Although the Occupy Wall Street protestors claimed that they were the 99% – railing against the 1% who they claim ruined the country, these miscreants showed much about their beliefs, and we believe how they would prefer this city, as well as the United States to be run during their time in Zuccotti Park. No personal responsibility seemed to be one of the things that they were fighting for the strongest in many ways. Firstly, the “we will make our own laws internally” an example of which consisted of berating somebody who was involved in a rape of another Occupy Wall Street protestor, and throwing them out of the crowd. Yeah – Great punishment. I’m sure the victim in that one feels justice was served. Another example of the general lack of wanting to take personal responsibility comes from some of the demands by the Occupy Wall Street crowd. “We should not have to pay for our student loans” was a constant demand. Uhhhh – ok, so everybody else – meaning the working taxpayers should carry the burden of these “educated” folks – who would have been better served if their degree

As the occupiers like this one depart, New York City will show a marked increase in IQ scores.

was in Drinking and General Partying instead of something really educated – like Philosophy of the ancients. I wonder about the parents why the parents failed that poor student – permitting them to accept a lifelong debt, without a skill that could actually be of use!

Another of the beliefs shown by the Occupiers was the general disrespect for the small business owners in the neighborhood. Demanding free food, demanding use of the restrooms for bathing – and heavens forbid the business owner protested, they could expect their place of business to be genearlly destroyed in “protest.”

Again, we applaud you Mike Bloomberg – you finally took a stand, and realized that this WAS most certainly not about allowing people their first amendment rights, it was about a group of professional (I use this word VERY loosely – although many of the protestors were paid by the Unions in New York City!) miscreants who wished to wreak havoc in our city, and other cities across the United States without any message – or purpose, except to cry about how unfair life is.

Go back to occupying your mother’s basement Occupy Wall Street crowd – and maybe after you are done llicking your self inflicted wounds you will look happily at the great accomplishment of your worthless college degree as you get yourself ready to go to work in a job you qualify for. Practice this line VERY carefully, I know – it’s that icky reading but here goes “would you like fries with that?”

Sergio Mitre traded to the Milwaukee Brewers

As spring training continues for the New York Yankees, it appears that they are coming closer to deciding who will be in their starting rotation come opening day. Based on a report on MLB.com Yankee fans can rest assured that Sergio Mitre will not be a Yankee any longer as he was traded today to the Milwaukee Brewers for Outfielder Chris Dickerson.

The newest player to wear the uniform of the New York Yankees - Dickerson, 28, has appeared in 173 games over three seasons with the Cincinnati Reds (from 2008-10) and the Milwaukee Brewers ( in 2010), and has compiled a .267 batting average in 454 at-bats with eight home runs and 35 runs batted in in his career and is a left-handed hitter. He is seen to be insurance for starting outfielder Curtis Granderson, who strained his oblique muscle and may not be ready to play on opening day next Thursday against the Detroit Tigers.

The Brewers, who are picking up Mitre’s salary of $900,000, and have hopes that he will be a viable opion as a starting pitcher as their pitching staff has had several key injuries during spring training, including their ace Zack Grienke who suffered a broken rib during spring training.

It is felt by many Yankee fans that Mitre, who is 30 years old, was never really capable of pitching for the Yankees going 0-3 with one save and a 3.33 ERA last season, and probably should have been relegated to selling popcorn in the bleachers at the stadium. After a relatively good start this spring, he pitched to his norm in his last appearance, allowing two home runs to the Orioles in Sarasota on Tuesday. Career wise Mitre has been a disapointment as well – at best a fill in pitcher when no other arm was available  – Mitre is 13-29 with a 5.27 ERA in seven seasons with the Cubs, Marlins and Yankees. Mitre has proven to be at best a pitcher you get when you have no other options available.

Mitre’s departure clears the way for both Bartolo Colon and Freddie Garcia to make the team, although it is unclear who will get the starting job and who will be assigned to the bullpen for long relief/spot starting duty, as the Yankees continue to scrape the barrel for pitching this season, also signing former All-Star Pitcher Kevin Millwood to a Minor League contract last week. How well this mess of assembled has been arms can actually stand up through the 2011 season at Yankee Stadium is questionable at best – and continues to keep Yankee fans wondering what this season will bring – will there be a surprise or two – or will the season go as it seems it will – miserably!

