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  <title xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">Gothamist Monthly Favorites</title>
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    <id xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">1</id>
    <title xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">Oh, Imus:  Don Imus's New Racial Contretemps</title>
    <content xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:default="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" type="xhtml">
      <div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p><img alt="20087_06_imushands.jpg" src="http://gothamist.com/attachments/jen/20087_06_imushands.jpg" width="230" height="177" class="right"/>Don Imus, who was <a href="http://gothamist.com/2007/04/12/imus_implosion.php">fired from his CBS morning radio show</a> after <a href="http://gothamist.com/2007/04/09/imus.php">insulting the Rutgers' women's basketball team</a>, is back in the spotlight today.  </p>

<p>When Warner Wolf was discussing football player Adam "Pacman" Jones desire to drop the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacman_Jones">"Pacman" nickname</a> (because of his many brushes with the law), Imus asks, "What color is he?"  To which his sidekick says, "He's African-American."  Then Imus said, "Well, there you go.  Now we know."  </p>

<p>While <a href="http://www.politico.com/blogs/michaelcalderone/0608/A_new_Imus_controversy.html">some wonder</a> <a href="http://deadspin.com/5018884/don-imus-still-not-being-too-friendly-to-the-black-folk">if this was another racist remark</a> from the curmudgeonly radio personality, Imus <a href="http://tvdecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/06/23/there-he-goes-again-more-racial-comments-from-imus/">told the NY Times</a>, “I meant he was being picked on because he’s black."  Imus added, "that Dick Gregory, a veteran comedian and activist who is black, would be a guest on his show on Tuesday, to discuss the death of George Carlin" and that he'd see what Gregory thought.  The Reverend Al Sharpton <a href="http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/newyork/ny-bc-ny--imus-colorcomment0623jun23,0,6300851.story">said the remarks were</a> "disturbing because it plays into stereotypes."</p>

<p>You can listen to the clip after the jump - if someone knows where a longer clip is, with more of the after-the-remarks discussion, let us know in comments (Imus did specifically hire two black sidekicks).  And when he returned to the airwaves, <a href="http://gothamist.com/2007/12/03/imus_3.php">Imus promised</a>, he would "never say anything in my lifetime that will make any of these young women at Rutgers regret or feel foolish that they accepted my apology and forgave me.”</p>

<center><script type="text/javascript" language="javascript" src="http://s3.polldaddy.com/p/721465.js"/><noscript> <a href="http://answers.polldaddy.com/poll/721465/">Are Imus's remarks controversial?</a>  <br/> <span style="font-size:9px;"> (<a href="http://www.polldaddy.com">  polls</a>)</span></noscript></center><center><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" width="390" height="320" id="Redlasso"><param name="movie" value="http://media.redlasso.com/xdrive/WEB/vidplayer_1b/redlasso_player_b1b_deploy.swf"/><param name="flashvars" value="embedId=5127eb0c-cf73-4b8f-9805-926190b45245"/><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"/><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"/><embed src="http://media.redlasso.com/xdrive/WEB/vidplayer_1b/redlasso_player_b1b_deploy.swf" flashvars="embedId=5127eb0c-cf73-4b8f-9805-926190b45245" width="390" height="320" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowScriptAccess="always" allowFullScreen="true" name="Redlasso"/></object></center></div>
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    <link xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" type="text/html" rel="alternate" href="http://gothamist.com/2008/06/23/oh_imus_don_imuss_new_racial_contre.php"/>
    <author xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">
      <name xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">Jen Chung</name>
    </author>
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    <id xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">2</id>
    <title xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">BREAKING: NBC News' Tim Russert is Dead from Heart Attack</title>
    <content xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" type="html">&lt;p&gt;&lt;img alt="2008_06_russert2.jpg" src="http://gothamist.com/attachments/jen/2008_06_russert2.jpg" width="192" height="282" class="right"/&gt;Reports say that NBC News Washington Bureau Chief and host of Meet the Press &lt;a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Russert"&gt;Tim Russert&lt;/a&gt; has died.  It's believed he had a heart attack.  A source &lt;a href="http://www.nypost.com/seven/06132008/news/nationalnews/tim_russert_dies_from_apparent_heart_att_115384.htm"&gt;told the NY Post&lt;/a&gt; he collapsed in the Washington Bureau. NBC News &lt;a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25145431/"&gt;now confirms Russert's death and says&lt;/a&gt; he was recording voiceovers for Sunday's Meet the Press.  &lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;The NY Times reports that at 3:39 p.m., retired anchor Tom Brokaw &lt;a href="http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/06/13/russert-dies-of-apparent-heart-attack/index.html?hp"&gt;went on the air to announce Russert's death&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;blockquote&gt;“Our beloved colleague,” a grave Mr. Brokaw called him, one of the premier journalists of our time. He said this was one of the most important years in his life, with his deep engagement in the network’s political coverage, and that he “worked to the point of exhaustion.” Mr. Brokaw said Mr. Russert was a true child of Buffalo and always stayed in touch with his blue collar roots and “the ethos of that community.”&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;He said Mr. Russert had just moved his father, who is in his late 80s, from one facility to another in Buffalo. He said he loved his family, his Catholic faith, his country, politics, the Buffalo Bills, the New York Yankees and the Washington Nationals.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;“This news division will not be the same without his strong, clear voice,” Mr. Brokaw said. &lt;/blockquote&gt;Video of Brokaw announcing his death below.  Russert had just returned from a trip to Italy with his family.  His survivors include wife Maureen Orth, a writer for Vanity Fair, and son Luke; they had been celebrating Luke's graduation from Boston College.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;center&gt;&lt;iframe height="339" width="425" src="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22425001/vp/25146085#25146085" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"&gt;&lt;/iframe&gt;&lt;/center&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Russert, who started in politics working for Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan and Governor Mario Cuomo, was hired by NBC in 1984 and became Washington bureau chief in 1988.   He had hosted Meet the Press since 1991, but his insightful political analysis reached even broader audiences during the 2000 election: When it was unclear how the election would turn, Russert used a dry erase board to explain the electoral college count.  His use of a dry erase board was selected by TV Guide and TV Land as &lt;a href="http://www.listosaurusrex.com/2008/01/30/100-most-memorable-tv-moments/"&gt;one of the 100 Most Memorable moments (#68)&lt;/a&gt; back in 2004.  Also in 2004, the Washington Post's Howard Kurtz &lt;a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A37798-2004May18.html"&gt;wrote a feature on him&lt;/a&gt;, "Tim Russert is the quintessential Washington insider, a man with tentacles deep into the political and media worlds, one of the few journalists in a puffed-up, preening profession who really matter."  This year, Time magazine named him &lt;a href="http://www.time.com/time/specials/2007/article/0,28804,1733748_1733752_1735737,00.html"&gt;one of the 100 most influential people&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;NBC News recently &lt;a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/12/arts/television/12netw.html"&gt;revealed ambitious plans for covering the Democratic and Republican conventions&lt;/a&gt;--20 hours of live coverage each day; Russert would have provided coverage and analysis of the vice-presidential and presidential candidates' acceptance speeches.  Here's how Russert &lt;a href="http://theelectoralmap.com/2008/04/04/russert-predicts-the-electoral-map/"&gt;predicted electoral maps for the 2008 election back in April&lt;/a&gt;, looking at possible Obama vs. McCain and Clinton vs. McCain matchups.  &lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Russert, who regularly &lt;a href="http://www.wtop.com/?sid=626367&amp;nid=524"&gt;contributed to radio station WTOP&lt;/a&gt;, had discussed the Obama's campaign's new website to fight myths about Obama this morning (&lt;a href="http://www.wtop.com/emedia/122818.mp3"&gt;MP3&lt;/a&gt;). &lt;/p&gt;</content>
    <link xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" type="text/html" rel="alternate" href="http://gothamist.com/2008/06/13/breaking_nbc_news_tim_russert_is_de.php"/>
    <author xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">
      <name xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">Jen Chung</name>
    </author>
  </entry>
  <entry xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:default="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
    <id xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">3</id>
    <title xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">Smoking, Punching, Cursing Queens Woman Forces Jet Blue Flight Detour</title>
    <content xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:default="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" type="xhtml">
      <div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p><img alt="2008_06_szele.jpg" src="http://gothamist.com/attachments/jen/2008_06_szele.jpg" width="250" height="283" class="left"/>Get this woman a reality TV show! Christina Szele of Woodside, Queens <a href="http://www.wnbc.com/news/16652533/detail.html?dl=headlineclick">created such a disturbance</a> during a Jet Blue flight from JFK airport to San Francisco that pilots diverted the plane and landed in Denver, where federal authorities took her into custody. According to an affidavit <a href="http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2008/0619081smoke1.html">obtained by the Smoking Gun</a>, things started to go sideways after a flight attendant noticed Szele waiting on line for the bathroom with a book of matches and a cigarette, which were promptly seized. </p>

<p>Since smoking in the bathroom was nixed by the uptight flight attendant, the 35-year-old Szele – who sounds like <a href="http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5i13wVm7WblyQwNMPztzDjuJh8yhQ">a perfect match for Sean Penn</a> – simply returned to her seat and “nonchalantly” lit up there. When a second flight attendant, one Paul Whyte, snatched the cigarette from her lips, she flew into a rage, firing off the N word and threatening to kill Whyte, who is black. The attendants subsequently moved her to the front of the plane and flex-cuffed her. </p>

<p>But no plastic handcuffs are strong enough to restrain Christina from Queens – she wriggled free and punched Whyte in the jaw! Attendants successfully restrained her with a second set of flex cuffs, and the flight was then detoured. In her statement to authorities, Szele blames the flight crew for serving her three vodka tonics, and insists she has no recollection of smoking or punching anyone. (The affidavit cites other passengers who confirm the flight crew's accounts.) She faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000 if convicted on charges of interfering with a flight crew and assault. </p>

<p><span class="photo_caption">Mug shot of Szele following a disorderly conduct bust in California last year via <a href="http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2008/0619081smoke1.html">The Smoking Gun</a>.</span> </p></div>
    </content>
    <link xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" type="text/html" rel="alternate" href="http://gothamist.com/2008/06/20/smoking_cursing_punching_queens_wom.php"/>
    <author xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">
      <name xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">John Del Signore</name>
    </author>
  </entry>
  <entry xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:default="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
    <id xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">4</id>
    <title xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">Photographer's Film Forced from Hand on Coney Island</title>
    <content xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:default="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" type="xhtml">
      <div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p><img alt="0608coneyphoto.jpg" src="http://gothamist.com/attachments/arts_jen/0608coneyphoto.jpg" width="350" height="262" class="left"/>The war between photographers and police wages on, with the latest battleground being Coney Island. <a href="http://www.villagevoice.com/news/0824,shoot-first-hand,464895,2.html">The Village Voice</a> reports that Simon Lund, a Manhattan commercial photographer with a habit of hitting Coney 10 to 20 times each summer for personal photographic expeditions, was busted by the NYPD. The thing is, he didn't do anything illegal. </p>

<p>The paper talked to Todd Maisel, vice president of the New York Press Photographers Association and a Daily News photographer, who said "news photogs get into occasional scrapes with police, but most know never to give up their film."</p>

<p>In Lund's case, he was bullied by beach-goers as well! The Voice recounts his saga from Memorial Day when he was out with his wife and a woman accused him of clicking away at her son -- something he was unaware of, but is legal in any case. She had him accompany her to find an officer, and eventually the incident escalated when her family members joined in and shouted at the police until they made him turn over the film. Reportedly one officer told Lund, "You should destroy your film right now, or give it to her. You've got to give up your film, or things are going to get much worse for you." The NYPD declined comment.</p>

<p><a href="http://gothamist.com/2007/12/10/columbia_grad_s.php">Last year a Columbia Grad student</a> was harassed by the cops while working on a subway photography project, something he is suing the NYPD for. The NYCLU has also filed several lawsuits against the NYPD for violating First Amendment rights; their suit also alleges that their Intelligence Division maintains a database of everyone "investigated for photography . . . regardless of the outcome of the investigation." </p>

<p>As for Lund, he plans to file a complaint with the Civilian Complaint Review Board.</p>

