U.S. Supreme Court Judge
Sonia Sotomayor
1st Latina, New Yorker
President Obama has settled on his Supreme Court pick: Appeals Court Judge Sonia Sotomayor. An official announcement from the White House is set for 10:15 a.m. EST. Judge Sotomayor, 54, who is of Puerto Rican descent, is the first Hispanic to be nominated to the Supreme Court. Sotomayor was raised in a housing project in the Bronx, graduated from Princeton University, and later became an editor of the Yale Law Journal. She then spent five years as a prosecutor for the Manhattan District Attorney before entering private practice. She was nominated to district court by George H.W. Bush. ‘Kid From the Bronx’ With Hopes and Doubts *** Souter Replacement Would Be First Hispanic Justice *** Republicans Weigh Risks of a Supreme Court Battle *** High Court Politics: Why Obama Picked Sonia Sotomayor *** How Sotomayor 'Saved Baseball' *** CNN: Who Is Sonia Sotomayor? *** Smooth Sailing: Sotomayor Headed to Easy Confirmation
No One Asked Me, But . . . When one rides the DC Subway (Metro), one notices that the much longer escalators are never broken. NYC's subway escalators are almost always broken sometimes for months. The escalator at Union Square has been out for years. The elevator repair rate is a little better, but when was the last time someone was fined for using it as a bathroom? BROKEN ESCALATORS BRING STRAPHANGERS DOWN . . . Randy is long on talk, a great campaign resource, but short on education delivery UFT CHARTER SCORES BELOW 'CLASSMATES' . . . The widow of the city's first swine flu victim blasted Mayor Bloomberg for saying New Yorkers should "consider yourself lucky" to get the virus Bloomie's an insensitive jerk. Swine-Flu continues to be a political football as the city's ERs are filled with people who are scared by all the press coverage. Pouring gasoline on the fire yesterday was councilman Eric Gioia, who is trying to get into the press anyway so he can help his name recognition in his race for Public Advocate, said "What makes this scary is there is so much we don't know (about the flu)." CITY KEEPS SWINE-FLU 'SECRETS' . . . While South Korea ex-president jumps to his death because his honor was compromised by scandal, Albany pols don't seem to care what the media says about them. The NYP editorial blasted state Sen. Diane Savino who according to the paper, would have killed New York's charter-school revolution by mandating that staffers at all charters be union members. The senator told a NYP reporter after she withdrew the bill "You did me a favor. You pointed out something I didn't realize." The NYP said her answer speaks volumes to the intellectual honesty -- or lack of it -- with which Albany pols do the teachers unions' bidding. CHOKING CHARTERS (UH, NEVER MIND) . . . It does not look like the Main Stream Media will give us a true picture of the lasting impact of the Wall Street melt down on the city's economy until after the election. All we know according to the Bloomberg commerical which is played every 20 seconds 24/7, is that the mayor is bringing jobs to the city. Be that as it may, it seems the 200,000 jobs lost so far have had their effect. Stories limited to describing cutbacks in services have dripped out without analysis to explain the lasting impact of the eroding of the city's economic engine, Wall Street: FISCAL CRISIS GUTS CITY PARK PLANS, Queens: Struggling Retail A Sign Of The Times, FISCAL CRISIS GUTS CITY PARK PLANS . Raising taxes is also beginning to hurt out tax base Higher taxes drives small company out of Buffalo . . . State Controller DiNapoli boots hedge fund company Barrett Wissman who pleaded guilty a month ago to securities fraud. The comptroller spokesperson said they knew of the rumblings in 2007, but did not explain why DiNapoli took no action until now . . . The MSM allows the City and State Comptrollers to cut loose Pay to Play pension consultants without asking the comptrollers why that get the contract and what did they take New York cutting firms tied to pension flap from doing business ... It like after you getting caught robbing a bank all you have to do is return the money and you walk scott free. The media is reporting on county organizations who are endorsing this years comptroller candidates, but saying nothing about Pensiongate Queens Dems Go For Liu (Updated), A Queens Girl at Home With the Old Boys. They should! It was the Queens organization that Hank Morris got to back Alan Hevesi for both City, State Comptrollers and even mayor HEVESI Endorsement plums from Queens Dem boss, Hevesi Might Just Kick-Start Quiet Campaign for Mayor - The New .... It was almost a month ago that True News asked the comptroller candidate to answer question about consultants and pensiongate The Silence of the Lions: What the Comptroller Candidates Don't Want You to Know, OUT OF COMPTROL, AS SCANDAL SPREADS, CITY COMPTROLLER CANDIDATES LOOK FOR BIGGER ROCK TO HIDE UNDER
Pay to Play Money and Politics Meet at the Brooklyn Bridge *** Melinda also crapping on Brooklyn. *** The reporter who had breakfast with Pedro Espada in the Bronx apartment the senator says he lives in admits, "I didn't look in the closets” *** Bernard Kerik indicted in D.C.
