Notes from book launch - Andrew Bacevich and Hoge

What a remarkable guy.

A retired army colonel, served in Germany, now lectures at Boston University, self-confessed conservative, claims to have voted for Obama, but with the freshest, cleverest ideas I've heared for a long time. Would make an interesting addition to the NY times op-ed page.

Few interesting things to remember to follow-up on:(my rough notes, not his exact words)

• President Carter's "malaise" speech. The word "malaise" was never used in the speech, but it was described by an aide as that. Not well received by the public, but has important message on reliance on oil
• His views on Iran. Without being an apologist (was really scared of being labelled so) he said that we should try to see things from their perspective and what they regarded as a threat. Interesting scenario he painted:
• - surrounded by US forces in its neighbourhood
  
• - rebuffed when it tried to say nice things
  
• Somalia - thinks/thought that it was Albright's advice to stay beyond the 'welfare mission', and Clinton administration picked this up, from Bush admin. But, Bush had made this decision after Clinton was already president-elect
• Bible/scriptures as he reads it does not have a 'special place' for Americans, yet many Americans think we are the 'chosen' people
• Described thoughts/ideas of 18 year old kids who he teaches, and how their ideas have been shaped
• Wilsonian - Is Obama a closet Wilsonian - gave examples of comments Obama has made

Namaaz salat at the UN United Nations

If you are visiting the United Nations Headquarters in NY, then this information may be helpful if you need a place to pray on a Friday.

• Prayers take place between approx 1.10 pm and 2pm every Friday. (The time does not change per season, nor does it change for daylight saving time).
• Prayer accomodation is provided for men and women.
• There are no convenient facilities for wudhu/washing, so use one of the public washrooms
• Prayers start with azaan at about 115pm.
• There are then the regular two sermons (delivered in English)
• There is a roster of different speakers each week
• The venue is accessible from the third floor staircase above the library building (Dag Hammarsjkold Library). Prayers take place on the fourth floor.
• For access for ladies, you will need to go up to the third level, then walk down the passage to use the rear staircase to go up to the fourth floor.
• Hope this helps.
• Jumma mubarak.

peltown - the pelhams

a very pleasant day, made all the more pleasant by planning to arrive early at GCT to catch the 1137 on metro-north. next time you need to buy a ticket, give the two ticket machines on the east side of the terminal a miss which is always too long, and find the ticket machine room on the west side which never has a line.

the pond at bryant park, should be called the gem at bryant park. how is it that in the city in the midst of a recession, with citi - bank suffering, could they organise and support such an extravagant event. me just thinking, could all those ice-rink staff have come from their trading desk in iceland, where else could they have found so many expert skaters.

notice i said nothing about friday and halloween. best left to another post, suffice to say, that sara palin was not only the best dressed, but the most dressed person out on the town that night. there must surely be a limit to what is allowed on halloweens. i should look for the emergency room statistics for halloween. never saw so many ambulaces before, plenty of fire trucks too, but mainly with 'the bravest' posing for pictures with the 'most drunk' in st.marks.

end.

my first post

i've done it, posted my first blog entry. i've waited too long to do this. blogger from google is a snitch. try it. get your thoughts, demons, ideas out. this is not a diary. its a journal. ask the wimpy kid. there are is quite a backlog of entries to get out. lets start scratching the surface.

the view

it looks like the building has 'topped out.' the view is blocked, or should I write scarred,  or to be PC, say it is enhanced, because it adds to diversity. no, the view is blocked.

it is hard not to be inspired, obstructed, accomodated by buildings in nyc. last night was the 're-opening' of the guggenheim museum on 89th and park in nyc, and it was no fee evening until 8. i've waited two years to make this visit. it was a rare experience, falling into the inspired category. it is hard to imagine how any art man-made object displayed in that edifice could get a fair chance to impress visitors. the architecture is remarkable. all these years after its original design, it dwarfs the collection of modern, mixed use art (quite difficult to understand the inspiration for it) that it presently houses. ayn rand would have been proud, i think.

what would ayn rand think of alan greenspan is another question worthy of consideration. or, as ayn rand may have put it, who is alan greenspan? we're left searching... the best answer i've heared but in response to another question about what is iceland, who knew iceland is a hedge fund covered by glaciers? so, who is greenspan. the ayn rand walking tour guide in nyc proudly displays a picture of greenspan as an early supporter and 'objectivist' at an ayn rand meeting in new york, and even a contributor to an objectivist journal. bit of irrational exuberance wouldn't you say?