New York and the blizzard / Daily energy blogging (8): On vans / On Mohammed pictures…
Violence can only be concealed by a lie, and the lie can only be maintained by violence. Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
New York is at its best during and after a blizzard. It is quiet, white, and beautiful.
Sunday's record breaking blizzard covered the city with 26 inches (66 cm) of snow. Street parked cars were buried, garage parked unusable with their summer tyres. The city was the realm of walking, playing, smiling, even cycling. Some busses were running with snow-chains on, garbage trucks were ploughing the snow, dare-devil taxi-drivers were sliding their taxis here and there - one smashed into the bus I was riding, broke its bumber and lights, but escaped unharmed.
I woke up late, decided to go for lunch to the authentic Muslim-restaurant in the corner of Broadway and East 29th street. Food is very good there and not too expensive. Spicy chickpeas, vegetable stew, rice, two naan breads, and salad cost $6. Just walking from the East 28th/5th avenue subway was too hard in my slippery shoes and broken coat. It was fun, though: walking in the middle of avenues and streets in New York is not commonplace. I had to, sidewalks were still full of snow.
Snow does not stop the subway. It was running with surprisingly many passengers in Manhattan. Surprising since most stairs down to the stations were slippery, full of snow and ice. I got down, and decided not to come up for a while: I was on my way to the Coney Island, to see whether Nathan's was open, to see more snow, to see how the Russians cope with the snow. Well, it turned out.
The car got emptier and emptier as we passed through snowy, quiet Brooklyn. For the last 20 minutes, I was travelling with a young man with pink rubber boots, an elder Russian lady (Haloo, da, harasoo) and an old Russian man, who had a box full of strange things and who was smoking mahorka (Russian tobacco).
Many streets in Brooklyn had not seen anyone on Sunday, some had been walked by one person, maybe going to the one or two open shops. It was quite and beautiful, just the way a perfect Christmas ("white Christmas") would be.
Nathan's was open and full of customers. I almost bought a fish sandwich, but the queue was too long and it was not long since I had lunch. And I did not want a beer, I was planning a long trip by a bus.
I jumped on the first bus. It was heading west, with 10 passengers. My idea was to ride the bus to the terminal and back, but the driver threw me out at the terminal. I was left with a Russian grandmother, to wait for the next bus. She was singing some folk songs, the wind was howling, blasting snow on my face. I was miserable.
Another bus came, displaying its route back to Midtown Manhattan. Perfect. Bus stopped, I climbed in, wiped my metro card. Invalid! Me panicking, not wanting to stay outside with the grandmother any more, driver : "The card is not valid in this bus, you need to pay cash. But where are you going?". Me: "To any subway station, but I do not have $5 dollars in coins". Driver: "It would not help anyway, I am not driving by any subway station". I was about the go out, when the drive told me, smiling: "Do not worry, come in, let's go".
We started towards Midtown, drove around the block and got stuck in the snow. "This is the end", said the driver, but began to drive back and forth. After ten minutes the bus broke free. I complimented the driver: "That was skillful". He disagreed: "Nah, it was pure luck". The rest of the trip was quite uneventful, we got to Manhattan without any accidents. The driver told me: "Everyone should be at home today. I should not be driving this bus. It is too dangerous. Can you feel it sliding all the time. I brake early, I try to drive safely, but I tell you, there are so many nut-cases around, and if any of them does something stupid, jumps in the way, I cannot stop this bus. This is too dangerous." He dropped me at the corner of the 6th avenue and the 16th Street. It was close enough to Union Square, where I had a cup of coffee at Wholefoods.
I heard on the radio, that the La Guardia airport was closed because of the blizzard. And I got curious, I had to see a closed airport. I took subway to the Grand Central and intended to take a subway from there to the airport. There was a train waiting in the station, quiet and with closed doors. Clearly now going anywhere. As I stood there wondering the train, a tall black man in a long white fur coat came to ask whether the train was about to go. I did not know, could not tell, and he went on his way, just to come back in 3 minutes. He had found that the train was about to leave on Monday. Clearly, neither me or him were about the see the closed airport.