Road to City Hall Reflecting on 8 years under Bloomberg From Bloomberg's 2002 inaugural speech *** A new poll finds Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, though still not particularly popular, at least making progress. A quarter the voters surveyed saying they are prepared to vote for her in 2010, up from 20 percent in March *** Bloomberg once told Seth Abraham of HBO that he’s “wasting” himself and that he could have another career *** L.I. Congresswoman Endorses Bloomberg *** And the Bloomberg mailings just keep on coming *** Mayor-for-life's one-two Congressional punch *** Weiner's out of mayor's race *** Weiner's Decision Will Come When Weiner 'Is Ready' *** Weiner's short-lived mayoral hopes dashed *** Many May Seek Cuomo’s Job, if He Decides to Move On
The City A BANNER DAY FOR HEROES MEMORY OF FALLEN WAR VETS ALIVE IN MOVING CEREMONIES *** STARBUCKS BOMBED LINKS EYED AFTER E. SIDE JOE BLOW *** MTA SPENDS MILLIONS EACH YEAR IN SUIT LOOT *** SUNNING WILD ON BROADWAY TIMES SQUARE LOUNGERS SOAK UP RAYS *** SULLY'S CO-PILOT TRASHES LA GUARDIA PLAN for trash transfer station *** B'KLYN ROOTS OF EVIL DEADLY-PLANTS SHOW *** Trash depot near LaGuardia runway ruffles feathers *** Bloomie says no to more Ratner aid From The Brooklyn Paper *** Vibrant and diverse at the slaughterhouse From the NY Times *** Lose the Traffic. Keep That Times Sq. Grit. *** Principals Younger and Freer, but Raise Doubts in the Schools *** Mayor Says More School Closings Won’t Stop Swine Flu’s Spread *** Four Brooklyn Yeshivas Close Over Flu Fears *** Service Men, Women Honored At Intrepid *** Chelsea galleries hold up during downturn *** Stats say NYC is safer, but many worry of crime surge *** Daly: Couple recreates iconic Times Square photo*** Parking agents leaving cars at meters without paying *** New buses feature exit sensors to unclog backdoor *** It's too easy to sue us, says NYC Transit *** Obama Eyes Midterm Elections *** City, Courts Kick Off Campaign to Encourage Lawyers to Volunteer. *** Parents in the outer boroughs are angry that families in Manhattan got their overcrowding issues addressed *** Why are Manhattan's elementary schools turning away kindergartners? How the Bloomberg administration missed the baby boom it helped create *** Paul Krugman On Pedestrian-Friendly Times Square *** Ice Cream Truck Wars: Are They Parked Too Close to Schools? *** NYPD Says Crime is Down, But Popular Perception Says It's Up *** Manhattan apartment rents sinking
Albany WHISTLEBLOWER SAYS CHECK SCAM BLEEDING STATE *** Paterson to Propose a Broad Revision of Ethics Enforcement *** Haggling continues over the expanded bottle bill as the June 1 deadline looms *** Despite the governor’s tough talk, only a few hundred layoffs are likely this summer. Here are the stats on the state’s workforce *** Gov. David Paterson proposes sweeping ethic reform that would create a new commission to oversee the executive and lawmakers *** Fred Dicker calls Andrew Cuomo “an all-but-certain candidate for governor next year.” *** Jim Odato writes that there’s a new wine bill, from the man who wants to bring wine to grocery stores *** Paterson pins his re-election hopes on job growth *** The clock is ticking for a gay marriage vote this session *** The TU hopes the Legislature will override Paterson's "misguided veto" of a bill that would have strengthened the Open Meetings Law *** A onetime attorney to Gov. Averell Harriman thinks Eliot Spitzer's treatment of IG Joseph Fisch during his Troopergate testimony proves he's "beyond rehabilitation." *** Gas drilling on the Southern Tier is causing some tighter regulations *** Smith: Let Paterson Bring His Ethics Proposal to My Committee Hearings *** Shinnecock Indians Contemplate a Casino as They Close in on Federal Recognition
