Jack, If you re-read what I wrote, I wasn't advocating or approving in any way the fact that market realities often override our ideals. Rather, I was lamenting that sad reality and agree with you that market-dominated develpment (with no historical, cultural, or local context) is usually empty and soulless.
Peace --- In AsburyPark@yahoogroups.com, "Jack Pitzer" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > "Money talks and nostalgia walks" > You know what that says to me? > The America and Asbury Park you are projecting is an empty, soulless place where money > is the only thing that matters. > That kind of attitude makes me want to run screaming from our mess of a country as > quickly as possible. > Even though America has always been a very charitable place with it's money, on an > individual level, so many of us are just plain greedy and out for self. > Take the current gas crisis for example; > People are wondering "when are THEY going to do something about these gas prices" > What about thinking "what can I do to help bring down these gas prices" > That's the question that not many individuals seem to be asking. > The answer is simple. Conservation. Drive slower. Take less frivolous trips in your car. > Don't own an SUV. Ride a bicycle for short trips. > Is anybody in the government calling for this yet? No. > Yet everyday on my 70 mile commute to work, on the GSP and Turnpike where the speed > limit is 65 MPH, I see people blasting down the road probably going 75 to 80 MPH. Driving > at 75 MPH uses 25% more gas then going 55 MPH. > Those 2 roadways I'm using as an example are only 2 in one big country. Imagine how > much gas is being wasted every single day while people are waiting for "them" to do > something about it? > Why should we conserve gas and slow down? > Besides bringing down the price of gas by reducing demand, we can also lower the rising > cost of food by lowering the delivery cost as well as reducing the amount of corn we are > wasting on ethenol. > Another reason to conserve is for the good of us all. Just because you can afford that big > assed SUV and the gas to speed around with it doesn't mean you have to. > Why not think of the other people out there that are struggling at this very moment > because the cost of living is hurting them? > And, what about this...what I'm talking about is a little tiny sacrifice for the good of us all. > Just slow down. It's simple, and not really much of a sacrifice. Maybe you leave for work 15 > minutes earlier. And, think of the sacrifice our troops are making. They are putting their > lives on the line in an oil rich part of the world, fighting for us. Can't we return the favor, > make our country a bit less dependent on foreign oil, and give us less of a reason to go > there and fight? > Why aren't millions of Americans having thoughts like this, and actually doing something > rather then waiting around? > I practice what I preach. I drive 65. I use my cruise control, which also conserves gas. I > avoid using my A/C. I keep my tires inflated and I don't carry around extra weight. > My car is a 2003 VW New Beetle, which as listed gets 29 MPG, but i've managed to get > mine up to 35 MPG just by changing my driving habits. If I could afford it, I'd get a Honda > Civic Hybrid which gets 45 MPG. > That brings up another thought. > Why aren't we producing cars in America that get that kind of milage? > Instead, we spent a decade building SUV's. > Now we cry foul and are looking for blame on gas prices, but who's really to blame? > We are. > > > > --- In AsburyPark@yahoogroups.com, "dougandcathy_mcqueen" > <dougandcathy_mcqueen@> wrote: > > > > If I had the money, I'd love to preserve all of the buildings in > > Asbury Park. But the fact is, I don't, and when market realities > > dictate what gets done and not done, unfortunately money talks. > > > > That said, the other avenue to counter market forces is a historic > > preservation program that actually has teeth. If buildings were > > designated under a meaningful historic program, then market forces > > couldn't always rule the day. Until that happens, money talks and > > nostalgia walks. > > > > > > --- In AsburyPark@yahoogroups.com, "Jack Pitzer" <hinge98@> wrote: > > > > > > Did you see the art in question? > > > It wasn't like typical graffiti at all. > > > I agree with most of what else you had to say though. > > > Personally, I think we should dress up Larry Fishman and his band > > of demolition "artists" in > > > orange jumpsuits and parade them around the city to show people who > > destroyed the > > > "real" asbury boardwalk area. > > > In my opinion, Asbury Park is becoming gentrified in the name of > > money, just like > > > everyplace else in this country. To me, it would be nice if we > > preserved our heritage rather > > > then constantly feeling the need to rebuild it. It's pretty hard to > > see the 200 years of > > > history we have here because we love to tear it down. That's > > another reason I love Europe. > > > At least when I go there I can see history. Here in the USA, we're > > awash in crappy > > > pedestrian architecture that lines our highways and cities. I've > > said this many times before, > > > but it's getting to the point in America where you could wake up in > > virtually any given > > > place and have no idea where you are because it's all starting to > > look the same. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > \--- In AsburyPark@yahoogroups.com, "dougandcathy_mcqueen" > > > <dougandcathy_mcqueen@> wrote: > > > > > > > > Social Commentary: Yes > > > > Art: Maybe > > > > Illegal: Definitely > > > > > > > > To say that it's not malicicious to destroy someone else's > > property > > > > (even public property) by spraypainting on it without their > > > > permission is ridiculous! Why do people think its OK to graffiti > > on > > > > public property when they wouldn't want someone else doing it to > > > > their house? That's just as senseless as those who feel it's OK > > to > > > > throw litter in public, but not in their own yard. > > > > > > > > I get the whole social commentary thing, but where does it stop? > > > > What if someone else decided to undertake a vast array of other > > > > crimes as part of a "social commentary", like lighting fires, > > > > shooting out street lights, or sending internet viruses? > > > > > > > > Instead of breaking the law (for which the "artist" should be > > fined), > > > > the "artist" should seek a productive outlet for his art. I > > would > > > > suggest approaching the city or the owners of other property he's > > > > defaced to see if they'll pay him to do a legitimate piece. > > > > > > > > Meanwhile, the graffiti (even if it is social commentary) > > continues > > > > to leave Asbury stuck with the downtrodden look that it has had > > for > > > > years, which leads residents and visitors to beleive that this > > place > > > > can't overcome its past. > > > > > > > > Or here's another idea for an art piece: we can dress our > > graffiti > > > > artist up in a bright orange jumpsuit, and have him spend the day > > > > scrubbing paint from public property. This would be a social > > > > commentary on how everyone is contributing to make Asbury Park a > > > > better place. It'll be great! > > > > > > > > Just my opinion, but at least I didn't spraypaint it on the side > > of a > > > > building. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > --- In AsburyPark@yahoogroups.com, "Jack Pitzer" <hinge98@> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > But, it wasn't painted on my front door. > > > > > It was social commentary about Asbury Park. Not malicious. > > > > > I have little doubt that the person who created it is a bona > > fide > > > > artist. > > > > > I wish I would've taken a picture of it before it got covered > > up. > > > > > > > > > > --- In AsburyPark@yahoogroups.com, "oakdorf" <oakdorf@> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > --- In AsburyPark@yahoogroups.com, "Jack Pitzer" <hinge98@> > > wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > The graffiti was art, not just any old graffiti. The first > > time > > > > I > > > > > > saw it, viewing it for about 2 > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Art it may be, but if it were painted on your front door - > > would > > > > it be > > > > > > art or graffiti? > > > > > > > > > > > > I agree that graffiti is art when. There was a good story > > awhile > > > > back > > > > > > ago about programs that took these "artists" and turned their > > > > skills > > > > > > into usefuil careers - in the arts. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ------------------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AsburyPark/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AsburyPark/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! 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