•Leaf Chair by Lievore Altherr Molina: A nice update on the classic grid-wire side chair.
•Picardie Carafe and Stackable Glasses: A casual drinks-to-go solution.
•Memory Ball Clock Radio: Move the ball, change the station!
•Stainless Steel Modular Kitchen Collection: From Hold Everything, an update on Ikea's classic Grundtal line.
•BAC table by Jasper Morrison for Cappellini: More simple goodness from Jasper, and very similar to his 1993 Big Wood Table.
•Ideal House Cologne Furniture Fair Report: By Joost of Reluct
•Martha Stewart's daughter says ban New York horse-drawn carriages: In defense of the horses, Alexis begins to take her place on the public stage.
Writer's Almanac:
•It's the birthday of the American poet Robinson Jeffers, born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (1887).
•POEM: "On My Own," by Philip Levine
I second banning horse drawn carriages.
I grew up on 58th St. and 7th Ave., a block south of Central Park, where we walked our dogs 3x a day, so I got to see how the horses on Central Park South were treated on a daily basis (like objects, mostly). My family and I always hated the fact the horses worked such long days in traffic in all sorts of weather. NOT a pleasant environment.
When I was in my 20's, I lived on 51rst St. between 11th and 12th Aves., right around the block from the 52nd Street Stables. One night, about 11 o'clock, it was POURING rain, really storming, and I heard a horse loudly neighing right outside my window (I lived on the first floor facing the street) - I look out, the horse was wildly trying to free itself from the carriage, and the driver was whipping it, trying to get to the stable around the corner. Well, folks, that did it for me. I flew out the door with my trusty baseball bat (in nothing but shorts), accosted the driver and took away the whip. At that moment, the horse collapsed in the street, and died.
It turns out the horse had COLIC, and rather than call the vet, or even a trailer, the driver forced the horse to run through the cold rain from Central Park to the stable. It's a good thing my neighbors heard the commotion, came outside and stopped me from using the bat on the driver...... I was in a volcanic rage, and swore that one way or another, I'd see the banning of horse-drawn carriages.
I'm sorry to tell everyone this story, but this sort of thing happens all the time.
Not only that, the horse's body remained in the street, all night, in the rain.
Hi Justin
That is so sad. I did some googling yesterday and I ran across an interview with a carriage driver. He said all you need to drive a carriage is to take a three day course after which you can get a license. That's all it takes. These drivers may not have any real experience with horses.
I think they should be banned too. But I worry about what will happen to the horses. Many of them will probably end up at the slaughterhouse.
To reply to ''Justin''? You really have a vivid imagination,even though i never heard of this story you just described before[and am a stable owner as well,though not 52st].I highly doubt the scene of events you painted happened at all.I am trying to figure what qualifications you have to diagnois the horse with colic,especially from your window from across the street.If you thought for 1 second this situation was mishandled a call to 911,was the lawful way,to solve this problem.IF,as you say,you assulted the driver with a baseball bat,what was that helping the animal?Besides you facing a jail sentence for battery,you were only compiling to the situation,if there was any,at all.