<p><span class="photo_caption">Photographer on Coney Island via <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/nycny/1307580291">florence3's flickr</a>.</span></p></div>
    </content>
    <link xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" type="text/html" rel="alternate" href="http://gothamist.com/2008/06/11/coney_island_photog.php"/>
    <author xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">
      <name xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">Jen Carlson</name>
    </author>
  </entry>
  <entry xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:default="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
    <id xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">5</id>
    <title xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">Outrage Over Serbian Student's Alleged Upstate Attack</title>
    <content xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:default="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" type="xhtml">
      <div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p><img alt="2008_06_miladan.jpg" src="http://gothamist.com/attachments/jen/2008_06_miladan.jpg" width="200" height="282" class="right"/>Over the past week, American officials have questioned why a Serbian student at Binghamton University <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_crime/2008/06/24/2008-06-24_serbian_student_in_binghamton_beating_ma.html">was allowed to flee the country</a> while he was charged with beating another student into a coma.  Today, the Serbian Consul General Slobodan Nenedovic <a href="http://www.nypost.com/seven/06292008/news/regionalnews/sorry_in_serb_outrage_117770.htm">tells the Post</a>, "I will think about resigning, absolutely."</p>

<p>On May 4, Miladin Kovacevic (pictured), a basketball player at 6' 9" and 260 pounds, allegedly beat up Bryan Steinhauer (5'6" and 135 pounds), thinking Steinhauer <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_crime/2008/06/27/2008-06-27_binghamton_university_student_at_heart_o.html">groped a friend's girlfriend at a bar</a>.  Though the girlfriend said she wasn't touched, Kovacevic reportedly attacked and Steinhauer, a Brooklyn resident, suffered shattered cheeks and a fractured skull and remains in critical condition. </p>

<p>Serbian vice consul general Igor Milosevic put up $100,000 cash bail (upstate law enforcement says they <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_crime/2008/06/25/2008-06-25_upstaters_thought_100g_bail_was_enough_t.html">thought it was a big amount for upstate</a>)  for Kovacevic in early June, and the 20-year-old fled the country with an emergency passport, since he had already surrendered his regular one.  Senator Charles Schumer <a href="http://www.nypost.com/seven/06252008/news/regionalnews/schumer_plea_on_serbian_extradite_117033.htm">has asked that Kovacevic be extradited</a>, noting the U.S.'s extradition treaty with Serbia and how the "federal law enforcement must now step in and do everything in its power to bring justice to the Steinhauer family as quickly as possible."However, there's confusion about whether Serbian officials want to extradite Kovacevic; consul general Nenecovic said to the Post, "I'm not quite sure if Serbia has an extradition policy, but I am sure that Kovacevic will be faced with prosecution in Serbia."  The Daily News' Michael Daly <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_crime/2008/06/28/2008-06-28_cut_serbia_aid_if_thug_walks_free.html">suggests cutting off Serbian funding</a> if their officials don't send the accused back to face charges upstate.  </p>

<p><a href="http://www.nypost.com/seven/06272008/news/regionalnews/bar_fighter_hiding_out_in_serbia_117461.htm">Kovacevic's parents spoke to the Post</a> and his father said, "We feel he is a victim of small-town values ganging up against a foreigner. He was targeted because he was Serb and a very large man." And a family friend told the Daily News Kovacevic <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_crime/2008/06/28/2008-06-28_fugitive_serb_thugs_a_big_hero_at_home.html">was defending himself</a>.  In the meantime, Steinhauer's mother says her son is "slowing emerging from his coma."</p></div>
    </content>
    <link xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" type="text/html" rel="alternate" href="http://gothamist.com/2008/06/29/outrage_over_serbian_students_upsta.php"/>
    <author xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">
      <name xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">Jen Chung</name>
    </author>
  </entry>
  <entry xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">
    <id xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">6</id>
    <title xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">East Villagers Renew Calls for "Yuppie Scum" to Die</title>
    <content xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" type="html">&lt;p&gt;&lt;img alt="061608eastvillage.JPG" src="http://gothamist.com/attachments/nyc_arts_john/061608eastvillage.JPG" width="300" height="273" class="left"/&gt;A lively, discontented rabble marched through the East Village Friday night, protesting what they see as the neighborhood’s ongoing desiccation, caused by “real estate developers, landlords, yuppie wine bars and Republicans.” Organized by longtime &lt;a href="http://www.villagevoice.com/music/0816,the-east-village-goes-south,411840,22.html"&gt;gadfly John Penley&lt;/a&gt;, the group swelled to approximately 100 protesters, who jeered, sang, read poetry and generally condemned others for enjoying fine wine and luxury apartments.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="http://vanishingnewyork.blogspot.com/2008/06/happy-20th-die-yuppie-scum.html"&gt;Vanishing New York has a thorough account&lt;/a&gt; of the proceedings, which started outside the newish &lt;a href="http://www.bowerywineco.com/"&gt;Bowery Wine Company&lt;/a&gt;, a favorite of the dreaded “Yuppie Scum” and Young Republicans, who previously held a gathering there specifically in response to Penley’s &lt;a href="http://gothamist.com/2008/06/06/bowery_wine_co.php"&gt;dismay at the “right-wing takeover&lt;/a&gt;” of the East Village. After raucously scolding the confused patrons, the group moved over to &lt;a href="http://gothamist.com/2008/04/10/varvatos_boutiq.php"&gt;the John Varvatos store&lt;/a&gt; on Bowery (formerly CBGB) and finally ended up outside Christodora House, across the street from Tompkins Square Park. &lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;In 1988, rioters threw bricks at Christodora House, which was a community center for poor immigrants &lt;a href="http://gothamist.com/2008/06/12/1984.php"&gt;turned into a luxury condo&lt;/a&gt;. Twenty years later, cries of “Die Yuppie Scum” were still deployed, but no bricks, and &lt;a href="http://vanishingnewyork.blogspot.com/2008/06/happy-20th-die-yuppie-scum.html"&gt;Vanishing New York&lt;/a&gt; elegantly describes the scene:&lt;blockquote&gt;[Residents of Christodora] snapped pictures of the protesters and giggled. They chatted about everyday things, and petted each other's tiny dogs. They tossed their wheat-colored hair and laughed, showing their flawless white teeth. Up on their marble steps, they did what the landed gentry have been doing for centuries – they ignored the angry mob as it railed against them.&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/15/nyregion/15protest.html?_r=1&amp;ref=nyregion&amp;oref=slogin"&gt;The Times has more&lt;/a&gt; on the protest, as do &lt;a href="http://neithermorenorless.blogspot.com/2008/06/friday-13th-bowery-wine-co-protest.html "&gt;Neither More Nor Less&lt;/a&gt;, &lt;a href="http://sophiesbar.blogspot.com/2008/06/at-bowery-wine-co-protest-friday-night_14.html"&gt;EV Grieve&lt;/a&gt;, and &lt;a href="http://curbed.com/archives/2008/06/16/die_hard_yuppie_scum_protesters_rock_the_east_village.php"&gt;Curbed&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;span class="photo_caption"&gt;Photo courtesy &lt;a href="http://sophiesbar.blogspot.com/2008/06/at-bowery-wine-co-protest-friday-night_14.html"&gt;EV Grieve&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/span&gt; &lt;/p&gt;</content>
    <link xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" type="text/html" rel="alternate" href="http://gothamist.com/2008/06/16/east_villagers_renew_calls_for_yupp.php"/>
    <author xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">
      <name xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">John Del Signore</name>
    </author>
  </entry>
  <entry xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">
    <id xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">7</id>
    <title xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">Still Legal for Frosty Stores to Have Open Doors</title>
    <content xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" type="html">&lt;p&gt;&lt;img alt="2008_06_acunit.jpg" src="http://gothamist.com/attachments/jen/2008_06_acunit.jpg" width="216" height="174" class="right" /&gt;The NY Times columnist Clyde Haberman is annoyed about &lt;a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/17/nyregion/17nyc.html?ref=nyregion"&gt;shops that keep their air-conditioned stores' doors wide open&lt;/a&gt; and found other New Yorkers who share that gripe.  One downtown resident was told by a Soho clothing store that the open door was "company policy," so the outraged resident called the store's main office, where someone "said they had a ‘green team’ forming."&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Haberman points out that he wrote about this issue two years ago, when oil was at $70/barrel.  It's now at $140/barrel and he counted, on a recent walk during 90-degree weather, a number of stores with open-door policies:&lt;blockquote&gt;Along 34th Street between Fifth Avenue and Avenue of the Americas, 15 stores flooded the sidewalk with their air-conditioning. On a three-block stretch of Broadway in SoHo, from Houston Street to Broome Street, the number was 29. Among the energy wasters were major retailers like Steve Madden, H &amp; M, Foot Locker, Aerosoles, Lane Bryant, Ann Taylor Loft, Arden B., Aldo, Uniqlo, Esprit and Zara.&lt;/blockquote&gt;Last year, City Councilwoman Gale Brewer proposed a bill that would have &lt;a href="http://gothamist.com/2007/02/26/that_open_windo.php"&gt;fined establishments $200 per open door/window&lt;/a&gt; in air conditioned spaces.  But the bill was never passed, because, Haberman writes, "because it lacks support from the Bloomberg administration, which despite its own ample 'green' talk has shown scant interest in telling businesses what to do."  Snap!  And one person suggests closing doors in stores yourself.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Some stores don't seem to care that the stress on Con Ed might &lt;a href="http://www.ny1news.com/ny1/content/index.jsp?stid=8&amp;aid=82539"&gt;prompt a blackout&lt;/a&gt;, though Con Ed recommends air-conditioning be turned to 78 degrees.  And during the cold winter, sometimes &lt;a href="http://gothamist.com/2008/02/26/west_village_re_2.php"&gt;store doors are open when the stores are warm and cozy&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;</content>
    <link xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" type="text/html" rel="alternate" href="http://gothamist.com/2008/06/17/still_legal_for_frosty_stores_to_ha.php"/>
    <author xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">
      <name xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">Jen Chung</name>
    </author>
  </entry>
  <entry xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:default="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
    <id xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">8</id>
    <title xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">Quality of Life Declining in NYC According to Survey</title>
    <content xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:default="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" type="xhtml">
      <div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p><img alt="061108nycqualityoflife.jpg" src="http://gothamist.com/attachments/nyc_arts_john/061108nycqualityoflife.jpg" width="275" height="286" class="left"/>According to a <a href="http://www.mercer.com/referencecontent.jhtml?idContent=1307990">recently released international survey</a>, quality of life in New York City has been slipping compared to other cities around the world. New York ranked 46th in 2006, 48th in 2007 and now 49th. That’s twelve places behind Boston! Washington, D.C., Chicago and Portland are also ranked higher for “quality” living in the survey, which was conducted by a global consulting and investment firm, Mercer. At least we solidly defeated Baghdad, which came in last at in 215th place.</p>

<p>The study surveyed people on “39 quality of living factors” like waste disposal and availability of banking services.  But to paraphrase <em>Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance</em>, how do you really define “quality,” anyway, man? Even Mayor Bloomberg seems to think this whole ranking system is flawed, <a href="http://www.nysun.com/national/city-loses-ground-in-quality-of-life-rankings/79690/">telling reporters yesterday</a> that New York City “is the greatest place to live… <strong>If the standard is, do we have hot weather in the winter, we would lose that. If the standard is, do you have a billion acres per person so you can ride a horse, we will not compete in that case.</strong>”</p>

<p>Zurich, renowned for its hot winters and billion acre horse farms, retained the #1 ranking for the second year in a row. According to the survey, the best quality of life in the U.S. is to be had in Honolulu and San Francisco, which rank 28th and 29th, respectively. </p>

