Happy 2016 To All Those Plotting Criminals!

So it’s 2016 and you’ve vowed to make the same changes in your life that you probably made years ago. You want to lose weight, have more patience, get a new job, be a “better” something to someone, or you want to contribute more time to doing something that you neglected in 2015.

Personally, I don’t believe in New Year’s “resolutions.” It’s great that we change the calendar to a “new year” in January – but for some of us, a “new year” can begin at ANY time, when something has changed in our lives or when something has catapulted us to make a change in how we conduct ourselves on a daily basis.

My personal “new year” began the day I started running. I vowed, after I ran my first 5K, that I would commit my days to reaching even more personal goals of completing more races in 2016 and training to run harder and faster as the year progressed – and this was a decision I made in the summer of 2015. I didn’t need to make a promise to myself or resolve to “become a better person” because the calendar said I should…I just DID IT without any time-oriented constraints, starting points or motivation.

Seriously, why bother making a psychological resolution that you haven’t even tried to begin without the calendar telling you when to start improving your life? Let’s get real!

Most people don’t stick to their resolutions and when you look at how things are going in the city – in a downward spiral – it’s obvious that we need to make resolutions that are realistic, tangible and less selfish.

I yawn every time politicians and civic leaders stand at a microphone or podium and say we “have to do something – NOW!” to stop the gun violence – or whatever other type of horror exists in their neighborhoods.

Wanna bet 2016 will be fueled with more of these press releases and rhetorical demands that haven’t prevented gang violence from taking someone’s life? The criminals are the ones who need to make better resolutions – to keep the public safe and to keep themselves out of the slammer!

How about gang members and thugs, who get their hands on firearms, making some conscious resolutions? Here’s what those punks need to say: “I resolve not to pop a cap in someone’s a** this year!”… Or: “My New Year’s resolution is to not purchase an illegal weapon and ruin a family’s life because I have an irrational way of dealing with my frustrations…” How about: “I resolve to enroll in an anger management program – or do something with myself that’s more constructive than murdering someone.”

I’ve got another suggestion – all those motorists who recklessly operate a vehicle without a valid license or those who feel the need to mow someone down by speeding or driving while intoxicated – YOU need to make some real resolutions!!! Say things like: “I resolve to not get into a car while I’m under the influence, subsequently risking my life and others…” or: “In 2016, I will FINALLY adhere to the rules of the road…” and, “This year, I’m not gonna commit a hit-and-run that will make the front page of the Canarsie Courier.”

Someone has to put the “solution” in “resolution” – and it’s usually the good-hearted people with a few selfish “improvements” they want to make in their own lives that really have no bearing on anyone else’s safety or well-being. The bad guys will probably start 2016 by planning their next hit, their next theft or their next slaying. Is that anyway to “start over?”

Maybe all of those irrational criminals simply aren’t motivated to stay out of jail. Maybe all of those gun smugglers have no intention of saving someone’s life by ceasing their operations. Most of these heartless punks do the opposite – they resolve to wipe out their enemies and make 2016 an even MORE violent year so they can make the news! How committed they must be!

While many resolutions are self-centered – yet attainable and briefly carried out – they’re not enough to change the tragic events that plague our community - and the city - year after year.  Come on…our personal resolutions aren’t preventing tragedies.

I know it’s a pipe dream, but those who are impulsively violent, deranged and have no regard for another human being’s life need to stop themselves from being destructive – in 2016 and beyond!

So, here’s to more violence making the front pages of the Canarsie Courier, and here’s to senseless criminals who have no idea what the “new year” is really all about.  Happy New Year!

A Problem So Microscopic You Even Won’t Notice It’s Been Banned!

Just "bead" it microbeads!!!

Ahhh…You get up to wash your face every day – I hope – and use some of the most refreshing products on the market to get that extra-clean feeling. Men, as opposed to women, might use a plain old bar of soap, but I’m sure most of you indulge in those highfalutin cleansers with tiny colorful beads that “scrub excess oil and dirt from your pores."

Ahhh….LOVE that feeling of tingling little beads that indicate they’re not just washing the dirt away – they’re really getting IN THERE and scrubbing your skin to perfection! Those microbeads aren’t just polishing your skin – they’re also clogging up the environment. Did you know that? Did you know that all of those plastic beads, when washed down the drain, are found in body washes, hand cleansers and even toothpastes? Did you know that they pose a risk to fish and cause ecological damage no one could ever imagine?

So…Who allowed these plastic particles to be mixed into products in the first place? When companies included micro-scrubbing beads in their products, didn’t they have to be FDA approved? I mean, let’s get real, you’re using those soaps and scrubs on your face and body! Is it really okay for us to use products on our skin with ingredients that aren’t dissolvable? How much more effective are microbeads when it comes to personal hygiene anyway?

