Mayor Mike's narrow win

Mayor Mike's narrow win reflects seething unrest among working-class New Yorkers to his neglect of their interests over his eight year tenure. This so-called Wall Street business wiz-kid hasn't attracted enough blue-collar jobs nor enough affordable housing. Hell! Mike couldn't even keep a cookie company(Stella Dora) from vacating the Bronx. Out went over eighty good paying union jobs. Stella Dora, after a hard fought battle by the workers, paid the kind of wages workers need to pay the escalating rents that's enveloped Bloomberg's Gotham. But, we all know who Mike caters to. It's not the same folks who almost voted him out two weeks ago. It's the real estate fat cats and the folks that make six-figured salaries. And another thing Mayor Mike. Take off the Yankee jacket. We all know you don"t follow baseball and besides.... you're from....Boston.

What's going on here? Big luxury condos are being turned into rentals because the owners can't find any buyers. Commercial real estate is in gotham is in the pits. Store closings are up all over. Yet, the happy news from our corporate media is crowing that the "Great Recession" is over and happy days are here again? Below are some pix of recent store closings in the city.

The recession and store closings on West 8th St. in the Village

Recovery-What Recovery?

For several weeks now we've been getting happy news from our corporate-controlled media that we are coming out of the worst economic recession in history. We're in economic recovery they say. The news shows issue government stats that indicate instead of losing 500,000 jobs a month we are now shedding 200,000. Wow! Unemployment is about to hit 10% (It's at 9% in New York City) and a part-time job is the best you can do if you"re lucky enough to find a job at all. A headline in the September 2nd edition of Women's Wear Daily reports that "shop lifting is soaring" at a lot of clothing stores. Another fun fact of this so-called recovery is the closing of many retail stores in our area. But Wall Street has been having a swell time recently, right? Well that was a week ago. Lately stocks have been kind of flat or like today-down. I just don't think we're out of the woods yet folks. My advice is to not unbuckle your seat belt just yet. It might be another steep drop ahead on this roller coaster.

Pix From Montreal, Canada during 2009 R.A.C.E Conference 6/5/09

Snafu-You a Train Blues

Over the past few years the MTA has been supending A train service from 12AM-5AM. I live in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn and the A and C trains are my only options to get to work. The MTA offers the dredded "Shuttle Bus" service to Jay Street-Borough Hall where you can pick up a Manhattan bound A, C or F train. Now train service is supposed to resume at 5AM, so I usually will wait until service resumes. I have to get to work by 6AM so I'm hoping the MTA is true to its word. Not today. The train showed up around 18 minutes afterwards. Lots of people are wainting and like me, some of them might get into office disciplinary action for lateness. Even before this latest suspension of service the A seemed to crawl through the tunnel, thus making me late to catch my E train connection at West 4th St. This nonesense has been going on for most of the year, with hardly any C service on most weekends. If you have a job in these economic hard times then you are blessed. I know of many friends who have lost their jobs in this current financial meltdown. My supervisor told my that I'm on the company "radar scope" for past lateness. all of my latenesses are due to the snafu's of the MTA on the IND A, C, and E lines. I'm well aware that routine repairs must be made to the tracks, but some of the MTA's capital spending should be shelved during this Great Recession. Especially interior fix-up jobs like what's happening at the Jay Street/Borough Hall station. It's sad that people are losing their jobs due to the collapse of Wall St, but to lose a paycheck because of MTA incompetance is a outrage. I would like to know who does the dispatching on most Thursdays when the 4:45am train doesn't arrive till sometimes-5:15 or later? Soon we'll be paying more for this nonesense. Can a member of the working poor get a break?

DO NOT BELIEVE THE HYPE!

Don't believe in all the rosy upbeat news about the economy. Wall St is not and accurate gage for our current economic mess either. Thousands of people lost good paying jobs in April. Good paying jobs with health benefits that will never return. Recently, in the the Brownsville section of Brooklyn, New York over four thousand job hunters showed up for a jobs fair that was expecting less than a thousand. One poor guy confessed that since he recently lost his job that he was soon running out of money to pay for his mortgage. He's among millions across America in similar dire fates. Many are defaulting on credit card payments. Black-American unemployment is at 15%. Many Americans are only finding part-time employment trying to make ends meet. But, unfortunately for these hundreds of thousands there won't be any government bailouts. They aren't the Wall St. fat cats who were treated to billions or trillions of taxpayer dollars. We need to bail-out the American people. Unemployment will continue to rise, at least for the next year. Even president Obama warns of more job losses to come. We are not out of the woods yet. Not by a long shot!

