NYC Easter Parade, Events & Services in NYC & Boros

There are Two Easters Observed in Christianity - One for Western European Christians and One for Eastern Orthodox Christians

April 19, 2025 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / Gotham Buzz NYC.

Very Brief Introduction to Christian Easter Traditions

Christians observe Good Friday, which is when the Bible tells us that Jesus died on the cross. On the Sunday following Good Friday, Christians celebrate the Biblical account of Jesus rising from the dead, which is Easter.

Emperor Constantine became the Roman Emperor in 306. In 324 Constantine made Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire.

In 1054, the Great Schism occurred, wherein Christianity split into two different sects - Roman Catholic Christians [primarily in Western Europe] and Orthodox Christians [primarily in Eastern Europe]. The traditions have much in common, but one of the differences is in how they calculate the time of Good Friday and Easter Sunday.

The Western European Christians [Protestants and Catholics] use the Gregorian Calendar to calculate when to celebrate Good Friday and Easter. The Gregorian calendar was created in the 16th century and made the official calendar by Pope Gregory. Orthodox Christians use the Julian Calendar, which was made law in the Roman Empire in 45 B.C. by Julius Caesar. The primary difference between the Julian and Gregorian calendars is that the Gregorian calendar uses Leap Year [this year is one of them] to adjust the calendar for the 1/4 extra day per year, that to our rotation around the sun requires. Thus the calendar differences, and how the date of Easter is calculated, is why the Orthodox and Roman Catholic / Protestant Christian Easters oftentimes occur on different dates.

This year [2025] the celebrations of the two traditions are celebrated the same week, whereas in 2024 the celebrations were separated by five weeks. So both the traditional Western European Christian and the Eastern Orthodox Christians are celebrating Easter the same week.

Next Up - The History of the Easter Bunny & Related Traditions

• CLICK here to view our report on Easter parades, Easter events, Easter egg hunts and Easter brunches in NYC, including the boroughs of Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx & Staten Island. We start off with a brief history of the Easter Bunny and the origin of related traditions.

* Things to do This Weekend in NYC & Boros

Schumer Votes in Favor of Trump & Republicans, Foley Square Protest, Multiple St. Patrick's Day Parades & Pubs, Multiple Holi Celebrations, Trump Budget Cut Protests, Buena Vista Social Club Performances, Cold Sweat at the Players Theatre & on Monday St Pat's Parade in Manhattan; 40 Shades of Green at NY Irish Center, First Look Film Series at MoMI, 3AM Theatre & LPAC Performances in Queens; St. Patrick's Day Parade, Performances of Streetcar Named Desire at BAM in Brooklyn; Bronx Rising Concert, Throggs Neck & Eastchester St. Patrick's Day Parades in & just north of the Bronx; Art Exhibit Opening Reception at the Lighthouse Museum & Federal Govt Budget Cuts Protest at Malliotakis' Office on Staten Island & Charter Revision Committee TBD

Updated March 15, 2025 vs 3.14.25 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / News Analysis & Opinion / Gotham Buzz NYC.

Sunrise 7.08 am. Sunset 7.02 pm. Daylight Savings Time. We're getting two hours and 39 minutes more sunlight than we were the weekend of the Winter Solstice on December 21, 2024, which is the shortest day of the year. Spring is next Thursday, March 20, 2025, when sunrise will be at 6.58 am and sunset at 7.08 pm. The true equinox, when we have equal amount of daylight and nighttime actually falls between March 16th and 17th.

NYC Weather. Rain is expected after 6 pm on Sunday, otherwise the weekend is dry. The temperature highs will be in the mid 50's on Friday, the low 50's on Saturday and hitting 60 degrees on Sunday. The temperature lows will rise from the low 40's Friday to the high 40's Saturday to the mid 50's on Sunday. The winds will rise from about 5 mph Friday, to 5 - 10 mph Saturday to 10 - 15 mph Sunday. The humidity will rise from about 50% on Friday to 70% later in the day and then staying around 70% for the rest of the weekend.

In the photo at right is a woman walking along Canal Street a number of weeks ago. I photographed her as I was emerging from the subway beneath the streets. She has a wary look, which likely means she's a seasoned New Yorker, as one must generally stay alert at all times, while moving about the city.

Saturday Early AM Edition @ 2.30 am. Completed the weekend events. Still have a few more events for next week to add sometime later this weekend. Over the next couple of weeks, things to do in NYC really heats up.

• CLICK here to view our report on things to do in March in all five boroughs of NYC 2025 events NYC.

What did Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer just do?

Were you Fully Informed of the Key Facts, Regarding the Continuing Budget Resolution, on the Billionaire-Controlled, Network TV News? Check out BSky.app & Compare to what you Learn from TV News about What's Going on in Washington, D.C.

Updated March 15, 2025 vs 3.14.25 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / News Analysis & Opinion / Gotham Buzz NYC.

An excellent example of billionaire-controlled, Network TV News priorities / manipulations, was on full display this month. An American college student gone missing on Spring break in the Dominican Republic, seemed to get - as much, if not more airtime and 'investigative coverage' - than the budget negotiations between Republicans and Democrats.

TV News 'The' Disinformation Medium. Ask yourself WHY this particular missing college student has become such a HUGE Network TV News story, when 600,000 people go missing in the U.S. every year? Are the billionaire controlled Network News outlets trying to distract their viewers from what's going on in Washington, D.C. by giving the truly important stories less airtime while filling up their broadcasts with sensational horror stories?

The budget negotiations included a huge transfer of federally elected representatives' power [aka your power] from the legislative branch to the executive branch of government, as well as cuts of tens of billions of dollars to previously approved federal programs.

So, ask yourself, which of these news stories is of more concern to you? Which of these stories of more actionable by you? And which of these stories appears to be what might be a tragic human interest story, used by billionaire controlled Network TV News, as a ratings chasing headline / audience distraction?

CLICK here to view the rest of our report on how Chuck Schumer abandons the Democrats [own party], and leads a rebel contingent of Senators including NYS Senator Gillebrand to vote in favor of Trump and the Republicans, on the Continuing Budget Resolution of March 2025.

Choosing the Next NYC Mayor

Eric Adams, Andrew Cuomo, Zohran Mamdani, Brad Lander, Scott Stringer, Jessica Ramos, Zellnor Myrie & Michael Blake

Updated March 1, 2025 vs 2/28/2025 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / News Analysis & Opinion / Gotham Buzz NYC. This report was first published embedded in the WTD.

1) Watch Polls & Funding

I attended what I believe may have been the first Mayoral candidate forum a couple of weeks ago. I haven't yet published my report on it, but hope to do so next week. In the meantime we've been focusing on Mayor Adams, who is still one of the three leading candidates.

Adams slipped to number three [10%] in recent polling [last week], behind Andrew Cuomo [38%] who has not yet announced his candidacy, and Zohran Mamdani [12%]. The only two other candidates above 5% are Brad Lander [7%] and Scott Stringer [5%].

At present, Adams and Lander, both of whom are funded by the real estate developer and investment communities, are leading with cash on hand, with over $3 million apiece. But that doesn't tell the whole tale, as NYC Mayoral wild card Zohran Mamdani qualified for matching funds last week. The matching funds raised Mamdani's funding to $2.8 million. Given Mamdani raised it from 55,000 people, is impressive - and perhaps more importantly - he has momentum, which none of the other candidates have. And unlike Andrew Cuomo who stepped down as NYS Governor because of sexual harassment complaints, Mamdani has little baggage. Cuomo's other big baggage includes both the CoVid Nursing Home scandal and Albany Corruption scandal.

The Democratic NYC Mayoral primary is June 24, 2025. Be sure to register and absentee vote if you won't be here.

• CLICK here to read the rest of our report on the NYC Mayoral Race 2025 including Eric Adams, Andrew Cuomo, Zohran Mamdani, Brad Lander, Scott Stringer, Jessica Ramos, Zellnor Myrie & Michael Blake.

Is Eric Adams Using the Power of the Mayor's Office to Protect his Personal Interests, instead of Using the Power in Pursuit of the Public's Interests?

February 21, 2025 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / News Analysis & Opinion / Gotham Buzz NYC. This report was first published embedded in the WTD.

This was quite a week for Mayor Eric Adams. Starting a week ago, on Thursday, February 13, 2025, SEVEN U.S. Department of Justice attorneys decided to hand in their resignations, rather than file a motion to drop the corruption case of the United States against Eric Adams.

Eric Adams was indicted on federal corruption charges, which according to a February 15, 2025 report by the BBC include,

" ...  five separate criminal counts, including "conspiracy to commit wire fraud, federal program bribery, and to receive campaign contributions by foreign nationals", wire fraud, two counts of solicitation of a contribution by a foreign national and bribery ...".

In resigning, the now former U.S. Attorney Hagan Scotten wrote,

" ... If no lawyer within earshot of the President is willing to give him that advice [not to withdraw the case], then I expect you will eventually find someone who is enough of a fool, or enough of a coward, to file your motion ...".

