NEW YORK DIARIES

Fox News vs. MSNBC

Three Similar Ways Opposing Media Outlets Portrayed Background Check Senate Rejection

By Alexis Morgan

Amidst the mounting chaotic commotion of this week, the Senate defeated a gun-control proposal today that would’ve given gun buyers tougher background checks. The proposal missed the cut by six votes, a stark contrast to public opinion polls that showed over 85 percent of Americans support other background checks that aren’t already mandated by law.

Though the proposal was bipartisan, the online media coverage from conservative Fox News and liberal MSNBC/NBCnews.com found common ground in three elements of their reporting.

Obama’s headline worthy reaction

Vehement and in dismay, the President’s reaction to the defeated compromise measure made the headlines of both parties…. albeit with a slightly different tone after the fact.

“All in all, this was a pretty shameful day for Washington,” Obama was quoted in both Fox’s and NBC’s articles online.

According to Fox, Obama “lashed out at opponents in unusually blunt terms during remarks from the Rose Garden.”

 “A visibly frustrated Obama decried the defeat of the measure,” MSNBC wrote, changing up the tone.

Newtown families’ and Giffords’ persuasion power

A lobbying effort was made by way of the Democrats, but noted by both media outlets, using the Newtown victims’ family members and former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords.

MSNBC cites the emotional testament from families of mass shooting victims in the first sentence but is a theme throughout the entire article. Refuting the notion that they were used a “props”; Obama slammed critics saying “that their voices and experiences should have been welcomed.” “Shame on you!” a survivor of the Tuscon shooting yelled from the Senate gallery as stated in the MSNBC article.

Meanwhile, Fox mentions the “family members of Newtown victims… tearing up after the vote, also criticized the Senate for the amendment’s failure Wednesday,” for the first time in the 27^th graph. Fox also notes Gifford’s attempt to persuade lawmakers at a Capitol Hill private lunch in the last (31^st) graph.

Citing the NRA

“This amendment would have criminalized certain private transfers of firearms between honest citizens, requiring lifelong friends, neighbors and some family members to get federal government permission to exercise a fundamental right or face prosecution,” said NRA-ILA executive director Chris Cox.

The Fox article followed the statement with a pushback from the Democrats, “but Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and other Democrats hammered Republicans for not voting in support and vowed to press forward.”

As MSNBC cited “four Republicans — Sens. John McCain of Arizona, Susan Collins of Maine, Mark Kirk of Illinois and amendment author Toomey — broke with the rest of the GOP to support the background check legislation. “

Whether you believe the Pew Research or the rating’s reports, it seems Fox and MSNBC/NBCnews.com have more in common than we think.

 

How Gardens, Composters can Live Harmoniously with the City’s Rats

By Alexis Morgan

With the mayoral election just months away, New Yorkers are gearing up to decide who will be in charge of the city for the next four years. But the city’s urban gardeners and composters know that job’s already taken. For that reason, gardeners flocked to the New York Botanical Garden to hear a seminar on how to live more harmoniously with the real bosses of the city: the rats.

“Rodents are the most successful carnivores on earth,” said Caroline Bragdon, a Department of Health research scientist, at a NYC Compost Project meet-up at the New York Botanical Garden last month. “They’ve got the drive to survive, especially in a place like New York City.”

The near-full classroom nodded their heads in agreement as Bragdon continued her PowerPoint presentation focused on the biology, behavior and habitat of rodents. Many gardeners have had at least one encounter with rats; the typical urban gardener probably has had many, said Bragdon in her rat fact sheet. Urban gardens are particularly hospitable to rats because they provide food, water and safety; it’s prime real estate to them.

Although the class was designed for urban gardeners and composters, Bragdon shared useful information to anyone living in a city where some experts speculate rats outnumber people four to one.

Bragdon offered her basic three-point rat plan: prevention, observation and intervention. She said a good rat management program primarily focuses on prevention. For gardeners, the early spring prior to spring planting is the best time to start watching for rats.

She then outlined several ways to keep the city’s other residents in their place.

• Harass their burrows everyday to annoy the rats and promote relocation.
•  Pick up any fecal matter daily. Animal waste such a dog feces can also provide nourishment.
• Cut back vegetation, remove ivy or vines from walls and trees, and trim back tree branches that are in close proximity to buildings to limit easy access to gardens.
•  Remove clutter from storage sheds and garages to discourage possible shelters.
• Do not drill holes in plastic trashcans. Rats can chew through almost anything with an edge.

Audience member James McAvoy started building his own garden after getting laid off from his desk job two years ago. His passion grew into his profession, and he’s now employed as a consultant for the New York City Housing Authority’s gardening properties. He came to the meeting, like many other attendees, to find out how to keep rodents away from the gardens he maintains.

