New York City's Waterfront: If we can string a sunny Saturday and Sunday together, NYC's waterfront beckons.

The Gotham Gazette is a good place to start learning about the roughly 600 miles of waterfront reachable from the five boroughs.

There's a long list of waterfront events including a free summer concert series on the pier at the South Street Seaport.

Affirmative Action Upheld: I'll personally volunteer to be Justice Sandra Day O'Connor's nutritionist, trainer, bodyguard or anything else that will keep her serving on the Supreme Court for as long as possible.

"In its most important statements on affirmative action in a quarter-century, the Supreme Court narrowly upheld the admissions policy of the University of Michigan law school today, finding that minority applicants may be given an edge, but struck down the part of the university's undergraduate-admissions system that relies on a point system."

"The law school's policy was affirmed in a 5-to-4 ruling, written by Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, that rejected Bush administration arguments that the policy should be voided. She declared that the Constitution "does not prohibit the law school's narrowly tailored use of race in admissions decisions to further a compelling interest in obtaining the educational benefits that flow from a diverse student body." (via NYT)

Found: A Web site and magazine that showcases things others misplace, discard or forget about.

"We collect FOUND stuff: love letters, birthday cards, kids' homework, to-do lists, ticket stubs, poetry on napkins, doodles- anything that gives a glimpse into someone else's life. anything goes."

Found on the windshield of the wrong car:



Found Magazine

Cell Phone Sampling: "The new Ricky Martin album (he's still around?), released on Sony Music, was debuted not in US or Puerto Rico, but in South Korea, on cellphones! On May 13, six days before the release worldwide, South Koreans downloaded cuts from the CD to their mobile phones. So far, a total of 100,000 downloads of Ricky Martin’s music, videos and photos have been made in Korea, according to Sony Music." (via PaidContent.org)

Best NYC Restaurant Websites: MUG offers a list of NYC restaurant sites worth looking at whether you're planning to visit the place or not. BTW, sign up for the MUG newsletter so you can get the goods every day.

Silly Summonses?: The NYDN compiles a list of recently issued tickets that has its editors and some city residents rolling their eyes. (via Gotham Gazette)

$2,500 Flashlight: No, this isn't a Pentagon boondogle. People (rich people I guess) can buy this gadget, which "produces a one-mile beam of light." Or, you could buy nearly 100 of these bad boys for the same price.

The Other Bridge: The Williamsburg Bridge -- gateway to the land of Hipsters and Hasidim -- is being celebrated today for 100 years of spanning the East River.

Williamsburg Bridge Historical Fact: Sonny Rollins used to practice his tenor saxophone on the bridge. Alto saxophonist Jackie McLean recalls spending time with Rollins high above the water. For some reason I always thought it was the Brooklyn Bridge.



© 1999-2003, Wired New York.

Rainy Days & Mondays: I shudder to think what effect all this rain is having on our psyches. Day after day of gray skies and precipitation must be taking its toll. They're not many Gene Kellys among us. We all know that prolonged lack of exposure to the sun can send some people into a funk.

I bet you didn't know, however, that all this bad weather may be resulting in lower tips for waiters and could even cause a dip in the stock market.

I'll be keeping both eyes on the long-range weather forecast if I can summon the energy to get out of bed.



Poster.de

The World's Friendliest Cities: NYC ranked 22 out of 23 cities studied to determine the helpfulness of their residents. Rio de Janeiro topped the list compiled by social pyschologists from California State University, after six years of research.

"The team conducted their research through a series of 'helpfulness' tests, such as dropping pens, feigning blindness or an injury and leaving stamped addressed envelopes in the street."

"The results showed that the poorer, less stable cities generally had the friendlier, more open populations." (BBC via Nick Denton)

So let me get this straight. NYC's economy has to tank and it's crime rate go through the roof for its residents to become friendlier? In that case, I'll learn to live with cranky, self-centered New Yorkers.



© American Scientist, Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society

Sobering Art: Russian anti-alcohol posters. (via Muxway)



© 1996—2003 Yuri Matrosovich

"For The Sake Of Argument": A former colleague of mine is now a career coach. She's offering a women-only workshop on July 8 designed to teach "the basics of effective reasoning and arguing in a low-pressure, fun, non-adversarial environment." She goes on to write:

"Too often, women avoid serious discussion of ideas out of a fear that argument means intimidation, hostility, or antagonism. The result is that their ideas and convictions often go unheard and unimplemented, holding them back from professional success and personal fulfillment. But thinking about and arguing for your ideas does not need to be a difficult proposition. By learning what reasoning and arguing really entail, you can raise your confidence and your ability to make yourself heard."

I hope the program is a smashing success. Maybe the women I know were all members of the debating club but reasoning and arguing have never been a problem for them. Then again, a bunch of these women grew up in NYC where we consider arguing a relaxing pastime.

In Your Dreams: Try blowing up my bridge? I don't think so. I've certainly dumped on the Justice Department for using the pursuit of terrorists as an excuse to fray civil liberties. Today, though, they deserve an attaboy for capturing the Al Qaeda punk who was plotting to blow up the Brooklyn Bridge.

I practically grew up on that bridge. I've walked across it, run across it, biked across it, driven across it, sat on it, sat under it and admired it from afar. The good news is that it is pretty hard to bring down. The bad news is they're liable to keep trying.



