World's End

After reading Part I of World’s End by T.C. Boyle, Matt Fellows confronted the question, does history haunt us? After reading Part II, we see that Matt was right, Walter surrendered to his family’s repugnant tradition, living up to his Van Brunt name by betraying those he loved. Why?

The long line of legendary Van Brunt “scumbags,” as Truman Van Brunt, Walter’s father, put it, were rivals of one of the most powerful families the Van Warts. The Van Brunts always failed at attempts to stand up to the Van Warts, making the Van Brunts look like cowards. This family’s story began generations back with Harmonous and continued with a sad character named Jeremais whose efforts to protest unfair authority ended with his backing down when the consequences became harsh. As Wouter watched his father Jeremias beg for forgiveness, he witnessed Jeremias’ (and I believe even his own) spirit disappear. Then Wouter, the man Walter was named after, started the riot against the Van Warts, but as spineless as a man could be, turned in his friends to save his own life. The next generation of Van Brunt’s bred Truman a person who betrayed his communist comrades by acting as a spy against his friends and family. What led Truman to become a traitor?

Truman discovered the answer to this query when asked to write a paper about his family history in school. The assignment became an obsession of self discovery resulting in a dissertation exploring and revealing his past. The knowledge of his family’s dark saga lead to the day Truman repeated the actions of his ancestors and turned on everyone he loved. Would Truman have succumbed if he had not known his past or was he predestined and therefore unable to alter his legacy?

Walter, in search of his father Truman, uncovered this ugly, tormented family story. When Walter asked his father why he had betrayed his mother, his friends and his son, Truman explained that although he thought of himself as a patriot, the real reason was that he was doomed to fulfill his destiny. Truman was convinced that his history and his future were predetermined in his blood and in his bones.

Walter then faced his life. Was Walter fated by blood and bones or does he truly have an option? While he could not undo his past, he could change the course of his future and conduct his life so that the Van Brunt’s name would represent a new, positive reputation bequeathing a brighter heritage to future generations. Sadly like his ancestors before him, Walter chose to accept this self-filling prophesies and submitted to his ill-fated history, throwing his life away. A lesson not lost on me – history, despite what the old saying implies, does not have to repeat itself. Unlike Walter as individuals and as a country we must understand our story, accept it learn from it and then strive to improve not repeat it.

Should our seminar volunteer?

http://www.eisinc.com/release/storiesh/CANALS.028.html

More Riverfront Development?

http://www.thejournalnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070227/NEWS03/702270358/1026/NEWS10

My Guinan's: Gennaro's

In "Little Chapel on the River", Gwendolyn Bounds, a Wall Street Journal reporter, develops a fascinating book based on true-life experiences at a bar in Garrison, New York. This hole-in-the-wall establishment is referred to throughout part 1 of the book as somewhat of a time machine to an era in which honesty, morality and sense of community were valued above all else. "Guinan's" comes to represent Wendy's connection to her own past, and as she introduces an interesting and diverse cast of characters, it's nearly impossible for the reader to avoid conjuring up an image of a "Guinan's" in his or her own town. In fact, similar establishments exist in nearly every smalltown in America; each one a remnant of simpler times. My home town of Scarsdale, New York is traditionally seen as an affluent, white-collar neighborhood with a plethora of doctors and lawyers who commute to New York City, work long hours, and return to the suburbs late at night. Many residents don't take the time to fully appreciate their surroundings, and are often so caught up in the "race" that overlook the importance of establishing strong bonds with the community, one that tends to be extremely active and close. Just down the hill from my house is a little pizza place called Gennaro's, which has occupied the corner location of the shopping mall at Mt. Joy and Central Avenue for as long as I can remember. Though the seats have changed from dark red and brown booths to cafe-like tables, and the menu which used to consist of merely pizza and wedges has grown to include a variety of wines and wraps, the atmoshpere has managed to stay the same. Maybe it's due to the staff, which has consisted of the same 4 people for the last 10 years. John, the owner of the restaurant, is currently behind the counter making pizza just as he did 20 years earlier. As he spins the pies around, he greets every customer by name, knowing them from years of business or perhaps his mornings working as an elementary school crossing guard. Ray, who was recently made part owner, is constantly joking with every high school student who approaches the counter to order, knowing just as much of the school gossip as half the kids. A resident of Edgemont would be hard pressed to walk through the door, especially on a Friday or Saturday night, and not see someone they recognize. Discounts are routinely offered to college students returning from college, although full price is often paid anyway, that's just the kind of place this is. My buddy and I always joke that the pizza could be awful, (which it isn't, as a stay in central New York will teach anyone who has lived in the vicinity of New York City) and people would still come to Gennaro's for the warm atmosphere and the friendly faces. It certainly holds a special place in my heart just as Guinan's does for Wendy Bounds, and the thousands of other hole-in-the-wall establishments do for people across the country.

Little Chapel on the River Website

http://www.littlechapelontheriver.com/

The End of a Landmark in Troy

http://www.troyrecord.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=17901715&BRD=1170&PAG=461&dept_id=7021&rfi=6

Cause for the Hunger?

In T.C. Boyle's novel World's End, Harmanus van Brunt is beset by an insatiable hunger so intense that he eats in one day almost all of the food his family had saved for the long 17th century New York winter. A similar fate besets his son Jeremias in his own adulthood. I was curious as to whether this was a documented disorder that could explain this behavior or whether this was a syndrome made up by T.C. Boyle for literary purposes.

I found only one genetic disorder whose main symptom was insatiable hunger. Prader-Willi syndrome is a mutation that causes a problem in the hypothalamus of the brain so that the feeling of being full never registers. This would describe the symptoms of our characters, except that Prader-Willi syndrome is normally observed from very early childhood. Whereas our Jeremias and Harmanus both had eating binges that started abruptly after a lifetime of normal eating habits, victims of Prader-Willi spend their entire lives battling the illness.

I couldn't find any real-life examples of Jeremias' and Harmanus' disease, but I challenge the members of our class and the readers of this blog to find a documented case, either in a story or in scientific literature.

Metro North

The Metro-North rail lines had more than 76 million passengers last year, including more than 14 million on the Hudson Line. More than half of customers are reverse commuters from Manhattan and the Bronx going to jobs in the suburbs.

http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070226/NEWS01/70226018

Jersey City Skyline

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/newjersey/ny-bc-nj--koolhaastower0226feb26,0,2126081.story?coll=ny-region-apnewjersey

Hudson River CSI

http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070226/NEWS05/702260322/1006/NEWS01

Dam Removal

http://www.poststar.com/articles/2007/02/26/news/local/bf922fc77f1059be8525728e001f4537.txt

Olana

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/25/nyregion/nyregionspecial2/25njarts.html

Stormwater Projects

http://www.empirestatenews.net/News/20070224-2.html

Bronx Beaver

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/23/nyregion/23beaver.html?ref=nyregion

Ichabod, Ichabod Crane

T.C. Boyle's World's End presents an old family from the Hudson River area by the name of Crane. One can't help but make the association between the gawky, awkward Tom Crane and the famous fictional Hudson hero, Ichabod Crane. But how fictional is Washington Irving's Ichabod Crane? It seems that Ichabod Crane actually was an inhabitant of the New York area around the time that Irving wrote his nightmarish tale. Apparently, Ichabod B. Crane was an army colonel during the war of 1812. He reportedly met Washington Irving at some point but did not give him permission to use his name for the goofy Ichabod Crane of Sleepy Hollow. It is interesting to think about how authors create/find names for their characters and what the significance of that name may be. It is not clear why Irving used the colonel's name for his tale, besides the fact that the real Ichabod Crane does have a bit of sloping nose (see his picture at: http://www.forgotten-ny.com/CEMETERIES/morestat/ichabod.html). However, it is reasonable to assume that Boyle used the name Crane not in remembrance of the poor, forgotten army veteran, but in an effort to draw a parallel between the ridiculous character of Sleepy Hollow fame and the equally ridiculous Tom Crane.

