View allAll Photos Tagged optimistic
Spring has sprung during my trip to Bordeaux, which is a beautiful city. However, I'm very glad that we didn't move there after all! I went out into the woods with Zac and played with my favourite Nikkor 20mm f1.8...
Outside of the Town Hall theater on West 43rd Street in Manhattan, a crowd of smiling and optimistic people Friday overflowed into the one-way street. Delivery trucks and yellow taxi cabs creeped by, their engines engaged in a shouting match with Bennet Weiss, a man who bore a fleeting resemblance to the Democratic presidential candidate they were all there to support.
"We don't have billions of dollars! All we have are people wearing Bernie pins," Weiss yelled, a large black umbrella covered in Bernie Sanders campaign pins at his feet, catching drops of sweat from his brow. The Occupy Wall Street protester-turned-Sanders supporter urged the crowd to wear the pins at all times with no exception -- even in the shower -- and gave them away freely to anyone who said they didn't have enough cash to afford to pay the suggested donation.
That's the kind of populist support Sanders' campaign has steadily been attracting since the U.S. senator from Vermont formally announced his candidacy in late April. Friday was no exception, with passion-filled people who think Sanders has proved himself the worthy champion of causes they care about the most, such as income inequality, climate change, Wall Street reform and further healthcare reforms. But, perhaps most importantly, they also think he can win the White House.
"Absolutely" he can win, said Joe Trinolone, 30, a former finance industry worker from Long Island, New York, who is studying mathematics at St. Joseph's University. "I mean, he's winning right now."
Sanders, during a fundraising speech Friday, ticked through the policies he cares about and areas of change he wants to see in Washington should he become president. At each turn, his blend of outrage, optimism and sly sarcasm brought raucous cheers from the crowd of 1,100. He rejected recent Wall Street Journal criticism of the high price tag of his proposals, including making public colleges and universities free, lowering so-called real unemployment by pumping funding into infrastructure repairs for the nation’s roads and bridges and implementing a universal healthcare system.
Instead, he pointed to European nations that already have those programs. He implored the crowd to think about what many of them were already talking about: that taking on the big-money interests in the United States that impede those sorts of policy changes is a shared moral obligation.
“Welcome to the revolution,” Sanders said, describing what he believes must happen to American politics. “We can accomplish all of this and more.” And the crowd ate it up.
When asked why they support Sanders, many described his candidacy as a movement. They love his policies, and have a hard time thinking of much they don’t like about him. They especially like that he has been a consistent voice during his time in Washington. That’s a big perceived difference between Sanders and his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton. Those "feeling the Bern" were split on whether they would consider voting for her if she becomes the nominee. Many were newcomers to political action but felt compelled to join the fray when they heard Sanders and his message.
“I’ve never been excited about a politician my entire life,” said Meira Marom, 34, a Brooklyn third-grade teacher with a master's degree in creative writing. When Marom started seeing social media posts about Sanders and reading about him, she decided to stop focusing her personal time on writing for herself. She now writes and publishes something about Sanders every day -- Dr. Seuss themes every Sunday, poems and parodies. “I decided this is the most worthy cause to put my rhymes to use.”
Sanders has seen an unexpected rise in the polls since he joined the race for the Democratic nomination shortly after the current national front-runner Clinton announced her candidacy. While Sanders was trailing Clinton by 21.4 percent in national averages of polls compiled by Real Clear Politics, a look at early nominating states like Iowa and New Hampshire paints a different picture of vulnerability for Clinton and strength for Sanders.
The two candidates are tied in Iowa, which constitutes a dramatic drop for Clinton and an impressive surge for Sanders, who has been distancing himself from Clinton in New Hampshire at the top of the Democratic pack since Aug. 25, when he jumped past her in the state for the first time. He currently leads there by 10.5 points.
The candidates are noticeably different in many ways, from policy prescription to fundraising strategy.
Clinton has moved leftward since announcing her candidacy, but she is still threatened by the populist appeal of Sanders, who has long championed the causes that seem to be coming into grace for the Democratic Party. While the candidates currently hold some very similar positions on issues such as immigration reform, gay rights, gun control and campaign finance reform, Sanders has been able to stake out positions to the left of Clinton on other issues that excite some vocal voters.
Among them are his strong anti-war and anti-government surveillance positions as well as his distaste for President Barack Obama's Trans Pacific Partnership trade deal. Sanders also has been a vocal critic of Wall Street and champion of financial reforms, and his stance on those issues has drawn attention to Clinton's cozy relationship with Wall Street executives and the huge paychecks she has received for speeches to large banks since leaving the U.S. State Department. For some Sanders supporters, though, the perception that Sanders has been a consistent proponent of these liberal policies, and cares about them more than winning, is key.
“It’s the message that supporting Bernie Sanders is not just voting on a horse in the race” that attracts Brian Dillon, a 28-year-old self-employed Web designer and developer for e-commerce, said Friday. Dillon has voted just one time in his life, but he has been organizing meetings to drum up support for Sanders.
Sanders's fundraising portfolio also is the reverse of Clinton's. While the former secretary of state is expected to spend somewhere north of $1 billion should she win the primary and head into the general election for 2016, the same has not been said of Sanders. Currently, Clinton has raised, through her campaign committee and super PACs associated with the campaign, $47.5 million, according to data from the Center for Responsive Politics. Sanders, on the other hand, has raised just shy of $16.5 million, according to CRP data.
Their most startling difference in fundraising, however, can be seen in the size of the donations they're receiving. The Clinton campaign received 82 percent of its donations from large contributors, and her top industry donors, not including retired people, so far have been lawyers, business services and the financial industry.
In contrast, Sanders relies much more on small donations, which are defined as donations totaling $200 or less. So far, 69 percent of his contributions have come from small donors, and the biggest industries that have given to his campaign have been from the education, legal and healthcare sectors.
Who are those small donors? The types of people who showed up Friday. Some said they donate $25 to $30 a month to Sanders. Some said they have donated several hundred dollars since he jumped into the presidential race. Nearly all of them mentioned they don't earn a ton of money personally. One in particular, Machumu Sakulira, said he donated $500 before attending Friday’s event.
There is “no way” he would support a Clinton ticket, said Sakulira, a 31-year-old senior political science student at the University at Buffalo. He got on a bus Thursday night at 11 p.m. and arrived in New York at 7 a.m. for the Sanders speech. He said he was going back Friday night. “Bernie represents my interest. My vote is a moral choice, I don’t give it to somebody who doesn’t deserve it.”
www.ibtimes.com/election-2016-bernie-sanders-nyc-fundrais...
Outside of the Town Hall theater on West 43rd Street in Manhattan, a crowd of smiling and optimistic people Friday overflowed into the one-way street. Delivery trucks and yellow taxi cabs creeped by, their engines engaged in a shouting match with Bennet Weiss, a man who bore a fleeting resemblance to the Democratic presidential candidate they were all there to support.
"We don't have billions of dollars! All we have are people wearing Bernie pins," Weiss yelled, a large black umbrella covered in Bernie Sanders campaign pins at his feet, catching drops of sweat from his brow. The Occupy Wall Street protester-turned-Sanders supporter urged the crowd to wear the pins at all times with no exception -- even in the shower -- and gave them away freely to anyone who said they didn't have enough cash to afford to pay the suggested donation.
That's the kind of populist support Sanders' campaign has steadily been attracting since the U.S. senator from Vermont formally announced his candidacy in late April. Friday was no exception, with passion-filled people who think Sanders has proved himself the worthy champion of causes they care about the most, such as income inequality, climate change, Wall Street reform and further healthcare reforms. But, perhaps most importantly, they also think he can win the White House.
"Absolutely" he can win, said Joe Trinolone, 30, a former finance industry worker from Long Island, New York, who is studying mathematics at St. Joseph's University. "I mean, he's winning right now."
Sanders, during a fundraising speech Friday, ticked through the policies he cares about and areas of change he wants to see in Washington should he become president. At each turn, his blend of outrage, optimism and sly sarcasm brought raucous cheers from the crowd of 1,100. He rejected recent Wall Street Journal criticism of the high price tag of his proposals, including making public colleges and universities free, lowering so-called real unemployment by pumping funding into infrastructure repairs for the nation’s roads and bridges and implementing a universal healthcare system.
Instead, he pointed to European nations that already have those programs. He implored the crowd to think about what many of them were already talking about: that taking on the big-money interests in the United States that impede those sorts of policy changes is a shared moral obligation.
“Welcome to the revolution,” Sanders said, describing what he believes must happen to American politics. “We can accomplish all of this and more.” And the crowd ate it up.
When asked why they support Sanders, many described his candidacy as a movement. They love his policies, and have a hard time thinking of much they don’t like about him. They especially like that he has been a consistent voice during his time in Washington. That’s a big perceived difference between Sanders and his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton. Those "feeling the Bern" were split on whether they would consider voting for her if she becomes the nominee. Many were newcomers to political action but felt compelled to join the fray when they heard Sanders and his message.
“I’ve never been excited about a politician my entire life,” said Meira Marom, 34, a Brooklyn third-grade teacher with a master's degree in creative writing. When Marom started seeing social media posts about Sanders and reading about him, she decided to stop focusing her personal time on writing for herself. She now writes and publishes something about Sanders every day -- Dr. Seuss themes every Sunday, poems and parodies. “I decided this is the most worthy cause to put my rhymes to use.”
Sanders has seen an unexpected rise in the polls since he joined the race for the Democratic nomination shortly after the current national front-runner Clinton announced her candidacy. While Sanders was trailing Clinton by 21.4 percent in national averages of polls compiled by Real Clear Politics, a look at early nominating states like Iowa and New Hampshire paints a different picture of vulnerability for Clinton and strength for Sanders.
The two candidates are tied in Iowa, which constitutes a dramatic drop for Clinton and an impressive surge for Sanders, who has been distancing himself from Clinton in New Hampshire at the top of the Democratic pack since Aug. 25, when he jumped past her in the state for the first time. He currently leads there by 10.5 points.
The candidates are noticeably different in many ways, from policy prescription to fundraising strategy.
Clinton has moved leftward since announcing her candidacy, but she is still threatened by the populist appeal of Sanders, who has long championed the causes that seem to be coming into grace for the Democratic Party. While the candidates currently hold some very similar positions on issues such as immigration reform, gay rights, gun control and campaign finance reform, Sanders has been able to stake out positions to the left of Clinton on other issues that excite some vocal voters.
Among them are his strong anti-war and anti-government surveillance positions as well as his distaste for President Barack Obama's Trans Pacific Partnership trade deal. Sanders also has been a vocal critic of Wall Street and champion of financial reforms, and his stance on those issues has drawn attention to Clinton's cozy relationship with Wall Street executives and the huge paychecks she has received for speeches to large banks since leaving the U.S. State Department. For some Sanders supporters, though, the perception that Sanders has been a consistent proponent of these liberal policies, and cares about them more than winning, is key.
“It’s the message that supporting Bernie Sanders is not just voting on a horse in the race” that attracts Brian Dillon, a 28-year-old self-employed Web designer and developer for e-commerce, said Friday. Dillon has voted just one time in his life, but he has been organizing meetings to drum up support for Sanders.
Sanders's fundraising portfolio also is the reverse of Clinton's. While the former secretary of state is expected to spend somewhere north of $1 billion should she win the primary and head into the general election for 2016, the same has not been said of Sanders. Currently, Clinton has raised, through her campaign committee and super PACs associated with the campaign, $47.5 million, according to data from the Center for Responsive Politics. Sanders, on the other hand, has raised just shy of $16.5 million, according to CRP data.
Their most startling difference in fundraising, however, can be seen in the size of the donations they're receiving. The Clinton campaign received 82 percent of its donations from large contributors, and her top industry donors, not including retired people, so far have been lawyers, business services and the financial industry.
In contrast, Sanders relies much more on small donations, which are defined as donations totaling $200 or less. So far, 69 percent of his contributions have come from small donors, and the biggest industries that have given to his campaign have been from the education, legal and healthcare sectors.
Who are those small donors? The types of people who showed up Friday. Some said they donate $25 to $30 a month to Sanders. Some said they have donated several hundred dollars since he jumped into the presidential race. Nearly all of them mentioned they don't earn a ton of money personally. One in particular, Machumu Sakulira, said he donated $500 before attending Friday’s event.
There is “no way” he would support a Clinton ticket, said Sakulira, a 31-year-old senior political science student at the University at Buffalo. He got on a bus Thursday night at 11 p.m. and arrived in New York at 7 a.m. for the Sanders speech. He said he was going back Friday night. “Bernie represents my interest. My vote is a moral choice, I don’t give it to somebody who doesn’t deserve it.”
www.ibtimes.com/election-2016-bernie-sanders-nyc-fundrais...
“It is because I reject lies and running away that I am accused of pessimism; but this rejection implies hope — the hope that truth may be of use. And this is a more optimistic attitude than the choice of indifference, ignorance or sham.” ―Simone de Beauvoir, 1952
“. . . an optimistic mind-set finds dozens of possible solutions for every problem that the pessimist regards as incurable.” – Robert Anton Wilson, Cosmic Trigger I: Final Secret of the Illuminati
- 45 Birmingham and Midlands artists and DJs launch Dead Wax Digbeth from Thursday 28th November
- Venue will be home to a collection of 4000 records, operating an ‘all vinyl, all the time’ policy
- Music fans invited to play the venue’s records or bring own vinyl to play at city’s newest music destination
- Craft beers from Beavertown, Laine Brew Co. and local breweries on offer all year round
Dead Wax Digbeth
28 Adderley St, Digbeth, Birmingham B9 4ED
www.deadwaxdigbeth.pub | @DeadWaxDigbeth
A new Birmingham venue and ‘vinyl bar’ will open its doors to music fans this weekend with a huge four-day launch featuring 45 bands, musicians, artists and DJs from across Birmingham and the Midlands.
Dead Wax Digbeth hosts a series of specially curated free events running across its three spaces from Thursday 28 November to Sunday 1 December - including two all-dayers, late-night DJ sets, rare live performances and acoustic sets.
Some of Birmingham’s hottest live acts, including Swampmeat Family Band, Brain Food, Violet, RISCAS, The Empty Page and Wax Futures will take to the stages at the 120/230/100-capacity multi-room venue, formerly punk, rock, metal and alternative haunt The Wagon & Horses in the city’s creative quarter of Digbeth.
Fully transformed by Brighton’s Laine Pub Co, Dead Wax Digbeth features a renovated and expanded building incorporating live music spaces both upstairs (120 capacity) and outside in the ‘Duck Bath’ yard (230 capacity).
The main bar area (100 capacity) will present a craft beer offering from Beavertown and Laine Brew Co. alongside guest draft lines from local breweries including Dig Brew Co, plus a Dead Wax Pizza menu with fresh carnivore, vegetarian and vegan choices overseen by city food tastemaker Anthony Duffy.
Music fans and vinyl lovers will be encouraged to choose and play albums and singles from the bar’s large 4000 record collection as well as enjoy vinyl-only sets from a diverse line-up of DJs in a bright and vibrant setting in the heart of Digbeth designed and created by local artists.
A mural, curated by in-demand street artist Gent48 featuring influential Birmingham bands, musicians and DJs including Big Bear Records, Birmingham Promoters, Catapult Club, Chicks Dig Jerks, ColdRice, Die Das Der, Distorted Tapes, Iron Man Records, Punch Records, This Is Tmrw, and Sweat amongst others will complete the visual identity for this latest addition to the city’s live music landscape.
The launch comes as good news in light of a number of concerns around Birmingham’s music and pub mainstays with city-centre venues including The Flapper, Scruffy Murphy’s and the Eagle and Tun all under threat from closure due to redevelopment.
Leading city live music bookers Birmingham Promoters, KILLER WAVE, Sonic Gun, and DIE DAS DER have all leant their industry expertise and support to the new venture, managed by former Sunflower Lounge boss and recording artist Ben Drummond.
Speaking ahead of the opening, Drummond said, “Its an incredibly challenging time for venues and bars in the city and across the UK so we’re doubly thrilled to be bringing Dead Wax Digbeth to life this week with a team that has worked very hard to create a very special offering. We’re hugely grateful to all of the local creatives who’ve helped us put together a full and exciting launch weekend programme and we look forward to contributing to the city’s cultural fabric, live music offering and UK touring map over the coming months and years.”
20 DJs from a number of well-known city music brands will take part in the opening weekend, including Cherry Bomb, Distorted Tapes, Kaleidoscope, Night Owl, Sweat Club, and Takin’ Care of Business, whilst the live billing boasts 25 live acts drawn from Birmingham and the Midlands’ flourishing indie, psych, art-rock, acoustic, rhythm and blues, heavy, punk, soul, math and pop scenes.
All media enquiries to Iron Man Records Patron and committed supporter of the cause:
Lyle Bignon
lyle.bignon@btinternet.com
+44 (0)97925 818231
Dead Wax Digbeth launch weekend listings
Dead Wax Digbeth Opening Night Party
1700 - 0300 Thursday 28 November 2019
Free
Main venue performances (1800 onwards) from:
Swampmeat Family Band
The Good Water
Main bar vinyl DJ sets (1800 onwards) from:
Richard March (Bentley Rhythm Ace, Pop Will Eat Itself) & Daniel Finnemore - DJ set
Cheese Dip (Sweat Club)
Joel Webster (Killer Wave, PNKSLM Recordings)
Duck Bath outdoor stage DJ sets (1800 onwards) from:
Cherry Bomb (Elizabeth Ilsley & Jonny Murphy)
Carlton Wainwright (Takin' Care Of Business)
Killer Wave present Dead Wax Digbeth launch Friday
1800 - 0300 Friday 29 November 2019
Free
Main venue performances (1800 onwards) from:
Cherry Pickles
Witch Fever
Brain Food
The Devil & Saint Joseph
Elephant Peel
Main bar vinyl DJ sets (1800 onwards) from:
Selextorhood
'T-Bird' Thomas Jones (Takin’ Care Of Business)
Mazzy Maryam Snape (The Night Owl)
Duck Bath outdoor stage DJ sets (1800 onwards) from:
Dizcoh
Sonic Gun
Saturday Dead Wax Digbeth Launch Alldayer
1200 - 0300 Saturday 30 November 2019
Free
Main venue performances (1700 onwards) from
Violet
RISCAS (DJ set)
George Pannell
Alex Ohm
Faux Palms
Boat To Row
Cheap Thrills (DJ set)
Duck Bath outdoor stage DJ (1300 onwards) and live performances (1400 onwards) from
Paid in Full (DJ Wayne Lango)
Issy Holmes
Louise Woodley
Jen North
Paper Buoys (acoustic set)
Alex Lleo
Midge
Esther Turner
Vinyl-only DJ sets in main bar (1200 onwards) from:
Weird Wax
Kaleidoscope
I Dig Your Wig (Dan Finnemore)
Randy Billings (The International Submarine Club)
DIE DAS DER present a Dead Wax Digbeth launch event
1500-2200 Sunday 1 December 2019
Free
Main venue performances (1500 onwards) from:
The Empty Page
WAX FUTURES
Exotic Pets
Modern Literature
SUE
Liars at the Witch Trial
Main bar DJ sets (1500 onwards) from:
Distorted Tapes
Ollie/NC
Birmingham Promoters
Birmingham Promoters are an independent live music, events and gigs promotions company based in Digbeth, Birmingham. They have hosted a diverse array of artists including Ed Sheeran, Ben Howard, Jake Bugg, Editors, Bastille, Peace, GZA (Wu-Tang Clan), Skepta, Tinie Tempa, Royal Blood, Gabrielle Aplin, Tom Odell, The Staves, Nick Mulvey, The Fall, Metronomy, Sam Fender and much more.
KILLER WAVE
Killer Wave has been putting on gigs and parties for seven years, pushing their brand of garage rock and psychedelia on stereos and promoting local, UK and worldwide live acts such as Black Lips, Shame, Sunflower Bean, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard to local favourites Black Mekon, Swampmeat, Mighty Young etc, working closely with PNKSLM records pushing parties all over the world.
