In the summer of 2006 I was in the Big Apple for a conference. One day while randomly wandering the streets of Manhattan I stumbled upon Korea town. Didn’t even know it was there. One minute I’m in NYC and the next thing I know I’m back in Seoul. It was really pretty cool.

And now, thanks to the Marmot, I’ve found a video report depicting the sights and sounds of this vibrant Korean community. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

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The way it used to be. More than a decade before my time but still made me wax nostalgic somehow. In living color no less.

Oh beautiful for spacious skies… go have a look!

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…but won’t immediately recognize. This is truly an amazing display of talent. See for yourself:

Hat Tip: Althouse

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Finally bought some new batteries and uploaded the photos from my vacation. Wanna see? Well ok then, here they are:

Sunrise from my hotel window at the Marriott International Resort in Orlando. One of the benefits you get from jet lag is waking up with the crows…

And here he is eating the pistacios I left on my balcony…

After finishing the conference in Florida, I jetted back to San Francisco, the city on the bay…

On the way to my brother’s house, I took a stroll across the Golden Gate Bridge…

My brother Keith, his wife Kathy, and me…geez, I can tell from the “v” sign that I have been in Korea too long…

A wonderful drive through the mountains was just what I needed. Here’s a high Sierra lake I happened upon…

On the other side of the Sierra Nevada’s sits Mono Lake. Given its name, it may be best not to drink the water…

The road winds ever downward into the desert…

Then straightens out for the journey to Death Valley…

In the valley of death…

And on the other side is the oasis that is Las Vegas. My abode was the Monte Carlo, convienently located in the heart of the strip, next to New York, New York and across the street from the MGM Grand. I was quite comfortable there…

The aforementioned New York, New York hotel and casino. I left behind some money there to help pay for upkeep and such…

To be honest, I prefer old downtown Fremont Street to the strip. It’s more like the way Vegas used to be. And lots of single deck Blackjack….

The entrance to the Monte Carlo. More affordable than the glitzy new places, which suits me just fine. I got my room for less than half of what the MGM was charging. The money I saved was was instead invested in a failed attempt to get rich gambling. Alas…

Traversing the stip was made easier via the Las Vegas monorail. Good thing too, it was 110F which made walking not too fun…

The Paris hotel and casino. As close as I’m likely to get to France. Which suits me just fine…

A view of the strip at night…

The famous dancing fountains at the Bellagio…

I took a day trip to the Hoover Dam. Yeah, I am such a tourist.

On one side of the dam is Lake Mead….

On the other the mighty Colorado River…

Pretty damn impressive, eh?

I also took a plane ride to the West end of the Grand Canyon. Done the North and South rims previously, but I can’t get enough of this amazing hole in the ground…

The plane was small and full. I was in the last row, right next to the emergency exit. Luckily, I didn’t need to use it…

The west end is on the Hualapai Indian Reservation…

No photo ever does justice to the immensity of the canyon…

I did the new skywalk over the canyon. It was pretty freakin’ amazing. That first step onto the glass with nothing but a chasm below was a weird feeling, but definitely awesome. A whole new way to look at the canyon for sure. I took the $25. admission fee in stride, figuring it was just the red man’s way of getting some revenge on the white man for past injustices. Although I already repaid my debt in the Indian casinos I suppose…

The Colorado river from the air with Lake Mead in the distance…

Ok, I have a few shots of LA’s Korea town and the trip up the California coast but I’m have about enough of this for now. I imagine you have too, right?

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Back from my travels. Started in Orlando for a conference. Great hotel, but everything was expensive. Blew a week’s per diem on the first day I reckon.

Then it was vacation time. Flew back to San Francisco, rented a car and did a whirlwind tour. Visted my brother in the bay area, then drove through the Sierra Nevada mountains and Death Valley on my way to Las Vegas.

Vegas was Vegas. The blackjack tables weren’t totally unkind, but given that I never know when to stop I left some money to help pay the light bills. I actually spent some time at the tables in New York, New York but had left the day before the shootings. So, I missed out on all the excitement, but I guess that was a good thing.

Drove back through the city of my birth, Los Angeles, and had a great Korean dinner in Korea town. Never had been there and it was pretty interesting to find myself in a Seoul-like environment smack dab in the City of Angels.

Then it was up the beautiful California coastline to San Fran, on the airplane and home safe and sound last night. Feels like I was gone forever and it was nice to sleep in my own bed again last night.

