In the 1930s, people had a much different vision for what the 1980s would look like for New York City. This image is from the New York Public Library archives, and is captioned: "New York in 1980 as imagined in a new talking picture" (from 1930). Just look at how clean everything is! Nothing like the real '80s, which looked a bit more... apocalyptic. more ›

If you've ever squeezed into a freakishly tight parking spot, faced off with passive aggressive neighbors, or accumulated hundreds of dollars worth of tickets for parking two feet too close to a fire hydrant, than you understand how difficult it can be finding parking in the city. But the Department Of Transportation has begun testing new futuristic parking space sensors to try to cut down on all the cars circling for spaces. Could this end fights over "putting it in head first?" more ›

Charity has always been important to billionaire Mayor Mike Bloomberg—in 2009, he handed out $254 million in donations, making him the country's fourth biggest giver. And he greatly exceeded that amount in 2010: Bloomberg gave more than $553 million in donations last year. His charitable organization, The Bloomberg Family Foundation, now has more than $2.7 billion in assets, and according to IRS filings, will donate all of it by Dec. 21, 2026...unless they don't. “That was the date picked by the mayor, [but he has] the absolute discretion at any time” to either extend the date or shut down earlier, spokesman Mike Marinello told the Post. more ›

It's going to be a while before those senescent old B, D, 1, 3, or 7 trains are transformed into the futuristic cars you see on other, more privileged lines. But instead of waiting to replace them with the new trains, the MTA—which as you know has money to burn—is considering jury-rigging the oldsters with digital "strip maps" and automated announcements. We guess now that the MTA has finished all its track work, rehabilitated all the subway stations, and made train overcrowding a thing of the past, it's about time they tackled this crucial cosmetic improvement. more ›

Audi may not have been one of the finalists for the Taxi of Tomorrow contest, but that doesn't mean that the company isn't interested in laying claim to a piece of the city's future. Audi has launched "Urban Future Initiative: Project New York," exploring how several Manhattan neighborhoods might develop and morph by 2030. And based on the exhibit, it will be damn strange indeed. more ›

When some people gaze into their crystal balls to get a glimpse of the future, they see visions of food tubes, turkish cabs, or President Donald Trump. But when Mayor Bloomberg accesses his precognitive abilities, he only conjures two misty visions: a NYC landscape filled with trees...and children suing their parents over secondhand smoke. more ›

Did you know that the first time a moving sidewalk was proposed for New York City it was 1871? It was brought up again in 1902 for the Brooklyn Bridge, according to EphemeralNY, after which it was debated in the newspapers. Eventually Mayor Seth Low spiked the idea, forcing generations of pedestrians to use their own two legs to get anywhere. Until 1910, when the idea rose from the dead! This time, they were to replace the subway system... which sounds like a highly unenjoyable, fume-heavy experience. more ›

While you may not need an umbrella on a day like today, if rainy days often leave you fumbling as you multitask -- there may be a solution: this new umbrella from the future! It will keep you dry while you check emails on your iPhone, smoke a cigarette, and search your bag for coffee money (the website even shows a cyclist using one). more ›

Yesterday, Senator John McCain was welcomed and endorsed by President Bush. Bush referenced McCain's doubters and past history, "John showed incredible courage and strength of character and perseverance in order to get to this moment. And that's exactly what we need in a President: somebody that can handle the tough decisions; somebody who won't flinch in the face of danger." more ›

Besides killing Mom ‘n’ Pop stores and displacing low-income residents, the rapid gentrification seen in some New York neighborhoods may be flushing the city’s famous working class dialect down the terlet. more ›

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Today Brooklyn venue Magnetic Field announced they would soon be closing up shop. From their email, which likely saddened many patrons of the place when it hit inboxes earlier:

After five-plus years of rocking Atlantic Avenue and entertaining thousands of customers and welcoming hundreds of great bands, Magnetic Field in Brooklyn will be closing its doors on March 31st. Co-owners Lee Greenfeld and William Crane would like to personally thank all of Magnetic Field’s staff and patrons for their loyalty over the past few years, as well as all the numerous bands who have brought some truly tremendous and memorable performances to our stage. We are currently working on a blow-out last week of shows to run March 24th through the 31st.

A Manhattan-based big thinker has innovative ideas about the future of plug-in hybrid electric cars. more ›

Thanks to Modern Mechanix we can now see what New York was supposed to look like by the year 2000, as seen from 1927. In that article "streets on five levels have been prophesied," but by 1931, two-level streets (pictured) seemed more realistic.