DIE DAS DER
DIE DAS DER is a community of like-minded musicians, artists, bloggers, photographers, film-makers and journalists. They curate and organise events and aim to highlight Birmingham's thriving underground music scene; assisting acts with exposure and encouraging mutual promotion, resource sharing and networking.
Laine Pub Co
Founded 23 years ago, with a single pub in Brighton, Laine Pub Co has grown to become one of the most innovative pub companies in the UK. With over 60 pubs in Brighton, London and Birmingham including some of the most creative experiential pub offerings in the industry, ranging from retro gaming to escape rooms, virtual reality, circus acts and immersive theatre, Laine is now at the forefront of the UK’s leisure sector. Taking its inspiration from the vibrant pub and beer scene in the city of Brighton and Hove, Laine Brew Co creates beer imbued with flavour, experimentation and good times. Its beers are unpasteurised and uncompromising, meaning more flavour and more love. With a focus on consistent, sessionable beers, 2x3 supported with market-leading design and POS, Laine creates highly individual and authentic craft beer which is accessible to all.
“. . . an optimistic mind-set finds dozens of possible solutions for every problem that the pessimist regards as incurable.” – Robert Anton Wilson, Cosmic Trigger I: Final Secret of the Illuminati
- 45 Birmingham and Midlands artists and DJs launch Dead Wax Digbeth from Thursday 28th November
- Venue will be home to a collection of 4000 records, operating an ‘all vinyl, all the time’ policy
- Music fans invited to play the venue’s records or bring own vinyl to play at city’s newest music destination
- Craft beers from Beavertown, Laine Brew Co. and local breweries on offer all year round
Dead Wax Digbeth
28 Adderley St, Digbeth, Birmingham B9 4ED
www.deadwaxdigbeth.pub | @DeadWaxDigbeth
A new Birmingham venue and ‘vinyl bar’ will open its doors to music fans this weekend with a huge four-day launch featuring 45 bands, musicians, artists and DJs from across Birmingham and the Midlands.
Dead Wax Digbeth hosts a series of specially curated free events running across its three spaces from Thursday 28 November to Sunday 1 December - including two all-dayers, late-night DJ sets, rare live performances and acoustic sets.
Some of Birmingham’s hottest live acts, including Swampmeat Family Band, Brain Food, Violet, RISCAS, The Empty Page and Wax Futures will take to the stages at the 120/230/100-capacity multi-room venue, formerly punk, rock, metal and alternative haunt The Wagon & Horses in the city’s creative quarter of Digbeth.
Fully transformed by Brighton’s Laine Pub Co, Dead Wax Digbeth features a renovated and expanded building incorporating live music spaces both upstairs (120 capacity) and outside in the ‘Duck Bath’ yard (230 capacity).
The main bar area (100 capacity) will present a craft beer offering from Beavertown and Laine Brew Co. alongside guest draft lines from local breweries including Dig Brew Co, plus a Dead Wax Pizza menu with fresh carnivore, vegetarian and vegan choices overseen by city food tastemaker Anthony Duffy.
Music fans and vinyl lovers will be encouraged to choose and play albums and singles from the bar’s large 4000 record collection as well as enjoy vinyl-only sets from a diverse line-up of DJs in a bright and vibrant setting in the heart of Digbeth designed and created by local artists.
A mural, curated by in-demand street artist Gent48 featuring influential Birmingham bands, musicians and DJs including Big Bear Records, Birmingham Promoters, Catapult Club, Chicks Dig Jerks, ColdRice, Die Das Der, Distorted Tapes, Iron Man Records, Punch Records, This Is Tmrw, and Sweat amongst others will complete the visual identity for this latest addition to the city’s live music landscape.
The launch comes as good news in light of a number of concerns around Birmingham’s music and pub mainstays with city-centre venues including The Flapper, Scruffy Murphy’s and the Eagle and Tun all under threat from closure due to redevelopment.
Leading city live music bookers Birmingham Promoters, KILLER WAVE, Sonic Gun, and DIE DAS DER have all leant their industry expertise and support to the new venture, managed by former Sunflower Lounge boss and recording artist Ben Drummond.
Speaking ahead of the opening, Drummond said, “Its an incredibly challenging time for venues and bars in the city and across the UK so we’re doubly thrilled to be bringing Dead Wax Digbeth to life this week with a team that has worked very hard to create a very special offering. We’re hugely grateful to all of the local creatives who’ve helped us put together a full and exciting launch weekend programme and we look forward to contributing to the city’s cultural fabric, live music offering and UK touring map over the coming months and years.”
20 DJs from a number of well-known city music brands will take part in the opening weekend, including Cherry Bomb, Distorted Tapes, Kaleidoscope, Night Owl, Sweat Club, and Takin’ Care of Business, whilst the live billing boasts 25 live acts drawn from Birmingham and the Midlands’ flourishing indie, psych, art-rock, acoustic, rhythm and blues, heavy, punk, soul, math and pop scenes.
All media enquiries to Iron Man Records Patron and committed supporter of the cause:
Lyle Bignon
lyle.bignon@btinternet.com
+44 (0)97925 818231
Dead Wax Digbeth launch weekend listings
Dead Wax Digbeth Opening Night Party
1700 - 0300 Thursday 28 November 2019
Free
Main venue performances (1800 onwards) from:
Swampmeat Family Band
The Good Water
Main bar vinyl DJ sets (1800 onwards) from:
Richard March (Bentley Rhythm Ace, Pop Will Eat Itself) & Daniel Finnemore - DJ set
Cheese Dip (Sweat Club)
Joel Webster (Killer Wave, PNKSLM Recordings)
Duck Bath outdoor stage DJ sets (1800 onwards) from:
Cherry Bomb (Elizabeth Ilsley & Jonny Murphy)
Carlton Wainwright (Takin' Care Of Business)
Killer Wave present Dead Wax Digbeth launch Friday
1800 - 0300 Friday 29 November 2019
Free
Main venue performances (1800 onwards) from:
Cherry Pickles
Witch Fever
Brain Food
The Devil & Saint Joseph
Elephant Peel
Main bar vinyl DJ sets (1800 onwards) from:
Selextorhood
'T-Bird' Thomas Jones (Takin’ Care Of Business)
Mazzy Maryam Snape (The Night Owl)
Duck Bath outdoor stage DJ sets (1800 onwards) from:
Dizcoh
Sonic Gun
Saturday Dead Wax Digbeth Launch Alldayer
1200 - 0300 Saturday 30 November 2019
Free
Main venue performances (1700 onwards) from
Violet
RISCAS (DJ set)
George Pannell
Alex Ohm
Faux Palms
Boat To Row
Cheap Thrills (DJ set)
Duck Bath outdoor stage DJ (1300 onwards) and live performances (1400 onwards) from
Paid in Full (DJ Wayne Lango)
Issy Holmes
Louise Woodley
Jen North
Paper Buoys (acoustic set)
Alex Lleo
Midge
Esther Turner
Vinyl-only DJ sets in main bar (1200 onwards) from:
Weird Wax
Kaleidoscope
I Dig Your Wig (Dan Finnemore)
Randy Billings (The International Submarine Club)
DIE DAS DER present a Dead Wax Digbeth launch event
1500-2200 Sunday 1 December 2019
Free
Main venue performances (1500 onwards) from:
The Empty Page
WAX FUTURES
Exotic Pets
Modern Literature
SUE
Liars at the Witch Trial
Main bar DJ sets (1500 onwards) from:
Distorted Tapes
Ollie/NC
Birmingham Promoters
Birmingham Promoters are an independent live music, events and gigs promotions company based in Digbeth, Birmingham. They have hosted a diverse array of artists including Ed Sheeran, Ben Howard, Jake Bugg, Editors, Bastille, Peace, GZA (Wu-Tang Clan), Skepta, Tinie Tempa, Royal Blood, Gabrielle Aplin, Tom Odell, The Staves, Nick Mulvey, The Fall, Metronomy, Sam Fender and much more.
KILLER WAVE
Killer Wave has been putting on gigs and parties for seven years, pushing their brand of garage rock and psychedelia on stereos and promoting local, UK and worldwide live acts such as Black Lips, Shame, Sunflower Bean, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard to local favourites Black Mekon, Swampmeat, Mighty Young etc, working closely with PNKSLM records pushing parties all over the world.
DIE DAS DER
DIE DAS DER is a community of like-minded musicians, artists, bloggers, photographers, film-makers and journalists. They curate and organise events and aim to highlight Birmingham's thriving underground music scene; assisting acts with exposure and encouraging mutual promotion, resource sharing and networking.
Laine Pub Co
Founded 23 years ago, with a single pub in Brighton, Laine Pub Co has grown to become one of the most innovative pub companies in the UK. With over 60 pubs in Brighton, London and Birmingham including some of the most creative experiential pub offerings in the industry, ranging from retro gaming to escape rooms, virtual reality, circus acts and immersive theatre, Laine is now at the forefront of the UK’s leisure sector. Taking its inspiration from the vibrant pub and beer scene in the city of Brighton and Hove, Laine Brew Co creates beer imbued with flavour, experimentation and good times. Its beers are unpasteurised and uncompromising, meaning more flavour and more love. With a focus on consistent, sessionable beers, 2x3 supported with market-leading design and POS, Laine creates highly individual and authentic craft beer which is accessible to all.
Outside of the Town Hall theater on West 43rd Street in Manhattan, a crowd of smiling and optimistic people Friday overflowed into the one-way street. Delivery trucks and yellow taxi cabs creeped by, their engines engaged in a shouting match with Bennet Weiss, a man who bore a fleeting resemblance to the Democratic presidential candidate they were all there to support.
"We don't have billions of dollars! All we have are people wearing Bernie pins," Weiss yelled, a large black umbrella covered in Bernie Sanders campaign pins at his feet, catching drops of sweat from his brow. The Occupy Wall Street protester-turned-Sanders supporter urged the crowd to wear the pins at all times with no exception -- even in the shower -- and gave them away freely to anyone who said they didn't have enough cash to afford to pay the suggested donation.
That's the kind of populist support Sanders' campaign has steadily been attracting since the U.S. senator from Vermont formally announced his candidacy in late April. Friday was no exception, with passion-filled people who think Sanders has proved himself the worthy champion of causes they care about the most, such as income inequality, climate change, Wall Street reform and further healthcare reforms. But, perhaps most importantly, they also think he can win the White House.
"Absolutely" he can win, said Joe Trinolone, 30, a former finance industry worker from Long Island, New York, who is studying mathematics at St. Joseph's University. "I mean, he's winning right now."
Sanders, during a fundraising speech Friday, ticked through the policies he cares about and areas of change he wants to see in Washington should he become president. At each turn, his blend of outrage, optimism and sly sarcasm brought raucous cheers from the crowd of 1,100. He rejected recent Wall Street Journal criticism of the high price tag of his proposals, including making public colleges and universities free, lowering so-called real unemployment by pumping funding into infrastructure repairs for the nation’s roads and bridges and implementing a universal healthcare system.
Instead, he pointed to European nations that already have those programs. He implored the crowd to think about what many of them were already talking about: that taking on the big-money interests in the United States that impede those sorts of policy changes is a shared moral obligation.
“Welcome to the revolution,” Sanders said, describing what he believes must happen to American politics. “We can accomplish all of this and more.” And the crowd ate it up.
When asked why they support Sanders, many described his candidacy as a movement. They love his policies, and have a hard time thinking of much they don’t like about him. They especially like that he has been a consistent voice during his time in Washington. That’s a big perceived difference between Sanders and his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton. Those "feeling the Bern" were split on whether they would consider voting for her if she becomes the nominee. Many were newcomers to political action but felt compelled to join the fray when they heard Sanders and his message.
“I’ve never been excited about a politician my entire life,” said Meira Marom, 34, a Brooklyn third-grade teacher with a master's degree in creative writing. When Marom started seeing social media posts about Sanders and reading about him, she decided to stop focusing her personal time on writing for herself. She now writes and publishes something about Sanders every day -- Dr. Seuss themes every Sunday, poems and parodies. “I decided this is the most worthy cause to put my rhymes to use.”
Sanders has seen an unexpected rise in the polls since he joined the race for the Democratic nomination shortly after the current national front-runner Clinton announced her candidacy. While Sanders was trailing Clinton by 21.4 percent in national averages of polls compiled by Real Clear Politics, a look at early nominating states like Iowa and New Hampshire paints a different picture of vulnerability for Clinton and strength for Sanders.
The two candidates are tied in Iowa, which constitutes a dramatic drop for Clinton and an impressive surge for Sanders, who has been distancing himself from Clinton in New Hampshire at the top of the Democratic pack since Aug. 25, when he jumped past her in the state for the first time. He currently leads there by 10.5 points.
The candidates are noticeably different in many ways, from policy prescription to fundraising strategy.
Clinton has moved leftward since announcing her candidacy, but she is still threatened by the populist appeal of Sanders, who has long championed the causes that seem to be coming into grace for the Democratic Party. While the candidates currently hold some very similar positions on issues such as immigration reform, gay rights, gun control and campaign finance reform, Sanders has been able to stake out positions to the left of Clinton on other issues that excite some vocal voters.
Among them are his strong anti-war and anti-government surveillance positions as well as his distaste for President Barack Obama's Trans Pacific Partnership trade deal. Sanders also has been a vocal critic of Wall Street and champion of financial reforms, and his stance on those issues has drawn attention to Clinton's cozy relationship with Wall Street executives and the huge paychecks she has received for speeches to large banks since leaving the U.S. State Department. For some Sanders supporters, though, the perception that Sanders has been a consistent proponent of these liberal policies, and cares about them more than winning, is key.
“It’s the message that supporting Bernie Sanders is not just voting on a horse in the race” that attracts Brian Dillon, a 28-year-old self-employed Web designer and developer for e-commerce, said Friday. Dillon has voted just one time in his life, but he has been organizing meetings to drum up support for Sanders.
Sanders's fundraising portfolio also is the reverse of Clinton's. While the former secretary of state is expected to spend somewhere north of $1 billion should she win the primary and head into the general election for 2016, the same has not been said of Sanders. Currently, Clinton has raised, through her campaign committee and super PACs associated with the campaign, $47.5 million, according to data from the Center for Responsive Politics. Sanders, on the other hand, has raised just shy of $16.5 million, according to CRP data.
Their most startling difference in fundraising, however, can be seen in the size of the donations they're receiving. The Clinton campaign received 82 percent of its donations from large contributors, and her top industry donors, not including retired people, so far have been lawyers, business services and the financial industry.
In contrast, Sanders relies much more on small donations, which are defined as donations totaling $200 or less. So far, 69 percent of his contributions have come from small donors, and the biggest industries that have given to his campaign have been from the education, legal and healthcare sectors.
Who are those small donors? The types of people who showed up Friday. Some said they donate $25 to $30 a month to Sanders. Some said they have donated several hundred dollars since he jumped into the presidential race. Nearly all of them mentioned they don't earn a ton of money personally. One in particular, Machumu Sakulira, said he donated $500 before attending Friday’s event.
There is “no way” he would support a Clinton ticket, said Sakulira, a 31-year-old senior political science student at the University at Buffalo. He got on a bus Thursday night at 11 p.m. and arrived in New York at 7 a.m. for the Sanders speech. He said he was going back Friday night. “Bernie represents my interest. My vote is a moral choice, I don’t give it to somebody who doesn’t deserve it.”
www.ibtimes.com/election-2016-bernie-sanders-nyc-fundrais...
Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, United States
The seven-story theater and office building recently known as the Shore Theater and originally known as the Coney Island Theater is one of the largest, most substantial structures in Coney Island in Brooklyn and, when it was constructed in 1925, represented the optimistic attitude of that period for the successful year-round development of Coney Island as a premier entertainment district. Seeking to change the atmosphere of the resort from the somewhat seedy aura it had developed in the 19th century into an area of wholesome family amusement, the city constructed the Boardwalk and extended subway service to Stillwell Avenue while private developers built enclosed amusement parks, restaurants and hotels. The Coney Island Theater was part of this redevelopment effort and featured live performances as well as motion picture screenings.
The neo Renaissance Revival style building was constructed and owned by the Chanin Construction Company and leased to the prominent Loew’s theater chain. This large building contained stores, a theater and offices, originally intended for businesses related to the theater industry. Faced with brick and terra-cotta and highlighted by stone and terra-cotta details this structure presents a grand and substantial counterpoint to Coney Island’s more modest one- and two-story buildings. The architects, Reilly & Hall, were leading theater architects of the day. Their selection for the design of the building is indicative of the desire, on the part of Coney Island’s civic and business leaders, to confer legitimacy, grandeur, and elegance on Coney Island. The building is organized in a tri-partite configuration, with a rusticated base, a buff brick shaft and a crown featuring a central arcade and balcony. The Shore Theater Building is a remarkably intact survivor of the early 20th century period when Coney Island was New York City’s playground, and was striving to become a year-round entertainment district for the entire city.
DESCRIPTION AND ANALYSIS
Coney Island
Although the western end of Coney Island had achieved some popularity as a rustic seaside resort early in the 19th century, it also gained an unsavory reputation for its gambling, pickpockets and prostitution. The real growth of Coney Island as a resort came about in the 1870s when five new railroads were constructed to connect the island with the rest of Brooklyn. These lines were built by businessmen and entrepreneurs who developed large hotels on the eastern end of the island and wanted to provide easy access to Brooklyn and Manhattan to attract a higher-end clientele than those who frequented the west side. The Manhattan Beach Hotel was opened in 1877 on the far eastern end of Coney Island, served by the New York and Manhattan Beach Railway with direct connections to lower Manhattan. Just to the west of this was the huge Brighton Beach Hotel opened in 1878, primarily drawing its clientele from Brooklyn’s middle-class business community.
Between Brighton Beach and the less savory environs of the far western point lay West Brighton, an area that became the island’s entertainment section and was served by the Prospect Park & Coney Island Railroad, commonly known as the Culver Line. Carrying numerous day-trippers away from their teeming tenements, this train terminated at a large depot near 17th Street across from Culver Plaza, a spacious open area filled with colorful flowers. West Brighton became the site of numerous bathing pavilions, restaurants, saloons, variety shows, small stores, games and unusual attractions such as “Lucy the Elephant” (destroyed by fire in 1896) and the Iron Tower (imported from the Philadelphia Centennial of 1876). West Brighton became “Coney’s true entertainment district, attracting the lion’s share of the island’s visitors.”
By the end of the 19th century a series of devastating fires opened up vast tracts of land for redevelopment and the West Brighton section became home to a new type of diversion: the enclosed amusement park. In 1895 Paul Boyton’s Sea Lion Park opened, quickly succeeded in 1897 by George C. Tilyou’s legendary Steeplechase Park, and Coney Island took on a different mien. These parks, along with Luna Park (opened in 1903) and Dreamland (opened in 1904) offered thrilling, gravity-defying mechanical rides as well as exotic fantasy architecture shimmering with millions of electric lights, sideshows, live entertainment, theatrical reenactments, music and dance halls, bathing pavilions, and eateries.
It was during the first decades of the 20th century, with the advent of the great amusement parks, that the idea of the “New Coney Island” began to take shape. The “New Coney Island” was a notion promulgated by some Coney business leaders to turn Coney Island into a year-round resort, similar to Atlantic City. Chief among the goals of the “New Coney Island” was to slough off the seedy, somewhat dangerous reputation of the late 19th century, and replace it with a more wholesome image. The enclosed parks all banned alcohol, and required patrons to pay an admission fee. It was believed that this would help to keep out patrons perceived as undesirable. Several civic organizations began calling for the construction of a boardwalk, which would provide visitors with an important public amenity.
