Now some organization called the Environmental Defense Fund is hitting the NYC airwaves with this and other ads promoting the plan. Check 'em out if you want to know more about who's sponsoring this propaganda. They seem harmless but it's always good to know who's putting up the money.
The father of modern conservatism, William F. Buckley, joined Ronald Reagan and Barry Goldwater in that shining city in the clouds today. The founder of National Review, host of PBS's "Firing Line", and godfather of right-wing American thought, he spent more than half a century convincing our nation that greed was good and government was bad. And although his ideology triumphed in, and become almost synonomous with, the American heartland, Bill Buckley was a New York City boy through and through (he even ran for Mayor in 1965 but lost to John Lindsay).
Buckley was not, however, one of those pompous gas bags of the American right. Oh no. He was, above all else, a gentlemen and a scholar, a man of great wit and sophistication, a masterful intellect.
Yes, he thought Joe McCarthy was a hero and Social Security was the devil's work but there's no doubt that Mr. Buckley was a thoughtful, gracious man who respected everyone and valued the power of ideas and the American dream above all else. He changed America. How many of us can claim to have done that?
Here is Buckley providing commentary in 1968 on the upcoming Presidential Election with his archnemesis Gore Vidal (the one that gave us Richard Nixon). Agree with them or not, but do you think we'd never see such articulate men providing political analysis on TV today?
Although I consider myself to be the quintessential New Yorker, I did leave town for four years to go to college. College happened to be in the Gateway City, otherwise known as St. Louis, in that great swing state of Missouri. How interesting then that I should come across another New York City blogger who happens to be from ... St. Louis! Thus I introduce you to the genius behind the Midwesterner's Guide to Living in New York City and ask him to compare and contrast the two cities.
What made you leave St. Louis for New York City?
Pretty long and complicated answer but cutting to the chase I was bored. In fact I can sum up pretty much why I do anything with those three words. Any decision I make in life usually stems from the fact I was bored with whatever I was doing before.
Why did you start your blog? In an all honesty no bullshit answer I wanted to get a blog I had created on Gawker. I know it is probably not cool to admit that but that is the truth, I had no aspirations that someday I would get a book deal or become a famous internet personality. I used to read Dan Murphy (Daily Dump/[redacted]) and Rob the Bouncer's (Club Life) blogs and wanted to have my own little niche like they did. Dan Murphy is an excellent writer and Rob the Bouncer has interesting stories to tell and I did not feel I particularly had either of these qualities. Fortunately I drink a lot and urinate in places I should not, and can make a good Star Wars reference so it only took me three weeks to reach my lofty goal. I considered quitting right then, and probably should have.Are you right at home in NYC or a fish out of water? I think everyone that moves here is a fish out of water for the first 18 months. I think it takes a solid year and a half to finally feel like there is a sense of knowing what you are doing. Then one day things that were once intimidating are not anymore and things that were fascinating are no longer fascinating. It just becomes "The place I live" and it takes a trip somewhere else to realize again what a wonderfully horrible place this is.Let's compare the two cities: I found the pace of life in St. Louis to be a little slower than NYC but I didn't find them to be that radically different. How would you compare them? I think the differences are quite huge. In one city you have to be constantly on guard, trouble will find you if not careful. I mean you can be walking on Broadway and your getting stared down by everyone that passes because they peg you as an outsider and the next thing you know your wallet is gone. Thank God I left all that behind and moved to New York.You're a big sports fan, and both St. Louis and New York are big sports town. Tell us your thoughts about sports and sports fans in both cities. I disagree, I do not think either city is a big sports town. St. Louis loves baseball but too many people are caught up in the hype that we are the "Best Baseball city in America". I mean people are holding up signs at games that say "Baseball Heaven U.S.A.". Give me a fucking break. Have you seen the Cardinals projected lineup for this year? Baseball Heaven? More like Baseball Purgatory.
New York on the other hand is too fair-weather. Too many Jets fans that "also like the Giants." I do know some native New Yorkers that are very loyal to their team but the average guy that lives in New York is not from here originally. These people move here and declare themselves Yankees fans though they could not tell you the difference between Claudell Washington and Kevin Mass. I will give credit to the people that pick the Mets as their new team, at least they are not just jumping on a bandwagon. If it is a bandwagon it is a very sad and poorly crafted bandwagon that breaks down before it ever reaches Oregon
One thing I loved about St. Louis was Ted Drews frozen custard. Are you a fan and do you think it would be a hit in NYC?
Yeah it is OK. I think I was six years old or so the first time I ever had it, of course my Grandfathers hype machine was in overdrive telling me how wonderful this stuff was. By the time I actually tried it I was expecting the equivalent of eating "Le Coeur de la Mer", when in reality it was just ice cream. I am sure it would do fine here, probably better in the summer than in winter. That is my prediction.
Any plans to move back to the Midwest?
No.
Any final thoughts?I want to thank you for asking me to do this. It is an absolute honor to be interviewed by a publication as respected as The Economist.
Well Mr NYc is not quite The Economist but a blogger can dream. Thanks!
Here's one of the more offbeat NYC movies - Martin Scorsese's 1985 film "After Hours." Basically it's about a guy who gets lost in Soho late at night after a date gone awry. It's kinda dated now (in an error of Metrocards and cell phones he wouldn't have the kinds of transportation and communications problems he does) but it's still a fun, quirky flick nonetheless.
This is one of those movies that Scorsese made after "Raging Bull" and before "Goodfellas." He won an award for Best Director at Cannes for it - 21 years before his Oscar.
Here's my favorite NYC DJ Maria Malito on Olbermann.
I used to listen to her at night on KROCK back in high school. She has, no question, the best voice of any DJ in town. You can hear her now on Q104.3.
This has to be seen to be believed.
It is, probably, the cheesiest and most shamelessly manipulative piece of propaganda since "Triumph of the Will".
You watch this thinking it's some kind of great pro-New York City promotional ad - hey, it's got Jerry Seinfeld and the Boy's Choir of Harlem in it after all - but it turns out just to be a plug for the local NBC station. Pitiful.
I remember first seeing this in 1992 during the Summer Olympics. I also remember seeing this next to a promo for "Mad About You". Now there was a show, even more than "Seinfeld", that understood NYC.
... I thought of Gatsby's wonder when he first picked out the green light at the end of Daisy's dock. He had come a long way to this blue lawn, and his dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it. He did not know that it was already behind him, somewhere back in that vast obscurity beyond the city, where the dark fields of the republic rolled on under the night.
Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us.
It eluded us then, but that's no matter - tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms further ... And one fine morning -
So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.
Well, I knew this city was getting safer.Cute little video about the legendary nightclub Studio 54. It's worth watching just to see Andy Warhol on roller skates.
Decadence has never been so classy.
Here's a wonderful, short documentary about the legendary "I Love New York" ad campaign. It really did give this city (and state) a shot of pride during some very dark times.
