Saturday, December 8, 2012

A Powerful Sexual Abuse Story

To New York Politicians and Feminist A Statue is Safer to Attack or Defend Than Sexual Abuse Victims in Albany Which Involved Vito Lopez and Several Top State Leaders

Vito Weakness of Civic Virtue
Ironic that BP Marshall and cohorts have spoken out and had a symbol of what they consider insulting to women removed from Queens Borough Hall.  However,  Helen Marshall and feminist supporters have not spoken out demanding and investigation  the hush fund Vito Lopez cover up of the sexual abuse of woman that involves not only the assemblyman, but the speaker, AG and comptroller. It not only Marshall who is covering up the Albany sexual abuse.  The media which is all over the Triumph of Civic Virtue statue has not done a story about the Albany hush fund scandal in months. No way to treat a lady War over ‘sexist’ statue.  Also add those who are fighting to keep the statue in Queen who have not spoken out what is going on in Albany. Councilman Peter Vallone Jr. and statue supporters rallied yesterday to keep Civic Virtue in its current place outside Queens Borough Hall in Kew Gardens.
Albany Hush Fund Cover Up, Press Containment Timeline(True News)

 

Even the Attempt to Move Lopez's House Into A Council District He Wants to Run In Did Not Increase Coverage of the Hush Fund Scandal


New ‘Vito district’ unlikely (NYP)
Caught with fingers in the redistricting jar
 Quinn’s Vito Veto(NYP Ed)
It appears that Speaker Chris Quinn got the message — and so, too, has the municipal commission that establishes council-district boundaries. The panel has redrawn lines approved just last month. Thus, serial groper Assemblyman Vito Lopez (D-Brooklyn) remains in his current district It also would’ve had a secondary impact on Quinn’s mayoral aspirations, as the district was largely crafted by Lopez ally Erik Dilan, who could deliver Quinn a large number of Latino votes. Quinn initially denied any role in how the commission had drawn up the line — never mind that she had five appointees to the commission and could demand changes before the council approved the map — if she so chose.* The not-so-mighty Quinn (NYDN) The City Council speaker is ahead in the polls, but she needs distance from Mayor Bloomberg if she wants to occupy City Hall * City Council Speaker Christine Quinn dismisses critics, says campaign financing bill would bolster unions and corporations' First Amendment rights  Opponents say the bill, which would allow unions and coporations to spend unlimited amounts as long as their efforts are aimed exclusively at their members or shareholders, would 'eviscerate' spending limits in the public financing system.


Marshall already celebrating Fat Boy's departure(Queens Crap)

From DNA Info:Borough President Helen Marshall is pushing to replace a controversial statue on Queens Boulevard with a public plaza to honor New York City women. The Triumph of Civic Virtue statue, which depicts Hercules with the sirens of Vice and Corruption, has been standing in Kew Gardens since 1941, after Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia moved it from City Hall Park. Known as “Fat Boy” or “Rough Boy,” the monument, fashioned by Frederick MacMonnies in 1919, has been denounced by some as sexist and in recent years fell into disrepair. And now that the artwork is moving to Brooklyn’s Green-Wood Cemetery, Marshall says the space should be used to honor the city's women.The statue should be replaced, she said, by “a public space that will honor outstanding women that have contributed in one way or another to the city of New York.” The names of women may be inscribed on the base of the statue, which could remain along with a fountain in the proposed memorial, Marshall said. The redesigned space would also feature seating and landscaping. Marshall's vision of the public plaza is in the early stages, however. Her chief of staff, Alexandra Rosa, said the borough president has discussed the idea with the Parks Department, the Department of Citywide Administrative Services and the Mayor's office. It was too early to put a price tag on the plaza, Rosa said. Still, the mayor's office was "receptive" to the idea, she said. I picture a Mount Rushmore-style monument featuring likenesses of Marshall, Stavisky, Shulman and Meng...* Vallone To Rally w/ Community To Save Civic Virtue(Queens Politics)

 Another Big Guy Protected From Sexual Abuse Charges?
Hosp big immune(NYP) Secret report clears HHC boss. The board of the municipal hospital system has given its president a clean bill of ethical health based on a report it refuses to release. Three weeks ago, The Post reported that Alan Aviles, president of the Health and Hospitals Corp., was under scrutiny for allegedly not reporting a sexual-harassment claim by two female employees against a former HHC executive last year.



 Quinn wants to open up a "gaping loophole" That would allow unions and corporations to operate the way super PACs do in federal campaigns
Screw the Voters Coup d'état II

Quinn Backs Bill to Give Unions and advocacy groups More Power Over Who Becomes Mayor
Quinn Backs Expansion of Campaign Spending(NYT) Expand the ability of unions, corporations and advocacy groups to spend money on behalf of local candidates. The bill, to be introduced on Monday, would allow those outside groups to work directly with candidates on their internal political communications with members — including phone calls and door knocking tours, although not large-scale mailings — without the costs counting against the candidates’ spending limits. At issue are two recent decisions by the Campaign Finance Board that govern whether groups must disclose internal communications with members about political candidates and whether internal political work in support of a candidate counts as a campaign contribution. 


