Fw: Notify NYC - Notification

Notification issued 4/30/11 at 3:00 PM. Multiple street closures will be in effect citywide tomorrow, May 1, 2011 from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM in support of the Five Borough Bike Tour. Route details and maps are available here: http://bit.ly/ikthbs.   The sender provided the following contact information.    Sender's Name: Notify NYC    Sender's Email: notifynyc@oem.nyc.gov    Sender's Contact Phone: 212-639-9675

Fw: TLC Releases FHV Accessible Dispatch Service RFP for Service to the Boroughs

April 29, 2011 To All Interested Parties: PRESS RELEASE                                                     April 29, 2011 For Immediate Release TAXI & FOR-HIRE VEHICLE DISPATCH PLAN WILL BRING RESPONSIVE ACCESSIBLE SERVICE TO ALL FIVE BOROUGHS The New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) is pleased to announce the release of a Request For Proposals (RFP) for the creation of a For-Hire Vehicle (FHV) Wheelchair Accessible Dispatch System.  This system will allow wheelchair users whose trips originate in Brooklyn, the Bronx , Queens and Staten Island to call 311 to request (on a 24/7 basis) a wheelchair-accessible FHV at the regular pre-established fare, and with the highest standards of service in a reasonable timeframe. At present, there is no coordinated or practical way to ensure the provision of quality For-Hire services for persons who use wheelchairs.  The goal of this RFP is to create a centralized dispatch service that will direct FHVs or their accessible equivalents to wheelchair users who need them.  Passengers calling 311 will be connected with a dispatcher who will be able to determine the closest available FHV. The TLC releases this RFP as a complimentary solution to the parallel RFP that was released last week for medallion taxicabs that will service wheelchair users whose trips originate in Manhattan.  The two dispatch programs, which are both scheduled to commence in March 2012, will work in tandem to provide equivalent wheelchair accessible services to those who need them throughout the five boroughs. "We've made it a priority to increase the number of safe, reliable options for everyone who requires accessible modes of transportation" said Deputy Mayor for Operations Stephen Goldsmith. "The dispatch system, which will make better use of our existing resources, is an important step toward accomplishing our shared goal of increased access. We are going to continue to work with the Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities and the community to exchange ideas and continue to look for new ways to improve access." "The TLC has spent considerable time and effort working with the taxi and FHV industries and the disability advocacy community on learning the best ways to match the availability of our wheelchair-accessible taxicabs and for-hire vehicles with the people who need them," said TLC Commissioner Yassky.  "And now is the time to make use of the lessons learned to create a system that is practical, efficient, and works for all stakeholders." "We are happy to support the Accessible Dispatch program, as we hope it will provide increased access to our city's taxi and for-hire vehicle fleets for people who use wheelchairs and other mobility aids," said Mayor's Office for People With Disabilities Commissioner Matthew Sapolin.  "My office was created with a mandate to advocate for people with disabilities, which we do each and every day.  As such, we will continue to aggressively pursue long term accessibility solutions for our city's transportation system." "I welcome this proposal for a wheelchair accessible taxi and for-hire vehicle dispatch system to be offered to New Yorkers with disabilities," said Council Member G. Oliver Koppell, Chair of the Council's Mental Health, Mental Retardation, Alcoholism, Drug Abuse & Disability Services Committee.  "However, we view the proposal as a first step toward the ultimate goal of an accessible taxi fleet." When the Administration announced plans for an improved Taxicab and FHV Accessible Dispatch System several months ago, we were pleased to welcome and highlight the support and participation of such industry organizations as the Metropolitan Taxi Board of Trade, the Greater New York Taxi Association, the Livery Roundtable, and the NY Taxi Workers Alliance. Highlights of the RFP include:                      • The dispatcher must respond to trips originating in Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens and Staten Island and ending anywhere in the five boroughs, Westchester and Nassau counties, and the three regional airports; • The dispatch system will be supported through a fee levied on the FHV industry; • All drivers who operate a wheelchair-accessible FHV will be trained in passenger sensitivity and wheelchair assistance; • Instead of many providers of accessible service, there will be one dispatcher responsible for providing this service The dispatcher will be responsible for conducting passenger and driver satisfaction evaluations via focus groups, and to collect data to gauge the system's performance on an ongoing basis. The Medallion Taxicab and For-Hire Vehicle Accessible Dispatch program is a part of the Bloomberg Administration's comprehensive initiative to provide more and better transportation options for persons with disabilities.  Another facet of this initiative was unveiled in tandem with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) on December 15, 2010, as Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, MTA Chairman/ CEO Jay Walder and City Council Speaker Christine Quinn together launched a pilot program to issue pre-paid debit cards to Manhattan Access-A-Ride customers who do not require wheelchair accessible transportation.  These system users would instead hail medallion taxicabs at a significant savings as compared to rides they had previously taken in wheelchair accessible vehicles.  The MTA anticipates a nearly 70% reduction in per trip costs for the serving the participants in this program, while providing a comfortable and convenient alternative. To date there are 401 customers enrolled in the program who have taken 5,912 trips (2,125 trips in March alone). The FHV RFP will be officially released today, with responses due no later than June 3, 2011. It may be viewed through WWW.NYC.GOV/TAXI. The New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) was created in 1971, and is the agency responsible for the regulation and licensing of almost 200,000 yellow medallion taxicabs and For-Hire Vehicles, their drivers, and the businesses that operate and support their industries. It is recognized as the largest and most active taxi and limousine regulatory body in the United States. To find out more about the TLC, or to review its rules, regulations and procedures, we encourage you to visit our official website at WWW.NYC.GOV/TAXI or call 311 in New York City, or 212-NEW-YORK from outside of New York City. --30-- Visit Taxi and Limousine Commission website at: http://www.nyc.gov/taxi This is the NYC.gov News You Requested For: TLC NEWS Comment on this news service PLEASE DO NOT REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE!