© Thomas Greutmann 1983-2003

Bonkers Over Badgers: Can someone please explain the British fascination with badgers? I lived in London in 1977 and remember a BBC program called Badger Watch. It featured proper British scientists in white lab coats who camped out in a mobile home hoping to film badgers mating or otherwise enjoying their natural habitat. I never missed an episode.

The Web is loaded with sites about the little critter. Every sound it makes is recorded, armies of spotters are constantly on the lookout for the latest sighting and they even have their own national holiday.

"Badgers are not considered endangered but numbers have been depleted. They are protected under various wildlife acts and UK law states that it is an offence to kill, injure or capture a badger, or to interfere with its sett. It is estimated that 50,000 badgers meet their deaths in Britain through road traffic accidents every year." (via BBC)

The animal is believed to have inhabited the isles for nearly 250,000 years. Guess anyone would be protective of a fury creature who has hung around that long.



Badgerland

Jesse Friedman's Web Site: A friend saw the documentary Capturing The Friedmans at the Angelika Film Center recently.

The film tells the story of a Great Neck, L.I. family whose patriarch (Arnold) and one of three sons (Jesse) were "...arrested and charged with possession of child pornography and child molestation...Both were sent to prison; Arnold died there, Jesse was released in 2001." (via NYT)

As she was leaving the theater, she said she spotted a guy who looked a lot like Jesse Friedman handing out postcards with the address of a Web site -- freejess.net. Seems like the freed Friedman is using the Web to tell his side of the story.

"I was subjected to a horrible injustice, regardless of what anyone has to say about my father, Arnold Friedman. While it is unlikely that I will ever be exonerated in the eyes of the law, this film is a crucial first step towards my exoneration in the eyes of the public," Friedman writes on the site.

There's a Q&A section, a detailed description of the court-ordered monitoring program he is now subject to (complete with photos of the ankle bracelet), a message board and an e-mail address if you'd like to engage Jesse Friedman in discussion.

The David Nelson Dilemma: "David Nelson is not an easy name to have these days. Across the country men with this name say they have been pulled off airplanes, questioned by FBI agents and harassed when traveling by air."

"The nationwide dragnet for terrorists has caused the name to raise red flags on airline screening software, but some federal officials say the problem is essentially a computer glitch, the Los Angeles Daily News reported Sunday." (via Newsday)

David Nelsons beware.

The Innocence Project: It pissed me off to a fare-thee-well when New York criminal lawyer Barry Scheck joined the O.J. Simpson defense team way back when. But it's gotten easy to forgive that lapse in judgement given what Scheck and his colleagues have accomplished through their Innocence Project.

They've pioneered the use of DNA evidence to get truly innocent people out of jail. Here's their list of cases in which DNA evidence played a role in exonerating people convicted of crimes they didn't commit. There's an even longer list of false convictions -- a good chunk of which were overturned with DNA evidence.

"Martha's New Digs": Help decorate what may soon become Martha Stewart's new home away from home. (via Gawker)

Love Will Save The Day: "Seeing U.S. President George Bush and French President Jacques Chirac get all buddy-buddy at the recent G8 Summit inspired me to make a silent film about the sometimes-tender/sometimes-turbulent relationship of these two powerful men. Witness the giddy highs and depressing lows of a very public love." (via Kottke)

**** "I laughed till I cried." -- Howard Sherman, "Nuggets"

Newt Gingrich -- NPR Spokesman: I couldn't believe my ears when I heard Newt Gingrich, former Republican Speaker of the House, shilling for National Public Radio during a local fundraising drive on WNYC. I'm glad I found another person who heard the same thing or else I'd think I was hallucinating.

This is the same Newt Gingrich who toyed with the idea of cutting all federal funding for NPR when he was speaker, a move that provoked more public outcry than expected and was subsequently dropped.

NPR has always been perceived as a haven for liberals but -- as you might imagine -- their ombudsman begs to differ.

Well it's good to see that Newt has come to his senses. Either that, or he's got a book to sell.

Manhattan Smart Mobs: A group of people have started staging "Inexplicable Mob" events in Manhattan during which they come together in a large group for about 10 minutes and then quickly disperse. The effort is organized by e-mail. The first Mob took place at a Claire's accessories in Manhattan. Is it social protest, performance art or people with too much time on their hands? The next Mob is scheduled for today. If you want to attend, check out the details here. (via 601am)

Is Rent Control Out Of Control?: Current NYC rent control laws expire at midnight tonight. Albany legislators are expected to extend the regulations without changes. That move will either lead to something better down the road or "...critics say will spell an end to rent regulation of most city apartments within nine years." (via NYP)

When it comes to NYC rent control, I don't know who to believe anymore. Tenant advocates say it's the last thing keeping some renters from living on the street in a cardboard box. Landlords say it's a giveaway to New Yorkers who can afford to pay more and is sapping them of the $ they need to maintain their buildings.

The Economist makes the most sense to me:

"It is hard to find any economist who supports rent restraints. Price controls, even if laboriously tweaked, inevitably produce inefficiencies, reduce supply and cause bad side-effects. Black markets and bribery thrive. Building maintenance is often ignored. Landlords and tenants find themselves in poisonous relationships, since they are linked by law rather than by voluntarily renewable contracts. Unscrupulous property owners go to dangerous lengths to evict tenants in order to get higher-paying replacements; as a result, tenant-protection laws have been enacted that make it almost impossible to evict even a scoundrel."

