretty much high-noon. Even at that time of day, I was over powered by the room-altering strobe effect.

Mmm...mmmatresses.

2009-08-04T18:19:00.001-07:00

Sleepytime

2009-08-04T18:15:00.000-07:00

A Complaint

2009-07-13T17:09:00.000-07:00

This post is dedicated to Miss Heather and her futile efforts to have illegal occupancies eradicated from the Northside.

Below you will find a copy of a letter I delivered to the New York State Attorney General today:

Dear Attorney General Cuomo:

475 Kent Avenue located in borough of Brooklyn , per it's certificate of occupancy and Department of Finance Records(you can see it in the center of the page near the middle) is a warehouse. The owner of the building illegally converted the warehouse to apartments. While the Fire Department of the City of New York (FD) issued a vacate order after an illegal matzoh factory with highly explosive grain silos was discovered in the cellar, the Department of Buildings (DOB) and FD allowed them to re-occupy illegally converted residential apartments after upgrading their sprinkler system to work (it was not working at the time of the vacate).

While this drives me nuts from a professional perspective, I'm willing to accept the City was willing to look the other way; think about the "artists." However, I'm upset the owner still pays property tax based on a "warehouse" occupancy instead of the reality that this is a 200 unit residential building he illegally converted (I can demonstrate the illegality beyond a reasonable doubt, but it's very wordy; if you actually respond to my complaint, I'll elaborate further).

I do not know the difference in the tax rates but have a gut feeling it's substantial. Very substantial. Several hundred thousand, if not a million plus.

I can date the conversion at at least 2005 based solely on DOB violations (1, 2, 3). With utility bills, I bet it would go back at least 10 years. The building owner is thumbing his nose at the city. They [the city] allowed the tenants back in without a CO and without dismissing any of the 91[!!!!] open violations; not to mention the open stop work order and open partial vacate order (I understand it's for a girls' school located in a separate structure on the same block and lot, but he still owns it and this is yet another example of the property owner's indifference to the rule of law).

While I could go on and on and on and on why this drives me nuts, I'm going to focus on reclaiming the taxes for the people of this great city. My children need park improvements. My objective in submitting this complaint is to reclaim what is rightfully ours [the taxpayer--the taxpayer who pays the highest tax rate in the nation, mind you]: our tax dollars.

Mr. Cuomo, I'm certain this issue has not been brought to your attention as I'm sure you're a busy man. I only ask you investigate this matter; I'll gladly outline the code and zoning issues that back up my assertions.

The Not-For-Profit Busker

2009-07-07T18:00:00.000-07:00

I'm nicknaming him The King of Graham Avenue, cause he lives on Graham Avenue and last night he was wearing a Burger King Crown (two of them linked together, actually). The last time I saw him I asked what that was called --I thought it might be a special type of accordion; [in a heavy Italian accent] "it's an accordion: it's Italian!" Maybe it is. The word "busker" seems to have Italian roots.

Nothing to Report Here

2009-07-06T17:08:00.001-07:00

I was rooting for the lead egressee to step off, resulting in some slapstick, but it didn't quite happen. I can honestly say that in 13 years in the city, I've never actually seen a fire escape in use, even if it was just being tested.

The State of the Fourth Estate

2009-06-17T15:52:00.000-07:00

This dude kind of freaked me out. His message made me giggle (it was early in the morning). I am fully aware of the NYT trying to shill the Boston Globe, but $1? I can tell you that he was outside 1221 6th Ave (aka NY Post Headquarters) and that Rupert Murdoch may have had a hand in this; he loves to twist the NYT's nuts.

So in summary, the fourth estate is totally screwed.

Arrrrr

2009-06-02T18:33:00.000-07:00

For the record, I believe that he's wearing an orange traffic cone as if it were a prosthetic. Go on, click on the photo and tell me what you think.

"Accepting Credit Card"

2009-06-02T18:22:00.000-07:00

It's important to let customers know you accept plastic. This is a crappy photo with a lot of glare and reflection going on, but I think you'll still be able to make out the 18 inch high red letter reading "ACCEPTING CREDIT CARD" though, right? Unfortunately I can't remember the name of the establishment; it's below Metropolitan on Graham. I do remember they take cards.

