The View From 103

2006-07-05T18:47:00.000-04:00

This blog has been folded into Bay Ridge Blog. Meet me there!!

Last Post from View from 103

2006-07-04T13:20:00.000-04:00

In the past year, I've had some fun running this blog, which deals with various political and other things, and a companion one, Bay Ridge Blog, which deals with Brooklyn's great Bay Ridge neighborhood.

I have a small but treasured group of readers on each site. I've liked running the two sites, but have often neglected both. Why? Because I work lots of hours, because I try to live my life, because I spend time reading on commenting on other people's blogs.

So, here's what I am going to do. I am going to leave this blog up, but will rarely or never post on it. I will focus my attention on Bay Ridge Blog. It will continue to be a Bay Ridge-centric blog, but I will include comments on the other things of interest. There will be no more or no less blather, so nothing is lost or gained by this change.

Happy July 4 to one and all. See you on Bay Ridge Blog.

NY Times: All the Classified Information Fit to Print

2006-07-01T23:00:00.000-04:00

We'll Print Any Classified Information We Want!!

Some here have hectored on the point " Why is everyone picking on the NY Times, when the Wall Street Journal and LA Times printed the story also"?

The NY Times printed the story first. They had been snooping around asking questions on SWIFT, and it became known that they were going to push the privacy angle. In news and editorial pieces ( hard to tell which is which ) they've repeatedly made the point that both the Wall Street Journal and LA Times printed essentially the same information.

Today, in a furious editorial, the Journal indicates that it does not like the NY Times hiding behind the Journal in its responses to criticism.

The Treasury Department didn't ask the WSJ not to print. They came to the Wall Street Journal, and apparently only did so when it was clear that the NY Times was about to go to press with this. The WSJ speculates that the government felt that the information was soon to go out anyway and that the WSJ " would write a straighter story". They said that if asked not to print they probably would not have.

The NY Times has said that their breach of security was in the public interest The WSJ begs to differ:

"Just as dubious is the defense in a Times editorial this week that "The Swift story bears no resemblance to security breaches, like disclosure of troop locations, that would clearly compromise the immediate safety of specific individuals." In this asymmetric war against terrorists, intelligence and financial tracking are the equivalent of troop movements. They are America's main weapons."

The WSJ says:
"We suspect that the Times has tried to use the Journal as its political heatshield precisely because it knows our editors have more credibility on these matters."

The WSJ knows that this is wartime. It's been wartime for over 4 1/2 years. Pity the word never made it to West 43rd Street.

Blueberries

2006-06-28T23:23:00.000-04:00

Always, I have loved blueberries. Now that they come in from Chile in our winter, you can get them almost all time time in New York. But the Chilean blueberry, like those from Florida and California, tends to bitterness, and is merely tolerable product. In early spring, they come from North Carolina, and they're just OK.

But I am in my glory in June and July when the New Jersey blueberry crop floods into New York. They're plump, and sweet and cheap as hell. I buy them in large numbers and inhale them a pint at a time.

Deutsche Bank Building

2006-06-26T22:11:00.000-04:00

Deutsche Bank Building, originally uploaded by bayridgephantom.

The internal demolition of this building is well advanced. the exterior structure will be coming down before long.

Double Check

2006-06-26T22:08:00.000-04:00

Double Check, originally uploaded by bayridgephantom.

A much-beloved resident has returned. Removed for safekeeping after 9/11, "Double Check" is now back on a bench at Liberty Park, still checking the contents of his briefcase, nervous as ever. He's at the northwest corner of the park, affording him a nice view of the WTC reconstruction, if he ever looks up from his briefcase. Pardon my ratty gym bag on the next bench.

Liberty Park

2006-06-26T22:06:00.000-04:00

Liberty Park, originally uploaded by bayridgephantom.

They've done a fine job at restoring Liberty Park, which reopened recently. It's a block away from the WTC site, two blocks from the Firefighters Memorial. . Back in the old days, I used to enjoy eating a Sam's Falafel sandwich in this park.

New York Firefighters Memorial

2006-06-26T22:03:00.000-04:00

New York Firefighters Memorial, originally uploaded by bayridgephantom.

Yesterday, I went to lower Manhattan to visit the Firefighter's Memorial. If's a fine work, and I recommend that anyone who can do so comes over to see it.

World Trade Center / Firefighter's Memorial

2006-06-25T20:46:00.000-04:00

I've seen the Firefighter's Memorial three times now. It's on the side of the Engine Co. 10/Ladder Company 10 firehouse on the corner of Liberty and Greenwich Streets.

SS
The bronze images are not of supermen. They're firemen doing their jobs. Here in one of my favorite images, of an exhausted fireman washing his face, from an open fire hydrant.

The second plane hits Two World Trade Center.

The lower part of the memorial is of marble. It contains the names of the firemen who died.

