Kathy's Blog

If you've watched the daily Web Minute during Good Day NY, you've probably noticed that it looks a bit shabby around here. We've got this deep red wall to the back of the room that makes for a good television backdrop, but the rest of the place needs some serious help!

That's where you come in... help us paint our web office!! (no, not actually come in and do the labor.. I'm talking about picking the perfect color.. I know you can do it .)

Take a look at close-ups of the office... and then post your "colorful" opinion. Not too crazy about the pics? That's Reid Lamberty's fault... just kidding, Reid :-> Good job on the photos.

Need some color inspiration, CLICK HERE FOR COLOR SELECTION (you'll need to also click on "LAUNCH COLOR VISUALIZER" followed by "EXPLORE INTERIOR COLORS"

I'm one of those people that when asked if I've seen this movie or that one my answer is usually no...that's followed by a WHAT? So, I wasn't going to let myself be out of the loop when it comes to talking about an Oscar worthy role by the now deceased Heath Ledger. I saw The Dark Night. It was too long for me and I don't follow the comic book story about Batman ( I don't even think I saw Batman begins...i know what you're saying WHAT?!) But now that I've gotten that out of the way, here's what I thought of Ledger's performance as the Joker. He was outstanding. He played the Joker to the point where I didn't see an actor, I saw one of the craziest people I've ever seen in my life (even if it was on a giant screen.) Ledger's convincing performance reminds of the kind of work Johnny Depp does. You can't but help ask yourself: 'is this guy crazy?'  (remember Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Pirates of the Caribbean?) If you're not big into Batman, see this movie anyway. Ledger is incredible.

In the near future, the cool web site you heard about on Fox 5 (because that's the only station you watch.. and My 9 and Fox News Channel :-> ) may be easier to remember.  Here's why: the Internet's oversight company (what? yes, someone has to keep an eye on the darn thing) is expected to allow YOU to pick the suffix (let's go back to school for a second: prefix means before, suffix means after.) So the ".com" or ".gov" or ".whatever"  you must use to create a web site now because that's how the Internet Oversight Committee likes it will be more flexible. You'll be able to use ".bank" (if you're a bank) or ".nyc" (if you're New York City.) There are probably some more limitations to the expanding rule.. oh, and it will cost at least $100,000 (chump change, right?) I like the idea.

How do you feel about a break from the gas tax this summer that the presidential contenders are floating around?  Some of the pros: just when Americans hit the road the most, you'll pay less without a tax. The cons: it doesn't solve the problem and the price of gas is still too high.  Share your thoughts.

The next time you have 'bloggers block' (something like writers' block) consider this:

The Generacion Y blog - posted by a woman in Cuba-  is getting more than a million hits a month. But in order to get that kind of traffic she has to: 1. dress like a tourist to slip into a Havana hotel to write the posts; 2. pay $6 an hour for internet access (an amount she can barely afford) and 3. run the risk of being caught and sent to prison.

The Generacion Y blog is giving Cubans freedom they haven't enjoyed since the communist takeover of the island decades ago. Oppression is real there... and now people everywhere are reading first hand about the pain and suffering.

Check out the blog... Generacion Y... there is an English and Spanish version.

 

A field nurse told Fox 5's Andre Hepkins this moring that the rising price of gas was really, really hurting her. Looking at the soundbite I could see the pain in her eyes. Gas prices are no joke. We here at MyFoxNY.com and Fox 5 want to help you. Here are three valuable things you'll want to check out:

1. The link below will take you to a listing of the cheapest gas in the area.

2. Scroll down a bit for a video report by Andre on the rising gas price story.

3. Share the location and price of the cheapest gas near you. Good Day NY may mention it and your name on the air.

CLICK HERE To Find Lower Gas Prices

Click Here To Share Cheap Gas Locations

Today's papal mass at Yankee Stadium brings me back to a difficult time for a friend  that was made easier by the last pope's visit to the United Stares. The day was even eerily similar: overcast, a bit chilly. My high school classmate had lost her mother a year earlier. She knew I wanted to see Pope John Paul II at Giants Stadium so she somehow managed to get a ticket for me through her church. We went together and during the bus ride from Jersey City to East Rutherford we talked about her mother (something she had never done before with me.) A somber conversation but one that felt appropriate. Once we got to the stadium and heard mass by the Holy Father I could tell she felt (and so did I) a sense of peace...as if not only the closest person to God on earth was near us but that her mother was, too.