Greenpoint Car Wash

2009-06-02T18:09:00.000-07:00

Waiting for the car to come out of the Greenpoint Car Wash this sign caught my eye. It ends "[o]ur service is available only for clients who agree with the policy above."

Please not that the are not responsible for the following; 1-3 seem pretty normal:

"4. Stripes, spots, cement, paint, stick dirt. Any kind of scratches."
"5. Car on-off (problems with starting engine)"
"6. People in the car (We are not responsible for injuries)" [Ed. note: does this mean if one of their workers hurts themselves in your car, it's on the customers dime?]
"7. Opening for Locked Automatic Door"
I completely understand this business owner's need to cover his proverbial ass. I find the sign not only informative, but also humorous. My only suggestion would be to move it to the entrance, as opposed to the exit, of the car wash.

"Total Social Suicide"

2009-05-26T19:42:00.000-07:00

Okay then.

A Cat

2009-05-26T19:39:00.001-07:00

The Scrap Metal Olympics

2009-05-26T19:05:00.001-07:00

This recession is creating stronger, smarter, and safer scrappers. And yes, that is a Home Depot Cart. Helmet and goggles? Of course.

The J-Team

2009-05-25T10:29:00.000-07:00

This van must be a part of the Na Nach Nachma Nachma Meuman cult[?]. After checking out their site, I'm still not sure what it is they're all about, but I do know that I want to order--for a mere six dollars--one of their "ornate beautiful sparkling white beanie with tassel." Actually, they clearly state what it is they're all about on their site; "[they're] about real people screaming Na Nach Nachma Nachman Meuman!" I just don't know what that means.

Photoshop is not their forte.Please make sure you check out at least a few seconds of this video. It actually looks quite fun.

Update: Is there anything you can't do, Wikipedia? It's not a "cult." It's a "fringe group."

Shitters

2009-05-18T18:50:00.000-07:00

Above: A port-o-John at the 8-7.
Below: Still life with pink crapper, sink and a pair of sandals on a brick column.

Lawn Ornaments on Herbert

2009-04-27T18:03:00.000-07:00

Pretty normal looking driveway and sideyard, right? Wrong.

Look what they've done to this poor gnome. Everything is hermetically sealed in plastic. Bambi, the duck, the dog, whatever that big thing on the right is, the dead body[?] behind the tree against the fence...
...the water pump, et cetera.

Serioiusly?

2009-04-24T02:30:00.000-07:00

As I've previously noted (1, 2), every morning while I am transferring from the L to the 2/3, I walk a block underground. The passageway is about 10-12 feet wide. Those two crappy free newspapers pay two dudes to stand in the middle of this public way taking up no less than half of it. It doesn't help that they recently moved right next a 18-24" trash can. Apparently my previous efforts to shame them into stopping this practice were unsuccessful. I don't understand why they don't just neatly stack the papers in the corner of the ramp at 7th Ave and go have breakfast each morning.

This situation is completely out of hand. I'd go through 311 if I thought it would help. I'm asking anyone reading this who experiences this problem during their commute to boo and hiss at these guys in the hopes that, one day, we can take back the 5 to 6 feet of clear width of passageway for the people.

Means of Egress

2009-04-16T16:41:00.001-07:00

Dear Lord,

In the event of an emergency please never make me walk down this fire escape, across the aluminum ladder-type structure sitting on brackets bolted to a really old masonry wall, and down the blue scaffolding into the pit at Broadway and Fulton.

"Deal$"

2009-04-14T14:53:00.000-07:00

There's no better description: some serious deal$ to be had at the 5 dollar store. Greenpoint is home to the 5 dollar store. I'm happy to report, with no irony nor sarcasm, this store is totally awesome.

I can only speak for myself but I cannot wipe the shit-eating grin off my face when I'm in there. It's like a department store but everything is 5 dollars or less. Towels, gardening stuff, automotive, frozen food, milk candy, party favors, household cleaners; they've got it all.

I'd like to give credit to Free Williamsburg for motivating me to finally post these photos. .

Classic Tomato Soup labels.
3.75 for a gallon of Tuscan milk?
Everyone loves Bunco, right?Oh yeah, and they have frozen Jose Ole chimichangas for a dollar too!

Spring Has Officially Arrived

2009-04-07T15:44:00.001-07:00

Jesus in a Plastic Box

2009-04-07T15:40:00.001-07:00

From west 33rd Street. I guess it's to keep bird crap off the statue, right?

