New TV Ad Blames Christine Quinn For St. Vincent's Hospital Closing

The latest ad by New York City is Not for Sale 2013 blames Christine Quinn for her role in St. Vincent’s Hospital closure.

A group of citizen activists has previewed an advance look at a new TV advertisement that blames New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn for the closing of St. Vincent's Hospital.

The TV ad, released by the group known as NYC Is Not For Sale 2013, exposes how there has been an appearance of a quid-pro-quo between Speaker Quinn and Rudin Management Company, the real estate developer, which foreclosed on St. Vincent's Hospital. Members of the Rudin family, who own the billion-dollar Rudin Management Company enterprise, donated $30,000 to Speaker Quinn, who conveniently later supported a zoning change that paved the way for the Greenwich Village hospital to close.

Read more : SEE IT: New ad blasts Christine Quinn for role in closing of St. Vincent’s Hospital

In exchange for $30,000 in campaign donations, did New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn sell out her community ?

Do the political campaign donations by Beth R. DeWoody, Madeleine R. Johnson, Eric C. Rudin, Jack Rudin, Katherine Rudin, and William C. Rudin, who each donated $4,950 to Christine Quinn's presumed 2013 mayoral campaign, amount to influence peddling ? After all, since even before St. Vincent's Hospital closed, Speaker Quinn has been toeing the Rudin family line : close down St. Vincent's and replace it with an inferior urgent care center.

Not only did Speaker Quinn say that we only needed an urgent care center to replace St. Vincent's, but she approved the Rudin family's plan, allowing St. Vincent's Hospital to be rezoned into luxury condos. Since 2010, the Rudin family has been trying to get approval for a billion-dollar real estate development plan for the buildings that belong to the bankruptcy estate of St. Vincent's Hospital. Since the Rudin family wants to build luxury high-rise condos on the site of St. Vincent's, and since they needed City Council approval from Speaker Quinn, do these large campaign donations explain why Speaker Quinn did nothing to restore a Level I trauma center and full-service hospital to the former St. Vincent's site ? Does Speaker Quinn's official acts come as a result of sizable campaign donations from the likes of the Rudin family ?

To Preet Bharara : Do @chriscquinn's official acts come as a result of campaign donations ? christine-quinn-sold-out.blogspot.com/2011/02/rudin-… #StVincentsHospital

— Stop Christine Quinn (@stopchrisquinn) April 4, 2013

Michael Bloomberg Immigrant Scapegoating

Bloomberg Lip Service On Immigrant Celebrations

Last week, Mayor Michael Bloomberg's media office issued PR-135-13, his press release to kick-off the tenth annual "Immigrant Heritage Week Celebration." The press release also announced that Mayor Bloomberg would present his "American Dreamer Awards" to New Yorkers, who are "improving the lives of immigrants." Declared an official, annual celebration by Mayor Bloomberg, the Immigrant Heritage Week Celebration purports to honor the experiences and contributions of immigrants in New York City.

Too bad that Mayor Bloomberg won't ever receive one of those "American Dreamer Awards," given how he likes to profile, target, and illegally stop and frisk immigrants in New York City.

Nobody needs to look any further than Mayor Bloomberg's remarks from today.

"In the wake of the Boston Marathon bombings, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said Monday the country’s interpretation of the Constitution will 'have to change' to allow for greater security to stave off future attacks," reported Jill Colvin for Politicker.

In Mayor Bloomberg's mind, paying lip service by press release for the Immigrant Heritage Week Celebration and the American Dreamer Awards is political cover for targeting the immigrant community for terrorism scapegoating.

CISPA Internet Blackout

People Have The Power Marriage Equality PSA feat. Sharon Needles and AlaskaThunderfuck

City Council Community Outreach Does Campaign Outreach For Christine Quinn

The Community Outreach Unit of the New York City Council, a taxpayer-financed office that has organized rallies to protect student subway discounts and sponsored adult education fairs, frequently functions as something else as well: a publicity and public relations machine for Christine C. Quinn. Read more : City Council’s Outreach Unit, Run by Quinn, Mainly Benefits Her Campaign

@uft - @quinn4ny uses Council's 16 person "Community Outreach Unit" as her private campaign staff nyti.ms/Yyq8Ps @mjalonschi

— Defeat Chris Quinn (@defeatquinn) April 19, 2013

The New York Times described the Community Outreach Unit, a taxpayer-financed group of many political operatives, as almost entirely focused on propping up Speaker Quinn's political image, which would benefit her mayoral campaign.

"Inside the community outreach office recently, there was a photograph of Ms. Quinn handing a plaque to Whoopi Goldberg. Below, a dry erase board bore reminders about two coming events the group helped organize: a breakfast for women of faith and a celebration of Irish culture. Ms. Quinn was the featured speaker at both. At the Irish event, the unit’s workers escorted to their seats prominent Irish-American families, including relatives of Thomas Manton, the former chairman of the Queens Democratic Party, whose backing was crucial to Ms. Quinn’s election as speaker," The New York Times reported.

This isn't the first time Speaker Quinn has been accused of using taxpayer money for her campaign.

A former deputy chief of staff to Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn who recently served as a top aide to Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg’s re-election effort has been fined for violating city law by soliciting campaign contributions for Ms. Quinn while working for her.

In announcing the sanction on Monday, the city’s Conflicts of Interest Board said in a statement that around April 2007, the former aide, Maura Keaney, made between six and a dozen phone calls to union representatives to ask them to be on the host committee for a fund-raising event for Ms. Quinn’s re-election bid. The ethics board, which fined Ms. Keaney $2,500, noted that serving on the host committee required a campaign contribution. (NYTimes : Ethics Panel Fines Ex-Aide to Speaker)

Does Outreach do fundraising ? Remember Maura Keaney ? @suzannahbtroy @nyccouncil @chriscquinn @defeatquinn @dumpchrisquinn @colvinj

— Stop Christine Quinn (@stopchrisquinn) April 19, 2013

Moreover, the Association for Neighborhood and Housing Development, a nonprofit group, which has publicly supported Speaker Quinn's campaign platform for several years, requested $100,000 in City Council slush funds for each of the past three years to advocate for Speaker Quinn. By admission of the office of Speaker Quinn, these funds were granted by Speaker Quinn. (WSJ : City Grants Aids Quinn Campaign)

Public Opinion is Changing Against GMHC and the Latex Ball

Wolfgang Busch publishes remarkable video on YouTube, showing how the Ballroom Community was exploited by Jennie Livingston's documentary, ''Paris Is Burning.''

GMHC has chosen to associate itself with Jennie Livingston and her exploitative documentary, ''Paris Is Burning,'' even though that film sensationalizes members of the Ballroom community. Not only that, but when Ms. Livingston's documentary was in production, she took advantage of many individuals, the Ballroom community alleges.

Despite these sensitivities, it is unknown why GMHC supports ''Paris Is Burning.''

