Base10Blog
Friday, September 30, 2005
 
That Must Be Some Plate of Beans
"Indonesian Students, Police Clash Over Gas" - AP.
Thursday, September 29, 2005
 
Photo of the Day

reformedchurch, originally uploaded by base10blog.

This is an image taken digitally with the EOS 20d of the Reformed Church of Newtown. The church was founded in 1731 and is a historic location. It is located in Elmhurst, Queens on Broadway not far from Queens Boulevard. (Newtown is the older name for this area). It is a beautiful old building which is reminiscent of a different era. This image is nothing special. I just like the look of it. If you'd like to learn more about the Reformed Church of Newtown, click here.


 
Congratulations!
To Mr. Chief Justice Roberts. Which way the court will go of course is anyone's guess.
 
Some Thoughts on the Mets

The Mets face their final homestand against Colorado starting today. While the result is largely irrelevant in the baseball's big picture, the Mets have been showing some signs of life of late. Of particular pleasure was seeing them knock our division rivals out of wild card contention. As of this writing they sit at two games over .500 and (gasp!) not quite in the cellar of the NL East.

This should not be a source of pride of course. Ur uptown cousins, the New York Yankees have just gotten sole possession of the AL East lead after the Sox stumbled against Toronto last night. The Yankees-Bosox series that starts tomorrow night should be baseball at its best.

There's another thing not to forget about the Mets this weekend and if nothing else is a reason to tune in for a couple of innings. Mets blog Faith and Fear in Flushing reminds us that this weekend will likelly be the last time Mike Piazza suits up in a Mets uniform. A sad day indeed. No, not sad exactly. Maybe bittersweet is the word. Piazza is, after all, a certain Hall of Famer and I'm glad he was on our team for all these years. He is also the only remaining Met that ever played in a Subway Series.


Wednesday, September 28, 2005
 
Photo of the Day

gantrypark1, originally uploaded by base10blog.

Base10's experiment with scanning black and white negatives did not turn out so well. This is the best I could do this morning. I think I have to change the settings of the scanner. I can see much detail on the negatives, but they are getting washed out in the scan. I'll do some research. Anyway, this is a poor representation of Gantry State Park in Long Island City. Original film negative taken with the Yashicamat on T-Max 400 film.


 
Thoughts on Testaverde

At least you can wear your old No. 16 jersey again if you didn't throw it out.

While Base10 did not check the sports news wires, it is still unclear to him at this point what Vinny Testaverde's role on the Jets will be. Will he be Brooks Bollinger's backup or will Bollinger start only the next game or two as Vinny learns the system? Or is the situation fluid? My guess is the latter. If Bollinger plays decently without making many mistakes it is his job to lose. If however he falls apart, the fans will have no problem with Herm yanking him for Vinny. (Base10's official prediction: the first play of this week's game against Baltimore will be a long stop-and-go to Jerrico Cotchery. Remember, this is an official prediction).

Make no mistake, Vinny can still do some damage. Base10 would actually have prefered him to play this weekend if he were able against Baltimore since they would not be able to big blitz an experienced QB like Vinny but will certainly big blitz Bollinger early and often.

Is Herm's job in jeopardy? Base10 tends to doubt that, but there are concerns. Why didn't you see Pennington's arm problems? Did you work the team hard enough in camp? There's no indication that Woody Johnson has soured on Herm Edwards.

The job security for GM Terry Bradway however is perhaps not the same. Like you can't blame coach for both QB's going down in one game, neither can you blame the GM. You can blame the GM for some questionable personnel moves. What did we give up for Doug Jolley? Was a straight-up trade of young speed-merchant Santana Moss for an older Laveraneus Coles (with a known toe problem) really in the teams's best interest?


 
That's a Some Big Calamari!
"Giant Squid Photographed for First Time" - AP.

Photographers also discovered an enormous jar of tartar sauce. Developing...
 
What a Mysterious Letter, Watson!

postcard, originally uploaded by base10blog.

Base10 received this in the mail yesterday. It seems to be from a couple of Brits who had taken a Caribean cruise and were spending some time in NYC. The only connection between Base10 and the addressee is that Base10's last name is the same as the addressee's first name. (Base10 blacked out that part). You will note that the intended recipient is in Kent, England. How odd that it ended up in my mailbox!

Base10 is going to forward this across the pond with a little note.


 
Shiites and Sunnis
Fouad Ajami has a great article in the Journal about the causes of the Sunni's hatred of the Shiites. As an American, it's often hard to understand the dynamic driving the Shiite-Sunni conflict. It is pervasive in the Arab world. Indeed, it reminds Base10 of American Jim Crow-style racism in the mid-40's. Well worth a read.

Via RCP.
Tuesday, September 27, 2005
 
Cow Photo of the Day

queenscows, originally uploaded by base10blog.

In the spirit of Tuesday cow-blogging, Base10 offers this digital image he took at the Queens Zoo in Flushing Meadow Park last Sunday. It's a cow, man! Let's hope their not "mad."

As for photo activities, Base10 got some film developed that was taken with his Speed Graphic. They are 6x9 negatives taken using a roll film adapter. The negatives are huge and the Illford MP5 film I used looks really good. I'm planning on scanning the negatives to see how that comes out. I also got a number of 6x6 negatives some of which were taken by the Speed Graphic and some taken by the Yashicamat. These were taken using T-Max, not Illford, so we'll see if there are major differences. I'm dying to see how the scans come out on my admittedly trailing-edge scanner.


 
Christopher Hitchens is Ticked Off
About the anti-war movemement, that is. And the press. And rightfully so.
 
Let's Hope Geena Davis is a Republican
"GOP leaders are naked" - The Hill.
 
At Least There's Fantasy
In spite of the Jet's problems, Base10 did have a pretty good football week. He rocked in fantasy football and took 8 of 14 in the pool. He is now .500 and exactly even with the New York Mets!
 
What is Old is New Again
NFL.com is reporting that the Jets have signed QB Vinny Testaverde. It is unclear as of this writing whether he was signed as the backup to Bollinger or as a replacement starter.
 
Pennington Out!

CNN reported last night that Chad Pennington, the beloved QB for our beloved Jets, is out for the season with a torn rotator cuff. The inference here is that he reinjured his shoulder the same way as last year. Base10 heard--but did not confirm--that backup QB Jay Fiedler is also out 4-6 weeks with a shoulder injury. There is much gnashing of teeth and rending of garments in Mudville tonight.

Is this the end of the season? Not so fast. The Jets defense proved they are for real this past Sunday. After being on the field most of the day they still showed to-the-ball aggressiveness right up until the end. Sure, kick returns need some work, but special teams should get some tweaks this week and be right on track. What about the offense? Can Brooks Bollinger do anything? Maybe. I remember watching him last year when Quincy Carter went down and he was a pleasant surprise. Is Brooks Bollinger the guy that brings you to the Superbowl? Maybe it's not likely, but go ask Trent Dilfer that question. Maybe I'm dopey, but I'm not ready to conceed the season after week three.

The real question, of course, is not whether Bollinger can play--I assume you have to demonstrate that ability if you are able to make an NFL roster--but whether Pennington is still the long term solution at quarterback. You wanted to believe when he was injured and came back '03 and you wanted to believe again when he was injured and came back in '04. We're not so sure any more. Maybe he can rebound from this next season, but Chad no longer gets the benefit of the doubt. He's going to have to prove it.

And who will backup Bollinger? There are pretty slim picken's at free agent QB's right now, but if Fiedler is going to be out for any length of time, they need to sign a backup--preferably an experienced one who can help Bollinger develop or take over if it's too much for old Brooksie. The name that was immediately floated was Vinny Testaverde. Sentimental reasons aside, Base10 doesn't think this is a bad idea since the guy is capable of running any offense out there although his mobility is clearly a question.

