sny spotlight: daily candy

Got a sweet tooth for things happening in the city? Sample Daily Candy New York.

But don't eat too much or you might get a tummy ache.

Daily Candy New York

That's So New York

Dreamgirls

Beyonce Knowles and the group soon to be formerly known as Destiny's Child performed live on the Plaza of NBC's "Today Show".

Beyonce, the bootylicious better half of New York rapper Jay-Z, will resume her solo career when the final Destiny's Child tour ends this fall.

She will also continue with her acting career taking on the lead in the big screen adaptation of "Dream Girls". Jamie Foxx, Usher and Eddie Murphy will join her.

That's So New York

NEW YORK KNICKS NAME LARRY BROWN AS HEAD COACH

Hall of Famer Returns to His Native New York

NEW YORK, July 28, 2005 -- New York Knickerbockers President of Basketball Operations Isiah Thomas announced today that Hall-of-Famer Larry Brown has been named the franchise's 22nd head coach in the team's 59-year history.

Terms of the contract were not disclosed. "This is a great day for the New York Knicks and our fans," Thomas said. "Larry Brown is not just one of the best coaches in the NBA today, but in its history.

He has made every team he has ever coached a winner, with a legendary approach to teaching and motivating his players.

His value to us as a franchise at this time is immeasurable." "I want to thank Isiah, Jim Dolan and Steve Mills, as well as all the Knicks fans who have given me their best wishes during this time," Brown said. "There is no bigger stage than Madison Square Garden, and it is a privilege for me and my family to now be part of the organization and to be back in New York." Considered one of the greatest teachers the sport has ever seen, Brown has garnered numerous distinctions over his 33-years of head coaching experience.

Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2002, the Brooklyn, NY-native is the NBA's fourth all-time winningest coach in NBA history with a record of 987-741 (.571), third all-time winningest playoff coach in NBA history with a 100-89 record (.529), 2001 NBA Coach of Year and three-time ABA Coach of the Year.

In 2004, Brown became the first head coach in basketball history to win an NBA Championship and NCAA Championship. In 1988, he coached the University of Kansas to its first National Championship in 36 years and most recently, in 2004, the 64-year-old led the Detroit Pistons to its first NBA title in 14 years. In 22 seasons as an NBA head coach, 17 of Brown's teams had finished with winning records and all 17 qualified for the NBA Playoffs.

His teams advanced past the first round 12 times and reached the NBA Finals three times. The seven different NBA teams that Brown coached averaged more than seven wins better than before he arrived.

NY Knicks

That's So New York

SOPRANOS CAST REUNITES FOR WEDDING

From Contact Music

The cast of THE SOPRANOS reunited on a quiet street in Brooklyn, New York, yesterday (27JUL05), to film a wedding scene for the hit show's new season.

JAMES GANDOLFINI, his screen wife, played by EDIE FALCO; their screen children, played by JAMIE-LYNN DiSCALA and ROBERT ILER, were among the mob drama's main castmembers present at a neighbourhood church in Brooklyn Heights for the wedding of character JOHNNY 'SACK' SACRAMONI's daughter.

But since Sack, played by VINCENT CURATOLA, was arrested in the climatic episode of last season, there were extras on set dressed as US Marshals, forcing each character to go through a metal detector and be searched for weapons as they entered the church.

And the regulations didn't sit well with Gandolfini's character TONY SOPRANO, who suffered a panic attack when he was ordered to go through the metal detectors several times and remove his shoes.

The next season of the show will debut in the autumn (05).

The Sopranos on HBO

That's So New York

NYC Nears $1 Billion Ad Contract

This summer, New York City will award a 20-year contract to a single firm that will have citywide advertising rights and custodial duties over 3,300 bus shelters, some 330 newsstands, and 20 public toilets, The Village Voice reports. The biggest single such deal in the world, revenues of NYC's street furniture franchise are expected to exceed $1 billion, of which the city will receive $100 million.

Two of the five companies that responded to the city's RFP, Viacom and Clear Channel, have been knocked out of the running for unknown reasons. For the past decade, Viacom has held an interim contract over the city's bus shelters. Clear Channel, on the other hand, is the world's largest outdoor advertising firm.

That leaves Van Wagner Outdoor, Cemusa, a Spanish company, and French firm, JC Decaux, which has been trying to secure the city's franchise since 1990 and has teamed with NBC Universal on the bid, in the running. JC Decaux, the first company to provide free bus shelters and ad revenues in exchange for city contracts, is the odds on favorite.

That's So New York

the bad boy returns

Former NBA star Dennis Rodman visits a New York nightspot on June 7, 2004. He was pulled over and ticketed twice Tuesday, July 26, 2005, while driving his gold-and-black Lamborghini in a charity rally race, the Colorado State Patrol said.

That's So New York

New York City Approves Hybrid Taxis

NEW YORK -- Hybrid taxi cabs that use both electric and gasoline engines could be on the road by this fall in New York City. The city's taxi and limousine commission has approved the idea of using hybrid taxis pending hearings in September.The hybrid cars use half the gasoline of the traditional cabs, but would offer less leg room in the back seat.TLC chairman Matthew Daus said the fuel economy and reduction in gas emissions outweighs the comfort issue.

That's So New York

sny spotlight: Why Not Men's Spa

From Healthy Living NYC

Don’t ask ‘why?’ Ask ‘why not’—Why Not Men’s Spa. New on the scene for 2005, but hardly beginners, this all men’s spa joins the West Village family with years of collective spa experience under their belts. They offer a good variety of facials, body treatments, nail care, and waxing. Add reflexology, deep tissue, and Swedish massage to the menu, and you’ve got everything you need to relax, replenish, and rejuvenate your mind and body. And unlike many of the unisex spas in the city, you can actually breath easy in the comforting and nonjudgmental environment of an all male facility.