<p><span class="photo_caption">Photo courtesy <a href="http://flickr.com/photos/lauratitian/1133762058/">Laura Titian</a>.</span> </p></div>
    </content>
    <link xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" type="text/html" rel="alternate" href="http://gothamist.com/2008/06/11/quality_of_life_declining_in_nyc_ac.php"/>
    <author xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">
      <name xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">John Del Signore</name>
    </author>
  </entry>
  <entry xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">
    <id xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">9</id>
    <title xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">Keeping Gramercy Park Clean, Quiet and Empty</title>
    <content xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" type="html">&lt;p&gt;&lt;img alt="061908gramercy.jpg" src="http://gothamist.com/attachments/nyc_arts_john/061908gramercy.jpg" width="630" height="453" /&gt;&lt;span class="photo_caption"&gt;Photo courtesy &lt;a href="http://flickr.com/photos/newyorkdailyhoto"&gt;New York Daily Photo&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/span&gt; &lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/19/nyregion/19gramercy.html?pagewanted=1&amp;_r=2&amp;partner=rssnyt&amp;emc=rss&amp;adxnnlx=1213872207-0d97gka3Dep564wb74yHiw"&gt;Meet Arlene Harrison&lt;/a&gt;, the self-described “Mayor of Gramercy Park.” She’s the one to talk to if undesirables are spotted infiltrating the private oasis, which requires a key for entry &lt;em&gt;and&lt;/em&gt; exit, as two women recently discovered when a maintenance worker ejected them during their Saturday picnic. How did he know they were not quite the right material? They were probably breaking the rules by &lt;em&gt;enjoying&lt;/em&gt; the park.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Harrison, who runs the &lt;a href="http://gramercyparkblockassociation.org"&gt;Gramercy Park Block Association&lt;/a&gt;, would never enter it for such crass purposes. &lt;a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/19/nyregion/19gramercy.html?pagewanted=1&amp;_r=2&amp;partner=rssnyt&amp;emc=rss&amp;adxnnlx=1213872207-0d97gka3Dep564wb74yHiw"&gt;The Times&lt;/a&gt; spent a snobby day with her as she made her daily 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. rounds to confer with the supers and property owners who hold coveted keys to Manhattan’s only private park. She explains that she rejected a proposed playground because it's "&lt;strong&gt;too much wear and tear. The children who grow up here learn to use their imagination.&lt;/strong&gt;" And the park should be used (enjoyed?) as little as possible because it “was always an ornamental park...like a hotel room with a view of the ocean.”  &lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Besides outlawing Frisbees, soccer balls, and other imagination-impeding devices, &lt;a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/19/nyregion/19gramercy.html?pagewanted=1&amp;_r=2&amp;partner=rssnyt&amp;emc=rss&amp;adxnnlx=1213872207-0d97gka3Dep564wb74yHiw"&gt;the profile goes on&lt;/a&gt; to detail a bitter feud between Harrison and the president of the &lt;a href="http://www.nationalartsclub.org/"&gt;National Arts Club&lt;/a&gt;, whose “populist agitations” would turn the fastidiously manicured park into a place for parties and dancing. Not on Harrison’s watch – she started the block association in 1994 after her son was violently mugged in front of her building. Which speaks volumes about her crusade to impose a bit of flawless order on an always unpredictable city. &lt;/p&gt;</content>
    <link xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" type="text/html" rel="alternate" href="http://gothamist.com/2008/06/19/keeping_gramercy_park_clean_safe_an.php"/>
    <author xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">
      <name xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">John Del Signore</name>
    </author>
  </entry>
  <entry xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">
    <id xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">10</id>
    <title xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">The Waterfalls are Here!</title>
    <content xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" type="html">&lt;center&gt;&lt;object width="640" height="483"&gt;	&lt;param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /&gt;	&lt;param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /&gt;	&lt;param name="movie" value="http://www.vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=1236816&amp;amp;server=www.vimeo.com&amp;amp;show_title=0&amp;amp;show_byline=0&amp;amp;show_portrait=0&amp;amp;color=00adef&amp;amp;fullscreen=1" /&gt;	&lt;embed src="http://www.vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=1236816&amp;amp;server=www.vimeo.com&amp;amp;show_title=0&amp;amp;show_byline=0&amp;amp;show_portrait=0&amp;amp;color=00adef&amp;amp;fullscreen=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="640" height="483"&gt;&lt;/embed&gt;&lt;/object&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.vimeo.com/1236816?pg=embed&amp;sec=1236816"&gt;Brooklyn Bridge Waterfall&lt;/a&gt; from &lt;a href="http://www.vimeo.com/jakedobkin?pg=embed&amp;sec=1236816"&gt;jakedobkin&lt;/a&gt; on &lt;a href="http://vimeo.com?pg=embed&amp;sec=1236816"&gt;Vimeo&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/center&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Olafur Eliasson's &lt;a href="http://gothamist.com/2008/06/25/its_waterfalls_eve.php"&gt;hyper-anticipated Waterfalls&lt;/a&gt; began flowing this morning at 7am, under a dreary, overcast sky.   They'll be from 7am to 10pm every day until October 13th, except on Tuesdays and Thursdays, when they'll be turned on at 9am.   For a list of good viewing spots, &lt;a href="http://gothamist.com/2008/06/25/where_to_see_the_waterfalls_tomorro.php"&gt;click here&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;We'll be reporting live on the falls throughout the day.  In the early afternoon, we'll have photos from the first press boat tour, and at night, we'll add pictures of the waterfalls all lit up with pretty lights.  Stay tuned-- and send your pictures and videos to tips (at) gothamist (dot) com. &lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Related:  Brownstoner was also out &lt;a href="http://www.brownstoner.com/brownstoner/archives/2008/06/the_waterfalls.php"&gt;early this morning&lt;/a&gt; and got some pictures of the Waterfalls and the &lt;a href="http://www.brownstoner.com/brownstoner/archives/2008/06/popup_park_pops.php"&gt;new pop-up park next to Fulton Landing&lt;/a&gt;-- another nice place to see the Falls. Here's another video-- this one of the Pier 35 Waterfall, from Gothamist reader gmannn:&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;object width="425" height="344"&gt;&lt;param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ENbDLMRywLI&amp;hl=en"&gt;&lt;/param&gt;&lt;embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ENbDLMRywLI&amp;hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="344"&gt;&lt;/embed&gt;&lt;/object&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</content>
    <link xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" type="text/html" rel="alternate" href="http://gothamist.com/2008/06/26/the_waterfalls_are_here.php"/>
    <author xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">
      <name xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">Jake Dobkin</name>
    </author>
  </entry>
  <entry xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:default="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
    <id xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">11</id>
    <title xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">Horrifying Details Recounted as Hamilton Heights Rape Trial Begins</title>
    <content xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:default="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" type="xhtml">
      <div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p><img alt="2008_06_hhrape.jpg" src="http://gothamist.com/attachments/jen/2008_06_hhrape.jpg" width="320" height="229" class="right"/>In April 2007, a Columbia graduate student was <a href="http://gothamist.com/2007/04/16/police_still_se.php">raped and tortured for 19 hours</a> in her Hamilton Terrace apartment.  More than a year later, her suspected rapist is now in court, facing 71 criminal charges including attempted murder, arson, rape and sodomy. </p>

<p>Assistant District Attorney Ann Prunty describe the harrowing ordeal in her opening statement.  From <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/06/nyregion/06rape.html?ref=nyregion">the NY Times</a>:<blockquote>Over many torturous hours, [the victim] had been repeatedly raped, sodomized and forced to perform oral sex, a prosecutor told a jury on Thursday. The accused, Robert A. Williams, 31, had doused the woman’s face and body with boiling water and bleach, forced her to swallow handfuls of pills and to chase them with beer, sealed her mouth with glue, and bound her wrists and legs with shoelaces, cords and duct tape, said the prosecutor, Ann P. Prunty. And now, Ms. Prunty said, he was asking the woman to gouge out her own eyes with a pair of scissors.</blockquote>Williams allegedly wanted her to blind herself, so she <a href="http://www.nypost.com/seven/06062008/news/regionalnews/evil__survival_114217.htm">would not be able to identify him</a>.  The victim ended up trying to stab her neck, and Williams allegedly continued his abuse, using a butcher knife, to, <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_crime/2008/06/05/2008-06-05_unspeakable_horrors_as_trial_opens_in_to.html">as Prunty said</a>, "<strong>slice into her face and eyelids, carving and disfiguring her face</strong>."  The victim passed out from the pills and awoke to find her futon on fire--her attacker meant to kill her, but she managed to burn through the ties of her bound hands and <a href="http://gothamist.com/2007/04/15/woman_raped_and.php">escape to find help</a>.</p>

<p>Police <a href="http://gothamist.com/2007/04/19/police_id_hamil.php">conducted a manhunt to find Williams</a>, 31, who has a criminal history including attempted murder (twice) and assault.  He was <a href="http://gothamist.com/2007/04/21/queens_resident.php">found a week later</a> when he tried to break into a Queens apartment; residents there stopped him and called the police.  One said, "If we had known he was a rapist, he wouldn't have made it off this block."</p>

<p>Police have previously said they have DNA evidence linked Williams to the rape, but his defense attorney has previously said he was argue <a href="http://columbiaspectator.com/node/55172">his client is mentally ill</a> (though psychological exams found Williams fit for trial). The victim is expected to testify today and the trial will continue throughout next week.  </p></div>
    </content>
    <link xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" type="text/html" rel="alternate" href="http://gothamist.com/2008/06/06/horrifying_deta.php"/>
    <author xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">
      <name xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">Jen Chung</name>
    </author>
  </entry>
  <entry xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:default="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
    <id xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">12</id>
    <title xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">Misleading by Example: Cops Love Bike Lane Parking</title>
    <content xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:default="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" type="xhtml">
      <div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p><img alt="061208copbikeblock.jpg" src="http://gothamist.com/attachments/nyc_arts_john/061208copbikeblock.jpg" width="640" height="314"/><span class="photo_caption">Photo courtesy <a href="http://www.clintonhillblog.com/?p=1685">Clinton Hill Blog</a>.</span> </p>

<p>It’s a common complaint from cyclists that the NYPD doesn’t seem too interested in ticketing the myriad drivers who use the city’s bike lanes as a double-parking lot. (<a href="http://nyc.mybikelane.com/">My Bike Lane</a> is dedicated to the phenomenon.) And it’s not uncommon to see a cop car idling in a bike lane while the officer does a little shopping. But this is getting ridiculous: A <a href="http://www.clintonhillblog.com/?p=1685">Clinton Hill blog</a> reader reports that the NYPD has been parking what looks to be a fleet of squad cars in a <a href="http://www.transalt.org/files/resources/blueprint/chapter4/chapter4b.html">"Class II" bike lane</a> on DeKalb Avenue near Classon Avenue in Brooklyn.<blockquote>This intersection has already become a traffic nightmare, and now cyclists have to divert out into traffic that’s already dangerous.  Surely there must be a better way to arrange this.  With a huge increase in neighborhood traffic (especially on Sundays with the Flea), this isn’t cool.</blockquote>Maybe it’s just a police checkpoint to make sure cyclists have the legally required bell, light and reflectors? Or perhaps the city needs <a href="http://www.streetsblog.org/2008/05/15/eyes-on-the-street-fresh-paint-on-prince/">to paint it a vibrant green</a>, like some other bike lanes, to better catch the officers’ eyes? There must be a logical explanation, because one would hate to think the NYPD <a href="http://gothamist.com/2008/05/31/sharpton_joins.php">harbors any ill will toward cyclists</a>!</p></div>
    </content>
    <link xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" type="text/html" rel="alternate" href="http://gothamist.com/2008/06/12/leading_by_example_cops_love_bike_l.php"/>
    <author xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">
      <name xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">John Del Signore</name>
    </author>
  </entry>
  <entry xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:default="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
    <id xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">13</id>
    <title xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">Enjoy the Gay Pride Parade, But Be Alert, Too</title>
    <content xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:default="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" type="xhtml">
      <div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
        <p><img alt="2008_06_gayprideflag.jpg" src="http://gothamist.com/attachments/jen/2008_06_gayprideflag.jpg" width="95" height="97" class="right"/>Gay Pride Week is coming to a close with today's <a href="http://gothamist.com/2008/06/27/gay_pride.php">Gay Pride March along Fifth Avenue</a> and a number of other events.  But while you celebrate, please remain vigilant also, because a reader tells us he was attacked on the 2/3 from Christopher Street late yesterday afternoon, after volunteering at a pride event:<blockquote> "The guy kept asking us to move because he didn't like us and that we made him sick. There was no place else for us to go. He started hitting me and then his girlfriend started clawing me with her nails...<strong>I took a cab to St. Vincents, filed a police report and got two black eyes, 7 stitches, multiple chipped teeth, broken glasses.</strong>"</blockquote>He suggests people be careful, perhaps travel in groups on the subway, because he doesn't think the police caught his attackers yet.  </p>
      </div>
    </content>
    <link xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" type="text/html" rel="alternate" href="http://gothamist.com/2008/06/29/enjoy_gay_pride_parade_and_other_ev.php"/>
    <author xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">
      <name xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">Jen Chung</name>
    </author>
  </entry>
  <entry xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">
    <id xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">14</id>
    <title xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">Barack's Bike Fashion Works for Tim Gunn</title>
    <content xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" type="html">&lt;p&gt;&lt;img alt="2008_06_barackbike.jpg" src="http://gothamist.com/attachments/jen/2008_06_barackbike.jpg" width="599" height="449" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Democratic presidential contender Barack Obama's &lt;a href="http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5isOFwdbq0tsqatW6vJpkDRTI1gMgD9162UB80"&gt;weekend bicycle ride&lt;/a&gt; is still being parsed.  To some, his bicycle seat &lt;a href="http://blogs.chicagotribune.com/news_columnists_ezorn/2008/06/obama-dares-to.html"&gt;seems too low&lt;/a&gt;.  To others, his &lt;a href="http://blog.oregonlive.com/mapesonpolitics/2008/06/obama_sewing_up_the_portland_b.html"&gt;tires seem flat&lt;/a&gt;. And to many, his outfit just seemed like a way to look dorky, &lt;a href="http://mediamatters.org/items/200806100003?f=h_latest"&gt;maybe because he's so cool&lt;/a&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Commenters on the Huffington Post wondered why he &lt;a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/06/09/obama-celebrates-win-by-r_n_106010.html"&gt;was biking in jeans&lt;/a&gt;.  The Chicago Tribune's &lt;a href="http://blogs.chicagotribune.com/news_columnists_ezorn/2008/06/obama-dares-to.html"&gt;Eric Zorn noted&lt;/a&gt; that "politicians are now best advised to avoid helmets of any sort" (flashback: Michael Dukakis in the tank). Newsweek &lt;a href="http://www.blog.newsweek.com/blogs/stumper/archive/2008/06/10/obama-s-geeky-get-up-bad-fashion-good-politics.aspx"&gt;recalled Seinfeld&lt;/a&gt; (burn!).  And the Daily News &lt;a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2008/06/09/2008-06-09_barack_obama_gets_poor_fashion_marks_aft.html"&gt;has feedback&lt;/a&gt; from two NYC style mavens.  Barneys creative director Simon Doonan said, "I like seeing my politicians in goofy weekend attire. It means they're thinking about more important stuff."&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Tim Gunn also praised Obama, telling the News, "&lt;strong&gt;I am grateful that he is not wearing sweats. I am grateful that he is wearing athletic shoes and not Crocs, and I am grateful he is wearing a collar.  &lt;/strong&gt;For a weekend out with the kids, I think he looks great. I give him a B-plus."  Ha!  &lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Michelle Obama's fashion sense has been examined in recent days--the &lt;a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/05/AR2008060502012.html"&gt;Washington Post's Robin Ghivan said&lt;/a&gt; she "brings strength" to her Jackie O.-style dress last Tuesday while the NY Times' Guy Trebay also &lt;a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/08/fashion/08michelle.html?_r=1&amp;ref=fashion&amp;oref=slogin"&gt;noted her style parallels Barbara Bush's&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;</content>
    <link xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" type="text/html" rel="alternate" href="http://gothamist.com/2008/06/10/baracks_bike_fashion_works_for_tim.php"/>
    <author xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">
      <name xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">Jen Chung</name>
    </author>
  </entry>
  <entry xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:default="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
    <id xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">15</id>
    <title xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">N-Word Shirt a No-Go For Long Island 2nd Grader</title>
    <content xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:default="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" type="xhtml">
      <div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p><img alt="2008_06_nwordshirt.jpg" src="http://gothamist.com/attachments/jen/2008_06_nwordshirt.jpg" width="300" height="242" class="left"/>When 8-year-old Jaiden Haber appeared at her Amityville elementary school wearing a pink shirt reading "N the 'N-word'! It's Time!", <a href="http://www.newsday.com/news/local/longisland/ny-lishir0626,0,6367532.story">Newsday reports</a> she was sent to the principal's office and asked to change her shirt.  Now, her mother and school officials disagree about whether or not an 8-year-old and her shirt should be what prompts dialogue on race.</p>