I guess it doesn’t matter that we’ve been lathering up with these tiny bubbles for as long as we can remember – the damage is apparently done!

A few weeks ago, U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand announced a unanimous passage of a federal ban on products containing plastic microbeads (Microbead-Free Waters Act of 2015). Really? Is this something that in recent years came to table – after such products have been on the market for over a decade? I’m guessing it took this long to discover that hygiene products – containing those beads that are tinier-than-a-bullet – pose a threat to our environment.

In an April 2015 report released by Attorney General Eric Schneiderman’s office, microbeads were present in 74 percent of water samples taken from 34 municipal and private treatment plants across New York State. They also said that 19 tons of plastic beads wash down the drain each year and enter into our waterways. No, the reportedly “age defying” plastic pellets aren’t big enough to be captured while filtering through a wastewater plant.

Just think about it – and think about how much of your hard-earned tax dollars actually went to the state so that a study could be conducted on the amount of water that contains microbeads!

They’re not spending money on coming into our community to deal with ongoing flooding and they’re not spending half as much as they should to permanently solve issues like infrastructure and the deterioration of our roads – regardless of whether it’s city or state funds that need to be used for improvements!

Someone needs to pass legislation that makes it illegal to use sub-par materials when paving major highways like the Belt Parkway, which they foolishly fill with what appears to be coffee grinds! Hey – if microbeads have such a long life and aren’t biodegradable, maybe they should take all the little beads they’ve collected from our water supply and use THOSE to fill our endless potholes!

The state is still not doing anything when it comes to safeguarding our waterfront communities. Have you seen physical work actually being done – construction-wise – to repair eroding shorelines that Hurricane Sandy destroyed in Canarsie, Gerritsen Beach and other areas? With all of the money going to the Coast Guard and ecological “studies” on rebuilding marshes and “making our community more resilient” – what is physically being done right now to save our lives and homes for the long-term?

But I digress…

We’re worried about facial cleansers that are dangerous to the “long-term well-being” of the state. This captivating bill’s already heading to the President’s desk so he can scribble his initials and make our cleaning routines less bubblier than before!

I can understand if there was one company that recently came out with a product containing microbeads – but they’re hitting a slew of personal care items that should have been banned decades ago, knowing that anything plastic that goes down the drain doesn’t dissolve. DUH!

What’s next on the ban list – facial scrubs that contain fruit? Oh the poor pulverized fruit!!

We’re simply joining the dozens of other states – including California, where Gov. Jerry Brown recently passed the same legislation – who are jumping on the beadless bandwagon.

Whether you use products with plastic…pebbles…or even minerals to exfoliate those pores, your spa-like shower experience is about to come to an end.

Unedited and unpublished 12-18-2015

Hovering Over Some Dangerous Legislation

Predictions of what our lives would be like, according to “Back to The Future,” were projected on October 21st.  It’s interesting to see the technology and gadgetry that presently exists which “Back To The Future” didn’t even foresee.

These babies are HOT!

Interestingly enough, the hoverboard (or a similar version of the skateboard-like device) is one of the personal transportation modes showcased by the popular 1980s movie, which many enjoy in society today. Okay, so the hoverboards presently on the market don’t levitate feet above the ground and we won’t be cascading through the streets like we’re effortlessly surfing waves at the beach. It’s still an exciting looking Segway that’s – guess what – illegal!

Bronx City Councilman Andy King wants to make your “Back To The Future” fantasies come true…Somewhat! He recently told Channel 11 news that he’s interested in pushing to legalize these motorized marvels so that New Yorkers can ride them in certain recreational places such as parks and playgrounds.

Let’s get real…Residents already treat their cars, motorcycles and other modes of transportation recklessly! They’re speeding, trying to outrace another driver through an intersection and some even manage to overturn their cars while “making too sharp of a turn!” Gimme a break.  No one’s car - while traveling at the normal speed limit – completely flips over unless they’re attempting to turn their community into a NASCAR race!

Is it just me or do we have more accidents NOW involving motorcycles and cars than ever before? Even looking back at Canarsie Couriers from the 1980s when “Back To the Future” was popular, there weren’t nearly as many hit-and-runs and flipovers as there are now.

Regular bicycles, which are street legal, are already a hazard to those who pedal against traffic or into traffic – and cyclists have plenty of clear and open places they can trek for miles on end in our elusive city! While ATVs (all terrain vehicles) are not allowed on the streets, plenty of people get into accidents with these too. Just last May, in Gerritsen Beach, a man’s ATV overturned in the brush in the Marine Park ballfield. So what if it was illegal to operate? This “law” wouldn’t have prevented the man’s death!