A change that the Campaign Finance Board says would make it virtually impossible to prove that a mailing was illegally coordinated with a candidate. 
In a strongly worded statement on Friday, the city’s Campaign Finance Board said the legislation “would open a gaping loophole” in the city’s regulations, “eviscerate” limits on coordinated spending by outside groups and “allow unions and corporations to operate above the law.” The measure backed by Ms. Quinn is two-pronged. Under current rules, if a group sends a mass mailing to its members urging them to support a candidate, the union is required to disclose that expenditure to the CFB. The measure would nix that requirement, effectively ending public disclosure of the internal efforts."We oppose it because it allows outside groups, like unions or corporation, to spend unlimited amounts in close coordination with candidates," said Eric Friedman, a spokesman for the CFB. "It takes the worst part of the federal system and brings it to New York City's system that is regarded as a model for campaign finance reform." Quinn Lashed on Campaign Legislation(WSJ) * Public Advocate Bill de Blasio, who is also running for mayor, expects to support the bill, an aide confirmed.


The Purpose of the NYC Campaign Finance Law is to Limit the Role of Private Money in the Political Process
In response to corruption scandals in the mid-1980’s, a series of ethics reforms is enacted. Most notable of these was the Campaign Finance Act, adopted on February 29. A Charter revision approved by the public through a city referendum established the Campaign Finance Board (CFB), an independent and nonpartisan agency charged with limiting the role and influence of private money in the political process.


1988 Public Ownership Of Politics
Good Government Leaders Fighting Against Special Interests

"Without a sense of ownership, no amount of technical advice or high-powered consultants will solve the city’s problems.  Public financing of NYC campaigns means less money, more information, wider participation, and a better informed electorate are intended to give the citizens of NYC a sense of owning the city."  Joseph O’ Hare, Chairman of the NYC CFB, 1988 *
"New York City that today has the most progressive, meaningful campaign finance reform in the United States will, if this law is adopted, go backwards in a very significant way and have possibly the least meaningful reform as respect [to] corporations and unions and their role in the political discourse." Nicole Gordon, the CFB's founding executive director

2012 Special Ownership of Politics
Today Good Government Leaders Favor the Special Interests
Susan Lerner, executive director of Common Cause, a good government group, said she supports the bill because it is important for organizations to be able to communicate freely with their members. 
 




200 Twitter Reports From Sharpton House of Justice On the State Senate IDC GOP Coalition 


NYS Senator John Sampson announced he will step down as Democratic Conference Leader when Democrats regain the majority
mayoral candidates at = &
"Republicans started the coup"--John Sampson.  * John Sampson said Dems got "no support" from the party. * Officials at rally include Bill de Blasio, Charlie Rangel, John Sampson, Ruth Hassell-Thompson, Hakeem Jeffries and Karim Camara.* "Do not participate in a co-option."--Sharpton*   

"I don't want to be sold out by blacks or whites"--Sharpton "We did not vote for your careers. We voted for an agenda."--Sharpton re: * MT : Hassell-Thompson goes there: Criticism of dysfunction under Dem rule amounts to "code words for 'black people in charge'"*  RT : Candidates to take over for Sampson: Mike Gianaris, Ruth Hassell-Thompson, Kevin Parker, Andrea Stewart-Cousins. "Ask Gov Cuomo where he stands in back room deals putting us in the back if the bus again," said state senator bill Perkins. . has arrived at the rally * "Tell us what your legislative agenda is"--Sharpton re: Skelos.* Sen. Hassell-Thompson suggests that when cites New York's "New Democratic Party," it's code for a party led by whites.* . 

is here at . all 4 major dem candidates for mayor in the house. #2013*"I hope pl don't prostitute our party"--Rangel re: *. notes Malcolm Smith , & represent majority minority districts.  *  "I understand code words" said state senator Ruth Hassell-Thompson, referring to Cuomo's "new" Democratic Party signs when he was running* Standing ovation when Sharpton calls in pl to "denounce" for treatment of .*Spokesman for IDC has no comment re: John Sampson's conditional removal from Democratic leadership if Dems take the majority.   *"I used to believe I knew Malcolm Smith"-- . cc: * Republican-IDC Coalition Raises Concerns Over State Senate Diversity(NY1)
 * Sharpton says he'll have a rally in each district represented by Smith , Klein and Savino.* "The Post cartoon was the worst."-- re: * Savino's district is majority white * 

 "Not the only thing " has to apologize for this week-- re: & subway pusher front page.  * . says NYC residents will suffer under Senate coalition: "It is not done, and that is what we are here to say in a united voice"* John Liu talking now, praises Sampson for "heroism" in a difficult time, hits Post, others as "simply despicable."* Christine Quinn says Sampson deserves credit for "leap of faith" in bringing gay marriage to the Senate floor in '09. Where it died. * Quinn re : "This deal ain't done. It is not over."* "My god how could they do this?"-- re: cartoon about *

Thompson: "I want Eric Adams' voice to be raised on my behalf in Albany." Ditto Hassell-Thompson, Perkins.* Thompson re Sampson: "All of us know the toughest thing to do is to relinquish power and to put others before yourself." * Post-bashing is providing a handy alternative for speakers who might not want to sign on to Cuomo-bashing.* RT : From January 2012: "Thompson teams with IDC at cash bash" * DeBlasio: "For me, it was love at first sight. It may have taken Chirlane a little longer."* DeBlasio: "When you're given a mandate by the people, you must respect it."* "These things are related"-de Blasio re: cartoon & ny state senate leadership fight. * RT : DeBlasio to the Post: "Leave my wife alone. Leave my children alone."* DeBlasio: "For me, it was love at first sight. It may have taken Chirlane a little longer."* Do these pols not know about 's story, or are they OK with how he wrote it? 

