Pianos

Pianos used to be in homes of all social classes, but now it’s a luxury for those with room for them. Some pianos have migrated to great open spaces, like London’s St. Pancras railway station. A Financial Times video.

______________

Short link: https://wp.me/p6sb6-tPD

Comments are welcome if they are on-topic, substantive, concise, and not boring or obscene. Comments may be edited for clarity and length.

Add to: Facebook | Digg | Del.icio.us | Stumbleupon | Reddit | Blinklist | Twitter | Technorati | Yahoo Buzz | Newsvine

Will Trump’s Hollywood Star Be Replaced?

[Updated] The West Hollywood City Council unanimously passed a resolution to permanently remove Donald Trump’s Walk of Fame star. In practice, the action would be complicated. The Walk of Fame is a project of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, and the sidewalk paving is the purview of the City of Los Angeles. Mr. Trump gained his star in his role as producer of the Miss Universe telecast since they don’t give them to reality TV celebrities or authoritarian rulers.

The pavement marker in question was substantially vandalized in 2016 and again this year, but the West Hollywood resolution is based on sexist and racist Trump political policies not in keeping with WeHo neighborhood values. So whose star should replace Donald Trump’s? Well, recently West Hollywood presented the keys to the city to film star Stormy Daniels. ‘Nuff said.

Newspaper Boxes

Q: How many newspaper vending boxes are on DC sidewalks?

A: No one knows. They spring up like toadstools.

The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) has published a proposed rulemaking which will regulate the placement and maintenance of publisher boxes on public space. Among other things it requires registration of boxes, imposes a registration fee for them, requires their maintenance, and mandates removal of abandoned newspaper boxes.

There are no existing DC regulations for these streetscape features, and problems have been resolved by a complaint-driven ad hoc process. DDOT Public Space staffers hear about abandoned boxes from angry neighbors, and wheelchair users file ADA complaints when new boxes block the sidewalk. The proposed regs aim at creating a more pro-active situation and a better pedestrian environment. And we’ll even find out how many news vending boxes there are out there.