Salt-Loving Mayor Seeks to Trim It From NYC Diets (shocking)

NYC

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg — who is known to shake salt on his pizza — is focusing on sodium as the next unhealthy enemy in his crusade to coax people into eating better.

Bloomberg's health department has already banned trans fats in restaurant meals and forced chain eateries to post calorie counts on menus. On Monday, the city set guidelines recommending maximum amounts of salt for a variety of restaurant and store-bought foods, with the goal of cutting salt levels in food by a quarter overall in five years.

"I use a lot of salt," Bloomberg admitted Monday. Despite any personal eating habits he may have, the mayor is fixated on nutrition as a public health concern.

"We're trying to extend the lives and improve the lives of people who live in this city," he said.

Unlike the city's trans fat ban and calorie count rule, the salt initiative is voluntary.

The recommendations posted on the city health department's Web site call for substantial reductions in the salt content of many products, from a 20 percent drop in peanut butter to a 40 percent decline in canned vegetables.

The targets include a 40 percent reduction in breakfast cereals and flavored snack chips, and a 25 percent reduction for cold cuts, processed cheese and salsa.

Not even the mayor's favorite foods — popcorn and hot dogs — were spared: The city wants food manufacturers to work on reducing salt by 30 percent in popcorn and 20 percent in wieners.

Health officials say Americans now eat about twice the amount of salt they should. Too much sodium contributes to high blood pressure, which can cause heart attack and stroke.

New York City's program is modeled in part after a similar initiative in Britain that has been under way since 2003.

Seventeen national health organizations and 25 other city or state health agencies have endorsed New York City's effort, called the National Salt Reduction Initiative.

Discounts for Museum of Natural History in New York?

Does anyone know where I can find a discount on tickets for the Museum of Natural History in New York? And also if possible for the Hayden Planetarium next to it? Thanks so much to all who answer and Happy New Year!

Find the truth all about New York here - New York Jets vs. San Diego Chargers Line

New York

The New York Jets vs. San Diego Chargers line opened Sunday afternoon at San Diego -9.  New York will play in San Diego following Baltimore's stunning defeat of New England on the road.  The Ravens will go on to play Indianapolis as a +6 ½ underdog at Bookmaker.com.

The Jets beat Cincinnati on Saturday during their wild card playoffs matchup.

Ironically, The Jets won their first playoff game since beating the Chargers in the 2004 Wild Card round.

Mark Sanchez became just the fourth rookie QB in NFL history to win his postseason debut, joining Shaun King ('99 Bucs), Ben Roethlisberger ('04 Steelers) and Joe Flacco ('08 Ravens). Sanchez and Flacco are the only ones to do it on the road.

"He had the eye of the tiger today and he was ready to get out there and throw it around," coach Rex Ryan said of his quarterback. "I see him getting better and better each day on the practice field. What a job he's done. I think he's tired of hearing he's the weak link on this football team."

Sanchez was an efficient 12 for 15 for 182 yards and 1 TD, good for a passer rating of 139.4.

Jets rookie Shonn Greene carried 21 times for 135 yards and a TD. Greene's total was tied for the third-highest by a rookie in his postseason debut since the merger. It was also tied for the second-highest single-game total in Jets posteason history.

New York will play the hottest team in the NFL right now, the San Diego Chargers.  The Chargers have won 11 straight matching their best single-season streak (1961).

San Diego finished 13-3, the second most wins in franchise history. The team won 14 in 2006.

"You work hard to get to this point," said Chargers coach Norv Turner, who was fired by the Redskins after 13 games in the 2000 season. "You work hard to position yourself. You work hard to get the bye and the home game. Now we want to take advantage of that."

The New York Jets vs. San Diego Chargers line was available at Bookmaker.com.  Claim your 20 percent CASH BONUS when opening an online betting account at Bookmaker.com.  Use bonus code:  GAMBLING911.

Christopher Costigan, Gambling911.com Publisher

 

Puzzling New York news: Super calendar! Rex Ryan maps out New York Jets' next month, from San Diego to ...

New York

BY Rich Cimini

dAILY NEWS SPORtS WRITER

Monday, January 11th 2010, 4:00 AM

Jets set for San Diego

Will the Jets beat the Chargers in the AFC divisional round?

The Jets' charter flight home from Cincinnati was decorated with green and white balloons, streamers and congratulatory poster boards. A nice touch, for sure, but nothing compared to what Rex Ryan has in mind for Feb. 9.

A Super Bowl victory parade up the Canyon of Heroes.

Ryan distributed a postseason calendar last week to the team, marked with the dates of everything from the wild-card game to the Super Bowl to the parade. He took that presumptuous step because he wants the players to visualize the journey, from the first game to the ticker tape.