"The last few days, the Rev sharpton has been more than Batman for us," Bill DeBlasio says. * Sanders re the biblical Samson: "He brought down a house that didn't deserve to stand."* Sharpton, quoting Sanders: "I am an independent, but I am not an ingrate and a defector." Is there a politician that Delonas has NOT shown in bed smoking a cigarette after sex?* Hazel Dukes: "I come from Nassau County. I know about Republicans." On Skelos: "You playin' with a snake."* Hazel Dukes: "We've been crucified, and we got up on the third day." Dukes re Malcolm Smith: "I have my can of discipline, and I spray it on roaches."

"We go get him."--Hazel Dukes, head of NAACP in NYS re: Malcolm Smith.* Dukes re Malcolm Smith: "We're going to get him. He's not going to do this to our family."* Dukes: "Once you're a snake, I don't know whether I can trust you anymore." That should help patch things up with the IDC.* Sharpton said he wasn't aware John Sampson was going to make his announcement.* RT : How could the IDC possibly reunite with the Senate Democrats after this rally? "When people were after him, he called me"--Hazel dukes re: Cuomo.* New York NAACP head Hazel Dukes questions whether is truly a Democrat.* Sharpton says rallies against IDC members might involve "house calls."
 Lawmakers, Leaders Rally Against Controversial State Senate Deal (NY1) * Mayoral Candidates Blast NY Post For Cartoon Mocking Bill de Blasio and Chirlane McCray(NYO) * Video: At fiery rally, Sampson says he’ll step aside * Sampson says he'll step aside if Dems regain majority (Lo Hud) * Rally Protests Coalition in New York State Senate(NYT) * Minority report(NYDN Ed) Racial rhetoric has no place in state Senate fight* The state Senate Democrats deserve  The breakaway faction owes voters better (by Eric Adams, NYDN) *  Long: "There's no point having the Republicans in leadership if left-leaning legislation .. isn’t going to be stopped" (NYDN) * Video: At fiery rally, Sampson says he'll step aside(TU) * After black leaders show anger over Senate debacle , how will Gianaris and ...(Knickerbocker Ledger) * Sen. David Valesky's IDC making power play, some Senate Democrats say(Syracuse.com) *  Liberals Slam Andrew Cuomo’s Deals With New York GOP (Daily Beast) The ambitious governor’s drawing heat for his role in giving Republicans a majority in Albany. Will this matter to Democrats with long memories in Iowa in 2016?* In a DN oped, calls for "true bipartisanship," w/equal committee seats, budgets & power to move bills  * A “Cuomo associate” called the Senate Democrats “crooks, plain and simple.” * Sharpton said the power struggle in the Senate is “not a Cuomo story.” * The Rochester Democrat & Chronicle sees the IDC-GOP alliance as “cause for concern.”* State Conservative Party Chairman Michael Long called on the Republicans to either reject Cuomo’s “litmus test” of liberal issues he wants the new Senate leadership team to push through or face widespread primaries in two years.* Gov. Andrew Cuomo rather be attacked for empowering State Senate Republicans than State Senate Democratic "crooks"(Daily Beast) 




Ravi Batra Calls Sampson A Modern Day Churchill
"John Sampson outdoes Sir Winston Churchill, by winning the majority and stepping aside as the majority leader to earn his noble 'Sir.'  Sir Winston Churchill, after winning the Battle of England, was voted out as  Prime Minister by a tired nation. John Sampson after incredibly winning the "senate majority" for the Dems, despite hostile redistricting, a M-I-A Democratic party and some dishonest editorials (who focused on resulting dysfunction but not on the folks that caused it so as to stay overtime in power despite electoral judgment), has taken himself out as "majority leader"  - is an act of sheer nobility and earns him the title of "Sir." To an African-American, m"sir" means more than any boy can understand. While New Yorkers are busy with the pain of excessive unemployment and want afunctioning Albany, no matter 'who is on first,' to ease their daily burden, itsworthy to acknowledge a rare act of magnanimousness which belongs to a statesman\and not a mere politician. Sir John Sampson is that man and hardworking New Yorkers are in his debt for a brighter tomorrow and an Albany, as an honestfiduciary, that faithfully represents their concerns without self gain." Ravi Batra *
Sen. Saland essentially conceding: "apparent that we may not gain enough in the end to ultimately be successful."


Klein Throws Bone to Liberals Which NYP Calls Job Killer
A Job-Killing Coalition(NYP)  That didn’t take long: Just hours after news broke of the state Senate’s wacky new bipartisan governing plan, New Yorkers got a whiff of one of its top priorities: killing 22,000 jobs.But Klein did say that the new arrangement means the Senate is now certain to hike New York’s minimum wage. And that’s just as certain to kill the jobs.


No WTC James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act payouts two years later
Snail’s pace of 9/11 victim compensation fund frustrates workers waiting for aid(NYP) So far, 15,000 firefighters, cops, hardhats and others who lived, worked or went to school downtown have registered as potential claimants. But only 1,500 have filed applications, officials told The Post. Cancers were recently added to the covered illnesses, but the fund has yet to issue the forms for those applications.