UPDATE: The NY Post reports Fiedler is also out for the season. Woe is us!


Monday, September 26, 2005
 
No Joy in Mudville

Oh, the agony! Base10's beloved Jets collapsed yesterday like the government infrastructure of New Orleans. Specifically, they lost 26-20 in OT against Jacksonville. Base10 should not have been bragging to his sister-in-law, a Jacksonville resident, on the vast superoirity of Jets squad moments before the game. Such hubris can only lead to ruin.

There were some good takeaways. On the whole the defense looked good. They stopped the run and were excellent in the red zone. Other aspects of the game were not so bright. Special teams miscues were very costly. But the primary concern has to be Chad Pennington's arm. He was pulled from the game in the first half with shoyulder pain but then went back in to replace Fiedler after Fiedler got hurt. His passes were not good at all. Pennington's strong point was never his arm strength but his accuracy. It looks like he might have lost that. I'm not ready to pull the plug on him after only three games, but the situation need to be watched.

Our crosstown cousins, the New York Giants lost also last night in a good game against San Diego. Eli Manning is starting to look like a fantasy keeper.


Sunday, September 25, 2005
 
Beach Photo of the Day

beachjetty, originally uploaded by base10blog.

Base10 is licking his wounds after today's Jet loss and needed to remind himself of the happier times over the summer.

Base10 used his usual toning technique on this one. Note the surfer on the right. I thought this would be appropriate, since this is probably the last summer-like weekend we're going to have in the city.


 
Base10's Football Picks
Base10 had a much better showing this past week and--like the Mets--has actually achieved mediocrity. Base10 was 9 of 15 (one push) bringing his total for the year to 14 of 31. As always, responsibility for losses accrue to Base10. Winners are the responsibility of the Base10 Buddy. Here goes:

Jets -2.5      (Of course)
Chargers   -5.5 (I don't believe the Giants will go 3-0 and SD will go 0-3 at home).
Rams -6.5   (The Rams at home can be devastating).
Raiders +8   (To many points to lay if you are the Eagles).
Bengals -3   (Last week's game notwithstanding, Cincy is the real deal this year).
Vikings   -4 (This is a bounceback game at home for the Vikes).
Panthers   -3 (They should be able to take the Fish).
Browns   +13.5   (I just can't lay double digits on Indy at this point in the season).
Bills   -3   (I'm surprised the line is so low).
Packers   +3.5 (I don't think the Pack is going to go 0-3 while playing at home this week).
Seahawks   -6.5 (I don't like this one, but the Hawks should win at home).
Pats   +3 (The Pats may have come down to earth, but I think they can still beat the Steelers).
Cowboys   -6.5   (I think the 'Boys are itching for revenge after last week's surprise loss).
Chiefs +3   (Playing in Denver is tough, but how can you not take points with the Chiefs).

Good luck sports fans!
Saturday, September 24, 2005
 
Photo of the Day

ramshacklehouse, originally uploaded by base10blog.

This is a reminder of Rockaway's ramshackle past. This house is surrounded by new houses. It seems like it's only a matter of time before it too is gone. This is a view west from Beach 99th St. Back in the day, Playland would have been visible behind it. Nothing special about the photo, it's just a reminder to those familiar with Rockaway's past.


Friday, September 23, 2005
 
Congressional Crack Whores?
I didn't say it.

But Jonah Goldberg did.

On the current "Porkbusters" project, Goldberg wrote, "Expecting Congress of either party to give back pork which has already been approved and passed into law is like expecting crack whores to give refunds days after services have been rendered."

Sad but true.

Base10 predicts we may someday remember today with great sadness as the day that the phrase "crack whore" first appeared in the National Review.
 
Does He Have a Tin Foil Hat, Too?
"Forecaster leaves job to pursue weather theories" - Idaho State Journal:
Since Katrina, [Scott] Stevens [the weatherman at KPVI in Idaho] has been in newspapers across the country where he was quoted in an Associated Press story as saying the Yakuza Mafia used a Russian-made electromagnetic generator to cause Hurricane Katrina in a bid to avenge the atomic bomb attack on Hiroshima. He was a guest on Coast to Coast, a late night radio show that conducts call-in discussions on everything from bizarre weather patterns to alien abductions.

Of course! Why didn't I think of that?
 
Harsh but True
Tom Bevan has harsh words for Robert Mugabe and the UN. Well deserved, of course. Actually a bullet in the brain would be deserved as well.

Of course, Charles Barron and the City Council are not much better.
 
Photo of the Day

Photo of the Day, originally uploaded by base10blog.

Well, this is one of the last beach photos I have left. I must get out to

Rockaway again soon. This is B&W taken in raw mode. The sky and ocean were

toned blue and green, respectively. The contrast was increased in the

rocks. I think the effect is of an old-fashioned color print.


Thursday, September 22, 2005
 
Photo of the Day

jacksonheightsflower, originally uploaded by base10blog.


This is a photo I took somewwhere in Jackson Heights. I removed the color, cropped it and then sepia toned it. I then masked the foreground and set the background contrast extremely high to get a hand-drawn effect. I like it.




jacksonheightsflower2, originally uploaded by base10blog.


This is the original image, uncropped and unaltered except for auto-color and contrast adjustments in Photoshop.


Wednesday, September 21, 2005
 
Base10 is Tired

Okay. Comments on Mayor Ray Nagin being stupid can wait for tomorrow. Comments on General Honore will nicely juxtapose that. Comments on football can wait too. Time for bed.


 
Park Photos of the Day

nypavilion4, originally uploaded by base10blog.


Base10 spent this past Sunday morning in Flushing Meadow Park, only this time he draged along Mrs. Base10 to carry stuff. The above structure is called the New York State Pavilion and was erected for the 1964 World's Fair. Base10 previously posted an image of it here, but it's hard to get sense of the massivness of the structure from that angle. This image was taken from the south side of the Long Island Expressway and shows just how big this thing is.




nypavilion2, originally uploaded by base10blog.


This image is taken from the bridge connecting the west side of the park to the east side. You can see the corner of the main pavilion at the bottom right of the photograph. Exterior elevators used to travel up and down the towers along those tracks.




nypavilion1, originally uploaded by base10blog.


This image was tken from the bridge that connects the north side of the park with the lake on the south side. You can make out the guy wires on the roof of the main pavilion. Base10 remembers as a youth that there were multiolored translucent tiles on these wires. These were removed as a dangerous hazard in the eighties.




nypavilion3, originally uploaded by base10blog.


This is a wideangle shot from the east-west bridge. Note the slight fisheye effect. You can see the Queens Theater in the Park in the lower left corner. It is the only structure still in current use on the site of the Pavilion.


While Base10 was barely a gleam in Base10 Senior's eye at the time of the World's Fair, he did grow up with the remnants of the Fair in his youth. It is a shame that the NY Pavilion is literally rotting away. You can learn much more about the New York Pavilion, its glorious past and its sad decline here. Also, click here for a current proposal to turn the Pavilion into an Air-and-Space Museum--a move Base10 wholeheartedly supports.

 
The Lamentable Mets

New York's premier baseball team actually won last night and it cost Florida a game in the Wild Card race. Maybe we can't be in it, but with series against Florida, Washington and Philly we sure can try to make sure that they don't make it either.

Base10's one hope is that they do cobble together a couple of wins so that they finish .500 and avoid a losing season. I can live with that, but am not certain the Mets will rise to the occasion.

There is always next year, but Base10 is really getting tired of saying that in September. Our uptown cousins, the New York Yankees are embroiled in a tough pennant race. I believe only a game and a half separate the Yanks from their archrivals the Boston Red Sox and guess what? They play each other at Fenway for the final three regular season games. There's no guarantee the Yanks will make it, but it does make for exciting ball. The Mets, on the other hand, play their final series against the NL's worst team, the Colorado Rockies. Maybe the Mets can end the series on a positive note.