I even took photos of an accident involving a man who was racing up East 92nd Street on his bike when he slammed into a driver’s open door. Witnesses at the scene told me the biker wasn’t paying attention to cars on the road – not even the ones that were parked. Something as simple as a bike ride could turn deadly – so let’s add hoverboards to the mix of fun things with wheels that will land us on a stretcher!

Let’s also take robberies into consideration. There are enough thugs and bad guys out there threatening teens for their bikes and scooters. Our youths are getting shot at for their gadgets and now officials will have the option of agreeing to legalize something that can lead to more crime?  Great!

How about the safety hazards of this thing? This month, an exploding hoverboard was allegedly to blame for a house fire in Louisiana. They’re not quite sure if there’s a component that overheated when charged inappropriately or if the fire was simply a result of it being a cheap version of the futuristic skateboard. People are probably going to buy the least expensive version of the hoverboard – not taking the safety risks into account. Us worry about safety? Please!

On another note, does it really matter if this two-wheeled wonder (or sometimes one-wheeled) is legalized for street use? People will continue to do as they wish and make headlines when they die a tragic death or wind up in traction for cruising dangerously on the self-balancing scooters.

Perhaps if hoverboards literally did hover above the ground – like in “Back To The Future,” we’d be able to divert ourselves from slamming into a moving object. We’d be able to float right over a car or motorcycle heading our way! A real hoverboard – that will enable us to take to the air at any given time – will also prevent our valuables from being stolen. Want to narrowly avoid that thug who’s harassing you?  Hover over him and aim for the sky!

I’m not impressed with the popularity of this dangerous gadget…Then again, this IS the future and we’re still crashing and burning in whatever stylish mode of transportation we choose.

Having/Fearing A Blast In New York City

Every few years, my friend Annette from Australia comes to visit. It's exciting for me – not only to see her and spend time with her face-to-face catching up on our lives, but it's also a chance for me to experience the city as a tourist.

Some of the places Annette and I enjoyed sightseeing over the past couple of weeks was The Highline – a defunct railroad that runs along midtown on the west side of the city. Now considered a public park, it's the perfect place to capture breathtaking views of the city.

We took plenty of photos by the Flatiron Building, Grand Central Terminal and Times Square – where thousands pass each day. Tourists take advantage of the sights and can't get enough of the buildings, the lights, the character of the city. Others, like myself, don't spend too much time thinking about the history of our city or appreciate the landmarks.

Safely enjoying NYC with Annette!

Sadly, the first Friday that Annette was in town the terror attacks took place in Paris. Even though the city's on alert all the time, I felt particularly vulnerable being there after the carnage that took place in such a romantic and enjoyable place overseas.

Ironically, one night when I was coming home from the city after a fun evening with Annette, there was a helicopter hovering over the 'L' train station. I didn't think much of it until I turned on the news to see that there'd been a shooting only moments before on Rockaway Parkway outside the train station (I exited the train station that day via the turnstile on Glenwood Road so I didn't see the entire remnants of the crime scene until later in the evening when I headed to the 69th Precinct Clergy Council meeting.)

More violence!

Some can say the “urban terrorism” going on in our community is due to targeted violence and vendettas or gang violence that results in innocent bystanders getting hit in the crossfire. So, would you rather be in Canarsie at midnight or Paris during the attacks? Targeted violence insinuates that something transpired between the victim and suspect before the violence took place.

In Paris? Innocent people who had nothing to do with their attackers – some who never committed a crime and all they wanted to do was enjoy an evening out at dinner, at a concert or at a soccer game – were terrorized and slaughtered without even being able to de-escalate the situation.

When I compared situations – in the grand scheme of things – I honestly felt a little less safe in a crowded place like Times Square, which seems like more of a terrorist target. A suicide bomber or active shooter would kill and injure hundreds of people – not one or two reckless thugs who wind up with a bullet in their torso from a drug deal gone wrong.

Kudos to the NYPD and its efforts at preparing officers to handle a terrorist attack. A few weeks ago, police officers took to the abandoned Bowery train station in Manhattan where terror drills were held. This training session was supposed to give officers a refresher in how to respond during an attack.

Let’s get real! You can train all sorts of units and special departments to “prepare” for a tragedy like 9/11 or the massacres in Paris, but what about civilians? My only problem with terrorism preparedness is that residents are not given or aware of regular seminars on what to do when shots ring out or a bomb goes off when they’re in a crowded city.