Response* Schumer blasts pace of 9/11 victim compensation(NYDN)


Big Spending kick (NYP) Soccer league’s $1.5M push for Qns. stadium
Most of the MLS’s lobbying fees — $920,822 — were dished out to HR&A Associates, a politically connected firm staffed with many ex-city officials.  “It’s a joke that [MLS] is spending money like drunken sailors for a project that has strong community opposition,” said Geoffrey Croft of New York City Park Advocates. MLS spokeswoman Risa Heller downplayed HR&A’s contract, saying the firm works mostly as “real-estate advisers” and only “occasionally” as lobbyists.







Our Constant Times


    First, the NYT described Gov. Cuomo as a hunky fire chief. Now, Channing Tatum is sometimes "dainty." Can someone police this? Thank u. :)


 

Campaign 2013
This Time Rev. Flake Says He Will Stick With Thompson After the Primary
ThTompson ‘Revs’ up (NYP) Powerhouse Queens preacher Rev. Floyd Flake blessed Bill Thompson.  Flake, a former congressman in southeastern Queens, is not afraid to cross party lines. In 2009, he backed Mayor Bloomberg’s re-election and abandoned Thompson, whom he had supported in the Democratic primary. But Flake insisted that he will stick with Thompson in the general election this time — if he wins the Democratic primary.

Team de Blasio Tries to Change the Coverage
Alec Baldwin slams Quinn's mayoral hopes over term limits extensions for Bloomberg(NYP) * Alec Baldwin criticizes Christine Quin, news in Ireland:

Rudy Pals Pushing Lhota Into the Race
MTA Chairman Eyes a Mayoral Run(WSJ)*
MTA boss Joe Lhota admits he's mulling whether to run for mayor (NYDN)
A pretty sensible campaign slogan(Goodwin, NYDN)










Billionaire grocer mulls mayoral run(NYDN)



Sick Pay Bill Going on Sick Leave
Quinn’s sick-pay respite(NYP)\ City Councilwoman Gale Brewer her new sick-leave bill is being shelved indefinitely by Council Speaker Chris Quinn. Quinn is reportedly once again refusing to move forward with the legislation, which would require any business with five or more employees to grant its workers at least five sick days every year.

2013 Dinowitz Attempts to Handpick Next Councilman(Bronx Chat) * .@yettakurland "to make a major announcement" tomorrow 1pm @ City Hall. City Council campaign? * Addabbo's newly conservative district led to his rather mealy-mouthed explanation of his switch to aye. * Other pols take note. This is how you should roll. RT Brooklyn – DA Hynes Wants to Retire at the End of 2025


Drop in Wall Street Bonuses Will Not Only Hurt the City's Tax Revnue It Will Also Hurt Restaurantes and Other Business in the Downtown Area


Wall St. ‘weak’: Bonuses slide(NYP)NYC economy could feel the $$ pinch. With the economy still struggling, Wall Street workers are expecting the worst bonus season since the crash of 2008. State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli estimates that the average bonus this year will be $101,000 — a 16.5 percent decline from last year and almost a 50 percent decline since 2006, when the average was $191,360.The cutbacks, which often account for a large percentage of a Wall Street worker’s pay, will have a ripple effect through the New York City economy — in the restaurant business, for example. “Many restaurateurs are still grappling with the effects of Hurricane Sandy. It would have a cumulative financial impact on restaurants in the city,” said Andrew Moesel, spokesman for the New York State Restaurant Association. “Wall Street is one of the financial engines that drive this city.” * Report: Wall Street Bonuses Forecast To Drop This Year(WINS)  * That figure is down almost 50 percent since 2006. In 2006, the average Wall Street bonus was $190,000. Miller reported. Report: Wall Street Bonuses Forecast To Drop This Year (WCBS)


 Where is the NY Congressional Delegation On This?




 Fiscal Clifts Could Hit NYC Tax Base Hard
A tax attack on New Yorkers (NYDN)  Washington must keep state and local levies deductible


 Economic Press On Cuomo To Pass Gas Out in the cold(NYP Ed)With Wednesday’s release of a key Team Obama study touting global sales of US natural gas, America seems poised to become a major energy exporter. But will New York miss out? Huge new markets — in Asia and Europe, for example — may soon open up to US producers, generating tens of thousands of jobs here. And billions in revenues.


Obama Sandy Deal  S60.4 Billion $80 Billion Requested

Still Must Pass Congress in 2013 Where it may face hurdles
O pushing Congress for $60B Sandy relief(NYP) * Obama Asking Congress for $60.4 Billion to Help States Recover From Storm(NYT) * Request Hits $60.4 Billion for Sandy Aid(WSJ) * Obama request for Sandy aid could face hurdles(WSJ) * Obama Administration Requests $60.4 Billion In Federal Sandy Relief Aid(NY1) * NY1 Online: Cuomo, Schumer Announce White House Call For $60 Billion In Federal Sandy Aid * Obama proposes $60 billion aid for New York, New Jersey (NYDN) * Obama To Seek More Than $60B In Sandy Aid From Congress(WCBS) * Obama request for Sandy aid could face hurdles(Fox 5) * Washington - Obama Request for Sandy Aid Could Face fight in Congress  * Grimm slams cheapskate Obama over puny Sandy aid request(Booklyn Daily Eagle)