 
He Should Get Lawyers with Better Glasses
"Saddam Lawyers Don't Recognize Trial Date" - AP.
 
Base10 is Busy

Base10 is in work early and working like a hampster in a Habitrail this morning. Posting this AM will be light, but we do hope to have some stuff up later this afternoon and evening. Topics include:

- Why Ray Nagin is an idiot, or worse, a political opportunist willing to put people's lives in jeopardy to perpetuate his own power.

- The Met's win last night and how we can still knock some teams out of the Wild Card race.

- Football teams that are 0-2 but can't be counted out. Also consider teams that are 2-0 surprises.

- A photo treatment of the NY Pavilion from the 1964 World's Fair.

Stay tuned...


Tuesday, September 20, 2005
 
Park Photo of the Day

cricketers, originally uploaded by base10blog.

Here are some cricketers in Flushing Meadow. I was going for an old-fashioned sepia-toned look, but I don't think I'm quite there yet. Stay tuned tomorrow for some New York Pavilion shots.


 
Monday Night Football

Base10 enjoyed last night's games. He can really get into MNF at 7:30. You go to bed at a reasonable hour. You get to work on time the next day (dead guys on the train notwithstanding). If you go out to watch the game, you're eating spicy wings at 8:00 instead of 10:00 and reap all the gastrointestinal benefits that accrue from that the next day.

Unfortunately, from the perspective of last night's game, it was a bust. Don't get me wrong, it was nice to see the telethon aspect of the event raising money for Katrina victims, but after getting off to a strong start in week one, the Saints were completely dominated by the Giants last night. This should be a cautionary tale for the NFC East. Dallas and Washington (despite it's record) both have glaring weaknesses and Philly definitely showed some vulnerability after week one's loss to Atlanta. The Giants however are 2-0 and looked strong on both sides of the ball both games. It's too early to make any conclusions, but they just might surprise people this year.

Speaking of the NFC East, Dallas played Washington last night in MNF's other game. The game was exciting but only in the fourth quarter. The Giants had held the Skins scoreless and held a 13-0 lead when late in the game, Santana Moss caught not one but two touchdown passes. At the end it was quite exciting, but Dallas had to burn all their timeouts to get the ball back and Drew Bledsoe doesn't have it in him to win games like that anymore. Loyal fans who stayed up were rewarded by the football gods for fighting off the arms of Morphius.


 
Not Having a Good Day

Base10's not having a good day so far. The subway Base10 was riding on this morning got stuck in the tunnel one stop away from his house. It turns out that the train in front of hios had struck someone in the next station. They evacuated us through the train in front (actually walking over where the guy was on the trackbed). Soon, all the power went down. So Base10 is stuck in Queens for the moment, but will probably go to work for the late shift. On second thought, Base10 is having a great day compared to that guy. When he left the station, they said he was still alive. Let's hope he's okay.



UPDATE: He's alive! Base10 checked for the disposition of the radio run when he got to work. He was taken to the hospital and they said he was not likely to die. This guy should buy a lottery ticket or get on the bus to Atlantic City as soon as possible.
Monday, September 19, 2005
 
While You're Up
If you visit RCP, check out this piece by Tom Bevan. It seems the media is not only biased, but may actually be working for the other side.
 
Outrageous!
Tim Russert needs to be taken to the woodshed on this one. You know, the blowback from the distorted coverage of Katrina has yet to fully hit big media. If anyone was still giving them the benefit of the doubt, it should be obvious that the MSM is hopelessly biased.

Via RCP.
 
Photo of the Day

ducks2, originally uploaded by base10blog.

This is a picture of Flushing Meadow Lake near where the old Aquacade was. Sadly, the deteriorating Aquacade was demolished a few years ago. It has finally been replaced by a pleasant sitting area. If you'd like to learn more about the Aquacade, click here. Base10 highly recommends this site--forgotten-ny.com--he learned many things about the park by reading it.


 
Good News from East Rutherford
There is great joy in Mudville today after the Jets managed to recover from their devastating defeat in week one and wupped the Miami Dolphins 17-7. There were still problems: (1) ball exchanges were a problem, (2) sloppy tackling, and (3) Pennington's passing accuracy. All these issues will surely be addressed this week in practice. It may not have been pretty, but it is a mark in the win column.

Let me be the first to mention this. With New England, Buffalo and Miami losses, all AFC East teams are now 1-1. This means we're tied for first! Don't laugh, you never know when you're going to be able to say that again.
 
Good News from East Asia
"N. Korea Vows to Quit Nuclear Arms Program" - WAPO

But always remember what Ronald Reagan once said, "Trust, but verify." Base10 has his doubts about whether the North Koreans will live up to their word, but this is certainly good news.
 
Good News from Central Asia
"Defying Taliban threats, half of Afghans vote" - IHT.

Maybe it's not the 70% turnout they had for the presidential elections, but it's still more than the turnout in this country for most elections. Threats of widespread Taliban-fueled terror did not materialize.
Saturday, September 17, 2005
 
Base10's Pics (The Football Kind)
Base10 is assuming responsibility for last week's fiasco. So far he is 5-11 last week, the five wins being the respnsibility of the Base10 Buddy.. Not an auspicious start to say the least. In any event, these are Base10's picks for Week 2:

Jets          -6      (Of course).
Ravens    -3.5   (I think their defense will rebound).
Texans    +6      (Houston is scrappy and at home, take the points).
Jaguars   +9      (Don't really like this game, but 9 is too much to give the Colts this early).
Bears      +1.5   (Kyle Orton has to eventually have a decent game with the NFL's best receiver on his team).
Bengals   -3      (Take the dynamic team with Carson Palmer over the team that stumbled w/out Randy Moss).
49ers      +13     (SF and 13 plus the fact that McNabb may not be 100%).
Bills         +2.5   (I like the Bills getting points here).
Pats         -3       (The Panthers may prove to be tough, but a win by a FG yields at least a push).
Seattle     -1      (Another game I don't like, but Seattle is at home).
Rams       +1     (Kurt Warner grudge aside, I don't see how you can not take STL as a dog).
Packers   -6.5   (Another tough game, but the Packers will be tough at home).
Broncos   -3      (Another tough one, but the Broncos will comeback from last week's loss in Miami).
Chiefs      -1.5   (Possible the most potent offense laying only 1.5 against a still suspect Oakland squad).
Giants      -3      (Ihate laying point with the Giants, but it's really a home game for them).
Redskins  +6    (I don't trust Bledsoe and the Cowboys yet, take the points against division rivals).

Undoubtedly, Base10 will prove again this week that he can't pick his nose, let alone pick football games.
 
Park Photo of the Day
or
When Art Goes Bad


gianthead, originally uploaded by base10blog.

This is a shot of a new piece of artwork in Flushing Meadow. At least it's one that I have not seen before. I don't know. It's a big head with flowers. There you have it.


Friday, September 16, 2005
 
Weekend Sports
Base10 is watching the Mets play Atlanta and--hold your breath--they're winning! Well that can't last. To think that they can't turn this into a loss just sells the team short, you know?

In any event, this is a great weekend in sports, at least in the NYC area. First, lest's get baseball over with. The Mets battle Atlanta tonight and over the weekend at 1PM. Of course you have to be a die-hard fan to tune in. The Yankees, our uptown cusins, play Toronto this weekend in a tight pennant race.

In college football action, there are some great games tomorrow. First, last night Texas Christian University defeated the Urban Meyer-less Utah Utes and ending their eighteen game winning streak. As Gregg Easterbrook would say, it is just not fair that an Indian tribe has to play an entire denomination. Unfairness aside, TCU looked pretty good. After their upset victory against highly ranked Oklahoma in the opener, they lost to Southern Methodist. Base10 predicts they will be ranked within the next week or two.

