Mother of 16 year old pleads...

"I don't want to live here anymore," the mother said. "I always
thought that this country is better for my children, but now..." She
broke off and began sobbing. "She's just 16," she cried. "I just want
my daughter. Please, can you help me?"

--Shobak.org

16 year old Bangladeshi girl held as a "terrorist"

From A 16 year old Bangladeshi girl has become the target of a terrorist
investigation. We believe she is being scapegoated unfairly and
victimized. Her lawyer has failed to represent her and Bangladesh
consulate in NY has (shamefully) failed to take any action on her
behalf.

-- Shobak.org

By Neil Steinberg in this mornings New York Daily News:

Excuses make heads spin — scout's honor

"Is there a postive spin that the Boy Scouts of America hasn't applied to Douglas Smith, a top scout official, pleading gulty to possessing a huge cache of child pornography? None of the boys in the hundreds of photos was a scout — well that's good! And no actual scouts seem to have been involved — also good! He did his ogling at home and not at work — a plus! And he's really, really sorry.

Did the scouts leave anything out? At least Smith isn't gay — that would be violation of scout rules."

Is anyone surprised there are no civilian border guards watching the borders of the United States where good old europeans can get in? Again Orcinus gets it right.

Fire in Greenpoint II

Fire in Greenpoint II
Originally uploaded by ronon44.

After doing taxes for a friend in Greenpoint, took a slight detour to the last dousing of a three story house fire. They were just setting up the final barricades and I was chased by a self-important volunteer cop (auxilary policeman).

Brooklyn Bridge

Brooklyn Bridge
Originally uploaded by ronon44.

Took a two bridge walk on Sunday; Brooklyn Bridge through DUMBO and back to Manhattan over the Manhattan Bridge. Goal is to make it a four bridge walk; BB to MB to Williamsburg Bridge to 59th Street Bridge and subway back.

Gate Reflections 1

Gate Reflections 1
Originally uploaded by ronon44.

There will be thousands of pictures of The Gates on all sorts of pages. I think the pictures are an attempt, a feeble one, to portray what the photographer experienced.

I add a couple of my own.

Look here for a sequence of the gates blowing.

Thank you Christo!!
Entrance to the Park on Fifth Avenue in the mid 60s with The Gates stilled wrapped,
...and later in the morning.
Reflections on a pond in the Park...

Hey You up against the wall

Two wall paintings on Mott Street, just below Broome Street.

Eyes are upon you!

Eyes are upon you!
Originally uploaded by ronon44.

If you have the feeling that someone may be following you or looking over your shoulder while walking on the mezzenine level of the Chambers Street, WTC subway station, you may be right!

It is now officially less than 4 years before a new president. Less than 4 years of bush unless he tells us that he heard from god that he should have a thrid term and there was no need to hold an election since it was god that declared that bush should have a third term.

Foggy morning pictures.

Again waiting for the bus on Second Avenue last night and took more sequences. The movie size is 1.7 mb and the images are again played at .5 seconds each. The same critical review as before. I apologize for the clashing colors that surround the images, but I like ugly colors.

Was waiting for the bus on Second Avenue last night and rested my camera against the bus stop and took some sequences of 10 pictures each and put them in a quicktime move. The movie size is 1.2 mb and the images are .5 seconds each. It is not particularily exciting "video".

Under the category of "Can people with money get any worse, comes" this story from the New York News. It seems that even the tsumani can't keep people from their vacations and their demand for the usual services connected with them. Imagine the outrage of not having champagne available for a guest. Where is the traditional submissive asian hospitality?

Santa's Ugly Secret

Santa's Ugly Secret
Originally uploaded by ronon44.

Santa caught, on the feast of Stephen, either tipsy from post Christmas cheer or just getting rid of all the treats left by the children of the world. Whatever the reason it was a shameful display of lack of self control.

Xmas Lunch

Xmas Lunch
Originally uploaded by ronon44.

Nothing like a Nathan's hotdog to put you in the holiday spirit. I am not being condescending here as that is what I had for Xmas lunch.

What day is it?

What day is it?
Originally uploaded by ronon44.

Christmas afternoon on Brighton Beach. One of these "groups" misread the calendar and/or the weather report.

A Gaggle Of Santas

A Gaggle Of Santas
Originally uploaded by ronon44.

A large group of santas converged at East Broadway and Eldridge Street for unknown purposes. The Chinese were oblivious and unimpressed. They just went around them; just another sidewalk blockage.

Soiled Pinstripes

The New York papers are having a field day with the BALCO story in general and the Jason Giambi story in particular. They are lamenting the disgrace of the Yankees having had their great tradition soiled by the steroids taking of Jason Giambi. I rarely read the New York Post but one was at a table I was having coffee at Friday and they and their fans were being particularily stupid, as only the New York Post can. As a Mets fans my brother and I have always loathed the Yankees and were not in the least sad at their post season demise, especially at the hands of the hated Red Sox. In response to this hypocritical uproar by the media and the Yankee fans my brother Peter wrote the following email to the New York Post:

"Please stop! I never realized that when you become a Yankee you passed through the gates of heaven. This is a team concerned only with winning. A team that is good at it. But this is a team that will win at any price and overlook any situation and pay anything to win. Hell be damned.

Please stop about the Yankees being disgraced. This is a team that employed great and greatest players of all time. Saint Mickey, Sir Whitey and poor Billy Martin. And yes there was the Great Bambino. Had the press at that time been anything like it is these days. The investigative journalists would have been exposed their reputations and antics that would most likely rival today’s scandals.This is a team that has employed Steve Howe, A 5 time drug test failure Darryl Strawberry, Dwight Gooden….. I know that Mr. Steinbrenner only signed them out the goodness of his heart. He saw no advantage to these signings. These players had no potential to aid in bringing him championships. Well maybe just a little!

Please Stop with Jason Giambi disgracing the pinstripes. There was no whispering or no physical signs that he was involved with some type of body altering substances? Of course, had they heard these whispers or opened their eyes they would not have signed him to the ridiculous contract. Of course the Yankees want to be rid of their embarrassment. Not only has he disgraced the pinstripes, He really stinks. Now that he is clean and also off fast food he brings nothing to the table for the Yankees. Had he been any good and lived up to his supposed potential, I doubt you would be hearing about the Yankees trying to null and void his contract. Do you think the San Francisco Giants will be rushing to the major League Baseball offices in the near future?

Please Start looking at what the NY Yankees, Mets, Jets LA Lakers etc. Please Start making these people what they are, Liars, thugs etc. Please Start communicating to my son and other kids that its not alright to do this stuff and that you can get away with it and it can help your performance and it will make you a lot of money. Communicate that it’s not OK to rape someone and get away with it because you have a lot of money. Please communicate to my son and others like him that these athletes are no longer role models and someone that they should look up to anymore.

That is the disgrace that you should be writing about."