NYC grid is at risk, we must act now<\/a>,\u201d op-ed, Dec. 15). NYISO reported that the entire state is headed for \u201can era of profound reliability challenges\u201d without corrective actions, including the construction of new, reliable power generation facilities to meet our state\u2019s fast-growing energy needs. It specifically warned that NYC and Long Island could face power deficits of 500 megawatts or more by next summer. This is a huge amount of power. Such shortfalls are due to aging infrastructure, planned closure of certain existing plants such as peaker natural gas power plants and substantial demand growth from data centers and other major sectors.<\/p>\nThe men and women of the New York Pipe Trades who build and maintain New York\u2019s energy system are ready to meet the moment. We support NYISO\u2019s urgent call for Albany to expedite the siting and construction of new, in-state base-load generation and critical infrastructure upgrades to protect reliability. With modern technology and union expertise, we can overcome this challenge, but urgent action is needed. To rebuild the grid, New York must implement Gov. Hochul\u2019s All of the Above strategy and implement plans to finance, permit and build all viable low- and zero-emission sources, including natural gas, nuclear, thermal and hydrogen.<\/p>\n
New York should move forward with NYISO recommendations knowing that Pew, Gallup and Third Way surveys confirm that strong majorities support natural gas and nuclear energy to keep the lights on, homes warm and economy running, ensuring the public is healthy and safe. John Murphy, international representative, United Association of Plumbers, Pipefitters, Sprinkler Fitters and HVAC Technicians<\/p>\n
Tweaked it<\/p>\n
Bergenfield, N.J.: Voicer Jacques DuBois misses Guy Lombardo on New Year\u2019s Eve. What I do is get out Allen Sherman\u2019s record \u201cMy Son The Celebrity\u201d and I sing with Allen \u201cAuld Lang Syne.\u201d I know a man, his name is Lang and he has a neon sign. And Mr. Lang is very old, so they call it \u201cOld Lang\u2019s Sign.\u201d Jim Kerner<\/p>\n
Table-mates<\/p>\n
Bloomfield, N.J.: This Christmas, we started a new tradition. We had two extra place settings at the table. Just placemats and two candy canes entwined to form a heart on each one, similar to the Christmas table d\u00e9cor. The spaces honored our ancestors and dear loved ones who have departed, including the animals. It felt really good to remember the wonderful beings who came before us and those who made our lives so special. This can be such a difficult time for people who are grieving various losses. It was nice to find a quiet way to remember those who shared the table and our lives. Wishing everyone a peaceful and joyous new year. Here\u2019s hoping others find their own special ways to make the season brighter. Christine Sparta<\/p>\n
Two-liner<\/p>\n
Park Ridge, N.J.: Why were the man\u2019s hands arguing? He had opposing thumbs. Steve Ostlund<\/p>\n
Gains all around<\/p>\n
Staten Island: It has been a great year to be an American. President Trump increased his net worth by $3 billion. I got a 2.8% increase in my Social Security, which I used to buy Christmas gifts for my grandchildren \u2014 two pencils each. Ralph D\u2019Esposito<\/p>\n
From good to bad<\/p>\n
Manhattan: Only an incredibly obtuse person immune to facts, in this case Voicer Earl Beal, would believe that Joe Biden left a mess for Trump to clean up. Biden left Trump the best economy in the world, as recognized by economists who knew what they were talking about. Inflation lowered by Biden from the end of the first Trump term, from 9.1% to 3.1%. America was once again respected as a world leader with Biden in office. Our country has now returned to the status enjoyed during Trump\u2019s first term, the laughingstock of the world, with oversized balloons of Trump in a diaper appearing in foreign cities on too many occasions to recall. Trump has destroyed American tourism, agriculture and manufacturing with his tariff wars, which have made our country the nemesis of former allies Canada, Australia, Mexico and Europe. Trump isn\u2019t the solution to America\u2019s problems, he\u2019s the cause. Enrico Rizzo<\/p>\n
Funny numbers<\/p>\n
Brooklyn: Voicer Earl Beal claims \u201cthe Trump administration inherited Biden\u2019s 2020-23 inflation rate of 9.1%.\u201d This is false, because Trump didn\u2019t become president in 2023. In December 2024, Biden\u2019s final month, the inflation rate was 2.7%. That\u2019s the inflation rate Trump inherited when he took over the following month. Beal goes on to brag that \u201ccurrently, the inflation rate is 2.7%.\u201d That\u2019s exactly the same as when Biden left office, so how is that a brag for Trump? Trudi Rosenblum<\/p>\n
Typical Trump stuff<\/p>\n