In NCAAF action tomorrow, the Irish play Michigan State. Can Notre Dame continue their good fortune? We'll see as 2:30PM. In other matchups, there are quite few matchups betwee ranked teams. At 3:30 Miami plays Clemson in a game with ACC implications and plenty of bad blood. In prime time, 8th ranked Florida State plays at 17th ranked Boston College in BC's ACC debut. Finally, in what is likely the college game of the week, no. 5 Tennessee playes the no 6. Urban Meyer-equipt Florida team at 8PM. Base10 will make it point to catch that one.

In the NFL, Base10's beloved Jets will try to get some redemption against the Miami Dolphins at 4PM on Sunday. Click here for a preview. Our crosstown cousins, the New York Giants play in an add-on game Monday night against the Saints starting at 7:30. Other games of note include a resurgent Bengals squad is facing Minnesota and Buffalo faces its first real test against a tough Tampa Bay team.

In other sports, if you're a Nascar fan, the Chase for the Nextel Cup starts this weekend at Sunday's Sylvania 300. Enjoy sports fans!
 
Why Black & White?
People occasionally ask me why I persist in taking B&W photos. I came across this quote that explains it:
You started with Black and White, because it was cheap and because it let you put your hands on the process. Along the way you discovered the power of the media. When you shoot in color, you photograph their clothes, but when you shoot in Black and White, you reveal their soul.

Quite true. These words are from the website of Silveroxide.com. They make Photoshop plugins that more accurately render B&W images.
 
Park Photo of the Day

fountainofplanets, originally uploaded by base10blog.


This is the so-called Fountain of Planets in Flushing Meadow Park. This is the proposed site for a Jets stadium in Queens. Click here for the story. Base10 has his doubts that the Jets will ever come here unless the stadium gets funded with taxpayer dollars. (The Westside stadium would have paid for itself, afterall).


 
Friday Photo Blogging

munibuilding, originally uploaded by base10blog.


These are some snaps from around work. Nothing overly artsy, mind you. This is the view west on Chambers Street looking through the center of the Municipal Building. The Municipal Building is a wonderful example of neo-classical architecture. If you'd like to learn more about it, click here. I may work on this one a bit more, to try to recover some detail in the sunny parts.




onepoliceplaza, originally uploaded by base10blog.


This is the view of Police Headquarters from the south side of the Brooklyn Bridge. Note the selenium toning to the sky.




fivepoints, originally uploaded by base10blog.


This is the other side of Police Headquarters. This is the heart of Chinatown, but once long ago it was one of the most infamous places in New York City history known as "Five Points." Crime-ridden and having a somewhat different street layout, five streets met there to for what looked like a five-pointed star. Each street also marked where one gang's territory bordered all the others. If you'd like to know more about Five Points, click here.




larouch1, originally uploaded by base10blog.


Of course, no trip downtown can be had without spotting some crazy people. Here are some Larouchies demonstrating in front of the Tweed Courthouse.




larouch2, originally uploaded by base10blog.


The guy actually wanted to talk to me after I took his picture. Why are these dinosaurs still around? What crazy junk do these people believe? The last time I read something written by Lyndon Larouch it was indecipherable and blamed our current problems on the Scottish Enlightenment. Huh?


 
Gin-Soaked Conservatives for Hitchens
There's a great piece by Kimberley Strassel about the so-called debate this past Wednesday at Baruch between Christopher Hitchens and Britain's bloviating MP, George Galloway. What I find interesting is not the description of the debate--after all, you expect logical well reasoned arguments from HItchens and basically a load of crap from Galloway--but rather the description of the crowd,

It says something about those in attendance that these Sept. 11
remarks--uttered in New York, just a scream away from Ground Zero--earned Mr.
Galloway wild applause. Another crowd highlight was the response to Mr.
Hitchens's opening request for a moment of silence to remember the 160 Iraqis
who'd been brutally murdered in Baghdad earlier that day. One man immediately
shouted "No!" as comrades began jeering and booing the journalist. America, meet
your "antiwar" activists.


Read the whole thing.
 
Hanson & Katrina
Victor Davis Hanson has what may be the final word on media coverage of Katrina,

For all the media's efforts to turn the natural disaster of New Orleans
into a racist nightmare, a death knell for one or the other political parties or
an indictment of American culture at large, it was none of that at all. What we
did endure instead were slick but poorly educated journalists, worried not about
truth but about pre-empting their rivals with an ever-more-hysterical story, all
in a fuzzy context of political correctness about race, the environment and the
war.


Let ghoulish CNN file suit against the government to film all the
bloated corpses it can find. Let a pontificating PBS "News-Hour" conduct more
televised roundtables with grim-faced elites searching out purported national
racism. But few any longer trust a frenzied media whose reporters and
commentators continually prove as incompetent as they are disingenuous.
Was it too much to ask reporters to look to history to judge this recovery against
other past disasters here and abroad? Could they have strived for accuracy
instead of ratings — and at least made sure that the images from their cameras
did not refute their own predetermined scripts?



Read the whole thing.
Thursday, September 15, 2005
 
Bush Condemns Bacharach
In a strange announcement by the President, George Bush condemned the music of songwriter Burt Bacharach. "America no longer needs this sort of symphonic easy-listening music."

When questioned by reporters about whether he knew enough about music to qualify him to comment on Bacharach's song stylings, the President replied, "I may not know much about music but I know what I like."

Liberal entertainers were quick to strike back. Singer/actress Barbra Streisand called Bush an "idiot."

"What in the world does he know about music? [Bacharach] wrote Walk on By for god's sake." Streisand continued, "You know, whenever he spouts off about a topic that he knows nothing about, he shows himself to be a moron. If he had his way, we'd all be listening to country. Ick!"

Read the article here.
 
Park Photo of the Day

flushingride, originally uploaded by base10blog.

This is another image from Flushing Meadow Park. It was taken in RAW mode B&W and the sky was heavily selenium toned and its contrast was increased to bring out the clouds. "Men in Black" fans will recognize these as the flying saucers from the first movie. Enjoy!


 
Another Day, Another Mets Loss
Well, it looks like the Mets once again failed to come back last night, losing 3-6. Just a reminder. A couple of weeks ago, on August 30, the Mets started their stretch. They would face almost exclusively division games until the end. Since that auspicious day, the Mets have won a total of 3 games and gone 3-12.

UPDATE: The Mets, of course, manage to find new and exciting ways to disappoint. Having gained the lean for the first time, the Mets go into to 9th witha 5-4 lead. Looper of course gave up the tying run. The Mets eventually fell 6-5 and succeeded in getting swept by Washington at home. So to update, as of August 30, the Mets are NOW 3-13. Good work, lads!
Wednesday, September 14, 2005
 
Photo Stuff

Base10 went to B&H Photo to get some accessories for his EOS 20D after work today. The setup was pretty impressive. That being said, this is not the place to go chat and ask for creative advice. But that's okay. It is a great place to buy stuff if you know what you want. I bought a lens hood and a couple of filters. I have to say I was in and out in a couple of minutes. Very smooth operation, but I must say it is not the supportive environment they make it out to be on the website. Maybe I just caught them on a bad day?


 
Liveblogging the Mets

This shouldn't come as a tremendous surprise, but it's the top of the first, the Mets are losing 1-0 and the bases are loaded. Glavine is pitching. Can he get out of it? Yes. Pop fly to right field. It's a minor victory, I suppose.

UPDATE: My apologies to Glavine, Benson is to blame for tonight's woes. Currently losing 3-1.
 
Photo of the Day

unispheresunset, originally uploaded by base10blog.

If you go to Flushing Meadow Park, you have to take an obligatory photograph of the Unisphere. This was taken at sunset on the last day of the US Open. I'm glad for the Open, because not only do you get world-class tennis, among other things, the park gets a nice sprucing up.