Hudson Valley Archaeology

http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=565825&category=ALBANY&BCCode=&newsdate=2/23/2007

Dredge spoils

The Hudson has been regularly dredged to ensure adequate depths for shipping. Now the state is studying whether PCB's may be leaking back into the river from dredge spoils.

http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=565750&category=REGIONOTHER&BCCode=LOCAL&newsdate=2/23/2007

How PCB Cleanup Will Operate

http://www.epa.gov/hudson/design_report/2005_september_factsheet.htm

PCB Update

http://www.poststar.com/articles/2007/02/22/news/local/c80f632a9b7562b48525728b0019b4ce.txt

Forbes says NY State is Hot for Jobs

BLOG WRITTEN BY JOE BOCK:

Forbes says NY State is Hot for Jobs

http://www.forbes.com/2007/02/15/best-cities-jobs-leadership-careers_cx_hc_0216cityjobs_table.html

Earlier in the year, we talked about the decline of several upstate New York cities due to deindustrialization. Cities such as Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Albany, and Troy, which were vibrant industrial cities at the turn of the 19th century, saw a rapid economic decrease leading to great poverty and unemployment. However, there is hope for several of these cities. John Forbes’ annual “100 Best Cities For Jobs” column saw a great jump for several New York areas, including Albany-Troy-Schenectady, which jumped 5 spots to #30, and Syracuse, which rose 16 spots, to #52. Buffalo rose one spot, to #53, while New York City-North Jersey rose from #96 to #75. To rate these metro areas, Forbes used a system weighting cost of living, unemployment rate, job growth, income growth, and median household income equally.
It is noteworthy that New York’s cities fared so well on the list, while most other Northeastern cities suffered. Camden, NJ dropped from #11 to #27. Edison, NJ dropped from #30 to #40. Allentown-Bethlehem dropped slightly from #39 to #42, while Philadelphia dropped from #50 to #60. Newark, NJ dropped from #49 to #71. Springfield, MA dropped from #73 to #85, and Essex County, MA dropped from #79 to #87. Nassau-Suffolk, NY dropped from #47 to #53. Boston dropped to #83 from #66 just a year ago. Raleigh, Phoenix, Jacksonville, Orlando, and Washington, DC finished 1-5, respectively, as a general trend towards the South was evident.
I myself am puzzled by how these small New York cities were ranked so highly, while the rest of the Northeastern region dropped greatly. One could argue that Forbes’ system of ranking these metro areas is inaccurate, and that only by looking at each individual criteria separately, could one truly find which cities are the best to work in. For example, Buffalo was ranked #1 out of all 100 metro areas for Cost of Living. Most economists would argue that a low cost of living is an indicator of poor economic opportunity. Buffalo is ranked just 71st for median household income, 80th for income growth rank, and 84th for job growth rank. This sounds great for a real estate investor, but not for a young college graduate seeking to climb up the corporate latter.
San Jose, California was ranked 1st in median income, and 100th in cost of living. If one is being paid the highest salary in San Jose, it would not matter that the cost of living is so high. However, San Jose’s high unemployment rank (79th), income growth rank (68th ) and job growth rank (98th) allow it to finish at the bottom of the charts, at #91.
While Forbes’ rankings are not completely accurate and fair, they do show that there is hope for renewed prosperity in the Central New York region. Albany is ranked 11th in the country for unemployment, and 39th in median income. Poughkeepsie-Newburgh-Middletown is ranked 19th for unemployment, and 18h for median income. Buffalo, Rochester, and Syracuse rank 1st, 2nd, and 4th, respectively, for cost of living. Although this is not always a sign of economic prosperity, it is often good for a young professional seeking to begin work and live inexpensively. Cheap land could also draw businesses in. It will be interesting to see if workers and businesses follow Forbes’ predictions, and turn to New York State.

BLOG WRITTEN BY JOE BOCK

The Rhythm Is Gonna Get You

A question brought up today was whether or not characters in TC Boyle's World's End are doomed to follow the paths of their ancestors. I believe that in this novel characters are in fact cursed by their past and are doomed to follow in their ancestors footsteps. The fist scene which gave me this impression was early in the novel while Walter was celebrating his birthday. He comments on his knowledge of a loving family and girlfriend waiting for him at home with a special meal prepared just for him. Tragically he does not appreciate these efforts but feels somehow freed by leaving them behind and celebrating his birthday in a seedy bar with strangers. This behavior is similar to the selfish acts of his father described later in the story. In this way Walter displays some helpless submission to the lives lived before him. He is also tied to a much more distant ancestor in the injury he shares with Jeremias. The Van Wart family is also linked to their ancestors in behavior. Whether a Van Wart is seizing land from Jeremias or invading peaceful concerts years later, they are consistently depicted as a villainous character.
In drawing these parallels in character, Boyle creates a bridge between time periods through character personas. By observing similar characters in each period of time, it is easier for the reader to overlook the drastic structural differences in each period and relate more to the characters of the people living during these times. The characters Boyle displays in the present are so comparable with those in the past that it suggests it is impossible to escape one's past and history is inevitably repetitive.

The Real Riots

In World's End, T.C. Boyle describes riots in the fictional town of Peterskill. The scene described in his book was terrifying. The hatred expressed by the 'Patriots' through line such as "Out! You never get out! Every nigger bastard dies here tonight. Every Jew bastard dies here tonight!" (p. 91) are both chilling and scarring. While Boyle's riots were merely fiction its important to remember they were based on a real event. The 1949 riots in Peekskill, NY fit the description of those in Boyle's book all the way up to the guest list.
Under the guidelines of the Freedom of Information act the Federal Bureau of Investigation has released their report on the Peekskill riots to the public. Although the fiction is chilling it is worth a moment to browse the document and remember those who suffered while exercising their first amendment rights.

FBI Report on the Peekskill Riots

Works Cited:
Boyle, T. C. World's End. New York, New York: Penguin Books, 1987.

A Floating Museum

Construction is underway to create a replica of the Onrust, a Dutch ship that patrolled the Hudson and Mohawk Rivers in the 17th century according to a February 20 article in the Times Union (Albany). To make the Onrust authentic, Albany-area artisans are handcrafting each of the components, including the wooden planks, rope, and nails. Most of the work on the ship is taking place at the Mabee Farm in Rotterdam Junction (outside of Schenectady) along the Mohawk River. The Mabee Farm is a former fur trading post and now serves as a museum and education center.

