Pussy Riot - I Can't Breathe

From their clip description:

Pussy Riot's first song in English is dedicated to Eric Garner and the words he repeated eleven times before his death. This song is for Eric and for all those from Russia to America and around the globe who suffer from state terror - killed, choked, perished because of war and state sponsored violence of all kinds - for political prisoners and those on the streets fighting for change. We stand in solidarity. Pussy Riot's Masha and Nadya are being buried alive in the Russian riot police uniforms that are worn during the violent clashes of police and the protesters fighting for change in Russia. A pack of "Russian Spring" brand cigarettes is on the ground at the beginning. "Russian Spring" is a term used by those who are in love with Russia's aggressive militant actions in Ukraine, and the cigarettes are a real thing.

Jon Stewart On Eric Garner

Via Gothamist:

Sharing the same outrage that many felt after an NYPD officer was not indicted for choking Eric Garner to death, a disgusted Jon Stewart appeared on The Daily Show last night. He said, "I honestly don't know what to say. If comedy is tragedy plus time, I need more fucking time. But I would really settle for less fucking tragedy to be honest with you." He also pointed out there's video with Garner's death, whereas with Michael Brown's death in Ferguson, Missouri, there were conflicting witness accounts and forensics, "None of the ambiguities of the Ferguson case exist here in the Staten Island case... the guy's not acting threatening, and we know that not through witness testimony, unreliable bystanders, but because we are fucking watching it."

UPDATE: The clip has been pulled. Watch it here.

Sen. Rand Paul Blames Cigarette Taxes For The Death Of Eric Garner

(Via Igor Volsky at Think Progress)

Tomorrow's New York Daily News

Eric Holder To Launch Justice Department Probe Into Death Of Eric Garner

Via The Hill:

Attorney General Eric Holder announced Wednesday night that the federal government is launching a civil rights investigation into the chokehold death of Eric Garner, a black man who was killed by a white police officer in July. A New York grand jury decided earlier in the day that it would not charge the officer. “Our prosecutors will conduct an independent, thorough, fair and expeditious investigation,” the outgoing attorney general said. The Justice Department had been monitoring the case since Garner was killed in July, Holder noted, but waited to initiate a probe until the local investigation concluded. Federal investigators will also review the material used by local law enforcement in the case. Holder said that he had spoken to Garner’s widow, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, and President Obama about the investigation. A statement from Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) indicated that Loretta Lynch, Obama’s nominee to replace Holder and the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, would lead the probe.

Obama Reacts To Garner Decision

De Blasio Urges Calm As Protests Over Garner Decision Are Planned Citywide

From his press release:

“Today’s outcome is one that many in our city did not want. Yet New York City owns a proud and powerful tradition of expressing ourselves through non-violent protest. We trust that those unhappy with today’s grand jury decision will make their views known in the same peaceful, constructive way. We all agree that demonstrations and free speech are valuable contributions to debate, and that violence and disorder are not only wrong – but hurt the critically important goals we are trying to achieve together. The grand jury is but one part of the process. There will still be an NYPD internal investigation. And we know the US Attorney is continuing her investigation. Should the federal government choose to act, we stand ready to cooperate."

Protests will take place tonight in Times Square, Union Square, and other areas with more planned for tomorrow. De Blasio has elected to skip tonight's tree lighting ceremony at Rockefeller Center where the police presence has been "significantly strengthened."

UPDATE: A die-in is underway at Grand Central.

STATEN ISLAND: No Charges For NYPD Officer Who Choked Black Man To Death

Eric Garner's crime was selling loosies. Using chokeholds to bring down a suspect is against NYPD policy.

GOP Rep. Michael Grimm (NY) Threatens Reporter: I Could Break You In Half

Earlier today Rep. Michael Grimm (R-NY made positive news when he became the sixth Republican member of the House to co-sponsor ENDA. Grimm's move won him accolades from openly gay Rep. Jared Polis (D-CO), the bill's author. But tonight Grimm dominated the post-SOTU Twitterverse for threatening to assault a NY1 reporter who dared to ask him about his burgeoning campaign finance scandal back home, which so far has resulted in the arrest of one of his fundraisers.

