Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Wednesday Morning Ramones: "I Wanna Live"




I Wanna Live

I've been thinking it over

And I know just what to do
I've been thinking it over
And I know I just can't trust myself

I'm a Gypsy prince
Covered with diamonds and jewels
But then my lover exposes me
I know I'm just a damn fool

[CHORUS]

I give what I've got to give
I give what I need to live
I give what I've got to give
It's important if I wanna live

I wanna live
I want to live my life
I wanna live
I want to live my life

As I load my pistol
Of fine German steel
I never thought I'd be so down and out
Having my last meal
But I know I can do it
It just took a few years
As I execute my killer
The morning is near
 (Dee Dee Ramone, Daniel Rey)

Monday, August 29, 2011

Going Fast: "Ostalgia" at the New Museum


"Ostalgia," the exhibition at the New Museum closing on September  25, takes its title from the German word ostalgie, a term that emerged in the 1990s to describe a sense of longing and nostalgia for the era before the collapse of the Communist Bloc. Twenty years ago—after the fall of the Berlin Wall—a process of dissolution led to the breakup of the Soviet Union and many other countries that had been united under Communist governments. From the Baltic republics to the Balkans, from Central Europe to Central Asia, entire regions and nations were reconfigured, their constitutions rewritten, their borders redrawn. “Ostalgia” looks at the art produced in and about some of these countries, many of which did not formally exist two decades ago. Mixing private confessions and collective traumas, the exhibition traces a psychological landscape in which individuals and entire societies must negotiate new relationships to history, geography, and ideology.


"Ostalgia” brings together the work of more than fifty artists from twenty countries across Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Republics. Many of the works offer a series of reportages on aspects of life and art under Communism and in the new post-Soviet countries. "The exhibition pays particular attention to the unique place that artists came to occupy in Socialist countries, acting simultaneously as outcasts, visionaries, and witnesses.

"Unlike a conventional geographical survey, the exhibition includes works produced by Western European artists who have grappled with the reality and the myth of the East. Some of the preoccupations that unite the artists in “Ostalgia” are a romantic belief in the power of art as a transformative, almost curative agent; an obsession with language; the conception of a new aesthetic of the body; a fascination with the ruins of history as represented by monuments and architectural vestiges; and an understanding of artwork as a form of sentimental documentary that mediates between cultural pressures and individual anxieties."
 
DITHOB: The show alternates between a very useful pedagogy, outlining the rise and fall of Soviet socialist soceity and culture, to Phil Collins' film that views the impact of the fall of the Soviet Union on educated East German  women who had functional roles in the apparatus of the State and who then had to re-orient themselves in the new capitalist society. Art, sculpture, ephemera, that help to explore the cultural transitions in Eastern Europe.
 
THrough September 25. More here

Sunday, August 28, 2011

Flatbush Aftermath: Trees Fall

Lots of trees down in the Fiske Terrace - Midwood Park sections of Flatbush. On East 18th two trees fell, one on a car. (Word on the street was that the car was a rental, fortunately, no one was hurt (there was a baby seat in the back), and the rental company told them the car would probably be safer with them.) Another tree blocking East 17th street; a resident in a nearby home said no one heard the fall.








photos by Tony Napoli - Deep in the Heart of Brooklyn

Saturday, August 27, 2011

Notes from Coastal Flooding Zone C

We got back and had a lovely lunch on a wonderful Friday summer afternoon at Kenn's Broome Street Bar, that venerable institution in SoHo celebrating its 39th anniversary this October. Bloody Marys, salads, expresso and sorbet, Sambuca, alternately playing "Heroes" on the juke box, thinking  about "Ostalgia" at the New Museum and gazing into My Better Half''s dreamy  blue eyes, while a row of party-ful  young women celebrated Friday afternoon at the bar. I love Broome Street Bar. Difficult to believe that a hurricane was working its way toward us like an uncapped blender on steroids.

Got home, put stuff in garage, set up cafe table in dinng room, battened down various hatches and set in for the now inevitable, seasonal disaster watch. Having coffee on front porch and writing this before we stow away remaining outdoor furniture. My son moved all of his plants off of the back deck into the house so things are looking a bit like "Day of the Triffids" inside our home on Waldorf Court.  Not sure why, but I displayed the Stars and Stripes on our covered porch. Funny, after walking around on our way home, we stopped at Tribeca Bagels on Canal, and we were chatting with one of the knockoff goods hustlers who was on line to use the john. I made my by now tired remark that after a recent spate of tornadoes, blizzards, earthquakes, and now a hurricane,what's left for NYC -- volcanoes/lava and Godzilla?  He replied, you have to wonder if people are doing the right thing, living the right way, that all of this punishment is being visited on our five boroughs. Interesting how the comment always returns to "the fundamentals" -- marriage equality.

