News, politics, commentary, and cultural reporting with a New York perspective.
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
Monday, December 31, 2012
Mythbusters banned from speaking about RFID chip by Visa and Mastercard
Host Adam Savage of Mythbusters tells how Visa, Mastercard, and Discover had the Discovery Channel put the kibosh on an episode that would have revealed just how “trackable and hackable” the RFID chips found in many credit cards are. It’s a telling example of how corporate advertisers serve as the gatekeepers of mainstream media/entertainment. (Gizmodo)
Activists Demand That Christine Quinn De-Fund Stop-And-Frisk
Quinn pressed on NYPD frisk policy
From The New York Post :
Dozens of activists blasted the NYPD’s stop-and-frisk program yesterday and called on City Council Speaker Christine Quinn to reform it.
“We expect her to share the sensibility that people in this community have when they are being targeted based on the color of their skin and who they are and their identity,” Louis Flores said before a march in Jackson Heights, Queens.
Quinn, a leading Democratic hopeful for mayor next year, has called on Mayor Bloomberg and Police Commissioner Ray Kelly to reform the controversial practice. She has not yet taken a position on the four bills before the council to curtail it.
The group called on Quinn to cut the NYPD’s budget in order to do away with stop-and-frisk.
Although she negotiates and must approve the city budget every year, she can’t tell Kelly which programs to drop for lack of funds.
Critics decry as racist the practice of cops searching individuals they deem suspicious; Bloomberg and Kelly insist it has led to the city’s dramatic drop in murders.
Sunday, December 30, 2012
Protesters March Against City Funding Of NYPD Stop-And-Frisks
Video streaming by Ustream
The artist and blogger Suzannah B. Troy dressed up as New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn and marched with activists.
Protesters March Against City Funding Of NYPD Stop-And-Frisks
Approximately 40 protests gathered in the Jackson Heights plaza for a speak-out against the city budget that fully funds the NYPD program called stop-and-frisk.
Activists from several groups worked in collaboration to demand that if the New York City Council does not pass the Community Safety Act, then the City Council Speaker Christine Quinn should defund the NYPD of the resources that go to pay for the continuation of stop-and-frisk.
After activists denounced stop-and-frisk, activists then marched from 73rd Street and Roosevelt Avenue all the way to 90th Street and Roosevelt Avenue, and then activists marched back to 74th Street.
In the time that Christine Quinn has been Speaker of City Council, over 3.7 million New Yorkers have been stopped-and-frisked.
Saturday, December 29, 2012
Push-Pull Relationship With NYPD In Jackson Heights
There's a push-pull relationship going on with the NYPD in Jackson Heights. Some neighborhoods are policed to the satisfaction of business owners, like along 82nd Street, but others not, like along 73rd Street.
Some neighborhoods are over-policed, because so many innocent people are being subjected to stop-and-frisk, like along Roosevelt Avenue, but others not, like along 34th Avenue.
It seems that prejudice is what drives these disparities, and, for some unmentionable reason, this situation is acceptable by decision-makers. I'm only mentioning the few blocks around where I live. I wonder what the experience is like on the other side of 74th Street, on the other side of Roosevelt Avenue, and on the other side of 82nd Street ?
Join us on Sunday at 1 pm in Jackson Heights for a protest against one of the chief political enablers of the "stop-and-frisk" policy : March Against Christine Quinn and Stop-And-Frisk.
Each and every year, @chriscquinn approves the #NYPD budget without defunding #stopandfrisk facebook.com/events/2573144… @endstopfrisknow
— Stop Christine Quinn (@stopchrisquinn) December 24, 2012
Friday, December 28, 2012
Dr. Andrew Fagelman Receptionist Office Mgr Assaults Suzannah B. Troy
The blogger and artist Suzannah B. Troy was assaulted by Delita Hooks, and the NYPD made the assault disappear by coercing Ms. Troy into dropping the charges. This is how the NYPD fixes the crime statistics into creating an illusion that New York City is becoming a safer city under Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
Thursday, December 27, 2012
March Against Christine Quinn and Stop-And-Frisk Featured On NYCGA.NET
The March against Christine Quinn and Stop-And-Frisk is being featured on NYCGA.NET.
Join us on Sunday, Dec. 30 at 1 p.m. at 74th Street and Roosevelt Avenue in Jackson Heights.
View March Against Christine Quinn/Stop-And-Frisk in a larger map
A Failure of Leadership
Nothing has come of the proposed law known as the Community Safety Act, and, under New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, probably nothing ever will. We need to defund the NYPD of the resources that go into allowing the police force to carry out the practise of stop-and-frisk.
If the City Council won't pass the Community Safety Act, then it needs to begin to defund the NYPD of our tax money. How can tax money be legally used to discriminate against citizens ? Title III of the Civil Rights Act prohibits state and municipal governments from denying access to public facilities on grounds of race, color, religion or national origin. Yet, isn't that exactly what the NYPD are doing ? Are they not denying us peaceful access and peaceful enjoyment to public spaces solely based on prejudices about race, color, religion or national origin ?
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Christine Quinn Spokesman Josh Isay Spin Described As ''Silliness'' By The New York Times
''Fast One'' comment by @joshisay described as ''silliness'' by @powellnyt nytimes.com/2012/12/25/nyr… @chriscquinn @suzannahbtroy @donnymossnyc
— Stop Christine Quinn (@stopchrisquinn) December 26, 2012
Mental Healthcare Crisis In New York Caused By Spree Of Hospital Closings
Tuesday, December 25, 2012
Fantasy on scottish melody "Auld Lang Syne" by Ambroise Thomas with Joseph Smith as Pianist
Fantasy on the scottish melody "Auld Lang Syne" written in 1835 by Ambroise Thomas (1811 - 1896). Just in time for the holiday season.