31 January 2013

Picasso Draws Stalin



Picasso was an incredible artist. A true representative of the 20th century. See this link to some of his earliest drawings which demonstrate his powerful ability at conveying form:

Also, read this hilarious 1953 quote about the drawing above:
“Can you imagine if I had done the real Stalin, such as he has become, with his wrinkles, his pockets under the eyes, his warts. A portrait in the style of Cranach! Can you hear them scream? ‘He has disfigured Stalin! He has aged Stalin!’

“And then too, I said to myself, why not a Stalin in heroic nudity? … yes, but Stalin nude, and what about his virility? If you take the pecker of the classical sculptor … so small … But, come on, Stalin, he was a true male, a bull. So then, if you give him the phallus of a bull, and you’ve got this little Stalin behind this big thing they’ll cry: But you’ve made him into a sex maniac! A satyr!

Then if you are a true realist you will take a tape measure and measure it all properly. That’s worse, you made Stalin into an ordinary man. And then, as you are ready to sacrifice yourself, you make a plaster cast of your own thing. Well, it’s even worse. What, you dare take yourself for Stalin! After all, Stalin, he must have had an erection all the time, just like the Greek statues … Tell me, you who knows, socialist realism: is that Stalin with an erection or without an erection?”
Posted by Picasa

27 January 2013

What is Happening to the Parking Meters?

All of a sudden, over the past several months, all the parking meters in OTR have been getting vandalized. damaged parking meter
Meter laying on sidewalk
I suppose they are taking these and selling them for scrap metal, but the expense to replace and repair these must be costing the taxpayers quite a lot. See this Enquirer article a few weeks back. Actions like this make privatization of the meters, which I very much oppose, even more attractive to City leaders.

20 January 2013

Items Found in Vacant Building

Inside every vacant building are hundreds of stories. This particular building was last occupied/owned 10 years ago by an old man and his brother. Neighbors told me that in the end the last brother was sleeping in his car, because there were too many rats in the building. After he died, no one entered the building for years. His niece, who never entered the building because of the stench, sold it a few months ago. The basement was filled a foot deep with raw sewage. And if you go back in the City Directories, you can see the names of people that lived here and sometimes what their profession was. Anyway, I like to post these things for the record. Sometimes years after I post a photo like those below, someone will google a name and find it and send me a message saying they always wanted to find a photo of such and such... So here is some detritus found this weekend:

5 gallon, glazed clay crock with label of G. Gennert found in crawlspace. The Gottlieb Gennert Co. was a camera and photography supplies manufacturer in operation from 1869-1921 in NY. City Directory at the library shows that 100 years ago a photographer had his shop at the building where this was found:
Found amongst the debris was this customized notepad from Greg Spring a man who demolished lots of buildings in OTR, 20 years ago.. Check out the logo of a Trackhoe chomping into a seemingly occupied house...
Futuristic model car, box misprinted A beautiful woman, "Itche Hogue"? (written on back)
1986 "Rita and Baby"...
"with love, your sister"
fountain square with Carew Tower in backround (and whatever the building was at the SE corner of Vine and 5th in the 70s)
A teenager's journal entry from 1999
second journal entry
And lastly, found in the attic:
Todd Oneal is a good man. Maybe he should run again..