Holiday Weekend Open Thread

By on July 2, 2011 10:51 am in open thread

In town for the Fourth? Let us know what you like or dislike about being in Brooklyn Heights for a long weekend. Away for the holiday? Let us know if you’ve found a choice spot for a short break, especially if it’s not too distant and accessible by public transportation. Otherwise, just let us know what’s on your mind.

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  • Homer Fink

    @andrewporter consider youself drafted as our DOT correspondent.

  • bklyn20

    I saw the Old Fulton Street renderings also — great idea. Most of the time Old Fulton is practically empty, or certainly all of the lanes are not full, and anything to stop the belching idling buses is great too. (Now if only we could make greenstreets to stop Fresh Direct trucks!)

  • Monty

    @Andrew, is any of that info online? I’d love to see it. I walk with my toddler to Pier 1 a lot when the weather is nice and it’s just so hazardous trying to negotiate that three-way intersection or to cross at Doughty St with cars coming around that blind corner with no stop sign.

  • WillowtownCop

    @ Native – are you a vet? Are any of your friends or family? Do you even know any soldiers? Or do you just think you can speak for them because you read an article in the newspaper?

    I’m not a vet, either, but many of my family, friends and coworkers are – I’m not sure where people get the idea that everyone coming back from overseas is a broken shell of who they were. I’m sure some soldiers come back with PTSD, but the vast majority are perfectly well adjusted, and enjoy and appreciate fireworks shows where everyone takes a few minutes to enjoy the show and think about what we’re celebrating and what they’ve dedicated their lives too. But you wouldn’t know that if all you know is what you read in the newspaper.

    Anyway, a terrorist could do much more damage with a gas can and some miracle grow than a cherry bomb- should we ban those, too?

  • Willow St. neighbor

    Native,
    My father was a WWII vet, his brother a Korean War vet and three of my closest friends were Vietnam vets. I never heard any of them remark that they had a problem with fireworks on the 4th of July or any other time for that matter. As a matter of fact, my father and his brother supplied our entire block in Flatbush with fireworks every 4th of July way back in the early 60’s. All of us enjoyed the fireworks display every year and the vets seemed to enjoy it most of all.
    That was my experience.

  • Wrennie

    My friends and I were driving back from LI last night, hitting the usual traffic, but it was actually very enjoyable: Macy’s doesn’t mess around. We got great views of the fireworks on the Hudson.

  • Rachel
  • Native

    @ WillowtownCop and WillowtownNeighbor:

    Presumptuous, arrogant, ignorant, myopic, are just a few words that come to mind in reading your unconsidered postings.

    My family has served in every major conflict since WWI.
    Your arrogance and ignorance amazes. Your views reveal your utter lack of empathy. Take comfort in knowing you’re in agreement with Jeffrey J. Smith.

    Below you will find a group of links, some of which are authored by military-related groups who speak the truth about this issue.

    http://www.va.gov/health/NewsFeatures/20110630a.asp

    http://www.upi.com/Health_News/2010/07/01/Caregiving-Fireworks-and-PTSD/UPI-28161277972280/

    http://www.military-missions.org/2011/07/01/are-you-ready-for-the-big-boom/

    http://blog.thenewstribune.com/letters/2011/07/01/patriotism/

    http://brandon-d–jones.newsvine.com/_news/2011/06/28/6962305-consider-combat-veterans-this-independence-day

    http://waronterrornews.typepad.com/home/2011/07/veterans-with-ptsd-may-find-4th-july-challenging.html

    http://traumaptsd.com/ptsd-symptoms/the-bombs-of-a-war-long-ended-2309300.html

  • WillowtownCop

    Why am I ignorant? Because I disagree with you? Or because I enjoy fireworks and will continue to enjoy them, along with millions of other Americans and others around the world, even if a few people can’t take the stress? If fireworks upset people, those people should avoid places where they might be seen. I avoid the snake house at the zoo- I don’t whine about shutting it down because snake are upsetting to some people.

  • Jeffrey J Smith

    There is a great and distinct difference between the ability to
    collect assorted information and the intelligence to place it
    in context and then the judgement of how information should
    be applied.

    The above is an example of collection of various information
    NOT tied to the actuial fabric of reality.

    This is always very dangerous NON thinking…..
    .

  • Arch Stanton

    Native,
    Yes I did read the NYT article but unlike you I use my own personal experience & knowledge to form an objective opinion and not simply have my thoughts dictated by the paper.
    First, M-80’S and cherry bombs are illegal in every state (federal law) and have been so since 1966. They are illegally manufactured and sold.
    Second. consumer fireworks are not a serious threat for use by terrorists. Yes the “Times Square Bomber” (Idiot) did have some fireworks in his makeshift device that didn’t work nor could it have as it was mostly unworkable. Could someone theoretically buy many cases of fireworks and scrape out the explosives and build a bomb? yes but why would any one go through the hassle and expense when it would be much easier to just purchase the chemicals to make much more powerful explosives? Also black powder (gunpowder) the principal explosive in fireworks is available for sale, over the counter in every state, including NY.

    I’ll skip the big words and simply say you are an IDIOT.

  • Native

    Wow. I really struck a nerve. Must be the realization that you and Jeffrey J. Smith are birds of a feather.

    If any of you actually took the time to read my original post, you’ll see all I said was that I liked an article in The NYX and I quoted a commenter from that article.

    Your reaction, which is completely out-of-proportion and over-the-top, informs me that the only truly idiotic thing is engaging in a “conversation” with the likes of you.

  • Jeffrey J Smith

    Re: This conversation

    As above, collection of facts not tied to the actuial fabric of reality
    is always the basis of dangerous non thinking. But that aside,

    There are, unfortunately, fewer and fewer “birds of my feather”
    Which is the basic REASON our country, and especially New York doesn’t work: The human material needed to maintain a higher civilization is no longer present here.

  • WillowtownCop

    Your views on fireworks didn’t strike a nerve- don’t flatter yourself. This struck a nerve:

    “Presumptuous, arrogant, ignorant, myopic, are just a few words that come to mind in reading your unconsidered postings.Your arrogance and ignorance amazes. Your views reveal your utter lack of empathy.”

    Calling people names is a last resort of people who have nothing to add to the conversation.

  • Native

    Actually, I didn’t call you names. I identified your boorish behavior and unconsidered thinking with adjectives. YOU responded by calling me names. So you’re speaking about yourself.

    At least you admit I struck a nerve. Now you know the truth about yourself. You’ve revealed yourself to lack empathy — which is par for the course these days — you’re judgmental, accusatory, speculative, and just plain wrong about, well, most things.

    And by the way, there was no “conversation.” You don’t know how to converse civilly. You talk AT people.

  • WillowtownCop

    What “behavior”? I said I liked fireworks. I didn’t say I let any off.

    What names did I call you? The names in quotes were from your own post.

    What else am I wrong about besides fireworks?

    If people responding to what others say isn’t a conversation, what is it? Have we ever spoken before? How do you know how I converse with people?

  • Native

    I’m sure there are a number of good therapists in the Heights you could consult with. Talk therapy clearly would do you a world of good.
    You could work out your issues of aggression, confusion and self-aggrandizement. You’re also very defensive. I’m sure a good therapist will help you get to the root of that. If not, there’s always Xanax.

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