Whale watchers have said that record numbers of humpback whales are returning to New York waters. The whales are swimming within just a mile of the Rockaway peninsula in Queens. Director of the Ocean Giants program at the Wildlife Conservation Society, Howard Rosenbaum said that the fact that some of the most charismatic and largest animals ever to exist on the planet Earth are swimming within … [Read more...]
NYC’s Garbage Disposal Services Helped by Insects
NYC’s garbage disposal is not an easy job. For a city with over 8 million citizens bustling across the packed streets, going by their day-to-day life, trash tends to pile up. And just like any other jungle, be it concrete or natural, it does not fall behind when it comes to the grand insect and critter ecosystems that emerge in it. What is not so much common knowledge outside the general … [Read more...]
New Leopard Frog Species Discovered in New York City
An article published in PLOS Biology three years ago stated that there are approximately 8.7 million species on Earth. Taking into account the species catalogued by now, the number would mean that around 86 to 91 percent of all the terrestrial and marine species are unknown. Little wonder then that a new leopard frog species has been discovered in New York City. Thirty years have passed since … [Read more...]
Two Years after Hurricane Sandy, Infrastructure Upgrades Are Underway
Hurricane Sandy left deep scars on the US Atlantic shore. With damages of $108 billion, only Katrina manages to surpass the level of damages produced by Sandy, $68 billion. Close to 150 people lost their lives during the 2012 superstorm, half of them on US soil. Two years after Sandy ravaged the East coast, it’s time to assess what the authorities managed to achieve to avoid similar outcomes. … [Read more...]
Man Attacks NYPD Cops with Hatchet, Police Shoots Him Dead
The New York City police shot and killed a man who attacked two officers with a hatchet. The attacker hit a rookie police officer in the back of the head and another in the arm. Both officers are in stable condition. Officer Kenneth Healey, 25, has a “very serious injury to the backside of his head,” said William J. Bratton, the police commissioner. The other officer, Joseph Meeker, 24, will … [Read more...]
Three-quarters of NYC Airbnb Listings are Illegal, Attorney General Says
New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman released a report claiming that nearly three-quarters of the New York City properties listed on Airbnb violate state laws on zoning and subletting. The “Airbnb in the City” report was based on the analysis of almost 500,000 private stays in more than 35,000 unique places for less than 30 days. About 6 percent of the hosts gained $168 million. That … [Read more...]
New York City Rats Carry Unknown Viruses and Bacteria, Study
City rats are among the most despised creatures. But we actually fear disease when we see them and there is a good reason for that. Rats carry a rich combination of viruses and bacteria that may even be fatal in some cases. What pathogens the New York City rats carry around is a question that drove researchers from Columbia University to catch a couple of them for science. The team was led by … [Read more...]
NYC Lawyer Became the Focus Point in Rape Investigation
A loud, inescapable lawyer that has been a fierce adversary of the New York Police Department for years is now the focus point of a potential rape case. Sanford Rubenstein is now receiving unwelcome attention, after a member of Rev. Al Sharpton’s National Action Work accused the attorney of sexually assaulting her. The case has made Rubenstein step away from the prominent case in which a man died … [Read more...]
Waldorf Astoria Sold for $1.95 Billion to Chinese Company
The luxury hotel Waldorf Astoria was sold for $1.95 billion. The New York City icon was bought by the Chinese insurance company Anbang Insurance Group. At this price, the Waldorf Astoria New York becomes the most expensive hotel in history with $1.38 million per room. Hilton will continue to manage the unit for the next 100 years as part of the agreement. Waldorf Astoria is one of New York’s … [Read more...]
New York City Mayor Raises the Living Wage
The US are recovering from the harsh economic crisis, but its effects are still felt by most American households. Recent reports show that income inequality is at the highest levels ever recorded. Even if the number of jobs lost during the recession has been recovered, the new ones offer lower wages. Excluding inflation rate, the American middleclass has not received a raise for a long time. Now … [Read more...]