Patrick Colon - son of Salsa legend Willie Colon was arrested Thursday on charges of possession of child porrnography.

According to several news reports – including the New York Daily News and the New York Post, Patrick Colon, the 21-year-old son of salsa legend Willie Colon was arrested on child pornography charges March 24th. Colon was arrested in his New Rochelle home after detectives found pictures of children engaged in sex acts on his computer, according to the Westchester District Attorney’s Office.

Westchester County District Attorney Janet DiFiore announced that Patrick Colon, 21, was charged March 24th 2011  by Felony Complaint with one count of Promoting a Sexual Performance by a Child, a class “D” Felony, one count of Possessing an Obscene Sexual Performance by a Child, a class “E” Felony, for possessing and file-sharing illegal and obscene performances of sexual conduct by children less than sixteen and seventeen years of age.

Patrick Colon – has been employed as an Information Specialist (at a reported $12 per hour!) with NYC Inc. – the NYC tourism board’s webite, has been released on $2,500 bail. He is due back in court on March 24.

Officials say 13 people died when a tour bus flipped onto its side and skidded into a sign post on Interstate 95 south in the Bronx borough of New York early on Saturday morning. Photo Credit:AP

13 people aboard a Worldwide Tour tour bus were killed this morning, and at least 17 were injured in an accident on Interstate 95 this morning.

The Worldwide Tour bus skidded on its side into a sign pole on the southbound side of Interstate 95 at Exit 14 for the Hutchinson Parkway. The sign post sheared off the top of the bus along the window line, nearly two-thirds the length of the vehicle.

A New York Fire Department spokesman said a tour bus overturned on the New England Thruway near the Westchester County line at about 5:30 am on Saturday.

A spokesman for Worldwide bus tours stated the bus was carrying 31 to 33 passengers. He says in addition to the fatalities, six passengers were critically injured and four have been transported to hospitals.The spokesman says 11 others sustained minor injuries.

The bus was on its way from the Mohegan Sun casino in Connecticut to Manhattan’s Chinatown, has shut down traffic in all southbound lanes of Interstate 95 between Boston Post Road exit 15 and Hutchinson River Parkway exit 14.

The bus flipped over, slid on its side, hit a light pole,’ a fire department spokesman was quoted as saying. ‘The light pole stood intact and sheared the whole top of the bus off. It went through the whole bus from front to rear.’

Pick and Eat - Fast, Fresh, Healthy!

After what seemed an eternity for New York City time, Pick and Eat (Fresh, Natural, Fast) finally opened a few weeks ago at 4179 Broadway (177th and Broadway). I had walked past this place many times goofing on the name with my daughters. Now, like many men, I listen to my wife’s taste in restaurants somewhat – as we have what can be called mildly different tastes in food. Especially when a restaurant advertises itself with a slogan “Smart choices for smart health” I hesitate! So when my wife told me that I had to check out Pick and Eat, I took it literally with a grain of salt.

I have to say, the wife was very right about this place. Last week she sent me and my daughter in there to pick up a salad for her, and all I can say is wow.

Very nice restaurant. The staff – I spoke with Ralph the manager – very nice friendly guy as well as the owner Alex Peralta – also a great personable guy. A great thing at Pick and Eat it seemed like all working there were friendly not only with their customers, both dining in and taking out, but with each other. It’s nice to go to a relaxing place to eat, and that only happens when there is camaraderie and a good working morale between the employees. Pick and Eat definitely has it.

Brightly lit, with light green tones, this restaurant has a cool but mellow atmosphere, conducive to sitting, relaxing and actually enjoying your food. The menu is sure to please varied tastes, and from the minute you walk in the smell of “good food” is around. Not an overpowering smell of cooking, but a nice light smell, pleasing to say the least.

Restaurant with consideration towards “Green Design”

For those interested in “green design” – Pick and Eat incorporates all LED lighting (uses 60 Watts/per month!), re-claimed wood for the custom made bar and tables and will feature and outdoor café come the warm weather.  Oh- the street facing wall is all glass, which makes for a natural light & bright main service area.