Once the project is complete, the Onrust will act as a "floating museum" to educate Hudson and Mohawk Valley residents about the history of these rivers. The ship is slated for completion in 2009, which by no coincidence is the 400 year anniversary of Henry Hudson's Hudson River exploration voyage.

To read more about the Onrust, go to http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=564763

To read more about the Mabee farm, go to http://www.mabeefarm.org/

Water Crisis in Newburgh

Blog Written By Joe Bock:

http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070217/NEWS01/70217004

http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070220/NEWS/702200339/-1/NEWS

The city of Newburgh recently underwent a scare last Saturday morning, as a main water pipe to break, contaminating the water in the town. Many residents’ water was cut off, while others were advised to boil the water for five minutes before drinking it, in fear of a bacterial contamination caused by the pipe break. James Corbett, the Water Supply Superintendent of Newburgh, was convinced that the pipe broke due to the cold weather. He stated, “That's what it was, absolutely. Especially when there isn't a lot of snow cover to insulate the mains, the freeze gets in deeper."
The pipe was fixed sooner than expected, and residents were cleared to drink the water again by Tuesday around 1:00 P.M. While this situation did not have a devastating effect on the city of Newburgh, it leaves room for discussion on whether this city and other cities of the region should fix their often aging water systems. While the Newbugh area was not hit as strongly by snowstorms this winter as most of Central New York State was, situations like this make it evident that there are many things cities can do to prevent disasters from happening. But, in the meantime, Newbugh should just spend more money on suicide hotline phones, just incase anyone is considering jumping off the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge.

Blog Written By Joe Bock

Lawsuit over Mercury

http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=565050&category=REGIONOTHER&BCCode=LOCAL&newsdate=2/21/2007

Follow the Art

http://www.thomascole.org/trail/about.html

The Hudson River school art trail, is something that was talked about today while visiting the Munson William Proctor Institute. This shows the map is used to observe the real scenery verses the painting by Thomas Cole. I thought that this was an interesting website with a lot of useful information about not only the Hudson River school art trail, but also about Thomas Cole.

Weekend Trip

As a suburban Chicago girl, the Hudson River held no personal meaning for me.

However, this weekend the Hudson River became more to me than just a body of water that we discuss in class. My parents came into town to visit my grandparents, so I decided to drive out and meet them in lovely Scotia, New York. As I drove down I90 tired, hungry and just yearning to get to my final destination, I passed signs identifying frozen areas as the Erie Canal and Mohawk River. Now road markers I would have previously ignored, awoke me from my driving stupor to take in the iced over bodies of water. How exciting, I thought to myself; it felt as though I had just seen a celebrity.

I finally started to appreciate and own the information that we learned in class and upon arrival enthusiastically impressed my family with my new found excitement and knowledge. My mother mentioned that the hotel in Schenectady where we were staying had historical relevance in the French and Indian War. This quaint structure was rebuilt in the early 1700’s on the site of the Schenectady stockade destroyed by fire during the French and Indian War. It originally housed the city founder Van Curler and his family and since that time has been used for private and municipal functions. Because my sister journeyed from NYC to the Albany station via Amtrak to meet us, our family conversation and my fascination were further inspired by her accounts of the beautiful scenery that her trip along the river provided.

The ability to witness the Hudson River iced over streams allowed me to feel closer and understand the substantial impact this body of water had on central and upstate New York. My grandfather, a once distinguished surgeon, still lives under the shadow of the old General Electric sign of this semi-abandoned, run-downed industrial area of New York. I am now able to envision my father growing up in what once was a lively, wealthy hot spot where factories and families owed livelihoods and lives to the River and its resources. Although the influence of the River had directly on me is minimal, the impact it had on my grandparents and even my father was significant. I now realize that studying the Hudson River’s history, economical, environmental and political influence, affords me an opportunity to draw closer and connect to the culture and era experienced by my grandparents and father.

The Onrust Reborn

http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=564763&category=REGION&newsdate=2/20/2007

New Plans, New Hope

On the shore of the Hudson River in Sleepy Hollow, NY sits a large abandoned lot filled with cracked cement blocks and weeds. What was once home of a booming General Motors plant this lot now sits in ruins; a useless eyesore. Luckily the story is not as pessimistic as it sounds, this plot of land could possibly return to prosperity it once held but in the form of real estate rather than manufacturing in its past.

Roseland Property, a real estate developer, has entered in a project to rebuild the area into a residential hub called “Lighthouse Landing.” This project would create between 1,100-1,500 residential units for the area. The result of the project would ascetically and economically reinvigorate an area which has suffered losses after the G.M. plant shut down.

Unfortunately there are some downsides with this project as well. Sections of the property are contaminated with lead from when the factory was in operation. The State of New York will hold the developers responsible for the 25 million dollar clean up operation before they can start building. Traffic could also become a problem both during the building process and when the development is completed. This would frustrate the long standing members of the Sleepy Hollow community and devalue the property.

There are many positive implications of this project on the larger scale. Many questions are raised for the future of the Hudson. Will there be a revival of the prosperity which once surrounded the region? If so what will it look like? While this is just one example of good things to come, it is definitely a start.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/11/realestate/
11wczo.html?ex=1172120400&en=549bdee956710755&ei=5070

Changing Hudson

This is an interesting talk/video by a woman from Columbia Univversity on the changes to the Hudson, both natural and human.

http://www.columbia.edu/cu/news/media/01/robinBell/index.html

Hotline Phones?

BLOG WRITTEN BY JOE BOCK:

http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070215/NEWS/702150346

After two suicides last December, the Hudson River town of New Paltz has recently discussed plans to construct a $166,000 project installing suicide prevention hotline phones on the Kingston-Rhinecliff Bridge. Following the lead of the Mid-Hudson Bridge, which already has hotline phones, this plan will also install phones on the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge, Bear Mountain Bridge, and Rip Van Winkle Bridge. Retired director of the State of New York Office of Mental Health Gary Spielmann stated, "The phones will certainly help and are part of a larger plan of awareness, education, informed intervention and new technology that should have a greater impact on suicide prevention than any single deterrent alone."
Gary Spielmann’s belief that new technology will prevent suicide from occurring is almost as ridiculous as New Paltz’ plan to spend $166,000 trying to install phones to prevent it. With all of the brilliant ideas circulating about how to fix both the river itself and projects around it, why would New Paltz even toil with this idea? Having phones on a bridge for potential suicide victims will do absolutely nothing to stop them. Most of these “victims” have their own phones, and could easily call for help if they wished. Sure, it is tragic when people jump off a bridge, but local and national governments should not bend over backwards for these people when they should be worrying about much more important things. What if people kept jumping off the bridge after the phones were installed? Would New Palz construct a gate around the bridge? If a “victim” still wanted to kill himself, he could just do it in a different way.
This is just one of thousands of examples of a local government wasting tax money unnecessarily, when they it be using the money for something far more significant. New Paltz, a small, middle class town outside of Poughkeepsie, and home to a branch of the State University of New York, can not afford to waste its’ money in this way. If its citizens were more involved with local politics, its government would be able to create projects which would actually benefit the town. Until then, more absurd proposals such as this will be developed.

