Submitted by Jez Coulson............. jezblog, Dec 13, 2007 01:10

I am not American. Its not Xenophobic to point out unique aspects of, and take delight in, the culture of others......... I am certainly not implying that Berlin or Beijing are inferior. I think people who are obviously keen to be polite and respectful to other peoples culture and heritage should also have a thought to the same for their own identity. Identity and culture has some roots in esthetics. Things that are unmistakably New York and are at a human scale actually are important......... There is nothing wrong or pejorative about New York being distinctly New York. Don't you know? you seem to know...... well you don't know what you got till its gone..... a big Yellow Taxi took away my old man............... Only its the other way round....... the old Man (the mayor) and the TLC will have totally done in a recognizable symbol of New York without even a moments thought to the esthetics of their decision. The Statue of liberty is Iconographic of New York..... but was designed and made in France. It is iconographic of New York as it is .......... so is the homogeneous taxi fleet, as it is now. Where it is made is not the issue...... Im suggesting not messing too much with the esthetics of the taxi fleet or indeed the Statue of Liberty. Cheers Jez XX www.jezblog.com

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