De Blasio will close Public Schools for Muslim New Year!

Newly-minted Mayor of New York City Bill De Blasio is calling forschool closures on two Muslim holidays and the Lunar New Year.

Eid al-Fitr, which marks the last day of Ramadan, Eid al-Adha, also known as the Feast of the Sacrifice, and the Lunar New Year, which celebrates the first day of the Chinese Calendar Year, were all given the go-ahead; but De Blasio passed over the Hindu festivalDiwali. Diwali, also known as the Festival of Lights—which celebrates life, its enjoyment, and goodness—has historical origins dating back to Indian “harvest” festivals.

Dr. Shashi Shah of the Association of Indians in America was saddened that the mayor failed to recognize Diwali: “We are disappointed. We’ve been trying for a long time… It’s very important for the community.”

It is unclear why De Blasio granted two holidays for Muslims and denied the appeals by Indians for one. Estimates of the number of Muslims in New York City vary between 200,000 and 1,000,000. A website called A Journey Through NYC Religions estimates the number to be 600,000—roughly seven percent of the population. Still, NYC has themost Hindu adherents of any city in the United States. Moreover, there are more than 80,000 Hindu adherents in the greater area of New York, NY-NJ-PA. For years, ethnic groups have lobbied for all four holidays to be recognized.

De Blasio is unsure when the school holiday status will take effect: “It is complicated in terms of logistics and school calendar and budget. But it’s something I want to get done in a reasonable time frame.” Former Mayor Bloomberg opposed all of the school closures, saying kids should not miss more school.

De Blasio Disaster, Streets not plowed, "worst snow removal in 30 years" blames it on GPS? Punishes 1%?

Since when do you need a GPS to remove snow???
New York City Sanitation Commissioner John Doherty said a map that showed streets going unplowed on the Upper East Side was due to a faulty GPS system on a salt spreader, and traffic problems.

The city’s own map showed no record of plowing on many streets on the Upper East Side – particularly east-west streets from 59th Street to 67th Street east of Lexington Avenue.

The map also showed many primary snow removal routes — including 79th Street between Second and Lexington avenues, 87th Street between Park and Fifth avenues, and several blocks of Madison Avenue between 86th and 93rd streets — had not been plowed in three to six hours.

Earlier, the map appeared to show that streets between 59th and 79th streets and between Second and Fifth avenues had gone unplowed.

“One of the problems was that the salt spreader in that area, the GPS system was not working,” Doherty said at a news conference with Mayor Bill de Blasio Tuesday evening.

Because of that, the snow tracker did not show that the streets had been plowed, he said.

He added that traffic congestion also made plowing streets in the area difficult.

“Traffic also created a big problem for us in that area. I think any of the reporters, or anybody who was in that area this afternoon were reporting, nothing is moving in the area,” Doherty said.

Doherty conceded the traffic problems may have been inevitable due to slippery conditions, but whatever the case, traffic jams affect snow plows too.

“The longer it takes those cars to move, the longer it takes for us to get in there and salt those streets, and that’s what part of the problem was,” he said.

He said many of the streets on the Upper East Side did eventually get plowed.

“We had the salt spreaders, and everything, out there doing everything as quickly as we could,” he said.

De Blasio emphasized at the news conference that plows were out everywhere.

“I want to emphasize that the combination of the intensifying snow and the fact that it is hitting, of course, as most people’s vehicles have been on the streets, is a tough combination,” de Blasio said. “Sanitation is responding with everything they’ve got.”

But one resident told CBSNewYork.com the lack of plowing was not just a mistake on the map. Jennifer Ratner, who lives near 86th Street and York Avenue, said she had not seen a snow plow on her block all day.

“It looked like when I went to the window was finally coming on my block, and when I went to the window, it was my doorman or somebody from the block with some kind of a portable plow,” she said.

Ratner said the sound of plows can usually be heard every couple of hours during a snowstorm.

“I happen to have been home for a couple hours, and I didn’t hear it at all,” she said.

Complaints about unplowed streets mounted in many areas of the city Tuesday night, CBS 2’s Jessica Schneider reported.

“Mayor If you’re listening, please plow these streets,” said Sonny Budharaja of Harlem.

Budharaja said he drove for three hours around Manhattan Tuesday, stuck in gridlock and navigating through snow filled streets.

