The guy who moved out to the country and talked to a pig recently died at age 99 ... I was not aware Eddie Albert was still alive, but it's nice to know that he apparently had a peaceful death. Anne Bancroft, who I was not aware was sick, also just died. She was a Bronx native, one of many stars from that boro, and her maiden name was "Italiano." Really. That's more like a title, isn't it?
Also going on in the Bronx is some Yankee problems -- lots really, since they either can't hit, field/run properly, or pitch, at times all on one night. I do generally wish them well, especially some of the old timers, but they might just need to hit bottom. The team is overpaid, over the hill, and it's farm system questionable (by now, other teams also realize the prospects have mixed records once they play in the majors). It also is notable that a decent number of starters that once played here are doing fairly decently in other teams, mainly over in the NL. Anyway, at some point, they will have to build -- at least just a bit -- again, though maybe not in the lifetime of the current owner.
Meanwhile, the stadium in the West Side of Manhattan appears dead. This has long been a local battle royale, though our billionaire mayor has felt no need to (1) put the matter -- a major deal for tax payers, money being but one part of the effect to them -- to a popular vote or (2) basically play by the rules. Putting aside the soundness of the Jets stadium plan (a big question mark with local sports journalists especially negative, plus various Democrats, only some running for mayor), both are deal breakers for me. [Hope for the 2012 Olympics at the site apparently was slim anyway.]
For instance, there is talk that the plan will lead to money for us all, but there was another major bid (Cablevision), one not given equal concern in the overall process. Big no no. Even though the guy is a Republican (switched for political reasons, but now he's helping the party too, so blah to him), Mayor Bloomberg did a decent enough job, and might have received my vote. This sort of power grab is a deal breaker, even if his heart is in the right place. There are too many autocrats driven by business interests in power these days.
The lack of adequate public input is also a problem. The matter is somewhat comparable (albeit I'm reaching a bit) to the marijuana decision. The feds, shunting aside local support of a mild exception to our misguided drug laws, are insisting on upholding the laws against medicinal marijuana. This is a key matter about the dissent in the case from a few days back: it is not a matter of the courts superseding majority will per se. It's a question of what will to respect more, especially since the local ballot measures and laws (the decision basically mooted any chance for a New York proposal ... put forth by a Republican) are much more narrow. The individual issue was dealt with, not a broader one with a troubling application.
It then becomes but a question of federal vs. state power with the courts a reasonable place to serve as an arbitrator. Anyway, I didn't get a chance to vote on the stadium issue ... the fact it was blocked by the head of the NY Assembly was nice and all, but having such a major issue rise and fall on the votes of a handful of people is just a bit wrong.