NYC life
grrlscientist | May 21, 2009tags: NYC Life, NYPL, public services, public education, public libraries
If you are broke and unemployed in any city of this nation, including NYC, you would have very few free public resources at your disposal to help you find work because of the massive budget cuts that have been made to this nation's public libraries and other public resources. I find this situation outrageous.
I have a special request to make of you: if you read this blog, please write a letter to Mayor Bloomberg, asking him NOT to cut NYC's public library services and to maintain six day per week service! Even if…
grrlscientist | May 18, 2009
What: A public presentation, "Not Even Wrong: The Failure of String Theory & the Continuing Challenge to Unify the Laws of Physics"
Where: Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture, 53 Prospect Park West (corner of Prospect Park West and 1st Street), Brooklyn, NY [map]
When:Monday, May 18, 7:30 p.m.
Cost: free and open to the public.
Peter Woit is a mathematician and physicist at Columbia University who will discuss string theory and why it is controversial, as well as prospects for new experiments and a better understanding of the mathematical theories used to describe the physical world…
grrlscientist | May 17, 2009tags: NYC Life, NYPL, public services, public education, public libraries
If you are broke and unemployed in any city of this nation, including NYC, you would have very few free public resources at your disposal to help you find work because of the massive budget cuts that have been made to this nation's public libraries. I find this situation outrageous.
I have a special request to make of you: if you read this blog, consider the fact that all my wireless access is provided by the NYPL, and wireless access is one service that will be cut or discontinued. If Mayor Bloomberg, the eighth…
grrlscientist | May 16, 2009tags: NYC Life, NYPL, public services, public education, public libraries
Let's face it, if you are broke and unemployed in NYC today, you would have nothing constructive to do if Mayor Mike Bloomsberg's proposed budget cuts to the Public library system is enacted. (Although, I suppose you could commit a few crimes, since the police force has also been cut back).
Mayor Bloomberg, the eighth richest person in America, is proposing a 22% funding cut to all three New York City public library systems (NYPL, Brooklyn and Queens). These cuts would eliminate 943 employees, end all weekend…
grrlscientist | May 15, 2009tags: evolutionary biology, AMNH, American Museum of Natural History, New York City, mammals, biodiversity
Because I write for ScienceBlogs, I have been invited to a special sneak preview of the "Extreme Mammals" exhibit hosted by the American Museum of Natural History, where I was a postdoctoral fellow for two years. This exhibit features the biggest, smallest, most amazing and generally the weirdest mammals to ever swim, fly or walk the face of this earth. "Extreme Mammals" opens to the public on Saturday, 16 May, but my goal is to take a lot of photographs to share with you here this…
grrlscientist | May 14, 2009tags: NYC Life, NYPL, public services, public education, public libraries
Today, I spoke with several people who work at and administer their local library branches in NYC about the economic situation they are faced with. Mayor Bloomberg, the eighth richest person in America, is proposing a 22% funding cut to all three New York City public library systems (NYPL, Brooklyn and Queens). These cuts would eliminate 943 employees, end all weekend service, and the materials budget will be cut by at least 30%. The City Council must approve this budget by June 30.
"At the Brooklyn Public Library,…
grrlscientist | May 12, 2009tags: homelessness, unemployment, poverty, NYC Life, social policy
A homeless woman eats dinner (it looks like "Sheba" brand cat food, doesn't it?)
Image: orphaned.
I awoke this morning at 5am, as usual, and one of the first things I heard on the morning news was Mayor Bloomberg, one of the richest men in the world, saying that the city is charging rent for the homeless to stay in a shelter. Blinking in the darkness, I thought I was listening to the Onion news report instead of NPR. Sure, I heard that Bloomberg was considering this, but never thought he was cruel enough to actually enact…
grrlscientist | May 11, 2009
What: A public presentation, "Not Even Wrong: The Failure of String Theory & the Continuing Challenge to Unify the Laws of Physics"
Where: Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture, 53 Prospect Park West (corner of Prospect Park West and 1st Street), Brooklyn, NY [map]
When: Monday, May 18, 7:30 p.m.
Cost: free and open to the public.
Peter Woit is a mathematician and physicist at Columbia University who will discuss string theory and why it is controversial, as well as prospects for new experiments and a better understanding of the mathematical theories used to describe the physical world…
grrlscientist | May 5, 2009tags: evolutionary biology, AMNH, American Museum of Natural History, New York City, mammals, biodiversity
Because I write for ScienceBlogs, I have been invited to a special sneak preview of the "Extreme Mammals" exhibit hosted by the American Museum of Natural History, where I was a postdoctoral fellow for two years. This exhibit features the biggest, smallest, most amazing and generally the weirdest mammals to ever swim, fly or walk the face of this earth. "Extreme Mammals" opens to the public on Saturday, 16 May, but my goal is to take a lot of photographs to share with you here on the…
grrlscientist | April 24, 2009tags: Bronx Zoo, Wildlife Conservation Society, NYC Life, economic hardships
Asia Entrance to the Bronx Zoo.
Image: Stavenn/Wikipedia.
New York City's Bronx Zoo, the largest metropolitan wildlife preserve in the United States, is being hit hard by the economy. To prevent a $15 million budget shortfall, zoo officials are closing four exhibits and evicting all their occupants, estimated to number in the hundreds of animals.