The Daily Beast recaps tonight's scene:

Congressman Michael Grimm threatened Michael Scotto, a reporter with NY1, a local New York television news station, after the State of the Union Tuesday night saying "you're not a man. I could break you in half." Scotto, was finishing an interview with Staten Island Republican Michael Grimm about the State of the Union when he decided to ask one more question. What that question was is unclear because Grimm immediately cut him off saying "I'm not speaking about anything that is off-topic. This is only about the President's speech." The reporter then spoke to the camera saying that he hoped to ask Grimm about the ongoing campaign finance investigation around his 2010 campaign. Grimm has been linked to an allegedly corrupt Israeli rabbi and his ex-girlfriend has been indicted on charges of being a straw donor among other controversies.

According to a NY1 producer, Grimm also said this: "Let me be clear to you, you ever do that to me again - I'll throw you off this fucking balcony." The poor kid looks really startled.

UPDATE: Grimm is not apologizing.

Tweet Of The Day - Bill Donohue

Donohue is responding to a study issued yesterday by the NYC Department of Health, which observes that the highest rates of STDs are mostly found, unsurprisingly, in the city's poorest neighborhoods.  But don't expect Bill Donohue to acknowledge that Staten Island is quite prosperous compared to the South Bronx.

Among the most severe examples is ZIP code 10474 in Hunts Point, the Bronx, where rates of hepatitis C, chlamydia, gonorrhea and HIV/AIDS all ranked in the top 20 percent of all New York City ZIP codes. Faring even worse was ZIP code 10457, in the Tremont section of the Bronx, which ranked in the top quintile for all seven diseases surveyed. Forty-three percent of residents in the neighborhood live below the federal poverty line, the report said. Overall, the Bronx also had the greatest percentage of ZIP codes – 68 percent – in the top 20 percent citywide for multiple STDs. Nineteen ZIP codes with high rates of poverty in the South Bronx, north-central Brooklyn and northern Manhattan saw top-quintile rates of HIV/AIDS, chlamydia and gonorrhea, the study said.

Zip codes in Chelsea and Hell's Kitchen were also in the top 20% due to higher incidences of HIV. 

Staten Island's PS 122 Elementary Chorus Invited To Obama's Inauguration

Sen. Chuck Schumer has invited Staten Island's famed PS 122 elementary school chorus to perform at President Obama's second inauguration. If you've noted seen their videos, do yourself a favor.

Lady Gaga Gives $1M To Hurricane Relief

"Today I pledge 1 million dollars to New York & The American Red Cross for Hurricane Sandy Relief. If it wasn't for NYC: the Lower East Side, Harlem, the Bronx and Brooklyn, I would not be the woman or artist that I am today. New York is relentless ambition, a drive to succeed, a place where there is a natural pursuit of diversity through compassion. Please accept this gift on behalf of myself, my parents Joe and Cynthia, and my sister Natali; with our deepest gratitude New York for raising us. Thank you for helping me build my spirit. I will now help you rebuild yours. Sincerely, Lady Gaga and The Germanottas." - Lady Gaga, writing on her personal blog.

RELATED: Much of Gaga's donation will doubtlessly end up helping the people of Staten Island, NYC's most-damaged borough. You may recall that Staten Island's borough president, who has been on the news daily screaming for more aid, recently called Lady Gaga a "drug-using slut" who is corrupting the nation's youth. It will be interesting to see if he bothers to respond to Gaga's generosity.

NYC To Get World's Biggest Ferris Wheel

Well, that's one way to get people to visit Staten Island. It will be 200 feet taller than the London Eye, which was the world's biggest until taller ones were built in China and Singapore.

Staten Island Borough President Calls Lady Gaga A Drug-Using Slut

Staten Island borough president James Molinaro yesterday declared that Lady Gaga is a drug-using slut because she was photographed smoking a joint in Amsterdam.