The U.S. Attorneys were asked to file the motion to withdraw the case by acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove. Apparently, U.S. Attorney Edward Sullivan stepped up to file the motion, but not because he was a fool or a coward, but rather reportedly to spare the firings of many of the other attorneys in the Public Integrity section of the Department of Justice [DOJ] where the case and subsequent motion were filed.

A Sad Litany of Events Reveals Both Adams' and Trump's Lack of Integrity

Trump Tries to Withdraw Adams Case without Prejudice. So, consider this, these seven highly paid professional U.S. federal prosecutors forfeited their income and their positions, because they refused to follow the orders of Trump's Acting Deputy Attorney General, Emil Bove, who apparently was instructed by Trump to withdraw the case without prejudice.

This is an important detail [withdrawing without prejudice], because to withdraw the case without prejudice means that Trump's Department of Justice [aka DOJ] wants to, " ... terminate [the] case, allowing the plaintiff [the DOJ] to refile the claim in the future. This [kind of] dismissal is not an adjudication on the merits, meaning the court has not addressed the substantive issues [and] ... It often arises from procedural or technical deficiencies, such as improper service of process or lack of jurisdiction ...". So, this begs the following question.

• CLICK here to read more about seemingly corrupt and dishonest leadership in NYC and USA - Mayor Eric Adams and President Donald J. Trump.

The Two-Faces of Eric Adams

Adams Reportedly Exploring a Mayoral Run on the Republican Ballot

February 14, 2025 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / News Analysis & Opinion / Gotham Buzz NYC. This report was first published embedded in the WTD.

Law Enforcer or Law Breaker? Well, it seems we're beginning to uncover all of the deceptive masks Eric Adams has been wearing most of his adult life. He went from being a member of the NYPD to allegedly being a criminal of an unknown degree - because he sought a pardon, even before he went to court.

Democrat or Republican? In the late 1990's Eric Adams became a Republican, then switched [back] to becoming a Democrat in early 2000. He's now reportedly exploring a second bid for Mayor, possibly as a Republican, given how badly he has alienated the Democrats who voted for him in the last election.

To show how quickly things are unraveling for Eric Adams, consider this. The Reverend Al Sharpton, one of Adams strongest supporters, criticized the Department of Justice for trying to drop the case against Adams. As recently as MLK Day [January 20th, 2025], Sharpton wanted Adams to attend an MLK event in NYC. But Adams ditched his pre-scheduled MLK events in NYC to attend Trump's Inauguration in Washington, D.C.

In the graphic above or at right is a smiling Eric Adams, who according to the headline is reportedly exploring a mayoral run on the Republican party ballot.

While Adams may have disappointed a lot of moderate voters with his City of Yes zoning law changes, he has greatly pleased the very wealthy real estate industry investors and developers who have funded his campaigns and legal bills. With their funding, Adams may be able to flood the media airwaves with enough paid narratives about who he is and what he has done, to make a credible second run - even as a Republican.

• CLICK here to read the rest of our report on the Two Faces of Eric Adams - Getting Stuff Done for the Billionaires who have funded his campaigns and legal bills.

St Pat's Day NYC 2025 - Irish Pubs, Bars & Restaurants in NYC 2025

Most Irish Pubs, Bars & Restaurants We Cover Survived & Are Ready to Party, but Remember Reduced Capacity Seating Offset by Outdoor Seating & CoVid Guidelines Still Apply

March 10, 2025 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Irish Pubs Bars & Restaurants / Gotham Buzz NYC.

St Patrick's Day is on a Monday this year.

We're only a week away from St. Patrick's Day 2025. Four years ago we were all waking up to a new reality ... the CoVid pandemic. So back then the NYC St. Patrick's Day parade in Manhattan was hugely scaled down ... and many in the outer boroughs were cancelled. But in 2023 and 2024 they all returned in spades, so that this year we're back to normal.

Restaurants and bars have long settled back into normal and many have kept the outdoor dining. See the weekend post for a current weather forecast for St. Patrick's Day weekend, but the daytime temperatures are generally in the 40's and 50's and as it's March, there's generally a possibility of precipitation, but each year gets drier due to climate change.

We've compiled a set of Irish pubs, bars and restaurants in each borough for you to peruse, if you're contemplating going out before or after the parades that span the entire month. Please remember, that like New Years Eve, all the amateur drinkers come out, many of whom are not Irish, so to all, please be respectful of others.

That said, enjoy yourself, drink responsibly, so that the day after your St. Patricks Day celebration is also a good one .

• CLICK here for a brief report and links for St Patricks Day Pubs Bars & Restaurants in NYC - all 5 boros Manhattan Brooklyn Queens Bronx & Staten Island - St Pats Day Irish Pubs NYC.

St Pats Day Parades in All 5 Boros of NYC 2025

This is a Look at All of the Upcoming St Patricks Day Parades, Including Photos of those We've Covered Over the Years with Links to a Page Containing Photos and Descriptions of Some of the Best Irish Pubs in Each Borough

March 10, 2025 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / Gotham Buzz NYC.

NYC Weather. See Friday / Weekend post by clicking the header above.

The photo at right was taken at the St Pats for All Parade in Sunnyside Queens.

The Saga of Banning Gays from St Patricks Day Parades in NYC ended this year [2025], when Staten Island finally relented and started allowing gay people to march in their parade.

The Sunnyside St Pat's For All Parade was created to allow LGBTQ folks to march in a St Patricks Day parade at a time when all of the others banned LGBTQ from marching in their parades. As of March 1, 2024 there's only one St. Patrick's Day parade that continues to discriminate against people whose gender isn't totally traditional / binary. And there seems to be a pretty large groundswell of support for ending the discrimination, as a second Staten Island St. Patrick's Day event was started last year by the LGBTQ community, which this year has morphed into a full blown parade on March 17th. Some Catholics cite the Bible as their justification for the ongoing discrimination, but it's unclear whether such an interpretation of a text that has been translated from Hebrew, to Greek, to Latin, to English would hold up under greater scrutiny. And why would a just God discriminate a member of his against his own creation?

Each Borough Has its Own Parade

Parades, Pubs and Restaurants in Each Borough. Each borough has at least one or more St. Patrick's Day parade. As we've covered most of them, we've included links to our reports of each St. Patricks Day Parade to provide you with further details of the experience of attending. We've also included links to some of the best or oldest Irish pubs and restaurants in each borough. As this is by no means a comprehensive list, and we will continue refining this report as we learn more about the Irish pubs and restaurants in each borough of NYC.

How this page is organized. We've organized this page first by borough and then by date. The parades span the month, and even though ... the official feast date for St. Patrick is March 17th, the date of the Manhattan St. Patrick's Day parade is March 16, 2024 because as a tradition they don't march on Sundays, which in the Catholic religion is the Lord's Day. The Manhattan St Patrick's Day parade is the largest in NYC.

The LGBTQ Parade Participation Issue Appears to be Abating. In 2000 the St Pats for All parade was first launched in Sunnyside, Queens to protest the banning of gays from marching in the Manhattan St Pats Day Parade. In 2014 / 2015 the Manhattan Parade opened up its participation rules to allow gays to march. In 2020 the Throgs Neck parade in the Bronx opened up its participation to gays. At present only the Staten Island parade continues to ban LGBTQ community members from participating in the parade as openly gay people. The Staten Island ban continues in 2024 by the traditional parade organizers, but they now have competition as a new LGBTQ friendly parade will be marching on March 17, 2024.

• CLICK here to view our report on the St Patricks Day Parades scheduled in all 5 Boros of NYC in 2023 including Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, the Bronx & Staten Island.

Why Isn't TV News Talking About the Real Reason for American Budget Deficits & Debt?

Which are the Huge Republican Tax Cuts for Billionaires that Started with Ronald Reagan in the 1980's, Continued with George W. Bush in the 00's and got a Huge Third Boost from Trump in 2017

February 14, 2025 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / News Analysis & Opinion / Gotham Buzz NYC. This report was first published embedded in the WTD.

Why aren't the billionaire controlled TV networks talking about WHY Trump is cutting so many people and other resources from the federal government? Why are they aiding and abetting the unsubstantiated, and hence to date false, narratives that Trump and Musk are cutting fat, bureaucracy and corruption.

Why are they failing to inform the nation that a lot of the federal government programs that are being cut are dedicated to helping people stay healthy and safe, elevate themselves, and achieve the American Dream? The priority targeted departments that Trump / Musk are trying to cut enable Americans to stay healthy, get a good education and avoid being ripped off by nefarious financial institutions. These categories appear to be the priority targeted cuts announced so far.

To date Trump has signed and announced nearly 100 Executive Orders - some of which appear to be illegal - and are being contested in the courts. Among the Executive Orders are some, that are cutting programs designed to help people stay healthy, get a good education and avoid abuse by financial firms. Here are just a few of them.

Trump announced that the U.S. is exiting from the World Health Organization [WHO - helps manage global disease breakouts], cuttingthe budgets of the National Institute of Health [NIH - health / scientific research] and cutting the Center for Disease Control [CDC], without doing some sort of in-depth analysis first. Trump announced he's cutting most of the Department of Education. And he's announced he's going to try to cut the entire Consumer Financial Protection Bureau [CFPB].