A bit disappointed, I decided to take the Staten Island Ferry instead, just to see the sea, the skylines of New York and New Jersey, just to feel the slight and soothing rolling of the ferry, just to kill some time. It was a beautiful ride, uneventful and calming, not dangerous as the bus ride was.
After the ferry-trip, I went to see the snow in the Central Park. It looked , well, just like snow does anywhere. Children were playing, making snowmen. Couples were strolling, enjoying the romantic silence.
Before dinner, I bought the books (see below) from the St. Mark's Bookstore. I had a nice dinner in the Japanese on the East 8th Street (fish, rice, beer. A pint of Kirin for $1.5)
Such was my day in New York. I think everyone should be lucky enough to visit New York during a blizzard.
In Europe, Ford sells Transit-vans. They have 100 horsepower turbodiesel engines. In USA, Ford sells E-series vans. They have 230 horsepower 4.7 liter V-8 engines. The European ones are hugely more efficient and economical.
A week ago, New York Times run an article on the new Toyota pick-up trucks. The trucks have huge V-8 engines, which consume a lot of gas. According to the article, high fuel consumption does not matter, because most of the trucks are bought by companies. A strange argument, I would say. If wasting fuel does not matter, why are companies so eager not to pay higher salaries or provide better health care? Why is it OK to waste money on unnecessary fuel and not on necessary health care?
On the right, a very strange picture. It depicts both Mohammed and Jesus. Is that not quite close to being a miracle?
Alun perin julkaistu kuukausikoosteessa "Blogs January to February 2006".
New York and the blizzard
New York is at its best during and after a blizzard. It is quiet, white, and beautiful.Sunday's record breaking blizzard covered the city with 26 inches (66 cm) of snow. Street parked cars were buried, garage parked unusable with their summer tyres. The city was the realm of walking, playing, smiling, even cycling. Some busses were running with snow-chains on, garbage trucks were ploughing the snow, dare-devil taxi-drivers were sliding their taxis here and there - one smashed into the bus I was riding, broke its bumber and lights, but escaped unharmed.
I woke up late, decided to go for lunch to the authentic Muslim-restaurant in the corner of Broadway and East 29th street. Food is very good there and not too expensive. Spicy chickpeas, vegetable stew, rice, two naan breads, and salad cost $6. Just walking from the East 28th/5th avenue subway was too hard in my slippery shoes and broken coat. It was fun, though: walking in the middle of avenues and streets in New York is not commonplace. I had to, sidewalks were still full of snow.
Snow does not stop the subway. It was running with surprisingly many passengers in Manhattan. Surprising since most stairs down to the stations were slippery, full of snow and ice. I got down, and decided not to come up for a while: I was on my way to the Coney Island, to see whether Nathan's was open, to see more snow, to see how the Russians cope with the snow. Well, it turned out. The car got emptier and emptier as we passed through snowy, quiet Brooklyn. For the last 20 minutes, I was travelling with a young man with pink rubber boots, an elder Russian lady (Haloo, da, harasoo) and an old Russian man, who had a box full of strange things and who was smoking mahorka (Russian tobacco).
Many streets in Brooklyn had not seen anyone on Sunday, some had been walked by one person, maybe going to the one or two open shops. It was quite and beautiful, just the way a perfect Christmas ("white Christmas") would be.
Nathan's was open and full of customers. I almost bought a fish sandwich, but the queue was too long and it was not long since I had lunch. And I did not want a beer, I was planning a long trip by a bus. I jumped on the first bus. It was heading west, with 10 passengers. My idea was to ride the bus to the terminal and back, but the driver threw me out at the terminal. I was left with a Russian grandmother, to wait for the next bus. She was singing some folk songs, the wind was howling, blasting snow on my face. I was miserable.
