The East Coast War Memorial..

It was a lovely day, if a tad windy and crisp outside, but I'm a sturdy soul and took advantage of the sunshine to wander across the street and around the newly refurbished Battery City Park (most of it has been completed, still under construction in spots). And stumbled upon the East Coast War Memorial for the American Servicemen and Women who died in WWII.



I thought it was the Korean War Memorial - but that's much further down, apparently. Will have to see that at another time. It may still be under construction.

"This memorial commemorates those soldiers, sailors, Marines, coast guardsmen, merchant mariners and airmen who met their deaths in the service of their country in the western waters of the Atlantic Ocean during World War II. Its axis is oriented on the Statue of Liberty. On each side of the axis are four gray granite pylons upon which are inscribed the name, rank, organization, and state of each of the over 4,600 missing in the waters of the Atlantic. For names where an individual’s remains have subsequently been accounted for by the U.S. Department of Defense, a rosette is placed next to the name on the memorial to indicate that the person now rests in a known gravesite." Go HERE for more information on it.

This Memorial was striking:

It had concrete slabs decorated with thousands upon thousands of names of those who perished.
( photos of the slabs )

And there were six of them, all overlooking the harbor and the Statue of Liberty in the distance.
( picture of the six slabs )

I think these types of Memorials are important, because they bring home the death toll of War, and how horrible Wars truly are. It's overwhelming to stand among these towering slabs and see these names, against a clear robin's egg blue sky. It puts it in context.

At the front of them, was an eagle in flight, with the tribute - for those who served in the Atlantic and died there, between 1941-1945.
( eagle in flight at the beginning of the memorial )

Like I said - after looking at a map of the park, I thought it was the Korean War Memorial. (But that is further down and not visible today. Possibly in the area under construction.) I spoke to mother about the Korean War.

Me: I didn't realize that many people died in the Korean War?
Mother: Oh, it was a lot of folks, and it lasted a long time. It's still not resolved. Eisenhower got elected on the promise of ending it, but the most he could do was a ceasefire and a truce. There were no winners. And a lot of people died in it.
Me: What about McArthur?
Mother: McArthur got in trouble with Truman. He wanted Truman to bomb China, and Truman refused, and fired McArthur. And the War in the Pacific kind of shifted into the Korean War.

This makes me think of the Civil War Era song... Down by the Riverside - I Ain't Gonna Study War No More

We've had so many wars. Humanity has fought more wars than I can keep track of - all over the planet. Every country is washed in blood. No one is immune. And the death tolls are...overwhelming. And very little was resolved with all this violence. And what was it over? Really? Land disputes? Power disputes? Money?

It is my hope that we can figure out a way to resolve the current conflict in the US without violence. Cory Booker moved me yesterday - because he pushed for a non-violent and united resolution. Stating that Trump pushed for conflict, and we had to push for resolution and compromise.

Wednesday took a walk at lunch to see the sights..

Working at the tip of Manhattan, New York (in New York City) has its advantages. For one thing - I'm knee deep in the historic district and being a history buff this makes me exceedingly happy. For another? It's the tip of an island - so near a lot of water. I get to see the East River, and the New York Harbor. There are boats everywhere. And since it is the "financial district" and not the shopping or theater district, there's not quite as many tourists or people wandering about as there is in Midtown.

Plus? It's a thirty minute subway ride from my home, and I could possibly take a ferry to a subway in the summer time, which would make for a much much longer commute, so maybe not?

As you can see below (assuming the photo is visible), it was a lovely day, and the park was green and in bloom...



They apparently put in a Carousel...




The weird looking dome structure is the Carousel.

( up close and personal )

It appears to be some avant gard artist's take on a Carousel? Instead of ponies, the kids get inside and ride weird neon colored fishes??

( the fish Carousel )

Across the street from Battery City Park is...the Shrine to Saint Elizabeth Anne Seaton - the first American Born Saint.
( shrine in the middle of skyscrapers...gotta love New York )

I'm not entirely sure why they made her a Saint? But the whole Sainthood thing never made any sense to me? Let's just say there is more than one reason why I left Catholicism to become a Unitarian Universalist and leave it at that. But that's why this ugly building dating back from the 1700s or thereabouts, is smack dab in the middle of a skyscraper.

( close up of the shrine )

As you can see below (or not as the case may be...), spring has sprung in the city...finally:

News for what its worth...

Some interesting news:

1. From Bloomberg: Something interesting just happened in the US Senate, my colleague Alicia Diaz reported, that shows some resistance to Trump’s trade war growing in the GOP.

"Republican senators were forced late Wednesday to do something they’ve avoided: take a public stand on the trade war President Donald Trump is instigating.
( Read more... )

While.."The UK has a fairly sanguine response to the 10% tariff it now faces, treating it almost like a win:

“While we are disappointed that UK is within the scope of global tariff announcement, the fact the UK is on the lowest rate of any G7 nation reflects the fact we have a balanced trade relationship with the US.”

-- Per NY Senator Chuck Schumer: "BREAKING: The Senate just passed our bill to liberate America from Trump’s reckless and inflationary trade war with Canada that only helps fund his billionaire tax cuts while making families pick up the tab."

And.."The Senate passed a resolution Wednesday night that would thwart President Donald Trump’s ability to impose tariffs on Canada, delivering a rare rebuke to the president just hours after he unveiled sweeping plans to clamp down on international trade. The Senate resolution, passed by a 51-48 vote tally with four Republicans and all Democrats in support, would end Trump’s emergency declaration on fentanyl trafficking that underpins tariffs on Canada. Trump earlier Wednesday announced orders — his so-called “Liberation Day” — to impose import taxes on a slew of international trading partners, though Canadian imports for now were spared from new taxes." GO HERE

2. Democrat Susan Crawford didn't just win her Wisconsin judicial race, she won it by ten points..

3. Daredevil Born Again Casting News: Lily Taylor and Mathew Lillard join the cast in recurring roles.

"No one would comment but I hear she would play a political foe for Vincent D’Onofrio’s Wilson Fisk. Taylor joins fellow new Season 2 cast addition Matthew Lillard who also is set to recur. Filming on the new season is currently underway in New York."

4. Per Alt National Parks:

"Emails reveal that Dudek Leland, Acting Commissioner of the Social Security Administration, knowingly took illegal action to punish the people of Maine for political reasons.
In response to Governor Janet Mills refusing to comply with what’s being called a potentially unlawful executive order from President Trump, Leland terminated two vital SSA contracts with the state. These contracts managed enumeration at birth and electronic death registration—programs designed to reduce fraud and ensure payment accuracy.

Here’s what the emails show:
( see below the cut )

4. Val Kilmer Dead at the Age of 65, of Pneumonia - RIP Val.

5. John Lithgow reads "10 Lessons on Tyranny"

6. Senate Republican Accuses Trump of Violating Law on Spending
( excerpt )