BLOG WRITTEN BY JOE BOCK

Native Americans on the Hudson

It is interesting to read T.C. Boyle’s World’s End, in the first few pages he mentions two Native American tribes that lived in the vicinity of the Hudson River. I was not sure if the tribes he mentioned were historically accurate so I searched and found the Kitchawank to be a subdivision of one of the main four tribes living near the Hudson. They were located in the northern part of Westchester County beyond Croton River and between Hudson River and the Connecticut. Another interesting truth that Boyle includes in his novel is that the tribe we today call the Mohawk, meaning ‘man-eaters’, called themselves, Kaniengehaga, 'people of the place of the flint’.
On the Hudson there were a number of tribes from which all sub-tribes, like that of the Kitchawank branched from. First the Mahican, ‘wolf’, tribe stretched on both sides of the Hudson from New York City all the way to Lake Champlain. When the Dutch arrived in the area this tribe was know as the ‘River Indians’. Another notable tribe was the Manhattan tribe, a tribe from the Wappinger confederacy, from whom Peter Minuit purchased Manhattan Island. Many more tribes stretch along the Hudson River and into the Mohawk Valley.
I am part of the History and Culture section of our presentation. It was interesting reading the first few pages of Boyle’s book and realizing when we split up the history we failed to include the history of the Native Americans who lived in the area. Even in class we started with Henry Hudson and his discovery of the Hudson. We never covered the Native American history of tribes who had been thriving long before the Hudson was ‘discovered’. In Shorto’s, The Island at the Center of the World, we were reminded of the Dutch influence on the Hudson Valley, but what about the Native American influence? Is their contribution to our culture solely seen in the names of the Finger Lakes or is there a stronger connection between their lives and our history?

Source: http://www.accessgenealogy.com/native/index.htm

Shall We Gather at the River

http://www.nynews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070216/NEWS04/702160400/1017

Trapped in the Ice

http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070215/NEWS/702150351

Paradox of the Oxbow

Although I would never profess to be any sort of art enthusiast, the works of the Hudson River School of landscape paintings have always held a special place in my heart. Artists such as Cole, Durand, Bierstadt, Church and Cropsey were not only the first American artists, but also some of the first American pioneers and environmentalists in my eyes. I have an enormous amount of respect for those who would brave the wilderness in the founding days of our country in order to find some sort of spiritual connection with nature and the sublime.

However, I have always found the paradox these early landscape artists faced to be one of relevance today. Their is an obvious separation between civilization and nature in all of the Hudson River School work. Cole and the artists who followed him professed their love and respect for nature, yet, they could not deny the beauty and inevitability of civilization. It is interesting that they really helped to destroy the nature they so vehemently respected and wished to preserve by introducing people to the beauty of the wilderness.

The one painting that perfectly illustrates the paradox of the early frontier artists is Cole's View from Mount Holyoke, Northampton, Massachusetts, after a Thunderstorm (or more commonly, The Oxbow). It has always intrigued me because it seems so contradictory to the usual message of The Hudson River School. The Oxbow presents civilization as almost glowing after a passing storm (perhaps the difficulty of founding a new country is supposed to represent the storm that the people have withstood) while the wilderness is under a dark, menacing cloud. I assume that the storm is intended to mark the division of wilderness and civilization and illustrate the sublime power of nature. However, I realized the last time I looked at the Oxbow that perhaps the storm represents the impending doom facing nature as civilization settles in. Though even that analysis would suggest that nature (the storm) has the power to reek havoc on itself, which is again, in a sense paradoxical.

The Hudson River Painters, Cole especially, lived in a difficult era to be environmentalists. They could still observe much of the pristine beauty of the untouched American landscape but had to watch as humans invaded it little by little. They had to try to find a way to find a compromise between the conveniences of civilization, which was clearly appealing at the time, and the sublime beauty of the rather inconvenient wilderness. It seems obvious through their beautiful works that no easy solution existed. Nature would retain its power and beauty, but humans would slowly work to control it; a battle that still rages on to this day.

Development in Sleepy Hollow

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/11/realestate/11wczo.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

The Painters of the Hudson and the Style Inspiring Changes

When viewing the Artists of the Hudson era I found it interesting to notice how the style and content of the artist's paintings changed with the area around them. The style of Thomas Cole, considered to be the father of the Hudson school of painting, is very much nature first. His paintings, such as View on the Catskill Early Autumn show a Hudson valley with rich foliage relatively unhindered by man.

The second generation of Hudson painters, such as Sanford Robinson Gifford, embraced the increased growth on the Hudson and their works include more paintings with a meld of nature with human life like in Sunset Over the Palisades on the Hudson.

In many ways the growth of the Hudson is mirrored by the artist and the changing styles in inspired.

Cole: Once in a Lifetime

Today in a presentation by Professor Pokinski we had the opportunity to view some truly incredible artwork. Coming into class I didn't really know what to expect, I'd never really taken the time to immerse myself in the world of art, although originally the idea of learning about the Hudson River School was one of the reasons I decided to take this course. Professor Pokinski discussed a number of themes inherent to this particular group of artists: the theme of westward expansion, attention to detail, and the conflict between the benefits of industrialization and the undisturbed beauty of the wilderness. It's not easy to admit, for fear of sounding naive, uncultured or perhaps "soft", that I was actually moved by some of Thomas Cole's artwork, particularly the slides we saw of "The Course of Empire" in which Cole depicts various stages of a civilization from virgin wilderness to desolation. Depictions of this five part series can be found at the following link: http://pasleybrothers.com/jefferson/course_of_empire.htm
After class i took some time to think about what it was specifically about the work of Cole and some of the other Hudson River painters like Church and Bierstadt that had affected me so deeply, and after pondering it for a while, I'm not sure it's possible to put it into words. I think it's simply a feeling you get when viewing a scene of such extreme beauty, and realizing the level of understanding and appreciation the artist had for the landscape before him. The paintings themselves are still popular around the world; those that aren't in public collections sell for extraordinary amounts of money. I wonder if artists today would have the ability to draw so much from a particular environment. I can't help but think that there was something about the time in which these men were composing these beautiful landscapes, perhaps a deeper appreciation for nature and it's ability to move the soul, that would be near impossible to replicate today.

The Future of the Tappan Zee Bridge

http://www.eisinc.com/release/storiesh/NYSDOT.056.html

Indian Point

http://www.silive.com/newsflash/metro/index.ssf?/base/news-23/1171315175160210.xml&storylist=simetro

Three Gorges Dam

The Erie Canal was a political battle from the start. However, by the end all who were opposed had switched sides, trying to show that they had supported the enormous project from the beginning. The Erie Canal turned into a momentous technological advancement; some, like Peter Bernstein, would even say it saved America. The Erie Canal was a major contributor to the economic explosion that would lead New York to be the center of commerce and trade.

Joe Bock asked whether today’s government allow a major technological advancement like the Erie Canal. Is the political, economical and ecological situation of today too complex to build something so big? Does law inhibit the ability to build something like the Erie Canal?

