Snowblind

Today New York City sits under the heaviest snow on record. We surpassed 1947’s record snowfall of 26.4 with 26.9 inches. That’s a lot of inches. And it’s still snowing.

I’m holed up in my apartment in Inwood, thankful I had enough food in my refrigerator to preclude a trip to the supermarket. At this point it would be easier to hunt small game out of the lobby windows of my building, as Inwood Hill Park is right across the street. I’ve seen raccoons at night and I bet the ones we’ve got here in the city are rip and fat and good for eating. The raccoons would probably not be out though; they plan better for snowstorms than the rest of us city dwellers.

Last night, as the snow began to accumulate, I made some snowballs and threw them at my friends. My days of expert snowball making and throwing are well behind me and I am out of practice.

Freedom from Religion

This is considered the most offensive cartoon on the planet right now. Muslims have killed innocent people for this cartoon, burned down Danish diplomatic offices in Lebannon, and logged thousands of death threats against the cartoonist and publisher of this work. I offer it here in solidarity with those who oppose fundamentalist Islam and all other ignorant ideologies.

Barbarians at the Second Avenue Deli

In my latest column, I lament the destruction of our fair city by greedy landlords. New York is slowly being turned into a Disney-esque disgrace. There are city blocks with multiple Starbucks at the same time that live music venues, neighborhood bars and anything with history or character is torn down and paved over in the name of “progress.”

McHale’s on 8th Avenue and 46th Street is the latest casualty in this war against culture and character. A successful bar and restaurant, it had some of the best burgers in the city. It attracted all kinds of people and was my preferred place to eat in midtown/Hell’s Kitchen. It was where I met my girlfriend and where I interviewed such interesting people as the High Priest of the Church of Satan and Suicide Girl Debra Jean Danger.

One issue I don’t touch on in this column, because it’s worth a column all its own, is the plan to build a new Yankee Stadium and tear down the House that Ruth Built. Not only will this plan build a stadium over park land that has fewer seats for fans, but this will all be done with millions of our tax dollars. I’m a Yankee fan, that doesn’t mean I want to be raped by George Steinbrenner. This plan would do just that to all New York City taxpayers.