The Boardwalk opened in 1920, the same year subway service was extended to Coney Island. Three years later, the Coney Island Chamber of Commerce was organized, with the goal of “developing Coney Island on a larger and broader scale.” With the support and promotion of the Coney Island Chamber of Commerce, several new buildings and amusements were erected. These included the (second) Child’s Restaurant on the Boardwalk, the Cyclone Roller Coaster, the Wonder Wheel, the Stillwell Avenue subway terminal, the Half Moon Hotel, Stauch’s Baths, the RKO Tilyou Theater, and the Coney Island Theater. The Coney Island Theater Building is one of the few structures still extant from this period. Other surviving features include the Wonder Wheel, the Cyclone and the Child’s Restaurant (all designated New York City Landmarks) on the Boardwalk. By decade’s end, Coney Island had been transformed once more.
The Coney Island Theater Building
This large, intact building rising on the Coney Island skyline is a prominent neo Renaissance Revival style structure that expresses, through its size and style, the aspirations of Coney Island’s boosters in the 1920s. The Coney Island Theater Building, most recently known as the Shore Theater Building, was constructed as a fireproof structure on part of the site of the former Culver Railroad line depot (replaced by the newly extended subway). A comment by Irwin S. Chanin, president of the Chanin Construction Company who was the developer of this building indicated a concern for changing the atmosphere at Coney Island. “We realized the great need in Coney Island for an all-year amusement, and I believe we have satisfied this need. We spared no expense to provide adequate facilities that will attract the finest business and amusement ventures.”
By the booming 1920s, with the Jazz Age in full swing, the culture of Coney Island was fully formed. The construction of the Half Moon Hotel in 1927, the first major hotel to be built in Coney Island since the days of the great resorts of the late 1800s, along with the completion of the newly reconstructed and publicly accessible Boardwalk, was to be a harbinger of Coney’s direction for the future. The construction of the Coney Island Theater was part and parcel of this movement. The Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported in May, 1925 that “[the theater] will be the first of its kind at the resort and the forerunner of similar structures in the movement to make Coney Island an all-year amusement resort.” Expanding upon this theme, Irwin S. Chanin continued,
The resort has the greatest population area in the country to draw from, and nothing has prevented it from being an all-year amusement place but the present type of structures, which for the most part are built only for summer use. With the subway terminating at Surf Avenue, the boardwalk extending the full length of the ocean front and the adequate police regulations, nothing can now stand in the way of its advancement.
These bold intentions are also visible in the choice of the architectural firm for the theater building. Reilly & Hall were noted theater architects of the 1920s. Some of their most important commissions were New York’s Sheridan Theater (now demolished) and the Newton Theater in Newton, New Jersey. Upon the opening of the New Jersey theater, a local newspaper, the Sussex County Democrat remarked that,
These young men have, in a short time, impressed theatre owners with their unusual ability, as operators of exquisite theatres and supervised the Tivoli Theatre in Newark, the Sheridan Theatre in New York, the Strand Theatre in Schenectady, and are engaged at present in directing the work on the Coney Island Theatre which, when completed, will rival the best picture palaces of the country.
The firm’s choice of material also indicates the ambitious building campaign. Limestone, brick, and terra cotta were used, rather than wood, as had been the custom at Coney Island. Additionally, the building is not merely a movie theater, but a seven-story “Coney Island Theater Building,” complete with offices intended to be occupied by organizations related to the entertainment industry. With buildings such as this theater and the Half Moon Hotel, the business community of Coney Island was announcing the area’s legitimacy and its aspirations.
Indeed, a 1925 Brooklyn Eagle headline announced, “$2,000,000 Theater and Office Building Reflects Transformation of Coney Island.”
The theater was immediately leased to the prominent Loew’s movie theater chain, an organization that was expanding its holdings throughout the city and beyond.
Chanin Construction Company
The Chanin Construction Company, developers of the Coney Island Theater Building, was founded in 1919 by Irwin S. Chanin (1892–1988) and his brother Henry (1893–1973), an accountant. Irwin was graduated from the Cooper Union School of Engineering in 1915. Beginning with modest residences in Bensonhurst, the firm quickly expanded and by the late 1920s, it was responsible for some of New York’s most significant buildings, including the Century and Majestic Apartments on Central Park West, and the Chanin Building (all designated New York City Landmarks). Indeed, a 1929 profile of the company in The New Yorker notes that “What is unusual about the Chanins’ story is that their achievements are visible; a whole city of scattered buildings, a hundred and forty-one of them in New York and Brooklyn.” Henry was responsible for the day-to-day management of the firm, while Irwin was the artistic visionary. Two other brothers, Samuel and Aron, also played a role in the Chanin Construction Company.
Among their numerous projects were many theaters. One of the earliest was the Roxy Theater, known as the “Cathedral of Motion Pictures” (demolished) followed by the Biltmore Theater; the Forty-Sixth Street Theater; the Mansfield Theater; the Theater Masque; The Royale Theater; and the Majestic Theater. Irwin Chanin had distinct ideas about theater design. The theme of fantasy and escape, of taking people away from their everyday lives was always uppermost in Chanin’s mind. The comfort of the theatergoer and performer was also paramount. The Chanin Construction Company built theaters with wide aisles, wide seats, roomy entry foyers, ample dressing rooms and good acoustics.
The Loew’s Corporation
From the beginning, this theater was leased and operated by the Loew’s theater chain. Marcus Loew (1870 – 1927), the company founder, was born on Manhattan’s Lower East Side and had an early career as a furrier. While working in this field Loew met Adolph Zukor, who was also in the fur business, and Morris Kohn and the three began investing in residential real estate. When Zukor and Kohn invested in a penny arcade on 14th Street, Loew watched the business thrive and was invited to join the partnership. Soon after, Loew began a competing establishment with an arcade on 23rd Street. By 1907 Loew’s company had a nationwide chain of 3,000 nickelodeons. Loew then purchased Watson’s Cozy Corner, a so-called low vaudeville theater in downtown Brooklyn, transformed it into a genuine movie palace and renamed it the Royal Theatre, charging 10 cents for admission, which was twice the standard. Loew began to expand his business rapidly, taking control of several large theaters in Manhattan and then constructing new ones, the first being the National Theatre in the Bronx in 1910. By 1911 a newly reorganized company - Loew’s Theatrical Enterprises – had purchased or taken over the management of dozens of theaters across the country.
During the second decade of the 20th century, studios and audiences had embraced full-length feature films. Zukor’s company had created the earliest essays of this new type and by 1919, Loew was convinced that this was the future of the industry. He changed his company’s name one again to Loew’s Incorporated and acquired Metro Pictures Corporation, a small existing movie production company. Loew’s Inc. then started producing its own movies in addition to owning or managing the theaters in which they would be shown. One of their first productions, The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse with Rudolph Valentino, which premiered in 1921, was a smash and with it Loew’s Inc. became a force in the motion-picture industry. The firm embarked upon an extensive theater-building campaign of which the apogee was the construction of the Loew’s State Theater in 1921. Designed by legendary theater architect Thomas W. Lamb, the construction of this theater was a “major event in Loew’s progress [and] fulfilled his dream of possessing a big vaudeville-picture palace in the nation’s theatrical center, Times Square.” If a location could vie with Times Square as a center of entertainment and amusement, it was Coney Island. Although Loew’s Inc. leased rather than owned the new theater, when it opened in 1925 the new building was named the Loew’s Coney Island Theater.
Reilly & Hall
Paul C. Reilly, (1890 – 1984)
Douglas Pairman Hall (1880 – 1945)
Reilly, a native of New York City, was graduated from the Columbia University School of Architecture. In addition to the design of several theaters, Reilly was closely associated with the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York, and served for a period as the architect of St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Among his church commissions were the Sacred Heart Cathedral in Newark and the Church of Our Saviour on Park Avenue and East 38th Street in Manhattan. Other works include St. Ephrem’s Church, Brooklyn and the Church of St. Peter Claver in Montclair, New Jersey.
Hall, a Scotsman (like Lamb), immigrated to America in 1912. He was graduated from the University of Edinburgh and received his architectural degree from the Royal Institute of Architecture in London. Hall developed a reputation as a theater architect, and was responsible for the design of more than 50 theaters in the New York area.
Early in their careers, both Reilly and Hall were employed by the firm of Thomas W. Lamb, theater architect, where Reilly held the position of chief designer. By 1920, the pair formed a partnership and the firm Reilly & Hall occupied an office at 749 Fifth Avenue. Though fruitful, the venture does not appear to have lasted long. By 1928, there is no longer a listing for Reilly & Hall, and Hall is a sole practitioner with an office on East 45th Street. Reilly opened his own office in 1930 on lower Fifth Avenue.
Neo Renaissance Revival Style and the Movies
The 1920s was an era of tremendous growth in the development of movie theater buildings. Often constructed by the studios to showcase their films, theaters were seen as crucial advertising. If the theater was elegant, if it served to enhance the escapism of the movie-going experience, if the eye could be continually delighted, the patron would return week after week. Some theaters were developed as grand “movie palaces” with fantastic interiors that added to the total experience of the invented world on the screen.
Others were dressed in historical revivalist styles, still popular in the 1920s. Of these, there were many variants, including Italianate and French. Based on European precedents of the Renaissance, Baroque, and classical, the style is characterized by rational planning, with classical elements like balustrades and prominent cornices, restrained facades, and a light palette. The neo Renaissance revival style (popular in the 20th century) was an outgrowth of the earlier Renaissance Revival style, which was in vogue beginning in the 1880s. Buildings constructed in these styles ranged from public buildings like theaters and municipal structures to private homes, such as row houses or town houses. These historical revival styles suggested sophistication, wealth, and class. For a movie theater to be outfitted in such architectural clothing communicated the serious side of the Loew’s Coney Island Theater. Its builders intended the structure to evoke high-brow entertainment and edification, as part of Coney Island’s more dignified aspirations at this time.
History of the Loew’s Theater
The Loew’s Coney Island Theater opened on June 17, 1925. Marcus Loew himself presided, and with typical show-business bravura promised an array of stage, screen, and radio stars in attendance. Those who were scheduled to attend included Johnny Hines, Barbara Lamarr, Mae Busch, Ben Lyon, John Irving Fisher, Texas Guinan, Dorothy Mackaill, Virginia Lee Corbin, and John Lowe. Builder Irwin S. Chanin declared, “Here all of the island arrive, and here we hope to make the corner a sort of Coney Island ‘Broadway and 42nd Street.’” During the first week of operation, the stage was given over to Violet and Daisy Hilton, the famed Hilton Sisters.
Built primarily as a movie theater, the Loew’s Coney Island also featured live vaudeville entertainment, as Loew’s included live performances in many of its theaters to bolster the box office.
The Loew’s Coney Island Theater remained under the control of Loew’s Incorporated until 1964. Spaces on the ground floor housed small shops or restaurants, and various offices were located in the upper floors. Some of these businesses included Nedick’s, Garcia y Vega Cigars and Admiration Cigars. The office building housed such varied tenants as Angelo Paino & Co., Inc. (building contractors); Belpark Construction Corporation; and a local draft board.
By the end of 1964, Loew’s Inc. lost control of the theater, and it became the Brandt Shore Theater. As the Shore Theater, movies were shown exclusively, although by the end of 1965, the management announced that the space would become a legitimate theater with musicals, revues, and plays. During this period, some of the offerings included “Let’s Dance,” “The Jewel Box Revue,” and “Bagels and Yox.” By April 1966, burlesque operator Leroy C. Griffith was staging shows at the Shore; thereafter, films resumed being shown along with live entertainment.
It appears that the era of live entertainment in the building was short-lived. Films returned exclusively and by the early 1970s, it had become an adult venue. In 1972 the orchestra level of the theater was converted to a bingo hall and during the 1970s, the Gay Way Bar was a tenant in the ground floor corner retail space. In the 1980s, a branch of Kansas Fried Chicken occupied the corner store. During the late 1960s and through the 1970s, tenants in the office space above included a dress manufacturer, a Medicaid office, and a Head Start nursery program. The building is currently vacant.
Description Surf Avenue Façade: The Shore Theater Building is located on the northwest corner of Stillwell and Surf Avenues. The building, including the ground floor storefronts, is vacant. Scaffolding projects at the first floor cornice line and covers the marquee which is located at the center of the seven-bay wide facade. The storefronts are non-historic and are covered by roll-down iron grilles. The westernmost opening on this facade is for vehicular access and is covered by a solid, roll-down gate. A pedestrian entrance is located in the bay just to the east of this. It has a stone surround, with a rope molding framing the doorway and a stone plaque carved with the name, “Coney Island Theatre Building” above. This opening is also covered by a solid metal gate. Another doorway under the marquee is also surrounded by dressed stone blocks, as are the end piers on both facades.
Above the base is a piano nobile faced with terra cotta molded to replicate rusticated limestone. This level has double-height, round-arched windows with one-over-one metal replacement sash. Within each arched opening the top part has non-historic metal infill, while the spandrels beneath the windows feature terra-cotta panels with foliate designs. This section of the building is capped by a narrow cornice formed by a terra-cotta dentil molding and a series of stone moldings.
Floors three through five are faced with buff-colored brick and have unadorned, rectangular window openings, set in pairs. The top of this level is marked by a dentil course of terra cotta. The sixth floor has the same window pattern as below, but the windows are framed by white terra cotta and the panels between the windows are faced with square white terra-cotta tiles set on the diagonal. The top of the sixth story has a broad, terra-cotta frieze ornamented with circles and classical foliate designs and topped by a terra-cotta cornice. All of the sash in the windows on this facade has been replaced.
The brick-faced seventh floor consists of a central pavilion, five-bays wide, with single-bay setbacks at the eastern and western ends of the facade. These setback bays are fronted by small terraces set behind terra-cotta balustrades and are topped by a brick dentil course and terracotta coping. The top of each round-arched window has been filled with a terra-cotta panel. The round-arched windows of the central pavilion have brick moldings and terra-cotta keystones, with round, flat terra-cotta panels inset into the brick in the spandrels between the arches. Two additional round-headed windows are located to the outside of this central area and these windows have terra-cotta moldings and keystones and sit above small panels of terra-cotta ornament. A broad balcony projects in front of the central five, round-arched windows of this level. Its underside is faced with terra cotta and it is supported on ornate terra-cotta brackets, and topped by a delicate, classically-inspired iron railing. All of the windows on the seventh story have replacement, one-over-one metal sash and the upper areas of the round-arched windows have been filled in. The central area of this level is capped by a projecting, overhanging terracotta cornice with modillions. A broad, bronze frieze ornamented by moresque fretwork sitting on a terra-cotta rope molding is also part of this capping element.
At the southeastern corner of the building a neon blade sign is affixed between the third and sixth floors. The sign reads “SHORE.” Stillwell Avenue façade: The east façade, along Stillwell Avenue, exhibits the narrow side of the seven-story office tower with the undecorated brick facade of the movie theater, about half its height, extending northward beyond it. The design of this facade of the office building is similar to that on Surf Avenue. The ground floor storefronts are vacant and covered by grilles. The double-height piano nobile is faced with terra cotta and pierced by three large, round-headed windows. Between the two northernmost windows are two smaller rectangular window openings, one above the other. The large, northernmost window has its original metal sash, while the other windows have replacement sash. The next four stories have rectangular window openings, with a few of the windows on the northern side of each level retaining their original two-over-two wood sash. The window pattern on these floors is 2-1-2-1-1. The moldings and decorative treatment are the same on this facade as on Surf Avenue. At the top floor level are three round-headed windows flanked by a single rectangular window on each side. The central windows have non-historic infill at the top of the windows, and all have non-historic one-overone sash. The side windows are capped by inset round, terra-cotta circles and the northernmost window has small paned, double-hung sash.
The painted side wall of the theater extends to the north behind the office building. There is a small entrance door at the ground level and a variety of small window openings at the second story level, either blocked closed or filled by non-historic sash. A covered metal emergency stairway steps down along this facade, toward the northern side of the building. A small non-historic storefront is located at this side of the facade along with a doorway near the top of the building, fronted by a metal balcony, with a ladder leading to the roof. West façade: The western façade has two sections, the office building and the other side of the movie theater. Both are not designed. The side of the office building is faced with buff brick and features three vertical columns of rectangular, one-over-one double-hung replacement windows. The top of the building features three setbacks, and coping stones are evident at the top. The movie theater is faced in painted brick with a covered emergency stairway that steps down toward the rear. North façade: The northern facade consists of two angled blank painted brick walls, projecting outward slightly and forming the end of the movie theater.
- From the 2010 NYCLPC Landmark Designation Report
Releasing the cold fear of darkness and hospital visits, looking to the light as I carry optimism for two. Prayers for you, Mom. I love you.
Some cheeky scamp at National Express Coventry garage has selected (the now renumbered) service 900 to Birmingham on the dot-matrix display on withdrawn Mercedes-Benz Citaro O530G 6012 (BJ03 ESN). The only run to Birmingham this one will be making, I suspect, is a journey to the NXWM Miller Street [Newtown] storage site! In all probability, it will go straight for scrap from this location (service re-entry/a buyer being found aside).
“. . . an optimistic mind-set finds dozens of possible solutions for every problem that the pessimist regards as incurable.” – Robert Anton Wilson, Cosmic Trigger I: Final Secret of the Illuminati
- 45 Birmingham and Midlands artists and DJs launch Dead Wax Digbeth from Thursday 28th November
- Venue will be home to a collection of 4000 records, operating an ‘all vinyl, all the time’ policy
- Music fans invited to play the venue’s records or bring own vinyl to play at city’s newest music destination
- Craft beers from Beavertown, Laine Brew Co. and local breweries on offer all year round
Dead Wax Digbeth
28 Adderley St, Digbeth, Birmingham B9 4ED
www.deadwaxdigbeth.pub | @DeadWaxDigbeth
A new Birmingham venue and ‘vinyl bar’ will open its doors to music fans this weekend with a huge four-day launch featuring 45 bands, musicians, artists and DJs from across Birmingham and the Midlands.
Dead Wax Digbeth hosts a series of specially curated free events running across its three spaces from Thursday 28 November to Sunday 1 December - including two all-dayers, late-night DJ sets, rare live performances and acoustic sets.
Some of Birmingham’s hottest live acts, including Swampmeat Family Band, Brain Food, Violet, RISCAS, The Empty Page and Wax Futures will take to the stages at the 120/230/100-capacity multi-room venue, formerly punk, rock, metal and alternative haunt The Wagon & Horses in the city’s creative quarter of Digbeth.
Fully transformed by Brighton’s Laine Pub Co, Dead Wax Digbeth features a renovated and expanded building incorporating live music spaces both upstairs (120 capacity) and outside in the ‘Duck Bath’ yard (230 capacity).
The main bar area (100 capacity) will present a craft beer offering from Beavertown and Laine Brew Co. alongside guest draft lines from local breweries including Dig Brew Co, plus a Dead Wax Pizza menu with fresh carnivore, vegetarian and vegan choices overseen by city food tastemaker Anthony Duffy.
Music fans and vinyl lovers will be encouraged to choose and play albums and singles from the bar’s large 4000 record collection as well as enjoy vinyl-only sets from a diverse line-up of DJs in a bright and vibrant setting in the heart of Digbeth designed and created by local artists.
A mural, curated by in-demand street artist Gent48 featuring influential Birmingham bands, musicians and DJs including Big Bear Records, Birmingham Promoters, Catapult Club, Chicks Dig Jerks, ColdRice, Die Das Der, Distorted Tapes, Iron Man Records, Punch Records, This Is Tmrw, and Sweat amongst others will complete the visual identity for this latest addition to the city’s live music landscape.
The launch comes as good news in light of a number of concerns around Birmingham’s music and pub mainstays with city-centre venues including The Flapper, Scruffy Murphy’s and the Eagle and Tun all under threat from closure due to redevelopment.
Leading city live music bookers Birmingham Promoters, KILLER WAVE, Sonic Gun, and DIE DAS DER have all leant their industry expertise and support to the new venture, managed by former Sunflower Lounge boss and recording artist Ben Drummond.
Speaking ahead of the opening, Drummond said, “Its an incredibly challenging time for venues and bars in the city and across the UK so we’re doubly thrilled to be bringing Dead Wax Digbeth to life this week with a team that has worked very hard to create a very special offering. We’re hugely grateful to all of the local creatives who’ve helped us put together a full and exciting launch weekend programme and we look forward to contributing to the city’s cultural fabric, live music offering and UK touring map over the coming months and years.”