See the very good NY Times article ( Click on the "interactive feature" to the left )

Also, beautiful nighttime photos from Test of Will. Like the man says, click 'em to make 'em bigger. There are other good photos on that site, and I may link to it.

Hungarian PHANTOM poster

2006-06-18T21:27:00.000-04:00

Hungarian PHANTOM poster, originally uploaded by Vermont Ferret.

Springtime doesn't last long in NYC anymore. In recent years, it's been a quick transition to summer, and its certainly summerlike today. Now where did I leave my shorts?

How is the A380 Like the European Constitution?

2006-06-15T23:22:00.000-04:00

A380 BNE Departure, originally uploaded by David McKelvey.

I've fallen and I can't get up!

Lou Minatti knows. For starters, they're both bloated and ugly.

You know things ain't goin' well when Der Spiegel starts to speak of an "airbust".

Airbus A380: White Elephant WAY Overdue

2006-06-14T22:56:00.000-04:00

A380-5, originally uploaded by All Glory To The Hypnotoad.

Heading down!

Shares of Airbus' parent company EADS crashed today, as Airbus announced a new, seven month, production delay of their superjumbo jet, the 840 passenger A380.

Singapore Airlines, which had been scheduled to take the first of the A380s this year, is sick of the delays, and stuck a dagger in Airbus' heart by agreeing to buy 20 Boeing 787 Dreamliners.

The delays are only part of Airbus' problem with the A380. I think that the entire concept of the plane is a mistake. Do you want to fly in a plane that has 839 other people in it? I don't. I don't think that too many others do either.

This monster-plane makes sense if people are going to primarily fly to from one hub airport to another, ie going from England to the UK by means of Heathrow and JFK Airports. But if you're going from New York to Edinburgh, why go through Heathrow when you can fly Continental Airlines nonstop to Edinburgh? They have two of those flights to Edinburgh now, and they're making a fortune on them. They also fly nonstop from New York to Bristol, Birmingham, Manchester, and Glasgow, as well as London. They cover the NYC-UK route, better than British Airways does ; they cover NYC-Ireland ( nonstop to Dublin, Shannon and Belfast ) better than Aer Lingus.

But British Airways can serve the massive London trade to the US better than anyone. They'll take you from London nonstop to all kinds of places in the US without a stop. And so it goes worldwide. There's all kinds of service from smaller cities in one country to hub cities in a second country.

Point to point also means you and your luggage board one plane one time, and go through security one time only.

So, if this is the direction that the airlines are moving to, what the hell do we need a 840 seat plane based on the model of hub-hub travel that is unraveling every day? The hub to hub model will fall apart even more as very long distance aircraft become more common. The latest 787 model will go New York-New Zealand and Sydney-London nonstop.

Airbus bet the farm on a plane that the world doesn't want and doesn't need. The A380 is like the Concorde, an aviation curiosity that everyone will lose money on-airlines, airports, Airbus itself. But not me. Your friendly Phantom owns a few shares of Boeing stock. So, on behalf of all the Boeing shareholders, I say to Airbus, THANK YOU for coming out with this white elephant!! Stay the course, Noël Forgeard!!

World Cup Fever Hits New York City (*)

2006-06-13T21:52:00.000-04:00

This is the back cover of today's New York Daily News. The main sports story is how this year's NY Mets are now popular baseball team in town. ( Its not true, but they're heading in that direction. ) There's only the smallest mention of the US-Czech Republic World Cup game.

Sports fans here are certainly aware that the World Cup is being played, but they're not exactly on the edge of their seats with excitement. The first-game loss of the US to the superb Czech team won't exactly help the sport in this country either.

Its different over here. The US has its own rich sports traditions, and soccer just isn't a big part of it. Every four years, you hear that soccer is on the verge of a big breakthrough, but it never happens.

And you know what? Thats OK. Who says every country has to like the same things?

Meanwhile, as soon as the US Soccer Team is eliminated, which should be soon --their next opponent is mighty Italy-- I transfer my World Cup allegiance to England. This may dismay some of my Irish friends, but it is true to my contrarian nature. Go Becks! Hurray up and heal, Rooney!!

(*)not!

------

Weird Scientology Story of the Day
Actress Jenna Elfman confronts a man in LA wearing a t shirt making fun of her stupid cult

Delta Force Zarqawi Scandal
From the ever-fantastic Blame Bush

The Vile Anne Coulter

2006-06-12T22:16:00.000-04:00

Staten Island Ferry NYC Skyline
Originally uploaded by superkath.

I've never liked Anne Coulter. It's something visceral. There's something about her that I could never trust.

This is a blonde "conservative" writer who writes books with titles like "Treason" (about "liberal treachery") and "How to Talk to a Liberal (If You Must)".