<p>The ACLU says students should be allowed to wear whatever they want (like that <a href="http://gothamist.com/2008/05/19/confederate_fla.php">Staten Island kid who wore a confederate flag shirt</a>), but the Amityville's district superintendent John Williams said, "To send a little white girl wearing this shirt into a very diverse district that is almost 90 percent nonwhite was not the way to address this word. It's a lightning rod."</p>

<p>Jaiden herself said, "My mom picked it out. She thought it would look nice on me. I don't know why they made me take it off." And her mother Karen Haber told Newsday, "I never expected it to be blown up like this. <strong>But innocently enough, Jaiden's made an impact on society -- maybe even history.</strong>" However, Jaiden <a href="http://www.news12.com/LI/topstories/article?id=213515">has also said she doesn't know what the N-word is</a>, only that it's a bad word she shouldn't say (her mom says she wanted to keep Jaiden "innocent.")</p></div>
    </content>
    <link xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" type="text/html" rel="alternate" href="http://gothamist.com/2008/06/27/nword_shirt_a_nogo_for_2nd_grader.php"/>
    <author xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">
      <name xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">Jen Chung</name>
    </author>
  </entry>
  <entry xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">
    <id xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">16</id>
    <title xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">Shocking Video Shows Brooklyn Hospital's Neglect as Patient Dies in Emergency Room</title>
    <content xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" type="html">&lt;p&gt;&lt;img alt="2008_06_hospnegl.jpg" src="http://gothamist.com/attachments/jen/2008_06_hospnegl.jpg" width="600" height="398" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;A distressing video was released &lt;a href="http://www.wnbc.com/news/16753770/detail.html?dl=mainclick"&gt;showing a 49-year-old psychiatric patient left to die in the waiting room&lt;/a&gt; of Kings County Hospital.  The video shows the woman, identified as Esmin Green, slump and fall to the ground--and two guards and a doctor look in and ignore her.  Finally, a nurse comes to check on her, but not before kicking Green, who was dead at that point.  &lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Attorney Robert Cohen told WNBC, "It's an emergency room, it's not a bus terminal. People who are in desperate need of services, care and attention come here to be treated and to get better. They don't come here to die alone."  And the &lt;a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/brooklyn/2008/06/30/2008-06-30_hospital_video_shows_no_one_helped_dying.html"&gt;NYCLU's Donna Lieberman said&lt;/a&gt;, "Thank God for the videotape because no one would have believed this could have happened."&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;You can watch the video after the jump, but here's how it breaks down, &lt;a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/brooklyn/2008/06/30/2008-06-30_hospital_video_shows_no_one_helped_dying.html"&gt;per the Daily News&lt;/a&gt;:&lt;blockquote&gt;Green, 49, taken to the unit for "agitation," keels over out of her chair at 5:32a.m., according to the time stamp on the video. She had been sitting about 3feet from an observation window. Two other patients were in the room.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Green is lying facedown on the floor, her legs splayed, when a security guard strolls by at 5:53 a.m., looks at her for about 20 seconds and then walks away.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;She is writhing on the floor, thrashing her legs, about 6 a.m., when her medical chart contends she was "awake, up and about, went to the bathroom."&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Green rolls on her back at 6:04a.m. She stops moving at 6:08 a.m., but two minutes later a security guard pushed his chair into camera view.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;He never gets out of the chair, but looks at Green and scoots away. A female patient who was in and out of the room finally brings a clinic staffer to check the woman and a crash cart is summoned. &lt;/blockquote&gt;Green died on the morning of June 19--she had been &lt;a href="http://www.nypost.com/seven/07012008/news/regionalnews/patient_ignored_to_death_117964.htm"&gt;brought to the ER almost 24 hours earlier&lt;/a&gt;.   The guards and nurse have been suspended, and the doctor was fired.  &lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Kings County, called "chamber of filth, decay, indifference and danger" in a previous lawsuit, is currently being investigated after other charges of neglect and abuse.  And the hospital may have faked their reports about Green, saying Green was okay in order to cover up the death. The NYC Health and Hospitals Corp. said, "We are shocked and distressed by this situation"Today show segment about the video:&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;center&gt;&lt;iframe height="339" width="425" src="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22425001/vp/25472162#25472162" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"&gt;&lt;/iframe&gt;&lt;/center&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Raw video:&lt;br /&gt;
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	&gt;&lt;/embed&gt;&lt;/object&gt;&lt;/center&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</content>
    <link xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" type="text/html" rel="alternate" href="http://gothamist.com/2008/07/01/shocking_video_shows_brooklyn_hospi.php"/>
    <author xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">
      <name xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">Jen Chung</name>
    </author>
  </entry>
  <entry xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">
    <id xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">17</id>
    <title xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">Help Wanted: Gothamist LLC Sales Account Executive</title>
    <content xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" type="html">&lt;p&gt;&lt;img alt="2008_06_help.jpg" src="http://gothamist.com/attachments/jen/2008_06_help.jpg" width="243" height="186" class="right" /&gt;Would you like to join the team here at Gothamist?   We're looking to hire a full-time Account Executive, based in our offices, to help manage our advertising sales.  Here's the job description:&lt;blockquote&gt;Gothamist LLC, the leading network of local blogs, is looking for a full-time Account Executive to develop and expand its client base of advertisers. More about us: &lt;a href="http://www.gothamistllc.com"&gt;www.gothamistllc.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;The Account Executive will be responsible for sales across our network of sites. The position is located at our New York office, and the candidate will report directly to our Publisher. If you've been working in interactive ad sales and are ready to graduate to a position with more growth potential in an entrepreneurial environment, read on.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Requirements:&lt;br /&gt;
- At least three years of interactive sales experience in New York City.&lt;br /&gt;
- Strong relationships in several industry verticals, particularly alcohol/spirits and arts &amp; entertainment.&lt;br /&gt;
- Excellent communication and presentation skills&lt;br /&gt;
- Ability to develop new leads and nurture existing relationships&lt;br /&gt;
- Strong analytical skills and organizational skills.&lt;br /&gt;
- Experience putting together added-value/outside-the-box sponsorship and partnership campaigns.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Salary: competitive base salary, benefits, and generous commission based on percentage of sales.&lt;/blockquote&gt;If you are interested send a resume and very short cover letter to info (at) gothamist (d0t) com.  And if you're not interested, but know someone who might be a good fit, please pass this posting on-- we're beginning to interview people next week.  Many thanks!&lt;/p&gt;</content>
    <link xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" type="text/html" rel="alternate" href="http://gothamist.com/2008/06/25/help_wanted_got.php"/>
    <author xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">
      <name xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">Jake Dobkin</name>
    </author>
  </entry>
  <entry xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">
    <id xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">18</id>
    <title xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">Florent Morellet, Restaurateur </title>
    <content xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" type="html">&lt;p&gt;&lt;img alt="062508florent.jpg" src="http://gothamist.com/attachments/nyc_arts_john/062508florent.jpg" width="300" height="340" class="right"/&gt;&lt;em&gt;Back in 1985, when the meatpacking district nightlife was all about gay clubs like the Manhole and, &lt;a href="http://approvalmatrix.com/restaurants/features/47227/index.html"&gt;as John Waters puts it&lt;/a&gt;, not getting mugged after a night of “watching men pay good money to get pissed on,” Frenchman Florent Morellet opened a bistro in an old greasy spoon called the R&amp;L. Open 24/7, the place soon became a magnet for all sorts of soulful misfits drawn by the open-minded spirit cultivated by Florent himself. As the neighborhood grew increasingly obnoxious over the past decade, &lt;a href="http://www.restaurantflorent.com"&gt;Florent&lt;/a&gt; became even more treasured as a sanctuary amidst what restaurant critic Frank Bruni called the “soul-crushing urban theme park” that is the meatpacking district. With the landlord now seeking $35,000 in monthly rent (up from the current $6,180), Florent will close Sunday, and one imagines the perimeter will be surrounded at once by velvet ropes. Or will it? When we spoke with Morellet earlier in the week he seemed guardedly optimistic.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;In previous interviews, you’ve seemed unfazed by the loss of your restaurant. As the closing draws near, are you getting more emotional?&lt;/strong&gt; No. [Laughs.] I’m getting more and more excited about the next stage of my life. Totally.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So you don’t feel any sadness about saying goodbye to this place, which you’ve given so much of yourself to?&lt;/strong&gt; I think at the moment there’s so much to think about and so much to do in these last weeks that there will be a good deal of sadness right after. It will be at the stage when – you know, when somebody you love has just died you’re very, very busy with all the things you have to take care of so you don’t have time to deal with the sadness. But it comes back to hit you right when all the events are over and people paying their respects are gone. There will be time to be sad, but not at the moment.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Why do you think Florent has such a big place in so many people’s hearts?&lt;/strong&gt; It was a home. The staff and I created more than a place to eat; we were a home, a place with political ideas, cultural ideas, graphic ideas. And it was a place where people felt comfortable – all kinds of people. I’ve received so much mail and the one piece of mail I like the most I’ll read to you: “Dear Mr. Morellet, I am an Upper East Side Republican vegetarian who had no business enjoying Florent. And yet for years it has been my happy place. Your restaurant always felt like home, oddly enough.” She goes on, but the beginning is so beautiful! I was a home for vegetarian Republicans and it’s quite great, what can I say? I think it was the restaurant of its time for the neighborhood and now the time is changing and the neighborhood has changed.&lt;strong&gt;Now where do you suggest people go now when it’s 3 a.m. and they need to decompress?&lt;/strong&gt; I have no idea! One of the good things about leaving the restaurant is that my boyfriend is currently the only one who is knowledgeable about other restaurants. I’ve hardly every eaten anywhere besides my own restaurant for 23 years, because when I’m off I’m cooking for myself at my lake house in Northern Jersey. &lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;img alt="062508florentext.jpg" src="http://gothamist.com/attachments/nyc_arts_john/062508florentext.jpg" width="300" height="225" class="left"/&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Have you heard anything about who the new tenant will be?&lt;/strong&gt; [Long pause.] Something interesting is going on. I can’t tell you. &lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What would you like to see in the space if it can’t be Florent? What kind of place?&lt;/strong&gt; [Long pause.] Um … I think what looks like what is happening, which would be a little bit like a soap opera, is what would please me the most. But I can’t tell you yet. [Laughs.] How about that? What looks like what is about to happen would touch me the most.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So it’s not going to be a Bank of America? &lt;/strong&gt;Exactly. That’s the latest that I know. But I can’t say anything more about this.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What’s the situation with the gas?&lt;/strong&gt; They came and closed the gas so my plumber could so some work. Now the work is done but it’s a bureaucratic snafu.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
Will it be turned on before Florent closes? &lt;/strong&gt;I hope so. The plumber is working on it but Con Ed is a little bit like old Russia sometimes.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
You’ve been selling a lot of the decorations inside.&lt;/strong&gt; That’s to raise money for the staff, so they have money to move on. I thought it would be a great thing to do and it allows people to have some memorabilia and some fun.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
Any idea how much you’ve raised so far? &lt;/strong&gt;There’s an auction that ends today. Dorothy Lichtenstein bought one thing for $25,000, which was wonderful. I think we have another $20,000 so, yeah, we have $45,000.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;There are rumors about reopening a new version of Florent &lt;a href="http://nymag.com/daily/food/2008/05/will_the_whitney_give_florent.html"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;in the new Whitney&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; planned for the High Line. &lt;/strong&gt;That’s wishful thinking from [Whitney director] Adam Weinberg. At the moment I definitely don’t want to run a restaurant. But I’m interested in licensing and if people want to license Florent in other places like Miami or Vegas or whatever I’d love to take the concept forward and be involved with the design. But I don’t want the nuts and bolts of running a restaurant anymore. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
So what do you have planned after this weekend when it’s all over? &lt;/strong&gt;Well, my boyfriend Peter Cameron is a novelist and I’m going with him to Italy; he’s invited to Milan and we’re going to visit my niece in Tuscany. Also, I have a literary agent and I’m hoping we’re going to get a book deal about the history of the restaurant. That would be great and would keep me busy.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;And you plan to stay in New York City?&lt;/strong&gt; Oh yeah. I’m American. I’ve been American for 22 years; I was actually born American. I would say I was a geographical accident.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Some people say the closing of Florent is emblematic of New York losing its character. Do you think that’s true?&lt;/strong&gt; New York’s character is always changing; that’s the nature of the beast. A city like Paris is not changing very much; it’s a bit of a problem for me. The New York I came to in the late ‘70s was a very depressed New York. And it was a city that lost a million people and had, I don’t know, over 2,000 murders per year. And every summer night I could see buildings burning from where I lived on the Lower East Side. It was pretty hard. I find that people romanticize their memories of what a place was when they were in their twenties. &lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;There was a point when it was more pleasant in the ‘80s than in the early ‘90s and there was a point in the early ‘90s when it was a real nightmare; there were pretty much no more clubs and there was a point where people were not coming to Florent and one year we lost money. We used to leave the restaurant in groups of three because we were mugged all the time. But people forget; they were young and everything is possible when you’re young. People ask me if I like the neighborhood now and I don’t particularly like it, but there were times when I liked it less than I do now. It’s not linear; it didn’t start being this fabulous thing that kept getting worse. It’s not simple. &lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;span class="photo_caption"&gt;Photo of Florent Morellet courtesy Patrik Rytikangas.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</content>
    <link xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" type="text/html" rel="alternate" href="http://gothamist.com/2008/06/25/florent_morellet_restaurateur_1.php"/>
    <author xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">
      <name xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">John Del Signore</name>
    </author>
  </entry>
  <entry xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:default="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
    <id xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">19</id>
    <title xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">Ben Gibbard, Death Cab for Cutie</title>
    <content xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:default="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" type="xhtml">
      <div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p><img alt="0806gibbard.jpg" src="http://gothamist.com/attachments/arts_jen/0806gibbard.jpg" width="236" height="350" class="left"/><em><a href="http://www.myspace.com/deathcabforcutie">Death Cab for Cutie</a> hit the scene before most of the well-known music blogs even registered a URL -- and even though they've made the major label jump (moving from Barsuk to Atlantic in 2004), become prime time sweethearts (with their music soundtracking shows like The OC) -- they've maintained their indie cred. On May 13th they released their second album on Atlantic, their seventh in total, called Narrow Stairs, and tomorrow night they play a sold out show at McCarren Park Pool. Last week Ben Gibbard talked to us about the new album, the old days, and a questionable recipe for peanut butter veggie sausage toast.</em> </p>

