Photograph of Mayor Bloomberg speaking at the State of the City address by Mary Altaffer/AP Mayor Bloomberg sounded some broad themes in his seventh State of the City address. Held at the new ice skating rink at Flushing-Meadows Corona Park in Queens, his speech outlined initiatives the city and various city agencies will undertake (digital 911 so you can send the NYPD photos from cell phones by this summer! reforming the Board of Elections!......

As violence continues in Pakistan in the wake of former Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto's assassination, New York City's Pakistani population was shocked by the news, watching news coverage and holding vigils. One woman said to the Daily News, "For us, this is like losing [President John] Kennedy. She wanted peace. She wanted democracy. And she lost her life for these things." And a man told the NY Times, “I think there will be......

CRAFTY: The holiday season is upon us, which means getting that perfect gift for whoever's egg nog you'll be gathered around this year. Why not try a little D.I.Y.? Every other Monday the Church of Craft meets up and will "provide contact, craft support, advice, knowhowto, instructions, directions, tips, tricks, inspiration, and the blinding love of craft to all who seek it." 7 to 9pm // Rapture Cafe [200 Avenue A] // Free EVENT: Have......

A look at some noteworthy television this week: 2007 American Music Awards (Sunday, 8:00 p.m., WABC 7) Most awards shows are basically useless and awards shows where people vote on line are even more so. This year this awards show invented by Dick Clark in 1973 gets even more useless. Jimmy Kimmel hosts. Nature: The Beauty of Ugly (Sunday, 8:00 p.m., WNET 13; Wednesday, 8:00 p.m., WLIW 21) A look at some of the strangest......

Isn't the Internet wonderful? It lets baseball fans vote in an All-Star game player and now it lets people around the world decide what to do with a historic ball. After purchasing the ball that Barry Bonds hit to break baseball's all-time home run record, fashion designer Marc Ecko has decided to give the public a vote on what to do with the ball. On the website Vote756.com, Ecko gives voters three choices, "Bestow......

A look at some noteworthy television this week: Wide Angle: Dishing Democracy (Tuesday, 9:00 p.m., WNET 13) Imagine "The View" in Arabic being beamed via satellite television throughout the Middle East. This documentary gets behind the scenes of the show, "Kalam Nawaem" which just may bring about some revolution. P.O.V.: Following Sean (Tuesday, 10:00 p.m., WNET 13) At the height of the hippie movement in San Francisco, filmmaker Ralph Arlyck was a graduate film student......

The Chairman of Google, Eric Schmidt, was recently featured on WNBC.com following an address at Pace University, where he discussed the potential for the Internet and sites like Google, in particular––and its recent acquisition YouTube.com––to affect political campaigns. He mentioned the long tail-end effect of viral marketing, which emphasizes the persistence of certain political memes and their effects on voters, saying, "I expect technology will have a significant effect on the '08 election. The Internet......

TRIVIA: Think you know a lot about New York? Come "challenge your knowledge of New York places, faces, dates and facts at the New York Book Club’s first trivia night. Special guests Steve Zeitlin and Marci Reaven, authors of Hidden New York and directors of City Lore, will be on hand to explain and educate." They warn you to bone up on your trivia at www.citylore.org and www.placematters.net beforehand. Tonight's MC is none other than......

With a flourish of his mighty veto pen and perhaps a nod to his entrepreneurial beginnings, Mayor Bloomberg sent a proposed law that would have limited the number of pedicabs in New York back to the City Council. The move is certain to provoke a showdown with the City Council, which passed the bill last month. Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn, who has had a largely cordial relationship with the Bloomberg administration, promised to push......

VINYL SALE: If you're looking for some rare vinyl, you might want to check out this monthly event: Shakey's Record Fair. A meatpacking district locale seems...a little off, but as FreeNYC points out, if you're "looking for that super rare old school funktified 7"...Shakey's Record Fair is probably the only place you'll find it." 8pm // APT [419 W 13th St] // Free THEATER: Rules of the Universe is a new site-specific play performed in......

In the wake of President Bush's Wednesday night address to the country, when he announced that he will send thousands of more soldiers to Iraq, hundreds of people protested the plan. They convened at the tiny island in the middle of Times Square in front of the U.S. Armed Forces recruiting station, with signs like "Stop the funding, stop the war" and "When government lies, Democracy dies" with drivers passing by honking their horns.......

Yesterday, Democracy Now.org showed footage taken from the Air Train station near the club in Jamaica, Queens where Sean Bell and his two friends were shot by police. And the video (link to download MP3) is bananas. One video shows a bullet coming into the station and barely missing a man. Another video shows two Port Authority police officers ducking from the bullets and running. The Daily News' Juan Gonzalez, who co-hosts Democracy Now, explained......

A look at some noteworthy programs this week: A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (WABC 7, Monday, 8:00 p.m.) The annual showing of this timeless classic Peanuts cartoon is always a must see. Despite being from 1973, the show holds up quite well and is a welcome reminder of simpler times. But would you really eat a Thanksgiving dinner catered by a beagle? He's a Bully, Charlie Brown (WABC 7, Monday, 8:30 p.m.) After the classic Thanksgiving......

Jagshemash! Borat is a hit. It's getting rave reviews, grossing millions, and definitely the most quotable thing we've seen in ages. But Borat seems to have missed most of the -ist cities, and we were all wondering how the film would have been different if he'd made his way around the world on the -ist tour. In Shanghai, Borat would be observing Inane Learnings of Penis Photos for Make Benefit Glorious Flat World of......

