Presentations Round One
Good presentations to start us off last week. They were all quite different in terms of content and style--which is a good thing. I've emailed everyone who presented with feedback that might be helpful for the paper (due 12/18) and will do the same for this week's group.
There's a NYT story that follow's up Andrew's investigation of LA Transit (thanks to jeffrey for the link) http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/03/us/03transit.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
There's a NYT story that follow's up Andrew's investigation of LA Transit (thanks to jeffrey for the link) http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/03/us/03transit.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
Final Stuff
As we discussed last week, the first group of final presentations is a shade over two weeks away. The page from your syllabus with a summary of expectations for the final paper and presentations is here (specifically the last three sections). We've discussed this in class as well. If you have specific questions relating to your paper/presentation, please email me.
TOUR 11.13
THIS TUESDAY We're to visit New York City Transit's East 180th Streeet (Bronx) Car Shop Tuesday at 5 pm. We will meet at 4:15 at the entrance to Union Square Station in the south end of Union Square (the one with the roof on the plaza, see image below).
TOUR 10.30
THIS TUESDAY we will be going to Ravenswood, the Keyspan generating plant in Long Island City. Meet at the top of the West 3rd St entrance to the subway (next to the "cage" basketball/handball courts) at 4:15. We will take the F to 21st, the first stop in Queens, and walking from there. Reading presentations for that day have been moved to 11.13.
Wear real shoes, be on time, and bring your NYU card or other photo ID. Taking photos is not allowed at Ravenswood.
Wear real shoes, be on time, and bring your NYU card or other photo ID. Taking photos is not allowed at Ravenswood.
DOMINO Sugar Refinery
Here is an interesting webcast on what will happen to the Domino Sugar Refinery in Brooklyn.
http://www.therealdeal.net
and click on the webcast video to the right
Bastien
http://www.therealdeal.net
and click on the webcast video to the right
Bastien
readings on reserve
I have put up a new page including all (almost) of the readings listed by date. The ones tagged "BRES" have been requested for reserve (three-day checkout). I've picked these all for their insight and readability, please try to look them over in advance of the scheduled presentation date so we can have a decent discussion in class. They may also give you ideas to incoporate into your papers.
mapping manahatta
Thanks to Jen for pointing out the piece in this week's New Yorker on mapping Manhattan before the European arrival. The actual article is not on the mag's web site but an interesting slide show is.
tours + scheduling
I am arranging some tours for us in the coming weeks. One of them, it looks like, will have to be on a Sunday, but probably not until next month.
The other two are going to be during class time, but in order to get to the sites on time, we will have to leave no later than 4:20. The best possible dates are 10.2, 10.9, 11.13. Does anybody have a major restriction on those days that would keep you from leaving from campus at 4:20 (or meeting us at the sites at 5pm)?
if so please leave a comment here. thanks.
The other two are going to be during class time, but in order to get to the sites on time, we will have to leave no later than 4:20. The best possible dates are 10.2, 10.9, 11.13. Does anybody have a major restriction on those days that would keep you from leaving from campus at 4:20 (or meeting us at the sites at 5pm)?
if so please leave a comment here. thanks.
reading presentations
I've moved the reading due dates back two weeks to give everyone more breathing room (see the calendar on the right). You will be presenting in groups of three.
Write up a reading summary of 3 pages. Summarize the reading by explaining the overall themes and arguments, and also pick out which parts of the reading you were most interested by. Make 12 copies of the summary for the rest of the class; if copier access is a problem we can do this before class.
What I am looking for more than anything is an ability to engage the rest of the class in the subject of the reading and connect it to current issues.
Write up a reading summary of 3 pages. Summarize the reading by explaining the overall themes and arguments, and also pick out which parts of the reading you were most interested by. Make 12 copies of the summary for the rest of the class; if copier access is a problem we can do this before class.
What I am looking for more than anything is an ability to engage the rest of the class in the subject of the reading and connect it to current issues.
site feedery
I've looked around and there's no easy way to set up automatic email notifications for new blog posts. I assumed this fairly basic feature was part of the blogger platform and it isn't, which is annoying, but there it is. So I recommend setting up up a site feed, which is pretty simple:
(this is the process for firefox)
1. From the blog page, look at the far right of the browser address bar. You will see an orange and white icon. Click it.
2. A banner at the top will say "Subscribe to this feed using live bookmarks." If you click on the "Subscribe Now" button, firefox will add a bookmark that, when you select it, will show all the recent posts to the blog. That way you can see if there's been a new posting without actually going to the site.
3. You can add this service to a personalized home page through google (which I like) or yahoo. select one of them in the dropdown box instead of "live bookmarks."
Generally try to check the blog over the weekend--if there are major changes to our schedule after Monday morning I will send out an email but otherwise do not wish to clutter your inboxes. Remember that the blog can count toward your class participation grade--if you have a thought on something or run across an interesting site, post it!
(this is the process for firefox)
1. From the blog page, look at the far right of the browser address bar. You will see an orange and white icon. Click it.