This man was taken with Jesus in a plastic box too.

The Sleepy Messenger

2009-04-06T17:33:00.000-07:00

Gentle Reader:

I've been slacking. I promise to work on that.

-The Editor

Warning Sign

2009-03-16T18:44:00.000-07:00

Near Meeker and Monitor:

WARNING:
PLEASE KEEP
DOGS OFF AREA
INTOXICATED
GROUNDS
THANK YOU

By intoxicated I think the sign maker is referring to one of 227 hazardous waste sites that exist in Greenpoint. Sure there are the big name sites like the Greenpoint Petroleum plume and the Meeker plume being overseen by the NYSDEC. Then again, the sign maker could be an angry drunk that likes to kick dogs if they trespass on his property. In this topsy-turvy world, who knows.

Did I ever mention my wife is a chemical engineer who works in environmental engineering? Discussing this post she pointed me towards the EPA's Envirofacts Warehouse which led me to discover something interesting: one of the 227 hazardous waste sites is the 8-7. That's right, the old precinct I wanted a portion of to build my home is a hazardous waste site. I'm not so envious of the prospective low-income tenants now; but then again, I'm still combing the list of sites. I'm pretty certain my house is on the list.

Below: very scary map courtesy of the USEPAIf you want to check hazardous waste sites in your neighborhood, simply follow this link to the USEPA and type in your zip code.

The BQE Financial Soundness Indicator (BQEFSI)

2009-03-02T17:33:00.000-08:00

After driving to Staten Island and taking pictures of every empty billboard along the way this weekend, I posited a theory that the number of empty billboards could somehow be a leading indicator of the US economy's financial soundness--or something. I calculate the BQEFSI by dividing the number of miles from the Queens border to the end of the Gowanus Expressway (approximately 8 miles) by the total number of empty billboards (14) in both directions. That puts the BQEFSI at .5714. I don't want to alarm anyone, but that's the lowest we've seen it since I started keeping records.

Below: Below the little mermaid sign, there are 3 (one is not visible) illegal billboards for lease on that building.

An Animated Protest on 57th and 3rd

2009-02-26T18:19:00.000-08:00

This guy was getting a ticket for stopping in the crosswalk; that's my guess anyway.

Customer Service

2009-02-23T17:55:00.000-08:00

I found this signage making a payment at the Department of Finance. It was striking to me because I feel it truly conveys the nature of the City's bureaucracy: violent.

Exhibit A: What is going on in the graphic below? It looks to me as if someone's getting a paddlin' for incorrectly filling out a form, or something like that.

Exhibit B: Please "stand between the ropes and wait to be called"? An overt boxing reference, no doubt.

Ahead of the Curve

2009-01-29T18:15:00.000-08:00

Yesterday's Times.

Me, 4 months ago.

My pictures are better.

Doing Taxes

2009-01-29T18:06:00.000-08:00

Doing the TurboTax online I found out that I had two "Life Changes" in 2008. I "Had a baby" and "Paid student loan interest." Good to know.

"I enjoy a little vodka every morning."

2009-01-21T18:08:00.001-08:00

I turned to my co-worker and said "shiiiiiiit, who doesn't?"
This gentleman, and several other people with other thought bubbles, we're trolling around Grand Central on a frigid morning. I didn't get to read the others but this made me laugh.

Turns out it was a "Big Love" ad-thing. Haven't seen it but I bet I would like it. Just like I'd bet if you put a bloody Mary in front of me every morning and I weren't gainfully employed, I'd drink it.

A Knitted MacBook Case

2009-01-20T17:29:00.000-08:00

I commissioned this from my loving wife as a Christmas present. Yes, I can knit, but why should I bother when I can outsource it to a much better knitter. It's seed stitch which means that it's thick and doesn't stretch like a straight knit or rib stitching. We [by "we" I mean she] used 5 yarns on size 15 needles which ensured the proper protectiveness. It's really a beautiful thing. The photography doesn't do it justice. Using a flash and placing it on a highly reflective floor probably didn't help.

