Boxers Ain't No Nudi-T
A most excellent day in a long while was had by me yesterday. I helped create an obstacle for the shopping cart race known as the Idiotarod. We staged a fake protest of the arrest of the No Pants Subway Riders. As the racers as they came around a tight corner, we mobbed them and tried to get signatures for our petition, in order to slow them down. We got a surprisingly large number of petitions for one that was so obviously fake.
Truly a lot of fun, and the nice weather made it really, really worth while. I enjoy mixing politics and art.
A picture of the sunset at East River Park, where the race ended.
Did I mention that the police presence was unusually heavy for an art event?
But why stop there? Why go to NJ once that day, when I could (and did) go twice! First for a Drinking Liberally meeting in Hoboken, and a second time for dinner plus a tour of Jersey City.
The verdict on JC, NJ? A pretty neat place, I tells ya. Bushwick, Brooklyn Heights, and high-rise corporate office park all rolled into two surprisingly racially-integrated square miles.
Urban archaeology highlight of the tour? An eerie late night visit to an abandoned powerhouse for the Hudson & Manhattan railroad* smack in the middle of the corporate redevelopment. It's very similar to the one in Long Island City for the Pennsylvania RR that is being redeveloped into condos, sans smokestacks.
*=predecessor to the PATH
mike sold out at - 22:06
1.19.2006
Clean eatin'
Awesome. Searchable restaurant inspections online
mike sold out at - 10:50
Sewing Project
So my ultra-warm winter jacket has a problem. It is down-filled and fleece lined. The down sometimes comes out, but then sticks to the fleece liner. The feathers and other stuff then stick to whatever garment I am wearing under the coat. You can see how this is a problem on the right side of the coat.
The solution? Sewing a new liner into it.
The next problem? It is taking forever.
This piece (on the left) took me two hours, but it will definitely be the hardest one. I remain super-proud about my accomplishment tonight, though. Anyone else need anything I can make for them?
mike sold out at - 00:01
1.18.2006
Due to Weather/Winds...
La Guardia Airport: Due to WEATHER/WINDS, there is a Traffic Management Program in effect for traffic arriving La Guardia Airport, New York, NY (LGA). This is causing some arriving flights to be delayed an average of 2 hours and 43 minutes. To see if you may be affected, select your departure airport and check 'Delays by Destination'.
What this means in practice is that I was woken up at 6 in the morning by planes landing in a really unusual approach to LaGuardia that involves flying over Greenpoint at VERY low altitude. I grew up under the flight path of Dulles Airport and I've never heard anything this loud before.
mike sold out at - 12:55
1.15.2006
Human Pyramid
My friend Dino is doing a human pyramid in this picture with his co-exiles. This brings back fond memories of "crazy thursdays" with Oakhurst kids in college where we would get drunk enough to the point where it was a sensible idea to build a four-level human pyramid. lordy I miss not having to do anything on Friday. Good times. Good times.
mike sold out at - 19:44
1.12.2006
Mini-hipsters
My little cousins are now, as Kristin astutely observed, mini-hipsters, as they are clothed in the sweatshirts I made for them.
hooray!
mike sold out at - 00:01
1.11.2006
We Are Traffic
Newsday Critical Mass bicyclists prevail in permit case
...Deciding the case of eight cyclists arrested in January 2005, Judge Gerald Harris wrote in a 17-page ruling that the city's parading without a permit statute is 'overly broad' and 'unconstitutional on its face.'
The Police Department has been relying on the statute to make arrests in an effort over the past 18 months to rein in Critical Mass, a loosely organized bicycle ride which starts at Union Square and meanders through midtown streets one Friday evening each month...
Finally some recognition that bicyclists who are inadvertently in a spontaneous parade don't need to apply for a permit.
mike sold out at - 10:22
Credit where credit is due
1.10.2006
Like Water With Chocolate
There's Cocoa in the River, but Not Any Marshmallows - New York Times
This much is fairly certain. The freight containers full of cocoa beans were sealed, so the stretch of the East River off Pier 7 in Brooklyn was almost definitely not turning into a delicious caramel-brown inlet of cold chocolate. Sorry, Willy Wonka fans...
Perhaps one too many jokes about hot chocolate, but a totally bizzare and interesting story about the sinking of a barge of the NY Cross Harbor Railroad.
mike sold out at - 12:16
Credit where credit is due
1.09.2006
Ace Bar
$1 Skeeball is a rip-off, but fun to watch people play.
mike sold out at - 12:50
Greenpoint: Ho!
How to be Polish in NYC
mike sold out at - 12:43
Credit where credit is due
1.06.2006
Take That, Three Men in a Room!
Waiting for Albany
From Gotham Gazette
New Yorkers must depend on the governor and the state legislature -- based in Albany -– for how much rent and taxes we pay, how Lower Manhattan will be rebuilt, and whether the water we drink is clean, as well as much of what will happen in the city's schools (especially how much money those schools will have.) The proposed Jets Stadium for the West Side of Manhattan may have provoked vigorous debate among New Yorkers, but it was Albany that put the kibosh on the plan. The city's subways and public buses may not venture past the five boroughs, but the new contract for the city's transit workers could be nixed by Albany. Indeed, a day after the news last week that a provision of the new contract gives 20,000 transit workers refunds of previous contributions towards their pensions, Governor George Pataki announced he might veto it.
mike sold out at - 10:45
1.05.2006
Metrocard Dr.
Getting this email is proof why the Straphangers Campaign is awesome
Dear rider-
Confused over how long your unlimited ride MetroCard will be valid for after the transit strike and holiday fare discounts?
It's hard to simplify, but here's out shot:
-If you started swiping during the holiday bonus time (January 2nd was the last day), and your card still works, we advise swiping until your card runs out.
-Because MetroCard readers cannot be programmed to show holiday bonus or strike extension days, they may show an early expiration date. Only turnstiles know how long cards are valid for.
Make sure to count your days:
- If you started swiping your 30-day unlimited ride card before the strike (December 20th), and it still works, you should get 7 extra days (3 strike days plus 4 holiday bonus days) added on to the date shown on the card reader.
- If you started swiping your 30-day unlimited ride card after the strike (December 22nd), but before the end of holiday bonus period, you will have 4 holiday bonus days added on to the date shown on the card reader.
- If you started swiping your 7-day unlimited ride card before the end of holiday bonus period, and it sill works, you will have 1 holiday bonus day added on to the date shown on the card reader.
Hope this helps!
==============================
NYPIRG Straphangers Campaign
One Click to a Better Commute - http://www.straphangers.org
mike sold out at - 19:30
1.01.2006
Mr. Pibb & Red Vines = Crazy Delicious
You've probably all seen this already, but just in case:
Call us Aaron Burr from the way we're dropping Hamiltons