General Motors recently stated they will temporarly shut down operations this summer. If you think this action will only affect GM's workers think again. This tempory shut down will probably affect GM's many parts suppliers. To cut to the chase, less money for all kinds of workers throughout the country to move our consumption-based economy! Many of these very same workers are saddled with high interest credit card payments and home mortages. Wall Street speculators and some finacial pundits have been harping recently that the worst of this recession is over. They see a slight uptick in the stock market and homes sales to folks who are in the market for their first home. Think again. Many of the millions who lost jobs and that means U.S. factory workers, may never again find jobs that pay a decent wage if the Wall Streeters don't stop outsourcing the American dream to cheaper wage environs overseas. Big bussiness in the U.S. doesn't even want to pay a poor bloke here a salary to answer a phone. Once again, we must confront the fact that our working class wages have stagnated to squat over the past 30 years. U.S. workers can no longer afford to move this rabid, consumption-based economy any longer simply because they don't make enough. Sure we can buy dissposable Chinese made DVD players, mp3's and cheap underwear from Honduras, but a new car (U.S. or foreign) or afford a mortage? Give us a break and a pay increase Wall Street! And Washington, there was a time when politicians spoke of a chicken in every pot. Now, you don't even offer us a pot to piss in! A temporary shut down of GM does not indicate the worst is over. It indicates that maybe the worst is yet to come. To rebuild America, lets start with decent, living wages and jobs for working Americans!

Angela Davis at the "Black Women and The Radical Tradition forum at the CUNY Graduate Center in New York City.  3/28/09

 Who says GM can't build small cars. They do,but not for us dumb Americans in the states. You see, we were conned by Detroit that we had to have gas guzzling SUV's  to be hip. When the price of gas skyrocketed Americans made a mad dash for small cars again only to find that Detroit was abandoning cars for....SUV's. But, hold the presses! GM does build small cars all over the world.(They just don't make these vehicles available to us hicks here) For example, the most popular car in Caracas, Venezuela was not made by Toyota or Honda ladies and gents. It's Chevrolet.  In the states we may think those small Chevy Aveos are cheesy, but they're ubiquitous in the streets of Caracas. Some of the various Chevy models in Caracas are simply re-badged, German designed Opels (GM's German subsidiary) probably made in Brazil, Columbia or Mexico. I think because of the strong presence of Catholicism in South America, the Chevy bow tie becomes a signifier for the crucifix, hence the brand's popularity over the touted Japanese brands. Ford is also popular here with its Fiesta and Ka subcompacts. It makes you wonder after all the moolah Detroit wants from the U.S. taxpayer in the form of billion dollar bail outs-why GM and Ford doesn't simply sell us the cars they produce in South America and all over Europe? Well guys?

The Museo De Bellas Artes 

In Caracas, Venezuela features 

works by Rembrandt,Picasso, Calder and Warhol. 

Two scenes from Caracas, Venezuela

Bario Bruzual
Night in metropolitan Caracas (below) with the majestic wall of the Parque National El Avila in the background. Bario Bruzual(left) is one of the poorer areas of Caracas.

View of Caracas, Venezuela

Interactive art at the Tienda Museo De Bellas Artes

                                        left: Interactive art piece at Tienda Museo De Bellas                                                 Artes in Caracas, Venezuela. 
right: ??? Is this our mystery man, Kenneth Sullivan, or his faithful sidekick Jimi Stone? Photo taken at Tienda Museo De Bellas Artes in Caracas, Venezuela.

GroundZero Television in Caracas, Venezuela

Hola! or hello my friends. I've just spent the past week in Venezuela. Very shortly, I will began uploading more pix and hopefully, video. It was an amazing trip. I was a part of a contingent of Brooklyn College Grad School students, along with New York City Council member, Charles Baron who made the trek to the South American nation. Unfortunately, we didn't meet president Chavez, but we met other government and community officials including the man who might succeed Chavez one day. More later...

Return to normalcy for Beyonce

**Update on Beyonce** Slowly as the evening progressed, Beyonce started to overcome her anxiety from oral surgery. She took a while to get over her anger at me leaving her at the vet for most of the morning. By eleven in the evening she anxiously surveyed the apartment no doubt searching for the vetenarian who now has become her nemesis. When I awoke in the morning, Beyonce was hiding under the amoire and slowly came out to see me off to work. When I returned home, and as I was opening the door, I heard the most pleasent sound. It was Beyonce meowing like she always does when I arrive home. I picked her up and sat her in my lap and gently embraced the magnificent Persian cat. She purred. Things are fine once again.

Beyonce Goes To The Vet

Today Beyonce went to the vet for a dental cleaning and treatment for gum disease. I dropped her off in the morning and picked her up in the afternoon. The anesthesia was still affecting her hind legs as she scampered out of the kennel when we arrived at the apartment. To say she's pissed off at me is an understatement. I usually stay with her when I go to the vet, but the vet only performs dentals in the morning and I had to go to work. She's still frightened and is resting behind the audio stand. She doesn't want me to touch her, uttering a low pitched growl. I hope she forgives me. For now it seems I have to give Beyonce her space for now. 