Additionally, each year, GMHC sponsors the Latex Ball, which also exploits the Ballroom community. After years of exploitation and insensitivity, the Ballroom community has called for a boycott of the Latex Ball, as a way to give GMHC a wake-up call.

After a series of videos, Wolfgang Busch, a documentary filmmaker and supporter of the Ballroom community, has released this latest video, which is altering public opinion about GMHC.

Christine Quinn No Show At Jackson Heights Mayoral Forum

Several activists stood outside the Jewish Center in Jackson Heights tonight, to protest Christine Quinn's dismal record on LGBT equality, NYPD discrimination, and restrictions on the use of birth control.

Tonight's protest, which had been announced well in advance, was a success, activists said, because Christine Quinn cancelled her appearance at this forum.

Tonight's mayoral forum was sponsored by the New Visions Democratic Club, by the Lesbian Gay Democratic Club of Queens, and by City Councilmember Daniel Dromm.

Activists distributed over 300 flyers outside of tonight's mayoral forum. In their interaction with passers-by and with the attendees at tonight's mayoral form, activists often mentioned how Christine Quinn was primarily responsible for extending term limits to allow Mayor Michael Bloomberg to steal a third term, how Christine Quinn's use of slush funds creates a culture of corruption in City Hall, and how Christine Quinn has failed to hold the NYPD accountable for discriminating against innocent New Yorkers.

LGBT activists question why Christine Quinn, who is the highest elected openly LGBT politician in New York City politics, does not stand up to the NYPD. The NYPD have demonstrated a pattern of discriminating and falsely arresting innocent LGBT New Yorkers if they carry condoms. Police claim that if LGBT New Yorkers carry condoms, then the condoms are evidence that LGBT New Yorkers are engaged in prostitution.

Protest against @chriscquinn's inaction against NYPD condom criminalization today at 6:30 pm facebook.com/events/1650544… twitter.com/stopchrisquinn…

— Stop Christine Quinn (@stopchrisquinn) April 11, 2013

Activists displayed a banner, which portrayed a condom locked in a handcuff to represent how NYPD are trying to crack down on safe sex practices -- forcing us to return to backward Victorian times.

How can Christine Quinn support this kind of crackdown on the use of prophylactics, if the fact that prophylactics and birth control because legal in 1965 only after decades of attempts by Planned Parenthood to make it legal for people to use contraception.

But that's not all. The NYPD policy on stop-and-frisk also deliberately targets transgenders ; meanwhile, Christine Quinn does not hold the NYPD for discriminating against the LGBT community. The stop-and-frisk program discriminates, and, as a consequence, the City of New York ends up paying hundreds of millions in damages for violating the civil rights of innocent New Yorkers.

#NY’s Stop-and-Frisk #Election: In 2011 alone, #NYC paid out over $180 million in lawsuits against the #NYPDbit.ly/Zc7YX3

— BQ Brew (@BQBrew) April 11, 2013

Here is one of the flyers, which activists distributed tonight :

2013-04-11 Christine Quinn Stop and Frisk Condom Flyer

What a disgrace for the NYPD to menace the LGBT community like this. In an article in The New York Times last week-end, it was notable that no LGBT leader in this city was quoted here to denounce the institutional discrimination by the NYPD of LGBT New Yorkers. Most notable was the absence or silence by Christine Quinn, the highest elected LGBT official in New York City politics. She is somebody, who has a sensibility of what it means to be treated different because of her identity as a woman and as a lesbian. And yet she has said nothing about how the NYPD treats others in the LGBT community solely based on their identity. And in all the articles about how stop-and-frisk is used by the NYPD against communities of color and other minority groups, there has remained a radio silence about how a municipality can discriminate against people in public spaces based on sex, race, and other factors that are expressly prohibited by the Civil Rights Act. When were municipalities given the option of not enforcing the Civil Rights Act ? And how can the NYPD deliberately violate Griswold v. Connecticut, the landmark case that legalised the use of contraceptives in the United States ? When did carrying contraception or prophylactics become a criminal behaviour ? How can this be ?

Sheldon Silver Ambushed On Corruption By Suzannah B. Troy

One day after New York State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver defended his speakership from the spectacular corruption scandal arrests of last week, the blogger and artist Suzannah B. Troy confronted the Assembly Speaker on Centre Street in Manhattan.

Ms. Troy asked Speaker Silver for comment about the corruption up in Albany. When Speaker Silver said nothing, Ms. Troy asked Speaker Silver, "Are you part of the corruption ?"

Strike Debt Rolling Jubilee on RTAmerica

A member of Strike Debt was interviewed on RTAmerica about the Rolling Jubilee project to buy and forgive medical debt.

Fried Frank Represents Brookfield In OWS Lawsuit Over Library Destruction

How much lower can Fried Frank go ? Sarge Shriver's former law firm represents Brookfield Properties in the Occupy Wall Street lawsuit over Mayor Bloomberg's raid of Liberty Square, which destroyed the People's Library.

From The Village Voice :

... the City of New York will pay more than $365,000 to settle a lawsuit brought by people whose property was destroyed when the New York Police Department raided Zuccotti Park and evicted Occupy Wall Street on November 15, 2011. Occupy Wall Street had brought the suit against the city over the destruction of the People's Library, a collection of about 5,500 donated books that formed a central part of the community that sprung up for two months in the park. In the eviction, many of the books were completely destroyed, and others were so badly damaged as to be unusable. Occupy Wall Street claimed $47,000 in damages, all of which the city agreed to pay today.

On top of the damage claims, the city will also pay $186,350 in fees and costs to Occupy Wall Street's lawyers.

Sarge Shriver's old law firm, Fried Frank, represented Brookfield Properties in the Occupy Wall Street lawsuit over the destruction of the People's Library and the NYPD raid of Liberty Square. Sarge Shriver was known as the architect of President Johnson's war on poverty. He was known for his Progressive and humanitarian causes. With its defense of Brookfield Properties in this lawsuit, and the law firm's work to represent Bill Rudin in his takeover of St. Vincent's Hospital, Sarge Shriver's legacy is now being betrayed by Fried Frank.

2013-04-09 Occupy Wall St v City of New York Settlement (People's Library Destruction Lawsuit)

Quinn Hires Stroock To Violate NY1 Freedom Of Press

On the same day when the civic group called NYC Is Not For Sale 2013 produced and paid for a TV ad that criticised Christine Quinn's mayoral campaign, Speaker Quinn hired a very expensive law firm to bully NY1 into pulling the plug on the TV ad. Now, the NY1 program The Call is dedicating an entire hour to the topic of Speaker Quinn's questionable ethics.

Blogs and YouTube videos critical of @chriscquinn have been censored. No surprise that her reaction to NY1 is more censorship. @ny1thecall

— Stop Christine Quinn (@stopchrisquinn) April 9, 2013

Speaker Quinn's lawyer threatened NY1 with the possibility that it would lose its broadcast license if it did not remove the TV ad.

