How bad are New York drivers? Well, according to some new numbers The Daily Beast crunched, there are 33 states with worse drivers than us (congrats, North Dakota, for being #1). Don't get too cocky, however, last year a different study named us the state with The Worst drivers in all the nation. Here's the breakdown of numbers that landed us in the #34 spot this time around: more ›

LaGuardia and Newark both rank dead last in a survey of customer satisfaction at airports nationwide. Travelers say LaGaurdia is the most dissatisfying medium-size airport, while Newark is absolutely the worst big airport. The survey, conducted annually by market researcher J.D. Power & Associates, rates airports based on a variety of factors. JFK ranked 15 out of 19 large airports surveyed. (A large airport serves at least 30 million passengers a year, while a medium-size airport handles between 10 million and 30 million.) more ›

In a stunning reversal, New York City has lost its claim to the title of #1 filthiest hotel in America (based on TripAdvisor traveler reviews). Last year Hotel Carter in Times Square placed #1, with an unstoppable combination of rats, mice, horrible smells, dirty sheets, horrifying bathrooms, outlets that hang out of walls, and a dead body under a bed. more ›

Hear the World, which works to prevent hearing loss around the world, is holding an event at Macy's Herald Square from January 6th to the 19th, offering free hearing screenings and information about protecting your hearing. Dr. Kasper tells the Post that the easiest way to save your eardrums is also free: "We have wonderful earplugs built in, they are called our fingers." Unfortunately, the incessant voices in our heads persist, no matter how deeply we burrow our fingers in. Below, Hear the World's list of some of the loudest spots in NYC. more ›

Can any Muppet really be that bad? This website has come up with a list of what they say are the 10 worst Muppets ever, or as they put it: "Even the best shows on television have bad characters... here is the real list of Muppets who suck." Pepe the Prawn comes in at #1 — but isn't it at least endearing that there's a prawn-inspired Muppet? Also on the list: Kermit's nephew Robin, Mr. Poodlepants, Clifford, and... Dr. Bunsen Honeydew! For shame, list makers. Who are your least favorite Muppets? more ›

The General Contractors Association already pointed out that our bridges are the worst, earlier this year, and now AAA is rubbing it in with their own list. They say the Tappan Zee, Kosciuszko and Goethals bridges are the worst in the state; with subpar steel, limited sight lines and small lanes amongst the list of hazards. The Post points out that all three bridges are up for reconstruction in the next decade... so we got that going for us. more ›

While our city's bridges may be fantastic for falcons, they're unfortunately not so great when it comes to us humans. A new list, provided by the General Contractors Association, points out the worst bridges and elevated roadways right here in New York City. Drum roll please! more ›

MTA surveys are so fun, because we pretty much just find out that everything is the worst, everywhere. But wherever you are, rest assured that it really could be worse. Unless you are in Ridgewood, Queens—then consider yourself gold star winners in the most dilapidated subway station contest! more ›

The argument over where New York's worst post office is could go on forever, since they are all pretty much the worst, but one tipster is tossing the 9th Street Post Office of Park Slope into the hat. So angered by the slowness of the establishment, this morning one local (we have our suspicions) turned to the chalk to take out their aggressions. Now, now, let's all take a deep breath and recall when residents rallied for the now-closed Prince Street Post Office, declaring: "The Worst Post Office is Better Than No Post Office!" more ›

JFK is the third worst airport to try and catch some shut-eye in, according to a newly released survey of 6,200 travelers by travel website The Guide to Sleeping in Airports. The airport's ranking is blamed on coldness, frequent P.A. announcements, TV monitors blaring CNN, bright lights, and overabundance of seats with armrests. Here's one thwarted sleeper's rough experience: "Our flight left at 7 a.m. and since the subway had crazy transport times during non-peak times we decided to stay at JFK. We went upstairs to the red carpet area next to BWIA check in and this security guard 'Agapita' ... told us to move. Then we went downstairs and fell asleep lying on the cold floor. We awoke to this horrid clapping of Agapita saying, 'You cant sleep here! Move now before I throw you out!' It was horrible! She told us we couldn't be on the floor. My witty friend then asked if we could stand on the floor and she said 'NO' she was a pain to everyone there! Thanks Agapita!" According to the poll, the worst airport for sleeping is Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris; second worst is Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport, where Agapitushka, the notorious Siberian security guard, keeps all her comrades alert. more ›