Unfortunately, at the core, there is no real way to prepare civilians or police for a real terrorist attack or mass shooting. Unless you’re living in a dream world, preventing violence like this is IMPOSSIBLE. Part of me feels that more money, aside from funds spent on training the NYPD to handle crisis situations, should be allocated to disseminating more information to tourists and civilians on staying safe when mass chaos breaks out.

Are YOU prepared if you’re enjoying a show at the Barclays Center and a bomb goes off? Sure, police are trained to evacuate and communicate to get everyone to safety, but how does an elderly woman know what to do when she’s being trampled while escaping an active shooter? What do we tell children to do?

Can we really spare hundreds of lives by training armies of officers in an empty train station?

We’re already unprepared to handle gun violence in our community – where do we run when a gang banger opens fire into a crowd or a barbecue trying to hit someone who ratted them out to police?

It’s gonna take a lot more than drills and dry-runs – which lack crowds of people that need to be ushered to safety – to make me feel secure ANYWHERE in our city. In a perfect world, we could all have a blast without worrying that a blast will take place.

They're Pouring Salt On Your Nutritional Wounds

Shopping for dinner usually means going to my local grocery store and picking up chicken to sauté in olive oil and seasonings. Rather than ordering in or stopping at some fast food joint for a quick bite, I prefer my own homemade meals. I even make my own tomato sauce with fresh tomatoes and garlic – with all of the acid and sodium in jarred sauce, my own recipe is a nice change from the ready-made stuff that plops out into a dish.

A sad day for sodium lovers...Or is it???

But wait! The Health Department is once again trying to make us feel guilty for enjoying food with a lot of salt. Last week the Health Department announced that on December 1st, food chains with 15 or more locations nationwide will be required to post icons next to items with 2,300 milligrams of sodium – the total recommended daily limit.

At the beginning of this announcement, health officials reminded us that: “High sodium intake can increase blood pressure and risk of heart disease.” Really? Tell me more! I had NO idea, after years of looking at that food pyramid and hearing about overweight people dying from heart attacks that foods high in sodium are killers!!! Thank you, Health Department, for the moment of enlightenment!

The sodium warning label rule is not only flimsy and useless, it will go ignored by hungry and unhealthy individuals who probably won’t look at the signs when they’re ordering their next Big Mac or combination plate, which probably contains double the amount of sodium they should be consuming in one day.

Chain restaurants can implement any rule set forth by the Health Department – what choice do they have? If they don’t comply, they could face a fine. Ohhhhhh nooooo!!! Putting up a damned sign? How difficult is that?

Health Commissioner Dr. Mary Bassett said it best in a recent press release: “The vast majority of adults in New York City consume more sodium than recommended, and too few understand the link between high sodium intake and hypertension, heart disease and stroke.”

Do you think the obese family sitting in a restaurant like Chili’s or Applebee’s cares about how much they consume during that big meal? You might as well go a step further and ask the servers to ONLY give that family, and any “unhealthy” looking customers, a diet-only menu! They’re only trying to help, right? Load on the fat, sugar, grease and other nasty things that make food taste so good!

Let’s get real! Creating a transparent menu or warning for the public without changing the actual food that’s being served allows patrons to load up on other crap that they shouldn’t be indulging in – especially if they already have health issues. What if a family sits down in one of those chain restaurants and orders a huge cake or fattening dessert? Can you make any of those sweet treats healthy?

Sure, you can try to make main dishes “healthy” but when you offer to “add bacon” or “add cheese” for another dollar, the delicious decision to up your sodium and fat intake shouldn’t be taken with a grain of salt! Even if the Health Department wants you to inadvertently see how you’re slowly killing yourself, are you really looking to change your diet for the better?

I completely disagree that, as the Health Department states, “knowledge will lead to a decreased purchase and consumption of certain products.” It does NOT take a genius – or an ignorant person who can’t even translate a nutrition label – to realize that eating processed foods is just no good!

We also need to take into account that every person’s body is different and different age groups can consume different amounts of unhealthy nutrients. How will everyone know if the “average allowance” posted in a restaurant pertains to them?

My diet comprises a lot of carbs, protein and some fats. Hey, I could afford to splurge a little on the junk food! While I might inadvertently consume too much sodium during the course of the day, I also know it’s important to add healthy foods to my diet, like bananas and salads. Do you think people who taint their body with too much salt take the time to balance out their diet? Why did former mayor Mike Bloomberg try so hard to limit how much sugary drinks we consume when we’re out? The unconstitutional idea was overturned and is proof that you can’t force anyone to care about their health.

Have doubts or worries about how much sodium you’re consuming? The superstition says throwing salt over your shoulder wards off bad luck. Maybe you can prevent bad luck AND bad health by ditching those salty foods too!