NYC Comptroller Liu Opines on EDC Million Dollar Study Released Today on Proposed Living Wages Mandate

If anyone was wondering where NYC Comptroller Liu stands on the proposed Living Wage Debate and the new study released today by the NYC Economic Development Corporation, related to the proposal, please review the press release his office issues earlier today. It's good to see a political figure making a decisive statement rather then playing both sides of the fence. It makes sense that handouts to developers should include perks to workers and the community as well.

Gregory
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COMPTROLLER LIU ON EDC LIVING WAGE STUDY
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NEW YORK, NY – City Comptroller John C. Liu stated the following in response to questions about the NYCEDC-commissioned study released today, “The Economic Impacts on New York City of the Proposed Living Wage Mandate.”

“This million dollar report is so flawed it’s not worth the bandwidth for a download. The EDC’s claim that a living wage kills jobs shows just how distorted the agency’s perspective has become. The proposed living wage would be a requirement on new projects that are heavily subsidized by taxpayers and would create new jobs that pay decent wages. The claim of job losses is rhetoric at its worst.”

March from City Hall to Liberty Plaza Scheduled for Today at 4:30pm

The MoveOn organization sent the following e-mail about the "March from City Hall to Liberty Plaza" today at 4:30 p.m. Please see the e-mail sent by their organizers related to today’s event. As the demonstration progresses, additional more "main stream" supporters including unions are beginning to show their solidarity by participating in the demonstrations. It's good to see that people have finally taking action to protect the American Dream.

Gregory
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They're mad as hell, and they're not going to take it anymore. And it's time to stand with them.

For more than two weeks, a committed group of young people, unemployed folks, and union members have occupied Wall Street in a rolling 24-hours-a-day protest of the corporate takeover of our democracy.

They're acting in the best traditions of nonviolent resistance and call themselves "the other 99%," because they represent all of us left behind by the coddling of the wealthiest 1% in our society. Their actions are inspiring similar protests in cities across the country against big banks and corporate greed—from Boston to San Francisco and Atlanta to Chicago.1

These are the moments that the American Dream Movement was built to uplift, which we can do right here in New York, by showing the other 99% that we share their frustration, that we stand with them—that we are them too.

This Wednesday, join thousands from unions, community groups, and the American Dream Movement in a march from City Hall to Wall Street in solidarity with the other 99% protesters.

When: Wednesday, October 5, 4:30 p.m.
Where: Foley Square (at Duane St and Centre St outside 26 Federal Plaza), marching to Zuccotti Park in Liberty Plaza

Washington knows how to help everyday Americans suffering through this economic crisis. They're just choosing to coddle the wealthy and corporations instead—including the very people on Wall Street who caused the crisis.

Change will only happen when Washington gets the message that we're fed up with their complicity with corporate greed. Change will only happen when 1,000 committed people in a public square are joined by 10,000 more on a clear October day, then hundreds of thousands more across the country.

The other 99% protesters represent all of us who are being left behind: union workers, public servants, the poor, the unemployed, seniors, the disabled, women, graduates, and children. They represent the young promise of the American Dream Movement. On Wednesday at 4:30 p.m., we have our chance to stand with them.

Join Wednesday's solidarity march from City Hall to Wall Street at 4:30 p.m.
Dr. King said that "he who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it." Now's the time to stand up, speak out, and be heard.

Thanks for all you do,
–Daniel, Joan, Laura, Anna, and the rest of the team

Wildlife Conservation Society’s Bronx Zoo Shows off Creepy Crawlies for Halloween

Here is more information related to the scary events taking place in the Bronx Zoo this month, in connection with the Halloween activities they have scheduled. It should be great family fun and an opportunity to take advantage of the outdoors before Father Frost arrives.

Enjoy
Gregory
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(Sticks in Space – Asian walking sticks strike a pose against a black background.
Photo Credit: Julie Larsen Maher © WCS)

Wildlife Conservation Society’s Bronx Zoo Shows off Creepy Crawlies for Halloween

Bronx, NY- Oct. 5, 2011 – Some of the inhabitants of the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Bronx Zoo are always ready for Halloween. Zoo visitors can get into the spirit of the holiday with these creepy invertebrates in the Bronx Zoo’s JungleWorld exhibit. Visit www.bronxzoo.com/boo for a full list of Boo at the Zoo activities and to vote for the best creepy crawly photo.

Boo at the Zoo returns to the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Bronx Zoo every weekend in October with Halloween-themed family entertainment and activities. Attractions and activities embrace spirit of the season and highlight wildlife like bugs, bats, snakes, and nocturnal animals that have become iconic to Halloween.