As we saw in this last election, TV News fails to do an effective job of informing / educating Americans. In the election they failed to inform Americans about the state of the economy [good] and currently they are failing to inform Americans as to why these federal agencies and departments perform important functions that help keep America the promised land, by protecting our collective health, investing in our nation's education / future and protecting consumers from financial abuse.

TV Network News doesn't say a single word about why Trump / Musk are REALLY cutting so many federal government services so quickly.

• CLICK here for the answer to the question above as well as for the rest of our report on Why isn't TV News Talking About the Real Reason for American Budget Deficits & Debt?

Valentines Day Restaurants in NYC 2025

Dining Out on Valentine's Day 2025 in the 5 Boros of NYC

February 10, 2025 / NYC Restaurants / NYC Neighborhoods / Gotham Buzz NYC.

WORK IN PROGRESS.

Three weeks from next Wednesda is Valentine's Day in NYC. We are working on a roundup of romantic and Valentines restaurants in NYC by borough that will be offering indoor and / or outdoor dining and specials on that day.

One thing worth noting is that with outdoor seating and Valentines Day falling on a week day - depending on your loved one's desire for dining specifically on Valentines Day - you should have good luck in booking a reservation. 

So, here are links to Valentine's Day dining in all five of NYC boroughs - by borough. We also identify a number of restaurants have closed since the pandemic began.

• CLICK here for a brief report and links to NYC Valentines Day Restaurants - Romantic Restaurants in all 5 boros Manhattan Brooklyn Queens Bronx & Staten Island.

Things To Do Presidents Day Weekend in All 5 Boros of NYC

February 14, 2025 / Things To Do NYC / NYC Neighborhoods / Gotham Buzz NYC.

Presidents Day Weekend is three weeks away. For many, not all, it's a three day weekend. This means the Post Office and most federal, state and oftentimes municipal offices are also closed.

WHAT FOLLOWS IS GENERALLY STILL RELEVANT, BUT LAST UPDATED IN 2023.

NYC Weather Presidents Day Weekend. Be aware that this forcast is a full three weeks out and subject to significant change by the time the weekend arrives. But that said, as of this post 1/31/23 the temperature highs will be in the mid 40's, and the temperature lows will be in the around 30 degrees. Precipitation. There isn't any rain forecast for the Presidents Day Weekend, as of this post. Winds. Generally they're 5 - 10 mph. Humidity. It's been a very warm and dry winter and it's expected to continue. As of this post humidity is expected around 50%.  Click for NYC Weather.

• CLICK here for a brief report and links to NYC Things to do Presidents Day Weekend - all 5 boros Manhattan Brooklyn Queens Bronx & Staten Island.

Things to do This Weekend in NYC & Boros

Eric Adams & Donald Trump; Lunar New Year Fair & Lion Dance in / near Chinatown, BIPOC Dance Residency Try Outs, Buried Beneath the City, Final Weekend for Edges of Ailey at the Whitney in Manhattan; Brooklyn Wine Fest & Rachel Wren Art Opening Party at the Shirley Project in Brooklyn; Last Weekend of the Triborough Film Festival in Astoria, Modern Dance & Blarney Concert in LIC in Queens; Chocolate & Wine at the Bartow Pell Mansion, MLB Yankee Stadium Tours & Next Week Ponce Bank Small Business Boot Camp in the Bronx; Lighthouses are for Lovers at Francesco's & Galentines Day at Casa Belvedere on Staten Island. Work in Progress 2025 Year Round Indoor & Outdoor Markets and Some Open Calls

February 7, 2025 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / News Analysis & Opinion / Gotham Buzz NYC.

NYC Weather. Sunrise 7 am. Sunset 5.20 pm. We're getting an hour and five more minutes of sunlight than we were the weekend of the Winter solstice in late December. Spring Forward Daylight Savings Time is Sunday, March 9th, 2025 - only four weeks away.

Saturday evening we're expecting about 5 inches of snow between the hours of 6 pm and Sunday 8 am. The temperature highs will hit 40 on Friday before descending into the mid 30's the rest of the weekend. The temperature lows will remain between 25 and 30 degrees all weekend. The humidity will range from 30% - 40% Friday, rising from 30% to 70% on Saturday, before tapering off between 50% - 60% on Sunday. The winds will be 10 - 15 mph Friday, falling to 5 - 10 mph for the rest of the weekend.

The photo at right was taken at the Georges Berges Gallery at 462 West Broadway [at Houston] in SoHo a couple of weeks ago. There's a group show, entitled Tarot, at the gallery, which runs through February 28th, and it's well worth a visit. The images in the painting change when you move.

Friday Evening Edition 11.15 pm. Done with this Weekend report so you're good to go. Some related work in progress should finally commence con brio this weekend.

CLICK here for things to do this weekend in February in all five boroughs of NYC 2025 events NYC.

Martin Luther King Day Weekend Events / Things To Do in NYC

Things To Do in NYC over the MLK Day Weekend

January 17, 2025 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / Gotham Buzz NYC.

NYC Weather as of 1.17.2025. Sunrise 7.16 am. Sunset 4.56 pm. We're getting 25 more minutes of sunlight than we were the weekend of the Winter solstice in late December.

This weekend we could get 1/10th inch of rain concentrated between 1 and 4 pm Saturday or none at all. And on Sunday there's an 80% - 90% chance we'll get two or more inches of snow between 1 pm and 9 pm. Monday is cloudy, but no precipitation is expected.

The temperature highs will be in the mid 40's Friday, the low 40's Saturday, falling to the mid 30's on Sunday and then to the mid teens on Monday. The temperature lows will be in the low 30's on Friday and Saturday, falling to the high teens on Sunday and dropping to about 10 on Monday. Most of next week will range from the high single digits up to 30 by next Friday, so enjoy the weekend, as it will be followed by a cold week. The winds will be 5 - 12 mph all weekend, at the lower end on Friday and Saturday, and at the higher end on Sunday and Monday. The humidity will rise from between 50% - 60% Friday, up to between 70% to 80% on Sunday, and again dropping to 50% to 60% on Monday.

• CLICK here for a brief report and links to NYC Things to do Martin Luther King Day Weekend - MLK Events in NYC Manhattan Brooklyn Queens Bronx & Staten Island.

* Things to do This Weekend in NYC & Boros

Buried Beneath the City & Baby Bonds in NYC; Winter Jazz Fest in Brooklyn & Manhattan, Mulchfest in NYC, Femme Collective at the 14th Street Y, Mrs. Stern Wanders the Prussian State Library in Manhattan, Digital Illustrations at BAM in Brooklyn; Curators Choice Films at MoMI & last Weekend of the Affordable Art Fair in Queens; Holiday Train Show at the NYBG in the Bronx; Hot Rock Yacht Revue on Staten Island & Year Round Indoor & Outdoor Markets [coming] and Some Open Calls [coming], as we Gear Up Again for 2025, beginning with MLK Day next Weekend, followed by the Chinese New Year of the Snake (c'est appropo?)

January 10, 2025 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / Gotham Buzz NYC.

NYC Weather. Sunrise 7.19 am. Sunset 4.48 pm. The days are longer by 14 minutes of sunlight, versus the week of the Winter solstice in late December. Yahoo?

The temperature highs will be in the mid to high 30's on Friday and Saturday, rising to 40 on Sunday. The temperature lows will be around 30 all weekend. The winds will be 5 - 10 mph all weekend, at the lower end on Friday and Sunday and at the higher end on Saturday. The humidity will generally range between 55% - 65%, except in the latter part of Friday when it will dip into the low 40% range. No precipitation is expected.

The photo at right was taken along Park Avenue near Lever House in Midtown Manhattan, on the last weekend of December. The MetLife Building [renamed in 1992], which was originally erected in 1963 as the PanAm Building, is located in the background, colored in blue light.

Saturday late morning edition at 11.15 am. Mostly done except the markets and open calls which will be updated over the weekend and coming week.

CLICK here to view our report on things to do this weekend in all five boroughs of NYC January 2025 events NYC.

New Years Resolutions 2025: The Road Ahead

A Few Axioms To Keep In Mind Throughout The New Year

January 1, 2025 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Holidays / News Analysis & Opinion / Gotham Buzz NYC.

For all of us, today starts the beginning of a new year. It's an opportunity to start anew. And even if we don't fulfill our highest expectations, moving the needle in the right direction, is always a good thing.

The rest of this report is about some of the things you can do personally to make 2025 a better year for you.

• CLICK here to read the rest of our report on New Years Resolutions 2025 - The Road Ahead.

New Years Eve Parties NYC & NYE Parties & Events NYC 2024 / 2025

We're Looking Forward to an Uneventful & Enjoyable New Years Eve

December 29, 2024 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / Gotham Buzz NYC.

MW _ CK vs 2023. Weather Forecast. NYE Sunrise in NYC - 7.20 am. NYE Sunset in NYC - 4.38 pm. The temperature highs will be in the mid 50's on Friday, dropping to the mid 40's for the rest of the three day holiday weekend including Monday. The temperature lows will be around 40 through Sunday, dropping into the low 30's on Monday. Humidity will be around 70% on Friday, descending into the 60's for the rest of the three day weekend. The winds will be about 8 to 10 mph on Friday & Saturday, dropping to about 5 to 7 mph on Sunday and Monday. No precipitation is in the forecast, although it will be cloudy all days except NYE Sunday. Have a safe and Happy New Year.