<p><strong>How does <em>Narrow Stairs</em> differ from your previous work?</strong> I think it's far more loud and more raw than the last handful of records. I think there are some things on it that are certainly more reminiscent production-wise of some of the older albums, given the fact we did it on 2-inch tape and did a lot of it live, and there are a lot more guitar tunes on it this time. I'm really proud of it, I think it turned out well.</p>

<p><strong>What motivated the choice to record it that way, on the 2-inch tape?</strong> While we didn't want to admit it to ourselves at the time, I think the nerves were running a little bit active, given the switch to Atlantic and trying to anticipate everyone's moves. I think we just kind of, between records, all of us independently decided this is something we wanted to do, and it would make for a lot more inspired record and would certainly be more fun to make.</p>

<p><strong>So do you feel like this album establishes your harmonious relationship with Atlantic? Have you settled in?</strong> I don't think we had a bad relationship to begin with, but after seven years of dealing with a label that was four people and a desk in Seattle, Washington...I think whenever you start a new relationship you have to learn to communicate with those people and you have to suss out their motivations and you have to learn how to dance around each other to get what you want, and vice versa. You know, I think that we've become a lot less guarded in our relationships with them because we realize that, at least with our band, they have our best interests at heart and have allowed us to make two records in a row now completely independently. </p>

<p><strong>Now that you're so well known do you feel that the internet world doesn't effect you as much as younger bands because you're so established now?</strong> I certainly think that we don't live and die by it. I think if our first record were coming out now I think maybe the trajectory of our career would be determined a little earlier and quicker than if things hadn't happened the way they have over the past 10 years. One of my favorite quotes comes from Mike Watt and he says, "You can't blame everyone for not being born at the same time."</p>

<p>The way things are now, some bands you wish would be more successful are not given the opportunity directly because of a lack of insane internet buzz. Or maybe some bands that you're not feeling all of a sudden become huge and you're wondering, "Why does everybody think this band is the most amazing band ever?" But I think that time will be the great equalizer on all of these things. I think bands that are truly meant to have formidable careers together... you can weather just about anything.<strong>You recently <a href="http://stereogum.com/dcfc">took over Stereogum for a day</a>.</strong> Yeah we all kind of contributed to the columns they run every day. I've always been a really big fan of that blog. I think it's no secret with the rise of internet media, the snarkiness has been turned up pretty high across the board. It's not just in relation to music journalism, it's in all forms of journalism. But I really do appreciate that blog, they have a sense of humor, they take people down a peg or two, and they have fun with it but they don't get mean. I really like their site, they post great music, videos, they're really up on their news, but they don't go out of their way to be nasty to people. It's a kind of sad state of affairs that that's a rare thing -- to have a popular website that doesn't make their headlines by slagging people off all the time. And I think they're really great, and the writing is great, too.</p>

<p><strong>After that day did you feel you'd gotten bitten by the blogging bug and wanted to do more of it?</strong> Not really, I find that, you know, there's a handful of times that I've signed on to do some kind of relatively short period of blogging and I just can't keep up on it. I would like to think that probably the most interesting things that I have to say tend to be in the records we make. I feel like I'm getting enough exposure with that, that I don't think it's necessary that I spend any more time vying for people's attention -- I think I'm taking up enough people's time, and the fact that i get to talk to people like yourself on the phone and kind of babble about whatever happens via my mind is my form of blogging. If that means just kind of unfettered opinion spraying. </p>

<p><strong>A long time ago you did an interview centered around cooking and gave the recipe for <a href="http://cookingwithrockstars.com/artist/ben-gibbard-death-cab-cutie-postal-service">for peanut butter veggie sausage toast</a>. This has sort of haunted me. Does this actually taste good?</strong> It actually, you know, you'd be surprised. It depends on, well I don't think the word palate should even come into this conversation...but you know, somewhere along the line, I think we were on tour in Australia, and Chris and I are vegetarians, though I went through a brief period of what we like to call Meat Wave a couple years ago, where I got back into meat, but Chris just had it with whatever we were eating. And decided to buy some toast and peanut butter and start making these sandwiches. And they're actually pretty good. I wouldn't serve them in a restaurant but as far as kind of a really savory comfort food they're pretty delicious. And also I don't really cook so I didn't have anything valuable to add to that website. I can barley make spaghetti. </p>

<p><strong>This was a big week politically. I know you were involved with the Vote for Change tour, are you going to be doing anything coming up with the general election?</strong> You know I hope so, but I don't think we quite know what that's gonna be. I think that now that Obama's going to be the nominee I think the best thing is to settle everyone's camps before people start rallying together and determining what there is to do and how to go about lending some support to the campaign. But you know I think that at the very least we will certainly be doing our part, like last time, to make sure in every state we're in we have booths for registering to vote and info leading them to places we think have the right ideas. I guess we'll kind of determine what kind of involvement we'll be able to take given the opportunities that present themselves. </p>

<p><strong>It must be fulfilling to facilitate involvement a little bit like that, but do you ever miss anything about being an unknown band?</strong> Oh sure, I think it's important to know that even though the numbers and the accolades around this band seem very large, I'm still astonished, I guess not astonished, but it's comforting that the four of us individually, as we work our way through the world, are pretty anonymous. Even after selling a million records, I very rarely get recognized on the street or when I'm shopping for groceries. I think part of the benefit of being in a nerdy, bookish, indie rock band is that you blend into a crowd pretty easily. It'd be one thing if -- you know, I'm not dressed like Steven Tyler or someone like that, so it's pretty easy to blend in. </p>

<p>But every once in a while we'll get in a conversation about some of the weird little shows or crazy drives we did back in the day, that bands are going through right now as we speak on the road. We played a show in Detroit a couple days ago at this really beautiful theater, and we had this band Sea Wolf who was going to be opening for us. And they were coming in from Canada -- and their van had broken down and they went through the wrong border crossing. It was all the stuff that happened to us back in the day, pretty typical van touring trials and tribulations. Which set off many conversations of some of the weird stuff that's happened to us. I think we did a lot of character building back then. And I certainly look back at those days fondly, and some of the crazy things we had to go through. But you know, we kind of had our time to be that band, and now we are the band we are now, and the best thing to do is keep looking froward and not reminiscing about the past. Especially when the past involves having a van broken down on the side of the road. </p>

<p><strong>Does one of those crazy stories come to mind?</strong> I think our proudest and craziest moment was a series, actually it was two days long -- we made a drive from Bellingham, WA to Austin, TX straight in 1999. It was like a 52-hour drive, and we were going to play SXSW for the first time and we were young and dumb and were so Johnny Jump Up to get to SXSW that we were like "we'll just drive straight, we don't have money for the hotels anyways." And we drove our rickety Ford '82 Econoline all the way straight there; two guys slept in the back in shifts. And looking back it's a miracle nobody got killed. Two days of straight driving is pretty insane. By the end of it I think Chris and Nick, who held the night shift, were kind of hallucinating a little bit. Using their lighters to spark their skin to keep them awake. And the fact that we made it made for a great story. Strangely, that's one of the accomplishments in my life I'm most proud of. Which is kind of fucked up. </p>

<p><strong>What are you listening to these days?</strong> I've been kind of big into vinyl, really singer/songwriter stuff. I recently got the new Black Mountain that I'm really liking, Ruby Sons, and I got the new Elvis Costello which I think is pretty good. I've been listening to a lot of weird, nerdy singer/songwriter stuff like Emmett Rhodes and Billy Nicholls, a lot of Graham Nash. A lot of 70s singer/songwriter stuff. I've been kind of spending a lot more of my time digging through dusty vinyl crates than trolling the internet for music in the last handful of months for some reason. I'll find my way back to the internet at some point. </p>

