Sunday, April 12, 2009

True New, Update All Weekend


Bananas II

2009 NY
City Council
& Albany

UFTGATE Bloomy reacts to union's Council question cards: 'doesn't pass the smell test' The teachers union's attempt to plant questions at a City Council hearing this week "doesn't pass the smell test," Mayor Bloomberg said Friday *** TEACH-UNION CHEAT SHEETS REEK: MIKE *** Sunday *** PUPPETEER POT O' GOLD: UFT FAT-CAT SALARIES SOAR
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Albany: The Tax Capital of the World States are raising taxes despite the 'stimulus'; New York is No. 1. Like the old competition to have the world's tallest building, New York can't resist having the nation's highest taxes. So after California raised its top income tax rate to 10.55% last month, Albany's politicians leapt into action to reclaim high-tax honors. Maybe C-Span can make this tax competition a new reality TV series; Carla Bruni, the first lady of France, could host- WSJ


The City BIG BRO'S WATCHING YOU DRIVEDOWNTOWN *** NEW-SCHOOL SIEGE: REBELS ARRESTED IN 'NEW' TAKEOVER BID * After Occupation Ends, Tensions Flare Again * Videos of New School Arrests * Video: Police Spray, Tackle New Schoolers 16 *Reports of tear gas, brutality, as cops oust New School protestors *** NYC HOME SALES DROP WORSE THAN AUTOS *** Illegal hotel still advertising From The Real Deal *** Stadium Work by Firms the City Shuns: Companies once linked to organized crime performed electrical work at the new Yankee Stadium and demolition work at Shea *** Cities Turn to Fees to Fill Budget Gaps *** Beyond Sideshows, the City and a Developer Face Off Over Coney Island’s Future *** Center That Serves Older Homeless People Is to Be Shut Down *** A Nice Place to Stand and Wait for a Bus That Might Stop Coming *** Making a Comeback: $200,000 Studios *** Good News, Bad News on Power Bills *** Prickly but popular porcupine saves the day for city's zoos *** DN Editorial: Count on the cops: There are those who never tire of predicting that New York will see a resurgence in crime, and, bless their doomsaying souls, they are wrong again *** Bloomberg urges City Council to slash its budget *** Toll Brothers’ Gowanus Canal development stall... *** City, Activists Differ on Homeless Count (Queens Chronicle) *** Alewife Found in Bronx River for First Time Since 1600s(Parks Department) *** Yankee Stadium and Citi Field Going Green?(Idealist in NYC) *** Interview with Robert Morgenthau(Charlie Rose via Re-thinking Reentry) *** The Shameful Disenfranchisement of the Military in New York(National Review) *** For Cities, Labor Flexibility is “More Important Than Ever”(NY Fiscal Watch) *** Before it was ‘Tribeca,’ Bazzini roasted nuts. Now it plans to close *** Deutsche work stops indefinitely after small fires *** Sunday *** CITY $PREADING FRESH FED AID TO MORE SCHOOLS ***
TREES GROW IN CONCRETE JUNGLE
*** WAR VETS READY FOR ENROLL CALL: $URGE IN GI BILL BOOSTS CITY COLLEGES *** Times Traveler: Easter Parades in New York *** City Trying to Get Census to Add Up *** Uneasily Contemplating the Arrival of a Spiffy Newcomer Several businesses in an industrial sliver in northern Brooklyn and western Queens will have to move to make way for the new Kosciuszko Bridge *** Attacking city worker benefits is assaulting the middle class *** Central Park Jogger: 20 years later *** Gangs May Be Hunting for More Than Just Eggs Tomorrow *** Being A Beatle's Girlfriend Leaves Little Time For MTA Work *** E-Z Pass Monitors Being Set Up to Observe City Traffic *** Hotel unions move closer to a strike *** Amazin' Duo To Appear At Mets Home Opener

Road to City Hall BLOOMY'S GOT GOP IN LINE Bloomberg has snagged the support of a third GOP county leader, effectively assuring him of the party line in November, sources said yesterday. The sources said that Bronx GOP leader Jay . . . * Bloomberg will run as Republican in bid for third term *** Bloomberg Bullish on Jobs While Others Forecast Gloom *** Bloomy gets scolded: campaign talk on radio show a no-no *** Democrat Ruben Diaz Jr. has raised $406,662 and spent $302,437 on his Bronx BP bid; his GOP opponent, Anthony Ribustello has raised $5,170 and spent $4,428 *** Mayor Bloomberg is going to release yet-another TV ad - in Virginia *** Gay Dems Show Strength In Boro *** Bloomberg's Townhouse not So Green *** Thompson "will surprise a lot of people" Before he'd served as city controller, William Thompson Jr. had clear instructions from his dad: "do your usual good job" and "listen to your father."


