Author Archives: afong

For food cart owners, success is elusive

Posted on December 11, 2009 by afong

While food carts have left almost no corner unoccupied in the East 20s, they are not as resilient as they may seem. The trendy shops on wheels barely have an advantage over their immobile competitors in the down economy. The … Continue reading →

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An illusory increase in population affects local schools

Posted on December 8, 2009 by afong

Fresh Meadows has had a population increase that won’t show up in the 2010 Census. Despite the financial downturn, this town in eastern Queens has seen a growing underground real estate market, in the basements of the mostly one-family homes. … Continue reading →

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New media: the mode, the means, and the members

Posted on December 7, 2009 by afong

As I sat in the waiting room of a financial services firm in Manhattan, I was surprised that the coffee table was not sprawled with the Financial Times, the Wall Street Journal, or BusinessWeek. Rather, there was an Amazon Kindle. … Continue reading →

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Media Analysis: A Web Debut

Posted on November 16, 2009 by afong

“Good-for-you, brussel sprouts journalism” has a fairly idealistic mission – to educate the public on the workings of the state government. This drive encourages private donors to fund The Texas Tribune. Government officials are more wary of the watchdog function … Continue reading →

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When the Levees Broke

Posted on November 2, 2009 by afong

A constant ominous theme underlies the entire documentary. Spike Lee opened Act III with the boisterous and rowdy jazz of the Hot 8 Brass Band, to give the viewers a taste of the culture of New Orleans. The band played … Continue reading →

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Parking haven for idle ambulance drivers

Posted on October 17, 2009 by afong

Jewel Avenue and 73rd Avenue in Queens meet at a dead end at Utopia playground. There, UPS trucks, Fedex trucks, and ambulances line the street, their drivers asleep at the wheel. In the mornings, the truck drivers meet there for … Continue reading →

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Election posters: minimal effect

Posted on September 28, 2009 by afong

With Election Day drawing closer and the primary elections under way, candidates running for public office are trying to get their names out to the    public. In Fresh Meadows, Queens, storefronts are plastered with candidate’s posters that urge constituents to … Continue reading →

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In low-key community, an illusory increase in people

Posted on September 12, 2009 by afong

Fresh Meadows, a neighborhood in Queens, has had a population increase in recent years – an increase that won’t show up in the 2010 Census. Households with school-age children feel the change through the increased enrollment in the neighborhood elementary … Continue reading →

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