Controversial New York Post Cartoon

In the proceeding page of the Post, President Obama is shown signing the Stimulus Bill. It's no wonder why many people took the cartoon as a affront on the nation's first black president and his stimulus bill for economic recovery. In a city where two young black men, Amadou Diallo and Sean Bell were gunned down in a barrage off bullets by the N.Y.P.D. you have to wonder if the cartoon was calling for the assassination a of President Obama for signing the bill, or does a chimp actually runs the Post. The Post is known for its racial insensitivity toward Black New Yorkers. There is so much vitriolic racist symbolism in the cartoon it's no wonder people of all creeds the world over are outraged.  

Controversial Cartoon Stirs Protest

Rev. Al Sharpton, Spike Lee with son at demonstration against NY Post.

Protest at New York Post

Spike (Lee) takes the mike at the Feb. 20 demonstration in front the Newscorp building. Newscorp is Rupert Murdoch's media holding company for the Post. At least a hundred outraged New Yorkers showed up to vent their anger at cartoon that portrayed President Obama as slain monkey. The Post claims it was a parody of the recent police shooting of a crazed chimpanzee in Connecticut. The demonstrators were demanding the cartoonist and the editor to be sacked. Also, they called for a boycott of the tabloid.

Cafe Wha?-Another Jimi hangout

The Cafe Wha? located in the West Village in NYC. Another spot where Jimi Hendrix performed and hung out. Several years ago, Jimi was erroneous inducted into the Drug Enforcement Agency's (DEA) gallery of celebrities who died of drug overdoses. Fact is, it's a mystery how Jimi died. Initially it was said he accidentally took a whole tab of a sleeping pill, Vesperax a pill that was so potent that it must be broken in half. In David Henderson's "Scuse Me While I Kiss The Sky" Jimi seemed to have ingested (drowned?) a huge amount of red wine, yet he had a low alcohol count. Conspiracy buffs believe Jimi Hendrix death was the result of a CIA or FBI Cointelpro rubout or he was done in by his manager, Mike Jefferies underworld connections. These theories are posted on the web. His girlfriend at the time, Monika Dannemann and Eric Burdon gave differing times when they realized Jimi was seriously ill. Furthermore, Monika originally said he was alive when the ambulance attendees arrived. According to the ambulance attendees Hendrix was already dead when they arrived at the flat. Burdon said initially he met Monika at the hospital but in recent statements says he picked her up at the flat where Jimi's body laid dead in red wine and vomit. However Jimi died it's obvious, from Henderson's account that a cover-up took place. More importantly, Jimi's name should be removed from the DEA celebrity drug overdose gallery. He doesn't belong there. Jimi didn't die of an heroin overdose like Janis Joplin or Jim Morrison. He was tired from all the touring and trying to complete the construction of his recording studio-Electric Lady. Jimi wanted to get some sleep. Unfortunately, it seems he accidentally took too much of a powerful sleeping pill. But the huge amount of red wine that Jimi ingested is very puzzling. Could foul-play be behind the death of the world's greatest rock guitarist? Maybe one day we will find the truth. **UPDATE** I recently searched the official DEA Museum web page and it appears the they no longer have that loony celebrities that died of drugs gallery. Good riddance! 2/12/09 Updated 2/23/09

Stella Dora workers fighting for their jobs

Striking Stella D'oro workers at Judson Church "Resistance + Recovery" event.  Does President Obama need to increase the spending of his economic stimulus plan? According to Noble Prize winning economist Paul Krugman, yes. Krugman recommends the President spend a little over a trillion dollars  to undo this economic train wreck handed to him by the incompetent Bush administration. However, the World Socialist web site says Obama's stimulus package is still top-heavy with all sorts of goodies for the rich fat-cat bastards that got us in this mess in the first place. For example the site says, "Despite the talk of a "21st century New Deal", the $825 billion package includes no proposals for government public works projects, let alone plans to hire the millions who have lost their jobs" Further it states, "A third of the package will be used to pay tax cuts, half of which are for big business. The House bill includes $7.7 billion in grants for investors  in renewable energy, while the Senate Finance Committee inserted a provision that would give companies tax relief on forgiven debt, a measure for which the US Chamber of Commerce and casino giant Harrah's Entertainment lobbied hard". I know, your saying what about the money Obama wants to spend on infrastructure rebuilding. Well the World Socialist web site says that it still wont be enough to repair all the nation's crumbling roads, bridges and highways. It says the Obama plan calls for spending $ 30 billion for roads and $10 billion for transit and rail. Unfortunately, its not enough because the site says, ...."the American Society of Civil Engineers estimates that it would cost at least $1.6 trillion to bring the country's crumbling bridges, roads and schools back to "good condition". GroundZero estimates it would take at least $2.1 trillion to kick start our failing system. Perhaps its time for real economic change. Let's bail out the workers and not the banks. Why not have the government fund worker cooperatives and let the workers run the factories which the rich fat-cat "outsourcers" have abandoned. Mr President lend me your ear!  And boycott Stella D'oro cookies people. The workers there have been on strike for five months. Victory for the workers!-KS 

