Stand Up Against Martial Law

Washington Square Park is undergoing renovations right now with the center of the park behind a chain link fence while they move the fountain to be in line with the arch and bring it up to street level. The biggest change to the finished park will be a four-foot-high fence that will be locked at night.

I don't see how any of this amounts to corporate rape or martial law. Lots of city properties are closed at night. We don't live in a police state merely because they close the libraries at night.

Parade Without A Permit

The Radical Homosexual Agenda has a problem with the city's parade permit rules. You can read all about their issues with City Council Speaker Christine Quinn and New York's Finest on their website, but the gist of it is that they don't like it that The Man decides who gets to march and who doesn't.

With a name like The Radical Homosexual Agenda you're just begging to have your permit denied.

Squatter Films

I think of squatters as part of gentrification. They're a subset of the artsy types who transform a bad neighborhood into prime real estate. Squatters see it differently judging from the hyperbolic "gentrification is genocide" claim on this flyer.

It also states "Squatting is about taking back life, taking back the land in the interest of justice, equality, peace and love between neighbors..." I disagree. Squatting is about economics, wanting to live in NYC and not wanting to pay a high rent.

Boycot Saigon Grill

The move to boycot the Saigon Grill has been going on for several weeks and I can hear the chanting of the protesters all the way from my apartment. This Saturday they were especially loud so I went around the corner to investigate.

The New York Times ran an article about the boycot on April 15th. That and the beautiful spring weather brought out a gaggle of casual protesters, mostly college students. Also in attendance were a video crew and some of New York's Finest.


This is the flyer that the protesters have been handing out. The deliverymen claim that they are being paid below minimum wage and are otherwise mistreated by the restaurant. I'll believe every one of their claims and for that reason I have joined the boycot of Saigon Grill. Also, the first time I ate there I got diarrhea.