Molinaro made his remarks in Borough Hall on Monday at a launch event for Staten Island's Tackling Youth Substance Abuse program. He stood alongside a poster board with the legend "Stop glorifying drug use in the media" and two photos of the pop singer lighting up, as he launched into his criticism. "Also, we have to understand that there's a tremendous influence with our youth, which I didn't have as a youth. And there's the influence right there," he said, gesturing to the photos. "Stop glorifying the drug use. "There's Gaga. Here's this ... this ... I would call her a slut. This slut is influencing many, many children ... and it's right to do. It's fine, it's part of it," he noted sarcastically. "My niece has two daughters, 12 and 14, [and] they love this woman. Why? Why?"

Residents of New York City's four other boroughs reacted to Molinaro's remarks by recommitting to their successful lifelong plan of never visiting Staten Island.

Staten Island Chuck Says Early Spring

Contrary to today's word from Punxsutawney Phil, Staten Island Chuck says we'll see an early spring. The Staten Island Zoo claims that Chuck is right 80% of the time. New Yorkers may fondly recall Chuck's 2009 bitey displeasure at Mayor Bloomberg's manhandling.

NEW YORK CITY: Confessed Killer Claims Gay Panic In Staten Island Slaying

Ronald Jones, 55, beat and strangled his friend Robert Jenkins to death on Saturday as the pair drank in Jenkins' Staten Island home. Yesterday Jones (left) told investigators that he killed Jenkins in a "rage" after an unwanted sexual advance.

Some of the victim's enraged relatives were so overcome by emotion after spotting the suspect in court, they had to be held back. "That was my father!" Thomas Jenkins, 38, said angrily. The suspect didn't respond. And he didn't make eye contact with the victim's 30 or so relatives gathered in court. When the judge denied Jones bail, mourners broke out in applause. Robert Jenkins, 68, a retired mechanic and grandfather of 11, was found dead early Saturday in his West Brighton home. He had been drinking cognac with Jones for hours. Jones was visiting from Maryland.

Staten Island Live reports that victim's son arrived at the home to find the killer passed out with his arm around his father's corpse. Jones has pleaded not guilty to the charge of second-degree murder, despite having confessed.

Quote Of The Day - James Molinaro

"Believe what our new governor, Andrew Cuomo, has been saying: that we have too many governments around the state and that we need to consolidate them and their services. No way is he going to create another county government in New York state. He is never, never, never, never, never going to sign a Staten Island secession bill into law." - Staten Island Borough President James Molinaro, responding to GOP state Sen. Andrew Lanza's renewed campaign for Staten Island to leave New York City.

In 1993 Staten Island residents approved a secession referendum, but the state legislature blocked it.

Kylie Minogue & The PS22 Chorus

Disco pixie Kylie Minogue dropped in on Staten Island's famed PS22 fifth grade chorus for a couple of numbers during her visit to NYC for the Macy's Parade.

Deep Jury Doody

If you're going to alter a jury duty summons with your dad's name on it so you can tell your boss you're on a vehicular homicide trial, you probably shouldn't leave the doctored summons on your office desk. And then brag about your vacation to fabulous Baltimore on Facebook.

A Staten Island human-resources manager with a history of financial scams doctored a jury summons to weasel out of work for a Baltimore getaway that included taking in a comedy show -- and now she faces up to 14 years in prison, authorities said yesterday. Rebecca Thybulle, 32, was nabbed after her boss found evidence on her desk -- while she was out for eight days on supposed jury duty -- that she had altered a juror summons originally sent to her dad, according to court documents. Thybulle was busted Tuesday after returning to the Amboy Road offices of Children's Home Intervention Programs, a state-funded program for autistic kids, said Staten Island DA Daniel Donovan's spokesman. She was ordered held lieu of $25,000 bond yesterday. Sources said Thybulle -- who claimed to be a juror on a vehicular-homicide case -- later tried to justify her cut-and-paste forgery job by saying, "I needed to take some personal time off. My boss would not allow me to without a good excuse, and even then would badger you about it."

(Image via Gothamist)

PS22 Chorus - Imagine

Staten Island's now world-famous PS22 fifth grade chorus covers John Lennon. Some of their earlier YouTube clips have had millions of views.