NY Gov. Cuomo Responds To Crackpot That Blames Sandy On Gays

Last week Rabbi Noson Leiter, head of the Rockland County-based Orthodox Jewish advocacy group Torah Jews for Decency, said that Superstorm Sandy was God’s response to same-sex marriage in New York. This crackpot said: "The Lord could punish particular areas with a flood, and if we look at the same-gender marriage recognition movement that's occurring, that certainly is a message for us to learn."

Adding that lower Manhattan is "one of the national centers of homosexuality," the homophobe claimed, "We have to learn that if we don't shape up the Lord will deliver divine justice.”

On Monday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo issued a statement in response to the rabbi’s letter: "The comments made by Rabbi Noson Leiter that sought to link the devastation caused by Hurricane Sandy to our state’s embrace of marriage equality are as offensive as they are ignorant. 

"This kind of hateful rhetoric has no place in our public discourse, and is particularly distasteful in times of tragedy. Our state is proud to offer equal rights to all our citizens, and we will never tolerate the use of a tragedy like Hurricane Sandy to promote a divisive and bigoted agenda. I call on Rabbi Leiter to apologize immediately for his hurtful comments."

Thank you, Gov. Cuomo, who continues to show leadership in our state and is one of few politicians who truly stands by what he believes. *

Boxers NYC: Who's The Fairest Of Them All?

A couple weeks ago—before bitch Hurricane Sandy took her swipe at NYC—I joined pal Paulie at Boxer's NYC in Chelsea... which just happens to be bud Leo's fave hang... and so there were the three of us. Also in attendance: long-lived drag fave Hedda Lettuce... and hot bartender Josh Monrad, who The Smoking Nun profiled in our regular Model Perfect feature last November.

So let's see, who among us is the fairest of all? But of course: Who isn't fabulous with lime green hair? Hedda wins! *

Happy November: It's Already The Winter Of 2012

Well, isn't this great... just what we needed. As some folks continue to wait for power and water in New York City—not to mention heat—temps are dipping to 31 degrees tonight... not to mention the possibility of snow Wednesday night.  Oh, how I hate cold. How I detest Daylight Saving Time... Winter is here... only eight months to go until the Spring thaw in NYC. Abby & Spencer have the right idea: Hibernate until June. *

VOTE Tuesday! Unless...

Tuesday is the all-important day that the United States continues on a positive path toward recovery... or turns the clock back on itself 40 years. Please vote... unless you're making the uninformed choice.

If you are a young person, a gay, a woman, a minority, earn less than $250,000 a year or have been impacted by severe weather anywhere anytime, there really is only one candidate. If he's not yours, please... just stay home and keep watching Fox News. *

Best Facebook Quote Of The Day!

Superstorm Sandy... Media Coverage Portrays Devastation

 I can only imagine that this is a mere drop in the bucket to what's ahead... Only next week's election trumps the all-important larger issue of climate change, at this point. *

New York Magazine, November 2012

An astonishingly stirring image... See New York magazine's Editor's Letter about how the hell they put out an issue amid darkness here. More photos from the webbie below... *October 29, 2012... and January 2012... Devastating damage in NYC's Kips Bay neighborhood on the East Side in the 30s... taken by my pal Leonard, who was without power for five days...Hopefully there will come a day when the Manhattan skyline looks like this once more... A long road of recovery still ahead all over the city, with parts of NJ, Queens and Brooklyn facing years of rebuilding.

Rodiney Santiago Releases 2013 Calendar

Our 2011 Smoking Nun Sexiest Man Alive Rodiney Santiago tries to squeeze a little more fame from his The A List reality show on Logo, with the release of his 2013 hunky calendar. This year, the release party was in San Diego... I think I understand why he chose not to have it in NYC last week. Rod, meanwhile, has a popular line of sexy clothing for Rufskin and t-shirts for American Apparel. *

At Long Long (Long) Last... Election Night Tuesday

I've never been much of a newshound, instead combing the headlines online like most of us... that is, until this Presidential election has persistently (and inexplicably) become closer and closer between our Commander in Chief, President Barack Obama and his flip-flopping foe Mitt-Wit Romney.

