Posts Tagged ‘Queens Plaza’
aching chest
– 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
uncouth syllables
– photo by Mitch Waxman
The dark months of the winter offer few opportunities for me to go out shooting, as the times when “the light is good” are limited to an hour or two in the morning (I’m a late riser) and a similar interval in the mid afternoon. Luckily, during one of these narrow moments recently, I found myself in Long Island City in an area which I refer to as “the Fedora District”.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
The trick with light during the winter all comes down to the angle of the sun. The sky flung monoliths and tall slabs of masonry which distinguish New York City are illuminated in a harsh fashion during the winter months, resulting in deep shadow adjoining light blasted highlights. At the end and beginning of the day, however, the sun hangs low in the sky and provides long and cooly colored shadows interacting with bright and often orange illumination.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Miserably dim nevertheless, the sun appears bright to the human eye, but photographic pursuits betray its dimness. Sacrifices in image fidelity and the presence of visible grain brought on by high ISO settings annoy me, and the aforementioned darkness coupled with an omnipresent atmospheric haze force me to avoid the long depth of field and detailed clarity which I normally attempt to capture, so I focus in on the near rather than the far during the winter.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
I’m one of those people who carries a camera everywhere I go, a practice which causes no end of annoyance to those whom I encounter on a daily basis. An obstacle which has been very difficult to overcome, now conquered, is the violation of the social normative which one encounters when whipping out “the rig” and clicking away in the midst of the vast human hive.
There are some, often members of various branches of law enforcement, who perceive my interest in recording the daily round as an act of aggression and suspicious at best.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
The thing is, and allow me to wax a bit more rhapsodically than usual here, is that Long Island City as we know it today will be inextricably altered (as it already has been) within the next decade and that time grows short to record and document the transition. Will the future know about the gruff beauty of the place, or the delicate interplay of reflected sunlight upon centuries old wood, as they wander about an antiseptic landscape of glass and steel?
When the Sapphire Megalith is a relict, and the ever watching thing that dwells at its apex has grown senile and blind, will anyone remember what this place once was?
chilly depths
– photo by Mitch Waxman
One of my little hobbies involves the recording of manhole covers, the large iron discs which act as a removable hatch for access tunnels to the stygian world of infrastructure that underlies the streets of New York City. Often, the cover will betray the age of the street, indicate the company or municipal organ that installed it, and provide some subtext to the relict building stock adjoins them.
This post isn’t about manholes, however, it’s about a beautiful bit of street art recently observed in the Dutch Kills neighborhood nearby the legend choked Queens Plaza.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
This bit of graffiti surpasses the normal tags and scrawled affirmations common to the so called art form, due to its masterful draftsmanship and painterly quality. My own background in commercial illustration makes me a bit of snob when it comes to drawing, and this more than passes my rigid and stoic standards.
Owing allegiance more to Arisman than to Bode, this is no “cheech wizard smoking a doobie”.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Check out the wonderful contour line drawing in the elephant, and the gorgeous use of highlight and tone in the face. Nice, nice work. Whoever the artist(s) is, they have a wonderful touch. This sort of thing is normally the province of Ms. Heather at NY-Shitty, as Newtown Pentacle seldom focuses on street art, and perhaps she might be able to identify the artist.
Normally, presentation of graffitis is only engendered when it is enigmatic or curious, suggests the hidden occult, or is a blatant example of time and opportunity available at a transportation center.
forgotten hands
– photo by Mitch Waxman
On another one of the long marches across the concrete desolations of Western Queens, it occurred to me that I should pay more attention to the steel fingers of the Great Machine than has been formerly applied. This is a problematic notion, of course, as we live in the age of terror- and taking pictures of transportation infrastructure is largely frowned upon by governmental institutions such as the NYPD for understandable and prosaic reasons.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Part of my outlandish sense of entitlement, imagined largesse, and pompous self importance demands that I do not allow such entities to inhibit my activities.
I’m happy to be questioned by the gendarme whenever they might approach me with queries as to identity and purpose. Law demands that a citizen must carry some form of identification, otherwise the police may detain you with the intention of assessing your identity (for a limited period of time), which is something I always comply with. No such law allows law enforcement to demand that you show them what you’re shooting (they need a warrant for this kind of search), explain why you’re shooting it (that’s what you tell a judge), or to delete images from your camera- or so I am told by those versed in the finer points of law.
