Results tagged “controversy”

Just when we were so happy to have Sad Panda back in our lives, reader Daniel Albanese sends us these photos of Spongebob Squarepants. Our first thought was, no big deal, it's not like this city isn't big enough for the two of these guys. However, prepare to have your minds blown here: Sad Panda and Spongebob Squarepants are one in the same. Right?

The One Club, who awarded DDB Brazil a merit award for their September-11th-tastic ad for the WWF, has revoked that award and declared no more fake ads will be tolerated! Take that evildoers. Meanwhile, Jenny 8. Lee has penned a breathless piece over at CityRoom regarding these so-called fake/phantom/scam ads. She points out that the ads are created solely to win awards (an ad world prestige)—in the words of DDB Brazil's president Sergio Valente, upon winning one such award, "you show everybody, ‘Look how good, how clever I am; how at the top of the trend I am,’ and, of course, everybody wants that." Will the Mad Men of the world soon be scared to push the limits?

The new bike lane on Grand Street that a local shop owner recently called the possible "demise of Little Italy" continues to draw attention with complaints that fire trucks are struggling to maneuver around the new setup of the block. Ernest Lepore, owner of Ferrara Cafe who originally talked to Villager, appears to have taken his case against the lane to the Post, telling the paper, "I saw one truck back up four or five times before being able to squeeze into the lane. The firefighter was visibly frustrated."

The new bike lane that extends along Grand Street between Varick and Chrystie Streets has been warmly received by many cyclists who like the way it's separated from traffic by a row of parked cars. Not so pleased are business owners through Soho, Little Italy and Chinatown, some of whom fear the bike lane will "hurt business and create a dangerous situation," according to The Villager.

While souvenirs were stolen from every nook and cranny of Yankees Stadium last Sunday, one of the more treasured ones has spent the week at the center of controversy. Surprise, surprise.

It was another Mets loss last night which means more questions about the fate of manager Willie Randolph. Lately, Randolph has been weathering fallout from comments he made earlier this week, suggesting SNY's camerawork of him was a little too negative.

         

The conversion of an 85-acre stretch of Brooklyn waterfront from post-industrial decay to pristine park is continuing apace, as bulldozers have begun demolishing the hulking warehouses that have barred access to the East River for years. But a Sierra Club lawsuit could yet stall the long-planned urban renewal project, and outcry from some community groups remains undiminished.

First, former vice-presidential candidate Geraldine Ferraro stepped down from Hillary Clinton's campaign over her remarks about Barack Obama. Now, with Obama's campaign facing an outcry over inflammatory remarks by his minister, Obama said, “I reject outright the statements by Rev. Wright that are at issue," and by evening, Wright had left the campaign (he had been on the African American Religious Leadership Committee).

Governor Spitzer may back off his controversial plan to offer driver's licenses to illegal immigrants after weeks of bipartisan criticism. During a trip to San Juan, Puerto, Spitzer didn't quite rule out shelving the plan, acknowledging, "It's a tough issue." Spitzer's aides are apparently worried that the issue is preventing the governor "from advancing or even discussing other matters." The issue is disliked by voters, elected officials, and pundits all around - and also...