Here's the letter from Quinn's campaign calling on NY1 to pull anti-Quinn ad scribd.com/doc/134783153/…

— Chris Bragg (@ChrisBragg1) April 8, 2013

2013-04-08 Christine Quinn NY1 Stroock Threatening Letter

Why doesn't Stroock go after the artist and blogger Suzannah B. Troy ? Maybe because Ms. Troy's videos tell the truth ? Hmmmmmmmmmmmm.

Blogs and YouTube videos critical of @chriscquinn have been censored. No surprise that her reaction to NY1 is more censorship. @ny1thecall

— Stop Christine Quinn (@stopchrisquinn) April 9, 2013

For years before Speaker Quinn's campaign threatened NY1 with losing its license, entire blogs, entire YouTube channels, and several individual YouTube videos, which have been critical of Speaker Quinn, have been censored. The Christine Quinn parody puppet show video was censored by YouTube for several months.

And the No Third Term blog was censored, as well.

Cy Vance District Attorney 2013 Parody Campaign Video

How long will Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance allow the parody campaign video produced by the artist and blogger Suzannah B. Troy to be up on YouTube, considering what happened to the ''Dirty D.A.'' video, which had to go underground ?

Christine Quinn Looks Other Way As NYPD Menace LGBT New Yorkers Based On Fashion

"The elasticity that officers in New York and elsewhere have been given to police quality-of-life violations has had the unfortunate effect of leaving transgender women, especially, susceptible to the charge that they must be engaged in sex work."

The NYPD are arresting gays, lesbians, transgenders, and other gender non-conforming New Yorkers as part of their stop-and-frisk dragnet, and increasingly they are charging people, who do not conform to gender roles, with criminality. The charges are often suspicion of prostitution, and the police use and/or plant condoms as evidence of sex work, The New York Times has reported. See : Arrests By The Fashion Police

Christine Quinn is not quoted in this article. How odd is it for the city's highest ranking LGBT official to not be visible, to be outraged by this crisis ? Or is her absence intentional ?

What a disgrace for the NYPD to menace the LGBT community like this. In an article of such gravity, it is notable that no LGBT leader in this city is quoted here to denounce the institutional discrimination by the NYPD of LGBT New Yorkers. Most notable is the absence or silence by Christine Quinn, the highest elected LGBT official in New York City politics. She is somebody, who has a sensibility of what it means to be treated different because of her identity as a woman and as a lesbian. And yet she says nothing about how the NYPD treats others in the LGBT community solely based on their identity. And in all the articles about how stop-and-frisk is used by the NYPD against communities of color and other minority groups, there remains a radio silence about how can a municipality discriminate against people in public spaces based on sex, race, and other factors that are expressly prohibited by the Civil Rights Act. When were municipalities given the option of opting out of enforcing the Civil Rights Act ? And how can the NYPD deliberately violate Griswold v. Connecticut, the landmark case that legalised the use of contraceptives in the United States ? When did carrying contraception or prophylactics become a criminal behaviour ? How can this be ?

Christine Quinn, who is speaker of the New York City Council, each year approves the NYPD budget without defunding the unconstitutional stop-and-frisk policy, but Speaker Quinn has become silent about how the NYPD menace the LGBT community. Some observe that her actions enable the NYPD to continue to use stop-and-frisk against the LGBT community, because Speaker Quinn is seeking the endorsement of the police union in her campaign for mayor.

Related : Christine Quinn betrays the LGBT community

2013-04-01 Roots of Betrayal © 2013 by Louis Flores - Uncorrected Proof Not For Sale Chapter I Excerpt by Connaissable

Suzannah B. Troy "Leave Britney Alone!" Christine Quinn Parody

Mayor Bloomberg-Christine Quinn-Britney Spears "Stop Picking On Me" parody!

After Mayor Michael Bloomberg begged for people to "Leave Christine Alone !", the blogger-activist-artist Suzannah B. Troy has produced a hilarious parody YouTube video based on Chris Rocker's "Leave Britney Alone !" video.

Suzannah B. Troy dressed up in drag, first as Mayor Michael Bloomberg, and then as New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn. In a hilarious send-up of the "Leave Britney Alone !" video, Ms. Troy weeps and whines the way that Mr. Rocker did, only the subjects of Ms. Troy's complaints have to do with serious public issues, like the closing of St. Vincent's Hospital and the massive fraud in connection with the doomed CityTime project.

From The New York Post :

The mayor yesterday launched an impassioned defense of his longtime ally and suggested she was getting unfairly pounded for a corruption scandal involving another member of the council.

“I’ve always said that I think Speaker Quinn, who is getting criticized for this, is a person of enormous integrity, and I think she has done an excellent job of running the city,” Bloomberg declared.

“It’s not an easy job, and I think she’d done it well.”

Mayor Bloomberg was angry at critics of Speaker Quinn, like Public Advocate Bill de Blasio, who has called for the elimination of Speaker Quinn's slush fund after Queens Republican Councilmember Daniel Halloran was arrested in bribery and corruption charges in connection to Speaker Quinn's slush fund.

Related : Read Chapter 1 of ''Roots of Betrayal : The Ethics of Christine Quinn'' on Scribd.

Social Programs Face Cutback in Obama Budget

This Friday release of a planned attack on Social Security via chained CPI by Obama is a betrayal of the American people. SS is not a deficit issue.Please protest: call WH comments line: 202-456-111 or switchboard 202-456-1414 (to tell Pelosi)

Social Programs Face Cutback in Obama Budget
BY JACKIE CALMES

President Obama will take the political risk next week of presenting a budget plan that proposes cuts to Social Security and Medicare, in an effort to compromise with Republicans.

Or, copy and paste this URL into your browser: http://nyti.ms/11uFPLC

Is this how Bill Rudin does business ?

In exchange for $30,000 in campaign donations, did New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn sell out her community ?

To Preet Bharara : Do @chriscquinn's official acts come as a result of campaign donations ? christine-quinn-sold-out.blogspot.com/2011/02/rudin-… #StVincentsHospital

— Stop Christine Quinn (@stopchrisquinn) April 4, 2013

In 2009, Bill Rudin and New York City Planner Amanda Burden were photographed at the same plush "Observer 100" party to celebrate money, power, and influence. In spite of their cozy relationship, Ms. Burden did not recuse herself during the zone-busting approval process for Mr. Rudin's billion-dollar luxury condo conversion of St. Vincent's Hospital. There is no such thing as a conflict of interest in New York City government, and the Department of Investigation is a joke.

The conflict of interest in respect of Ms. Burden paints a pattern of how Bill Rudin does business. Mr. Rudin also participated in an arrangement with the appearance of being a quid pro quo with former mayor Ed Koch.

