Ringo Starr at Bryant Park

Went out this morning for a 7 A.M. concert at Bryant Park. Who would be playing that would get me out of bed at 6 A.M. for a free concert? None other than one of the "Fab 4's" Ringo Starr.

Ringo Starr was promoting his new album, "Choose Love," on ABC's Good Morning America at Bryant Park as well as reconnecting with American fans. There were groups from Texas, Virginia and Indiana.

Of course I had my camera with me to catch some of the action:


The scene of the Ringo Star concert in Bryant Park for ABC's Good Morning America.



A close up of the Ringo Starr's concert stage.


Ringo Starr at the microphone!


Ringo Starr rocking out to "Yellow Submarine."


Ringo doing the weather with ABC's Tony Perkins.

Simply Put: Innovative stupid warning signs

Simply Put: Innovative stupid warning signs

A great set of pictures of warning signs that make you go hmmm?

Seems to me the municipal governments in Canada (and the United States if you remember this post) are making sure things are safe for their citizenry no matter how stupid they are.

I love the "use at your own risk" thing on the signs in the "Simply Put" blog entry. The Town of Aurora has been using these on their signs as well for parks and trails. I guess this is to absolve them of any legal problems because the town lawyer's can just point to the sign and say "we told you to use it at your own risk!"

Until then, remember it is a $75.00 fine to walk on water in Ottawa.

Aurora Arboretum

Aurora Arboretum website

I came accross this website from an interesting article in the local newspaper's online edition. The article basically outlines the goals of a community organization who, ten years ago, came together on an idea creating a natural landscape in Aurora along the Holland River valley.

The group hopes to renaturalize a lot of the area in order to one provide the bustling urban Aurora area with a natural oasis that people can visit and learn about what the area may have looked like one hundred, two hundred or even three hundred years before.

The arboretum's website is well worth the visit to see what the dream is for this area, and what is already in place to enjoy.

Helicopter Crash into the East River.

Was out on an adventure today when I heard that a helicopter crashed into the East River. I had my camera with me, so I clicked a few pictures.

According to CBS Channel 2 News, the helicopter was on a sightseeing trip of the New York City area when it was attempting to land and ended up crashing into the water off the end of Pier 11, which is located at the eastern end of Wall Street. All six tourists are in hospital with one in a coma. As luck would have it, according to CBS 2, there was a NYPD diving team doing drills nearby that quickly responded to the crash scene.

Here are the pictures I took:


The scene on the East River viewed from the Brooklyn Promenade after a hellicopter crashed. The hellicopter crashed into the East River near Pier 11 (at the end of Wall Street).


A look at the foot of Pier 11 with New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg arriving (first white shirt from your right).


Fox 5 News crew arriving for Mayor's press conference on the crash. Mayor seems to be having a press conference whenever he can these days. Is it because this is a Mayoral election year? Who knows?


The US Army's crane ship getting ready to lift the hellicopter wreckage from the East River. This picture taken from the shore of Manhattan.


A look at the scene of the plane crash with the US Army ship heading toward Pier 2 in Brooklyn to offload the helicopter. The black boat to the left is a US Coast Guard ship. Picture taken from the Brooklyn Promenade.


Prepping Brooklyn's Pier 2 for the arrival of the US Army ship and the crashed helicopter. NYFD, NYPD and the Port Authority Police responded.


US Army ship with crashed helicopter arriving at Brooklyn's Pier 2. Picture taken from Brooklyn Promenade.


US Army ship getting ready to lift the helcopter as NYPD, NYFD and Port Authority Police prepare Brooklyn's Pier 2 for offloading of the crashed helicopter.


Helicopter on Pier 2 in Brooklyn with fire and police officials investigating the wreckage.


NYPD helicopter flying over the East River area watching the helicopter crash scene.

Broadway Under the Stars

Broadway Under the Stars occurred last night in Bryant Park. Bryant Park is located between 42nd and 40th Streets with 6th Avenue running along its western end. The park is like the backyard for the Humanities and Social Sciences Libary of the New York City Public Libary system.

The lawn of the park quickly filled up for the 8:30 P.M. concert start time and overall an estimated 15,000 people attended the 4th annual event. Perhaps the best known actor in the show was Tom Wopat of Dukes of Hazard fame.

The show will be broadcast on local channel CBS 2 in New York City this Saturday at 7 P.M.

I didn't have good seats, so my pictures of the stage are quite far away. But, nonetheless here are the pictures I took:


The crowd in Bryant Park waiting for the concert to start.


another look at the crowd at Bryant Park waiting for Broadway Under the Stars to begin.


