New York City is a place of hype. We deservedly boast of the biggest and best of everything. Nothing has received more hype of late than the "New York City Waterfalls" exhibit of four 90-to-120 foot structures looming from New York Harbor.

Mayor Bloomberg hailed the Public Art Fund project upon its June 26 launch as an "unbelievable sight" and a "beautiful symbol of the energy and vitality that we are bringing back to our waterfront in all five boroughs."

He envisioned millions in tax dollars from the Waterfalls as tourists jam special boats to view them up close.

There is no biggest booster of NYC than this blogger. The Waterfalls, however, are a major flop. They bring to mind the old song, "Is That All There Is." Calling the structures "Waterfalls," shows how out-of-touch New York's city slickers are when it comes to Mother Nature.

Those are my thoughts after spending some time with the Waterfalls over the Fourth of July weekend. My wife, Jane, had a great description of the Waterfalls. She said they look like construction sites with major flooding problems. The Waterfall under the Brooklyn tower of the Brooklyn Bridge is especially tacky. It desecrates one of the sacred places of NYC.

If Bloomberg wants to highlight the vitality of NYC's waterfront, how about working to restore shipping jobs to Brooklyn's Red Hook and Sunset Park neighborhoods?

The Waterfalls are going to be on display through Oct. 13. Take a look and send me your reaction.

Here's my advice for visitors to Gotham: head up to Niagara if you want to see a real waterfall. But please spend those tourist dollars on the New York side of Niagara Falls. The Canadians really don't need your business.