The Independent Budget Office released a report examining who might be affected by congestion pricing. The report, "Behind the Wheel: Who Drives Into The Proposed 'Congestion Zone'" can be read here (PDF) but the topline is that drivers are middle-class and over half are from Nassau County, Westchester, NJ, Connecticut and Pennsylvania. The report states, "Looking at the extremes of the earnings distribution for all congestion zone commuters, motor vehicle users were less likely......

No one likes getting a parking ticket, but it's those instances when tickets are handed down unfairly that really make people crazy and determined to beat them. Sanford Young, a lawyer, spent two years and an estimated $10,000 to beat a $65 ticket in Manhattan Supreme Court. From The Post:Young got the ticket on Nov. 29, 2005, after he parked on First Avenue near East 70th Street to have dinner with a friend. He returned......

READING: We've been gushing over filmmaker, performing artist and writer, Miranda July's new book (and its accompanying website), No One Belongs Here More that You. Tonight she reads from her collection of short stories at Paula Cooper Gallery. There she is at left, typing away, and you can listen to her reading on her MySpace. Reminder: She'll be at 192 Books tomorrow night, call 212.255.4022 for reservations. 7pm // Paula Cooper Gallery [534 W 21st......

A look at some noteworthy programs this week: iVillagelive (WNBC & Bravo, Monday, 12:00 noon) NBC launches this lifestyle show focused on women on Monday. What makes it different from other such shows is that it is going to have an interactive component, since it is a spin-off from the NBC-Universal owned website iVillage.com. The 2006 Billboard Music Awards (WNYW 5, Monday, 8:00 p.m.) Yet another music awards show. The only reason it is noteworthy......

For the "Too Good to Be True, So It's Just Not True" file: The NY Times reports that 23 year old Daniel Markovitz "told people that he could get their parking fines reduced, saying that he knew someone in the Parking Violations Bureau or that he worked for a Web site that helped adjudicate tickets." Markovitz collected up to $780 from each person and did pay off fines for 53 parking tickets (which totaled $4,700).......

It's so nice to see what a little pressure can do: Bruce Ratner and his Forest City Ratner group have increased their bid to $100 million for the Atlantic railyards. Ratner wants to put not only a Brooklyn Nets Frank Gehry-designed arena there but thousands of condos and countless square feet for offices (the Times loved the design). This higher bid comes because of the lone rival bid from Extell, whose development plan lacks......

Gen Art is well underway with its decadent parties and premieres. The good news is there are still five more nights of revelry. What makes Gen Art unique is that it only screens seven features and seven shorts, while other fests screen tens of hundreds of films. And each night’s film is followed by an afterparty at some hot spot with 2-hour open bar. Also unlike other festivals, this one is more audience-driven and......

Well, it looks like the Olympics coming to New York has a slightly better chance of happening. In a December meeting with European sporting officials, Mayor Bloomberg apparently knocked their socks off. In his estimates NYC 2012 is in a tie with Paris. The NY Times writes: By the end, even people from cities competing for the Olympic bid were describing him as charismatic and charming. Charismatic and charming?!? We never knew, Mr. Mayor. Then......

Yes, welcome back little boy, Christ child... NOAA has announced the return of the warm waters to the Eastern Pacific, though noting that this time, it's not as strong. "Weaker" is the decription that they use actually. The last El Niño, was in 1997-1998 when it seemed that everything and anything weatherwise was being blamed on the friggen thing. Rain? El Niño. Cold? El Niño. Warm? El Niño. Headache? El Niño. You've heard the......

Arguably the most important film festival in the world, even after last year's unspectacular showing, the Cannes Film Festival starts again, with movie screenings around the clock, preening stars, and deals being made furiously. Why is Cannes important? In a nutshell, it helps films get launched, whether they're American films looking for a bigger audience (think Pulp Fiction and Mulholland Drive) or foreign films looking for American distribution. Films Gothamist is interested in that are......

The new trailer for Kill Bill, Volume 1, is up at Yahoo! Movies. Gothamist can't tell if we are that into some of Uma's line deliveries, but we do think some of the set-ups are great (school girl with crazy weapon; school boy who is shamed into crying; Uma vs. Vivica Fox, interrupted by Vivica's character's kid coming home from school; Daryl Hannah walking menacingly down the hall). And we can't complain when a character......