On Tuesday, January 20th, the Inauguration will mark the end of an error and the start of an exciting new chapter in American history.

The weekend before, on the eve of Martin Luther King Day, join NYC's progressive party people for a dancing, drinking, delirious joy.

The Living Liberally Inaugural Ball.

Sunday, January 18th - 8pm

Rush - 6th Avenue @ 16th Street

Three floor dance party; special guests; drink specials all night and the first drink on us; the Inaugural energy right here in New York.

This party is 18+ - BRING ID for entrance and to be served (21+). Also note: Rush is CASH ONLY. (Attire is whatever you make of it -- there will be people in suits and gowns, and others dressed down to get down)

We'll also be "Feeding Liberally" -- that is, collecting food for local foodbanks as part of a national Drinking Liberally effort to donate to pantries across the country, and in honor of President-Elect Obama's National Day of Service. So bring your dancing shoes and a few canned good for the Food Bank of NYC.
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Where have they've been keeping this John McCain?

McCain on Letterman :

"I screwed up, what can I say? What can I say!"

"I haven't had this much fun since my last interrogation."

Best. Line. Ever.

And here's McCain at last night's Al Smith's Dinner. It's like a the Friar's Club Roast but  with a bunch of politicians and Catholic'istas and so, allegedly without the profanity.

Part One : Where he announces firing all his staff and replacing them with "Joe The Plumber"

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Harlem4Obama (H4O) fundraising event. Double-decker bus tour embarks from Times Square, and ends at Harlem's famed eatery, Sylvia's Restaurant.

Tickets: Advance $35, or $50 at the bus.

Meet CD15 delegates for Obama: Michelle Cruz & Michael Washington. Michelle began LatinasforObama, and Michael headed up HarlemforObama. We need to get them to Denver!

FLYER (includes contact phone number)

RSVP (on MyBO website)

City Room notes a small blast, believed to come from an improvised explosive device, at the recruiting station in Times Square at 3:43 AM this morning.

(Image: © The Daily Gotham)

New York City police officers and firefighters cordoned off much of Times Square for more than two hours after a small explosion — set off, the authorities said, by an “improvised explosive device” — damaged the front of the Armed Forces Career Center on the traffic island bounded by 43rd and 44th Streets, Seventh Avenue and Broadway at 3:43 a.m., officials said. No one was injured, and after a temporary interruption, subway service was restored.

Most traffic around Times Square was allowed to pass by 6:45 a.m., after vehicles had been diverted for more than two hours. City officials confirmed that police had initially blocked off the area as a precaution to ensure that there was no secondary device or other threat; the officials emphasized that they did not believe anyone was in danger.

Police officers at the scene said the explosion blew a hole through the front door of the recruiting station, which is at the northern end of the structure.

Members of the Joint Terrorism Task Force, the large Police Department and F.B.I. unit that investigates terrorism, were at the scene of the blast, supporting the Police Department’s Bomb Squad, which along with other police detectives likely will take the lead role in investigating the incident, an F.B.I. official said. The official said that in today’s attack, a man in a gray hooded sweatshirt was seen leaving the scene on a bicycle.

What's interesting, obviously, is the blog reaction on the right; it's gleeful.
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Alright, I'm amused. The publicity agents for Equinox, an upmarket chain of gyms, email over, breathlessly, as follows:

It's been politics, politics, and more politics lately (with a little NY Giants thrown in) [Ed. note: Yes, that's what we do], so I thought you and your readers might be interested in a very different type of NY event: Equinox's scandalous - almost pornographic - nuns ad is coming to the city this week for 3 days only.

Have you seen the controversial print yet? It features a group of sexy nuns sketching a nude male model in a figure drawing class, a la Michelangelo's David. Some people are in an uproar - I personally think the whole thing amusing (but hey, I'm a liberal New Yorker)

Now, speaking merely for myself, I'm a big believer in the idea that the world needs more sculpted, naked flesh adorning the public space. What's amusing to me is that what is obviously, transparently, a ploy to garner free media - and what better way is there to do that than mixing religion and sex? - has seemingly aroused the ire of the usual suspects.

Memo to Bill Donohue: The reason people run campaigns like this is precisely to cause the reaction you infallibly deliver.

Memo to advertisers: Want press? Hire some models, dress them in ecclesiastical garb and leave one of them naked - no nipples or genitalia, please, since you're not nearly daring enough to risk condemnation from the Four As. Proceed to write steamy press release congratulating yourself on being all edgy, daring and shit, while all the prudes - in New York City, sure, whatever - supposedly froth. Bingo, get press.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg used his first public appearance since announcing switching from the Republican Party to being an independent, a press conference celebrating the alleged success of his 311 program, to showcase his policy creativity to the media.

Bloomberg's aware that his leaving the Republican Party would confirm to the media, his current constituents and potential presidential voters, that he's pursuing an independent Presidential candidacy, despite saying wink, wink, I'm not running, and knew the world would be watching his first appearance after making public his official political independence. This is why Bloomberg is using a press conference honoring 311, a program that he is particularly but unjustifiably proud of, as the location of his personal Presidential Debutante Ball.

Bloomberg hoped touting 311 success would perpetuate the myth that he's a non-partisan problem solver. But the emperor has no clothes. 311 is useless.
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