2. A banner at the top will say "Subscribe to this feed using live bookmarks." If you click on the "Subscribe Now" button, firefox will add a bookmark that, when you select it, will show all the recent posts to the blog. That way you can see if there's been a new posting without actually going to the site.
3. You can add this service to a personalized home page through google (which I like) or yahoo. select one of them in the dropdown box instead of "live bookmarks."
Generally try to check the blog over the weekend--if there are major changes to our schedule after Monday morning I will send out an email but otherwise do not wish to clutter your inboxes. Remember that the blog can count toward your class participation grade--if you have a thought on something or run across an interesting site, post it!
Topic Proposals
In the coming two weeks, everyone who hasn't already will needs to write a reasonably coherent one-page paper/presentation proposal to bring to your discussion with me. The main purpose of this is to get your concrete ideas on paper. It is not meant to lock you in and you can propose two or three topics if you wish. But without this document as a starting point it is very difficult to have a productive discussion, so you MUST bring it in on the day of your meeting with me. You can, of course, email it to me ahead of time (and only good things will result from doing so).
people who need to email me by sunday 09.30 with their revised proposals
Averil, Jeffrey, Sara.
people who need to bring initial proposals for discussion on tuesday 10.02
Andres, Andrew, Bastien
people who need to bring initial proposals for discussion on tuesday 10.09
Jen, Kara, Kathryn
people who need to email me by sunday 09.30 with their revised proposals
Averil, Jeffrey, Sara.
people who need to bring initial proposals for discussion on tuesday 10.02
Andres, Andrew, Bastien
people who need to bring initial proposals for discussion on tuesday 10.09
Jen, Kara, Kathryn
next week 9/25
Averil, Jeffrey and Kathryn will meet with me after class this next week 9/25 for paper proposal topics.
Everyone who hasn't picked a reading should do so by class or you may suffer the cruel indifference of having one assigned to you.
Everyone who hasn't picked a reading should do so by class or you may suffer the cruel indifference of having one assigned to you.
Lower Manhattan Walking Tour THIS TUESDAY
The first weekend in October, tentatively scheduled for our Lower Manhattan walking tour, is Open House New York. I would like to hit a bunch of places and hopefully you will too, so I want to keep that weekend free. I've decided the easiest rescheduling is to move it to tomorrow 9/18. We're supposed to have good weather like today and there should be enough time to finish before it gets dark. We're going to cover a lot more ground than our mini-tour the first day of class so please wear decent shoes.
Meet under the Guastavino ceiling at the south side of the Municipal Building. I'll be there at normal class starting time and we'll leave promptly as soon as we have a everyone (or close to it). It's a quick trip from campus on the 6 to Brooklyn Bridge or NRW to City Hall (cut across the Park). Call me (646 554 8990) if you're late or disoriented.
Reading
I would like to present the following reading to the class:
MEYER, Han. City and Port. International Books, 2003.
Thanks!
Bastien
MEYER, Han. City and Port. International Books, 2003.
Thanks!
Bastien
reading due dates
To make things simpler for all, I'm establishing reading due dates that are not necessarily in accord with the lectures, which have to be kept somewhat mobile at this point. The due dates will accomodate three students each and work backwards from 10/23 based on first-come and on relative length/complexity of the reading. I'll post the reading dates as they're filled on the right. If you want to trade with someone that's fine, just let me know.
Claiming my reading
Just wanted to claim Matthew Gandy's Concrete and Clay as my reading. Also, one question: when are these due by, since there are no set dates on the syllabus?
Frances
Frances
readings
I'd like to have the list of readings sorted by the end of the month, so... think about what you'd like to do this weekend (saavy students will here spot the opportunity to double-dip into developing their paper proposal) so we can talk about it this week 9/18. Either way, something's gonna get assigned to you on 9/25. The list in the syllabus is pre-vetted but I'll certainly entertain ideas for other texts.
ashley, frances, ben
are first up for draft paper proposals next week 9/18, followed by Averil, Jeffrey and Kathryn the following week 9/25. Everyone else will go as part of a group of four on Oct. 2 or 9. You can email me the draft proposal ahead of your meeting or hand it in at the beginning of that session.
Newly on reserve in Bobst:
MEYER, City and Port BRES HT166 .M447413
CRONON, Nature's Metropolis BRES F548.4 .C85
BONE, Water-Works BRES TD225.N5 W377
reference texts:
ASCHER, The Works BREF HT166 .A786 (this has been requested for reserve also)
Gotham Gazette articles
MEYER, City and Port BRES HT166 .M447413
CRONON, Nature's Metropolis BRES F548.4 .C85
BONE, Water-Works BRES TD225.N5 W377
reference texts:
ASCHER, The Works BREF HT166 .A786 (this has been requested for reserve also)
Gotham Gazette articles
welcome
to the class. We will meet Tuesdays at 5 pm in Silver 302, with several exceptions for field trips and tours. This blog is meant to keep you up to date on the course schedule, and also as a place to post your thoughts and questions outside of class.
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