Friendly, relaxing restaurant in Washington Heights – with an awesome selection of Healthy, Organic Foods

Pick and Eat is a quick service restaurant that prepares all the food on its premises from start to finish - On the menu are authentic wood oven pizzas;

Healthy and tasty "Salmon Burger" from Pick and Eat - Always prepared fresh and to order! Photo Credit: King Yip

 Salads – create your own, from a wide variety of ingredients; Panini’s; burgers (both meat and vegetarian) and excellent sandwiches; a full natural juice bar – fresh squeezed, green, “nutritious booster” mixes, and smoothies/shakes. The food selection considers organic – as well as top quality including free range, hormone & anti-biotic free turkey, chicken & grass fed Angus beef.  The salmon and shrimp are also cooked fresh. They use locally produced fruits & vegetables whenever available.

Pick and Eat also has a variety of organic wines and beer – for their happy hour which runs from 5-9pm Monday through Friday. They also have a decent Breakfast/brunch menu which is all made to order daily from 6am-11am with a nice selection of omelets, bagels, griddle cakes and gluten free cereals…and you can get your morning caffeine fix with their organic coffee as well – which is actually excellent!

A couple other niceties about Pick and Eat are lower level and nice size upper “loft style” seating area which is child and baby friendly with high chairs and sofa seating and — TV’s, a big screen TV at the bar for watching the game, free wifi and delivery by calling 212-795-0054. Their website http://www.mypickandeat.com is not live yet, but I have been assured that it will be up shortly.

Stop by Pick and Eat - Owner Alex Peralta and all staff are very welcoming! Smiles are Free!

Should you grab a bite at Pick and Eat?

I have to say, yes, my wife found a restaurant we will both enjoy with Pick and Eat, and I believe you will really enjoy this place as well. The variety of foods as well as the atmosphere and friendliness interests me most. As a comparison to Pick and Eat, I might consider Hot and Crusty on the Upper West or Upper East Side – but Pick and Eat is above and beyond both for food quality, and feel of the restaurant in general. Unlike Hot and Crusty’s there is space to move – and a nice mellow, calming environment to eat in. They make you feel welcome here. I give Pick and Eat my highest recommendation if you are looking for a varied menu, with good healthy food in Washington Heights – a major win in food diversification for the WAHI foodie crowd. I will be back, and hope to see you there!

If you are on twitter – follow Pick and Eat for specials and other news at @pickandeat

Tiki Barber - announces he would like to come out of retirement!

of seeing if I can get back to the level of where I was. I started working out again recently. It kind of shocked myself. I still had a lot of the strength I had before. I’m really looking forward to making a return.”

Tiki Barber – who played all 10 of his professional seasons with the New York Giants, retired after leading the Giants with 1,662 yards rushing and over 2,000 yards from scrimmage in 2006. In his final 3 seasons with the Giants he ran for a total of 5,040 and had over 10,000 yards over his career. Tiki still holds many New York Giants team rushing records including:

• Longest touchdown run – 95 yards December 31,2005 vs the Oakland Raiders
• Most Rushing Touchdowns, Career: 55
• Most Rushing Attempts, Season: 357, 2005 season
• Most Rushing Attempts, Career: 2,217
• Most 100 Yard Games, Season: 9, 2004 season
• Most 200 Yard Games, Season: 3, 2005 season
• Most Rushing Yards, Single Game: 234 yards, December 30, 2006 vs. the Washington Redskins
• Most Rushing Yards, Season: 1,860 yards, 2005 season
• Most Rushing Yards, Career: 10,449 yards
• Most Total Yards, Season: 2,390 yards, 2005 season
• Most 1,000 Yard Seasons: 6
• Yards Per Carry, Career: 4.7
• Most Total Yards, Game: 276 (203 rushing yards, 73 receiving yards), December 28, 2002 vs. the Philadelphia Eagles
• Most Total Yards (Rushing, Receiving, Returns and Fumble Yardage), Career: 17,359
• Most Yards From Scrimmage (Rushing and Receiving), Career: 15,632
• Highest Average 100+ yards from scrimmage per game, Career (min: 150 games): 101.5

Tiki Barber and his brother Ronde Barber

After retiring from the Giants, Tiki began his second career as an NFL broadcast personality, although this stage of his new career ended in 2010 when NBC dropped him from his contributor’s role on NBC’s The Today Show. He was quietly let go in May 2010 by the network after his contract was not renewed by NBC earlier that year. He also had various other TV appearances during this second career.

