Wal-Mart loses trademark on smiley face

"In its claims for trademark infringement against an online parodist, Wal-Mart claimed that it had trademark rights in the ubiquitous yellow smiley face. Not only did Wal-Mart lose its case, the judge held it had no rights in the smiley face mark. The smiley face has been liberated!" "This ruling shows that even the biggest company in America is subject to parody, and that trademark rights must yield to the right of free speech. This is a resounding victory for First Amendment rights and sends a clear message to big corporations that would try to use their deep pockets to intimidate and silence their critics."

Tolls Going Up Today On NYC Bridges And Tunnels

March 15, 2008

At 3:00AM EST Today, cars crossing the Verrazano Narrows Bridge from Brooklyn to Staten Island will be charged $10, up from $9. Drivers using E-ZPass will pay $8.30, up from $8. That toll is only in one direction. Cash customers will pay $5 to cross the Triborough Bridge in each direction, up from $4.50. That toll also applies to the Whitestone Bridge, the Throgs Neck Bridge, the Queens Midtown Tunnel and the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel. The E-ZPass rate will be $4.15.

The MTA also has raised tolls at the Marine Parkway-Gil Hodges Memorial Bridge, the Henry Hudson Bridge and the Cross Bay Veterans Memorial Bridge.

NY State Thruway - Sloatsburg Gas Station Closed For Renovation

The gas station at the Sloatsburg travel plaza on the northbound New York State Thruway is closed starting today for renovation.

The station will reopen by Memorial Day. Other services at the travel plaza remain open. [record]

Newark Airport - Threat That on London-Newark Flight a Hoax

Newark Airport - An unspecified threat that forced passengers on a Continental Airlines flight from London to Newark to wait while their baggage was screened was determined to be bogus, officials said today.

Flight 115 landed at Newark Liberty International Airport at about 2:45 p.m. and was taken to a designated emergency area, according to Marc LaVorgna, spokesman for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates the airport.

At least 8 Yeshiva Students killed, dozens injured, in Palestinian shooting attack at Yeshivat Merkaz Harav in Kiryat Moshe, Jerusalem

March 6, 2008, 11:20 PM (GMT+02:00) Of the many injured students, five are in critical or serious condition. A Palestinian gunman armed with a Kalashnikov gun and a bomb vest stormed the Yeshiva library Thursday night, March 6, and opened automatic fire in all directions at the scores of seminarists studying there. After several minutes, he was shot dead by a neighboring army officer. He has been identified as resident of the south Jerusalem suburb of Jebal Maqaber, bearer of an Israeli identity card. The Lebanese Hizballah’s TV station interrupted broadcasts to name the perpetrators of the attack as the “Imad Mughniyeh Liberators of Galilee.” Hamas came close to claiming responsibility for the terror attack, by issuing the following statement: “We bless the (Jerusalem) operation. It will not be the last.” In Gaza City, residents went out into the streets and fired rifles in celebration in the air and distributed sweets in the streets after hearing the “good news” of the attack. President Bush issued the following statement: “I condemn in the strongest possible terms the terrorist attack in Jerusalem that targeted innocent students at the Mercaz Harav Yeshiva. This barbaric and vicious attack on innocent civilians deserves the condemnation of every nation. I have just spoken with Prime Minister Olmert to extend my deepest condolences to the victims, their families, and to the people of Israel. I told him the United States stands firmly with Israel in the face of this terrible attack.” US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Thursday condemned the attack calling it an “act of terror and depravity.” One of the injured Bochrim in serious condition’s name for Tehillim is Yehonasan ben Avital.

New Jersey - Private School Busing State Regulations. Can this happen here?

New Jersey - Lakewood's Orthodox Jewish parents send their boys and girls to separate private schools, as their faith requires. To do so, they pay van operators to transport their children, but many drivers do not have commercial licenses or drive commercial vehicles.
When police found out, they began ticketing the drivers. Parents of the 15,000 Orthodox students in the Ocean County township complained, and the citations stopped.

Seventy miles away, in Dover in Morris County, the town's Latino parents have a similar dilemma but a different outcome.
Many of the 3,000 school-age children live within 2 miles of their school, which means they don't qualify for busing. So, parents pay van drivers there, too. Just like in Lakewood, the ticketing started, but in Dover it hasn't stopped.
Police say these vans don't use seat belts or car seats. They say they ticket drivers paid by parents because the exchange of money makes the drivers part of a business, and a business should have the proper commercial license.

Although our New York laws are different this issue can affect our local Monsey area where many parents create carpools or hire private vans for busing on days that the the public bus service does not run.

(Star Ledg)

Ramapo cabbie accused of trying to bribe police officer

RAMAPO - A cabdriver was accused yesterday of trying to avoid a potential $155 ticket by offering an officer $50, police said.

Abe Deen, 31, of 23 Washington Ave., New Square, has a traffic summons and is facing a felony bribery charge, police said.

Officer Christopher Franklin stopped an Emunah Transportation car at 10:33 a.m. yesterday on Union Road, said Sgt. Robert Lancia of the Ramapo police.

Franklin observed Deen make an illegal left turn onto Union from Old West Eckerson Road, Lancia said. Franklin was patrolling with the department canine, Shea.

Franklin approached the vehicle to get a license and other documents from the driver.

Sometime after that, Lancia said, Deen offered the officer $50 to not issue him a ticket.

Lancia, an officer since 1993, said he was shocked and surprised by the alleged offer.

"This is the first time in my career that I have heard of someone being offered a bribe," Lancia said. "Quite frankly, I am disgusted."

Franklin immediately arrested Deen, police said.

"He took the proper steps to make sure this was done correctly," Lancia said. "You can't buy a man's integrity."

Deen was charged with third-degree bribery, a felony, and failure to obey a traffic control device, a violation, Lancia said.

The felony bribery charge carries a potential state prison term.

The alleged traffic violation carries a potential $155 fine and two points on a license.

Deen was being held in the Ramapo police lockup pending arraignment in Ramapo Town Court on the felony charge.

JN