It's nearly noon and it sounds like the last Q train has already passed through. We may take a walk to get another newspaper, a bottle of wine, some ingredients for our daughter, the philosopher-artist-baker, and then its time for a mostly indoor weekend with our kids, waiting, watching, and thinking.

--Anthony Napoli, Deep in the Heart of Brooklyn

Friday, August 26, 2011

TALK TO ME: Museum of Modern Art

A remarkable future fast-forward exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art showcases the nexus of design, communications and sheer creativity in the human sphere as we interact more and more with things.

Devices, videos, TaGG readers, sculptural takes on the Interactive World, there is something giddily thrilling and yet overwhelming in seeing just how far ahead of the everyday world  these designers and systems folks really are.

New Yorkers won't want to miss the functional MTA MetroCard machine with commemorative Metrocard from the exhibit.

More here 

OK, What's Left, New York?

All kidding aside, stay safe everyone and Be Prepared!
-Deep in the Heart of Brooklyn

The Devil's Music: Ain't Nobody's Business If I Do


Angelo Parra's The Devil's Music: The Life and Music of Bessie Smith, with musical staging by Joe Brancato, playing at St. Luke's Theater, is a daunting work for a playwright to create. Treading a fine line between musical tribute/showcase and musical theater, with many of Ms. Smith's songs at the heart of it all, this is one of those works that will utterly rise or fall on the performer. As the croweded audience on Monday night showed, however, Miche Braden, is a dream come true, as she leads her trio (Jim Hankins, bass, Aaron Graves, piano, and, at the show we attended, Anthony E. Nelson, Jr., saxophone), and the audience through the life, and songs and times of the "Empress of the Blues." Telling stories, engaging and playing with the audience, and singing the blues with a passion, warmth and fire, that is sure to stir and leave you with a sense that, yes, this is Bessie Smith. A wonderful and memorable show.

St. Luke's Theater website here


Tuesday, August 23, 2011

CODA: Whew---The Washington Monument is Not Tilting!

Washington Post reports that Washington Park police have confirmed that despite preliminary indiucations the Washington Monument is not tilting due to the earthquake centered in Mineral, Virginia, felt as far away as Brooklyn and Rhode Island.

More here

Earthquake Weather

We had returned from a few days in Atlantic City, and the contractor was finishing repair of our front steps which had fallen apart from the past rough winter. While he was here we had him check our chimney this morning as well. I was sitting on the deck with my better half, and son and daughter. Got up and was in the bathroom and felt the house shake. I thought the chimney and the roof were coming down. Folks ran into the streets here in Flatbush. "Did you feel that? Did you feel that?"

Thinking it was related to MTA construction nearby, I tried to call 311, NYC's information phone number since it wasn't an emergency, but the number was busy. Finally turned on NY1 and they were reporting it was a suspected earthquake. My daughter working in an office building in Manhattan was unaware of quake as was one of my other daughters who was out and about in Park Slope. I contacted my office (I am on vacation) and my building was evacuated.

Just before the temblor hit, Guinevere, our corgi, was hiding under a chair. Afterwards, she took refuge, head down in her crate/condo in our living room.

My colleague with family in Virginia reported that dishes and glassware fell out of their closets. Virginia nuclear power plants taken offline. JFK airport diverted flights to Connecticut.

Although it appears there was no significant damage to speak of,a quiet summer afternoon turned on its head.

US GEOLOGICAL SURVEY report here

-Tony Napoli - Deep in the Heart of Brooklyn

Thursday, August 18, 2011

"Try and Love Again"

Right or wrong/what's done is done /it's only moments that you borrow...

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Tune for a Rainy Sunday: Comes a Time by Neil Young

"This old world keeps a-spinnin' round/it's a wonder tall trees ain't layin' down/comes a time.."

Friday, August 12, 2011

Coda: Appellate Court Overturns Dominic Carter Conviction

Associated Press reports that "An appeals court has reversed the attempted-assault conviction of the former NY1 reporter and host Dominic Carter. The conviction in October 2009, involving a domestic-abuse charge, ended the career of Mr. Carter at NY1, where he was an influential political anchor. Mr. Carter served 19 days in jail.

"The Appellate Division of State Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday that Mr. Carter should not have been tried. It said that a town judge in Rockland County had originally agreed to dismiss the case if Mr. Carter stayed out of trouble for a year, and that the judge should not have changed his mind.

