The economy continues to roll on a rocky road. Economic surges on world stock markets. Russian stock market suspended due to market turmoil. US and London markets rebound based on promise of US intervention. How temporary, remains to be seen. It appears that the free market vision of the last two decades is now over as the role of government, whether short-term or long-term, appears to be a given. Now that the wisdom of de-regulation is suspect, will the US economy evolve into a more regulated, managed version of itself, to avoid going over the cliff ? Clearly, at this stage of advanced capitalism, something's gotta give. Will we evolve into a more European style of managed economy, or will the American cowboy version of capitalism continue to hold sway, where growth is the only thing that matters ? How will the economy and the government address the fact that bailouts are fine for corporations and the wealthy but not for the working folks ? What impact will this have on the upcoming election ? As the Chinese curse (or blessing) states, "May you live in interesting times."
Krugman on Federal Bailouts -- Done Right; Brooklyn's Own Senator Chuck Schumer and Sen. Hillary Clinton on likely next steps:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/19/opinion/19krugman.html
Freakonomics: The Two Steves on the Crisis
http://freakonomics.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/09/18/diamond-and-kashyap-on-the-recent-financial-upheavals/?em
Friday, September 19, 2008
Thursday, September 18, 2008
'The World As We Know It Is Going Under': The Financial Crisis
Complex does not describe it. The current financial crisis continues to unfurl with apparently no end it sight. The New York Times devotes a 4 full columns of its banner..the Wall Street Journal gives extensive coverage. World press as well recognizes the enormity of this and its repercussions and ramifications. This is Big Time, Big Time.
Der Spiegel gives a very pressing perspective on this. The excerpt below followed by the full article:
From Der Spiegel - By Marc Pitzke in New York
The most breathtaking aspect about this week's crisis, though, is that the life raft -- which Washington had only previously used to bail out the mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac -- is being handed out by a government whose party usually fights against any form of government intervention. The policy is anchored in its party platform.
"I fear the government has passed the point of no return," financial historian Ron Chernow told the New York Times. "We have the irony of a free-market administration doing things that the most liberal Democratic administration would never have been doing in its wildest dreams."
Panic is the word of the hour on Wall Street. Now even Morgan Stanley is fighting for survival. The commercial bank Wachovia and China's Bank Citic are being discussed as possible rescuers. The crisis has led President Bush to cancel a trip.
REUTERS
For traders, now might just be the worst of times.
The original plan actually called for humor. On Wednesday evening, actress Christy Carlson Romano was supposed to ring the closing bell on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) to mark her debut in the Broadway musical "Avenue Q." She plays two roles on stage -- a romantic kindergarten teaching assistant, and a slutty nightclub singer.
After that day on the floor, the stock traders could have used a bit of comic relief. But it was not to be. Instead of Christy Carlson Romano, a NYSE employee in a joyless gray suit stood on the balcony and silently pressed a button. The bell rang and he disappeared. No waving, no clapping, none of the usual jubilation.
By the end of Wednesday, no one here was in the mood for laughter. The bad news on Wall Street was coming thick and fast. All the US indexes were crashing again after Tuesday's brief and deceptive breather. In its wild, rollercoaster ride, the Dow Jones lost about 450 points, which was almost as much as it lost on Monday, the most catastrophic day on US markets since 2001.
Investors were turning their back to the market in droves and fleeing to safer pastures. The price of gold broke its record for the highest increase in a one-day period.
Panic Is the Word of the Hour
Traders abandoned the NYSE temple visually defeated and immune to the TV crews rushing past. The disastrous closing prices were flickering on the ticker above the NYSE entrance: American Express -8.4 percent; Citigroup -10.9 percent; JPMorgan Chase -12.2 percent. American icons, abused like stray dogs. Even Apple took a hit.
"I don't know what I should say," stammered one broker, who was consoling himself with white wine and beer along with two colleagues at a bar called Beckett's. Ties and jackets were off, but despite the evening breeze, you could still make out the thin film of sweat on his forehead. His words captured the speechlessness of an industry.
Things got worse after the markets closed. Washington Mutual, America's fourth-largest bank, announced that it had started the process of putting itself up for sale. The Wall Street Journal reported that both Wells Fargo and the banking giant Citigroup were interested in taking over the battered American savings bank.
And then came the announcement that would dominate all of Thursday's market activities: Morgan Stanley -- the venerable Wall Street institution and one of the last two US investment banks left standing -- had lost massive amounts and was fighting for survival. Media reports were saying that it was even in talks about a possible bail-out or merger. Rumor had it that possible suitors might include Wachovia or China's Bank Citic.
China?
"Folks," economist Larry Kudlow, a host on the business channel CNBC begged his viewers that evening, "let's not let this magnificent country go down!"
End of an Era
In fact, it really does look as if the foundations of US capitalism have shattered. Since 1864, American banking has been split into commercial banks and investment banks. But now that's changing. Bear Stearns, Lehman Brothers, Merrill Lynch -- overnight, some of the biggest names on Wall Street have disappeared into thin air. Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley are the only giants left standing. Despite tolerable quarterly results, even they have been hurt by mysterious slumps in prices and -- at least in Morgan Stanley's case -- have prepared themselves for the end.
"Nothing will ever be like it was before," said James Allroy, a broker who was brooding over his chai latte at a Starbucks on Wall Street. "The world as we know it is going under."
Many are drawing comparisons with the Great Depression, the national trauma that has been the benchmark for everything since. "I think it has the chance to be the worst period of time since 1929," financing legend Donald Trump told CNN. And the Wall Street Journal seconds that opinion, giving one story the title: "Worst Crisis Since '30s, With No End Yet in Sight."
But what's happening? Experts have so far been unable to agree on any conclusions. Is this the beginning of the end? Or is it just a painful, but normal cycle correcting the excesses of recent years? Does responsibility lie with the ratings agencies, which have been overvaluing financial institutions for a long time? Or did dubious short sellers manipulate stock prices -- after all, they were suspected of having caused the last stock market crisis in July.
The only thing that is certain is that the era of the unbridled free-market economy in the US has passed -- at least for now. The near nationalization of AIG, America's largest insurance company, with an $85 billion cash infusion -- a bill footed by taxpayers -- was a staggering move. The sum is three times as high as the guarantee provided by the Federal Reserve when Bear Stearns was sold to JPMorgan Chase in March.
The most breathtaking aspect about this week's crisis, though, is that the life raft -- which Washington had only previously used to bail out the mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac -- is being handed out by a government whose party usually fights against any form of government intervention. The policy is anchored in its party platform.
"I fear the government has passed the point of no return," financial historian Ron Chernow told the New York Times. "We have the irony of a free-market administration doing things that the most liberal Democratic administration would never have been doing in its wildest dreams."
Bush Cancels Trip
The situation appears to be so serious that George W. Bush cancelled two domestic trips he had planned for Thursday on short notice. Instead, the president will remain in Washington to discuss the "serious challenges confronting US financial markets." He said the president remained focused on "taking action to stabilize and strengthen the markets." Bush had originally planned to travel to events in Florida and Alabama.
So far, the US presidential candidates have made few helpful remarks about the crisis other than the usual slogans. Both are vaguely calling for "regulation" and "reform" -- bland catchphrases almost universally welcomed with applause.
Republican Party presidential candidate John McCain had the most to say. On Monday, he said "the foundation of our economy" was "strong," adding that he opposed a government-led bailout of US insurer AIG. But now he's promising further government steps "to prevent the kind of wild speculation that can put our markets at risk." McCain's explanation for the current crisis: "unbridled corruption and greed."
But Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama didn't move past superficialities, either. "We're Americans. We've met tough challenges before and we can again."
What else are they supposed to say? After all, US presidents have very little influence on stockmarkets. And Wall Street is expecting the status quo for the next president. On Wednesday an almost palpable mix of tension and melancholy filled the air above New York's Financial District. The beloved trader bar Bull Run was half empty, and many tables were free at fine-dining establishments like Cipriani, Mangia and Bobby Van's, which are normally booked days in advance.
At the side entrance to Goldman Sachs on Pearl Street, limo chauffeurs sat waiting for their customers, still above in their office towers cowering over the accounts. "If they go under," said Rashid Amal, who works as a chauffeur for a firm called Excelsior, "then I will soon be out of a job."
