Is it New York City’s Fault?

According to the July 7, 2011 issue of The New York Times, because in January 2011 Zahi Hawass, head of the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities accused New York City of allowing Cleopatra’s Needle– a gift from Egypt which has stood in Central Park for 120 years– to erode from acid rain and threatened to bring it back to Egypt, this summer, the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation is undertaking a weathering study of the monument. The desired outcome of the study is to defend the city’s honor by showing that acid rain has had no measurable effect on the condition of the stone.