20 DJs from a number of well-known city music brands will take part in the opening weekend, including Cherry Bomb, Distorted Tapes, Kaleidoscope, Night Owl, Sweat Club, and Takin’ Care of Business, whilst the live billing boasts 25 live acts drawn from Birmingham and the Midlands’ flourishing indie, psych, art-rock, acoustic, rhythm and blues, heavy, punk, soul, math and pop scenes.
All media enquiries to Iron Man Records Patron and committed supporter of the cause:
Lyle Bignon
lyle.bignon@btinternet.com
+44 (0)97925 818231
Dead Wax Digbeth launch weekend listings
Dead Wax Digbeth Opening Night Party
1700 - 0300 Thursday 28 November 2019
Free
Main venue performances (1800 onwards) from:
Swampmeat Family Band
The Good Water
Main bar vinyl DJ sets (1800 onwards) from:
Richard March (Bentley Rhythm Ace, Pop Will Eat Itself) & Daniel Finnemore - DJ set
Cheese Dip (Sweat Club)
Joel Webster (Killer Wave, PNKSLM Recordings)
Duck Bath outdoor stage DJ sets (1800 onwards) from:
Cherry Bomb (Elizabeth Ilsley & Jonny Murphy)
Carlton Wainwright (Takin' Care Of Business)
Killer Wave present Dead Wax Digbeth launch Friday
1800 - 0300 Friday 29 November 2019
Free
Main venue performances (1800 onwards) from:
Cherry Pickles
Witch Fever
Brain Food
The Devil & Saint Joseph
Elephant Peel
Main bar vinyl DJ sets (1800 onwards) from:
Selextorhood
'T-Bird' Thomas Jones (Takin’ Care Of Business)
Mazzy Maryam Snape (The Night Owl)
Duck Bath outdoor stage DJ sets (1800 onwards) from:
Dizcoh
Sonic Gun
Saturday Dead Wax Digbeth Launch Alldayer
1200 - 0300 Saturday 30 November 2019
Free
Main venue performances (1700 onwards) from
Violet
RISCAS (DJ set)
George Pannell
Alex Ohm
Faux Palms
Boat To Row
Cheap Thrills (DJ set)
Duck Bath outdoor stage DJ (1300 onwards) and live performances (1400 onwards) from
Paid in Full (DJ Wayne Lango)
Issy Holmes
Louise Woodley
Jen North
Paper Buoys (acoustic set)
Alex Lleo
Midge
Esther Turner
Vinyl-only DJ sets in main bar (1200 onwards) from:
Weird Wax
Kaleidoscope
I Dig Your Wig (Dan Finnemore)
Randy Billings (The International Submarine Club)
DIE DAS DER present a Dead Wax Digbeth launch event
1500-2200 Sunday 1 December 2019
Free
Main venue performances (1500 onwards) from:
The Empty Page
WAX FUTURES
Exotic Pets
Modern Literature
SUE
Liars at the Witch Trial
Main bar DJ sets (1500 onwards) from:
Distorted Tapes
Ollie/NC
Birmingham Promoters
Birmingham Promoters are an independent live music, events and gigs promotions company based in Digbeth, Birmingham. They have hosted a diverse array of artists including Ed Sheeran, Ben Howard, Jake Bugg, Editors, Bastille, Peace, GZA (Wu-Tang Clan), Skepta, Tinie Tempa, Royal Blood, Gabrielle Aplin, Tom Odell, The Staves, Nick Mulvey, The Fall, Metronomy, Sam Fender and much more.
KILLER WAVE
Killer Wave has been putting on gigs and parties for seven years, pushing their brand of garage rock and psychedelia on stereos and promoting local, UK and worldwide live acts such as Black Lips, Shame, Sunflower Bean, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard to local favourites Black Mekon, Swampmeat, Mighty Young etc, working closely with PNKSLM records pushing parties all over the world.
DIE DAS DER
DIE DAS DER is a community of like-minded musicians, artists, bloggers, photographers, film-makers and journalists. They curate and organise events and aim to highlight Birmingham's thriving underground music scene; assisting acts with exposure and encouraging mutual promotion, resource sharing and networking.
Laine Pub Co
Founded 23 years ago, with a single pub in Brighton, Laine Pub Co has grown to become one of the most innovative pub companies in the UK. With over 60 pubs in Brighton, London and Birmingham including some of the most creative experiential pub offerings in the industry, ranging from retro gaming to escape rooms, virtual reality, circus acts and immersive theatre, Laine is now at the forefront of the UK’s leisure sector. Taking its inspiration from the vibrant pub and beer scene in the city of Brighton and Hove, Laine Brew Co creates beer imbued with flavour, experimentation and good times. Its beers are unpasteurised and uncompromising, meaning more flavour and more love. With a focus on consistent, sessionable beers, 2x3 supported with market-leading design and POS, Laine creates highly individual and authentic craft beer which is accessible to all.
“. . . an optimistic mind-set finds dozens of possible solutions for every problem that the pessimist regards as incurable.” – Robert Anton Wilson, Cosmic Trigger I: Final Secret of the Illuminati
- 45 Birmingham and Midlands artists and DJs launch Dead Wax Digbeth from Thursday 28th November
- Venue will be home to a collection of 4000 records, operating an ‘all vinyl, all the time’ policy
- Music fans invited to play the venue’s records or bring own vinyl to play at city’s newest music destination
- Craft beers from Beavertown, Laine Brew Co. and local breweries on offer all year round
Dead Wax Digbeth
28 Adderley St, Digbeth, Birmingham B9 4ED
www.deadwaxdigbeth.pub | @DeadWaxDigbeth
A new Birmingham venue and ‘vinyl bar’ will open its doors to music fans this weekend with a huge four-day launch featuring 45 bands, musicians, artists and DJs from across Birmingham and the Midlands.
Dead Wax Digbeth hosts a series of specially curated free events running across its three spaces from Thursday 28 November to Sunday 1 December - including two all-dayers, late-night DJ sets, rare live performances and acoustic sets.
Some of Birmingham’s hottest live acts, including Swampmeat Family Band, Brain Food, Violet, RISCAS, The Empty Page and Wax Futures will take to the stages at the 120/230/100-capacity multi-room venue, formerly punk, rock, metal and alternative haunt The Wagon & Horses in the city’s creative quarter of Digbeth.
Fully transformed by Brighton’s Laine Pub Co, Dead Wax Digbeth features a renovated and expanded building incorporating live music spaces both upstairs (120 capacity) and outside in the ‘Duck Bath’ yard (230 capacity).
The main bar area (100 capacity) will present a craft beer offering from Beavertown and Laine Brew Co. alongside guest draft lines from local breweries including Dig Brew Co, plus a Dead Wax Pizza menu with fresh carnivore, vegetarian and vegan choices overseen by city food tastemaker Anthony Duffy.
Music fans and vinyl lovers will be encouraged to choose and play albums and singles from the bar’s large 4000 record collection as well as enjoy vinyl-only sets from a diverse line-up of DJs in a bright and vibrant setting in the heart of Digbeth designed and created by local artists.
A mural, curated by in-demand street artist Gent48 featuring influential Birmingham bands, musicians and DJs including Big Bear Records, Birmingham Promoters, Catapult Club, Chicks Dig Jerks, ColdRice, Die Das Der, Distorted Tapes, Iron Man Records, Punch Records, This Is Tmrw, and Sweat amongst others will complete the visual identity for this latest addition to the city’s live music landscape.
The launch comes as good news in light of a number of concerns around Birmingham’s music and pub mainstays with city-centre venues including The Flapper, Scruffy Murphy’s and the Eagle and Tun all under threat from closure due to redevelopment.
Leading city live music bookers Birmingham Promoters, KILLER WAVE, Sonic Gun, and DIE DAS DER have all leant their industry expertise and support to the new venture, managed by former Sunflower Lounge boss and recording artist Ben Drummond.
Speaking ahead of the opening, Drummond said, “Its an incredibly challenging time for venues and bars in the city and across the UK so we’re doubly thrilled to be bringing Dead Wax Digbeth to life this week with a team that has worked very hard to create a very special offering. We’re hugely grateful to all of the local creatives who’ve helped us put together a full and exciting launch weekend programme and we look forward to contributing to the city’s cultural fabric, live music offering and UK touring map over the coming months and years.”
20 DJs from a number of well-known city music brands will take part in the opening weekend, including Cherry Bomb, Distorted Tapes, Kaleidoscope, Night Owl, Sweat Club, and Takin’ Care of Business, whilst the live billing boasts 25 live acts drawn from Birmingham and the Midlands’ flourishing indie, psych, art-rock, acoustic, rhythm and blues, heavy, punk, soul, math and pop scenes.
All media enquiries to Iron Man Records Patron and committed supporter of the cause:
Lyle Bignon
lyle.bignon@btinternet.com
+44 (0)97925 818231
Dead Wax Digbeth launch weekend listings
Dead Wax Digbeth Opening Night Party
1700 - 0300 Thursday 28 November 2019
Free
Main venue performances (1800 onwards) from:
Swampmeat Family Band
The Good Water
Main bar vinyl DJ sets (1800 onwards) from:
Richard March (Bentley Rhythm Ace, Pop Will Eat Itself) & Daniel Finnemore - DJ set
Cheese Dip (Sweat Club)
Joel Webster (Killer Wave, PNKSLM Recordings)
Duck Bath outdoor stage DJ sets (1800 onwards) from:
Cherry Bomb (Elizabeth Ilsley & Jonny Murphy)
Carlton Wainwright (Takin' Care Of Business)
Killer Wave present Dead Wax Digbeth launch Friday
1800 - 0300 Friday 29 November 2019
Free
Main venue performances (1800 onwards) from:
Cherry Pickles
Witch Fever
Brain Food
The Devil & Saint Joseph
Elephant Peel
Main bar vinyl DJ sets (1800 onwards) from:
Selextorhood
'T-Bird' Thomas Jones (Takin’ Care Of Business)
Mazzy Maryam Snape (The Night Owl)
Duck Bath outdoor stage DJ sets (1800 onwards) from:
Dizcoh
Sonic Gun
Saturday Dead Wax Digbeth Launch Alldayer
1200 - 0300 Saturday 30 November 2019
Free
Main venue performances (1700 onwards) from
Violet
RISCAS (DJ set)
George Pannell
Alex Ohm
Faux Palms
Boat To Row
Cheap Thrills (DJ set)
Duck Bath outdoor stage DJ (1300 onwards) and live performances (1400 onwards) from
Paid in Full (DJ Wayne Lango)
Issy Holmes
Louise Woodley
Jen North
Paper Buoys (acoustic set)
Alex Lleo
Midge
Esther Turner
Vinyl-only DJ sets in main bar (1200 onwards) from:
Weird Wax
Kaleidoscope
I Dig Your Wig (Dan Finnemore)
Randy Billings (The International Submarine Club)
DIE DAS DER present a Dead Wax Digbeth launch event
1500-2200 Sunday 1 December 2019
Free
Main venue performances (1500 onwards) from:
The Empty Page
WAX FUTURES
Exotic Pets
Modern Literature
SUE
Liars at the Witch Trial
Main bar DJ sets (1500 onwards) from:
Distorted Tapes
Ollie/NC
Birmingham Promoters
Birmingham Promoters are an independent live music, events and gigs promotions company based in Digbeth, Birmingham. They have hosted a diverse array of artists including Ed Sheeran, Ben Howard, Jake Bugg, Editors, Bastille, Peace, GZA (Wu-Tang Clan), Skepta, Tinie Tempa, Royal Blood, Gabrielle Aplin, Tom Odell, The Staves, Nick Mulvey, The Fall, Metronomy, Sam Fender and much more.
KILLER WAVE
Killer Wave has been putting on gigs and parties for seven years, pushing their brand of garage rock and psychedelia on stereos and promoting local, UK and worldwide live acts such as Black Lips, Shame, Sunflower Bean, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard to local favourites Black Mekon, Swampmeat, Mighty Young etc, working closely with PNKSLM records pushing parties all over the world.
DIE DAS DER
DIE DAS DER is a community of like-minded musicians, artists, bloggers, photographers, film-makers and journalists. They curate and organise events and aim to highlight Birmingham's thriving underground music scene; assisting acts with exposure and encouraging mutual promotion, resource sharing and networking.
Laine Pub Co
Founded 23 years ago, with a single pub in Brighton, Laine Pub Co has grown to become one of the most innovative pub companies in the UK. With over 60 pubs in Brighton, London and Birmingham including some of the most creative experiential pub offerings in the industry, ranging from retro gaming to escape rooms, virtual reality, circus acts and immersive theatre, Laine is now at the forefront of the UK’s leisure sector. Taking its inspiration from the vibrant pub and beer scene in the city of Brighton and Hove, Laine Brew Co creates beer imbued with flavour, experimentation and good times. Its beers are unpasteurised and uncompromising, meaning more flavour and more love. With a focus on consistent, sessionable beers, 2x3 supported with market-leading design and POS, Laine creates highly individual and authentic craft beer which is accessible to all.
NJ Pinebarrens.
Lightly-travelled road, deep in abandoned bog country. Wind whipping about, snow in my boots and fairly certain this is about when hypothermia started creeping in on me.
Best in Lightbox.
Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, United States
The seven-story theater and office building recently known as the Shore Theater and originally known as the Coney Island Theater is one of the largest, most substantial structures in Coney Island in Brooklyn and, when it was constructed in 1925, represented the optimistic attitude of that period for the successful year-round development of Coney Island as a premier entertainment district. Seeking to change the atmosphere of the resort from the somewhat seedy aura it had developed in the 19th century into an area of wholesome family amusement, the city constructed the Boardwalk and extended subway service to Stillwell Avenue while private developers built enclosed amusement parks, restaurants and hotels. The Coney Island Theater was part of this redevelopment effort and featured live performances as well as motion picture screenings.
The neo Renaissance Revival style building was constructed and owned by the Chanin Construction Company and leased to the prominent Loew’s theater chain. This large building contained stores, a theater and offices, originally intended for businesses related to the theater industry. Faced with brick and terra-cotta and highlighted by stone and terra-cotta details this structure presents a grand and substantial counterpoint to Coney Island’s more modest one- and two-story buildings. The architects, Reilly & Hall, were leading theater architects of the day. Their selection for the design of the building is indicative of the desire, on the part of Coney Island’s civic and business leaders, to confer legitimacy, grandeur, and elegance on Coney Island. The building is organized in a tri-partite configuration, with a rusticated base, a buff brick shaft and a crown featuring a central arcade and balcony. The Shore Theater Building is a remarkably intact survivor of the early 20th century period when Coney Island was New York City’s playground, and was striving to become a year-round entertainment district for the entire city.
DESCRIPTION AND ANALYSIS
Coney Island
Although the western end of Coney Island had achieved some popularity as a rustic seaside resort early in the 19th century, it also gained an unsavory reputation for its gambling, pickpockets and prostitution. The real growth of Coney Island as a resort came about in the 1870s when five new railroads were constructed to connect the island with the rest of Brooklyn. These lines were built by businessmen and entrepreneurs who developed large hotels on the eastern end of the island and wanted to provide easy access to Brooklyn and Manhattan to attract a higher-end clientele than those who frequented the west side. The Manhattan Beach Hotel was opened in 1877 on the far eastern end of Coney Island, served by the New York and Manhattan Beach Railway with direct connections to lower Manhattan. Just to the west of this was the huge Brighton Beach Hotel opened in 1878, primarily drawing its clientele from Brooklyn’s middle-class business community.
Between Brighton Beach and the less savory environs of the far western point lay West Brighton, an area that became the island’s entertainment section and was served by the Prospect Park & Coney Island Railroad, commonly known as the Culver Line. Carrying numerous day-trippers away from their teeming tenements, this train terminated at a large depot near 17th Street across from Culver Plaza, a spacious open area filled with colorful flowers. West Brighton became the site of numerous bathing pavilions, restaurants, saloons, variety shows, small stores, games and unusual attractions such as “Lucy the Elephant” (destroyed by fire in 1896) and the Iron Tower (imported from the Philadelphia Centennial of 1876). West Brighton became “Coney’s true entertainment district, attracting the lion’s share of the island’s visitors.”
By the end of the 19th century a series of devastating fires opened up vast tracts of land for redevelopment and the West Brighton section became home to a new type of diversion: the enclosed amusement park. In 1895 Paul Boyton’s Sea Lion Park opened, quickly succeeded in 1897 by George C. Tilyou’s legendary Steeplechase Park, and Coney Island took on a different mien. These parks, along with Luna Park (opened in 1903) and Dreamland (opened in 1904) offered thrilling, gravity-defying mechanical rides as well as exotic fantasy architecture shimmering with millions of electric lights, sideshows, live entertainment, theatrical reenactments, music and dance halls, bathing pavilions, and eateries.
It was during the first decades of the 20th century, with the advent of the great amusement parks, that the idea of the “New Coney Island” began to take shape. The “New Coney Island” was a notion promulgated by some Coney business leaders to turn Coney Island into a year-round resort, similar to Atlantic City. Chief among the goals of the “New Coney Island” was to slough off the seedy, somewhat dangerous reputation of the late 19th century, and replace it with a more wholesome image. The enclosed parks all banned alcohol, and required patrons to pay an admission fee. It was believed that this would help to keep out patrons perceived as undesirable. Several civic organizations began calling for the construction of a boardwalk, which would provide visitors with an important public amenity.
The Boardwalk opened in 1920, the same year subway service was extended to Coney Island. Three years later, the Coney Island Chamber of Commerce was organized, with the goal of “developing Coney Island on a larger and broader scale.” With the support and promotion of the Coney Island Chamber of Commerce, several new buildings and amusements were erected. These included the (second) Child’s Restaurant on the Boardwalk, the Cyclone Roller Coaster, the Wonder Wheel, the Stillwell Avenue subway terminal, the Half Moon Hotel, Stauch’s Baths, the RKO Tilyou Theater, and the Coney Island Theater. The Coney Island Theater Building is one of the few structures still extant from this period. Other surviving features include the Wonder Wheel, the Cyclone and the Child’s Restaurant (all designated New York City Landmarks) on the Boardwalk. By decade’s end, Coney Island had been transformed once more.
The Coney Island Theater Building
This large, intact building rising on the Coney Island skyline is a prominent neo Renaissance Revival style structure that expresses, through its size and style, the aspirations of Coney Island’s boosters in the 1920s. The Coney Island Theater Building, most recently known as the Shore Theater Building, was constructed as a fireproof structure on part of the site of the former Culver Railroad line depot (replaced by the newly extended subway). A comment by Irwin S. Chanin, president of the Chanin Construction Company who was the developer of this building indicated a concern for changing the atmosphere at Coney Island. “We realized the great need in Coney Island for an all-year amusement, and I believe we have satisfied this need. We spared no expense to provide adequate facilities that will attract the finest business and amusement ventures.”
By the booming 1920s, with the Jazz Age in full swing, the culture of Coney Island was fully formed. The construction of the Half Moon Hotel in 1927, the first major hotel to be built in Coney Island since the days of the great resorts of the late 1800s, along with the completion of the newly reconstructed and publicly accessible Boardwalk, was to be a harbinger of Coney’s direction for the future. The construction of the Coney Island Theater was part and parcel of this movement. The Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported in May, 1925 that “[the theater] will be the first of its kind at the resort and the forerunner of similar structures in the movement to make Coney Island an all-year amusement resort.” Expanding upon this theme, Irwin S. Chanin continued,
The resort has the greatest population area in the country to draw from, and nothing has prevented it from being an all-year amusement place but the present type of structures, which for the most part are built only for summer use. With the subway terminating at Surf Avenue, the boardwalk extending the full length of the ocean front and the adequate police regulations, nothing can now stand in the way of its advancement.