Der Spiegel Article:
http://www.spiegel.de/international/business/0,1518,druck-578944,00.html
Fearless Leader: Can you lend me a dime? Bloomberg on the "Next Wave Crisis"
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080917/ap_on_bi_ge/economy_bloomberg
Der Spiegel gives a very pressing perspective on this. The excerpt below followed by the full article:
From Der Spiegel - By Marc Pitzke in New York
The most breathtaking aspect about this week's crisis, though, is that the life raft -- which Washington had only previously used to bail out the mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac -- is being handed out by a government whose party usually fights against any form of government intervention. The policy is anchored in its party platform.
"I fear the government has passed the point of no return," financial historian Ron Chernow told the New York Times. "We have the irony of a free-market administration doing things that the most liberal Democratic administration would never have been doing in its wildest dreams."
Panic is the word of the hour on Wall Street. Now even Morgan Stanley is fighting for survival. The commercial bank Wachovia and China's Bank Citic are being discussed as possible rescuers. The crisis has led President Bush to cancel a trip.
REUTERS
For traders, now might just be the worst of times.
The original plan actually called for humor. On Wednesday evening, actress Christy Carlson Romano was supposed to ring the closing bell on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) to mark her debut in the Broadway musical "Avenue Q." She plays two roles on stage -- a romantic kindergarten teaching assistant, and a slutty nightclub singer.
After that day on the floor, the stock traders could have used a bit of comic relief. But it was not to be. Instead of Christy Carlson Romano, a NYSE employee in a joyless gray suit stood on the balcony and silently pressed a button. The bell rang and he disappeared. No waving, no clapping, none of the usual jubilation.
By the end of Wednesday, no one here was in the mood for laughter. The bad news on Wall Street was coming thick and fast. All the US indexes were crashing again after Tuesday's brief and deceptive breather. In its wild, rollercoaster ride, the Dow Jones lost about 450 points, which was almost as much as it lost on Monday, the most catastrophic day on US markets since 2001.
Investors were turning their back to the market in droves and fleeing to safer pastures. The price of gold broke its record for the highest increase in a one-day period.
Panic Is the Word of the Hour
Traders abandoned the NYSE temple visually defeated and immune to the TV crews rushing past. The disastrous closing prices were flickering on the ticker above the NYSE entrance: American Express -8.4 percent; Citigroup -10.9 percent; JPMorgan Chase -12.2 percent. American icons, abused like stray dogs. Even Apple took a hit.
"I don't know what I should say," stammered one broker, who was consoling himself with white wine and beer along with two colleagues at a bar called Beckett's. Ties and jackets were off, but despite the evening breeze, you could still make out the thin film of sweat on his forehead. His words captured the speechlessness of an industry.
Things got worse after the markets closed. Washington Mutual, America's fourth-largest bank, announced that it had started the process of putting itself up for sale. The Wall Street Journal reported that both Wells Fargo and the banking giant Citigroup were interested in taking over the battered American savings bank.
And then came the announcement that would dominate all of Thursday's market activities: Morgan Stanley -- the venerable Wall Street institution and one of the last two US investment banks left standing -- had lost massive amounts and was fighting for survival. Media reports were saying that it was even in talks about a possible bail-out or merger. Rumor had it that possible suitors might include Wachovia or China's Bank Citic.
China?
"Folks," economist Larry Kudlow, a host on the business channel CNBC begged his viewers that evening, "let's not let this magnificent country go down!"
End of an Era
In fact, it really does look as if the foundations of US capitalism have shattered. Since 1864, American banking has been split into commercial banks and investment banks. But now that's changing. Bear Stearns, Lehman Brothers, Merrill Lynch -- overnight, some of the biggest names on Wall Street have disappeared into thin air. Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley are the only giants left standing. Despite tolerable quarterly results, even they have been hurt by mysterious slumps in prices and -- at least in Morgan Stanley's case -- have prepared themselves for the end.
"Nothing will ever be like it was before," said James Allroy, a broker who was brooding over his chai latte at a Starbucks on Wall Street. "The world as we know it is going under."
Many are drawing comparisons with the Great Depression, the national trauma that has been the benchmark for everything since. "I think it has the chance to be the worst period of time since 1929," financing legend Donald Trump told CNN. And the Wall Street Journal seconds that opinion, giving one story the title: "Worst Crisis Since '30s, With No End Yet in Sight."
But what's happening? Experts have so far been unable to agree on any conclusions. Is this the beginning of the end? Or is it just a painful, but normal cycle correcting the excesses of recent years? Does responsibility lie with the ratings agencies, which have been overvaluing financial institutions for a long time? Or did dubious short sellers manipulate stock prices -- after all, they were suspected of having caused the last stock market crisis in July.
The only thing that is certain is that the era of the unbridled free-market economy in the US has passed -- at least for now. The near nationalization of AIG, America's largest insurance company, with an $85 billion cash infusion -- a bill footed by taxpayers -- was a staggering move. The sum is three times as high as the guarantee provided by the Federal Reserve when Bear Stearns was sold to JPMorgan Chase in March.
The most breathtaking aspect about this week's crisis, though, is that the life raft -- which Washington had only previously used to bail out the mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac -- is being handed out by a government whose party usually fights against any form of government intervention. The policy is anchored in its party platform.
"I fear the government has passed the point of no return," financial historian Ron Chernow told the New York Times. "We have the irony of a free-market administration doing things that the most liberal Democratic administration would never have been doing in its wildest dreams."
Bush Cancels Trip
The situation appears to be so serious that George W. Bush cancelled two domestic trips he had planned for Thursday on short notice. Instead, the president will remain in Washington to discuss the "serious challenges confronting US financial markets." He said the president remained focused on "taking action to stabilize and strengthen the markets." Bush had originally planned to travel to events in Florida and Alabama.
So far, the US presidential candidates have made few helpful remarks about the crisis other than the usual slogans. Both are vaguely calling for "regulation" and "reform" -- bland catchphrases almost universally welcomed with applause.
Republican Party presidential candidate John McCain had the most to say. On Monday, he said "the foundation of our economy" was "strong," adding that he opposed a government-led bailout of US insurer AIG. But now he's promising further government steps "to prevent the kind of wild speculation that can put our markets at risk." McCain's explanation for the current crisis: "unbridled corruption and greed."
But Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama didn't move past superficialities, either. "We're Americans. We've met tough challenges before and we can again."
What else are they supposed to say? After all, US presidents have very little influence on stockmarkets. And Wall Street is expecting the status quo for the next president. On Wednesday an almost palpable mix of tension and melancholy filled the air above New York's Financial District. The beloved trader bar Bull Run was half empty, and many tables were free at fine-dining establishments like Cipriani, Mangia and Bobby Van's, which are normally booked days in advance.
At the side entrance to Goldman Sachs on Pearl Street, limo chauffeurs sat waiting for their customers, still above in their office towers cowering over the accounts. "If they go under," said Rashid Amal, who works as a chauffeur for a firm called Excelsior, "then I will soon be out of a job."
Der Spiegel Article:
http://www.spiegel.de/international/business/0,1518,druck-578944,00.html
Fearless Leader: Can you lend me a dime? Bloomberg on the "Next Wave Crisis"
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080917/ap_on_bi_ge/economy_bloomberg
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
2008 BROOKLYN SCHOOL REPORT CARDS ARE IN
Well, despite the hue and cry about grades and tests, whether it is due to schadenfreude, or disagreement, or satisfaction, we find the results endlessly fascinating.
So, here are a few of the results from the 2007-2008 Progress report just posted by the NYC Department of Education. Visit the DOE web page and enter the school borough and number (K=Brooklyn, R=Richmond, M=Manhattan, X=Bronx, Q= Queens) in "Find a school"/ Go to the school website, and select "Statistics" from the left hand column, and go to "Progress Reports." Then, either gloat or read m and weep.
http://www.schools.nyc.gov
For convenience, a very incomplete list of a few of the grades for schools familiar to readers are as follows:
School 2007-08/2006-07/COMMENT
K008 F/ F :TO BE CONTINUED
K020 C/ B :CLINTON HILL
K029 A/ A
K051 A/ B
K217 A/ B :A STONE'S THROW FROM POMME TERRE
K261 C/ C
K321 B/ B :SAY NO MORE.. the original
K443 A/ A :NEW VOICES
So, here are a few of the results from the 2007-2008 Progress report just posted by the NYC Department of Education. Visit the DOE web page and enter the school borough and number (K=Brooklyn, R=Richmond, M=Manhattan, X=Bronx, Q= Queens) in "Find a school"/ Go to the school website, and select "Statistics" from the left hand column, and go to "Progress Reports." Then, either gloat or read m and weep.
http://www.schools.nyc.gov
For convenience, a very incomplete list of a few of the grades for schools familiar to readers are as follows:
School 2007-08/2006-07/COMMENT
K008 F/ F :TO BE CONTINUED
K020 C/ B :CLINTON HILL
K029 A/ A
K051 A/ B
K217 A/ B :A STONE'S THROW FROM POMME TERRE
K261 C/ C
K321 B/ B :SAY NO MORE.. the original
K443 A/ A :NEW VOICES
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Art in Free Fall Opens at BWAC
Art in Free Fall opened today at the Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition at the organization's gallery space at 499 Van Brunt in Red Hook. Information on the exhibit and performances at http://www.bwac.org . The comprehensive and always provocative BWAC show also features a "photo op with Sarah Palin" an installation by Dawn Robyn Petrlik.
