New York

The Green Report: Flippers, Fines & Fashion

Friday, February 20th, 2009

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In the News: Plane Crash in New York Felt Nationwide

Friday, February 13th, 2009

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Is it just me? Or does it seem like there have been way too many plane crashes lately? First, we had the plane go down into the Hudson River about a month ago. And now, we have a plane (that departed from Newark) crash into a Buffalo, New York neighborhood. Strangely, both of these flights originated in the New York metropolitan area. Should we be concerned about traveling in and out of the Big Apple?  The official report is that a Continental Airlines commuter plane (flight 3407 leaving Newark, NJ bound for Buffalo, NY) carrying 49 passengers crashed into a suburban Buffalo house late Thursday. The crash killed everyone on board and one person inside the home. However, the mother and daughter who lived in the house made it out safely and were treated at a local hospital for minor injuries. The National Transportation Safety Board has collected the data recorders and cockpit voice equipment to search for clues as to the reason for the crash.

The details about the crash victims are just starting to come in. There was a senior adviser for the Human Rights Watch— Africa Division, Alison Des Forges; a widow of a 9/11 victim, Beverly Eckhert; and a cantor, Susan Wehle, were killed in this crash. These passengers along with the others on this flight will not be forgotten.

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“It’s hard to make sense of it today, but God hasn’t left us,” New York Gov. David Paterson said at a news conference, expressing hope that people could find comfort in the few stories of survival — or luck — in the crash.

Being Charlie Kaufman, and Caden Cotard, and you, and me…

Monday, October 27th, 2008

An exterior wall at the Montalban Theater seems fitting for a movie about everyone.

Charlie Kaufman wasn’t at the reception for his new film, Synecdoche, New York, on Tuesday night. Instead, actor Tom Noonan, one of the stars of the film, stepped in.

Noonan appeared on stage with producer Spike Jonze to present the film, both men backlit by a projected green screen in the posh, but acoustically challenged, Montalban Theater in Hollywood. Noonan, who has won acclaim (and awards) for screenplays and films of his own but who has stuck in my mind mostly for his comedic portrayal of Frankenstein in the 1987 flick The Monster Squad, towered over the producer.

“Charlie Kaufman can’t make it tonight,” Jonze said, “so we’ve asked Tom Noonan to play him instead.”

Noonan went along with the gag (which he later told me was unplanned), stepping forward to the microphone and muttering nonsense under his breath. Then he tapped the mike a few times and said softly but directly, “Thanks for coming.” Then they rolled the film.

The setup was fitting for a movie in which actors portray other actors and theater crews build stages representing other stages representing the real New York City.

If Kaufman had failed, his new film would have been about nothing—that’s generally what you get when you try to tell a story about everything and everyone. But through some clever plot devices and storytelling, he pulled it off. The content of the film seems to spill out into the world and encompass the viewer, the viewer’s neighbor, sisters, brothers, cousins, friends, colleagues, Kaufman himself, the guy overseas who handles your customer service call, you know, everyone.

Spike Jonze asks actor Tom Noonan to channel Charlie Kaufman as they present Kaufman's new film.

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Osama or Obama: Freudian Slip, Intentional Jab or Honest Mistake?

Monday, October 13th, 2008

According to the Albany Times Union Friday, Sen. Barack Obama’s (D-IL) last name was misspelled as “‘Osama’ on hundreds of absentee ballots mailed out this week to voters in Rensselaer Country,” New York. Is this a Freudian slip or a simple mistake?

Although the Democratic and Republican county officials claim it was a “typo” and “honest mistake,” I am personally finding this screw-up a bit hard to believe. The right wing has been trying to use Osama Bin Laden and Barack Obama interchangeably as well as emphasizing the “Hussein” in Obama’s name to draw attention to his Muslim background. It is not hard for me to believe that someone wanted to underscore Obama’s “otherness” and this typo wasn’t so innocent. Besides, when does a “b” look like a “s.” And these letters aren’t  close to each another on the keyboard. And for something this important, like a voting ballot, shouldn’t you have proofreaders?!

Although I am a glass half-full kind of person, I’m not quite buying the innocent typo excuse.