Historical Weather Forecast for New Years Eve. The typical weather since 1907 on New Years Eve in NYC at Times Square is about 34 degrees. Global warming is likely to alter that as a forecast, meaning it will likely be warmer as it has been the past couple of decades.

Here are links to some New Years Eve parties and events planned around the five boroughs. These pages are in the process of being updated and we expect to finish them sometime around December 18, 19 & 20, 2023. But you can browse the restaurants and see what they did last year and if you're interested we've included contact information as well.

• CLICK here for a brief report and links to NYC New Years Eve Parties in NYC - NYE Parties in Manhattan Brooklyn Queens Bronx & Staten Island.

Things to do This Weekend in NYC & Boros

Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, New Year Weekend with Holiday Markets, Holiday Events & NYE Parties - are Some of the Top Things to do this Weekend & Next Weekend in NYC

December 26, 2024 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / Gotham Buzz NYC.

NYC Weather. Sunrise 7.18 am. Sunset 4.35 pm. For the first time since June, the days are starting to get longer. We're up 2 minutes of sunlight versus last week.

It looks to be a rainy weekend, on both Saturday [1/3 inch] and Sunday [over 3/4 inch]. There are bound to be plenty of times, during both days, when there's little rain falling; so be brave, and don't let a little water stop you from enjoying your precious time with family and friends.

The temperature highs will rise from about 30 on Thursday, to 34 on Friday, 44 on Saturday, and into the low 50's on Sunday. The temperature lows will rise from the mid teens on Thursday, to the high 20's on Friday, into the low 40's on Saturday and Sunday. The winds will range from 5 - 7 mph on Thursday and Friday, kicking up to 5 - 10 mph Saturday and then again up to 15 mph on Sunday. It's going to be a humid weekend ranging from 70% on Thursday up to 90% on Sunday. These temperature statistics are unusually high for this time of year versus historical norms.

The photo at right, taken in Sunnyside Queens a year ago this week, shows an example of the holiday home decorations one can find in the five boroughs of NYC.

This weekend use the links below to find holiday events, holiday markets and look for things to do over the New Years Eve weekend. We'll be updating the NYE pages over the weekend.

• CLICK here to view the rest of our report about things to do Christmas / New Year week in NYC - Events NYC the last week of December.

** Things to do This Weekend in NYC & Boros

Thanksgiving Ends and Black Friday Begins (see holiday market links for each boro), Holiday Markets, Vintage Subway Car Rides Begin and Toy Train Show in Manhattan; Affordable Art Fair in Queens; Park Slope BID Tree Lighting, Dyker Heights Neighborhood Christmas Lights, Frost Fest @ Coney Isle, Lightscape Show @ BBG, Brooklyn Flea & Flip Circus in Brooklyn; NYBG Holiday Train Show, Bronx Zoo Holiday Lights & Yankee Stadium Tours in the Bronx; and Holiday Markets on Staten Island

Updated _ December 3, 2024 vs 11.29.24 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / Gotham Buzz NYC.

NYC Weather Forecast as of 11.29.24. But first - Sunrise 6.59 am & Sunset at 4.29 pm. The drought continues with no precipitation in the forecast. The temperature highs will be in the high 40's on Friday, and then about 40 for Saturday and Sunday. The temperature lows will be in the mid to low 30's all weekend. The winds will be 5 - 10 mph all weekend. It's going to be a very dry weekend with the humidity generally ranging from 20% - 30%.

The photo at right shows pedestrian traffic in Grand Central Terminal in November around the Thanksgiving holiday. This year Americans are expected to break Thanksgiving travel records again, with some 71 million traveling more the 50 miles from home by car, and an additional 18 million Americans flying over the holiday. Thanksgiving is the busiest travel holiday of the year.

Saturday Afternoon Edition around 2 pm. We're mostly done for this weekend, but then again, we're never really done as this is an ongoing continuous work in process ... kind of like life itself. It looks to be another busy and good, but back to seasonal, weather weekend. Enjoy.

CLICK here for things to do this weekend in Manhattan December 2024 events NYC.

NYC Holiday Events in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx & Staten Island

Christmas Tree Lightings, Hanukkah Menorah Lightings, Kwanzaa Candle Lightings in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx & on Staten Island NYC

December 7, 2024 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Holidays / Gotham Buzz NYC.

NYC Holiday Events in All Five Boroughs of NYC

This section is intended to provide a compendium of a multitude of mostly free holiday communal events in all five boroughs of NYC. This is not an exhaustive list.

The photo at right was taken in the Dyker Heights neighborhood in Brooklyn, which goes all out for the holidays.

• CLICK here for a brief report and links to NYC Holiday Events - Holiday Concerts Christmas Tree Lightings Hanukkah Menorah Lightings Kwanzaa Candle Lighthings in NYC.

NYC Holiday Markets in All Five Boros New York

The Holiday Markets Seem Back to Normal This Year

December 7, 2024 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / Gotham Buzz NYC.

OL.

NYC Holiday Markets Forecast. I think the holiday markets should be good this year, as they are stocked with locally hand crafted goods as well as other items from around the world.

Here are links to some holiday markets planned around the five boroughs between now and the end of the year. We will continue updating as more information becomes available between now and the end of the year.

• CLICK here for a brief report and links to NYC Holiday Markets - outdoor markets & holiday fairs in NYC.

NYC Gourmet Shops & Thanksgiving Restaurants in NYC

Shops and Restaurants for Preparing or Eating Thanksgiving Day Dinner in NYC, including Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Staten Island

UPDATING October 15, 2024 vs 11.2.2022 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Holidays / Gotham Buzz NYC.

The origins of Thanksgiving Day in the United States began with one of America’s first settlements, founded by the risk-taking, resource-pooling, hardworking, spiritual community of Pilgrims. The Pilgrims were early English settlers who arrived on American shores in the early 17th century [1600’s]. They came here because they wanted a measure of freedom and self-determination that they were forbidden in Europe or what was called the ‘old country’. The Pilgrims wanted to practice their faith, unencumbered, in a way that differed from the established Church of England. They pooled their money to obtain a ship, the Mayflower, to cross the Atlantic in mid September of 1620, landing on America's shores at Plymouth Rock in Massachusetts on November 9, 1620.

The Pilgrims Receive Help from the Native People of a Strange Land

Per Wikipedia, the Piligrims survived a hard winter in 1621 with the help of the Wampanoag, an American Indian tribe. The Pilgrims were the immigrants, and the first Americans, the Indian natives, welcomed them. The Wampanaog taught the Pilgrims how to catch eels, and how to grow and harvest corn. Thus the Pilgrims ended 1621 with a good harvest which they celebrated and shared with their new friends, expressing their thanks to a higher power, aka God, for the success of their endeavors.

Thus it was that the first Thanksgiving celebration happened in America. There's some dispute to this account, which we'll address in a future post, near Thanksgiving Day.

• CLICK here for our report on Thanksgiving Gourmet Food & Wine Stores & Restaurants Open on Thanksgiving Day in NYC.

* Just Saying No to the City of Yes

See What's Driving the Urgency to Pass the 1386 Page 'City of Yes' Bill Now ...

... in Addition to being a Dishonestly-Sold, Anti-Democracy Bill, that Strips Communities of their Rights, Guarantees NO Affordable Housing, Likely will Inflate the Cost of NYC Real Estate, and Mostly Benefits the Elite, Super Rich Class of Real Estate Donors who Staffed the Group that Wrote the 1386 Page Bill & Funded the Campaigns of Mayor Adams and Numerous NYC Council Members, and Deprives NYC & NYS of Much Needed Future Tax Revenue for 10 to 40 Years

December 3, 2024 vs 11.29.24 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / News Analysis & Opinion / Gotham Buzz NYC.

The photo above or at right shows NYC Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, who made an effort to rectify some of the deceitful promises of the City of Yes zoning changes, by negotiating some changes which are more likely to result in the creation of some truly affordable housing - but still very far short from justifying the incredible amount of government tax abatement giveaways that the City of Yes will enable, in light of the 421a NYS property tax law extension, wherein the taxpayers give the rich developers' properties 10 - 40 years tax free, in exchange for the real estate developers building apartments for tenants who earn up to between $141,000 and $183,000 per year.

Is this kind of public policy borderline or outright insane?

• CLICK this link to view our report about how Adrienne & Eric Adams sold the City of Yes, taking away New Yorkers' rights & power, without any guarantees of affordable housing.

Thanksgiving - America's Communal Holiday

The Pilgrims Legacy: Love, Sharing & Community Empowerment

November 27, 2024 / NYC Neighborhoods / Thanksgiving Holidays in NYC / Gotham Buzz NYC.

A couple of years ago, I happened upon a childhood book of fables and fairytales that I had saved since I was a first grader. I was young enough to still like fairytales and old enough to be learning and loving to read.

