Anthony Weiner announced on Wednesday that he will be running for mayor of New York City this fall. You can check out his official campaign video here. We take a look at the city’s newest mayoral candidate.

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Veteran and Queens native Captain James Van Thach and his service dog Liz traveled to Afghanistan with the Troops First Foundation to share his experiences of physical and psychological stresses with over 1500 fellow soldiers.

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We’ve all heard of latch-key kids, but backdoor teen moms? That’s a new one. (That’s a gross one.) It’s also the name of former Teen Mom “star” Farrah Abraham’s sex tape with porn star James Deen. “Farrah Superstar: Backdoor Teen Mom” will be available for online viewing (ugh) tomorrow from Vivid Entertainment. (Side note: Abraham locked down a seven figure deal for this tape. Seven. Figures.) And — surprise, surprise — stills from the tape have already leaked online courtesy of TMZ.

Warning, these photos are by no means SFW but hey, it’s Sunday and you can leer at lurid photos of desperate young moms all damn day if you want, areweright?

On a serious note, though, this whole — increasingly creepy and tawdry — story of Abraham’s life post-Teen Mom (thanks MTV!) The latest in a string of misguided and obvious cries for attention (cries for help): Abraham took a pole dancing class…and invited a photog along to watch. (via HuffPo)

f/a/o of all young girls who want to be famous: please don’t do any of this.

The post “Backdoor Teen Mom” Farrah Abraham’s sex tape photos predictably leaked online (NSFW) appeared first on Metro.us.

Communities around Boston were put on lockdown Friday morning as authorities searched for one of the suspects in the Boston Marathon bombings. 

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  PHOTOS: Law enforcement searches for bombing suspects

Tamerlan Tsarnaev, 26, the man the FBI labeled “Suspect 1″ in the investigation, was killed by law enforcement officers during a shootout overnight, according Reuters.

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, 19, designated as “Suspect 2,” is still on the run and remains a serious threat. The two suspects were reportedly brothers from Chechnya.

Reuters was providing a live Twitter feed of developments in the case, as was Metro Boston.

Around 10:20 Thursday night, an MIT police officer was shot and killed on campus, the Middlesex County District Attorney said in a statement. An MBTA officer was critically hurt.

A short time later, police received reports of a carjacking by two men who kept their victim inside the car for about half an hour, the statement said.

Police pursued that car to Watertown, where explosives were thrown from the car at police and gunfire was exchanged, the statement said.

“During the exchange of the gunfire, we believe that one of the suspects was struck and ultimately taken into custody. A second suspect was able to flee from that car and there is an active search going on at this point in time,” Col. Timothy Alben, superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police, told a news conference.

The first suspect died at Beth Israel Hospital. Doctors said he had gunshot wounds and “blast injuries.”

Officials urged people who live in Watertown, Newton, Waltham, Belmont, Cambridge and the Alston/Brighton neighborhoods of Boston to stay inside.

In Watertown, SWAT teams were conducting a door-to-door search. No vehicles were being allowed in or out of the community.

All MBTA service was shut down until further notice. Boston Public Schools and colleges were also closed for the day.

The post UPDATE: Brothers from Chechnya ID’d as Marathon bombing suspects; 1 dead after police shootout, other on the run appeared first on Metro.us.

Boston-based photographer Nicolaus Czarnecki is on the scene in Boston to capture the atmosphere after the Boston Marathon bombing on April 15, 2013.

The post PHOTOS: On the streets of Boston after Marathon bombing appeared first on Metro.us.

Residents of Dorchester, Boston gather together to hold a candlelight vigil for 8 year-old Martin Richard who died after two explosions hit the Boston Marathon.

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In the face of tragedy, people came together, showing their resiliency and signs of heroism during the Boston Marathon.

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Photos of the scene after the explosion during the Boston Marathon in Boston, Massachusetts. Some photos contain graphic content.

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Winners from the 117th Boston Marathon held in Boston, Massachusetts on April 15, 2013.

The post PHOTOS: 117th Boston Marathon appeared first on Metro.us.

