Over the summer, I wrote about The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick, a children’s book with a suspenseful, convoluted story, lavishly illustrated with Selznick’s beautiful pencil drawings. (I scanned several of those images into my earlier post.) I’ve just finished Selznick’s most recent book, Wonderstruck. Wonderstruck is filled
Continue readingTag: New York City
LeDaro: Anthony Weiner: Surprise, surprise – he ends primary bid for Mayor
His parting speech “middle finger”. You can’t say that he is not steadfast. “On primary day, Weiner got into an argument with a woman in Harlem who ridiculed him and told him to drop out.“You are all about you,” she said.“Get used to it,” he replied.A few hours later, the
Continue readingwmtc: this thursday, august 29: national strike of low-wage workers
If you are a fast-food worker, go here for more information on the national strike to say: Low Pay Is Not OK. For the rest of us, on August 29, visit a picket line, send an email, sign a petition. In New York City, join rallying low-wage workers at Union
Continue readingwmtc: nyc action alert: join striking fast-food workers on monday, july 29
If you live in New York City, you have an opportunity to stand beside working people in their struggle for a better life and healthier communities. 84% of New York fast food workers reported experiencing wage theft at some point in the past year and the New York Attorney General
Continue readingwmtc: hundreds of nyc fast-food workers walk off the job, demand a living wage (plus: don’t fly porter)
Hundreds of fast-food workers in New York City walked off the job this week, demanding a living wage. This is their second walkout in six months, as this exciting labour movement continues to grow. The workers, who have organized themselves as Fast Food Forward, are a model for people throughout
Continue readingwmtc: two great reads from the new yorker, part 1: joseph mitchell on himself
The New Yorker has given us a singularly rare gift: new writing by Joseph Mitchell. Joseph Mitchell wrote about New York City and the multiplicity of people who inhabit it. Mitchell wrote nonfiction portraits of quirky people, overlooked trades, unknown professions, obsessive collectors. His warm, meticulous prose brought people to
Continue readingMontreal Simon: Hurricane Sandy and the Twitter Troll
On Tuesday night, as New Yorkers struggled to cope with the fury of Hurricane Sandy.A Twitter account with the handle ComfortablySmug tried to cause even more fear.By sending out a series of alarming false messages.Read more ยป
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: Sandy May Cut the Big Apple a Huge Break
It looks as though Hurricane Sandy may arrive in New York City well before high tide. That would be a huge break for the Big Apple. High tides magnify storm surge flooding driven by powerful onshore winds. In a city with vast underground infrastructure and so many low-lying, even beneath
Continue readingThings Are Good: In New York City Gay Marriage is Worth $259 Million
You read that correctly, a $259 million (USD) boom in New York City’s economy is thanks to respecting human rights! Changing the law to reflect reality and letting homosexuals marry one another has generated some needed economic growth for the local economy. All of this in just one year! “Marriage
Continue readingwmtc: humans of new york: a photographic census of nyc
Assuming I am not the last person on earth to find this site, you might share my enjoyment of Humans of New York, a photo project by Brandon Stanton, documenting a “photographic census of New York City”. The Humans of New York website says that updates happen most frequently on
Continue readingwmtc: celeste holm, 1917-2012
A grande dame of American acting died earlier this week. Celeste Holm, New York born and bred, was best known for her Academy Award-winning performance in Gentleman’s Agreement*, her memorable (and Oscar-nominated) role alongside Bette Davis in All About Eve, and for originating the role of Ado Annie in Oklahoma!.
Continue readingwmtc: what i’m reading: "zone one" by colson whitehead
I’m currently reading Zone One, by Colson Whitehead, a book I might never have picked up if it hadn’t been written by one of my favourite authors. Fortunately for me, it was, because I’d hate to have missed this. Zone One is a zombie book – a literary zombie novel.
Continue readingwmtc: b*tches in bookshops: don’t let me forget this page
Books, bookstores, and New York City! Plus hip hop girls. This video has it all. Thanks to Stephanie.
Continue readingFrom Orangutan: To New York, Paris, Vancouver, and Toronto
Big orangutan kisses to all of you there for showing your support for the Quebec student movement. You have brought this ape to tears (and this rarely happens). Thank you. New York City Paris Vancouver Toronto
Continue readingFrom Orangutan: To New York, Paris, Vancouver, and Toronto
Big orangutan kisses to all of you there for showing your support for the Quebec student movement. You have brought this ape to tears (and this rarely happens). Thank you. New York City Paris Vancouver Toronto
Continue readingFrom Orangutan: To New York, Paris, Vancouver, and Toronto
Big orangutan kisses to all of you there for showing your support for the Quebec student movement. You have brought this ape to tears (and this rarely happens). Thank you. New York City Paris Vancouver Toronto
Continue readingbastard.logic: RIP MCA aka Adam Yauch (and RIP the Beastie Boys)
Mark Richardson: The Beastie Boys turned curiosity into a form of art. They wanted to know more about what was around them and learn everything they could about what wasn’t. Forget about Kurt Cobain for a second: For kids like me, the Beastie Boys invented the 90s. Technology was changing
Continue readingwmtc: linkathon part 3: the human cost of zero tolerance
This story on the impossibly high cost of so-called zero tolerance laws reminds me of the breed-specific legislation (anti-pitbull laws) plaguing Ontario. Reacting to media-created public hysteria, legislators create laws that are inhumane and injustice. I say so-called zero tolerance because something tells me the Wall Street boys who abuse
Continue readingwmtc: linkathon part 1: hawkcam 2012
I have a bunch of links I want to share, and no real post for any of them. I think readers don’t like linkathons, so I’m putting each link in a separate post. Coincidentally, many are from the same source, so kudos to the The New York Times for an
Continue readingwmtc: pete fornatale, 1945-2012
Pete Fornatale, a pioneer of rock radio, died this week at the too-young age of 66. I learned so much from Pete! Like many people, I especially loved his Sunday morning “Mixed Bag”. From The New York Times: Mr. Fornatale was at the forefront of the FM revolution, along with
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