Good Tuesday morning.
If you perhaps are in the doghouse because you forgot that Mother’s Day was this past weekend, cheer up! It turns out that you’ve got another bite at the apple.
Today is Dia de la Madre – in Mexico, that is. But maybe you could convince Mom that you wanted to do something a little different? Something with international flair?
Whereas Mother’s Day in the United States consistently falls on the second Sunday of May, Mother’s Day in Mexico always takes place on May 10, regardless of which day of the week it happens to fall on.
Just as in the US, it’s traditional to celebrate Moms in Mexico with gifts – often in the form of flowers. But there are some other interesting traditions, like children gathering outside on the morning of the holiday to serenade mom with a song, sometimes accompanied by a Mariachi band.
“Las Mañanitas” is a popular option, with lyrics that translate to: “Because today is your day, we’ve come to sing for you.”
And, instead of the traditional US brunch or breakfast in bed with toast and coffee and pancakes etc., there’s a feast featuring signature dishes like quesadillas, mole, barbacoa, and more. Just don’t ask Mom to cook. Bad form.
I, as many of you know, am not a mother of any human children. I am, however, a very proud dog mom – times two. My fur children did not get me anything this year, which was pretty disappointing, I have to admit. But I don’t love them any less for it.
One of the best things you can do for your pet, since we’re on the topic, is get them microchipped. No better time to do that than May, which is National Microchip Your Pet Month – a holiday that is officially recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC).
This is actually a relatively new practice, dating back about two decades or so. At the time, though, doing so was considered pricey and the technology was a little clunky.
Not so today. We’ve come a long way, to the point where a very small chip that costs about $45 on average and features identifying information about your pet is inserted in a relatively painless surgical procedure. (It’s basically a shot).
Hopefully your pet never gets lost, but if that day should come to pass, imagine how much easier it will be to identify your fur baby when some good Samaritan finds him/her/them if that scannable chip is present.
Let’s be clear: A microchip is NOT a GPS tracking device. (Those do exist, but they’re a lot more expensive, and also rely on some sort of charging or battery mechanism, which is not failsafe). Chips, on the other hand, are designed to last about 25 years, which, sadly, is far longer than most pets tend to grace us with their divine presence.
Another glorious day is on tap. Yesterday was just – beyond words amazing. Today will bring more sunshine and temperatures in the mid-70s. There is one drawback of all this dryness and sun – the wildfire spread risk is elevated. You should really never be flicking your butts – cigarettes or otherwise – out the window or into the grass, you know that, right? Just don’t. Thanks.
In the headlines…
President Joe Biden signed a bill that will streamline the lengthy process of supplying Ukraine with the military equipment needed for the fight against Russia.
The bipartisan measure reboots the World War II-era “lend-lease” program, which helped defeat Nazi Germany, to bolster Kyiv and Eastern European allies.
Biden urged Congress to quickly approve a multibillion-dollar aid package for Ukraine before trying to pass a new round of Covid-19 funding, warning that U.S. aid for that country’s fighters has nearly been exhausted.
Biden was “displeased” with disclosures last week about U.S. intelligence aiding Ukraine in targeting the Russians, White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters.
Biden recently told his top national security officials that leaks about US intelligence sharing with Ukrainians aren’t helpful and need to stop, according to an official familiar with the conversation.
Biden said he is worried that Russian President Vladimir Putin does not have a way out of the Ukraine war, and the US is trying to figure out what to do about that.
It seems all but inevitable that Putin will be indicted by the International Criminal Court, and likely by other courts, too.
Putin, speaking on Russia’s most important secular holiday, delivered a message for the broader Russian public: that they could keep on living their lives.
French President Emmanuel Macron said that he was in favor of a new type of “political European community” that would allow countries outside the European Union, including Ukraine and Britain, to join the “European core values.”
Biden announced that 20 internet companies have agreed to provide discounted service to people with low incomes, a program that could effectively make tens of millions of households eligible for free service.
“Nearly 40% of the households in America qualify. And if you qualify, you’re gonna get a $30 credit per month toward your Internet bill, which for most folks will mean they get on for nothing,” Biden said. “Look, zero.”
The most punishing market selloff in years showed no signs of abating yesterday, with U.S. stock indexes sliding to new lows for 2022 and other assets, like oil and bitcoin, tumbling as well.
Stocks slumped for a third consecutive day as anxiety continues to build about inflation – and whether the Federal Reserve can bring prices down without sparking a recession.
Recession fears led to a broad rout in stocks, bonds, and cryptocurrencies as investors searched for somewhere to hide.
