Seaside's Star Jet Imagery Featured on Sandy Benefit Concert Program

We've all seen the pictures of Star Jet in the Atlantic, images that have become one of..if not THE most..iconic images of the destruction caused by Sandy.

I spent six hours in my local movie theater last night watching the 12/12/12 Concert For Sandy Relief live from Madison Square Garden. I teared up a few times as images from the storm and its aftermath flickered across the giant screen. But only one sequence actually made me cry a bit. State Farm had a spot with young children in a classroom, sharing their thoughts on the coaster in the ocean, photos of which were hung on the classroom walls.

Paraphrasing:

"It was as big as the Empire State building!"

"It was 48 inches tall!"

"I hope it comes back..with LOOPS!"

After the last comment, State Farm's logo appeared, along with the words: SO DO WE.

I'm actually slightly annoyed with the situation. I realize the symbolism of the ride and the pier. I really do. But you know, they presumably have insurance and they'll deal with it.

To me the important stories are about the people who saw their entire street removed from the map, not to mention their homes. Losing a roller coaster is a bummer, but no one lived in it.

A lot of the different speeches and footage made me tear up.

I agree with both of you, though. I loved the roller coaster commercial, but the focus to me is the people that lost their homes and their livelihoods. I pre-ordered the iTunes CD to contribute, and I plan to buy copies for friends as gifts as well...100% of proceeds are supposedly going to the relief funds.

I don't disagree, Jeff. Hell, my house sustained pretty bad damage, so I can relate to all aspects we've seen, trivial and serious. I was just commenting on how the print, electronic, and visual media locked onto that image. I've seen it a helluva lot more than I've seen pictures of the burned-to-the-ground area of Breezy Point.

Like the amusment park near Chernobyl, there's something to be said about an iconic image. Something a thousand words is not enough, but one picture can capture the raw and powerful emotional content of disaster (or even joy, when that applies)...

I didn't know there is/was(?) an amusement park near Chernobyl.

^ Not exactly a feel-good group of photos...

http://englishrussia.com/2010/09/22/chernobyl-amusement-park/

Is that the same amusement park that's featured during the Chernobyl sequence in the first Modern Warfare? http://youtu.be/QDfmW4VDdCo?t=24s

I always kind of assumed that level was loosely based on the park, but I doubt it's a recreation.