Zoo officials admitted in a New York City Cultural Affairs Committee meeting today that they are forced to relocate the suddenly homeless deer, bats, foxes, antelopes…
grrlscientist | April 21, 2009
What: A public presentation, "The Evolutionary Origins of Religious Belief"
Where: All Souls Unitarian Church, 1157 Lexington Ave and 80th St [map]
When: Wednesday, 22 April, 6:30 - 8:00 pm.
Cost: free and open to the public.
My fellow residents of NYC might be interested to know that the Center for Inquiry-New York City and the All Souls Unitarian Church are co-sponsoring a panel discussion on the evolutionary origins of religion. This discussion will address questions such as Why does religious belief persist? Is there a so-called "God gene?" What is the relationship between biological…
grrlscientist | April 19, 2009
What: A public presentation, "The Evolutionary Origins of Religious Belief"
Where: All Souls Unitarian Church, 1157 Lexington Ave and 80th St [map]
When: Wednesday, 22 April, 6:30 - 8:00 pm.
Cost: free and open to the public.
My fellow residents of NYC might be interested to know that the Center for Inquiry-New York City and the All Souls Unitarian Church are co-sponsoring a panel discussion on the evolutionary origins of religion. This discussion will address questions such as Why does religious belief persist? Is there a so-called "God gene?" What is the relationship between biological…
grrlscientist | April 12, 2009tags: book review, memoir, homelessness, unemployment, Cadillac Man, Thomas Wagner
The homeless are everywhere in New York City. I run across them every day while riding public transit, while walking around the city and while using wireless in the public libraries. After a few conversations with homeless people, I've learned that most of them avoid shelters because of the risk of violent crime there. So where do they sleep? Where do they go to get a shower and clean clothes? Are all homeless people either crazy or crackheads? How did these people end up living on the streets in the first…
grrlscientist | April 12, 2009tags: NYC, Upper West Side, Manhattan, flowers, nature, image of the day
Blossoms, UWS, Manhattan, NYC.
Image: GrrlScientist, 10 April 2009 [larger view].
grrlscientist | April 11, 2009tags: Chambers Street, Park Place, World Trade Center, Oculus, Andrew Ginzel, Kristin Jones, subway art, NYC through my eye, photography, NYC
Oculus #36, 1998.
Stone mosaic on walls throughout Chambers Street station complex (A & C trains); also, there is a stone and glass floor mosaic at Park Place entrance, which connects to this station via a tunnel.
Artists: Andrew Ginzel & Kristin Jones.
Image: GrrlScientist, 3 January 2009 [larger view].
Oculus is located in passageways under the World Trade Center and was largely untouched by the events of 9/11. Oculus will also be…
grrlscientist | April 11, 2009tags: NYC, Upper West Side, Manhattan, flowers, nature, image of the day
Blossoms, UWS, Manhattan, NYC.
Image: GrrlScientist, 10 April 2009 [larger view].
When the camera shutter clicked to get this picture, I thought of the impressive body of work produced by one of my favorite painters, Henri Fantin-Latour.
grrlscientist | April 10, 2009tags: Chambers Street, Park Place, World Trade Center, Oculus, Andrew Ginzel, Kristin Jones, subway art, NYC through my eye, photography, NYC
Oculus #35, 1998.
Stone mosaic on walls throughout Chambers Street station complex (A & C trains); also, there is a stone and glass floor mosaic at Park Place entrance, which connects to this station via a tunnel.
Artists: Andrew Ginzel & Kristin Jones.
Image: GrrlScientist, 3 January 2009 [larger view].
The green that you see is a "gift" from a random agent of destruction. I think it is chalk, but am not sure.
Oculus is located in…
grrlscientist | April 10, 2009tags: NYC, Upper West Side, Manhattan, flowers, nature, image of the day
Daffodil blossoms, UWS, Manhattan, NYC.
Image: GrrlScientist, 10 April 2009 [larger view].
These blossoms are a couple days past their prime, but they are still beautiful.
grrlscientist | April 9, 2009tags: Chambers Street, Park Place, World Trade Center, Oculus, Andrew Ginzel, Kristin Jones, subway art, NYC through my eye, photography, NYC
Oculus #34, 1998.
Stone mosaic on walls throughout Chambers Street station complex (A & C trains); also, there is a stone and glass floor mosaic at Park Place entrance, which connects to this station via a tunnel.
Artists: Andrew Ginzel & Kristin Jones.
Image: GrrlScientist, 3 January 2009 [larger view].
Oculus is located in passageways under the World Trade Center and was largely untouched by the events of 9/11. Oculus will also be…
grrlscientist | April 8, 2009tags: Chambers Street, Park Place, World Trade Center, Oculus, Andrew Ginzel, Kristin Jones, subway art, NYC through my eye, photography, NYC
Oculus #33, 1998.
Stone mosaic on walls throughout Chambers Street station complex (A & C trains); also, there is a stone and glass floor mosaic at Park Place entrance, which connects to this station via a tunnel.
Artists: Andrew Ginzel & Kristin Jones.
Image: GrrlScientist, 3 January 2009 [larger view].
Oculus is located in passageways under the World Trade Center and was largely untouched by the events of 9/11. Oculus will also be…