Cambridge Massachusetts is the example most often trotted out by both opponents and advocates of rent control to make their point:

"True, the pace of residential construction in Boston has accelerated since rent control was repealed in 1994. True, too, more neighborhoods that were once considered dangerous or dilapidated are becoming gentrified and more attractive to developers. But equally true is the fact that more working-class families, faced with soaring rents, are moving two or three area codes beyond the 617 exchange, and that homelessness and overcrowding are cresting. So parsing out how rent decontrol has influenced these changes is subject to a good deal of interpretation." (via NYT)

I'm not a beneficiary of rent control so maybe I'm just spouting sour grapes. I also realize people on fixed incomes really need some sort of protection from escalating prices. But be honest, doesn't it stick in your craw when you run into someone earning well into the six figures who lives in a rent controlled apartment? Just seems like a scam.

NYT Executive Editor Sweepstakes: I'm not sure the readers of NY Magazine represent "smart money" among those handicapping the selection of the NYT's next executive editor, but they've got former NYT Managing Editor and current Op-Ed columnist Bill Keller in the early lead. (Scroll Down To Item #6) The magazine is also doing a little oddsmaking of its own. (via Romenesko)

A Horse Race For Dessert: When you visit these NYC restaurants, the food won't be the only thing you're gambling on. Don't know when this started but OTB now has three locations in Manhattan and seven in the outerboroughs where you can have a meal and place a bet on the ponies.



NYC Off Track Betting Corporation

"Forbidden Pleasures": MUG gets naughty.

Take A Hike: Took the first hike of the summer with my wife today -- Mt. Taurus in the Hudson Highlands. It never ceases to amaze me how much great hiking is just 1-2 hours outside of NYC (not to mention the Catskills -- a bit farther Northwest).

Hiking clears my head like nothing else I've found. You don't have much time to get distracted when you're clambering over rocks or wading across streams. The hiking trails that straddle the Hudson on the East and West are generally shrouded by the dense woods at lower elevations but often have panoramic peaks that look down on the river or out to mountain ranges in the Catskills.

If you don't want to rent a car, you can take Metro North to some of these spots. Here's a guide to other weekend hikes just outside of NYC. You might want to buy this book, which has come in pretty handy. The New York-New Jersey Trail Conference maintains over 1,600 miles of trails between the two states. Their Web site has comprehensive listings of trails, maps and other resources.

Update (6/16/2003): Coincidently, PBS is showing a Bill Moyers documentary about the historical and environmental significance of Hudson River and Hudson River Valley (America's First River) which will give you enlightening background information before you visit this area. You can buy the two part video here.



Mt. Taurus
The Sierra Club (Atlantic Chapter)

Smiling Frenchmen: Summer tourist traffic to France is in the crapper so the French are digging down deep to do something that doesn't come easy -- smile.

"Desperate times call for desperate measures. In France this summer, that means being downright friendly to tourists— something that doesn’t come naturally to every cafe waiter and concierge in Paris. So, in an effort to bolster tourism, the French have launched the “Bonjour!” campaign. Nearly 6,000 billboards emblazoned with the greeting are now scattered around the country, reminding locals to extend a warm welcome to visitors." (via MSNBC)


Smiling Frenchmen? That's just not the Paris I know and love.


© 2003 Maison de la France

Gum That Would Pack A Punch: "In March, (Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co.) was granted U.S. government patent 6,531,114 for a gum that delivers sildenafil citrate, the active ingredient found in Viagra." (via Chicago Tribune)

Here's the patent.

This gum may never see store shelves: "Pfizer owns the patent on Viagra until 2011, and it has no plans to license the drug to Wrigley, or anyone else, to produce a gum, a spokesman said. Last year Viagra had global sales of $1.7 billion."

If it did, it probably wouldn't stay on those shelves very long.

Reckless Teenage Drivers: Trust your kid to behave behind the wheel? If this product makes it to market, you won't have to worry.

"Introducing the Innosurance driver behavior recording technology & web-based monitoring service." The manufacturer hopes to release the technology by January 2004.

Fear Sells: I was riding the NYC subway -- which is practically a petri dish for germs and bacteria -- and saw an advertisement for Purell's Instant Hand Sanitizer. I can't remember the exact wording but the basic message was this: Use this product if you want to stay healthy since germs are everywhere. It may surprise you to know that there are more germs on the handle of your office water fountain than on a toilet seat.

In this age of SARS, messages like that get my attention -- even though they're a pretty cheap scare tactic. I haven't run out to buy the product but I did visit the company's Web site. Their ad agency is GOOD. There's enough frightening information on that site to scare me into buying a case of the stuff. The overriding theme is that clean hands = good health since many germs are transmitted on our hands.

You want research? They've got research. You need a cost benefit analysis? They've got that too. Here's a fact (well, their contention at least):

"Average annual cost, per employee, of unscheduled absences due to illness: $242.00"

"Average annual cost per employee when each employee uses PURELL 4 times each business day: $7.47"

As if that wasn't enough, the site also offers a do-it-yourself media kit for HR departments complete with text for e-mail communications to fellow workers, signs and other materials.