Rudin family offered #EdKoch posh apartment.nytimes.com/2013/02/03/nyr… ; Koch promoted Rudin condo plan for #StVincent's. dnainfo.com/new-york/20110…

— Stop Christine Quinn (@stopchrisquinn) February 3, 2013

But Ms. Burden and Mr. Koch were not alone in compromising the integrity of the government approval process that stacked the deck in favour of Mr. Rudin's devastating zone-busting plan, which seized a charitable community hospital as the site for his billion-dollar luxury condo conversion plan.

Did Christine Quinn Give Up On Saving St. Vincent's In Exchange for Campaign Donations From The Rudin Family ?

In an apparent conflict of interest, Beth R. DeWoody, Madeleine R. Johnson, Eric C. Rudin, Jack Rudin, Katherine Rudin, and William C. Rudin each donated $4,950 to Christine Quinn's presumed 2013 mayoral campaign. Not only did Speaker Quinn say that we only needed an urgent care center to replace St. Vincent's, but she approved the Rudin family's plan, allowing St. Vincent's Hospital to be rezoned into luxury condos. Since 2010, the Rudin family has been trying to get approval for a billion-dollar real estate development plan for the buildings that belong to the bankruptcy estate of St. Vincent's Hospital. Since the Rudin family wants to build luxury high-rise condos on the site of St. Vincent's, and since they needed City Council approval from Speaker Quinn, do these large campaign donations explain why Speaker Quinn did nothing to restore a Level I trauma center and full-service hospital to the former St. Vincent's site ? Does Speaker Quinn's official acts come as a result of sizable campaign donations from the likes of the Rudin family ?

Does Bill Rudin use the Association For A Better New York to further his economic interests ?

Not only has Bill Rudin and his family funneled money to the mayoral campaign of Christine Quinn, but he also helps to fluff Speaker Quinn's image in the media. Mr. Rudin put Speaker Quinn on the podium to give her a venue to talk about the post-Sandy real estate projects, from which developers are eager to make money. The emergency response to Hurricane Sandy was still on-going at the time of Speaker Quinn's speech, but the political and economic opportunism was shown to be in full swing.

Does Bill Rudin use the Partnership For New York City to further his economic interests ?

Another vehicle, which Mr. Rudin uses to great effect, is his position as a director of the Partnership For New York City, an elite chamber of commerce-like entity, which helps billionaires and large corporations buy insider influence with government leaders.

For example, while Brad Hoylman was chairman of Manhattan Community Board 2, which was overseeing the initial elements of the zone-busting real estate approval process for the luxury condo conversion of St. Vincent's Hospital, Mr. Hoylman was then employed by Mr. Rudin's Partnership.

Of course, if you were Bill Rudin, you would look successful if you had the resources, the conflicts of interest, the malfeasance, and the gall to corrupt so much of the government for your own personal gain.

NYC Pianist Jerry Scott Passed Away Today

New York City-based pianist Jerry Scott has died, it was announced on his Facebook page early this morning. Mr. Scott was a very popular piano player in several New York City piano bars. Most recently, he had been playing at Parnell's. Jerry was a very well-natured person, who was passionate about the Great America Songbook and Broadway show tunes. When he played the piano, there was a twinkle in his eye and a smile on his face. One of his favourite songs, he once announced during a set at Danny's Grand Sea Palace in Restaurant Row, was "If You Love Me (Really Love Me)."

From Cabaret Hotline Online :

Beloved piano bar entertainer Jerry Scott passed away early Thursday morning, April 4th. Jerry entered the hospital several weeks ago and was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He will be mourned by thousands of friends and fans. A private, invitation only memorial service will be announced soon by Jerry's friend and manager Alan Armour. New York City nightlife will never be quite as exciting and entertaining. More information as soon as received.

A more complete tribute to Jerry can be found here : Piano Bar Legend Jerry Scott Passes Away at 67

Chapter 1 Excerpt of ''Roots of Betrayal : The Ethics of Christine Quinn''

An excerpt of Chapter 1 of Roots of Betrayal : The Ethics of Christine Quinn has been published as a free .pdf ; it can be found here : Roots of Betrayal : The Ethics of Christine Quinn (Sribd)

Roots of Betrayal : The Ethics of Christine Quinn can be purchased at the following bookstores :

• Book Thug Nation, 100 N. Third St., Williamsburg, Brooklyn ;
• Spoonbill & Sugartown Booksellers, 218 Bedford Ave., Williamsburg, Brooklyn ;
• St. Mark’s Bookshop, 31 Third Ave., Manhattan ; and
• Bluestockings, 172 Allen St., Manhattan.

Martin Solveig releases new single "Hey Now" featuring Kyle

Martin Solveig & The Cataracs "Hey Now" feat. Kyle

The global musical superstar Martin Solveig has released a new single featuring Kyle. The song, titled "Hey Now," is the first major global release in advance of the fun summer music season.

Kyle is the artist behind hit single, ''Keep It Real.''

Mr. Solveig wrote on his SoundCloud profile that he "discovered Kyle by accident," adding that he sought to collaborate with him after he saw his video for ''Keep It Real.''

Mr. Solveig is one of the producers behind Madonna's current album, MDNA. Judging from the beat and feel of "Hey Now," we can see why Mr. Solveig's sound is so infectious.

What's the difference between Christine Quinn and Ken Mehlman ?

Devastating comparison between @chriscquinn and Ken Mehlman being made by @dangerfishback : queerty.com/dan-fishback-w… @msignorile @queerty

— Stop Christine Quinn (@stopchrisquinn) March 31, 2013

Here's a devastating comparison between Christine Quinn and Ken Mehlman being made by Dan Fishback, via Queerty :

Queerty : One of the most interesting themes of the play is “proximity to power,” particularly how homosexuals in those positions – closeted or not – forsake the LGBT community, e.g. Ken Mehlman. Can you speak to that a bit?

Fishback : One of the worst culprits of this kind of betrayal is Christine Quinn. People support her because she’s a lesbian, but her actual policies are terrible for most queer people. She supported turning St. Vincent’s Hospital in the still-gay West Village into a luxury condo high rise, as if gay people need wealthy neighbors more than they need a hospital. She won’t pass paid sick leave, she’s supported our demonic Police Commissioner, the list goes on and on. But the thing is: queer people are everywhere. So when politicians like Quinn attack the poor, they attack the LGBT community. When they attack immigrants, they attack the LGBT community. When they attack people of color, they attack the LGBT community.

It happens over and over again – not just here, but in Western European countries too. When white homosexuals gain access to political power, they consolidate it by joining the white heterosexual elite in oppressing some “other” group – like immigrants, the poor, or people of color. This is being called “homonationalism,” which I think is a really helpful term, because it’s so widespread – the desperateness with which so many white homosexuals shit on whoever is beneath them in order to feel more secure in the power structure that, only a few years ago, would have eaten them alive.