Albany A Mission for Gov. Paterson Gov. David Paterson of New York must follow through with his promise to push Albany to sanction same-sex marriage in New York State, NYT Ed *** Advocates Say Paterson Falls Short On Gay Marriage Issue *** Union Rejects Governor's Offer To Avoid Layoffs With Pay Cut *** MEGA SALES BOOST LOTTERY *** Former Bruno aide moves to CMA *** Limbaugh on NY’s income tax hike *** Bruno 2.0 (Updated 2x) *** Nine Decades Of Hugh Carey *** Capitol Relief - 1st class bathroooms *** Roger Stone: "These blog freaks that interpolate going to the Albany area where I have many, many friends and is just north of where my parents live in the very tip of northern Westchester; they've decided that democracy is about to fall and there's all kinds of skulduggery. " *** Probe of Electricity Market Digs Deeper *** It’s Time for Albany to Take Responsibility for the MTA(DMI Blog) *** Cartoonist’s Take on Paterson’s Approach to the Recession(Adam Zyglis) *** State Throws Another Half Mil Down the Toilet *** Sen. Maziarz: Upstate Democrats Lacked "Courage" By Voting For Budget Bills *** Transit Rescue Plan May Hinge on Highway Spending, and Republican Support *** Former State GOP Leader Dies At Age 49


Pay to Play Shocked booze boss stumbled upon employees divvying up gift cards A boss at the Harlem State Liquor Authority office being probed for corruption once stumbled upon employees greedily divvying up gift cards from a favor seeker, sources said *** Quick Picks: Well-Connected Bank Lobbyists and More Prosecutor Misconduct *** Banks Deploy Ex-Capitol Hill Aides as Lobbyists - Mother Jones *** Companies Got Big Tax Savings by Spending on Lobbyists - Kansas City Star *** Ponzi Schemes Thrive Due to Underfunded Watchdogs - Sacramento Bee *** Sunday *** 'FAMILY' AFFAIR FOR FINANCE COMMISH City Finance Commissioner Martha Stark has been dating a former assistant commissioner in her department -- which also hired her lover's ex-husband and three of Stark's family members *** HARD LIQUOR-AGENCY WHISTLEBLOWER BATTLE - Two high-ranking officials at the embattled State Liquor Authority had to repeatedly push state investigators to look into possible corruption at their agency before they got any satisfaction *** POLITICS BUBBLING BELOW THE SURFACE AT WATER BOARD ONE of the newest members of the city's Water Board is going to have a hard time rejecting the administration's request for a 14 percent hike in water and sewer rates next month, because Mayor Bloomberg is appearing at a fund-raiser for the nonprofit she heads just two weeks later *** Bribes for booze licenses From WCBS880 *** Lisberg: Ethics board goin' easy on city brass? *** Cheap politics: Board of Elections pays ridiculous rent in party patronage ploy
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President Obama DIPLOMACY'S A PICNIC TO PREZ: BAM & HILL MEET BY THE PLAYGROUND *** Obama urges cooperation on global threats *** Obama says economy showing 'glimmers of hope' *** Cautious response is quintessential Obama *** Washington Churches Eye a Prize, the Obamas *** UPDATE: ASU Considering Giving Obama Degree *** Cheney Skipping Bush Administration Reunion *** Gibbs Gets Sassy Over Bowing Inquiry *** Obama sees 'glimmers of hope' for U.S. economy *** Obama sees 'glimmers of hope' for U.S. economy *** Rivals? Life's a picnic for Obama and Hillary Clinton in garden pow-wow *** Gates budget eyes next gen. warfare *** Obama releases Reagan records *** VIDEO: Obama's holiday message *** Obama may get ASU honor after all *** Gingrich hits Obama on pirates *** Summers: Economic 'free-fall' ending *** VA flack seizes reporter's video *** Gibbs downplays Times story on immigration *** Volcker Adjusts to Smaller Role *** Wall Street Digs In. Is Obama Ready? - Michael Hirsh, Newsweek *** Surviving in Obama's Post-US World - Caroline Glick, Jerusalem Post *** Back in Texas, A More Simple Life for Bush - Eli Saslow, Washington Post *** D.C. Kids Sold Out by Obama - Deroy Murdock, Boston Herald *** Catholic Democrats: Is Their Support for Obama Fraying? *** Ticker: ASU apologizes, honors Obama *** Secretary Salazar: The Everyman of Obama’s Cabinet *** Check Out the Obama Team’s Financial Filings *** Sunday *** Obama has hundreds of important jobs still open *** Obama: World's problems require global cooperation *** Republican governor blasts Obama budget *** End of the Clash of Civilizations: While President Obama has made progress toward recalibrating America’s relations with the Islamic world, he also needs to address the differences with many Muslim countries that are harder to bridge, NYT Ed ***