Taking great pride in their services, Why Not Men’s Spa uses high quality products across the board. From the Cuccio base coats they use in nail care to the Yon Ka products they feature in their facials, you’re sure to be getting the best. Their clay and algae body wraps and masks are rich in marine nutrients that feed unnourished skin, while stimulating circulation of blood, water, and lymph. This aids in reducing wrinkles, tightening skin, and detoxifying both the skin and body. Their body scrub is a family recipe, made fresh on site from some essential scrub ingredients—oatmeal, honey, ginger, almond, and brown sugar. One of the three certified facialists mixes this recipe, which combines natural exfoliation with smoothing and replenishing elements.

In addition to their ample experience and quality products, the facilities are quite classy and comforting. The entire space is new and pristine. You’ll sit on plush suede cushions in the pedicure chairs, while smooth earth tones and cooling tiles surround your experience. Body scrubs are done in a private setting, downstairs in their beautiful heart-shaped tub that easily accommodates two for couples treatments.

Men often shy away from spas for a number of reasons, and I can relate. Some of my first spa experiences were more intimidating than they were relaxing. I probably scrubbed my feet for 20 minutes before my first pedicure. As I’m sure many men out there share my concerns, even to the point of fear, I’d definitely suggest checking out an all men’s spa before heading to a unisex spa. The whole environment at Why Not is different. I really didn’t feel like I had to give myself a pedicure before I paid to have one. On the whole, pricing is fair, even relatively affordable. Combine that with good service, new facilities, and quality products, and you can’t go wrong. Why Not Men’s Spa gives you plenty of reasons to stop asking ‘why,’ and start asking ‘why not?’
174-4 W 4th St.
New York, NY 10014

Cross Streets: (Between 6th Ave and Jones St.)
Phone: (212)337-8551

Spa Type Day Spa		Clientele Men Only
Price $$
Hours M-Sa: 11am-10pm; Su: 12-9pm

That's So New York

‘Payola’ settlement to cost $10 million

Associated Press
Posted Tuesday, July 26, 2005

NEW YORK — Recording industry titan Sony BMG Music Entertainment agreed Monday to pay $10 million and stop bribing radio stations to feature its artists in what a state official called a more sophisticated generation of the payola scandals of decades ago.

The agreement springs from an investigation by New York State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer, who called the practice “pervasive” in the industry and suggested other music industry giants could face similar penalties.

Pay-for-play “is driving the industry, and it is wrong,” Spitzer told reporters.

Sony BMG, whose various labels include hundreds of artists from Aretha Franklin and Tony Bennett to Beyonce Knowles and the Dixie Chicks, said in a statement some of its employees had engaged in “wrong and improper” practices.

The company said it looked forward to “defining a new, higher standard in radio promotion,” but did not say whether it had fired or disciplined any of those employees. A spokeswoman did not immediately return a call for further comment.

A 1960 federal law and related state laws bar record companies from offering undisclosed financial incentives in exchange for airplay. The practice was called “payola,” a contraction of “pay” and “Victrola,” the old wind-up record player.

Asked why he did not bring criminal charges in the case, Spitzer noted the criminal laws governing pay-for-play are more specific and difficult to violate than the civil laws.

Companies in the recording industry depend heavily on airplay for their artists. It boosts sales by encouraging listeners to buy their music and helps them climb the charts, which are based on airplay.

Spitzer said Sony BMG’s efforts to win more airplay took many forms, including outright bribes of cash and electronics to radio stations and paying for contest giveaways for listeners. In other cases, he said, Sony BMG used middlemen known as independent promoters to funnel cash to radio stations.

The attorney general called the system more sophisticated than the 1950s and ’60s payola scandals, most of which involved direct payments of cash to DJs in exchange for airplay.

Jonathan Adelstein, a Democratic member of the Federal Communications Commission, said Spitzer “appears to have found a whole arsenal of smoking guns.”

“We need to investigate each particular instance that Spitzer has uncovered to see if it is a violation of federal law. This is a potentially massive scandal,” he said.

The FCC has power over the nation’s radio stations, which are licensed to use public airwaves.

In the Sony BMG case, Spitzer released to reporters e-mails, most of them dated 2003, 2004 and 2005, that he said showed company executives were well aware of the payola practices.

In one case, an employee of Sony BMG’s Epic label was trying to promote the group Audioslave to a station and asked: “WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO TO GET AUDIOSLAVE ON WKSS THIS WEEK?!!? Whatever you can dream up, I can make it happen.”

In another case in 2004, the promotion department of Sony BMG label Epic Records paid for an extravagant trip to Miami for a Buffalo DJ and three friends in exchange for adding the Franz Ferdinand song “Take Me Out” to the DJ’s station’s playlist.

Spitzer has asked for documents from three other major recording industry names — EMI, Warner Music Group and Vivendi Universal SA’s Universal Music Group. While Spitzer would not talk specifically about investigations into those companies, he said the payola problem goes “way beyond Sony BMG.”

Don Henley of the Eagles, a founding member of the Recording Artists Coalition, praised Spitzer for addressing a problem that hurts recording artists.

“We look forward to other record labels agreeing to similar reforms,” said Henley, who has given $25,000 in campaign contributions to Spitzer over the past year. Spitzer is running for governor in 2006.

That's So New York

Blogging blunder costs fashion editor her job

MSNBC

July 25, 2005

An annoying co-worker, an office romance and demanding bosses all are staples of the anonymous worker's weblog. But what happens when the blogger and the place that particular blogger works is unmasked?

Nadine Haobsh, a former assistant beauty editor at Ladies Home Journal and the writer behind the Beauty Insider blog, "Jolie in NYC" joined MSNBC's Amy Robach on Monday to discuss the circumstances behind losing her job after she and her workplace became public knowledge.

