There’s a perfect solution to America’s crisis in health care. It’s as apt for today’s insurance-choked system as it will be if Obama-care ever becomes law.

Don’t get sick.

I promise: If you never get sick, you’ll be all right.

As for the rest of us? Well, don’t expect a health care panacea no matter what Congress does ­— especially for those of us in the vast middle zone of the U.S. economy.

If you’re really, really poor, you qualify for Medicaid. It’s not perfect, but the price is right. If you’re really, really rich, what do you care? But for people in the middle, the options going forward range from bad to worse to won’t-happen-anyway.

I’ve been riveted all week at the spectacle of congressmen and senators confronting the complexities of health care. The only thing I can say with confidence is that I want the health care they get — top doctors and hospitals, immediately available, paid for by the government. If this is socialism, where do I sign up?

Continue reading "The best health care is staying healthy" »

By Emily Ngo

Confused by President Barack Obama’s plan and the versions being offered by the House and Senate? You’re not alone. Here’s a primer on what a reform package could mean for you.

What will health care overhaul cost and who’s paying for it?
The reform is estimated to cost about $1 trillion over 10 years. To keep from adding to the deficit, Obama is counting on budget trims and new taxes. Drug makers and hospitals already have agreed to $235 billion in cuts. Almost all Americans will pay for the overhaul in indirect ways, such as through tobacco or income taxes.

What do Obama and the Democrats want to change?
Democrats want the approximately 50 million uninsured Americans to have coverage. Democrats also are stressing They also are stressing preventative care, which they say is more cost-efficient. Democrats and the GOP alike want to improve overall health care, but clash on exactly how to do so.

How will the reform package affect my coverage?
Obama argues that his proposal allows you to keep your doctor and plan; Republicans counter that the less-costly public option will lead employers to drop their current insurers, meaning you’ll lose your doctor, plan and options.

Is health care in America going to be “nationalized,” Canada-style?
Canada’s universal health care coverage involves government-run hospitals and government-employed doctors. Obama proposes allowing all Americans to choose between a government-sponsored “public option” and private insurance companies.

Continue reading "FAQ: Navigating health care reform maze" »

(AP)

By Jason Fink

In a rousing and impassioned speech that touched on his own rise from humble beginnings to the pinnacle of American life, President Barack Obama praised the NAACP on Thursday night for its century-long fight against discrimination.

In his first official trip to New York City, Obama urged delegates to the civil rights organization’s 100th anniversary convention in Manhattan to take an active role in their children’s education and to fight prejudice by raising their own expectations.

“There is no better weapon against inequality, there is no better path to opportunity than an education that can unlock a child’s God-given abilities,” Obama told the crowd, which burst into applause several times during the half-hour speech at the Hilton New York in midtown.

Echoing themes that have dominated the week-long convention, Obama said overt racism may have declined in the last century, but he pointed to inequities in access to health care, quality education and employment as among the civil rights challenges of the next generation.

Continue reading ""On the shoulders of giants": Obama visits NAACP for 100th b-day " »

By Sheila Anne Feeney
Special to amNewYork

It’s easy being green in the Big Apple.

Living as a vegetarian in the city is one continuous happy meal, says Sara Marcos Ispierto, 26, a cognitive therapist who originally is from Spain but now lives in Manhattan.

“New York is the best,” exults Marcos, noting the plethora of Indian, Thai, Middle Eastern and other restaurants that serve vegetarian meals. She also appreciates that “people are very respectful” of vegetarians in New York.

A poll commissioned by Vegetarian Times magazine last year found that 3.2 percent of U.S. adults, or 7.3 million people, now follow a vegetarian diet. Another 22.8 million, or 10 percent of Americans, profess to follow a “flexitarian” diet, which means that they mostly avoid meat.

A subset of this group, known as “pescatarians,” eats fish.

Flexitarians are the fastest growing group, says Elizabeth Turner, editor in chief of Vegetarian Times.