China has recently started an enormous project called the Three Gorges Dam. The purpose for this project is the Chinese government is trying to produce a more efficient energy source. This dam, which is scheduled to be finished by 2009, promises to produce hydroelectric power, control floods, and bring more money into China by increasing tourism and employment to build and run the dam. However, there are many negatives to the project, displacement of over a million tribes and ancestral homes, tampering with ancient archeological sites, loss of nature and farmlands, and a price tag of 24 billion dollars. The Three Gorges Dam also threatens the disruption in the ecosystem: eutrophication, fish migration, water contamination and landslides. Yes, in today’s world a project bigger than the Erie Canal is happening in China. In the United States, our governmental system of checks and balances forces projects to be drawn out and slow. Therefore, in the U.S. a project to this magnitude would be complex and complicated.

PCB Clean Up Postponed

Legal conflicts and NIMBY (not in my backyard) arguments continue to delay plans to dredge sections of the Hudson in an effort to clean up PCBs. It appears dredging will now be delayed until spring of our graduation (spring 2009 - our class is a Sophomore Seminar; thus, we're all sophomores).

More details are available here:
Hudson River PCB clean up delayed another year

HipHop on the Hudson

More on Alpine NJ

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/11/arts/music/11cent.html

Reconnecting NYC and Buffalo

Good ideas? Feasible?

http://www.amhersttimes.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4140&Itemid=27

Economic Dynamism

http://www.opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=110009657

This WSJ op-ed made me think of Shorto's argument about the importance of the values of Dutch New York. Culture, Phelps argues, matters.

Fungus on the Paragon of Beauty

In his Essay on American Scenery, Thomas Cole shows an appreciation for biodiversity in a forest, writing, "it is a beautiful instance of the exhaustlessness of nature; often where we should expect unvarying monotony, we behold a charming diversity." He names several species of particular interest, calling the elm "that paragon of beauty and shade."

The tanning and lumber industries were devastating to the Hudson River Valley forests by the sheer number of trees cut down, but commerce in the region has hurt the forest in another, more subtle way. The introduction of foreign diseases has destroyed the elm and American chestnut populations of the Hudson River Valley and the East coast of the United States.

In the late 1800s, about 1 out of every 2 trees found in a northeastern hardwood forest was an American chestnut (Castanea dentata). These trees were treasured for their straight stems, massive size, umbrella canopies, and near perfect symmetry. They were valuable for their superior quality wood and the nuts that could be used as sustenance for both people and livestock. Patrons at the New York Zoo observed the death of these great trees beginning in 1904; the disease that was killing them spread rapidly from that time in all directions, sometimes as quickly as 50 miles per year. Zoo goers were witnessing the work of a fungus, called Cryphonectria parasitica, that infects stems, branches, and shoots of the trees, producing blisters of the bark called cankers. It is likely that these infections were ultimately a product of global trade; it appears to have come to America via a ship from Asia. By 1940, adult chestnuts were virtually impossible to find; any existing saplings could not live to reproductive age before being fatally attacked by the fungus. This devasting event in the history of the northeastern hardwood forest came to be called the great American chestnut blight and scientists predict that the forest will not recover from it for several hundred years, if ever.

Dutch elm disease hit the northeastern hardwood forests in the 1930s. This pathogen is also a fungus; called Ophiostoma novo-ulmi, it clogs the vascular tissue so the shoots and branches of the trees wilt and eventually die. Though the name would have you blame the Dutch, this fungus probably came from the Himalayas on infected wooden crates. The strategies to combat the Dutch elm disease, such as root grafts, fungicides, and pesticides to kill the carriers, have proved largely ineffective, expensive, or harmful to the environment in other ways.

The changes in the forest composition as a result of the introduction of exotic diseases would probably sadden Cole, who valued the Hudson River Valley forest for its "unrivalled variety." But how much is this biodiversity worth? Was the introduction of these diseases more or less harmful than the logging that was done by the timber and tanning industries? Would it have been worth the cost of stopping or regulating overseas trade if, somehow, the traders of the 19th and early 20th centuries could have forseen the consequences to the forests? The problem in answering these questions arises because different people put very different values on biodiversity and ecological preservation.

The information I used came from these websites and also the book The Dying of the Trees by Charles Little.

http://www.forestpathology.org/dis_chestnut.html

http://plantclinic.cornell.edu/FactSheets/dutchelmdisease/DED.htm

Olana

http://www.nj.com/entertainment/ledger/index.ssf?/base/entertainment-0/1171172443136630.xml&coll=1

Smart Growth

In The Hudson: A History, I found a powerful quote from Thomas Cole. In 1836, upon seeing the havoc the tanning and logging industries had raged upon the Hudson River Valley, he made an important observation that can be applied to many situations today. “The ravages of the axe are daily increasing. The most noble scenes are made desolate, and oftentimes with a wantonness and barbarism scarcely credible in a civilized nation. The wayside is becoming shadeless, and another generation will behold spots, now rife with beauty, desecrated by what is called improvement; which, as yet, generally destroys Nature’s beauty without substituting Art (p. 220).”

Although it has been nearly 200 years since Cole beheld the destruction of the Hudson Valley, such rabid and unthinking destruction continues elsewhere. The Hudson is slowly being restored, as tanning has long since moved elsewhere and the wanton disposal of chemical wastes is now monitored and restricted. However, the Hudson is still contaminated with PCB wastes and environmental degradation has shifted to different areas, such as suburban sprawl. Much of the Hudson Valley has now been developed, and in recent years countless suburban outcroppings and big box retailers have overtaken forest and farmland.

The environmental group Scenic Hudson (http://www.scenichudson.org/) believes a plan of “Smart Growth” is needed for the Hudson Valley to “protect resources and focus mixed-use and appropriately-scaled development in and adjacent to existing communities, thus reducing auto-dependence and creating a vibrant, walkable environment that will enhance community character, preserve the Hudson Valley's unique sense of place and help protect farmland and open space.” The Hudson River Valley is a region with such a rich history that a plan of smart growth and land preservation is a wise idea. Scenic Hudson alone has bought over 20,000 acres of land to preserve and give Hudson River Valley residents access to the great river. Through identification with the river will come a greater grassroots movement to save and protect the Hudson and restore it to its former glory.

