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Ben Yakas

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FDNY Battalion Chief Reflects On Responding To WTC Collapse, Today's 9/11 Politicization
FDNY Battalion Chief Reflects On Responding To WTC Collapse, Today's 9/11 Politicization

Tom McCarthy, the Battalion Chief of the 13th Battalion in Washington Heights, opened up publicly for the first time about his personal experiences on 9/11, as well as his frustrations with the politicization of the day.

The Brief Wondrous Life & Death Of Cardvaark, The MTA's Proposed MetroCard Mascot
The Brief Wondrous Life & Death Of Cardvaark, The MTA's Proposed MetroCard Mascot

I uncovered the forgotten history of Cardvaark, the MetroCard mascot who almost became a New York legend.

Where The Hell Is Upstate NY?
Where The Hell Is Upstate NY?

"Upstate" has almost as many definitions as it does references in state laws, which left many of us wondering: where the hell IS upstate anyway? What divides downstate and upstate? And what is the cultural significance of the designation?

The NYC Subway Needs Its Own Mascot. We Have 12 Contenders
The NYC Subway Needs Its Own Mascot. We Have 12 Contenders

I co-designed 12 new mascots for the MTA with illustrator Mattie Lubchansky.

[Find out who won the contest here.]

Broadway cleaners have kept the Great White Way open — and now they’re fighting for wage increases
Broadway cleaners have kept the Great White Way open — and now they’re fighting for wage increases

Broadway’s custodians, elevator operators and restroom attendants are the unsung workers of the Great White Way.

The 79th Street Boat Basin Redesign Is Making Everyone Feel Seasick
The 79th Street Boat Basin Redesign Is Making Everyone Feel Seasick

For more than 80 years, the 79th Street Boat Basin has been a hub of activity nestled inside Riverside Park. But the basin has been in desperate need of improvements for decades.

Subway Etiquette 101: How To Not Be A Jerk On The Train
Subway Etiquette 101: How To Not Be A Jerk On The Train

It's not easy commuting every day with the knowledge that every train ride could trap you in a system-wide meltdown, which is why we should all do our part to NOT make it even worse by being rude and gross space invaders. 

The Ultimate Guide To Riverside Park, The Lowkey Best Park In NYC
The Ultimate Guide To Riverside Park, The Lowkey Best Park In NYC

It is one of the unheralded nature-oriented treasures of the city. It's a perfect place for long walks and exercise, it boasts spectacular river vistas, and it's rarely overcrowded like those other more popular Manhattan parks.

Eleven Unique NYC Experiences That Deserve Their Own German Expressions
Eleven Unique NYC Experiences That Deserve Their Own German Expressions

No matter your background, what part of the city you live in, or how long your commute is, the NYC experience is a perpetual Rube Goldberg machine filled with strange and unique situations that the English language struggles to fully describe. Thankfully, there is another language that IS very good at describing extremely specific things: German.

[Also check out eleven more words in part two]

Brunch Hate Reads Series
Brunch Hate Reads Series

The NY Times has a weakness for self-parodying trend-baiting, masochistic Millennial obsessing, and the perverse lifestyles of the filthy rich. If a reporter with the Real Estate, Style or Weekend sections approaches you about a story, just smile gently and run in the opposite direction. No one is forcing you to become representative of everything that everyone hates about New Yorkers.

Grand Prospect Hall coverage
Grand Prospect Hall coverage

Coverage following the dismantling and death of Grand Prospect Hall

Vessel Changes Terms & Conditions After Extreme Photo Policy Controversy
Vessel Changes Terms & Conditions After Extreme Photo Policy Controversy

Thanks in part to my coverage, the Vessel in Hudson Yards changed its extreme photo and video policies.

A Brief And Depressing History Of Donald Trump Exploiting & Lying About 9/11
A Brief And Depressing History Of Donald Trump Exploiting & Lying About 9/11

There is a wealth of evidence that Trump has repeatedly and outrageously exaggerated and lied about 9/11 to fit his purposes.

The Secret History Of The Great Subway Map Debate Of 1978 Revealed
The Secret History Of The Great Subway Map Debate Of 1978 Revealed

Real MTA heads know that one of the most pivotal moments in subway map history happened at Cooper Union in April 1978, when acclaimed designer Massimo Vignelli debated the future of the map with cartographer John Tauranac.