 Take a look inside Elle magazine’s fourth annual Women in Music celebration at the Edison Ballroom in New York.

The post PHOTOS: Elle’s Women in Music event in New York City appeared first on Metro.us.

At first glance, it might appear as ”La Grande Odalisque” by Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, the famous painting featuring a posing naked woman. But wait — the naked woman has a beard.

A series of 22 photos by French-born artist 2fik is coming to Brooklyn gallery Invisible Dog on April 20, and many of the works will seem familiar to the everyday art fan, except for one element — 2fik’s own image appears in each of them, a message of identity born straight from the past of the man himself.

“There is this type of weird notion of identity that society tends to have,” 2fik explained to Metro. “They always make a link between what you look like and what you are.”

2fik’s idea to recreate well-known works using his image stems from his own identity has a multicultural person who doesn’t seem to “fit in anywhere.” His parents are from Morocco and he was raised Muslim. He was born in France. He is openly gay. He has Mediterranean features. He has been living in Canada for the past 10 years.

“Instead of trying to fit in one culture and be totally grounded, I perceived that identity is actually a pile-up of identities and a mix of experience and views, personality, skin type, religion, body type,” 2fik said.

Each image of 2fik that appears in his work is a different character with a personality, fears and goals, he said. He works almost entirely alone, shooting the images on his own, with the exception of a lighting assistant from time to time. He has been working on this series, the second of his art career, for the last three and a half years. His work tends to prompt a chuckle, as 2fik often appears nude or  dressed as a woman in the photos — but humor is a big part of his message.

“Having been through some crazy struggles, I think humor saved me a lot,” 2fik said. “Making people laugh is making people open their hearts.”

He pursued an exhibition at Invisible Dog after a friend from Montreal first visited and told 2fik about this “crazy place in Brooklyn” he must go and see.

“I say this in a humble way, but I think [my work] can be seen refreshing because I am not at all from the art world, originally,” 2fik said. “My father was a baker and my mother was a stay-at-home mother. I did this series as I felt, doing it. I didn’t bend my views, my photos, my visions about how it could be potentially seen.”

The exhibition will be at Invisible Dog from April 20 to May 18. It will then be featured at the French embassy in Washington, D.C.

The post PHOTOS: Artist 2fik showcases recreations of famous paintings at Brooklyn gallery appeared first on Metro.us.

As we enter another season of baseball, the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees battle it out in The Bronx for what looks to be another intense season for both squads.

These two teams have always shared heated moments during the regular season and especially during the playoffs.

Here we take a look back at some of the most memorable moments between these two teams from two awesome cities.

The post PHOTOS: Memorable moments of the rivalry between the Red Sox and Yankees appeared first on Metro.us.

We’ve seen time and time again the consequences of girls sharing intimate photos of themselves online or via text messages.

Most recently, in the Steubenville, Ohio, rape case, teenagers passed around a photo of a passed-out teenage girl by text message. The two boys involved were recently charged with raping the girl in the photo.

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  ‘I shared a photo’ PSA

“I sent a photo to someone I trusted and now, thousands of people I don’t know, know me,” the girl writes on cards in the video, which resembles the YouTube video Amanda Todd posted before she committed suicide.

It is true that teens today need to be extra careful with the way they behave online, but are PSA such as this one effective, or do they just place more blame on the girls, rather than the boys who spread the photos?

Leave your thoughts in the comments section below.

Follow Mary Ann Georgantopoulos on Twitter @marygeorgant

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Things got wild and whacky at the 14th Annual Mr. Lower East Side Pageant Thursday night. Metro went inside the one-of-a-kind event, hosted at Cake Shop on Ludlow Street. The contestants participated in a 1-minute talent competition, a swimsuit competition, evening-wear and question and answer session.

As expected, things got interesting during the competitions for “best male tits”, “congeniality” and “best nutsack” — especially since “any woman or gay man who shows up is automatically a judge,” according to the pageant rules.

In the end, there could one be only lucky gentleman to rule and reign over the Lower East Side. That honor went to a special young man named Johnny Bizarre.