The book, A Gateway to Storyland, by Platt & Munk Co, was given to me around the holidays, and the book still gives me a warm, loved feeling when I periodically open it to browse through the fairytales and fables containing little nuggets of age old wisdom about how to conduct onesself [see photo at right / the book is still in print]. I read it numerous times immediately upon receiving it, as the illustrations fed my imagination, and lessons embedded in the words resonated with timeless sagacity.

Unselfish Parental Love Manifested by Empowering Progeny

Love comes in many forms, but the purest form is unselfish love. The love of truly giving something with no thought of anything in return. That love is oftentimes given intergenerationally - from grandparents to parents to children.

Perhaps the greatest gifts are those that cost us nothing but our time. Like the gift of teaching someone something that they will be able to put to good use throughout their lives. Parents do this all the time, when they help their children develop skills, and impart some knowledge and learning ... just as my parents did many years ago, by giving me a well illustrated fairytale book to encourage my interest in reading, while sharing the time tested insights of the ages, handed down through storytelling.

I. A Brief Thanksgiving History

The Pilgrims Shared Communal Resources to Actualize a Dream

At Thanksgiving time we commemorate one of America's first settlements, founded by the risk-taking, resource-pooling, hardworking, spiritual community of Pilgrims.

The Pilgrims were early English settlers who arrived on American shores in the early 17th century [1600's]. They came here because they wanted a measure of freedom and self-determination that they were forbidden in Europe or what was called the 'old country'. The Pilgrims wanted to practice their faith, unencumbered, in a way that differed from the established Church of England. They pooled their money to obtain a ship, the Mayflower, to cross the Atlantic in mid September of 1620, landing on America's shores at Plymouth Rock in Massachusetts on November 9, 1620. Think of it. It took about a month and a half to travel a distance we can now traverse in about five hours.

The Pilgrims Receive Help from the Native People of a Strange Land

Per Wikipedia, the Piligrims survived a hard winter in 1621 with the help of the Wampanoag, an American Indian tribe. The Pilgrims were the immigrants, and the first Americans, the Indian natives, welcomed them. The Wampanaog taught the Pilgrims how to catch eels, and how to grow and harvest corn. Thus the Pilgrims ended 1621 with a good harvest which they celebrated and shared with their new friends, expressing their gratitude to a higher power, aka God, for the success of their endeavors.

Thus it was that the first Thanksgiving celebration happened in America ... or did it?

• CLICK here for the rest of the story about Thanksgiving Day sentiments in NYC.

* What did the NYC Council Speaker get After 'Negotiating' a 'Better' City of Yes Law?

She got 29,000 Fewer Affordable Housing Units, for which the Taxpayers will Pay $5 Billion More

November 27, 2024 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / News Analysis & Opinion / Gotham Buzz NYC.

If this wasn't real, I'd be laughing pretty hard.

But because it is real, so I'm only laughing cynically, because it is so close to unbelievable ... and it's happening in - as Eric Adams likes to say - 'the Greatest City in the World'. To which I would comment, 'not for long, if this keeps up'.

Evidence Indicating the City of Yes Legislation has been Dishonestly Sold to Us

To give you an idea of how dishonestly the City of Yes legislation appears to have been sold to us by Mayor Eric Adams and Daniel Garodnick of the Department of City Planning - consider this.

Last week, City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, 'negotiated' a better City of Yes legislative package.

So what did she / we get?

She / We got a package that costs $5 billion more, of our hard earned tax payer money, to be used to support wealthy and super rich real estate developers' and investors' projects; and in exchange she / we got 29,000 LESS AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS promised. So when is the last time you negotiated a better deal, for which you paid billions more, and got tens of thousands of units less, and walked away thinking you got a 'better' deal?

Come on. This is funny.

But in reality it is not very funny at all. It's dishonest.

This shows you how dishonestly Mayor Adams and his side kick Garodnick, appear to have been selling this package to the public. Part of the reason for the lower number of units is that they actually included some honestly affordable housing in the renegotiated legislation.

What Speaker Adrienne Adams got was a more honest [but not completely honest] assessment of what seemed to be a very dishonest legislative package, but it's still far, far less than anything that should fully justify it.

See 'Affordable Housing' story below dated 10.23.24, where 'affordable housing' is used to describe housing units that require an income of up to $250,000. And assuming my understanding of this is correct, Mayor Adams and Garodnick want taxpayers to give real estate developers and investors tax abatements, to build similar 'affordable housing' units, that would be rented to those earning 100% AMI [Area Median Income], which for a three person family is currently $127,000. The incentives might possibly extend to higher income levels [above 100% of the AMI], as the story below indicates - but I need to do more research to obtain confirmation or refutation that tax abatements would be given for units built for incomes above 100% of the AMI in the in the City of Yes legislation.

• CLICK here to view our report on NYC Council Speaker Adrienne Adams helps Eric Adams pass the City of Yes zoning law changes into law, transferring NYC voters' power to billionaire real estate developers and international investors.

* Why a Supply-and-Demand Approach Alone Cannot Solve the Housing Affordability Crisis

Posted 11.28.24 _ November 20, 2024 / News Analysis & Opinion / By Layla Law-Gisiko, President. The City Club of New York

"Buy land; they're not making it anymore" - Mark Twain

The conventional supply-and-demand approach, which presumes that increasing the housing supply will lead to greater affordability, fails to address the root causes of the housing affordability crisis. This approach, while seemingly primal and basic, is actually specious. Drawing on the theories of Adam Smith, David Ricardo, Thomas Piketty, Joseph Stiglitz, and Ryan-Collins, Lloyd, and Macfarlane in Rethinking the Economics of Land and Housing, critics argue that the conventional approach fails to account for the unique characteristics of land and housing as commodities. They highlight how financialization, speculation, and wealth concentration distort housing markets and exacerbate inequality. The housing crisis cannot be resolved simply by increasing supply without additional interventions that address the influence of land values, speculative investments, and inequality in the housing market and that in certain circumstances, increasing supply will actually exacerbate the housing crisis.

Copy & paste this link to go to the City Club of New York website - https://cityclubny.us21.list-manage.com/track/click?u=7bd5efc173c501c8faae47a24&id=4112fd461e&e=86b0219420

In modern housing policy, increasing the supply of housing is often cited as the primary solution to the affordability crisis. According to a basic supply-and-demand framework, a larger housing stock should reduce prices by creating competition and addressing housing scarcity. However, housing and land are not commodities like others in the market. Land is fixed in supply, derives its value largely from its location and external factors, and is influenced heavily by speculative and financial practices. This analysis reveals that, contrary to the assumptions of traditional economics, increasing the housing supply is unlikely to resolve the crisis unless additional policies address the complex dynamics of land values, speculation, and market concentration.

• CLICK here to read the rest of our report on Why a Supply-and-Demand Approach Alone Cannot Solve the Housing Affordability Crisis - City of Yes zoning changes NYC.

Squeaky Chairs And Stubborn Hearts: The City Of Yes Hearing

Delayed Post _ October 24, 2024 / NYC Government & Politics / NYC Real Estate & Business / News & Analysis / Gotham Buzz NYC.

Editor's Note. We're publishing this two and a half weeks after the fact, as the 2024 federal elections consumed our time and attention. But it has come time again to refocus our attention on one of the most important legislative efforts in decades, which is working its way through the NYC Council, in what appears to be a major effort by international investors, developers and billionaires - aided and abetted by Mayor Adams and the Department of City Planning - to strip away a lot of local voters' rights to make meaningful comments about any new real estate developments or major construction efforts proposed in ALL NYC neighborhoods. The bill is expected to come up for a vote before the end of the year, and possibly as soon as this month.

By Layla Law-Gisiko, President of the City Club of New York.

Another epic hearing wrapped up Tuesday evening [10.22.24], a few minutes short of midnight. This was the grand finale of public hearings on the City of Yes for Housing Opportunity. At 9:37 AM, Council Member Kevin Riley, chair of the Subcommittee on Zoning and Variances, called the hearing to order. He solemnly announced that over 600 people had registered to speak.

In the course of the long day, approximately 320 people spoke. Though the split between supporters and opponents was fairly even, the strong presence of special interests and developers highlighted that most regular New Yorkers opposed the proposal.

When the doors of the City Council chamber opened at 9 AM, the room quickly filled, as the public bravely endured the torment of those infamous plastic squeaky chairs—perfectly designed to make you question all your life choices.

They could have enjoyed glorious fall weather and comfortable seating, but New Yorkers took time off their busy schedules to speak up. Renters, homeowners, public housing tenants, and SRO residents—New Yorkers from all walks of life and from all boroughs— voiced their fears about why they believe the plan will fall short of its promises and will hurt them. Overall, the mood was serious, and at times even anxious. New Yorkers expressed fear of displacement and gentrification, fear of a city ever more driven by real estate profit, fear of deregulation in the name of a laudable goal that many fear the proposal will never reach.

• CLICK here to view the rest of our report on the NYC Council City of Yes hearing on Zoning Text Amendment Changes.

How Believable is Donald Trump's Denial he's not Behind Project 2025?