I hope you've learned something from this public health moment. I know I have. I leave you with this compelling slogan from our friends at Purell:



© 2003
GOJO Industries Inc.

Internet Cafes Lead To Truancy: "City Councilman John Liu of Flushing is going to propose a law to ban students in 12th grade and under from going to Internet cafes during school hours in an effort to prevent students from cutting classes."

"According to statistics from the 109th Precinct, there are at least 15 Korean-owned Internet cafes in Flushing. The police said more social problems could be created if those cafes are open to teenagers without any restrictions. Many robberies, thefts and fights have occurred in the Internet cafes in Flushing and Bayside." (The World Journal via Gotham Gazette)

This article is dated May 10th so I'm not sure what has become of this questionable legislation. One thing I know, Councilman Liu is being challenged for his City Council seat. He must be pretty good at cranking out the press releases.

I'm all for keeping kids in school but it's not like they're dodging class to hang out at a bar. Maybe if there were enough computers in public schools there wouldn't be a rush to Internet Cafes. Want to reduce the truancy? Increase the number of computers in schools and let the kids have some free time on them to IM their friends or play multi-player video games -- in addition to doing their schoolwork.

Play The NYC Budget Game: Alright wiseass. You think you can do a better job of balancing NYC's budget than Mayor Mike or the City Council? Here's your chance. (via Gotham Gazette)

I failed miserably even after increasing the tax on cigarettes an additional 50 cents per pack.

Preparing For Prison: David Novak must be getting busier by the week. He's a former federal inmate turned consultant who now helps people prepare for their stints in the slammer. Wonder if Martha has contacted him yet? He didn't paint a pretty picture in the Washington Post about what life will be like for Martha's buddy Sam Waksal, who was just sentenced to seven years and three months in federal prison for securities fraud -- among other things.

"...Novak predicted that adjusting from public life to prison life will be 'excruciating' for Waksal. 'Dr. Waksal will no longer be able to decide how he eats and when he eats. He is in prison.'"

But he'll look so good in an orange jumpsuit.

Subterranean Squawkers: The D.C. Metro is wired to let you talk on your cell phone while the train speeds along underground. Saw a few people jabbering today but not as many as I would have thought. Can you imagine how annoying it would be if New Yorkers were able to use their cell phones in the subway?

The Ultimate Gay & Lesbian Cars: The car most coveted by gay men is the VW Jetta while lesbians lust after the Subaru Outback. I'd be quite suspicious of these findings were they not presented by the people behind Car Talk, the hilarious yet informative NPR weekly radio call-in show about automobiles. Just to show you how out of step I am with popular culture, this survey is a few years old. But like NBC used to say in a ludicrous attempt to promote summer reruns, "If you haven't seen it, it's new to you."

The show's Web site first asked visitors to pick the top cars for "guys" and "chicks" but quickly got their share of e-mail from gay and lesbian readers who wanted equal time. BTW, the VW Beetle finished first among straight women while the Ford Mustang took the top spot among straight dudes.

The survey also features pithy testimonials that users sent in about their favorite vehicles. About the Saab 900, number six on the top 10 list of gay cars, one writer commented:

"Defiantly places the ignition between the seats, had seat heaters long before the world knew how to cure cold buns, and provides a pair of gloves for changing the spare, along with a plastic bag in which to put the flat. Now that's panache." (via Popbitch)

This Is A Good Thing: "One of the troubling questions about (the Jayson Blair controversy) is why so many readers do not report serious errors to their papers."

"But a (Boston) Globe survey of 20 newspaper ombudsmen and reader representatives -- who often have direct interaction with readers -- found that in the post-Blair era, such passivity is giving way to more aggressive public scrutiny. With newspapers openly soliciting greater public vigilance and the (New York) Times's problems turning journalistic accuracy into a water-cooler topic, more readers are turning into whistle-blowers, raising the possibility that they will uncover significant journalistic skeletons rattling around the closet." (via The Boston Globe)

The NYT needs an ombudsman in the worst way. Of course, they'll probably change the name to ombudsperson.

The Art Of Spying: I'm in Washington D.C. on business and happen to be just a stone's throw away from the International Spy Museum. Amidst the furor over whether intelligence provided to the Bush administration about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq was misused to justify our invasion, two quotes on the museum's Web site struck me as timely.

"The single most important weapon for the United States of America is intelligence." -- Senator John Kerry, September 23, 2001.

"Fundamentally, the founding fathers of US intelligence were liars. The better you lied and the more you betrayed, the more likely you would be promoted." -- James Angleton, former head of CIA Counterintelligence.

It's not to late for the policy analysts at the White House to brush up on their interpretive skills. The Spy Museum is offering this seminar:

"Overhead surveillance technology has become indispensable to how we think about collecting intelligence—it shapes the down-to-earth realities of planning missions abroad and ensuring homeland security, and inspires the imaginations of the makers of spy films and TV thrillers. But what can overhead espionage really do—and what can’t it do? Three experts trace the history of this technology, and share personal insights and experiences on how it is actually used."

Jewish Fashion Conspiracy: "The latest in hip, urban, Jewish fashion is in...Live in NYC and want to show you support for the (currently struggling) Yankees? Try a 'Jews for Jeter' shirt. Live in San Fran and like to camp out? Try one with the slogan 'Yo Semite'." (via Gothamist)

You'll find these items and more at Jewish Fashion Conspiracy.