<p><strong>What's the status of your acting career; you had a part in <em>Brief Interviews With Hideous Men</em>?</strong> Yeah I had a small part in this film adaptation of David Foster Wallace's book. It was adapted and directed by John Krasinski from <em>The Office</em>, but every time I ask him the status he's been busy doing real big movies or he's doing the show. I have a feeling I've sort of exhausted the amount of times I'm able to ask without sounding a little too excited about it. </p>

<p>It was fun, I think that it was one of things where, on my way out, I was getting a little bit too, "Maybe this could be something I could kind of do" -- just anticipating it. And it was a lot of fun, but it was also kind of... I think the thing I learned from it was that, you know, these people are professionals and they know what they're doing -- I think I held my own enough to not embarrass myself, but I learned my lesson that I should just stick to the music and let these people do what they do. I had never spent that much time around a movie set, and never seen the inner workings and how that stuff goes, and it was an eye opener. I had a blast, I had so much fun, but unless someone comes to me needing me to play myself or something perfect comes along, I'll probably stay clear of that stuff. Who knows, this thing could come out and I could totally embarrass myself and I won't have to worry about the phone ringing ever again. </p>

<p><strong>Or maybe you'll get a lot of offers...this could really be good for you.</strong> I'm not banking on it! But you never know.</p></div>
    </content>
    <link xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" type="text/html" rel="alternate" href="http://gothamist.com/2008/06/09/ben_gibbard_dea.php"/>
    <author xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">
      <name xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">Jen Carlson</name>
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    <id xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">20</id>
    <title xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">Video of the Day: Shea Stadium Slip 'N Slide</title>
    <content xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" type="html">&lt;center&gt;&lt;object width="425" height="344"&gt;&lt;param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/kWbEypE2d2g&amp;hl=en"&gt;&lt;/param&gt;&lt;embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/kWbEypE2d2g&amp;hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="344"&gt;&lt;/embed&gt;&lt;/object&gt;&lt;/center&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Last night, the Mets' game against the Texas Rangers was &lt;a href="http://gothamist.com/2008/06/15/storms_soak_the_city.php"&gt;rained out due to the storm&lt;/a&gt;.  However, the faithful--those Mets fans who &lt;a href="http://metsgrrl.com/index.php/site/comments/the-rangers-had-a-homecoming/"&gt;stuck around while waiting to see if the game would be just be delayed&lt;/a&gt;--got a treat when some Rangers players decided to turn the tarp on the field at Shea Stadium into a wonderful Slip 'N Slide.  &lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Rangers second baseman Ian Kinsler decided to slide first, followed by Josh Hamilton, Michael Young, Josh Rupe and Milton Bradley.  The video above shows them having fun--and you can hear not only clapping but also the very loud thunder.  Kinsler &lt;a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/wire?section=mlb&amp;id=3444035"&gt;told the AP&lt;/a&gt;, "It was awesome. We're just having fun tonight. We haven't had any rain problems this year, so we might as well have some fun."  The crowd ate it up, cheering and chanting, "Let's go Rangers!" &lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;While some general managers might frown upon their players possibly injuring themselves, Rangers GM Jon Daniels said, "Guys just blowing off some steam. No harm done, no damage to the field. When was the last time you heard Rangers chants in Queens?"  And Hamilton said, "We were saying we might be the last ones to do this in Shea Stadium. We bet that will be a trivia question: '&lt;strong&gt;Who was the last team to tarp slide in Shea Stadium?&lt;/strong&gt;'" &lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;The Mets and Rangers are making up last night's game with a double-header today.  Right now, Mets pitcher John Maine is pitching in the first game, and Pedro Martinez will start the second game.&lt;/p&gt;</content>
    <link xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" type="text/html" rel="alternate" href="http://gothamist.com/2008/06/15/video_of_the_day_shea_stadium_slip.php"/>
    <author xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">
      <name xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">Jen Chung</name>
    </author>
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    <id xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">21</id>
    <title xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">&lt;em&gt;New York&lt;/em&gt; Looks at Gentrification in 1984 </title>
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      <div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p><img alt="LESnymag.jpg" src="http://gothamist.com/attachments/arts_jen/LESnymag.jpg" width="564" height="760"/></p>

<p>Even back in 1984 there was mainstream media attention on the ever-changing landscape of the Lower East Side and East Village. Real estate was "exploding," chain stores were popping up, and galleries were abundant. The <em>New York Magazine</em> cover story on May 28th of that year was titled: <em>The Lower East Side -- There Goes the Neighborhood</em>. </p>

<p>Luckily, someone recently <a href="http://sophiesbar.blogspot.com/2008/06/lower-east-side-there-goes-neighborhood.html">scanned the entire article</a>, which could <em>almost</em> read like it was written today, if some more commas and zeros were added. One story in the piece focuses on two young entrepreneurs, Harry Skydell and Samuel Glasser, who purchased the Christodora House (on Avenue B overlooking Tompkins Square Park) in 1983. The man they bought it from paid $62,500 in 1975; they laid down $1.3 million, and by 1986 the building housed luxury condos. Iggy Pop was one of the first to move in, writing his “Avenue B” album there.</p>

<p>The luxury wasn't sweeping the neighborhood just yet, however, and the Christodora condos <a href="http://www.thevillager.com/villager_119/onavebtryingto.html">reportedly</a> sparked "neighborhood anti-gentrification demonstrations" around that time. Long time residents and new pioneers were converging, and as one woman told <em>New York Magazine</em>: "I've lived in my rent-controlled apartment for years and pay $115 a month. I live on the Lower East Side. The young kids who just moved in upstairs and pay $700 a month for the same space -- they live in the East Village." </p>

<p>Check out <a href="http://sophiesbar.blogspot.com/2008/06/lower-east-side-there-goes-neighborhood.html">the entire article here</a>, complete with some great old photos of the neighborhoods. [via <a href="http://lowlife.tumblr.com/post/37748055/the-loesaida-in-new-york-mag-c-1984">Lowlife</a>]</p></div>
    </content>
    <link xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" type="text/html" rel="alternate" href="http://gothamist.com/2008/06/12/1984.php"/>
    <author xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">
      <name xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">Jen Carlson</name>
    </author>
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    <id xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">22</id>
    <title xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">Gourmet Ice Cream Trucks Rolling into NYC Soon!</title>
    <content xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:default="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" type="xhtml">
      <div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p><img alt="061208artisanalicecreamtruck.jpg" src="http://gothamist.com/attachments/nyc_arts_john/061208artisanalicecreamtruck.jpg" width="640" height="427"/><span class="photo_caption">Photo courtesy <a href="http://www.ashleyvalmere.com">Ashley Fischer</a>.</span> </p>

<p>As <a href="http://dumbonyc.com/2008/06/12/ice-cream-trucks/">DUMBO NYC pointed out today</a>, it’s that time of year when the city is <em>crawling</em> with ice cream trucks. The only problem is – other than the maddening repetition of hit jingles like “Pop Goes the Weasel” – these Kool Man and Mister Softee purveyors don’t sell ice <em>cream</em>; it’s all synthetic soft serve or pre-packaged frozen products that ought to be shut down by <a href="http://www.nyc.gov/html/acs/html/child_safety/prevent_abuse.shtml">Children's Services</a>. Even the aesthetically appealing <a href="http://gothamist.com/2008/05/14/retro_good_humo.php">retro Good Humor man</a> is peddling sub par processed treats. What’s an ice cream snob to do?</p>

<p>Help is on the way in a week or so when New Yorkers will start seeing two vintage Chevrolet step vans dishing out scoops of <a href="http://www.vanleeuwenicecream.com/">Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream</a>. The gourmet ice cream is made using “hormone free” dairy, and contains no stabilizers, preservatives, corn syrup or unnatural emulsifiers. Even the cones are organic, and if you want it sans cone your eco-friendly ice cream man will serve it in cups produced from Bagasse, a chemical-free fiber made from sugar cane, with spoons made from cornhusks. (It's unclear how eco-friendly the truck's carbon emissions are.)</p>

