Amid Swaths of Greed, Pockets of Benevolence
New Yorkers really are the best -- especially in the toughest of times.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Public Enemy - 911 (Is A Joke)
So one of my loyal readers indicated that the Sugerhill Gang is actually from Jersey (I had read they were from NYC but I guess this was wrong). Anyway, Public Enemy is from Long Island, which is is a little closer -- and this is one of their best songs. Before he starred on dumb reality shows as a wannabe Viking, Flavor Flav was hip-hop trailblazer.
Howard Stern said this was his favorite song of 1988. Can you believe it's over 20 years old?
Monday, March 30, 2009
Steven Bach, RIP
Before Gigli, before Ishtar, before The Postman, before Battlefield Earth, heck even before Howard the Duck, there was Heaven's Gate (1980) -- the biggest movie bomb of all time. It was such a huge flop that it put its studio, United Artists, out of business. And believe or it, the guy who directed it (Michael Cimino) had just won an Oscar for directing The Deer Hunter!
Heaven's Gate wasn't just a failed movie, it was a Hollywood scandal. It was also a story of Hollywood run amok, about how money alone can't create great art.
Steven Bach was one the UA executives who oversaw the production of Heaven's Gate and his 1985 book Final Cut about this fiasco is easily the best book ever written about Hollywood and the movie business. The making of this movie is much more fascinating, entertaining, bizarre, and tragic than the actual movie itself -- and Final Cut tells this story in thrilling, intricate, honest detail. It's a great read and, if you want to understand how the movie business today came to be, it's is a must read. In this era of corporate greed and stupidity and recklessness, the story of Final Cut is, in many ways, more relevant today than ever before.
Steven Bach passed away last week at the age of 70 so this is my little tribute to him. Fortunately, he not only oversaw Heaven's Gate, but also some New York movies including Woody Allen's Annie Hall and Manhattan, and Martin Scorsese's Raging Bull.
Heaven's Gate wasn't just a failed movie, it was a Hollywood scandal. It was also a story of Hollywood run amok, about how money alone can't create great art.
Steven Bach was one the UA executives who oversaw the production of Heaven's Gate and his 1985 book Final Cut about this fiasco is easily the best book ever written about Hollywood and the movie business. The making of this movie is much more fascinating, entertaining, bizarre, and tragic than the actual movie itself -- and Final Cut tells this story in thrilling, intricate, honest detail. It's a great read and, if you want to understand how the movie business today came to be, it's is a must read. In this era of corporate greed and stupidity and recklessness, the story of Final Cut is, in many ways, more relevant today than ever before.
Steven Bach passed away last week at the age of 70 so this is my little tribute to him. Fortunately, he not only oversaw Heaven's Gate, but also some New York movies including Woody Allen's Annie Hall and Manhattan, and Martin Scorsese's Raging Bull.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Still Feeling Groovy at 100: Happy Birthday Queensborough Bridge
Of the three great bridges that connect the outer boroughs to Manhattan -- the Brooklyn, the Queensborough, and the Triboro -- the Queensborough Bridge is probably the overlooked middle child of the three. The Brooklyn Bridge is the one that has books written about it, and documentaries made about it, and the Triboro is probably the most impressive, but the Queensborough is, in my opinion, the coolest of the three.
So what makes the Queensborough so cool? Well, when you cross it, it provides some of the most stunning views of the city skyline you can see. As you go into Manhattan, you see the United Nations, the CitiCorp building, the Bloomberg building, the Chrysler building, and the Empire State Building towering over the city. And when you go into Queens, particularly at night, you see the gigantic signs for the Silvercup Studios and Domino Sugar factory, plus the other big CitiCorp building located in Flushing.
But what makes the Queensborough really cool in my opinion? It's the only bridge to have had both Simon and Garfunkful and F. Scott Fitzgerald write about it! "The 59th Street Bridge Song" is about, in part, the Queensborough Bridge (since you enter it in Manhattan at 59th street), and Fitzgerald sang the bridge's praises in The Great Gatsby when he wrote “The city seen from the Queensboro Bridge is always the city seen for the first time, in its first wild promise of all the mystery and the beauty in the world.” (If you ever see the movie Terms of Endearment, there's a short scene where the Debra Winger character sees Manhattan for the very first time from the Queensborough Bridge and is enchanted.)
Anyway, the Queensborough is turning 100 years old tomorrow and many are debating its pros and cons. As for me, it's pros way outweigh its cons. You're still looking pretty groovy at 100.
And please note, I don't count the Manhattan Bridge as a "great" bridge, just a jolly decent one. Basically, if the Brooklyn and Triboro Bridges are John and Paul, then the Queensborough is George and the Manhattan is Ringo.
So what makes the Queensborough so cool? Well, when you cross it, it provides some of the most stunning views of the city skyline you can see. As you go into Manhattan, you see the United Nations, the CitiCorp building, the Bloomberg building, the Chrysler building, and the Empire State Building towering over the city. And when you go into Queens, particularly at night, you see the gigantic signs for the Silvercup Studios and Domino Sugar factory, plus the other big CitiCorp building located in Flushing.
But what makes the Queensborough really cool in my opinion? It's the only bridge to have had both Simon and Garfunkful and F. Scott Fitzgerald write about it! "The 59th Street Bridge Song" is about, in part, the Queensborough Bridge (since you enter it in Manhattan at 59th street), and Fitzgerald sang the bridge's praises in The Great Gatsby when he wrote “The city seen from the Queensboro Bridge is always the city seen for the first time, in its first wild promise of all the mystery and the beauty in the world.” (If you ever see the movie Terms of Endearment, there's a short scene where the Debra Winger character sees Manhattan for the very first time from the Queensborough Bridge and is enchanted.)