I've had my own problems with liberalism and the Democratic Party. I think the content of both that label and that party have gone steadily, terribly downhill since John F. Kennedy was murdered 43 years ago. I love stirring the pot with a direct political debate in which almost everything is fair game.

But there was something about this woman's "humor" that I didn't get. I'm from the Tip O'Neill / Ronald Reagan school--attack the other guy's opinion, not his character. Argue all day, have a beer afterwards and discuss something else.

But Anne Coulter isn't from that school. She engages in a shrill, ugly attack that passes for debate. All flame, no light. Now she's topped herself.

In her new book, "Godless- the Church of Liberalism", she attacks some politically active women whose husbands died in the World Trade Center. Of these women, she said, "I have never seen people enjoying their husbands' death so much" she writes. It hurts to read these words, to cut and paste them.

The sin that these women committed? To endorse John Kerry, and to take a Democratic view on politics. Now again, I don't sing from the Democratic hymnbook, have not for a long time, but I have a very hard time connecting the dots from "endorsing Kerry" to "I'm glad my husband's dead".

I worked in the World Trade Center. I know one of the women that have been mentioned, and I knew her husband. A sweet and happy and gentle man he was. I know how he died too. He wasn't one of the "lucky" who died instantly or without pain. I doubt that his wife found much joy in her husband's death, under such awful circumstances.

I don't think that all the 9/11 widows were all wonderful. I remember some FDNY widows in particular saying the most unfair, dreadful things to Fire Commissioner Von Essen and to other NYC officials in the months and much longer after 9/11. Some of what was said was simply unforgiveable. I've never felt that a loss, even one as terrible as this, gives you a lifetime pass to attack others and play the victim forever.

Likewise, the widows who have taken positions on political things should be prepared to have their positions attacked. And I don't think that they're immune from personal attack either, if there's anything legitimate to attack them personally about.

Here, they're guilty of taking some political positions that Anne Coulter, and a lot of us, disagree with. So what. That's hardly a crime. Those widows who want to be politically active should continue to do so.

One of the women in question said "Contrary to Coulter's statements, there was no joy in watching men that we loved burn alive. There was no happiness in telling our children that their fathers were never coming home again. We adored these men and miss them every day."

I believe her.

I condemn Anne Coulter unreservedly. She is a vile, poisonous woman. There are others like her, plenty from the liberal side too. But we're not talking about them today.

For a perspective from a big conservative blog, see this from Red State

---
"My only regret with Timothy McVeigh is he did not go to the New York Times Building." - Anne Coulter

Lets Go Mets

2006-06-11T23:09:00.000-04:00

The Mets beat Arizona 15-2 today, to complete a four game sweep. They're now 39 wins and 23 losses. The Yankees, meanwhile, are 35 and 26. The Mets, from here, are both the best and the most interesting baseball team in town. The Yankees have "owned" New York for many years now, but that might be about to change.

America is blissfully immune from soccer's World Cup. While the rest of the world, esp the participating countries, grinds to a halt during the tournament, this country continues to follow its own baseball and basketball leagues this time of year. I happen to think that's great! Who says that the entire world has to like the same things? Just because Angola and Paraguay like soccer, doesn't mean middle America has to watch it.

That having been said, the US is actually in the World Cup this year --a fact that most Americans may not even know-- and they have a good, well-coached team. I get this from the sports pages, as I admit I know nothing about the game.

Anyway, the Phantom's picks for this year's World Cup. I predict that the United States will win. This is a prediction analogous to the first time visitor to the racetrack who picks a horse to win because she likes its name.

If the US does not win, England will.

But I have a perfect blog track record at predicting sports events based on my call of the World Baseball Classic win for Japan.

Mark it here: America wins.. Noone expects it. But it'll happen.

New Format on View From 103

2006-06-10T23:24:00.000-04:00

Bayonne Bridge, originally uploaded by corydalus.

Hope that you like the new format. It's fun to change looks once in awhile, but here I really had to--I've really started to enjoy digital photography, and have posted more photos on the blogs. But when I posted large photos from flickr onto the old template, the sidebar was pushed to the bottom of the page. The problem was mitigated when viewed via a Firefox browser, but not everyone uses that.

This is a template called "iconic", found here, and I may keep it for awhile. Unlike my apartment, its very clean and organized.

I've removed the support Denmark banner. Not because I have ceased to support Denmark, but because that issue has calmed down.

Above is the Bayonne Bridge, which connects Bayonne New Jersey with Staten Island. Its gorgeous. A few summers ago, I walked across this bridge, which most New Yorkers have never done. On a nice day, there is nothing like it. Its not that high above the water, and its cool to watch the ships pass underneath. Nice shot, corydalus

Zarqawi - Special Delivery Package to Hibhib

2006-06-08T21:31:00.000-04:00

F16, originally uploaded by Leonieke.