African-American - News

African-American - News April 30, 2011 See African-American Weather Labor Dept. Honors Memphis sanitations workers (Las Vegas Sun) Labor Secretary Hilda Solis is honoring the 1,300 black workers who took part in the Memphis sanitation strike of 1968 with a place in the agency's Labor Hall of Fame. KC university supports lecturer in video flap (Athens Banner-Herald) University of Missouri-Kansas City officials say they're standing behind a labor studies professor whose lecture comments about union agitation tactics have created an Internet stir among conservative commentators. Maine official forced out for race, other remarks (TheCabin) In this Jan. 7, 2011 file photo, Philip Congdon speaks at a news conference at the State House in Augusta, Maine, after being introduced as the nominee to head the Department of Economic and Community Development. NAACP honors Kid Rock for being Detroit booster (Bradenton Herald) Kid Rock is known as a champion for Detroit - proudly displaying the Motor City in music videos, jumping in when an area summer festival fell on hard times and using money from his "Made in Detroit" clothing line to help start a college fund for local music students. NAACP honors Kid Rock for being Detroit booster (News10) The Detroit NAACP is giving an award to Kid Rock for his advocacy of the city, drawing some criticism because the Grammy-nominated artist has used the Confederate flag during stage performances. Ruben Navarrette: Reducing minority rivalries (Indianapolis Star) The nation's shifting demographics could spark a flare-up of "the black-brown thing." The phrase refers to the valuable yet thorny relationship between America's largest minority and the group that formerly held the title. James McLurkin, Engineer Forges Fleet Of Robots (2010.thegrio) Much of the vivid imagination and futuristic fervor over the place of robots in the African-American experience was probably best captured in the Herbie Hancock song and video "Rock It." Meanwhile, hip-hop B-boys of the 80s turned robotic tics and automatic movements into a dance style - a style that serves as a punchline in modern day Dave Chappelle comedy sketches and wedding reception dance floors. For James McLurkin, robots were more than just machines that made for catchy videos and creative choreography schemes. Keen with building LEGO constellations and designing video game programs as a kid, McLurkin built his first robot in 1988. Today he produces software that can move a whole community of robots with the unity of purpose, speed, and agility of ants. By studying the group dynamic of bugs and insects that work as a collective, McLurkin has created algorithms that can program robots to move and work by mimicking those same communalistic behaviors. Just like a scene out of Attack of the Clones, McLurkin wants to develop the program that can move an army of robots on one single accord. Their efforts could be applied to a purpose like clearing a minefield. McLurkin's work in the Multi-Robot Systems Lab at Rice may end up facilitating that and more. As a professor once wrote of McLurkin in a recommendation letter: "In the future, the world will be full of teams of mobile robots and they will all trace their ancestry to those developed by James McLurkin while still a student at MIT." Dr. Agnes A. Day, Leading Microbiologist (2010.thegrio) Agnes A. Day discusses toxins in biological warfare agents, decodes the qualities of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), and cites the advantages of probiotics in yogurt with ease. At the same time, she uses her profound knowledge of science and microbiology to explain mankind's existence in terms understood by many. "The bacteria, especially the resistant ones, are the recapitulation of Darwin's theory of the survival of the fittest," Day said, while serving on a panel of scientific experts four years ago at The University of Southern California. "If you have the capacity to be resistant, you are going to be the