Results tagged “tomridge”

While we might get a heavy showers or a thunderstorm today, the big weather news continues to be the lack of rain. Have you noticed the water stressed trees? Take a look around and you'll see many trees whose leaves have turned brown and are starting to fall. It's several weeks too early for normal fall foliage, those trees are in survival mode –if they drop their leaves now they won't need as much water.

The Daily News has great coverage, especially since they're crowing from breaking much of the story. The NY Times pondered about who Kerik's nanny is and here's Newsday's special section dedicated to the the Kerik mess; also check out Kerik's bio at Giuliani Partners and his love nest via Curbed.

What's in my Go Bag? Not Gilbert Gottfried, I can assure you. (A better question might be, "What's in my Go Cup?")

With the convention winding down, the coverage is turning to examine how the protests and police have coexisted these past few days. The NY Times goes through the NYPD's tools of the trade when dealing with protests, and Newsday looks at how protesters are able to inflitrate Madison Square Garden, in spite of the GOP's best efforts, like yesterday's AIDS' activists who disturbed Andy Card's speech. Standard Deviance does some down and dirty research into who exactly was the protester that was arrested during Cheney's speech. Protesters are also taking responsibility for the theft of the American flag on the Brooklyn Bridge. The ransom note of sorts on indymedia demands that Mayor Bloomberg, Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly, FBI Director Robert Mueller, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge and President Bush resign in exchange for the flag. The Daily News points out "If protestors accomplished the theft, they would have to have been skilled climbers or crazy, or perhaps both."

Local media's convention coverage:

More terror alert fun: Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge was in town, meeting with NY officials (like Commissioner Kelly, the Mayor, and Governor Pataki, above photo; the Times articles notes that meetings like that make the Mayor seem aligned with the Bush administration, which poses other issues for the Mayor's reelection effort), and he defended the terror alerts, which may have been outdated. Newsday on NYers dealing with "another day, another terror threat". And like many of the other NY politicians, Senator Hillary Clinton is asking Washington for more terror funding. Finally, check out the city's Office of Emergency Management site. Do you have a go bag?

Alexander Perls, Songwriter and Vocal Producer

Of course, the convention is causing all sorts of chaos in others ways: NJ commuters can't take the NJ Transit into Manhattan - they'll be going to Hoboken first then taking the PATH in. the NY Times' map showing where and when the various parties are being held during the Republican National Convention is more like a "Places To Avoid" guide. cityrag has been following the terror drills in midtown (with lots of photos, like the one above). Honestly, Gothamist thinks we see a terror drill every day. Wednesday, about thirty police cars, lights and sirens blazing, sped down Sixth Avenue, and this morning, fifteen police cars were parking themselves in a special formation near Grand Central. What happening?

Mayor Bloomberg testified that more federal money would need to be directed to NY and NYC. He also addressed criticism of the recently-unveiled NYPD-FDNY emergency respose plan, saying critics didn't really understand the plan. Secretary Ridge hedged his bets, saying the new plan "seemed like a step in the right direction."

The strategic indicators, including al-Qaida's continued desire to carry out attacks against our homeland, are perhaps greater now than at any point since September 11th, 2001.

Slate's Rob Walker weighs in on the ostensibly pro- and anti-war ads by Tom Ridge and Martin Sheen. Martin Sheenhas had a history of activism, but certainly his role on The West Wing gives him more of a platform. Before September 11, 2001, there was much buzz about people preferring a president more like The West Wing's Jed Bartlet: A comparison of the Josiah Bartlet and George W. Bush presidencies.