Ms. Petrlik was last represented at BWAC by, among other works, an installation in memory of Sister Green, a patient who died at a NYC hospital while awaiting treatment.
Her current work, which addresses a political issue but strikes a much lighter note, includes, among other things, a life size caribou. Photo ops by visitors are encouraged.
Through October 26.
Ms. Petrlik was last represented at BWAC by, among other works, an installation in memory of Sister Green, a patient who died at a NYC hospital while awaiting treatment.
Her current work, which addresses a political issue but strikes a much lighter note, includes, among other things, a life size caribou. Photo ops by visitors are encouraged.
Through October 26.
Friday, September 12, 2008
Tell Tale Signs
The forthcoming Bob Dylan Bootleg Series Vol. 8, coming out early next month, contains the haunting, heavily hooked "Dreamin' of You". Another remarkable outtake that might help define the oeuvre of another artist here just missed out appearing on the classic "Time Out of Mind." The video, based on this classic Dylan outtake, below features Hollywood rebel Harry Dean Stanton, and is, albeit promotional, a little gem of time, mood, and Western desert light:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/mpd/permalink/m3TBBZV49TPMJE
A download of the classic "Dreamin' of You" appears at the Bob Dylan website; this tune will not leave you:
http://bobdylan.com/#/downloadnow?utm_medium=columbia-email&utm_source=bobdylancom&utm_campaign=columbia-email
http://www.amazon.com/gp/mpd/permalink/m3TBBZV49TPMJE
A download of the classic "Dreamin' of You" appears at the Bob Dylan website; this tune will not leave you:
http://bobdylan.com/#/downloadnow?utm_medium=columbia-email&utm_source=bobdylancom&utm_campaign=columbia-email
Thursday, September 11, 2008
September 11
9/11
2001-2008
"All the years combine
They melt into a dream"
Sorrow.
Remembrance.
Compassion and restoration.
Freedom and Preservation of Freedom.
Civil Liberty in a Secular Democracy.
The United States of America. The original.
Forever free.
2001-2008
"All the years combine
They melt into a dream"
Sorrow.
Remembrance.
Compassion and restoration.
Freedom and Preservation of Freedom.
Civil Liberty in a Secular Democracy.
The United States of America. The original.
Forever free.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
"Knocking at the LHC Door": CERN & The Great Experiment
Well, the world hasn't ended yet with a bang nor a whimper, neither by ice nine nor fire. But the Large Hadron Collider seems to be operational, although it may be a few weeks before it accomplishes its primary goal, the creation of conditions that exiasted at the subatomic level at the point of the Big Bang. This may yield further scientific nuggets, including the possible detection of the Higgs Boson, the so-far-undetected "G-d particle": read on...
Wikipedia: The Higgs boson or BEH Mechanism, popularised as the "God Particle", is a hypothetical massive scalar elementary particle predicted to exist by the Standard Model of particle physics; and is the only Standard Model particle not yet observed. An experimental observation of it would help to explain how otherwise massless elementary particles cause matter to have mass. More specifically, the Higgs boson would explain the difference between the massless photon and the relatively massive W and Z bosons. Elementary particle masses, and the differences between electromagnetism (caused by the photon) and the weak force (caused by the W and Z bosons), are critical to many aspects of the structure of microscopic (and hence macroscopic) matter; thus, if it exists, the Higgs boson is an integral and pervasive component of the material world.
No experiment has yet directly detected the existence of the Higgs boson, but this may change as the recently built Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN begins to produce new scientific data. The Higgs mechanism, which gives mass to vector bosons, was theorized in August 1964 by François Englert and Robert Brout ("boson scalaire"),[1] in October of the same year by Peter Higgs,[2] working from the ideas of Philip Anderson, and independently by G. S. Guralnik, C. R. Hagen, and T. W. B. Kibble[3] who worked out the results by the spring of 1963.[4] The three papers written by Higgs, Brout, Englert, Guralnik, Hagen, and Kibble were each recognized as milestone papers by Physical Review Letters 50th anniversary celebration.[5] Higgs proposed that the existence of a massive scalar particle could be a test of the theory, a remark added to his Physical Review letter[6] at the suggestion of the referee.[7] Steven Weinberg and Abdus Salam were the first to apply the Higgs mechanism to the electroweak symmetry breaking. The electroweak theory predicts a neutral particle whose mass is not far from that of the W and Z bosons.
Here's news from the source:
The CERN Webcast of the Large Hadron Collider (it may be down intermittently):
http://webcast.cern.ch/
Groovy Gecko reports on the first operational steps:
http://dl.groovygecko.net/anon.groovy/groovygecko/cern/index.asp
It's a moment that the world awaited with eager anticipation. Amidst all the controversy and fears that the scientists may blow us all to bits, the first beam in the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN was successfully steered around 27 kilometres of the world's most powerful particle accelerator at 10h28 CET this morning.
Today's milestone marks the culmination of over 20 years of patient dedication and £5billion. Clearly we have entered a new and exciting era. "It's a fantastic moment," said LHC project leader Lyn Evans, "we can now look forward to a new era of understanding about the origins and evolution of the universe."
Of course, CERN decided to webcast the event, thereby not only providing transparency but also information to millions around the world. Pivotal events like these are best relayed live, not only to demonstrate the scale and importance of the project, but also to provide breaking-news and updates.
CERN: Firing up that Large hadron Collider:
10 September: the LHC’s first circulating beam
On 10 September, a first beam of protons will circulate in the LHC. The first moments in the life of the LHC will be an exciting time for the CERN staff, and will be captured by more than 250 media organizations from all over the world.
The first injection of the beam into the machine will be between 9:00 and 10:00 a. m. At 9:15 the LHC project leader, Lyn Evans, will give a brief explanation of the day’s proceedings in French followed by some words from Robert Aymar, CERN Director general.
CERN personnel are invited to follow the first beam day events, which will be shown in the following rooms around CERN:
All day:
Council Chamber, Main Auditorium, IT Auditorium, AB Auditorium Prévessin, Conference Room 40-S2-A01, Conference Room 40-S2-C01.
Afternoon:
AB Auditorium Meyrin, AT Auditorium.
Please note that the event will also be webcast but, given the limited number of connections, this option is intended for use of the public outside CERN. CERN personnel are encouraged to follow the event from the conference rooms.
Copyright CERN 2007 - CERN Publications, DSU-CO
I heard the news today, oh boy:
http://cdsweb.cern.ch/journal/article?name=CERNBulletin&issue=49/2007&number=2&category=News%20Articles&ln=en
Wikipedia: The Higgs boson or BEH Mechanism, popularised as the "God Particle", is a hypothetical massive scalar elementary particle predicted to exist by the Standard Model of particle physics; and is the only Standard Model particle not yet observed. An experimental observation of it would help to explain how otherwise massless elementary particles cause matter to have mass. More specifically, the Higgs boson would explain the difference between the massless photon and the relatively massive W and Z bosons. Elementary particle masses, and the differences between electromagnetism (caused by the photon) and the weak force (caused by the W and Z bosons), are critical to many aspects of the structure of microscopic (and hence macroscopic) matter; thus, if it exists, the Higgs boson is an integral and pervasive component of the material world.