population to survive while all the sensitive ones die off." It is perhaps Day's innate understanding of her own words that aided her own survival while living in a housing project in Daytona, Fla., where she was the youngest of 13 children. Today she thrives at Howard University, where she is a tenured associate professor and interim chairman of The Department of Microbiology at the College of Medicine. Andre Fenton, Neuroscientist May Erase Painful Memories (thegrio) Three questions consume the mind and work of neuroscientist André Fenton: how do brains store information in memory, how do they sort relevant and irrelevant information, and how can we record electrical activity from individual brain cells in human subjects? This biomedical engineer and entrepreneur's research has also led him to ask - can we erase painful memories? Neuroscientists have long sought physical evidence of memory, and Fenton and his fellow researches at NYU have found a piece of the puzzle in molecule PKMzeta. The molecule is found in connections between brain cells, and appears to be responsible for the long-term preserving of information. If PKMzeta is blocked, a memory, say of a traumatic event, vanishes. André Fenton is making history ... by uncovering the truth about human memory. He's revolutionized the monitoring of brain activity with inexpensive, miniature wireless devices that record the electrical brain activity of subjects prone to seizures and other neural abnormalities. By studying specific disturbances in neural coordination, Fenton hopes to develop medicines or treatments to help those suffering from schizophrenia, mental disability, depression, epilepsy and traumatic brain injury. John Dabiri, Turning Jellyfish Motion Into Wind Turbine Technology (thegrio) John Dabiri This Nigerian-American professor at California Institute of Technology is making waves with his research on jellyfish locomotion and biomechanics. His research yields information to fields as valuable and disparate as cardiology and alternative energy. Dabiri's work earned him a $500,000 MacArthur Fellowship, which insiders call a Genius Grant. John Dabiri is making history ... by inventing a method by which divers use tiny, reflective particles to visually map-out the jellyfish's propulsion system. Comprehension of the fluid dynamics involved in such a process has proved essential, both in understanding the evolution of movement in jellyfish and other animals, and in other fluid-physics-dependent fields, such as blood's motion through the cardiovascular system, or the movement of wind around various generator-turbines, contributing to our personal health as well as the health of the planet. Richard Bennett, Ex-Marine Builds $8M Construction Company (thegrio) Former Marine Richard Bennett fought in America's initial invasion of Iraq in 2003, eventually serving four years rebuilding the country's decimated bridged and roads. Bennett returned home after suffering a spinal injury, and was unable to find work stateside -- until word of Bennett's determination inspired Craig Williams, CEO of a construction firm. Williams made Bennett commander of his own construction company, Fidelis, which has rapidly built a sturdy reputation in construction. In just one year, Bennett has developed an $8 million contract portfolio for Fidelis, largely through projects with the Veterans Administration. Having studied construction in college, and given Bennett's experience on the battlefield rebuilding Iraq, the former Marine is perfectly suited to mana Johann Hari: Frenzy Around Britain's Royal Wedding "Should Embarrass Us All" (democracynow) The wedding buzz offers a chance to look at the monarchy, Britain's domestic policy, and how its colonial legacy around the word affects foreign affairs today. While all eyes were on the wedding procession and the first kiss, Democracy Now! spoke with Johann Hari, a columnist at The Independent of London, who says the royal wedding frenzy should be an embarrassment to us all.