Sorry that I was not able to see more friends and family this trip, but I was taking some time for me. Hopefully I will carry forward a better frame of mind and outlook on this so called life of mine.

I do appreciate all the good thoughts and wishes y’all sent my way.

So, its back to darts…

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Yep, still killing these early morning hours deep in the bowels of the ‘Net while the rest of the house sleeps. Check out these Ten Worst (as in dangerous) Toys of All Time.

Not to be missed is the Johnny Reb toy cannon at #8, complete with Confederate Battle Flag. You definitely want to see the commercial for this 1961 offering. Yeah, I remember the ad although at $11.98 it was out of my reach.

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Well, you can fill in maps of places you have been….

create your own personalized map of the USA
or check out ourCalifornia travel guide

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Five years ago on a beautiful September morning, NYC firefighter Samuel Oitice answered the call to rescue victims in the World Trade Center. They found his remains in the rubble six months later.

He was one of the 2996 who perished on that fateful day. He is the one I was selected to honor today.

It is hard to imagine the sense of duty and bravery it required to enter that towering inferno in order to save as many lives as possible. Samuel Oitice did not fail in his duty and died a hero. His courage and selflessness are both an inspiration and a reminder that throughout our nation’s history, so called ordinary people have responded in extraordinary ways when called upon to do so. They have a name for people like Samuel Oitice. American.

I never met the man. But I watched him die on television. I knew in that moment that everything had changed. For me. For the world. Five years on I find comfort and hope in the memory of Samuel Oitice.

Here is his story:

Samuel Oitice and his wife, Jean, met on the Peekskill, N.Y., ambulance corps. “He was the driver and I was the crew chief, and I said, `That’s how we’re going to keep it,’ ” she said. “I’d tell everyone that story, but it’s not funny anymore.”

Samuel Oitice, 45, was a New York City firefighter who lived in Peekskill. The couple had a son, John, 19, and a daughter, Jessica, 16.

In the past year, Mrs. Oitice has had to take on her husband’s love of roller coasters. “The higher they were, the bigger the drop, the more he loved them,” she said.

She used to stay on the ground, but has since ridden Disney World’s Tower of Terror with her daughter, who told her, “Daddy would be proud.”

And he knew the risks of his job.

“He said to the kids at one point, when they finally realized what he did: `I married your mom for a reason. I know if something happens to me she’ll get you through this,’ ” she said. “It has just given me strength to know that he had so much faith in me to keep the family together.”

After his funeral, his best friend came into the firehouse, laughing, she said. Seems the fire truck carrying his body had stalled in the graveyard and couldn’t be started. “I said, `He’s playing with us.’ He hated all the pomp and circumstance. He didn’t want it.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2002/12/08/na…-08OITICE.html

Peekskill firefighter’s dream was to help others

By MARILYN ANDERSON RHAMES
THE JOURNAL NEWS
(Original publication: March 19, 2002)

PEEKSKILL — Cold, wet rain helped to mask the tears that flowed during yesterday’s burial service for Samuel Oitice, a New York City firefighter who died in the World Trade Center terrorist attack.

But some said the service itself was a blessing, since Oitice’s body remained missing until six months after the tragedy. Rescue workers pulled Oitice’s remains from Ground Zero last week.

“We are grateful Sam has been found,” Mayor John Testa said. “It is great to be able to say good-bye to Sam properly.”

The family, which has publicly grieved at various memorials and tributes, kept the funeral at Joseph F. Nardone Funeral Home brief. A representative of Gov. George Pataki expressed his condolences, and the Rev. Vernon Wickrematunge admonished mourners to fight anger and guilt by keeping Oitice alive in their memories.

“By remembering, we are able to reap the harvest he had sown while he was with us,” Wickrematunge said.

Oitice, 45, grew up in Peekskill, graduating from Assumption Elementary School and Peekskill High School. He worked as a Peekskill police officer in the early 1980s, but quit to become a firefighter at Manhattan’s 4 Truck at 48th Street and Eighth Avenue. Even so, he fortified his ties to Peekskill by serving as a volunteer firefighter for the past 25 years.

“Sammy is really hard to describe. He always had a light in him, always had to do what needed to be done,” Peekskill Fire Chief Jim Seymour said. “He was a happy-go-lucky guy — just a great person.”

A husband to Jean and father to John, 19, and Jessica, 15, Oitice was also remembered as a family man who loved children. He founded and coached a roller hockey team for Peekskill teen-agers, volunteered at school spaghetti dinners and taught fire safety in the schools.