Interesting marketing concept. These guys, however, take a more traditional approach to selling clothing for Jews.



© 2002-2003, Jewish Fashion Conspiracy

Celebrity Wakeup Calls: A new service featuring pre-recorded celebrity wakeup calls and birthday messages delivered by telephone is on the way. The service, backed by the William Morris Agency, IDT and others, will feature sex kitten Pamela Anderson as its inaugural greeter. You can also request a celebrity so I'm hoping a few more unconvential celebs will make the list. (via PaidContent.org)



© 2003 Celebrity Wakeup

Fat Tax: Wait till Mayor Mike hears about this.

"Hamburgers, soft drinks and cakes could be hit with a "fat-tax" in a bid to combat Britain's growing levels of obesity, doctors said Monday"

"The British Medical Association is proposing a 17.5 percent VAT on high-fat foods like biscuits and processed meats to solve obesity-related problems, which cost the NHS roughly 500 million pounds ($825 million) a year." (Reuters via Yahoo! News)

Update (6/11/2003): It didn't take long for some New York City councilman to suggest a similar "anti-lard levy" of his own. The NYDN, however, says it doesn't have much chance of being taken seriously.

Rap Snacks: "Mack 10" Red Hot Cheddar is just one of the snacks you can enjoy from Rap Snacks. Seeing this product has inspired me to broaden my audience. There's nothing worse than a white guy who aspires to hip-hop hippness. So rather than take the chance of doing something stupid, I've run Nuggets through Snoop Dogg's Shnizzolator. You can check out the translation here. I figure his stamp of approval still stands for something.



Rapsnacks.com

American Chopper: I'm about as far from being a gearhead as you can get. Ask me to change the oil on a car or motorcycle, let alone replace a drive shaft, and I break out in a cold sweat. I'm pretty good at filling the gas tank but that has come with years of experience.

Nevertheless, I can't stop watching the Discovery channel program American Chopper. Each week you visit with a cantankerous father and his talented son (Paul Teutul Sr. and Jr.) as they build these extraordinarily intricate motorcycles on ridiculously tight deadlines -- bickering and sniping at each other along the way.

Maybe it's because I'm such a klutz with a lug wrench that I find the process fascinating but I think it's more than that. There's something comforting about a project that has a beginning, middle and end. I'm enthralled watching the craft of building motorcyles that are works of art. It's like "This Old House" for the Hells Angels set. You also get to see the bike builders overcome unexpected twists and turns with ingenuity. In the end, though, it's a great story about a father and son whose relationship runs from head-butting to high-fiving.

There's a new episode tonight at 10 pm that unveils the "firebike" -- a creation built in tribute to firefighters who perished on 9-11. The NYP has a preview. You can see more of their handiwork at the company Web site.



Spider: © 2003 Orange County Choppers Inc.

"Organizational Terrorism": Nick Denton argues that the recent turmoil at the NYT (prolonged to some extent by Internet chatter) has broader implications for organizations. Disgruntled employees can tip the balance of power in their favor by using the Web to roil the corporate waters.

"In the turmoil at the Times, there's a broader implication: organizations are becoming harder to run. The phone, and email, have given managers the illusion that they can control far-flung empires. But modern communications, and the growth of weblogs and web bulletin boards in particular, have also given power to bitter employees. Think of it as the proliferation of weapons to organizational terrorists." (via nickdenton.org)

Air Guitar: Watch a herring play air guitar. If you happen to be in Finland this August, be sure to catch the Air Guitar World Championships.



Oulu Music Video Festival Association

Cruel & Unusual Punishment: America's fight against terrorism is getting down and dirty.

Amnesty International "...has protested the practice of a U.S. psychological operations -- or psyops -- unit of exposing uncooperative Iraqi prisoners to prolonged doses of music from 'Sesame Street,' 'Barney' and the heavy metal group Metallica."

"As Sgt. Mark Hadsell explained to Newsweek magazine, 'They can't take it. If you play it for 24 hours, your brain and body functions start to slide, your train of thought slows down and your will is broken. That's when we come in and talk to them.'"

"Another psyops warrior told Newsweek, 'In training, they forced me to listen to the Barney 'I Love You' song for 45 minutes. I never want to go through that again.'" (via Seattle Post Intelligencer)

Think you're tough? Click here. Also, here's an entertaining piece about the anti-terrorism tactic on NPR.



© 2003 Lyons Partnership/PBS

Monica On Wheels: Monica Lewinsky has been called a lot of things but this is probably the first time she's been likened to a Toyota Land Cruiser sport utility vehicle. Apparently, nicknaming cars is a tradition in Iraq.

"In Iraq, no set of wheels is held in higher regard than the large, mostly white Toyota Land Cruiser sport utility vehicles long favored by government officials, intelligence agents and VIPs from Basra to Kirkuk."

"Locals call the vehicles 'Monicas,' as in Lewinsky, after the former White House intern whose appearance meets Iraqi standards for both feminine and automotive beauty."

"'She's a beautiful girl, and it's a beautiful car,' said Ghazi Abdullah Dormari, whose auto-trading lot in the Kurdish city of Irbil features several late-model Monicas."