The image was taken in RAW mode. It's exposure value was increased by 1/2 a stop. Color balance was altered slightly to give it more of a dusk/sunset feel.

The Unisphere was built for the 1964 World's Fair. The three orbital rings make up the trajectories of the first man-made satellites. It was actually quite a feat of engineering at the time. It is probably the most identifiable feature in the park. If you'd like to learn more about the Unisphere and how it was built, click here.


 
Dem Runoff

From the "Do-you-think-you-can-really-beat-Bloomberg Department," Fernando Ferrer appears to have won the Democratic primary. However, it is still too close to call this morning whether there will be a runoff between Ferrer and Weiner. With Mayor Bloomberg's approval rating in the 60's, I find it difficult to see how this matters in the least.

UPDATE: It appears that Ferrer will be spared the pain of a runoff and face Bloomberg directly. The unfortunately-named Congressman Anthony Weiner has conceded the runoff.


 
How 'bout Them Mets

Losers, of course. Washington beat them last night 4-2 in what can only be called a comedy of Mets' errors. Base10 didn't have the heart to watch or listen to the game.


Tuesday, September 13, 2005
 
Roberts Hearings
Base10 is ashamed to admit that he is not following the Roberts hearings that closely. By all media accounts, they are fairly tame. It doesn't look like there's really a question about whether he will be approved, just a question about when. What concerns Base10 as a conservative is whether he is the "stealth candidate" that he is portrayed to be.

I don't know. It just doesn't hold my interest anymore. I remember the Bork hearings. I remember Souter and Kennedy and Ginsberg. I remember watching the hearings and consulting my first year conlaw textbooks for references to obscure cases. It was almost interactive. Now, what's the point unless some smoking gun shows up in his backround? But I don't think that Roberts is going to turn into a Bernie Kerik.

Base10 was at Borders the other day and came across this book by Cass Sunstein, Radicals in Robes: Why Extreme Right-Wing Courts Are Wrong for America. In the book he argues that "radical" conservative judges are wrong for the court while judges who support "incremental" change are better. Now I don't want to review a book that I haven't read based wholly on the title and the cover blurb and frankly no one can criticise Sunstein's scholarship. But you have to ask yourself, when was the last time he felt compelled to critique the radical liberal judges of the Warren era? Where their wholesale changes to constitutional jurisprudence acceptable while wholesale conservative changes not? After all, wholesale conservative changes to the constitution would, for the most part, throw the most controversial socail issues back to the state and federal legislatures--the very spot where they belonged before the fateful day that Earl Warren became Chief Justice.

I'm reminded of the cover blurb for Sunstein's other book, Free Markets and Social Justice. The writer (of the blurb) claimed that Sunstein had demolished the idea that free markets were the most efficient way to allocate societal resources. Demolished? What of Keynes and Coase? What of Alfred Marshall and Friedrich von Hayek? All of the mathematically rigorous work that they have done laying the foundations of modern economics is for naught?
 
Photo of the Day

sunsetinflushing, originally uploaded by base10blog.

This is sunset in Flushing Meadow Park as you walk over the foot bridge to the 7 train toward Shea Stadium. Alas, it may be very symbolic of what's going on in Shea this week. Image taken with the Canon Eos and the shadows on the brick were brought out with Photoshop. I also photoshopped out a couple of the spotlights in the train yard. Tomorrow's entry will feature the obligatory Unisphere photo!


 
A Good Reason to Avoid Midtown This Week
On so many levels.
 
Primary Day

Today is the primary election in NYC. According to the morning news, the latest polling puts Fernando Ferrer ahead but headed for a likely runoff with Gifford Miller. Manhattan Borough President C. Virginia Fields and the unfortunately named Congressman Anthony Weiner are in a dead heat for third.

One of the more interesting races today is for Manhattan DA. Leslie Crocker-Snyder is challenging Robert Morgenthau. Base10 thinks she has a good shot. She has a reputation in law enforcement as a no-nonsense judge. Most importantly, she favors the death penalty.

Morgenthau is just too old and is locked into sixties-liberal mode. He opposes the death penalty and has gone to legal extremes not to seek it in cases where it was quite appropriate. Also, while one hates to be critical of someone for their age, Morgenthau has long since abandoned the day-to-day running of his office to deputies. Stories of his dotage abound. While you have to respect him for his long held tenure as one of the most powerful DA's in the country, it's time to move on.


 
The Jets Loss

Okay, so we've had a day to mourn. But here's why Base10 thinks that the Jet's devastating loss on Sunday to the Chiefs may be a good thing.

First, let's deal with some common criticism of Herm Edwards. Historically, he's been called a "players coach" that is relatively soft on the boys in camp. There is a trade-off here. Tired players stall when you start to get deep in the season. (This was the knock on Al Groh). Fresh players may be good in the stretch, but are not going to be in game shape at the beginning. I have to say, I don't think Chad Pennington or Curtis Martin got enough game play in the preseason.

That being said, Edwards brought us to the playoffs three years out of four. Sure, we stumbled a couple of times. But last year we were a missed field goal away from advancing. You have to let the guy do it his way unless the L's start piling up.

The other knock on Edwards is that he seems, at times, not to know that much about football. Examples abound: dopey clock management, or the failure to rush before the fateful kick last year to get the ball centered between the hashmarks. This is exacerbated by the often puzzled look Edwards wears on the sidelines.

This again, is unfair. Everyone know Edwards is not an X's and O's kind of coach. He's a motivator instead. I think you can be successful that way if you are surrounded by good coordinators. Edwards is. Westoff, Henderson, and Heimmerdinger are among the best in the business at their respective jobs. You also can't fault Edwards work ethic. He is reportedly the first guy at Hofstra in the morning and the last guy to leave at night.

So why is it good to get blown out in your first game? Lets assume that there is a fundamental flaw in the Jets game preparation or game plan. Let's further assume that this flaw is repairable, but it requires a lot of hard work and study among players and coaches. Now suppose the Jets won or lost the game in a squeaker. Would that flaw have been exposed? Would there have been the motivation for investing in the hard work to correct it? Now the stakes are higher. Players and coaches are under pressure to get a win this coming Sunday and are spending every waking hour trying to identify that flaw. What the results will be is anyone's guess, but I'll bet the coaches and staff are not going to be sitting around in the hot tub this week sipping pina coladas.

In other sports news, if anyone really cares, the Mets start a six game homestand today. Three games against Washington followed by three against Atlanta.


Monday, September 12, 2005
 
Poor Spelling

Base10 apologizes to his readers for his poor spelling of late. Most of my recent entries have been made with the keyboard of my handheld device. You can type on it, but Base10 admits this method is prone to typos. Base10 does try to get this fixed at work, but sometimes doesn't get to it right away. Then, low and behold, Base10 noticed that there's a spell check on his PDA's email client program. Henceforth, Base10 promises to make frequent use of said feature.


 
Base10's Retirement

It was a somewhat bittersweet moment, but I made an appointment with the Pension Section today. That's the date that you get processed for retirement. I made the appointment for the first week of October, but I may change that. Under NYPD retirement terms, you have to give thirty days notice of your intent to retire. But if you complete twenty years of service, you get two calendar months of what's referred to as "terminal leave." I could conceivably walk out the door in October. Only a couple of things hold me back. First, you can boost your pension by working a week of your vacation. You can only do this once a calendar year, but your pension is generally based on your final year. So if I stay through into the beginning of 2006, I can work a week then to fit two into my last year. I could even run my terminal leave and come back for a week in January. Or I could work until the end of the year, take terminal in January and February. This would be advantageous if I decide
to go back to school for my Ph.D. since that wouldn't start until January.

I have to say, it's an odd feeling. There are certain conditions where I would stay, but I don't think it's in the cards.