We thought our old roommate who left behind a used condom in a dust bunny after he moved out was disgusting, but he seems like a paragon of good hygiene compared to these revolting animals, who are competing for "bragging rights" (and $1,000) in a nationwide "Dirtiest Apartment" contest. Two of the finalists hail from right here in Brooklyn, and the Daily News gave one of them, 29-year-old Lisa Henderson, her 15 minutes of shame (photo #3). She wouldn't let the tabloid's photographer shoot inside, however, because her mommy had just arrived from Arkansas to clean up her adult daughter's mess. On the contest's website, Henderson explains the wretched squalor:

more ›

Hey, maybe Times Square isn't so Disneyfied after all; millions of travelers on Trip Advisor have voted Hotel Carter on West 43rd Street the #1 filthiest place to stay in America. Comments on Trip Advisor range from revolting ("I don't know where to begin... Roaches, rats, mice, horrible smells, dirty sheets, horrifying bathrooms, outlets that hang out of walls... But the worst part about it was that at 4 a.m. I woke up to a bunch of guys breaking into our hotel room while we were sleeping!!") to panicked ("It's like a HORROR movie in real life, it's so bad that its just not for real. Barack Obama, please shut it down!"). more ›

Here, pour yourself a morning cup o' contempt, courtesy Frank Bruni's review of Delicatessen (pictured), the overpriced, overcrowded Soho comfort food lounge where tools and over-privileged scenesters flock to judge each other. (You know, the place that's driving neighbors to urinate on it.) After conceding that "this seriously mediocre but ingeniously conceived restaurant" isn't catering to epicures, but rather "night crawlers looking for foodstuffs that double as alcohol sponges," Bruni decides that "many of these dishes are clever, but their execution is usually matter of fact and sometimes quite sloppy...How to pass the time? During dinner I enjoyed watching the Delicatessen pirouette, a 360-degree spin some patrons perform on the way to their seats, allowing them to appraise the room fully and be fully appraised by it." more ›

One can understand losing out to San Francisco, but being out-gayed by Sydney, Australia, where homosexuality was illegal until 1984? Sydney placed second in the Independent's hierargay, apparently solely on the strength of their fabulous three-week long Mardis Gras, which is the biggest dance party in the country. The UK paper, despite heralding New York as "the gay capital of the world," deems us only worthy of the bronze. Whatever. At least we bested the Greeks—no small feat—and their gaytopia island of Mykonos, which comes in fourth. For contrast, the Independent also shouts out the five worst places to be gay, which include Saudi Arabia, where homosexuality is punishable by death or whipping, and Nigeria, where even writing or talking about support for gay people can land you in prison. [Via Joe. My. God. Photo Cred.] more ›

You'll probably want to avoid eating dinner during tomorrow night's episode of Inside Edition, which promises some pretty revolting video of street vendors doing all sorts of unsavory things with their hands while on the job. According to the press release, the show's "Investigative Unit" caught a number of New York food vendors on tape exhibiting some "unsafe food handling practices." These include:
• One food vendor touching his bare feet with his fingers between his toes before going right back to serving customers.
• Another vendor near Times Square, who while wearing gloves picked his nose, handled money, scratched himself and touched raw chicken right before preparing food and serving customers.
• A vendor outside the Museum of Natural History who licked his gloved hand and counted money. Then he left his cart to use a bathroom in the museum and returned to serve customers without washing his hands.

This week the Times’s Frank Bruni opines on Scarpetta (pictured), the new Meatpacking District Italian restaurant from Scott Conant (L’Impero, Alto) that the Village Voice loved and the Sun disdained. Bruni bestows a big three stars, raving about the unassuming dish of spaghetti, tomato and basil: “However Mr. Conant is choosing and cooking the Roma tomatoes with which he sauces his house-made spaghetti, he’s getting a roundness of flavor and nuance of sweetness that amount to pure Mediterranean bliss.” Also in the Times, Julia Moskin surveys Chinese food in Flushing, where “the dumplings are juicier, the noodles springier, the butter cookies flavored with a bit of salty green seaweed.” more ›

Di Fara Pizza in Midwood may be revered by everyone from Brian Chase from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs to New York Mag’s Josh Ozersky – who makes a point of living within walking distance of the joint – but Gotham City Insider is not impressed. After a recent visit, she slams the thin crust pizza mecca as “a spot for tourists to take pictures of an old man cutting basil onto a pizza.” And furthermore:

The shit people will put up with when they're told its "hip" is really unbelievable. The place was absolutely filthy - as its known to be - and I left with my eyes burning and my hair and clothes smelling like a burnt piece of crust. Clean the ovens, you old bat! When I worked in a pizzeria as a kid every night before closing we had to scrape the ovens and clean them out with hot water and rags. Is that too much to ask? more ›

A study conducted by the non-profit group America's Promise Alliance has found that New York City has one of the nation's worst high school graduation rates, ranking 43rd among 50 other major U.S. cities and their surrounding areas. Only 45% of high school students in New York City graduate in four years, while in the surrounding suburbs, the four year graduation rate is 83% more ›