WCS’s Boo at the Zoo is made possible by the following generous sponsors:

Presented by: Pepsi
Supported by: FedEx, Verizon Wireless

The Wildlife Conservation Society’s Bronx Zoo is open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. weekdays, 5:30 p.m. weekends. Adult admission is $16, children (3-12 years old) $12, children under 3 are free, seniors (65+) are $14. Parking is $13 for cars and $16 for buses. The Bronx Zoo is conveniently located off the Bronx River Parkway at Exit 6; by train via the #2 or #5 or by bus via the #9, #12, #19, #22, MetroNorth, or BxM11 Express Bus service (from Manhattan that stops just outside the gate.) To plan your trip, visit bronxzoo.com or call 718-367-1010.

The Wildlife Conservation Society saves wildlife and wild places worldwide. We do so through science, global conservation, education and the management of the world’s largest system of urban wildlife parks, led by the flagship Bronx Zoo. Together these activities change attitudes towards nature and help people imagine wildlife and humans living in harmony. WCS is committed to this mission because it is essential to the integrity of life on Earth.

LIU: CITY SCHOOLS FAIL PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Here is a disturbing, eye opening report related to the lack of physical education instruction in our public school system. As we continue to "teach to the test" and cut P.E. instruction, we deprive our youth the physical activity needed to develop and maintain a healthy mind and body. All too often the solution to a child’s natural restlessness is an ADD designation with leads to unnecessary medication.

Gregory
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LIU: CITY SCHOOLS FAIL PHYSICAL EDUCATION
Audit Determines that Department of Education
Hasn’t Updated Its PE Plan in 30 Years
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NEW YORK, NY – City Comptroller John C. Liu announced today that an audit of the Department of Education (DOE) found that many elementary schools do not meet state guidelines for physical education (PE) and, that despite documenting high rates of obese and overweight students, the DOE has not filed a PE plan with the state since 1982.

Childhood obesity can lead to lifelong health problems such as diabetes, asthma, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. In a 2009 report, the DOE and the Department of Health (DOH) warned that local rates of childhood obesity were higher than the national average. That report, “Childhood Obesity is a Serious Concern in New York City,” stressed that test scores rise alongside physical fitness. The report recommended that schools ensure that “all students receive the required physical education instruction each week, as mandated by the New York State Education Commissioner’s Regulations.”

“The DOE has failed to give students the legally required amount of physical education and failed to follow its own recommendations for fighting high rates of childhood obesity,” Comptroller Liu said. “The DOE is failing gym.”

“We are delighted that Comptroller Liu shares our commitment to the health and well-being of the city’s students,” said Amy J. Schwartz, Chair of the Task Force on Physical Education for the Women’s City Club of New York, which is celebrating its 95th year and has a long history of advocacy on education policy. “This audit should serve as further inspiration to the DOE to implement what research has shown — that improved physical education leads to better academic performance.”

Schools Fall Short on Exercise:

Not one of the elementary schools auditors visited met State Physical Education Regulations for all grades. Only 6% of the audited schools came anywhere near offering the required amount of PE to their students:

§ Kindergarten through Grade 3 students must participate in daily PE for a total of at least two hours each week.

§ Grades 4 through 6 students must receive PE at least three times each week for a minimum of two hours per week.

§ Grades 7 and 8 students must receive PE at least twice a week for a minimum of one and a half hours per week.

Some schools either had no space designated for PE instruction or no PE teacher. Detailed findings on the schools and each grade’s performance are available in the audit’s appendix.

Obstacles to DOE Offering Enough Phys. Ed.:

The DOE does not monitor whether schools meet state requirements for PE, leaving principals solely responsible for making sure students receive the required amount of physical education. However, auditors found that the majority of school officials were not familiar with the state PE requirements. Officials at 65% of the sampled schools did not know any of the state’s PE requirements.

School officials said that it was difficult for them to provide students the required PE due to the time needed for subjects such as math, English language arts, science, and social studies.

Rates of Overweight, Obese Students in NYC:

The 2009 DOE and DOH report stated that 21% of children in grades K through 8 were obese while another 18% were considered overweight.

The report stated that childhood obesity was epidemic throughout the United States, increasing the likelihood of adult obesity, which is associated with heart disease and cancer.

Recommendations:

The audit recommended that the DOE:

§ Create, implement, and regularly update a PE plan that meets state regulations for all schools.

§ Adequately monitor school compliance with the state’s PE requirements.

§ Ensure that principals are aware of the state’s PE requirements and advise them that it is their responsibility that students receive the mandated amount of PE.

Audit Scope:

The audit focused on elementary school students because they face a greater risk of developing long-term health issues due to childhood obesity. Auditors visited 31 elementary schools in all five boroughs during the 2010-2011 school year. Fifteen of the schools were selected randomly and the remainder were selected based on their proximity to the other schools in order to allow two site visits in one day.

