New York March NYC Meet-Up

thambar said:
There are other parallels from the 1920s to the present. First, the decade began with a very sharp, nasty recession (almost a depression) that didn't lift for a few years. Some industries, such as agriculture, never really recovered in proportion to the rest of the country. Second, underinvestment in national infrastructure began to show its limitations, such as the lack of flood control measures leading to the preventable devastation of the Mississippi flood of 1927. Third is rapid technological changes, most notably in automobiles and communications. The auto industry was exploding, creating the modern car commuter suburbs, car travel vacations, paved ("improved") roads, etc. The auto industry also was beginning to consolidate, with 1925 as the last year the independents (not Ford-GM-Chrysler) in aggregate made money. Communications were undergoing rapid changes as well, with the widespread adoption of radio, sound movies and electronic recording. There was a counter-reaction of rapid change in the form of racism and nationalism: membership in the KKK peaked in 1925, the immigration act of 1924 effectively shut down almost all immigration from southern and eastern Europe, and the nation turned its back on world affairs (expect where there was a direct economic interest of US companies.) Urbanization continued to expand (in the 1920 census the urban population exceeded rural for the first time) and with it the material demands for urban life (such as appliances) purchased largely on a vast expansion of credit (called "buying on time" in that era.) Product distribution also changed with the growth of chain stores, which had vastly greater buying power than local merchants. Sears opened its first retail store in 1925, and within a decade sold more merchandise at retail than mail order. Business consolidations increased, in spite of anti-trust concerns. By the end of the decade the economy had grown, and most had recovered from the recession ten years earlier, but it was a fragile recovery, uneven, untenable, and artificially buoyed by a loose money policy at the Fed.
Click to expand...

Jim,

Thanks for the added history and parallels.

Sadly we live in interesting times.

What I takeaway from all this is a certain amount of personal responsibility and creation of self reliance because of the failure of governments and a failed economy.

In a sense I was highly mobile, accumulated wealth to build security, and am now building a bunker/heaven of sorts that will become a safe sustainable space for me and "Maggie."

Meanwhile the world around me is a pretty complete mess that is fraught with chaos and turmoil.

Having a back-backyard (40x100 second building lot) means I can grow enough food if I have to. My baby-victorian is really a small (tiny) house with less than 1500 square feet of living space. Consider that it is 4 bedroom with two full baths you have to know that all the rooms are smallish (tiny).

It bothers me seeing all the people left behind, the hunger, and the suffering of others.

On Halloween I discovered this brownstone on Lexington Avenue below 96th Street that used PVC pipe as a chute to deliver candy to kids trick or treating. The second floor stoop landing was utilized to keep social distancing from the sidewalk in a mighty clever manner.

I went back to document this brownstone after shooting some promotion for Maggie. On the way I met this kinda scary black biker I had engaged with in the past, but this time I got to know him. His name is "Hollywood" and he is a professional body guard. I got a few shots of him. Like I said a scary guy. Hollywood is the kinda guy who could squeeze of my head like a pimple.

Then I ran into this tall black woman who was elaborately dressed as "The Queen of Hearts." To be honest even though she was with her perhaps 5-6 year old daughter, she was smoking hot. So I started shooting her and her daughter as a family and then concentrated on this sexy woman in costume.

I was shooting my SL2 with the APO 35 Cron wide open at F2.0. At this setting the lens seems to be the sharpest, and along with this is an isolation of subject from background that displays mucho smoothness.

So in the last shot that was nearly a full head to toe vertical shot, when I zoomed in on her face while chimping the SL2 it was only then did I take notice of a scar that started from her left eye that curved like a stream as if eroded by a tear.

What a compelling and interesting photograph. Even though disfigured, she was still a beautiful woman. Something about her expression spoke of dignity.

On top of this is a compelling expression that somehow captures the sadness, the tragedy , and the history that is occurring.

I feel I only was able to capture the moment because the speed of the SL2 and autofocus. The APO 35 Cron is mucho speedy.

