WTC: " Jody Tededino 9/11 Memorial Way " Named in Bay Ridge

" A “lovely, young” Bay Ridge woman, who perished in the World Trade Center terror attacks, was immortalized on what would have been her 44th birthday when her family and friends assembled to help co-name a local intersection, “Jody Tepedino 9/11 Memorial Way.” "

I read this article from a recent issue of Bay Ridge Courier.

I've seen the Bay Ridge Courier before, but wasn't aware that it was online. Well, they'll now be blogrolled here.

The article does not say exactly where the intersection named for Jody Tepedino is located, but as the gathering was by Circles Restaurant, it implies that it's at the corner of Third Avenue and 69th Street ( Bay Ridge Avenue). That's about one block away from where I live.

I'm sorry that, five years later, it is only now that I become aware of someone living so close to me that died that day. God bless, Jody Tepedino.

Clinton Comes Out Swinging

Just saw President Clinton's interview on Fox News, where he went off on interviewer Chris Wallace during an interview that aired today.

Clinton got angry when Wallace when he was asked " I got a lot of e-mail from viewers.. Most of them wanted me to ask you this question: Why didn't you do more to put bin Laden and Al Qaeda out of business when you were president?"


Clinton said that he had given explicit authorization to the CIA to "get groups together to kill bin Laden"

He also said that he wanted to invade Afghanistan after the USS Cole bombing, but that the CIA and FBI would not certify that Bin Laden was responsible for it. Also, the US at the time did not have basing rights in Uzbekistan, which would have necessitated a Special Forces operation and a (dangerous) night refueling.

He also said that the "right wing" forces at the time thought he was too obsessed with bin Laden.

And you know something? The guy's right. I remember very well when the actions Clinton did take were derided as Wag the Dog or "Monica Missiles"

The fact is that Clinton was attacked by Republican and "right wing" sources for doing what he should have been doing. I voted against Clinton twice, but...as far as I can tell, everything he said in this morning's interview is true.

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Bay Ridge notes

• Needed a small repair on my car this past Monday, and took it to Carma Car Care at 6761 Fourth Avenue in Bay Ridge. ((718) 921-4400) Mike over there did a good job at a fair price.
• I belong to New York Sports Clubs and today I visited the location near the Belt Parkway/Bay Parkway for the first time in ages. They've made a lot of improvements. The locker room and shower area have been totally rehabbed, and they now have towels for the members to use. Good job. Now let's get some towels at the location on 73rd Street and Third Avenue and I'll be a member forever.
  

Helen Hunt Making A Movie in Bay Ridge

Atomic Media asked if I knew anything about a movie being filmed in Bay Ridge. I had not, but I did speak to Judy who knew everything. She said " Its a film called "Then She Found Me" written and directed by Helen Hunt. I saw the end of the filming last night on Shore Road- today they are on 3rd. I saw Colin Firth, he is one of the leads in it. if you go to imdb.com you can see more about the movie.. i think they were on your block last week..."

Happy Talk Like A Pirate Day

Your Pirate Name Is...

Bloody Left Eye Louis

What's Your Pirate Name?

My pirate identity is Bloody Left Hand Louis.

Now, avast you mateys and go take a walk off the 69th Street Pier! Now!

German Restaurant

Arturo sent me an e-mail asking about a new German restaurant in Bay Ridge.

Arturo, I believe that Schnitzel Haus, located at 7319 Fifth Avenue, is the place you were thinking about. ( Phone 718-836-5600 )

I haven't eaten there yet, but I did stop in this afternoon. It's a bright, clean, place. They serve both lunch and dinner. The food looks to be that simple and good German food that I really like, including schnitzels, sausages, various other pork, veal fish and lamb dishes. German beer on tap, a reason for visiting in itself.

Stop by for a takeaway menu if you want to plot your meal in advance.

I'll be there soon. Arturo, see you there!

David Vance - Phantom Summit Meeting in Belfast!

Naw, it was just two guys getting together for a chat. I've been a frequent enough contributor to A Tangled Web over the past year, so I was delighted when David said yes to my suggestion that we meet for a couple of pints on September the first. We met at Belfast's wonderful old Crown Bar, right across the street from the famous Europa Hotel in the city center.

What did we talk about? Well, let's just say that it was a pleasant conversation. We don't agree on everything, but we agree on many important things.

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I was really tired that day after the trans-Atlantic flight. I really didn't do a great deal in Belfast this trip, other than using it as the base for the following days' trips to Monaghan and Donegal. But it was good to see the place after an absence of some years.

When I was there the first time for a visit of only five hours or so, in the 1980s, the city was an armed camp. It was better when I went there for a couple of days in 1997. Still way more tension than any other city I've seen, but better than the eighties.

Today, after the flawed but invaluable Clinton-brokered "Peace Process", you don't see armored cars on the streets anymore, you don't see stationary helicopters over the city either, and there's vastly less sectarian bullshit by "nationalist" and "loyalist" terrorist groups.

Give the place half a chance, and Belfast will be one of the jewels not only of Ireland, but of all of Europe. The worst days are over. They could come back, but they won't. The years to come will be that city's best. Like Ahnold says, "I'll be back", and I'll bring others with me.

September 11, 2006

From Vesey Street, about 430pm, today.

Five years later, we remember.

