New York City's plan to turn its whole fleet of yellow cabs green by 2012
got the red light this week from a federal judge, who ruled that regulation of fuel emissions standards falls under federal authority.
The plan called for every new taxi to have a standard of least 30 miles per gallon — a benchmark met by hybrid and clean diesel cars.
US District Judge Paul Crotty said enforcing the new regulations now would be costly to the taxi industry, which prompted Mayor Michael Bloomberg to release a statement saying the city is considering an appeal.
The New York City Council has voted 29-22 to
change term-limit laws to allow Michael Bloomberg to run for a third term, but the royal battle is far from over.
In addition to securing federal Justice Department clearance, the city council's decision must survive
various court battles. A lawsuit has been brought by public school teachers, and another by two council members.
Michael Bloomberg announced yesterday that he
would seek a third term as mayor, thanks to unprecedented challenges and the economic crisis facing New York City. Only problem: New York City's term limit law says his time is up.
Bloomberg plans to ask City Council to change the law so he can have another shot.
Jay-Z got all fancied up in a suit and tie yesterday to help NYC Mayor Bloomberg announce that Park Avenue will be closed to cars for a few hours on the next three Saturdays in Manhattan. Maybe Jay will take advantage of the special opportunity and have a romantic stroll with Beyonce this weekend — but don't expect him to gush about it afterwards. He recently talked to
Vibe magazine about why he doesn't want to open up about his supposed wedding to Beyonce, saying, "I just think it's really a part of your life that you gotta keep to yourself.
I'm sure I don't "get" most esteemed works of art, but I'm still undecided about whether my reaction to New York City's waterfall art project is "wow" or "huh?" Four waterfalls
designed by Danish artist Olafur Eliasson will show around NYC until October. Three cascade into the East River and New York Harbor from scaffolding towers, while the fourth falls from
the Brooklyn Bridge.
New York Mayor, and Independent billionaire, Michael Bloomberg asked a group of fellow-Jewish voters
to denounce false rumors that Barack Obama is a Muslim, rumors targeted at Jewish Americans.
On Friday, Bloomberg said the attacks, coming from supporters of his former Republican party, hide behind a pro-Israel facade, while actually threatening significant advances made between Muslims and Jews. He urged the audience to reject partisan tactics, preying on their fears.
An editorial in today's New York Times
bashes automatic term limits on political office. The predicament of New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg demonstrates the discord — voters approve of the job he's doing, but would vote for term limits again if given the choice.
So why do voters favor limits that make them give up effective government leaders?
An explosion that the New York City police are saying came from an "improvised explosive device" rocked an Armed Forces Career Center in Times Square early this morning. The bomb
detonated in the early hours, and authorities are now investigating ties to similar bombings at the British and Mexican Consulates in 2005 and 2007.
No one was injured in the blast, and Mayor Michael Bloomberg said, "the fact that this was deliberately set is an insult to all of the brave men and women of our armed forces," adding that the perpetrator will be punished to the fullest extent of the law.
In an op-ed published in the New York Times this morning, Mayor Michael Bloomberg
slammed the door on his flirtation with a surprise entree into the quest for the White House. The former Democrat who is now serving as a Republican — and who happens to be a billionaire — was a wildly coveted contender capable of mounting a serious, self-financed, independent candidacy. Rumors ran rampant.
Now that
Ralph Nader's renaissance has sprung the siren-call of a Bloomberg campaign to everyone's lips, it's worth a trip down memory lane — who raided their own piggy banks for a self-financed play for office?
Radar
made a list and checked the bank statements twice. Who can forget the 1992 splurge of the granddaddy of self-financing, Ross Perot?