A definite step towards the relief of traffic congestion on much traveled city thoroughfares by the construction of streets under streets is soon to be taken by the city of New York. When this stupendous project has been brought to completion the metropolis will have an underground lane for fast through traffic, a tunnel for local and express trains, all built underneath the surface street, which will be left for local traffic. more ›

The Daily News put together a map detailing the number of stop-and-frisks on the subway - and the racial breakdown of these stop-and-frisks. As the accompanying article makes clear (as well as interviews with people who have been stopped - 1, 2) how cops can stop anyone , though black and Hispanic riders make up about half of the subway riding population, 88% percent of the people stopped are black or Hispanic. The NYPD told the News, "Subway crime is down, in part, because of stops. Officers make stops based on reasonable suspicion, and the numbers reflect the times, places and circumstances where those observations take place." more ›

In announcing their presentation of Moliere’s riff on the Don Juan legend, The National Theater of the United States of America promised “a production so authentic that it rivals in authenticity Moliere’s own 1665 production at the Palais-Royal in Paris.” As we learn in an opening monologue, their tongue-in-cheek press release prompted one critic to sniff, “I see there is no translator mentioned. I assume you will be doing it in the original French.” Ah, touché! But director Jonathan Jacobs’s idea of authenticity is to coax out the farcical spirit of the original with a sort of lavish amateurishness that proves irresistible from the show’s first beat. more ›

Mayor Bloomberg let his feelings about H.R. 5140, the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008, which was signed into legislation by President Bush on Wednesday, be known. Mayor Bloomberg said the government "is spending money it doesn't have," and "I suppose it won't hurt the economy, but it's in many senses like giving a drink to an alcoholic." more ›

Jason Kidd has finally gotten his wish and is heading out of town. ESPN is reporting that the Nets and Mavericks have agreed to a deal that will send Kidd to Dallas. While the transaction has not be finalized, it is believed that Kidd and Malik Allen will head to Dallas in exchange for Jerry Stackhouse, Devin Harris, a couple of expiring contracts, some future draft picks and some cash. more ›

MUSIC: Come enjoy the Whitney after dark tonight as the museum's live showcase series invites Dan Deacon (pictured) to the stage. If you haven't seen Deacon before, get ready for some Casio keyboard electro-rock compositions and an art dance party. more ›

Last night the first of two meetings to discuss the future plans of (the recently landmarked) McCarren Park Pool took place. The NYC Department of Parks & Recreation and architects Rogers & Marvel unveiled their plans and how they will spend Mayor Bloomberg’s $50 million. The initial press release listed: renovating McCarren Park Pool for swimming, creating a year-round recreation center, and preserving and restoring the historic bathhouse building and entry arch, as top priorities (based on a survey). more ›

It’s never to early to start planning for the future One World Government, and one great way to fill the odd hours is by building websites about it, as one group of visionaries have done with their Reservoir Project. The pseudo-serious website is dedicated to securing New York City as the capital of the “Earth Government” and converting the Central Park Reservoir into “the Biggest, the Tallest, the most Elegant and Innovative Structure in the history of our civilization. The CENTRAL, a.k.a. CTRL.” more ›

Image credit: Nature abhors a vacuum more ›

Jason Kidd trade rumors are hardly new, but this time, they're probably for real. Nets President Rod Thorn and the guard have made no secret of the seemingly obvious incentives for both parties to want a deal before the Feb. 21 NBA trading deadline. Richard Jefferson and Vince Carter, the younger parts of the Big Three, have expensive contracts. more ›

Recently obtained court documents suggest that developer Bruce Ratner is starting to sweat the future of the $4 billion Atlantic Yards project, which would bring the New Jersey Nets to downtown Brooklyn, along with 16 skyscrapers with residential and commercial space. Lawyers for Ratner’s firm were in court last Friday to try and accelerate the appeal process in a lawsuit brought by Develop Don’t Destroy Brooklyn, who argues that the project was rushed to approval by the state in 2006 without a thorough environmental review. more ›

Barack Obama won the South Carolina Democratic primary yesterday, taking 55% of the vote, winning by a greater margin than most pundits and recent polls had predicted. Hillary Clinton finished second with 27% and John Edwards came in third. The NY Times headline writes that he won by "forging a coalition of support among black and white voters in a contest that sets the stage for a state-by-state fight for the party’s presidential nomination." more ›

Padre Figlio: In Italian, the name means father and son, so it’s no surprise that this new Italian steakhouse is run by Mario and Antonio Cerra, the father and son team behind Da Antonio. After ten years, they’ve sold that establishment and are joining forces again to focus on high-end Italian meats, such as rib eye and a porterhouse of Piemontese beef for two. more ›