Bryant Park crowd waiting for the Broadway Under the Stars concert to start.


The fountain at Bryant Park and the crowd waiting for Broadway Under the Stars to start.


One last look at the estimated 15,000 people in attendance for Broadway Under the Stars at Bryant Park on Monday, July 13, 2005.


Empire State Building overlooking Bryant Park at dusk.


Empire State Building overlooking Bryant Park at night.

Will He or Won't He? That is the Question

Gilles Duceppe is calling a press conference in Ottawa for Monday. This press conference is expected to outline his political moves for the future. With the resignation of Parti Quebecois leader Bernard Landry, Duceppe has the possibility of leaving the leadership of the Bloc Quebecois in Ottawa.

However there is a slight problem, there is the constant threat of a federal election because of the Liberal minority government is trying desperately to hold onto power. A simple vote of non-confidence would most likely send Canadians to the polls for a federal election. Thus, the Bloc Quebecois, with any hope of staying popular in Quebec would need a seasoned leader to lead the election charge. Also, without Duceppe, the party would have to hold a leadership convention before heading to the polls, if that situation were to occur. So if Duceppe were to leave Ottawa, the Bloc Quebecois would have their fingers crossed that the Liberal government could hold on.

So the question is will he or won't he leave for Quebec City on Monday.

The CBC's Chief Political Correspondent, Keith Boag, believes that Duceppe will remain in Ottawa. Boag believes that if Duceppe was going to put in a bid at the leadership of the Parti Quebecois, Duceppe would have scheduled the press conference for Quebec City and not Ottawa.

The Toronto Star's Quebec Bureau Chief, Miro Cernetig, lays out the promise of Duceppe leading the Parti Quebecois in the future. There are two areas that need highlighting from Cernetig’s article. The first is the possibilty of winning the next Quebec provincial election over Jean Charest. Jean Charest's Liberal government's popularity is at an all time low in Quebec political history. Charest will need to raise the popularity of his party in order to win the next general election. Lets say Duceppe and the Parti Quebecois will take the next Quebec provincial election and become Premier.

Now for the second area that needs highlighting. According to the Toronto Star article, the Quebec seperatists must hold a provincial separation referendum within the first five years of power if the new PQ government follows party policy. So with that in mind there will be a referendum soon after the election of a PQ government. This is especially important if Quebecers continue to be angered over the federal sponsorship scandal and take it out on the federal Liberals via a Quebec Referendum. Right now there is winning conditions for a Quebec Referendum because of the sponsorship scandal. Add to the winning conditions a popular leader, Gilles Duceppe, at the helm of the "Yes" side, things only continue to look worse for Canadian federalists (i.e. those who support the "No" side).

These two main highlights are what Duceppe has apparently thought about and come to a resolution over. Duceppe will let us know on Monday what his decision will be.

Footnote: Anybody else find it interesting that Bernard Landry says he resigned because he didn't have enough support with 76.2 percent of the vote; yet Landry has insisted, in the past, that all that is required to break up a country is fifty percent plus one vote? Talk about double standards.

 Works Cited

Boag, Keith. Interview. The National. CBC Television. Ottawa. 10 June 2005.

Cernetig, Miro. “The heir apparent?” Toronto Star. 11 June 2005. Online. Internet. 12 June 2005. Available: http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1118441410543&call_pageid=1012319932217&col=1012319928928&DPL=IvsNDS%2f7

South Street Seaport

I went out this afternoon to check out the children's day activities at South Street Seaport. I know it was for children, but Gordon from Sesame Street was there and I just had to see him!

I must have been the only person there without someone under three feet tall this afternoon at the Seaport (a.ka. stroller hell!).

Here is what I saw:


I was walking north on South Street (who woulda thunk it!) and noticed a New York City Police Department museum exhibit of old police cars.



Perhaps the most well known police car in Gotham: Yup! The real Batmobile from the old television series. Who would have thunk this car would have been here? You never know what you'll stumble upon in NYC!


The purple dinasaur himself, Barney! Live at the South Street Seaport Children's day Center Stage. Complete with song and dance.


ok...so I couldn't get a good shot of Sesame Street's famous "Gordon" on stage because of all the children on parents' shoulders and umbrellas. So I stalked him! He is the one walking away from me in the white cap and white and blue hawaiian shirt. I am now unofficially a member of the paparazzi!


A look at the crowd watching Center Stage at the South Street Seaport Children's day.