For the past couple months, I have Tivo'd Anderson Cooper's 360 on CNN every single night, as well as Rachel Maddow on MSNBC and then back to CNN for Piers Morgan... watching obsessively as the truth continues to be revealed that the Republican candidate leans toward whatever the polls drive him to say in a given week... or whatever the given state he's visiting stands for. That is, of course, except for social issues, where his point of view is clear: women and gays should be second-class citizens, backing up the nation's civil rights and social agenda a good 40+ years.

I gather that in the coming week, I'm likely to remain sequestered in Brooklyn as NYC subways continue to work their way back post-Hurricane Sandy (currently, there's no service between Brooklyn and Manhattan), so Friday night I began exploring options. Thankfully, there's a joint just up the street from my apartment that will be airing election results all night long... Custom House, an Irish bar that's open until 4 a.m.

I hope to god Obama adds up his 270 electoral votes long before the bitter end, but as the results come in state by state, I'll at least be amid a crowd of New Yorkers to celebrate—or commiserate—through the long haul. My pal Jimmy who works there has already reserved a table for me at 7 p.m. Tuesday. I'll be sitting tight as the first states roll in...

I'd love to think it's going to be a short, precise evening... but so many U.S. states still seem to be potentially duped by the Mitt-Wit... and god, it could be close. Or it might not. Or this nation could decide to take a frightening step decades into the past. In any case, I will fueled by plenty of gin to endure the drama.

Hopefully, I'll be skipping home... and not crawling on my knees, drowning in tears. *

NYC: The Thin Line Between Light & Darkness

After four nights shrouded in darkness following Hurricane Sandy, Con Edison reports that power has been restored to much of the Lower East Side and East Village and parts of Chelsea. But Battery Park and the Wall Street area remain without electricity. The utility said it expects to have power back in the bulk of Manhattan’s blackout zone Saturday. This pic taken on the Brooklyn Heights Promenade at 9 p.m. Friday shows the obvious border between downtown’s darkness and midtown’s light. *

BOO! Awesome Carved Pumpkin Patch Decorates Brooklyn Heights

As usual, the residents of 14 Grace Court Alley in Brooklyn Heights went all out for Halloween, with a spectacular display of carved pumpkins... from "I Heart NY" to "2012" to an amazing "VOTE" with Obama cut-out. Awesome! *

Life Goes On In Brooklyn Heights, But So Many Remain In Need

Such a feeling of helplessness... even guilt... is overtaking me, as so many friends continue to try and put their lives back together in Manhattan. Below 39th Street, they are still without electricity, water, often cut off from news about public transportation and the most important: when power will return (ConEd has offered assurances that the majority will have electric by the weekend).

Here in Brooklyn Heights, life is resuming... Kids were out last night for Halloween, businesses are again open, restaurants are packed with locals and people are out and about... relieved, thankful... We are so very fortunate.

Neighborhoods on both sides of me—DUMBO and Red Hook—were decimated by flooding, with businesses suffering millions of dollars in losses and faced with the time-consuming and painful process of rebuilding... Residential buildings were also flooded, cutting folks off from being able to navigate their way to food, shelter... to get out.

And of course there's the devastation in Hoboken and Jersey City and so much of New Jersey... and the 80 homes leveled to their foundations by fire in Breezy Point, Queens. Never has so much of the tri-state area been so impacted by a natural disaster.

Thank god for our strong and capable New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, and for President Obama's swift and capable leadership. God, where would we be if Romney were Prez? The very notion makes me shutter...

Back here at home, because of my ongoing living room renovation, which has turned my home upside down, I can't even invite my friends in need to stay with me, where they might recharge their phones, their laptops... and their lives. I have to say, even though I live a mere 10 minutes from Manhattan here in Brooklyn Heights, I have never felt so far away. *

Halloween (Man) Candy!

We interrupt Superstorm Sandy for some badly needed distraction from all that continues to hamper and hinder the tri-state region. During the summer, we met Seattle native and Florida resident Will Grant. He is a National Champion BMX pro biker, fitness model and recent DNA cover boy.... the perfect storm of beautiful eyes, abs and all else that matters, yes? *