President Obama BAM GOES BALLISTIC SLAMS N. KOREA ON NUCLEAR TEST *** Obama: World must 'stand up' to North Korea *** Medical providers get 'homework' to find savings *** President lays wreath at Tomb of Unknowns *** Tested Early by North Korea, Obama Has Few Options *** Data.gov To succeed in releasing vast amounts of government data to the Web, President Obama will have to remind his administration early and often that he is committed to transparency, NYT Ed *** OBAMA TO CREATE INTERNET 'CZAR'; BROAD MANDATE *** Gates Says Taliban Have Momentum *** U.S. Cracks Down on Corporate Bribes *** How Geithner got his groove back *** DeParle battles old and new critics *** Nuclear test may reshape U.S. policy *** Pentagon shells out for work undone *** A court case may force a showdown over the White House’s “state secrets” privilege *** The White House shows its differing priorities by funding programs deemed “ineffective” by the Bush administration *** Obama to host Palestinian Authority president *** Obama World vs. Cheney World - Eugene Robinson, Washington Post *** Korea's Obama Test - Wall Street Journal *** Obama Should Stop Bullying GM's Bondholders - Washington Post *** Obama's Memorial Day Speech at Arlington - Barack Obama *** Two Cheers for Obamanomics - Irwin Stelzer, The Weekly Standard *** At Manhattan's first Water Taxi Beach
Congress and GOP REPUBLICANS DESPERATELY NEED A STAR *** Reid rakes in campaign cash, even without opponent *** Showdown Looms Over 'State Secrets' Privilege *** Pa. Dems slow to accept Specter *** Tough Waxman turns into dealmaker *** Did Dems err on Specter's switch? *** Consumer bill worries business *** GOP-ers invoke Reagan to fight Reid *** Dems take Web queries in Va. gov. race *** Twitter as a weapon *** Ethanol proposal may derail climate bill *** Dems, GOP to address health care *** Franken and the facebook *** GOP talking points point to Pelosi *** Begich: Alaska 'front line of defense' *** Good news: Powell is still a Republican *** Poll: Self-identified independents surge *** Specter's Folly: Joe Sestak - Salena Zito, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review *** Fertilizer From the Farm Lobby - Boston Globe *** Powell Responds to Republican Critics - Face the Nation *** Debate Between Sen. Durbin and Newt Gingrich - Meet the Press *** Secret Recordings Between Burris And Blago's Brother To Be Released
International Analysis: NKorea's bomb test adds to atomic threat *** Rights group: Pakistan should airlift food to Swat *** Report: NKorea test-fires 2 more missiles *** N. Korean Nuclear Test Draws Global Censure *** Pakistan Lifts Ban on Opposition Leader Sharif *** Discontent Rises Sharply Among Russian Troops Military Overhaul Brings Layoffs, Lost Apartments *** Interactive Timeline: The North Korean Challenge *** Europe Feels the Strain of Protecting Workers and Plants *** Russian Uranium Sale to U.S. Is Planned *** Israel claims Venezuela sending uranium to Iran... *** Deripaska Nears Deal To Retain His Empire *** India Acts to Quell Punjab Riots *** How Afghanistan's Little Tragedies Are Adding Up *** Kim Jong Il: Your average nut - armed with nukes *** Ahmadinejad wants to debate Obama at UN ***
North Korea Fires Two More Missiles *** Gates: Taliban Is Gaining *** Italy PM: We'll Take Detainees *** We Musn't Allow Cuba to Rejoin the OAS - Sen. Mel Martinez, Miami Herald *** Here We Go Again With North Korea - The Economist
National Flu scare reveals strapped local health agencies *** They Can Go Home Again
For immigrant professionals, U.S. recession spurs re-evaluation, leads many to return to homeland *** California Awaits Court's Gay Marriage Decision *** Our Crumbling Foundation
The link between the need to rebuild the nation’s infrastructure and the crucial need to find rich new sources of employment in this economic downturn should be obvious, a no-brainer, Herbert, NYT *** Gay-Marriage Fight to Persist in Calif. *** A Tale of Two Economies in Michigan *** Vegas Hopes Obama Brings Luck *** Guess Who's Calling? Prison Cell-Phone Use a Growing Problem *** No Obama love from Nevada governor *** There’s a mysterious tale of intrigue and power struggle at the U.S. Parole Commission *** DN Editorial: Error on terror