Can anyone sign for two 500 pound packages?
Wonderful news this morning, as Abu Musab al-Zarqawi was killed in the village of Hibhib, Iraq.
US F-16 aircraft dropped two 500 pound bombs on the safe house where he'd been staying. He probably never felt any twinge of fear, nor did he know what hit him. That's OK. Those beautiful 500 pound bombs removed Iraq's worst terrorist from existence, and that's a wonderful thing.

There will be those who may think Zarqawi as some sort of Iraqi Freedom Fighter. Well, he wasn't an Iraqi, and he was not a freedom fighter. He fought for terror, for torture, for oppression, for death. He sawed off the heads of living human beings. He really did this. He spent much of the past year trying to start a civil war between the Sunni and the Shia in a country that he was not native to.

Lets hope that this is a turning point in the Iraq War. Anyone who knows me knows that I support this effort, for reasons already stated.
A tip of the hat to the Americans, British and Iraqis who are fighting over there, and especially to anyone who had anything to do with yesterday's mission to Hibhib. Goddamnit, you're good!!

---
As Christopher Hitchens says, here
"If we had withdrawn from Iraq already, as the "peace" movement has been demanding, then one of the most revolting criminals of all time would have been able to claim that he forced us to do it. That would have catapulted Iraq into Stone Age collapse and instated a psychopathic killer as the greatest Muslim soldier since Saladin. As it is, the man is ignominiously dead and his dirty connections a lot closer to being fully exposed. This seems like a good day's work to me."

brooklynmetfan.com

2006-06-05T22:45:00.000-04:00

Mr. Met
Meet the Mets, Meet the Mets,
Step right up and greet the Mets,
Bring your kiddies, bring your wife,
Guaranteed to have the time of your life
Because the Mets are really socking the ball
Knocking those homers over the wall.
East side, West side ev'rybody's coming down,
to meet the M-E-T-S Mets from New York town
( "Meet the Mets" theme song, the original version from the teams formation in 1962 )

In this season of the World Cup , when some foreign guys are going to kick a few soccer balls around in Germany, we will add Brooklyn Met Fan to the blogroll.

As true connoisseurs of sport, from Tokyo to San Pedro de Macoris will tell you, baseball is the master of all the sports. We just may add an entire blogroll section for baseball as time goes along. If you have any selection of baseball blogs I should be lookin' at, let me know.

**Off to travel in Bermuda, back later in the week**

SF Giants vs NY METS at Shea- Back to the John Rocker Express

2006-06-04T23:59:00.000-04:00

SF Giants vs NY METS at Shea Stadium, originally uploaded by bayridgephantom.

Walking up the ramp to the No. 7 subway train. I've walked up this ramp many times since I saw my first NY Mets game in the 1960s.

SF Giants vs NY METS at Shea- Hi There!

2006-06-04T23:54:00.000-04:00

SF Giants vs NY METS at Shea Stadium, originally uploaded by bayridgephantom.

Yours truly just after the game ended

SF Giants vs NY METS at Shea- Hon Sighting

2006-06-04T23:45:00.000-04:00

SF Giants vs NY METS at Shea Stadium, originally uploaded by bayridgephantom.

Hey, Hon made it to the game!! Hon, its June, for Gods sake. You don't need that jacket.

SF Giants vs NY METS at Shea - Usher

2006-06-04T23:03:00.000-04:00

SF Giants vs NY METS at Shea Stadium, originally uploaded by bayridgephantom.

Usher keeping an eye on things. The NY Yankees laid off the ushers years ago, but the Mets have kept them on. Many of them are old timers who may have been working here since Shea Stadium opened in 1964.

SF Giants vs NY Mets at Shea - Mets Tie It Up

2006-06-04T23:00:00.000-04:00

METGAMEBAYRIDGEPOSTOFFICE 112, originally uploaded by bayridgephantom.

After David Wright hit a home run to tie the game in the bottom of the eighth , the game was tied 4-4, and Shea was a happy place. Not for all that long. The Giants scored two in the tenth inning, and the Mets hit back to back home runs ( Valentin, Milledge ) to tie it right back. But the Giants scored an additional run in the 12th, which was unanswered. Mighty Valentin grounded to second.

SF Giants vs NY METS at Shea- Bonds ( * ) Nicked

2006-06-04T21:31:00.000-04:00

SF Giants vs NY METS at Shea Stadium, originally uploaded by bayridgephantom.

Steve Trachsel hits Barry Bonds, just barely.

Bonds, the famous steroids user, was not a factor in this game. He was roundly booed, but the mood at the stadium was not ugly.

SF Giants vs NY METS at Shea Stadium- Dave Wright's First Home Run

2006-06-04T21:30:00.000-04:00

SF Giants vs NY METS at Shea Stadium, originally uploaded by bayridgephantom.

David Wright scoring after hitting the first of his two home runs. It wasn't enough, as the Mets lost 7-6 in twelve innings.