First African-American Chief Usher Of The White House Steps Down

 

Admiral Stephen Rochon, the first African-American to serve as Chief Usher of the White House, has stepped down from this prominent position within the Obama household. A veteran of the U.S. Coast Guard with a long career of achievement, Rochon will be rejoining the armed forces in a strategic role with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection division of the Department of Homeland Security. Rochon came to the White House as a recruit of George W. Bush, becoming the first black Director of the Executive Residence under his presidency. USA Today reports:

The first African American to hold the post of chief usher, Rochon was responsible for executing all major events at the White House and preserving the nation’s most historic house.

“I am truly delighted to accept this great opportunity to assist the U.S. Customs and Border Protection with developing and implementing a strategic integration program to help protect our U.S. borders,” Rochon said.

He continued: “My past four years as the Director of the Executive Residence and chief usher at the White House has been most rewarding, and I will greatly miss my phenomenal staff, who proudly provides superior service to the president and his first family, but I am humbled and grateful to the president for having the confidence in me to take on this new challenge, and I look forward to returning home to the Department of Homeland Security.”

 

Former Chief Usher Admiral Stephen Rochon broke ground at the White House as an African-American in a leading role before President Obama arrived, setting the stage for his family to comfortably reside there as our nation’s pioneering black first family. As the Director of the Executive Residence, Rochon was a co-creator with President and First Lady Obama in events hosted at the White House that entertained thousands – as many as 600,000 people in 2009 alone according to a Politico report on Yahoo News. The logistical acumen required to execute such feats will be put to great use by the admiral at the Department of Homeland Security. We salute Admiral Rochon for his understated, yet effective, brand of African-American leadership. Stephen Rochon is the kind of role model more black youth need to know about. Will you be spreading the word?

Read the rest of the story about this contemporary African-American great on USA Today.

 

First African-American Chief Usher Of The White House Steps Down
Alexis Garrett Stodghill
Fri, 29 Apr 2011 21:53:10 GMT

A Road Once Traveled

 

Date: May 2, 2011

Holding the Park's northern highlands was key in the American Revolution and the War of 1812 because armies could see their enemies approach as they sailed down the East River. History buffs will love this tour of the Harlem Meer and its strategic environs.

Start time: 2:00 pm

End time: 3:00 pm

Contact phone: (212) 860-1370

Location: Charles A. Dana Discovery Center (in Central Park)

A Road Once Traveled
Fri, 29 Apr 2011 04:00:05 GMT

Racist Past?! Trump Was Sued In The ’70s For Not Renting To Blacks

 

NEW YORK– Donald Trump’s New York real estate company was sued by the federal government for discriminating against potential black renters, according to Salon.com.

The Government contended that Trump Management had refused to rent or negotiate rentals “because of race and color.” It also charged that the company had required different rental terms and conditions because of race and that it had misrepresented to blacks that apartments were not available.

Read entire story at Salon.com

RELATED:

Jesse Jackson Says Donald Trump Birther Requests Are

Donald Trump: “I Have A Great Relationship With The Blacks”

Racist Past?! Trump Was Sued In The ’70s For Not Renting To Blacks
NewsOne Staff
Fri, 29 Apr 2011 14:36:54 GMT

Fw: [SOA] E-Bulletin 04-29-11: 18th New York African Film Festival Screenings @ Maysles Cinema Starting TODAY!

