The Lounge Takes A Long Rest

The Lounge Takes A Long Rest
Originally uploaded by Runs With Scissors.

Having lived in New York City my whole life I've seen this scene many times; a neighborhood of great distinction is renovated and done completely over to the point where it is no longer recognizable. I've seen this happen on the Lower East Side and in Williamsburg where I just moved from.

Seeing how 'Brooklyn' has become the hot commodity, I'm fearful of what will happen precious Crown Heights.

Okay

Okay
Originally uploaded by Runs With Scissors.

The door was closed and I wondered about the empty beer bottle on the steps.

RESCUE 2

RESCUE 2
Originally uploaded by Runs With Scissors.

I'm not sure how many Rescue Units the FDNY has, but I'm sure glad they're around. These Rescue squads respond to fires in a large truck filled with gear that helps them tear through burning debris in order to locate and rescue people. That's right, they show up to go into fires not to put them out, but to go into them with an axe instead of a hose to save people.

Monday marks the fifth anniversary of the World Trade Center collapse. Nearly 400 New York City fire fighters lost their lives in collapse.

While the City's firemen have somehow been morphed into national heroes, I think it's important to put things into a more sober perspective.

The firemen who were called to the World Trade Center on Spetember 11, 2001 were responding to a fire alarm. Hundreds of firemen climbed the stairs of the two towers to put out a fire and rescue people along the way.

Their efforts along with many police officers, FDNY Paramedics, teachers who had to escort their children from schools at the foot of the WTC are testiment to the professionalism of New York City's municipal workers.

The point is that it didn't have to be a terrorist attack that day - - a fire is a fire and people will do what they have to to save lives. There's little need for flag-waving.

"Why do you take pictures?"

"Why do you take pictures?"
Originally uploaded by Runs With Scissors.

Got to love this:

A few hours after telling friends that I want to get right to taking pictures of my new neighbors this kid approaches me as I'm exiting the subway in my neighborhood.

This kid out of no where says to me, "Hey, why you take pictures?" pointing at my camera.

"Because that's what I do - - it's for fun."

As we're walking along him and his friend ask me to take pictures of completely random things; a pile of trash and a wall of very nondescript graffiti. I tell them that the wall they picked out is ugly.

"You don't like graff?"

"No, I like graff, but it's got to be good."

They then break out with their sketch books.