If you want to commission your own, we'll gladly do it, but it'd be expensive. For our (it's so hard not to pluralize it) fee you're looking at 3 hours @ 20 bucks an hour. Factor in the yarn and that's about another 40. So all in you'd be looking about 100 bucks for a stupid MacBook cover. Of course, you could supply us with the yarn and save a few bucks.

It's hard to describe the opening, but it's done in such a way that it cuddles all the corners regardless if it's buttoned or not. Oh yeah, did you notice that kick-ass button and button hole?

The back
Details.

Chambers Street

2009-01-12T17:08:00.000-08:00

At least they're honest.

Flowers on Fulton

2009-01-12T17:03:00.000-08:00

I find the flower print adequately brighten up this construction-scape.

I've Got a Bone to Pick, Still.

2008-12-18T19:25:00.000-08:00

I pointed out last winter that the AM New York and Metro newspaper hander-outters that congest the connection between the L and the 2/3. Well, it's still annoying me. Is it really necessary that they take up half of this public thoroughfare? Harumph.

During the hottest days of the summer they would hang them on the handrails of the ramp at the 2/3 end of this connection. While some Americans with disabilities make take issue with that, it was pleasant not to have the bottleneck. Perhaps they can just start start leaving a pile of them next to the trash can.

A Hawk in McGolrick Park

2008-12-11T19:56:00.000-08:00

It's a well know fact that there's lots of hawks all over the city; Pale Male being the most famous, of course; you just don't see them that much. My dad was in town recently and had to defend my children against a hawk attack in the playground of McGolrick park. Fortunately he was able to do so AND get some nice photos too. Nice work, Daddy-O.

Check out those talons.

Shoring on Manhattan

2008-12-08T16:56:00.000-08:00

Churches

2008-12-04T19:16:00.000-08:00

St. Patrick's with steam.
St. Stanislaus at dawn.

The 8-7

2008-12-04T19:07:00.000-08:00

As I've noted before, the conversion to affordable housing is under way. Don't even think about trespassing on the front stoop while it's under construction though.

The Train

2008-12-04T19:02:00.001-08:00

Camera phones certainly make it much less awkward--socially--to snap close-up portraits of strangers, right?

Fuck Union

2008-12-02T18:05:00.000-08:00

The Call Box Lounge

2008-11-25T19:04:00.000-08:00

Ah, The Call Box Lounge. Bet you didn't know it derived its name from call boxes, those mostly defunct police and fire notification pole things on some corners.

I go to get my football fix as they get the Sunday Ticket. There's a hard-core constituency of Hasidic men who get their gaming fix on at the The Call Box. I respect that. The owner actually has a couple of Yiddish/Hebrew signs that let them know there's a two drink minimum.

OB/GYN?

2008-11-21T17:23:00.000-08:00

This is not a critique of Dr. Nitkin or his professional skills. This is a critique of his graphic design team:

Female coworker: "I'm not sure I'd want him fiddlin' with my pipes."

Male coworker: "Looks like he's looking for a date."

The Wife: "Is he handcuffed?"

Warren and West Broadway

2008-11-20T17:50:00.000-08:00

Paging the gentleman who parked his burgundy, convertible Porsche 5 feet off the curb so that its wheel broke the plane of the bike lane; touchdown! Not only did you park in a spot you can't without one of those fake City placards, you get to pay 300 dollars to the Department of Transportation and collect your car at the West Side impound lot at Pier 76.
.

The Downtown 4/5/6 Platform at Grand Central

2008-11-18T16:40:00.000-08:00

I couldn't help but notice these six large posters a gentleman was assembling here today. Each sign tugs at your heartstrings--assuming you have a heart. Some of it seems a bit embellished though: his landlord has only given him until December 24th before he's immediately evicted; he was just hit by a taxi and one of the injuries was "spinal disorder and laceration to the right arm." Regardless of the truthiness of the details, it's a strong presentation replete with caricatures of himself in the future out on the streets being homeless.

That's him setting up the change receptacle under the poster explaining his Metrocard expired and he can't get work if he can't get to the interview.

Conspiracy?

2008-11-14T17:38:00.000-08:00

Early one morning walking the dogs I came across this commercial-looking van that had North Carolina license plates. Two people were canvassing the streets for aluminum cans with shopping carts (stolen shopping carts?). Not quite sure if they're actually from NC or just recently moved, but if they are from out-of-state we could have a full blown conspiracy on our hands

Vote for Adames.