Well done, gents — you’re all winners in Metro’s eyes. World peace for everyone!

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The pictures, which police said Holmes took of himself with an iPhone before his shooting rampage at a midnight showing of a “Batman” film last summer, capped three days of hearings in which prosecutors laid out their case for putting him on trial.

The onetime neuroscience doctoral student is charged with multiple counts of first-degree murder and attempted murder for the 12 people who were slain and dozens of others wounded at the opening of “The Dark Knight Rises” in the Denver suburb of Aurora.

Prosecutor Karen Pearson said in her closing arguments that Holmes would have killed more people had his rifle not jammed, adding, “He certainly had the ammo to do so.”

The July attack marked one of the most lethal mass shootings in U.S. history and one of a string of mass shootings last year capped by the massacre of 20 children and six adults in December at an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut.

Wrapping up the prosecution’s case against Holmes on Wednesday, Aurora police Sgt. Matthew Fyles ran through pictures Holmes took roughly six hours before the deadly assault on the Century 16 multiplex near his home.

In one picture, Holmes grinned while holding the muzzle of a handgun near his face. He stuck his tongue out in another photo.

His brightly dyed red hair was visible in both pictures, and he wore black contact lenses that made his pupils appear abnormally large. In another picture taken the same evening, his bed was strewn with guns, ammunition magazines, body armor, a gas mask and other gear.

BOOBY-TRAPPED APARTMENT

In a self-portrait taken on July 5, Holmes posed with a semi-automatic rifle and wore the tactical body armor he was wearing when he was arrested.

A separate photo taken on July 16 showed the booby-trapped explosives Holmes is accused of rigging up inside his apartment, which according to police he had intended as a diversion to draw authorities away from the theater the night of the assault.

The explosives were safely dismantled after the shooting.

Holmes’ lawyers, seen by legal experts as preparing for an insanity defense, had been planning to call two witnesses to testify this week about their client’s state of mind around the time of the shootings.

But in a surprise twist to the proceedings after the prosecution rested its case on Wednesday, public defender Daniel King told the judge his team had decided not to present its own evidence or testimony.

“This is a preliminary hearing and not the proper venue or time to put on a show or truncated defense,” King said. The defense also declined to make a closing statement before the hearing was adjourned.

Arapahoe County District Judge William Sylvester said he was taking evidence presented this week under advisement and scheduled a new court hearing for Friday that he said would serve as a “status hearing and/or arraignment.”

If the judge orders the case to proceed to trial, Holmes, 25, is widely expected to enter a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity.

Authorities have offered no motive for the slayings. Holmes’ lawyers have said he suffers from mental illness, but they have not been more specific.

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After he covered up, he gave an insightful interview to the magazine. (Just kidding! It was a totally generic chat!) Lowe, who is a former linebacker and works as an insurance salesman, says he is “very hopeful that I’ll meet a great girl” on the show. “I would love to get married. I’m absolutely ready for love.”

As he whittles down the pool of 26 single, desperate women to his one true love on national television, he has an idea of what he is looking for. “She has to be genuine, want the same things I want and have a great sense of humor,” he says.

Just for once, I wish these guys would speak the truth: “I’m looking for someone who is as fame-hungry yet dim-witted as I am, who will pretend to be my girlfriend for the allotted time our contract spells out. She should also be skinny and look like a professional dancer from Reno. Not eating my arm in my sleep due to starving herself through most of her 20s is also a bonus.”

The post The Word: ‘Bachelor’ Sean Lowe opens up and strips down in ‘In Touch’ appeared first on Metro.us.

Have you ever been honked at by an angry cab driver after you started crossing the street against the signal because you were sending a text?

Do you automatically pull up your emails when your date excuses herself to the restroom — or while she is still sitting across from you at the table?

We’re all guilty of being tech-dependent, at least more than we were just six or seven years ago. A Tumblr that puts our society into a jarring perspective is making the rounds today. We Never Look Up features a collage of images of people staring down at their cell phones, seemingly detached from their surroundings.