 
Photo of the Day

flushingmeadowwalk, originally uploaded by base10blog.

This was taken during Base10's Saturday jaunt to Flushing Meadow. It's a promenade adjacent to the Unisphere. This image was taken in raw mode. I tinkered with the highlight/shadow tool to get the ethereal effect. I also digitally airbrushed out some street lights visible through the trees.

Base10 really was using his Speed Graphic to take pictures. (He is confident that he ruined his fair share). Unfortunately, the Speed Graphic has no metering. I therefore looked like a total doofus lugging around two cameras to get the exposure settings off of the EOS. A pain, but we'll see if I get some useable images from the Graflex.


 
If Your Idea of Celebration is Burning Down Houses of Worship...
"Palestinians Celebrate Freedom in Gaza" - AP:

Palestinian authorities had promised an orderly transition, but the calls were ignored. Police stood by helplessly as gunmen raised flags of militant groups and crowds smashed what was left in the ruins or walked off with doors, window frames, toilets and scrap metals.

Palestinians torched empty synagogues in the Morag, Kfar Darom and Netzarim settlements, as well as a Jewish seminary in Neve Dekalim. Later, a Palestinian bulldozer knocked down the walls of the Netzarim synagogue.

In Netzarim, two young Palestinians waving flags stomped on the smoldering debris outside the synagogue, and others took turns hitting the building with a large hammer.

"They (Israelis) destroyed our homes and our mosques. Today it is our turn to destroy theirs," said a man in Neve Dekalim who gave his name only as Abu Ahmed.

 
Not a Good Day to Be a Jets Fan

I guess if you're going to lose, do so in spectacular fashion. Indeed, the Jets proved themselves to be the biggest of losers yesterday, falling to Kansas City 27-7. It wouldn't have been that good if it weren't for a Jay Fiedler engineered scoring drive in garbage time in the fourth quarter. Questions abound. Chad Pennington was close-your-eyes awful, fumbling several snaps. Coles couldn't catch a cold when a sure-to-score pass sailed through his hands. Rookie kicker and second round draft pick Mike Nuggent flubbed a field goal attempt. In short, everything that could go wrong, did.

There were some bright spots. Aussie rules football player turned punter Ben Graham was delightful. And Chris Baker the tight end seemed to be the only player that showed up at the game. Was he the only one at practice last week?

At least there are the Mets. Base10's beloved Mets proved that they can win one game out of seven on the road by dispatching St. Louis 7-2.

Indeed, the other New York teams did well too. Our crosstown cousins, the New York Giants dominated Arizona after a shaky first half beating them 42-19. Remember this is only the Cardinals, but Eli Manning showed why he was a number-one draft pick.

The Yankees also beat Boston 1-0 in a Big Unit dominated pitching duel.

Base10 won his fantasy football matchup as well, mostly on the shoulders of Marc Bulger with a little help from Larry Fitgerald and Steven Smith.

More comments on the Jets later when I read what Herm Edwards said in the post-game press conference.


Sunday, September 11, 2005
 
Blogging the Jet Game
It's halftime in the Jets - KC collision and the Jets so far have failed to meet expectations. They trail 17-0. Not time to throw in the towel, but certainly cause for alarm.
 

Base10's Picks (The Football Kind)

Base10 has been involved in a football pool for many years now called "Pick the Pros" sponsored by his local drinking establishment. This year he has decided to post his picks on the internet so that everyone can see. Basically, it's a standard NFL pick 'em game against the spread in Thursday's New York Post. Now the entire world can see what an idiot Base10 is when it comes to handicapping football games.

Here goes:
Giants
Jets
Broncos
Browns
Texans
Titans
Bears
Saints
Vickings
Seahawks
Rams
Packers
Cowboys
Ravens
Falcons

Base10 will keep a weekly record of his success/failure. Remember these are official predictions. First caveat: Base10 is partners with another gentleman--herinafter refered to as the Base10 Buddy--so he is not responsible for each and every pick. Therefore, Base10 takes responsibility for losers but will assign responsibility for winners to the Base10 Buddy. Second caveat: Base10 will always take the Jets--no matter what. The Jets could be starting their third QB and laying 21 and Base10 will still take them.
Base10 will add lines later.
 
Never Again

bradwtcsm, originally uploaded by base10blog.


Base10 was just listening to the reading of the names at ground zero. Sad. As I thought back on some of the people I knew who perished 9/11, I had to turn it off. It's been four years, but all the emotion I can seem to muster is rage. But maybe a little rage is a good thing. Maybe if more people were enraged we'd be worrying about important things like the battle for civilization that we're currently fighting, rather than engaging in partisan political sniping.

Photo brazenly swiped from Instapundit.

UPDATE: Okay, I turned it back on. One family member said, "On behalf of my brother, I'd like to thank the men and women of the United States military and their dedication to life, liberty and the pursuit of those who would take them. Never forget what happened here." Good words.
Saturday, September 10, 2005
 
College Football

Base10 is hiding out at his regular waterhed ing hole watching the Texas - Ohio St. Game. As of this post, Texas is ahead 10-0, but rest assured this is going to be a tough game.

There was a major upset today. Notre Dame beat Michigan--and did so in rather handy fashion. If it wasn't for a fourth down conversion for a touchdown, Michigan wouldn't even have gotten a touchdown. Good game. This proves (1) Charlie Weiss remembers a thing or two about football, (2) Ty Willingham knows a thing or two about recruiting, and (3) Notre Dame may be heading for the top ten, if not this week then next.

Base10 went to Flushing Meadow to test out his Speed Graphic. Of course, he ruined some exposures in the process. It's a learning process, okay? I will post some images later, or tomorrow.

Enjoy the game!


 

This is a cloudscape taken from somewhere in Middle Village. I'm just testing out the photo client from Google called hello.
 
Beach Bar Photo of the Day

rogeririshhouse, originally uploaded by base10blog.

This is Roger's Irish House. It is located on Beach 116 Street in Rockaway. It is the quintessential old-man's bar, with one exception. Rogers always has one really good craft brew on tap. Sometimes it's DeGroens, sometimes it's Anchor Steam.


Friday, September 09, 2005
 
Friday Rat Blogging

ratblogging, originally uploaded by base10blog.

This is about as close as you get to wildlife photography in New York City. For the record, it's the Grand Avenue subway station in Queens. Photo taken in RAW mode, its exposure adjusted, filter applied to bring out the paint on the stairs, and cropped.

Bear in mind, as subway rats go, this one is on the cuddly side. To all you midwesterners, welcome to New York!


 
New iPod

Base10 is in the market for a portable media player. Basically, I want something to hold all my digital photos. I am however torn between the Epson P-2000 and waiting for the Archos AV500. The Archos model will be available in a 100 gig model (you could store all your porn on one portable drive!) while the Epson supports RAW mode photo viewing--a must for photography.

Base10 considered an iPod, but I don't think you get enough for your money. The current 60 gig iPod goes for $600. While you can view photos on it, it's basically just an Hitachi hard drive. You could get an Archos Gmini for about $350 with better features.

That being said, Apple just announced the iPod Nano. It's a flash based MP3 player that boasts long battery life, and a form factor about the size of five business cards stacked together. There's supposed to be a four gig model in the offing. It is a sleek little device, but once again, your paying for design over tech.


 
The First Word

The Mets, of course, lost last night dropping the game 5-0 against St. Louis. This marks their fourth consequtive loss and their ninth loss out of their last eleven. Their record has dropped to an even .500 and they are now five and one-half games out of thw Wild Card race.

There's always next year.

One of Base10's colleagues was somewhat stoic about it yesterday. "We said they would be a five-hundred team and they turned out to be a five-hundred team," he reasoned. I suppose that revising your expectations down from the beginning makes it easier to accept when the team has failed to meet them. I think it's more galling to lose when you're capable of winning. The Mets started September with as good a shot as anyone in their division. They fell apart before our eyes.