"'They are a very tempting car,' said Marwan Shaban, a car dealer in the nearby northern city of Mosul. 'Just as Monica tempted Clinton, they will tempt you.'" (Jewish World Review via Washington Post)



Nova RentaCar Reservations

Martha Talks: The PR geniuses advising indicted bedsheet maven Martha Stewart must have suggested she take the offensive. Here's a Web site that tells her side of the story with a letter from Martha.

"After more than a year, the government has decided to bring charges against me for matters that are personal and entirely unrelated to the business of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia. I want you to know that I am innocent and that I will fight to clear my name."

"I simply returned a call from my stockbroker. Based in large part on prior discussions with my broker about price, I authorized a sale of my remaining shares in a biotech company called ImClone. I later denied any wrongdoing in public statements and in voluntary interviews with prosecutors. The government's attempt to criminalize these actions makes no sense to me." (Reuters via Yahoo! News)

As you might imagine, the Web site is simple yet elegant. Stay tuned for her next Web foray -- marthabegsformercy.com

Hiptop Art: Clive Thompson spots a trend -- "Taking the tiny, postage-stamp-sized pictures from a Danger Hiptop, then using photomanipulation packages to turn them into amazingly gorgeous art." (via Collision Detection)



Mike Lee

The Lowest Common Denominator: If I wanted to eat at the Olive Garden, I'd live in Secaucus, N.J. not NYC. The extraordinary array of food is one of the things that makes it easier to endure the noise, the exorbitant prices and the breakneck pace that comes with life in this city. But this news leaves a sour taste in my mouth:

"Move over L'Acajou, Pink Tea Cup, Hacienda and all the other little places with a character of their own. Casual-dining chain restaurants are setting up beachheads in Manhattan. Andrew Barish, a stock analyst, who tracks this category for Banc of America Securities, said the chains have become such well-known national brands — the category has $50 to $60 billion in annual sales — that they are ready to take on this high-cost city, one that prides itself on its individuality and its wealth of restaurants in every ethnic niche and for every pocketbook." (via NYT).

A bunch of adventurous New Yorkers even gave the Olive Garden in Chelsea a try. They appear to have left well lubricated but underwhelmed by the food.

I think New Yorkers' love or distaste of these family-style chain restaurants has everything to do with where they grew up and what they grew up eating.

It was interesting to see so many people in the NYT article today say they liked the Olive Garden and other family-style chains because they remind them of home and/or a bit of the suburbs. We've had fast food burger joints in NYC forever but not a lot of family restaurants and hardly any ethnic family chains like Olive Garden. Diners have been our family restaurants.

The part I find a bit too much to handle is the idea of mass-produced ethnic food like Olive Garden. There are so many fantastic, cheap Italian restaurants in NYC (Frank, Supper and Via Emilia to name a few). Why would anyone want to eat Fettuccine Alfredo that tasted like plaster of paris?

But what do I know? I'm still trying to explain the popularity of Domino's in a city with some of the best pizza parlors in the world.



© 2003 Domino's Pizza LLC

The Home Stretch: Friends are getting sick of me talking about Funny Cide but I can't help it. It is one of the best sports stories in years. A bunch of average blokes from upstate New York pool their cash to get into horse racing. A few years later, they're on the verge of winning the triple crown at Belmont Park with a gelding also from New York. If nothing else, it will do wonders for the ticket sales of Seabiscuit. You can follow events leading up to Saturday's race at Google News.



© copyright 2003 Funny Cide Ventures

The Root Of All Evil: "Swaziland's absolute monarch has singled out women wearing trousers as the cause of the world's ills in a state radio sermon that also condemned human rights as an 'abomination before God.'"

"'The Bible says curse be unto a woman who wears pants, and those who wear their husband's clothes. That is why the world is in such a state today,' Mswati, ruler of the impoverished feudal nation of about one million, said late on Thursday." (Reuters via Yahoo! News)

I never thought I'd say it but when it comes to floral capri pants, he's right.


© 2003 Nordstrom, Inc.

New Witch Magazine: As the cover says, "...not your mother's broomstick."

What is this -- Jane magazine for Pagans and Wiccans? (Washington Post via Romenesko)



© 2003 BBI Media, Inc.

Liberals, Libertarians & Librarians Agree: "The Justice Department's roundup of hundreds of illegal immigrants in the months after the Sept. 11 attacks was plagued with 'significant problems' that forced many people with no connection to terrorism to languish in jails in unduly harsh conditions, an internal report released today found." (via NYT)

Another example of how personal freedoms and the right to due process (Amendment V) are being whittled away by a Justice Department so concerned with preventing terrorism that it is willing to play fast and loose with the Constitution. Granted, the people in question in this case were illegal immigrants who should have been deported. So deport them or let them go. Don't hold them for months without giving them any idea of the charges or the right to counsel (Amendment VI).

Listen, I know that conservatives will say that these are just the rants of a liberal media not willing to sacrifice for the sake of national security but it's not that simple. Laws investing power in the hands of the Justice Department to fight terrorism (in the form of the Patriot Act and a possible Patriot Act II) have drawn the ire of no less mild-mannered a group than librarians.

Local governments are also moving to protect their citizen's civil liberties. "On May 6, the commissioners of Broward County, Florida, in a unanimous vote, passed the 100th local resolution in the United States proclaiming "a civil liberties safe zone." (via Village Voice).