Congress Republicans claim proposed budget means more taxes *** Campaign Finance Reform -- Not *** Deadlock: Rise of the endless election *** A mini-Minnesota in NY-20 *** Politi-quotes: The week in one-liners *** Minn. Dems launch giveitupnorm.com *** What the GOP Can Learn from Reagan Dems - Eleanor Clift, Newsweek *** Sen Stevens and Prosecutorial Misconduct - Dan Thomasson, Wash Times *** Rebranding Gillibrand(The American Conservative) *** The Senator Who Saw This Coming *** America's uninsured haven't shown collective power *** Sunday *** Dismissal for Stevens, but Question on ‘Innocent’ *** The First Showdown on Health Care: Democrats would be foolish to give up passing President Obama’s proposed health care budget with only a majority vote without evidence that Republicans will truly cooperate with fashioning reform, NYT Ed *** Shortfalls Cited in Stevens Case


Wall Street Mess Federal budget deficit sets March record $192.3B *** Burned Investors Seek Madoff Bankruptcy * Personal Bankruptcy for Madoff More Likely * Judge OKs forcing Bernie into bankruptcy to help pay back vics *** Citigroup Shareholders Rebel, Target Board *** Treasury Seeks Billions in Concessions for GM and CHRYSLER From Banks, Bondholders... *** Showdown Seen Between Banks and Regulators *** Austere Times? Perfect *** Donald Trump Was Too Smart to Invest With Madoff * Bidding war erupts over Madoff's Mets tix *Trustee to Gibraltar bank: Give back Madoff bucks! *** Govt to banks: Ssshhh, keep those stress tests under wraps *** U.S. govt to banks: Ssshhh *** Report: US toughens terms for automaker creditors *** Madoff Feeder Fees Topped $790 Million *** Small Investors Stuck In GM Bond Fight *** JetBlue Chief landed jumbo pay raise *** Economy may contribute to rise in family violence *** Is AIG Spending Too Much on Public Relations? *** 2 more banks fail, lifting this year's tally to 23... *** Catch-22: Can AIG Repay Taxpayers? *** This Week in Scandals: Bailout Moves Threaten to Backfire *** Sunday *** 'ROCK' BOTTOM: RECESSION BRIDES OPT FOR BABY CARATS *** Crisis Altering Wall Street as Big Banks Lose Top Talent - veteran bankers are leaving to join start-ups and foreign companies *** Tech Recruiting Clashes With Immigration Rules *** Recession Pain, Even in Palm Beach *** Central Park Jogger: 20 years later *** Wall Street Reform Does Not Go Far Enough - Michael Hirsh, Newsweek *** Bondholders Are Still Looking to D.C. for Relief - Daniel Gross, Slate