There's always next year.

Some things went decidedly right for the team. The starting rotation is great. Much of the team is young and built for speed. The Mets are managing to develop good prospects instead of trading for washed-up veterans. But face the bad as well. The bullpen is close-your-eyes bad. The bats are virtually non-existent. We didn't really get what we paid for in the trade for Beltran. Matsui has got to go, as well as the first baseman. Probably the batting coach as well. But with the right kind of help in the off-season, next year the Met might not be too bad.

There's always next year.

In other sports news, the NFL kickoff last night was actually a pretty good game. That is until Oakland went pass-whacky. The game was not out of hand yet. Oakland was trailing by nine, but they were letting them have the run. With nine minutes left in the fourth quarter, I think Oakland would have been better off staying on the ground. Base10 can't wait for Sunday: Jets @ K.C. At 1PM and Giants v. Cards at 4PM. There are also a load of good college games including Notre Dame v. Michigan and Texas v. Ohio.

Who are the Mets?


 
Interesting Poll

An AP-Ipsos poll shows that most Americans believe that low-lying areas of New Orleans should be simply abandoned. It is an interesting idea. Should good money be thrown after bad in rebuilding? Rep. Dennis Haster floated (poor choice of words) the same idea last week.

The problem is, there has to be a city there. It's one of the major links in the international chain of commerce. The very pressures that caused a city to be built there to begin with, will cause another to be built as well. The delta of a mayor river. Deep water ports. It can't just be abandoned.

The poll also showed that Americans blamed government for slow response, but spread that blame equally among all levels of government. Interestingly, Colin Powell echoed those same sentiments.


Thursday, September 08, 2005
 
Halftime Report

Good game so far. Kerry Collins actually can throw the ball to Randy Moss. Lamont Jordan can run the ball. New England did not forget how to play football. Score is 17-14.

Base10's only complaint is that Jimmy Kimmel just did a short routine making fun of fantasy football players. While his description of "getting together with a dozen or so friends that you really don't like very much for nine hours to draft a team" was dead on, why in the world does the NFL hire a comedian for commentary who insults one of the most knowledgeable and loyal piece of the fan base?

Later, game's on!


 
Beach Bar Photo of the Day

connollysagain, originally uploaded by base10blog.

Welcome to Connolly's! Except it's probably too late to go there. Connolly's is a great bar but it's only open Memorial Day through Labor Day. It's the basement of a house, with a really cool bar in it. They specialize in frozen drinks and always have pina coladas and something else. My personal favorite is the frozen screwdriver.

Invariably, when I go there and have a frozen drink I get "brain freeze." But hey, it's just the price you have to pay. Connolly's is also known as a lifeguard hangout for all you Baywatch gawkers. If you go this weekend, you just might catch them before they close for the year.

Years ago, Connolly's used to host the "Bull Run." Men and women would get naked and run from Connolly's to the Tap and Grill and have a drink in the buff. I don't know if they still do it or not.


 
Beach Photo of the Day

lineoflifeguards, originally uploaded by base10blog.

We're really scraping the bottom of the barrel here. B&W jpeg with heavy selenium toning to the sky. Picture taken somewhere near Beach 95th St. Enjoy!


 
Looks Like This is the End

The Mets squandered a lead last night as our closer--the amazing Braden Looper--managed to not only tie it up in the ninth, but then loaded the bases without a single out in the tenth. His relief--an asian guy I've never seen before last night--actually pitched pretty well but when all was said and done, he gave up the winning run.

I cannot believe this turn of events. Last week we were in the thick of things. This week: hanging from the precipice. Unless the Mets manage the highly unlikely goal of sweeping St. Louis this weekend, it's time to just retire. Worst case scenario, the Mets get swept by St. Louis and end up with an 0-7 record on this road trip. I think that would bring up the hurricane disaster plan, if we had one.

Forget about Base10's baseball depression for a moment. It will only last until the Jets play KC this Sunday at 1:00 PM..


 
At Least There's That

Victims of hurricane Katrina can take some solace that the relief effort was not being led by Bernard Kerik, erstwhile Police Commissioner and former would-be candidate for DHS director. Even though their homes were looted and their property destroyed, one shudders to think about what Bernie would be doing in good ole' boy Louisiana. Collecting bribes for shelter space? Fees for police "protection?" Maybe a slush fund for head busts paid for with Red Cross donations. See what you're missing out on Bernie? The French Quarter could have been yours for the taking.


 
Mayoral Politics

The New York Times has endorsed Fernando Ferer in the Democratic primary. It is unclear to Base10 whether they will continue to do so in the general election. All Democratic mayoral hopefuls should pay attention to the fact that they would all lose to Mike Bloomberg if he ran as a Democrat, according to a recent poll.

The way it's stacking up, Ferer will face a runoff with Anthony Weiner. This mutually destructive affair will virtually guarantee Bloomberg another four years.

Base10 caught a snippet of a debate among the Democratic hopefuls on the news this morning. Interestingly, they were highly critical of Mayor Bloomberg for not being a Democrat. Anthony Weiner said that Bloomberg had allied himself with the Republicans Bush and Pataki who have both pursued policies that hurt the city. I suppose that's true if you define "hurt" as not writing a blank check out to sticky-fingered Democratic politicians.

Who will Base10 endorse? Readers of the blog know that I regularly support the mayor on most policy issues. I really do think he's done a very capable job as mayor in very difficult times. However, Base10 has to vote with his wallet. He will therefore be staying home or casting a vote for conservative candidate Tom Ognibene.

Why? Base10 has not had a contract for going on three years. The PBA settled months ago, but so far the city has not budged with the other uniform unions. The UFA just declared an impasse and they will now go to PERB just like the PBA. If this is any measure, the PBA took eighteen months to get their contract settled. The superior officers in both the police and fire Departments will not settle before them.

The city, of course, states that the way to a better contract is at the bargaining table. I guess they mean you can get a 5% raise by giving up all your vacation and working 65 hours a week. Assuming my union settles simultaneously with the UFA decision, we will be an entire four years working without a contract. Mr. Mayor, this is not acceptable to me and my family.

What is further outrageous, is that the mayor's campaign is centered around his reductions in crime. How many times have I seen Bloomberg's TV spots showing cops on patrol and trumpeting the fact that this is the safest big city in America? Mr. Mayor, some people are working very hard so you can make those claims. Those commercials basically make the men and women of the Police Department out to be cheap whores. You should show a little appreciation for them instead, like Ed Koch did in the 80's. It's nice to think that perhaps the mayor would do the right thing after the election, but that's a pipe dream. In the same circumstances we got zeros from Giuliani.


 
Football

At 9:00PM tonight, the great wait is over. Football officially starts its 2005 season. In a mere ten hours, the Raiders and the Pats kick it off. Base10 can't wait. Things to watch for in tonight's game:

1. How will Lamont Jordan handle being an every-down back? Base10's guess is that since he is built like a Ticonderoga Class destroyer, he will do fine. Especially given that the Pats will not be able to stack the box with Randy Moss in the game.

2. How will Kerry Collins handle life with Randy Moss? Does Collins still have the arm to make Moss a credible threat so defenses bite?

3. What will the Pats offense look like? During the preseason, they used a play-calling-by-committee approach. Other sources indicate Tom Brady will be calling a lot of his own plays. How this will shake out during actual games is another story.

4. How will the Pats weather key losses? Now face facts, the Pats have been great the last few years and rightfully been termed a modern dynasty. But no team can suffer such key losses and still remain unchanged. Losing both coordinators and a veteran linebacker all at once make you wonder. While I don't think the Pats will suddenly become the Bengals, I also don't think they'll be as strong as last year.

In any event, enjoy the game!