Comptroller Liu credited Deputy Comptroller for Audit Tina Kim and the Audit Bureau for presenting the findings. The full report is available at http://comptroller.nyc.gov/audits.

Professor Mark Naison: The Wall Street Occupations and the Making of a Global Counter Culture

Here are the reflections of educator/activists Mark Naison, after visiting the demonstrations taking place in the financial district. As the owners of media spin the media to discredit the demonstrations taking place, it's good to see trusted activists like Mark Naison writing about the demonstrations informing “the majority” what the feel and mood is like on Wall Street. Someone once said, "you can fool some of the people some of the time, but not all of the people all of the time.” Kudos to the activists for the dialogue they are creating and protecting our democracy by letting the power elite know that they are accountable. Leadership is a responsibility, not a license to pillage.

Gregory
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The Wall Street Occupations and the Making of a Global Counter Culture
Mark Naison
Fordham University

Yesterday, I spent about an hour in Liberty Plaza sitting, walking around and talking to people before the event I had come for- a Grade In organized by teacher activists- finally began, and was stunned by how different the occupation was from any demonstration I had attended recently.

First of all, in contrast to the last two protests I had participated in – a Wisconsin Solidarity rally at City Hall, and the Save Our Schools March on Washinton-I saw few people my own age and no one I recognized- at least until the “Grade In” started. When I arrived, at 11 AM, most of the people in Liberty Plaza were the ones who had slept their overnight, and the vast majority were in their 20’s and 30’s- a half to a third my age. They were drumming, sweeping the sidewalk, talking to curious visitors- whom were still few in number- eating or chilling with one another and their relaxed demeanor blew me away given the tumultuous events of the day before when more than 700 protesters had been arrested by the NYPD after marching onto the Brooklyn Bridge.

They were also, to my surprise, thoroughly international. Many of the people I met at the information desk, or who spontaneously started conversations with me, had accents which indicated they had been born in, or had recently come from, countries outside the United States. I felt like I was in Berlin or Barcelona, where you could always count on meeting young people from all over the world at any music performance or cultural event, only this was a political action in the heart of New York’s financial district. I felt like I was in the midst of a global youth community I had certainly seen emerging during my travels and teaching- after all, I had helped organize a “Bronx Berlin Youth Exchange”- but I had not expected to see at this particular protest. But it was there, no doubt. And definitely made the discipline, determination and camaraderie of the protesters that more impressive

But as much as the age cohort and global character of the occupation seemed strange, it also seemed oddly familiar, though it took a while for that familiarity to sink in. The longer I stayed at Liberty Plaza, the more it felt like the countercultural communities I had spent time in during the late 60’s, from Maine to Madison to Portland Oregon, where discontent with war and a corrupt social system had bred a communal spirit marked by incredible generosity and openness to strangers. During the years when I traveled the country regularly as a political organizer and revolutionary- 1968 to 1971- I never had to stay in a hotel or pay for a meal in the more than 20 cities I visited. Every one of these cities had a countercultural community and I was always able to “crash” with people I knew or with people whose names I had been given by friends. And I did the same for people in NYC. My apartment on West 99th Street was a crash pad for people around the country who had come to NY for demonstrations, or for revolutionaries from other countries who had somehow gotten my name. I still remember making huge pots of chili for anyone who showed up with Goya chili beans, canned tomatoes, chop mean, bay leaves and chili powder. And it was not unusual for 20 or 30 to show up.

I had feared those days would never return- erased by decades of consumerism, materialism and cheap electronic devices— but when I visited Liberty Plaza, I realized that the global economic crisis had recreated something which I often thought of as an artifact of my own nostalgia. Because right here in New York were hundreds of representatives of a whole generation of educated young people around the world, numbering tens if not hundreds millions of young people, who might never land in the secure professional jobs they had been promised or experience the cornucopia of material goods that came with them. Described as a “lost generation” by economists, a critical mass of these young people, in cities throughout Europe and Latin America- and now right here in the United States-- had decided to build community in the midst of scarcity, challenge consumerism and the profit motive, and call out the powerful financial interests whose speculation and greed had helped put them in the economic predicament they were in.

Serious questions remain about the long term significance of this global movement. Would these middle class(or ex middle class)protesters connect with the even larger group of people in their own countries- workers, immigrants, minorities- who had been living in poverty well before the current crash? Would their community survive even a modest revival of the world economy, sending them back into a lifestyle of acquisitive individualism which the global consumer market depends on to yield profits? Could they connect with people in poor or working class neighborhoods who were already practicing communalism and mutual aid to create a truly multiracial, multiclass movement?

The jury is still out on all of those issues. But there are some promising signs. The chants of “We are all Troy Davis” during several of the movement’s marches. The increasing participation of labor unions in the protest. The involvement of more and more activists from the city’s Black and Latino neighborhoods in support for the Occupation.

