"1) New York's heat island affect has not changed much in a long time. It cannot be cited to explain a sudden increase in New York's temperature. Man, that's just silly."

Silly, huh?

Google search: "New York's heat island effect"
first hit:
http://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/news/topstory/2005/nyc_heatisland.html
First paragraph:
"The "heat is on" in New York City, whether it’s summer or winter. This is due to a phenomenon called the urban heat island effect that causes air temperatures in New York City and other major cities to be warmer than in neighboring suburbs and rural areas. And, in a big city, warmer air temperatures can impact air quality, public health and the demand for energy."

Btw, measuring the Heat island effect doesn't require rocket science.

Further down in this article:
"The urban heat island occurrence is particularly pronounced during summer heat waves and at night when wind speeds are low and sea breezes are light. During these times, New York City's air temperatures can rise 7.2 degrees F higher than in surrounding areas."

I haven't read this particular article before but it appears the numbers I gave were pretty close to what was actually measured.