NEW YORK—Despite subfreezing temperatures and heavy snowfall Tuesday, New York Congress members, unions, and environmental groups, huddled outside City Hall to call attention to some fast track legislation proposed in the Senate. The legislation would give the president the ability to negotiate the terms of the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement (TPP) without Congress being able to discuss or amend any part of it. “And because of fast-track legislation it will not provide adequate transparency, accountability or oversight. It fails to protect American workers and American jobs,” said Mario Cilento, president of the New York State American Federation of Labor Congress and Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO).
A half-century ago, Harry Belafonte sang about oppression and put Americans at ease. Today, the 86-year-old actor-entertainer speaks uncomfortable truths, even if his historic comparisons offend his targets.
On the final Sunday of New York City's mayoral campaign, Belafonte attacked the billionaire right-wing Koch brothers during remarks at the First Corinthian Baptist Church, where he compared their political thuggery to the Klu Klux Klan as the Democratic candidate Bill De Blasio sat in the pews. The remarks prompted a rare response by the Koch’s publicist criticizing Belafonte as “false and reprehensible.” Meanwhile, De Blasio, who is expected to be elected mayor in Tuesday, brushed them off — not saying they were false, but just not said the best way.
As New York City police commissioner, Bernard Kerik was ultimately responsible for the incarceration of many criminals. Now that he has seen the prison system from the inside, having served three years behind bars, he has a new appraisal of the U.S. penal system: “insane.”
In his first interview since his release from prison, where he served time for tax evasion and lying to federal authorities, Kerik told NBC’s Matt Lauer on the Today show Friday: “No one in the history of our country has ever been in the system with my background. “You have to be on the other side of the bars. You have to see what it’s like to be a victim of the system. There’s no way to do that from the other side. “If the American people and members of Congress saw what I saw, there would be anger, there would be outrage, and there would be change, because nobody would stand for it.”
Heavy snow has fallen over the higher elevations (and valleys as well) this Memorial Day weekend in Upsate New York and New England. UPDATE: Whiteface Mountain in New York’s Adirondack Mountains (elev 4,867’) has reported an incredible 24-34” of snow since Friday and Greensboro, Vermont, located at just 904’ of elevation 4.5”. How unusual is this?
Latest Snowfall Totals
It would appear that snowflakes were observed in upstate New York and New England as low as 750’ on May 24-26 with general measurable accumulations at elevations from 1,500’ and up. Above 4,000’ heavy snowfall in the 6-24” range has fallen in the Adirondack Mountains of New York and Vermont. Here is a review of some of the snow reports (official and unofficial) but keep in mind these are not final totals or verified yet:
All those nights camping in Zucotti Park appear to have paid off - bigtime - for Occupy activists who are possibly not only the most well prepared, but also the most well-fed and cheerful New Yorkers in town following the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.
In a press release as of November 1, MoRUS shared "The Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space (MoRUS) is using one of its exhibits to provide the community with free cell phone charging. Working with environmental group Times Up, MoRUS has set up Occupy Wall Street bike generators on Avenue C between 9th and 10th Street. For the past two days, volunteer riders have been pedaling as crowds of people gather to charge up their cell phones.
For many people, this has been the first time they've been able to contact loved ones after Hurricane Sandy hit earlier this week. Meanwhile, C-Squat, the squat which houses MoRUS, has set up a street-side barbecue. They have been accepting donations and providing the community with free food."