After years of throwing the LGBTQ community under the bus, Ken Mehlman came out of the closet as having been a self-loathing gay man. What does Mr. Mehlman's episode of hate for his own community have to do with Christine Quinn ? For starters, watch how City Council Speaker Christine Quinn does nothing to help LGBTQ New Yorkers stand up to the Police Commissioner Ray Kelly, who in practise profiles, uses stop-and-frisk against, harasses, and falsely arrests LGBTQ New Yorkers :

Related : Christine Quinn betrays the LGBT community

Full Queerty story here : http://www.queerty.com/dan-fishback-waiting-for-barbara-20130330/

Christine Quinn Jeered At Redhook LICH Meeting

@chriscquinn @dnainfo Quinn got blasted in #Redhook mtng for her poor response on LICH. No support to #saveLICH = no votes from #Brooklyn

— js (@oceanblueskies) March 29, 2013

Christine Quinn Mayoral Forum Protested Condoms Democracy Hospital Closings Term Limits

"Christine Quinn is a sell-out !" was a common complaint by activists, who were locked out of the LGBT mayoral forum at Baruch College.

This video features a clandestine Christine Quinn campaign worker, who was pretending to be part of the private security. The woman, who did not want to identify herself, was ordering some of the activists around. Thankfully, the blogger and activist Suzannah B. Troy captured the woman in this video. Watch beginning at 1:15.

Quinn No Show At LGBTQ Rally Against Stop And Frisk Outside Floyd Trial

Christine Quinn Was A No-Show At LGBTQ Rally

At Thursday's rally by LGBTQ groups outside the U.S. District Courthouse at 500 Pearl Street, where the Floyd v. City of New York class-action, stop-and-frisk trial was in progress, only one mayoral candidate showed up to express solidarity -- and to renew a call for an end to stop-and-frisk. And it wasn't Christine Quinn.

Thank you, John Liu, for showing leadership, courage, and solidarity with the LGBTQ community.

Maybe New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn has not been able to hear the pleas from the LGBTQ community, because her office is soundproofed ?

During Michael Bloomberg's three terms as mayor, over 5 million New Yorkers have been stopped and frisked. During the over-lapping time that Christine Quinn has been Speaker of the City Council, over 3.9 million New Yorkers have been stopped and frisked.

Many politicians act powerless in the face of the NYPD's use of brutality, discrimination, and excessive force, but the members of the City Council, which each year approve the NYPD budget, simply rubber stamp Mayor Michael Bloomberg's attack on due process, the Bill of Rights, other civil rights, and civil liberties. If the City Council actually stood up to the mayor in the budget process, then maybe the City Council could legislate change without having to use the court system, like what is happening right now in the Floyd trial, a lawsuit that is challenging the NYPD's unconstitutional stop-and-frisk practices.

The description at Thursday's rally by members of various LGBTQ groups of how the NYPD target, harass, and even falsely arrest LGBTQ New Yorkers was tragic, and the pleas for help were compelling. But one must wonder why Speaker Quinn was absent from the rally, why Speaker Quinn did not express solidarity with the LTGBQ community's efforts to end stop-and-frisk, and why the Floyd trial was being used as a backdrop for this demonstration ?

Because so many non-profits took part in Thursday's rally, one must wonder if an explanation of the lock-step could not be found in a demand for an election year political favour ? We know that how Mayor Bloomberg and Speaker Quinn manufacture political patronage support is by making private donations or distributing discretionary City Council funds, respectively. Were the members of the LGBTQ groups manipulated into showing up outside the Floyd trial in order to distract from the fact that Speaker Quinn supports stop-and-frisk and has expressed her desire to continue NYPD Commish Ray Kelly's policies of harassment, profiling, discrimination, and brutality ?

Indeed, last December, activists in Jackson Heights organised a demonstration to highlight Speaker Quinn's failure to end stop-and-frisk. Speaker Quinn is a high-profile LGBT leader, but she turns her back on LGBTQ New Yorkers, who are deliberately profiled and targeted for harassment and arrest by the NYPD, said activists during last December's demonstration.

Related : Christine Quinn Betrays The LGBTQ Community

Lt. Dan Choi DADT Trial Update

• Related : Are Ronald Machen, Angela George, and Sanjay Sola helping President Obama politicize the US DOJ ? (Lt. Dan Choi FOIA Request Update)

Lt. Daniel Choi was found guilty in trial almost three years after DADT protest :

Update : Lt. Daniel Choi was found guilty and fined $100, which news reports indicate that Lt. Choi promises not to pay -- perhaps setting up another showdown with the Department of Justice, which seems intent on prosecutorial overreach as it is..

Demonstration In Front Of The White House Before Commencement Of Today's DADT Protest Trail Against Lt. Dan Choi :

Below are two pictures of the demonstration, which took place just minutes ago, with the White House in the background. In the first picture, dozens of activists demonstrated in support of Lt. Dan Choi, and, in the second, Lt. Dan Choi salutes the President of the United States, who resides in the White House.

About three dozen supporters stood in solidarity on Thursday, March 28, 2013, with Lt. Dan Choi, a U.S. Army veteran, who faces an unjust prosecution by the U.S. Department of Justice for a protest in which he participated against the military's former policy of ''Don't Ask, Don't Tell.'' Legal observers describe the government's case against Lt. Choi as an instance of prosecutorial over-reach by the Department of Justice.

Three years after Lt. Choi's DADT protest, which triggered his arrest and the resulting prosecution, the U.S. Attorney's Office refuses to dismiss the charges against him. The Assistant U.S. Attorney Angela S. George has been accused with waging an over-zealous prosecution against Lt. Choi, who is a notable LGBT civil rights activist. Under the Obama administration, other notable activists have been being prosecuted under worrisome attacks on demonstrations, curbs on Freedom of Speech, and growing restrictions on Freedom of Expression.

Related : Lt. Dan Choi Still on Trial Over 2010 Military Gay Ban Protest

The above photos were posted to Facebook this morning by Robin GetEqual McGehee.

DADT Trail Update From Lt. Dan Choi :

From Lt. Dan Choi :

On Thursday morning, March 28th in Federal Criminal Court, I stand trial for protesting back in 2010 against "Don't Ask Don't Tell."

The federal prosecutor has fiercely pushed this case for three years now, demanding the maximum punishment: 6 months in federal prison. To date, the government lost 5 of 6 protest cases against me, but they refuse to drop this one. Even after the repeal of "Don't Ask Don't Tell," this seldom-used criminal charge against me remains: "Failure to Obey." My applications to re-enlist in the army were denied solely because of this trial. Whether it is to "teach me a lesson," or prevent my reinstatement, or bully those who practice free speech, the prosecution will not give up.

Nor will we. I ask you to please stand with me on this final lap, Thursday morning, March 28th.