It may be too late to roll back the Patriot Act but there's time to block Patriot Act II. It's almost enough to turn you into a card-carrying member of the ACLU.

"A World Above": The High Line -- an overgrown, abandoned elevated railway that runs from below 14th Street to just below 34th Street on the West Side -- is one of the last undeveloped open spaces in Manhattan. The Bloomberg administration seems to have an interest in making something out of it -- I hope. WNET has done a segment on its New York Voices program about the High Line entitled A World Above and the NYT has been covering the efforts of one local group (Friends of the High Line) to develop the space.

Gothamist reports on a recent competition for development ideas -- none of which are likely to get built as is but all of which are a sign that there could be some momentum building for a new use of the railway line.

I've said it before, in a city starving for open space, this is a no-brainer. The only way it is going to get redeveloped, though, is if it is self-supporting with retail or other revenue-generating uses. Either that, or the Friends of the High Line need to get themselves written into some millionaire's will.



J. Sternfeld/Friends of the High Line

Striperella: The newest cartoon superhero is a stripper. Striperella is the creation of comic book writer and icon Stan Lee with some help from Pamela Anderson. Watch for it on the TNN cable network.

"She's a stripper by night and a power-packed defender of justice, well, a little later at night. She's also the first superhero who can't resist a good sale on lingerie, even when the fate of the world hangs in the balance."

"Striperella's most dangerous foe is a villain whose name is so X-rated it can't be printed here (Hint: it rhymes with the name Queen Dolores." (via NYP)

Update (6/9/2003): Some more concept drawings and additional news from Comics2Film.

Can the action figure be far behind? Speaking of action figures, get a load of the new Fashion Insider Ken doll.

Just when I thought we were short on role models.

Update (6/10/2003): Striperella is now at the center of a controversy between movie director Spike Lee and TNN, the cable network Lee is trying to prevent from using his first name for their new "Spike TV" network.

Update (6/20/2003): Official Striperella site.

Brooklyn Daily Eagle: One of NYC's legendary newspapers is now online, years after it folded. The Brooklyn Daily Eagle -- which counted poet Walt Whitman among it's Editor-in-Chiefs, is archived on a Web site created by the Brooklyn Public Library.

"Founded in 1841, the Eagle had become, by the Civil War, the most widely read afternoon newspaper in America, according to 'The Eagle and Brooklyn,' a 1974 book by Raymond A. Schroth. The paper won four Pulitzer Prizes -Nelson Harding was honored two years in a row, 1927 and 1928, for editorial cartooning - and was noted for its opposition to the borough's 1898 consolidation with New York City...But, in 1955, during a strike, the paper folded. It was resurrected in 1960, but the revival was short-lived, and along with the departure of the Dodgers in 1957 and the closing of the Navy Yard in 1966, many saw the end of The Eagle as a sign of the borough's demise." (via NYT)

Rummaging through the online archives (the first 62 years of the paper's history) you get a fascinating look at the social mores of Brooklynites and a sense that some things haven't changed that much. Here are a few examples:

The paper pointed out the growing scourge of opium use and railed against the double standards some politicians used to enforce the law -- in this case against prostitution.

There was another pastime that's also still in vogue today -- beating up on the local sports team. In this case, the Trolley Dodgers -- who I imagine were the precursor to the Brooklyn Dodgers. You've got to love this headline:

"Champions Beat By St. Louis Sluggers
Brooklyn Players Lose Their Heads
and Act Like Crowd of Amateurs"


Brooklyn Public Library/PBS

What Were They Thinking?: Check out the "What They Were Thinking" write-up in this Sunday's NYT Magazine. The weekly editorial feature appears on page 24 and describes the work of the "nose team." The inspectors in white lab coats are hired by car manufacturer Audi to ensure that their new cars don't leave the factory with any strong smells that could offend the vehicle's owner.

There's one little problem. This feature is sandwiched between two full-page advertisements from Audi so it's hard to tell the difference between the paid plug and the straight NYT reporting. I'm sure this was an honest mistake and it's certainly no crime against humanity. But at a time when the newspaper's editorial integrity is receiving unusual scrutiny, it's unfortunate.

Some people aching for another reason to embarrass the NYT will say it just doesn't smell right.

Memorial Madness: Why can't we get past the cult of heroism surrounding 9-11?

"A top rebuilding official said yesterday that the guidelines for the World Trade Center memorial were flexible enough to allow the professional affiliations of firefighters and other rescue workers to be listed on it with their names, if the memorial jury chose a design that did so."

"The issue has been the subject of aggressive lobbying and demonstrations by firefighters and other rescue workers in recent weeks. While some firefighters have campaigned for a separate memorial for rescue workers, a larger number have asked that "F.D.N.Y." or other such affiliations be listed with the names of rescue workers who were killed at the trade center." (via NYT)

Everyone who died in the attacks on the World Trade Center should be memorialized the same way. The firefighters and other rescue workers who perished trying to save lives on 9-11 are truely heroic. I'm sure, though, that civilians also lost their lives trying to lead others to safety that day. Regardless, no life is worth more recognition than another.