 NY Pols Warned About Sandy in the 70's Did Nothing
Hey Mayoral Candidates Why You Let Coney Island Drown?
New York Mostly Ignored Reports Warning Of Superstorm(Huff Post)
For the last 30 years New York officials were warned of a storm of historic proportions that could flood the subways, create widespread power outages, and hit the Rockaways peninsula especially hard. A 2006 report read: “It’s not a question of whether a strong hurricane will hit New York City. It’s just a question of when.” But tight budgets meant the warnings went unheeded—and when Hurricane Sandy hit, many of the problems were dealt with on the fly. “I don’t know that anyone believed it,” New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo told the Associated Press. “We had never seen a storm like this. So it is very hard to anticipate something that you have never experienced.” * Warnings Of 'Storm Of Historic Proportions' Ignored(NY1) * State reports warned of storm as big as Sandy(WABC)

Far Above the Flooding, Yet Still Feeling a Hurricane’s Sting(NYT) * Benefit’s Producers Condemn Scalpers(NYT) * Sandy Leaves Boats Dry(WSJ) * Housing Frustration Grows(WSJ) * City, Private Real Estate Industry Offer Housing For Those Displaced By Sandy(NY1) * Scalpers Taking Slice Of '12-12-12' Concert Profits Meant For Sandy Victims(NY1) * Small Businesses Find Difficulty Paying For Loans, Receiving Grants To Reopen After Sandy(NY1) * Experts Say Structure To Prevent Flooding Should Be Considered, Bloomberg Disagrees(NY1) * Temporary Food Assistance Program Put In Place For Sandy Victims(NY1) * Bloomberg Launches Study To Make City Better Prepared For Extreme Weather(NY1)
* Mold concerns at Rockaway school(NYDN)* FEMA workers sat idle in days after Sandy: repor(NYDN) * New toys available for Staten Island victims of Hurricane (SI Advance) * Sandy-struck Breezy Point now facing 'greatest historical challenge' (NBC) * Canarsie Church Pushes On Despite Sandy Devastation
NY Ignored Sandy Warnings (Daily Beast) * Volunteers Clean Up SI Wetlands
* Pennsylvania Cub Scout Troop Collects Supplies For SI Sandy Victims * Mold, asbestos cleanup underway in storm-damaged school(WABC) * LIRR to restore normal service after Sandy(WABC)
2/3 of Sandy-Damaged Homes in N.Y. Were Outside the 100-Year Flood Zone - Politics - The Atlantic Cities (Gotham Gazette) *Feds handing NYC kids $30 million for free lunch as Sandy aid — whether they need it or not(NYP) * Downtown stink over 24/7 generators(NYDN) * Normal rush due on LIRR(NYP)
* Federal tax breaks proposed for Sandy victims(Fox 5) * FEMA insists: We're on your side, Staten Island(SI Advance) ** Fundraiser for dogs and cats displaced by Sandy (WABC) * Temple In Rockaways Struggles To Rebuild From Sandy As Hanukkah Starts(NY1) * Volunteers Help Seniors Left Homeless by Sandy(NBC) * Schumer, Menendez Propose Tax Breaks For Sandy Victims (NY1)\ * Lawmakers Aim To Aid Recovery For Small Businesses * Bill proposes tax breaks for Hurricane Sandy cleanup ef (NYDN) * Lawmakers Aim To Aid Recovery For Small Businesses(NY1) *  This should be fun: Sens. Jeff Klein, Dean Skelos, Malcolm Smith and Joe Addabbo launch a coalition tomorrow in Rockaways * Thieves swiped valuables from posh apartments following Sandy evacuations(NYP)

True News PM In Lower Manhattan, Storm Recovery Is Slogging(NYT) * Housing Agency’s Flaws Revealed by Storm(NYT)


 
Citi Bike program postponed till May(NYDN)Newly Delayed Bike Share Program Is Now to Begin in May(NYT)
City puts Christmas tree in unsafe spot in storm-ravaged Rockaway Beach(NYP)
Getting lawmakers to see storm damage up close(NYDN)

Hospital Corruption
Bankrupt B’klyn hosp rehires ‘mismanagement’ team34 mins agoThey ran the hospital into the ground — and then they got rehired.The for-profit firm whose executives manage the Interfaith Medical Center in Bedford-Stuyvesant were handed a new $3 million contract to …


Fans Remember John Lennon On 32nd Anniversary Of His Death (NY1)


Education
Mayor Bloomberg: Teachers must be accountable, or 'painful(NYDN) * Overcrowded East Side School Zones to Shrink in 2013(DNAINFO) *Mike hangs tough(NYDN)Mayor Bloomberg shows himself to be in the schoolchildren's corner  Holds out for a strong teacher evaluation program*
Mold, asbestos cleanup underway in storm-damaged school(WABC) * Cooper Union Students March to Keep College Free of Tuition(DNAINFO) * WATCH: Students March Through New York For Small School's Struggle(Huff Post) *Cooper Union Trustee Lashes Out At Student Protesters(Huff Post)* Cooper Union Students March to Keep College Free of Tuition(DNAINFO)

Poor Schools Struggling to Meet State Standards, Years After Critical Ruling(NYT)


MTA rolling out its final fare-hike plan(NYP)


Runners Demand Answers for 2013 NYC Marathon(NBC)



It’s a mosque-rade  (NYP) It’s all pray and no play. The Islamic cultural center near Ground Zero that opened with great fanfare a year ago is now an empty space with no community programs.



