On the 7

The No.7 subway train is a moving lifeline that cuts through Queens, spewing out immigrants and their heavily-weighted dreams and obligations along the way. You can predict who is getting off at which stop depending on their looks.

Here are my observations:

Times Square to Grand Central -- Mostly white Manhattan-dwellers

Hunters Point -- Affuluent-looking whites from Westchester trasferring from Metro North

45th St. and Courthouse Square -- actors and artists going off to the Silverspoon Studio (Where interior scenes for the OZ and the Sopranos are shot, thanks to the rabid pirating going on in China, I've seen every popular movie and TV series made in America before they're even on DVDs here) and that ominous old warehouse-converted-into-studio building.

Grand Central to Queensboro Plaza -- wannabe Manhattan-dwellers who are living in Astoria for now.

46th st./Sunnyside -- Russians

82nd st./Jackson Heights -- Puerto Ricans, Pakistanis

103rd st. and 111th st. -- Dominicans

Willets Point/Shea Stadium -- car mechanics and Shea Stadium employees

Main st. -- Chinese, Pakistanis, Koreans and retired Americans who can't afford to move away.