Mayor Bloomberg Donates 250K To Marriage Equality In MD

When New York City's activist Republican mayor tries to limit the size of soda cups, I get a little embarrassed for him. But when he uses his personal fortune to make a bold statement in favor of marriage equality, all is forgiven....except maybe the 2004 Republican convention.

Anyway, the TIMES City Blog reports today that Bloomberg has donated 250K to the fight for marriage equality in Maryland where the state faces a ballot measure after legislation was passed and signed by the governor earlier this year allowing the state to be the 6th in the nation to legalize same sex marriage.  Bloomberg is by far the largest single donor to the cause there and his money will hopefully spur on other big-name donors in the run-up to election day.

What impressed me most, though, was not Mr. Bloomberg's money but his simple but eloquent statement about this hot-button issue.  For those Republicans constantly complaining about government meddling in people's lives, take note:

“I do not believe that government has any business telling one class of couples that they cannot marry. The next great barrier to full equality under the law is marriage equality. There is no doubt in my mind this barrier will fall, just as so many others have.”

Staten Island Will Soon Have World's Tallest Ferris Wheel

Big news for NYC's forgotten borough today--they are getting the world's tallest ferris wheel over 680 feet in height. It should have some truly spectacular views of the entire harbor and, in one place, provide a view of probably all five boroughs of the city.  And, finally, there will be a reason for tourists to take the Staten Island ferry other than the view.

It always seemed like a missed opportunity to just have all those people get off the boat and loop back around. Now they will have somewhere to go, along with the usual planned hotel/retail complex. The whole project was announced today by Mayor Bloomberg and, if all goes well, will be completed in 2015.

There's a great quote about the whole thing today from the Borough's shockingly honest president, James Molinaro.  "We've gone from having the world's biggest dump to having the world's biggest wheel."