Yesterday, it was reported that dastardly thieves stole a handicapped octogenarian's scooter outside a church on the Upper East Side. However, unlike just about every other theft story we hear about, this one has a happy ending: police were able to track down and return the mechanized wheelchair. And it may have all been a big mix-up! more ›

Park Slopers Maggie Gyllenhaal and Peter Sarsgaard, dubbed New York’s hippest stay-at-home parents by the Times, have joined the cast of Classic Stage Company's Uncle Vanya, to be directed by Austin Pendleton for a January opening. It's the second Chekhov play in a row for Sarsgaard, who's currently on Broadway in an excellent production of The Seagull, and the first time the couple have worked together, aside from a short film. In other stage news, Liza Minelli canceled last night's performance of her new one-woman Broadway show because she was "suffering from dehydration." Neil LaBute's reasons to be pretty will come to Broadway after all, but it's unclear whether Alison Pill will reprise her much buzzed-about role. And one performance of Will Ferrell's hotly anticipated Broadway show, You're Welcome America. A Final Night With George W Bush, will be simulcast on HBO. more ›

-- The Times has a scary investigative piece about local courts upstate. Many are run by "judges" (without college degrees) who enjoy dispensing their own brand of "justice": "Every woman needs a good pounding every now and then." more ›

- If you hear loud noises, see flashes of light or a lot of emergency vehicles in Queens on Sunday don't panic, the City is just testing terror responses. more ›

Mayor Michael Bloomberg was sworn in for another four years as the Mayor of New York City yesterday, amid the crisp air, Liza with a Z!, and some protesters across Broadway. While his speech was vague in that rousing "feel good about yourself, NYC!" way, he did promise to do go after illegal guns, continue to improve the city's public school system, and start pursuing the "most ambitious" affordable housing program. It also takes advantage of how far the city has come since he first took office in the wake of September 11. Here's an excerpt:

“Our population is at an all-time high. Crime is going down; student achievement is going up; jobs are being created; new homes and parks are strengthening and revitalizing our neighborhoods. more ›

The Smoking Gun had the documents from the lawsuit yesterday. And Gothamist on Liza with a Z. more ›

TMFTML more ›

Oscar Commentary
Oscar is celebrating its 75th anniversary, I'm celebrating my 25th anniversary of watching Oscar. more ›