This morning, I went to visit the USS New York at Pier 88 with some friends.

The line to get on board was not long. The troops could not have been more friendly.

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Giving some marksmanship tips :)

Be safe, boys.

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USS New York Comes to Town

The USS New York is an amphibious transport dock ship.

It was built near New Orleans. It will be commissioned as a US Navy warship on November 7, after which it will be based in Norfolk, Virginia.

What makes this vessel very special is that it's bow was made with 7 1/2 tons of steel from the ruins of the World Trade Center. Ruined ploughshares turned into a righteous naval vessel.

This morning, the USS New York sailed under the Verrazzano Bridge into New York Harbor. I didn't see it enter the harbor, but I hope to see it later on this week.

The public can visit this important ship when she is docked at Pier 88 at 12th Avenue and West 48 Street., next to the Intrepid. The schedule is as follows:


Wednesday, November 4 - 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Thursday, November 5 - 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Sunday, November 8 - 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Monday, November 9 - 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Tuesday, November 10 - 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Wednesday, November 11 - 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.


Please note dates and times subject to change.

Members of the general public wishing to tour the ship should:
- Arrive early as lines my be long, especially on the Sunday, Nov. 8.
- Enter at West 46th Street and 12th Avenue (by the Intrepid).
- Bring a photo ID (adults).
- Wear comfortable shoes.

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Ships have websites these days. Visit the USS New York web site here.

Election Day Tuesday November 3

• Polls open from 6am - 9pm
  
• Alternate Side Parking Suspended
• No Trash Pick Up

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• They're moving, and probably ticketing, cars on Senator Street on both sides of Fifth Avenue. Movie shoot
• Bloomberg people put a yard sign in front of my house today, without my permission. Guess they figure they can do anything that they want. No way I am voting for this creep tomorrow.
  

Hold Your Nose and Vote for Mike Bloomberg?

Maybe I should hold my nose and vote for this Mike Bloomberg, but I don't know if I can.

He's a sneak, and I don't like him.

I oppose smoking and don't think that anyone should smoke, but I didn't respect the way that he imposed smoking bans without ever mentioning the possibility when he was running for mayor. He kept his opinions to himself like a sneak, and then rammed home the bans once he was in.

I oppose term limits and voted against them, but the people of NY City voted in term limits. But Bloomberg decided that he himself was indispensible. Instead of having the matter brought before the voters again, he snuck in a term limits exception for himself with the weaklings of our City Council. Don't you ever say that there were quid pro quos.

He's continued the good work initiated by Rudy Giuliani in policing, and has been a good actor as respects public schools

But still. He is supposed to be this hands on genius who gets everything done.

Yet every day I pass by a small public park ( Lief Erikson Park ) that has been marred with a " temporary " building necessitated by construction work at Bay Ridge High School. The major construction at Bay Ridge HS has been finished for well over two years, yet the ugly and abandoned building remains in the park, ruining it.

Everytime I see this mess, I think of Mike Bloomberg.

Bloomberg has a weak joke of an opponent in Bill Thompson, a guy who is not worthy of a keystroke. Yet I don't know if I can pull my nose and vote for the sneak and opponent of democracy that is Mike Bloomberg.

Marty Robbins: " Billy The Kid "

Marty Robbins was a major American singer - songwriter in the fifties and sixties back when there was such a thing as country and western

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The work at the 69th Street Key Food has continued steadily. The wooden fence and scaffolding has been removed, and looking through the door you see some signs, and, along the right hand wall, a row of brand new freezer cases.

One of the guys working there said that they'll open the new supermarket in about four to five weeks.

Message from the Bunker

I've not stopped blogging - things just got insane at work etc. I will write about something soon. If you liked it before, you'll like it again soon. Promise.