The Newtown Pentacle

- photo by Mitch Waxman

As mentioned in prior postings, an awful lot of time is consumed around Newtown Pentacle HQ in the pursuit of historical anecdote and photographic documentation of the Newtown Creek’s storied past. Often, I’m asked “where do you do your research?”. In the case of today’s posting, it’s the amazing archives of municipal journals and industrial journals which can accessed at google books.

NEW VERNON AVENUE BRIDGE OPEN LONG ISLAND CITY

1908 image from “Illustrated History of the Borough of Queens, New York City By Georg von Skal, Flushing Journal, Flushing, N.Y” – courtesy google books

The Pulaski Bridge is a block or so from the spot where the Vernon Avenue Bridge spanned the creek (between Vernon Ave. in Queens and Manhattan Avenue in Brooklyn), until the Pulaski was erected in 1959 1954. The “Vernon Avenue Bridge” pictured above is the 1908 variant, as there was more than one version of the Vernon Avenue Bridge over the years- including an early swing bridge.

- photo by Mitch Waxman

Included today is this helpful graphic, shot from the Pulaski Bridge, illustrating the abutments of the old bridge. Both are street ends today. In Brooklyn, one will find a park and in Queens, one will find an unofficial dock.

Also:

- photo by Mitch Waxman

An NCA event, which I for one am pretty stoked about:

April NCA meeting hosts Dr. Eric Sanderson

April 26, 2012 at 6pm


Ridgewood Democratic Club, 
6070 Putnam Avenue, 
Ridgewood, NY 11385

In addition to important updates from our members – in particular the Bioremedition Workgroup has been very busy! – we will be hosting a special presentation on the “Historical Ecology of Newtown Creek”.

Dr. Eric Sanderson, senior conservation ecologist at the Wildlife Conservation Society and author of “Mannahatta: A Natural History of New York City” (Abrams, 2009), will describe recent studies of the historical ecology of Newtown Creek, describing the original wetlands, creek channels, topography and vegetation of the area. He will show a series of 18th and 19th century maps of the watershed of the creek and discuss the process of synthesizing them into an integrated ecological picture that can be used to inform and inspire natural restoration and cultural appreciation of the Newtown Creek watershed. This work is part of the Welikia Project (welikia.org), an investigation into the historical ecology of the five boroughs of New York City and surrounding waters.

- photo by Mitch Waxman

Just a short one today, some of the interesting odds and ends observed during my travels over the last few weeks. The shot above is from 58th rd. in Maspeth, once known as the Maspeth Plank road and paved with crushed oyster shells. It led to Furman’s Island, a notorious spit of muddy land that was legendary in its time for the offensive industries located there.

- photo by Mitch Waxman

This curious collection of women’s shoes, singles not pairs, was spotted on Provost in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. The mind boggles at where the mated shoes might have been dumped, but these are found on the street named for one of the “OG’s” – the Original Greenpointers. They were named Provoost rather than Provost, of course, but Dutch words seldom translate unscathed into english.

- photo by Mitch Waxman

Also in Greenpoint, this time nearby Manhattan Avenue. Manhattan is a double wide street because there was a street car or Trolley line that ran down it, which broke off from the East River to Calvary line which plied Greenpoint Avenue. The Manhattan Avenue line went over the Vernon Avenue Bridge and connected with Long Island City. The street art or graffiti depicted in this shot is signed “Mara” and a humble narrator is glad that some of the conclusions I’ve drawn about Newtown Creek are seemingly being noticed by others.

- photo by Mitch Waxman

Amongst the shocking grotesques of Brooklyn’s DUKBO, or Down Under the Kosciuzscko Bridge Onramp, one such as myself finds confirmation of all those things I wish I didn’t know. Following my nose, as it were, an odiferous cloud drew me to this particular corner seeking to investigate whether some cauldron of ichor might have been overturned or to discover whatever it might be that could produce such a miasmic stink.

- photo by Mitch Waxman

A pile of industrial site runoff ran lugubriously toward the sewers, obeying gravity. The effluent carried with it some odd and somewhat fibrous substance. The smell intensified as I neared the fence line, and the runoff was clearly organic, shimmering beneath the thermonuclear eye of god itself with a greasy iridescence.

