Filed under: Tomorrow's BPP
Camera by Meena Ramamurthy
Zena Barakat
4:44 PM ET
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06-30-2008
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Filed under: City Living, Personal/Private
The "ghost bike" at 36th Street and Sixth Avenue in New York City.
You never really get used to seeing them, or at least I don't: ghost bikes, junkers painted white and chained to a street sign or bridge railing. They record the spots where cyclists have been killed by cars. Two of them mark a popular car-free bike path in Manhattan -- a reminder that there may be safest and safer, but there's no such thing as perfectly safe.
I've been wondering for a while now whether the ghost bike above commemorates David Smith. He was killed in December 2007, at the age of 65, while riding the same bike lane I take to work. The white cycle sits on the northwest corner of 36th Street and Sixth Avenue. It catches my eye in the last three minutes of my ride.
Smith was knocked out of the lane when a passenger in an illegally parked truck opened the door. A second truck hit him. I remember reading that his partner of 36 years was a man. I remember thinking, Hit the door. Fall toward the curb. Stay out of traffic.
As if, in the moment, a cyclist really has much choice about what happens.
This morning, I zipped up a very quiet Sixth Avenue -- it's amazing what 5:30 a.m. does to traffic -- dodging takeout containers and bottles left over from the city's Gay Pride celebration. And there was the ghost bike, newly decorated with flowers and a rainbow flag. Happy Pride, David Smith. Wish you were here.
Laura Conaway
2:23 PM ET
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06-30-2008
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Filed under: City Living, Luncheonette
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Zena Barakat/NPR
A month ago, we profiled the closing of the famous New York restaurant Florent. Owner Florent Morellet was forced to close his namesake diner due to a skyrocketing rent price. Last week, there was a new plot twist in the Florent soap opera. The landlord, Joanne Lucas, will re-open the restaurant tomorrow under the name of the diner that existed before Florent opened his place in 1985: R & L Restaurant.
The original R & L was opened by Lucas' father in 1955. She told The New York Times she didn't have the heart to close the restaurant that had been in her family for years. The restaurant's look and food will remain basically the same, as Florent's chef is staying on board.
Last night, longtime friends of the restaurant convened for the final hours for what they know as Florent. Neighborhood regulars and former and current staff reunited for champagne and cake. Letters from the prophetic menu boards were packaged in tiny gift boxes as party favors.
Continue reading "The Saga of Florent Takes an Unexpected Turn" »
Zena Barakat
12:01 PM ET
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06-30-2008
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Filed under:
An Australian man put his life up for auction on eBay, but his worldy possessions didn't bring in as much cash as he had hoped.
It's the BPP's Most.
Accidental fungus leads to promising cancer drug / Wal-Mart Plans New Logo to Update Image / Military joins Pride parade / Decoding body language
Meena Ramamurthy
11:08 AM ET
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06-30-2008
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Filed under: Election 2008, Sound Off
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Alex Pardee
On today's show, Steve Seidman, chair of the strategic communication department at Ithaca College, talked about the iconography of Democrat Barack Obama.
Seidman says some of the campaign's posters remind him of images from history. He argues the "Dream" poster, which shows Obama with a halo, might offend some religious people. But it was this bit that got our Twitter crowd going:
"He's gazing into the distance, almost like a visionary. This is a common approach I've noticed in my research. I would say that I've seen Nixon posters, Carter posters, George Bush -- the second Bush -- posters, even Adolf Hitler. Posters in his election campaigns in Germany have shown him gazing into the distance."
Judge for yourself: Google Images for "Hitler election posters"
Laura Conaway
7:49 AM ET
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06-30-2008
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Filed under: Links From the Show
The centennial anniversary of an asteroid blast that occurred near Lake Baikal over Siberia serves as a reminder that the earth is vulnerable to meteors and other rocks from space.
It's the BPP's Ramble.
'Into the Wild' pilgrimages increase in Alaska / New York City keeps the cannoli but drops the trans fats / Devo sues McDonald's over Happy Meal toy
Laura Silver
5:31 AM ET
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06-30-2008
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Filed under: Links From the Show
An Australian man put his life up for auction on eBay, but his worldy possessions didn't bring in as much cash as he had hoped.
It's the BPP's Most.
Accidental fungus leads to promising cancer drug / Wal-Mart Plans New Logo to Update Image / Military joins Pride parade / Decoding body language
Laura Silver
5:31 AM ET
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06-30-2008
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