“He was a good man. He did a lot for all the kids,” said a teary-eyed Patrick Strang, 17.

Since the Sept. 11 attack, Oitice’s son, John, has become a volunteer firefighter in Peekskill. This month, John wore his father’s fire jacket as he marched in the city’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade. The city named the younger Oitice an honorary aide in the parade.

“Peekskill was always proud of Sam. Now the nation is proud of him,” said Deb Carlin Polhill, a parade committee member and childhood friend of Oitice’s.

Some 40 uniformed firefighters from New York City chartered a bus to attend Oitice’s funeral. Dozens more volunteer firefighters from Peekskill and surrounding areas also paid their respects.

After fire officials mounted Oitice’s flag-draped coffin atop Engine 134 from Peekskill’s Fire Patrol, a 50-car procession settled at Assumption Cemetery in Cortlandt. Oitice’s parents, Julian and Eleanor, were among the roughly 150 mourners. A lone bagpiper played “Amazing Grace,” then people lined up to hug the family and to lay long-stemmed roses on the coffin.

Art Ubben, a retired police detective in Peekskill, tearfully recalled a conversation he had with Oitice two years ago.

“He said, ‘My whole life I wanted to be a firefighter. I’m so happy.’ Then this happens,” Ubben said. “He believed in what he was doing. He was helping people. That was his life’s dream and that’s what he achieved.”

http://www.thejournalnews.com/newsro…19funeral.html

A boyhood friend I first met at the Centenial hose firehouse in Peekskill, NY where my father worked. Sammy would come down to see the pumper and help around the house and we would shoot pool and sneak beers.

We later went to Peekskill High School where he was a true friend and sports team mate. Sammy was always someone you could depend on.

Later we worked together as Police Officers on the City of Peekskill Police Department. He was a great cop, but you always knew he would leave and go to his true calling the NYFD. When they called he ran with a smile on his face.

Before that day he spoke about how happy he was working downtown and how much he loved his work.

After that day while filling thousands of buckets of the rubble I held out hope that we could find you trapped and safe. Quickly it was apparent that you and all the others were gone.

Rest in Peace my friend. We all miss you.

–Chris Calabrese

Thank you for your sacrafice Samuel. God bless America.

Read tributes to the other 2995 people who died in the 9/11 attack here.

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I thought this short video was quite amazing. And so I share it with you now. Enjoy.

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Wow. My first post in July. I really had no intention to take such a long hiatis. And I’ve been feeling plenty guilty about it by the way. No excuses, just have not been really motivated to write much lately, but I’m here now and hopefully I will do a better job with this blog commitment. We shall see.

Anyway, let’s play catch up. When we last “spoke” I was holed up in Columbus, Ohio doing my duty to learn all the latest bells and whistles in performance management. Let’s just say “mission accomplished” and move on, shall we?

Upon arrival in DC I was met at the airport by my lovely yobo Carol. We then drove up to Gaithersburg, Maryland to have a couple of drinks with some old postal buddies. Then we made the long drive south to the homestead in Stafford, Virginia. It did feel good to be home. I even mowed the lawn, which is a treat I don’t get to experience in Seoul. Ok, it was still a chore, but once a summer I can handle.

We saw Superman Returns, but I found it rather disappointing. Saturday we had a cookout. London broil and all the fixin’s. Had banana pudding and buttermilk pie for dessert, two of my favorite summertime treats. Best of all was seeing my good friend Dennis again. We sat around the deck drinking telling war stories till late into the night. It was the kind of time I miss most being so far from home.

Over the weekend I got some phone calls from other friends and got caught up on all the latest happenings. Daughter Hillary came home on Sunday and we did another cookout. Had to get as many of those in as possible. Even though I cook out on my patio a couple of times a week, it just ain’t the same when you’re not breaking bread with family and friends.

Monday morning we headed down to South Carolina to see my parents, children and that sweet granddaughter Gracyn. It was good to be on a road trip again with my faithful navigator Carol. Even if it was I-95. Leaving Monday worked great because we missed almost all of the holiday weekend traffic.

My parents have really got their new house looking good. Mom seems real happy there. And when momma’s happy life is much easier for Dad. Renee brought Gracyn by while she did some work and it was so much fun babysitting. I hadn’t seen Gracyn since she was a newborn, and what a difference a year makes. She is so funny. Quite the ham, and a bundle of energy. And a smile that almost never quits. Here’s some pictures:

It took her awhile to figure out who this new guy was, but by the end of the day we were playing peek-a-boo and laughing like crazy people…

Great Grandpa built this nice sandbox in the backyard so Gracie could practice her engineering skills….