The blog’s creator, a researcher who lives in Helsinki, Finland, snapped all of the photos himself. He didn’t want to share his identity, but told Metro in an email, “For a while now, I have noticed this behavior when commuting to work and back. At one point I even myself was guilty of it.”

He added, “Having read a lot of statistics and reports about the amount of smart phones/cellphones in the world I started to think that it would be great to somehow make this concrete. That’s when I got the idea for a photo project.”

He stopped short of criticizing those who are glued to their smartphones and clarified that the blog is really meant to make people more aware of their tech use.

“I’m not saying it is a negative thing, when done safely. It’s just that we need to be aware of that times change, and behavior as well,” he said. “But in social context, with friends, etc., it’s kind of rude to finger on your mobile the whole time. My message is not to judge, just to make this behavior concrete.”

Look familiar?

(Images via We Never Look Up)

The post We Never Look Up: New Tumblr illustrates our tech-dependent society appeared first on Metro.us.

A huge thanks to all our readers who entered the contest, but there can only be one winner from each city.

Congratulations to the owners of these three incredible lights displays. They’ll each be receiving a $150 gift card to Macy’s. Their dazzling creations will also be featured in Metro on Dec. 24.

Presenting the winners of Metro’s 2012 Show Us Your Lights contest! Happy Holidays!

New York City

Louis and Lucy Chiacchere of Dyker Heights, Brooklyn.

“People call our home the ‘Snoopy House’ and if you stop by you will know why,” Louis said.

We can see why and it looks great, Louis! Congratulations!

Philadelphia

Robert Pearce of South Philly.

Extra points for synching his lights display with holiday music.

Well done, Robert! Looks (and sounds) spectacular! 

Boston

Angela Rourke of Saugus.

Angela was thrilled to learn that her home won the contest and said her husband is the mastermind behind their intricate holiday display.

Congratulations to you both!

Honorable mentions

Glenn and Carmen Wolin of Flatbush, Brooklyn.

Richard and Debra Dyer of Valley Stream, New York.

Nora Ecker of Marlton, New Jersey.

The post Winners announced in Metro’s Show Us Your Lights contest! appeared first on Metro.us.

As we move forward into the new year, we reflect on some of the most important moments captured on film in the past twelve months.

Here are some of the most iconic images from 2012.

Aerial Views of the roller coaster from the casino pier damaged from Superstorm Sandy along the Jersey Shore on December 13, 2012 in Seaside Heights, New Jersey. Much of the Jersey Shore is still suffering the effects of Hurricane Sandy which caused extensive damage to parts of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.

The Princess Cottage Inn, victimized by Superstorm Sandy a month prior, remains devastated on December 5, 2012 in Union Beach, New Jersey. With a population of 6,200, roughly 1,000 homes were flooded and 200 rendered inhabitable.

An armed man waves his rifle as buildings and cars are engulfed in flames after being set on fire inside the US consulate compound in Benghazi late on September 11, 2012. An armed mob attacked the US consulate in Benghazi and set fire to the building, killing US Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans.

A 10-year-old Syrian boy wounded by shrapnel is brought to hospital as the intense human and material cost grows from three months of intense fighting against rebels of the Free Syrian Army (FSA) on October 24, 2012 in Aleppo, Syria. In this critical battleground of Syria’s 20-month uprising, FSA commanders say they control more than half of Syria’s second city and commercial hub, though civilian areas – and especially long bread lines – have been targeted daily. The uprising against the government of President Bashar al-Assad has claimed an estimated 34,000 lives. (Photo: Getty)

Michael Phelps of the United States dives into the pool in the Men’s 100m medley Final on Day 8 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Aquatics Centre on August 4, 2012. Phelps won six medals at this year’s game, making him the most decorated Olympian in history with a total of 22 medals. He is now retired. (Photo: Getty)

This file picture taken on July 6, 2012 by North Korean official Korean Central News Agency and released on July 9 shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (C), accompanied by a young woman (L), enjoying a demonstration performance given by the newly organized Moranbong band in Pyongyang. North Korean state television on July 25, 2012 confirmed that leader Kim Jong-Un is married and named his wife as Ri Sol-Ju, South Korea’s unification ministry said. South Korea’s unification ministry said it appeared that Ri was the woman who has been pictured several times at Kim’s side at public events in recent weeks. (Photo: KNS/AFP/Getty)

