Governors Island

I went for a long walk today.  Down through Soho to the ferry for Governor's Island.  So named because the English, when they captured New York from the Dutch used the island for "the benefit and accommodation of His Majesty's Governors".  The Manahatas, New York City's native people, called the island Pagganck, "Nut Island", because of the abundance of Hickory, Oak and Chestnut trees.
Designed by Walker & Morris the ferry terminal is notable for it's Guastavino tile vaults under the porch roof.  Patented by Spanish Architect Rafael Guastavino in the U.S. in 1885, his tile vault system can be seen in many of N.Y.'s prominent Beaux Arts landmarks such as the City Hall subway station and the Manhattan Municipal Building.

When you get to the island there are lots of places to picnic.  In 1912 land fill provided by the construction of the Lexington Ave. Subway System added 103 acres to the island.  The island is now 172 acres.

That's Castle William, similar in structure to Castle Clinton at Battery Park.  The island has been used as a sheep farm, quarantine station, racetrack, game preserve, prison, and military base.  Castle William and Castle Clinton were built to protect the harbor with cannon fire during the War of 1812.  They were never used.  Castle William was built in 1807 and like Castle Clinton was designed by Lt. Col. Jonathan Williams.
Lt. Col Jonathan Williams was Benjamin Franklin's nephew, or Grand-nephew depending on your web source; he is also the person for whom Williamsburg was named, and the first Superintendent of West Point.  Born 5/20/1751, he died 5/16/1815 of gout.  Those were the days when the military gave their men rum portions.

Museum Mile

I went to the Museum of the City of New York.  It's at Fifth Ave. and 104th street.  I decided to go basically because I had never been there.  Joel Grey, famous for his performance in the movie of Cabaret has been taking pictures of the city for years and some of them are on display.  His career is also on display as a Joel Grey timeline.  There are some other exhibits but the one I liked was a 30 minute film of the history of the city, narrated by Stanley Tucci.  I left and decided to walk as much of the way home as I could.  Made it to 2nd Ave. and 28th street; got the bus, and then walked from 14th street. 

 This is Ai Weiwei's 'Zodiac, Circle of Heads'.  He is a Chinese artist and dissident who was imprisoned by the Chinese, and charged with tax evasion.  He was released from confinement last month but is forbidden to leave the country.  Today's N.Y. Times reports he has accepted an invitation to teach in Germany.
Another Chinese dissident, the writer Liao Yiwu, who was imprisoned and tortured in the 1990's for writing poems deploring the suppression of students in Tienanmen Square spent 4 years in prison.  Due to the abuse and torture he received, he had several mental breakdowns and attempted suicide twice.  When he was released his wife and daughter left him and his literary friends kept their distance.  He lived for awhile on the streets as a homeless musician.  Liao escaped to Germany on 7/6/2011.
The streets are a museum of art and history.    

Summer Movies

Ah!  The rich coolness of an Air-Conditioned movie house in the summertime.  My youth would often be spent at the movies in the summer.  On a Saturday, after our chores were done, our Mom would give my brother money for the two of us to go to the movies.
Today I went to see "Cave of Forgotten Dreams".  I put off going to see it because it sounded like something that might be better done on PBS.  3D sounded questionable.  Werner Herzog, however can be very good as in "Aguirre: Wrath of God", but then again he can be off.  "Encounters at the End of the World" was not my cup of tea.  I find he often imposes a metaphysical and anthropomorphic perspective on material that is not rational.  In this film it works a little better because it comes from one of the scientists who recounts the story of an anthropologist touring a cave of drawings with an Australian Aborigine.  The anthropologist was trying to explain the difference between modern man and indigenous man.  While in the cave the Aborigine realized the drawing was fading and started to paint it.  The scientist asked why and the aboriginal said he wasn't painting it.  The spirit of the hand was painting it.  Nice, but then Herzog continues through the film to question the scientists if these, the drawings, aren't a manifestation of the beginnings of the human soul.

Then there are the drawings.  The drawings in the cave of forgotten dreams are remarkable.  They may have the most beautiful drawings of horses heads I have ever seen.  According to the scientist they were drawn 30,000 to 40,000 thousand years ago.
I don't think doing the  movie in 3D was the right choice.   There is the fact that many of the drawings, and there are many, are formed using the shape of the rock. Seeing them in 3D enhances that, but hand-held cameras moving in 3D are jarring.  When the camera moves the focus keeps shifting.  I wonder if 3D is an excuse to raise prices.
Netflix is raising their prices.  Why?  No explanation in the e-mail I received.  No extra services or cost were mentioned.   My favorite money pot is Verizon.
I wanted to stop my TV service.  I'm on the computer and out of the house so much, who needs it.  I pay $145 for phone, internet and TV.  The bill I received said TV was $60 and my DVR service for TV was $15. So when I called to cancel the TV and DVR, I find I will save $30 and my internet speed drops from 20mb to 15mb.  I think she said megabytes, the accent was really heavy.  It seems I have a bundle.  A triple bundle that changes to a double bundle when I drop the TV.  I'm really saving a whole lot of money by paying more.  Huh?  The cable in my house doesn't change, why does the speed change?  What's bundled is the money we're paying. 

House of Worship

I believe that's Saint Anthony of Padua.  Actually in Portugal he's known as St. Anthony of Lisbon.  He was born in Lisbon in 1195 and died just outside Padua, Italy in 1231.  He was born Fernando Martins De Bulhoes and came from a wealthy family.  He became a Franciscan priest; renowned for his knowledge of the bible and for his preaching.  During his life he was reputed to have been the cause of many miracles and was canonized shortly after his death.  How he became the patron Saint of lost objects I have no idea.
The church was designed by noted architect Arthur Crooks and built between 1886 and 1888 in the Romanesque Revival style.  The interior is quite impressive and that may be why it is known as the Italian Cathedral in New York.  The original parish opened in 1866 in a former Methodist Church, and so it is the oldest parish continuously ministering to Italians in the U.S.  St. Anthony School opened in 1872 and Mother, now Saint, Cabrini taught there for awhile.
Yesterday, First Ave was the scene of a New Orleans funeral march with a ragtime band, big umbrellas, and dancing mourners.  The owner of TBA, a bar on 2nd Ave. between 2 and 3rd Sts., had been hit while riding his bike.  He passed away and in fitting tribute to a man born in New Orleans they gave him a musical send-off.  Another East Village resident, who was a well known political activist was killed riding his bike.  There is a movement to have the New York Times, our paper of record, list all incidents of bicycle accidents and fatalities.  From what I've seen of the interaction between  bicyclists and cars, taxis, buses, delivery trucks and pedestrians they will need a couple of reporters to do the job. 

                                   Tao Ching:
                          Colors blind the eye.
                          Sounds deafen the ear.
                          Flavors numb the taste.
                          Thoughts weaken the mind.
                          Desires wither the heart.