Gentrification pushing out artists has a long history in New York. Via the New York Times:

A 1921 cartoon, courtesy of Duke University, shows a displaced artist walking past Vincent Pepe, an Italian-born real estate entrepreneur, and two rich clients in search of a Village home.

I'm glad the World Series is over so I can stop hearing about it. Here are some data points:

• Estimated total cost of public subsidies to the Yankees for the new stadium: $1.8 billion.
• The city turned over a Bronx park to the Yankees to build their new stadium in 2006, kicking out the kids who played there. They're now expecting it to be replaced in 2011. The high school that lost its playing field has been offered $37,500 by the Yankees to buy a bus so they can play their games in convenient locales such as Staten Island.
• In May, New York City's Education Department announced a $405 million cut, an average of 4.9% per school.
• School budget cuts are wiping out entire departments, with art classes and programs for at-risk students disappearing fastest, according to the Daily News.

[image via University of Nebraska Press]

No, I didn't film it. It's a YouTube find.

Video spotted via enjoybanking. Visit Barbara Celis's blog for more info, James's post, and this flickr stream.

I saw this when we were visiting the Cathedral of St. John the Divine with friends last week. I recognize Martin Luther King Jr., Albert Einstein, and Mahatma Gandhi. Who is the woman?

Update: We have a winner. Paul Schmelzer of Eyeteeth says it's Susan B. Anthony.

Here is a blog post on the closing from Jeremiah's Vanishing New York. A larger version of the note is here.

I only had my iPhone with me, so these aren't the greatest photos. This guy was in the West 4th Street subway. The top was removed to give more volume, and it sounded like a honky-tonk piano, but his playing was quite good, ranging from "Hey Jude" to Chopin. No one else was with him so I don't know if he managed to get the piano down there via the station elevator by himself. Having just been to a great concert of experimental music, this was a nice subway surprise.

Update: Olympia Lambert already posted about him in early February. He is Colin Huggins (aka The Crazy Piano Guy). He is also the music director of the Joffrey Ballet!

An homage to the series by Joy Garnett

Bedford Avenue station 2AM from Barry Hoggard on Vimeo.

James and I saw and heard these wonderful people in the Bedford Avenue L station early this morning. We were on our way home after a wonderful dinner at some friends' apartment.

If you know who they are, please comment or email! We were too into listening that we didn't get a chance to talk to them before the subway arrived. I think all of the excellent wine at dinner might have affected our judgment as well.

The art season is about to start up, and I know people want their shows listed on ArtCal, but sending info to ArtCal, James, me, and Paddy asking to be listed is counterproductive. Very counterproductive. Extra demerits if I receive the email at more than one of my personal addresses. Please just sent it to ArtCal to the proper address with the information we request.