Another bus came, displaying its route back to Midtown Manhattan. Perfect. Bus stopped, I climbed in, wiped my metro card. Invalid! Me panicking, not wanting to stay outside with the grandmother any more, driver : "The card is not valid in this bus, you need to pay cash. But where are you going?". Me: "To any subway station, but I do not have $5 dollars in coins". Driver: "It would not help anyway, I am not driving by any subway station". I was about the go out, when the drive told me, smiling: "Do not worry, come in, let's go".
We started towards Midtown, drove around the block and got stuck in the snow. "This is the end", said the driver, but began to drive back and forth. After ten minutes the bus broke free. I complimented the driver: "That was skillful". He disagreed: "Nah, it was pure luck". The rest of the trip was quite uneventful, we got to Manhattan without any accidents. The driver told me: "Everyone should be at home today. I should not be driving this bus. It is too dangerous. Can you feel it sliding all the time. I brake early, I try to drive safely, but I tell you, there are so many nut-cases around, and if any of them does something stupid, jumps in the way, I cannot stop this bus. This is too dangerous." He dropped me at the corner of the 6th avenue and the 16th Street. It was close enough to Union Square, where I had a cup of coffee at Wholefoods. I heard on the radio, that the La Guardia airport was closed because of the blizzard. And I got curious, I had to see a closed airport. I took subway to the Grand Central and intended to take a subway from there to the airport. There was a train waiting in the station, quiet and with closed doors. Clearly now going anywhere. As I stood there wondering the train, a tall black man in a long white fur coat came to ask whether the train was about to go. I did not know, could not tell, and he went on his way, just to come back in 3 minutes. He had found that the train was about to leave on Monday. Clearly, neither me or him were about the see the closed airport.
A bit disappointed, I decided to take the Staten Island Ferry instead, just to see the sea, the skylines of New York and New Jersey, just to feel the slight and soothing rolling of the ferry, just to kill some time. It was a beautiful ride, uneventful and calming, not dangerous as the bus ride was. After the ferry-trip, I went to see the snow in the Central Park. It looked , well, just like snow does anywhere. Children were playing, making snowmen. Couples were strolling, enjoying the romantic silence.
Before dinner, I bought the books (see below) from the St. Mark's Bookstore. I had a nice dinner in the Japanese on the East 8th Street (fish, rice, beer. A pint of Kirin for $1.5)
Such was my day in New York. I think everyone should be lucky enough to visit New York during a blizzard.
Daily energy blogging (8): On vans
In Europe, Ford sells Transit-vans. They have 100 horsepower turbodiesel engines. In USA, Ford sells E-series vans. They have 230 horsepower 4.7 liter V-8 engines. The European ones are hugely more efficient and economical. A week ago, New York Times run an article on the new Toyota pick-up trucks. The trucks have huge V-8 engines, which consume a lot of gas. According to the article, high fuel consumption does not matter, because most of the trucks are bought by companies. A strange argument, I would say. If wasting fuel does not matter, why are companies so eager not to pay higher salaries or provide better health care? Why is it OK to waste money on unnecessary fuel and not on necessary health care?
On Mohammed pictures
The Koran tells the Muslims not to draw pictures of Mohammed. Since photography was not invented in the 7th century, when Mohammed lived, and no Muslim at the time dared to draw his picture, we cannot know, what Mohammed looked like. Thus the infamous pictures most likely do not represent the real Mohammed. The Muslim could just have said: "Well drawn, but these pictures are not of Mohammed, but of someone else. We know better and ignore pictures by any Christian artist". Crisis avoided, Christian artists ridiculed.A picture of Mohammed and Jesus
On the right, a very strange picture. It depicts both Mohammed and Jesus. Is that not quite close to being a miracle?Alun perin julkaistu kuukausikoosteessa "Blogs January to February 2006".
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