No experiment has yet directly detected the existence of the Higgs boson, but this may change as the recently built Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN begins to produce new scientific data. The Higgs mechanism, which gives mass to vector bosons, was theorized in August 1964 by François Englert and Robert Brout ("boson scalaire"),[1] in October of the same year by Peter Higgs,[2] working from the ideas of Philip Anderson, and independently by G. S. Guralnik, C. R. Hagen, and T. W. B. Kibble[3] who worked out the results by the spring of 1963.[4] The three papers written by Higgs, Brout, Englert, Guralnik, Hagen, and Kibble were each recognized as milestone papers by Physical Review Letters 50th anniversary celebration.[5] Higgs proposed that the existence of a massive scalar particle could be a test of the theory, a remark added to his Physical Review letter[6] at the suggestion of the referee.[7] Steven Weinberg and Abdus Salam were the first to apply the Higgs mechanism to the electroweak symmetry breaking. The electroweak theory predicts a neutral particle whose mass is not far from that of the W and Z bosons.
Here's news from the source:
The CERN Webcast of the Large Hadron Collider (it may be down intermittently):
http://webcast.cern.ch/
Groovy Gecko reports on the first operational steps:
http://dl.groovygecko.net/anon.groovy/groovygecko/cern/index.asp
It's a moment that the world awaited with eager anticipation. Amidst all the controversy and fears that the scientists may blow us all to bits, the first beam in the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN was successfully steered around 27 kilometres of the world's most powerful particle accelerator at 10h28 CET this morning.
Today's milestone marks the culmination of over 20 years of patient dedication and £5billion. Clearly we have entered a new and exciting era. "It's a fantastic moment," said LHC project leader Lyn Evans, "we can now look forward to a new era of understanding about the origins and evolution of the universe."
Of course, CERN decided to webcast the event, thereby not only providing transparency but also information to millions around the world. Pivotal events like these are best relayed live, not only to demonstrate the scale and importance of the project, but also to provide breaking-news and updates.
CERN: Firing up that Large hadron Collider:
10 September: the LHC’s first circulating beam
On 10 September, a first beam of protons will circulate in the LHC. The first moments in the life of the LHC will be an exciting time for the CERN staff, and will be captured by more than 250 media organizations from all over the world.
The first injection of the beam into the machine will be between 9:00 and 10:00 a. m. At 9:15 the LHC project leader, Lyn Evans, will give a brief explanation of the day’s proceedings in French followed by some words from Robert Aymar, CERN Director general.
CERN personnel are invited to follow the first beam day events, which will be shown in the following rooms around CERN:
All day:
Council Chamber, Main Auditorium, IT Auditorium, AB Auditorium Prévessin, Conference Room 40-S2-A01, Conference Room 40-S2-C01.
Afternoon:
AB Auditorium Meyrin, AT Auditorium.
Please note that the event will also be webcast but, given the limited number of connections, this option is intended for use of the public outside CERN. CERN personnel are encouraged to follow the event from the conference rooms.
Copyright CERN 2007 - CERN Publications, DSU-CO
I heard the news today, oh boy:
http://cdsweb.cern.ch/journal/article?name=CERNBulletin&issue=49/2007&number=2&category=News%20Articles&ln=en
Park Slope Bike Accident ?
9:53 AM Report of a bicycle accident at 8th avenue and President Street in Park Slope. Damaged bike, which looks like a kid's bike, and what appears to be blood on the street. Lots of police officers on the scene. No further details at this time.
Monday, September 8, 2008
Coda: POWER TO CHANGE: Black and White Years
Black and White Years, making Texas (and Brooklyn) proud and currently rockin' the western US of A will see their new album in wide release beginning Tuesday, September 9. It's distributed through ADA, ask at your local indie record shop for this hook-laden, artful rocker.
Also of note, BWY have a new video on their very special tune, "Power to Change", directed by Scott Pearson. Now that things have really broken open on the Old Campaign Trail, and the ice shelves continue to plummet, the Black and White Years' tune, and now this accompanying video, seem more pertinent and meaningful than ever. Provocative and thoughtful, I watched it at just the right time as the Campaign Media Blast is now in full swing. See what you think. A great tune. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MblXzgDL-qQ
And Great News for We East Coast Types, the Black and White Years will be back in NY, taking the town by storm, for dates around CMJ: Piano's - LES - Oct 20; Spike Hill - Williamsburg - Oct 24; Fontana's - LES - Oct 27 and a CMJ show TBD. CMJ Music Marathon in NYC from October 21- 25.
If'n you are fixin' to go on the road, BWY makes their festival debut at Austin City Limits on Sept 27th. They then go on a regional tour with Presidents of the USA with performances at Stubb's Waller Creek Amphitheater and the House of Blues in Houston and Dallas before heading to the east coast.
We have the Power to Change.
Also of note, BWY have a new video on their very special tune, "Power to Change", directed by Scott Pearson. Now that things have really broken open on the Old Campaign Trail, and the ice shelves continue to plummet, the Black and White Years' tune, and now this accompanying video, seem more pertinent and meaningful than ever. Provocative and thoughtful, I watched it at just the right time as the Campaign Media Blast is now in full swing. See what you think. A great tune. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MblXzgDL-qQ
And Great News for We East Coast Types, the Black and White Years will be back in NY, taking the town by storm, for dates around CMJ: Piano's - LES - Oct 20; Spike Hill - Williamsburg - Oct 24; Fontana's - LES - Oct 27 and a CMJ show TBD. CMJ Music Marathon in NYC from October 21- 25.
If'n you are fixin' to go on the road, BWY makes their festival debut at Austin City Limits on Sept 27th. They then go on a regional tour with Presidents of the USA with performances at Stubb's Waller Creek Amphitheater and the House of Blues in Houston and Dallas before heading to the east coast.
We have the Power to Change.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Spaceship Brooklyn: Buckminster Fuller and Humanity's Design Imperative at Home in Williamsburg, at The Whitney, and in the World
Starting with the Universe,open through September 21 at the Whitney Museum of American Art, explores the life, work and ideas of R. Buckminster Fuller. Fuller, who became well known in the 60s and 70s through his coinage of the term Spaceship Earth, and his design of the geodesic dome, had a long career as a designer and philosopher, sometimes toiling in obscurity, sometimes in the limelight. But throughout, as the Whitney exhibits shows, he was an original thinker. Interestingly, the branches of the tree of Fuller's design extend across the world, even to Brooklyn, NY. Read on:
Richard Buckminster “Bucky” Fuller (July 12, 1895 – July 1, 1983) was an American architect, author, designer, futurist, inventor, and visionary. He was the second president of Mensa. He lends his name to a family of complex carbon structures called Buckminsterfullerene also known as Bucky Balls.
Wikipedia: Throughout his life, Fuller was concerned with the question "Does humanity have a chance to survive lastingly and successfully on planet Earth, and if so, how?" Considering himself an average individual without special monetary means or academic degree, he chose to devote his life to this question, trying to identify what he, as an individual, could do to improve humanity's condition, which large organizations, governments, and private enterprises inherently could not do.
Pursuing this lifelong experiment, Fuller wrote more than thirty books, coining and popularizing terms such as "Spaceship Earth", ephemeralization, and synergetics. He also worked in the development of numerous inventions, chiefly in the fields of design and architecture, the best known of which is the geodesic dome. Carbon molecules known as fullerenes or buckyballs were named for their resemblance to geodesic spheres.
Late in his life, after working on his concepts for several decades, Fuller achieved considerable public visibility. He travelled the world giving lectures, and received numerous honorary doctorates. Most of his inventions, however, never made it into production. Often dismissed as a hopeless utopian, he was strongly criticized in most fields he tried to influence, including architecture.
I first became aware of Fuller's ideas through Stewart Brand's Whole Earth Catalog, and its later incarnations as CoEvolution Quarterly and Whole Earth Review. Folks familiar with Fuller's work continue to assert that his work has not yet received the attention that it deserves.
The Whitney exhibit on Fuller is a combination detailed overview, seminar, and exposition of his work, with an enormous amount of text, graphics and models that explore his work in great detail. A model of his Dymaxion car, a three-wheeled wonder about the size of a minivan but that had remarkable control, was simple to parallel park. and was an efficient vehicle, and a film on the car in action,a cardboard dome, and models of his Dymaxion house, alone are worth the price of admission. If it had impact on humanity, Fuller applied his thought and design sense. Fuller was a modern mind in his awareness of the importance of marketing within the design spectrum. He coined or adopted many neologisms, such as Tensegrity (tension- integrity) and Dymaxion (Dynamic Maximum Ion) that he felt helped to express the value and meaning of the design process and his idea.
