Shift Shot

Downtown -From 5/10/09

Just down the street from the World Trade Center Site, various lots turn up empty for a big improved subway station project. Many small stores were lost and convinced to move somewhere else, bought out by a eminent domain rule I think. I'm just guessing though, so don't take my word for it, just rumors I'm spreading, or have heard incorrectly perhaps. But what I find surprising is that corporate sign on the blank wall just above the Dey Street sign. OTR I'm assuming is a company selling that wall space for advertising. It is somewhat astounding that a fresh wall that has just been revealed only for a year or so, is already selling for ad space, this despite the fact that eventually the wall will be covered once again by a new building or subway hub.

This is one pure truth of our post 9/11 world, that we went from grievance to over-consumers. To hide our tears, we talked in half truths, and repeated the word 'Pride' over and over while using plastic cards to buy plastic things. We put American flags made in China on our cars made in Japan and Canada. And it became clearer as the years wore on and our budgets grew thin: These obnoxious walls that shouted at us in vibrant colors and capital letters, the repetition of similar messages on every subway car, and on our taxi rooftops, and inside on these tv monitors. The ad-movement has too much momentum, and it may not be stopped. Though we shall see now when we survive on what's left in our accounts, and our jobs are depleting. Maybe we are about to find our reality check.