Thursday, May 31, 2012

Nanny Bloomberg Is At It Again With Sugar Soda Smackdown

Mayor Mike Bloomberg is bored again. Whenever that happens, count on another Nanny State law taking away civil rights from the residents of New York. He's obviously still pouting because his last attempt to tax sugar sodas was laughed out of the legislature.

But this time our closeted Queen Dictator is making sure he has the last laugh. On the table:

* From now on, all 20,000 restaurants that are graded by the city health Department, as well as food carts, movie theaters, sports stadiums and arenas can only sell 16-ounce sugary drinks.

* Large sugary coffee and tea confections are out unless they have 51%  milk.

* Stores that allow customers to draw their own drinks won’t be allowed to stock cups larger than 16 ounces.


So far, there are no restrictions on diet sodas or beverages with less than 25 calories per ounce. The fine for daring to go against NYC's Dictator: $200. On Thursday, he ranted,  while wringing his limp wrists, "Every public health expert across the country is wringing their hands. This is becoming a devastating public health issue and epidemic and you have to do something."

This latest infraction against freedom of choice, of course, joins Bloomie's previous attacks against trans-fats and salt—which included banning food donations to homeless shelters because you can’t measure the fat and salt content.


Council Speaker Christine Quinn, whom I am hoping will be New York's next Mayor, finds the whole ridiculous plan hard to swallow, calling it “punitive” and the wrong way to go. “Much of what the mayor’s proposed in this report are good ideas I support. That said, a ban on the size of sugared soda you can buy seems to me not empowering and not educational, but really punitive." *

More 'Magic Mike'! The Full Movie Poster

We're getting closer! June 29th is opening day for Magic Mike! *

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

David Beckham Becomes 'Elle' Mag's First Solo Cover Boy

The 37-year-old David Beckham is Elle magazine’s first-ever solo male cover boy. So hot the mag released two versions. *

This Is Why Joe Manganiello Is The Sexiest Man Alive

Oh good heavens to Zeus. If there were any doubt as to my choice of Joe Manganiello as The Smoking Nun's Sexiest Man Alive for 2011, take a look here. He covers the July edition of Men's Fitness in the U.K., just as stripper flick Magic Mike is about to storm theaters June 29.

I hear thunder. And I feel a certain rumble. Mercy, can you imagine all the sweat on the set of that movie, with Chad, Matthew and Matt? Egads! They must have had to wipe the floor at the end of each day's, uh, shoot.
In addition, a curiously overly airbrushed Joe also appears on the cover of Homme Essential below. Why, yes, he certainly is... *

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Memorial Day In Brooklyn Heights: Ooh, La, La!

With sunny skies and temperatures in the mid-80s, Memorial Day was smooth sailing in Brooklyn Heights. What a glorious day! *

Monday, May 28, 2012

Iconic Images Of NYC From The 1950s

By day, Frank Oscar Larson worked as a banker at the Empire Trust Co., but in his free time, he snapped thousands of photos, capturing scenes from 1950s New York. Thousands of negatives were discovered in Larson's daughter-in-law’s Maine home in 2009, stored in more than 100 envelopes, and each neatly labeled with the date and location.

The son of Swedish immigrant parents, Larson was born in Brooklyn but lived the rest of his life in Flushing. His work documented everyday life and people in the Big Apple, including policemen, shoe-repair workers, chefs and painters. Here are some of his now-amazing glances at everyday life in the Big Apple, circa 1954-1957. *

Sunday, May 27, 2012

Hail To The Chief!

Two takes on President Obama's historic decision to support same-sex marriage: The New Yorker's subtle, elegant cover; and Newsweek's bid to be provocative. Below, Newsweek's other potential candidates. I dig them all. *
And below, a cartoon that says it all...

Happy Memorial Day 2012!

As we enter the Memorial Day weekend, let's celebrate the shedding of so many unnecessary garments. Let the sun shine! *

Saturday, May 26, 2012

Checking In With Rodiney Santiago

It's been more than a month since we've heard hide nor hair from Rodiney Santiago as he has busied himself with VH1's Couples Therapy, a trainwreck of a show that really shouldn't be anybody's business. Even he admits on his Facebook page that the show was a dud.

Meanwhile, the Logo network has made the brilliant decision that it's no longer "the queer network," since it never invested enough in original programming—so a third season of The A List: New York, looks pretty doubtful at this point.

It looks like Rod is spending the month in May, back in South Beach, Miami. Let's hope he soon delivers something tingly and new sometime soon. You hear me, buddy? *

William Levy Nominated For Teen Choice Awards

Uh, this is a little odd, but so be it. Dancing With the Stars got three nods for the 2012 Teen Choice Awards,, including one for William Levy! The show itself was ignored in the Choice TV: Reality Competition Show category, but judge Carrie Ann Inaba was nominated for the Choice TV: Female Personality category (alongside Christina Aguilera of The Voice, Tyra Banks of America’s Next Top Model, Jennifer Lopez of American Idol and Jessica Simpson of Fashion Star.

Will is featured in the Choice TV: Male Reality Star category (with Paul “DJ Pauly D” DelVecchio and Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino of Jersey Shore, Rob Dyrdek of Fantasy Factory and Ridiculousness and Scotty McCreery of American Idol.

Good thing he's not competing against Justin Bieber. I believe I'll wait to see the pics after the telecast on July 22 on Fox... that is, if Levy even bothers to show up to this nonsense. *

'American Idol': It's Time To Say Goodbye

It tells you a lot when the highlight of the Season 11 Finale of "American Idol" was a marriage proposal by previous finalists Ace Young to Diana DeGarmo. For the fifth year in a row, the show jumped the shark—with ratings down 30% from last year—by awarding the trophy to a male act... and once again, a vocalist with little mainstream appeal.

Heard much from hillbilly crooner Scotty McCreery, last season's winner? How about Lee Dewyze? Even Kris Allen, cute as he is, was as bland as tissue paper, especially compared to runner-up Adam Lambert, whose second album "Tresspassing" debuted at No. 1 this week.

Folks, we have a geographic divide—much like the one that splits the nation politically. The 2012 runner-up, Jessica Sanchez, from what little I saw, is a 16-year-old whose big voice and ability to replicate divas like Mariah and Whitney with ease, made her a perfect candidate to be polished into a hit-making pop idol. She would have been the first female to win since Season 6's Jordin Sparks. And Phillips? How about folk alt? How about: Who cares?

The Fox singing competition has experienced ratings erosion during this entire season, its 11th. The finale was the lowest-rated closer ever, including Season One, before the fanfare began, and which aired during the summer doldrums. In addition, for the first time since it began, "American Idol" will finish the TV season in second place—behind NBC’s “Sunday Night Football.”

Isn't it time to gracefully put this mother down, for good? As "The Voice," "The X Factor" and "America's Got Talent" further muddy the "talent" pool, "Idol" is drowning in its own excess. Simon Cowell knew when it was time to walk. Randy Jackson never got a clue. Take a hint from Kelly Clarkson, Fox. "A Moment Like This"... has passed. *