Today, Design asserts itself everywhere in the postmodern world. With the recent flack about the Waterfalls and its environmental impact, I thought about how, although the NYC Waterfalls are so interesting, it essentially projects a wonderful aesthetic, but if Bucky had the chance to give his two cents, he might have suggested that it be self-sustained using water from the falls to generate power for the pumps or lighting of the exhibit, or even for nearby homes or streetlighting. My suggestion is probably too small by a Fuller standard. But, whatever it was, Bucky's vision of the Waterfalls would fulfill both an aesethetic and a human-centered design imperative
Well, I had the pleasure of discussing this very question with Will Elkins of the Buckminster Fuller Institute, which is located, where else, but in Brooklyn, USA, Williamsburg to be exact. No surprise there, right?
Mr. Elkins, who is a staff member at BFI, observed in an online interview with DITHOB that he has "had similar thoughts about the Waterfalls. Namely, that they
are taking large amounts of energy to imitate one of nature's great energy sources." In the words of Buckminster Fuller, "I am not trying to imitate nature, I am trying to discover the principles she is using" - Fuller.
Mr. Elkins continued: "I hope to see more art installations that take on issues of
sustainable design. The current PF1 farming project at PS1 is very inspiring in this sense."
The Buckminster Fuller Institute (BFI), explained Mr. Elkins, "was started in 1983, before Bucky passed away, by his family - notably daughter Allegra Fuller Snyder and Jaime Snyder (both of whom still serve on our Board of Directors). Originally in Philadelphia, BFI quickly moved to California (LA, Santa Barbara, Sebastopol) where it operated until 2004. At that point BFI moved to Williamsburg Brooklyn."
In my mind, Bucky and his geodesic domes and Dymaxion design concepts, seems so outfront, that it was naturally at home in California, on that frontier. So, pardon the banal question, but, why Brooklyn?
Mr. Elkins said: "Moving to Brooklyn was simply a way for BFI to begin anew on the East Coast. A lot of the work BFI did in California dealt with formalizing Fuller's archives (housed at Stanford) and keeping in contact with local BFI members. Newly appointed director, Elizabeth Thompson, helped to spearhead this move in hopes of connecting BFI with a larger community of active participants in the NY region. Since the move, BFI has been very productive - running the Design Science Lab,
in conjunction with the UN, for three years, and then launching the annual Buckminster Fuller Challenge last year."
The Buckminster Fuller Challenge is a fascinating, visionary undertaking sponsored by BFI that seeks to further expand and explore the application of design, science, creativity and ingenuity in support of bettering the human condition. BFI links a worldwide network of design innovators. Each year a distinguished jury will award a $100,000 prize to support the development and implementation of a solution that has significant potential to solve humanity's most pressing problems in the shortest possible time while enhancing the Earth's ecological integrity. To give you an idea, one of the concepts that did not win the Challenge last year involved using a revolving door in a building to generate useable energy.
Fascinating and insightful idea index here: http://challenge.bfi.org/ideaindex
from BFI: "If success or failure of the planet and of human beings depended on
how I am and what I do ... How would I be? What would I do?"
— Buckminster Fuller
"Buckminster Fuller's prolific life of exploration, discovery, invention and teaching was driven by his intention "to make the world work for 100% of humanity, in the shortest possible time, through spontaneous cooperation without ecological offense or disadvantage of anyone."
"Fuller coupled this intention with a pioneering approach aimed at solving complex problems. This approach, which he called comprehensive anticipatory design science, combined an emphasis on individual initiative and integrity with whole systems thinking, scientific rigor and faithful reliance on nature's underlying principles.
What was BFI's involvement in the Whitney exhibit ?
Elkins: "BFI was not directly involved with the show at the Whitney in terms
of design or planning- the curators worked more with the Estate of Buckminster Fuller for image and object use rights. We were included in many conversations with the curators, but our technical involvement includes things like selling maps and books through their museum store, and obviously promoting the show."
Has the "Greening of America"/sustainable culture (in the design sense) as a movement in any way caught up with Fuller? Or are his ideas still out front, blazing a trail well in front of current design ?
BFI's Will Elkins said: "It is very interesting to follow the Sustainable movement, and great that many people are 'discovering' the works and philosophies of Bucky as a source of inspiration. In my opinion there is still a bit of a disconnect between the heart of Fuller's work and where the sustainable movement stands today."
He continued: "Mainly, I see the difference involving scale and necessity. Fuller's main design principles follow along the lines of "How can we provide for the greatest amount of people with the least amount of resources" or "Do more with less." I feel that a lot of designers are still missing this point. Let's not
take an object that already exists and try to make it "more green" -
let's get at what purposes that object serves and tackle that issue in
the most efficient way possible."
Design not just for aesthetics but for the greater good?
Elkins: "Fuller had a great analogy about piano tops serving as floating rafts in the event of a cruise ship sinking. But just because piano tops can function as safety rafts, it does not mean that we should design safety rafts based on piano tops. He said society is clinging to too many piano tops. And I think this
is still the case. Not to completely dismiss the green movement, a lot
of people are doing great things - but perhaps some should reconsider
their lives and work in the spirit of Bucky."
Starting with the Universe extends through September 21, 2008 at the Whitney Museum.
Starting With the Universe also will present a weekend long symposium on Buckminster Fuller's ideas and impact on the 21st century at Cooper Union on the weekend of September 12. Visit the Whitney link for more information.
Wikipedia on Bucky:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buckminster_Fuller"
About the exhibit:
http://www.whitney.org/www/buckminster_fuller/timeline.jsp">
http://www.whitney.org/www/buckminster_fuller/about.jspFuller timeline and key concept: http://www.whitney.org/www/buckminster_fuller/timeline.jsp
The Buckminister Fuller Institute: http://www.bfi.org
BFI Buckminster Fuller Challenge:
href="http://challenge.bfi.org/">
Richard Buckminster “Bucky” Fuller (July 12, 1895 – July 1, 1983) was an American architect, author, designer, futurist, inventor, and visionary. He was the second president of Mensa. He lends his name to a family of complex carbon structures called Buckminsterfullerene also known as Bucky Balls.
Wikipedia: Throughout his life, Fuller was concerned with the question "Does humanity have a chance to survive lastingly and successfully on planet Earth, and if so, how?" Considering himself an average individual without special monetary means or academic degree, he chose to devote his life to this question, trying to identify what he, as an individual, could do to improve humanity's condition, which large organizations, governments, and private enterprises inherently could not do.
Pursuing this lifelong experiment, Fuller wrote more than thirty books, coining and popularizing terms such as "Spaceship Earth", ephemeralization, and synergetics. He also worked in the development of numerous inventions, chiefly in the fields of design and architecture, the best known of which is the geodesic dome. Carbon molecules known as fullerenes or buckyballs were named for their resemblance to geodesic spheres.
Late in his life, after working on his concepts for several decades, Fuller achieved considerable public visibility. He travelled the world giving lectures, and received numerous honorary doctorates. Most of his inventions, however, never made it into production. Often dismissed as a hopeless utopian, he was strongly criticized in most fields he tried to influence, including architecture.
I first became aware of Fuller's ideas through Stewart Brand's Whole Earth Catalog, and its later incarnations as CoEvolution Quarterly and Whole Earth Review. Folks familiar with Fuller's work continue to assert that his work has not yet received the attention that it deserves.
The Whitney exhibit on Fuller is a combination detailed overview, seminar, and exposition of his work, with an enormous amount of text, graphics and models that explore his work in great detail. A model of his Dymaxion car, a three-wheeled wonder about the size of a minivan but that had remarkable control, was simple to parallel park. and was an efficient vehicle, and a film on the car in action,a cardboard dome, and models of his Dymaxion house, alone are worth the price of admission. If it had impact on humanity, Fuller applied his thought and design sense. Fuller was a modern mind in his awareness of the importance of marketing within the design spectrum. He coined or adopted many neologisms, such as Tensegrity (tension- integrity) and Dymaxion (Dynamic Maximum Ion) that he felt helped to express the value and meaning of the design process and his idea.