"If you're not man enough or have enough faith in your team to put it on the schedule, you wouldn't," Ryan said Sunday. "But we do. We feel we have an outstanding chance. We feel we have an excellent football team. We're not ashamed of the fact that I believe it can happen."

The Jets' 24-14 victory over the Bengals was "a giant step forward," according to Ryan, but the road to the confetti blizzard is about to get a lot tougher. They're heading to San Diego for a Sunday afternoon showdown against the Chargers (13-3) in the AFC divisional playoffs.

The Jets avoided a rematch with the top-seeded Colts, thanks to the Ravens' upset of the Patriots, but they hardly consider it a lucky break. The Chargers are the hottest team in the league, having won 11 straight, and they haven't been held under 20 points in any game. Their last loss was Oct. 19 to the Broncos, 34-23.

Ryan's top-ranked defense will face a big-play offense led by Philip Rivers, who has passed for 4,254 yards, 28 touchdowns and only nine interceptions.

If you think Ryan is intimidated, you haven't been paying attention for the past 12 months.

"The reality is, if we win three games, we're the world champions," Ryan said. "It's so close you can almost taste it."

If the fifth-seeded Jets stun the Chargers, which would be one of the biggest upsets in team history, they would face the Colts-Ravens winner in the AFC Championship Game. It will be at the Meadowlands if Ryan's former team, the Ravens (the No. 6 seed), knocks off the Colts in the other divisional game.

And you thought the old stadium was history. Maybe not yet.

If it's the Colts, the Jets will get a chance to prove their upset two weeks ago wasn't a Curtis Painter-induced fluke.

But first the Jets have to figure out a way to stop the Chargers, who have three targets with at least 776 receiving yards - Vincent Jackson (1,167), tight end Antonio Gates (1,157) and Malcolm Floyd (776). They're coming off a bye week, so they will be well-rested.

The Jets won't be, but they do have plenty of their own momentum, having won six of seven. They also have a maturing Mark Sanchez to complement their league-leading ground attack. Sanchez, growing up before our eyes, has gone three straight games without a turnover.

"When our quarterback plays well," safety Jim Leonhard, "we feel like we have a great chance to beat anybody."

Ryan mapped out the postseason plan after the season-ending win over the Bengals. In Mangini World, it was always one week at a time. Maybe that's why, when they made the playoffs in 2006, it "was miserable," according to one player. "I know this sounds crazy, but some guys just wanted it to be over."

Ryan dares to dream big.

"Sometimes when you get in the playoffs, you think, ‘Okay, we're in the playoffs, but is it really reality to think we can win a Super Bowl?'" Ryan said. "When you lay it out in front of them, I think they can visualize it and realize, ‘Hey, man, we just take care of our business ... we can get this done.'"

In which CSI New York episode Mac Taylor reminds Stella a historical greek phrase?

In which CSI New York episode Mac Taylor reminds Stella a historical greek phrase (in greek words) that she tought him in the past? Something like "be positive" or "look up high"... They were just two greek words that Mac tried to tell in greek.

Hundreds strip in NYC for No Pants Subway Ride - Why do I suddenly feel cheerless

NYC

NEW YORK – Hundreds of New Yorkers with an exhibitionist streak spent Sunday afternoon riding the subways in boxers, briefs and lacy panties during the ninth annual No Pants Subway Ride, despite chilly weather.

The group Improv Everywhere, a group that says its mission is to cause "scenes of chaos and joy in public places," organized the stunt. Participants met up at six locations around the city and got their half-naked marching orders.

"It's a place to meet people that's not your traditional bar scene," said Brady Kirchberg, 26, taking part in his third no-pants ride.

Kirchberg was one of about 300 people who gathered at the Great Hill in Central Park and then split up to ride two different trains.

The event's somewhat complicated choreography involved a few people taking off their pants once the subway door closed. At the next stop they got off and waited on the platform for the next train. Meanwhile more people took off their pants, got off and boarded the train behind the first one. After four of five stops that second train was full of half-clothed straphangers.

"I just wanted to do something fun and spontaneous," said Ashley Kemp, 24.

Participants were told to act like nothing unusual was going on. Most folded their pants, stashed them in their backpacks and resumed reading magazines or chatting with their companions.

Like many of the men, Kirchberg wore relatively modest boxers as he leafed through The New Yorker. Some women drew stares in their skimpier undies.

But most bystanders were blase.

"It looks chilly," said Dawn Young, waiting on the platform at 96th Street alongside several pantsless people.

Gintas Norvila said, "It's the first time I've seen it. It looks very interesting," and went back to reading Dostoevsky's "Notes from Underground."

The event started in 2002 with just seven people.

Some of Improv Everywhere's other actions have included "Surprise Wedding Reception" and "Slo-Mo Home Depot," in which scores of "agents" pretended to shop at the home-improvement store and then froze in place.

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On The Net:

Improv Everywhere: improveverywhere.com