Until recently, Barber lived in New York City with his wife, fellow University of Virginia alumna Ginny Cha, whom he married on May 15, 1999. On April 5, 2010, just two days shy of his 35th birthday, it was announced that he and his wife were separating after 11 years of marriage. They have two sons, A.J. (Atiim Kiambu Junior), born July 8, 2002, and Chason, born March 18, 2004 and twin daughters born May 24, 2010. Reports surfaced that Barber had left his pregnant wife for a much younger woman, 23-year-old former NBC intern Traci Lynn Johnson, with whom he had had a long-standing extra-marital affair.

Barber has authored seven illustrated children’s books with his twin brother Ronde Barber who recently Ronde, re-signed with the Buccaneers for a 15th season. Their books include:
(Available by clicking the links below!)

By My Brother’s Side (2004)
Game Day (2005)
Teammates (2006)
Kickoff! (2007)
Go Long! (2008)
Wild Card (2009)
Red Zone (2010)

Barber has also authored two books of his own:
(Available by clicking the links below!)
Tiki: My Life in the Game and Beyond - his Autobiography, cowritten by Gil Reavill.
Tiki Barber’s Pure Hard Workout: Stop Wasting Time and Start Building Strength and Muscle - which reveals Barber’s intensive lifting program. The book is coauthored by his trainer, Joe Carini.

Where Tiki will end up, and if the NFL allows him to come out of retirement and play his swan song is a totally different story. Many people believe that despite his advanced age for a running back – Tiki Barber is 36 years old, the fact that he has been working out, and not playing may allow him to play like a man younger than he actually is. With the experience that he brings, and his winning attitude we believe he will be a valuable addition to many NFL teams. However, because of his ongoing feud with Giants Quarterback Eli Manning, which started while Tiki was a broadcaster, unless they can bury their respective hatchets we do not see Tiki making a triumphant return to the Giants…although stranger things have happened!

- Steve

Quoted from Sarah Wu – Originally on http://iluvrini.com/

Left: Rini at the ER Table, Right: Her paw prints the vet made after her passing

An ambulette driver who worked for Sinai Van Service Inc., ran over my family’s dog, Rini, and killed her. He subsequently drove away from the scene of the accident when my mom asked him to stop.

This has devastated my family and we feel the pain of the loss every day since the accident. And to add insult to injury, we’ve gotten little or no help from the police, lawyers or the court system. We’ve faced indifference at almost every turn and even contempt in a few cases.

My mother has bipolar disorder and it was about two years ago that I bought her a pug. In a short amount of time I could see how Rini brought so much love into my mom’s life. My sisters and I also fell in love with her immediately. My mom spent almost every waking moment with Rini and I could see her living life more positively and happily.

On February 26 of this year, a white ambulette ran over Rini. She got run over once and possibly twice without stopping. My mom heard Rini scream violently twice. Rini was bleeding badly and my mom picked her up in a panic. A witness offered to hold her and told my mom to run down the white van and confront the driver so she did that. She knocked on the driver’s side window to tell the driver to stop. He opened the window and my mom told him that he ran over her dog and that he needed to stop. The driver said that the dog wasn’t his problem in Chinese and then started to drive off. My mom was holding on to the driver’s side door and didn’t want the driver to get away. As the omnibus drove off she was pulled alongside it. As the ambulette accelerated she couldn’t hold on any longer and fell to the ground hurting herself.

My mom called the police but they never sent anyone over to the scene of the accident.

Incidentally, the witness who was holding the dog saw a police car and managed to flag him down. The witness spoke to the police and described what happened. In the meantime Rini was bleeding and suffering badly. The police officer said he could not do anything for my mom or Rini because she was just “property” and not a person. My mom took Rini to the vet to try to save her life. The police later told us that they couldn’t file a police report because my mom left the scene of the accident but what was she supposed to do when her dog was bleeding to death? The police officer could not drive the dog to the vet and would not even offer help to catch a cab for my mom. The witness’s husband was kind enough to drive Rini and my mom to the vet.