Book on Bannerman's Castle

http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070211/LIFE/702110326

Piers Proposed to Encourage Boaters

http://burbsbiz.lohudblogs.com/2007/02/09/developer-wants-piers-for-celebraton/

Tibet's Erie Canal?

http://www.techcentralstation.com/

Smart Growth

http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=17819819&BRD=1704&PAG=461&dept_id=71705&rfi=6

The Hidden Value of the Hudson

I found a very interesting use of the Hudson River Valley, walking vacations. Yes, you heard me right, Cross Country International runs a 5 night stay with 4 guided walks, for only $1180! This is a way that I had never thought of to utilize the beauty of the river. The idea that someone would shell out that kind of money to walk along a river and be able to take pictures is something that seem very strange to me. One of the main reasons being that the beauty is hard to miss, I personal don't see how they have to ability to enhance the views or scenery. But then again who would've ever that people would pay $380 to fish with a guide, when they could fish for free in the same river. I am sure that the people that this company caters to is the upper class, and the cost is secondary to the possibility of having the best time possible. If anyone is interested in booking their own walking vacation to the Hudson river just visit http://www.walkingvacations.com/walking-vacations/historic_hudson_valley_walk.php

Westchester 2017

http://www.lohud.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070207/CUSTOM02/702070456/1282

How dredging works

http://www.epa.gov/hudson/dredge_truth.htm#vid

More on dredging

http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/0/d07bb39e8a2d54d28525727c006acf2c?OpenDocument

Squabbling over PCB Dredging

http://www.saratogian.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=17813560&BRD=1169&PAG=461&dept_id=17708&rfi=6

Island Building

Here is a link to an article describing the creation of resort islands in Dubai of the United Arab Emirates. I ran across these massive projects in a national geographic a while back and thought the concept would do well to put in perspective the replication of a project such as the erie canal.


http://www.findaproperty.com/displaystory.aspx?edid=00&salerent=0&storyid=2707

Here's a better picture: http://realestate.theemiratesnetwork.com/developments/dubai/images/palm_jebel_ali.jpg

Las Vegas on the Hudson?

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/07/nyregion/07tribe.html?ex=1171515600&en=07b13297c765e9ab&ei=5070

Economic Hope in the Hudson Region is Spelled AMD

Although the cities of Troy, Albany and Schenectady are not what they once were there is still hope for economic revival in the Hudson Valley. Former Governor George Pataki had a vision of the Hudson region as “America's next Silicon Valley” and he backed up his words with his actions by offering enormous incentives to AMD, a microchip processing company and Intel’s biggest rival, to locate their new plant in the Hudson area, just north of Albany. The former Governor's ploy worked and New York was selected over Germany and points in Eastern Asia as the location for the new plant. The plant is expected to create upwards of 5,000 new jobs both within the company and outside it as a support structure as well as another 2,000 construction jobs that should last atleast two years.

New York’s New Governor, Elliot Spitzer, has a similar vision of the Hudson. The new Governor ran a campaign with the economic revitalization of the upstate area as one of his centerpieces.

The beauty of software companies such as AMD is their relatively high positive impact on the economy and their relatively low negative impact on the environment. With all the environmental and economic problems the Hudson region has faced, companies like AMD are vital to its resurgence.

Information from the two articles listed below was used in this post:

"AMD Chooses Upstate N.Y. for Chip Plant." Associated Press 23 June 2006.
Hakim, Danny. "Spitzer Picks Pennsylvanian to Spur Upstate Economy." New York Times 23 Jan. 2007.

Land of Opportunity?

One criticism of history as it is normally taught today is that its seems to be the study of rich white men and their decisions. I could name dozens of European American men that have been influential in Hudson River history, but fewer Native Americans, African Americans, and women. The only woman that has played a significant role in our study of the river so far is Jane Colden, who was the first female botanist in America. Jane's written descriptions of the plants in the Lower Hudson River Valley was famous for its eloquence and exhaustive detail. She also developed a method for making ink impressions of leaves, which was probably necessary considering that her sketching abilities were, as Tom Lewis author of The Hudson writes, merely "basic renderings."

Colden's story is encouraging because she was a woman who achieved so many great things at a time when that was unlikely. It was her connections and her work for her father that allowed her to get involved in the field of botany. If she had been the daughter of a small farmer or a shopkeeper, this would have been nearly impossible. The United States was the land of opportunity in the sense that there was land available and the freedom to follow economic pursuits - if you were of the right race and gender. Colden's story is a reminder of just how far we have come, and I feel lucky to live in a time where the right to education reaches to more and more sections of society.

Lou Reed Meditating on the Hudson

http://www.chartattack.com/damn/2007/02/0611.cfm

Big Plans for Newburgh

http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070207/NEWS/702070360/-1/NEWS

Enforcement of Pollution Regulations

http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070206/NEWS/702060322

It is amazing how short sighted we can become while focusing on certain issues. Since starting this class I have become very interested in the clean up of the Hudson River by GE. This article by Greg Bruno of the Times Herald-Record has brought to light the New York state government’s inability to enforce regulations to prevent polluting rivers in the last 15 years. The article states that of the 359 spills reported to the DEC between Yonkers and Albany on the Hudson, only 13 ended with state issued consent orders. Granted, some of these spills must have been extremely small but this is still very inconsistent enforcement at best. It also makes me wonder about the effort the state makes in finding polluters, there must be a percentage of spills polluting the rivers that go unaccounted for. How much of an effort is put into tracking pollution in the river? In the article Basil Seggos, lead investigator for the environmental group Riverkeeper, is quoted saying, "The Pataki administration was decidedly anti-enforcement." This seems ridiculous; the Pataki administration did a poor job regulating pollution in the Hudson and other rivers at the same time that GE was under heavy fire about cleaning up the river? It seems that the publicity of the GE dredging case would influence the state to become more attentive and strict about pollution in the rivers.

The article concludes on a more positive note saying that Governor Spitzer has included on his new budget hiring more inspectors, biologists, engineers, and attorneys for the DEC. Hopefully these changes will lead to better enforcement of pollution regulations. If the enforcement of pollution regulations does not change, and the river is continually polluted, the effects of an environment project, like the GE dredging project, would be compromised. Why spend so much money to clean the river if people continually pollute it?

Brief Economics of the Erie Canal

The Erie Canal was a social and economical success. Although many spent years campaigning for the canal, it was Jonas Platt who recognized that the Canal truly had to be a public, state-sponsored venture. In Bernstein's words:

"Platt took a firm position... that would shape the entire future of the Erie Canal: 'No private corporation was adequate to, or ought to be entrusted with, the power and control over such an important object.' New York State itself would do the financing" (The Wedding of the Waters 132).

Once opened, the Canal earned a net rate of return of about 8% over its first decade, which allowed the State to quickly earn back the $9 million it invested in the Canal (A New Economic View of American History 150). More important than the direct profits were the incredible social returns (or overall returns to society, beyond the simple profits the owners earn). The average social rate of return for canals in the mid-1800's exceeded 50% (A New Economic View of American History 155)! It is the high social rate of return that explains why the Canal truly had to be a government project. Simply put, the Canal was worth far more to society as a whole than it ever would be to a private owner.

To finance the canal, George Tibbits, a state politician, designed a fairly brilliant system that recognized the positive social impact of the Canal. Tibbits' plan included both a toll for using the Canal and a tax on "all real estate located within twenty-five miles of the canal" (Wedding of the Waters 190-191). Tibbits' plan recognized: (1) the companies using the Canal would gain incredible benefits, so they should be taxed (made to pay a toll) and (2) land along the Canal would increase in value, so the land owners should pay for a portion of the Canal as well. The land along the Canal increased in value for a simple reason: practically overnight, it went from being real estate more-or-less in the middle of nowhere to real estate along one of the most significant commercial highways of the era. Although, as Bernstein points out, the tax on adjacent land was never collected, the plan itself was still brilliant and economically sound.