The government is smart, powerful, intimidating and well resourced. But I stand on the principles learned in Basic Training: Defend freedom. Tell the truth. Never give up. Please join me, my fellow freedom fighters, international LGBT civil rights activists and people from all across the country who are flying in to send a clear message to the government: We will never stop defending our freedom to speak, serve and love.

Please let me know if you'll be there! I'll keep you updated about special gatherings and organizing.

Facebook Event: RSVP for ''USA v Lt. Dan Choi, DADT'' on Facebook

Even if you can't, please spread the word and forward this message, or consider writing a letter to the judge !

USA v. Lt. Daniel Choi
E. Barrett Prettyman Courthouse
United States District Court
333 Constitution Avenue NW
Washington, D.C. 20001

8:00 AM on Courthouse Lawn -
Yoga Meditation and Interfaith Prayer

9:00 AM in Courtroom 6, (Second Floor) -
Trial

Love is still worth fighting for.

Sincerely,
Lt. Dan Choi

Is this kind of how Christine Quinn scolds her staff ?

This is how I imagine @chriscquinn speaks down to all her assistants. @suzannahbtroy twitter.com/HerDizzoner/st…

— Stop Christine Quinn (@stopchrisquinn) March 27, 2013

I want a list of all the files you've lost, and I want you to list where you put them.

— Her Dizzoner (@HerDizzoner) March 27, 2013

Christine Quinn Leaves Paranoid Voice Mail Over Press Conference - FAIL

Hear the original audio file : a voicemail example of Christine Quinn cutting off somebody's balls.

LICH Supporters -- Don't Vote On Budget Until "Gov. 1%" Cuomo Saves LICH !

After 10 NYC Hospital Closings Since 2006, Gov. 1% Wants To Close More Hospitals ! What ?

Long Island College Hospital supporters are sponsoring a Change.org petition to save LICH. The sponsored include these New York State legislators : Assemblywoman Joan Millman and State Senator Daniel Squadron.

In conjunction with State Senators Velmanette Montgomery, Kevin Parker, Martin Malave Dilan, Diane Savino, Martin Golden, John Sampson, and Eric Adams -- and State Assembly Members: Alan Maisel, Joseph R. Lentol, Peter J. Abbate Jr., James Brennan, Alec Brook-Krasny, and Felix Ortiz.

These LICH supporters should not vote on Gov. 1% Cuomo's state budget until he save LICH -- and until both legislative houses hold a full hearing on the single-payer bill. Even after the 10 hospital closings, which have taken place in New York City since 2006, this year's state budget put together by Gov. Cuomo behind closed doors does not include a bailout for SUNY Downstate.

Show your support of LICH by signing this petition : Governor Andrew Cuomo and NYS Health Department Commissioner Dr. Nirav Shah : Keep University Hospital Brooklyn at Long Island College Hospital open

Life or Debt Single Payer YouTube video by Strike Debt

62% of bankruptcies are linked to medical debt. Over 75% of those driven to bankruptcy had health insurance when they incurred those bills.

How do we avoid medical debt?

STRIKE DEBT. http://rollingjubilee.org http://strikedebt.org

It's time to occupy the healthcare crisis. It's a matter of life or debt.

Charles Pierce as Bette Davis (Part One)

An enthusiastic audience stamped their feet and clapped the moment they saw the wisps of cigarette smoke coming from off-stage at the 3,190-seat Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. Many of them already knew most of the lines to Charles Pierces irreverent impression of Bette Davis. He had already regaled the mostly gay audience with Mae West (Warden, show me a hardened criminal.), Katharine Hepburn (You old poop) and the rhinestone-throwing Carol Channing (Im so cutesy-pie I could puke!). Pierce always saved the irreverent Davis impression for last. His devoted audiences would not let him off stage until he smoked at least one cigarette in the nervous and distinctive style of the temperamental star of All About Eve and Now, Voyager. There had to be at least three or four cutthroat remarks made about legendary rival Joan Crawford. Then there was the moment when he asked the audience to recite along with one of the campiest lines in Whatever Happened To Baby Jane. The musical director is Michael Biagi. Pierces life story, From Drags to Riches: The Untold Story of Charles Pierce was written by a former collaborator and friend, John Walraff. Haworth Gay & Lesbian Studies published it in 2002. Before his death, Pierce donated his papers to the Billy Rose Theatre Collection of the New York Public Library at Lincoln Center. For more tributes, go to http://www.bochynski.com/charlespierce

Paul Ryan: 'We're not going to give up on destroying the health care system'

Paul Ryan: 'We're not going to give up on destroying the health care system for the American people.'

LICH is Open for Care

A Brooklyn judge prevented the closure of Long Island College Hospital, because officials from the State University of New York plotted in private to close the facility, according to court documents made public last Thursday, according to DNAinfo.

Michael Bloomberg Grumpy Cat Meme

New York City mayoral candidate John Liu is the "only candidate who has called for eliminating the Police Department’s stop-and-frisk practice, and increasing the minimum wage to $11.50 per hour, significantly higher than the $9 supported by President Obama. He is also the harshest critic of Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg ; he describes Mr. Bloomberg as a 'grumpy' man who 'checked out a long time ago,' ” reported The New York Times.

Strike Debt Rolling Jubilee Abolishes Over $1 Million in Medical Debt

Last night members of Strike Debt and the Healthcare for the 99 Per Cent. Working Group of Occupy Wall Street were advocating for healthcare as a human right. Their demonstration was coördinated with the announcement of a spectacular medical debt relief initiative by the Occupy Wall Street offshoot known as Strike Debt.

OWS offshoot buys and wipes out more than $1 million in medical debt

Over 1,000 randomly-selected patients in Kentucky and Indiana will receive letters in the mail stating that their emergency room debt has been forgiven by the OWS offshoot known as Strike Debt.

The purpose of the "debt buy" is to call attention to “predatory” lending aspects our debt-ridden healthcare system, according to their Web site. Strike Debt refers to its debt relief program as the "Rolling Jubilee," a reference to a Biblical era event in which all debts are cancelled and all those in bondage are set free.

If a hospital is unable to get patients to pay their medical debts, the hospital usually sells this debt to a collection agency. And since the chances of a collection agency actually receiving payment in full are pretty low at that point, the collection agency is able to snatch up the bad medical debt for a much lower price than the original amount on a patient’s bill. The collection agency then begins hounding the debtor for money non-stop in often abusive and predatory methods.

Strike Debt funded their Rolling Jubilee campaign through donations, reported The New Daily News.

On April 1, 2012, members of the Healthcare for the 99 Per Cent. Working Group of Occupy Wall Street participated in a six month anniversary of the first OWS Brooklyn Bridge march. The theme of the April 1 march was likewise planned around healthcare issues and efforts to stop hospital closings.

A year ago, healthcare and Occupy activists were concerned about the direction of healthcare under Gov. Andrew Cuomo, according to The Brooklyn Daily Eagle report.