To read an excerpt of their conversation, go to MSNBC

That's So New York

Washington Square Park Makeover Under Fire

Jul 25, 2005 2:45 pm US/Eastern

(1010 WINS) (NEW YORK) Greenwich Village residents opposed to the city's plans for a $16 million makeover of Washington Square Park have filed a lawsuit to block the renovation.

The lawsuit, filed Friday in Manhattan State Supreme Court, charges that the planned redesign, which includes moving the fountain about 20 feet to the east to align with the Washington Arch, is arbitrary and capricious.

"The park's designers made plazas purposely asymmetrical according to what is known as Olmstead's naturalistic design theory espoused by Frederick Law Olmstead,'' the lawsuit says, citing the designer of Central Park.

Shira Strassman, a spokeswoman for the City Law Department, said the city has received the legal papers for the case and is evaluating them.

The path toward renovation of the historic park has been bumpy. Responding to public outcry, the City Parks Department backed down from a plan to place a fence and gate around the park. The redesign now calls for a short fence but no gate.

But the Emergency Coalition to Save Washington Square Park, the group that filed the lawsuit, says the redesign is unnecessary and would interfere with use of the park during the two years it would take to complete.

In addition to neighborhood organizations, the plaintiffs include Robert Nichols, the landscape designer of the previous Washington Square Park renovation 35 years ago, and Karen Kramer, the filmmaker whose documentary "The Ballad of Greenwich Village'' was recently released.

Washington Square Park was built in the 1820s on the site of a former potter's field.
New York University graduates march under the arch each year to participate in commencement.

That's So New York

New York edges Chicago out for city with best hot dogs

CHICAGO New York City has won bragging rights when it comes to hot dogs.

The National Hot Dog and Sausage Council says the city was judged as having the best franks in a nationwide poll.It says of the 900 people who took part, 28 percent rated The Big Apple tops while 26 percent said Chicago had the best hot dogs.The Windy City isn't happy with the results. The president of Chicago-based Vienna Beef says he wants to challenge New York hot dogs to a taste-off.

That's So New York

New York's a wonderful town for tourists

BY JEANNINE DEFOE
BLOOMBERG

New York, America's No. 1 tourist destination, is packed with more visitors this summer than ever, pumping billions into the economy -- and making life miserable for some residents used to having the city to themselves.

Visitors have been pouring in at a pace that will bring the total for the season to 12 million, a 4% increase over last year, Mayor Michael Bloomberg told a news conference recently. Average hotel occupancy in June was the highest on record, and getting a table on a Friday or Saturday night at a hot restaurant is almost impossible.

The influx from overseas and across the country is just a little much for some New Yorkers.

"Every time I go to a restaurant, if it's near Midtown and it's halfway good, it's full," said Tim Zagat, cofounder of New York-based Zagat Survey LLC, which publishes annual restaurant guides. "That wasn't true a year or two ago."

Tourism is New York City's fifth-largest industry, said Lisa Mortman, a spokeswoman for NYC & Co., the city's tourism and convention bureau. Visitors generate about $24 billion a year in economic activity.

New York this month was chosen as the top U.S. tourist destination for the fifth straight year, according to a readers' poll conducted by Travel & Leisure Magazine. San Francisco placed second and Santa Fe, N.M., third in the poll.

The dollar's 12.5% rise against the euro this year hasn't discouraged tourists from overseas, who Bloomberg said spend about five times more than domestic visitors. They are expected to account for 1.2 million of this summer's tourists, an 8% increase from last season, according to NYC & Co.

A record low crime rate is part of the attraction.

The tourist influx is evident in Broadway revenue statistics released by the League of American Theatres and Producers. In the week ending July 17, "The Phantom of the Opera" sold $814,857 of tickets, up 17% from two months earlier. Weekly revenue of "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" was up 7.8%.

"It's annoying," Skanthan Vivekanada, a lawyer for law firm Cleary Gottlieb in lower Manhattan, said of the hordes of tourists. "Everything is sold out."

The city's hotel occupancy rate in June averaged 90.4%, the highest ever for that month and the best month in any part of the year since 1999, according to hotel research firm PKF Consulting in New York. The previous year's average was 87.2%.

"It's been crazy and insane," said Laura Bennett, a concierge for the Rihga Royal New York on West 54th Street.

"They all hear about Spice Market and Tao and Balthazar, and they're the only places they want to eat," said Bennett. "When you've got 40 guests asking for the same reservation, it's tough."

At the 102-story Empire State Building, 13,000 visitors take in the views on a typical day. Bob Zorn, director of observatories said the skyscraper charges $30 -- more than double the regular $14 admission fee -- for guests who want to bypass the lines.

The Gotham Comedy Club in the Flatiron district has been running 75% to 100% full on Sundays and Mondays, said co-owner Chris Mazzilli.

The club is usually half full on those days.

Visitors to the Metropolitan Museum of Art on Fifth Avenue are encouraged to come before 11 a.m., said spokesman Harold Holzer.

Vijay Dandapani, chief operating officer of Apple Core Hotels, an owner of five budget properties including a La Quinta and Red Roof Inn, said the company's average occupancy rate of 90% and $140-a-night room rate are both records.

"I go out of my office, and I always see throngs of tourists," said Dandapani, who works just off Fifth Avenue on 39th Street. "It warms my heart."

Even New Yorkers who gripe about tourists admit they appreciate the visitors.

While "there are a lot of irritating things about people from out of town," it is good to see them making the effort, said Don Christensen, a 56-year-old freelance writer who lives on Manhattan's Upper West Side.

"It's a confusing city. Sometimes I get confused. To see the people trying to absorb what this city is all about, it's great."

That's So New York

Bomb scare empties New York's Penn Station

Photo: AP

Monday, July 25, 2005; Posted: 9:23 a.m. EDT (13:23 GMT)

NEW YORK (AP) -- Police arrested a man following a bomb scare that emptied Pennsylvania Station and disrupted service on Amtrak, commuter trains and city subways for about an hour.

