'Noo Yawk, Noo Yawk, It's a helluva town..'

I first learned that the Republican convention was in town when the NYC police used barricades to cordon off the street I was staying in.

There's plenty for me to say about NY, but given Manhattan was completely consumed by this event for the week it was on, I've chalked it up below. Apologies in advance to Hunter S Thompson and serious political journalists everywhere..

This convention was held as part of the hype machine that builds up to a US election, but essentially consists of a few thousand wealthy southerners (not exclusively Bush family members and/or related businesses) flying up to New York City in cowboy hats and having free run of the town while patting themselves on the back about the great job the Republicans have done in 'Irack.' In return they pledge millions of dollars to the presidential campaign to get Messrs Bush and Cheney re-elected (see, you can even buy anything in this country, even a PRESIDENT!). In a post 9/11 world, this also involved the extending the police force by 10,000 to a total of 37,000 for the week of the convention to help keep an eye on things. Not surprisingly 'Dunkin' Donuts' recorded staggering profits during this time.

With most of midtown Manhattan streets barricaded and 10-11 police officers posted on every street corner (I kid you not), NY seemed a little less fun all of a sudden...

For the number-crunchers out there, here are some figures:
Total number of people that were expected to attend the convention, including protestors: 250,000
Actual number: closer to 500,000
Number of those who are delegates: 2,509
Accredited members of the media: 15,000
Capacity of Madison Square Gardens (where ALL the protestors ended up): 19,763
Number of presidential conventions held in NY city before this year: 0
Number that were Republican: 0
Number of hotel rooms booked by the RNC: 18,000
Number of hotels: 43
Number of these that are outside Manhattan: 0
Broadway tickets freely distributed to delegates: 13,373
Number of cops on duty in the Madison Square Garden area during the week of the convention: 10,000
Average cop's shift: 12 hours
Number of lap dancers at each franchise of 'Scores Gentlemen's Club' on a typical night: 100
Number of lap dancers scheduled to be at each franchise for convention week: 125
and finally, ratio of Democrats to Republicans in NYC: 5 to 1

August 29 saw almost all of Manhattan at a standstill as a largely peaceful march walked up 6th Avenue and back to Madison Square Garden. Approximately 450,000 people eventually shut down the city centre to protest against the Bush administration, with the city of New York clearly showing where it stands in the upcoming election. I had some great shots of cops with huge automatic rifles walking around times square, arrested protestors and various other shenanigans but with my camera stolen by the ghost of Joey Ramone, i can't show you them (more on that later). With the power vested in the NYPD to summarily arrest and charge people without cause, I didn't get too involved in many of the protests. The last thing I need right now is to be questioned at every border in the world as to why I got deported from the United States...

With only a small number of formal protest licences approved prior to the rally date, it seemed that some serious trouble was going to go down. Strangely, for a protest of this size, only about 1000 people ended up in the clink. That was enough to cause the NYC Council grief however, as the NYPD had only developed the capacity to process 250 arrests per day. As a result, overnight imprisonments frequently turned into 2-3 days for those arrested. The last I checked, the class action against the city of NY by those unfairly imprisoned was due to win a whopping $US1000 each for every hour protestors were unfairly kept in jail. Not a bad little earner!

In less politically charged news, I spent way too much cash.

As I had been frequently warned, NY has the ability to suck the money straight out of a wallet - and it certainly did mine. I sure have done some cool stuff though. In an effort to keep my costs down, I've practically lived off the cheesey wedges of pizza that are available on every street corner. I'm sure New Yorkers have biologically evolved to obtain all their nutritional requirements from these things, as everybody has one in their hands after 7pm! After some digging around, I also discovered the Chelsea market and have had amazing lobster bisque and clam chowder for only a few dollars.

Next update :
* Down down down town - Looking for rock n roll in NYC
* Licence to dance - I go to a speak easy and have heaps of fun.
* Queens - I think I found a place where somebody got killed

-sammyd

Sick of reading? I'm sick of writing too. Here's the ballot for NYC...

Votes For #1:

Take this scene, multiply it by a lot and that's what Manhattan was like on the main day of protest. My favourite slogan was 'Bush: Let's not elect him in 2004 either.' That, or the guy i saw holding a giant pretzel aloft - claiming it to be the 'Pretzel of Truth.' Everybody has their own thing going on.

Votes For #2

My friend Hannah and her NY public arts group established this 'Speak Up' monument on the street - a giant speaker directed at the NY County Court House to symbolically encourage people to express their concerns about the city's judicial system. This guy got up with his own loudspeaker as well which was really just being greedy.

Freedom of speech in this country also means little kids climbing up there and shouting 'I want ice-cream!' to everybody.

Votes For #3

In the week leading up to the September 11 anniversary, two giant spotlights were erected in the site of the former World Trade Centre. These vivid beams of light were a breathtaking memorial and visible from all over Manhattan. It's not too visible in this photo though - sorry.

Votes Against #1

Here's what street corners look like circa Republican convention time. How could you not feel safe with this kinda security? These guys had utility belts with so many goodies in them (mace, plastic cuffs, guns, batons, etc) that they made Inspector Gadget look unprepared.

Votes Against #2

Sometimes it's just not enough to have liberal laws on gun ownership. Sometimes you need to have missiles - yes, missiles on your ute. Further, you need to be able write how you feel on your missile so whoever is on the end of that sucker knows what you're on about. That's important.

Votes Against #3

This man is the MOST PATRIOTIC MAN IN THE WORLD. Even his shoes show his love for his country. I saw a lot of people with 'I Love NY' T-shirts, but Captain America here put them to shame. He sure did scare the bejeezus out of that poor kid though..