If you are in a place which is “in public”, you can feel free to do whatever you want with your camera, within certain limitations (defined around the commercial use of likenesses and editorial implications implied thereof). If on private property, however, the owner or its representatives can ask you to vacate the locale and you must comply with their wishes or be charged with trespassing (however these private entities are similarly restricted in not forcing you to display, delete, or otherwise explain yourself to them).
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Of course, this is an ideal presentation of encounters between photographers and those who wish that the only cameras which existed were those monitoring the citizenry for criminal transgression and evidentiary collection.
Often, one will experience an encounter with a rookie cop, unusually aggressive private security guard, or criminal who does not hold to this liberal interpretation of constitutionally guaranteed free speech. Refer to the recent controversies surrounding the Occupy Wall Street protests, and the widely rebuffed handling of mainstream press photographers by the NYPD for an example of how things can go wildly wrong in the real world.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Once, whilst capturing an image of the charming St. Irene’s Church here in Astoria, an angry chorus of Greek women took it upon themselves to brand me a terrorist and chased me for several blocks- all the while hurling Hellenic invective. Many of them curled their hands into balls and stuck their thumbs out between middle and ring fingers, and one of them called me “A Bin Laden”.
That’s when I turned around and confronted the group asking “Wouldn’t a Terrorist have a car?”.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Regardless of risk and the malign attentions of both private and public security, your humble narrator is nevertheless highly motivated to capture and record the magnificent transportation infrastructure which forms the fingers of the Great Machine. I’m sure that they won’t let me take the DSLR into central booking with me, but as I’ve never been accused of anything but driving too fast on the Taconic Parkway and Pennsylvania Turnpike by law enforcement, it sure will be interesting standing in front of a judge.
And by the way, Happy Festivus.
flopping animals
– photo by Mitch Waxman
On the day of the New York City Marathon, which I was unable to photograph this year due to a variety of personal reasons, an effort was made to find some time to walk through the largely deserted Queens Plaza and get some shots of the place on the one day of the year it isn’t teeming with vehicular traffic. This got me thinking about Queens, and some of the people I’ve met walking along the streets here.
Showing up, I believe, is a substantial part of life. Attendance counts.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
A few folks over at another blog have decided to ride me down for the announcement of the Blissville Oil Spill the other day. A fairly typical case of “killing the messenger”, the best name I’ve been called – so far- is “Pompous Coward”. That’s up there with a name granted me by a coworker many years ago when I worked at Ogilvy Interactive – “Feckless Quisling”.
Seriously, here’s the link, these are actually kind of funny.
I would also point out that it has always been Newtown Pentacle policy to discourage people from eating whatever animals they might find along Newtown Creek or at Chernobyl.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
What kind of struck me though, was that not a single one of those commenters reacted to the Blissville Spill itself, which brought me back to thinking about the people I’ve met walking around these streets with a camera. What a grand bunch- cops and firemen, politicians and gangsters, city planners and urban explorers, environmentalists and industrialists, moms and dads. The one common thread in all of Queens seems to be that there is no common thread, except for a sure sense that someone else is getting a bigger piece of the pie than you are and that you are honor bound to knock anyone who is demanding attention- even if they are telling you that your house is burning.
That’s kind of a crossroads, ain’t it?
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Allow me, in these closing weeks of 2011, to affirm and refute certain things. First, the various “groups” which I’ve become affiliated with aren’t paying me a dime. I’m receiving no money from government or private sources to produce this blog, and when you may see ads appear at the bottom of a page- that’s WordPress (the Webhost), not me inserting them. Accordingly, I am betrothed to no particular ideology or didactic political world view, and instead operate in the manner of what the Japanese would call a Ronin. I believe it is better to talk than argue, as the latter is something I do only with family members.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Several of my little mottoes rule my actions, and betray my morality. “What would Superman do”, “Do what you say, and say what you do”, “It’s not good, nor bad, it just is”. Also- “Opinions are like assholes, everyone has one”, and “Fish, cut bait, or get out the way” are rather influential in governing my days. I bristle at the accusations others make about my motivations, which betray their own corruption. As a statement of principal, understand that I have no agenda or hidden motive, and that I am what and who I seem to be- someone in love with the oft overlooked and obfuscated story of Queens.
The Newtown Pentacle 