Cal
 
thambar said:
There are other parallels from the 1920s to the present. First, the decade began with a very sharp, nasty recession (almost a depression) that didn't lift for a few years. Some industries, such as agriculture, never really recovered in proportion to the rest of the country. Second, underinvestment in national infrastructure began to show its limitations, such as the lack of flood control measures leading to the preventable devastation of the Mississippi flood of 1927. Third is rapid technological changes, most notably in automobiles and communications. The auto industry was exploding, creating the modern car commuter suburbs, car travel vacations, paved ("improved") roads, etc. The auto industry also was beginning to consolidate, with 1925 as the last year the independents (not Ford-GM-Chrysler) in aggregate made money. Communications were undergoing rapid changes as well, with the widespread adoption of radio, sound movies and electronic recording. There was a counter-reaction of rapid change in the form of racism and nationalism: membership in the KKK peaked in 1925, the immigration act of 1924 effectively shut down almost all immigration from southern and eastern Europe, and the nation turned its back on world affairs (expect where there was a direct economic interest of US companies.) Urbanization continued to expand (in the 1920 census the urban population exceeded rural for the first time) and with it the material demands for urban life (such as appliances) purchased largely on a vast expansion of credit (called "buying on time" in that era.) Product distribution also changed with the growth of chain stores, which had vastly greater buying power than local merchants. Sears opened its first retail store in 1925, and within a decade sold more merchandise at retail than mail order. Business consolidations increased, in spite of anti-trust concerns. By the end of the decade the economy had grown, and most had recovered from the recession ten years earlier, but it was a fragile recovery, uneven, untenable, and artificially buoyed by a loose money policy at the Fed.
Click to expand...

Jim,

To add to your narrative consider that my father jumped ship in New York Harbor and was an illiterate illegal immigrant from China during the end of the twenties.

The Chinese Exclusion laws from 1885 were still in effect, so the harsh immigration policies to keep racial purity has an even longer history that was fraught with violence and lynchings.

The Chinese in the U.S. were expected to die out, and the lack of Chinese women along with enforcement of laws meant that Chinatown was basically a bachelor community.

The laws were written as if the Chinese were enemies. This changed in WWII when the Japanese were committing war crimes and genocide in China.

It was in 1943 that my father was allowed by some loophole in the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1885 to become an American citizen, only because he served in the U.S. Army during WWII.

Know that only 1428 Chinese were allowed to become Americans using this loophole. By 1952 the Chinese again were consider as "The Enemy" due to the Korean War.

In the 1960 U.S. Census, there were less than 238K Asians in the U.S., and about half of them were ethnically Chinese. I was born in 1958, so I was counted as one of those 238K Asians.

Because of the Vietnam War I kinda grew up looking like the enemy. The first thing I learned in kindergarden was how to fight, and by third grade I was good at it.

Now that I'm so close to retiring, I think of how I got to where I am. Not that I'm Brad Pitt, but I believe my good looks help considerably, but because of mostly my art background as a performance artist I became successful. I played the role that I was allowed to succeed in.

I knew that gatekeepers would exclude me and make it difficult to succeed in the arts, and the struggle would have been fraught with difficulties and despair.

At this point I can say I did the right thing by not pursuing an art career and having a "day-job," then again I sold myself, but I do not think I sold myself short.

Cal
 
I received a report from my friend and co-worker that Midtown Manhattan has bordered up stores in anticipation of riots.

She warned me that because of safety concerns she might not be able to come to work Wednesday after the election.

She showed me how entire blocks are bordered up near Herald Square/Macy's.

I know from the past having been swept up in a riot in the seventies how out of control both police and protesters can be.

Ever heard the sound of nightsticks resonating like tuning forks as they reverberate off someone's skull? I never want to hear that again.

Be very careful and mindful of all the possibilities.

Cal
 
Calzone said:
I received a report from my friend and co-worker that Midtown Manhattan has bordered up stores in anticipation of riots.

She warned me that because of safety concerns she might not be able to come to work Wednesday after the election.

She showed me how entire blocks are bordered up near Herald Square/Macy's.

I know from the past having been swept up in a riot in the seventies how out of control both police and protesters can be.

Ever heard the sound of nightsticks resonating like tuning forks as they reverberate off someone's skull? I never want to hear that again.

Be very careful and mindful of all the possibilities.

Cal
Click to expand...

I would trade NYC for living in Philadelphia!
Stay safe, all.

