Perkins Rips The Empire State Building

"People at the Empire State Building said it was a coincidence. Officials explained that it takes hours to change the lights. But there was no mistaking the message Friday night when the highest point in the city lit up like a towering rainbow, its colors blazing across the New York skyline. Like a warning flare, the reds and blues and greens exploded over the city, announcing the arrival of same-sex 'marriage' to the world. Overnight, New York had become a beacon in the fight for family--a symbol of people who had lost their way.

"When the law goes into effect next month, New York will be the sixth and largest state to shatter the definition of marriage in America. To understand the devastation of that defeat, consider this. Within hours, the number of people living in jurisdictions with same-sex 'marriage' doubled. With one vote, New York forced more Americans to bow to its twisted definition of marriage than the combined population of Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire, Iowa, and the District of Columbia. And none of it would have been possible without the political cowardice of New York Republicans." - Hate group leader Tony Perkins.

A Rainbow State Of Mind

The Empire State Building is usually lit in all lavender for gay Pride weekend. (Source)

Cyndi Lauper Turns The Empire State Building Green For Homeless LGBT Youth

From the clip description at Lauper's We Give A Damn channel:

Tonight, the Empire State Building in New York City will shine green in recognition of all the homeless youth around the world, in particular gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender youth who have been kicked out of their homes or who have runaway out of fear and despair. In New York City and across the country, it is estimated that 20% to 40% of the homeless youth population is gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender, yet only make up 3 to 5% of the general youth population.

Sen. Ruben Diaz Joins Hundreds At ESB Protest About Mother Teresa

Arch homophobe Sen. Ruben Diaz and Catholic blowhard Bill Donohue joined hundreds demonstrating outside the Empire State Building yesterday in protest of the owner's refusal to light the building in honor of Mother Teresa tonight. Among those calling for the honor was openly lesbian NYC Council Speaker Christine Quinn, who got her payback at the Empire State's owner earlier this week when she voted to allow the construction of a just-as-tall massive skyscraper a mere two blocks away.

See The Empire State (While You Still Can)

While some of Manhattan's most iconic buildings have been obscured from enjoyment by enormous bland glass boxes (one can scarcely discern the Woolworth Building from some angles), the Empire State Building has soared alone in lower midtown for nearly 80 years, with no neighboring building daring to approach even half its height. That may soon change with the planned 15 Penn Plaza building, seen above in an artist's rendering. The Architect's Newspaper Blog comments:

Currently 15 Penn Plaza is 42 percent bigger than current zoning allows, with no setbacks, but at the same time, as garish as it looks in these renderings, it also shows the dynamic way in which our iconic skyline is always changing. Just think of the thrill you get looking back at old pictures of the city and comparing them to today. Even monstrosities like the Trump Wold Tower across from the U.N. look half-decent in this context. To build is to survive as a city and it’s good to know that, for better or worse, there are no sacred cows. After all, these were some of the same groups who complained when Burden cut Nouvel’s MoMA Tower down to size. Significantly, the tower is in Council Speaker Christine Quinn’s district, and she is an avowed friend to developers: Tenant or no tenant, building is in the cards.

A full-page ad was published in today's New York Times calling for the City Council to reject 15 Penn Plaza. According to a poll commissioned by the owners of the Empire State Building, 76% of the respondents feel the new building would detract from the Manhattan skyline. I have a feeling that with Bloomberg and Quinn being so pro-developers, this may be a lost cause.

Morning View - North On Fifth

Quote Of The Day - Bill Donohue

"Oh, I don’t care if she’s openly gay. What do I care about that! I disagree with Christine Quinn on gay marriage. She has been very supportive of Catholics in other areas. I’ve been involved in coalitions with Protestants and Jews and occasionally with Muslims and Hindus. I think Christine Quinn has shown herself to be a very good Catholic, and I appreciate what she’s done. We may have differences in other areas. I don’t care about that." - Catholic League president Bill Donohue, finding himself on the same side as openly gay NYC Council Speaker Christine Quinn. For once. Both Quinn and Donohue want the Empire State Building lit in honor of Mother Teresa.

(Tipped by JMG reader FARB)

Empire State Building Says No To Special Lights To Honor Mother Teresa

Officials at the Empire State Building have turned down a request to light the building in honor of Mother Teresa. And Bill Donohue of the Catholic League is ever so pissed.

New York City's Empire State Building said ''yes'' to Mariah Carey, dog shows, cancer charities -- and even the 60th anniversary of communist China. But the landmark skyscraper's owners have declined to illuminate it in honor of the late Mother Teresa. ''They're bigots! They have an animus against Catholics!'' Catholic League President Bill Donohue told The Associated Press on Tuesday. He said his advocacy group requested that the building glow on Aug. 26 for the centennial of the late Nobel Peace Prize winner's birth. The request was denied in an unsigned, faxed letter, Donohue said, ''and they never gave an explanation.'' He said Empire State Building officials were ''stonewalling'' not only the Catholic League, but also the media and members of New York's City Council. Now, another prominent New York Catholic is voicing her outrage. City Council Speaker Christine Quinn told the AP that she spoke Tuesday with Empire State Building owner Anthony Malkin. Although the real estate mogul was ''very professional'' and said he ''would reflect on the points I made,'' she said, he didn't give her a satisfactory answer.

On the last weekend of this month the Empire State will be bathed in a lovely gay lavender glow, as shown above, to honor LGBT Pride.

Ten Things Not To Do In NYC

Travel site Concierge lists their ten most over-hyped tourist experiences in NYC.

1. Hansom cab ride through Central Park.
2. Dining at Tavern On The Green.
3. Eating anywhere in Times Square.
4. Comedy shows in Times Square.
5. Shopping at Century 21.
6. Nightclubbing in the Meatpacking District.
7. A pedi-cab ride through mid-town.
8. Eating from a hot dog cart.
9. Visiting the Empire State Building.
10. Cupcakes at Magnolia Bakery.

Since I first read the above-linked story last night, the site updated their list to note that, hello, Tavern On The Green is closed. Otherwise, I agree with most of the list. Except for Century 21. And hot dog carts.

Suicidal Statuary

The NYPD rushed to the Empire State Building yesterday after getting reports of a man about to jump off the 24th floor setback. The "man" was actually a statue that is part of the citywide "Event Horizon" installation by artist Antony Gormley, whose statues caused a similar suicide-y ruckus in London three years ago. None of the other ledges and rooftops hosting the statues in NYC are as closely associated with suicide as the ESB. The NYPD is highly unamused.

Police sources say the scourge has led to daily 911 calls that distract operators from assisting in real emergencies. "It's a pain in the ass," said one officer of the art project. "It's a waste of manpower. We're short cops to begin with and we don't have enough cops to waste answering calls of statues committing suicide." The cop's frustration was shared by dumbfounded Empire State Building staff. They couldn't figure out why management would allow a statue to be placed on a building so notorious for suicides that some believed it inspired the term "86'd" -- because people jump off the 86th-floor observation deck. Six people have jumped from the building in the last 10 years, and 34 since the building opened in 1931.

Empire State officials say they plan to leave the statue where it is, despite complaints from the police. Critics expressed concern that all the mistaken calls about the ledge-riding statues might slow the police from rushing to a real jumper's aid. Just last week a young man hurled himself from the 86th floor of the ESB.