Continue reading "Gotham is a vegetarian's best friend" »

Splish Splash is just a short ride away in Long Island. (Charles Eckert/Newsday)

By Ariella Gogol

Summer in the city is a scorcher, and between sweaty subways and crowded parks, we could all use a cool-down retreat. So get in touch with your inner child — or your real-life tots — and make a beeline for the nearest waterpark.

Splish Splash
2549 Splish Splash Dr., Calverton, 631-727-3600
Admission: $26.99-$35.99
Driving distance from midtown Manhattan: 1.5 hours
Public transportation: Long Island Railroad from Penn Station to Ronkonkoma, then a bus to the park

This summer brings big news to Long Island’s Splish Splash: Dr. Von Dark’s Tunnel of Terror. One of only two in the nation, the ride plummets you 40 feet and spins you 360 degrees.

Not into dizziness? Opt for a different breed of fun with a bird show called Close Encounters of the Bird Kind, hosted by international parrot trainer Weldon Middlebrooks. Or check out one of the park’s lagoons or giant slides.

“I think it’s the best hangout spot for the season – the atmosphere evokes the summer vacations of yesteryear,” said Ashley Harris, director of guest services for Splish Splash.

Splash Down Beach
16 Old Route 9, West Fishkill, 845-897-9600
Admission: $22.50-$27.50
Driving distance from midtown Manhattan: 2 hours
Public transportation: Shortline bus from the Port Authority to Fishkill, then a cab

Splash Down Beach is a small waterpark with a beachy feel.
Though there’s no ocean, a sandy area provides ample space for relaxation and picnicking, and a new boardwalk provides traditional carnival-type amusements and food —Nathan’s hotdogs, Good Humor ice cream and Cosimo’s Pizza serve up endless grub.

“It really feels like a beach,” said Liz Heinz, marketing director of Splash Down Beach.
In addition to the beach, Splash Down features three play areas, five miniature slides, a lazy river, bumper cars and miniature golf.

Continue reading "Make a splash at a waterpark this summer" »

Southwest Airlines is adding some suburbia to Bryant Park.

If you've walked by Bryant Park recently, you may have noticed an unusually suburban atmosphere.

Southwest Porch, set up by Southwest Airlines, has been designed to look like an outdoor living room. The stylish area features free wifi, rocking chairs and large lounge chairs.

Guest can enjoy specialty cocktails or beers, like the Southwest Summer Ale, and a menu created by Tom Colicchio, inspired by Southwest Airline's destinations. Dishes include meatball parm and bratwurst.

(Lizbette Ocasio-Russe)

NBC's "30 Rock" pulled in 22 Emmy nominations, including acting nods for the five pictured cast members. Photo: Getty

By Perrie Samotin
psamotin@am-ny.com

The nominations for the 2009 Emmy Awards were announced on Thursday, with NBC’s insider-y comedy “30 Rock” leading with 22 noms, including Outstanding Comedy Series, as well as nods for its stars Alec Baldwin, Tina Fey, Jane Krakowski, Jack McBrayer and Tracy Morgan.

On the drama side, AMC’s retro “Mad Men” led with 16 noms, including Outstanding Drama Series.

There were also a few surprises, one being “Family Guy,” which was nominated for Outstanding Comedy Series — the first animated show to compete for the title since “The Flintstones” in 1961.

Also unexpected is Jemaine Clement’s Lead Actor nod for HBO’s comedy “Flight of the Conchords.”

The Emmys air Sept. 20 on CBS. Neil Patrick Harris — himself a nominee for the network’s “How I Met Your Mother” — will host.

And, of course, with any type of nomination comes the inevitable "who was robbed" discussion. Some buzzed about snubs this year include HBO’s “True Blood,” “Mad Men” actress January Jones, “Entourage” actor Jeremy Piven, NBC’s “Friday Night Lights” and SyFy’s “Battlestar Galactica.”

For the full list of nominees, keep reading.

Continue reading "'30 Rock' scores 22 Emmy noms " »

By Anastasia Economides
Special to amNewYork

The city’s Department of Records is providing a unique way to experience the streets of old New York.

Here’s one cool thing you’ll be able to do: Compare photos of your house, one taken around 1940, and the other snapped in the 1980s.