The busy commuter hub was evacuated after the man allegedly threw a backpack at an Amtrak agent and said it was a bomb, said Marissa Baldeo, a spokeswoman for New York City Transit. The threat was a false alarm, and service on all lines was soon restored.

Police arrested the man, Raul Claudio, 43, on Sunday, according to Manhattan District Attorney's office spokeswoman, Barbara Thompson. Claudio is awaiting arraignment on felony charges of making terrorists threats and falsely reporting an incident, Thompson said. Each count carries a sentence of up to seven years in prison.

The incident came days after a second bombing attack on London's commuter system prompted New York police to start random inspections of subway riders' bags. Authorities in New Jersey began similar searches Monday.

But travelers seemed to be taking the disruption in stride.

Tim Allen, a Londoner headed from New York to Boston, has endured similar false alarms recently in London. "This is the second time this has happened in two and a half weeks to me," he said.

The incident was over as quickly as it began. One minute, camouflage-clad soldiers were shouting, "Penn Station is closed indefinitely," and the next minute they got the all-clear and started letting people back into the station.

The service disruption affected Amtrak, the Long Island Rail Road, New Jersey Transit and the Seventh and Eighth Avenue subway lines.

Also Sunday, a double-decker Gray Line tourist bus was evacuated in midtown Manhattan after a bus company supervisor told police that five male passengers with backpacks and "stuffed" pockets had raised her suspicions. Police handcuffed five men and searched about 60 passengers before determining there was no threat.

Authorities in New Jersey began searching the bags of bus and train riders on Monday, although acting Gov. Richard J. Codey said last week there is no specific threat about attacks against the state.

About 800,000 passenger trips are recorded every weekday on NJ Transit, with about a half-million on buses, 230,000 on trains, and the rest on light rail.

Travelers who refused the searches would not allowed to ride.

The American Civil Liberties Union said the inspections violate protections against unreasonable searches. Edward Barocas, legal director of the group's New Jersey chapter, said it was too early to determine what, if any, action the group would take.

That's So New York

'Will' graces live episode

From Variety




NBC censors may want to start stocking up on the Tums: The final season of "Will & Grace" will kick off with a live episode.

Harkening back to the early days of the medium, skein's producers have opted to stage live broadcasts in the eighth season, with separate productions for the Eastern and Pacific time zones. Given the laffer's penchant for topical -- and often off-color -- humor, the Peacock standards and practices department will no doubt monitor closely to ensure no verbal "accidents" occur.

Given the current climate on Capitol Hill, it seems likely NBC will broadcast the live episode with a built-in delay of a few seconds.

NBC wouldn't confirm the date of the season premiere, but the show's expected to air at 8:30 p.m. Sept. 29 --a week into the new season, rather than the usual premiere week bow. Alec Baldwin and Eric Stoltz are among the guest stars currently slated to appear in the episode, while Emmy magnet James Burrows will direct.

News of the live seg comes just days after "Will & Grace" snagged a series-best 15 noms. Series co-creator Max Mutchnick said the live element will allow the show's scribes to make changes right up until air time.

"We're going to have some very topical material," he said.

Mutchnick, who created and exec produces the show with David Kohan, also said there will be "a surprise element within the live telecast," but he declined to say what that may be.

NBC Entertainment prexy Kevin Reilly said the "challenging live platform launch for 'Will & Grace' " would be a good way to "inaugurate their final season."

Broadcast also reps a challenge for Burrows.

"This will be like the classic golden era of television that I was weaned on where the audience sees everything," he said. "Directing a live broadcast will be a first for me, and as long as I have been in the business, there are very few firsts."

Mutchnick did say some figures in the news will apparently be off-limits.

"I'm a little afraid of Tom Cruise," he said. "He bores me, and he's also morphing into his mother."

The "Will & Grace" stunt reps the first time a regular series has gone live in several years.

"The Drew Carey Show" did it three times, in 1999, 2000 and 2001. The "Drew" team actually performed each of those episodes three times: for the Eastern/Central, Mountain and Pacific time zones. Because much of those segs were improvised (featuring several of Carey's "Whose Line Is It Anyway" buddies), the live performances varied greatly by time zone.

Fox's "Roc" was the last sitcom to go live on a regular basis, performing straight to air during the 1992-93 season. The last series to kick off with a live season premiere was "ER" in 1997.

Other recent live scripted fare include a week of ABC sudser "One Life to Live" in 2002. And the CBS telepics "Fail Safe" (2000) and "On Golden Pond" (2001) also went live.

Gary Janetti, Tracy Poust, Jon Kinnally and Tim Kaiser serve as executive producers and showrunners of "Will & Grace," which is a production of KoMut Entertainment in association with NBC Universal Television Studio and Three Sisters Entertainment.

That's So New York

New York launches random bag checks day 2

Reuters - Fri Jul 22, 1:11 PM ET

Police Officer Ronald Fell (L) inspects bags as people enter the 42nd Street Port Authority subway station in New York, July 22, 2005. Commuters on New York subways are now subjected to random searches of backpacks and packages police announced on Thursday just hours after the second attack on London's transit system in two weeks. REUTERS/Chip East

NEW YORK (AP) -- Alarmed by a new round of mass transit attacks in London, police in New York began random searches of bags and packages brought into the city's vast subway system.

The inspections started on a small scale Thursday in Manhattan and were expanded during Friday morning's rush hour -- a development welcomed by some commuters.

"I'm not against it," Ian Compton, 35, a computer consultant, said at Grand Central Terminal in midtown Manhattan. "I think any measures for safety that aren't terribly intrusive are worth doing."

Officers, some with bomb-sniffing dogs, were stopping people carrying bags as they entered subways, commuter trains, buses and ferries at various points in the city, police said. Anyone who refuses a search will be turned away, and those caught carrying drugs or other contraband could be arrested.