National Justice Ginsburg laments being court's only woman *** As Medical Charts Go Electronic, Rural Doctor Sees Healthy Change *** Court says no to lesbian in custody bid *** Same-sex marriage roils Iowa politics *** Tough Times for Community Pillars *** Investor Floats Plan for Vegas Project *** Calif. Asks Feds for $5B for Education *** Sunday **** States Slashing Social Programs for Vulnerable A large majority of states are slicing into their social safety nets, often crippling preventive efforts that officials say would save money over time *** Medical Marijuana Laws In California Moving Pot Into Mainstream *** Evangelicals Stunned By Rick Warren's Apparent Turnaround On Gay Marriage ***Caroline Kennedy Can't Catch a Break *** NASA, Pols Cringe at Space Station Costs *** Your Neighborhood Realtor: 'I'm Really, Really Sorry' *** Awake and Sing! It is time to leave behind the bubble’s toxic culture that not only took away wealth but certain American values, and do something good, Rich, NYC *** Demi in Des Moines? The West Coast once glowed with prosperity and was the harbinger of hip new things. Now in the grip of recession, California’s cool has been stolen by, of all places, Iowa, Dowd, NYC *** Connecting the Dots of Medicine and Data *** JOHN TANTILLO: This Tea Party Will Be the Fad That Flopped *** Ginsburg Set to Stay on Bench


*** Oprah Defends Record of South African School *** Telenor Ruling Stirs Fear of Court Shopping in Russia *** China Outlines Plans for Making Electric Cars *** Trade Is Falling Fast Across the Globe *** Chinese Exports Fall for Fifth Month, but More Slowly *** Reform Candidates Run Uphill in India *** Interview with Ahmadinejad on America - Christopher Sultan, Der Spiegel *** Dry Taps in Mexico City: A Water Crisis Gets Worse *** Militant's Indictment Could Boost U.S.-Latin Ties *** Why the Pirates Are Winning the Battle of the Seas *** Brazilian Obesity: The Big Girl from Ipanema *** Protesters Force Thailand to Cancel Asian Conference *** Sunday *** No Easy Election Plan in Afghanistan *** Sunday *** Israelis see tough road ahead *** Iran's Neither Obstinate Nor Gullible - Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Der Spiegel *** Mission From Africa - Andrew Rice, New York Times Magazine *** Mr. Medvedev's Test - Washington Post *** State of emergency declared in Thailand *** Key U.N. Powers Agree On N. Korea Statement


Media BYTE-SIZED GOOD FRIDAY SERVICE: TWEETEST STORY EVER TOLD GETS AN UPDATE *** PAY FOR PLAY CHARGED: THERE are lots of wild pay- for-play allegations flying around in the celebrity-magazine world *** MICOSOFTYAHOO renew partnership talks; Alliance could challenge GOOGLE's online dominance... * Yahoo and Microsoft Said to Be Weighing Ad Pact *** Another Los Angeles Times Advertisement Draws Fire *** Tribune Co. Subpoenaed Over Employee Stock Plan *** Albany Times-Union Cancels Bargaining Agreement With Union *** Tribune Stock Plan Draws U.S. Subpoena *** Kurtz: Should media avoid Palin-Johnston saga? *** Louisville's Courier-Journal Front Page Completely Drawn By Artist *** Roger Ailes and Wife Buy Cold Spring Newspaper *** CNN Loses Ground in Primetime *** Statehouse Exodus AJR’s latest survey of the nation’s state capitols finds a dramatic decrease in the number of newspaper reporters covering state government full time *** A Costly Mistake? When the Associated Press decided a decade ago to sell its news content to online portals, it may have hastened the decline of the daily newspapers that own the wire service *** The Quality-Control Quandary As newspapers shed copy editors and post more and more unedited stories online, what’s the impact on their content? *** A Dubious Benefactor When the New York Times Co. needed to borrow money, it turned to a controversial Mexican billionaire one of its own writers had described as a “robber baron.” *** Sunday *** Financial News, Front and Center: What Took So Long? *** A Serious Cup of Joe (Scarborough): The former GOP congressman has a hit TV talk show that succeeds by being substantive at sunrise *** Tweet Nothings -- Or Valuable New News Source? *** 'Prominent Media Members' Claim Internet Hurting Journalism *** Can Former Newspaper Employees Invent a Brave New News Model? *** Disney vs Time Warner on Online TV Models