Archive for the ‘Lower Manhattan’ Category
treasures offered
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Lots to do next week, meetings and galas, all sorts of situations to feel socially awkward in are coming up. Smart and well positioned opinion will be available for the price of attendance, at Newtown Creek Alliance’s “Spotlight on Citizen Science” on Monday the 25th in Long Island City.
NCA’s February meeting will highlight the wide array of local citizen and student scientists exploring all angles of the creek. The meeting will be structured as a showcase, with quick presentations on each topic, and materials for you to peruse in person. Come mingle with your local citizen scientists.
NCA Spotlight on Citizen Science
February 25, 2013 at 6pm
LaGuardia Community College
E Building, Room E-242
– photo by Mitch Waxman
A different sort of gathering will be happening at The India House Club, when Working Harbor Committee hosts its annual Gala, and this year’s honoree is Lucy Ambrosino. A great party, the Gala gathers the movers and shakers of NY Harbor together, and proceeds from the event help fund the WHC’s education programs and summer boat tours.
That’s Tuesday the 26th.
from workingharbor.com
Lucy Ambrosino is being honored for her ardent commitment to the Port of New York and New Jersey and the working harbor which supports it. An effective and committed consensus builder, Lucy is a strong advocate and enthusiastic participant in all efforts to educate the public about the value of the working harbor.
The award will be presented by Andrew McGovern, President, New Jersey Sandy Hook Pilots at 7:15 p.m.
Tuesday Evening – 26 February 2013
India House Club — Marine Room
One Hanover Square, New York City, NY 10004
6 o’clock — 8:30 o’clock – Business Attire
– photo by Mitch Waxman
A town hall meeting, with the NYS DOT and several local elected leaders, will discuss the upcoming Kosciuszko Bridge project. The meeting is being hosted by OUTRAGE, a community group concerned by the enormous footprint of truck based industry in North Brooklyn.
That’s Wednesday the 27th.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Lastly, the unfortunate locale and long neglected and seldom considered municipality called Manhattan will be the setting for a “Long Term Control Plan: Citywide Modeling Workshop.”
Discussions of the recently experienced meteorological phenomena and concurrent flooding is necessitated and accordingly an understanding of the “New Normal” will be offered by the authorities. Ramifications will be explored, existential quandaries expounded upon and considered by representatives of the inestimable NYS DEC and the stalwart NYC DEP.
This one is Thursday the 28th, and I’m sure it will be a civil engineering and urban planning hootenanny.
from nyc.gov
LONG TERM CONTROL PLAN: CITYWIDE MODELING WORKSHOP
Thursday, February 28, 2013 at US Customs House, Auditorium, 1 Bowling Green from 6:00pm – 8:00pm.
The New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is co-hosting a citywide workshop to present and review the modeling processes that will be used to test potential alternatives identified as part of the Long Term Control Plan (LTCP) Program with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). At the workshop, DEP and DEC staff will review the Watershed/Landside and Hydrodynamic/Water Quality models and the proposed baseline assumptions for evaluating the benefits of CSO control alternatives.
gleaming image
– photo by Mitch Waxman
It should be mentioned that under normal circumstance, the narration recited on board one of the Newtown Creek boat tours which I’ve been a part of in the recent past has been “the straight story”. By that, I mean that the normal narrative which readers of this blog have grown used to is toned down a bit, and a more mainstream presentation is offered. There are still plenty of “night soil and offal dock” stories, but as I have a relatively short amount of time to tell the story of Newtown Creek, a lot of the more… colourful… stuff gets trimmed out. Luckily, the Newtown Creek Alliance is producing a “spooky” Halloween tour this Saturday (October 27), and I get to go to town on this one.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
In addition to weaving the Blissville Banshee, Maspeth Gypsies, and witch panics into my speech- there are two other factors which make this tour special. First and foremost is the price, subsidized by grant money from the NYCEF fund of the Hudson River Foundation – which allows NCA to offer the trip at an amazing price of just $25. Secondly, the time at which we will be embarking is late in the afternoon, which should offer spectacular sunset lighting of the Creek for photographers and sensitives alike.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
This is a two hour excursion, leaving from Manhattan’s South Sea Seaport on board a comfortable NY Water Taxi (which, yes, has bathroom facilities). NCA is encouraging the wearing of seasonal costuming to celebrate and acknowledge the Halloween holiday. Scheduled speakers include your humble narrator and NCA Executive Director Kate Zidar. Whatever there is, which cannot possibly exist, lurking in the Black Mayonnaise which underlies the cursed waters of that cataract of agony known as the Newtown Creek has refused to make an appearance sans ritual sacrifice- something NCA cannot have any involvement with due to the intricacies of its 501/3c non profit status. The thing in the megalith will be watching, however.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
The question of what sort of costume I will be wearing is still up in the air. Attempts to borrow a death cloak have so far been unsuccessful, despite the fact that several people I know own such raiments. Click the banner just below this paragraph for ticketing information and fulfillment. Do you dare to enter this nightmare world of the Newtown Creek, or will you instead cling to the illusion of sanity which exists beyond its banks?
