Sept. 29: Smartphones, hooka and Peggy Lee
Brooklyn: We are living in a time of countless electronic devices. I walk every day as a form of exercise, as recommended by my doctor.
Category Archives: Brooklyn, NY
Sleep apnea went undiagnosed in engineers in 2 train crashes
The engineers of two commuter trains that slammed into New York City-area stations in the last year, killing one person and injuring more than 200 others, were suffering from undiagnosed sleep apnea and have no memory of the crashes, according to investigative documents made public Thursday. Both trains were going more than double the speed limit and crashed at stations that had been exempted from federal regulations requiring automatic speed controls that could've slowed or stopped them.
Lawsuit over debunked Rolling Stone rape article revived on appeal
A federal appeals court on Tuesday revived a defamation lawsuit brought by three University of Virginia graduates against Rolling Stone magazine over a now-retracted article describing an alleged gang rape at their fraternity. Jann Wenner, co-founder and publisher of Rolling Stone magazine, speaks during the 29th annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals announced its decision two days after Rolling Stone publisher Jann Wenner put his majority stake in the New York-based magazine up for sale.
Jewish boxer tosses hat in congressional ring to knock out addiction
The concentration inside Mendez Boxing is palpable. Everyone in the basement gym is focused on the task at hand: shadowboxing before a corner mirror or sparring in the ring.
Rally outside Donovan’s office calls for ‘patriotism over partisanship’
About 50 people gathered outside Rep. Dan Donovan's office in Brooklyn for a rally Monday afternoon. About 50 people gathered outside Rep. Dan Donovan's office in Brooklyn for a rally Monday afternoon.
Confederate street names stir debate in . . . New York City?
Two of the Confederate Army's best-known leaders have streets named for them in a place not normally associated with the Southern side of the Civil War - New York City. Now some elected officials are trying to undo it.
A Matter of Transparency
Numerous "American friends of" organizations exist in the Jewish communal firmament to help direct funds to worthy causes in Israel. That's what most people thought was the case with an organization known as Aish International - it was generally assumed to be the American fundraising arm of Jerusalem-based Aish HaTorah, the haredi Orthodox outreach group with programs throughout the world.
Mueller team lawyer brings witness-flipping expertise to Trump probes
A veteran federal prosecutor recruited onto special counsel Robert Mueller's team is known for a skill that may come in handy in the investigation of potential ties between Russia and U.S. President Donald Trump's 2016 campaign team: persuading witnesses to turn on friends, colleagues and superiors. Andrew Weissmann, who headed the U.S. Justice Department's criminal fraud section before joining Mueller's team last month, is best known for two assignments - the investigation of now-defunct energy company Enron and organized crime cases in Brooklyn, New York - that depended heavily on gaining witness cooperation.
May 20: Times Square crash, Donald Trump and parking placards
Brooklyn: "Madness" only tells part of the story . The other half is mental illness and I hope the Legislature was paying attention.
Sex slaves: Prostitution arrests point to human trafficking
Shady massage parlors and "spas" that offer sex -- commonly referred to as a "happy ending" -- after your back rub highlight a serious and often overlooked issue -- human trafficking of sex slaves. Store fronts that peddle prostitution may seem innocent enough -- even though they are illegal-- with ads on sites like Backpage.com featuring scantily clad women, who are usually Asian, posing for provocative photos alongside captions that "promise a good time."
Streisand ponders ‘what might have been’ with Clinton
Barbra Streisand usually talks to her audience, but Saturday night she had a special message for two guests: Bill and Hillary Clinton . Streisand gave former president and former Democratic presidential candidate much more than a shout out at her concert at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, her hometown.
The N.E.A. Really Isn’t “Welfare for Rich, Liberal Elites”
Last autumn, I had a mischievous fantasy that I would fudge my address as Bartley, Nebraska, or Piedmont, South Dakota, on some grant applications in the hope of boosting my odds for success. If every other writer applying to the Guggenheim or the National Endowment for the Arts lives in Brooklyn, or Silver Lake, wouldn't a rural Zip Code give my application a glimmer of geographic diversity? I offer this small confession because many writers, painters, musicians, and art teachers, suffering the proverbial Stockholm syndrome, have internalized the Republican dogma that established artists in coastal cities are hoarding public and private art funds, in a self-serving parochial loop.
NYC mayor wants free preschool for 3-year-olds, too
In this Sept. 4, 2014, file photo, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio visits the Inner Force Early Tots Childhood Learning Center, a community-based organization that's part of the pre-K program, in the Brooklyn borough of New York on the first day of the mayor's expansion of early childhood education.
NYC mayor announces plan for free preschool for 3-year-olds
In this Sept. 4, 2014, file photo, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio visits the Inner Force Early Tots Childhood Learning Center, a community-based organization that's part of the pre-K program, in the Brooklyn borough of New York on the first day of the mayor's expansion of early childhood education.
Steven Mnuchin and Robo-Denial
As a member of the professional tax community, my interest in the goings on over at the Treasury Department is a bit more keen than that of most Americans. And as an American expatriate, I am impacted financially in ways which leave my stateside countrymen and -women largely unscathed .
Federal judges to hear arguments defending Trump travel ban
Federal judges on opposite coasts are due Friday to hear legal arguments defending President Donald Trump's travel ban on citizens from seven predominantly Muslim countries. The ban is sure to reverberate through the courts on a likely path to an appeals court or the U.S. Supreme Court.
Confusion, anger as Trump’s entry ban bites; even some cabin crew stuck
In his most sweeping decision since taking office a week ago, Trump, a Republican, put a four-month hold on allowing refugees into the United States and temporarily barred travellers from Syria and six other countries. Capping a day of confusion and chaos and protests in several airports across the country, a federal judge in Brooklyn, New York, granted a temporary reprieve.
Women’s March in NYC heads to president’s local home
Tens of thousands of demonstrators marched to President Donald Trump's Manhattan home on Saturday in protest, saying the new president may be from New York, but he doesn't represent the city. "New York is a community in itself and people care about each other and it's diverse," said Ashia Badi, 44, who brought her two daughters to the march.
Trump family tree: A clan unlike any other the White House has ever seen
President-elect Donald Trump has said on more than one occasion that his closest relationships are with his family. "I have a lot of good relationships.
Stiff sentence means priest’s attacker may never leave prison
The repeat felon from West Brighton, who, authorities said, stuck a gun into the ribs of a Roman Catholic priest during a holdup and beating seven months ago in his community, may never step foot outside of prison again. Kerry Pack, 40, was sentenced Thursday in state Supreme Court, St. George, to 12 years to life behind bars stemming from the June 2 incident in West Brighton.