May Day - General Strike on the Lower East Side

Here are a few photos from the OWS/Wildcat protest at Sara D. Roosevelt Park on May 1.  There was no permit for this protest, so there was a large police presence.  The event started out peaceful, but ended with several arrests before the group split up and spread throughout Chinatown and Soho.















Here, police stormed into the crowd and wrestled a young woman to the ground before dragging her away in plastic cuffs.  I don't know why she was targeted.



More from May Day OWS events to come...

You can see more photos from this event here.

Previously.

You about to learn today

Something you don't see every day

And, that something would be the space shuttle Enterprise flying over New York City while strapped to the back of a 747.  The shuttle actually first flew over the city in 1983 as it went on a world tour.  This time, the Enterprise has come home to stay as part of the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum on the Hudson River.

I took some video from the pier down at Canal Street.  In this one, you can see the shuttle coming up the river from the Verrazano Bridge.  Pardon the shaky camera - film is not my forté - and there is a creepy moment when it looks like the plane is going to fly into the ventilation shaft building.  It was flying so low, this couldn't be helped.



And, here it is coming back down the river.  Once again, there is a disturbing moment as it passes behind a tall building.  The plane then continued to make a loop around the Statue of Liberty and over New Jersey before turning back and eventually landing at JFK airport.  The entire trip took less than an hour.



What surprised me most was how quiet it was.  Normally, jetliners flying over the city are noisy, but I couldn't hear this one at all.  There was a lot of wind, so maybe that blew the sound away, but the way the plane and shuttle seemed to glide together up and down the river was really striking.

I took a few photos, which you can see at my Flickr page.

She comes in color

When I lived in the fur district, I liked seeing many of the creative ways the wholesalers would use scraps.  I never saw any as good as this, though - they even have little purses!

Love me

The scene remains the same

This photo was taken at Federal Hall in October 2008, when people gathered outside the Stock Exchange in anticipation of the final bell.  It was a nightmarish week when the economy seemed to tank overnight and no one knew if it would ever end.



Fast-forward three and a half years and we have protesters sleeping on these same steps.

If the freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter.  - George Washington

On this site, Washington was inaugurated as the first President of the United States.  What would he think of it today?

Bus stop

New coat of paint

Walking down Elizabeth Street, you may have noticed a door unlike all the others...a tiny red door with its own stoop and mailbox.



In case you're wondering what the rent is, don't bother - no vacancy!



At Christmas, there is a wreath...



And, recently, someone has given Mr Thomas Cat a new coat of paint.



So, next time you're in the area, be sure to stop by and leave a note or treat...

See more photos here.

Good Friday

To everyone who celebrates Passover, Easter and the renewal of Spring, have a sweet weekend...



Previously.

Kingston

Kingston is an interesting city, just north of NYC.  It's rich in history and, among other things, was the first capital of New York - in 1777!

I visited recently on a dreary day.  The overcast sky and early spring air enhanced many old architectural details around the waterfront.

You can tell the green leaves, grass and vines are itching to burst all around this house:



I liked this mosaic in a doorway.



And, nearby, a beautiful blue door.



Better watch those children!



My eye is always drawn to places like this - does anyone live there?  What's it's story?



See more photos of Kingston on my Flickr page.