Wednesday, September 07, 2005
 
Beach Photo of the Day

IMG_0305 (1), originally uploaded by base10blog.

Base10 is running out of beach photos so he is opting for Rockaway bar photos instead. Believe me, there is no shortage of subject matter. Mr. and Mrs. Base10 will generally stop in this place for a drink and a bite to eat when in Rockaway. It's called Vaughn's Pub, but if you're in the know you would refer to it by its old name, the "Tap & Grill" or if you're really old, "Boggianoes."

This is a straight to jpeg image in B&W. I cropped and rotated it slightly, but otherwise did not alter it.

Vaughn's is okay. The food is really inexpensive (except for the clams). Rockaway Playland used to be across the street from here and the bar was almost an extension of the midway. Playland, alas, met its demise when Base10 was a teenager and the area was vacant lots for a very long time. Now there are some pretty nice houses on the site.


 
Katrina Backlash

Base10 wonders whether the relentless finger pointing about federal relief efforts by the media will have a backlash. Base10 noticed that the ever vacuous Katie Couric was practically feeding anti-Bush lines to anyone she could interview. Thing as outlandish as, "Do you blame the President for your current situation?" Now that's journalism.

On the bright side, seeing Couric walking around in waders in the filthy and sickening floodwaters in NO was almost worth the aggravation of listening to her. Mrs. Base10 pointed out that sending her on assignment to NO may indicate she is no longer the daytime diva at NBC. We can only hope.

Anyway, as liberal media aided by Democratic Party functionaries has relentlessly stated, Bush is to blame. Pick you reason. It's either global warming, mismanaged FEMA, racial bigotry, or any one of a number of other reasons. However, if poll results show that the American doesn't assess blame like this in the face of a national tragedy, wouldn't that be an indication that the media has lost credibility?

You decide. When asked who was most to blame for failures in the relief efforts, a Gallup poll showed that 38% of Americans don't think anyone was to blame and 25% think the state and local governments bear the most blame. Only 18% thought the federal government was responsible and 13% held George Bush responsible (obviously all members of moveon.org). Not exactly the numbers I would expect if the American public viewed big media as a fair and neutral presenter of the news. Big media has been facing a credibility gap since Rathergate. Katrina is just making it worse.

Link.

Via RCP.


 
Mets

Another day, another Mets loss. Pedro pitched pretty well last night and even got himself out of trouble once or twice. He gave up two runs, but the Mets squad can apparently be put under a Svengali-like trance by Smoltz and be made to forget the fundamentals of hitting. It's very disheartening.

The Yanks lost last night too, but both team's respective situations have similarities. Both are in a Wild Card hunt (the Mets less so now) and both are struggling against division rivals that right now are quite dominant. But herein lies the difference between being a Yankee fan and being a Met fan. If you are a Yankee fan right now, is there any doubt that your team will at least make a respectable run at the postseason? Hey, they may get beat out for the Wild Card but you don't think they're going to collapse, right? Met fans, do you feel the same way? You're not nearly as confident, are you? The season isn't over, but it's getting closer every day.

Regular readers to this blog, be forewarned: expect lengthy screeds about Mets failures when they lose from here on in. The only thing that can put that on hold is if the Jets start losing out of the box and take over as the subject of the daily diatribe.

No matter. The Mets must win tonight to have a shot at going 2-2 against Atlanta. But look on the bright side. Football starts Thursday.


 
So Long, Gilligan

Bob Denver, best known for his title role on "Gilligan's Island" passed away on Friday. So long, little buddy. Have fun on that little desert island up in the sky.

GI will certainly never go down in history as high art, but rather as low camp. But the show did have its moments. Base10's absolute favorite episode contained the GI version of Hamlet. This episode had the most entertaining musical version of Polonius' advice to Laertes:

Neither a borrower
Nor a lender be,
Never forget,
Stay out of debt,
Think twice,
And take this good advice from me,
Guard thine own solvency.
And just one other thing,
You ought to do,
To thine ownself be true.

Now I don't know if GI was or was not an important piece of American pop culture, but any TV show that can mash up Bill Shakespeare like that deserves to be remembered.


 
Lance Armstrong

In an effort to piss off the French (always a worthy goal in Base10's eyes), Lance Armstrong announced that he might not retire this year after all. He will apparently be training with the Discovery Team through the winter. According to the coach, he need not make a final decision about the tour until December.

I like the fact that instead of ignoring the new (and very suspect) drug allegations against him, Lance is hinting that he might just have another go-around. Lance, for whatever it's worth, if you're riding in France next year, Mrs. Base10 and I will be there to cheer you on.


Tuesday, September 06, 2005
 
Beach Photo of the Day

quittingtime, originally uploaded by base10blog.

This image once again shows the marvels of photoshop. When I was at the beach, I tried shooting some straight jpegs. This was one of them. I was really just seeing how to use the camera and test the autoexposure modes. This picture was taken in B&W and was absolutely dull, but I toned the sky blue and the water green. This was taken just after the lifeguards go off-duty at 6:00.


 
Lame Campaign Ad

A fellow by the name of Brian Ellner is running for Manhattan Borough president. He is airing a somewhat controversial campaign ad that depicts George Bush's head on a middle-aged body naked from the waist up and declares, "The emperor has no clothes."

Apparently, WNEW, the New York City Fox affiliate refused to run the ad deeming it "offensive." Base10 saw it this ad this morning on NBC and can state that it is indeed offensive. But it's so much more than that. It's trully lame as well.

The ad is simply an exercise in Bush-bashing. Bush sending our troops to die overseas. Bush harming children's education. (Ellner is yet another politician in UFT's pocket). Dude, you are not running for President of the United States--the most powerful job in the world--you are running for Manhattan Borough President--the least powerful job in the world. (What do borough presidents do again?) Instead of trashing your duly elected president, how about some fresh ideas about what YOU would do improve life in the city.

The spot ends with Ellner introducing his domestic partner. According to Ellner's web site this is a first in city politics. More power to Ellner for that, but still, the combination of Bush-bashing and blatant appeal to the gay community is somewhat Clintonian in its elevation of style over substance. After all, all this commercial says when you get right down to it is, "Vote for me because I'm gay and I hate Bush."

Read about it and check out the spot at Ellner's website:

www.brianellner.com
 
The End of the Season?

Well, perhaps that's too extreme. But it is close. Base10 wrote recently that this section of the season, starting this past Tuesday, was the most important for the Mets since they play almost exclusively division games. Since that auspicious Tuesday, however, the Mets have won just two games. Yesterday the Mets lost to Atlanta, further digging the pit.

Base10 could be wrong. The Mets could win the next three against the Braves and go on a tear. But alas, he is not holding his breath. If you can't go five hundred against your own division, you have no business in the postseason anyway. The opportunities for a big winning streak are also getting fewer and fewer.

At least there are the Jets. Thursday starts the regular season and Base10 is looking forward to it.



Click here for a recap of yesterday's game and here for tonight's preview. Click here for a preview of the Jets vs. Kansas matchup.
 
Florida State vs. Miami

Base10 caught the Florida State - Miami battle last night and enjoyed it. Amazingly, Miami was away and laying 3.5 points going into the game. Not that FSU has had much success with Miami; it seems to be one heartbreaking loss after another.

Anyway, last night's game was a defensive struggle pitting two inexperienced quarterbacks against each other. Neither did well, but the defenses shined. Base10 loves it when a game doesn't go according to the script. The announcers had the script ready for a decisive Miami win over a scrappy FSU squad. What they got was a Florida win with sloppy offense on both sides. Best play: FSU gets an interception called back after a controversial replay. Miami get the ball back, quarterback throws and is intercepted. FSU returns the INT to the five. Take your replay and stick it!

Anyway, congrats to the 'Noles. This is a most auspicious way to start the season.



UPDATE: Click here for the recap.

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