Also- Upcoming Newtown Creek tours and events:
for more information on the October 27th Newtown Creek Boat Tour, click here
for more information on the November 9th Newtown Creek Magic Lantern Show, click here
for an expanded description of the November 11th Newtown Creek tour, please click here
max impact
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Moving through the squamous and tourist choked streets of accursed Lower Manhattan, and heading for a rendezvous with a boat trip at South Street Seaport, a rhythmical thumping began to filter through my headphones.
The closer I got to Pier 16, the louder it became, and that’s when I encountered Max Impact.
from usafband.af.mil
Max Impact is the premier rock band of the United States Air Force. Commissioned in 2005, the band’s seven members perform exciting original music, rock, country, patriotic favorites as well as classic and current pop hits. In addition to entertaining military and civilian audiences in the United States, Max Impact has thrilled troops with their hard-rocking energy and amazing musical versatility at forward deployed locations including Iraq and Afghanistan.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
A military band, Max Impact was playing a medley of rock anthems to an interested crowd of European and Chinese tourists which didn’t quite know what to make of a group of American military personnel performing Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing”.
Your humble narrator too, found this a bit odd, but no less so than any of the other bizarre allocations that my tax dollars go to.
also from usafband.af.mil
Technical Sgt. Matthew R. Geist is a guitarist with Max Impact, The United States Air Force Band, Washington, D.C. In addition to his performing duties, he serves as music director for his flight. Originally from Chicago, his career in the Air Force began in 1995 when he served in the Band of the West, Lackland AFB, Texas. From 2004-06 he served with the Band of Liberty, Hanscom AFB, Mass.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
They were actually pretty good- technically precise- in the manner of studio musicians. They didn’t miss a beat, and were perfectly in tune with each other. Of course, this is what soldiers do. Max Impact is officially part of the United States Air Force Military Band.
It seems there are several “units” within the band, specialized into music genre or style operations- classical, jazz, country etc.
also from usafband.af.mil
Master Sgt. Shani Prewitt is a vocalist with the Max Impact, The United States Air Force Band, Washington, D.C. In addition to her performance duties, Sergeant Prewitt is the assistant noncommissioned officer in charge of the Singing Sergeants. Originally from Staunton, Va., her career in the Air Force began in 1990.
Before joining the Air Force, Sergeant Prewitt was a vocalist at Kings Dominion, Busch Gardens, Opryland and Disneyland.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
A little online research afterward revealed that this unit performs for troops deployed oversea and here at home, and seems to be particularly popular with front line soldiers. In the case of the Air Force, front line means their Special Operations tactical units (analogous to other Special Forces like the Green Berets or Seals in the Army or Navy).
from usafband.af.mil
Master Sgt. Ryan L. Carson is a vocalist with Max Impact, The United States Air Force Band, Washington, D.C. In addition to his performance duties, Sergeant Carson is the Air Force District of Washington/11th Wing protocol liaison for the Band’s Outreach office. He is originally from Rapid City, S.D.
A 1999 graduate of the University of Wyoming, Sergeant Carson earned a Bachelor of Music degree, specializing in voice performance. While there, he garnered a first place award at the Colorado/Wyoming National Association of Teachers of Singing Competition, and was also named Outstanding Male Vocal Jazz Soloist at the University of Northern Colorado Jazz Festival. Sergeant Carson was also a Distinguished Graduate and Commandant Award Finalist at the Non-Commissioned Officers Academy in 2003.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
They went from playing pop music over to their own compositions, which were a bit edgier.
You already paid for them, so might as well download a sampling of Max Impact’s recordings, which can be accessed at this page
additionally, here’s a Max Impact video produced for the Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC.)
certain phases
– photo by Mitch Waxman
This is another one of the shots I’ve been chasing all summer. It is not an easy thing to photograph a lit up moving thing from another moving thing, at night, and capture the background in acceptable sharpness- even on Maritime Sunday.
The Newtown Pentacle 