The cryptocurrency market has continued its slide from last week, mirroring the fall of the broader stock market.
A group of former heads of state and Nobel laureates are calling on the US to immediately commit $5 billion to combat the global coronavirus pandemic prior to a Covid-19 summit on Thursday.
Susan Rice, the White House domestic policy adviser, has become the latest member of the Biden administration to report testing positive for the coronavirus, announcing on Twitter that she had received the result.
The U.S. will have to limit the next generation of Covid vaccines this fall to individuals at the highest risk of getting seriously sick from the virus if Congress fails to approve funding to purchase the new shots, according to a senior Biden administration official.
Projections by public health officials inside and outside the administration suggest the country is likely to experience another surge in cases in the fall and the winter as immunity wanes and the coronavirus is expected to continue mutating.
Teams in white protective suits are entering the homes of coronavirus-infected people to spray disinfectant as Shanghai tries to root out an omicron outbreak under China’s strict “zero-COVID” strategy.
A severe case of COVID-19 can not only shrink your brain but also age it 20 years and lower one’s IQ by 10 points, a new study has found.
As more doctors prescribe Pfizer’s powerful COVID-19 pill, new questions are emerging about its performance, including why a small number of patients appear to relapse after taking the drug.
Lincoln College, a historically Black college in Illinois, will close this week after 157 years, saying it could not survive the financial challenges of the coronavirus pandemic and a ransomware attack last year.
Some of the places that have avoided the worst of the Covid-19 pandemic, including Puerto Rico and Northern New England states, are coping with elevated cases and hospitalizations as the latest highly contagious iterations of the virus circulate.
New York’s reported COVID case rate hit its highest level in more than three months yesterday, as Gov. Hochul urged use of consistent testing and booster shots in response to the steady virus spread.
All but four of New York state’s 62 counties are now considered high- or medium-risk for COVID spread according to the CDC’s data update yesterday, and one of the few still considered low risk by the federal agency may surprise some.
The surge of COVID-19 cases that began in the Finger Lakes in early April has spread to the Hudson Valley even as it declines in central New York.
COVID positivity rates in parts of New York City are back over 20% as the 5th wave of the pandemic spreads throughout the state, driven by a highly contagious new subvariant.
New York City’s post-pandemic recovery has slowed as just a small fraction of Manhattan’s office workers have returned to work in-person, according to a survey by the Partnership for New York City.
Taping for “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” has stopped until “further notice” as the talk show host is “experiencing symptoms consistent with a recurrence of COVID.”
Though health experts expect COVID cases to rise this summer, they said the wave won’t be as devastating as the previous two summers or the surge of the omicron variant of the coronavirus.
New York City public school teenagers won’t need to be vaccinated against COVID-19 to attend their proms this spring, Mayor Adams announced.
A large group of demonstrators gathered outside conservative Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito’s home last night to protest his leaked draft opinion to overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade case and end federal protections for abortion rights.
Lawmakers in Albany are considering a range of options to expand abortion rights in New York, as many other states prepare to restrict them.
New York Democrats want taxpayers to fund abortions for out-of-state women – including undocumented individuals – through a proposed state program costing tens of millions of dollars per year.
New York Attorney General Letitia James announced an effort to get money to abortion providers and take care of people regardless of residency, income or insurance.
James announced the Reproductive Freedom and Equity Program to bolster state support for abortion providers and nonprofits to increase access to abortion care with sponsors Sen. Cordell Cleare and Assemblymember Jessica González-Roja.
“We will continue to act to ensure that every New Yorker and those beyond the lines of our state have access to this absolutely life-saving and critical right,” James said.
Support is building among New York officials to approve a constitutional amendment that would address access to abortion services in the state.
GOP gubernatorial candidate Rep. Lee Zeldin spent some time explaining his anti-abortion views, which are out of step with a majority of New Yorkers.
Zeldin is backing away from recent remarks suggesting he would appoint a pro-life health commissioner if elected – comments which have become a political lightning rod for rivals.
Hochul could be getting past a difficult stretch as a potential June 28 primary approaches.
With the possibility of New Yorkers casting votes in two different primary elections this summer, Republican lawmakers and elections officials are urging action to provide state funding to local elections officials for the split vote.
A state gun-control requirement opposed by the New York affiliate of the National Rifle Association and supported by the Hochul administration has officials preparing for the possibility that the measure could be struck down by the nation’s highest court.