<p>Flavors include Sicilian Pistachio, Piedmont Hazelnut and Hudson Valley Red Currant – if you check out <a href="http://www.vanleeuwenicecream.com/">their website</a> you’ll find plenty of details about their meticulously sourced, sustainable ingredients. We’ll let you know when the first trucks hit town, but look for one near Bowling Green by the end of the month – and not a moment too soon!</p></div>
    </content>
    <link xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" type="text/html" rel="alternate" href="http://gothamist.com/2008/06/12/gourmet_ice_cream_trucks_rolling_in.php"/>
    <author xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">
      <name xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">John Del Signore</name>
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    <id xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">23</id>
    <title xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">Video of the Day: "The Old Neighborhood," Carroll Gardens </title>
    <content xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" type="html">&lt;p&gt;The LA Times, of all papers, takes a look at Carroll Gardens and its old time Italian locals. They're not too happy with the new residents, high rises overshadowing brownstones, and kids playing video games instead of street ball. Take a look...&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;center&gt;&lt;object width="425" height="344"&gt;&lt;param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/w4LLDUoL0V0&amp;hl=en"&gt;&lt;/param&gt;&lt;embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/w4LLDUoL0V0&amp;hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="344"&gt;&lt;/embed&gt;&lt;/object&gt;&lt;/center&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Now go support the old local businesses still in the neighborhood, stop kicking out &lt;a href="http://gothamist.com/2007/01/12/94_year_old_evi.php"&gt;the 94-year-olds&lt;/a&gt;...and would it kill you to smile and acknowledge your older neighbors when they walk by? [&lt;a href="http://cobblehillblog.com/2008/06/15/theres-brooklyn-and-theres-the-rest-of-the-world/"&gt;Cobble Hill Blog&lt;/a&gt; via &lt;a href="http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2008/06/carroll_gardens_there_are_stil.html"&gt;NYMag&lt;/a&gt;]&lt;/p&gt;</content>
    <link xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" type="text/html" rel="alternate" href="http://gothamist.com/2008/06/17/video_of_the_day_carroll_gardens.php"/>
    <author xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">
      <name xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">Jen Carlson</name>
    </author>
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    <id xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">24</id>
    <title xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">Werner Herzog, Director</title>
    <content xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" type="html">&lt;p&gt;&lt;img alt="061708herzog.jpg" src="http://gothamist.com/attachments/nyc_arts_john/061708herzog.jpg" width="300" height="306" class="right"/&gt;&lt;em&gt;Born in Munich in 1942, Werner Herzog grew up in a remote mountain village in Bavaria, where he never saw any films, television, or telephones until he was 17. The effects of this isolated childhood can be seen in many of his films, which often focus on the struggles of independent dreamers who deliberately square off against impossible circumstances. Herzog has directed more than 40 films over the course of his career, and although the subject matter varies wildly, one always senses Herzog's uncompromising persona embedded in each one like a watermark. His latest documentary, the transporting &lt;a href="http://encountersfilm.com"&gt;Encounters at the End of the World&lt;/a&gt;, is no exception. Shot at various locations throughout Antarctica, the film finds Herzog very much in his element: the extreme, inhospitable and almost otherworldly sun-drenched South Pole. &lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;Roughly half of "Encounters" is comprised of humorous encounters with the many kindred spirits who have tumbled down to the bottom of the earth to work and live at the sprawling compound at McMurdo Sound; the other half finds Herzog reveling in the ethereal sounds of underwater seal calls and stunning footage of marine life beneath the thick ice. These elements make the film a must-see at the cinema; &lt;a href="http://filmforum.org/"&gt;Film Forum is screening it&lt;/a&gt; for one more week.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;How long were you in Antarctica to make this film?&lt;/strong&gt; All in all seven weeks. But of course the first week you have to spend doing bureaucracy and mandatory courses in radio communication and snow mobile and survival. So we were shooting a little less than six weeks.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;And how big was your crew?&lt;/strong&gt; Two men. A cinematographer, and I did the sound and directed. Because when I applied for a grant from the National Science Foundation I let them know that we didn’t want to tap too deeply into their resources. It’s very expensive to even maintain one person for a single day down in Antarctica because all the supplies have to flown in. It’s just an enormous amount of cost involved. And I believe that James Cameron was denied to come down because he wanted to have a large crew numbering – I’m just taking a guest – some 35 people. And I have to add that there was also Henry Kaiser, the diver who is also a musician, who helped organize and produce the film. And later of course he worked on the music with David Lindley.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;And you used your longtime cinematographer Peter Zeitlinger?&lt;/strong&gt; It’s not such a long time; I just made twelve or fourteen films with him and that’s not a very long time. Not more than ten years. I’ve had longer relationships with other cinematographers.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
What is it that makes your collaboration click? &lt;/strong&gt;There’s a certain freshness about working with him. And besides, he’s very physical so it’s very good to have him around when you go into the jungle to do a film like &lt;em&gt;Rescue Dawn&lt;/em&gt;. He’s kind of plowing through the vines like a wild boar following the actors and it always looks like steady cam, however he never uses steady cam.&lt;strong&gt;Did you have to do anything physically or mentally to prepare for the trip?&lt;/strong&gt; Not really, though you have to be in good physical health and there are extensive checks you have to undergo, otherwise you wouldn’t be allowed down there. It’s because McMurdo cannot waste their resources on someone who arrives and is not in good health and has to be taken care of or evacuated.&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
How did the lack of darkness affect you? &lt;/strong&gt;That’s the strangest thing because for five months it’s only day. You have to force yourself into a day/night rhythm. At McMurdo there are some quarters that look like college dormitories. I enforced day and night upon myself by closing the blinds, but the light outside is so penetrating, so piercing so aggressive. Because it’s the driest air on God’s wide earth and the sun is shining onto ice and snow and if you don’t wear sunglasses you are snowblind within two hours. &lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;And I am fast asleep and all of a sudden the door opens and a shaft of brilliant white piercing light is on me and I wake up and Peter Zeitlinger walks in and it’s 2:30 in the morning. [Laughs.] And there are other odd things. When you are on the South Pole, you look in one direction and it’s north and you turn halfway around it’s still north. Any direction you look is north. And you can make your choice on what time of the day is; you step a tiny step in one direction and it’s four in the afternoon; you take a tiny step in another direction and it’s midnight. Because all the time zones are converging there and you just have to make your choice. Actually, the choice McMurdo makes for the “day and night” shift is the time zone of New Zealand, because that’s where all the big supply planes are flying in from and that somehow dictates the most elegant solution. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
You’ve been known to participate very physically in the making of your films, but in this case you stopped short of diving into the Ross Sea. Was that something that you considered?&lt;/strong&gt; Oh, I would give much if I could have done it and filmed myself. However, it is dangerous and because of that only the best of the best are allowed to dive down there. You have to remember that you have a ceiling of ice upon you and this ice is ten or twenty feet thick. But the sun is shining so intensely on it that the water under it is still illuminated. The sun penetrates through this thick layer of ice. If you get disoriented you would be dead because you wouldn’t find your exit hole. Sometimes unexpected currents sweep you away. So even the best of the best divers go down two at a time to help each other. And I have no problem delegating things to those who are much better, as much as I would have loved to film it myself.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The film simultaneously marvels at what science has been able to understand and also voices a scientific assessment that our “demise is assured.” How do you feel about that? &lt;/strong&gt;The notion that our presence on our planet is not really sustainable doesn’t really make me nervous. When you are down there and there are places where there is a complete absence of biological life because of the cold, you get a sense of what a planet without human beings or much biological life would look like. For one thing, I believe it is just our highly technological civilization making us more vulnerable than before. And secondly, looking at the biological life on our planet, it has been a permanent series of catastrophes. We had the dinosaurs for a fairly short amount of time, and human beings came a very, very short time ago and their disappearance is fairly assured. It doesn’t make me nervous. However, I think we shouldn’t ponder all these heavy questions. You should not forget that the film also has a lot of humor; people laugh a lot and justifiably so. &lt;br /&gt;
&lt;strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
True, much of it is very funny but what stuck with me most at the end are the sublime aspects of it. The latter part, where you get the sounds of the seals and the underwater footage, to me they suggest not just otherworldliness, but a divine intelligence. Do you agree? &lt;/strong&gt;Are you trying to persuade me to become an adherent of creationism?&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Not necessarily, but to me the sounds of the seals, for instance, suggests something supernatural.&lt;/strong&gt; No, it doesn’t. It only suggests the sounds, and they are wonderful and sublime. I wouldn’t read anything God-like into it. However, creation itself, as it is, has something magnificent, and the film celebrates it, the film names it, the films shows it. And the film ends like that. And I like this notion; you do not often have a chance in a movie to show things that are of utmost beauty, and of course the music has a big part in showing a certain sacredness in what we have in front of us. &lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;But I can give you a hint: I’ve recently gone back to Latin which I hated in school. And when I was down there I read Virgil’s &lt;em&gt;Georgics&lt;/em&gt;. In antiquity there’s this Roman poet who writes about country life and agriculture and it’s not didactic or anything; he just names the beauty of the beehive and he names the yoke and the two oxen pulling the plow and the farmer behind it and how the field is steaming. And he just names the glory of the country and I thought, “Well, that’s a beautiful attitude. I am here on this magnificent continent and I’ll just name the glory of what I’m seeing.”&lt;br /&gt;
&lt;strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt;
It is striking that there’s such a contrast between the natural wonders and the compound at McMurdo. &lt;/strong&gt;And it’s filled with very intelligent people, very wonderful travelers. You see there are people of great human substance there. You would have someone driving a Caterpiller who studied philosophy and comparative literature, and he’s so curious he wants to be down there. You might find a retired judge washing the dishes in the galley.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;You’re known for your fearlessness and willingness to go to extremes to make your films. Even with a bigger budget and a big crew, as in &lt;em&gt;Rescue Dawn&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;a href="http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2006/04/24/060424fa_fact_zalewski?currentPage=all"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;you seemed to view the crew&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt; as something you needed to “work around.” Do you ever think that if you didn’t have these extreme circumstances, the film would be less compelling? &lt;/strong&gt;No, no, it’s not a prerequisite to make a good movie. I’ve made films that were shot in Berlin and Wisconsin and there was nothing special about that. Of course, what I had to do for this film was reduce my crew to an absolute minimum, which should be rather encouraging for young people who want to get into filmmaking. Ultimately you can do a feature length professional film with a cinematographer and a sound guy.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;And now you’re going to direct something completely different, which &lt;a href="http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=45673"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;there was some confusion about&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/a&gt;. It was originally believed that you were directing a remake of &lt;em&gt;Bad Lieutenant&lt;/em&gt; with Nicholas Cage, but that’s not the case?&lt;/strong&gt; No, it’s not a remake; I wouldn’t be into that. The fascinating thing is that it’s a very dark film, a film noir, pitch dark. And Nicholas Cage really wanted to work with me. So I think this is a wonderful prospect. The story has nothing to do with the &lt;em&gt;Bad Lieutenant&lt;/em&gt; that is in existence; it will be an entirely new and different story. And I think it could go on as some sort of series. I proposed a title that would make a clear distinction: &lt;em&gt;Bad Lieutenant&lt;/em&gt;. And under it &lt;em&gt;Port of Call: New Orleans.&lt;/em&gt; Should there ever be a next one it could be called &lt;em&gt;Bad Lieutenant, Port of Call: Detroit&lt;/em&gt;. And on and on. You see, the last James Bond film is not a remake of the previous one. You have one central character, although in &lt;em&gt;Bad Lieutenant&lt;/em&gt; it’s not the same James Bond, it’s just a rotten apple. &lt;/p&gt;</content>
    <link xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" type="text/html" rel="alternate" href="http://gothamist.com/2008/06/17/werner_herzog_director.php"/>
    <author xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">
      <name xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">John Del Signore</name>
    </author>
  </entry>
  <entry xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:default="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
    <id xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">25</id>
    <title xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">Joseph Franquinha, Crest Hardware</title>
    <content xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:default="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" type="xhtml">
      <div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p><img alt="0806joef.jpg" src="http://gothamist.com/attachments/arts_jen/0806joef.jpg" width="225" height="272" class="left"/><em>Joe Franquinha and his father run Crest Hardware store in Williamsburg. In the '90s the shop began hosting a unique art show, which integrated various artists' pieces into the shelves amongst the hardware supplies (watch a video about it <a href="http://www.cresthardwareartshow.com/gallery.html">on PBS)</a>. After a hiatus, they brought the show back this past weekend with a grand celebration, and we highly recommend checking it out. <a href="http://www.cresthardwareartshow.com">The Crest Hardware Art Show</a> runs through July 11th; now, meet the manager/co-curator...</em> </p>

<p><strong>What is the Crest Art Show all about? How and when did it begin?</strong> The Crest Hardware art show is all about taking love for my community, my love of art, my love of hardware and welding them together to bridge a gap in this continually changing city, but Williamsburg in particular. It began in the early nineties with an artist named Gene Pool asking for some window space. We gave him an inch, he took a mile. By mile I mean 5000 square feet of retail space. Which is actually only 280 feet short of a full mile. Sorry, that's the hardware end speaking.</p>

<p><strong>How long had it been on hiatus for before this past weekend? What spurred the decision to bring it back?</strong> The last show was in 1999, way too long of a hiatus. It had been on the back burner as far as my to do list goes. A couple of things were in front of it, like building the outdoor garden center. Now that thats been up and operating in it's second year I had the time needed to make sure this years art show was bigger and better than the last. Living, working and partying in Williamsburg I see what many of these people are capable of creating first hand. Many of these artists are my regular customers and I feel Eric Haze put it best when he spoke about the show. He simply said, "It's about putting something back into the soil."</p>

<p><strong>Is it just once a year, or can people find art in there all year round?</strong> The show ends July 11th. But I wouldn't be surprised if 3 or 4 pieces stay a little longer or become permanent fixtures.</p>

<p><strong>As co-curator, how were you involved in the show this year?</strong> I started putting this together in January. Gene Pool had a lot of contacts for artists that had participated in past shows. Some emails were obsolete, some phone numbers were changed, but through the magic of Google we corralled quite a few. The excitement in their voices from hearing the good news was a huge catalyst for me. From that point I started reaching out to some of the newer people in the area that may not have even heard of the shows past success. After a short explanation, they were game.<strong>What has been your favorite piece so far throughout the years?</strong> It's hard to pick out one from this show alone. I was blown away by some of the pieces. <a href="http://www.Flickr.Com/photos/8084211@n02/2561758970">Wendy Klemperer's "Chained Hound"</a> is definitely a stand out. <a href="http://www.Flickr.Com/photos/collinmel/2559621537/in/set-72157605485645052">"Running Man"</a>, a zoetrope by Greg Barsamian is an exemplar contextual piece. An artist by the name of CR, blessed us with a piece that shows true craftsmanship and detail of what happens <a href="http://www.Flickr.Com/photos/8084211@n02/2560958781/in/set-72157605498317386">when wood meets stain</a>. Eric Haze's site specific charcoal drawing, "True Value." M11x's "Eames Hot Rod Boombox" brings a twist of flavor to a Herman Miller classic. I can go on and on because I'm so proud of how high the bar was set this year.</p>

<p><strong>How did Saturday's event go?</strong> Saturday was a huge success. The turnout was ridiculous. Well over 1500 people came through to enjoy incredible art, free food, free beer and live performances from incredible bands like Meowskers, The Subjects, Frankpollis and Holler Wild Rose, who closed out the show. At one point a guitar amp blew a fuse. My music coordinator, George Davis ran up the block to my hardware store, got a fuse from the back counter, ran back down, replaced it and kept things moving without a hitch. We rocked Metropolitan Avenue from 1 p.m. 'til about 8 p.m. The music end of things wouldn't have been nearly as great with out George and everyone else's help at the Musebox.</p>

<p><strong>With the neighborhood changing, have you seen a drastic change in the community in Williamsburg?</strong> Sure I've seen changes, good and bad. Damn, I remember a time when I was a kid taking a lunch break from work, wanting to ride my bike and being told by my dad not to go down near Bedford Ave. Not because of traffic congestion but because there were so many junkies hanging around. I have seen a lot of things in just the last couple of years alone, good and bad. It's crazy that I can take a ride down a street one week and maybe a couple of weeks later there's a building going up where a warehouse used to be. We have reached the point of over-saturation. The bubble has burst and these developers are already waist deep when they realize they can't fill these condos at the rate they originally thought. Not to mention the L train is running well past 100% capacity (and that's coming from someone who walks to work!) On a positive tip, the music and art scenes are truly potent right now. I love sharing a heartbeat with fellow Williamsburgers when it comes to contributing on a communal level.</p>