I returned from Europe today, and, coming back from Newark Airport, made the point to take the train that goes through the PATH World Trade Center Station.

Je me souviens.

Semper Fi.

September 10 in Torino

BB & WTC PRE 9/11, originally uploaded by borderfilms (Doug).

In a matter of hours, it will be September 11, 2006. Five years have passed. The memories become less immediate, but they never go away. I remember. We remember.

At 1030 am tomorrow, I will take off from Milan Milapensa Airport to Newark. The 9/11 flight date is not a coincidence. I flew that day in 2001, from JFK to Providence, only to hear of the attack upon my arrival. I flew from Heathrow to JFK on 9/11/2002, to make my little statement. Tomorrow, I will fly Milan-Newark with my memories, and I will be wearing the same t-shirt with a small American flag on it that I wore in 2002.

Upon arriving in Newark, I will take the train back to NYC, switching to the PATH subway that will have me pass through the World Trade Center station. I remember.

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Spent a day walking around the lovely city of Torino today. The streets are surprisingly empty today--I guess the locals stay with family on a Sunday. Many stores were closed.

The streets are mostly of large stone blocks, like NY s cobblestones, only smoother and much larger. You feel the hardness of them through your shoes.

People here beautiful and kind. Weather cool, perfect.

I walked up to the Cinema Museum. It is in a very tall structure north of here. There are lots of exhibits on Torino s film history, many little theaters. ( Can t make apostrophe mark as I can t figure out this Italian keyboard )

Tonight, a nice with wine. Tomorrow, early wakeup call, then off to Malpensa. See you in New York.

Last Day in Cannes

Last lazy day in Cannes. Yesterday, went for long swim, bought a train ticket for Saturday, and ate dinner. That's it!

Tomorrow's train ride will be: Cannes-Ventimiglia, Ventimilia-Genova, Genova-Torino. Three train rides to travel a relatively short distance. Good thing I like trains!

Bonjour from Cannes

I flew Ryanair from Dublin to Marseilles. The flight was on time, the passengers pretty evenly mixed among Irish and French travelers.

Ryanair is one of the great Irish/European success stories. I've flown them three times now ( London-Dubln, Brussels-Dublin, and now Dublin-Marseilles ). Each flight was on time, and very cheap. I even like the fact that their seats do not recline--it keeps the person ahead of me from crushing my 6 foot 3 inch knees. I wish we had a Ryanair going into NYC. Some Europeans are critical of their rough and ready style, but anyone who travels here should be thankful that they more than any other airline, introduced competition and lowered prices in Europe.

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Took the ( hot, non-airconditioned ) bus from Marseille Airport to the town. It left us at the St. Charles train station where I intented to get Euro from the ATM, but where there astonishingly were no ATM machines. Ultimately, I found one after walking with luggage on the baking hot streets.

Stayed at New Hotel Bompard, away from the city center a bit along some winding streets. Took a really long walk down Avenue President John F Kennedy, a very pretty road along the coast. It connected to a street that took me to the Old Port.

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Yesterday, took the 1158 train from Marseille to Cannes. Just an ordinary train here, but far better than most US trains.

Cannes is a pretty little town with all the resources of a city at your fingertips plus Mediterranean beaches at your doorstep.

Met Rob and Noemie, went swimming, had dinner ( pizza with an egg on it ) hung out until after midnight at the Hilton hotel's outdoor cafe.

Hi from Dublin

Have just arrived in a grey Dublin. Took the bus down from Belfast Europa station, which took 2hr 45 minutes and seemed to take longer. This visit will be way too short, just a day. I look forward to visiting Mark and Una for dinner. And to taking the fancy new LUAS streetcar.

Then, tomorrow, poof, off to the airport and out to Marseille. Will spend one day there and then three in sunny Cannes.

Dublin here we come

Yesterday,drove on left side of the road for the first time.Would have liked a nice day but got a fair amount of rain. But that was no problem.and driving on the left actually was no problem at all,once I got the kack of going through roundabouts.It was fun.
Yesterday went to Castleblayney,Monaghan.Today,upto Letterkenny Donegal.Then after an all too short visit there,a drive back to Belfast.Portions of the drive on the A6road were very pretty.
Finding the hotel by Queens University was easy.
Tomorrow,turn the car in and head diwn to Dublin foraday.
Sorry for typos,this has been written on a Blackberry as the local internet cafe was closed on thid Sunday night.

Hello From Belfast

Arrived in Belfast this morning, tired after the overnight flight but otherwise OK. I had good neighbors on the flight, a very good thing. The Newark-Balfast nonstop flight was full- I think Continental Airlines has a winner with this new route.

Belfast Intl Airport is a breeze to get through. A bus takes you right into town for £6. It dropped us off by the Europa Hotel, from where I walked to the (bare-bones) Helga Lodge up by Cromwell Road/Botanic Avenue.

At noon, met David Vance of A Tangled Web for a couple of pints at the Crown Pub, an ornate pub dating from the 19th Century. It was a pleasant conversation, marred only by the accidental sounding of an alarm in the pub, which my jet-lagged head could have done without.

The rest of today will be quiet, with an early bedtime. Need to be bright-eyed and bushy tailed for tomorrow's adventure, which will see me renting a car and driving on the left side of the road down to County Monaghan.