Sunday, December 12, 2010

True News Update All Weekend; Santa Takes Over NYC; Pinstripe Patronage; Bloomberg Plays the Press and Sunday Update of News

Santa Claus is Coming to Town - Santacon Band 2010 NYC(Video) . . . More Santa Video

Government Patronage Have Moved Away From the Individual to the Boardroom and Super Rich

Patronage has changed. Instead of the Christmas turkey, political leaders now reward political supporters with billion-dollar contracts, pension investments and they have outsourced everything from garbage collection to national security. This new landscape is what the Tolchins call pinstripe patronage, and it includes the privatization of services previously conducted by government; earmarks, which are government grants specified for the use of an individual, corporation, or community; and the expansion of hybrid agencies, with highly paid salaries for top executives. Pinstripe patronage benefits those more at home in a boardroom than an assembly line, and it often affects foreign policy more than domestic policy. The patronage system is the way that things have worked for a long time in politics and government, the business community, and even in families. But in the wake of travesties in Iraq, Afghanistan, and on the world economic scene, seasoned political writers Susan and Marty Tolchin contend it may be time to trade pinstripes for prison stripes and to snap some suspenders.

Pension Scandal = Pension Patronage

Law firm Hiscock; Barclay gave Cuomo $45,000 while being investigated in pension scandal (DN) * Outrageous public-employee pension obligations kill the city's ability to provide vital services(DN Ed)

How Can You Boycott A Practice That the Police Department Says Does Not Exist

EXCLUSIVE: Irate cops threaten boycott over quotas (DN)

Now Principals Double Dip

Borough principals play double-duty as principal, teacher Principals across the city are headed back to the classroom, and reaping unforeseen benefits. (DN)

Bloomberg Billions Allow Him to Always Play Both Sides to Win No Matter What Happens
After Donating $9500 to Senator Johnson the democratic candidate and one million to the GOP senate campaign committee, the mayor is not taking credit for Johnson defeat and the Republican takeover of the state senate. Bloomberg's donations to GOP housekeeping account pay off big, balance support of Cuomo (DN)

You Talking to Me

Worst cabby in NYC 90 violations, 4 warrants, he's the. . .

Tax holiday ends Online sales revenue could save Albany

Sunday Update Daly: Mark Madoff should've given it all away and been clean (DN) * Mark Madoff lived sweet life before dad's scam imploded (DN) *Designer Sylvie Cachay was going to dump Brooks (DN) * Crazed drug thug takes plea deal for attacking prosecutor(DN)* Off-duty cop shot outside Bronx diner (NYP)
* New Madoff lawsuits seek $40bn Nearly 60 suits against dozens of banks, hedge funds and individual

Mark Madoff Suicide Came Amid Flurry of Trustee Lawsuits (Vanity Fair)

Bloomberg Plays the Press

The Man In The Purple Tie (DN) Bloomberg rules out 2012 presidential bid‎ - msnbc.com * Bloomberg tells backers: “Cease and desist”‎ MarketWatch * Sound Familiar? Bloomberg Appears To Cite Thomas Friedman on Meet ...‎Mediaite.com * Bloomberg: 'No way' I'll run for prez (NYP) * Bloomberg Rules Out Presidential Run

TV SoundOff: Sunday Talking Heads

'Do-nothing' EMT blames colleague in death (NYP)

Pay to Play Meeks Meeks' $325/month office a suite fantasy

Pay to Play Espada Espada still drawing healthy salary

Play to Play City Hall Parking Beat goes on for salsa star's parking perk Willie Colon(NYP)

Pay to Play Leibell The nonprofit at the center of former Sen. Vincent Leibell’s corruption scandal received at least $11.2 million in taxpayer-funded member item grants since 2001.

GOP Riding Back Into Albany

Republicans, poised to take over the state Senate next year, are signaling a harder line on property taxes and pension costs, a stance that could complicate Gov.-elect Andrew Cuomo's budget negotiations. GOP Sets Hard Line for Cuomo

Sen. Antoine Thompson, who lost to a Republican in one of the most Democratic districts in the state, ended the campaign with some $120,000 in the bank.

Patertson Veto's Hydrofracking

#NYGov Paterson signs exec order on #hydrofracking, calling for more analysis, while declining to sign moratorium #nysCityHallNews * Paterson order tempers drilling veto - Times Union

Growing Hidden Tax Revolt Against Bloomberg

Mayor Michael Bloomberg defended his administration's plan to charge New York City motorists for emergency services at accident scenes, conceding it's a backdoor tax that is necessary in tough fiscal times. Mayor Calls 'Crash Tax' a Fiscal Must * New Yorkers rip Mike on crash tax * Insurers will probably pass on footing Bloomy's crash tax (DN) * Motorists Unhappy About FDNY's Plan To Charge Drivers For Emergency Response (NY1) * Fired-up pol: Ban FDNY 'rescue fees' (NYP) * A.M. News Links: New Yorkers rip Bloomberg on crash tax and more

No Money for Emergencies But Millions for Bike Lanes?

Jeanette Sadik-Khan's DOT is still short on facts and figures to justify her bike-lane empire (DN Ed)

Coming Medicaid Budget Problems

"With federal stimulus aid set to expire next year, intense scrutiny is being trained on the largest single expense driving the budget off a $9.3-billion cliff: Medicaid, on which New York spends twice as much per capita as the rest of the country," reports Newsday.