Phil Forrest
 
Calzone said:
Phil,

Philly is a hot mess.

Very sad.

Be safe.

Cal
Click to expand...

A week ago we had the police shooting of a mentally ill man who needed a counselor, not a cop. We had three days of riots after that, two nights with curfews 9p-6a. We had gunshots on my block three days in a row and we live miles from west Philly, where the police action happened monday night. The city is not quite a powder keg, but it's not far. The PA national guard is fully deployed all over center city and in other parts; they'll be here through the election, supposedly. Personally, I despise the use of armed militia because of their lack of training and often, lack of experience. Yeah, yeah, many have served in active duty so have experience in combat zones, but that isn't necessarily a strength, especially in this culture, and in the culture of the military where it is still considered weakness to ask for help with emotional issues, PTSD, alcoholism, addiction. So there exists the simultaneous state of inexperienced enlisted NG, who may go to flipping the safety off of their M4 and firing, while also serving under NCOs with combat experience, who could possibly have untreated PTSD which may take over in a stressful situation, also leading to flipping that safety off and bringing the carbine to bear. I know, I've reached for a weapon that wasn't there in years past before I had worked on my PTSD, this in a situation that did NOT necessitate a weapon. This scenario is only a possibility of what could happen, certainly not a foregone conclusion, if cooler heads prevail. If someone gets shot in a crowd though, this city is going to explode and we're heading out, if we can manage.
It's a dangerous situation in a dangerous time. Good luck to you all.

Phil Forrest
 
JMQ said:
Cal, did you close on your Peekskill house on Friday?
Click to expand...

Jean-Marc,

I still don't have a closing date. The seller is all packed up and ready to relocate to Arizona.

We are close to being all packed up ourselves.

I think the Covid lockdown was a good test about compatibility. Many couples broke-up or got divorced, but Maggie and I did alright. Staying home 24/7 was a bit of a trial by fire for most. Imagine how this was compounded by two people living in a cramped 650 square foot apartment.

Not only did retirement accelerate, my plans for building out our homestead also got accelerated. No shortage or bottleneck due to lack of funds.

Ends up I pay less taxes by avoiding the RMD (Required Minimum Distribution) on my 403B and payng the tax on tax differed monies before I collect Social Security at age 70.

This also effects Medicare Part "B" premiums also.

I have between the age of 64 and 70, six tax years, to transfer all my 403B funds into a Roth IRA and paying taxes within that envelope. Believe it or not my pensions and Social Security alone places me in a high income bracket, and even though I'll be collecting my two pensions at age 65 my income will be the lowest, so to take advantage of lower tax brackets it makes sense to exploit the sich-E-A-tion.

Priority is remodeling the small 13x14 kitchen, then a rear deck with a Pergola to provide shade for my albino gal. I'm sure there will be mucho-mucho gardening.

The more extensive remodeling will begin with the garage: replacing the "hip" roof with a taller pitched roof so I can have a storage loft and vaulted ceilings; a $4.5K-$5K insulated 16 foot garage door; and know that the new roof will be extended to build out an English "Conservatory" on the south side of the garage being built out as my studio.

Then the darkroom and my sound proof room for all my music gear.

Because I'm such a CF my AGI will be higher than what it is now. In a ways I have been living in austerity and on a fixed income for a long time.

Somehow I became wealthy by living below my means for decades. Now is the payoff. My only worry is basically politics and the likely impact of inflation. Not sure stability outside of my homestead/household is so secure when disparity, anger and suffering abounds.

I have till November 17th to close to keep my record low locked rate.

This house will increase in value considerably. I believe its location could not be better and the location is kinda not only perfect, but stategic.