A new generation of visual artists is creating love letters to a vanishing NYC
A new generation of visual artists is creating love letters to a vanishing NYC

A growing number of New Yorkers have set out to document and preserve an ever-changing city through DIY projects spread via social media. Their creations are love letters to a city that is still only beginning to emerge from the trauma of the pandemic.

The dog run runaround: How volunteers scrap & claw to keep NYC's dog parks running
The dog run runaround: How volunteers scrap & claw to keep NYC's dog parks running

It's clear that the city takes only a small amount of responsibility in caring for these facilities. No dog run could possibly be successful without the considerable effort of a handful of dedicated volunteers, willing to spend much of their free time organizing and cleaning up the parks themselves.

Meet The Beloved Family Who've Been Selling Christmas Trees In The West Village Since 1988
Meet The Beloved Family Who've Been Selling Christmas Trees In The West Village Since 1988

Since 1988, Billy Romp and his family have been making an annual pilgrimage to the West Village to set up their "Romp Family Christmas Trees" stand. They have become arguably the most beloved tree vendors in Manhattan, which is not something that Romp takes lightly.

Why Daylight Saving Time System Needs To End Forever
Why Daylight Saving Time System Needs To End Forever

DST is the biggest chronological scam in history. 

[Related: "How New Legislation Could End The Scourge Of Daylight Saving Time System In NY"]

Subway Celebrities Series
Subway Celebrities Series

It's just like Andy Warhol said: in the future, everyone will sit next to Jake Gyllenhaal on the subway for 15 minutes (or at least until their stop).

The NYPL’s temporary Grand Central branch won over the community. Now it might close
The NYPL’s temporary Grand Central branch won over the community. Now it might close

Locals spoke out after a temporary branch of the New York Public Library became in danger of closing.

NYC's Past Lives On In The Ghost Signs Of Downtown Manhattan
NYC's Past Lives On In The Ghost Signs Of Downtown Manhattan

Exploring the photos and stories behind more than 100 signs of businesses that have disappeared in Lower Manhattan.

One Simple Trick To Stop NYC Drivers From Killing You
One Simple Trick To Stop NYC Drivers From Killing You

Some safe streets advocates are growing impatient with the pace of Vision Zero initiatives—and for the families of the 134 pedestrians killed in traffic crashes last year, the city is already moving far too slowly.

The "Bum" The NY Post Wants You To Despise Is Actually Human
The "Bum" The NY Post Wants You To Despise Is Actually Human

As with most things involving the NY Post, the reality for Andersen, like the thousands of other homeless people struggling to survive in NYC, is more nuanced than they'd have you believe.

An Interview With New York Metro Weather, NYC's Favorite Weather Forecasters
An Interview With New York Metro Weather, NYC's Favorite Weather Forecasters

You don't need a weather expert to know which way the wind blows, but they sure can come in handy when dealing with tropical storms, nor'easters, blizzards, and historic rainfalls.

DUMBO's ReBar Abruptly Closes, Citing Bankruptcy
DUMBO's ReBar Abruptly Closes, Citing Bankruptcy

I broke the story about longtime DUMBO gastropub and indie screening room reBar abruptly closing in 2014.

Enough With The Bernie Sanders Jewish Identity Policing
Enough With The Bernie Sanders Jewish Identity Policing

It's a familiar narrative that still gets traction: people conflating criticism of Israeli government policies with anti-Semitism. What Peyser is picking up on here is something that has become a major subtext in the Sanders campaign of late: people—more often than not fellow Jews—monitoring, judging, and ultimately policing him for his Jewish identity and his unwillingness to exploit it. 

Which Mayoral Candidate Will Most Vigorously Defend NYC Bagels?
Which Mayoral Candidate Will Most Vigorously Defend NYC Bagels?

Mayoral candidates weigh in on the importance of bagels to New Yorkers' culture and identity.

What was the Rainbow Bagel? A post-mortem
What was the Rainbow Bagel? A post-mortem

The Rainbow Bagel feels like a perfect encapsulation of a very specific, slightly more innocent time in NYC history. How were so many hardened locals convinced to willingly stand in line for hours for a sugary, unnatural-looking bagel that didn't really taste like a bagel?

A Fond Look Back At The Hysterical Anti-Citi Bike Hysteria
A Fond Look Back At The Hysterical Anti-Citi Bike Hysteria

Looking back at some of the more incendiary commentary from the build up to Citi Bike's launch, let me tell you: it is hilarious.

How a color-coding system changed NYC's subway map forever
How a color-coding system changed NYC's subway map forever

No subway map would be coherent were it not for a color-coding system developed over the course of decades.

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