April 29, 2011 DVDs for SALE Build your personal DVD collection with the wonderful African films we have in ours! New titles include COSMIC AFRICA and THE GREAT DANCE directed by Craig & Damon Foster. Simply click on the link above or check us out at -                     www.africanfilmny.org/dvd/dvd.html   E-Bulletin   STARTING TODAY!   The 18th New York African Film Festival   @   Maysles Cinema   APRIL 29 - MAY 1   Doc Watchers presents the 18th New York African Film Festival, April 29 through May 1st at the Maysles Cinema! Includes the US Premiere of Zimbabwe's Forgotten Children and Q&A's with peabody award winning filmmaker Xoliswa Sithole after the 7:30 pm screenings on the 29th and 30th. Friday, April 29 - Sunday, May 1   @ Maysles Cinema   SCHEDULE   FRI APR 29   7:30pm: 'Zimbabwe's Forgotten Children'     SAT APR 30   3:30pm: 'All I Wanna Do'   5:00pm: 'Jazz Mama' & 'A Blues for Tiro'     7:30: 'Ladies in Waiting' & 'Shouting Silent'       SUN MAY 1 3:00pm: 'Alex's Wedding' and 'North-South.com'    5:00pm: 'Zero Tolerance' and 'Driving with Fanon'       FRIDAY, APRIL 29th: ZIMBABWE'S FORGOTTEN CHILDREN (U.S. PREMIERE) Jezza Neuman, South Africa, 2010, 90 min. The story of three children trying to survive in Robert Mugabe's Zimbabwe.   ** Followed by Q&A with Peabody Award Winning Filmmaker (and 'Zimbabwe's Forgotten Children' producer), Xoliswa Sithole, and Reception        SATURDAY, APRIL 30th: ALL I WANNA DO  (U.S. PREMIERE) Michelle Medina, Morocco, 2010, 59 min.  Forty-eight year-old Simohamed, who works as a parking guard, and his 17-year-old son Ayoub, get the opportunity to pursue their dreams of being Hip Hop artists.   JAZZ MAMA Dir. Petna Katondolo,Congo, 2010, 30 min. How do you talk about rape in a place where basic human rights are systematically violated? Katondolo skirts the boundaries of reality and fiction, offering a compelling portrait of Conoglese women who stand strong in their communities and denounce the violence they experience.     A BLUES FOR TIRO (U.S. PREMIERE) Steve Kwena Mokwena, South Africa, 2007, 48 min. A poetic tribute to an extraordinary black consciousness activist and inspirational leader, who was murdered in 1974.     LADIES IN WAITING (U.S. PREMIERE) Dieudo Hamadi & Divita Wa Lusula,  Congo, 2010, 24 min. In a maternity ward in the Congo, new mothers are "held hostage" until they are are able to settle their medical bills.   **Followed by Q&A with Peabody Award Winning Filmmaker, Xoliswa Sithole, and Reception   SHOUTING SILENT Renee Rosen, South Africa, 2002, 50 min. An adult orphan who lost her mother to HIV/AIDS journeys back home in search of other young women who have also lost their mothers to HIV/AIDS and are now struggling to raise themselves (and, in many cases, their siblings) on their own.       SUNDAY, MAY 1st:   ALEX'S WEDDING  Jean-Marie Teno,  Cameroon, 2003, 45 min. Three people's lives are about to change dramatically. Alex goes to his in-laws' to bring home his second wife. His childhood sweetheart and first wife, Elise, reluctantly accompanies him.   NORTH-SOUTH.COM Francois Ducat, Cameroon, 2007, 53 min. In a country where nearly half the population lives under the poverty threshold, many young women surf the internet hoping to "escape" by marrying a rich, white foreigner.  ZERO TOLERANCE (U.S. PREMIERE) Dieudo Hamadi, Congo, 2010, 18 min. The systematic use of rape casts a dark shadow on the Congolese society. Ordinary men are guilty of violently exploiting women, and are unable explain what came over them.   DRIVING WITH FANON Steve Kwena Mokwena, Sierra Leone, 2010, 70 min. Avant-garde filmmaker, Kwena Mokwena travels through Freetown, Sierra Leone with the ghost of Frantz Fanon, engaging a new generation into conversation about the radical black scholar, psychiatrist and revolutionary thinker.      TICKETS & PASSES $50 Festival Pass covers all screenings at the Maysles Cinema of the African Film Festival: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/173799 Or you can purchase a Maysles Cinema membership for the same price - http://www.mayslesinstitute.org/membership/index.html and then email your reservations to reservations@mayslesinstitute.org to save your free seat to the screenings.   To purchase individual tickets, visit the Maysles' website http://www.mayslesinstitute.org/cinema/calendar.html Save the Date African Film Festival, Inc. & Film Society of Lincoln Center Present 18th New York African Film Festival April 6th - May 31st, 2011 April 6th – April 12th 2011: Walter Reade Theater, Lincoln Center April 14th 2011: Institute of African Studies, Columbia University April 29th – May 1st 2011: Maysles Cinema May 20th 2011: Big Screen Project –Outdoor Cinema May26th – 31st 2011: Rose Cinemas, Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM)   To purchase tickets, visit filmlinc.com     For more information on our programming, please contact us by phone or email or check our social networking sites:   Facebook African Film Festival, Inc for in-depth information on films, including photos...   Twitter @AfricanFilmFest for up-to-the-minute updates during the festival...   Youtube AfricanFilmFest for  teasers and previews from this year's film selection!   Also, check out our updated homepage www.africanfilmny.org for schedule information, synopses and more details on what's to come!   For almost twenty years, African Film Festival, Inc. (AFF) has bridged the divide between post-colonial Africa and the American public through the medium of film. AFF's unique place in the international arts community is distinguished not only by leadership in festival management but a comprehensive approach to the advocacy of African film and culture. AFF established the New York African Film Festival (NYAFF) in 1993 with The Film Society of Lincoln Center. The New York African Film Festival is presented annually at the Walter Reade Theater by African Film Festival, Inc. and the Film Society of Lincoln Center, in association with Brooklyn Academy of Music. AFF also produces a series of local, national, and international programs throughout the year.   African Film Festival, Inc. (AFF) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) arts organization. This message was sent to SOA@yahoogroups.com from: African Film Festival, Inc. | 154 West 18th Street, Suite 2A | New York, NY 10011 Email Marketing by  Forward To a Friend __._,_.___   . __,_._,___

