Red Hawk Down

Sometimes, despite the grime and traffic and human congestion, I love New York. Today is one of those days. Not just because I'm swooning from the new moon in Gemini or from the breezy 60 degree June weather. My appreciation for NY rejuvenated itself upon reading this headline in the Daily News: "Stranded baby hawk brings midtown to a screeching halt". Apparently a baby red tailed hawk (not the offspring of Pale Male and Lola) took his maiden flight on Tuesday night. Disoriented by the storm that ensued that night, the wee raptor was unable to ascend back up to his parent's nest atop the building near the Ziegfeld Theater. Apparently first flights are notoriously perilous. The parents of fledglings usually feed the chick until it is strong enough to continue the flight and return home. Although a hawk was spotted circling the chick, it did not descend due to the host of people crowded around the disoriented baby, who huddled against the wall.

Well, New Yorkers are nothing if not opinionated, action-oriented, and soft hearted. So the hue and cry went out to anyone and everyone. Call in the cops. Call in the Parks Department Rangers. Call the Bronx Zoo. Don't forget the Audubon Society or a hawk rehabilitator! The Rangers won out and swaddled the little guy in a blanket, checked for injuries and will return him once he's properly hydrated and fed. Can't wait to see the party they'll throw for him once he's reunited with his parents.

A grayer shade of green

My Republican father (otherwise adorable) gave me a fright this weekend upon telling me he rates Dubya as his favorite president. After the sputtering and ranting subsided I began to see why he would foster such a sentiment. Coming from a background which honors male authority figures, my Dad has always lauded authority. The pastor of the church, policemen, government officials. Matter of fact, Dad reads like the demographic bible for southern left wingers. Luckily, not everyone thinks as he does. Former president Carter lambasted the Bush administration calling it the "worst in history". Amen.

California governer Arnold Schwarzenegger laid into the adminstration for it's dismal environmental policy. It gets even better, Arnie said his administration will sue the Environmental Protection Agency if it fails to act quickly on the state of California's request to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from automobiles. EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson said the EPA would "move expeditiously, but we are going to be moving responsibly." Read that as we'll take our own freaking time, thank you very much.

Meanwhile, on the East coast Mayor Bloomberg stated in 5 years the entire fleet of New York taxicabs will be hybrid. The most logical republican around made this comment, "These cars just sit there in traffic sometimes, belching fumes." The fuel efficient hybrids get 36 miles to the gallon whereas the standard yellow cab vehicle, Ford Crown Victoria performs to a measley 14 mpg.

By the way, my Dad drives a Toyota Corolla but he once owned a Crown Victoria. Proof that there's always hope for change.