“We’ve got the best fed rats in the world,” McAvoy said after the meeting. “[NYCHA is] always calling me, like ‘the commissioner’s coming, you’ve got to do something’ and I didn’t know anything about controlling the rats before.”

Jodie Colon, Compost Educator at Bronx Green-Up, who organized the seminar, came to help her members find solutions to their rat problems.

“I used to have to beg people to compost but now there’s so much interest.” Colon said sometimes there is a divide between the gardeners and composters because the gardeners believe compost piles will attract rodents. “I wanted to provide outreach and education so they know this isn’t the case.”

Bragdon noted that early intervention is important to prevent the spread of rat-borne diseases. She said although Norway rats, like the ones found in the Northeast, can carry a range of diseases such as Weil’s disease, viral hemorrhagic fever and Q fever, but cases are rarely reported. There were, however, 22 confirmed cases of leptospirosis, a potentially fatal bacterial disease, in dogs last year in rat-infested areas according to Bragdon, but she did not say where. Symptoms of leptospirosis are comparable to those of the flu.

To prevent any spread of disease or contamination, Bragdon suggests the following:

• For urban gardeners, take extra care to wash the harvest. Wash with soap and water just like washing hands.
• Any food people will eat, rats will eat. They thrive off of greasy foods and protein. Separate any foods with grease, fat and protein into tightly closed trashcans.
• Try to limit the amount of time garbage spends on the curb. If a landlord takes care of the trash, urge him to store it in a basement room until trash collection time.
• Wash all areas where rats travel, including countertops, floors and sidewalks. Rats leave urine and pheromone to communicate that is only detectable under a special light. Rat waste is especially dangerous because it’s the primary spread of a wide range of potentially harmful parasites or bacteria said Bragdon.  

Bragdon promotes pesticide-free methods for rat reduction but said as a last resort, hire a pest professional. She said residents are not allowed to use rodenticide in public spaces without a license, and instead should seek a pest control firm certified by the Department of Environmental Conservation.

According to Bragdon, the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene is proactively managing problem areas by using traditional rodenticide and reducing food sources, for example by cutting the number of trash cans in subway stations.

In May 2010, Mayor Bloomberg made significant cuts to the Department of Health budget, laying off 63 pest control workers - 75 percent of the staff. The January 2013 Fiscal Plan called for more lay offs for pest control aides as part of the Department of Health’s continued efforts to decrease spending and increase efficiency.

Bragdon feels that rats aren’t a priority in these tight budget times. “Increasing the budget would create significant change in the rat population in the city,” she said.

New York’s historic Governor’s Island is a prime piece of property just ask Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg.Nestled in the shadow of the Manhattan skyline and just 800 yards from the tip of lower Manhattan, the Island displays panoramic views of the statue of liberty, the financial district high rises and all of Greater New York harbor. But despite being completely surrounded by water, there isn’t any clean drinking water piped to the island.

You Never Miss Water ‘Till Governor’s Island Runs Dry

By Alexis Morgan

New York’s historic Governor’s Island is a prime piece of property just ask Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg.Nestled in the shadow of the Manhattan skyline and just 800 yards from the tip of lower Manhattan, the Island displays panoramic views of the statue of liberty, the financial district high rises and all of Greater New York harbor. But despite being completely surrounded by water, there isn’t any clean drinking water piped to the island.

The island hasn’t always been dry; The Coast Guard used their own water filtration systems until their departure in 1997 because the water main hadn’t been used since the 1950’s. When the city and state bought the property in 2003, the running water was deemed unsafe for drinking because of the presence of bacteria. The Trust for Governor’s Island Spokesperson Elizabeth Rapauno says the island’s predicament will end soon. Mayor Bloomberg is transforming the scenic island into a world-class tourist destination.

“Right now governor’s island is embarking on an ambitious quest,” says Rapuano. “The Bloomberg administration has invested $250 million dollars in to Governor’s Island to bring its infrastructure into the 21st century to build an extraordinary park and public space.”

Work started on phase I of the project this May. The entire project is scheduled to be completed by Fall 2013, running up a $250 million dollar price tag for taxpayers. Rapuano says bringing sustainable potable water to the island is one of their top priorities of the entire project.

“Right now we’re working on the design phase, designing a new pipe that will go from governors island to brooklyn, which will bring potable water to the island ,” Rapuano added. “We’re not only working on the pipe but the water distribution center of that water to the rest of the island. ”

The new water main will tap into Brooklyn’s water supply which is the New York City water supply system. Once the pipe is designed, the Trust will build the new water main under the Buttermilk Channel, the water that separates Governor’s Island and Brooklyn.

“It’s all a really important next step as you know you look to the future of governors island as being a center of a place of 24/7 activity,” Rapuano said.

Currently, the Island is only open to the public on weekends. John johnson, visiting governor’s island for the first-time, was surprised to hear there was no fresh water to be found.