Quick & Dirty Review of What Trump & Elon Appear to be Planning - Especially #2 & 5

November 3, 2024 / U.S. Government & Politics / News Analysis & Opinion / Gotham Buzz.

Project 2025 was put together by a group, of very conservative, right wing groups working in concert. This includes, according to a CNN report, 140 Trump affiliates, of which more than a dozen played some role in the first Trump Administration.

To see this yourself, visit https://www.project2025.org.

1. They say they want to secure the border, but when a bi-partisan bill was generally agreed upon by both parties in both houses and ready to be passed into legislation, they / Trump nixed it, so Trump could use it as a campaign issue against Joe Biden. This is just a gimmick, because if they really wanted it, they could have had it over six months ago. As for deporting over 10 million immigrants who are already here ... think long and hard about what that looks and feels like - not just here, but abroad. It will probably look and feel a bit like the Nazis rounding up the Jews, back in the 1930's.

This is a nation of immigrants, and we should be happy that so many people are willing to pick up, and move themselves, to live and work here. In 2023 the U.S. had a population growth of just 1.2%, so we need immigrants to help power the labor force, help pay our retirements, and help pay our national debt. When we no longer look like a destination to move peoples' lives to, we're going to be in big trouble. And deporting over 10 million people, many of whom grew up here, really isn't thinking this thing through.

2. They want to 'de-weaponize the Federal Government by increasing accountability and oversight' of the FBI and Justice Department. Both agencies are already managed by the Executive Branch of government, and monitored and funded by the Senate and Congress. Specifically, the Senate and House both hold hearings, review agency policies, monitor agency enforcement, oversee agency functions, and perhaps most importantly is that they have the power of the purse in terms of reviewing appropriations. So the question here is - TO WHOM - do they want to make them accountable? The answer is to the very rich people who are supporting Trump, like Elon Musk.

It appears to me that they should reword this demand to reflect what they really want, which is to defang / cripple federal law enforcement.

3. Unleash American energy and reduce American energy prices. This is their way of saying 'drill baby, drill'. They don't want more clean energy, they want more dirty energy, by deregulating the oil industry, What we should be doing is taxing this cash cow [fossil fuels] out of existence, and refunneling the higher taxes into clean energy incentives, to accelerate the transition to powering society cleanly, before we run down the clock and it's too late.

4. 'Cut the growth of the federal government to reduce inflation'. First take note that the last time Donald Trump was president, he significantly increased government spending, and super-sized the national debt from $20 trillion to $28 trillon - breaking all records by a landslide. So quite frankly, this is simply not believable.

What makes this statement even more of a lie is that the inflation they plan to reduce is currently running at 2.1%, which isn't much different from the Federal Reserve's target rate of 2.0%. So maybe they want to take credit for reducing inflation, but reducing inflation any more than the Biden Administration already has would probably not be good, as 2% is the Federal Reserve's target rate for a smooth running economy.

Also recognize that inflation was a worldwide phenomenon caused by the pandemic, because worldwide production slowed / stopped for CoVid. Consumers and businesses began to bid up the prices of the things that had already been produced that were available, because they didn't know when production would resume. And after production recommenced, then the international shipping carriers and ports had to catch up on the back orders. Today, all of that has long been sorted out, which is why current inflation, using last month's reading was 2.1%. Again, not believable.

5. Make the bureaucrats more responsible to the President and Congress. They already are.

But this is where the hard right and Elon Musk, emasculate the federal government and make it work for them, and them only. Pushing the pain and hardship as far as the American people will tolerate, without rising up and taking to the streets in rebellion.

I don't have time to do #6 and #7, which are [#6] to move control and funding of education to the states [Education of a society is very complicated, so I haven't the time to properly address this, but local governments and states are already mostly in charge of education, and the Federal Government incentivizes programs and curricula they think are in the national interest [like math & science] which local schools may or may not participate in], and [#7] ban biological males from competing in women's sports [don't know enough about this, except to say that local institutions, if they clearly define who may participate on sports teams, should be able to manage this issue. This as a major point of Project 2025 vis-a-vis the other points, seems more designed to be an attack on the hot button issue of gender identity].

• CLICK here to view the rest of our report on How Believable is Donald Trump's Denial he's not Behind Project 2025?

The Brain-Dead, Kiddie-Hosted, TV News

They Televise Musk Giving Out Millions of Dollars, & None Ask Why

October 31, 2024 / U.S. Government & Politics / News Analysis & Opinion / Gotham Buzz.

Background Regarding the Crumbling News Foundation, Upon which TV News Once Relied

If you've been reading my work, especially in recent times, you'll notice how increasingly frustrated I have become with TV News. If you want to know why America doesn't seem quite right, it's because the TV folks rarely seem to do any real reporting. In times gone by, the real reporting was done by the journalists working for the newspapers, and then the TV newspeople essentially rewrote and then reread the newspaper journalists' work on air.

Newspapers have been decimated by the search engines, specifically Google, undermining the newspaper business models, by using newspapers' content to create a really wonderful apparatus - internet search. But the problem is that the technologists reap most of the advertising revenue, and virtually all of the profit, so that most newspapers can scarcely afford to do much real news anymore, because their staffs are being cut, and they can't invest in real journalism, which costs money.

Fast Forward to the State of Modern TV News Rooms Today

TV News used to generate much larger audiences, and hence ratings and revenue, than they do today. This is because most folks are spending far more time on their cell phones or on their computers, and thus watching far less TV. Part of the reason is the new technologies, but ...

But the other part of the equation is that the content on TV has growing incredibly old and stale. You can probably find as much content on TV today that was created in the 1950's, 1960's, 1970's, 1980's and 1990's as you can find content created in the first quarter century of this millenium. And moreover, most of the content created for TV in this millenium are those super cheap-to-produce games shows, that some segment of the population has the time, interest and / or boredom to watch. And a lot of the rest of the content produced today is either hospital or law enforcement shows, which really narrows the field in terms of viewing options, if you're interested in anything else.

Back to TV News. If you read our reporting on government and politics the past few months, or over the years, we are constantly in pursuit of the back story. Unfortunately, TV News which reaches a far larger audience than we do, make their living reciting headlines, which is not the same as reporting the news. This brings me to telling you why I'm writing this report.

The Real Swamp & The Real Story of Trump and Musk & Why They 'Need' to Win

Musk Didn't Think Trump was the 'Right Guy' in 2016 & Trump Called Musk a "Bullsh@t Artist"

It takes one to know one.

Back then, they were both right. But things have changed. At present both have a common interest in social media and in that business their respective fortunes seem somewhat aligned, as they are both seek to attract the white uneducated males in our country, to whom they have been feeding misinformation and propaganda, as if it were real news. And while financially, that business model doesn't appear to be working, perhaps they can make it work by getting Trump elected.

• CLICK here to read the rest of our report on what seems Putin's role in why Elon Musk is trying to help Trump win election 2024.

Halloween Parties, Parades & Events in NYC

Halloween Festivities in All Five Boros Begins Now & Runs thru Halloween Week

UPDATING October 25, 2024 vs 10.16.23 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / Gotham Buzz NYC.

Weather Forecast for Halloween Weekend. It's still a bit early to obtain a reliable weather forecast for Halloween Weekend, let alone Halloween itself, which is now two weeks away.

But the typical weather on Halloween night in NYC is about 65 degrees during the day and about 50 degrees at night. Global warming may alter these averages as a forecast. We'll post an updated weather forecast next weekend when a more specific weather forecast is possible.

Here are links to some Halloween parties, parades and events planned around the five boroughs. These pages are in the process of being updated and we expect to finish them today or tomorrow. But you can browse the pages and see what various places did last year, and if you're interested in digging further we've included contact information as well.

• CLICK here for a brief report and links to NYC Halloween Parties in NYC - all 5 boros Manhattan Brooklyn Queens Bronx & Staten Island.

City of Yes - Special Report Series Section

Columbus Day Weekend Things To Do in NYC

Things To Do in NYC over the Columbus Day Weekend

October 12, 2024 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / Gotham Buzz NYC.

The Columbus Day Weekend is this weekend. 

NYC Weather Forecast as of 10.11.24. Today - Sunrise 7.03 am & Sunset at 6.20 pm. There's a 50% chance of a small amount [less than 1/5th inch] of rain Sunday night after 9 pm & ending Monday mid morning. Temperature highs will be in the low 70's through Sunday, descending to the low 60's on Monday. Temperature lows will be in the mid to high 50's through Sunday, descending into the mid 40's on Monday. It's going to be a windy weekend, with winds of 11 to 16 mph through Sunday, rising to 17 to 19 on Monday. The humidity will be 40% - 50% Friday and Saturday, rising to 60% - 70% on Sunday, before falling back to 50% - 60% on Monday. Generally a good weather three day holiday weekend. Enjoy.

• Click for links to reports on things to do Columbus Day Weekend in all five boroughs of NYC events / Columbus Day Parades NYC.