I have a feeling that the people at Ground Zero this morning and at Yankee Stadium later in the day will walk away with that same sense of peace. It's also my prayer for them.

While the visit to New York City is going to send the local media into super-overdrive, we here at MyFoxNY.com are constantly updating the page we've created on the Holy Father's visit.

I should point out that we got a very interesting blog (including a beautiful picture) this morning from Fox 5 reporter Reid Lamberty from the nation's capital.

There is also a great question and answer session between Good Day's Jodi Applegate and a church expert. It's called Catholicism 101.

Want to know how the Pope's visit is going to affect everyone traveling in and around New York City later this week: check out reporter Katherine Creag's NYC Preps piece.

So, take a look at all those links or go to the official MyFoxNY.com Papal Coverage page for everything on Pope Benedict XVI ...  for that CLICK HERE

For those of you who spend your summer in the Hamptons, you'll be happy to know that one of the causes of gridlock in the area has been fixed. Construction on County Road 39 is complete. That's about a four mile stretch into the East End that shouldn't drive you into a mad rage anymore. If you head out there, let me know how the ride goes for you.

News junkies are going to love what the media has ready for them when Pope Benedict XVI visits New York and Washington, D.C.

I think it's safe to say that every newsroom in both cities (and most in between) are quickly moving into overdrive when it comes to their papal coverage. (The pope will be in the U.S. April 15-20.)

For starters, here at Fox 5 News we're doing something we've never done before when covering a papal trip: we're using the web -- specifically your favorite website, MyFoxNY.com-- to present you with all the information we can gather.

Also, we'll be live streaming our television coverage.

What you won't see: shots from above (not heaven... think a little closer to earth ;->) ... there is a 'no-fly' zone over the papal motorcade.

 

For the next few weeks, two entrances to the PATH Station at the World Trade Center site will be open: a new entrace opening April 1 at Vesey Street and West Broadway and the current one on Church Street. The Port Authority is keeping the "old" one open to  give commuters a chance to get used to the new entrance . By mid-April the Church Street station entrance will be closed for good.

You'll likely encounter delays on Amtrak and NJ Transit trains during tonight's commute:

MyFoxNY.com  --  Expect delays of up to two hours on Amtrak trains between New York City and Philadelphia. NJ Transit trains along the Northeast Corridor running at least 90 minutes behind.

Service was completely suspended at around 12: 25 pm on Wednesday after a low-voltage problem.

Trains had been stopped at stations up and down the northeast while Amtrak crews fixed the power problem.

The PATH is cross-honoring tickets at Newark Penn Station and Hoboken Terminal.

NJ Transit.com

When I look at pigeons I can't help but see right through them- all the garbage including plastic bags, wrappers, coins and other dead animals inside their stomachs (I can thank a certain magazine that did a great story on what's inside a pigeon and laid everything out in a photo spread.) So when I read an article about creating a day to honor pigeons I sort of agreed. All that nasty stuff would make you think I wouldn't want to encourage them, but I agree with one particular point: people have given pigeons a bad name. So they eat gross stuff... so what? They're birds. Plus, they're eating what's around. We're the ones leaving the garbage out. Now who's nastier? So there's a pigeon day.. big deal... there's a Shake Hands Day and a Smile Day and a Be Nice Day...I'm for Pigeon Day!

I was especially insulted by some things I saw on television over the weekend. Easter and the few days leading up to it are the holiest days on the Christian calendar. So why is it that some networks decided to run shows/movies like: The Real Story about Jesus and The Da Vinci Code? (the latter couldn't have been more precisely timed: right on Easter Sunday.) You don't have to believe that Jesus is your Lord or Savior. You don't have to acknowledge any faith if you don't want to. This is America. We have the freedom to practice any religion or not practice at all, but there is a time and a place for everything. Questioning if Jesus ever had sex or running a  movie that the Vatican condemned is equivalent to running stories questioning whether the Holocaust happened on a Jewish high holy day... or like running that cartoon about Muhammad that has infuriated his followers on a Muslim holy day. The networks made their point. I'll make mine by never watching anything on those channels again.

Here's a little something extra that can help make your commute easier. For those of you who take the LIRR at Penn Station (and if you don't I'm crossing my fingers this will happen in other locations) WiFi is now up and running in the waiting area. So go ahead and whip out that laptop and get some work done or whatever you do while you wait for your train. (hey, maybe you'll post a response to this blog right at the source... have a great day :-> )