Class Clowns and Cop Clowns: Jump Street Reboot is Junk

Written by Armond White on . Posted in Arts & Film, Arts our town, Film, On Topic OTDT, Opinion and Column, Opinion Our Town, Our Town, Our Town Downtown, West Side Spirit

21jump “You shot him in the dick! I’ve never seen that!” Channing Tatum exclaims as Jenks, a rookie cop partnered with the doughy, uncool Schmidt (Jonah Hill) in 21 Jump Street. The duo have not outgrown their adolescent rivalry or immature sense of amusement that began in high school. Seven years later (after a police academy training session ridiculously scored to The Clash’s version of Junior Murvin’s reggae classic “Police
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Cuomo’s Victories a Shell Game

Written by admin on . Posted in Editorial, On Topic OTDT, Opinion and Column, Opinion Our Town, Opinion West Side Spirit, Politics, West Side Spirit

by Alan S. Chartock Think of it this way: Democracy is hard to do. To achieve true democracy, you need to have an educated electorate. If citizens don’t know what their public officials are up to, they can’t make intelligent choices. In fact, they can be led around like donkeys. When that happens, public officials can
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Twitter, the Urban Front Porch

Written by Josh Rogers on . Posted in Editorial, On Topic OTDT, Opinion and Column, Opinion Our Town, Opinion West Side Spirit, Our Town

Maybe Twitter is turning New York City into a bunch of Small Town USAs. The thought popped into my head not long after my wife started looking out the window at the helicopter circling our Chelsea neighborhood Monday night. The chopper kept shining a light on a few buildings near 24th Street and Seventh Avenue.
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Trails that Need Following: The way to a safer, caring city

Written by Bette Dewing on . Posted in Arts our town downtown, Dewing Things Better, Lifestyle, Our Town

contact Bette Dewing at dewingbetter@gmail.com CBS News radio says the “taxi of tomorrow” has a partition that softens the blow to passenger’s heads when drivers make an emergency stop. An emergency room surgeon reported, “Every week, at least two such facial injuries occur.” Who knew? Not this “traffic safety trailblazer” (Rep. Carolyn Maloney called me that in a 2006 tribute)
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Redistricting Plan a Game of Mirrors

Written by admin on . Posted in Editorial, On Topic OTDT, Opinion and Column, Opinion Our Town, Opinion West Side Spirit, Our Town

Liz Krueger, Senator- D (NY) “Only a nonpartisan solution accurately reflects the voting publc,” – Liz Krueger by Liz Krueger Two years ago, I committed to vote against any redistricting plan unless it was developed through a nonpartisan redistricting process. I stand by that commitment, and not just because our current process is flawed. Not surprisingly, both houses’ majority parties
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8 Million Stories: How Deborah Fenker knows the boy next door

Written by Deborah Fenker on . Posted in On Topic OTDT, Opinion and Column, Opinion Our Town, Opinion West Side Spirit, Our Town, Our Town Downtown, West Side Spirit

Remaining friendly with my ex-boyfriends has always been my M.O. Recently, however, I realized that this may have had more than a little to do with the fact that the post-breakup has historically found me and my ex on separate continents—or at least opposite coasts. More recently, I thought the distance from Chelsea to Brooklyn would
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The Light of Looking Better

Written by Bette Dewing on . Posted in Opinion and Column, Opinion Our Town, Opinion West Side Spirit, Our Town, West Side Spirit

Bette Dewing(as) Energy-efficient bulbs zap life from the everyday “Looking better” does get our attention. But it’s the lighting, stupid (not you), that can make or break our appearance. Only a few—including Rep. Michele Bachmann—protest the so-called energy efficients for making us, our clothes and furnishings look rather, well, lifeless. To save lighting energy positively, sharply reduce
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What Comes After Affirmative Action?

Written by Josh Rogers on . Posted in Opinion and Column, Opinion Our Town, Opinion West Side Spirit, Our Town, West Side Spirit

Rogers headshot New ways to add diversity as the policy nears its rightful end Affirmative action’s defenders and attackers finally agree on something: The policy probably won’t be around too much longer. Last week’s decision by the Supreme Court to revisit the issue clearly puts it in peril. Even if the court ends up retaining the legality
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No Winners in Birth Control Debate

Written by Cameron Page on . Posted in Opinion and Column, Opinion Our Town, Opinion West Side Spirit, Our Town, West Side Spirit

Oped-Cameron Page Universal health care would ensure all women’s reproductive rights were covered The birth control controversy of the past few weeks has focused our nation’s attention on an issue most of us would prefer to avoid. Not because birth control is an uncomfortable topic—for the vast majority of Americans, birth control is supremely uncontroversial. It’s the
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