"The decision did not discuss the circumstances of the case. Mr. Carter’s wife said he hit her in October 2008; she later recanted. The judge called her revised story preposterous.

"The Rockland County district attorney’s office did not immediately return a message seeking comment. "

Link here

DITHOB: Mr. Carter's apparent anger management and marital issues aside, he remains,  in this blog's opinion, a terrific NY political reporter and anchor. One hopes, assuming that he resolves his issues, that he may return to NY TV at some point in the future

The DeKalb Market

Such a cool public space. The DeKalb Market at Citypoint, adjoining the new shopping galleria at Albee Square is a wonderful outdoor space constructed out of re-purposed container-trailers.This outdoor spot in Brooklyn. 332 Flatbush Avenue Extension (at Willoughby), from 12pm -10pm.


As the DeKalb Market website explains: "Low-price, low-rise, low-impact, the new DeKalb Market in Brooklyn is far from low-key. The modular market opened on July 23 and sits on the site of the planned second phase of the CityPoint development in Downtown Brooklyn. The market is made up of a lego-like fortress of shipping containers re-appropriated by 22 local companies as cafes, restaurants, retail outlets, and even an internet radio station. The repurposing of both the site and rectangular storage units is the brainchild of UK-based Urban Space developed with Young Woo & Associates. Urban Space has been championing container constructions for 30 years and is behind successful public spaces and temporary markets including the famous Camden Lock in North London and Union Square Holiday Market in Manhattan, as well as retail, leisure and residential developments. “This is the first of its kind in the US,” said Urban Space’s Jessica Tolliver. “We really focus on going into areas that are not being used to full potential and putting something there for the community to enjoy.”

From the official DeKalb Market site More here

Grub Street lays it all out food-wize here







Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Monday, August 8, 2011

Just Twenty Years Ago -- and Seems Like Forever: The First Website Created

Amazing, given that DITHOB has been hacking away since 2007, roughly 4 years, and the first web page was only established 20 years ago, in 1991, by Sir Tim Berners-Lee.


Sir Tim Berners-Lee, The Man Who Invented the
World-Wide Web and Created the First Website

And here is what the first website looked like

More here

Friday, August 5, 2011

If Your Memory Serves You Well: HAZMAT MODINE @ The Jewish Museum

Been looking forward to seeing these Bad Boys, Hazmat Modine, and last night, we did, at the closing performance of the Jewish Museum's SummerNights series. Hazmat Modine draws from American music of the 1920s and 30s through the 50s and early 60s, blending elements of early blues, hokum jugband, swing, klezmer, New Orleans R & B and Jamaican rocksteady.

Wade Schuman got things off to a raucous start with his solo blues harmonica. (Bill Barrett, Mr. Schuman's partner in crime on harmonica was not at this show.)  He was shortly joined onstage by the band (Peter Smith, Michael Gomez, guitar, vocals), Steve Elson (saxes, piccolo, Armenian wind instrument), Pamela Fleming (trumpet), Joseph Daley (sousaphone), and Richard Livingston Huntley (drums), and it was a rollicking ride through American roots from there.  Mr. Schuman observed that the band is often tagged as a Jewish/Klezmer group. This was highlighted when an audience member shouted out "What region are you from?" Mr. Schuman replied "New York!" The band worked its way through a number of tunes from the group's second album, Cicada, including "Mocking Bird", "I've Been Lonely for So Long", Irving Berlin's "Walking Stick", among others. While each of the band members contribute to the tight rhythm and blues syncopation, they each had a chance to shine with marvelous solos. There were some great moments, as when Mr. Daley, on sousaphone, who provides a horn bass for the group, there being no string bass player, had a chance to wail, and duet with Mr. Schuman on harmonica. Mr. Gomez and Mr. Smith each had the opportuunity to cut loose on guitar, and there was a marvelous face off between Mr. Smith and Ms. Fleming on trumpet. Mr. Huntley kicked out the jams to a, frankly, wildly receptive audience at the Jewish Museum. It was delightful.