Gracie loves the water, and what kid can resist a hose on a hot summer’s day?

Here she is with her mother and father. I am so proud of what a great mother Renee is. And Gracie just adores her daddy…

Here she is with her favorite Uncle and Aunt, Kevin and Lynn. They are all so good together. I also got to see Kevin’s house all finished up. Lynn is quite the decorator and the place just looked so nice and comfortable. They are celebrating their first anniversary this week with a romantic cruise. Way to go you guys!

Mark and Renee hosted the Independence Day celebration at their house. Another wonderful night of cooking out and catching up. We also went out to a local pub to satisfy my urge to practice darts. Kevin used to kick my butt in golf regularly and I was looking forward to some sweet revenge. Things started out well with me dominating the cricket game, but the boy took me in 501, won the diddle, then beat me again in 501. Looking forward to that rematch Kevin!

All too quickly it was time to head back north to Virginia. We stopped at a Stuckey’s in North Carolina so I could purchase some Southern treats for the folks in Korea. Grabbed some pecan rolls, boiled peanuts, salt water taffy and the like. The pecan rolls got mixed reviews from the Koreans who work with me…half thought them too sweet. No one had ever even heard of a boiled peanut before, but they went quick. Too bad they were from a can, because they taste best hot out of the pot.

My week at home went by way too fast, but it was all good. Except the saying goodbye part. So after 17 hours in the air plus a layover in San Francisco, I was back in the Land of the Morning Calm. I did run into a dart league buddy in San Francisco which was kinda cool. He was flying back after taking his young Korean girlfriend home to meet the folks. He’s about six inches taller than me (and I’m 6′1″), so everytime I started feeling miserable in my cramped coach seat, I walked back to have a look at him being even more miserable in his. Hey, its all about perspective, right?

Anyway, I am back in my normal routine. Working and playing darts for the most part. The darts had been going well. I was undefeated through the first four weeks of the season and was ranked number one in B division. I say was because I got my clocked cleaned in singles Monday night. Ah well, I didn’t like the pressure of being first anyway. Not that I didn’t want to stay there. It’s a long season (22 weeks) and my personal goal is a top ten finish with a 75% win rate. Our team has not lost a match as yet and we intend to hold on to the top spot in the standings. “Bring it on!” as a wise man once said….

Jim from Dolce Vita built a couple of dart board cabinets so we can practice at home. All I paid for was the lumber. A generous gesture indeed. So Saturday I drove over to Dolce to transport our cabinets home. Except my car didn’t want to start. Battery would barely crank but I finally got it going. Knew better than to turn it off though. After finally making it up the narrow alley, I parked in a wide spot (relatively speaking) and we loaded up. By the time I got to Jim’s place, I was having to do the one foot on the brake one on the gas thing to keep my hoop dee running. As I headed to my house I knew there was no way I was going to make it home and you do not want to break down on Itaewon Blvd on Saturday afternoon (hell, I had no business driving there on Saturday afternoon, it is pure gridlock). So, I headed for the closest place to the USA I could find, Yongsan Garrison. There’s a garage on post I use and we speak the same language (mostly). Well, I made it on base, but the car was fading fast. The garage is up a hill and that’s where my old piece of shit car gave up the ghost. Half way up that is. So I let it roll on down and parked it as best I could. Put a note on the windshield and walked back into town. (The garage was closed due to a power outage).

Played in the Blue Frog tournament and despite how I must have smelled after being soaked in sweat (or maybe because of it) took two first places. This of course called for a celebration so it was back to Dolce Vita for some shots (Duke took a first and second, Jim had a second and third, so we were all pretty happy). After we closed Dolce at 2:30 that morning Duke and his girlfriend Ji Yong invited me to join them for some Korean food. As we walking to the restuarant we encountered a confrontation on the street (hey, that’s not that unusual that time of night in Itaewon). What was unusual was that Jim and YJ were in the middle of it. As was JJ, a perpetually drunk Korean who on occasion patronizes Dolce Vita. Don’t know what started it, but about 6 drunk Korean women were going after JJ. Jim and YJ were trying to keep them all apart, and somehow Jim wound up on the ground. Duke and I restrained JJ (with more than a little difficulty) and then I started using my “big voice” and waving my arms telling everyone to just calm down. I think I must have scared them, because things broke up pretty quickly after that. Well, no one was hurt or arrested, so all’s well that end’s well I suppose.

