Reading List - July 25, 2005
Sy Hersh's latest missive got all the press even before the issue went to print, but it's William Finnegan's monumental portrait of the NYPD's transformation into the finest counter-terrorism force in the country that is this week's must-read (the piece isn't online, but here's a Q&A with Finnegan).
Finnegan paints a picture that will make any New Yorker swoon with pride. Rather than idling as the federal government sends the city's counter-terrorism dollars to Wyoming, Ray Kelly has spared no effort, and seemingly no expense, gathering the most experienced guys, training hundreds of officers, investing millions in infrastructure, and building a force that is way ahead of the curve in scope and capability. The NYPD counter-terrorism effort is staffed by individuals with top credentials and a we-don't-sleep-for-days-on-end work ethic. In particular, the department's reliance on the linguistic abilities of New York's manifold immigrant communites is a shining example of how to turn American values of tolerance and diversity to our advantage, while delivering a giant fuck-you to the terrorists who see those same values as both an affront and an opportunity.
But as effective as Finnegan is in describing the heroic efforts of the NYPD, it's impossible not to see the gaps that remain. Take Nexus, the department's attempt to build a dynamic institutional knowledge of city businesses that might be of use to terrorists. The program sends officers to meet with 200 city businesses each week. It's an admirable effort, but an effective one only so long as terrorists buy their equipment in the five boroughs. Explosive materials acquired in New Jersey, flight training acquired in Arizona, a plane boarded at Logan -- all these are beyond the NYPD's radar. Only Washington has the resources and authority to police our far-flung frontiers. And judging from Chief Kelly's view of overall federal effectiveness on counter-terrorism, it's impossible to read this piece and sleep soundly afterwards.
New York has come through with a great piece about the Fulton Fish Market. In many respects, it's typical New York fare, reveling in the prodigious spending of the city elite. But this one also offers a glimpse into a fascinating subculture and a thorough rendering of the process by which the finest fish in the world make their way from remote waters to the tables of upscale eateries.
Also worth checking out is this interesting TOTT about the competition for a rare open spot in the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra.
Finally, my pick for the cartoon caption contest: #3
Finnegan paints a picture that will make any New Yorker swoon with pride. Rather than idling as the federal government sends the city's counter-terrorism dollars to Wyoming, Ray Kelly has spared no effort, and seemingly no expense, gathering the most experienced guys, training hundreds of officers, investing millions in infrastructure, and building a force that is way ahead of the curve in scope and capability. The NYPD counter-terrorism effort is staffed by individuals with top credentials and a we-don't-sleep-for-days-on-end work ethic. In particular, the department's reliance on the linguistic abilities of New York's manifold immigrant communites is a shining example of how to turn American values of tolerance and diversity to our advantage, while delivering a giant fuck-you to the terrorists who see those same values as both an affront and an opportunity.
But as effective as Finnegan is in describing the heroic efforts of the NYPD, it's impossible not to see the gaps that remain. Take Nexus, the department's attempt to build a dynamic institutional knowledge of city businesses that might be of use to terrorists. The program sends officers to meet with 200 city businesses each week. It's an admirable effort, but an effective one only so long as terrorists buy their equipment in the five boroughs. Explosive materials acquired in New Jersey, flight training acquired in Arizona, a plane boarded at Logan -- all these are beyond the NYPD's radar. Only Washington has the resources and authority to police our far-flung frontiers. And judging from Chief Kelly's view of overall federal effectiveness on counter-terrorism, it's impossible to read this piece and sleep soundly afterwards.
New York has come through with a great piece about the Fulton Fish Market. In many respects, it's typical New York fare, reveling in the prodigious spending of the city elite. But this one also offers a glimpse into a fascinating subculture and a thorough rendering of the process by which the finest fish in the world make their way from remote waters to the tables of upscale eateries.
One morning, I visit Pierless Fish, another top-rated local wholesaler, in the Brooklyn Navy Yard, and find owner Robert DeMasco barking buy-and-sell orders into a phone while frantically clicking away on his computer. At a nearby desk, his partner haggles with a Maine fisherman over an order of striped bass. “How much does he want?” DeMasco asks.
“He wants $4.50.”
“Fuck him! Tell him $4.”
His partner shrugs. This fisherman’s a good source, so the partner doesn’t want to piss him off and risk losing the guy’s support if they need striped bass later in the month. DeMasco gives in and agrees to $4.50. “There’s a lot of deal-making,” he tells me.
The sheer value of an individual purchase can be astonishing. We wander over to a six-foot-long box, and DeMasco heaves off the cover. Inside is a massive bluefin tuna, as thick as a tree trunk. He’ll cut it up into some fish fillets and block-pieces of sushi. Bluefin costs $9 a pound, and this one weighs almost 500 pounds. It’s a $4,000 fish.
Also worth checking out is this interesting TOTT about the competition for a rare open spot in the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra.
Finally, my pick for the cartoon caption contest: #3
posted by anguswit at 10:23 PM
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