Morning Links: New York City's Homeland Security Cuts; Strippers Want a Pole Tax; New Baby Falcons!
• President Obama is in New York today, the day after the Department of Homeland Security cut funding to prevent terrorism in New York. (The final DHS budget decision for the year gives the New York City area $111 million for transit security -- a 27 percent cut from last year's funding of $153 million. The port security program is getting a 25 percent cut). Washington says that's not true, and "that the city will receive a net increase of $47 million" if you count the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. 
Well, either way, at least we're all keeping an eye out for suspicious packages.
• BP says they may be closer to a solution with that oil leak. Also, states are fighting amongst themselves as to who gets a bigger share of the booms, which are used to try to contain the spill.
• A judge has (temporarily) blocked the one-day-a-week furloughs that Governor Paterson had put in place to start next week. Paterson has offered to take a furlough himself.
• The nine-year-old Dutch boy who survived yesterday's plane crash in Libya -- which killed the other 103 people on board -- is in stable condition after having surgery on his broken legs. He, his parents, and his brother were returning from a South African safari.
• Strippers are asking for a "pole tax." So, you know, they can give back.
• Stuyvesant Grocery is the major casualty of yesterday's fire in the East Village.
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