At the vet, mom my got in contact with the Forest Hills police to see if they could help but they told her that she had to contact the Flushing Police Precinct (#109). She visited the Flushing police with her friend as the vet performed surgery to fix Rini. The Flushing police would not help her fill out the accident report and could only give her the ambulette’s registration and insurance information based on the license plate number caught in the photo.

Rini’s pelvis was broken in half and her guts spilled out below where her belly is. Her lung was heavily inflamed because of the trauma and it was filling up with blood. The vet was able to bind her pelvis together but he couldn’t stop the internal bleeding. It was so painful to watch her suffering on the operating table with tubes in her mouth and her breathing heavily. She died early the next morning even though the vet did everything he could to save her.

This loss was hard on everyone but especially my mom. She was completely devastated and the trauma triggered her bipolar disorder. My mom still feels the pain of her loss every moment.

We took my mom to the hospital the day after the accident because she was feeling pain in her body from the fall. She had pain in her back, legs and she had a headache. Although it technically wasn’t a hit and run, the driver was reckless and put my mom in danger by driving off.

A witness took this photo of the Sinai Van Service ambulette’s license plate

We went back to Flushing Police Precinct 109 3 more times to try to get a police report filed. We were met with indifference and contempt from the lady in the office.

She was very rude and cut us off when we tried to explain what had happened. The second time we were there she told us to leave the office because we “needed to leave.” When we went back the next day one of the police sergeants came out and spoke to us. He was kind but could not offer us any help other than hand us an accident report form for us to fill out. We filed this out and mailed it the next day. We went back the third time to get some more information and the lady sneered at us, “Even if the police commissioner was here it wouldn’t help you.” That was a very hurtful thing to say and completely unnecessary.

We also went to the Civil Court to inquire about filing a civil suit against the driver or his company – Sinai Van Service Inc.

Even if we submit a summons we don’t have any lawyer to represent us. We contacted the NYC Bar Referral but they told us that most lawyers are only interested in cases that are a minimum amount of $20,000. All we want is to find the guy who killed our dog and nothing else.

Rini (pictured here) deserves justice too!

We’ve looked everywhere for help but it seems like no one can help us.

This whole experience taught me that animals have very few rights and if someone kills your dog then they can get away with it without even a slap on the wrist. Sinai Van Service refuses to help us identify the driver of the car. They said that without a police report they would not do anything for us. But it is their driver who killed our dog and fled the scene. The police said they won’t file a police report so we have hit a dead end. I feel like we will never get the closure that we seek as the driver will forever remain protected and blameless in the eyes of the law. We just want justice and closure.

If you know any lawyers in NYC or media that is willing to help us please let me know. And please pass on the story to all your friends and pet lovers.
I can be contacted at iqtsarah@yahoo.com Attn to Sarah Wu.”

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Donald Trump for President - of the Mets?

According to a report Tuesday by the New York Times, if the Wilpons are interested in selling a majority stake in the Mets, they have a potential buyer in … Donald Trump. Yes, Donald Trump is possibly interested in buying the Mets, but only as a majority stakeholder.

As recently as two weeks ago Trump phoned the Mets principal owner Fred Wilpon to arrange a meeting to discuss a possible deal, he told the paper. The meeting, according to Trump has not happened yet.

There have been several possible buyers that have expressed interest in the team after Wilpon stated a few weeks ago that they are seeking to sell off a minority interest – up to 25% of the team, as a “silent partner.” The Wilpons have fallen into a rough situation as of late, recently being dragged into a major lawsuit regarding dealings that they had with Bernie Madoff and his Ponzi scheme.

“The Wilpons are friends of mine, and I really hope it works out great for them,” Trump said on Tuesday, referring to Wilpon’s desire to sell just a minority share. “But if anything doesn’t work out for them, I’d be interested in the team.”

A pro sports team would be a completely new place for Trump to tread, although there have been comparisons made between Trump and the late George Steinbrenner. I could imagine Trump giving Oliver Perez the classic one liner – “You’re Fired!” There would be some crazy one-line headlines in our local rags once again.

One does have to wonder though how bored Trump must be, at the current time he is also quoted as considering a run for president of the United States as well, recently participating in CPAC 2011. He is definitely looking for a new challenge.

As far as the Mets, neither the Mets team nor the Wilpons have confirmed nor denied the call or Trump’s possible interested in buying the team.