Worker Co-ops in the USA

Ed Ott, far left of NYC Central Labor Council with Ricky and Raoul, third from the right of UE Local 1110. Ricky and Raoul are members of workers of Republic Windows of Chicago who occupied their factory until the owners were forced to agree to their basic demands for vacation pay, severance pay and temporary health care coverage which their bosses owed them after Republic closed its doors. The Bank of America, which was recently bailed out by U.S. taxpayers initially refused to loan Republic money for their weekly expenses. The eyes of workers across the nation and the world were on the union workers of Republic Windows in December 2008. This event took place at Judson Church in NYC 1/31/09  Addendum: At the labor event at Judson, many in the audience asked why didn't the workers try to create a workers co-op and run the factory themselves. Raoul replied that it would cost them $15 million to get the raw materials and machinery to to produce the windows. As more and more factories also closing, with scores of workers losing their jobs perhaps the Obama administration should take a look at a experiment of investing into worker co-ops. The government could target certain industries, like Republic which I think made green, energy efficient windows. Assemble the expertise in business and labor promote the concept of letting workers run factories in America. Wall Street no longer has the gumption or interest in manufacturing things in the US anymore. Workers in Argentina have accomplished this feat of worker co-ops. Why can't we do this here? Everything from our underwear (Mens Fruit of The Loom is made in Honduras) to microprocessors (Intel makes chips in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam) is made abroad at the expense of the economic livelihood of  American workers. I'm sending this writing on my blog to President Obama to offer what I think would be a solution to keeping good paying jobs in our country. Worker co-ops could be a way where Americans can have good paying jobs that help pay the mortgage and move our consumer based economy. What Wall St. won't do let American labor do it! Worker co-ops in the USA! Updated 2/21/09

Electric Lady Recording Studios

'Beyonce' The Cat

Fix Our Broadcast Media Mr. President

Last tuesday was indeed a glorious day. Before millions in our nation's capital and around the world, Barrack Obama became our 44th president. He has a huge task ahead of him. Obama inherited two wars and an economy in tatters. I'm not exactly exuberant of his political-centrist picks for his cabinet, but I believe Obama had to go centrist due to the dire state of affairs confronting the nation. He had to hit the ground running and picking a more left-progressive cabinet might waste precious time fighting the GOP in the conformation process. That said I believe the president must address the issue of America's failure of a news media. Yes. The same news media that failed to investigate and ask the hard questions concerning the build-up to the Iraq War. With a few exceptions the major networks, ABC, CBS NBC as well as CNN and MSNBC capitulated to the full court press of an administration hell bent on going to war. We later discovered after the fact that the Bush adminstration was being spoon fed disinformation-misinformation by Iraqi malcontents like Ahmed Chalbi and straight-up crackpots like the Iraqi defector known as "Curveball". The New York Times had to print a mea culpa concerning it being used as a sounding board for the disinformation of Douglas Feith's Office of Special Plans through its reporter Judith Miller. We must have unbiased and fair reporting. Not the gung-ho for war theatrics and special effects laden tripe presented during the build-up and invasion of Iraq. During a anti-war demonstration in New York in 2003, I asked some British nationals why the majority of their country was against the war and ours was for it he replied, 'I think we get better news than you get here'. Quoting part of  a  May 7, 2003 article by Mark Weisbrot, he states, ...."Americans may have a lower literacy level than other high-income countries, but they are not any more stupid than anyone else. The people of Europe-including the British and Spanish whose governments joined the "coalition of the willing"-overwhelmingly opposed the war because the media in those countries, while presenting Bush and Blairs statements, also gave the other side of the story".  Phil Donohue was kicked off MSNBC because they thought his probing questions of the war was unpatriotic. We must institute reforms and safeguards to prevent such complicity by the broadcast media from ever happening again. We must rebuild the firewall between the bank and the journalistic aspects of our broadcast media. We should have had more of a presence of people who tole us from the get-go that the war would be a disaster. Instead, we got a chorus line of political war hawks and former admirals and generals. A successful democracy in one that is informed. Over the last several years folks from both sides of the political spectrum has called for lessing of corporate control and the reform of our broadcast media. I hope that the Obama administration will take call for media reform seriously. 

Kenneth Sullivan

Producer-director of

Ground Zero Television