The past and present status of 42nd Street and Broadway.
The Deuce
The evolution of 42nd Street over just the last century defines a cultural arc like no other, all contained within a tiny segment of Manhattan. This clip documents how the home of performances mounted by Houdini, Barrymore, and Ziegfeld gave way first to burlesque and then to striptease, mainstream movies to porn with lengthier series of X's. An assortment of colorful New Yorkers, including Mickey Rourke, Ed Koch, and local insider 42nd Street Pete, weigh in about the explosion of sex, drugs, and crime that enveloped the "boulevard of filth" in the 70's. By the 80's, developers had tidied things up, eventually transforming the area into a franchise-bright tourist center. Has 42nd Street's legendary character been scrubbed away? Let's ask the local church pastor.
Local Opinions in Tunisia on Reform
January 14th, 2010 was the day Tunisian people gained their freedom from their "president for life" Zine El Ibidine Bin Ali, whose authoritarian rule lasted 23 years. When their demonstrations started just a month before, Tunisians sparked a revolution that inspired other countries around the Middle East. Hundreds of people were killed and injured while fighting for better standards of living, a stronger economy, and greater freedom. Did the revolution realize the changes the citizens sought?
“I am so happy and excited for the future of Tunisia. We finally have the freedom of speech. The people have a vote and things are looking good.” - Ahmed Ben-Hadi
“No one knows what tomorrow holds, but it is comforting to know that Bin Ali is not the president. That coward took all our money and left us with no jobs or good pay to provide our children with what they need. You are either very rich or very poor in Tunisia, but now things are moving slow. But I believe it will be better.” -Ali Muktader
“The people are so confused and all over the place. They still don’t know exactly what they want. Everyone was excited about the revolution and making a difference, but now what? Who knows who is going to rule Tunisia—is it a better person or someone greedier? We have to wait and see. I guess these things take time. Personally I am still worried.” -Salma Hamdan
“As a Libyan living in Tunisia, I had no problems with the way Bin Ali ruled the country, because I was paid regularly and had a good house and things were going good for me. However, my neighbors used to complain all the time. When the demonstrations started, I doubted its success because Bin Ali was so powerful. But when the people got what they wanted, I was happy for the people. No one gets to say what they want when it comes to politics in Arab countries. Watching Tunisia gives me hope that one day Libya will also be free.” -AdulHameed Megla
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