These bold intentions are also visible in the choice of the architectural firm for the theater building. Reilly & Hall were noted theater architects of the 1920s. Some of their most important commissions were New York’s Sheridan Theater (now demolished) and the Newton Theater in Newton, New Jersey. Upon the opening of the New Jersey theater, a local newspaper, the Sussex County Democrat remarked that,
These young men have, in a short time, impressed theatre owners with their unusual ability, as operators of exquisite theatres and supervised the Tivoli Theatre in Newark, the Sheridan Theatre in New York, the Strand Theatre in Schenectady, and are engaged at present in directing the work on the Coney Island Theatre which, when completed, will rival the best picture palaces of the country.
The firm’s choice of material also indicates the ambitious building campaign. Limestone, brick, and terra cotta were used, rather than wood, as had been the custom at Coney Island. Additionally, the building is not merely a movie theater, but a seven-story “Coney Island Theater Building,” complete with offices intended to be occupied by organizations related to the entertainment industry. With buildings such as this theater and the Half Moon Hotel, the business community of Coney Island was announcing the area’s legitimacy and its aspirations.
Indeed, a 1925 Brooklyn Eagle headline announced, “$2,000,000 Theater and Office Building Reflects Transformation of Coney Island.”
The theater was immediately leased to the prominent Loew’s movie theater chain, an organization that was expanding its holdings throughout the city and beyond.
Chanin Construction Company
The Chanin Construction Company, developers of the Coney Island Theater Building, was founded in 1919 by Irwin S. Chanin (1892–1988) and his brother Henry (1893–1973), an accountant. Irwin was graduated from the Cooper Union School of Engineering in 1915. Beginning with modest residences in Bensonhurst, the firm quickly expanded and by the late 1920s, it was responsible for some of New York’s most significant buildings, including the Century and Majestic Apartments on Central Park West, and the Chanin Building (all designated New York City Landmarks). Indeed, a 1929 profile of the company in The New Yorker notes that “What is unusual about the Chanins’ story is that their achievements are visible; a whole city of scattered buildings, a hundred and forty-one of them in New York and Brooklyn.” Henry was responsible for the day-to-day management of the firm, while Irwin was the artistic visionary. Two other brothers, Samuel and Aron, also played a role in the Chanin Construction Company.
Among their numerous projects were many theaters. One of the earliest was the Roxy Theater, known as the “Cathedral of Motion Pictures” (demolished) followed by the Biltmore Theater; the Forty-Sixth Street Theater; the Mansfield Theater; the Theater Masque; The Royale Theater; and the Majestic Theater. Irwin Chanin had distinct ideas about theater design. The theme of fantasy and escape, of taking people away from their everyday lives was always uppermost in Chanin’s mind. The comfort of the theatergoer and performer was also paramount. The Chanin Construction Company built theaters with wide aisles, wide seats, roomy entry foyers, ample dressing rooms and good acoustics.
The Loew’s Corporation
From the beginning, this theater was leased and operated by the Loew’s theater chain. Marcus Loew (1870 – 1927), the company founder, was born on Manhattan’s Lower East Side and had an early career as a furrier. While working in this field Loew met Adolph Zukor, who was also in the fur business, and Morris Kohn and the three began investing in residential real estate. When Zukor and Kohn invested in a penny arcade on 14th Street, Loew watched the business thrive and was invited to join the partnership. Soon after, Loew began a competing establishment with an arcade on 23rd Street. By 1907 Loew’s company had a nationwide chain of 3,000 nickelodeons. Loew then purchased Watson’s Cozy Corner, a so-called low vaudeville theater in downtown Brooklyn, transformed it into a genuine movie palace and renamed it the Royal Theatre, charging 10 cents for admission, which was twice the standard. Loew began to expand his business rapidly, taking control of several large theaters in Manhattan and then constructing new ones, the first being the National Theatre in the Bronx in 1910. By 1911 a newly reorganized company - Loew’s Theatrical Enterprises – had purchased or taken over the management of dozens of theaters across the country.
During the second decade of the 20th century, studios and audiences had embraced full-length feature films. Zukor’s company had created the earliest essays of this new type and by 1919, Loew was convinced that this was the future of the industry. He changed his company’s name one again to Loew’s Incorporated and acquired Metro Pictures Corporation, a small existing movie production company. Loew’s Inc. then started producing its own movies in addition to owning or managing the theaters in which they would be shown. One of their first productions, The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse with Rudolph Valentino, which premiered in 1921, was a smash and with it Loew’s Inc. became a force in the motion-picture industry. The firm embarked upon an extensive theater-building campaign of which the apogee was the construction of the Loew’s State Theater in 1921. Designed by legendary theater architect Thomas W. Lamb, the construction of this theater was a “major event in Loew’s progress [and] fulfilled his dream of possessing a big vaudeville-picture palace in the nation’s theatrical center, Times Square.” If a location could vie with Times Square as a center of entertainment and amusement, it was Coney Island. Although Loew’s Inc. leased rather than owned the new theater, when it opened in 1925 the new building was named the Loew’s Coney Island Theater.
Reilly & Hall
Paul C. Reilly, (1890 – 1984)
Douglas Pairman Hall (1880 – 1945)
Reilly, a native of New York City, was graduated from the Columbia University School of Architecture. In addition to the design of several theaters, Reilly was closely associated with the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York, and served for a period as the architect of St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Among his church commissions were the Sacred Heart Cathedral in Newark and the Church of Our Saviour on Park Avenue and East 38th Street in Manhattan. Other works include St. Ephrem’s Church, Brooklyn and the Church of St. Peter Claver in Montclair, New Jersey.
Hall, a Scotsman (like Lamb), immigrated to America in 1912. He was graduated from the University of Edinburgh and received his architectural degree from the Royal Institute of Architecture in London. Hall developed a reputation as a theater architect, and was responsible for the design of more than 50 theaters in the New York area.
Early in their careers, both Reilly and Hall were employed by the firm of Thomas W. Lamb, theater architect, where Reilly held the position of chief designer. By 1920, the pair formed a partnership and the firm Reilly & Hall occupied an office at 749 Fifth Avenue. Though fruitful, the venture does not appear to have lasted long. By 1928, there is no longer a listing for Reilly & Hall, and Hall is a sole practitioner with an office on East 45th Street. Reilly opened his own office in 1930 on lower Fifth Avenue.
Neo Renaissance Revival Style and the Movies
The 1920s was an era of tremendous growth in the development of movie theater buildings. Often constructed by the studios to showcase their films, theaters were seen as crucial advertising. If the theater was elegant, if it served to enhance the escapism of the movie-going experience, if the eye could be continually delighted, the patron would return week after week. Some theaters were developed as grand “movie palaces” with fantastic interiors that added to the total experience of the invented world on the screen.
Others were dressed in historical revivalist styles, still popular in the 1920s. Of these, there were many variants, including Italianate and French. Based on European precedents of the Renaissance, Baroque, and classical, the style is characterized by rational planning, with classical elements like balustrades and prominent cornices, restrained facades, and a light palette. The neo Renaissance revival style (popular in the 20th century) was an outgrowth of the earlier Renaissance Revival style, which was in vogue beginning in the 1880s. Buildings constructed in these styles ranged from public buildings like theaters and municipal structures to private homes, such as row houses or town houses. These historical revival styles suggested sophistication, wealth, and class. For a movie theater to be outfitted in such architectural clothing communicated the serious side of the Loew’s Coney Island Theater. Its builders intended the structure to evoke high-brow entertainment and edification, as part of Coney Island’s more dignified aspirations at this time.
History of the Loew’s Theater
The Loew’s Coney Island Theater opened on June 17, 1925. Marcus Loew himself presided, and with typical show-business bravura promised an array of stage, screen, and radio stars in attendance. Those who were scheduled to attend included Johnny Hines, Barbara Lamarr, Mae Busch, Ben Lyon, John Irving Fisher, Texas Guinan, Dorothy Mackaill, Virginia Lee Corbin, and John Lowe. Builder Irwin S. Chanin declared, “Here all of the island arrive, and here we hope to make the corner a sort of Coney Island ‘Broadway and 42nd Street.’” During the first week of operation, the stage was given over to Violet and Daisy Hilton, the famed Hilton Sisters.
Built primarily as a movie theater, the Loew’s Coney Island also featured live vaudeville entertainment, as Loew’s included live performances in many of its theaters to bolster the box office.
The Loew’s Coney Island Theater remained under the control of Loew’s Incorporated until 1964. Spaces on the ground floor housed small shops or restaurants, and various offices were located in the upper floors. Some of these businesses included Nedick’s, Garcia y Vega Cigars and Admiration Cigars. The office building housed such varied tenants as Angelo Paino & Co., Inc. (building contractors); Belpark Construction Corporation; and a local draft board.
By the end of 1964, Loew’s Inc. lost control of the theater, and it became the Brandt Shore Theater. As the Shore Theater, movies were shown exclusively, although by the end of 1965, the management announced that the space would become a legitimate theater with musicals, revues, and plays. During this period, some of the offerings included “Let’s Dance,” “The Jewel Box Revue,” and “Bagels and Yox.” By April 1966, burlesque operator Leroy C. Griffith was staging shows at the Shore; thereafter, films resumed being shown along with live entertainment.
It appears that the era of live entertainment in the building was short-lived. Films returned exclusively and by the early 1970s, it had become an adult venue. In 1972 the orchestra level of the theater was converted to a bingo hall and during the 1970s, the Gay Way Bar was a tenant in the ground floor corner retail space. In the 1980s, a branch of Kansas Fried Chicken occupied the corner store. During the late 1960s and through the 1970s, tenants in the office space above included a dress manufacturer, a Medicaid office, and a Head Start nursery program. The building is currently vacant.
Description Surf Avenue Façade: The Shore Theater Building is located on the northwest corner of Stillwell and Surf Avenues. The building, including the ground floor storefronts, is vacant. Scaffolding projects at the first floor cornice line and covers the marquee which is located at the center of the seven-bay wide facade. The storefronts are non-historic and are covered by roll-down iron grilles. The westernmost opening on this facade is for vehicular access and is covered by a solid, roll-down gate. A pedestrian entrance is located in the bay just to the east of this. It has a stone surround, with a rope molding framing the doorway and a stone plaque carved with the name, “Coney Island Theatre Building” above. This opening is also covered by a solid metal gate. Another doorway under the marquee is also surrounded by dressed stone blocks, as are the end piers on both facades.
Above the base is a piano nobile faced with terra cotta molded to replicate rusticated limestone. This level has double-height, round-arched windows with one-over-one metal replacement sash. Within each arched opening the top part has non-historic metal infill, while the spandrels beneath the windows feature terra-cotta panels with foliate designs. This section of the building is capped by a narrow cornice formed by a terra-cotta dentil molding and a series of stone moldings.
Floors three through five are faced with buff-colored brick and have unadorned, rectangular window openings, set in pairs. The top of this level is marked by a dentil course of terra cotta. The sixth floor has the same window pattern as below, but the windows are framed by white terra cotta and the panels between the windows are faced with square white terra-cotta tiles set on the diagonal. The top of the sixth story has a broad, terra-cotta frieze ornamented with circles and classical foliate designs and topped by a terra-cotta cornice. All of the sash in the windows on this facade has been replaced.
The brick-faced seventh floor consists of a central pavilion, five-bays wide, with single-bay setbacks at the eastern and western ends of the facade. These setback bays are fronted by small terraces set behind terra-cotta balustrades and are topped by a brick dentil course and terracotta coping. The top of each round-arched window has been filled with a terra-cotta panel. The round-arched windows of the central pavilion have brick moldings and terra-cotta keystones, with round, flat terra-cotta panels inset into the brick in the spandrels between the arches. Two additional round-headed windows are located to the outside of this central area and these windows have terra-cotta moldings and keystones and sit above small panels of terra-cotta ornament. A broad balcony projects in front of the central five, round-arched windows of this level. Its underside is faced with terra cotta and it is supported on ornate terra-cotta brackets, and topped by a delicate, classically-inspired iron railing. All of the windows on the seventh story have replacement, one-over-one metal sash and the upper areas of the round-arched windows have been filled in. The central area of this level is capped by a projecting, overhanging terracotta cornice with modillions. A broad, bronze frieze ornamented by moresque fretwork sitting on a terra-cotta rope molding is also part of this capping element.
At the southeastern corner of the building a neon blade sign is affixed between the third and sixth floors. The sign reads “SHORE.” Stillwell Avenue façade: The east façade, along Stillwell Avenue, exhibits the narrow side of the seven-story office tower with the undecorated brick facade of the movie theater, about half its height, extending northward beyond it. The design of this facade of the office building is similar to that on Surf Avenue. The ground floor storefronts are vacant and covered by grilles. The double-height piano nobile is faced with terra cotta and pierced by three large, round-headed windows. Between the two northernmost windows are two smaller rectangular window openings, one above the other. The large, northernmost window has its original metal sash, while the other windows have replacement sash. The next four stories have rectangular window openings, with a few of the windows on the northern side of each level retaining their original two-over-two wood sash. The window pattern on these floors is 2-1-2-1-1. The moldings and decorative treatment are the same on this facade as on Surf Avenue. At the top floor level are three round-headed windows flanked by a single rectangular window on each side. The central windows have non-historic infill at the top of the windows, and all have non-historic one-overone sash. The side windows are capped by inset round, terra-cotta circles and the northernmost window has small paned, double-hung sash.
The painted side wall of the theater extends to the north behind the office building. There is a small entrance door at the ground level and a variety of small window openings at the second story level, either blocked closed or filled by non-historic sash. A covered metal emergency stairway steps down along this facade, toward the northern side of the building. A small non-historic storefront is located at this side of the facade along with a doorway near the top of the building, fronted by a metal balcony, with a ladder leading to the roof. West façade: The western façade has two sections, the office building and the other side of the movie theater. Both are not designed. The side of the office building is faced with buff brick and features three vertical columns of rectangular, one-over-one double-hung replacement windows. The top of the building features three setbacks, and coping stones are evident at the top. The movie theater is faced in painted brick with a covered emergency stairway that steps down toward the rear. North façade: The northern facade consists of two angled blank painted brick walls, projecting outward slightly and forming the end of the movie theater.
- From the 2010 NYCLPC Landmark Designation Report
Available at HypeForType: www.hypefortype.com/affair.html
Type designers are crazy people. Not crazy in the sense that they think we are Napoleon, but in the sense that the sky can be falling, wars tearing the world apart, disasters splitting the very ground we walk on, plagues circling continents to pick victims randomly, yet we will still perform our ever optimistic task of making some little spot of the world more appealing to the human eye. We ought to be proud of ourselves, I believe. Optimism is hard to come by these days. Regardless of our own personal reasons for doing what we do, the very thing we do is in itself an act of optimism and belief in the inherent beauty that exists within humanity.
As recently as ten years ago, I wouldn't have been able to choose the amazing obscure profession I now have, wouldn't have been able to be humbled by the history that falls into my hands and slides in front of my eyes every day, wouldn't have been able to live and work across previously impenetrable cultural lines as I do now, and wouldn't have been able to raise my glass of Malbeck wine to toast every type designer who was before me, is with me, and will be after me. As recently as ten years ago, I wouldn't have been able to mean these words as I wrote them: It’s a small world.
Yes, it is a small world, and a wonderfully complex one too. With so much information drowning our senses by the minute, it has become difficult to find clear meaning in almost anything. Something throughout the day is bound to make us feel even smaller in this small world. Most of us find comfort in a routine. Some of us find extended families. But in the end we are all Eleanor Rigbys, lonely on the inside and waiting for a miracle to come. If a miracle can make the world small, another one can perhaps give us meaning.
And sometimes a miracle happens for a split second, then gets buried until a crazy type designer finds it. I was on my honeymoon in New York City when I first stumbled upon the letters that eventually started this Affair. A simple, content tourist walking down the streets formerly unknown to me except through pop music and film references. Browsing the shops of the city that made Bob Dylan, Lou Reed, and a thousand other artists. Trying to chase away the tourist mentality, wondering what it would be like to actually live in the city of a billion tiny lights.
Tourists don't go to libraries in foreign cities. So I walked into one. Two hours later I wasn't in New York anymore. I wasn't anywhere substantial. I was the crazy type designer at the apex of insanity. La La Land, alphabet heaven, curves and twirls and loops and swashes, ribbons and bows and naked letters. I'm probably not the very first person on this planet to be seduced into starting an Affair while on his honeymoon, but it is something to tease my better half about once in a while.
To this day I can't decide if I actually found the worn book, or if the book itself called for me. Its spine was nothing special, sitting on a shelf, tightly flanked by similar spines on either side. Yet it was the only one I picked off that shelf. And I looked at only one page in it before walking to the photocopier and cheating it with an Argentine coin, since I didn't have the American quarter it wanted.
That was the beginning. I am now writing this after the Affair is over. And it was an Affair to remember, to pull a phrase. Right now, long after I have drawn and digitized and tested this alphabet, and long after I saw what some of this generation’s type designers saw in it, I have the luxury to speculate on what Affair really is, what made me begin and finish it, what cultural expressions it has, and so on. But in all honesty it wasn't like that. Much like in my Ministry Script experience, I was a driven man, a lover walking the ledge, an infatuated student following the instructions of his teacher while seeing her as a perfect angel. I am not exaggerating when I say that the letters themselves told me how to extend them. I was exploited by an alphabet, and it felt great.
Unlike my experience with Ministry Script, where the objective was to push the technology to its limits, this Affair felt like the most natural and casual sequence of processions in the world – my hand following the grid, the grid following what my hand had already done – a circle of creation contained in one square computer cell, then doing it all over again. By contrast, it was the lousiest feeling in the world when I finally reached the conclusion that the Affair was done. What would I do now? Would any commitment I make from now on constitute a betrayal of these past precious months? I'm largely over all that now, of course. I like to think I'm a better man now because of the experience.
Affair is an enormous, intricately calligraphic OpenType font based on a 9x9 photocopy of a page from a 1950s lettering book. In any calligraphic font, the global parameters for developing the characters are usually quite volatile and hard to pin down, but in this case it was particularly difficult because the photocopy was too gray and the letters were of different sizes, very intertwined and scan-impossible. So finishing the first few characters in order to establish the global rhythm was quite a long process, after which the work became a unique soothing, numbing routine by which I will always remember this Affair. The result of all the work, at least to the eyes of this crazy designer, is 1950s American lettering with a very Argentine wrapper. My Affair is infused with the spirit of filete, dulce de leche, yerba mate, and Carlos Gardel.
Upon finishing the font I was fortunate enough that a few of my colleagues, great type designers and probably much saner than I am, agreed to show me how they envision my Affair in action. The beauty they showed me makes me feel small and yearn for the world to be even smaller now – at least small enough so that my international colleagues and I can meet and exchange stories over a good parrilla. These people, whose kindness is very deserving of my gratitude, and whose beautiful art is very deserving of your appreciation, are in no particular order: Corey Holms, Mariano Lopez Hiriart, Xavier Dupré, Alejandro Ros, Rebecca Alaccari, Laura Meseguer, Neil Summerour, Eduardo Manso, and the Doma group. You can see how they envisioned using Affair in the section of this booklet entitled A Foreign Affair.
The rest of this booklet contains all the obligatory technical details that should come with a font this massive. I hope this Affair can bring you as much peace and satisfaction as it brought me, and I hope it can help your imagination soar like mine did when I was doing my duty for beauty.
If you try the best you can
The best you can is good enough.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=lq_7TJ0298Q&feature=related
lezione #2: sorrisi smaglianti anche quando sei parzialmente bloccato dalle sbarre.
Выставка “Этюды оптимизма”
Параллельная программа европейской бьеннале современного искусства
“Манифеста 10″, Санкт Петербург, 2014
“Optimistic studies” exhibition
Parallel program of European biennale of Contemporary Arts
“Manifesta 10″, Saint-Petersburg, 2014
Автор фотографии: Владислав Ефимов
Here's a high-quality prediction from HBX! For my original blog post, see engineroomblog.blogspot.com/2009/10/my-metrics-tool-is-fe...