The Municipal Archives has opened its collection of photographs of every city building and property, taken to conduct real-estate appraisals.

Continue reading "Real estate flashback: NYC lets you buy classic photos of any city property (including your own home)" »

This is certainly the year of the specialty coffee. It seems you can't walk by a billboard, bus stop or phone booth without seeing a McCafe specialty coffee ad.

Now, Dunkin' Donuts is bringing its A game, rolling out frozen cappuccinos. A 16-ounce frozen cap is $3.19.

(Illustration courtesy Lee Harris Pomeroy Associates)
By Heather Haddon

Once the digging finally stops, the new Bleecker Street subway station will be buzzing, literally, with LED art projected on the ceilings that resembles a honeycomb, according to renderings unveiled by the lead architect.

The $133 million overhaul will finally connect the uptown No. 6 train with the B, D, F and V, while adding elevators and escalators.

The architects, Lee Harris Pomeroy Associates, are also installing flashy features like the LED art, while restoring the station’s original “white ceramic tile, blue terra cotta plaques and faience, mosaic bands and roman brick wainscoting with marble caps.” Sounds classy. The eight Bleecker Street signs will also be repaired and restored.

The project is expected to wrap up by November 2011.

Colin Gillingham is a sales rep for Tesla Motors, which just
opened its first New York City store in Chelsea. (RJ Mickelson/amNY)

By Garett Sloane

The last time I drove an electric vehicle, I was a high schooler racing a golf cart in reverse. I rear-ended into a tree.

The accident crossed my mind, when Colin Gillingham, a Tesla Motors sales rep, said the feel of driving an electric-powered car is similar to the feel of riding a golf cart; there’s instant giddy-up.

I didn’t let him know about my golf-cart wreck before he handed me the keys to a $100,000 Roadster sports car that I took for a test drive down the West Side Highway to Hell’s Kitchen and back to the Chelsea showroom where Tesla just opened up shop. It’s the first Tesla store in the United States that’s outside of California.

Continue reading "Tesla Motors opens first showroom in New York City" »

By Pete Catapano

His name alone made him a celebrity.

John F. Kennedy Jr., however, wasn’t content merely riding the wave of his family’s power and name. In the 1990s, he made his imprint on New York City and national politics by creating George magazine and being touted as a future senator, congressman or even president.

Ten years ago Thursday that all ended when the 38-year-old Kennedy was killed in the private plane crash that also killed his wife, Carolyn Bessette, and her sister, Lauren. Just a year after earning his pilot’s license, Kennedy crashed his single-engine plane into the Atlantic Ocean en route to a wedding on Martha’s Vineyard, Mass.

The tragedy reopened the wounds left by the assassinations of his father, John F. Kennedy, and uncle Robert Kennedy. It’s hard to say where JFK Jr.’s life would have taken him, but odds are our world changed with his death.

John F. Kennedy Jr. was pronounced dead on July 16, 1999 (AP Photo)

Continue reading "JFK Jr.'s death: Ten years later" »

By Jason Fink

Those who thought the Albany circus ended when Democrats regained the majority last week may have to think again.

The state Senate, which was deadlocked for a month with a 31-31 split, was unable to meet for hours Wednesday as Democratic leaders huddled privately to hash out differences over a bill extending mayoral control of the city’s public schools and to haggle over proposed changes to the way their chamber is run.

With one Democrat away on his honeymoon, two others went home around 4 p.m., some three hours after the session was supposed to have begun. As of press time, the Senate still had not met.

Continue reading "Albany still paralyzed, even with Dems back in control" »

Reusable bags may pose a public health risk, a Canadian study reported.

Your eco-friendly shopping bag could be making you sick, a study says. But before you make the switch back to plastic, you might want to consider the source.

An alarming 15-page paper, published on the Web site for Canada's Environment and Plastics Industry Council, concluded that reusable grocery bags are "a breeding ground for bacteria and pose a public health risk" due to high counts of yeast, molds and bacteria, reported the Chicago Tribune.

