New Jersey Governor Chris Christie gave one of his signature "straight-shootin" performances on Thursday when he called a pesky law student an "idiot." The "idiot" in question, William Brown, served in the Navy during the Iraq War, and wasn't shocked so much by Christie's words but the fact that he was escorted out of the event by two police officers. “I served my country, I am a combat veteran and they escorted me out like I was a criminal," Brown told the Daily News. "I couldn’t believe this is America.” more ›

While nearly a million Giants fans pack into Lower Manhattan this morning for a parade celebrating the triumph of one billion-dollar corporation over another, veterans of the Iraq war have yet to be honored in the Canyon of Heroes. "If a football team gets a parade, shouldn't our veterans?" asks Paul Rieckhoff, the founder of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. Former Mayor Ed Koch agrees, and tells the Times, "I believe a parade is required, is necessary, and New York City is the place to have it." more ›

The last U.S. soldiers left Iraq ten days ago, as the nine-year, $800 billion-dollar war that cost hundreds of thousands of lives ended quietly. Days later, the country's fragile government threatened to collapse and bombs allegedly detonated by an al-Qaeda affiliated organization killed at least 65 people in Baghdad. Considering the elusiveness of "victory" in the war, the country's enduring turmoil, and the current war in Afghanistan, should there be a parade for the veterans of the Iraq War? more ›

4,500 Americans perished in almost nine years of war, on top of the $800 billion in taxpayer money spent. But the number of Iraqis that were killed is more than 100,000, which is a conservative estimate. “We are glad to see the last U.S. soldier leaving the country today," Said Hassan, a 25-year-old Baghdad shop owner said. "But the most important thing now is the future of Iraq. The Americans have left behind them a country that is falling apart and an Iraqi army and security forces that have a long way ahead to be able to defend the nation and the people.” more ›

The United States has scrapped plans to leave as many as 5,000 troops in Iraq, and will stick to its year-end deadline to remove all combat and support troops. According to the AP, all but approximately 160 soldiers that are attached to the US Embassy will be removed. A senior military official told the news outlet that the withdrawal would allow for limited combat-training missions if requested by the Iraqi government. more ›

Does the man who once sat on Cloud 7 believe there's something to Building 7? On Howard Stern's radio show last night, Tony Bennett questioned who was really to blame for the September 11th attacks that killed 2,996 Americans. "They flew the plane in, but we caused it," Bennett said. "But who are the terrorists? Are we the terrorists or are they the terrorists?" Bennett was alluding to the imposing presence of the United States in the Middle East prior to the attacks, but the damage had already been done. Look for his new single, "Who Can I Turn To (When People Find My Views On 9/11 In Poor Taste)," this fall. more ›

In a post on his New York Times blog "The Conscience of a Liberal," Nobel-prize winning economist and Times columnist Paul Krugman asks, "Is it just me, or are the 9/11 commemorations oddly subdued?" He then goes on to explain why: "What happened after 9/11…was deeply shameful. Te [sic] atrocity should have been a unifying event, but instead it became a wedge issue. Fake heros like Bernie Kerik, Rudy Giuliani, and yes, George W. Bush raced to cash in on the horror." Krugman then declares that "the memory of 9/11 has been irrevocably poisoned; it has become an occasion for shame. And in its heart, the nation knows it." more ›

An Iraq war veteran and double amputee was ejected from a roller coaster at the Darien Lake Theme Park and fell to he death. Gowanda resident Sgt. James Thomas Hackemer was on the Ride of Steel as it quickly crested a steep hill and apparently flew off because the lap bar couldn't be properly secured to his torso. "He didn't have anything holding him down," said his 19-year-old nephew who was riding next to him. "By the time I'd realized that he was pretty far out of the seat, he was too far for me to grab." According to the Post, the pair asked a member of the park's staff which rides Hackemer could safety enjoy, and were told, "They're all fine." The Ride of Steel's height requirement is 54 inches. Hackemer was 3 feet tall. more ›

President Bush gave his first "exit interview" to ABC Word News' Charles Gibson, and among the revelations: He was "unprepared" for the 9/11 attacks and regretted the WMD intelligence that led him to the Iraq War. He said, "I think was unprepared for war. In other words, I didn't campaign and say, 'Please vote for me, I'll be able to handle an attack.' In other words, I didn't anticipate war. Presidents-- one of the things about the modern presidency is that the unexpected will happen." Bush does believe that 9/11 brought the country together, though. more ›

Congressman Anthony Weiner sounded the call for cities to be reimbursed for employees fighting in the Iraq War. Like he did last year, Weiner cites the fact that civil servants, like cops and firefighters, still get paid by the city when their military salaries are less. And since many don't send their military salaries to the city, Weiner says NYC has lost "$65.6 million since September 11, 2001," per the Sun. Weiner said, "While it is important that we honor the patriotism of those who go to serve overseas, we should realize that for every police officer that is off the streets here in New York City patrolling the streets of Fallujah or Baghdad, taxpayers are footing the bill." More info here at Weiner's website. more ›

Five years ago today, the United States became involved with the Iraq War. While many Americans are unhappy with the war, per the Washington Post, "For the Bush administration, however, it is the first anniversary of an Iraq strategy that it believes has finally started to succeed." Today President Bush is expected to say, in a speech at the Pentagon, "Removing Saddam Hussein from power was the right decision, and this is a fight America can and must win." Almost 4,000 U.S. soldiers have died in the past five years, while almost 30,000 have been wounded. Here's a list of military casualties. more ›