A new analysis by New York City’s Independent Budget Office has raised serious questions about the financial viability of Penn Station’s redevelopment, the state’s role in it and the possibility that taxpayers would have to foot the bill.
Gubernatorial hopeful Rep. Tom Suozzi says a mega-developer donated campaign funds to Hochul and former President Donald Trump to delay Penn Station’s proposed renovation — and enrich itself.
New York’s ethics oversight commission countersued ex-Gov. Andrew Cuomo late last week, filing a court action seeking to force the repayment of $5.1 million in book proceeds paid to the former governor.
A plaintiff seeking to intervene in the Albany redistricting case is asking the judge to reopen the petitioning period for statewide primary elections — opening the door for a potential Cuomo reemergence.
Advocates rallied at the state Capitol for the Legislature to pass a bill prohibiting hospitals from going after patients’ homes and paychecks when seeking to collect on outstanding bills.
Environmental groups are opposing a bill that is intended to reduce carbon intensity but, they said, would end up raising fuel prices and creating pollution hotspots.
Adams defended police officers who last month handcuffed a woman accused of selling fruit without a license in a Brooklyn subway station, saying mango sales could pave the way for bigger problems.
Adams said he wanted to send clear directions to cops to enforce any and all rules and regulations throughout the city, and warned a lack of enforcement could lead to even more unlicensed food vendors in the subways using gas grills to cook.
Adams challenged the findings of a recent report issued by the federal monitor overseeing the NYPD, saying that while he hasn’t yet read it, the department appears to be effectively recording the number of stop-and-frisks it’s making in the city.
Adams returned over $800 thousand in cash raised for his postponed inauguration ceremony because he didn’t spend all the funds in time, according to the New York City Board of Elections.
Adams is soon expected to roll out a housing plan that will stake out a path for building 30,000 new affordable apartment units in the city every year, his top adviser on the issue said.
The prospect of 421a facing expiration without a replacement has the potential to upend new multifamily and affordable construction, making New York City’s dire housing shortage even worse.
Adams and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who represent divergent wings of the Democratic Party, have not spoken one-on-one in nearly a year. And when they do speak of each other, it is usually to trade barbs and brickbats on issues weighty, and less so.
City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams called on the Adams’ administration to stop doing business with an energy company owned by Republican John Catsimatidis over concerns he is engaged in “union-busting” as part of a labor battle with his workforce.
Hochul announced that the New York City Subway set a new record for pandemic-era single-day ridership on Thursday, May 5, carrying 3,497,122 riders.
More enforcement from red light and speed cameras is the best way to make city streets safer amid a horrifying increase in those killed by motorists, the city’s Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez said. But he needs help from Albany to do that.
Republican City Councilwoman Vickie Paladino, who claimed last week that progressive rivals hurled objects at her video image during a partially remote hearing, is now coming under fire for misrepresenting the episode.
A cascade of staffing and medical breakdowns contributed to the deaths of three Rikers Island detainees this year, a jails watchdog concluded in a report released yesterday.
Political and advocacy groups have been increasingly injecting themselves into traditionally nonpartisan school board elections on Long Island, endorsing candidates, assisting in campaigns and inflaming divisions ahead of the May 17 voting.
With Long Island once again experiencing spikes in opioid overdoses, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is pushing to increase federal funding by more than $3 billion to battle the public health crisis.
A musical about making art and a play about making money dominated the Tony Awards nominations, as Broadway sought to celebrate its best work and revive its fortunes after the lengthy and damaging coronavirus shutdown.
COVID posed an unprecedented complication for Tony nominators, who are not only required to see every eligible production, but also to see the performances of all Tony-eligible actors.
Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan has filed a notice of substitution to be the new Democratic candidate for Congress in NY-19.
Employees of the Northeast Parent and Child Society human services agency in Schenectady have voted to join the Civil Service Employees Association union.
A moose remains in Schenectady — and it’s getting a police escort.
Retired Albany police lieutenant and attorney Michael Barone was unusually silent during a court appearance after spending three weeks locked up with his bail revoked for allegedly violating orders of protection that forbid him from contacting an ex-girlfriend.
The Pulitzer Prizes were awarded to an array of news organizations for investigations that uncovered the tragic toll of the US air war in the Middle East, exposed the dangers of a Tampa lead smelter and pieced together the full picture of the Jan. 6 riot.
In under four minutes of bidding, Andy Warhol’s 1964 silk-screen of Marilyn Monroe’s face, “Shot Sage Blue Marilyn,” sold for about $195 million to an unknown buyer at Christie’s in New York, making it the highest price achieved for any US work of art at auction.
