Making a getaway in a three-piece suit

You may have read the article in the New York times today about the man who escaped his holding cell by simply walking out of the 100 Centre Street criminal courthouse wearing a three-piece suit.  Ronald Tackman, who has been in and out of prison most of his life and has had numerous brushes with the law, [...]

Bloomberg Gets His Wish: 29 to 22 to extend term limits

Just when you thought that the world was coming back to order again, there is this.  The New York City council voted to extend term limits from two to three.  Forget that New York City voters voted on this very issue, not once, but twice . . . flatly, expressly, and unequivocally rejecting proposals to [...]

The Next Little Thing (Or Rich People Hobbies)

This morning, you may have read the article in the New York Times, “The Next Little Thing,” about a movement where people build tiny houses — generally defined as less than 1000 square feet and, in some cases, less than 100.  Most of these people maintain their big houses elsewhere and, on the weekends or when they [...]

Tatum O’Neal Busted For Cocaine Possession (And The Inequalities of Drug Treatment Programs)

Famed actress Tatum O’Neal was busted Sunday night for purchasing a couple bags of cocaine in the Lower East Side.  O’Neal was nabbed in what narcotics police call an “observation sale.”  In an “observation sale” operation, as opposed to a “buy and bust” operation, police do not use undercover police officers to purchase drugs but instead, observe drug [...]

New York Recognizes Gay Marriage Solemnized In Other States; Republicans Scramble

New York Governor David Paterson yesterday ordered state agencies to recognize same-sex marriages solemnized in other jurisdictions, such as in California.  The governer’s decision was based on New York’s long standing “marriage recognition rule.”  What is the “marriage recognition rule”?  For over one hundred years, New York has recognized marriages solemnized outside of New York unless they fall into [...]

Governor Spitzer Linked To Prostitution Ring (Or The Governor Who Almost Was But Now Is Just a Jerk Off)

Breaking — When I heard the news about forty-five minutes ago, I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Governor Spitzer, New York’s great hope of reforming politics as usual in Albany, has been linked to a high-priced prostitution ring. 
For those of you who are not from New York, Governor Spitzer had an almost mythic status as [...]

Caseworkers for ACS: One of the hardest jobs on the planet

Caseworkers for child welfare agencies across the nation, like New York City’s Administration for Children Services, have one of the hardest and most thankless jobs on the planet:  to fight tirelessly to protect the best interest of a child in an abusive family. Despite the laudable goal of their job, words like “caseworker,” “children services,” or “child protection” [...]