30 The QUeeNS CoUrier • jaNuarY 17, 2013 for brEakiNg NEwS viSiT www.queenscourier.com editorial THE GOOD . . . IDENTIFY comes via an internationally-known rock group. THIS PLACEIt’s not every day that a local bar can boast that its sound systemBut for LIC Bar on Vernon Boulevard, owner Brian Porter can do just that. After Sandy submerged the bar’s basement, leaving the old sound system under seven feet of water, a longtime patron reached out to rep- resentatives for The Who in November. The band, currently on tour, set LIC Bar up with the same top-of-the- line equipment it uses while on the road – at no cost. It’s nice to know that people still care. We applaud the patron who took it upon himself to do something nice for his favorite watering hole. And we definitely think The Who is that much cooler for stepping up after Sandy and helping to get a local business back on its feet. THE BAD . . . So Governor Andrew Cuomo made some great points in his State of the State speech last week. He vowed New York will become the nation’s leader in gun safety laws in wake of recent shootings, putting forth a seven-point agenda that would lead to some of the tightest gun regulations in the country – particularly To find out the answer to last week’s “identify this place” aimed at assault weapons and multi-round ammunition clips. please visit www.QueensCourier.com better from Sandy, by remaking homes to last and resist future storms, lettersCuomo also promised the city as a whole would come back bigger and especially in coastal regions. So far, so good. But there’s one thing Cuomo said that we’re not so crazy about. Education to stop ignornace his residence after all of the complaints thated, had the city removed that tree in front of New York will get seven new casinos if voters approve a full-gaming An innocent Hindu man was pushed in had been made to the Parks Department by amendment this fall; most of these casinos, however, will be upstate to front of a subway because he was mistaken his family and neighbors. drive tourism to other areas of New York. to be a Muslim (the suspect presumably did Plant not one more, until every tree in this Though we’re not opposed to the idea, we – like the elected officials – this because she blamed all “brown” people city is inspected. want to make sure Resorts World Casino New York City will continue for 9/11). John Amato growing in South Ozone Park and creating jobs in the area by becoming It is unfortunate that people still believe a Fresh Meadows one of those seven full-gaming casinos. Hindu, a Muslim or a Middle Easterner are THE UGLY make them a Muslim or a Hindu; the same defaults have now reached an all-time high isRecent news that student debt loan andthat someone has “brown” skin does not So ante up, governor. all held responsible for the 9/11 attack just Collect on student debtbecause they have “brown” skin. The fact In a word: the flu. As the epidemic spreads – so far this season, 19,128 cases of the flu way “white” skin does not make someone a in student loan debt is our $16 trillion long- termfrightening. The only thing worse than $1 trillionChristian or a Jew. have been reported in New York, over four times the number of cases reported last year – we urge all our readers to get vaccinated. The media worsens this widely held belief federal debt.The IRS audit of returns in early 2012because the image they portray can be easily Though we know it’s difficult to do so at this point, since many pharma- attributed to more than two billion people. revealed that Americans owed $450 billion cies have run out, please, call, persist – and make sure you get immunized. from 2006. Subsequently, only $65 billionThese generalizations are partly to blame We must halt the spread of this public health emergency. when such hate crimes are perpetuated. Hate has been collected to date, leaving a balance crimes can largely be avoided by provid- of $385 billion from 2006 tax returns still THE QUEENS ing more information. People must educate unaccounted. themselves, but also the media should step What about the millions of Americans who up and educate viewers on differences in earn a comfortable six figure income while at the beliefs, culture and lifestyles of “brown” the same time collectively owing billions in people. unpaid student loans? Publisher & editor Victoria SchnepS-YuniS Raheel Parwez Surely our Internal Revenue Service can Co-Publisher JoShua a. SchnepS run a cross check before completing a review editor-in-Chief tonia n. cimino of any individual or corporate filing. The IRS art direCtor nirmal Singh Take care of trees can also cross check with state and city tax VP, eVents, Web & soCial Media amY amato-Sanchez CoPy editor WaYne robinS One of the results of Sandy was the enor- collection agencies. Why continue processing assistant art direCtor Stephen reina mous destruction of trees throughout the city. billions in yearly tax refunds to individuals,erillizraziellagublisher Ptossistanta artists ron torina, Jennifer Decio, cherYl gallagher It was estimated that nearly 15,000 trees were corporations and former students who owe staff rePorters meliSSa chan, alexa altman, terence cullen uprooted or severely damaged by the storm. The Uncle Sam hundreds of billions? Contributing rePorters cliff KaSDen, Samantha Sohmer, elizabeth aloni continued planting of new trees under Mayor easily pay for all the additional Sandy StormJust collecting 10 cents on the dollar couldMichael Bloomberg’s “One Million Trees Program”SeYahaggiem,umolaumolatttabelletabelleSSririccditoreebW editorial Cartoonist bill KreSSe must immediately stop. emergency relief funding we are looking for direCtor, business deVeloPM ent Jan Digeronimo What the Department of Parks and its Forestry from Washington. senior aCCount exeCutiVe louiSe caValiere Larry Penner-Division need to be doing is conducting inspeclaminateSelecanager MlassifiedC President & Ceo Victoria SchnepS-YuniS playground, and along the streets in every single Blame the pork, not the GOPtions of every single tree in every single city park,alencia VariamontrollerC ViCe President JoShua a. SchnepS The Sandy relief bill is loaded with money notborough. Schneps Communications, 38-15 Bell Blvd., Bayside, NY 11361 Many trees that are still standing may have intended for the desperate folks in NY and NJ. 718-224-5863 • Fax 718-224-5441 For example, $28 billion for “future disasterbeen significantly weakened by Sandy, and www.queenscourier.comwebsite: e-mail:editorial@queenscourier.com could fall in future storms and injure or kill mitigation projects,” $17 billion for “com- ads@queenscourier.com somebody. Inspect the trees, and those that munity development block grants,” $150 queenscourier@queenscourier.com are found to be weakened must immedi- million for fisheries in Alaska, $8 million to Entire Contents Copyright 2013 by The Queens Courier ately be removed. Also, there must be regular purchase cars for Homeland Security and the address and home and office telephone numbers, where available, as well as affiliation, indicating special interest. maintenance of the trees throughout the list goes on.Writers should include a fullshould be brief and are subject to condensing.COURIERQUEENSAll letters sent to THE Anonymous letters are not printed. Name withheld on request. entire city with pruning done on a regular Had this been a “clean bill,” both sides would LETTERS TO THE EDITOR, AS WELL AS OP-ED PIECES IN NO WAY REFLECT THE PAPER’S POSITION. No such ad or any part thereof may be reproduced without prior permission of THE QUEENS COURIER. The publishers basis by the Department of Parks and its have passed it, but more than a third is going will not be responsible for any error in advertising beyond the cost of the space occupied by the error. Errors must Division of Forestry. to projects that have nothing to do with Sandy be reported to THE QUEENS COURIER within five days of publication. Ad position cannot be guaranteed unless paid prior to publication. Schneps Communications assumes no liability for the content or reply to any ads. The advertiser How many more people like Tony Laino - disgraceful. assumes all liability for the content of and all replies. The advertiser agrees to hold THE QUEENS COURIER and its need to tragically die before necessary action Jean Egers employees harmless from all cost, expenses, liabilities, and damages resulting from or caused by the publication or recording placed by the advertiser or any reply to any such advertisement. is taken? His death could have been prevent- Whitestone
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