June 30, 2005
This temporary dwelling incorporates commonly-found urban waste materials (trash bags, newspapers, wrecked umbrellas, etc.) and interestingly has a sign posted above it exhorting people not to let their dogs pee on it. On the doorstep of a seminary building, this sort of mini-shelter causes particular anguish to a religious institution, ever nervous of evicting the man who has build his contraption on God's doorstep. Such encampments have a long tradition in American and English history. Recall William Pitt's famous speech in the House of Lords in 1763: "The poorest man may in his cottage bid defiance to all the forces of the Crown. It may be frail, its roof may shake; the wind may blow through it; the storm may enter; the rain may enter; but the King of England may not enter; all his force dares not cross the threshold of the ruined tenement." Pitt is frequently credited as a major source for the fourth amendment to the United States Constitution.
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Posted on 6/30/2005
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June 30, 2005
With their unique place in New York City history, homeless encampments have been transformed since the days of the Hoovervilles 75 years ago. Most are ephemoral, and lots have wheels, underscoring the temporary and very mobile nature of life on the go. Here one spotted in Union Square Park, replete with various rants against the government.
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Posted on 6/30/2005
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June 28, 2005
Truck crashes into taxi in middle of intersection. Guess who tried to run a red light? Fotoblogger alerts the cop standing around at the corner: "Hmmm, looks like a car crash." Cop looks over and yells to the truck driver: "Get out of the intersection!" No way is the truck driver leaving the scene or doing anything. Cop needs to mull over what to do; getting involved means no more idle time spent standing around doing nothing. Cop walks over: Who's getting fingered with the blame?
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Posted on 6/28/2005
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June 28, 2005
Cop uses more Yankee umpire signals: "You're out!" Trucker has calmed down. Traffic is now completely snarled. Cop again tries to mediate, but he's obviously out of his league. Taximen are rubbernecking, wondering if they should come to the aid of their yellow cab-driving brother.
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Posted on 6/28/2005
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June 28, 2005
Two strrrrretch buses just can't get through a blocked intersection even as wide as 23rd Street. Time to think of a solution on this humid summer morn! Tempers flare! Everyone is angry! Who is to blame? Remember that Bugs Bunny cartoon? "D-uh, which way did he go boss, which way did he go?"
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June 28, 2005
Peeling paint, collapsing old building, East Village institution: all these elements make for a great photo. Whether graffiti-covered doorways or ancient (i.e. more than 20 years old) bars such as Mars, the East Village is one of the most photogenic places in America.
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June 28, 2005
A time-honored tradition: a German tourist feeds a squirrel nuts in Washington Square Park. Also a time-honored tradtion: the fotoblogger snaps a photo of the tourist feeding the rodent.
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June 23, 2005
ride the white horse! This cop is frequently asked by tourists for souvenir photos, probably because white horses are highly unusual in the NYPD's mounted patrol. After some tourists took their picture with them, Fotoblogger asked cop if they gave him a dollar in gratitude. He laughed.
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Posted on 6/23/2005
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June 23, 2005
This bucolic scene from Brooklyn recalls Shakespeare's The Tempest:
Act I. Scene I. On a Ship at Sea. A tempestuous noise of thunder and lightning heard. Enter a Shipmaster and a Boatswain severally.
Mast. Boatswain!
Boats. Here, master: what cheer?
Mast. Good, speak to the mariners: fall to’t yarely, or we run ourselves aground: bestir, bestir.
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Posted on 6/23/2005
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June 23, 2005
Lyin' on the sidewalk like it's Coney Island, minus the boardwalk. "Give us five dollars!" one demanded after Fotoblogger took their picture. Fotoblogger said he'd be right back with the money.
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Posted on 6/23/2005
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June 21, 2005
Afraid of park restructuring? The denizens of Washington Square Park don't want their beloved teensy-eentsy hills to disappear. Like the photo of the Weimaraner? Looks like a William Wegman (WW) photo? On this longest day of the year, Fotoblogger sees WW walking three Weimaraners in front of Q Billiard Lounge on West 18th Street at 9:02 a.m. Fotoblogger sees WW has upper and lower left leg in enormous casts along with knee brace, and yells out, “Holy cow!” and goes over to inquire of WW what happened (ice hockey accident). One Weimaraner sniffs Fotoblogger's crotch, making it third dog in three days to sniff Fotoblogger's black jeans.
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Posted on 6/21/2005
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June 21, 2005
Lying in roadway at 7:20 pm is a man, about 50 feet from the entrance of St. Vincent's hospital emergency room. Does anyone help? Does anyone care? The guy with New Jersey plates gets out of his car briefly--to move the traffic barrier at right so he can drive over the sidewalk and out of the way. Out of sight, out of mind! You might think these pedestrians are calling 911. They aren't. (Not least since two ambulances are parked about 15 feet away from them!) The security guard from the hospital decided after checking the guy out to go inside and get help. Sheer genius, Einstein.
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Posted on 6/21/2005
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June 21, 2005
Walk over the Manhattan Bridge (or take the F to York Street), head towards the East River...and suddenly there it is: the Dorje Ling Tibetan Buddhist monastery, with many Tibetan and Chinese followers, paying a visit on a quiet Sunday afternoon.
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Posted on 6/21/2005
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June 21, 2005
Woman came running up and yelled: "That's my plate!" Fotoblogger was listening to Sonic Youth, took off the headphones, and replied, "What?"
"That's my plate!" Well, photographing these cool mosaics across Astor Place, you have to wonder: where did all these jagged tiles came from? This woman donated her plate, which was nicely chipped into pieces to form part of the mosaic. So fotoblogger insisted he take a photo of her with her "plate".
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Posted on 6/21/2005
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June 19, 2005
The possibilities are endless: Did it fly away? Abducted? Went on vacation to a cracker factory? Parrots can live for decades. Poor Nona! Please contact Nona if you see Nona's parrot. Of course, since the last two digits of the phone number are missing, you potentially would have to make 98 calls before reaching Nona.
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Posted on 6/19/2005
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June 19, 2005
Lots and lots of cold beverages were consumed, this much is for sure.
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Posted on 6/19/2005
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