
Hidden Masterpieces of the NYC Subway - presspot
https://www.fastcodesign.com/90168626/the-hidden-masterpieces-of-the-n-y-c-subway
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Alex3917
Tom Otterness, who made all the bronze sculptures in the 14th street & 8th ave
station, first rose to fame with a performance art piece he did where he video
taped himself adopting a dog and then shooting it in the head.

If you think the way that startups market themselves is sometimes questionably
ethical, in other industries it's apparently even crazier.

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flyGuyOnTheSly
Did animal cruelty laws not exist in the 70s?

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mseebach
I'm pretty sure euthanizing a dog by gunshot (if done properly) has never
legally been considered animal cruelty. It's very common in rural areas.

There's something mildy shocking about the whole affair, especially the
contrast with first adopting the dog, but I suspect that's the "art" bit.

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ddoran
> I'm pretty sure euthanizing a dog by gunshot ... has never legally been
> considered animal cruelty.

I'm horrified that anyone would think this is true. In case anyone reads this
and doesn't know better, shooting an animal is only allowed when justified,
typically in self-defense.

Shooting a terminally ill dog is not sufficient justification either [1].

[1] - [http://www.wfla.com/national/heartbroken-pet-owner-faces-
jai...](http://www.wfla.com/national/heartbroken-pet-owner-faces-jail-time-
for-fatally-shooting-and-burying-terminally-ill-dog-in-public-beach/995141527)

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LyndsySimon
To my knowledge it is not illegal to euthanize an animal by gunshot in any US
state.

From a practical standpoint, it's probably the most humane way to do it.
There's far less pain and emotional distress (for the animal) involved than in
any other means I can think of, including having a licensed vet come to your
home and put the animal down via injection.

It's also significantly less expensive than any other means which is an
important consideration for much of the country. Hiring a vet to come out to
your home to euthanize an animal can be hundreds of dollars - it was $350-$500
in Virginia when we checked in to it there. A .22 LR round is ~$.10, and a
well-placed round to the base of the brain is instant.

There are downsides, of course. It requires knowledge of anatomy, and it can
be bungled badly. Cats, like many animals, are prone to spasming when the CNS
is destroyed, which is certainly not something that I'd want my kids to see.

All in all, I'd much prefer to either have a vet come out or obtain the
necessary injections to do it myself at home - but I have financial resources
at my disposal than the vast majority of families in my area do not. Given the
choice between waiting for a dog or a cat to die of a long, painful disorder
and their owner euthanizing them with a firearm, the latter is _much_
preferable.

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alexharrisnyc
I definitely thought this was going to be about graffiti.

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c-smile
Or at least something similar to Moscow Metro by scale:
[https://www.cnn.com/style/article/moscow-metro-stations-
davi...](https://www.cnn.com/style/article/moscow-metro-stations-david-
burdeny/index.html)

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chiph
That book would be an awesome source for a scavenger hunt.

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saudioger
Is there a specific reason old public works projects used to be a lot more
elaborate aesthetically versus the "lowest bidder" approach they take today?

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jdross
In NY a lot of the public works from 1930-1960 was driven by Robert Moses,
starting with his Jones beach projects.

The Power Broker would be my recommended reading.

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rst
On the surface, yes -- but Moses (for whatever reason) hated the subways, and
was to some extent responsible for the neglect that made the system a wreck by
the late '70s. (For those who have complaints about the way things are now, it
was worse.)

In any case, a lot of the subway art described here was from before the '30s
-- many of the stations described are part of the original IRT line, which
opened 1904.

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bobthepanda
According to The Power Broker, Moses liked grand visions and held poor people
in contempt, because he thought he knew what was good for them.

Rehabilitating the subway is not a new, grand project. It also would‘ve
primarily benefitted the poor people in a way contrary to his visions.
Finally, it would‘ve competed for federal money with his precious highway
projects since the federal government would be reluctant to allocate too much
money to one region. So the subway had all the things going against it, in
Moses‘ opinion.