The Bronx bomb plot case offers chilling and timely proof that the state Court of Appeals was supremely wrongheaded in barring New York law enforcement from using GPS devices for surveillance without a warrant *** Editorial: From martyrs to a mayor James A. Young, newly elected as the first black mayor of Philadelphia, Miss. - a small town plagued by KKK killings in the 1960s - said it *** Survivalists Go Suburban *** The Only Way to Fund Universal Healthcare - Robert Reich, Salon *** Rally Planned to Protest California Marriage Ruling ***
Wall Street Mess FILENE'S FISHING SYMS, MEN'S WEARHOUSE ARE EYEING FALLEN RIVAL *** GOLDMAN TWICE SHUT OUT OF BANK AUCTIONS *** NEW BOARD TEST ICAHN IS USING DEL. LAW TO TARGET ENZON CEO *** Make-or-Break Week for GM as Deadline Nears *** Bankruptcy for G.M. Would Tax the Experts *** Localities Want U.S. to Support Muni Bonds *** Trade and Hard Times The drop in trade is spreading economic weakness across the world. Protectionism would only create more barriers to global trade and prolong the recession, NYT Ed *** Phone Carriers Take a Step to a Merger *** Leading Economies Report a Period of Record Decline *** VIRGIN: 'No airline will make money this year'... *** Case of the Vanishing Analysts *** Deripaska Nears Deal To Retain His Empire ***
High-Tech Start-Ups Put Down Roots in New Soil *** Next AIG chief may come from its board *** Goldman unit buying Japanese theme park *** Impressed analysts worry about clothier's future *** The Decline and Fall of General Motors' Empire *** Bankruptcy lawyers are in high demand because of Detroit’s crumbling auto industry *** Fiscal meltdown moguls on cards may shuffle off to jail *** Home Prices Show Record Decline, Fall 19.1% *** Spanish Bank Settles With Madoff Trustee For $235 Million
Media MOVING VAN FOR CONDé NAST *** MICROSOFT 'BING'-ING IT ON GOOGLE *** Media's Downward Spiral We know American newspapers are in dire financial straits, but how does their future look *** Box Office: 'Night at the Museum' Tops 'Terminator' *** Polaroid Lovers Try to Revive Its Instant Film *** 10 New Sitcoms Meant to Cure the Recession Blues *** On the Road: In-Flight Entertainment That Begins With Wi-Fi *** Worried book industry gathers for convention... *** Survey: 28% Of Newspaper Execs Weighing Online Fees *** FT Editorial: Newspapers Must Convince Readers Product Worth Paying For *** NPR CEO: Newspapers Must Keep Content Free *** Google Increasingly Battles Facebook In Search *** Microsoft To Overhaul Search Engine *** Twitter Trips on Its Rapid Growth *** HDTV BOOM: 1/3 Of US Households In HD *** NEWSPAPER: TWITTER poses risks for newspapers...
People and Places Poetic Justice: Briton Says She Helped Taint Rival *** 44 Years and 9,999 Doctorates Later …The first to receive a doctorate from the Graduate Center at CUNY will meet the 10,000th *** Mike Tyson's 4-Year-Old Daughter On Life Support After Accidental Hanging *** Dialing up old telephone exchange in Financial District *** Call him Mini-sota Fats: 2-year-old billiards prodigy wows crowds *** Brooklyn man on big 'Jeopardy!' run *** Brooklyn man, 92, finally honored for WWII bravery *** Gibson Christens Self 'Octo-Mel' *** Yankees Deny Dismissing Elderly Bartender Because of Age *** In a bittersweetly ironic move, Presstime, the monthly magazine of the Newspaper Association of America, will go online. The move will save over $500,000 annually for the trade association. [NYT]
Blog Report Elephants Think PensionGate May Claim Thompson (Urban Elephants) *** In Green Victory, Bikers Win Commuter Race (Lost In The Ozone) *** Baby Boom At Brooklyn Hospital (Brooklyn Hall Of Fame) *** Tom Paine Commemorated (Bay Ridge Journal) *** Superfund Status Debated For Gowanus Canal (Brownstoner) *** EPA To Answer Superfund Questions For Gowanus Community: TONIGHT 6:30 (Pardon Me For Asking) *** How Does Marty Spend Your Money? (Atlantic Yards Report)
