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! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
