just a link to an article I wrote....

hey, I'm re-published! From Cinema Sewer...This was an article I wrote on the heyday of times square/porn scene in the past:

http://2droogies.com/pornmem.htm

let me know what you think!

the south beach arcade

Before I moved to SI, we would periodically visit my aunt in south beach. I used to love coming here because she lived on Sand Lane, steps away from the amusement area. Imagine, right across the street, rides, games, food...and even a fun house!
As one of the last bastions of old-time staten island, the south beach arcade is the only place here to play pinball!
I recently seen some old postcards of SI (about 80 years old) and south/midland beaches were the hotspot for summer NYC residents. All the bungalows in midland beach were originally just summer vaction homes, most did not have heating. The rows and rows of townhouse-dwellers in the area now have no idea what it once was like. The boardwalk/beach area back then was like coney island and the jersey shore rolled into one. Huge pavilions, amusement parks (one was called "Happyland"....) and arcades!
The Sand Lane arcade exists to this day.
Lots of video games,"pokerino", skee-ball, DDR machine (that's "dance dance revolution" if ya didn't know)and...

Pinball! ...at least 7 old-school games, most are working. Pinball, I'm afraid, is a dying art. The last great pinball manufacturer, Williams, stopped making machines in 2000. They have dozens of moving parts and are prone to breakdown, requiring constant maintenance. The best ones were from the 1978-82 period. South beach arcade has some dating back to '94. I am told the fun house is still intact, just closed since '98. (wish they would open it again!)

the weekly ordeal that is CTV's equipment

yep, we just keep "rolling with the punches" equipment-wise at the channel.

Trying to put together an hour-long show every two weeks is a monumental, stressfull task in of itself. Compound this with the shoddy equipment configuration & settings used to actually edit and dub the show. (video artifacts, degraded picture, compressed, tinny audio) For good measure, add mono playback & extra audio compression from SI Cable when aired. (yes, CTV is the only channel on time warner cable in mono-left channel only audio!)
Whaddya get?...a program that sounds like total shit and looks very close.
We are at wits end after months of balking.
Our artistic "vision" is being seriously compromised.
Therefore, after 9 years, I am doing everything in my power to move the editing of industrialTELEVISION to my home set-up, thereby eliminating at least two of the above problems.
The problem stems from the current director (for whom a replacement is being sought) and his poor choices, as well as the main culprit - the "technician" who "maintains" the equipment.
Just posting this makes my stomach knot-up, thinking of the weekly "stress-session" tech debacle that is editing on CTV's gear.
http://2droogies.com/

didn't believe it until I saw it...

Guidos with waxed and shaped eyebrows. Dude, sorry, but I can maybe see back hair, but doing that shit is kinda gay...

I was told of this practice amongst the more
narcissistic "coo-genes" on S.I., but only recently did I start looking for it, and lo & behold, three in one day! (just goto the mall or bar)....
It's really weird too, ...not just the "uni-brow" middle part, but waxed and shaped into a thin curve, ....just like a chick! (almost looks "Spock-like")....scary.

the sorry state of locally-produced TV

Why is it that more often than not every time I turn on channel 34 there's some imported religious program on? It's because we don't have enough locally-produced shows to run!
It's really sad when you think about it....here we have an invaluable resource at our disposal, (staten island community television, or SICTV-our local community access channel) and most people do not take advantage of it. Look-just go down to cable way, take the course ($65.00) and start producing your own TV show!
If you need the impetus to do this, simply watch the channel for a week...I guarantee you will have ideas and say to yourself: "I could do better than this crap!"...and go and DO iT!
Watching you sitting at a desk and talking for a half-hour about ANYTHING would be better than the current tripe currently being broadcast daily.

from the recent NY Times article

about "island girl"...in last sunday's paper.....

There are inklings that the island is getting a bit hipper and more singles-friendly; the Stapleton dive bar Martini Red presents screenings of underground films, and a Christian singles night is held every other Thursday at the Muddy Cup coffee shop.

well, which would you rather attend?

"industrialTELEVISION underground film night" at Martini Red (372 Van Duzer Street -stapleton) is now on the last Wed. of every month!Look for these upcoming dates! -..April 27th...Mention the drink specials: $1.50 pabst...$4.00 martinis....$2.00 shots....

random gripes about S.I.

the "sheep" mentality of islanders...FOR EXAMPLE: they way they heard blindly towards the latest national dining chain to open (be it Chili's, Charlie Browns, Boulder Creek, ...whatever) Only to wait 45 minutes for a table to eat mediocre food at premium prices, Rather than seek out a local business (at which there is usually no wait for a table, and the food is better!)

the lack of an "arthouse" type of theater....you know like something in the village?I recently had to go to manhattan to see "inside deep throat" (a documentary about the legendary porn classic)....and have traveled often in the past to see other films in jersey (mostly "NC-17" rated movies)....why can't there be a place for these films on SI?...wouldn't people go?