* Things to do This Weekend in NYC & Boros

Climate March Friday, UN Convenes & Autumn Begins Sunday, Steuben Day Parade & Oktoberfest in Central Park, Fall for Dance Fest, Feast of San Gennaro ending & Opening Reception for Art Exhibit in Manhattan; The MEMBER CALENDAR IS HOPPING this weekend in QUEENS with performance of Nunsense, Community Arts Day, Food & Wine Fest, Hellgate Walking Tour & Stemocracy at the NY Hall of Science, also Queens United International Music Party, the Moon Festival, Hispanic Day Parade, Oktoberfest at Bohemian Hall & Amazing Maize Maze / Corn Fest in Queens; Fort Hamilton Oktoberfest Friday, Greek Orthodox Fair, Climate Week & FAD market on Governor's Island & Flatbush Frolic in Brooklyn; Festival de Independencia de Mexico, Festival de El Grito de Lares, Bronx Native American Festival, Chekov's Uncle Vanya, Cocktail Party & Raft of the Medusa Performance in the Bronx; the 17th West Fest Westerleigh Folk Music Festival, a Greek Orthodox Festival & Shakespeares 'As You Like It' & Nansen Lodge Heritage Fair on Staten Island - Next Week Downtown Brooklyn Arts Festival & Zum Schneider Fest in Brooklyn

September 20, 2024 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / News Analytis & Opinion / Gotham Buzz NYC.

NYC Weather Forecast as of 9.20.24. Sunrise 6.42 am & Sunset at 6.55 pm. It looks to be a precipitation free weekend with the highs around 80 Friday, descending to the mid 70's for the rest of the weekend. The temperature lows will be around 60 and the humidity will hold steady all weekend at between 60% - 70%. The winds will also hold steady at about 10 mph all weekend. Have a great first Fall Weekend.

The photo at right was taken at the Steuben Day Parade in Manhattan in a prior year. The parade and accompanying Oktoberfest in Central Park return this weekend. See details below.

Friday Final Edition at 6.45 pm. Looks like a great Fall weekend both weather-wise and for things to do. Enjoy.

Things To Do This Weekend in NYC

• September 22 - 30, 2024 - The United Nations General Assembly begins. Dignitaries and diplomats will begin convening in earnest Sunday. Already this Friday 9/20/24, various groups that want to be heard, will be protesting the mishandling of their issues by various governments around the world. Road closures along the east side of Midtown, near the U.N. [generally in the low 40's streets], begin as early as Saturday evening at 8 pm, so be prepared for extra traffic jams in Manhattan.
  • This year they seem to have improved their communication effort and the following items are on the week long agenda. On Sunday, Monday, 9/22 & 9/23 they will be discussing sustainable development goals for international trade and development. On Tuesday, 9/24 they will showcase success stories of sustainable development efforts made 'round the world. On Wednesday, 9/25 they are hosting a plenary of sea level rise threats. On Thursday, 9/26 they will discuss anti-microbial resistance and efforts to combat it, as well as how to rid the world of nuclear weapons. On Wednesday thru Saturday, 9/25 - 9/28 & Monday, 9/30 there will be a high level debate about how the world can work together to make sure that nobody is left behind. On Tuesday, 9/24/24 President Joe Biden will address the General Assembly. For details and video links see - UN General Assembly in NYC 2024. https://www.un.org/en/webtv.un.org. For special reports on two of the world's military hotspots see our prior reports - 1) Why are American - not Israeli - taxpayers funding Israel's Expansionist Imperialism and 2) Ukraine Defends Against Russian Imperialism.

The photo above / at right was taken in 2022 outside the United Nations. In the lower foreground you can see a security officer, as well as several of them on the roof of one of the UN buildings. In the middle of the photo are some of the flags on the nations who come here, to convene with all other nations from around the world.

• The first day of Fall 2024 is Sunday. Have a happy Autumn.

Things To Do This Weekend in Manhattan NYC

Friday, September 20, 2024 beginning at 2 pm - Climate March. Begins at Foley Square at Lafayette, Worth & Centre Streets in Downtown Manhattan near City Hall. Free. For details see - https://www.endfossilfuels.us/ and https://actionnetwork.org/events/youth-climate-strike-tear-down-the-pillars-of-fossil-fuels-2?source=direct_link&

Saturday, September 21, 2024 - Steuben Day Parade & Oktoberfest NYC. The parade begins at 12 noon from 5th Avenue at 68th Street and marches up to 86th Street. Following the parade there's an Oktoberfest at the Rumsey Playfield at 69th Street but in Central Park. Oktoberfest begins at 1 pm and runs until 6.30 pm. Enter Central Park at 72nd St & 5th Avenue. Admission $44 / $8 kids, sometimes tickets can sell out prior to the event. For details and tickets see - https://germanparadenyc.org/oktoberfest/ or https://www.facebook.com/steubenparadeny/

• CLICK here for things to do in NYC in September events nyc.

Labor Day Weekend Things To Do in NYC

Things To Do in NYC over the Labor Day Weekend

August 27, 2024 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / Gotham Buzz NYC.

Labor Day Weekend arrives this coming weekend.

The following links will bring you to a list of special events happening this Labor Day Weekend in each borough, as well as the highlighting of a number cultural institutions in that locale.

We'll be updating our front page on the Friday of the Labor Day weekend, with an up-to-date weather forecast, as well as additional Labor Day Weekend events and updates. So please come back to visit us Friday or over the Labor Day weekend.

And in the meantime, have a good rest of week.

• CLICK here to access links to things to do Labor Day Weekend in NYC in all five boroughs / events.

Cable TV's Knucklehead News

CNN's SuperFantastic Debate Fiasco

The CNN Presidential TV Debate Between President Joe Biden & "Former" President Donald Trump Showcased how Disinformative Modern TV News can be, Particularly When Moderated by Anchors who Don't Seem to Know Who the Current President is

June 27, 2024 vs 6.21.24 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / News Analysis & Opinion / Gotham Buzz NYC.

I was horrified Thursday night, as I watched the CNN TV debate unfold between President Joe Biden and 'FORMER' President Donald Trump. Not only because of Joe Biden's performance, but even more so because of CNN's performance, including Jake Tapper's and Dana Bash's mega journalistic failure, for moderating a show, advertised as news [which is supposed to be about facts], that disinformed their TV audience.

Improper Sound Set Up - CNN Technical Failure?

The horrors started with the sound [wo]man's failure to properly amp or set up Joe Biden's microphone so that it properly projected his soft spoken voice at a level audible to the TV viewing public. I had to ratchet up the volume on my TV to twice the level I normally use, to hear what President Biden was saying.

No Fact Checking the Biggest Liar in Presidential History? Only on TV 'News'

Then there's the incredible failure by the TV anchors to properly moderate the debate. First of all they should NEVER have agreed to moderating a debate where fact checking was not a part of the process. I mean really, how can CNN look itself in the mirror tomorrow morning and tell everyone they are a news organization, when facts don't matter in of all things, a Presidential Debate?

And then add to that, that one of the candidates is known to be one of the biggest liars on the planet. According to a January 24, 2021 Washington Post report, they noted that Donald Trump had lied 30,573 different times, in the four years he was president.

Former President Trump went off on some of his predictable mendacious campaign tirades, about January 6th, abortion, immigration, the economy ... and pretty much everything else - without any corrections - save from President Biden, who quite frankly, in part because of his stutter, and in part because it was difficult to hear him, didn't do a very good job.

• CLICK here to read our report on CNN's News Failure on the 1st Presidential TV Debate of 2024 - Knucklehead News.

City of Yes, No or Maybe?

Things to Consider include Erosion of Commercial Property Tax Base, Impact of Your Neighbors' Running Machines at all Hours of the Day for their Home Based Businesses, Significantly Stunted Regulatory Enforcement and Oversight over Home Based Businesses, the Feeding of the Non Profit & Religious Orgs' Valuable Property to the Real Estate Development Wolves without Making & Taking Proper Precautions & the Transfer of Power from Local Control to Billionaires & International Real Estate Developers & ...

June 4, 2024 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Government / NYC Business / News Analysis & Opinion / Gotham Buzz.

City of Yes to be Voted Upon This Week

This week the New York City Council will vote on Part II of the City of Yes proposed changes to New York City zoning laws.  While the media pundits and many local pols believe it will pass, there's still a chance that it could be tabled for further consideration, and an outside chance that it could be voted down. 

I've attended a number of meetings and conferences where the legislation has been discussed by various experts who have examined and have advocated both for and against the proposal.  Unfortunately, I haven't been able to square away enough time to provide more complete coverage of this legislation as it has moved from conception to a proposal which will be voted upon this week.

Another Failure to Inform by NYC Major Media

So what I am publishing today, is a compendium of what I've been able to learn over the past five months, about the City of Yes Part II Text Amendment Changes. My intention is to enable you to make a more informed decision about the sweeping zoning changes that are, in time, sure to affect most New Yorkers' lives - just in time for you to do something about it. Unfortunately, as is so often the case these days, TV news is too busy doing weather, sports and crime & accident videos, to do any real news reporting about what's going on in NYC, that will affect city residents and workers. And none of the three NYC major daily newspapers have paid sufficient attention to what is sure to be one of the most signifcant - and possibly harmful - pieces of municipal legislation in generations.