Part of the "I Can BEE" character educaiton bulletin board set.
Feel free to use for non-profit purposes.
Depressing Quotes :
I find nothing more depressing than optimism.
Author Paul Fussell.
Explanation of Depressing Sayings :
People who are optimistic, have natural tendency to stretch hard to achieve their goals as they do not have can’t do attitude. This makes them work hard and mostly ...
Depressing Quotes collection from brain quotes.
This photo looks optimistic even though I'm not necessarily feeling it today. One of my best friends is happy though, having been asked out by the guy she'd liked for awhile. Good luck guys.
I, however, have an audition for Elizabeth Proctor in the Crucible tomorrow lunch. I don't think I've ever wanted a part so much; we don't have performances often, but we're studying the text in english and I actually love the book. (Hence this photo; www.flickr.com/photos/belladayys/4979495468/ ) I hope the part doesn't go to someone whose there for the sake of it. I have friends who are into it too though, and I'd be happy for them if they got it.
(And a little bitter. Maybe.)
Today was fairly meh. Had a nice morning and nice netball game (didn't think i'd ever say that, but I really rather enjoyed scoring seven goals. I have to get rid of my little hop-skip-jump when I score though. Had a rather nice team, and it was generally good fun. But came home with a headache, so now meh. Worried about tomorrow. Keep your fingers crossed for me guys, I'll need it.
Press 'L' guys, you know you want to.
Ken approaches Cooper-Gran on Bugaboo Spire optimistic the weather will improve on a gloomy morning. Alana and I were on our way to try our second attempt on Crescent spire after being rained off the previous day when the boys caught up to us. Thanks to our rappelling mis-adventure we all got back onto the glacier around the same time that night. Ken's optimism paid off because the clouds all burned off and they had a successful ascent.
The Bugaboos - August 12-18, 2012
Living in Squamish I am very lucky to be surrounded by excellent rock to train my technical climbing skills as well as many great peaks for scrambling. But, until last week I had never had the opportunity to combine the two skills I've been developing for years. That all changed when a friend invited me to be her partner on the yearly trip my friend group takes. Two months after the invitiation, a partner swap, and a week of careful packing and preparation I actually found myself driving east about to embark on what would be the greatest adventure of my life to date.
The moment I arrived at basecamp my lofty climbing aspiration were downgraded to starting with a 4th class route and going from there. I received tons of advice from friends that had been going for several years, but still nothing could have prepared me for the reality of being there. The ascent to Applebee basecamp, the scale of the spires, the difficulty of the glaciers, and the exposure did not translate well to maps and photos I found myself in awe and terror. Every single obstacle I encountered was more physically and mentally demanding that I could have expected.
Even though we were with a large group of friends, we were on our own when we headed out for the day and often learning as we went. As a result we learned many lessons the hard way, including when to put crampons on, when to switch into rock shoes, how hard preventing rockfall can be, and all the ways rappelling can go wrong.
It was both the single most terrifying and rewarding experience of my life. Never did I expect to learn so much in a week, or do so little actual climbing. Instead it was a wild ride of alpine obstacles, and a truly life changing experience shared with great friends old and new.
A brief summary of my adventure:
Aug 12 - Hike into Applebee base camp with 80+lbs pack full of climbing, camping, and glacier gear as well as 7 days of food, and clothes for everything from -10 to +30 degrees celcius rain and shine.
Aug 13 - Eastpost spire, combination of Northeast and Northwest ridges.
Aug 14 - Crescent Spire, W ridge. - Rained off first attempt, after self arresting and improv. anchor construction.
Aug 15 - Crescent Spire, W ridge - Successful ascent followed by rappelling disaster involving ditching a rope that was later recovered
Aug 16 - Pigeon Spire, W ridge - Got 30m up route then turned back to save terror management skills for descent back down the Bugaboo-Snowpatch col
Aug 17 - Eastpost spire again and bathing in the tarn
Aug 18 - Hike out and long drive home
Please feel free to contact me with any questions regarding my experience.
Photos from this trip were taken with a combination of my Nikon D7000, Olympus uT8000 & GoPro HD2
Today's word is optimistic. She immediately came to mind. Yes, she can be difficult, and moody, and demanding. She has her tantrums. She's not a morning person. But she LOVES life. She gets excited about having popcorn after dinner. Wearing her favorite outfit. When anyone comes over to visit. She's always looking for something to be happy about, whether it's going to Disney or going to get her brother up from his nap. I love that about her.
Keystone City, the first of the twin cities that connect from Kansas to Central City, Missouri.
One of the first cities to house one of the first well-known superheroes “The Flash.” A place to many that’s not as mesmerizing as Metropolis, yet much more optimistic than Gotham. But to one Linda Park, it’s a good place for a fresh start.
“Got the camera ready, Will?” She questions her camera guy. He gives a thumbs up in response. She lets out a mixed sigh of anticipation and anxiousness as she puts on her earpiece to hear the newsroom. She looks back at Will to see him counting down to one before the camera is on.
“And now we go to the street with our reporter Linda Park, why don’t you tell us what’s been happening?”
She finally hears from the newsroom. ‘Go time.’ She thinks to herself.
“Well DiDio, there’s been a recent string of robberies that have involved artifacts that to most people aren’t much concern, but this one in particular has gained the interest of the Justice League, leaving many concerned as these robberies could be connected to several others that have happened in the likes of Star City, Midway City, and several other Metropolitan areas.”
Blocks away near a bank. A man dressed in an orange jumpsuit with teal armor walks to the end of a rooftop, known to many as Mirror Master. He scopes out past the guards and several cruisers to see his eyes on the prize; a transport car that harbors likely millions.
“Bingo.” He says as pulls out a device from his belt, activating it as the truck is finished loading up and heads out. He presses a button on said device which causes him to vanish. A guard in the front of the truck is looking through his phone, liking a picture of some model.
“Ass is a bit flat, innit?”
The guard looks up to see the source of the voice, turning to his side mirror. Before being slugged and yanked out through the window of the truck. The driver tries to pull out his gun, but two more duplicates that come from the side and rearview mirrors grab and restrain him before one throws a harsh blow to his face, mainly his nose, knocking him out.
“Sorry lad, finders keepas, losers weepas!” He yells out, closing the door immediately after and grabs onto the wheel, speeding away as several cop cars chase after.
-
Meanwhile, on the other side of Keystone…
“Have a wonderful day.” Chester says, casually waving the customer goodbye. While he spots his friend, former high school classmate, and recent coworker Wally West, resting his head on his hand and watching the antique clock finally be 3:00 already.
“Y’know, you have speed powers, why don’t you just speed up time?” Chester asks which Wally looks back in response, in a blitz he’s laying on the counter with his elbow.
“It’s not exactly a hard science Chunk; I can’t just casually shift time and space to my own whims.”
Chester raises his eyebrow. “Yet you can steal and give speed to any person and object?” He asks.
Wally pauses, attempting to come up with a rebuttal, but hears a notification from his phone on the counter. He rushes to it, seeing a notification about a truck robbery in Keystone. ‘Perfect excuse.’ He smirks, putting his phone in his pocket.
“Chunk, I’ll be taking my five now.”
Chester groans. “Try not to be late again or Weisman’ll actually fire you this time.”
Wally chuckles while putting his vest in his locker.
“Then I guess he wouldn’t be a wise man.” He retorts as he exits the building; getting a running start. But not before time momentarily pauses. Blue lightning manifests and goes through his body, not harming him, but forming and forging a suit, his Kid Flash suit. As it’s fully assembled, time starts finally catching up as he thinks to himself ‘that’ll never get old’ he dashes straight towards the robbery.
Within less than a second, he speeds past the bank. He spots the hijacked truck heading straight towards two kids that are playing hopscotch. Immediately, he grabs the two kids and moves them across the block away from the truck that skids the area that they were just in. He turns towards the two, warning them.
“Next time, do it in your backyard, okay?”
They nod in response, he gives a thumbs up before zipping towards the truck. He rushes past the cruisers, getting closer to the truck. When he sees the back of the truck open to reveal Mirror Master.
“‘Ello Boyo! Sorry to wake you up from your nappy, don’t worry lass, I’ll make up fo’ it!” He yells as he grabs and throws several pocket mirrors onto the road in front of Wally, one of which has an arm pop out and grab his ankle, causing him to crash onto the ground. He tries to get up but several more copies pull out and tackle him, he struggles to break free and is almost unsuccessful before deciding to do this through a different way, a more… destructive way.
He vibrates his molecules, which for most speedsters would have them phase through things, for him it does that while having said object explode. He phases and darts through the duplicates which explode in response. ‘Okay, I can't exactly get close without him throwing several more of himself at me, and I already have way too many scratches on this suit already.’ He stops to see small shards of glass, he’s already gotten an idea. He grabs several dozen shards before launching alongside the truck.
“Sorry MM, your ride stops here.” Wally remarks, throwing all the shards at a tire, causing the car to drag across the road, Mirror Master tries to slow it down, but is unsuccessful as it slams through a fire hydrant and grazes several car bumpers before finally stopping, well, crashing at a bus stop. Wally stands close by, his arms crossed as Mirror Master crawls out of the wreckage, battered and bruised, and but still pissed.
“Y’know Scudder, you sound a little caught a little cold, I’d recommend a physician before a cell at Iron Heights.”
MM scowls as he’s being handcuffed and taken to a cop car.
“Fack off, ya Ronald Macdonald wearin’ sonova-” He's cut off by the door closed by one of the officers.
“Sorry, what was that? I couldn’t hear you. Maybe you should ask for some ginger or chamomile tea, I’ve heard they’ve been giving them out in prison!” Wally chuckles after saying that.
“Kid Flash!”
He turns to see a man followed by several officers, presumably the one leading these guys.
“Captain Phillips.” He introduces himself, shaking his hand. “Thank you for helping us out, a bit surprised to be honest, I was expecting the other guy to show up.”
Wally keeps his mouth shut, while he loves being a hero and helping out and all that, he doesn’t really like when they bring him up.
“No problem Captain, I’ve dealt with my fair share of Rogues on my own.” He turns back to Mirror Master. “Although he doesn’t sound like the Scudder I know.”
The captain scratches the back of his head in response. “That’s because he isn’t, his name’s Evan McColloch, typical lowlife known for petty theft and drug use. He was taken to Iron Heights, bunked up with Mardon, and around a week or so ago, he along with Scudder’s equipment somehow went missing; we’re not sure how he got it, but that’ll be for later. Our concern now is getting him back to cell.”
Wally nods in response before he hears his name called out; he turns his head back to see several reporters, giving the usual questions. ‘How are the Teen Titans?’ ‘Who are you currently dating?’ ‘Will you be joining the Justice League?’, the usual. Until he feels a tap and looks over his shoulder to see a new reporter that he doesn’t recognize and looks to be about his age.
“Linda Park, 52 News, I’d like to ask a few questions, if you don’t mind?” While he’s dealt with the news due to his work with the Titans and Barry, the fact he’s by himself, along with Linda’s… unique look? He starts getting a bit nervous.
“Uh, yeah! Why not?” As he finishes saying that, he’s immediately given a question.
“What do you have to say about the current issues of superheroes?”
“Pardon?” He raises his brow in response.
“Well given the recent occurrences of robberies in several cities, along with certain heroes caught in recent controversial circumstances, people are questioning whether or not you should be marked as a vigilante, especially after what just happened.”
Wally’s confused, until he examines the area around him. The buildings' windows nearby are shattered, several cars are heavily wrecked, the pavement is covered in skid marks, and at least two fire hydrants are spraying what’s likely an expensive amount of water.
“Do you have any thoughts on that?” His attention is brought back by Linda. He stands there, attempting to give an answer or anything, but instead apologizes before running off. In less than a second, he stops outside of the city next to the “Welcome to Keystone!” sign, breathing a sigh of relief. Then he hears a ping and pulls his phone to see a text from his boss. Which said ‘don’t bother showing your face back to work.’ with a trashbin emoji sent along with it.
“Great.”
-
Wally stares at the statues of himself and Barry as they run against each other which causes him to reminisce about the days when things were simpler; when he and his uncle Barry were just the fastest duo, fighting the likes of Captain Cold, The Turtle, the Top, and the rest of those Rogues.
He looks around the unfinished museum, “I wish you’d be here to see it.”
His days of reminiscing are interrupted when he feels a small buzz in his back pocket from his phone, he pulls it out to see a text from Hartley, a good friend and even better paying roommate, asking if he’ll be at the local bar tonight. He sighs before deciding he might as well.
“I probably need to relax a bit.” He sighs before speeding off.
-
“Well I can’t say I’m surprised, kinda hard to do retail, a job that requires you to be around people, if you’re busy fighting a weirdo mirror guy on the other side of town and not there.” Hartley comments, trying his best to soften the blow of logic towards Wally, but probably making it worse.
“It was a mirror gun and the guy took over a truck that was going through the city like a maniac! Besides, it was barely five minutes.” Wally interjects, to which Hartley raises his brow.
“So then why did you get fired?” He inquires which causes Wally to put his head on the table, exhausted being reminded of it.
“Apparently we have specific times for breaks, and our boss came in early to see me not there. Chunk was let off with a warning, I got fired. According to him anyway…”
Hartley shakes his head. “If it helps, you lasted longer than the other guys expected.”
Wally looks up, dejected as all hell. “Sorry…”
“Hey, it’s no big deal! I pay for most of our rent anyway, however if you’re still looking for a job-”
Wally snaps back up from the table and cuts him off immediately. “No, hell no.”
“Oh come on! My company is successful, it’s been doing well for months, it wouldn’t hurt to have a speedster as company mascot.”
Wally rolls his eyes.
“Like I’m gonna be a sellout… I might be struggling, but I’m not Booster Gold.”
Hartley raises his empty glass for a drink, which gets filled before he immediately takes a sip.
“Well, let’s get off topic then. Have you heard anything from the band?”
Wally sighs in response.
“Donna’s been trying to broker peace between Themyscira and the UN, Garth’s gone back to help guard Atlantis, and Roy… I’ve heard he’s been recovering after the fight with Ollie.”
“What about Dick?”
Wally closes his eyes, really hoping he wouldn’t ask about him. “Same as the nine months, just silence. I mean I’ve asked Bruce and he said he’s still looking.”
Hartley puts his hand on his shoulder. “Hey, he’ll pop back up again. Guys like that will pop back up after a while.” There’s a few moments of silence before Wally tries to break it.
“Look, I’m just tired and I imagine you invited me to get distracted, so let’s do that instead.” As he tries to refocus the topic, Hartley catches a cute-looking guy heading past his direction.
“Tell you what, why don’t you get started while I go powder my nose.”
He looks at him confused before it hits him.
“You’re not ditching me for a hook up.”
“I’m not, I’m just.. going to powder my nose while you get started for the heavy drinks, besides it’ll take you like a bottle and a half to get buzzed and I’m paying for it anyway, so get to splurging.” He finishes before heading off in the man’s direction. Wally sighs while looking at the bartender.
“Just give me a Mai Tai.” As soon as the bartender starts making them a female voice besides him adds.
“And a white russian for me.”
Wally looks to the side to see… Linda Park?
“Hi?” He accidentally says. Linda looks at him confused.
“...Hi? Have we met?”
He gets a bit nervous and lets out a cough before adding. “Uh no no, I just recognized you for interviewing Kid Fl-”
Linda immediately groans. Just as the bartender drops off their drinks to which she takes a big swig off the glass.
“Don’t remind me. The last thing I need to be reminded of is today's bullshit.”
As he’s about to ask they notice one the tvs is on channel 52, which is issuing a public apology on behalf of the entire news network towards Kid Flash for our… blunder, we promise to not make that mistake, a male news desk reporter says, smiling with the fakest smile that’s ever smiled.
“So If you’re one of those ‘flash fans’ that’s been harassing me all day, can you please just text me? It makes it easier for me to block you and I’d rather not worry my eomma and appa.” Linda says, taking another swig from her drink.
“Seriously?” He asks, stunned.
“Seriously. Like you wouldn’t believe the amount of crazy love this guy has. And he’s not even the main guy!” Hearing that caused him to accidentally let out a chuckle.
“Is that funny to you?”
“Nononono, of course not!” Wally tried assuring. “It’s just… It reminds me of people who called me weird because I thought I was obsessive when he was the president and only member of the Flash fan club.”
She smiles. “Well you’re not wrong, that is pretty damn weird.”
“Tell me about it, Wally West, president of the Flash fanclub of Blue Valley Junior High, it was pretty rough.”
Her light chuckle explodes into a full blown laugh.
“Wally West? Is that short for Wallaby?” She asks mid-laughter. Wally just stares at her, slightly charmed by her laughter.
“Well, I’m glad you’re taking it well. And it’s actually short for Wallace.”
Linda’s starts to devolve down into a light laugh.
“Sorry, sorry, I just needed that after today. And y’know Wallace isn’t any better, right?”
Wally shrugs. “Beats Wallaby.”
They share a laugh. An hour passes as Wally and Linda continue their conversation, with Linda venting and Wally laughing as she does impressions of her boss and coworkers. Linda looks at the time on her phone and notices she has to head home.
“Shit, I gotta go, it’s been fun.” Linda says with a warm smile as she gets ready to head out. Wally looks at his phone, noticing a text from nearly 40 minutes ago from Hartley which says ‘Going back to my room, have fun with her!’ followed by ‘YOU’VE GOT THIS’ which he finishes with a thumbs up emoji.
Wally sighs, annoyed initially but relieved. He looks up to see Linda heading out, he goes after her and grabs her arm before she’s out the door.
“So as it turns out, my roommate and former drinking buddy decided to play hooky. So now I have a bunch of free time. Would you mind having me be your chaperone until we get to your place?”
Linda raises her brow. “It’s not that far, it’s only three blocks from here.”
“Still better safe than sorry. Besides, I’ve been liking our talk and I kinda want it to continue, if that’s all right with you?”
“You realize this is the type of stuff serial killers say to lure their victim, yeah?” She asks. Wally tries to respond and starts to stammer before he notices her smile. “Sure, why not. Besides, you look too wimpy to be a killer.”
“Hey, what do you mean by wimpy?” He follows as they both head out. What would’ve been five minutes was instead extended to about 15 minutes of Wally and Linda talking and sharing laughs. She notices her apartment nearby and stops in front of him.
“It’s my stop, it was… great talking to you.” Linda says. Wally can feel his lightly freckled cheeks starting to heat up while he tries to shrug it off.
“Aw, it’s-it’s nothing, I mean who wouldn’t do it for a famous reporter… Well, infamous now, but you get my point. You were… fun to hang out with.” They both share a wave before Wally starts to head off, but he stops as he turns around and thinks to himself.
‘I can’t believe I’m thinking this, whyIamIthinkingthis? This is a bad idea, youjustmether. Don’tdoitwallly! Don’t do-’ He immediately turns back to face her.
“So, would you like to hang out again sometime this week or whatever?”
“Like where and when?” She asks with a hand on her hip.
“Oh, like the park, on friday?” She purses her lips, contemplating it for a few seconds before shrugging.
“Well it beats drinking in a cramped bar, I’m game. Meet me at my workplace for round two Wallaby.”
Wally starts unconsciously smiling, feeling a bit of excitement and relief.
“Gre-great, I-I mean, challenge accepted. I will see you then for round two Linda Park.”
She chuckles before waving him off once more and closing the door to the apartment lobby. Wally can’t help smiling, he can feel the electricity and energy in him start to surge as he zips through the streets.
-
“You know, if you could just surrender just for today, I’d really appreciate it!” Wally says, gritting his teeth as he stands in a wrestling ring, surrounded by a crowd of criminals, presumably people he and Barry had taken in in the past. As he’s faced by a samuroid with a silly face painted onto it, followed by a man dressed in a revolting mash of blues and yellows, naming himself Trickster Jr, with several drones surrounding them.
“No dice dude! Do you know how big I’m gonna be once I kill you? I’m gonna make it to the big leagues of Doom Social!”
