A GLOWING MOMENT

A bright idea.

AT THE THRESHOLD OF LIFE

DOLAN'S DENIAL: SNAP IS LYING

WNYC reports on Dolan's press gaggle. He denies something about the $20K payoffs to accused priests.

"SNAP has no credibility whatsoever," Dolan said. “To respond to charges like that that are groundless and scurrilous in my book is useless and counterproductive.”

[...]

Dolan’s comments Sunday seemed to contradict a statement made to WNYC by a spokesman for the Archdiocese of New York last week, which said that the cardinal "has read and supports the statement from the Archdiocese of Milwaukee."

Working his best to keep the story alive, Dolan denies a proposal that seems to have gone forward during his leadership. Wait, we have it from a court filing. Is the document the Catholic Church provided a fake? Is that what he's claiming? Doubtful.

Is he saying the program never went forward? He doesn't say as much.

Does he deny he knew about any of this, or fall back on the old faulty memory syndrome? Not here he doesn't.

Is he withdrawing what his spokesman said? WNYC said they didn't get a response here.

The best answer he has is "Snap has no credibility whatsoever."? Good work. Attack the victims! Unleash the hounds. Works every time.

Groundless and scurrilous charges? When they are based on an internal church document? That's a ground, sure as there's earth beneath all mortals' feet.

Update to: DOLAN'S 20K PAYOFFS TO ACCUSED PRIESTS

SUBWAY IMPROVEMENTS

Photo: RDinNYC

I'm glad they're constantly fixing it up. You don't want an unpainted door sticking out like a sore thumb. How would that look?

Seals Frolic in New York Harbor

The NYDN has the photos.

Small, puppy-like heads begin popping up out of the water.
It takes a moment to realize that they’re seals.

And, yes, they are cute. The cruises end in April, but the company has whale and dolphin jaunts that run through August.

I can't imagine how the harbor is clean enough for the creatures, but apparently it's so. Who am I to argue with such cuteness?

It won't be long before we're overrun with seals, and people start complaining about them.

Related: White Kiwi Chick (Not a New Movie)
NY Airport Geese to Be Cooked and Given Away

Good Riddance to Bad Rubble?

The big ugly yellow building is gone at last! Thanks to E.V. Grieve for the photos from above. From the ground, it looked like the end of an error.

Alas, the Great Wall that is slated to take its place looks like something out of a horror movie.

Earthquake?

New York is rockin', and not in a good way, although it's bouncy!

Archaeology in Central Park: Digging Up the Remains of an African-American Village

Before there was Central Park, there was Seneca Village, largely African-American.

I knew there were displaced communities, but did not know that!

Turns out, they've dug up some artifacts, and they will be looking them over now that the digging's done.

There's a great deal more about this village here, courtesy of Columbia University. Learn something new today.

Gay Marriage in New York: Dates to Know and Where to Go.

July 5th is the first date that you can obtain a marriage license. The City Clerk's office has the details of what to do to get one. We hear they've been running the presses to get gender-neutral language copies printed, whatever those might look like. I don't think they will be available in colors or anything. Note that the license requires a wait of 24 hours afterward for the actual marriage ceremony, and it is only good for sixty days, unless you are in the military (in which case, DADT has not been implemented, so you can't actually invoke that provision without another kind of headache). Marriage itself becomes legal on July 24th, 2011, 30 days after the signing of the bill by Gov. Cuomo.

That's why, perhaps, you should look into scheduling the actual ceremony to fall within that scope. You can line up for a marriage ceremony at the same office of the City Clerk. No reservations are required or accepted. There are fees that seem to add up to about $60, but please read any details for yourself.

There's also a fun option I heard about. The Pop-up Chapel, which will do weddings for free, with some trimmings, in Central Park. It looks like it's only serving cupcakes during the first weekend after marriage becomes legal. Read up on this option, since I have no idea whether this will be slammed with couples who heard about it on twitter.

Do whatever you like, where gay marriage is concerned, whenever you want to, but do some research first. Rushing into these things is for drunken celebs in Vegas!