“So there’s no water fountains out there? I’m kind of thirsty already,” Johnson said laughing.

Once visitors arrive on the island, bottled water is available at vending machines and kiosks for about $1.50. . The two permanent tenants: on the island, the New York Harbor School and the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council artists’ studios, use bottled water and large potable water tanks that are ferried over. . Many of the LMCC artists say they’re not affected by the bacteria-ridden tap.

“I barely thought about fresh water before,” Jong Oh, a LMCC painter said. “Although it doesn’t really affect us, it made me think how valuable is the fresh water that I can get easily at home or any other places in the city. I felt really bad a few days ago when I saw an open fire hydrant on the street on my way home in Bushwick.”

Samang Isdasi, a mother of two who brings her own water during summer visiting days, thinks drinking from plastic bottles is worse than drinking tap.

“I think it’s unfortunate,” she said. “I would like to give my children fresh water. We’re so dependent on bottled water. I’ve read terrible things about the chemicals leaching from the plastic bottles.”

Employees who work on the island say the water system needs to be fixed immediately.

“It doesn’t make sense,” said Manny Rastrero, who works at New York Bike and Roll, a TK. “People are here exercise and go biking; we go through so much water daily.”

With the added expense of visitors who have to buy bottled and of bringing tanks of potable water to the island, the tax payers are truly the ones who are footing the water bill. Some food vendors on the island say even though it’s a negative thing for tourists, it’s a positive for all the businesses that sell water.

“We make a lot of money off of bottled water, especially since we’re $.50 cheaper than the vending machines,”said a Perfect Picnic employee. “We probably make half our profit just off of water alone.”

For now visitors will have to suck up the expense of bottled water and wait until next year for a drink from a fountain.

Out of the Rocking Chair and on to the Dance Floor

By Alexis Morgan

It’s a scientific fact: our metabolism slows down as age. But New York City community programs, like Dances For A Variable Population’s Movement Speaks, are trying to combat digressing metabolism rates by getting local senior citizens more active through physical fitness.

About twenty senior citizens from the local neighborhoods came together today at the Harlem Citizen’s Care Center with one mission: to exercise. It took a while for everyone to get loose and on their feet.

“Everyone get off your chair, it’s time to dance!” shouted Naomi Hass, the programs’ artistic director. Each exercise combined individual freestyle body movements and stretches to get the circulation pumping in their bodies. Twenty minutes in, the whole room was vibrant with activity.

“It’s not time to sit down in a rocking chair,” said Eleanor Dennis, a local Harlem Senior Citizen who found out about the program after reading the community newspaper.

Although today’s session was the first for Dennis, she was one of the most active dancers in the group. “I think the program is so important; it’s very comprehensive and very much needed. This program has strengthened my determination to get out there and keep going.”

Movement Speaks is one of the only programs specifically designed to get the older generations in Harlem more active through art and expression. Haas says she wanted the program be a form of excise through creativity.

“We wanted to see how it could be the most beneficial for the total body,” Haas said. “We combine several methods form fitness and methods through all kinds of dance - expressive dance, social dance, anyway to get people to move.”

The program, which began in 2008, is designed as a 10-week session where the citizens create their own dances culminating to a final live performance at an alternate senior center.

“We work really hard to figure out what will inspire people to become more of themselves and participate as fully as they can in this world and in the community,” Haas added.

“There’s always a goal to work for. They all want better health and to feel better but some of them just want to dance. At the end, they have achieved a greater sense of health in all directions: balance, flexibility, and cardiovascular.”

Excise isn’t the only benefit for the seniors, “The other component that we think is great is they make a new friend. There’s the whole social impact so that the center becomes very close,” Haas said.

But this center doesn’t have as many participants as other senior centers which is important when it comes to generating funding to keep the program alive. Haas reminded everyone at the end of the class to bring their friends and to continue participating every week.

For Robert Moore, the program has truly been a life saver.

“Before I started I was very heavy, approximately 300 pounds at 5’5”” Moore said. “As we participated in the dance, my weight started coming down, my diabetes settled down and I’m doing so much better. I love this program to death.”

Even after loosing 268 pounds the program still isn’t easy. “It’s very challenging. You’re challenging yourself; you’re challenging your mind. ‘Can you do this dance, can you participate?’ The answers ‘yes you can’,” Moore said graciously. “This dance class has saved my life.”

Haas couldn’t be more proud of the program that she’s built.

“It’s inspiring to myself, for the people who work for me and for the people who we work with to find out how dance can be such a vehicle for social interaction and personal growth,” Haas said.

Howard Simmons, a former semi-professional football player reiterates how important Haas has been for the center.

“ The older you get, [the more] you need exercise,” Simmons said. “I wasn’t doing nothing but sitting around the house but now this is fun and exercise. Exercise makes me feel better,

“This knee was hurting so bad I couldn’t even walk but now I can….. thanks to Naomi.”

