They like us ... they really like us

Here's some rare good news: last year was a record for tourism in NYC.

48.7 million people visited our fair city in 2010, up 7 percent from 45.5 million in 2009.

It's a clear sign of economic recovery when more and more people start to travel and, when a big international city like ours gets more visitors than ever, things must be looking up. Of course it also helps that the dollar is still pretty weak compared to many international currencies so it's cheaper for foreigners to come here. Even if it makes traveling for us Americans less desirable, whatever pours more cash in NYC's economy is always welcome.

Let's just hope we reach the city's goal of 50 million visitors in 2011. I can't think of a better way to show that the city is back, ten years after 9/11.  

Taxicab Confessions: The City That Never Sleeps

A Happy New Year

It's been a tough week here in NYC, as 2010 segued into 2011. A snowstorm hit our town pretty hard and made the last week of last year a rough one. Mayor Bloomberg got something he's rarely used to -- bad press -- for his administration's mishandling of what was, in many respects, a pretty ordinary blizzard. Now there accusations and counter-accusations of whether it was official incompetence or some kind of intentional sanitation worker slowdown that caused the mess. Whatever the reason, it was a bummer.

But there's some good news emerging from the melting snow.

President Obama was finally able to sign the Zadroga bill, the legislation which will cover the health care costs for 9/11 rescue workers. This bill took a torturous route to passage as Senators Schumer and Gillibrand, as well as Congresspeople Maloney and Nadler, heroically pushed it through relentless Republican opposition. It's unbelievable that a political party that has so ruthlessly and cynically used 9/11 for their own political gain would deny the people cleaning up the worst terrorist attack in American history health care -- but they sure as hell tried. Fortunately a few (very few) Republicans in Congress had blood flowing through their calloused hearts and voted for the bill in the end. While it's sad that this bill which should have passed overwhelmingly barely squeaked through, at least it did and now our workers will get the care they deserve.

And last week, amidst the tumult of the blizzard, Old New York society made a rare appearance. The 56th International Debutante Ball was held at the Waldorf-Astoria and the Observer has a great piece about it. Young women from around the country, immaculately dressed and coiffed, are accompanied by two escorts -- a civilian and a cadet from one of the service academies -- to this soiree that marks the end of the Deb season. There is dinner, dancing, and the formal entrance into Society for these young ladies -- as well as reminder that the finer things in life like class and poise and manners are still relevant in this world of Jersey Shore. Call it snobbishness, call it classism, call it elitism or whatever you will, it's nice to know that, under the radar, refinery still rules somewhere in this town.   

Enter Cuomo

In about thirteen hours, when the clock strikes midnight and 2011 begins, New Yorkers will have a Governor Cuomo for the first time in sixteen years and for the second time in history. He has a tough job ahead of him: a dysfunctional and corrupt state government, huge budget shortfalls, a dreadful economy, and a cynical general public.

It will be interesting to see how he operates and if, ultimately, he is successful. 

Obviously he will be compared to his father but, in many ways, they are very different. Unlike his loquacious father Mario -- renowned for his great speeches and who always came across strongly on television -- Andrew Cuomo gives very few speeches and interviews. In this Twitter/Facebook/blog/24-hour news cycle era, he keeps a generally low profile and limits his media exposure. This has created a sense of mystique and mystery about him and, in many ways, made him more powerful: it allows him to think in private so that, when he acts in public, he cannot be effectively countermanded by his opponents. He likes to use the telephone to probe and cajole his associates -- a very old-school, LBJ-like modus operandi -- that is much more effective in getting people to do what he wants done (emails just don't have the same power).

And unlike Mario -- who lovely wife Matilda was an amazing First Lady of this state -- Andrew is single with a girlfriend, Sandra Lee, who has her own career as a TV cooking celebrity. Apparently she won't be a traditional First Lady -- she'll do  her own thing and Andrew will do his. T

heirs is a very New York relationship.

So in many ways our new Governor is more old-school than his dad but also much more modern. Let's cross our fingers for him, hope he succeeds, and that he will lead our state to better days ahead.

Times Square Readies for New Year's Eve

One for the History Books

Having lived in NYC all my life, I've lived through many a snowstorm. The blizzard of 1996 was a tough one and even earlier this year we had a couple of significant snowfalls. But there's something about this snowstorm that seems different. Even though only two feet of snow have fallen, it has paralyzed this town in a way I can't remember before. 

Walk down the street and cars are buried underneath piles of snow. Several people I know and work with haven't been able to get to their jobs and we haven't received our mail since Friday. What de' hell is goin' on, mang?