Cal
 
Phil_F_NM said:
A week ago we had the police shooting of a mentally ill man who needed a counselor, not a cop. We had three days of riots after that, two nights with curfews 9p-6a. We had gunshots on my block three days in a row and we live miles from west Philly, where the police action happened monday night. The city is not quite a powder keg, but it's not far. The PA national guard is fully deployed all over center city and in other parts; they'll be here through the election, supposedly. Personally, I despise the use of armed militia because of their lack of training and often, lack of experience. Yeah, yeah, many have served in active duty so have experience in combat zones, but that isn't necessarily a strength, especially in this culture, and in the culture of the military where it is still considered weakness to ask for help with emotional issues, PTSD, alcoholism, addiction. So there exists the simultaneous state of inexperienced enlisted NG, who may go to flipping the safety off of their M4 and firing, while also serving under NCOs with combat experience, who could possibly have untreated PTSD which may take over in a stressful situation, also leading to flipping that safety off and bringing the carbine to bear. I know, I've reached for a weapon that wasn't there in years past before I had worked on my PTSD, this in a situation that did NOT necessitate a weapon. This scenario is only a possibility of what could happen, certainly not a foregone conclusion, if cooler heads prevail. If someone gets shot in a crowd though, this city is going to explode and we're heading out, if we can manage.
It's a dangerous situation in a dangerous time. Good luck to you all.

Phil Forrest
Click to expand...

Phil,

I say I recovered from PTSD. I am not a Vet but I know mucho violence and hand to hand combat growing up. Took decades for this to fade.

Pretty much only a little more than two decades ago I was like a grenade that could explode at any time.

My little brother, who is only a year and a half younger, contacted me after not having any contact for perhaps 15-20 years. I asked him directly in a matter of fact manner, "Did you kill anyone yet?"

He knew exactly where I was coming from, and he said, "I haven't killed anyone yet."

I remember in my early 30's, when I was in a large shopping mall, I heard a baby cry. A flashback is not at all like depicted in the movies. I could feel myself re-experiencing fear on a level where I ceased being human and was becoming just an animal, but I caught myself and headed out into the parking lot to be alone.

Outside I broke down and cried. I still don't know why a baby's cry made me re-experience an event I don't remember. The fear was real.

I have an evil startil reflex.

Over twenty years ago when we lived in Greenpoint the house was carpeted. "Maggie" would have to announce, "I'm coming into the room, so don't kill me." I would be unaware of her presence, and this was very dangerous. My behavior was really consistent.

It was at a point where Maggie said when we have our own house we can't have carpets.

In Queens I laid out laid out a teenager who approached me from behind. He just wanted to know if this side of the tracks was heading towards Manhattan.

I'm much better now, but like I said it took many decades.

To help others understand I will mention some thing that happened. My little brother was perhaps 11-12 years old, and he had a scab on the bridge of his nose right in-between his eyes.

I asked him what happened, and he mentioned that it was caused from a cigarette that was thrown from a car while he was riding his bicycle.

"Oh just an accident," I said.

"No, it was done on purpose," he said. The occupants of the car were all laughing my little brother reported.

What if my brother was blinded? How funny is that? How do I contain the rage and all that stored anger?

Not so sure white people can comprehend the level of racial hatred. Is violence or killing justifiable even when self defense? What about living in constant danger?

In Boston I saw a black man by the museum of modern art. I took notice of how he was afraid and hypervigilent. I could tell that he was afraid because he was in a place where he was not only alone, but also a place where he did not belong.

So basically there is a point where one gets full of fear, rage and anger, and one way or an other it eventually gets processed. There is a human limit of sorts.

I can also say that somehow I am a survivor of PTSD. At this point I say it is not really a problem like it once was. Seemed like I was programmed to respond like an animal and not a human.

Cal
 
Cal, congrats on your financial security. It's an enviable position to be in. At 62+, you are still a few years away from Medicare, and if you are lucky in enough to have your work cover your health care, then. you are truly golden. COBRA is very expensive (I am covered by COBRA right now), and who knows what the right wing US Supreme Court will do to the ACA.
 
JMQ said:
Cal, congrats on your financial security. It's an enviable position to be in. At 62+, you are still a few years away from Medicare, and if you are lucky in enough to have your work cover your health care, then. you are truly golden. COBRA is very expensive (I am covered by COBRA right now), and who knows what the right wing US Supreme Court will do to the ACA.
Click to expand...

Jean-Marc,

You are correct that health care coverage is mucho expensive. I have heard that in the past health care as a bridge is part of the package.

If not I have a plan "B." I have a HSA (Health Spending Account) that has enough tax-differed funds to cover the a years worth of healthcare. In New York the average cost seems to be around $8K a year.

I believe the best asset to have in retirement though is good health. I hear from doctors that anyone over 50-55 that is free from any underlying health condition and not on any meds is really remarkable.