Spirits were high and the music was spirited, but the theme of the anniversary march was sobering -- the dire state of health care for Brooklyn residents, especially those served by five hospitals in crisis: Brooklyn Hospital Center, Interfaith Medical Center, Wyckoff Heights Medical Center, Brookdale University Hospital and Medical Center, and Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center.

Wall Street financier Stephen Berger, appointed by Gov. Cuomo to be in charge of restructuring health care in Brooklyn, is recommending that New York change its laws “to allow for-profit investors to invest in financially-distressed public hospitals.”

In spite of the protests and opposition during the year that has passed, Gov. Cuomo and Mr. Berger remain as obsessed as ever with their shady plans for the introduction of for-profit healthcare in New York City.

We collectively pay billions in healthcare premiums to insurance companies, but their profit motive denies our community hospitals of resources, forcing hospitals to treat patients as debtors.

Strike Debt has planned a week of actions in connection with debt relief. One affinity action will focus on how our market-driven, debt-ridden healthcare system drives hospitals to closure.

Queens Crap Exposes New Yorkers For Parks As Shady Co-Opted Group

How phony park groups, the press and elected officials are conspiring to develop FMCP (QUEENS CRAP)

From Queens Crap :

You may have read in various articles that representatives from New Yorkers for Parks have been testifying at Community Board meetings against the USTA plan to expand inside Flushing Meadows-Corona Park and have been working with Council Member Julissa Ferreras and other elected officials to come up with "concessions" from the USTA in exchange for their alienation of public parkland.  Who are "New Yorkers for Parks" and should we trust them?

Holly Leicht

Holly Leicht:
Before becoming Executive Director of NY4P in March 2011, Holly served under Bloomberg as Deputy Commissioner for Development at the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD), Prior to joining HPD, she was a Director at the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, another so called public/private slush fund.
Up until now, this community/advocacy group associated with FMCP has not been going after some of the key people who are hurting the efforts to protect the park.  Let's examine why. READ MORE

Fake Christine Quinn Web Site Pushes for Paid Sick Leave

Fake Quinn Web Site Pushes for Paid Sick Leave

From True News From Change NYC :

At 11:28 a.m., an email from "Christine C. Quinn" was sent from an email address linked to a QuinnforNewYork.org. The email and that .org site are fakes. You can tell because both of them argue for passing the Paid Sick Leave bill, which the real-life Quinn is blocking from being voted on in the City Council, even though it has more than enough supporters to override a mayoral veto.(Capital New York) * Rival Campaign Capitalizes on Internet Prank Mocking Christine Quinn (NYO) * "It's not clear who was behind the fake site." [Dan Hirschhorn and Tina Moore] * In the WNYC article, the hyperlinks to both the real and fake Web site point to the fake Web site. (Fake Website Mocks Christine Quinn’s Paid Sick Leave Stance)

Christine Quinn Looks Other Way As NYPD Arrests LGBT New Yorkers With Condoms

Are NYPD violating Griswold v. Connecticut ?

Please sign our petition : Commish Kelly : Stop arresting people for carrying condoms !

Griswold v. Connecticut, 381 U.S. 479 (1965), is a landmark case in which the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that the Constitution protected a right to privacy. The case involved a Connecticut law that prohibited the use of contraceptives. (Wikipedia) This case overturned the 1879, Victorian era law in Connecticut that banned the use of prophylactics by couples. Fast-forward to 2013, and we find the NYPD is arresting people for carrying prophylactics. What's going on here ?

Are NYPD violating Griswold v. Connecticut ? christine-quinn-sold-out.blogspot.com/2013/03/Would-… Police arrest LGBT for carrying condoms. @glaad@nationalnow @nytimes

— Stop Christine Quinn (@stopchrisquinn) March 11, 2013

Discriminated Against and "Profiled" by NYPD, Transgenders in New York Fear Carrying Condoms. Would Heterosexual New Yorkers be Arrested for Carrying Birth Control ?

Please sign our petition : Commish Kelly : Stop arresting people for carrying condoms !

The NYPD profiles average law-abiding New Yorkers based on age, gender, race, religion, and sexual orientation. That's nothing new.

We already know that the NYPD targets transgenders for stop-and-frisks at more than double the rate of rest of the population in some neighborhood.

The harassment of innocent people carrying condoms has now reached absurd levels that some claim that the NYPD's discriminatory use of stop and frisk and arrests over the carrying of birth control may pose a risk to public health.

"Those who have been targeted by the police, or who know people who have, are so afraid of carrying condoms that they often don't," The Village Voice has reported.

"In a 2012 study by the Sex Workers Project and the PROS Network, a New York City coalition of sex workers, organizers, and service providers, close to half of the participants reported not carrying condoms at some point out of fear of police repercussions. Among participants who identified as either transgender female or another gender identity besides male or female, the rate was a staggering 75 percent," The Village Voice has reported.

"The New York City Department of Health has been giving away free condoms since 1971, and has made condom distribution a centerpiece of its public-health program over the past six years," added The Village Voice.

"The Department of Health is flooding the city with free condoms, and the police department is using those very condoms to make the quality-of-life arrests that are clogging the courts. It is difficult to avoid the impression that the NYPD is deliberately seeking to increase quality-of-life arrests—perhaps even meet quotas—with arrests that are blatantly at odds with the city’s own public-health policy," The Village Voice has reported.

New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn looks the other way, because she wants to stay in good standing with Police Commish Raymond Kelly. She puts political expediency over privacy and civil rights.

Related : SCOTUS justice Antonin Scalia suggests women have no right to contraception

Read more : Christine Quinn Betrays LGBT New Yorkers

Demonstration against hospital closings on Palm Sunday - St. John's Queens Hospital

Healthcare activists are holding a demonstration and speak-out against the debt-ridden healthcare system that drives hospitals to closure on Palm Sunday at the former site of St. John's Queens Hospital in Elmhurst. RSVP at the official Facebook event for the St. John's Queens Hospital demonstration against hospital and medical debt.

The spree of hospital closings has become an issue in this year's campaign to be New York City next mayor.

Last year, the newspaper publisher Tom Allon made news when he took out a full-page newspaper advertisement questioning the leadership of New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn during the closing of St. Vincent's Hospital.

But for all the discussion about the need to save hospitals, the conversation never seems to lead to the underlying issue of how the market-driven healthcare system leaves hospitals debt-ridden, thereby driving hospitals into bankruptcy.

Join us for a protest to stop hospital closings : 1 p.m., Sunday, March 24, 2013, at the former site of St. John's Hospital Queens : 90-02 Queens Blvd.

Subway Directions : Take the R train to Woodhaven Blvd.

This is a demonstration in affinity with #strikedebt. Fore more information about Strike Debt, please visit : http://strikedebt.org/lifeordebt/

Christine Quinn no longer advocates for LGBT liberation from de jure discrimination

Man who claimed cops beat him during gay pride party says police made multiple return visits to his home and conducted illegal searches of his apartment.