Yesterday, The Daily News printed an article that began, "A cop-bashing art exhibit at a taxpayer-funded museum in Brooklyn portrays the city's Finest as trigger-happy racists who have put bull's-eyes on the backs of black New Yorkers." more ›

A total no-brainer: The family of 17-month-old boy who was shot in the arm by an off-duty police officer has filed a notice of claim against the city. The Porcellini family will also pursue action against the NYPD and 24-year-old police officer Patrick Venetek. more ›

• Perhaps the big surprise (besides Juno getting nominated for Best Director and Best Picture) was Ruby Dee for her work in American Gangster (its only other nomination was for art direction)

At last night's ABC News/Facebook debate in New Hampshire, both parties' candidates held debates. After the Thursday's Iowa results presented Barack Obama as a winner and Hillary Clinton as a disappointing (to her campaign) third place, some interesting things transpired during the Democratic debate. Obama and Iowa runner-up John Edwards apppeared to team up against Clinton. The NY Times called it an "allegiance of convenience" and noted that the defining moment was when Clinton tried to call out Obama's leadership:

As Mrs. Clinton attacked Mr. Obama as waffling on the Patriot Act and Iraq war funding, she sought to make an ally out of Mr. Edwards. She suggested that Mr. Obama had hypocritically tried to paint Mr. Edwards as inconsistent on the issues. All eyes turned to Mr. Edwards, and he delivered a coup de grace — siding dramatically with Mr. Obama instead of Mrs. Clinton. more ›

A sparkling new 700-pound ball, tons of confetti, and over a million people helped ring in the New Year from Times Square last night/early today. Mayor Bloomberg and police Police Academy valedictorian Karolina Wierzchowska, who also served in the Iraq War, hit the switch that brought the famous Times Square New Year's ball down. The Daily News called it a "shimmering pole dance," and it was the 100th time Times Square has had a ball drop to welcome the new year. more ›

Yesterday was the city's day to honor and remember veterans of the U.S. armed forces. The 88th annual Veterans Day Parade started with the Eternal Light Monument Ceremony in Madison Square Park, followed by a parade up Fifth Avenue to 56th Street. An estimated 20,000 gathered for the parade, and there were veterans from World War II, Korean War, and the Iraq War. Mayor Bloomberg said, "You should know that 70 New Yorkers have given... more ›

The best part of Mayor Bloomberg's maybe, maybe-not presidential aspirations is that we can debate about whether they are going to happen until the Democratic and Republican conventions next year! The NY Times now reports that the "excitement seems to have fizzled" about the idea of Candidate Bloomberg. It's a bit more detailed that Dan Rather's August proclamation that the Mayor would not run for president. more ›

Rudy Giuliani replaced his lead fundraiser. Anne Dunsmore joined the Giuliani campaign in May, and her credentials as the California finance director during President Bush's 2000 and 2004 elections prompted Giuliani to create a special position for her - deputy campaign manager for finance. Dunsmore was leading the drive to raise more than $100 million; she told the Washington Post's The Fix last May, "When you have $100 million situation hitting or missing by 10 percent is giant...it's a couple of states." Her replacement is another former Bush fundraiser, James H. Lee. more ›

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Happy first weekend of September - and happy Labor Day weekend, too, for our American cities! Let's take a look at what's been happening around the Ist-a-verse. more ›

We're less than a week away from the Times Square Kiss-In! more ›

(directed by Zack Snyder) more ›

Even though a Sunni insurgent group claimed yesterday that two captured U.S. soldiers had been killed, one of the soldiers' mothers hoping that her son is still alive. Maria Rosario Duran spoke to reporters outside her Corona, Queens home. She said, "I can't even imagine that he's not going to return alive, that I will never see him again." more ›

The Iraq Veterans Against the War, dressed in full uniform, engaged in a series of street theater actions around the New York City area yesterday. Actual veterans of the Iraq war played American service members and local volunteers played the civilians. The event was treated like a military operation with squad patrols, searches, detentions, and crowd control. An IVAW member, Adam Kokesh, said, "By reenacting what we've been through in Iraq, we hope to inspire more of our fellow Americans to act to end the war now."
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President Bush is taking his No Child Left Behind Act education platform to Harlem today, with an afternoon visit to the Harlem Village Academies charter school on West 144th Street today. Yes, that's what all the traffic and security is for- as well as the lack of garbage cans. The school and Department of Education are proud that Harlem Village Academy was selected; founder Deborah Kenny tells the Sun, "We take in kids that are really struggling, but they just get better and better, and stronger and stronger." more ›

The prolific journalist and author David Halberstam died yesterday in a car crash outside of San Francisco. Halberstam, a New Yorker, was traveling in a car that was broadsided while trying to make a left turn. Two other cars were involved in the crash, none of the drivers were seriously injured. The NY Times obituary notes that Halberstam "was killed doing what he had done his entire adult life: reporting," as he was on his way to interview a football player for an upcoming book. more ›

A look at some noteworthy television programs this week: more ›

If you're down by Ground Zero tonight, don't be surprised if you see some two-hundred foot tall anti-war projections. The Glass Bead Collective is bringing their tricked out 100,000 lumen projector van into the city for an art-protest: more ›