Let me say at the outset that a government for, of and by the people doesn't work if the people don't pay attention and get involved. Voters need to make sure that their interests - not just those of the billionaires and real estate developers - are included in legislation passed by the government officials voters elected to represent them. Democracy, on auto pilot, crashes and burns. So, I'm both alerting you and asking you to get involved - given there are only a few days left before a vote.

The rest of this will come later this afternoon and into the evening. It will be a highlight of some of the significant points made at the meetings and conferences I attended, as well as some of my thoughts of possible 'collateral damage' this legislation could do. if not significantly alterred, which means at a minimum the NY City Council must table it pending further work, if not vote it down.

• CLICK here to read the rest of our report on the City of Yes Part II - Sweeping Zoning Changes proposed for NYC.

* Exclusive: One on One Interview with the Mayor

The Eric Adams Story - Part I

Mayor Adams is a Complicated Man, Who Rose from Poverty, to the Highest Office in NYC

November 6, 2023 / NYC Government & Polltics / NYC Neighborhoods / Gotham Buzz. News Analysis & Opinion by Michael Wood.

This past summer, while working on another story in collaboration with the Mayor's Office of Ethnic & Community Media [aka MOECM], I entered into discussions with the MOECM, about the possibility of an exclusive interview with the Mayor. The Mayor's Office of Ethnic & Community Media was created a couple of years ago, to enhance local media access to the goings on at City Hall, in order to better inform the public. Under the Adams Administration, part of that program included providing greater government official availability to somewhere in the neighborhood of 250 local media outlets.

Famod Konneh, Associate Director for Outreach and Engagement collaborated with me to make arrangements for the interview, which took place on Friday, October 20, 2023. It's worth noting that every reporting story done live, is a collaboration of a sort, between the journalist and the subject(s) covered.

The photo at right shows Jose Bayona, the Executive Director of the Mayor's Office of Ethnic & Community Media [aka MOECM], at the MOEDM operations cener which is in the basement of City Hall, while he was setting up the video conference.

Interview Preparation - Doing My Homework

I did a considerable amount of research into the Mayor's past, while preparing for the interview. I did all this prep work, even though Famod had told me I would be limited to 20 minutes via a Zoom video call, as I was pitching him for more time. When I first first started the research, I did it in preparation for the interview, but, as sometimes happens with the kind of reporting I do, the more I learned, the more I became interested in learning even more about the Mayor and his life story.

Initially I thought I would do a standard hard news interview about key topics of the day including immigration, crime, the public schools and the budget. But, as I journeyed into the Mayor's past, I became more intrigued with the idea of doing a different story.

The Adams Administration's Unheralded Herculean Effort Managing the Immigrant Influx

As I conducted my research, I decided that NOT to inquire about the Mayor's - seemingly unappreciated or underappreciated - Herculean effort to manage the huge influx of immigrants into NYC. This situation, turned crisis, began when Texas Governor Greg Abbott began bussing immigrants from Texas border towns, beginning in August 5, 2022, to NYC. Governor Abbott began transporting immigrants here without any communication nor coordination with NYS Governor Hochul or NYC Mayor Adams.

Nonetheless, Mayor Adams somehow found enough lodging for somewhere between 65,000 - 125,000 immigrants bussed in since then, who arrived in the city within the past year or so. The Mayor also managed to carve enough funding out of the NYC budget to provide security, food, healthcare and logistics for the newcomers, with what - until fairly recently [the past three months or so] - appeared somewhere between scant and lagging help from the likes of U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), and NYS Governor Kathy Hochul (D-NY), respectively.

In spite of this gargantuan challenge, Mayor Adams made sure NYC didn't miss a step. His Administration kept the influx of immigrants mostly off the streets, and appeared to ensure they were't coopted into criminal activities by providing for them, in spite of laws which forbade them from earning a living. This nearly heroic effort has mostly gone unheralded by the corporate media.

The photo above right shows the Mayor pondering a question I posed to him, during our Zoom interview. He's in the Mayoral limo enroute to his next event.

CLICK here to read the rest of the story about my exclusive interview with Mayor Adams about his life - profile.

Oktoberfest Parties & Celebrations in NYC including in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx & Staten Island

Oktoberfest Begins Mid September in NYC and run thru October

Updating August 29, 2024 from 10.7.23 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Things To Do Events / Gotham Buzz NYC.

The official / unofficial kick off to the month and a half of Oktoberfest events in NYC begins in Manhattan with the Steuben Parade. This report identifies a number of Oktoberfest events around NYC beginning mid September and running through the end of October.

The photo at right shows one of the floats in the Steuben Parade celebrating the consumption of bier, which in tandem with consumption of bratwurst, is an integral part of Oktoberest. One thing the photo doesn't show is the music, that also goes hand in hand with Oktoberfest.

A Brief History of Oktoberfest in NYC

Coming with time. We've posted a number of Oktoberfests in this report, but a few more are coming. Also watch the front page, as this year [only] they are likely to be posted there first.

• CLICK here to view the rest of our report on Oktoberfest in NYC, including the boroughs of Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Staten Island.

NYC Gourmet Shops & Thanksgiving Restaurants in NYC

Shops and Restaurants for Preparing or Eating Thanksgiving Day Dinner in NYC, including Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Staten Island

UPDATING October 15, 2024 vs 11.2.2022 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Holidays / Gotham Buzz NYC.

The origins of Thanksgiving Day in the United States began with one of America’s first settlements, founded by the risk-taking, resource-pooling, hardworking, spiritual community of Pilgrims. The Pilgrims were early English settlers who arrived on American shores in the early 17th century [1600’s]. They came here because they wanted a measure of freedom and self-determination that they were forbidden in Europe or what was called the ‘old country’. The Pilgrims wanted to practice their faith, unencumbered, in a way that differed from the established Church of England. They pooled their money to obtain a ship, the Mayflower, to cross the Atlantic in mid September of 1620, landing on America's shores at Plymouth Rock in Massachusetts on November 9, 1620.

The Pilgrims Receive Help from the Native People of a Strange Land

Per Wikipedia, the Piligrims survived a hard winter in 1621 with the help of the Wampanoag, an American Indian tribe. The Pilgrims were the immigrants, and the first Americans, the Indian natives, welcomed them. The Wampanaog taught the Pilgrims how to catch eels, and how to grow and harvest corn. Thus the Pilgrims ended 1621 with a good harvest which they celebrated and shared with their new friends, expressing their thanks to a higher power, aka God, for the success of their endeavors.

Thus it was that the first Thanksgiving celebration happened in America. There's some dispute to this account, which we'll address in a future post, near Thanksgiving Day.

• CLICK here for our report on Thanksgiving Gourmet Food & Wine Stores & Restaurants Open on Thanksgiving Day in NYC.

Congestion Pricing & the Lobbying Apparatus that Won't Take No For an Answer

Congestion Pricing Legislation was being Pushed in Albany over a Decade Ago ... so Who's Really in Charge?

March 26, 2019 / NYC Neighborhoods / NYC Politics & Government / News Analysis & Opinion / Gotham Buzz NYC.

Last week I attended a Congestion Pricing Town Hall organized by Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer. Earlier in the week City Council Member Helen Rosenthal had organized one along the same lines because legislation is percolating in Albany.

Governor Cuomo appears to be itching to pass the Congestion Pricing legislation, likely so he can get his hands on more taxpayer money, while satisfying a whole host of private industry consultants and corporations. These consultants and corporations would then rake in hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars thanks to Albany. So then would they recycle a small portion of the funds into the campaigns of the folks who supported it?

These days that seems to be the campaign funding cycle - where the voters get left out because they aren't minding the store. A government of the people, by the people and for the people doesn't work if the people aren't paying attention. Jefferson said, "Those who believe they can be ignorant and free, believe in something that never was and never shall be."

I. Congestion Pricing is a Very Expensive Taxation Plan

Let me start by outlining what the Congestion Pricing legislation really is, versus the myriad of narratives they've used to sell this pig. While they have said it will reduce congestion, reduce carbons, increase cycling, increase safety - note that all of these claims are highly debatable. Based on the research I've done, the Congestion Pricing Plan seems quite simply to be a very, very expensive means of taxation.

In London, where they implemented Congestion Pricing over a decade ago, as of a few years ago, only about half of the revenue made its way into public transit development. The other half was used to install and operate [and god knows what else] the new infrastructure. Click here to read a prior report we did which includes lots of facts, figures and the history and effects of congestion pricing in the U.S. and Europe.

It's worth noting that London decided NOT to go forward with the second proposed phase of Congestion Pricing. And it's worth mentioning that I found a lot of 'authoritative looking' disinformation out there regarding the London results, which one can surmise was encouraged - if not funded - by those who so handsomely profit from this sort of legislation.

If the government officials in Albany are going to increase our taxes, the least they could do is make it such that the taxation revenue that is collected is 100% usable, not 50% usable.

When you take away the incremental revenue generated by the Congestion Pricing Plan, you will clearly see that it DOES NOTHING TO SOLVE THE NYC MASS TRANSIT PROBLEM and there are far less expensive / more efficient / more beneficial means of taxation.

• CLICK here to read our report on the Congestion Pricing bill under consideration in the NYS Senate.