The Voice of the New York City Transit

By Alexis Morgan

Standing at an average five-foot-ten with simple framed glasses and a pleasant smile, you wouldn’t recognize Bernie Wagenblast at first glance. When he opens his mouth, an unexpected deep voice emerges with effortless articulation. It’s at that exact moment when most people recognize the voice of New York City Transit.

More than 4.3 million people who ride the subway everyday are informed by Wagenblast’s golden voice, “There is an… uptown two express train… arriving in… two minutes.”

“I’ve had a lot of fun doing the subway announcements simply because [I’m] there 24 hours a day 7 days week,” Wagenblast said. “All these people from around the world are hearing [my voice] throughout the entire subway system.”

Wagenblast, now 56, has been a transportation personality performing voice-overs for organizations and traffic reports for radio for over 30 years and is perhaps the most heard voice in the City today.

“You don’t just talk, you provide useful information and are helping people avoid getting stuck in traffic,” he said. “If you can help [someone] steer clear of problem, you’re not just a voice on the radio you actually provide a service to hopefully hundreds of thousands of other people as well.”

He was motivated to pursue a career in radio atnine-years-oldwhile listening to a segment called ‘Rambling with Gambling’ on WNEW-AM. It was the first time he listened to a traffic report and the last time he’d have to think about his future career.Wagenblast started perfecting his voice in fifth grade by communicating with local radio stations and reading The Star Ledger aloud for practice.

“I wrote fan letters to the disc jockeys [at radio stations] and asked them advice about how to get into radio,” he said. “Several of my letters were read on-air which was a big thrill at ten years old. They wrote me back, sent me autographed pictures and letters of advice. With out a doubt that was the main inspiration [for my career] growing up.”

Wagenblast got his lucky break at 22 when he was chosen to be one of the original traffic reporters for Shadow Traffic doing live reports for WABC Radio News in New York City, the top radio market in the country. It was certainly a dream come true for the then-recent Seton Hall Alumnus who fell in love with the one-on-one interaction with the audience.

“I always just found a certain magic about the radio, the people on the radio always seem to be friendly, people you could have a relationship with,” he said. “Radio is an intimate medium because you’re speaking to an audience of one. They’re listening to you getting ready or driving to work, in the kitchen or in the bedroom.”

After five years in the radio industry, he decided to try to become a radio sales person with the goal of ultimately owning his own station. Wagenblast couldn’t stand the job and subsequently acquired a position with the Port Authoritywho owns various transportation facilitiesin New Jersey and New Yorklike the Lincoln tunnel, Holland tunnel, George Washington Bridge.

“They would use someone from their staff to do their voice recordings but it wasn’t broadcast quality,” he said. “I would volunteer my services; it was something extra I could do to become more well-known for doing voice work. I became a resource that they could turn to if they needed a voice.”

Now you can hear Wagenblast’s voice everywhere from the subway, on the radio and as an automatic answering system for phone lines. But making a living relying on his voice isn’t always easy; he has to take extra precaution to protect his vocal chords.

“I certainly drink a lot of water because being hydrated is especially important,” he said. “Going to a sporting event, I can’t cheer too loudly and on Saturdays when I’m driving to the city, I’ll do a vocal warm-up, similar to singing just to get my voice in gear,” Wagenblast said.

After working for transportation departments for over 20 years, he unexpectedly did a career 360 in 2010 and was back on the radio doing traffic at the station that launched his career. Although Wagenblast only reports on Saturdays, he stays busy with his business editing transportation newsletters and sporadic voice-over work.

Even after over a quarter of a decade perfecting his craft, Wagenblast acknowledges he still makes mistakes on-air.

“Unfortunately there are some of those days where you just can’t spit out the words correctly and get tongue tied. Sometimes I can’t get the words out especially if it’s a busy day.”

But many people fail to notice. Former colleague and longtime friend David Judd saysyou can never get tired of listening to Wagenblast’s radio voice because of the personality that shines through.

“I think if you asked anyone to describe [Wagenblast] to you in two words they would say ‘nice guy’. He’s funny, he’s charming, and he’s just a nice guy.”

Although he’s one of the most recognizable voices in the tri-state area, Bernie’s very humble when he is recognized says Judd.

“I was out to dinner one night with a friend and mentioned something about Bernie Wagenblast. [My friend] goes ‘You know him?’ and I said, ‘Yea, I’ve known him for years’,” Judd said. “He’s sort of a celebrity, you can hear his voice everywhere but he’s still a really down to earth guy.”

As for Wagenblast, he doesn’t consider himself a celebrity at all.

“If there is an A,B, C, and D list of celebrities,” Wagenblast laughs. “I would be on the K list,”