I had my car towed to the garage on Monday, but the garage was closed on Monday’s and Tuesday’s (I probably should remember that by now). So, I was cabbing it this week (I did walk once). Didn’t realize how bad my pronuciation was as I had the hardest time making the drivers understand where I wanted to go. But hand gestures got me there. And yeah, I should have much better Korean speaking skills by now. So sue me.

Picked up the car today. Another $160.00 invested in a piece of junk, but it is MY piece of junk and I’m going to keep it. For now.

Hey, check out my dart setup:

Pretty cool, eh?

And the long view:

Thanks again, Jim.

All right, I am almost finished. Andy, one of the bloggers at The Marmot’s Hole invited me to join his fantasy football league. WooHoo! I’m looking forward to renewing an old hobby. Plus I can bore you with something besides dart league stories. Betcha can’t wait for that, eh?

Also, I was surprised to discover that the expat blogger I admire the most actually linked me on his blog. Thanks, Kevin. Or should I say “dad”. Of course, I’ve been feeling guilty about not posting anything new for a month, but now that I’ve got all this drivel out of my system maybe I can come up with a worthy post.

If anyone made it to this, the actual end of the longest and most boring post in the sordid history of LTG, you have my thanks and my sympathy. Leave a comment so I can identify the masochists among us.

Whew. So that’s what carpal tunnel syndrome feels like!

Oh yeah, ONE more thing: Nolan, come for a visit! We’ll have a blast. And I’ll show what real darts is all about. Then you can beat me at pool. Deal?

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I’m in one of those vicious cycles. Still having a hard time falling asleep in what my body thinks is the middle of the afternoon. Then about 1500 local time (that’s 4 a.m. in Korea) I really start fading fast. Get back to my room and take a nap, then I’m up half the night and the process repeats. I figure I’ll be adjusted about the time I get back to Korea, then I can reverse the process.

On a more positive note, the training is good so far. And of course, I’ll be back in Virginia on Thursday night. It’s been a year since I’ve seen the green, green grass of home. Although it was never really that green. Lawn maintenance is not my strong suit, but Carol recently re-seeded so maybe it will be green…

Also I found so great North Carolina style barbeque last night. Yum!

And that’s my report.

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Get ready to unplug the laptop and pack it up for my trip to the USA. But I’ll be back.

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We did it! Beat Scrooge Pub tonight in a real dogfight dart match. It came down to the last leg of the Cricket doubles, but we pulled it out. I did my part so I feel good about pulling my weight. Anyway, victory is sweet. Go Dolce Vita!

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A rap video from flyover country….check it out! Too funny.

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Ah, I got this slice of life from America in my email this morning. Started my day with a laugh so I thought I would pass it on. Have a listen

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Way down on the list of things I miss is Sunday mornings with the The Washington Post. Which is not to say I don’t miss it a lot, it is just that there are lots of things I miss more. Notwithstanding its biased news coverage and left leaning editorial slant, you often find some damn fine feature writing within its pages. Among the writers on staff I most enjoy is Gene Weingarten. Always writing with wit and style, he is quite often both funny and poignant. It was my pleasure to come across this most excellent profile of a fascinating man known as The Great Zucchini.

Do yourself a favor and have a read. You’ll be glad you did.

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Just returned from my whirlwind journey to Phoenix. The “train the trainer” training was good and I will busy getting ready to share my new found knowledge of the National Security Personnel System with my USFK compatriots. I got a little irked with the political commentary of one of the instructors…not really commentary but pot shots at the President, Rumsfeld and DoD. You know, I’m always up for a politcal debate, but the classroom in a DoD sponsored training course is not the time or place. I gave him a little constructive feedback in my course evaluation and let it go at that.

I had a couple of days before my flight back to Seoul, so I drove across the Mojave desert. I can get my taste of mountains here, but you just don’t have access to the great wide open spaces in Korea. It was good to have the feeling you get by being alone in the emptiness again. Oh yeah, my road led me to Laughlin, Nevada. A great place to gamble on the Colorado river. Turns out I dropped a little cash, but had a great time doing it. There was a fun married couple at my blackjack table and we spent the hours drinking, laughing, and razzing each other. So, if I figure the “free” beers were actually $20 each, I did ok.

