May 29, 2008
Dick Cheney Visit to Neutralize Tonight's Manhattanhenge
Sunset photo courtesy mrgeneko.
Manhattanhenge, the visually stunning phenomenon that occurs twice a year when the sun sets in perfect alignment with Manhattan’s street grid, is happening tonight. It’s just too bad that Vice President Dick Cheney has arranged to be in town at the exact moment of the sunset, to speak at the New York Republican State Committee Dinner and simultaneously smother the golden light under his all-encompassing shroud of darkness.
Of course it’s no coincidence that the famously secretive Cheney would time his visit to Manhattan to coincide with Manhattanhenge – he’s long been devoted to ensuring the triumph of darkness over light; as he once told Tim Russert, “We also have to work, though, sort of the dark side, if you will.” So don’t be alarmed when tonight’s sunset is suddenly eclipsed by a frigid black miasma – that’s just Cheney taking the podium at the Sheraton Hotel and Towers Metropolitan Ballroom, where he’ll address the troubled GOP along with Rudy Giuliani and Joe Bruno.
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10$ says that photo isn't from Manhattanhenge..
I've been out there, and the sun sets directly in the middle of the street, so you'd never have that much sun visible.
Ok I loathe our current executive branch as much as the next guy, but seriously? This post isn't even funny. Am I the only one who immediately rolled their eyes at this? Such a tired brand of humor. Either try for some level of neutrality or make your Cheney-bashing original/fresh. Please.
@fotoaddict - Just curious, but you've been out where? Why would the sun setting in the middle of the street affect how much sun is visible?
From flickr it looks like the pic was snapped last night on 42nd st.
Classic.
Oh Sleepy, you're such a killjoy. I for one am glad to not miss Manhattanhenge, cos I always do and I'd like to take some photos.
I also approve of most Cheney-bashing, no matter how unoriginal. I think we all need to be reminded that about half the country voted for these two evil/stupid people and we need to watch out for that in the future. We tend to have such short memories.
^ Besides, everyone knows that exposure to direct sunlight would cause the vice president to spontaneously combust.
I too think it's appropriate.
Wouldn't this all make much more sense if Cheney really was a Druid of some sort and tonight is a séance to do and perform some more evil deeds? Whether you buy that or not, Cheney looks like he believes in many old world gods.
c'mon everyone knows that cheney controls the sun, so stop hating and thank the man for the show.
Where/when is a good place/time to see Manhattanhenge? Anyone know?
(I guess the above picture would suggest 42nd street.)
JMH, try going to the bridge over 42nd St. at Tudor City. Get there at least an hour before sunset for a good viewing spot.
i still like the photo of gore summoning a fire spirit.
http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/uncyclopedia/images/thumb/c/ce/AlGoreAndGlowingOrb.jpg/120px-AlGoreAndGlowingOrb.jpg
Someone crying foul about a little Cheney bashing?
As Sue Simmons would say...
"Get the phucke Owddahere"
I agree that this post is amusing. Reminds me of Mr Burns blocking the sun in that episode of the Simpsons. :P
The photo of Cheney alone makes this post worth reading.
By the way, Cheney-bashing is hardly original, but it's an amusing way to tie two NY-related news items into one post.
Look, even the former White House press secretary who spent six years as their mouthpiece has terrible things to say about Bush, Cheney and company in his new book. That's gotta count for something.
This is one dick i would not give viagra.
Someone crying foul about a little Cheney bashing?
No. People are saying that Dick Cheney prince of darkness, vampire, etc. jokes are eight years old. New books by former White House staffer don't make old jokes funny or relevant. On the other hand, if you have new material. . .
You are either hard to please and bore easily
East River or you've got a soft spot for the Prince of Darkness. I hope its not the latter.
For all hes done he deserves bashing into eternity
Trilateral Commission. Bilderberg Group. Tin Foil Hat.
We are as horrified by the ongoing specter of Dick Cheney as his daughter is by the sight of dick.
@EricRoberts: I was out on 34th street @ Park last year.. and on the actual day, the sun set in the very middle.
keep in mind. when the sun sets this time of year, it doesn't drop straight down. It comes in at an angle of maybe 20-40 degrees above horizon, setting from left to right.. So it would have been behind that building on the left and at sunset, the very top of the sun would hit the horizon in the very middle of the street..
this picture, with the sun that high yet still in the middle, I would have imagined to be taken a few days after the 'eng.. but it could be the difference between 34th and 42nd.. Maybe Tudor city being higher elevation changed it.. not sure..
For all hes done he deserves bashing into eternity
For all he and Dubya have done, when they leave office, Halliburton should send him on a nice, long fact-finding tour of Iraq.
long fact-finding tour of Iraq.
How about a fact finding tour of what its like to sit in an unarmoured Humvee with both your legs blown off...while you are cut off from your platoon because Rumsfeld thought they could save money by going digital.
You are either hard to please and bore easily
East River or you've got a soft spot for the Prince of Darkness. I hope its not the latter.
It's the former.
For all he's done he deserves bashing into eternity
Then by all means bash him with facts and figures but every idiot telling eight year old jokes think he's a comedian. Yawn. Go to Daily Kos is you need to keep saying this drivel over and over to an audience. I suspect Gothamist is just trying to drive up page views and apparently I'm helping out.
For best spots see this post with email from Neil DeGrassi, the founder of Manhattanhenge -
http://theblogthatatemanhattan.blogspot.com/2008/05/manhattanhenge-2008.html