One man was arrested during Thursday evening rush hour at the Brentwood Long Island Rail Road station after police became suspicious, stopped his van and allegedly found a machete and other weapons. Gilbert Hernandez, 34, had been convicted of possessing a pipe bomb in 1996, police said.

Friday morning, an officer was seen outside a subway stop at Penn Station with a sign saying, "NYPD, Backpacks and other containers subject to inspection."

Police officials said they had considered taking the measures to thwart bombings for the past three years. Two terrorist attacks on transit targets in London forced their hand, said Paul Browne, the police department's chief spokesman.

Browne called it "the first time this regimen has been used in (New York's) transit system."

On Thursday, a cluster of officers was seen stopping five men over a 15-minute period as they entered the subway in Union Square at evening rush hour. In each instance, the officers peered briefly into their bags, then waved them through.

"If it serves a purpose, I'm OK with it," said one of the men, James Washington, 45, about being stopped.

Officials declined to specify where and how frequently the checks would occur or how long they would last. The NYPD already had doubled the number of officers who patrol the subway after the initial attack in London on July 7, at a cost of $2 million a week in overtime.

That explosion killed 52 people and four suicide bombers. On Thursday, four small explosions struck the London Underground and a bus in a far less bloody attack. The only reported injury was an asthma attack.

"We just live in a world where, sadly, these kinds of security measures are necessary," New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said. "Are they intrusive? Yes, a little bit. But we are trying to find that right balance."

The New York Civil Liberties Union warned that the new measures violate basic rights and could invite racial or religious profiling.

"The plan is not workable and will not make New Yorkers more secure but will inconvenience them as police go about finding a needle in a haystack," NYCLU executive director Donna Lieberman said.

New York's subways carry about 4.5 million passengers on the average weekday, according to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. The system, the largest in the country, has more than 468 stations, most of which have multiple entrances, and during rush hours the flood of humanity in and out of key stations can be overwhelming.

William K. Williams, a 56-year-old Manhattan resident who rides the train every day, said the searches would frustrate New Yorkers.

"Sometimes you need to get to an appointment, you're running late and a cop stops you to delay you even further? That's going to create a mess," said Williams, who was carrying a briefcase outside the Brooklyn Bridge station of the subway.

Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said passengers selected for searches will be approached by officers, who will ask them what they're carrying and request that they open their bags. Those who decline "can't enter the system," he said.

High alert remains

The orange alert instituted two weeks ago for U.S. mass transit systems is likely to be prolonged after the latest incidents in London.

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff and his staff discussed the mass transit alert levels several times Thursday, before and after the attacks, said two counterterror officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the information.

At the first meeting, senior national security officials were described as leaning toward dropping the transit system from orange, or high risk, back to yellow, signifying an elevated risk, although no final decision was made. By early afternoon, however, White House spokesman Scott McClellan said, "There is no plan at this time to change the alert level for our mass transit systems."

Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Brian Besanceney said, "Certainly, as we look at the threat level, we will factor in the information and intelligence we're receiving from the U.K., as well as information we're getting from other sources, as we consider what the right protective measures are." He added that the department has reviewed the alert levels daily since they were raised to code orange on July 7.

The rest of the country remains at yellow alert, and counterterror officials said they have not seen any specific intelligence that would indicate an attack on the United States.

Maintaining security at orange alert levels -- with increased police patrols, heightened inspection and surveillance and the use of bomb-sniffing dogs -- costs mass transit systems an estimated $900,000 a day, said Greg Hull, security chief for the American Public Transportation Association.

Leaders on both sides of the Atlantic urged citizens to stand firm against attacks that they described as designed to scare people.

Some federal facilities stepped up their security measures, including the Pentagon, which is adjacent to a Washington-area subway stop, and the U.S. Embassy in London, which was temporarily closed to the public except for emergencies.

In Washington, subways and buses were running normally and authorities remained on heightened alert, Metro spokeswoman Lisa Farbstein said.

The London explosions triggered immediate reactions on Capitol Hill, where the House chaplain opened the day's proceedings with a prayer for any victims and one congressman called for additional funding for mass transit security.

"Instead of acting as a wake-up call, Congress seems to be hitting the snooze button," said Rep. Bob Menendez, D-New Jersey. "How many warnings do we need before we take action?"

But officials generally urged Americans to continue with their daily routines. Chertoff, for example, was keeping plans to leave Washington in the afternoon to meet with local officials Friday in St. Paul, Minnesota, a spokesman said.

That's So New York

New York’s murder rate at lowest for over 40 years

NEW YORK, once synonymous with violent crime, is on track to cut its murder rate from a peak of 2,245 to fewer than 500 this year.

The fall from the 1990 high reflects the city’s “zero-tolerance” policing and its strategy of flooding troubled areas with officers. The decline is boosting Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s chances of re-election in November as a Republican in a traditionally Democratic city.

Thomas Reppetto, president of the non-profit Citizens Crime Commission, said: “If you keep working at it, you can continue to reduce crime. The question, of course, is how low?”

Killings have fallen almost 17 per cent in the city so far this year, to 215 from 259 at the same time in 2004. An analysis by the Daily News predicted yesterday that, if the trend continues, New York would end the year with just 465 murders, compared with 570 last year.

The last time New York recorded fewer than 500 murders was in 1961, when there were 482. The murder rate jumped to 548 the following year, beginning an inexorable rise through the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s that spawned numerous films about New York’s dangerous streets.

The killing of 2,749 people in the World Trade Centre attack on September 11, 2001, was excluded from the crime statistics. When Mr Bloomberg was elected after the 2001 attack, few thought that he would be able to cut crime. But Ray Kelly, his Police Commissioner, who had already done the job once before, said that crime was now at what people once thought were “impossibly low levels”.

FBI figures show that New York’s per capita murder rate is roughly half that of Los Angeles and Chicago, a third of Philadelphia’s and seven times lower than in Detroit. Crime has been falling in all categories at almost three times the national rate, and New York now ranks 221st on the FBI’s crime index of 240 American cities with a population of 100,000 or more.