The space shuttle Enterprise, mounted atop a NASA 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA), flies near the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum, April 27, 2012, in New York City. Enterprise was the first shuttle orbiter built for NASA performing test flights in the atmosphere and was incapable of spaceflight. Originally housed at the Smithsonian’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, Enterprise was later placed on a barge that was moved by tugboat up the Hudson River to the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum. (Photo: Getty via NASA)

Members of the Sikh community along with other mourners attend a special service at the Sikh Religious Society of Wisconsin for the victims of the shooting at the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin the previous day, on August 6, 2012 in Brookfield, Wisconsin. Wade Michael Page opened fire with a 9mm pistol at the Sikh Temple killing six people before being killed by police in a shootout. (Photo: Getty)

A Palestinian student from Birzeit University pushes a burning tire during clashes with Israeli soldiers for the second consecutive day as they protest against the ongoing Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip in the West Bank town of Betunia on November 18, 2012. Israel’s Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said that Israel would not negotiate a truce with Gaza Strip’s Hamas rulers as long as rocket fire continues from the Palestinian enclave. (Photo: Abbas Momani/AFP/Getty Images)

This image, which went viral immediately, shows Carlee Soto as she learns of the death of her sister, Victoria Soto, a teacher at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Conn. Soto was shot to death while trying to hide the students in her classroom from gunman Adam Lanza on December 14, 2012. The 27-year-old teacher told her students to hide in cabinets, then told the gunman they were in the gymnasium before he opened fire on her. 26 people were killed, but her students were not harmed. Carlee Soto came to the school searching for her sister after news of the shooting spread. She has since said in interviews that this photo is a constant reminder of that painful moment.  (Photo: AP)

The post PHOTOS: The biggest moments of 2012 appeared first on Metro.us.

Megan Fox can certainly sympathize with Kate Middleton, having had a pretty rough and morning sickness-filled pregnancy herself. “It was so bad for me,” Fox says during a visit to the “Tonight” show with Jay Leno. “I was convinced that I was, like, maybe birthing a vampire baby like the one in ‘Twilight’ — you know, what happened to Bella where she’s in cold sweats all the time? And I felt like that was happening because I had no vitamins and I was just nauseous. Something not human was happening.”

Drew Barrymore has done a lot of growing up, but that doesn’t mean she feels like an adult. “The mistakes, the potholes, the journeys, the bad patterns — all of it is so much clearer to me now, but I still don’t totally feel like a grownup,” the 37-year-old new mom tells Allure magazine. “Maybe I never will.”

Zooey Deschanel‘s marriage to Death Cab for Cutie frontman Benjamin Gibbard is officially over, with the former couple formalizing their divorce in a Los Angeles court last week, just over a month after separating, according to E! News. And the “New Girl” star appears to already be moving on, having been spotted recently walking hand-in-hand with new screenwriter boyfriend Jamie Linden.

Christopher Chaney, the man responsible for hacking the email accounts of more than 50 celebrities and posting their intimate photos online, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison, according to E! News. Chaney was also ordered to pay restitution fees of $66,179 by the judge, who admonished Chaney for his “callous disregard to his victims” during the hearing. His famous victims included Scarlett Johansson, Miley Cyrus, Jessica Alba and Mila Kunis.

The post Tuesday gossip roundup: Christopher Chaney sentenced for nude celebrity pics appeared first on Metro.us.

If this sounds like you…

Show us your lights!

Metro is looking for the best and brightest holiday decoration displays! Send us your photos and we’ll be featuring the craziest, merriest and most awe-inspiring homes on the pages of Metro and on Metro.us.

One lucky winner from each of our three cities — Boston, Philly and New York City — will receive a $150 gift card to Macy’s.    

So enter today for your chance to be featured in Metro!

But first, a few rules:



All entries must be sent to holidaylights@metro.us

Deadline is Dec. 20. Winners will be announced Dec. 24.

