Archive for April, 2009
My New York Hero
Ashley Frangella
Professor Penaz
April 24, 2009
Short Essay Assignment #1
When Rudolph Giuliani came into office as Mayor of New York in 1994 his main goal was to clean up . He wanted to reduce the crime rate, and turn New York back into the city it was, that is before all organized crime began. He had a very hard job when entering the office in 1994 and it grew only tougher when he had to rebuild the morale of New York in 2001, after the September 11 attacks. I think Rudy did a great job, and that is why he is my New York hero.
The day that Rudy Giuliani took office he adopted an aggressive enforcement-deterrent strategy based on James Q. Wilson‘s “Broken Windows” approach. This involved crackdowns on relatively minor offenses such as graffiti, turnstile jumping, and aggressive “squeegeemen”. Giuliani and Bill Bratton also instituted CompStat, a comparative statistical approach to mapping crime geographically and in terms of emerging criminal patterns, as well as charting officer performance by quantifying criminal apprehensions. As a result of these strategies and leadership, the crime rate dropped drastically.
I respect Giuliani for this drop in crime rate, because it made me feel safer as a citizen of New York. After his two terms in office, I felt more comfortable and secure when walking through the city. Since the drop in crime rate from Giuliani’s term, the rate continues to go down, and as a commuter I feel more protected when traveling to school.
As the mayor of New York, Rudolph Giuliani was just as shocked as the rest of the world by the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. But despite his shocked ness, he knew that at this essential time, it was his job as mayor to keep the citizens of New York joined together. He believed that in order to get through this upsetting event, we needed to lean on each other. Therefore, he went to Ground Zero and helped the FDNY, NYPD, EMT’s or any other volunteers that came to service that day.
When seeing all the news reports, I remember seeing Giuliani’s friendly face and listening to his words of comfort. I give him courage and strength for keeping New York together at that upsetting time. He handled his job with a grace and a passion that the City needed.
In conclusion, I think Mayor Giuliani did an amazing job in helping New York. He helped us reach the full potential that our city could reach. With the help of Rudy Giuliani, New York remained strong through dramatic events, and became a safer city to live in.
April 24, 2009
Individuality
When I think about quintessential New York my mind immediately races to Times Square. The history, atmosphere, location, structures, and entertainment make this place a part of New York. The place many tourists go when finding a place to be completely awed is: Times Square. The atmosphere of Times Square compares to no other. I’m so glad that being a New Yorker has allowed me that great privilege.
On April 8, 1904 the area once owned by John Morin Scott and John Jacob Astor was renamed “Times Square”. Just three weeks later, the first electrified advertisement appeared on a bank building located on 46th Street and Broadway. As New York City kept growing and growing, so did Times Square. It became a cultural hub full of theaters, music halls and upscale hotels. Times Square quickly became New York’s agora, a place where people met to wait and celebrate good news. Between the 1910’s and the 1920’s, Times Square was nicknamed The Tenderloin, because it was looked at as being the most desirable location in Manhattan. But on the other hand, during that same time period it was deeply associated with illegal crime such as gambling and prostitution. The atmosphere of Times Square changed greatly during the Great Depression, where it was considered a dangerous neighborhood. It wasn’t until the 1980’s, when commercial buildings began to blossom, that Times Square got its name back. With the help of Mayor Giuliani in the 1990’s, The Tenderloin started to get cleaned up. In 1990, contributing to the restoring of Times Square, the state of New York took over six of the nine historic theaters on 42nd Street. Some theatres were renovated into Broadway theatres, and helped create Times Square’s amazing entertainment center.[1] Times Square has been a part of New York since before the Revolution, and will always be. It has been through some rough patches, but it is now stronger than ever.
From the moment you step off the stairs of the subway onto the streets of New York between W42nd and W47th Street, all you can do is look around in awe. You get a rush from the lights, the people, the enormous skyscrapers, the huge billboards, and the immeasurable amount of cars whizzing in and out of traffic. A person from a small town would be shell-shocked from this experience, but that’s what makes Times Square New York. Times Square show the culture of everyone, and the atmosphere is clearly felt. You can experience the fast-pace lifestyle, the excitement of people’s first visit to New York, and just how treasured this part of New York is. The atmosphere is one of excitement, liveliness, and energy. It causes about 44 million people around the world visit New York each year, and from that 44 million about 80% come to see the bright lights of Times Square. [2] Once you step into Times Square, your nasty mood that you were in a second ago on the E Train is suddenly gone. The words you were about to use to argue with your sister or brother have disappeared, and have been lost into the air. There is no other environment like that of Times Square.
Also contributing to the environment of Times Square, are the enormous buildings. These buildings soar in heights that cannot be imagined. Some buildings located in Times Square are the New York Times Tower, Reuters Building, The Morgan Stanley Building, Ernst and Young National Headquarters, Paramount Building, and Times Square Tower. The architecture of these buildings is only found in New York, because they are so modern and unique. The buildings are not only soaring in heights, but core foundations of many businesses. Times Square continues to be the center of all in New York. It was the place where main business companies, such as Morgan Stanley, Ernst and Young, and Paramount, centered their businesses. Each composition of these buildings, allow for their own uniqueness when compared to other buildings. New York has a great sense of individuality when it comes to architecture, and buildings in Times Square broadly display that distinctiveness.
The location of Times Square and all its buildings make it perfect for people to visit. It is located between Broadway and 7th Avenue stretching from West 42nd to West 47th Street, in the heart of midtown Manhattan. This area is easy enough for people to take a train or subway to get to, and just big enough to hold all the excitement tourists need to experience. It is nicknamed “Crossroads of the World” by ABC News. This is a fitting nick-name seeing that Times Square is home to publishing giants, such as the New York Times and Conde Nast; the NASDAQ financial market; and the world’s most important theater district. Because it is located in the center of Manhattan it has blossomed into the most attractive area visited by tourists around the world. [3]
Also attracting the people to Times Square is Broadway. Broadway may actually be the first thing that pops into people’s minds when it comes to this wonderful area. The place anyone goes to find a musical, play, opera, and even a waxed version of their favorite celebrity is located in Times Square. Entertainment, such as this cannot be found in any other city, and I only hope it forever stays this way. The night-time of New York is the best time to visit Times Square. At that time, people can see how the city does not sleep. Young adults walk through the streets at 10 at night. It is pitched black, but because the lights of Times Square are so bright it still feels as if it is the afternoon. The nightlife of New York is the greatest in the world, and cannot compare to anywhere else.
In conclusion, New York is one of a kind, in individuality and uniqueness, and Times Square supports that idea. Tourists visit it every year to gain a sense of New York, and it does just that. It captures the people, atmosphere, buildings and entertainment that could only be found in New York.
April 6, 2009