Polar Bears

Should Sophsem 223 take a plunge this weekend?

http://www.nyjournalnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070204/UPDATE/702040401

Who's Responsible for Spills?

http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070206/NEWS/702060322

Ahead of His Time

We consider our world today to be the most liberal of all time. In America particularly, we preach individual liberties and acceptance of others while fully acknowledging the faults of our forefathers. We generally assume that the earliest Americans had the best of intentions for our future nation but no understanding of other cultures and races. I feel like Americans, myself included, have an impression of all of our founders as ignorant bigots, as many undoubtably were based on the countless deaths of Africans and Native Americans. For this reason, I was particularly surprised and impressed by a speech by De Witt Clinton in 1811 in which he addresses the fact that the discovery and settlement of America has led to the extermination of "millions of the red men, and entailed upon the sable inhabitants of Africa, endless and destructive wars, captivity, slavery and death" for which "the Almighty" will one day punish us (Wedding of the Waters, Bernstein, pg. 138-9). The fact that we so quickly condemn our forefathers and are shocked by those who are "ahead of their time" is an indication of the teleological approach to history that we have been taught through grade school. It is necessary for us to take a step back from our present biases in order for us to avoid unfair generalizations about the past.

PCBs

Polychlorinated biphenyl compound

During class on Thursday, someone asked about the effects of PCB, or polychlorinated biphenyls. In true science-nerd fashion, I thought it would be interesting to look up the chemical and biological implications of this compound. Polychloronated biphenyls are organic molecules composed of, you guessed it, two phenyl groups with anywhere from 1 to 10 chlorines attached to the carbons. PCBs were introduced to industry in the 1920s largely due to their chemical stability, resistance to heat, low flammability, and high dielectric constant. They have been used in transformers capacitors, electromagnets, circuit breakers, voltage regulators, and switches. They are insoluble in water can withstand extremely high temperatures without degrading. These advantages are also unfortunately the reason why PCBs are so difficult to get rid of. They are large, heavy, lipophillic molecules that are very likely to bind to soils and sediments. The ring structure of these compounds makes them very stable, meaning that they will not react with most other compounds. So pretty much, those babies aren’t going anywhere anytime soon.

PCBs are highly toxic and have been found to cause a number of adverse effects in humans, including chloracne, skin discoloration, liver dysfunction, reproductive effects, development toxicity, and oncogenicity. Animal studies have shown that the compound is carcinogenic, and it is very possible that they affect humans in the same way. PCBs can enter the body through the lungs, gastrointestinal tract, and skin, circulate throughout the body, and be stored in adipose tissue. One scary fun fact that I found during my wanderings on Access Science: “The estimated percentage of the United States population with detectable levels of PCBs was nearly 100% in 1981.” Hopefully this estimate has decreased with the increase in awareness and cleanup of PCBs.

A few methods have been developed to destroy PCBs, including reacting them with various chemicals, but dumping gallons of sodium in a river is probably not environmentally sound. After looking up some information on these compounds, I can see why the scientific community at large supports dredging to physically remove these compounds. There does not appear to be an efficient and environmentally friendly way to neutralize these compounds while they are present in rivers.

Source:

Glenn Kuntz, "Polychlorinated biphenyls", in AccessScience@McGraw-Hill, http://www.accessscience.com, DOI 10.1036/1097-8542.534000, last modified: April 10, 2000.

"Railway to the Moon"

In the first three sections of his book Wedding of the Waters, Peter Bernstein provides an interesting and in-depth history of the development and completion of the Erie Canal. He tells of how many politicians and enemies of DeWitt Clinton's fought mercilessly against the Canal, claiming it would be a great expense and a a failure. Opponents claimed that it would make more sense to build a "railway to the moon." Clinton also recieved atttacks from the large political machine of the time, Tammany Hall. However despite criticism and invigorating work, Clinton saw the development of the Canal during his term as governer of New York, and was there to symbolically pour ocean water into the Canal.
Shortly after the completion, New York state's economy boomed, and Clinton was seen as a hero. Those who doubted Clinton and the Canal were seen as foolish. Interestingly, the same controversies over transportation projects are apparent today. Issues such as money, the environment, and eminent domain surround any highway, bridge, or rail project in development. One can not deny the advantages of the interstate transportation system which grew to a great extent shortly after WW2. Interstate highways such as Route 80, which links New Jersey to California, made it easier, shorter, and cheaper to transport both people and goods throughout the country.
However, due to factors such as the environment, the economy, lack of land and eminent domain, highway projects are difficult to fund and complete today. They are met with hostility from both citizens and politicians. Talk has recently been circulating about a super-highway stretching from Mexico to Midwestern America. If this project were to take place, controversy would surely erupt from many people and organizations. However, highly demanded goods such as oil could be transported quickly and easily, which would be a great boost to the economy, despite the high costs of creating the highway system. There may not be a "railway to the moon" anytime in the near future, but it is interesting how themes and arguments from almost 200 years ago are still prevalent in our society and government today.

"Unusual Event" at Indian Point Nuclear Plant

http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070205/NEWS04/70205031

Washington Goes Bad

George Washington is regarded as one of America's foremost statesman, a man who embodied numerous admirable traits for which he is remembered today. He was, among other things, a brilliant general, president, diplomat and real estate enthusiast, yet Washington was also a renowned canal connoisseur. As a founding member of the Patowmack Company, Washington long dreamt of building a canal connecting the Potomac River to the west, providing a means of economic transportation for settlers striking out into new territory. Yet the great Washington, in his efforts to raise money for this daunting task, committed what could be considered an act of treason: He facilitated the signing of a treaty between Maryland and Virginia granting him aid in financing the building of his canal, an act which was illegal even under the lose structure of the Articles of Confederation. Peter Bernstein, author of "Wedding of the Waters" uses this example to emphasize the importance of canals to the expansion of the American west. While his main concern is the building of the Erie Canal, he uses this particular event to show how important a canal to the west would be, so important in fact, that it would drive one of the most morally sound Americans who ever lived to commit an act of treason against his country! The Erie Canal would eventually, upon it's completion and in the years to follow, turn American into the "empire" state, and its connection to the Hudson had profound effects on the development of the river and the region surrounding it. Many taunted the original idea, but if the world only knew how far Washington had gone some years earlier to achieve the same result, perhaps it would not have seemed such an outlandish idea after all.