 


Check out these holiday decorations in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn:

Photographs by Miles Dixon

The post Show us your lights: Enter Metro’s holiday decoration contest appeared first on Metro.us.

Why can’t we stop eagerly staring at photoshopped pictures of this beloved movie nanny and this sassy British songstress combined to create one hilarious, jolly character?

What is it that makes each photo more entertaining than the last — and why is this even a real thing?

We’re not entirely sure, but we know we want more of it — and we’re not alone. The brand new blog has already garnered an impressive following.  Why, you ask?

You can’t understand, until you see it for yourself:

(Photos via Tumblr)

The post PHOTOS: Why we love Adele as ‘Mrs. Doubtfire’ appeared first on Metro.us.

“My first thought was, ‘Y’all are messing with me,” Tatum told the magazine after hearing the news.

The 32-year-old actor, who is married to actress Jenna Dewan-Tatum, is training to play an Olympic athlete in his upcoming film, “Foxcatcher”.

The couple, who have been married since 2009, are ready to start a family, according to People.

“The first number that pops into my head is three, but I just want one to be healthy and then we’ll see where we go after that,” he told the magazine.

Tatum joins a long list of Hollywood heartthrobs who also have also received the “sexiest man” title from the magazine including Brad Pitt, Johnny Depp, Ryan Reynolds, George Clooney and Matt Damon.

The post Actor Channing Tatum dubbed People’s sexiest man alive appeared first on Metro.us.

The mayor referenced today in a press conference two children playing inside their home who were killed yesterday when a tree fell on the house.

The first reported death was a 31-year-old man who was killed when a tree fell on his home in Flushing, Queens Monday night.

As Mayor Michael Bloomberg said he expected yesterday, more people have been found killed by the storm.

This number included a woman walking her dog, another who stepped on a live wire during the storm and people whose bodies were found inside their homes.  

Police said Staten Island cop Officer Arthur Kasprzak died when he was trying to help his family get to safety in the borough.  

The NYPD reported that Kasprzak, 28 and a six-year-veteran, went to help his family, helping move six adults and a 15-month-old boy into his attic, but when he went to check the basement, he did not return.

NYPD officers with scuba gear arrived to help, but were unable to find his body until the next morning.  
In Brooklyn, Jessie Streich-Kest and Jacob Vogelman were crushed by a tree in Ditmas Park as they walked her dog, who survived.  

Streich-Kest was a high school teacher in Bushwick. Ditmas Park Corner has information on how to donate to a memorial fund, which will help with veterinary costs for her injured dog, Max.  

Power outages

More than 760,000  homes in New York City and Westchester County lost power during the storm, according to Con Edison. About 200,000 people lost power during Hurricane Irene. In Manhattan, most homes and businesses below 34th Street lost power Monday night. 

About 1,922,945 people in the state are still without power, Gov. Cuomo said.

Workers are scrambling to restore electricity as many areas and power lines remained under water. Mayor Michael Bloomberg urged New Yorkers without power to not expect it to be restored before the weekend. According to Cuomo, the New York Power Authority is sending 1,800 workers from upstate to help restore electricity in NYC. Cuomo said Long Island is faced with the largest challenges when it comes to power.

“This is the largest storm-related outage in our history,” Con Edison senior vice president for electric operations John Miksad said.

(Photo: Getty)

Lower Manhattan goes dark after a power loss Monday night.

Flooding

Many areas of Manhattan, Queens and Brooklyn were under water Monday night and into Tuesday morning. City streets on Manhattan’s west side, Financial District and Lower East Side were submerged in flood water at the height of the storm.  Brooklyn neighborhoods Carroll Gardens, DUMBO and Red Hook also experienced heavy flooding.

(Photos: Getty)

Cars submerged in flood waters in Manhattan’s Financial District.

Parts of Brooklyn’s DUMBO section remain under water Tuesday.