Continue reading "Can your eco-friendly tote make you sick?" »

By Heather Haddon

Street art. A public plaza for every neighborhood. Real time updates about bus arrivals.

Such are the dreams envisioned for the next quarter century by the MTA and the city Department of Transportation.

A public hearing convenes Thursday on a list of transit maintenance and improvement projects that the city will push between 2010 and 2035. City agencies must approve a Regional Transportation Plan before receiving federal cash.

Continue reading "Plan paints big transportation vision for next 25 years" »

Valentino and Anne Hathaway earlier this summer (Getty)

Apparently Valentino likes his leading ladies au natural.

The fashion legend was recently seen gaping as he asked Anne Hathaway what she did to her hair after he saw her act in “Twelfth Night” at Central Park.

Hathaway assured him the “change” — a short ’do instead of her usual longer locks — was just a wig.

Unfortunately, the Shakespeare play didn’t capture Valentino’s attention as much as Hathaway’s hairstyle did. He was spotted e-mailing during part of the performance.

Il Vagabondo offers classic Italian dishes with a side of bocce. Credit: RJ Mickelson/amNY.

By Emily Mathis
Special to amNewYork

Ideally, we’d all like to enjoy meaningful conversation over a long, relaxed dinner, but it doesn’t always work out that way.

More often than not, the pressure of conversation results in finger tapping, eye-shifting and awkward pauses.

Luckily, these city restaurants have come up with several solutions –bocce, billiards, rowing and bowling.

Il Vagabondo
351 E. 62nd St. btwn First & Second aves., 212-832-9221
When Il Vagabondo’s doors opened in 1965, food was an afterthought. The mostly Italian clientele of this Upper East Side haunt gathered to do as the Romans do and play a game of bocce (a form of the Italian word for bowl) with an espresso correto (with a shot of liquor).

But contrary to its name, the hangout decided to abide by liquor laws, and began serving food. The food offerings have been expanded to the current menu of familiar Italian dishes such as eggplant, veal, and chicken parmigiana. You won’t discover an inventive new concoction, but executive chef Gianfranco Grancelli’s ensures that you’ll be satisfied with the $13-$17 pastas and $20-$30 entrees. After a dessert of bocceball-tartufo ($6.75) and a $7.25 espresso correto with brandy or Tia Maria, follow in the footsteps of the greats from Galileo to George Washigton and play a free game of indoor bocce.

Continue reading "Get active while you're out to eat" »

By Heather Haddon

C train riders, you have plenty to kvetch about.

The Manhattan-Brooklyn line ranked dead last among 22 subway lines surveyed by the Straphangers Campaign. The annual report released Wednesday compared scheduled service, breakdowns, crowding and cleanliness.

“It's never working,” said George Williams, 40, a longtime C rider from Brooklyn. The line suffers from regular breakdowns and less frequent service, the State of the Subways survey found.

The C also has some of the oldest cars in the fleet, dating back to 1964, which may figure in the problems. The line probably won't get new digital cars until 2014, a NYC Transit spokesman said.

Continue reading "C worst, No. 7 best in annual subway report" »

Based on the popularity of "Ice Age 3-D," College Humor imagines what the franchise would be like if they took it into the 4th dimension and beyond.

A wing-eating contest will take place at the Siren Festival in Coney Island. The event's sponsored by Frank's Red Hot sauce.

Wing-eating contest: The first-ever “Atomic Wings” Buffalo Wing Eating Contest is taking place at the 2009 Siren Music Festival Saturday in Coney Island. To participate, sign up at the Atomic Wings booth between 12-2:30 p.m. Ten competitors will be chosen to participate in the contest, which will take place live at 5:30 p.m. Entrance is free, for more information visit siren.villagevoice.com

Celebrate National Caviar Day: In celebration of National Caviar Day on Saturday, The Russian Tea Room is offering 25 percent off all caviar selections. The offer begins Saturday and will continue on Wednesdays from July 22-September 2. 150 W. 57th St., 212-581-7100.

Continue reading "For foodies: Caviar, Wing-eating contest, cocktail competition, Restaurant Week cocktails and more!" »