<p><strong>Do you have any crazy customer, or artist, stories to share?</strong> I swear if I could record some of the shit that happens day in and day out I could turn it into a sitcom. But this one time, a man, definitely mid '70's is complaining about how long the line is and he's screaming at my cashier to hurry up. When he gets to the front, he throws the bag of nuts and bolts he had at her, point blank range then runs out. My employee Bill (former marine) runs out after the guy who, in the midst of chaos was about to run out into on coming traffic, Bill grabs him by the arm and slams him up against the back of a van. (Better that than hit by an oncoming car). We hold him on the ground, not threatening to call the cops, all my cashier wants is a simple "I'm sorry". So he says, "I'm only sorry I got caught". I had to laugh. Here's this guy definite AARP member acting like a juvenile who tried to rack spray paint and got pinched. It takes all kinds I guess.</p>

<p><strong>Please share your strangest "only in New York" story.</strong> The blackout was a unique time for a ton of new yorkers. I had a Nextel phone at the time and they seemed to be the only ones working. So one friend calls me so I pick him up at the foot of the bridge because he had been walking all day. As I drive by my store I realize the alarm was going off. I couldn't find my keys, so I motored to Queens to pick up a set my mother had. Mind you there are no street lights so I had a slight case of leadfoot. I get back to the shop, open the gate and I'm looking around for a perp. Turns out the backup battery failed so it tripped the alarm but I still couldn't shut it off. Next thing I know the front door to the store swings open and 4 cops had theirs guns pulled on me and my buddy. Somebody must have thought "alarm going off plus flashlights wandering around the store equals looters". I nearly pissed myself. So with my hands on my head I tried to explain that it was my store and that the keys were in my pocket. Once they tested them, they gave me the routine "Ok, carry on" and walked out.</p>

<p><strong>Which New Yorker do you most admire?</strong> My father, who started this business 46 years ago is an incredible example of what New York is all about. Passion, hustle, hardheadedness, love and compassion. The man is 80, and he looks like he's in his 60's. He stretches every morning, is at work by 7 and runs circles around us all day. He's like the Jack LaLanne of hardware. His practical business principles are counterbalanced by love for his surrounding community. He has always stressed the importance of "showing the flag." In other words, eat at the local restaurants, share a drink with friends at a local bar, buy locally, donate to local causes (schools, churches, charities, community groups, etc) because one hand truly washes the other. I'd say the single most important thing he's told me is, "If you enjoy what you do, you'll never work a day in your life".</p>

<p><strong>Given the opportunity, how would you change New York?</strong> I'd bring music, arts and physical education back to the regular public school curriculum. The three of these things are outlets from the normal classroom experience and they were huge building blocks in my upbringing. I'd also add curriculum like environmental awareness. Secondly, I'd increase the quality of new construction going up all over the city. Mandating LEED certifications on huge projects. I think that's a good start. The list goes on but as New Yorkers it's impossible to ever be satisfied. That's one of our best qualities.</p>

<p><strong>Under what circumstance have you thought about leaving New York?</strong> I can see myself leaving to travel for months on end but to me there's no place like home. There are so many resources unbeknownst to a lot of city-dwellers. It's easier than you think to get away from brick and mortar. Have a picnic in Rockefeller state park in sleepy hollow or stay close and spend a day at Brooklyn Botanical Gardens. It's amazing to be only hours apart from snowboarding upstate or surfing on the east end of l.I. In so many ways new york brings the world to you, it's an incredible gift. New York, New York... Say it twice, cause it's so nice.</p>

<p><strong>What's your current soundtrack to the city?</strong> It's summer so we have to keep the energy high ... Santogold's self titled album brings so much to the table; Vampire Weekend's album lives up to the hype too; Calvin Harris, "I created disco" has some killer tracks too; Yeasayer, "All Hour Cymbals", they're awesome live; mix in some MGMT, like "electric feel" and call it a day....</p>

<p><strong>Best cheap eat in the city.</strong> El Moderno. It's an Ecuadorian restaurant on the corner of Metropolitan Avenue and Union avenue in Williamsburg. Good sangria, good happy hour deals. Right on the Lorimer St stop on the L.</p>

<p><strong>Best venue to see music.</strong> Other than the Crest Hardware warehouse? McCarren Pool. Musical acts are always well chosen, it's outdoors, the pool parties rock and if you don't go in you can always sit in the park across the street and listen. I sat in the center of the soccer field and listened to Chemical Brothers with some friends last year. And if you want to continue getting your drink on, you can hit up Pete's Candy Store right down the block. Plus they make a killer panini.</p>

<p><span class="photo_caption">Photo via <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/8084211@N02/2561778446/in/set-72157605498317386/">mopar70's flickr.</a></span></p></div>
    </content>
    <link xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" type="text/html" rel="alternate" href="http://gothamist.com/2008/06/10/joseph_franquin.php"/>
    <author xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">
      <name xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">Jen Carlson</name>
    </author>
  </entry>
  <entry xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:default="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
    <id xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">26</id>
    <title xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">Opinionist: &lt;em&gt;Macbeth&lt;/em&gt;</title>
    <content xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:default="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" type="xhtml">
      <div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p><img alt="062208macbeth2.jpg" src="http://gothamist.com/attachments/nyc_arts_john/062208macbeth2.jpg" width="640" height="427"/><span class="photo_caption">Photo of Hecate (Danuta Stenka) and Macbeth (Cezary Kosinski) courtesy Pavel Antonov.</span></p>

<p>It’s hard to imagine a production of Macbeth with more sound and fury than the outré adaptation currently battering audiences on the Brooklyn waterfront in DUMBO. Two parts Shakespeare and one part Ridley Scott, this visionary spectacle is the work of  Polish director Grzegorz Jarzyna and the TR Warszawa theater company; it’s being staged outdoors in the shadow of the Brooklyn Bridge with a cast of 32 actors on a 36-foot-high set built specifically for the production. </p>

<p>Anyone passing by the 19th century tobacco warehouse where it’s being staged will probably have no idea that just on the other side of that old brick wall swirls a maelstrom of machine gun fire, helicopters, Elvis impersonators, smoke, and beheadings. Because the roaring Brooklyn Bridge traffic would have made the actors all but inaudible, the production’s exquisite sound design is channeled through headphones provided for each audience member. The effect is enthralling, lending the cinematic action an arresting immediacy, as everything from the pop of gunfire to the sinister whispers of Hecate are fully birthed inside the spectators’ heads. Eat your heart out, IMAX.</p>

<p><img alt="062208macbeth.jpg" src="http://gothamist.com/attachments/nyc_arts_john/062208macbeth.jpg" width="300" height="200" class="left"/>Heavily stylized renditions of Shakespeare often collapse under the weight of their own grandiose concepts, but in this case Jarzyna and company have managed to boldly extract the essence of Macbeth – the principals’ mad Hobbesian lust for power – and articulate it with an aesthetic that’s wholly 2008. Even though warfare is now conducted via remote video interface, somebody still has to manually behead the enemy in his mosque. In this case, that deed falls to Macbeth and his special forces in the production’s riveting first scene, when it becomes immediately clear that Shakespeare’s 400 hundred year old play is here a springboard into a courageous new creation. </p>

<p>Strict traditionalists should know that while much of the text is still the Bard’s – the most resonant and famous dialogue is still in place – Jarzyna’s added his own contemporary flourishes to this remix. And while the language may be in Polish (with English supertitles), the action is universal. Toward the nightmare’s end, when Macbeth blurts out, “I am knee-high in a bloody quagmire,” we're inevitably reminded that our Polish allies in the “coalition of the willing” are also well acquainted with our current dark swamp.</p>

<p><em><a href="http:// www.stannswarehouse.org">TR Warszawa’s Macbeth</a> continues through June 29th at the Tobacco Warehouse [Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park, DUMBO, Brooklyn]. <a href="http:// www.stannswarehouse.org">Tickets are sold out</a>, but there are some $20 rush tickets released before each night's performance.</em></p></div>
    </content>
    <link xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" type="text/html" rel="alternate" href="http://gothamist.com/2008/06/22/opinionist_macbeth.php"/>
    <author xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">
      <name xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">John Del Signore</name>
    </author>
  </entry>
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    <id xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">27</id>
    <title xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">Video of the Day: Carroll Gardens Gentrifiers Speak Out</title>
    <content xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" type="html">&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href="http://gothamist.com/2008/06/17/video_of_the_day_carroll_gardens.php"&gt;Last week&lt;/a&gt; the LA Times released a video documenting the gentrification of Carroll Gardens, and now the other, &lt;em&gt;newer&lt;/em&gt; locals respond with their own take on the place they call home (also a place they call "East Village East"). These three residents see the silver lining in gentrification; you know what they say, one man's neighborhood mainstay is another man's Duane Reade.&lt;/p&gt;

&lt;center&gt;&lt;object width="425" height="344"&gt;&lt;param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/rxGXOqDnxfE&amp;hl=en"&gt;&lt;/param&gt;&lt;embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/rxGXOqDnxfE&amp;hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="344"&gt;&lt;/embed&gt;&lt;/object&gt;&lt;/center&gt;

&lt;p&gt;And yes, it's tongue-in-cheek.&lt;/p&gt;</content>
    <link xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" type="text/html" rel="alternate" href="http://gothamist.com/2008/06/23/video_of_the_day_carroll_gardens_1.php"/>
    <author xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">
      <name xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">Jen Carlson</name>
    </author>
  </entry>
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    <id xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">28</id>
    <title xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">Video of the Day: Henry Miller Hating New York</title>
    <content xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" type="html">&lt;p&gt;On a brutally hot day like this, it’s not too hard to appreciate this priceless rant from the late author Henry Miller as he tears into “that old shithole New York where I was born… the ugliest, filthiest, shittiest city in the world.” The clip comes to light today thanks to &lt;a href="http://savevsdeath.blogspot.com/2008/06/henry-miller-on-new-york-city-and-his.html"&gt;Save Vs. Death&lt;/a&gt; (via &lt;a href="http://www.boingboing.net/2008/06/09/henry-millers-unfond.html"&gt;Boing Boing&lt;/a&gt;), and it’s excerpted from &lt;em&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.indiepixfilms.com/film/3121?from=spotlight/spotlight-tom-schiller#BigStill"&gt;Henry Miller Asleep &amp; Awake&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/em&gt;, a short film made in 1975 by Tom Schiller that takes place almost entirely in Miller’s bathroom.&lt;center&gt;&lt;object width="425" height="344"&gt;&lt;param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/swzQPz8oB1w&amp;hl=en"&gt;&lt;/param&gt;&lt;embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/swzQPz8oB1w&amp;hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="344"&gt;&lt;/embed&gt;&lt;/object&gt;&lt;/center&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</content>
    <link xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" type="text/html" rel="alternate" href="http://gothamist.com/2008/06/09/video_of_the_da_203.php"/>
    <author xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">
      <name xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">John Del Signore</name>
    </author>
  </entry>
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    <id xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">29</id>
    <title xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">Map of the Day: Ride the City Plots Best Bike Routes</title>
    <content xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:default="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" type="xhtml">
      <div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p><img alt="061008ridenyc.jpg" src="http://gothamist.com/attachments/nyc_arts_john/061008ridenyc.jpg" width="640" height="452"/><span class="photo_caption">Ride the City route showing the safest way to get from <a href="http://gothamist.com/2008/06/08/opinionist_joll.php">Ars Nova</a> to <a href="http://gothamist.com/2008/05/28/mccarren_park_p_1.php">McCarren Park</a> in Brooklyn.</span> </p>

<p><a href="http://www.streetsblog.org/2008/06/10/nyc-bicyclists-get-their-own-mapquest/">Streetsblog</a> points out a handy new website called <a href="http://ridethecity.com">Ride the City</a> that’s beta testing a version of Google Maps integrated with ideal cycling routes. The New York City site lets users plan a bicycle commute from point A to point B in any borough, choosing between the “safest” route along as many bike lanes and greenways as possible, or the “fastest” route which lets you plot the most direct course by bike. All known bike shops along the route also appear on the map.</p>

<p>The site’s creators, who started working on it last year independently of the Google Maps “<a href="http://googlemapsbikethere.org/ ">Bike There” petition</a>, are looking for <a href="http://www.ridethecity.com/feedback.php">feedback</a> from cyclists to improve the route selection. Other improvements in the works include a mobile version that would send cycling directions via text message and the addition of any bike parking facilities near a trip's starting/ending point. And more quotes from rock stars like Bob Weir ("Bicycles are almost as good as guitars for meeting girls") seem inevitable. </p></div>
    </content>
    <link xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" type="text/html" rel="alternate" href="http://gothamist.com/2008/06/10/map_of_the_day_149.php"/>
    <author xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">
      <name xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">John Del Signore</name>
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