Ahmedinejad’s visit to New York

Just because I’m living on the other side of the world doesn’t mean I don’t keep up with news from home. In fact, I become even more diligent to make sure I am caught up with all the happenings. It’s like that in New York; time is warped there. You can’t never guess how much can happen within the span of a few months. Such as, closings of a few much loved restaurants and establishments. Such as, news that a recent ex has just been engaged. But nevermind all of that; today’s news about Ahmedinejad speaking at Columbia trumps them all!

Here are a few memorable quotes from the event, accumulated from various news sources:

“The truth is, the Holocaust is the most-documented event in human history. Will you cease this outrage?” – Bollinger

“Frankly, and in all candor, I doubt that you will have the intellectual courage to answer these questions. I do expect you to exhibit the fanatical mind-set that characterizes everything you say and do.” – Bollinger’s closing

“Given that the Holocaust is a present reality of our time, why is there not sufficient research that can approach the topic from different perspectives?” – Ahmadinejad

“I know there’s time limits, but I need time,” he snaps. “A lot of time was taken from me!” – Ahmedinejad

“We are a peaceful loving nation. We love all nations!” – Ahmedinejad

“I think you could answer that with a simple word, Yes or No.” – Bollinger when asking about Ahmedinejad’s plans to ’squash’ Israel.

“In Iran we don’t have homosexuals like in your country. We don’t have homosexuals. In Iran we do not have this phenomenon, I don’t know who told you that we have it.” — Ahmedinejad

“From this platform I invite Columbia faculty members and students to come to Iran and speak with professors and students. You’re officially invited.” – Ahmedinejad

“To those who believe that this event should never have happened, that it is inappropriate for the university to conduct such an event, I want to say that I understand your perspective and respect it as reasonable It is an experiment, as all life is an experiment. This is the right thing to do and indeed, it is required by the existing norms of free speech, of Columbia University and of academic institutions.” – Bollinger

it’s been 6 years

“I would give the greatest sunset in the world for one sight of New York’s skyline. Particularly when one can’t see the details. Just the shapes. The shapes and the thought that made them. The sky over New York and the will of man made visible. What other religion do we need? And then people tell me about pilgrimages to some dank pesthole in a jungle where they go to do homage to a crumbling temple, to a leering stone monster with a pot belly, created by some leprous savage. Is it beauty and genius they want to see? Do they seek a sense of the sublime? Let them come to New York, stand on the shore of the Hudson, look and kneel. When I see the city from my window – no, I don’t feel how small I am – but I feel that if a war came to threaten this, I would throw myself into space, over the city, and protect these buildings with my body.”

Ayn Rand must have loved those towers.

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A long video clip – of images and sounds we don’t want to see but should not ever forget.

mft #1: the real Bagel

So I will kick off the MFT series with the one thing that I’ve missed the most and that my life isn’t quite complete without – real, authentic Bagels, with a capital “B”.

Yes, there is a thing as an authentic Bagel. It’s the kind that is freshly boiled and right out of the oven – they are big and thick, with a crunchy crust and a warm, chewy center that is doughy but not overly so. Top with some fresh cream cheese, smoked salmon, tomato slices – hello, lover.

Any other type of “bagel”, especially those that need to be toasted, or come from bags(?!), are knock-offs. They are also known as crap.

you can find it at: the birthplace of the American bagel. In New York, the best-bagel war will never end, but my favorite is at Ess-a-Bagel, but don’t mind the line, and unless you’d like to be yelled at, don’t ask for your bagel toasted! and on the days i find myself on the UWS, i will almost always go to the original H&H Bagels on 80th st.