Fires

In the midst of the storm, firefighters were forced to battle a massive six-alarm blaze that broke out at 11 p.m. in Breezy Point, Queens. According to the FDNY, about 50 homes were completely destroyed. The flames raged well into Tuesday morning. No serious injuries or deaths were reported. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

There was a massive explosion at the 14th Street Con Edison building in the East Village, shortly before power was lost throughout much of lower Manhattan last night around 8 p.m.

Transportation updates

Seven subway tunnels under the East River flooded overnight, according to the MTA. Several subway stations also experienced flooding. Train service is still at a halt. Most major bridges into Manhattan are expected to re-open today. For the latest MTA updates, click here.

(Photo by Getty)

Flood waters rush the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel in Manhattan.

Evacuations

People living in Zone A are still under evacuation orders, Mayor Bloomberg said Tuesday evening.

Patients were evacuated from the New York University Langone Medical Center last night when a backup generator failed to work following a power outage. About 200 patients, including several infants from neonatal intensive care unit, were transferred by ambulance to other city hospitals.

(Photos: Getty)

A view of the corner of 34th Street and 1st Street in front of NYU Langone Medical Center in Manhattan during rains from Hurricane Sandy Monday night.

A woman stands outside of the sandbagged East 34th Street entrance of NYU Langone Medical Center.

The post UPDATE: At least 37 killed, death toll includes cop, teacher appeared first on Metro.us.

Public transit in most major east coast cities, including New York City’s MTA, has been suspended in anticipation of the storm, which is gaining strength with winds of 90 mph. Sandy is predicted to make landfall late Monday or early Tuesday morning. Meteorologists estimate more than 50 million people are in the hurricane’s path.

Areas of New Jersey, Lower Manhattan and Long Island are already experiencing flooding. The Holland Tunnel and the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel will be shut down this afternoon. Flights in and out of New York City are grounded, while Amtrak canceled all Northeast Corridor and Keystone Service route trains.

(Images by Getty)

Waters from Hurricane Sandy start to flood Beach Ave. in Cape May, N.J.

A car sits in a flooded street near the ocean ahead of Hurricane Sandy in Atlantic City, N.J.

Flood waters begin to flood a street near the ocean ahead of Hurricane Sandy in Atlantic City.

People walk across Beach Ave. as flood waters from Hurricane Sandy rush in.

 A wave crashes over the hull of a tugboat in New York Harbor during the arrival of Hurricane Sandy.

A man watches the waves in New York Harbor from Battery Park.

People pose for pictures on the Brooklyn Bridge as Hurricane Sandy begins to affect the area.

Dark clouds are seen over the skyline of Manhattan.

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The newly launched site is the brainchild of three friends, Jack Kalish, Jules Laplace and Mary Burford. They installed a motion-detecting camera near the exit of the L train on Bedford Avenue.

The moment a pedestrian cruises on by, the camera snaps a photo and instantly uploads it to the site, where style voyeurs can watch a live feed and rank the fashion savviness of the haphazard models by clicking a top hat icon, which emits a praise of “Stylin,” “Bangin,” or “tres Brooklyn.” There is no “dislike” feature, nor a place for users to leave comments, which could have potentially turned the site into a breeding ground of criticism.

“The last thing we want is a bundle of unfiltered id unleashed on these photos.  There’s enough hate and negativity in the world already, we don’t need anonymous people casting aspersions on everyday dress,” creator Jules Laplace told Metro. “That isn’t what Styleblaster is about.”

What made the creators choose Williamsburg (in case it isn’t obvious already)?

“The neighborhood is poised on the cusp of a new change as the repercussions of recent zoning changes, combined with inland condo construction, have literally paved the way for a new breed of stylish and sassy individuals,” they wrote on the site.

As for those who think the spy-cam effect is much too creepy, the team at Styleblaster just doesn’t see it that way.

“We believe this service fills a need for live fashion information, with a unique and unmatched vantage point on the hippest block in New York City,” the creators said. “It will quickly become a destination for New York City peacocks to traipse by and show off what makes the neighborhood hop.”

However, at least one NYC peacock has caught on to the project and decided to send a message of her disapproval. 

The post Styleblaster: New website snaps photos, lets you rate Williamsburg street fashion appeared first on Metro.us.