"convience" stores....these places set up in the lowest income areas (port richmond, stapleton, etc.)...extract all the money from the neighborhood, (just show me one without beer and lotto!)...and give nothing back....Complain?...and you'll be called prejudiced...YET-they usually hire only others from their same country of origin. They mark up prices 3-400% of what a supermarket charges....and this is for sometimes outdated goods as well!...How many times have you gone into one of these places and he's ringing you up with one hand while screaming in Arabic on the telephone cradled under his chin?....Aren't I worth at least 20 seconds of his undivided attention?....oh, stop me before I go on...

http://2droogies.com

nascar track

the planners of the nascar track are being backed by the mayor and borough president...they even hired ex-BP Molinari as PR....you can't fight city hall...

the city has granted a waiver on track property taxes for the next 100 years!....meanwhile bloomberg raises ours!...naysayers may balk, but it looks like it's inevitable...

walmart....I hope not...but I fear so....if for a moment you believe staten idle-ners don't want cheap goods -look for a minute and count the number of ".99 cents stores"!

stop and shop....GOOD! (ever been to the one right over the bayonne bridge?-much better than waldbaum's, pathmark, key food!)

http://2droogies.com

well, I must take issue with a few of these

"summer concerts"...remember when there used to be concerts every wed in the summer at gateway?...."it's not in the budget"...says "Jimmy" Molinaro....yet, somehow dopey, idotic, million dollar dolphin and turtle fountains ARE!....

"Applebees, Chilis, etc.".....these places are poor (esp. applebees) and over-priced. They cater only to the lemming-like, sheep mentality of Staten Idle-ders....consider these places next time:
Deninio's, Burrito Bar, Burger Chef, Olympic Diner, Basilio's, Loon Chuan, ...and one of the very Best - Shaeffer's tavern.

30 minutes to the city? yeah, if you live in the ferry terminal and work at Whitehall St.!....consider this: we're part of NYC, but-for the average Stagnant Is. commuter (by public transportation) it takes 40-90 minutes to get to midtown manhattan. a recent survey said we have the longest regular commute in the nation! YET-If you live in jersey, (another STATE) it's 5-10 minutes....sad ain't it?

BTW, jsut to show it's not all negative, two of the best things about SI:
The Sand Lane Arcade.......and Ralph's Ices!(which should be open soon!)

ya know, it's funny....

ya know, it's funny....when I was growing up on the island, we used to goof on the old geezers when they would point to the mall and say:"I used to hunt rabbits back there ....no more"...

I DO remember a lot more desolate areas on the south shore. I also recall an incredible amount of woods in that area...Jeez, I remember when "heartland village" was new and the houses were hated, like:"who would live in a community like that?...we'd ask ourselves... boy, oh boy....many people today would jump at the chance of owning one of those detached units!

even more amazing, I went to see my 1st rock concerts here on SI....bands like Black Sabbath, Yes, Alice Cooper, and others at the Ritz theater in port richmond! Yep, many top recording acts played there 30-35 years ago. And let me tell 'ya, when there was a show playing, it was like greenwich village...stores open past midnight, hundreds of people walking the streets, people partying everywhere....and "ground Zero" for all that was happening was the "Head Shop".....no more...(christ, sound familiar?)

some random issues about S.I.

top 10 things I hate about staten island...
10.-Staten island cable -gee, I'm glad I upgraded to digital, now I just have to re-boot the fricking box once every couple of weeks!...let's not mention the low volume, "screen freezes" and other signal break-up problems!
9.-CTV - if anybody has watched a show or two on channel 34/35....you know what I'm talkin' about, dood!
8.-The Ferry-I don't care how much they put into the terminal, the restrooms on the boat still smell like urine...
7.-The S.I. Advance - oh, I mean the "local politician photo-op newspaper"...the writing is horrible, the articles are insipid, where does one start?...P.S. I've never seen a good paper with a "worship" section every week...
6.-The Mindless Sheep mentality - islanders just follow the herd, re-walking the same well-treaden path over and over again...
5.-The Borough President(s) - in the contractor's pockets, sold away the island to developers, funding of stupid projects, mob ties, what's to like?
4.-Business owners - (see "sheep" above)
3.-The bands who play ONLY on S.I - one must seek out the other "off-island" clubs -get out there and play every weekend!...it's your only hope!
2.-Whiggers - I realize they are just lifting black culture to up there 'street cred"....but it still makes me wince daily...
1.-Guidos, Coo-Genes, Guidettes, etc. -note to them: Goodfellas, Donnie Brasco and A Bronx Tale are movies, not a lifestyle....AND GUYS-STOP WAXING YOUR EYEBROWS!!!