Open Thread Wednesday

What’s on your mind? Comment away!

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  • Boerum Bill

    I, for one, would miss the snarky stylings of WSW. He’s entertaining and oftentimes insightful.

  • zburch

    I flew into LGA yesterday afternoon. Upon approach our plane suddenly pulled up. The passenger behind me remarked he saw helicopter blades pass under the wing. We confirmed with the pilot, that it was indeed a helicopter we almost collided with and they were “not supposed to be flying at that altitude.” What is it going to take to get them regulated? Crazy!!!

  • StudioBrooklyn

    I just listened to Pet Sounds again. I maintain it’s one of the most hardcore gangsta albums I’ve ever heard, and I’m not saying that to be snarky. Anyway…at least these “combatants” seem to have decent taste.

  • Peter Loibl

    Elaine, I totally pull the “I’m on the phone trick” too … well played! :)

  • e

    I got an email from “Stop the Chop” that said there’s a press conference tomorrow to announce a bill to reduce / ban helicopter traffic. Anyone heard about this? Text below:

    We were just informed that a press conference will be held this Thursday at 9:30 AM on the steps of City Hall about a proposed bill sponsored by several NYC council members. If passed, this bill would ban helicopter sightseeing tours in all five boroughs.

    FOLKS – THIS IS THE MOMENT WE HAVE BEEN WORKING SO HARD FOR! THIS IS THE BEST CHANCE WE WILL EVER HAVE OF RIDDING OUR SKIES OF THESE CEASELESS AND HARMFUL TOURS ONCE AND FOR ALL. FOR THIS REASON, WE ASK THAT YOU PLEASE, PLEASE MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO ATTEND THE PRESS CONFERENCE. THERE WILL BE A LOT OF MEDIA THERE – TELEVISION CAMERAS AND NEWSPAPER REPORTERS. WE NEED TO DEMONSTRATE TO THE PRESS, TO MAYOR DE BLASIO AND TO OTHER LAWMAKERS THAT SUCH A BILL WOULD GARNER A HUGE AMOUNT OF SUPPORT AND MUST, THEREFORE, BECOME LAW.

    We hope to see you on Thursday.

    Thank you and together we will win!!!

  • ShinyNewHandle

    Very tired. (And I’ve long thought that Uber was a scheme.)

  • DIBS

    None of that is generic to whether or not they offer a good seervice that peopkle want. It would seem that they actually do. You sound like DeBlahsio, who is wrong about it all. Even the Comptroller has said so

  • DIBS

    The Comptroller has the more rational and reasonable argument.

  • DIBS

    Why didn’t you call them????

    (Kitty Genovese rolls over in grave)

  • Local Guy

    Not just yet, but give the Mayor another year!

  • ccrat

    Just a little perspective as someone who first lived in the Heights in 1968: Yes, there was less graffiti then, and little fear of crime. It came later. And Montague and Henry was Activist Central at the time, with causes on every corner. If you don’t like that sort of thing, I am sure Orange County is just what you need. There was a time when people with opinions and Birkenstocks could afford to live here.

  • ccrat

    Just a little perspective from someone who first lived in the Heights in 1968: Yes, there was less graffiti then, and little fear of crime. It came later. And Montague and Henry was famous as Activist Central at the time, with causes on every corner. If you don’t like that sort of thing, I am sure Orange County is just what you need. There was a time when people with opinions and Birkenstocks could afford to live here.

  • StoptheChop

    Yes! This press conference/rally is being organized by the offices of Menchaca, Rosenthal and Chin (although all waterfront CM’s, including Levin) have been working on this issue.

  • StoptheChop

    yes, organized by Menchaca, Rosenthal and Chin — although all the waterfront CM’s (including Levin) have been working on this issue. They will need our support more than ever, to fight back against the helitour industry (which hired a deBlasio fundraiser as its lobbyist!)

  • SongBirdNYC

    I’ve been writing about PS8 overcrowding and other neighborhood topics. I can do a post about the press conference and post it by 9:00 pm. Can you please email me at songbirdnyc@gmail.com?

  • Jorale-man

    Wow, all these posts about fights today. I’m missing out on the excitement apparently. In my 6 years in the Heights I’ve at most seen a quarreling older couple or two as they walk their dog but nothing more dramatic than that.

    I do agree though that the tourist traffic has increased dramatically BBP arrived and there has been no effort that I can see to manage or divert any of it.

  • LDS

    Re robocalls: there’s a free service called “nomorobo.com” (recommended by NYT bits blog a while ago). Was amazed to find it actually works! Used it on my TWC landline (yup, kept mine – comes with my triple play). Doesn’t work with all carriers. I don’t seem to have robocalls problems with my cell phone. And the political season has yet to gear up, so we’ll see how it handles calls from Hillary et al.

  • Jorale-man

    The New York Times has a big feature on BH real estate. Pretty even-handed:
    http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/26/realestate/the-historic-charm-of-brooklyn-heights.html

  • William Gilbert

    I’ve seen the branches and, while they are indeed dead, I don’t think there is any immediate danger of their falling down. What is dangerous is watching children and carriages going into traffic because the sidewalk has bee blocked with caution tape. That being said they still have to be attended to.

  • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlsiLOnWCoI Arch Stanton

    Yeah, even more hardcore than NWA or the The Geto Boys?

  • ShinyNewHandle

    Thanks, I checked out nomorobo. It won’t work for me (“Unfortunately, Nomorobo is not available on traditional analog landlines or wireless phones at this time”) because my Verizon landline is just plain ol’, plain ol’ (not FIOS), but I would use it if I could.

  • cranberryberry

    Is this considered a snide remark?

  • Love Laner

    SO disappointed to see that the little cherubs on the CVS end of Love Lane have been painted over! I of course do not mind that the “$pud” tags were also painted over, but the cherubs were perhaps the only ‘lovely’ part of Love Lane….I can only hope the artist will come back, it really was so sweet looking!

  • GHB

    News flash! We’ve all done that.

  • StudioBrooklyn

    Who owns the building? Perhaps they’d consider commissioning a mural…do it properly, make it a contest…

  • StudioBrooklyn

    Much more! And more intimidating too.

  • Willow Street Watch

    Anyone remember when Bohack’s had a BACK DOOR on College Place?
    That lasted till the early 70’s when the the shoplifting got so out of control that they BRICKED UP that entrance!!

  • Roberto Gautier

    It was good to see Judy Stanton standing on the steps of City Hall at the Stop the Chop press conference which coincided with the bill in the City Council to ban all tourist helicopter flights. If you haven’t counted, there is an average of 25 flights per hour taking off from the Downtown Manhattan Heliport.
    Notable was a statement by an Upper West Side resident who bemoaned the helicopter din the Cloisters!
    Closer to home, it’s not so enjoyable to be in the Brooklyn Bridge Park near the Manhattan Bridge because of the high-decibel subway noise that disturbs the peace every few minutes. A multimillion dollar park that is marred in such a way should be the target of a fix. Let’s count the days as we bring this to the attention of elected officials. Noise is too often brushed aside as a mere annoyance, when it is a health hazard.

  • Hickster

    To answer my own question of last Wednesday, it seems 27 Cranberry is delayed due to permitting issues with DOB: http://newyorkyimby.com/2015/07/revealed-new-brooklyn-heights-townhouse-at-27-cranberry-street.html

  • Resident

    I moved to the hood in 2003. Other than being more crowded and my apartment growing in value three fold, it seems almost exactly the same. Much more quiet than, say, west village, mix of people, crappy Monty Street, terrible grocery options, excellent cabs to Manhattan, some graffiti… (worse some years than others)…