Geoffrey Canada Mum On Whether Bloomberg Offered Him Schools Post First (NY1)

New DOE official resigned in disgrace from last job

New York Washington Wimps

N.Y. politicians resort to begging to pass 9/11 health bill (DN) *

Giuliani calls 9/11 health-care kibosh insult to heroes (NYP)

* Sen. Mike Enzi: Why I'm against the 9/11 health bill (DN)

* Sen. Mike Enzi doesn't even have the guts to give his real reasons for opposing the Zadroga bill (DN Ed)

Some Captain

Derek Jeter is is going to be paid 50 million by the Yankees is not happy with the way things went down during the negotiations. Why Is the Yankee Icon Upset?

He is know what it is like to be laid off or unemployed

State worker unions see red over 900 pink slips (DN) * Paterson Says Nearly 900 State Workers Will Lose Their Jobs (NY1)

After More Than A Decade, New Law Grants Pay Raise To NYS Judges (NY1)

A&P's food fight Grocer may file for bankruptcy, face Burkle battle (NYP)

Gunfire Will No Longer Be Met by Silence (NYT)

Brooklyn Gun Buyback (Fox 5)

Violations and Lockout Mire Brooklyn Complex (NYT)

What the Crow
The less money the state has the less money it will send to NYC

Mayor glad he saddled gov with OTB (NYP) * Great move getting rid of OTB, says Bloomy (DN)

Ex-mayor wanna-be Thompson fighting signs fines (DN)

Law and Order

Soho gal 'killer' threw money, drugs around in college (NYP) * Victims of Ponzi schemer Bernie Madoff get 'no joy' from suicide of son, Mark, many show sympathy (DN)

*** Saturday
Ex-beau charged with attempted murder and strangulation in Soho House death (NYP) * B’klyn mom shot in face (NYP) * Shot cop rages at thug bail Stuck in hosp as 'gun teen' home for holidays (NYP) * Reliving his hate terror (NYP) * Boyfriend Charged in Death at Soho House (NYT) * Boyfriend Charged in Woman's Death(WSJ) * Sylvie Cachay case: Ex Nick Brooks following in footsteps of sleazy dad with attempted murder rap (DN) * Outrage as cop-shoot suspect freed from custody (DN) * Teens cried 'Jew, Jew' as they punched me: rabbi (DN) * Brooklyn mom shot in face by heartless gunman (DN) * City mob map app lets you trace mafia hits (DN) * LIRR employee gets $480,000 settlement in grope case (DN) * Nut forges judge's signature, gives himself $10M (DN) * Ex-con killed gal pal with hammer, knife, cops say (DN) * MTA Officer Charged With Hate Crime Suspended Without Pay (NY1) * Bail for a cop-shooter(NYP Ed)

Bernard Madoff's son dead in apparent suicide: police

Bernie Madoff's son used dog leash to hang himself: sources http://nydn.us/guwOmM * Madoff's son hangs himself in SoHo apt: sources (DN)

"If the American people are prepared to stand – and we’re prepared to follow them – I think we can defeat this proposal. I think we can come up with a better proposal which better reflects the needs of the middle class and working families of our country and, to me, most importantly, the children of our country."

Bernie Sanders

Bubber's BackBill's Back: Clinton commands stage at White House In his element, Clinton startles West Wing in surprise appearance with Obama, backs tax deal Sen. Bernie Sanders Leads 8.5-Hour Filibuster Of Obama Tax Cut Deal

SNL Spoofs Obama's "Hostage" Comment

A Secretive Banking Elite Rules Trading in Derivatives

Media and New Tech A Guide to 2010's Best Selling Apple Apps (Time Magazine) * Mark Madoff Suicide Came Amid Flurry of Trustee Lawsuits (Columbia Journalism Review) * Web Focus Helps Revitalize The Atlantic (The Atlantic)

The 10 Biggest Villains of 2010 (The Atlantic) * Google’s Top Search Terms of 2010 (VIDEO) (Slate)

Plane Crash in Park Slope

When death fell in Brooklyn: After 50 years, a look back at the crash of United Flight 826 (DN)

Park Slope Plane Crash: A Collision in the Clouds (NYT)

Goodbye to Old Coney Island (NYT)

Welcome to the Brooklyn-Queens border Of Queens and Kings (NYT)

Sinatra Is Long Gone, but the Room Is Still Packed (NYT)

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Other Views

On October 15, 1958, veteran broadcaster Edward R. Murrow delivered his famous "wires and lights in a box" speech (VIDEO) The Last Lion of Tammany HOW JIMMY McMANUS, MANHATTAN’S LAST GREAT TAMMANY DISTRICT LEADER, HELPED TO REVIVE HELL’S KITCHEN AND THE THEATER DISTRICT c By James S. Kaplan f On January 13, 2011, the law firm of Proskauer Rose moved into 11 Times Square, which is located on 42nd Street between 7th and 8th Avenues. In moving west to the final building of the City’s Times Square redevelopment, the Proskauer firm joined such other major law firms as Cravath, Swaine & Moore, Covington & Burling, Roberts & Holland, and the advertising firm of Ogilvy & Mather. That such major professional firms, along with a number of newly constructed luxury apartment buildings on 42nd Street from ninth to eleventh avenue and trendy restaurants and off Broadway theaters would be located west of 8th Avenue in midtown would have been almost inconceivable fifty years ago. Tammany Last Stand Continued

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