Dumont, N.J.: Thank you, Voicer Earl Beal, aka Donald J. Trump, for laying the MAGA morning propaganda on the people. I figure you are either the Trumpster himself or a Daily News troll from Russia. Not even dyed-in-the-wool MAGA acolytes are insipid enough to believe all the economic fairytale statistics you posted in your pro-Trump diatribe. Walter Wolfgang Papenfuss<\/p>\n
Keep it current<\/p>\n
Brooklyn: To Voicer Victor R. Stanwick: In response to your response to my letter, if all you can do is bring up history\/the past and not what Trump is doing now, don\u2019t answer or even read my letters! John M. Corbett<\/p>\n
Deadly deflections<\/p>\n
Edinburgh, Scotland: Though it\u2019s clear as day, it is still worth stating as we ease out of a truly terrible 2025: Those murdered in the Caribbean Sea by Secretary of War Pete \u201cFox News\u201d Hegseth, and those recently killed at Christmas by the U.S. military in Nigeria under the pretext of \u201cprotecting Christians\u201d (even though Muslims and Christians are dying in that sectarian violence) are all Jeffrey Epstein victims. In Trump\u2019s desperate, deluded and deranged attempts to distract from his involvement with America\u2019s most notorious modern sex trafficker and pedophile, there are literally no limits. The president who so covets a Nobel Peace Prize that he accepted a fake one from FIFA will stop at nothing to cover up the Epstein files, and these victims are collateral damage as much as Virginia Giuffre (exploited by Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell and \u201cprince\u201d Andrew), who died by suicide earlier this year. Amanda Baker<\/p>\n
Arts schmarts<\/p>\n
Edgewater, N.J.: New Yorkers know well the penchant the president has for affixing his name to structures of all kinds. With a similar zeal \u2014 while ignoring laws? \u2014 he\u2019s doing it in Washington, D.C. (thank you, Jimmy Kimmel). Even though he shunned the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts during his first term, he\u2019s now filled its board with the \u201cbest people\u201d who, we learned through various reporting, don\u2019t seem to understand the precarious financial operations of a major performing arts venue. Ticket sales have plummeted since. Nevertheless, now his name is up there and, while critics cry audacity, his friends crow that he loves the arts. Really? How often are he, his boldface-named wives and multiple sets of children spotted in the glittering theaters in the communities in which they reside? Maybe it\u2019s that legendary generosity with their vast wealth via those persistent donations to the arts over the decades? Jay K. Egelberg<\/p>\n
Local loss<\/p>\n
Manhattan: What happened to the wonderful guy who sold fresh fruit and vegetables on the northwest corner of 86th St. and York Ave.? He was a neighborhood fixture for more than 20 years, in all kinds of weather. Thanks to him, the neighborhood had access to much-needed reasonably-priced fresh fruit and vegetables. All of a sudden he\u2019s gone? Replaced by three planters? Right before Thanksgiving? Which Grinch is responsible for this? You deprived a man of his livelihood and the neighborhood of a long-standing source of fresh produce. Guys like him are one in a million. Let\u2019s get him back! H.D. Kayne<\/p>\n
Minimalist deterrent<\/p>\n
Brooklyn: The little addition that the MTA put on the arms of the turnstiles in subway stations to discourage fare-beaters is ridiculous. I saw a fare-beater jump right over it. There has to be a better mouse trap to stop these people from not paying the fare. Charlie Pisano<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Govern in reality to keep New York\u2019s lights on Glen Falls, N.Y.: The New York Independent System Operator…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":476807,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5122],"tags":[5229,405,403,5294,5226,5225,5228,5227,1269,67,586,132,5230,68,2969],"class_list":{"0":"post-476806","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-new-york","8":"tag-america","9":"tag-new-york","10":"tag-new-york-city","11":"tag-new-york-county","12":"tag-newyork","13":"tag-newyorkcity","14":"tag-ny","15":"tag-nyc","16":"tag-opinion","17":"tag-united-states","18":"tag-united-states-of-america","19":"tag-unitedstates","20":"tag-unitedstatesofamerica","21":"tag-us","22":"tag-usa"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/115796481496141926","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/476806","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=476806"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/476806\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/476807"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=476806"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=476806"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=476806"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}