The New York Police Department attributes its success to innovative policing, including swamping troubled “impact zones”. After a surge in shootings in the Bronx and north Brooklyn, 250 officers were reassigned to the areas. Mr Bloomberg has also cut crime in the worst schools by deploying police to the corridors

HOMICIDE RATES

Murders so far this year:

Los Angeles 238
New York 215
London 181
Washington DC 66

Murders per 100,000 of population (1997-99)
Washington DC 50.82
Moscow 18.2
New York 9.32
Belfast 5.23
London 2.36
Paris 2.21
Tokyo 1.17

(Sources Metropolitan Police, Home Office, LAPD, BBC, Washington Police)

That's So New York

London Terror Suspect Wearing 'New York' Shirt

Photo: AP

(CNSNews.com) - British police once again are asking the public to help them identify four terror suspects -- the four involved in Thursday's incidents, including one man seen wearing a shirt with "New York" written on it.

Police also were raiding homes in London on Friday as part of the investigation.

"The most important message we have...is that this operation is targeted against criminals. It is not targeted against any community or any section of a community," said Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Ian Blair.

British police shot and killed a suspected bomber at a subway station in south London Friday morning, but as it turns out, the young man -- described as wearing a bulky jacket -- did not have explosives on him, reports said. Police said the man was being investigated in connection with Thursday's bomb attempts and he did not obey police instructions to stop. "I need to make clear that any death is deeply regrettable," Blair said, adding that "the man was challenged and refused to obey." One passenger told the BBC, "We were on the Tube and then we suddenly heard someone say, 'Get out, get out,' and then we heard gunshots."

Another passenger said he saw police chase the suspect onto the train. They "pushed him to the floor, bundled on top of him and unloaded five shots into him," the BBC quoted the man as saying. The shooting -- a rare event in London -- happened at the Stockwell station in south London. Press reports said the suspect jumped over a turnstile in his effort to flee the police officers who were chasing him.

The BBC quoted the Muslim Council of Britain as saying that Muslims are concerned about a possible "shoot to kill" policy on the part of police. "There may well be reasons why the police felt it necessary to unload five shots into the man and shoot him dead, but they need to make those reasons clear," the BBC quoted Muslim Council spokesman Inayat Bunglawala as saying. "It's vital the police give a statement about what occurred and explain why the man was shot dead."

And since murderers are not common exactly New Yorkers these days, please see the next story...

That's NOT So New York

sny spotlight: Google Earth

The good people of New York tend to think of the city as the center of the universe, but Google has set out to prove us wrong. Not only can you search the web with the popular Google search engine and email to your heart's content with GMail, you can now literally search the entire planet with the new Google Earth.

This may very well be a stalker's dream come true, provided they have a powerful enough computer and a broadband connection. There are three versions of the Google Earth software: free, plus (for $20) and pro (for a whopping $400).

Once installed, just type in an address anywhere on earth and watch as the google sat cam narrows down to the street and surrounding areas. You will feel like the CIA with this program. But it's not for everyone. If you have an older computer and/or a slow internet connection Google Earth will not work.

Visit the website for system requirements and other information and have fun exploring the world beyond your backyard.

Google Earth

That's So New York

New York sues Sprint, Nextel, T-Mobile on ads

Reuters
Thursday, July 21, 2005; 5:27 PM

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The New York City Department of Consumer Affairs said on Thursday it sued three of the top U.S. mobile providers, Sprint Corp , T-Mobile USA and Nextel Communications Inc. , accusing them of misleading consumers through their advertising.

The agency said it asked the New York Supreme Court to fine the companies and make them comply with New York consumer protection laws because their ad headlines did not include extra charges that were placed in smaller print footnotes. "You can't promise a great deal in the headline and hide the true costs in the fine print," the consumer agencies' Acting Commissioner Jonathan Mintz said in a statement.

Sprint believes it complies with advertising regulations, according to spokeswoman Lisa Malloy and Nextel plans to fight the case as it believes its ads truthful spokesman Scott Sloat said. T-Mobile USA, which is owned by Deutsche Telekom AG declined comment as matter of policy.

The agency said it had already settled claims against Cingular Wireless, a venture of SBC Communications and BellSouth Corp. , and Verizon Wireless, a venture of Verizon Communications and Vodafone.

That's So New York

Book Promoted With 'TwattyGirl' Apparel

"Sexy, bold and outspoken," TwattyGirl is the essence of a woman with attitude".

New York, NY (PRWEB) July 20, 2005 -- Precious Marlowe, a successful New York-based hedge fund executive, recently launched a hot new apparel and lifestyle brand, TwattyGirl. The collection, designed for independent, sexy, bold, outspoken women from 18-45, is inspired by the main character, TwattyGirl, in Marlowe's forthcoming novel – "Bulletproof –Things Twattygirl Told You, But You Didn't Want to Hear." TwattyGirl does not allow herself to be defined by society's conventional ideas of what a woman should be and how she should act. She makes her own rules and lives by the TwattyGirl manifesto – "sexy, bold, outspoken - TwattyGirl is the essence of a woman with attitude."

The collection is fun and colorful and includes a t-shirt line featuring TwattyGirl's "twattyisms" (slogans to inspire and empower women), lingerie, jewelry, baseball caps, accessories and greeting cards. The boybeater that features the TwattyGirl logo, a sexy silhouette of a woman's body, is already becoming The Hot Item of Summer 2005. Marlowe's goal is to empower women to be in charge of their own destinies in both their professional and personal lives.

"I created this brand to give women the strength and the tools to overcome the antiquated thinking that prohibits women from being in control, making their own rules and living to their fullest potential," says Marlowe. "TwattyGirl rejects the stereotypical propaganda projected by the Disney media machine, which creates impossible standards to live up to."