Wally stops, looking at him puzzled but before he could ask what the hell Doom Social is; he notices the samuroid attempts to decapitate him and he moves to the right, where he ends up getting grazed on his left bicep by the katana from one of the samuroids trying to slice him, but he gets thrown against a barricade from the shockwave of the glowing blade.
“Ooooh, looks like Kid Flash needs to get back to Titans academy, he seems like he needs his mommy and daddy Flash to make him all better.” Trickster says with a taunting tone as it’s followed by the audience laughing and cheering. To which Wally grinds his teeth in response.
“You are so frickin’ annoying!” He yells out before running at the samuroid by the side, as he jumps he brings his legs up to dropkick its head, it attempts to block but with such a strong speed, the momentum causes it to zip across the ring as it uses its katana to slow what would’ve been a harsh crash into a gentle, almost perfect landing with it kneeling.
“Money well spent.” Trickster comments with a nod. Wally starts getting up as he hears a beep, he pulls out his phone to see the time on his phone.
‘Dammit, I’m already late.’
“If you’re trying to phone a friend, don’t bother. The satellites don’t allow any outside contact apart from these cameras.” Trickster says as he gestures towards the drones surrounding them. Wally only smiles before saying.
“Like I’m gonna lose to someone more pathetic than the Prankster.”
Trickster’s smile sinks into a frown. “You… are not funny.”
“You’re right, I’m not.” Wally says as he jumps back up, putting his phone back in his pocket. “What I am, however, is done with this circus act. Don’t worry though, I’ll be finishing it with an explosive finale.” He finishes as his glow from hazel green to a shiny blue light. He takes a deep breath as bolts of electricity start surrounding him as the Samuroid goes into an offensive stance, in a momentary flash of light, Wally disappears and reappears on its left, throwing a harsh left hook charged with electricity at its head.
“Strike one.” Wally says before immediately disappearing and reappearing once more behind it and hurls a charged kick at the back of its neck, it’s thrown forward, twitching even more with small sparks popping around and its mask off and revealing its weak spot. “Strike two.”
It takes a few steps back as it turns around to see him vanish once more. It stands perfectly still, waiting for its moment as it uses both hands to hold onto the katana tightly, causing the blade to glow again. Wally materializes on its right and tries again to throw another jab, but it throws a charged defensive slash, forcing Wally to step back and block the blowback with both of his arms. He takes in a breath as he tries shrugging off the gashes on the back of his wrists from the shockwave.
“Ooooh, that’s gotta hurt!” Trickster Jr comments.
“Shit!” Wally mutters. He attempts to throw a storm of punches, to which the Samuroid seems to have caught on and counters every hit with it’s blade. He attempts to throw one final strike, but it catches his final punch, grabbing his fist and using all of its energy to throw him at one of the posts. Wally hits it with a harsh smack, seemingly able to, if barely move and fighting the ability to stay conscious. He gets back up, wincing as he can feel the bruises in his back and knuckles start to immediately heal.
“Come on Kid Flash. All bark, no bite, all talk, no trick.”
Wally's eyes glow for a second before he blinks and hurls himself directly at it. The Samuroid with a perfect speed counters his hit with the end of its hilt and turns the blade to stab him in the chest.
“Oh ho wow! Looks like we got a superhero casualty first people! The Kid Flash falls to the blade of the Samuroid!” Trickster exclaims as the audience cheers. He gets in the ring clapping his hands. “Bold and Brash, I like it! Too bad though, not for me. But hey! I’m getting several sponsors for this. Guess you’ll be joining the other gu-” He stops as he gets closer, noticing the body shaking; no, not shaking, vibrating, as it disappears. The Samuroid tilts its head in confusion while the audience mumbles in confusion.
“Strike Three,” Trickster and the Samuroid turn behind them as Wally stands there, white hot glowing ball of chaotic electricity is held in his right hand. “You’re out.”
“Oh shit!” Trickster yells out as he jumps out of the way before Wally flicks his finger, releasing the energy directly at the Samuroid’s head. It tries to block it, but it’s too late as at an instant, it falls down on its knees, its head missing and chest almost split in two. He beat it. The audience begins to run out in waves, but apparently not in time as Wally begins to hear sirens close by. He takes in a deep breath as he sees Trickster Jr. freaking out.
“That-That Samuroid was a rental! Do you know how much money I’m gonna have to waste to reimburse it?!”
Wally can only roll his eyes before he grabs Trickster and ties him at one of the posts. “Hey, now you know what to do with that revenue. Now I’d hate to fight and run, but I got a date I’m late for, and I’d rather not miss it soooo.” In an instant he’s gone.
-
Linda waits at the lobby of 52 news; ‘The best channel that gives the most important news for 52 weeks a year.’ Or that’s what the motto she’s heard a thousand times says. She doubts it given recent events with her boss. She sighs as she checks the time once again.
‘6:00 pm.’ She reads off her phone.
“Come on Wally. Where the hell are yo-” As she’s muttering, she notices him running to the building. As he stops, she notices the way he’s dressed, almost like he’s prepped for a last minute dressup for the prom, bowtie and everything.
“Hey.” He says, before taking a few breaths, “Sorry I took so long, m-my alarm broke again and my roommate decided to leave early and-and.”
Linda can’t help but smile while rolling her eyes. “Well now, I think the being late-part is the least of my worries.” She points to his outfit. “You do remember we’re just going to the park, right?”
Wally looks down, finally noticing how he’s bizarrely dressed for something as mundane as the freaking park. “We-Well, I guess it’s been awhile since I last went out with someone.” He says with an awkward smile.
They both stare at each other before they start lightly laughing at how weird this first date has already started.
“Well for second dates, this one is a contender for one way to start one.”
Wally scoffs. “You’re counting our weird meetup?”
“Beats the alternative.” Linda muses.
“Which is?”
“A night of drinking with a weirdo named Wallace.”
“It’s Wally.”
“Not how I remembered it.” She counters, putting her arm around his, to which Wally winces, trying to hide the pain from the earlier fight. Linda notices, but decides that’ll be a problem to figure out later. They walk through the city.
“You’re gonna love what they’re having over there.” Wally says.
As they arrive, she spots several teens running in costumes of the Rogues while being hounded by a younger girl dressed in a Flash onesie, laughing playfully. Her eyes widen as she looks to see the full Flash festival. Full of people wearing all types of Flash memorabilia
“I… know you’re not the biggest fan of the Flash, but I thought maybe you’d be down to have a fun night if nothing else. Plus, it’d help give you a lay of what Keystone is really like.” He gets a bit more nervous as Linda stays silent. “If you want, we can just leave-”
“No!” she yelps, slightly spooking Wally. “I-I mean, I’d like to get a further look into the festival, I mean, it has been a few weeks since I’ve been here. So, where do we start?” She asks, giving him that unique look that makes Wally’s cheeks go red.
“Well, let’s start with one of my personal favorites. The Pinball Wizard machine!” He says enthusiastically as he grabs her by the hand and takes her to the blue festival tent that was an arcade which contained several machines based on several villains that were fought by speedsters she assumes.
“Now THIS is one I’ve been wanting to play again for a long long time.” Wally says with a devious smile, Linda sees the machine he’s talking about, a pinball machine that has the Flash and Green Arrow, fighting against some guy dressed in red pajamas with yellow stars and moons plattered all over him.
“This?” she asks, balking at the idea of starting their date with a pinball machine of some weirdo.
Wally doesn’t hear her though as he starts playing it, but within seconds, he immediately fails. Wally clicks his tongue in frustration before trying again, which he again fails. He tries one more time, while whispering, “Third time’s a charm.” which results in another failure. He sighs. He looks back to see Linda looking somewhat bemused by his focus on a pinball machine.
“Sorry, it’s just something that me and Ba-” He cuts himself off, clearly melancholic about something or someone. “Me and someone I knew used to do when I was younger. Even when I didn’t sucked, I never forgot having fun.”
Linda looks at him, it’s the first time she’s seen him look vulnerable, she looks back at the pinball machine before taking a deep breath. “So how does this game work then?” She asks, getting to the machine and trying to start it. She looks back to see Wally looking shocked at what she’s asked.
“I don’t…”
“Well you dragged me here for this pinball game, might as well get my shot at it no?” She says in a way that sounded like she was wanting to beat this game.
Wally doesn’t know what to say, “Um…” He tries his best to shake it off before going to her to explain the instructions. “Okay, so you need to keep the ball up and out of the bottom using the flippers, and have them hit these targets, the more you hit them, the more points you get, until you get the highest score in the game.”
Linda’s silent for a moment, taking in everything he’s said.
“Again, you don’t have to-”
“No I don’t, but I’m going to cause now I see a challenge, and I’ll be damned before I lose to something as simple as a freaking pinball machine.” She finishes, with a fierce expression that Wally hasn’t seen before, one that as far he could see could rival Batman’s from the few experiences he’s had with the guy.
As the game starts, Linda immediately gets 100 points by hitting the switches several times, which in turn bounce off the buttons. Within half a minute, she’s already pushing to 1200 points, Wally can’t believe it, she’s already got a higher score than what Barry, Iris, even Hal had. He begins to realize that he’s been truly underestimating this woman. A minute passes before the ball finally goes past the flippers and the game ends with her score being 54300 points.
“Damn, I didn’t get first place.” She sighs.
“Woah.” Wally says, astonished. “I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone who could score that on the Pinball Wizard machine.”
“Well I aim to please.” She remarks. “So what else do you have for us to do?”
Hours pass as they navigate the festival, going to a ferris wheel based on Starro, a photo stand-in of Justice League Antarctica, and a walk in the haunted House of Secrets; which they tried getting passed through as quickly as possible due to how much it freaked them both out. As they head out of the festival, grabbing their souvenirs of pictures and a Flash Fox plush. Linda is the one to finally break the calmness.
“I can’t lie, that was pretty fun.” She reflects.
“I told you you’d have a fun night. Though to be honest, I wasn’t expecting it to be this chaotic.”
She raises a brow with a smile. “This is coming from the guy dressed in a two piece suit for a carnival trip?”
Wally tries to retort, but realizes she has a point. But they stop as they hear the fireworks above them, which they look up and watch together. He almost didn’t notice Linda holding herself close to him but the pain from earlier helped to make him realize and reminded him to get some rest as soon as he gets home.
“Soooo, what’d you think?” He asks.
“As far as second dates go, I’d definitely put it in the top three. Maybe top one if I’m feeling generous tonight.”
“Well, we could just try again next week, maybe go through one of those pristine restaura-” He’s cut off by Linda kissing him on his left cheek.
“I’m just messing with you, you dork. It was fun.”
Wally suddenly can hear his heart beating very intensely, his hands getting sweaty and his cheeks going incredibly red.
Linda can only roll her eyes in response while adding, “Geez, if I knew a simple kiss like that was going to make you that nervous, I would’ve just-”
She’s cut off as well as Wally grabs her by the shoulders and plants his lips onto hers, kissing her. She’s shocked initially but starts to reciprocate as it goes on. It feels like hours could pass and nothing could stop their love. But they are cut off by the final boom of the last of the fireworks going off. As they separate, they look back at each other, both red in the face by what just happened.
“Uh-Uhm, wha-what’d you think of that?” Wally retorts, attempting to swerve the conversation.
Linda just smiles, she smiles in a way that makes him feel comfort.
“I guess I stand corrected.”
Nothing else as intense happens as Wally takes her back to the front door of the lobby of her apartment.
“So, I’ll see you soon?” He asks.
She nods. “Obviously after that, there’s no doubt. But I’m picking the place next time!” She adds before waving him goodbye and heading into her apartment. As she sets everything she got from the festival down, she turns on the tv, which shows channel 52 talking about Kid Flash fighting and taking down the Trickster Jr’s internet showdown show. As well as showing footage of Kid Flash fighting the Samuroid. She starts to think about the pain he expressed that she noticed earlier when she got close to him, as well as the mention of someone that Wally knew that presumably had passed that name had started with a B A. She decided to open her laptop and do some research.
“Who are you Wally?...”
-
Wally opens the door to his apartment; he notices the tv being on and showing the recent report of Trickster Jr’s defeat thanks to him, followed by the kitchen lights being on. He shrugs it off, assuming it to be Hartley getting a late night snack. He takes off his jacket and his clip-on bow tie before throwing them onto the arm of the couch and heading into the kitchen.
“Hey, sorry I took so long, I got a little caught up with Linda.” He says while going through the cupboard and pulling out a box of donuts. “You wouldn’t believe how good she was with the pinball machine, it was crazy.” He adds while scarfing down two donuts in less than a second.
“So that’s what’s been bothering you, huh?” An old voice responds, one that’s nothing that Hartley sounds like, but is one he recognizes. He closes the cupboard door and sees Jay, sitting at the dining table. He’s dressed in civilian garb; however his classic helmet sits on the table alongside a cup of oj, Jay’s favorite.
“Jay! W-What are you doing here?” Wally asks, slightly shocked.
“I’ve been meaning to check out how things have been back home since I had to take over Barry’s spot on the league.” Jay replies, running his index finger across the rim of his glass of oj.
Wally nods his head in affirmation. “Well, things have been normal, a few new bad guys decided to show up and be a pain, had to deal with a robbery and an evil influencer, same old same old.”
“Right. So who’s this ‘Linda’ you’ve been talking about?” Jay asks, “I assume she’s that new reporter I’ve been seeing on the news, but I’m curious to hear from you.”
“Oh, she-she’s nobody important. Ju-Just someone I met last week at Chyre’s. Well, okay, actually I-I met her after beating another Mirror Master, she gave an interview that sucked and apparently everyone else hated. But, when you get to know her she’s uh… kinda cool.” Wally’s silent for a bit, remembering the last couple hours.
“Yeah?”
“Yeah, she’s pretty cool if you ask me.”
“That… That’s good to hear.” Jay’s silent for a bit, trying to remind himself of why he’s here.
“Listen, as you know, next week’s the opening day for the opening of the Flash museum.” He stops himself, contemplating whether now was the time before he shakes it off. “I’m thinking of retiring.”
“...Wait, what? You’re retiring” Wally lets out, “Why?”
Jay looks at the ground. “Kiddo, I’m getting old, but these criminals and supervillains, they’re getting younger and stronger.” He immediately puts his hand out to reassure him. “Don’t worry though, it won’t be immediate, I’ll have to convene with the League before it’ll be finalized. But yeah, I’ll be hanging up the ol’ helmet.”
Wally blinks at his response. “B-But somebody’s gotta be the Flash…”
“I know, kid.” Jay stops as he gets up and pulls a ring from his pocket, one that he recognizes. “That’s why I wanted to give you this.”
He hands Wally the ring as he opens his palm to look at it. It’s a silver ring with the head resembling the Flash symbol. He takes off his old ring he already had and sets it on the counter before putting on the new one. He presses the button and a suit pops out, within a flash of a second, he puts it on. He looks at himself from the mirror of the dining room, dressed in crimson and mahogany red fabrics with lines of silver decorated across his suit.
“Wh-When did-” Wally stammers, stunned at the suit. “How?” He finally lets out.
“Barry made it before he… passed. It was gonna be your birthday gift, but after what happened, I knew you needed time, I just wasn’t sure when.” Jay says as he puts his hands in his pockets. “Now, I think I know.”
Wally can feel tears starting to form and fall as he’s reminded of the days when he and Barry would bicker, with him asking when he would become the Flash and being either taken off track by the fight or told that “Iris would have his head if he even considered it.” He knew he was joking, and knew he had always dreamed of it since he was a kid, and that one day he’d be ready; the question was always… When? He wipes away his tears and turns back to Jay.
“Thank you Jay, really.”
Jay smiles but blinks when he hears a beeping as he pulls his sleeve up to show his watch, which blinked as it showed an alert.
“Looks like it’s time for me to go.” He finishes the glass of oj, grabs his helmet and puts it on, of which in a blip, he transforms into his classic superhero outfit. “Take care of yourself kid, okay?”
Wally nods in affirmation as Jay zips out of the apartment. He presses the button on the ring as he transforms back into his regular clothes and puts the suit back into the ring. He hears the ringing of his phone as he pulls it up and sees a text from Linda. ‘I know the truth’ followed by ‘meet me near the river tomorrow at sundown’ and finished by ‘please don’t lie’ before she stopped texting. He tries to ask her but she doesn’t respond and just leaves him on read.
-
Wally walks through the riverside, going along the trail as he sees Linda, sitting on the roots of a tree close by, dressed in what he assumes is her casual wear. He walks up to her, not immediately noticing him before he pipes up.
“Hey.” Wally greets.
She looks up from her phone. “Hey.” she responds neutrally, almost in a manner that felt… distant to him.
“Soooo, you wanted to talk, right?” He asks, trying his best to soften any blow she tries to hurl at him.
“Yeah, let's.” She turns off her phone and puts it in her back pocket before standing up to Wally. “I know you’re Kid Flash. Now, before you ask, no I’m not telling anyone else. But you need to be honest with me.”
Wally sighs before he puts his hands up in defeat. “Alright, where do you wanna start?”
“How about the beginning?”
Wally sighs as he takes a breath. “Fair warning, it ain’t pretty.” He warns, to which Linda nods in dismissal. “Ever since I was a kid, I always loved the Flash, and I mean my mom would love to show you the amount of Flash stuff I owned-”
“Please, back to the story.” Linda cut off, trying to be patient with him.
“Right, one day, my aunt Iris introduced me to her boyfriend, Barry Allen. I thought he was a bit of a weirdo. But he seemed nice, he showed me around his lab, trying to impress me since we couldn’t go out during a thunderstorm. But during this, there was an attack at the lab involving some weirdo named Computron, who tried to get revenge on Barry, he tried to hide me, but I got out and went to get a peek. That’s when I saw him, the Flash, knocked out and looked like he was about to die. I did my best to get him off of the Flash, but he threw me onto some chemicals nearby, and as I tried to get up, I got struck by lightning.”
“A week later, I woke up finding out I had speed powers, which I tried to have some fun, grabbing snacks, running across the ocean, all the fun stuff you could think of at thirteen. But of course Barry found out and revealed to me his secret, that he was the Flash and offered me a spot as his sidekick. I was of course ecstatic, I get to fight alongside the greatest superhero ever, how could I say no?” Along the way, I met the Justice League, formed a group of likeminded kids and became the Titans, which I came up with by the way; and life was great!” Wally says as his lips tighten, reluctant to continue.
“And then?” She asks.
“And then nine months ago, Barry and I got into a fight about some dumb thing involving me not wantng to keep going. I didn’t want to keep wearing myself down, Barry wanted to help, but I was too stubborn to listen. Then he… he went on a mission with the League, and…” He closes his eyes, taking a deep breath before finishing. “He died. He… gave his life, his everything to save everyone. I wish my last talk wasn’t for something so stupid.” Wally looks at the ground, his eyes sullen and filled with remorse.
“You kept going though.”
“How could I not?” Wally adds. “The world needed Flashes more than ever. Despite everything sucking, I had to keep going.”
“So what changed?” Linda asks
Wally looks up. “You did. You make it worth it.”
Linda looks at him stunned. “You’re kidding, right?”
“Not at all, I mean… I never met anyone like you, someone who didn’t care about the Flash, but cared about me for me. Wh-Who isn’t afraid to confront anything or anyone, who brought up her boss’ ugly goatee, who overacheives at a game despite thinking it’s dumb.”
“It was dumb, but fun.” She adds.
“See that, you being you is what makes it worth it. I like you Linda Park, maybe way too much, but I like you.”
Linda looks around, trying to find the right words to say, she knew he meant it, but she needed space and time. She grabbed her purse from nearby and got ready to depart before turning.
“Give me time, I’ll-I’ll let you know when I’m ready to talk to you again. Okay?” She starts to walk out.
“The opening for the museum is on tuesday!” He yells out, causing her to stop and look back. “If you’re down to visit for an interview. Which I’d appreciate.”
She smiles and softly nods. “I’ll think about it, thank you.” before heading out.
Wally lets out a sigh and pulls his hand back up to look at the ring Jay gave him, the ring that Barry made for him, the ring that told him “He was the Flash” now.
