Welcome back! We hope that everyone’s Thanksgiving break was terrific the past two weeks! Of course, the news doesn’t stop during the holidays, so we are pleased to present an extended length special edition Weekly Newsmakers to keep you in the know for events that occurred while many of us were away on holiday.
Free Subway Shuttle Starting for Part of Rockaway Peninsula – New York Times (Editor’s Pick)
In its continuing efforts to return subway service to normality, the MTA has decided to introduce the ‘H’-line to service stations between Far Rockaway and Beach – 90th St. The new H-line runs on a special track not normally utilized for passenger services, replacing service in the areas where the ‘A’-line originally ran (many A-line stops suffered heavy damage as a result of Hurricane Sandy). Do you depend on the A-line? If so, has the H-train helped with your commute? Tell us your thoughts in the comments section below.
The Force is Strong with Disney’s Lucasfilm Buy – Fortune (Editor’s Pick)
Following quick on the heels of Disney’s 2009 purchase of Marvel Entertainment, Disney has added Lucasfilm to its repertoire for $4 billion. Disney CEO Bob Iger’s strategy is to buy well-known brands, leave them alone, then reap huge profits from them by streaming content through the company’s extensive international distribution network. A new series of Star Wars films is due in 2015. What are your reactions to Disney’s latest buyout? Voice your opinions in the comments area below.
MTA New York City Transit Adds Service for the Holidays and Runs Nostalgia Specials – MTA
If you’re in New York this coming weekend, take a ride with the MTA – not with your contemporary, technologically enhanced subways, but on a piece of MTA history. The MTA’s self-described “Nostalgia Train” is comprised of subway cars utilized between 1932 until 1977. “Ceiling fans, padded seats and incandescent light bulbs” were novel accomplishments for New York’s mass transport giant when these train cars were deployed for the masses. The train will run along the M line on Sundays until Dec. 30 between 10 AM and 5 PM – a limited engagement that the MTA believes will add a touch of whimsy to one’s shopping experience this holiday season.
Google’s $400 Million Wi-Fi Buy a Hoax – CNN
The reports of a Google takeover of ICOA, a Rhode Island company that makes Wi-Fi hotspots for public areas turned out to be false. While what appeared to be an official press release appeared on PRWeb, a distributor of press releases and corporate announcements, ICOA’s CEO, George Strouthopoulos dispelled the erroneous rumor. Notable media outlets such as The Associated Press and tech blogs such as TechCrunch retracted the story upon realizing that the takeover was false.
80th Annual Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony – Weissman Center Reports
Last Wednesday, New York celebrated its 80th Anniversary of a time-honored tradition. New Yorkers and tourists alike were dazzled by a brilliant display of lights and musical and cultural performances as came together to celebrate the lighting of a prominent 80 foot tall spruce tree. Didn’t get a chance to see the tree-lighting? No worries – the lit tree will remain in its brilliant glory through January 7.
Lincoln Center’s Posters and Prints: 50 Years of the Vera List Program – Weissman Center Reports
The Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts will play host to an impressive poster exhibition, presenting a selection of rare posters and prints from the program’s past 50 years. Prominent artists including Frankenthaler, Lichtenstein, and Warhol contributed items for the performing arts complex in the past either through a commission process or were added through an initiative in 1970 to include limited-edition, signed and numbered fine art prints. Explore how history and art has changed throughout the years through this thought-provoking exhibition – exclusively at NYPL until January 5th. More details: here via NYPL.