2008-11-12T17:57:00.000-08:00

I can appreciate the passion the person who made this poster has. If there's an attorney out there that can look up the Federal court docket number[?] listed on the bottom right of this post, that would be awesome. My lazy Googling only yielded this article with Judge Deborah Kaplan and Mayor Michael Bloomberg; no mention of either of them lying or thieving.

After our "FALSE MAYOR" extended term limits in such an obtuse manner, I call for a full investigation of his car and money thieving ways.

Update: Never mind. I figured out who this crazy Adames nut is. He's just a crazy nut. That settles that.

Loitering and Ball Playing Prohibited

2008-11-10T17:59:00.000-08:00

Newton and McGuiness:

I Farted

2008-11-04T19:32:00.001-08:00

Sticker I made via BoingBoing.

I almost voted for Bob Barr, but didn't. I'm ready for my radical Muslim directives, Dear Leader! Yay.

51st and 7th

2008-11-03T18:53:00.000-08:00

Tell me more about this Booger Sugar.

Asylum For Idiots.

2008-10-29T19:36:00.000-07:00

Researching some old bank checks I found at an estate sale last weekend, I came across this in the NYT Archive. Please note the second line item in this appropriation bill(1866).
If you care, the checks are neat and you can check them out over here. They were signed by John Thompson Hoffman, Mayor and later Governor. Oooooh.

New Wheels

2008-10-29T17:34:00.000-07:00

It seems the DOB has added a few of these to their fleet of Priuses.

Standing Erect on Eighth

2008-10-29T17:15:00.000-07:00

My Neighbor's New PSA

2008-10-29T17:08:00.000-07:00

The man has a lot to say and I always listen. My buddy over at Newyorkshitty took note last week too.

"REJECTING THE SOLDIERS' RIGHT TO BE CLONED IS TREASON."

34th and 8th

2008-10-29T17:05:00.000-07:00

Maximum Loading Level

2008-10-23T17:21:00.000-07:00

Term-Limits

2008-10-23T17:05:00.000-07:00

Going to lunch, this guy caught my attention.
He had a message about term-limits. As he was on Chambers near City Hall and I knew the Council was "voting" on extending term limits today, he made me laugh. So I gave him a dollar and took an out of focus picture of him and his sign.

"Term Limits: Because you know your neighbors are stupid." I can't find any news results on the vote at the moment, but if I were your councilman, I would have voted no.

Update: It passed 29-22.

Five men working a plank

2008-10-17T20:14:00.000-07:00

These fine men are using a lever to try and lift a large slab of concrete. Looks fun.

The End Times

2008-10-17T19:20:00.000-07:00

So we're pretty much all screwed. I saw a sign. It was in Times Square. We all need to obey.

I promise I didn't Photoshop that Jesus beam into that woman's shopping bag. As I said, we're all screwed.

All Employees Must Swipe

2008-10-17T18:47:00.001-07:00

I almost swiped myself when I saw this sticker for the first time. This is a sticker that appeared this week on most of the service entrance/emergency exit doors in the transit system.
I apologize for the quality of this photo; I'll do better next time.

This is a public service announcement

2008-10-16T16:51:00.000-07:00

Gentle reader (all 9 of you), I am writing you to let you know that the New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) has changed their logo yesterday afternoon. I've yet to see any reporting on this but can only assume there will be a press conference to formally announce it shortly.

It should be noted that they will eventually get around to updating their new fangled forms with this new logo. When they do, it will render all forms prepared prior to the forms with the new logo on them null and void, even though the substance of the form itself remains unchanged; at least historically that's how it's gone down.

This got me to thinking about two things: first I thought about how this design reminded me of the 1972 Vignelli map of the subway system. I thought the fonts might be similar, but I was totally wrong. I guess it's just those 45/135 degree angles.

The second came to me researching the map thing. NYCSubway.org has a great site with tons of historical maps. It made me think I need to chronicle the grapic history of DOB logos. I've seen 3 in the last 8 years. The one before that was a box with some representation of the skyline. Lord only knows what came before that, but with a little encouragement--my friend--I promise to deliver to you the most comprehensive history of DOB logos, ever.

Below: the most recently superseded logo.

Above image of the '72 Vignelli map stolen from NYCSubway.org They have a great site with tons of historical transit maps!