Blog Takes Issue With Use Of ‘RAMBO’ Neighborhood Name On Google Maps(WCBS)

Local papers opposed to soccer stadium(Queens Crap)

From the Queens Chronicle:

Simply put, we cannot understand why the league insists on setting up shop on public property, in a park utilized on any given weekend by thousands of borough residents. This atop a whole litany of lingering concerns.
Questions about the feasibility of building a stadium on a swamp will remain until MLS explains in detail how it will manage to build a stadium in an area where the water table is three feet below the surface at most, according to the 2006 U.S. Geological Survey map. Those concerns are only magnified by the proposed parking facility — not for public use — below the stadium, which we presume will be a wonder of water-repellent engineering.

Jon Kest, Advocate for Low-Wage Workers in New York, Dies at 57(NYT)Mr. Kest, who organized a strike last month by New York City’s fast-food employees, was a founder of the Working Families Party.

A Well-Worn Sound, With a Swagger That Never Stops(NYT) The Rolling Stones at Barclays Center

 

5m
Stones : limos still idling on streets; congested corner @ Dean/Flatbush needs better management Videos 

In Focus: Humble Beginnings For The Sea Beach Line(Bensonhurst Bean)






Bridge to A New Park
Walk this way!(Brooklyn Paper) A new footbridge linking Brooklyn Heights and Brooklyn Bridge Park will give pedestrians a bounce to their steps when it opens later this month.





Koch to Leave Hospital
Former Mayor Koch Expected To Leave Hospital In Time For Birthday Party (WCBS)
Former Mayor Koch To Be Released From Hospital On Monda (WCBS)
Former Mayor Ed Koch Expected To Be Released From Hospital …(NY1)


Going for the grey(NYP) Older workers benefiting as jobless rate hits 7.7%


East Village Shrine to Riots and Radicals(NYT)


  



Washington 
Hillary Clinton’s Countless Choices Could Hinge on 2016 Election - NYTimes.com *Student debt load & defaults hit all-time highs(NYP) * Republicans: We blew it with Latino electorate(NYDN) * Hurricane Sandy victims say $60B not enough(NYDN) * New Taxes to Take Effect to Fund Health Care Law(NYT) * Parts Of American Conservatism That Have Become 'Rackets'
Washington Post: “Obama’s second-term agenda will be shadowed by budget woes”
Associated Press: “Boustany Trounces Landry for LA Congressional Seat”
Politico: “On Entitlements, Republicans Are Ready to Take Any Victory They Can Get”
The Hill: “White House Could Protect Middle Class from Looming Tax Hikes”
Leading this Sunday morning: The GOP is ready for any entitlements victory

President Obama's Inaugural Committee Will Accept Corporate Money This Year(NY Mag)
 U.S. Enabling the Muslim Brotherhood - David Ignatius, Washington Post
Profiting From a Child's Illiteracy - Nicholas Kristof, New York Times
Romney: The Man Who Wasn't There - Robert Tracinski, RealClearMarkets
Beneath the Presidential Platitudes - Peggy Noonan, Wall Street Journal
In Talks, Republicans May Have to Just Say Yes - Robert Frank, NY Times
Oklahoma Versus ObamaCare - Jillian Kay Melchior, National Review
The Man Who Could Be S.C.'s Next Senator - Rosen & Douglas, The State
Clinton's Choices Hinge on Just One: 2016 - Jodi Cantor, New York Times
The Looming Crisis of Student Loan Debt - William Bennett, CNN
A Case for Targeted Killings - George Will, Washington Post
Why Are Republicans So Surprised Romney Lost? - Maureen Dowd, NYT

The French Really Are Les Miserables - Wolf Richter, Business Insider
Same-Sex Marriage Meets High Court - Michael Klarman, Los Angeles Times
Romney's Problem? All the Single Ladies - Gene Weingarten, Wash Post
Jim DeMint Will Not Be Missed - Timothy Noah, The New Republic
Obama Planting Seeds of His Own Demise - Peter Ferrara, Am. Spectator
Yesterday's Revenue Can't Support Tomorrow's America - Ezra Klein, WP
Obama and business rushing into one another’s arms post election(Buzzfeed)
"Bullish" November Data Mask An Ugly Truth About Jobs - IBD
The Next Civil Rights Landmark - New York Times
A Republican Pivot on Immigration - Los Angeles Times
North Korea: There They Go Again - Japan Times
Obama's Cabinet To Be Reshaped In Second Term
Dick Durbin tells on there should be means testing on Medicare, just like fellow Dem Claire McCaskill did last Sunday

TV SoundOff: Sunday Talking Heads(Huff Post)


Bob Woodward says Hillary Clinton now has the "perfect resume" to run for Pres. again in 2016
Scott Walker's son uses same voting option that gov sought to ban
New Battleground Poll: Plurality supports gay marriage(Politico)
. voted to House leadership post  
Cory Booker to decide within two weeks whether to challenge Chris Christie (Wash Post)
How to Save the Democratic Party (Nation)
Former Sen. Simpson predicts tax rates on wealthy are going up(Hill)