Hilarious: The NY Times' election blog, The Empire Zone, reports that Chelsea Clinton's name wasn't found in the book of registered voters at the West 20th Street polling place: "The book containing her name was apparently forwarded to the wrong district, denying her the ability to enter a polling booth." D'oh! So she - and probably the other people in that book - had to fill out an "affidavit vote," ensuring that she would be......

Columbia-Minutemen fracas from a few weeks ago continues to simmer, as the Minutemen now want to sue the university and members of the Chicano Caucus. The Columbia Spectator reports (on what the Bwog mentioned last week) that the group wants to sue "for discrimination and defamation of character during the Minuteman events and protests at the beginning of this month and in subsequent public interviews." While the suit hasn't been filed just yet, the......

Donning blue UN "peace keeper" hats and protest signs, an estimated 20,000 people gathered in Central Park yesterday to demand the end to the genocide in Darfur. A large percentage of those present were college students who traveled in bus loads to attend. Timed to coincide with this week's opening of the 61st General Assembly of the United Nations. the rally was a part of the Global Day for Darfur, a day of assemblies......

Today in Central Park a Save Darfur event will be taking place that aims to educate through speakers, music and more. The Save Darfur Now: Voices to Stop Genocide rally has an impressive list of people involved, so head up there and get involved yourself: Speakers Madeleine K. Albright (former United States Secretary of State) Joey Cheek (U.S. Olympic Team speed skater, Gold & Silver medalist) Irwin Cotler (Member of Parliament, Canada, Mount Royal) Larry......

Last night, while we were watching Norah Jones "punk" band play the Delancey, Guns n' Roses rocked fans at Hammerstein Ballroom with old favorites and new tunes. Brooklyn Vegan was there and has a ton of pictures (including the photo above) and the promise of a full report to come later. Apparently Sebastian Bach even joined Axl on stage...we won't lie, we kind of wish we were there. Alas, all we have is YouTube.......

The weather outside might be just starting to feel like spring, but in the theater world there’s already a summery vibe going on. Last night the Lortel Awards kicked off the trophy-giving season; this Friday the Drama League awards go out. Then there’s the festivals; not that there aren’t festivals at other times of the year, but as the weather heats up they start crowding in thick and fast. Currently you can get a square......

Last week we went on about all the theatre festivals that have found their way to stages lately; this week it seems like there’s a citywide Hamlet-fest or some sort of Shakespeare bug in the air. There are three productions of Hamlet going, so you can choose your poison. Still in previews is what looks like it will be a thoroughly, wonderfully traditional production of the play, at Classic Stage starring Michael Cumpsty, most recently......

On Sundays, Gothamist publishes opinion pieces on issues relevant to life in NYC. Here's one: This time last year, all I wanted was for everyone to vote. Everything I did revolved around electoral politics, because, like many of my peers, I just wanted W out of the White House. I preached that the only way this country could have a true representative of the people was if everyone voted. When I overheard my neighbors on......

Mick Stingley, Low-Rent Rock Critic...

Downtown for Democracy brings together the creative community and helps to transorm its cultural influence into political power (ie: money and votes). This evening DFD is holding an event that brings together every single democratic candidate runnning for mayor of our city. Meet Gifford Miller, Fernando Ferrer, C. Virginia Fields, Anthony Weiner and try to find out what they're all about - hopefully one of them will step up to the plate, as we've said......

So maybe the Oscars aren’t actually watched by a “billion” people each year. The audience is still ginormous compared to the Tonys. Even so, the Tonys are as big as it gets for American theater, and this morning the mostly predictable nominations were handed out at the Times Square Marriott Marquis. For play, you’ve got Democracy, Doubt, The Pillowman, and Gem of the Ocean. Musical: Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Light in the Piazza, The 25th Annual......

Vermont...what have you done for us lately? Actually (and beyond Ben & Jerry's) you've done quite a bit for us. And now musically, you give us Vorcza. We admit it, we're fans. This isn't like the "Sunday morning jazz" you listen to while doing the crossword. It's jazz, it's funk and it's danceable. Three musicians in this band...and they create a layered, sultry sound that is, yes, reminiscent of Medeski, Martin & Wood, but......

Pooh-poohing the idea that being in a blue state meant their votes wouldn't count, New Yorkers were determined to vote yesterday, Washington > New York: Strong Showing at Polls Catches City's Old System Off Guard" href="http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/03/politics/03ballots.html">overwhelming voting centers and frustrating many. Our readers reported both frustrating and easy voting experiences yesterday, which makes us realize a couple things: 1) Voting on the way to work may make you late to work; 2) Voting at......

Gothamist used to remember when we'd have a good idea of who would be president around dinner time. However, the very special episode of "America Picks A President" in 2000 had special guest appearances by "Hanging Chad," "James Baker," and "Overanxious Journalists Who Wanted To Call The Election." So this year, we must wait before we know who will be kicking his legs up in the White House come next January. Will it be......

Tonight Gothamist doesn't suggest being alone on couch clutching your your bus fare to Canada and copy of Jon Stewart's book America: A Citizen's Guide to Democracy Inaction. No, we suggest that every other night, but not tonight. Because tonight, we want you to surround yourself with friends and strangers and throw things at the tv together. And what if you had really, really funny friends...wouldn't that be better than your regular friends who are......

In a series called "everyday life in the city," rion took this photograph (above) of a building on Libert Street, right across from the World Trade Center site, where the tenants on the top floor have created this anti-war message. Gothamist likes this sign, because Ground Zero has sometimes been used as a reason to go to war; with all the tourists who flock to Ground Zero and see the hole where the World......