Today, Design asserts itself everywhere in the postmodern world. With the recent flack about the Waterfalls and its environmental impact, I thought about how, although the NYC Waterfalls are so interesting, it essentially projects a wonderful aesthetic, but if Bucky had the chance to give his two cents, he might have suggested that it be self-sustained using water from the falls to generate power for the pumps or lighting of the exhibit, or even for nearby homes or streetlighting. My suggestion is probably too small by a Fuller standard. But, whatever it was, Bucky's vision of the Waterfalls would fulfill both an aesethetic and a human-centered design imperative
Well, I had the pleasure of discussing this very question with Will Elkins of the Buckminster Fuller Institute, which is located, where else, but in Brooklyn, USA, Williamsburg to be exact. No surprise there, right?
Mr. Elkins, who is a staff member at BFI, observed in an online interview with DITHOB that he has "had similar thoughts about the Waterfalls. Namely, that they
are taking large amounts of energy to imitate one of nature's great energy sources." In the words of Buckminster Fuller, "I am not trying to imitate nature, I am trying to discover the principles she is using" - Fuller.
Mr. Elkins continued: "I hope to see more art installations that take on issues of
sustainable design. The current PF1 farming project at PS1 is very inspiring in this sense."
The Buckminster Fuller Institute (BFI), explained Mr. Elkins, "was started in 1983, before Bucky passed away, by his family - notably daughter Allegra Fuller Snyder and Jaime Snyder (both of whom still serve on our Board of Directors). Originally in Philadelphia, BFI quickly moved to California (LA, Santa Barbara, Sebastopol) where it operated until 2004. At that point BFI moved to Williamsburg Brooklyn."
In my mind, Bucky and his geodesic domes and Dymaxion design concepts, seems so outfront, that it was naturally at home in California, on that frontier. So, pardon the banal question, but, why Brooklyn?
Mr. Elkins said: "Moving to Brooklyn was simply a way for BFI to begin anew on the East Coast. A lot of the work BFI did in California dealt with formalizing Fuller's archives (housed at Stanford) and keeping in contact with local BFI members. Newly appointed director, Elizabeth Thompson, helped to spearhead this move in hopes of connecting BFI with a larger community of active participants in the NY region. Since the move, BFI has been very productive - running the Design Science Lab,
in conjunction with the UN, for three years, and then launching the annual Buckminster Fuller Challenge last year."
The Buckminster Fuller Challenge is a fascinating, visionary undertaking sponsored by BFI that seeks to further expand and explore the application of design, science, creativity and ingenuity in support of bettering the human condition. BFI links a worldwide network of design innovators. Each year a distinguished jury will award a $100,000 prize to support the development and implementation of a solution that has significant potential to solve humanity's most pressing problems in the shortest possible time while enhancing the Earth's ecological integrity. To give you an idea, one of the concepts that did not win the Challenge last year involved using a revolving door in a building to generate useable energy.
Fascinating and insightful idea index here: http://challenge.bfi.org/ideaindex
from BFI: "If success or failure of the planet and of human beings depended on
how I am and what I do ... How would I be? What would I do?"
— Buckminster Fuller
"Buckminster Fuller's prolific life of exploration, discovery, invention and teaching was driven by his intention "to make the world work for 100% of humanity, in the shortest possible time, through spontaneous cooperation without ecological offense or disadvantage of anyone."
"Fuller coupled this intention with a pioneering approach aimed at solving complex problems. This approach, which he called comprehensive anticipatory design science, combined an emphasis on individual initiative and integrity with whole systems thinking, scientific rigor and faithful reliance on nature's underlying principles.
What was BFI's involvement in the Whitney exhibit ?
Elkins: "BFI was not directly involved with the show at the Whitney in terms
of design or planning- the curators worked more with the Estate of Buckminster Fuller for image and object use rights. We were included in many conversations with the curators, but our technical involvement includes things like selling maps and books through their museum store, and obviously promoting the show."
Has the "Greening of America"/sustainable culture (in the design sense) as a movement in any way caught up with Fuller? Or are his ideas still out front, blazing a trail well in front of current design ?
BFI's Will Elkins said: "It is very interesting to follow the Sustainable movement, and great that many people are 'discovering' the works and philosophies of Bucky as a source of inspiration. In my opinion there is still a bit of a disconnect between the heart of Fuller's work and where the sustainable movement stands today."
He continued: "Mainly, I see the difference involving scale and necessity. Fuller's main design principles follow along the lines of "How can we provide for the greatest amount of people with the least amount of resources" or "Do more with less." I feel that a lot of designers are still missing this point. Let's not
take an object that already exists and try to make it "more green" -
let's get at what purposes that object serves and tackle that issue in
the most efficient way possible."
Design not just for aesthetics but for the greater good?
Elkins: "Fuller had a great analogy about piano tops serving as floating rafts in the event of a cruise ship sinking. But just because piano tops can function as safety rafts, it does not mean that we should design safety rafts based on piano tops. He said society is clinging to too many piano tops. And I think this
is still the case. Not to completely dismiss the green movement, a lot
of people are doing great things - but perhaps some should reconsider
their lives and work in the spirit of Bucky."
Starting with the Universe extends through September 21, 2008 at the Whitney Museum.
Starting With the Universe also will present a weekend long symposium on Buckminster Fuller's ideas and impact on the 21st century at Cooper Union on the weekend of September 12. Visit the Whitney link for more information.
Wikipedia on Bucky:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buckminster_Fuller"
About the exhibit:
http://www.whitney.org/www/buckminster_fuller/timeline.jsp">
http://www.whitney.org/www/buckminster_fuller/about.jspFuller timeline and key concept: http://www.whitney.org/www/buckminster_fuller/timeline.jsp
The Buckminister Fuller Institute: http://www.bfi.org
BFI Buckminster Fuller Challenge:
href="http://challenge.bfi.org/">
Sunday, August 24, 2008
A Coney Island of the Soul: The Boardwalk on a Late Summer's Eve
What is it about the inexorable approach of the end of summer. Even though I love the fall, and even the winter, when it is not too intense, the approach of the week before labor day brings a little bit of ennui, a rootlessness and sense of endings, of movings on..
For most households that include children, adolescents and young adults, when this time of year comes around the scent of salt water, seaweed and suntan lotion begins to curdle and set into the faint whiff of the Death March to Bataan..our household is not much different.
So, the other night, we were driven by the urge to hit the beach, to pretend it was Forever Summer. We walked the Boardwalk at Coney Island. First stop, Ruby's Bar and Grille, just a stumble away from Shoot the Freak!
We got 2 cups of Coors Light and split a piece of corn on the cob. As we sat down, watching the boardwalk parade, we started chatting with one of the managers at Rudy's, which was founded, he said, in 1934. After Ruby became ill, his daughter, son-in-law and grandkids came on the scene to help to run the business. After Rudy passed away in 2000, they took over. One family member, a mortgage broker 5 days a week in Nassau county, makes his way to Coney Island from April through October to serve the summer crowds. We talked a little about the pending real estate moves expected to change the face of the boardwalk forever. Although the current economic downturn may delay for a while the Atlantic-Citification of Coney Island, it is no doubt something that will happen eventually, changing the funky face of Brooklyn's southern shoreline. I can recall hearing of policy and business discussions for years and years about the vision for Times Square improvement. Finally it happened, and the funky charm has now been replaced by corporations, branding, and higher prices. No doubt the boardwalk will not be far behind. The hawkers on the boardwalk were selling their rosary-necklaces and their neon light sticks. The spinning lights expanding in the distance to un petite aurora borealis of the mind.
Next up, we strolled further and encountered the weekly Boardwalk rave, djs driving the dancing crowd onward, as darkness fell, and the crowd settled into the moment. We hung out a bit, getting into the groove. The beat infectious, the crowd waxing and waning and waxing again, pulling in passersby, as the djs worked their magic.
We strolled further, backtracking a bit now, and, even though we were sans children, I was pulled in by the claw machine. Feeding quarters, alternately cursing fate or fortune, until I came up with a prize for My Lovely Date.
Since we hit the boardwalk and restaurants in Brighton now and then, we decided to keep tonite's visit strictly to Coney Island. Back on the street, as luck would have it, we came across Steve Power's Gitmo Better, a political statement that is part thrill ride, part side show attraction. Climb the stairs, feed a buck into the slot, and wrestle with your conscience. The spongebob and squidward logo is a stroke of sheer genius and the fact that this has been discussed in the NY Times, The Economist and the blogosphere at large, doesn't leave much left to say. However, it is in the details and nuances of this artwork that you get the real flavor of the statement. For example, the blue blazer with the American flag pin hanging neatly on a hanger, while the interrogator has changed into his work clothes of a pulled up hoodie, suggests, whatever the politics of this incident, that the Grand Inquisitor here is just a working stiff, whether for Blackwater or the Central Intelligence Agency, just a guy doing his job. Nuff said and worth the cost of admission.