Hudson Valley Ruins

http://www.hudsonvalleyruins.org/

Erie Canal

For those who have not yet had the pleasure of hearing the song that all New York children grew up learning, here is a link with the lyrics and a sound clip.
http://www.springsteenlyrics.com/lyrics/e/eriecanal.php (Lyrics)
http://www.songsforteaching.com/folk/eriecanal.htm (Sound clip)

More on Sturgeon

http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070204/NEWS04/70204010

Connecting NYC and Buffalo-- Again

http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20070202/1023565.asp

Riverfront Development in Sleepy Hollow

http://www.nynews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070203/NEWS02/702030354/1223

Government

The completion of the Erie Canal in 1825 led to immense prosperity and growth in the state of New York. Transportation costs were cut incredibly, and goods from throughout the country were able to be shipped to the New York Harbor. This led to great economic build-up, and in just a few years turned many small river towns into sprawling industrial centers. However, if one were to take a ride along the Erie Canal today, it would be hard to fathom how these cities were once rich and prosperous. Cities such as Utica, Schenectady, and Troy, are filled with abandoned factories, poverty, and unemployment. In 1910, Troy was the 4th richest city in the country, and the home to many large and successful businesses. It’s population was at a then very high 76,313. According to the 2000 Census, 90 years later, the population of Troy was just 49,170, and the city’s median income was at a low $29,844.
The decline of Troy and other Hudson River cities can be attributed to many factors, such as suburban sprawl, globalization, and the decline of manufacturing in America. However, it is also evident that many governmental attempts to help the region, such as higher wages, property and business taxes, and regulations, have done more damage to both the businesses of the Hudson River region and the cities of the region themselves. These factors have caused most of the factories that built up the region to relocate to the South and overseas, where working costs and taxes are lower. This has caused unemployment throughout these cities, which has led to a decrease in population and an increase in poverty.
Fixing industry would be a more effective way to revitalize these cities than to enact more social programs. If property taxes and working costs were lower in the Hudson River and Erie Canal region, more businesses would be attracted, and more growth would be created. The recent growth of technology has provided a great opportunity for these cities to revitalize. If government takes advantage of this opportunity, the Erie Canal and Hudson River region could once again be prosperous. However, if property and corporate taxes, as well as wage costs keep rising, more and more businesses will have trouble operating and will exit the region, and the wealth of upstate New York will be a thing of the far past.

Blinky the three eyed fish(Simpsons reference)

Now fish in the Hudson don't have three eyes, but according to the NYS DEC they might be a dangerous to eat. During the movie and class discussion the topic of consumption of these fish was raised. The DEC publishes a list of fish that have consumption limits on them for the entire state of NY. http://www.health.state.ny.us/environmental/outdoors/fish/docs/fish.pdf shows a list of all of the bodies of water in the state on NY that have health advisories for fish consumption. Page 14 through 15 has the advisories for the Hudson River. This site has more information than anyone could ever want to read about fish consumption.



Sorry about all of the post about fish/fishing. I am a fish freak

Failed Communist

http://music.guardian.co.uk/folk/story/0,,2003339,00.html

Hudson River Park

http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/editorial/16592790.htm

Saving a Landmark in Troy

http://www.wnyt.com/x11872.xml?ag=x995&sb=x183

President Bush's State of the Union Address

In the “State of the Union Address” on the evening of Tuesday 23, 2007, President George Bush proposed a tax cut as his first priority; the economy, “Our first goal is clear: We must have an economy that grows fast enough to employ every man and woman who seeks a job…Jobs are created when the economy grows; the economy grows when Americans have more money to spend and invest...” Today our society measures success based on growth. But is growth a realistic, sustainable path for the future? Can we continue to grow exponentially while dodging ecological issues that may lead to economic and social collapse?
Is President Bush right? Although I am not a supporter of President Bush and his administration, his position on the economy deserves consideration. Can we really justify focusing additional attention and resources on the ecology when poverty is so pervasive throughout the world?
On the other hand, economic growth and environmental problems are not necessarily mutually exclusive. Many believe, like Bush, that economic growth will aid a sustainable future. “In this century, the greatest environmental progress will come about not through endless lawsuits or command-and-control regulations, but through technology and innovation.” Bush suggests that the theory of economics and technology will allow Americans to use our scarce resources more efficiently. Although new technology offers promise for reducing environmentally hazardous pollutants, technology alone does not offer a comprehensive, sustainable solution.
The Hudson River exemplifies a situation where a damaged ecosystem is trying to be restored through technological gains. The once prosperous industrial heartland has turned the Hudson River from a beautiful clean estuary into a dump. The future of this River holds great promise to our environmental condition. By restoring one of the greatest estuaries, demonstrate the need to stop this environmental crisis before it’s too late.
Bush’s solution to this environmental crisis is purely talk. President Bush’s policy fails to adequately address the broader concerns, but simply offers to puts a Band-Aid on them. Although attempting to display that he cares about the environment, President Bush lacks the courage to stand up and fix the problems that threaten to sustain our economic, ecological and social security.

State of the Union Address
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/01/20030128-19.html

Spitzer's Economic Revitalization

Newly elected Governor Spitzer has a lot on the agenda for the first few months of his term. One of his major selling points during the campaign was his experience with economic revitalization. He specifically has targeted upstate New York as an area that needs help.

He has a lot of plans very relevant to our class discussion today. He believes New York's high property taxes are a major deterrent to economic growth especially in the depressed upstate region. In a speech he gave on Tuesday, Governor Spitzer outlined some of his economic visions for New York:

"Soaring property taxes are devastating our state’s families and our economy as well. In the past five years, real property taxes have increased 42 percent — fully three and a half times faster than wages have increased.As a result, all across our state, high property taxes are forcing families to leave their homes and encouraging young people to leave for more affordable states. High property taxes have driven New York’s overall state and local tax burden to the highest in the nation, which is a major reason for our state’s uncompetitive position in the global economy.My Executive Budget will address this crisis by providing $1.5 billion dollars in property tax relief this year. The amount we provide will grow to $2 billion dollars in fiscal year 2008 and $2.5 billion dollars in fiscal year 2009."

At least in theory, Mr. Spitzer seems to be on the same economic page with a lot of us in class. Hopefully, his plans will at least bring back a glimer of upstate's former shine. The rest of his speech can be read here: http://www.ny.gov/governor/keydocs/0130071_speech.html

A Push for PCB Cleanup

A letter from Scenic Hudson to GE - Take Action!

Guinan's Lives On

http://www.nyjournalnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070201/NEWS04/702010391/1234

We'll be reading Wendy Bounds' book about this Garrison institution in a few weeks.

Greig Farm, in Redhook, NY, represents my childhood. Some of my best memories of my time living in New York are of picking apples in the fall or going to pick out the very biggest pumpkins with my brother before Halloween. Going into the store after a good hour of "pick your own" fun with the family was the most exciting part because I could go feed the goats and ducks or go inside and get some old fashioned candy and fresh doughnuts. I can't imagine my childhood without the freedom and old fashioned family fun of Greig Farm, which is why I was shocked to see it on Bill Moyers documentary, "America's First River", as a struggling family farm barely making a profit.
The story of the family farm struggling to hold on is not unique to the Hudson Valley in this booming world of progression and technology. Farmer's children do not want to grow up to take over the farm and work long days to barely get by, they would rather go live in a big city and make a lot of easy money. The Hudson Valley farmers, however, have it particularly bad because they generally have relatively little land, as a result of the development in the beautiful Valley, that must compete with the gargantuan farms of the Midwest.
The good news is that there is new hope for the family farms of the Hudson Valley. A new nonprofit organization, Hudson Valley Agri-Business Development Corp. is now working to help the farms by promoting them to larger companies, teaching them about organic products (which are in high demand right now) and giving them the funds necessary to boost their farming methods. As daunting as the task is, the farmers, their families, and all of the families like my own who enjoy places such a Greig Farm, will be eternally greatful for any extra help to keep local farms a part of the Hudson Valley. For more information on Hudson Valley farm decline and Hudson Valley Agri-Business Development Corp., read: http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070123/NEWS/701230318