- photo by Mitch Waxman

Close inspection revealed the presence of avian feathers in the runoff, betraying the origin of the brownish gray liquid. This was clearly chicken feces, running in a rivulet toward the oil stained streets which adjoin and parallel the gargantuan thoroughfare known as the Brooklyn Queens Expressway that is carried by the pendulous Kosciuzscko Bridge.

- photo by Mitch Waxman

The variegated texture exhibited by the pavement is coincidental, and due to the habits of local concrete contractors who cleanse their machinery on the street, dumping what washes from their trucks wherever it may fall. There are large sections of this neighborhood whose sidewalks and streets exhibit the appearance of volcanic flow, where tons of waste concrete cured while seeking those self same drains which a feather laden stream of poultry feces was attempting to enter on this day.

Choked with cement, the sewers become the center of a fetid lagoon, but such sights are common in DUKBO.

- photo by Mitch Waxman

The operation which plies its trade at this corner is a poultry merchant, one which trucks the hapless birds to this warehouse. My understanding is that they are involved in the wholesale section of the business, supplying neighborhood Halal abattoirs, “Pollo Vivo” dealers, and certain Asiatic Restaurants which are scattered around Brooklyn and Queens with fresh stock. Unlike the native born’s habit of purchasing a familiar and largely inoffensive carcass- a plucked, butchered, and often steamed or bleached cadaver- on sale at chain supermarkets and “traditional” Yankee butcher shops- many newer immigrants in the area prefer to inspect their food animals while still alive.

Prosaic, the practice is regarded as barbaric by area wags who prefer to maintain some insulation from the bloody business of supplying industrial quantities of animal protein to an ever growing human infestation.

- photo by Mitch Waxman

Urban sophisticates tend to overlook these sort of details, forgetting that every “organic” or “factory farm” chicken may not have been a healthy bird before it was roughly extinguished. Recent immigration from the queer foreign courts of Asia and other more southernly latitudes has carried with it a certain skepticism about such matters. Inspection of eye, beak, and feet is paramount in certain circles- especially when it concerns the food laid out for children.

They have no trust in the USDA, it’s curious marks and unintelligible grading system for food quality- all of which were codified by bureaucrats.

- photo by Mitch Waxman

Of course, what stretch of the imagination could conjure for them the image of that prize bird stacked in crates ten deep just 3 blocks from the Newtown Creek, imprisoned in those exhaust clouds which bubble and froth invisibly down from the BQE? Could they understand that this is a neighborhood of scrap yards, garbage depots, oil tank farms, and former home to oil refineries, bone boilers, and chemical refineries? Can anyone imagine what these birds are breathing in?

A question often asked of your humble narrator these days concerns the status of those who might engage in subsistence fishing on the Newtown Creek, and the consequences of consuming such a catch.

- photo by Mitch Waxman

The question which is offered as an answer in itself is “do you have any idea how much of the food you buy as “organic” moves through the shadowed warehouses and poison atmospherics of the Newtown Creek?” and “what makes you think you’re any different than those fishermen”?

Seldom do I receive an answer, for when faced with considering such realities about their own food supply, even the clear eyed and prosaic will reveal themselves to be chicken shit.

- photo by Mitch Waxman

Cavorting along in that neighborhood which once hosted the titan works of the Waldes Koh-I-Noor mill, where relict rail tracks reach up mercilessly through the asphalt of modern times, your humble narrator was chasing a shot of mighty Queensboro in the distance- illuminated by the rays of a setting sun.

My path brought me to the lightly travelled and seldom commented upon Davis Court.

- photo by Mitch Waxman

An industrial street lined by warehouses both old and new, my attention suddenly became fixed upon these six sandwiches of dubious origin affixed upon the ground.

They appeared to be a sextuplet of jelly sandwiches, but one can never be sure about such things until a bite has been taken- which I was unwilling to do.

- photo by Mitch Waxman

It cannot be explained to you, lords and ladies of Newtown, why this arrangement of comestibles struck me as sinister. Perhaps it was the abandonment of perfectly edible food to the nocturnal scavengers which roam the creek lands, a beady eyed and squealing army which emerges from cracks and from other hidden apertures only when the burning thermonuclear eye of god itself has sunken below the horizon.

Perhaps it was the sandwich arrangement, I cannot say, but repulsion ruled my thoughts.

Feeling faint, your humble narrator moved on.