If I ever get all the monies, I'm going to start collecting maps, by the way.

TrueArtisForRebels.com

2008-10-14T20:33:00.000-07:00

This was good for a laugh while ordering my cheeseburger deluxe with cheese sauce on the side at Dowtown Deli.

The poster:
Below the poster:

The Drunks

2008-10-14T18:51:00.000-07:00

I'm starting to feel a bit like Jane Goodall. I call the big one with brown hair, Big Brown. Please note the nipple tweak about half way through the video.

"You got to have the feeling sure as you're born; Get it together, right on, right on."

2008-10-10T14:50:00.000-07:00

Thursday (Vesey and Church):

Friday (Warren and Church):
Right on, right on. That's about all I can say. I guess I could add that I'd like to peer into this man's closet and he always seems to be on the phone.

The subject lyrics are from Sex Machine, of course.

The Drunks

2008-10-09T18:17:00.000-07:00

There's a lot going on in this video. The most amusing thing, I find, is the two men arm wrestling with no table.

Baby Blue

2008-10-09T18:09:00.001-07:00

My commentary would only detract from this photograph.

Local Man Becomes 3-Day Jeopardy Champion

2008-09-30T18:44:00.000-07:00

I've lived in Greenpoint for nearly 5 years and for almost 5 years I have religiously attended the Quizz Off at Pete's Candy Store. And for five years I've suffered repeated losses of varying degrees, always consoling myself with the fact that Pete's--in my estimation--is The hardest trivia night in the five boroughs.

It just so happens that one of the fixtures of the Pete's Quizz Off scene is Brian Levinson. Brian recently became a 3-day Jeopardy champion winning just over 72 thousand dollars. Not bad, eh? He's a total ham, but now he's my ham.

I will point out that he doesn't mention Pete's by name in the above player interview. No shout-out? I will also point out that he refers to it as "pub quiz" which is even worse than the official "Quizz Off." Dugong though? High five, Brian!

Swinging Hammers

2008-09-30T17:49:00.000-07:00

This morning I was a bit startled to find a demo crew, demoing the 8-7. It seems that the conversion to affordable housing (under article 7b of the Multiple Dwelling Law), as previously reported on newyorkshitty, has begun. And while I'm a bit disheartened that my plan to commandeer ownership of the garage of this defunct precinct have been foiled, I'm glad to see something happening. Yay.

So this is the main entrance. I was late for work so didn't get any further. Plus the stench of urine and fears of asbestos were enough of a deterrent to go any further.
Below is the spiral stair in the garage. I like the black iron detail the stair treads sit on.
Barrels of what must surely be bad chemicals in the garage.
A laborer, laboring.

Teach a Man to Fish...

2008-09-27T10:39:00.000-07:00

I love unfounded rumor mongering just as much as the next guy, but this is silly. Everyone, starting with Gothamist, seems to think 176 Bedford (the Salvation Army) was sold to Steve Jobs. It's really not hard to find out if that has any basis in truth. Just in case you ever want to know who owns what, the following is what you need to do to access property records from the Department of Finance's Office of the City Register:

1) Get the building's house number: 176 Bedford Avenue
2) Use the DOB's BIS site to translate that into a Block and Lot: 2319/23
3) Use the DOF's ACRIS site to "search property records"

Voila, you've got a list with pdf links to all documents recorded with the City Register; they include deeds and, drum roll please, 176 Bedford is still owned by the Salvation Army and has been since June 12th, 1974.

So that settles that. That's not to say a deal isn't in the works, but Gothamist's anonymous "sources" are going to have to do better than providing absolutely no evidence of a sale to convince me the building was sold.

If you're going to keep track of this at home, you'd be well advised to note that Apple will probably partner with an owner/developer and sign a triple net lease. Therefore, you may not see Apple appear on any forthcoming deeds.

Don't Forget To Vote

2008-09-24T20:18:00.001-07:00

Nice PSA, Times Square Tower.

That building under construction (above), "11 Times Square," has three tower cranes (most currently on a construction site in the city?) and is moving along at a nice clip. Take a look at this photo taken just three months ago.

With the downturn in the economy, it won't be long before the scrap metal scavengers get to the green copper flashing on top of the old New York Times building.