And those who lived through the 60’s should remember this. Oppositional cultures of all kinds-ranging from hippie communities to the Black arts movement-represented the soil in which political protest flourished during those heady years

And the same is true in this era. The emergence of a global youth counterculture should be be seen as a powerful complement if not an actual component , of a global movement for freedom, democracy, and economic justice

October 3, 2011

Assemblyman Dinowitz Reminds Community of Heat Regulations

October 1st is the beginning of the heating season. Here is useful information sent by Assemblyman Dinowitz, related to heat and hot water regulations and a free chart his office has available for tenants to keep adequate records when property owners do not provide adequate services.

Gregory
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Assemblyman Dinowitz Reminds Community of Heat Regulations

With the cold weather of the winter soon upon us, Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz is reminding his constituents of the rules and regulations regarding heat and hot water.

The heating season began on October 1 and continues until May 31. Between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. heat must register 68 degrees Fahrenheit when the outside temperature falls below 55 degrees. Between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. heat must register 55 degrees when the outside temperature falls below 40 degrees. Hot water must be at least 120 degrees 24 hours a day, every day of the year.

If these rules are not being followed, tenants can file a complaint with the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development by calling 311. If they live in a rent stabilized or rent controlled apartment, tenants can also apply for a rent reduction with the NYS Division of Housing and Community Renewal. The application form for a rent reduction is available in Assemblyman Dinowitz’s district office.

Tenants should keep good records of each time the required heat service is not maintained. “If you are not receiving proper heat, you should write down the inside and outside temperatures and the date and time of each occurrence. You can then file a complaint using this information,” said Assemblyman Dinowitz.

Assemblyman Dinowitz has prepared an easy to follow card with a chart to help people keep records. Constituents can receive the free card at his district office located at 3107 Kingsbridge Avenue (just off West 231st Street) or by calling 718-796-5345.

First Annual Riverdale Festival of the Arts Scheduled for Sunday, October 23rd

Local art advocates are organizing the first ever Riverdale Festival of the Arts. The events scheduled along with a summary of the artists performing or showing their work can be found below.

It should be a great event. Good luck to all the organizers working hard to make their vision a reality.

Gregory
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The Riverdale Festival of the Arts is kicking off its first Cultural Street Fair and Festival with Internationally renown musicians and artwork alongside local performers, troupes and artists.

It will held on Sunday, October 23rd, 2011 from 11 am – 4pm. The Festival will take place on West 256th Street (between Delafield and Mosholu Avenues) and on the grounds of Riverdale Neighborhood House (5521 Mosholu Avenue, Bronx NY).

The event is the brainchild of three Riverdale women bringing together their expertise in Art, Music, Community and Business. The leadership team is comprised of Lisa Cooper, Owner of Elisa Contemporary Art and Lisa Cooper Art Consulting, Linda Manning, founder of Linda Manning Productions, and Tracy Shelton, Executive Director, KRVC (Kingsbridge-Riverdale-Van Cortlandt Development Corporation).

Music
The event will kick off on-stage with live music performances from local and international talent across all genres. Jazz will be performed by the internationally acclaimed Tenor Saxophonist Eric Alexander and his trio, and Jazz and Blues Singer Alma Micic (originally from Serbia) backed up by her husband, Rale Micic (they currently own the Riverdale Music Studio). New York City’s Sweet Fix, an up and coming Rock band will be performing, as well as a classical wind ensemble from the Bronx Arts Ensemble.

Visual Arts
The visual arts will include interactive artwork, as well as exhibits from local and international artists, and art workshops. It is designed to engage the Riverdale Community — all ages — and bring to light the strong creativity and arts institutions within the area. Participating arts organizations include Derfner Judaica Museum + Art Collection at the Hebrew Home in Riverdale; Elisa Contemporary Art with an exhibit showcasing work from Canadian Artist, Franco DeFrancesca, Hawaii Mixed Media artist and Surfing Legend, Pete Cabrinha and Austin-based emerging artist, Allison Gregory; and Riverdale Art Assocation.

Art projects will be led by Scribble Art Workshop and the Riverdale Y.

Local Artists will include Adam Shultz debuting a new large praxinoscope with internet inspired emoticons, Abstract artist Barbara Laube, and Korean artist Nu Ryu. Photographer Arnie Adler, will continue has current series, 1,000 Faces of Riverdale.

Theater
The day will also include additional performances by Riverdale Repertory Company and Riverdale Children's Theater.

What: Riverdale Festival of the Arts
When: Sunday, October 23, 2011 from 11 am to 4pm
Where: 256th Street (between Delafield and Mosholu Avenues) and on the grounds of Riverdale Neighborhood House (5221 Mosholu Avenue) Riverdale NY
Website: www.RiverdaleFestivaloftheArts.com