Over the river and through the hoods
03/27/03
I walked home from work today. By far the highlight was seeing a train of IRT Redbirds on the Manhattan Bridge (perhaps on their way to be scrapped, or to be dumped into the ocean, sniff).
The Bowery
from the Manhattan Bridge
And here's a little bonus. I knew New York had some big rats, but this is ridiculous:
20th and Broadway
9:40 PM | Comments (5)
Comments
Welcome to the 'hood, comrade moveable typist. Lovely pics. The giant inflatable rat has been a fixture on the New York scene for quite a few years now: It shows up wherever unions are protesting working conditions: http://www.nysut.org/newyorkteacher/2000-2001/000913solidarity.html
Posted by: colin brayton at March 28, 2003 03:58 PM
Hi
loved the "Satan's laundromat"
have borrowed your rat pic temporarily
as this story/link will expire in 3 - 4 days,
fyi
http://disc.server.com/discussion.cgi?disc=206964;article=84753;title=Civilized%20Political%20Debates
Posted by: stanibol at September 18, 2004 01:33 AM
Hi there -
I really dig this site, and I visit a bunch. I linked you on my user info on my livejournal so my friends can check it out, too.
This rat I've seen before. I wake up all hungover one day at my friends place in Williamsburg, go outside because it was a beautiful day, and this rat is on the corner with people singing and dancing around it. My friend told me people use this thing as a form of protest. Still, kind of a weird thing to see.
Keep up the good work,
- Danielle
Posted by: danielle at October 11, 2004 05:31 PM
Nice site!! Thanks guys
Posted by: roxana at May 30, 2005 07:31 PM
the inflated rats are provided to union locals that are either striking or calling informational pickets outside particularly criminal (hence, "rat") employers that have some physical location in NYC. Retailers and construction sites are common targets for a rat placement...by the way often as the result of safety conditions that the site's visitors, customers & other workers might want to learn more about. i gather either the NYC CLC or city AFL-CIO office distributes them. around maybe 2000, they put a dozen in a park for the Parade of Rats, a pro-union celebration.