After having lectured our son about the calorie counts when we bought him a Burger King the other day (you gotta wonder, which number you would prefer to be higher, the calorie count or the price) , we decided to forgo Nathan's and we made our way to Taci's Beyti on Coney Island Avenue near Avenue P for wonderful shepherd's salad, eggplant and some kebabs. The service was very warm and welcoming in this family run Turkish restaurant.
Time isn't holding us. Time isn't after us. Brooklyn, full of dreams and dreamers, here at the shore.
For most households that include children, adolescents and young adults, when this time of year comes around the scent of salt water, seaweed and suntan lotion begins to curdle and set into the faint whiff of the Death March to Bataan..our household is not much different.
So, the other night, we were driven by the urge to hit the beach, to pretend it was Forever Summer. We walked the Boardwalk at Coney Island. First stop, Ruby's Bar and Grille, just a stumble away from Shoot the Freak!
We got 2 cups of Coors Light and split a piece of corn on the cob. As we sat down, watching the boardwalk parade, we started chatting with one of the managers at Rudy's, which was founded, he said, in 1934. After Ruby became ill, his daughter, son-in-law and grandkids came on the scene to help to run the business. After Rudy passed away in 2000, they took over. One family member, a mortgage broker 5 days a week in Nassau county, makes his way to Coney Island from April through October to serve the summer crowds. We talked a little about the pending real estate moves expected to change the face of the boardwalk forever. Although the current economic downturn may delay for a while the Atlantic-Citification of Coney Island, it is no doubt something that will happen eventually, changing the funky face of Brooklyn's southern shoreline. I can recall hearing of policy and business discussions for years and years about the vision for Times Square improvement. Finally it happened, and the funky charm has now been replaced by corporations, branding, and higher prices. No doubt the boardwalk will not be far behind. The hawkers on the boardwalk were selling their rosary-necklaces and their neon light sticks. The spinning lights expanding in the distance to un petite aurora borealis of the mind.
Next up, we strolled further and encountered the weekly Boardwalk rave, djs driving the dancing crowd onward, as darkness fell, and the crowd settled into the moment. We hung out a bit, getting into the groove. The beat infectious, the crowd waxing and waning and waxing again, pulling in passersby, as the djs worked their magic.
We strolled further, backtracking a bit now, and, even though we were sans children, I was pulled in by the claw machine. Feeding quarters, alternately cursing fate or fortune, until I came up with a prize for My Lovely Date.
Since we hit the boardwalk and restaurants in Brighton now and then, we decided to keep tonite's visit strictly to Coney Island. Back on the street, as luck would have it, we came across Steve Power's Gitmo Better, a political statement that is part thrill ride, part side show attraction. Climb the stairs, feed a buck into the slot, and wrestle with your conscience. The spongebob and squidward logo is a stroke of sheer genius and the fact that this has been discussed in the NY Times, The Economist and the blogosphere at large, doesn't leave much left to say. However, it is in the details and nuances of this artwork that you get the real flavor of the statement. For example, the blue blazer with the American flag pin hanging neatly on a hanger, while the interrogator has changed into his work clothes of a pulled up hoodie, suggests, whatever the politics of this incident, that the Grand Inquisitor here is just a working stiff, whether for Blackwater or the Central Intelligence Agency, just a guy doing his job. Nuff said and worth the cost of admission.
After having lectured our son about the calorie counts when we bought him a Burger King the other day (you gotta wonder, which number you would prefer to be higher, the calorie count or the price) , we decided to forgo Nathan's and we made our way to Taci's Beyti on Coney Island Avenue near Avenue P for wonderful shepherd's salad, eggplant and some kebabs. The service was very warm and welcoming in this family run Turkish restaurant.
Time isn't holding us. Time isn't after us. Brooklyn, full of dreams and dreamers, here at the shore.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Brooklyn Markets: POMEGRANATE ON CIA
We paid a visit to Pomegranate, the new kosher supermarket on Coney Island Avenue. Somehow, inspiration struck on a Thursday evening, so the store was crowded with curious shoppers, like us, who had passed the store while it was under construction, and then read about it in the newspapers or online, combined with families doing their Shabbos grocery shopping.
The store is new, bright, and spotless. Pretty woods, gleaming fixtures, brightly and colorfully lit. Klezmer music plays on thes sound system. Granted, Thursday evening is a heavy shopping time in the (observant) Jewish community , but the store appeared to be remarkably well staffed. While we shopped, we noted that the floors were constantly being swept. The long and winding deli counter with an enormous selection of prepared foods was very well staffed. Despite the crowds, they served the kosher delicacies, including chicken and beef in many forms, steaks, fish, a wide array of prepared salads, vegetables, etc., quickly and efficiently, even offering to provide samples of salads and vegetable goodies. The shelves are very well stocked with an enormous candy, chips, and goody selection, all kosher of course.
Pomegranate ain't cheap. There were sale items and many packaged goods were comparable in price to items we've see elsewhere in Brooklyn. And, to the uninitiated, it is kosher, so that means ixnay if'n you are thinking of shopping for lobster, shrimps, anything that chews its cud, or non-kosher items. Many items are kosher (and somewhat higher priced) forms of identical items, but if you, like us, enjoy experiencing the many different types of food stores and restaurants available in Brooklyn, you will find it an interesting alternative.
What we got: We are in the lead up to our older daughter's departure to her year of international study. At her request, I bought three types of humus (zatar flavored, Gallilee olive flavored, and a homemade style. We bought a bunch of lovely fruits and vegetables. We bought three kinds of tuna, breads (pita of different sizes and rolls), cheeses (not uber-aged), grilled veges, leben yogurt such as chocolate which is almost pudding-like, cookies, crackers, which should keep the six of us at home during the summer covered for a little while. The checkout counter was likewise remarkablly staffed, someone ringing stuff up, someone bagging, someone packing stuff in our cart. A grocery clerk cheerfully helped us shlep our stuff down the block to our car.
All in all, a colorful, fun, moderately glitzy shopping experience. The burning questions, now that you've built it, will they come? Does Pomegranate have it all ?
Judging by last evening, yes they will come and in droves since it provides an enormous selection in a comfortable setting. And, while Pomegranate does not have it all, it still has lots of stuff that will appeal to the interested cook or eater, it is fresh and appealing alternative for down home prepared foods, fruits, vegetables and healthy foods and snacks. It is an opportunity to delve into your Jewish soul, whether you are Jewish or not.
Monday, August 18, 2008
A Wall in Flatbush: A Brickface Olympiad Tribute
The Wall near Cortelyou Road that served as a palate for much daily extra-internet posting and rude commentary, a sort of externalized blog (I guess the Romans called it "graffito") has now offered its merry, multi-cultural and profoundly un-PC take on the Beijing 2008 Olympics extravangaza. Once again, Art proves to be Bigger Than Life.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
"Brooklyn Like Never Before": Dylan Doesn't Disappoint and Neither Does Celebrate Brooklyn
"Brooklyn like Never Before", the Bob Dylan website declared last night. "Bob Dylan and his band played Brooklyn's Prospect Park last night, his first concert ever in what may be New York City's greatest borough. He's certainly never played so close to Montague Street" the Dylan website reported. And what an evening it was.
A couple of days ago, I posted something on my blog about what Dylan had played at his last show in Baltimore, and now it was next stop, Brooklyn USA. When I was driving through the Slope to work yesterday morning, anticipating the show last night, I thought, and I mean I didn't know where he was staying or even if he was in the city yet, but I kind of thought "Dylan is under the same sky as we are (in Brooklyn) today." So atypical and unusually fannish of me, I don't think I would feel that way about any other performer. As a songwriter and musician, as a poet, writer, painter, filmmaker, as an anti-celebrity and anti-icon, as an artist, Dylan is an original, and although he plays "roots" music, in someways, after performing for 40 years or whatever, I guess he IS roots.
There was so much excitement and surprise when the tickets went on sale, and I was so late in getting them, and our tickets were for the lawn area, and I was so excited to see "Bob" again live, that I set my expectations about the venue very low. I didn't want to be disappointed. Well damn, it was a wonderful venue with a great crowd , and a fantastic set.
