Officialdom is determined to deprive NY subway riders of any pleasure

[marmar]

from the NY Times:



By MICHAEL M. GRYNBAUM
Published: December 20, 2010


First, poetry disappeared from the subway. Now prose is on the way out, too.

Train of Thought, the program that placed literary quotations from the likes of Kafka and Schopenhauer in the unlikely locale of a packed New York City subway car, is being removed, two years after it assumed the mantle of subterranean high culture from Poetry in Motion. In its stead is a new promotional campaign by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority that is intended to highlight recent improvements to the transit system. A spokesman for the authority said there was not enough space for both.

The loss of the literary placards, which have offered a reprieve from the usual advertising array of laser acne treatments and injury lawyers, marks the first time in 18 years that the subways will not feature a pinch of erudition. Poetry in Motion, the original verse-only series that spawned popular books and copycats in other cities, ran from 1992 to 2008, before being succeeded by the current program.

But Train of Thought, which broadened the author pool from poets to historians, philosophers and scientists, apparently did not achieve the canonical status of its predecessor. The authority chose not to renew a contract with the program’s sponsor, the quiz show “Jeopardy!,” and the series is not likely to return, according to an authority spokesman. ............(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/21/nyregion/21poetry.html?em

[tridim]

1. My year of subway rides in NYC was probably the most unpleasant thing I've ever experienced.

Sorry NY'ers, the Subway simply stinks, there is just too much urine there.

[smirkymonkey]

7. Don't apologize - everything about it is hellish.

I have actually considered moving because of it. When the weather is nice, I walk an hour to work instead of taking the subway which will get me to work in 20 - 30 mins. But I welcome taking the extra time (and I cut through Central Park, which is beautiful) rather than go down in to that hell-hole called the NY Subway.

I also spend way too much on cabs - need to cut back on that. :spank:

[tridim]

8. It was at least 50% of the reason I left NYC.

I still have nightmares about the aroma at the queens blvd station on hot days.

[MiniMe]

2. Washington subway riders are now being subjected to random bag searches

[stray cat]

3. Its alot more exciting if the other riders are packing guns and knives

I might have to leave my semi-automatic at home

[marmar]

5. Newsflash: Random bag searches won't prevent somebody from packing a gun.

nt

[BrklynLiberal]

4. I have always wondered WTF the MTA does with all the money they make from advertizing.

It is all over the subway cars, the platforms, the outside of buses and the bus shelters, on and in all Metro North stations and trains.

Why are they always pleading poverty when they must be making a small fortune from all that advertizing????

Even the entrances to the subway stations now have advertizing all over them. SOMEONE is making alot of money...and we taxpayers/MTA riders are paying for it.

[lunatica]

6. I just watched The Minority Report with the iris id advertising

It won't be long. Specifically targeted advertising for each and every individual on the subways. What fun.

[JamesA1102]

9. I live in NYC and have learned to take buses

over the subway. This is another example of how things in NYC have gone down hill the last ten years with Bloomberg in charge.