Mini Backhoes

2008-09-24T18:47:00.000-07:00

Everyone's seen one, but no one seems to want to talk about them. I'm throwing this out there: I love cute little mini-backhoes. National Grid (which bought Keyspan Energy) has recently rolled out an fleet of these things attached to their service trucks and I approve.

A Man With a Blowgun

2008-09-23T19:02:00.000-07:00

That thing in his left hand: blowgun. Seriously.

I risked it all for you, gentle reader, to get this photo. I was following him and he turned around, took aim at some passers by, and possibly fired something at them. It all happened so fast I couldn't tell if anything actually came out of the barrel.

12:15...Payback Time!!!

2008-09-23T17:56:00.000-07:00

I stepped onto the train and this note on a seat caught my eye. Please note that this note contains objectionable (but possibly prophetic) language and may not be suitable for all readers.

The woman who sat down next to the note, who also read it, noticed me take a picture of it. She then proceeded to crumple it up and throw it between the train and the platform (we were stopped at 42nd St.). You'd think she'd never seen the PSA advising her that litter on the tracks causes track fires and that causes delays.
The text:

"MY MOTHER
RAPED
...AND THEN...
GANG-BANGED
WHILE "UNITY"
SAT ON THE FENCE.
MY "FRIENDS" SWUNG
ON THE SWING.
-Chelsea Clinton
IT IS...
PAYBACK
TIME!!!"

First, I love the clock graphic; apparently payback time is 12:15. It really did it for me. Second, that could be interpreted as a veiled threat against senator Obama?

Only in New York, kids. Only in New York.

Shaving in the park

2008-09-21T17:43:00.000-07:00

I'm particularly fascinated by some of the behaviors of this group of people that hang out in the park and drink at 6:30 in the morning. The man in the red is shaving that guy on the bench. He was really into it and seemed to be doing a decent job.

u

Signs of a Downturn In The Economy

2008-09-20T18:21:00.000-07:00

This is the facade of the old Zen Palate in Union Square. It looks as if scavengers are peeling off that green copper flashing for scrap. There goes the neighborhood.

Zuzu's pre and post-op photos

2008-09-19T20:08:00.000-07:00

So the dog had glaucoma in her right eye. She's young, 6ish. She couldn't see so we had it removed as the enlarged eyeball was painful. We did it at the AMC and they actually offer a prosthetic for 55 dollars extra; considering the cost of the surgery, it was a bargain.

These are pre-op photos:

Below: The glass eye.

We're told that "blood vessels will start to grow into the cornea approximately 1 week after surgery. They will gradually move over the cornea and the eye will appear very red during this period. The final result will not be present for several months." Poor Zuzu :(

A Bike Shelter

2008-09-18T18:35:00.002-07:00

I was a bit surprised to find that what can best be described as a shelter for bicycles was installed at the corner of Graham Ave and Metropolitan. Interesting.

Looks like we need a couple more.

The Cucumpkin

2008-09-16T17:33:00.000-07:00

I experimented a bit in the garden this year. Everything was potted and I tried to plant everything really close together to maximize my yield. Certain crops turned out mutant varieties and, as a result, I give you the cucumpkin. This was supposed to be a cucumber for my pickling party.

Somewhere over the BQE

2008-09-10T19:59:00.000-07:00

Jackson and Graham

2008-09-10T19:44:00.000-07:00

Have a look at that. Not the wires.See those little stars on the side of that yellow building.
You see them all over the City (see: SoHo). They're actually structural; they tie back the masonry walls to the floor construction. The cute little stars serve a purpose. That's cute.

Soda Machines at 475 Kent

2008-09-10T18:32:00.000-07:00

What a profound statement. Encasing the soda machines within metal grating; allowing human contact only at those points absolutely necessary to complete the transaction. Very Southside.

A device to find the Center of Gravity...

2008-09-09T19:20:00.000-07:00

This is an interesting take on the city agency parking placard. I assume that the owner of this green with a red racing-stripe Chrysler minivan (I apologize, I swear I took that photo, but it was early in the morning) is trying to confuse/amuse the meter maid.

"A device to find the Center of Gravity
of an irregularly shaped object.
The Center of Gravity is that point of
intersection of two of the plumb lines."

Please note that plumb lines will in no way help you find the center of gravity of an irregular object but it will point you towards the Earth's center of gravity.