- photo by Mitch Waxman

Today’s huge dosage of weirdness was found in Queens Plaza, which is normally so incredibly bound by the mundane and material that it’s impossible to form an abstract thought.

Instead of the usual “how do I make it out of this area alive without being struck by a car, bicycle, or fellow pedestrian” or the “I’m rapidly becoming overwhelmed by the incredible loudness of this place, what in gods name are they thinking putting a park here”, your humble narrator noticed a set of missives tacked up alongside the entrance to the subterranean tracks of the subway.

from wikipedia

Queens Plaza is a plaza located on Queens Boulevard, between North and South Plaza streets, in Long Island City, Queens. The plaza is overlapped by an elevated railway transit (which was constructed in 1914), with the Queensboro Bridge starting on the eastern side. It has a subway stop for the E M R trains at the Queens Plaza station below ground and nearby are the 7 N Q trains at the Queensboro Plaza station on the elevated tracks. The only elevator for the underground subway station is on the SW corner of South Plaza St and Jackson Ave.

- photo by Mitch Waxman

It is certain that a conversation about 911 and the various conspiratorial theories about its execution and cause will not be entertained at this, your Newtown Pentacle, as it’s just not a subject which I am wont to get involved with. As I’ve asserted in the past- what is it about the modern United States Government, and the Bush Administration in particular, that would make you believe that its employees were capable of pulling off a perfectly executed tactical mission in a pristine and lasting vacuum of secrecy? Additionally, a full decade later, has no single member of this highly professional cabal felt pangs of guilt, or caved in to sell the story, and bared his or her dissident soul to the world?

That’s my worldview, of course, and the fellow who has posted these laser printed bits of signage about Queens Plaza sees things differently.

from wikipedia

9/11 conspiracy theories are theories that disagree with the widely accepted account that the September 11 attacks were perpetrated solely by al-Qaeda, without any detailed advanced knowledge on the part of any government agency. Proponents of these theories claim there were inconsistencies in the official conclusions or evidence that was overlooked. In a 2008 global poll of 17 countries, 46% of those surveyed believed al-Qaeda was responsible for the attacks, 15% believed the U.S. government was responsible, 7% believed Israel was and another 7% believed some other perpetrator, other than al Qaeda, was responsible.

- photo by Mitch Waxman

It would be worth your time to click through the photos to Flickr and check out the fullness of these pages, wherein Mr. Boss alleges the complicity of certain individuals and organizations in a far reaching “false flag” conspiracy and details the extreme and technologically sophisticated methodology of persecution these conspirators from the National Security Agency have subjected him to.

Of course, this is the viewpoint and position of the aforementioned Mr. Boss, I’m just pointing out what he or his supporters have left in Queens Plaza for all to see.

from wikipedia

The National Security Agency (NSA) is a cryptologic intelligence agency of the United States Department of Defense responsible for the collection and analysis of foreign communications and foreign signals intelligence, as well as protecting U.S. government communications and information systems, which involves information security and cryptanalysis/cryptography.

The NSA is directed by at least a lieutenant general or vice admiral. NSA is a key component of the U.S. Intelligence Community, which is headed by the Director of National Intelligence. The Central Security Service is a co-located agency created to coordinate intelligence activities and co-operation between NSA and other U.S. military cryptanalysis agencies. The Director of the National Security Agency serves as the Commander of the United States Cyber Command and Chief of the Central Security Service.

By law, NSA’s intelligence gathering is limited to foreign communications, although domestic incidents such as the NSA warrantless surveillance controversy have occurred.

- photo by Mitch Waxman

Don’t get me wrong, Lords and Ladies, in no way should you interpret me as mocking Mr. Boss’s unique point of view, as I’ve seldom understood the childish formulae and meta themes which political people present. “Wealth trickles down to the poor”, “Change is good”, or “Hope” have all found their place in the mainstream. So has the sophomoric notion of “green jobs for the future” and the other modernist mottos of a generation of lobbyist bosses and their elected counterparts.

