Events for Thursday, October 16, 2008

8:30 a.m. Peter Vallone moderates Baruch College's forum on term limits. In theNewman Conference Center, 151 East 25th St., 7th floor.

8:30 a.m. Young Lawyers for Obama meet at Dewey & Lebouf, 1301 Sixth Ave., 23rd floor.

8:30 a.m. The Board of Directors of the New York City Industrial Development Agency meet in the 4th floor boardroom at NYCEDC offices, 110 William St.

9 a.m. Brooklyn College hosts a forum on HIV-AIDS outreach at The Penthouse of the Student Center, 2900 Bedford Ave.

9:30 a.m. State Senator Ruben Diaz and the New York Hispanic Clergy Organization protest an abortion clinic located at 560 Southern Blvd. in the Bronx.

9:30 a.m. The New York City Campaign Finance Board meets in OATH Conference Room E, 6th floor, 40 Rector St.

10 a.m. Joel Klein celebrates "Principal For A Day" at P.S. 71, 3040 Roberts Ave. in the Bronx.

10 a.m. Public hearing on potential of voter fraud by recipients of "Spitzer licenses" at yhe Metropolitan club, 122 East 83rd St.

10 a.m. The Regional Plan Association releases a transportation investment blueprint for New York City and northern New Jersey at the Union Square subway station entrance at 15th Street and Union Square East. (Until 2 p.m.)

11 a.m. Union 1199 SEIU endorses State Senator Serf Maltese at the Maltese campaign headquarters, 71-20 Myrtle Ave., Queens.

11:45 a.m. Ralph Nader holds a rally protesting the Wall Street bailout at Federal Hall, next to the stock exchange, at 26 Wall St.

2 p.m. The State Task Force to Increase the Utilization of Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise Underwriters for State Debt Offerings meets at the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York, One Penn Plaza, 52nd Floor.

3 p.m. The Skyscraper Museum hosts a symposium on the dense urbanism of Hong Kong and Manhattan as part of its "Vertical Cities: Hong Kong/New York" exhibition. In the auditorium at One Chase Manhattan Plaza, 60th Floor.

6 p.m. National Press Club holds a forum on "The First Amendment, Freedom of the Press & the Future." Speakers will include Tom Curley, Jill Abramson, and Dan Rather. At the N.Y.U. Carter Institute, 20 Cooper Square.

7 p.m. U.S. Green Building Council, New York honors Michael Blooberg, Jeff Zucker and Christine Quinn at its annual Fall Gala. At the American Museum of Natural History, Theodore Roosevelt Rotunda Reception, Rose Center, Central Park West and 79th Street.

7 p.m. Top food experts discuss the global food crisis as part of World Food Day. In the Great Hall at Cooper Union, 7 East 7th St.

7 p.m. John McCain and Barack Obama address the annual Alfred E. Smith Dinner in the Waldorf-Astoria Grand Ballroom, Park Avenue and 50th Street. (8:55 p.m. to 10 p.m. Remarks by McCain and Obama and Cardinal Egan.)

7:30 p.m. The Israel Project hosts a presidential debate with representatives from the McCain and Obama campaigns on U.S. Middle East policy, Israel and Iran. At the Park East Synagogue, 163 East 67th St.

All day (9 a.m. to 4 p.m.) The Department of Buildings hosts an international crane safety conference at the New W Hotel construction site, on the corner of Washington and Carlisle Streets.