Well this is unfortunate. Somebody has been posting "Colored Only" signs up around the SUNY New Paltz campus. One was found near a drinking fountain in the school's Humanities Building on November 8. Then after college President Donald Christian wrote a memo to the school condemning the note, three more signs appeared in the school's LeFevre Hall later in the week. Ugh. At least people weren't hanging nooses? Eh, nope. Still bad. more ›

"Is this the end of the line for the anarchists' buffet?" We nodded at the smiling, silver-bearded man as he took his place at the very end of the Occupy Wall Street chow line in Zuccotti Park. A few hours earlier, demonstrators had marched from Washington Square Park to Lower Manhattan without incident—a peaceful result that had eluded the last three major Occupy Wall Street demonstrations. A blue-shirted sergeant strolled through the crowded park, sipping a Slurpee-like beverage. One man asked where he had purchased it, and in the ensuing exchange we snapped a photo. The sergeant leaned into our ear and peered down through his aviators: "You're not gonna post that on YouTube, right?" more ›

A New York State appellate court ruled that under the federal concept of the "marriage recognition rule," which grants reciprocity to the bond of marriage formed in other states, it will recognize gay marriages solemnized in other states. As one of the largest states in the nation, this is a huge step for proponents of normalizing same-sex marriages. Gay marriages still aren't allowed in New York State, although a young mayor in New Paltz, NY attempted to go forward with that initiative, but marriages performed elsewhere will be granted legal status. It's a bit of legalistic court-leading-the-horse, but gay rights proponents seem pleased. more ›

Stone Ridge Orchard, the farm behind the Organic Schmorganic blog, is celebrating its inaugural harvest from its fifteen acres of certified organic farmland. Take a trip to the country for some food and drink, right from the farm. 6 to 9 PM at 300 Springtown Road New Paltz. RSVP to Amy Johansson by email or by calling 845-249-3440. more ›

It's birdseed throwing or bubble blowing time with this weekend's NY Times wedding announcements. more ›

...but what does that really mean? Sure, the Mayor announced that if NY State's Court of Appeal decides that gay marriages are legal, then NYC will perform them, but the Mayor has always felt that way. Back in 2004, when the issue got hot with gay marriages being performed in San Franciso and New Paltz, NY, Mayor Bloomberg refused to go along, saying that he would follow NY State law. (Attorney General Eliot Spitzer didn't stop the New Paltz marriages, saying he had "no problem with gay marriage.") However, that was before his 2005 election, so who knows what he would have done if the issue came up during his second term; just yesterday, he said on his radio program, "The U.S. Constitution should be something that unites, rather than divides Americans. I do not believe that government should be in the business of telling people who they can and can't marry." more ›

Todd Barry, Comedian more ›

Mayor Bloomberg marched with New Paltz mayor, Jason West, yesterday in a Queen St. Patty's Day parade; the Times reports that they didn't speak about the issue, which has become an "irritant" for the mayor lately. City Council Speak Gifford Miller and City Comptroller Bill Thompson, eyeing challenging the mayor on the Democratic ticket in 2005, are demanding the Mayor make his views known. more ›

Spitzer has become the center of a national attention because of his outspoken pro-gay marriage stance, New York State law aside. Read the Attorney General's his opinion here, which says that mayors who are solemnizing same-sex marriages are breaking the law [California's Attorney General Bill Lockyer has not been asked to give an opinion yet]. New Paltz Mayor Jason West is still marrying gay couples, even though he has been charged with a misdemeanor for breaking the law. And how can you not love Gay Porn Blog's "Which gay marriage city mayor is cuter, SF's Gavin Newsome or New Paltz's Jason West?" survey. [Via Gawker] more ›

Attorney General Eliot Spitzerrefused to stop the gay marriages in New Paltz, saying, "I have no problem with gay marriage. I think the law has moved to a point where people are comfortable that [marriage] can be extended to people of the same sex." Spitzer had been asked by Governor Pataki to stop the marriages. So the real debate will be in Albany, leaving it to Governor Pataki to struggle with what to do; according to the Daily News, Pataki "defied calls from his Conservative Party allies to push for a state Defense of Marriage Act, which would shield New York from having to recognize other states' gay marriages." However, Governor Pataki, with other political aspirations in mind, may fold to appeal to a conservative base. more ›

Yet another article about how Mayor Bloomberg needs to step up and be more aggressive when dealing wtih Governor Pataki, especially when trying to secure funding from the state for the city. Yesterday's Daily News article about the mayor's new attack-mode strategy reaffirms why it's helpful for the Mayor to stop playing nice with Pataki: SUNY New Paltz poli sci professor says, "Taking on a Republican governor has a certain logic, because [Bloomberg's] constituency at the end of the day is Democratic and independent." The Daily News also noted that Bloomberg's language has changed markedly: more ›