How Do We Tell If Hillary Is Running in 2016?(the Atlantic)
Boehner visits White House for fiscal cliff talks(CNN)
Barney Frank Leaves Congress, Won't "Pretend Everything is Wonderful"(Gawker)
James Carville: '90 percent' of Democrats want Hillary Clinton to run for president(Wash Post)
Leading POLITICO: Senate not yet ready to go 'nuclear' on filibuster -- (Politico)
All in one place: Sunday show transcripts and video links.
"Hi, Manny. I'm Mitt Romney. I Ran for President. I Lost."(Slate)
President Obama and John Boehner Meet to Discuss Fiscal Cliff Negotiations as More Republicans Call for Cooperation(NY Mag)
Reform Gov't Spending or Go Bankrupt - Janet Daley, Sunday Telegraph
New Taxes to Take Effect to Fund Health Care Law - Robert Pear, NY Times
Michigan: A Right-to-Work State? - Harold Meyerson, American Prospect
Will DeMint Bring Libertarian Flavor to Heritage? - Nick Gillespie, Reason
The Evolution of Jim DeMint - Kelefa Sanneh, The New Yorker
Morsi Pushes Egypt Toward the Brink - Matthias Gebauer, Der Spiegel
Now They Tell Us Libya Jihadis Got Our Weapons? - Ed Morrissey, Hot Air
What Would Replace Affirmative Action? - Jeffrey Rosen, New Republic
50 Shades of Grey Job Market - Terry Keenan, New York Post
Reflections on the Coming of Christmas - Walter Russell Mead, Am. Interest
Sunday Roundtables: Meet the Press | Face the Nation | This Week
23 People Who Will Be Running Washington Next Year (Buzz Feed)
News Analysis: U.N. Envoy Rice Faulted for Rwanda Tie in Congo Conflict(NYT)
Romney '47 percent' comment chosen as quote of the year(Huff Post)
Obama Meets Psy, Refrains From Doing Horse Dance(NYM)
Obama, Boehner meet one-on-one, discuss ‘cliff’(Wash Post)
As DeMint leaves Senate, who might be close behind?(Wash Post)

Obama and Boehner Talk About Deficits at the White House(NYT



Saturday

Twenty and Counting(NYT) So there are going to be more women in Congress. But what does that mean? * Scrooge. The Grinch. Congress.(NYT) Extending federal jobless benefits is the least the lawmakers should do before they leave town for the holidays. * Bad News for Campaign Finance(NYT) Post-election financial reports show that spending in the 2012 campaigns took a turn for the worse.* This Time, Obama Takes Case to Public(WSJ) * The Psychology of Defeat on the Right(NY Mag) * Editorial: If the White House is serious about its economic strategy, it can start with natural gas exports(Wash Post)
Yesterday's Revenue Can't Support Tomorrow's America - Ezra Klein, WP
Spending, Not Lack of Revenue, Is Real Problem - Victor Davis Hanson, IBD
Boehner: No Progress in Talks - Huey-Burns & Simendinger, RealClearPolitics
Let's All Jump Off the Cliff - Belt, Bernstein, Gale & Swagel, Bloomberg
Republicans' Strategic Retreat? - Larry Kudlow, National Review
High Court Will Rule on Gay Marriage - Adam Liptak, New York Times
MI Lawmakers, Unions Prep for Face-Off - Karen Bouffard, Detroit News
Protesters in Egypt: This Is Just the Beginning - Evan Hill, The Atlantic
Egypt's Predictable Unraveling - Andrew McCarthy, National Review
Why Hillary Must Run in 2016 - Michael Tomasky, The Daily Beast
Shock Therapy for Obama's Supersized Gov't - Robert Robb, AZ Republic
The Republicans, Dinosaurs and Denial - Charles Blow, New York Times
Permanent Gridlock - Jay Cost, Weekly Standard
It's the Gerrymandering, Stupid - Hedrick Smith, The Daily Beast
Why Lefties Back Welfare for the Rich - Jacob Sullum, New York Post
Obama Goes Off the Record w/Liberal Media - Erik Wemple, Wash Post
It's Hard to Be a Hero - Joe Nocera, New York Times
Media Urges President Obama Not To Close Inauguration To The Press
"Bullish" November Data Mask An Ugly Truth About Jobs - IBD
The Next Civil Rights Landmark - New York Times
A Republican Pivot on Immigration - Los Angeles Times
North Korea: There They Go Again - Japan Times

GOP Rep: Clinton will testify about Benghazi attack (Huff Post)
VIDEO: This week in Playback: The best of this week's late-night TV -- (Politico)
Why We Need a Democratic Tea Party (Atlantic)
Cracking open CongressWe need better insider reporting about the “fiscal cliff”(Columbia Journalism)
Tax Arithmetic Shows Top Rate Is Just a Starter in Talks(NYT)
Obama Team Outlines Inaugural Donor Packages(NYT)
Unemployment Rate Falls to 7.7 Per Cent: But Where Are All the Other Workers? (New Yorker)
This Holiday Season, Here’s Hoping Barack Obama Attends More Parties(Vanity Fair)
A Lost Civilization(Dowd, NYT) The Republican tribe is being wiped out, and not by plague, drought or Conquistadors.   The Cracks in the Nation’s Foundation(NYT)Republicans have demonized them, but investments in public projects are needed more than ever.
George Will: 'Quite Literally, The Opposition To Gay Marriage Is Dying' (VIDEO)
Gingrich: If Hillary Clinton Runs In 2016, Current GOP ‘Incapable Of Competing’\
Michael Tomasky believes Clinton 2016 is a question of “must,” not “will
Booker may decide to challenge Christie for governor(NYDN)