The sole argument I can offer against any of these conspiracy theories is simply this- the people who are supposedly perpetrating this “false flag” had nothing to gain from it, as they were already in full control over the government and its bureaucracy as well as being in a position to profit handsomely from the status quo.

from bossforcongress.com

The NSA is trying to kill me! And the NSA is preventing me from having my voice from being heard and of having a fair election. The NSA is bugging my car and home. The NSA is putting devices to give off microwave radiation in my car and through the walls of my apartment to kill me. I have a list of over 100,000+ people who have told me that when I campaign to them and give them my literature, that the NSA comes to them right afterwards and threatens to kill them and their families if they speak up. The NSA is forcing these people to take a gift card for $20,000 to join the NSA to keep them quiet about the NSA arranging the 911 attack.

- photo by Mitch Waxman

A cursory scan of the vast interwebs reveals that Mr. Boss has indeed run for several offices over the years, including a recent stab at becoming Governor of New Jersey which netted him some 16,000 votes in 2009. Additionally, He has attracted the ire of many in his native state due to incessant pamphleteering and posting of flyers such as the ones in Queens Plaza.

His business life, as he claims, involves a past in investment banking, and seems to be associated with a company that promises the cryogenic storage of reproductive materials such as sperm and eggs- as well as the disposition of deceased pets.

also from bossforcongress.com

I CURRENTLY HAVE NUMEROUS CHEFS AND RESTAURANT WORKERS CONFIRMING THE NSA POISONS FOOD IN THERE RESTAURANT. THE NSA KILLS HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF AMERICANS A YEAR BY POISONING THEIR FOOD.

I HAVE OVER 7 DIFFERANT NSA AGENTS ON DVD SAYING THEY ARE SERVING POISON FOOD TO OCCUPY WALL STREET! I HAVE PUT SIGNS UP, TOLD LAW ENFORCEMENT AND TOLD THE PEOPLE AT OCCUPY WALL STREET.

IN THE LAST 4 WEEKS THE NSA HAS POISONED THE FOOD FOR OCCUPY WALL STREET.THE NSA CONSIDERS THE OCCUPY WALL STREET AS A REVOLUTION AND THEREFORE THINKS ITS OKAY TO KILL OFF THE UPRISING. TENS OF THOUSANDS OF AMERICANS ARE BEING POISONED AT THE OCCUPY WALL STREET. INCLUDING MANY CHILDREN. ALL THE WORKERS WHO ARE WORKING THE KITCHEN AT OCCUPY WALL STREET ARE NSA AGENTS.

- photo by Mitch Waxman

I am sure that I will soon be decried as working for the NSA, or not, depending on what happens the next time Boss googles himself.

JB- I’ve given you as much leeway as I can…

Just remember that if you come to Queens, the Newtown Pentacle is always watching…and If you come into my house, I will notice. We’ve got enough wacky stuff going on here in Western Queens to fill a hundred cargo ships, but we don’t complain to Jersey about it…

If the NSA is listening, however, my advertising resume could indicate some potential as a propagandist and I have never had any issues with doing government work. My work as a photo retoucher could be a handy resource, and editorial photography is a special interest of mine. Feel free to contact me, however, freelance rates will apply.

from nj.com

Ledger Live host Brian Donohue interviews Jeff Boss of Guttenberg who says the government plotted the 9/11 terrorist attacks and vows that legalized sports betting is the key to solving New Jersey’s budget woes.

Click here for a video interview with Jeff Boss.

ALSO, this Friday:

My own attempt at presenting a cogent narrative and historical journey “up the creek” is up coming as well-

Your humble narrator will be narrating humbly on Friday, February 24th at 7:30 P.M. for the“Ridgewood Democratic Club, 60-70 Putnam Avenue, Ridgewood, NY 11385” as the “Newtown Creek Magic Lantern Show” is presented to their esteemed group. The club hosts a public meeting, with guests and neighbors welcome, and say that refreshments will be served.

The “Magic Lantern Show” is actually a slideshow, packed with informative text and graphics, wherein we approach and explore the entire Newtown Creek. Every tributary, bridge, and significant spot are examined and illustrated with photography. This virtual tour will be augmented by personal observation and recollection by yours truly, with a question and answer period following.

For those of you who might have seen it last year, the presentation has been streamlined, augmented with new views, and updated with some of the emerging stories about Newtown Creek which have been exclusively reported on at this- your Newtown Pentacle.

For more information, please contact me here.

What: Newtown Creek Magic Lantern Show

When: Friday, February 24th at 7:30 P.M.

Where: Ridgewood Democratic Club, 60-70 Putnam Avenue, Ridgewood, NY 11385