Permanent Plaza To the Editor: I support turning the Kips Bay Pedestrian Plaza into a permanent fixture. The test run spanning June and July on the service road at Second Avenue between East 33rd and 30th streets was a positive addition to the neigborhood where I have lived since 1985. People in this area are 
Incidentally, the “Smile!” and “Don’t rush!” inscribed on my billfold aim to reduce stress and remind me to stow my wallet deep within my pocketbook after a transaction, even if the cashier and those waiting behind me are impatient. Evidently, I wasn’t careful after making a CVS purchase, and shortly after, at the Morton Williams 
And Why We Want to Know What It Looks Like “Are you free tonight?” asked my friend Laura. Unfortunately, I was not. “Shoot,” I said. “I’m sorry. Why?” “Oh, too bad … I wanted to ask you to come to this really fun outdoor movie night in Brooklyn. Bob and the kids are out of 
Remembering Judith Crist The assignment, maybe the first one, was to describe a place. I chose the Gethsemane Chapel at Riverside Church, a tiny and dramatic space where my parents were married. Wait. I hear a voice that’s interrupting me right now. The voice says, “What exactly do you mean by a ‘dramatic’ space? Couldn’t
Renewing an All-Out Fight Against Traffic Crimes “Stay safe” says the green whistle Assemblyman Micah Kellner gave out at the 19th Precinct’s Night Out Against Crime held at the entrance to beautiful Carl Schurz Park. (Ah, if nature like this were truly appreciated, there’d be less crime to protest—an Olympian goal.) I took a lot 
A realistic way to disarm the electoral college, so every voter has a voice New Yorkers just don’t thank the one percenters enough. Of course the wealthiest seldom get thanked at all. It’s not at all surprising given their not-so-flattering name was coined by their opponents, Occupy Wall Street But regardless of whether you think 
To understand what he did and why he did it, you have to understand the realities of elections. Since about half the eligible people don’t bother to vote in presidential elections, the name of the game is to get your voters to turn out. When Romney chose Ryan he was offering a huge incentive for 
DUE CONsideration To the Editor: I wish to make comments in regard to the proposed JHL development on my block (“Jewish Home and Fracking in Hot Seat at UWS Town Hall,” July 26). I wanted to address the serious problems with this proposed project. This ambitious undertaking was embarked upon without due consideration of the
And why it’s a bad idea It’s the kind of thing that happens to all of us now and then. Just the other day, I was having lunch with a somewhat imposing young film student to talk about the possibility of his doing a YouTube video to promote my novel. He was both handsome and 
