Jen has already posted her Top Stories for 2007-- but here's the list according to you, the readers: By Comments* 1. Pet Food Recall After Cat and Dog Deaths, by Jen Chung (614) 2. Rev. John Carmichael, Church of Scientology, by Jen Carlson (312) 3. Wild Wednesday Weather, by Jen Chung (255) 4. Maple Syrup Was Better: Smell of Gas Covers NYC by Jen Chung (191) 5. Aqua Teen Hunger Force Mooninites Don't Scare......

On Monday we visited the Hotel Chelsea to speak with Stanley Bard and some of the residents, and to get a little tour of the place before it turns into a shell of its former self. The long-time residents of the hotel are, along with Stanley, the lifeblood of the building. Upon visiting, what we already knew became even more apparent: if "new management" tampered with the residents, the hotel would change just as......

Yesterday we headed over to the Hotel Chelsea to have a chat with Stanley Bard. Over the past month there have been many changes at the landmarked establishment that have left an unsettling feeling amongst the community. This community is one that Bard himself refers to as "A Mutual Admiration Society," and his description couldn't be more accurate. He and the hotel residents really respect and know each other, the only problem is that......

While we're still iPhone-less (AT&T Activation has been screwing up about 38% of the purchases), we're not above recalling the frenzy from Friday night. Gothamist went out with vdeographer Kelly Loudenberg to check out the line, chat with some of the people (dog Beta and his owner Dan, Kensu who is blogging at The Story Gets Deeper, and others), and marvel at the madhouse. The NY Times' David Pogue gave us his impression of......

Videographer Kelly Loudenberg headed to the Whitney Museum for its Summer of Love exhibit opening party. She writes:"Last night I attended the opening party for The Whitney's new exhibition, Summer of Love, Art of the Psychadelic Era. It was like a big reunion for the artists of this time. You could feel the LOVE. The exhibit includes film, photography, design, interactive media, underground magazines and press, and much more."The Summer of Love is on......

The Roseland Ballroom is hosting The New York City Tattoo Convention this weekend and videographer Kelly Loudenberg was onhand to capture an artist named Vincent Castiglia whose medium is human blood, the relentless buzz of dozens of needles perforating human flesh, and a lot of illustrated people. The TattooCon continues through tomorrow and tickets at the door are $18, with an all-access two-day pass going for $35.......

Today until 4:30PM, auditions are being held at Grand Central Terminal for the MTA's Music Under New York program. After receiving over 200 submissions, the MTA asked over 70 musicians and performers to audition; the MTA says about 20 new acts will be added to the program. MTA executive director and CEO Elliot Sander said, "Music is a wonderful part of the subway experience and we are pleased that performers are joining MUNY to......

Videographer Kelly Loudenberg went downtown to see how man and technology were making music together. League of Electronic Musical Urban Robots (LEMUR) presents its first concert series consisting entirely of works commissioned for LEMUR's musical robots. Titled "Robosonic Eclectic: Live Music by Robots and Humans," the program will be performed during a three-night run, from Thursday May 31 through Saturday June 2, 2007, each night with a start time of 8 pm. The series......

Yesterday, videographer Kelly Loudenberg headed out to check out a visitor to New York. She writes:Yesterday afternoon the Swiss vessel, Sun21, arrived into New York's North Cove Marina after completing a 7,000 mile journey across the Atlantic. And before you say, "So, what?" think about this: The Sun21 made it here without a drop of oil. The Swiss-built solar-powered catamaran left continental Europe on December 3, 2006 and arrived in Martinique on February 2nd.......

Click To Play play_blip_movie_219535(); Videographer Kelly Loudenberg went on a tour with Bill Brown, the co-founder and director of The Survelliance Camera Players. Brown has been giving walking tours for seven years. Kelly tells us: The Surveillance Camera Players are an anti-surveillance group who protest their opposition by performing plays in front of the cameras. The group maintains that the use of surveillance cameras in public places violate their constitutionally protected right to privacy.......

Today, Michael Mandiberg is launching Real Costs, "a Firefox plug-in that inserts emissions data into travel related e-commerce website." Really. This beta version adds CO2 emissions data to websites like Orbitz and for airlines, while later versions will work with car directions, car rental, and shipping websites. Videographer Kelly Loudenberg spoke with Michael about the Real Costs and what he hopes people will get out of the information. And here's a screenshot that shows......

Earth Day may have passed, but there are many ways you can be eco-conscious. Take fashion, for instance. Videographer Kelly Loudenberg gives us a look a few eco-fashion approaches:Last week, the Emerging Green Builders of New York presented the “Project Earth Day” fashion show, an eco-friendly fashion event celebrating Earth Day. Designs ranged from re-worked used clothing to new clothing made from organic or recycled fibers. Runway designer Amber Nelson said, “We tried to......

Videographer Kelly Loudenberg reports on a mysterious afternoon experience in the Bronx, courtesy Ars Subterranea: Sunday Afternoon. Torrential rain. The Bronx Borough Courthouse, built between 1905 and 1914 and abandoned for more than 20 years stands beside other vacant and fire-damaged buildings. It's a desolate area of the Bronx that has recently seen some new development. The owners of the building would like to see the space turned into a library or school. They......