-
Wally stands behind the curtain, dressed in his new outfit and feeling nervous despite not being in front of the cameras.
“You seem tense.” Hartley.
“Yeah, sorry.” Wally shakes off, “It’s just, I never thought a day like this would come.”
Hartley simpers in response. “Well to be fair, the plan was started six months ag-”
“Not what I meant.” Wally interrupts as he looks down and directs both hands at himself. “I mean this, I never thought it would be so soon. It’s ironic, despite everything, I don’t know what to do.”
Hartley sighs, putting his hands on his shoulder. “Don’t know if this helps much, but I’ve known you long enough to get that despite the odds being absurdly stacked against you. You’ll figure it out man, you’ve gone long enough to show me that.”
Wally looks up and smiles.
“Speaking of showing up…” He comments as he opens the curtains a smidge. “I don’t see a Linda Park. Think she’ll show up?”
“She’ll let me know, I trust her well enough to do that.” Wally starts straightening up and putting himself together as he notices the time. “But for now, now it's time.”
He walks out of the curtains onto a large crowd of people, some he recognizes like the mayor and the captain, followed by dozens of people he doesn’t recognize, like reporters and the like.
“Uh, good afternoon everyone. It-It’s been a while since I’ve faced cameras like this.” He starts with a pause, looking back at the notecard in his hand until he decides to do something different, something brash, something… like him. “I’m not a speech person, never was to be honest, probably why I never was a leader on the Titans. But what I am is someone that always wanted to be like Barry Allen, someone who always seemed like he had everything figured out and that nothing could slow him down. Which made me having to put this suit on so, so much more difficult. But one day, I realized it wasn’t, one day I realized I didn’t need to be like Barry Allen, I don’t need to be like Jay Garrick, just doing my best as me is what matters. And that’s what I’m proud to show.” He puts his hands on both sides of the podium.
“I come here not to remind everyone of Barry Allen, but of the impact the Flash meant to everyone in Keystone and in Central City. So I’m proud to be working with Rathaway Industries and the mayors of both cities to present The Flash Museum.” He finishes as everyone starts clapping and cheering. He walks off the stage, greeting both of the mayors while taking several glances at the reporters hoping to see her, but is unsuccessful.
He fails to notice Hartley giving him a side hug. “Dude that was way better than I was hoping for! Thought that up on the fly? Maybe you should do more speeches.”
“Yeah, that’s never happening.” Wally responds while laughing softly. “If you need me, I’ll be over near the superhero and sidekick statue.” He finishes as he waves off Hartley and zips past several visitors to stop at the now finished statues he saw before of him and Barry, with a plaque on the bottom reading.
“Flash and Kid Flash, The Fastest Duo to have impacted both cities.”
“A bit lame, but kinda sweet.” He hears from beside him, he turns to see Linda, dressed in her typical reporter attire.
“Hi.” He says with a slight smile.
“Hey.” Linda responds, smiling back.
“Good to see you.”
“You too.”
It’s a bit of an awkward silence for a couple moments before Wally takes in a breath. “Soooo, are we good now?”
“Yeah, I think we’re good now.” She follows it with a coy smile. “However, I think I deserve a little bit more if that’s all right with you?”
Wally raises his brow in confusion. “Liiiiiike?”
“An interview, a proper one this time. Don’t worry, I won’t be an ass this time.”
“What a shame, I kinda like that though.” He comments as they both share a laugh and walk together through the museum.
My colleague Jiri, posing in one of our industrial partner's production hall. He is almost 80 years old and I have never seen him not being in a good mood. He is a walking example of optimistic attitude and always has a funny comment ready, like: "Old age is a terrible thing. But so far it is the only method of having a long life."
Therefore, we are optimistic that Courtney Love Plastic Surgery case will be a lesson well learnt for everyone planning to have plastic surgery procedures.
Ferrari Formula One driver Sebastian Vettel of Germany sits in his car as he prepares for the second free practice session of Abu Dhabi F1 Grand Prix at the Yas Marina circuit in Abu Dhabi November 27, 2015. REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed
ABU DHABI – mainstay Ferrari driver, Sebastian Vettel,...
www.world.zorhea.com/optimistic-vettel-ferrari-can-exceed...
Image available for purchase from www.ballaratheritage.com.au
NHL citation
Sydney Harbour Bridge
Source: Go to the National Heritage List for more information.
Identifier: 105888
Location: Bradfield Hwy, Dawes Point - Milsons Point
Local
Government: North Sydney City
State: NSW
Country: Australia
Statement of
Significance: The building of the Sydney Harbour Bridge was a major event in Australia's history, representing a pivotal step in the development of modern Sydney and one of Australia’s most important cities. The bridge is significant as a symbol of the aspirations of the nation, a focus for the optimistic forecast of a better future following the Great Depression. With the construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Australia was felt to have truly joined the modern age, and the bridge was significant in fostering a sense of collective national pride in the achievement.
The Sydney Harbour Bridge was an important economic and industrial feat in Australia's history and is part of the nationally important story of the development of transport in Australia. The bridge is significant as the most costly engineering achievement in the history of modern Australia, and this was extraordinary feat given that it occurred at the severest point of the Great Depression in Australia.
The bridge is also significant for its aesthetic values. Since its opening in 1932, the Sydney Harbour Bridge has become a famous and enduring national icon, and remains Australia’s most identifiable symbol. In its harbour setting, it has been the subject for many of Australia’s foremost artists, and has inspired a rich and diverse range of images in a variety of mediums – paintings, etchings, drawings, linocuts, photographs, film, poems, posters, stained glass - from its construction phase through to the present.
The Sydney Harbour Bridge is also significant as one of the world's greatest arch bridges. Although not the longest arch span in the world, its mass and load capacity are greater than other major arch bridges, and no other bridge in Australia compares with the Sydney Harbour Bridge in its technical significance. In comparing Sydney Harbour Bridge with overseas arch bridges, Engineers Australia has drawn attention to its complexity in combining length of span with width and load carrying capacity. The construction of Sydney Harbour Bridge combined available technology with natural advantages provided by the site. The designers took advantage of the sandstone base on which Sydney was built, which enabled them to tie back the support cables during construction of the arch, and to experiment with massive structures. Although designed more than 80 years ago, the bridge has still not reached its loading capacity.
The bridge is also significant for its important association with the work of John Job Crew Bradfield, principal design engineer for the New South Wales Public Works Department, who ranks as one of Australia's greatest civil, structural and transport engineers.
Description: The Sydney Harbour Bridge includes a steel arch spanning the harbour between Milson's Point on the north side and Dawes Point on the south side, and elevated approaches to the arch from both the north and south sides.
The total length of the bridge, including the approach spans, is 1149 metres. The arch is made up of two 28-panel arch trusses set in vertical planes, 30 metres apart centre to centre, and braced together laterally; it is 57 metres deep beside the pylons and 18 metres deep in the middle of the arch (Godden Mackay, 1992: ref no 0076). It is anchored by two bearings at each end, which take the weight of the bridge and allow for expansion and contraction of the steel. Under maximum load, the thrust is approximately 20,000 tonnes on each bearing (Australian Government, Culture and Recreation Portal).
The span of the arch is 503 metres and the top of the arch is 134 metres above mean sea level. The arch is founded on sandstone rock excavated to a depth of 12 metres and filled with mass concrete. A total of 39,000 tonnes of structural steel was used in the arch, over two-thirds of it silicon steel (Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering, 2000). Two granite-faced concrete pylons, with a height of 89 metres above mean sea level, are located at each end of the arch (Australian Government, Culture and Recreation Portal).
A deck carrying road and rail traffic is suspended from the arch. Pairs of hangers, ranging in length from 7.3 metres to 58.8 metres, support cross-girders, each weighing 110 tonnes. The cross-girders support the concrete bridge deck (Nicholson, 2000: 26-27). The width of the deck is almost 49 metres and the clearance for shipping is also 49 metres. The deck currently caters for eight lanes of road traffic, two railway tracks, and two pedestrian footways.
The northern and southern approaches each contain five spans, constructed as pairs of parallel-chord, six-panel steel trusses. The spans are supported by pairs of concrete piers faced with granite (Nicholson, 2000: 10-11). The combined length of the approach spans is 646 metres.
Dawson.
Although Peterborough was beyond Goyder’s Line of 1864 indicating the limit of viable farming lands the government, grasping for land sales revenue and wanting to acquiesce to the demand for wheat farming land, allowed the Hundred of Coglin about 40 kilometres north of Peterborough to be proclaimed in 1878. Farmers and speculators moved in straight away with land sales doing very well. The town of Dawson was gazetted a few years later in June of 1881. The government town was planned on a grid pattern with 360 town blocks offered for sale. But had they waited a few months longer as the big drought of 1881 settled in the government might have been more cautions and less optimistic. But the potential farmers and business people for the town were not pessimistic. They established a thriving little town. Droughts come and go in Australia and they assumed this drought of 1881 would also pass. But this was not to be as the average rainfall of the Hundred of Coglin was too low to be a reliable area for grain growing. The so called drought persisted as the rainfall returned to its usual low average after the good years of the late 1870s ended. It was those few good seasons that had encouraged people to argue that “rain followed the plough”. This was just wishful thinking. In 1888, after ten years trying to grow wheat, some farmers around Dawson were reaping for three days to produce one bag of wheat! Then in January 1889 a thunderstorm produced floods and lakes sweeping away fences, cattle and trees. Nine inches of rain (225 mms) fell in one day. Further deluges occurred in February and in March. Hope was restored but great droughts returned in the early 1890s. Today the town is a ghost town with a handful of residents and the land is used for pastoralism, not grain growing. But it is picturesque and the dry weather has preserved its old buildings well.
Dawson soon had numerous buildings, although few now remain, and a population of over 100 residents within a few years. Among the first buildings, as in all SA towns in the 19th century, were the Dawson Hotel in 1883, a Primitive Methodist Chapel in 1882, an Anglican Church in 1883 and a Catholic Church in 1885. The government public school was built and opened in 1885 and this followed the opening of the Catholic school in 1884. By 1898 the state school had 55 pupils and early in the 20th century the average enrolment had risen to around 75 children but it declined from 1902 onwards until the final closure of the school in 1962. Along with a Post Office, a general store and a blacksmith the town was nicely established by 1887. By the 1890s it had two general stores, a butcher and a saddler and many residences. Few of these buildings now remain. Although the hotel served as a social centre for events and public meetings the town and community soon wanted an Institute or hall. This was completed in 1890. Nearby the first horse race meetings were held and the cricket ground was established. Crops were sown and yields were obtained but yields varied greatly and never reached the yields expected by the farmers and in some years nothing was reaped at all. The discovery of gold at the Mount Grainger fields in 1894 boosted optimism but not for long as nearer towns like Penn (Oodla Wirra) could provide services for the goldfield needs. By the time Australian Federation occurred in 1901 the town began to die but it clung to life until the 1970s. The town is surrounded by excellent pastoral country and farms were amalgamated into larger pastoral properties causing a drop in the total district population. Then once motor transport became common widespread in the 1950s the town died more quickly as larger service centres like Peterborough became much closer time wise.
Dawson today has few buildings. The old state school built in 1885 is now a comfortable looking residence with solar panels on its roof. The original Primitive Methodist Church of 1882 was a tin and timber building and it has gone. It was replaced with a new stone Methodist Church in 1890 that opened without plastering or a ceiling. They were added later. A solid stone water closet was built by the Methodists in 1893. It is still standing! The Methodist manse has been demolished and is gone. The outstanding Catholic Church of the Blessed Virgin of Mount Carmel is still standing on the hill but the buildings around it are all gone. The church was restored inside and out in 1925. The Catholic School founded in 1884 is believed to have only operated for a couple of years. The large and impressive Dawson Hotel from 1883 with a substantial cellar is standing in a ruined state. Although Dawson established an Institute in 1890 it was replaced with a new galvanised iron and timber structure in 1926. That is still in good condition and is still sometimes used. The sports ground is unused and dilapidated with no functioning toilets or facilities.
But how does a town become a ghost town? The example of Dawson shows the resilience and determination again the odds to maintain a township. From 1902 the school enrolment began to decline. The butcher shop closed in 1903 as did the blacksmith. By 1907 families were leaving the district and the hoped for returns from wheat farming had not eventuated. But in 1908 it is amazing to think that this town and district was blanketed in snow! Nevertheless the town continued to decline. In 1915 the local branch of the Agricultural Bureau ceased. In 1954 the government began to resume town blocks if they had never been purchased or if the owners were not traceable. In 1960 the town was officially abolished as a town. The Dawson Hotel closed in 1961 and the state school closed in 1962 followed by the general store in 1963.The tennis club abolished itself in 1963 with the football club following suit in 1965. The Methodist Church held its last service in 1964 and the last Catholic Mass was held in 1969 although the last Catholic priest to live in the town had departed as early as 1942. What a sad period this must have been for the farmers still living in the district. The only town activity which continued was the Dawson Hall Committee. In an attempt to keep something of Dawson for future generations they raised money and purchased the Methodist and Catholic churches and the ruins of the Dawson Hotel in 1981 to preserve them. Today it is doubtful that even the Dawson Hall Committee exists.
Jeune fille d'Ambuduko, île d'Orango, archipel des Bijagos, Guinée Bissau
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Young girl in Ambuduko, Orango island, Bijagos archipelago, Guinea Bissau
Yes, it's analog, not done in Photoshop. I have a bunch of manipulated Polaroids here.
'Stubbornly Optimistic Hydrangea (SX-70 manipulation)' On Black
This one head of hydrangea blossoms kept on going until late November, long after most of the bush and all the rest of the flowers had turned brown and gone to sleep for the winter. I added the rain, mostly just to compensate for the blurry shot done with not enough light. By the time I got home every afternoon, it was getting dark, so my shooting options were restricted.
Outside of the Town Hall theater on West 43rd Street in Manhattan, a crowd of smiling and optimistic people Friday overflowed into the one-way street. Delivery trucks and yellow taxi cabs creeped by, their engines engaged in a shouting match with Bennet Weiss, a man who bore a fleeting resemblance to the Democratic presidential candidate they were all there to support.
"We don't have billions of dollars! All we have are people wearing Bernie pins," Weiss yelled, a large black umbrella covered in Bernie Sanders campaign pins at his feet, catching drops of sweat from his brow. The Occupy Wall Street protester-turned-Sanders supporter urged the crowd to wear the pins at all times with no exception -- even in the shower -- and gave them away freely to anyone who said they didn't have enough cash to afford to pay the suggested donation.
That's the kind of populist support Sanders' campaign has steadily been attracting since the U.S. senator from Vermont formally announced his candidacy in late April. Friday was no exception, with passion-filled people who think Sanders has proved himself the worthy champion of causes they care about the most, such as income inequality, climate change, Wall Street reform and further healthcare reforms. But, perhaps most importantly, they also think he can win the White House.
"Absolutely" he can win, said Joe Trinolone, 30, a former finance industry worker from Long Island, New York, who is studying mathematics at St. Joseph's University. "I mean, he's winning right now."
Sanders, during a fundraising speech Friday, ticked through the policies he cares about and areas of change he wants to see in Washington should he become president. At each turn, his blend of outrage, optimism and sly sarcasm brought raucous cheers from the crowd of 1,100. He rejected recent Wall Street Journal criticism of the high price tag of his proposals, including making public colleges and universities free, lowering so-called real unemployment by pumping funding into infrastructure repairs for the nation’s roads and bridges and implementing a universal healthcare system.
Instead, he pointed to European nations that already have those programs. He implored the crowd to think about what many of them were already talking about: that taking on the big-money interests in the United States that impede those sorts of policy changes is a shared moral obligation.
“Welcome to the revolution,” Sanders said, describing what he believes must happen to American politics. “We can accomplish all of this and more.” And the crowd ate it up.
When asked why they support Sanders, many described his candidacy as a movement. They love his policies, and have a hard time thinking of much they don’t like about him. They especially like that he has been a consistent voice during his time in Washington. That’s a big perceived difference between Sanders and his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton. Those "feeling the Bern" were split on whether they would consider voting for her if she becomes the nominee. Many were newcomers to political action but felt compelled to join the fray when they heard Sanders and his message.
“I’ve never been excited about a politician my entire life,” said Meira Marom, 34, a Brooklyn third-grade teacher with a master's degree in creative writing. When Marom started seeing social media posts about Sanders and reading about him, she decided to stop focusing her personal time on writing for herself. She now writes and publishes something about Sanders every day -- Dr. Seuss themes every Sunday, poems and parodies. “I decided this is the most worthy cause to put my rhymes to use.”
Sanders has seen an unexpected rise in the polls since he joined the race for the Democratic nomination shortly after the current national front-runner Clinton announced her candidacy. While Sanders was trailing Clinton by 21.4 percent in national averages of polls compiled by Real Clear Politics, a look at early nominating states like Iowa and New Hampshire paints a different picture of vulnerability for Clinton and strength for Sanders.
The two candidates are tied in Iowa, which constitutes a dramatic drop for Clinton and an impressive surge for Sanders, who has been distancing himself from Clinton in New Hampshire at the top of the Democratic pack since Aug. 25, when he jumped past her in the state for the first time. He currently leads there by 10.5 points.
The candidates are noticeably different in many ways, from policy prescription to fundraising strategy.
Clinton has moved leftward since announcing her candidacy, but she is still threatened by the populist appeal of Sanders, who has long championed the causes that seem to be coming into grace for the Democratic Party. While the candidates currently hold some very similar positions on issues such as immigration reform, gay rights, gun control and campaign finance reform, Sanders has been able to stake out positions to the left of Clinton on other issues that excite some vocal voters.
Among them are his strong anti-war and anti-government surveillance positions as well as his distaste for President Barack Obama's Trans Pacific Partnership trade deal. Sanders also has been a vocal critic of Wall Street and champion of financial reforms, and his stance on those issues has drawn attention to Clinton's cozy relationship with Wall Street executives and the huge paychecks she has received for speeches to large banks since leaving the U.S. State Department. For some Sanders supporters, though, the perception that Sanders has been a consistent proponent of these liberal policies, and cares about them more than winning, is key.
“It’s the message that supporting Bernie Sanders is not just voting on a horse in the race” that attracts Brian Dillon, a 28-year-old self-employed Web designer and developer for e-commerce, said Friday. Dillon has voted just one time in his life, but he has been organizing meetings to drum up support for Sanders.
Sanders's fundraising portfolio also is the reverse of Clinton's. While the former secretary of state is expected to spend somewhere north of $1 billion should she win the primary and head into the general election for 2016, the same has not been said of Sanders. Currently, Clinton has raised, through her campaign committee and super PACs associated with the campaign, $47.5 million, according to data from the Center for Responsive Politics. Sanders, on the other hand, has raised just shy of $16.5 million, according to CRP data.
Their most startling difference in fundraising, however, can be seen in the size of the donations they're receiving. The Clinton campaign received 82 percent of its donations from large contributors, and her top industry donors, not including retired people, so far have been lawyers, business services and the financial industry.
In contrast, Sanders relies much more on small donations, which are defined as donations totaling $200 or less. So far, 69 percent of his contributions have come from small donors, and the biggest industries that have given to his campaign have been from the education, legal and healthcare sectors.
Who are those small donors? The types of people who showed up Friday. Some said they donate $25 to $30 a month to Sanders. Some said they have donated several hundred dollars since he jumped into the presidential race. Nearly all of them mentioned they don't earn a ton of money personally. One in particular, Machumu Sakulira, said he donated $500 before attending Friday’s event.
There is “no way” he would support a Clinton ticket, said Sakulira, a 31-year-old senior political science student at the University at Buffalo. He got on a bus Thursday night at 11 p.m. and arrived in New York at 7 a.m. for the Sanders speech. He said he was going back Friday night. “Bernie represents my interest. My vote is a moral choice, I don’t give it to somebody who doesn’t deserve it.”
www.ibtimes.com/election-2016-bernie-sanders-nyc-fundrais...