Join the Parks Greeter Corps!

Join the Parks Greeter Corps! The newly launched Parks Greeter Corps <http://www.nycgovparks.org/newsgroup/lists/lt.php?id=Zx8ABwAAB1EPAB5SVlFTA0hXBAFUU1E%3D>   is a team of motivated volunteers who are ambassadors of New York's park system in the community. Park greeters are a welcoming presence at the entrance to parks and playgrounds, inform patrons of the available amenities and programs, gauge the public's opinion and interests, and serve as eyes and ears for the park's condition and environment. We are looking for volunteers from all backgrounds in all five boroughs.   If you are interested in volunteering as a greeter for Parks, please sign up at http://www.nycgovparks.org/newsgroup/lists/lt.php?id=Zx8ABwAAB1EPAB5SVlFTA0hXBAFUU1E%3D   If you have any questions or cannot access the website, please contact Mahanth Joishy at Mahanth.joishy@parks.nyc.gov <mailto:Mahanth.joishy@parks.nyc.gov>   or (212) 360-8287.             Powered by PHPlist, www.phplist.com --

Fw: Last Chance To Get Bicycle Show Tickets!

STILL DON'T HAVE YOUR TICKET YET?!  You have until 4 PM today to buy tickets for The New Amsterdam Bicycle Show online ($15 for a single ticket, $40 for a set of family tickets). Saturday we will be selling tickets at the door for $20 per ticket and family ticket sets $40, discounts apply online only. See you at the bike show tomorrow! BICYCLE SHOW GIVEAWAYS! JRJ will be giving away two custom designed cycling shirts, Adeline Adeline will be giving away a Pashley Basket full of Brooks and Pashley items. Vanmoof will be giving away a Vanmoof No.3! Raleigh will be giving away a bike or two! Stop by the Nutcase booth, they'll be giving away one of their amazing helmets every hour! La Colombe Torrefication will also be raffling off amazing raffle prizes at 4:00 PM including: Kryptonite Evolution mini-5 lock and cable , Brooks D-shaped saddle bag (honey color), SWOBO Hard Parts Flask holder, Crane Copper bike bell, Crank Brothers power pump ultra tire pump, Cinelli C Ribbon--the Original (Mike Giant Velvet Ribbon), 2 bags exclusive La Colombe Atelier Haitian Blue Forest coffee Check out all of our Participating Exhibitors! Adeline Adeline, Alternative Needs Transportation, Asea, B-Cycle, Belle Helmets, Bern Unlimited, BFold, Bamboo Bike Studio, Basil, Bicycle Habitat, Bicycle Paintings, Bike and Roll, Bike By Me, Bike Doctor NYC, Bike Lights, Bikes To Rwanda, Bike To The Beach, Bike Works NYC, Biomega, Biria, Bowery Lane Bicycles, Braking The Cycle, Carjacked, Chelsea Bicycles, Chrome, Continuum Cycles, Cooper Bikes, Cyclelogical, East Coast Greenway, Flying Pigeon, Folk Engineered, Gazelle, Green Mountain Energy, Hold Fast, Horse Cycles, H.U.B., Jamis, JRJ Apparel, La Colombe, Narragansett, Nutcase, NYC Bike Light, NYC Bikes, NYC Velo, Osloh Bicycle Jeans, Outlier, Pedal Pushers Club, Playdate, Raleigh, Recycle-A-Bicycle, Ride Brooklyn, Rolling ORange, Royal H Cycles, Social Bicycles, SP Carbon Bicycles, Specialized, Spin Power, Sram, Truce, Vanmoof, Worksman, Yepp, Zen Bikes Forward email |   Manhattan Media | 79 Madison Avenue | 16th Floor | New York | NY | 10016