Anyway, the Queensborough is turning 100 years old tomorrow and many are debating its pros and cons. As for me, it's pros way outweigh its cons. You're still looking pretty groovy at 100.
And please note, I don't count the Manhattan Bridge as a "great" bridge, just a jolly decent one. Basically, if the Brooklyn and Triboro Bridges are John and Paul, then the Queensborough is George and the Manhattan is Ringo.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Sugarhill Gang - Rapper's Delight
Rapper's Delight turns 30 this year, and it's generally considered the first big hip-hop song. The Sugarhill Gang, generally considered the Godfathers of rap and hip-hop, were a NYC group and, it's fair to say, rap music originated here.
Hell Nay, We Won’t Pay!
Friday, March 27, 2009
The Big Takeover
The current financial crises is wrecking havoc on American lives and finances. The pain we New Yorkers are feeling is especially acute, as the unemployment rate here clearly show. City Jobless Rate Takes Highest-Ever One-Month Leap
Nasty times. But how did it happen? The worst part about this whole thing is that so many of us, yours truly included, don't understand how this economic/financial crises cum depression came to be! How did this happen? What happened? How is it that no one saw it coming? What's this all about?
Matt Taibbi rides to the rescue. The best reporter working in America today, Tabbi's latest Rolling Stone article The Big Takeover explains exactly how this economic tragedy came to be. As always, the writing is sharp, funny, and dead-on -- and Tabbi actually makes it so that a big dope like me can understand the various machinations, hubris, and just plain ol' stupidity that led to disaster.
This article has been getting a lot of attention lately (Tabbi's been getting interviewed all over the place about it and Don Imus even said it deserves a Pulitzer). Mr NYC has been a huge fan of Matt Taibbi's for a long time and even bumped into him last year (which you can read about here).
Nasty times. But how did it happen? The worst part about this whole thing is that so many of us, yours truly included, don't understand how this economic/financial crises cum depression came to be! How did this happen? What happened? How is it that no one saw it coming? What's this all about?
Matt Taibbi rides to the rescue. The best reporter working in America today, Tabbi's latest Rolling Stone article The Big Takeover explains exactly how this economic tragedy came to be. As always, the writing is sharp, funny, and dead-on -- and Tabbi actually makes it so that a big dope like me can understand the various machinations, hubris, and just plain ol' stupidity that led to disaster.
This article has been getting a lot of attention lately (Tabbi's been getting interviewed all over the place about it and Don Imus even said it deserves a Pulitzer). Mr NYC has been a huge fan of Matt Taibbi's for a long time and even bumped into him last year (which you can read about here).
Mr NYC Turns Two
Happy birfday ... to me!
So this wonderful, brilliant, superbly written blog is two years old today. (As you can see, I'm as modest as ever). Hard to believe it's been that long but time doth fly. No need to send Mr NYC any birthday presents, although a cake would be greatly appreciated. Actually, a bunch of cupcakes, preferably from the Buttercup Bakery on West 72nd street.
Here's a little write-up I did on my first anniversary.
So this wonderful, brilliant, superbly written blog is two years old today. (As you can see, I'm as modest as ever). Hard to believe it's been that long but time doth fly. No need to send Mr NYC any birthday presents, although a cake would be greatly appreciated. Actually, a bunch of cupcakes, preferably from the Buttercup Bakery on West 72nd street.
Here's a little write-up I did on my first anniversary.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
MTA Blues
Well, doomsday is inching just a little bit closer.
M.T.A. Increases Fares and Cuts Services
Unless the state legislature steps up and funnels in about a billion and a half dollars, New York City commuters will get hammered with brutal fare hikes and service cuts starting June 1st. I'm guardedly optimistic that the state senate and assembly will come through on this before then, if for no other reason than it'll be political suicide for them not to do so.
That said, I really, really, really wish the city government ran the MTA and not the state. Our city is far too dependent on Albany, even though it's our tax dollars that basically keep the state float.
NYC needs a DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE from Albany! No more should pesky and creepy state legislators run the greatest cit in the world! Let New Yorkers rule themselves 100%!
M.T.A. Increases Fares and Cuts Services
Unless the state legislature steps up and funnels in about a billion and a half dollars, New York City commuters will get hammered with brutal fare hikes and service cuts starting June 1st. I'm guardedly optimistic that the state senate and assembly will come through on this before then, if for no other reason than it'll be political suicide for them not to do so.
That said, I really, really, really wish the city government ran the MTA and not the state. Our city is far too dependent on Albany, even though it's our tax dollars that basically keep the state float.
NYC needs a DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE from Albany! No more should pesky and creepy state legislators run the greatest cit in the world! Let New Yorkers rule themselves 100%!
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Let's Do the Time Warp ... on Friday and Saturday Nights
Do ya like "The Rocky Horror"? You know ... the "science fiction/double feature picture show?"
Well, you don't have to wait for Halloween to see it on the big screen in NYC! Every Friday and Saturday at midnight, you can catch it at the Chelsea Clearview on West 23rd street.
If you've never been to a "Rocky Horror" screening, it's a hoot. People dress up like the characters, throw rice and shoot water at the screen, and actually act out parts of the movie. I went to a showing once and had a great time (although I didn't dress up). Look at the rules or "etiquette" for audience participation at "Rocky Horror" so you won't go in totally clueless.
Then go forth and do the Time Warp (again)!
Monday, March 23, 2009
Nice Work if You Can Get It
I guess this is the ultimate contraindication of a failing economy: apparently, in our city, business for political consultants is booming -- and it's not all coming from our Mike's pockets.
New York City’s Political Campaigning Industry Defies Downturn
New York City’s Political Campaigning Industry Defies Downturn
Government for profit. Nothing new here. Who said that the times, they are a'changing? Looks like the change is going to political consultants.
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