Bloomberg Weighs Making Bid for The Financial Times(NYT)Not long ago, The Financial Times would have been the crown jewel of any media company, instantly conferring prestige and influence on its owner. Now, given the likely bidders, one of the world’s most respected and distinctive financial newspapers could end up as a trophy to help sell more computer terminals.* For The Journal, Leadership at a Crossroads(NYT)


On SNL, Obama Pities A Bullied John Boehner: ‘Leave This Orange Man Alone’


Law and Order
 "Tree of Angels" holds ornaments dedicated to murder victims(NYDN)

Police shoot, kill man in Queens after he pulls a gun on (NYP)
* Police shoot, kill armed man in Queens (NYP)
* Investigation Underway After Man Shot, Killed By Police In Queens(NY1) * Man killed in police-involved shooting in Queens(Wabc) *Career criminal shot and killed by undercover cops as they took alleged drug dealer into custody(NYP) * Police gun down man after he flashes BB gun(NYDN) * Police: Man Shot Dead By Officers Pulled Air Pistol That (WSBS)
* Police Shoot and Kill Man With Air Gun in Queens(NBC) *

Detectives in Queens Kill Man Pointing a Pellet Gun(NYT)



Undercover Cops Fatally Shoot Man Armed with Pellet Gun in Queens(DNAINFO) * Robber tries to pull stickup during undercover drug bust, police shoot him dead: cops(NYP)
* ‘Cops, you idiot!’(NYP)

 
 
 

Police Search For Canarsie Robbery Suspects (WCBS)


Police Recruits Need More Gun Training in Real-Life Scenarios, Critics Say (NYT)







Driver Not Guilty of Manslaughter


Bronx ‘slay’ driver exhales after he's fined a measly $500 for 15 bus deaths(NYP) * Bus Driver Found Not Guilty of Manslaughter in I-95 Crash(NYT) Cleared of 53 of 54 charges. * Driver Acquitted in Deadly Crash(WSJ) * Driver in Deadly Bronx Bus Crash Cleared of Most Charges (WSJ)* Driver In Bronx Bus Crash Not Guilty Of Manslaughter(NY1) * Bus Driver In Deadly Bronx Crash Not Guilty Of All Charges(WCBS) * Man charged in subway rider's death blames voices(Fox 5) 


The Reason the Driver Was Found Not Guilty
Experts: Why DA’s case was doomed(NYP) It’s not illegal to drive while tired, said defense lawyer Steven Epstein, a specialist in drunken-driving cases.  Under New York law, someone is criminally negligent if they “fail to perceive a substantial and unjustifiable risk.” “The guy would have had to know when he went to work that day, ‘Geez, I probably shouldn’t go to work today because there's a risk I will endanger these people on the bus.

 List of judges for highest court sent to Cuomo

Five people, found guilty in 1997, had been imprisoned for more than 17 years in the fatal shooting of a livery cabdriver.
DA: Drop slay rap vs. trio (NYP) Bronx prosecutors yesterday asked a judge to drop charges against five people convicted in the murder of a cabdriver 18 years ago after new evidence indicated they were innocent. Guilty verdicts “must be vacated” * Convictions in ’95 Killing of Cabdriver to Be Vacated(NYT)


Subway slay suspect says he heard voices before shoving Qns. father to his death(NYP)
* Straphangers help prevent a repeat subway tragedy after man tumbles on the tracks(NYP)

* Man charged in subway rider's death blames voices(WSJ) * Straphangers help prevent a repeat subway tragedy after (NYP)



Molest jury is ‘split’ (NYP) The Hasidic leader on trial for molesting a young girl could... * Jurors split on sexual assault trial of Hasidic counsel (NYDN) * VIDEO: National CBS News in-Depth Report on ‘Fundamentalist’ Satmar Community(CBS)


Some Thieves at New York’s Jails Lurk Outside(NYT)










Homicides Fall Despite Soaring Gun Violence(WSJ) The number of U.S. homicides has been falling for years. Yet the reported number of people treated for gunshots from 2001 to 2011 has grown by nearly half. Experts say improved medical care is a big factor in the homicide decline.



Queens teen pleads guilty to stabbing her half-brother to death over a cellphone(NYP)


Elderly Robbery Victim Speaks Out About Bronx Attack(WCBS)
Pillow-carrying mobster gets 24 months in jail(NYDN)
Frightening elevator robbery in Far Rockaway(WCBS) 
Bronx Nursing Home Worker Accused of Sex Abuse(NBC)
Armed East Harlem Pharmacy Robber Sought(NBC)

'I'm glad you caught up with me!' Slay suspect thanks cops (NYDN)
‘Flame’up at FDNY tran trial(NYP) * Cops Hunting Three Suspects Accused of Beating Up, Robbing Taxi Driver(DNAINFO)
* Brutal attacks on elderly women leave neighbors on edge.

Convicted Criminal Attempts to Sway Court With E-mails From High-Profile Politicians(NY Mag)
* Friends Come To Defense Of Suspect Accused Of Pushing Man Onto Subway Tracks (NY1)

Cops find decomposing body, stabbed to death with combat knife, in Queens home(NYP)

'High' crime: NYPD traffic agent busted on pot, weapons charges(NYP)

Traffic Enforcement Agent, FDNY Employee Arrested In Separate …(WCBS)

NY ex-con says he shoplifted to get health care(Fox 5)

Woman Found Stabbed To Death, Man Found Wounded In Quee …(WCBS)

Bronx man shot and killed(Fox 5)