Yesterday, the Sea of People took their climate action rally to Battery Park with hundreds of people present. Participants, dressed in blue shirts, blue scuba gear, even blue whale costumes, demonstrated how lower Manhattan will look when sea levels rise due to global warming, a possibility that's ever more alarming as we contemplate this rainy, stormy Sunday. Videographer Kelly Loudenberg spoke to participants and experienced the sea of people. And we interviewed Sea of......

Today, the Sun reports that the State Legislature is considering a formal apology as well as to study the "feasibility" of reparations for New York's role in slavery. The apologies are "technically amendments to Chapter 137 of the laws of 1817 relating to slaves and servants — laws that imposed penalties on those who harbored runaway slaves." While many expect Legislature support for the apology bill (both Maryland and Virginia have formally apologized), some......

Videographer Kelly Loudenberg headed to the Javits Center to check out some of NY International Auto Show scene. And what a scene: Not only did she see the folks from Freedom From Oil scaling the walls to hang a protest sign, she also found out how tween girls only get to choose pink.......

Last Friday's Critical Mass with the NYPD's new parade rules (groups of 50 or more must apply for permits) certainly got many of you commenting. For those of you who didn't participate in the ride or see it unfold, our videographer Kelly Loudenberg filed this video. She was even riding in the pedicab with City Councilwoman Rosie Mendez! MySpace Polls - Take Our Poll More coverage from indymedia and the Village Voice.......

Once a month, fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer flock to the IFC Center for the chance to sing along to the musical episode, Once More With Feeling. While we thought we liked the show, clearly, these fans are in other league all together. Videographer Kelly Loudenberg was on the scene this past weekend for the festivities. Here's more information about the Buffy Sing-A-Long. The next ones are April 20 and 21. The Buffy-Sing-A-Long......

Perhaps you've seen the Kleenex commercials where an actor playing a therapist sits with a red couch in a busy public space, ready for people to share their thoughts and feelings - and maybe have a good cry. Well, the Kleenex "Let It Out" campaign was in Times Square over the weekend, where cameras were rolling for passers-by to add their experiences to the reel. Until Greenpeace came in. Greenpeace activists infiltrated the filming......

If you were too lazy to see the anti-war projections near Ground Zero last night, you can see some here. Our videographer Kelly Loudenberg accompanied the Glassbead Collective as they prepared the work. More information here. And the police managed to break up the projection by ticketing the group's van for being parked against traffic.......

Yesterday, the police arrested 44 protesters who laid down in front of the New York Stock Exchange, and our videographer Kelly Loudenberg was on the scene. Over 100 people had gathered to block entrances - and draw attention to the companies that are making millions and billions off the war - but no trade was disturbed. The War Resisters League told the AP that only five protesters remained in custody yesterday evening; they will......

While there were many protesters yesterday demanding that the war end, some protesters were actually supportive of the President. And those protesters were the Billionaires for Bush. Videographer Kelly Loudenberg followed Alan Greenspend Rob DePoor and his crew around.......

Millions of people marched in and watched the annual St. Patrick's Day Parade on Fifth Avenue yesterday. Another part of the St. Patrick's Day tradition is to protest. Whether it's gays or lesbians who are upset they aren't allowed to march or firefighters who are angry they are pushed to the middle of the pack, there's always a little unrest. Our videographer Kelly Loudenberg checked out a very different set of protesters - the......

What a strange way for Community Board 5 to decide whether to name 53rd Street at 8th Avenue after Jerry Orbach. Last night, the board's notoriously difficult committee approved 3-2 in favor of naming the street after the great late actor. And then the full board voted in favor - 18-17 - as well. But, as the NY Times explains, "that slim margin was not enough to qualify as an approval because the votes......

Yesterday, Transportation Alternatives held a rally at City Hall to draw attention to the recently increasing numbers of pedestrian fatalities on city streets. Last year, 163 pedestrians died, a 4% increase over 2005, and just this past weekend, four pedestrians were killed by vehicles. Relatives and friends of victims joined TA to demand that the city to make streets safer for pedestrians and "strengthen laws against motorists who kill or injure pedestrians" (Metro). Watch......

Because there's nothing like reliving the vicarious thrill of a pillow fight, especially on a Monday, we bring you this video from Kelly Loudenberg. Kelly braved the feathers to film this past Saturday's excellent urban pillow fight organized by Newmindspace. And we have to say, the photographs from the event are amazing. We start sneezing immediately!......

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Check out this video from Kelly Loudenberg, who says: "Metropolis in Motion is holding a 24-hour Dance Marathon and Party to bring attention to the NY State Court appeal case regarding Cabaret Laws that restrict social dancing. Dance groups of various styles have been filling 90 minute timeslots since yesterday and through the night at 23rd Street and Fifth Avenue. There will be a party/rally on this morning following the Marathon from noon-2pm in......

Here's a video from Kelly Loudenberg, who writes, "The League of Humane Voters and The Church of Stop Shopping along with the vegan community and East Village residents teamed up this weekend for a rally to stop the closing of The Whole Earth Bakery on Saint Marks. Owner of the bakery, Peter Silvestri was there serving warm food and sweet treats to all." And here's an update about what happened after Reverend Billy was......