The crowd was very relaxed and civil. The long line snaked around the park. A few dark clouds appeared and some thunder clapped but it all seemed to happen away from the park. It quickly moved away and turned into a lovely, comfortable summer evening. Kids, teens, young adults, boomers and older folks, we all filled the place. We were sitting near a couple with their little guy, who was maybe 3, and the mom was cradling her newborn who couldn't have been more than a few days old. An older gent, smoking a stogey, leaned against a tree, holding a cane. Once the music started, everyone was on their feet, moving, shaking and grooving, even the gent with his cane and stogey cut a mean stomp.. Dylan and band appeared to a loud roar from the crowd, they started playing and didn't let up.
Dylan looked sharp in his southwestern style suit and Spanish bolero-style hat. His current band rocked hard and long. Songs included:
1. Rainy Day Women #12 & 35 (Bob on keyboard)
2. Lay, Lady, Lay (Bob on keybo ard)
3. Lonesome Day Blues (Bob on keyboard)
4. Girl Of The North Country (Bob on keyboard)
5. The Levee's Gonna Break (Bob on keyboard)
6. Spirit On The Water (Bob on keyboard)
7. Honest With Me (Bob on keyboard)
8. John Brown (Bob on keyboard)
9. Highway 6 1 Revisited (Bob on keyboard)
10. Beyond The Horizon (Bob on keyboard)
11. It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding) (Bob on keyboard)
12. Nettie Moore (Bob on keyboard)
13. Summer Days (Bob on keyboard)
14. Masters Of War (Bob on keyboard)
(encore)
15. Like A Rolling Stone (Bob on keyboard)
16. Thunder On The Mountain (Bob on keyboard)
17. Blowin' In The Wind (Bob on keyboard)
(thanks - www.Boblinks.com)
His current band members are an amazing and tight group. It was true, for a few hours, Prospect Park Bandshell was transformed into Hipster Heaven. Life (sometimes) is Good. And one more thing:
After listening to all of his music all of these years, year after year, reading his interviews, books, seeing his shows, the films, etc,. I don't imagine or pretend to know who BD really is. To quote the line from some French New Wave Film from the 60s, I think by Jean Luc Godard,"Qui êtes-vous, Bob Dylan ?" I don't know and I don't really care. As a listener and fan, he seems just fine the way he is and I hope that he keeps making music and writing songs as long as he likes. Thanks Bob Dylan, thanks Celebrate Brooklyn and thanks Brooklyn, New York. So, you don't be a stranger to Brooklyn, Bob, now, ya hear?
--Brooklyn Beat
A couple of days ago, I posted something on my blog about what Dylan had played at his last show in Baltimore, and now it was next stop, Brooklyn USA. When I was driving through the Slope to work yesterday morning, anticipating the show last night, I thought, and I mean I didn't know where he was staying or even if he was in the city yet, but I kind of thought "Dylan is under the same sky as we are (in Brooklyn) today." So atypical and unusually fannish of me, I don't think I would feel that way about any other performer. As a songwriter and musician, as a poet, writer, painter, filmmaker, as an anti-celebrity and anti-icon, as an artist, Dylan is an original, and although he plays "roots" music, in someways, after performing for 40 years or whatever, I guess he IS roots.
There was so much excitement and surprise when the tickets went on sale, and I was so late in getting them, and our tickets were for the lawn area, and I was so excited to see "Bob" again live, that I set my expectations about the venue very low. I didn't want to be disappointed. Well damn, it was a wonderful venue with a great crowd , and a fantastic set.
The crowd was very relaxed and civil. The long line snaked around the park. A few dark clouds appeared and some thunder clapped but it all seemed to happen away from the park. It quickly moved away and turned into a lovely, comfortable summer evening. Kids, teens, young adults, boomers and older folks, we all filled the place. We were sitting near a couple with their little guy, who was maybe 3, and the mom was cradling her newborn who couldn't have been more than a few days old. An older gent, smoking a stogey, leaned against a tree, holding a cane. Once the music started, everyone was on their feet, moving, shaking and grooving, even the gent with his cane and stogey cut a mean stomp.. Dylan and band appeared to a loud roar from the crowd, they started playing and didn't let up.
Dylan looked sharp in his southwestern style suit and Spanish bolero-style hat. His current band rocked hard and long. Songs included:
1. Rainy Day Women #12 & 35 (Bob on keyboard)
2. Lay, Lady, Lay (Bob on keybo ard)
3. Lonesome Day Blues (Bob on keyboard)
4. Girl Of The North Country (Bob on keyboard)
5. The Levee's Gonna Break (Bob on keyboard)
6. Spirit On The Water (Bob on keyboard)
7. Honest With Me (Bob on keyboard)
8. John Brown (Bob on keyboard)
9. Highway 6 1 Revisited (Bob on keyboard)
10. Beyond The Horizon (Bob on keyboard)
11. It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding) (Bob on keyboard)
12. Nettie Moore (Bob on keyboard)
13. Summer Days (Bob on keyboard)
14. Masters Of War (Bob on keyboard)
(encore)
15. Like A Rolling Stone (Bob on keyboard)
16. Thunder On The Mountain (Bob on keyboard)
17. Blowin' In The Wind (Bob on keyboard)
(thanks - www.Boblinks.com)
His current band members are an amazing and tight group. It was true, for a few hours, Prospect Park Bandshell was transformed into Hipster Heaven. Life (sometimes) is Good. And one more thing:
After listening to all of his music all of these years, year after year, reading his interviews, books, seeing his shows, the films, etc,. I don't imagine or pretend to know who BD really is. To quote the line from some French New Wave Film from the 60s, I think by Jean Luc Godard,"Qui êtes-vous, Bob Dylan ?" I don't know and I don't really care. As a listener and fan, he seems just fine the way he is and I hope that he keeps making music and writing songs as long as he likes. Thanks Bob Dylan, thanks Celebrate Brooklyn and thanks Brooklyn, New York. So, you don't be a stranger to Brooklyn, Bob, now, ya hear?
--Brooklyn Beat
Monday, August 11, 2008
Tell 'Em All Tiny Montgomery Sez Hello: Bob Dylan Rolling into Brooklyn USA
from Boblinks...
Bob Dylan Set List from Pimlico Race Course. Next stop: Brooklyn USA Next
Baltimore, Maryland
Virgin Mobile Festival
Pimlico Race Course
August 10, 2008
1. Rainy Day Women #12 & 35 (Bob on keyboard)
2. It Ain't Me, Babe (Bob on keyboard)
3. Rollin' And Tumblin' (Bob on keyboard)
4. Spirit On The Water (Bob on keyboard)
5. High Water (For Charlie Patton) (Bob on keyboard)
6. Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again
(Bob on keyboard)
7. Highway 61 Revisited (Bob on keyboard)
8. When The Deal Goes Down (Bob on keyboard)
9. Summer Days (Bob on keyboard)
10. Ballad Of A Thin Man (Bob on keyboard)
(encore)
11. Like A Rolling Stone (Bob on keyboard)
(Thanks Don Mitchell for the email)
Band Members
Bob Dylan - keyboard, harp
Tony Garnier - bass
George Recile - drums
Stu Kimball - rhythm guitar
Denny Freeman - lead guitar
Donnie Herron - banjo, electric mandolin, pedal steel, lap steel
http://www.boblinks.com/081008s.html
Bob Dylan Set List from Pimlico Race Course. Next stop: Brooklyn USA Next
Baltimore, Maryland
Virgin Mobile Festival
Pimlico Race Course
August 10, 2008
1. Rainy Day Women #12 & 35 (Bob on keyboard)
2. It Ain't Me, Babe (Bob on keyboard)
3. Rollin' And Tumblin' (Bob on keyboard)
4. Spirit On The Water (Bob on keyboard)
5. High Water (For Charlie Patton) (Bob on keyboard)
6. Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again
(Bob on keyboard)
7. Highway 61 Revisited (Bob on keyboard)
8. When The Deal Goes Down (Bob on keyboard)
9. Summer Days (Bob on keyboard)
10. Ballad Of A Thin Man (Bob on keyboard)
(encore)
11. Like A Rolling Stone (Bob on keyboard)
(Thanks Don Mitchell for the email)
Band Members
Bob Dylan - keyboard, harp
Tony Garnier - bass
George Recile - drums
Stu Kimball - rhythm guitar
Denny Freeman - lead guitar
Donnie Herron - banjo, electric mandolin, pedal steel, lap steel
http://www.boblinks.com/081008s.html
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