E-Bore-Ometer: Are you obessed with technology and in need of a life? Take this test to find out. Here's my score. Not a pretty picture. (via Webmonkey)

"Life Of The Party": My search for the perfect job is over. I'm seriously considering leaving this Internet thing behind and becoming a "party motivator." It's a cross between a Catskills "Tummler" and a cruise ship social director.

"They are attractive, hard-bodied students, aspiring actors and the like, who are paid to dance at sweet 16's, corporate parties and the occasional wedding, but most of all bar mitzvahs or bat mitzvahs, where the presence of three generations of partygoers, among them dozens of 13-year-olds, creates the potential for even the most carefully engineered affair to dissolve into boredom or chaos." (via NYT)

Ok, I'm not particularly attractive (except to my wife, fortunately), I'm not hard-bodied (although I've successfully battled the bulge so far) and I'm not an aspiring actor. I do, however, have a lot of experience with bar and bat mitzvahs, having attended my share as a kid. I've also been told I'm a pretty snappy dancer. In my youth, we didn't use party motivators. Getting a chance to dance with girls, smoke cigars, stay up really late and rake in the cash and Cross pen sets seemed like motivation enough.

Dodging A Segway: I had a near death experience with a Segway at the corner of Park Avenue South and 17th Street the other day. The driver of the two-wheeled "Human Transporter" was barreling down the sidewalk in my direction and swerved just in time to miss clipping me. I love the idea of people using this contraption to get around the city but there's just not enough room on the sidewalk for them and me.

Some municipalities are already passing ordinances to keep them out of the path of pedestrians. I think it's time we do the same in NYC. They could use bike lanes or navigate the streets like other wheeled vehicles. Of course, it's just a mater of time before the city start's handing out moving violations for the ticket revenue.



© 2001-2003 Segway LLC

Bombs & Blues: As precision guided bombs slammed into Baghdad, journalists covering the mayhem turned up the volume on their iPods and CD players as they hoped for the best. Craig Nelson, who covered the war from Baghdad for Cox Newspapers, has an interesting piece in E&P about what music "hacks," "snappers" and "shooters," (aka reporters, photographers and television cameramen) used to get them through tough times.

"For some, music is a talisman, and the more the bullets and bombs fly, the more we cling to our songs as though they possess magic powers that will somehow pull us through. With anarchy always threatening, no reporter begrudges others their good-luck charms," Nelson said.

Among the music of choice, songs from: Dionne Warwick, Metallica, Guns 'n' Roses, Johnny Cash, Oasis, Green Day, Iraqi singer Kazem el-Saher, Mozart, Handel, Van Morrison, Nigel Kennedy and Bob Dylan. (E&P via Yahoo! News)

Comical Ali -- The DVD: You're wearing the t-shirt, now watch the DVD. Former Iraqi Information Minister Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf's greatest hits ("Rumsfield, he needs to be hit on the head") are your's on dvd and video for $17.99. (via Popbitch)

Online Divorce: With nearly 50% of all marriages ending in divorce, you'd think we wouldn't need to make getting a divorce any easier than it is now. Wrong.

"Offering a simpler and cheaper path to divorce, an ever-growing array of dot-coms, computer-savvy lawyers and state court officials are encouraging unhappily married Americans to arrange their breakups online." (via Wired News).

Looks like the Web has life's major milestones covered:

Birth
Teens
Adulthood
Marriage
Divorce
Second Marriage
Divorce
Third Marriage (Women)
Third Marriage (Men)
Golden Years
Debilitating Illness
Death
Eternal Life

Famous NYC Food: The NYT's R.W. Apple Jr. -- who these days is eating his way across the globe -- has a piece in today's paper about foods associated with Philadelphia. Got me thinking about all the foods associated with NYC. I'm sure I missed a few and there will be those who dispute some I've selected (please do) but here's my first stab at a list of Famous New York City Food.

Knishes
Egg Creams
Coney Island Red Hots
Chewing Gum
Rugelach, Babka & Rye Bread
Salami & Pastrami
Pickles
Kosher Chinese food
Matzoh Ball Soup
Bagels
Chopped Liver
Lox
Hot Roasted Chestnuts (Thanks Yehudit)
Reuben Sandwich (In dispute)

Update: The Homesick Gourmet is a directory of Web sites offering regional foods. (via TMN)





© Museum of the City of New York

The End Of Innocence: All is lost. My 10-year-old niece just discovered Jennifer Lopez. She was listening to a cut from J Lo's latest album tonight on the CD player she just got for her birthday. The song was "Jenny From The Block", no less. Here's the really scary part. My brother and I started singing along.

I wonder if I can get someone from this group to do an intervention?

Nasty Water Bottles: Somebody once told me not to refill my bottle of store-bought spring water since all sorts of nasty bacteria set up shop in these plastic containers after using them more than once. If I had any doubts about the wisdom of that suggestion, I don't after seeing the results of these lab tests.

Groucho Glasses: 800 kids wearing Groucho noses, mustaches and glasses. Don't ask me.



Becky Shink/Lansing State Journal

Obsessive Consumption: Kate Bingaman, a graduate student in design at the Universityof Nebraska, documents everything she buys on a site called Obessive Consumption.

Her take on this obession? "By associating me with the brands that I purchase, the music that I listen to, the movies that I watch, the books that I read, the food that I eat, you might feel like you know my personality traits and can almost predict what I am going to buy in the future. Maybe I am what I buy." (via Anil Dash)