JabrWoky - Following the white rabbit since...

Car Theft in the US

[Via Catalog Card Generator]

Story #5: Edison the Hustler

"One occasion when Edison cast off the expectations of others in his middle age was when he met Henry Stanley, of “Dr. Livingston, I presume” fame, and Stanley’s wife, who had come to visit him at his laboratory in West Orange, N.J. Edison provided a demonstration of the phonograph, which Stanley had never heard before. Stanley asked, in a low voice and slow cadence, “Mr. Edison, if it were possible for you to hear the voice of any man whose name is known in the history of the world, whose voice would you prefer to hear?”

“Napoleon’s,” replied Edison without hesitation.

“No, no,” Stanley said piously, “I should like to hear the voice of our Savior.”

“Well,” explained Edison, “You know, I like a hustler.”

[Photograph and story from this New York Times article]

Trust Jesus

This week, Jan Chipchase updates his blog with this stencil from Salt Lake City. Jesus is cool in the city of Mormons.

Reminds me of a Virginia vehicle license plate I had seen a very long time ago in Richmond, which said "Git Jsus".

Black & White

black & white, originally uploaded by dreamilluzion.

White is the color of mourning in India; whereas black is the one in USA.

More Likely...

Studies by Visa show that the average American consumer is twice as likely to carry his mobile phone as he is to carry cash. For those aged 18-34, the average is four times as likely.

[Source: The Economist article 'A Cash Call', Feb 15th - 2007]

world's largest prime outdoor canvas to go condo

I have always loved walking through the Spring Street block of Soho in New York City. For an ardent purveyor of street art and graffiti, this is as good as it can get. There is all sorts of interesting new stuff that pops at you every second time you visit. 11 Spring Street in NoLIta is sort of an epicenter for street art. A rundown building (which was a former stable and carriage house) serves its exterior facade as a wild canvass for unknown artists to showcase their work.

Many a times I have wondered why this old building is just standing there entertaining us as a smorgasbord of fresh, witty and colorful creative ingenuity. In the age of Wall Street excess, how come this prime real estate is stagnating there when the rest of Manhattan has become the abode of the rich patrons of art. And that questioning thought or rather fear of losing something you cherish came true today morning when I read this piece in The New York Times.

The Spring Street outdoor canvas is going to be torn down and turned into a condo. I guess in the larger economic agenda it makes sense. But then again there is a sadness and sense of loss in me because next time I'm in New York probably I'll see yet another huge covered construction site there. For which I'll have to seek solace in the few great shots I was able to take there (some of which have been put in this blog already; and more of which will be posted by me soon)

The owners of the building invited many of the best known as well as unknown upcoming outdoor artists to come and paint and fill the interiors and exterior of the building as a tribute to what it stood for, before it is torn down. Below are a few of those featured in The New York Times article. (All photos in this entry are courtesy of The New York Times)

A heating unit becomes the canvas for Darkcloud.

Jasmine Zimmerman weaves her rubber band web here.

While the artist Doze Green makes his mark here.

All for a good cause.

some doors attract more attention than others...

  The first three were shot in Chinatown, New York City, while the fourth and fifth one were shot in the Soho neighborhood of Manhattan. The last one was shot in Princeton, New Jersey.

Postman

 
This character (who almost has a resemblance to Homer Simpson) seems to be the United States Postal Service spokesperson (he's drawn or printed on a USPS label) in and around the Rutgers University campus in New Jersey, USA. His name is signed as 'Nolis'.

say cheese!!

Tribeca in Lower Manhattan seems to have a penchant for cheese. Don't know what the idea behind this graffiti theme is. Maybe it's a trap to attract all the rats from underground to come out to the streets.

more stencils from Princeton

While walking around Princeton, New Jersey, I also found these near the Princeton Record Exchange. Interesting little blue balerinas and a walking man (who reminded me of the Johnnie Walker walking man who's more elegantly dressed I suppose) and one from the infamous Obey series preaching love.