Basically this is dogging the bullet.

Cal
 
Ran into my new friend "Hollywood" yesterday. Learned that he has been shot three times, but all three times he ended up taking the shooter down. Like I said, "A scary guy." Like shooting a bear, you just made a dangerous animal madder.

I also learned that he just turned 50.

I'm reminded of my friend "Oscar" I got to know when I lived on the Southside of Williamsburg before it was conquered by hipsters. Oscar had been shot a total of 5 times. He reported that half the people he grew up with are now dead.

It was Oscar that told me of the tractor trailer truck jacking that happened off the Meeker Avenue exit of the BQE, and how a team would cut off the locks and form a human conveyor belt to empty the cargo.

On South Second Avenue, right in front of the Firehouse, basically drugs were kinda legalized. The Police policy at that time was to contain the drug dealing and restrict it to one area. This same policy was depicted in the HBO series "The Wire." In The Wire they called it "Hamsterdam," but in South Williamsburg it was a poor Latino community.

Separately I knew of this policy because Alley Pond Park's upper parking lot in Queens was like a huge legalized drug flea market, and at the base of the one-way in one-way out one had to pass a cop car with cops monitoring the area just to make sure the drug trade was restricted and contained.

Separately I met this guy who grew up in Greenpoint and had returned for a visit who was a budding writer who wrote a historical book about Greenpoint and Williamsburg in the 80's. Pretty much a fore-SAY-Can area that was left for dead where the Aids epidemic or drugs killed about half the young population.

Separately I met this truck driver who not only grew up in Greenpoint, but also still lives there. In the Vietnam War he enlisted into the Marines. I enquired why he did that, and he explained that here in Greenpoint there were no opportunities and joining the Marines was just something to do. He was assigned to a tank.

Interesting POV, but you see the thyme here of a culture of young people who didn't believe they had a future, but somehow survived.

Anyways it seems like I have this affiliation of meeting others that are survivors that otherwise should be or could have been among the dead.

Actually I never thought I would live this long, and I believed I would be a "short-timer" who would die young. Kinda Darwinian how many die, and yet some survive.

Had one hell of a life that was fraught yet interesting. Today's Election Day reminds me that I know affluence, privalage, and entitlement, as well as poverty, despair, and deprevity.

Today's events will decide history I am sure.

So far there is a possibility of a closing date being firmed up for this Friday. If you don't hear from me for a while know that I still have to do the walk through, the closing and move.

Cal
 
So it seems like it is all up to the lawyers, the seller, and the real estate agents to firm up the closing date which suppose to be maybe this Friday.

Also the seller seems to have suffered a concussion. So far this goes unexplained...

Also sometime before the closing we have to schedule a walk through.

I would be pleased if I can notify my employer in a timely manor that I need some scheduled time off, but still all the dates are in the air.

Still last night I had the best sleep that I have had in a month.

Only 14 months more of working, and of course I'll utilize mucho vacation time to help make this pass fast. Lots of home improvement and no shortage of funds.

Peekskill is situated where there is a "bay" in the Hudson River. West Point which is a bit of a fortress is just across the river. There is a Creek on the northern border of the town and Dickey Brook and Blue Mountain Preserve on the southern edge of town.

So being a river-town is kinda strategic, but then again it seems like destine to be a major art center where food, the arts, and the music scene is already well developed. The diversity and mixed incomes also presents a richness, because it is not an enclave for the wealthy nor lily white.

I'm thankful that Beacon did not work out for us. Peekskill is much better.

Cal
 
Austintatious said:
Just need to light a FIRE under all those "professionals" and GET 'ER DONE !
:D
Click to expand...

A,

My real estate agent has been the pit-bull here.

The market is very busy, but amateur hour has been part of the experience. Not all these professionals have been professional.

One big bank was a joke. It was like going to dental school, because I learned to pull teeth. I gave up on the big banks. They don't want to deal with small fry.

From what I read, the big banks gave all the service to the big corporations and made mucho and record amounts of money. Did you see Goldman Sach's last earnings report?

Then the medium and small businesses got left out high and dry.