Marlowe is the quintessential TwattyGirl and shows this in her battle with the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board to register the trademark. Earlier this year, she won a highly publicized case in trademark law when the TTAB reversed their examining attorney's ruling refusing to register the TwattyGirl trademark, finding it "not immoral or scandalous" (February 8, 2005, Serial No. 76138675). Marlowe argued that "twatty" has a completely different meaning than the offensive slang sometimes associated with a similar word and supported her argument citing several non-vulgar uses - (acronyms for "The War Against Terror," "The War Against Tobacco," "Texas Women Anglers Tournament"). The TTAB found most convincing her example from a British dictionary defining "twatty" as daft or silly and thus reaffirming that a substantial composite of the general public did not find "twatty" scandalous or immoral. In the end, Marlowe prevailed and TwattyGirl is now free to inspire women by spreading her Twattyisms around the world.

In addition to e-commerce, www.twattygirl.com features a TwattyGirl advice column called Ask TwattyGirl, which allows women to email TwattyGirl their questions and interact in a forum with each other. The site also includes a TwattyGirls on the Town photo album and Twattyisms of the Week. According to Marlowe, "TwattyGirl is all about a lifestyle that encourages women to realize their dreams and deepest desires and www.twattygirl.com provides all the tools needed to be a part of the TwattyGirl world."

TwattyGirl apparel and accessories retails from $12 - $49 and are available at www.twattygirl.com and specialty boutiques across the US. Marlowe is in talks with licensees to develop a denim line, sunglasses and cosmetics and is looking to develop a complete lifestyle brand.

Special thanks to Danielle Mercer

That's So New York

Police to Check Bags on NYC Subways

July 21 (Bloomberg) -- New York police will begin randomly searching bags and backpacks of passengers on the city's buses, subways and commuter trains to guard against terrorists following today's attempted London transit bombings, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said.

Searches also will be conducted by Metropolitan Transportation Authority police on suburban commuter trains, Governor George Pataki said. The mayor and governor announced the measures during a news conference on Staten Island.

``I want to emphasize that there is still no threats to this city that have been explicitly made or to our subway or bus system,'' Bloomberg said. ``People should go ahead and feel comfortable in using'' mass transit, he said.

New York stepped up security measures for transportation facilities after the July 7 London subway and bus bombings that killed at least 56 people.

Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said the new random- search policy would last ``as long as necessary.'' He asked passengers to try to avoid carrying backpacks or large bags.

Kelly said last week that New York is paying overtime to have more officers in subway trains on platforms, at commuter rail terminals, and at bus stops and bridge and tunnel crossings. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security raised the threat level to high from elevated after the July 7 London bombings, making federal funds available to protect major transit systems, Kelly said.

Poll on Terror

A poll of registered New York City voters released yesterday showed that by an 8-to-1 margin New Yorkers have continued their routines even after the July 7 bombings.

Still, the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute poll found 72 percent either ``very worried'' or ``somewhat worried'' about an attack on New York mass transit, compared with 28 percent who were ``not too'' or ``not at all'' worried.

The survey of 1,313 New York City voters conducted July 12- 17 had a margin of error of plus or minus 2.7 percentage points.

The mayor is founder and majority owner of Bloomberg News parent Bloomberg LP.

By SARA KUGLER
The Associated Press

That's So New York

NOMINEE'S KID A FANCY DANCER

From the NY Post

July 21, 2005 -- Whoa, little buddy! Dad hasn't gotten the job yet.

As a dignified John Roberts was tapped by President Bush for the Supreme Court during a prime-time address from the White House, the judge's 4-year-old son, Jack, showed off his best moves.

The soft-shoe act wasn't shown on national television, but those who caught it said it was reminiscent of Andrew Giuliani's antics during his father's inauguration as mayor in 1994.

"It reminded me of when Rudy Giuliani was sworn in New York — his son was putting on quite a show," said Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas). "I was chuckling to myself about that."

Cornyn said Jack's antics would go a long way toward helping Roberts score the job.

"It humanizes him . . . He's got unruly kids, too, like some of us do," Cornyn said.

Two years ago, when his kids made noise during his Senate confirmation hearing for a judgeship, Roberts joked, "The committee has already heard some unscheduled testimony from my children."

Go Jack! It's Your Birthday!

That's So New York

sny spotlight: GO chelsea.com

Looking for a fun new spot to eat or drink at downtown? How about shopping? There's the Chelsea Market and don't forget the new Balducci's coming to Chelsea.

GO chelsea.com is your one stop for information on bars, restaurants, stores and other happenings in Chelsea, the Meatpacking District and sounding areas.

Check it out:

GO chelsea

That's So New York

New York Police to Educate Public on Suspicious Behavior after London Bombings

TOM HAYS
Associated Press Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- Beware the mass transit rider with clenched fists. Or one nervously feeling under or patting down his or her clothes. Or one who reeks of too much cologne or perfume.

According to a new police memo, someone looking or smelling that way _ though not particularly odd by New York standards _ could be a terrorist about to strike.

Issued at the New York Police Department earlier this week, the memo suggests ''talking points'' for officers who board trains and buses to warn commuters to be on the lookout for suspicious behavior and packages in the wake of the suicide bombings in London.

Officials at the nation's largest police department prepared the memo after seeing television news footage of a New York sergeant, Luis Peneiro, reassuring bus passengers and giving them safety tips following the July 7 attacks.

''That was the inspiration,'' the department's chief spokesman, Paul Browne, said Wednesday. ''We thought he delivered it well and it was received well by the public, so we decided to expand it.''

Officers formally began the prevention effort on Monday while doing sweeps of Amtrak trains leaving Pennsylvania Station bound for Washington, D.C., at rush hour. Commuters on subway trains and buses also will be urged to be vigilant about reporting any signs of trouble in the transit system.

Some of those signs require explanation.