May 4, 2011: The Global Africa Project at Museum of Arts and Design

 

'The Global Africa Project' is an unprecedented exhibition exploring the broad spectrum of contemporary African art, design and craft worldwide.

May 4, 2011: The Global Africa Project at Museum of Arts and Design
Sat, 30 Apr 2011 00:58:40 GMT

Back-to-Basics Bowling (No Fancy-Pants Stuff)

Back-to-Basics Bowling (No Fancy-Pants Stuff)

By DAVID BELCHER

Published: April 28, 2011

Though bowling in Manhattan has become complicated by dress codes and expensive food, there are places a subway ride away where nostalgic fans of casual bowling can enjoy the sport.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/29/nyregion/bowling-in-new-york-beyond-manhattan.html

New Bills Make Clean Sweep Of City Parking Rules

By: Michael Herzenberg

 

The City Council passed two bills Thursday that will help local drivers find parking.

The first bill gives streets that achieve a 90 percent "clean" rating for two years in a row the option of having one less day of alternate-side parking per week.

The Department of Sanitation could restore a full cleaning schedule for any streets that fall in their cleanliness ratings.

"Sometimes less is more and if the streets are clean enough maybe we can divert those Sanitation resources to other neighborhoods,” said City Council Speaker Christine Quinn.

“It does make a difference. It is about quality of life,” said Brooklyn Councilwoman Sara M. González.

The alternate side of the street parking reduction would go into effect immediately, and almost half the city's 59 Community Board districts would qualify.

The second bill creates an online, interactive guide that gives users specific information on street closures and parking regulations. That includes parking problems because of block parties, movie shoots or even crane operations.

“When the city is planning street closures, there's no reason why the people on the block should be the last to know,” said Manhattan Councilman Dan Garodnick.

The council is also keeping the cap of the number of city pedicabs at 850.

There will be stricter regulations and more severe penalties for peddlers who do not have working seat belts and brakes. Pedicab drivers will also have to follow many of the same parking rules that regulate motor vehicles.

“We're at our saturation point,” said Garodnick. "The city created no parking zones for a reason and not so they can be free parking for pedicabs."

The mayor plans to sign the bills on all these changes.

Online customer service enhancement for TLC driver licensees!