My experience has been that the banks and mortgage lenders make more money doing refinancing than home purchases. Just look at the rates and it says it all. (ReFi's have a higher rate, therefore banks and mortgage companies make more on ReFi's.)

Capitalism at its best I say; Greed over fairness; Pee on the lower and middle class whenever you can; They don't matter goes unsaid.

Cal
 
You are spot on my friend! I do not trust realtors or bankers at all. For a very enlightened overview of our banking system and how it came to be, I can recommend a book for you.

https://www.amazon.com/Creature-Jekyll-Island-Federal-Reserve-ebook/dp/B00ARFNQ54

Most people have no idea that the Federal Reserve is a privately held company and NOT a part of our government. They control much of our way of life in this country. Check it out.
 
I was on my walk home yesterday, "just minding my own business," when on 81st Street near 1st Avenue I see a 54 year old, 1966, "Blackface" Fender Pro Reverb Amp on the curb being thrown out with the other trash from a highrise apartment building.

I scooped it up, walked to 1st Avenue, hailed a cab, and $15.00 later I was at my apartment with my "new" amp.

This amp was only made between 1965 and 1967, and on EBAY the price range is between $2K and $3K with a few priced close to $2.5K.

This is the good; the bad is that it is missing the two 12 inch speakers (this is a 40 watt tube amp with reverb and vibrato), a two amp fuse is missing, one chassis screw is not original, one tube shield is missing, and the speaker baffle has been modified (hacked).

Other good when I dug in and did my forensics is that the amp has a complete set of NOS tubes, the circuit is like a time capsule and is factory original with no repairs or mods, and it seems a leaky power supply electrolytic cap shorted and that is why the fuse is missing. Also the two button foot switch is missing, but I can buy a new one that is vintage correct for $39.99.

So this amp can easily be repaired and then restored. It is not as clean as the $3K amp on EBAY, but the $2k amp is not so original and I see it has non vintage speakers. My guess is my amp when repaired and set up will be like a $2.5K amp.

I have a pair of vintage C12Q's available, and if I wanted I even have a pair of Altec Lansing 417's if I want to use Carlos Santana's one time favorite speaker, but these MoFo's a mucho heavy. I was saving them for a Blackface Fender Twin that is 80 watts. The Blackface Pro Reverb is only 40 watts.

I can buy a repo speaker baffle for $83.00. So for about $200.00 in parts plus my labor I basically found $2.5K being thrown out in Madhattan. I might mod the amp by creating a new 2x10 baffle. All I need is 4 ohms impedance. It would also be kinda unique and interesting as a conversation piece. Not everyone finds thousands of dollars being thrown out.

I am a lucky bitch. LOL. I am sure this will annoy some of my Guitard friends. "You suck," they will say. Why do they love me? LOL.

Also I know that my super-stish-ions annoy Pro-Mone, especially numerology. Today's Mega and Powerball jackpots create a "3" so I decided to play 2-2 and 2 dollars on the Lotto, Powerball and Mega.

Would be really annoying if I won. How annoying would that be. LOL.

Cal
 
Nokton48 said:
Morning Cal. Sending you a little incentive LOL

Reno continues 1 by Nokton48, on Flickr

Reno continues 2 by Nokton48, on Flickr

Reno continues 3 by Nokton48, on Flickr
Click to expand...

Dan,

It looks like you have 8 foot ceilings. Is this true? If so you are a lucky dog.

I believe my ceilings are not so tall.

The mortgage got finalized finally. Now it is up to the lawyers to make a closing date.

I find it interesting how similar we are. How great is it to have a brook beyond our back yards and to have state land nearby for privacy.

My only worries is that wild turkeys move in. I will probably have to deal with deer.

My basement though is a dry one. No sump pump. The brook is about twenty feet below.

Happy-happy. Looking forward to moving into my baby-Victorian.

Augie
 
http://ampwares.com/amplifiers/fender-blackface-pro-reverb/

Cal

POSTSCRIPT: Call me a Drama Queen but I imagine some kid returning from college and asking his parents whatever happened to that old guitar amp he had in his room. Not that I'm a terrorist, but I imagine if the truth is told that Junior won't be too happy. I suspect he saved this amp because he knew one day he would get to restoring it and must of know how rare and valuable it was.

Augie
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top