Some are calling it incompetence by Mayor Bloomberg and the departments of Sanitation and Emergency Management. The mayor's flunkies/defenders are saying that it's a union slowdown, protesting pending budget cuts. What seems clear, however, is that no one really knows why this snowstorm has become such a drag on the city. Usually the streets are plowed ASAP and trains and buses run just fine. Not this time. For some reason, due to either poor coordination or intentional sabotage, city services are being turned into molasses by a snowstorm that is, by everything I can tell, not that bad.

You know Mayor Mike is having problems and doesn't have a full grasp of the situation when he starts pleading for patience. Whenever politicians plead for patience from the public (did ya' like that alliteration) then you know their efforts are doomed (think Bush and Iraq). 

But at least our Mayor is in town and trying to handle the situation. Over in New Jersey, Governor Christie and his Lieutenant Governor decided to jet off to Florida and Mexico, respectively. Apparently when given news that a snowstorm was headed his way, he didn't see any need to change his plans. What a pathetic guy.   

Snow Day NYC

Well its looks like the three-day holiday weekend is shaping up to be a four-day holiday/snow day weekend. Today NYC and the entire East Coast of the USA is buried underneath 20 inches of snow. Shovels, snow plows, and de-icing machines are being used full blast and New Yorkers, such as yours truly, are both enjoying the extra day off while trying to wrestle with cabin fever.

Many thanks to our city workers -- cops, firefighters, EMTs, and most of all the MTA and sanitation workers -- who are out there today in this brutal weather keeping us safe. It's easy for politicians and various blowhards to demonize public sector workers but, on days like today, we should be very grateful for the work they do. After all, on days like this, where would our city be without them?

Snow Storm in New York City December 26 2010-December 27 Update

The Power Brokeress

Much as we like to bemoan the state of politics in the State of New York, when it comes to the people we have sent to the US Senate over the last few decades, the Empire State can take a bow.

Like most New Yorkers, our senators have been some of the smartest and most hardworking people to take the floor of the world greatest delibrative body. Whether they be Republicans or Democrats, we can be proud of senators like Jacob Javits, Ernest Lehman, Bobby Kennedy, and Kenneth Keating who were giants in their day. In the last thirty years we had have Daniel Patrick Moynihan, the intellectual heavy of the senate from 1976-2001, as well as Al D'Amato (1981-1999), "senator pothole", widely considered one of the best constituent services senators ever.

More recently we have had Hillary Clinton (2001-2009), who has probably done more for upstate New York than any senator in recent memory. And we have had and still have Chuck Schumer, another great constituent services senator as well as a great legislator, who is shaping up to be perhaps the single greatest senator New York has ever produced.

Less than two years ago, Kirsten Gillibrand was appointed to fill Clinton's vacated senate seat. Expectations for her was low since she had only been in the House since 2007 and had no great record of legislative achievement. Also, the messiness of her appointment by the unpopular Governor David Paterson cast a pall over her appointment. Many thought she was a lightweight, vulnerable to challenge in either a Democratic primary or by a decent enough Republican candidate in the general election. She managed to shut down her primary opposition in 2010 and her Republican opponent was weak that she won easily in 2010. But she has to run again in 2012 and many people were believing until recently that she'd be politically DOA. 

People aren't saying that now. In this last week, she has assured that in 2012 she will win reelection in a landslide. Her work in repealing the awful "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law, as well as her leadership in getting the 9/11 Health Responders Bill passed over virulent Republican opposition, has won her plaudits and kudos in this state and the country.

These were great, historic victories. Few veteran legislators can boast such achievements.

Senator Gillibrand is no longer an accidental senator but a real player and, if her recent work is any sign of things to come, she may very well be a senator (or more?) for years to come. 

On WNYC today, someone made a very good point that Senator Gillibrand is shaping up to be the Un-Palin. Like Sarah Palin, Gillibrand is a female professional politician who is, to put it mildly, very easy on the eyes. And like Ms. Palin, she is a mother of young children.  But unlike Ms. Palin, our Kirsten is no quitter -- she works like a demon. And unlike Ms. Gillibrand, she is not an us vs. them polarizer -- she knows how to win people over and influence them. And unlike Ms. Palin, Senator Gillibrand has actually accomplished more in her less than two years in the senate than Sarah did in her 2 1/2 years as Governor.

So New York now has another great Senator and hopefully she'll keep up the great work. Bravo! 

WPIX Yule Log 1983