FREE Ferry A Fine Ferry-Tale

$5.69 per commuter ride is what New York City taxpayers pay to keep the Staten Island Ferry, “free.” That’s a 23.2% increase from the previous year, primarily attributed to rising fuel costs. On average for NYC’s nine ferries, the fuel consumption rate is 175-275 gallons an hour. The total operating cost was put at $112 million for fiscal year 2007. There’s little desire among politicians or ferry riders to reinstitute the 50 cent fare that was eliminated in 1997. Since there’s no reasonably priced alternative to accommodate our Staten Island residents and no more enjoyable ride in town ... c’mon and take a free ride.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcoaLnvU2hc

Mayor Makes Menu

“Eat what’s on your plate!” Our mother’s used to tell us that. Now it’s our mayor. Bloomberg is imposing new nutritional standards on the 225 million meals and snacks the city cooks up every year. This policy will improve food in public schools, shelters, hospitals and senior citizen centers. The mayor believes this is within his jurisdiction. Like mom said, “If you don’t want to eat, go to your room!,” the mayor says, “You don’t have to take city food.” We can’t really argue with mom or the mayor looking to serve healthy food.

Tap Water Sales May Tap Out

A local entrepreneur is trying to tap into a fortune. Craig Zucker, an Ohioan transplant since 2003, is bottling NYC’s tap water (eliminating chlorine and impurities through reverse osmosis) under the name Tap’d NY. Reports from around the city indicate his water bottles aren’t exactly flooding the market. New York City's water is considered to be one of the best waters in the world. It’s what makes our local pizza taste so good too! Zucker’s intentions to provide New Yorker’s with the best water possible is honorable. He believes import water is an insult to New Yorkers. Perhaps his sales are at a "slow drip" because selling water New Yorkers get for free is an insult to our intelligence.

S And M Spanked In No-Fun City

Bad girls. Bad girls. Beep, beep. A Tribeca S and M "pleasure palace" was busted after a dominatrix offered sex to an undercover cop. The Manhattan club, Rapture NYC was closed with the owner and pain management domme now charged with prostitution. Whether the charge is true or not, a jury may decide. A sign in the establishment states, “We do not engage in any form of prostitution whatsoever, so don’t even ask!” Other signs are posted stating that sex isn’t permitted. Who knows what really went on behind their closed doors? Let's get real, people. It's 2008. What one defines these days as "prostitution," another might define as "pleasure for payment' with both partners regarding the sex as a "business arrangement" or "mutually consensual." Was this act so despicably different from a "date" where the male or female willingly engages in sex after money was spent on them? Who are the victims in either situation? Activities at this club were going on behind closed doors. This is not to defend hookers selling their wares on city streets. Actions of that sort have a far greater negative impact than an S and M club or even a house of prostitution. Perhaps it’s time to re-examine privacy rights and the definition of what constitutes criminal behavior in our society. Maybe we should consider that if a woman has a right to abortion in America, she should also have the right to use her body as she chooses, for her own reasons. Once again, the stipulation being that our New York society and neighbors shouldn't suffer as a result.

Fun City Is Condom Capitol

New Yorkers are getting screwed again and again and again! The Mayor’s Management Report states that the city Health Department gave away 39,070,000 male condoms during the 2008 fiscal year. That’s more than double what was handed out the last fiscal year. It far surpasses that of the next municipality too with a similar type of program. The cost was a little over $1 million, not counting the cost of female condom products that were also given out though in lesser supply. That price is significantly cheaper than the estimated $350,000 lifetime cost of medicating a single AIDS patient. It's a good investment for city residents/lovers on many practical levels. This year, the goal is to distribute 51 million male condoms. Legitimate, distribution organizations (In other words, no eBay entrepreneur types.) may request as many as they can put to good use. Finally, a good city government program being put to good use. What a rarity. Let’s keep it up New York!

The Nuke-Not NYPD

The Police Department received a $29.6 million anti-terrorism federal grant that will help complete a radiological detector “ring of steel.” This network of high-tech devices is supposed to prevent radioactive materials and nuclear weapons from entering New York City (I wonder if these security measures prevent these things from leaving the city if they’re already here.). Let’s pray the new equipment will work as well as the NYPD has since 9/11.

The Card King From Kings

To be a poker champion is not in the cards for most players. Brooklyn’s Ylon Schwartz, 38, has proven to be an ace among jokers, however. He’s become a recognized and successful tournament player. A former chess master at 23, he did poorly in school. Yet, because of his "gambler’s" reputation, he received several lucrative Wall Street jobs offers; each of which he declined (I wonder if Wall Street institutions still like to hire gamblers after the stock market collapse.). In the 1990’s Schwartz took up and subsequently mastered poker too. This year alone, he’ll earn over $1 million. Not bad for the Park Slope native who once hustled chess games in Manhattan's Washington Square Park.