Wade Schuman on harmonica @ Jewish Museum

Left to right:
Peter Smith, Michael Gomez, Joseph Daley (rear: Richard Livingston Huntley),
Wade Schuman (rear: Pamela Fleming) and Steve Elson

Photos by Anthony M. Napoli 2011

We had a chance to say hello to Mr. Smith after the show, (and buy a copy of CICADA)  and he seemed as delighted as we in the audience were with this concluding show of Hazmat Modine's summer tour. It occurred to this listener that, in the category of American roots bands, you have, say "The Band" with that lighter, more country and perhaps more Canadian-influenced vibe, say more of the wolf. And then there is Hamzat Modine which is a tad darker, perhaps more of an Eastern European thread, more of the bear, and a broader, world music palette, which may be the source of the group's "klezmerish" association.  But that same darkness offers a very rich and complex tonality, American blues and roots music, forged at midnight, say, at the  crossroads.
--Anthony Napoli @ Deep in the Heart of Brooklyn


Cicada, their new CD

"One of New York’s most original bands, HAZMAT MODINE delivers a rustic, deliriously Dionysian blend of whorehouse Blues, Reggae, Klezmer, Country and Gypsy-tinged music. ” ~ Alan Young, Trifecta, NYC"

Hazmat Modine's website here

The Jewish Museum here

Info on the group's CDs here

Thursday, August 4, 2011

+972: Independent Voices and Images

+972mag.com is an Internet magazine providing "independent reporting from Israel and the Palestinian territories." Lots of interesting, ennobling, troubling, complex and penetrating reporting from an independent perspectives n what it's like in Israel Now.

In today's NY Times, an interesting OP-ED article on the economic protests in Israel, "In Israel, the Rent is Too Damn High" by Dimi Reider, an Israeli journalist and photographer, and Aziz Abu Sarah, a Palestinian columnist with the newspaper Al Quds, who are both contributors to +972mag.com . Many interesting articles, soul searching, discussion and debate (as well as rants from all sides in the comments section of various posted articles.)

As just one example, an interesting item, which demonstrates how Everything is Political, an article by Ami Kauffman that concerns Paul Simon's recent concert in Israel. The article is very warm and appreciative. However, in the comments following the article, an explosion of debate, mostly it seems from non-Israeli leftists. It includes a bit of video of Paul Simon, from the conclusion of the concert.

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Remember Fukushima? Still There, Still Leakin'

Let's see, it's tough getting our Crises straight these days. Oh, yeah, remember the Earthquake and Tsunami in Japan earlier this year? And the triple play nuclear-plant accident that followed?



Well, officials at Japan's crippled Fukushima nuclear plant, severely damaged by March's earthquake and tsunami, are now reporting the most dangerous conditions ever recorded at the facility. Pockets of extremely high radiation were discovered near a ventilation chimney between two of the plant's nuclear reactors. Officials with the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) believe the culprit is debris left behind from emergency venting procedures that were followed after the March 11 disaster.

More here

Pro Publica: The US Economy Keeps Slip Slidin' Away

Investigative journalism site Pro Publica's Braden Goyette dares to look at the car wreck that is the American economy at the moment, and you just can't look away:

•Growth in number of unemployed people  since March 2011: 545,000


•Number of long-term unemployed people  in June 2011: 6.3 million, or 44.4 percent of the unemployed

•Pace at which jobs were added throughout the late 1990s : 350,00 per month

•Jobs that were added in June : 18,000

•Jobs the U.S. needs to create to 5 percent unemployment rate : 6.8 million, as of January 2011

•Years it will take to get back to an unemployment rate of 5 percent :four years if we're adding jobs at 350,000 per month; 11 years if we're adding jobs at the 2005 rate of 210,000 per month

More details here

DITHOB: OK, so businesses, despite the money cushion provided by the bailout, don't want to hire, because "consumers" aren't spending money, and consumers aren't spending money because the economy is bad; and corporations want the government to cut taxes, so the dwindling number of people who are worknig can theoretically pay less taxes (although the richest folks don't pay taxes at all) and at the same time, the government should reduce budgets and not spend more money for social welfare, health benefits, unemployment, social security, etc., but then those folks won't have any money to spend either, and then the folks who are working, become extremely; cautions with their money and don't spend it either, and the economy doesn't expand, so businesses don't want to hire....around and around and around we go.

Safety net? Social Contract? Civil unrest?

-DITHOB

Monday, August 1, 2011

Blues for a Summer Monday, Post-Debt Crisis Edition (Sort of)


Eric Clapton in Montreaux 1986

On the Writing of Badge: "George Harrison remembered the story differently: "I helped Eric write 'Badge' you know. Each of them had to come up with a song for that Goodbye Cream album and Eric didn't have his written. We were working across from each other and I was writing the lyrics down and we came to the middle part so I wrote 'Bridge.' Eric read it upside down and cracked up laughing-- 'What's BADGE?' he said. After that, Ringo walked in drunk and gave us that line about the swans living in the park."

"A common legend or misconception is that the name came about because its chord progression is B-A-D-G-E (it is not), or simply because an anagram of a guitar's standard tuning (E-A-D-G-B-E) can be arranged to spell "Badge"."  More here:"BADGE"