I left Laughlin and took the long way back to Phoenix via Yuma. I got the hankering for some Mexican food and seeing as how Mexico was right there I ventured across the border. Been a long time since I had visited one of these border towns. Reminded me of Itaewon a little but the vendors were actually more agressive. My Spanish is better than my Korean, but everyone spoke good English of course. I was amazed to see the number of pharmacies, dental and doctors offices. Apparently lots of folks come down for cheap drugs and medical care. I think I would be a little nervous about doing that, but it appeared they were doing a land office business.

Anyway, the flight home was uneventful (although delayed) except the plane was full again which makes the long trip that much more uncomfortable. My connection was through Los Angeles, and it was surprising to see so many Koreans in the “non-Korean” line at immigration. And it was a LONG line to boot.

I was never able to adjust my sleep pattern on this trip, so I was always tired. I’ve done nothing but sleep since I got home. Nope, back for two days and I have not had one beer or visited any of my bar haunts in Itaewon. Even blew off playing pool last night. Just slept on the couch with the TV blaring.

So as you can see my life is as exciting as ever. I think I might be in some kind of transition. I know what I don’t what to do now, but I am not sure what I will be doing to fill these hours.

Stay tuned.

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Ok, I *think* I have the problem fixed, so here’s some more photos from my week in NYC.

Let’s see, we left off somewhere in the middle of Times Square….

And for those who like chocolate, the Hershey store is inviting….

I didn’t actually try to get tickets to see Letterman, but I did get this picture….

Um, I didn’t see a comedy show at Caroline’s either. I really took this photo in honor of my friends at Sweet Caroline’s, one of my Itaewon haunts. A friendly place where everyone knows my name (well, that’s what I tell myself anyway)….

As long as I am posting boring pics of business marquees, here’s the new Hard Rock Cafe in TS. I did go inside and buy some trinkets as gifts for my Korean friends who like “authentic” American pop culture. Which means they were easy to please….

I was wandering around the streets of Manhattan one afternoon and came across this sign (which my lack of skill with a camera makes hard to read, it says Korea Way in English and Hangul) quite by accident. Lo and behold I had discovered “Korea town”. It was quite fascinating to be amongst Koreans again. I even took advantage and had a lunch of bulgogi bimbibap with all the sides. Not as spicy as I have become accustomed too, but still good…

Like a true tourist I also visited the Empire State Building….

Actually, I had tried to go to the observation deck on a previous visit to NYC but because of low cloud cover I was advised to save my money. This day had clear skies, so up I went. And here is what I saw….

Later in the week, I took the ferry to Ellis Island. Damn, the security was more rigid than at the airport, which made for an hour wait to board. I took some photos while I waited, including these buildings surrounding Battery Park in Lower Manhattan….

And the Merchant Mariners monument. My father was a merchant marine so I thought this was pretty cool…

Made it on board the ferry finally, and caught this view of the skyline as we pulled away. Something will always be missing, but I take strength in knowing that the blood spilled here is being avenged. Our response to the haters of freedom was to help bring freedom to the oppressed. Two towers, two freed nations. It’s the American way….

Lady Liberty in all her glory….

On the approach to Ellis Island, I thought of all the people who had passed this way, following the call of the heart that yearns to be free….

God bless the USA….

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Ok, I finally got around to getting my photos from New York City together…nothing you haven’t seen in postcards before, but these just scream “I was there!”

Actually, I have been to New York several times, but never got all that touristy like this time. I guess I just felt a lot more confident walking the streets after spending the past few months in an even bigger city….Seoul.

So here we go (I hope my bandwidth can take it, but then I have alienated most of my readers by a proven combination of infrequent posts and boring ones like this)….

Let’s start in Central Park, an amazing greenway amid the urban sprawl:

You can’t really see them in this pic, but this pathway is lined with the statues of the great writers in Western literature….

I also had a little sax in the park….

And then wandered over to Strawberry Fields and checkout the John Lennon shrine….

And then it was on to Times Square. Actually, I stayed in a great hotel, the Marriott Marquis, which is right in the middle of Times Square on Broadway….

Samsung is everywhere, even the billboards of New York…

Good Morning America studio. You can’t of course get the full effect of Times Square without seeing it at night. You won’t see that here though. They have turned entire buildings into lighted billboards, don’t know how exactly…maybe a projector. You will just have to go see for yourself….

Hmmm, none of my TS images are posting….I’ll be back when I figure out why…..

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A really nice slice of American Pie from the Ford Motor Company. Cindy Sheehan notwithstanding, THIS is how the vast majority of Americans feel.

And we can never say thank you too much.

Via Instapundit

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