April 27, 2011 To All Interested Parties: Press Release                                                        April 27, 2011 For Immediate Release NEW TLC SERVICE ALLOWS RENEWING DRIVER LICENSEES TO PAY FEES ONLINE WITH CREDIT CARDS The New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) is pleased to announce a new service that will allow holders of TLC driver licenses to pay their license renewal fees online with a credit card. This new service enhancement, a component of Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg's NYC Simplicity initiative, will improve processing times, speed the transaction and add convenience to the renewal process. NYC Simplicity is focused on simplifying all interactions between people and organizations and City government. "Our goal with NYC Simplicity is to provide easier and simpler ways for all New Yorkers to engage their government," said Deputy Mayor for Operations Stephen Goldsmith. "Our cab drivers are a vital part of our transportation network, providing hundreds of thousands of reliable trips every day. Allowing online payment of their license renewal fees will help us provide the high level of customer service they deserve." "This innovation allows any of our current licensees to pay license renewal fees online, potentially shaving as much as a week off the time it takes from application to license if all other requirements are met," said TLC Commissioner David Yassky, "but more importantly, it saves them the time, trouble and expense of paying by mail or in person." The TLC worked closely with the design team of the Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications (DoITT) on the project, as it has on many other customer service-based projects, some of which have been realized, with others still in the proverbial pipeline. "Technology empowers City agencies to better serve New Yorkers – in this case the more than 100,000 TLC-licensed drivers who help move the city daily," said DoITT Commissioner Carole Post. "With quick and secure payments through online license renewal, drivers can spend more time on the road – and less time standing in line." "This is a great innovation and will go a long way in making life a little easier for taxi drivers for whom spare time is a rare commodity after working 60-hour weeks," said Bhairavi Desai, Executive Director of the 15,000-member New York Taxi Workers Alliance. "Renewing online will save a day driver from losing shift time when every hour counts or let a night driver spend some extra hours at home before setting out for work. NYTWA will offer free computer access and assistance to all drivers looking to renew online." This new service enhancement is available to driver licensees who are Master Card, Visa, AMEX or Discover Card holders and who are eligible to renew their license by mail. This new service enhancement will be available on the morning of April 28 and can be accessed at: http://www.nyc.gov/html/tlc/html/licenses/drivers.shtml. Renewing driver license applicants may continue to send their renewal license fee payments directly to the TLC through the standard lockbox process using money orders or certified checks via U.S. Mail or by visiting our Licensing facility where they can pay by money order, certified check or a Master Card, Visa, AMEX and Discover card. To avoid long lines and wait times, renewing licensees should renew as early as possible, either online or through the lockbox. It's easy, safe and convenient. The New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) was created in 1971 and is the agency responsible for the regulation and licensing of almost 200,000 yellow medallion taxicabs and for-hire vehicles, their drivers, and the businesses that operate and support their industries. It is recognized as the largest and most active taxi and limousine regulatory body in the United States. To find out more about this payment option, or the TLC, or to review its rules, regulations and procedures, we encourage you to visit the agency's official website at www.nyc.gov/taxi or call 311 in New York City, or 212-NEW-YORK from outside of New York City. --30-- Visit Taxi and Limousine Commission Web site at: http://www.nyc.gov/taxi This is the NYC.gov News You Requested For: TLC NEWS Comment on this news service PLEASE DO NOT REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE!

African-American - News

African-American - News April 292011  Portland Racism and Rental Housing Report: BlackLatino Families Charged MoreTurned Away (The Skanner) Black and Latino Portlanders are treated differently than White residents when searching for rental housinga recent report foundand city officials say they're putting together a wide-scale plan to address the issue.   Okla. Legislator slights blackswomen in debate (Santa Cruz Sentinel) An Oklahoma lawmaker who gained national notoriety with an anti-homosexual rant in 2008 disparaged blacks and women during a debate this week on an affirmative action billprompting the head of the state NAACP chapter to demand her resignation.   Top County Republican to Ask for Two Minority Council Districts (Patch) Partly sunny with a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the mid 70s.    Some blacks see racism in questions over Obama's birth (Hackettstown Weekly News) Shortly after President Barack Obama declared himself an American-born citizen with papers to prove itBaratunde Thurston declared himself a disgusted black man.   Newspaperswebsites lacking diversity in sports (Myrtle Beach Online) Some 320 websites and newspapers that belong to Associated Press Sports Editors slightly improved their racial hiring practices last yearaccording to a study released Wednesdaythough they failed again to make any strides in gender hiring for key newsroom positions.   Voice of the People for Apr. 282011 (NY Daily News) President Obama's certificate of live birthwhich he released on Wednesday. Still a birther? Then you're a racist Kew Gardens : As an African-American maleI am going to try to provide a possible answer to all the Voicers who continue to ask"If he really was born in Americathen why does President Obama keep having to fight the allegations ...