I was strolling around New York last week, snapping pictures along the way, as I do most every day. I was in Midtown and noticed I was near the historic restaurant Le Cirque, so I veered into the circular glass courtyard on E. 58th Street where the place is located, an address formally known as One Beacon Court. Place reminds me of that circular shaft where Luke and Darth Vader had their duel in "The Empire Strikes Back." I saw Le Cirque to the right. I swiveled. Opposite it was a doorway with the word "Bloomberg" above it.
Oh, yes. I remembered. This building is also the headquarters of Bloomberg L.C. They take up 700,000 of the 900,000 square feet available in the thing. I lifted my camera to take a picture, and a big man in a blue jacket approached me with a stern look on his face. "No pictures!" he said. A security officer. "Why not?" I asked. When people say I can't do something, I always ask why not. Deniers must always be made to explain. If only to inconvenience and annoy them. "They're not allowed," he said. Well, that clears it up.
I didn't take it further. Arguing with security guards never pays off. They only parrot the company line. They don't ask why. I noticed he said nothing when I took a picture of Le Cirque. It was only the Bloomberg entrance that he objected. Draw your own conclusions. I drew mine: more evidence that Bloomberg is a jerk who has one set of rules for us and another for himself.
Bloomberg the mayor doesn't own Bloomberg LP because he is an elected official and legally can't.
ReplyDeleteBloomberg's strict no photo policy has more to do with protecting the assets within the building because of the nature of the material that is worked with on a day to day basis.
So before you jump to conclusions, why not learn a thing or two?
I think you're making some rather naive assumptions. Do you really think that because Bloomberg is mayor he doesn't control everything that goes on with the company that bears his name. That idea has completely debunked by the press for years now, even those the Bloomberg administration continues to assert that the Mayor is hands off as far as his empire goes. And what assets inside the building are you talking about, that it needs such protection?
ReplyDeletedude, you are insane. i mean AMAZING. also inspiring (but not so inspiring that I have the chutzpah to get up from my couch and join you).
ReplyDeletei have no good advice for you. you are going to be completely exhausted and in great danger for 19 days. anybody with the balls to do that is my hero.
not batman-level hero. but pretty damn close.
ride 'em hard & put 'em up wet! be safe but only barely: make sure you out race all those other riders at ALL COSTS.
USA. USA. USA!
Pointless "security theater." It's ridiculously easy to surreptitiously take photographs if you're really up to some nefarious purpose. All this does is make one group of people (the company and it's security staff) feel good, and another group (innocent tourists and architecture fans!) feel annoyed.
ReplyDeleteThat's weird because during Christmas people were taking loads of photos of the Christmas tree that was there. Maybe some recent events have made them skittish.
ReplyDeleteWhat?
ReplyDeleteLearn what a Bloomberg terminal is and its influence on the markets worldwide, and once you figure that out, you'll realize why it needs to be protected.
ReplyDeleteSounds like one of those "it's too complicated and important, you wouldn't understand" bullshit answers Wall Street likes to give to deflect our inquiries into their corporate thievery.
ReplyDeleteYeah, weird, what's with all the uppity Bloomberg defense here? Nobody's saying the building isn't important and all that. It's the stupidity of the all-or-nothing attitude about security.
ReplyDeleteIf taking pictures of the entrance were a *dire* threat to the building, then they would frisk everyone who entered the courtyard. But they don't, which shows that they really don't care about it, and it isn't that big a deal. And, honestly, considering the monotony of a job like that, they probably enjoy going up to tourists and yelling at them.
For Emily Austin: Mayor Bloomberg does own Bloomberg L.P. His ownership is in a trust and although not involved with day to day operations he meets with the CEO on a weekly basis.
ReplyDelete