Christine Quinn, the openly lesbian Speaker of the New York City Council, used to be the director of the Anti-Violence Project. Back when she was head of AVP, Ms. Quinn used to advocate on behalf of victims of violence.

But now that Speaker Quinn is running for mayor, she is afraid to aggravate her close relationship with Raymond Kelly, the commish of the NYPD.

If LGBT New Yorkers get beat up by haters, you can count on Speaker Quinn to elbow her way in for photo opportunities. But if the haters are NYPD officers, you can count on Speaker Quinn to look the other way.

From The New York Daily News :

Jabbar Campbell — a Crown Heights man who claimed cops disabled his apartment’s security camera before beating him during his gay pride party in January now says 77th Precinct cops have since made multiple return visits to his home.

Campbell, who had already filed a notice of intent to sue the city, said plainclothes cops illegally searched his place last week. Campbell said he turned over the footage to investigators.

The Internal Affairs Bureau is investigating both incidents, police said.

Related : Crown Heights man : Cops raided my pride party and assaulted me with fists and anti-gay epithets (NYDN) * Jabbar Campbell files paperwork to sue the city for what he says was a hate crime at his gay pride party Sunday (NYDN)

Read more : Christine Quinn Betrays LGBT New Yorkers

St. John's Queens Hospital - Protest Flyer

2013-03-24 St. John's Queens Hospital - Flyer

Shane Koyczan : "To This Day" ... for the bullied and beautiful

By turn hilarious and haunting, poet Shane Koyczan puts his finger on the pulse of what it's like to be young and ... different. "To This Day," his spoken-word poem about bullying, captivated millions as a viral video (created, crowd-source style, by 80 animators). Here, he gives a glorious, live reprise with backstory and violin accompaniment by Hannah Epperson.

Shane Koyczan makes spoken-word poetry and music. His poem "To This Day" is a powerful story of bullying and survival, illustrated by animators from around the world.

Nanny Bloomberg Taiwanese animation satire viral YouTube video

Published on Mar 7, 2013

Michael Bloomberg nanny state: when will the mayor of New York City stop his madness?

At first Michael Bloomberg came for the trans fats. But we didn't eat at fast food restaurants, so we didn't say anything.

Then Michael Bloomberg came for the salt. But we only use pepper, so we didn't say anything.

Then Michael Bloomberg banned food donations to city homeless shelters. But we are not homeless, so we didn't say anything.

Then Michael Bloomberg came for the baby formula because he wants moms to breast feed. But we are not newborn babies, so we didn't say anything.

Then Michael Bloomberg restricted painkillers at city hospitals. The poor will just have to suffer a bit, he said.

Then he came for our 16-ounce sodas, forcing everyone to buy two. What a jerk!

What's next Michael Bloomberg? Let's ban all cars from the street. After all, walking is healthier than driving.

FOR MORE NEXT MEDIA ANIMATION, GO TO:
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/NMAtv
Twitter @nmatv http://www.twitter.com/nmatv
Tumblr http://nmatv.tumblr.com
Google+ http://gplus.to/NMAtv
Web http://www.nma.tv

Protest against debt-ridden healthcare system at St. John's Queens Hospital

Join us for a protest to stop hospital closings : 1 p.m., Sunday, March 24, 2013, at the former site of St. John's Queens Hospital : 90-02 Queens Blvd.

RSVP on Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/events/223995181075326/

Subway Directions : Take the R train to Woodhaven Blvd.

This is a demonstration in affinity with #strikedebt. Fore more information about Strike Debt, please visit : http://strikedebt.org/lifeordebt/

St. John's Queens Hospital has been closed for about 4 years now ; it is an example of how our debt-ridden healthcare system drives hospitals to closure. At the time of its closing, St. John's and its sister hospital had debts and losses in excess of $110 million. The healthcare infrastructure at the former St. John's Queens Hospital was lost, and it was not replaced. Meanwhile, the Emergency Room of nearby Elmhurst Hospital is overwhelmed.

Our debt-ridden healthcare system drives hospitals into closure.

Join us on Sunday, March 24 at 1 p.m., to demand that healthcare, hospital, and medical debt be absolved, so that medical emergencies stop driving hospitals -- and people -- into bankruptcy.

Please support a single-payer healthcare system, which would be a stable way to fund hospitals and healthcare.

Follow these hashtags on Twitter : #lifeordebt #strikedebt

Follow us on Twitter : @StopNYMRT

FBI ''secretly spying'' on Google users

The FBI used National Security Letters -- a form of surveillance that privacy watchdogs call “frightening and invasive” -- to surreptitiously seek information on Google users, the web giant has just revealed. (FOX News)

Bloomberg funnels tax money to Hudson Yards project with no oversight

The Bloomberg administration secretly funneled more than $9 million in city property taxes to the Hudson Yards project in Manhattan on top of the $234 million the city already gave to the project, without informing the City Council, The New York Daily News’ Juan Gonzalez reports: http://nydn.us/ZfHyDu (via City & State).

Looking to create a Progressive political blogging network in New York City

Are you a -- or do you know any -- Progressive political bloggers interested in being a part of a network of online activists in New York City ?

The activist and blogger Louis Flores and the journalist Gary Tilzer are looking for bloggers to be a part of a collective of online activists. Members of this network will blog about citizen issues in New York City, while helping us to establish an online network of Progressive activists.

Description : Bloggers and online activists -- who care about Progressive issues, government transparency, and improving direct Democratic participation in our own governance -- can enhance their civic participation by forming an online network. Because of the 2013 mayoral election in New York City, our network can play an important role in voter education and mobilisation.

What We’re Looking For : We want someone with passion and expertise in an area of civic issues. If you have a perspective to share, we want you to join us !

Requirements :

• You should have experience with online writing
• You should have a unique interest in an area of New York City civic issues
• You are eager to engage with voters and can commit to blogging regularly
• You are eager to expand your online activism beyond blogging and into areas, such as producing original YouTube videos that educate and mobilise the public
• You have an Adsense-like account (but not limited to Google platform), so that you can monetize your own blogging and YouTube videos, if possible

What You're Looking For : As a blogger and an online activist, you want to stop the neoliberal political doctrine of standard flim-flam politicians in New York City.

• You will be an online activist in the resistance movement fighting the dangerous neoliberalism doctrines of New York City politicians
• You will be inspired to develop your online activism skills
• Our network will offer you an expanded platform to expand your online reach
• You will be making a difference

Get in touch with us today ! If you would like to join our network, please send us the following information via email to: stopchrisquinn (at) gmail (dot) com :

• A brief description about your background, your experience with writing for activism, and any special skills that you may have
• Link to your existing blog
• Describe your interests in activism (what issues do you care about most and why)

Thank you for all that you do.