Clenched fists? In past attacks, suicide bombers have used explosives that require them to maintain pressure on hand-held triggering devices until detonation, police said.

The warning about a rider patting down his or her clothing stems from reports about the behavior of one of the London suicide bombers before he struck, police said. And excessive use of cologne could be a sign of someone trying to mask the scent of explosives.

The memo also advises that a bomber could give himself or herself away by ''perspiring profusely, avoiding eye contact, mumbling or chanting'' or by ''wearing clothes that are unsuitable for the time of year,'' such as a coat in summer.

That's So New York

Bloomberg,The Ladies Man

Actress Lorraine Bracco told hundreds of women at a Manhattan rally for Mayor Michael Bloomberg's re-election that the 63-year-old billionaire bachelor is quite a catch.

"He's smart, he's good-looking, he's rich and he loves his mother - he's perfect, right?" she told a giddy crowd on Wednesday morning. "But I found out that this is pretty much the typical dating situation in New York, so we must be here for another reason."

The ladies weren't there to meet a rich man, they were gathered to launch the Women for Bloomberg effort of the mayor's campaign. Pink signs decorated the Times Square theater, where loud speakers blasted songs by Madonna and other hyped tunes.

The event kicked off with a video featuring praise from various ladies - community leaders, friends, one of his two daughters and his 96-year-old mother.

"He knows which things are right, which things are good, which things he ought to do," said his mother, Charlotte Bloomberg.

The crowd oohed, aahed and laughed at all the right moments.

Then the mayor took the stage and said that the women in his life are his "spiritual leaders."

He compared New York City to a Norman Rockwell painting, and touched on issues like reproductive health and domestic violence.

The mayor didn't miss the chance to flirt.

"I have to say I never imagined in my wildest dreams that I'd be standing on stage feeling the love and support of hundreds of women for Bloomberg," he said. "Where were you all when I was 16?"

That's So New York

Knicks ready to offer Brown $50 to $60 million

By Frank Isola
New York Daily News

New York - Isiah Thomas' courtship of Larry Brown began Tuesday night, almost immediately after the coach and the Detroit Pistons reached a buy-out agreement that will allow Brown to coach the Knicks or any other team next season.

The Knicks' president is expected to meet with the Hall of Fame coach as soon as Thursday and is prepared to offer Brown a five-year contract worth between $50 million and $60 million, which would make him the highest-paid coach in NBA history. The Knicks are optimistic that they could have a deal in place by next week.

The only hold-up is whether Brown, who has several health issues, wants to return to the sidelines immediately or sit out anywhere from five months to a full season.

"I don't see myself coaching again next year," Brown said Tuesday night. "But you never know."

Brown continues to keep his plans close to the vest, suggesting that he would like to see interim coach Herb Williams remain on the job. Williams would be the Knicks' choice if Brown declines the position.

Should Brown agree to join the Knicks, there is a strong possibility that the team, with Brown's blessing of course, would ask Williams to remain on the bench, possibly as an assistant head coach.

The Knicks, who have been without a head coach since the day after their 33-49 season, confirmed Tuesday night that Thomas and Brown will meet.

"Now that the Detroit situation is settled, obviously Isiah will be reaching out to Larry," said Garden spokesman Barry Watkins.

Brown, regarded as one of the top coaches in league history and certainly its most well-traveled one, has always been Thomas' first choice. However, the Knicks have declined to talk publicly about their interest in Brown while he was still under contract with Detroit. They also didn't want to offer Detroit compensation if they hired Brown.

Brown, who was born in Brooklyn and grew up in Long Beach, L.I., was scheduled to earn $21 million over the next three seasons, but according to sources, he received $5 million to walk away and is free to take any job.

"I really haven't thought about coaching anywhere else," Brown said.

During the playoffs, Brown negotiated with the Cleveland Cavaliers about becoming their new president, which would seem to indicate that Brown did not feel he would be healthy enough to coach an entire season.

He missed 17 games last season after having hip surgery and later developing a bladder problem. Brown revealed that he told the Pistons last week that he was prepared to coach the team.

People close to Brown can't see him missing an entire season, which is something he has never done in his long and illustrious career. But Brown, who has coached eight pro and two college teams, admitted that there are several factors that will influence his decision. Brown's wife, Shelly, has encouraged him to take the year off and rest.

"Now I have a young family, so a lot of things are a little different," he said. "I was hoping I wouldn't have to look at any alternatives this year."

The Knicks' best chance to hire Brown is now because they are the only team without a head coach for next season. Plus, the financial package they're offering may be too lucrative for Brown to turn down.

If Brown, 64, isn't ready to coach by the start of training camp in October, the Knicks' chances of hiring him would diminish. One theory is that if Brown has second thoughts about joining the Knicks, he would wait until December or January to return and join a team that has a more attractive roster than the one Thomas is putting together in New York.

Stephon Marbury, the Knicks' best player, had a rocky relationship with Brown during last year's Olympics. Marbury, who complained about Brown's offense being too restrictive, is a favorite of Thomas, even though rumors surfaced over the past month that the Knicks were actively trying to trade their point guard. Thomas vehemently denied the talk.

It is no secret, however, that Brown would want a say in personnel decisions. That's one reason why he was interested in joining Cleveland. Brown and Thomas claim to have a close professional relationship, but the two also have strong opinions over how a team should be run and there is no guarantee that they could peacefully coexist. They already have a difference of opinion on Marbury.

There is no denying that Brown could make the Knicks better. In Detroit, he took a veteran team to two straight Finals, winning it all in 2004. But his two-year run is ending with an ugly divorce. The Pistons claim that Brown orchestrated his messy exit and Brown contends that the Pistons fired him.

"I've never had anyone say that I failed," Brown said of his Detroit experience. "Since day one all I've said was I wanted to coach Detroit. I told them last Thursday that I was prepared to coach. For anybody to say I don't want to coach Detroit . . . that's not real accurate."

That's So New York