CBS 2 found an inch or more of untouched snow on avenues, and snowpack coating several side streets.

“None of the streets have been plowed, like, no matter which way you go, it’s like this everywhere,” he said. “I guess the mayor is focusing more on other boroughs like last time.”

He said he had never seen worse conditions.

“I’ve never seen anything like this. This is the first time,” he said. “I’ve been living in New York City for 30 years. This is horrendous.”

And a New York Post report Tuesday evening quoted some residents of the affluent Upper East Side, who accused de Blasio of ignoring them in an effort to “get us back.”

Another resident speaking to the newspaper accused de Blasio of “trying to hurt the more wealthy people by ignoring us,” while another called the mayor “crazy” and said “we need Mayor Bloomberg back.”

Ratner did not share the position that the lack of plowing had anything to do with the mayor.

“I wouldn’t guess that de Blasio would be doing something personal,” she said, noting that she had made a point of going to meet the mayor at a pre-inaugural party at the Gracie Mansion. “I think he would be above anything like that.”

New Mayor De Blasio an "ingrate"

New Yorkers were outraged at the shabby treatment of Mayor Bloomberg at his successor’s inauguration. Many emphasized that they didn’t always agree with Bloomy, but believed he deserved better because he served the city honestly and left it in better shape than he found it.

“I fear for our great city,” Gilly Safdeye wrote. “Appreciation and good manners seem to be anathema to our new mayor.”

Pamela Mullen put it this way: “Didn’t anyone in this new administration play team sports as a kid? You never leave the field without shaking the hands of the opposing team.”

Len Resto included a brief passage he wanted de Blasio to say, starting with: “First, I join the entire city in thanking Mayor Bloomberg for his enormous contributions in steering our city through one of its most challenging times and leaving me a with a budget in surplus, city agencies which are fully functional and for a quality of life which is better today than when he took office. Mr. Mayor, thank you!”

It would have taken only a few seconds and, Resto says, would have changed the tone of the day. I agree, but de Blasio doesn’t.

Asked later about the ungracious attacks, the new mayor said: “Everyone who spoke at the inauguration spoke from the heart . . . I’m very comfortable with all that was done.”

There you have the new mayor’s standard. As long as you speak “from the heart,” nothing else matters, including facts and manners.

I trust de Blasio will support that same standard when his critics speak from their hearts.

Brooklyn "Gedolim" that endorsed De Blasio, get slapped in their face, De Blasio says Iran Deal "A promising and positive Step"

De Blasio with Chassidishe Tuches lekers

The "gedolim" are supposed to know everything, but what they really care is how much money will the community get! 
They don't care that De Blasio is a communist & Palestinian lover ..... all they care is if the Mayor can funnel money to the "shtiblich." 

They don't care that he says that the Iran deal that would put most of Klall Yisroel in imminent danger... is a "positive step." 
No wonder nobody cares about these "leaders" of Klall Yisroel any more!
You have two Bobover Rebbes in secular Court! You have two Satmarer Rebbis in secular court and they want the regular "Joe Shmo" that gets up every morning to chap a Daf-Hayoimie before he goes to daven and work, to respect them...

Read the following and weep..... this is the guy that they overwhelmingly voted for! 

New York City Mayor-Elect Bill de Blasio disagrees with New York’s senior Senator, Chuck Schumer’s vocal opposition to the Obama administration’s most recent steps taken on the sanctions regime against Iran.
“I have a different view on the issue. The administration is doing the right thing,” Mr. de Blasio told reporters following a public event Wednesday afternoon. “These negotiations are promising, and this could be the best way to stop Iran from getting nuclear weapons.”

Mr. de Blasio, who was a staunch supporter of the sanctions regime and even created an Iran watch list as Public Advocate, said Wednesday, that the current deal reached in Geneva “is a positive step.”
“There is no closer relationship on earth — literally no closer relationship — than that between New York City and the state of Israel.” Mr. de Blasio declared in the final days of the campaign for mayor. “As mayor, It’s my sacred responsibility to speak out and defend the State of Israel.”
Apparently, the State of Israel and her leader don’t feel defended by the deal. According to a poll conducted by Israel’s channel two, 60 percent of Israelis believe the interim deal with Iran “endangers” Israel’s security. A whopping 76% of Israelis don’t think the US deal with Iran will stop them from becoming a nuclear nation, a similar poll found.