Open Thread Wednesday

By on August 18, 2020 11:58 pm in open thread

What’s on your mind? Comment away!

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  • http://selfabsorbedboomer.blogspot.com/ Claude Scales

    Rats! I stayed up until 12:02 a.m by my computer’s time to post this, but Wordspace’s clock put it at 11:38 p.m. No doubt I’ll get another snarky comment about posting OTW on Tuesday.

  • Reggie

    Claude, I don’t know about WordPress but Blogger allows users to set the date and time of a post. That means you can schedule a post for later than when you wrote it or back-date a post.

  • Misc

    I see a lot of home renovations that are ‘parking’ those huge construction dumpsters on the street and eating up parking spots. Do they require permits?

  • MaggieO

    yes. you need to get a permit from DOT to put a dumpster on the street.

  • MaggieO

    you can search for existing permits in the neighborhood via this map: https://nycstreets.net/public/permit/search#

  • Andrew Porter

    That’s actually a wood chipper in the foreground, turning branches into wood chips, which are being loaded into the truck in front of it. In the rear, a bucket truck apparently trimming the trees.

    No dumpsters in the photo.

  • Andrew Porter

    Another photo of the Heights in the Olden Days. Here’s the intersection of Clark Street and Columbia Heights in 1914:
    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/089c33e8a3d242fdba7065fc3b20a80253b93ee02be319b5f60045caa944d904.jpg

  • CassieVonMontague

    Is that the old Squibb Mansion on the right across Columbia Heights? or is the Squibb mansion still standing at 150 Columbia Heights?

  • Jeremy

    Yes that’s the old Squibb mansion partially shown at right in the photo. Number 152-4 Columbia Heights. Demolished in late 1914/early 1915 when the IRT Clark Street tunnel was being excavated (along with the house on the left, 156 Columbia Heights). The right half of Fort Stirling Park (the little fenced-in area next to the Promenade entrance) is where the Squibb mansion used to be.

    However, the two houses still standing, built as a duplex at 148 Columbia Heights and 150 Columbia Heights, were also Squibb houses. E. R. Squibb had them built for two of his sons next door to his mansion.

  • Greg

    It was a worthy try!

  • Emily W

    Has anyone else been having issues with their Spectrum WiFi? Have had no internet since earlier today. Obviously not an ideal time for long outages given the work from home environment. When I call I am told outages have been reported and the expected time for reinstatement keeps being pushed later.

  • Cranberry Beret

    Yes, has been spotty all day. When I called customer service after interruption #2 out of 3, they claimed no outages, but since I had steeled myself in advance against their inevitable BS, I just ignored that :)

  • Jorale-man

    Yes, it’s been rather aggravating. The outages started on Friday for me and resumed again yesterday. Sure would be nice if there was some competition in the neighborhood.

  • CassieVonMontague

    13.8% tested positive for COVID antibodies in 11201. This number is similar to other affluent communities in the city. Borough Park has a 46.8% positive rate for antibodies.

    https://www1.nyc.gov/site/doh/covid/covid-19-data-testing.page

  • http://selfabsorbedboomer.blogspot.com/ Claude Scales

    I hadn’t noticed, but the button on WordPress that says “Publish Immediately” has a drop-down menu that lets you schedule the publication time. Thanks for the tip!

  • CassieVonMontague

    I must be the only person in the neighborhood who has never had problems with Spectrum. I can only remember one or two lasting outages in 10+ years at three different buildings in the neighborhood with Time Warner/Spectrum. The only thing I can think of to help is to recommend buying your own modem, buying a new router, and making sure you keep the firmware up to date.

  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7nPOzGeyaw Arch Stanton

    The dumpster needs a DOT permit only for non construction debris e.g. cleaning out a basement, etc. The dumpster owner or carting company, applies for the permit not the homeowner/customer. Construction dumpsters are allowed in front of any building that has an active DOB building permit.

  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7nPOzGeyaw Arch Stanton

    Suck it up, it’s their right to have a dumpster on the street for construction.

  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7nPOzGeyaw Arch Stanton

    The OP made no reference to the photo?

  • Andrew Porter

    Years ago, when they were installing FiOS across the street from me, I was told they would be doing no other buildings on my street.

    This week, years later, they put it into my building—but I switched several years ago from Verizon DSL to Spectrum cable-internet-phone.

  • Andrew Porter

    The stats show the Upper East Side and numerous other areas have about the same percentages.

  • MaggieO

    You’re wrong Arch. A dumpster needs a permit when it is placed on the street. The carting company typically gets the permit.
    “Worksites such as a major street or building renovation that require a Department of Buildings permit are eligible for a Construction Debris Container Permit. These dumpsters are typically 20 or 40 yard containers or numerous mini containers that are stored on the street for up to 90 days.

    Construction Debris Container Permits are available to carting companies registered with DOT or registered general contractors. Permits must be posted at the worksite for the duration of the construction project.”
    https://portal.311.nyc.gov/article/?kanumber=KA-02700

  • Andrew Porter

    It says “those”—I presumed it referenced the photo.

  • MaggieO

    Just to clarify – any site with an active construction permit is ELIGIBLE to apply for a dumpster permit. If you want to put out a dumpster for construction you MUST get a permit for a construction debris container. If you want to put a dumpster out for cleaning out your basement you don’t need a construction permit, but you do need a permit for a bulk refuse container.

  • Karl Junkersfeld

    System down 2 hours, both tv and computer. Ouch.

  • Cranberry Beret

    Spectrum now admits there’s an outage in my part of the Heights. Thanks for the newsflash folks :)

  • Cranberry Beret

    Verizon claims they’re waiting to run FIOS to my building until they get permission from another building owner. (Mind you, their line runs a mere 50 feet from my building, I saw them install it in the street.) I’m certain they’ve made 0 attempts to contact the intermediate building owner, since I know that place also wants and is waiting for FIOS.

    It’s unbelievable to consider that Verizon might be even worse than Spectrum.

  • Jorale-man

    Good to know. I just checked my address on Verizon’s website and no luck. But maybe your building’s experience is a good sign.

  • MaggieO

    They’re both scum. Verizon has excuse after excuse for not installing FIOS and in the meantime they seem intent upon not maintaining their old infrastructure (copper lines). The result of this in my work life (not in this neighborhood) is constant phone line outages that shut down safety systems (fire alarm, elevator communication, etc.). So we’re forced to go to Spectrum and VOIP phones but these aren’t approved for back-up lines on major building systems (by FDNY/DOB/etc.) so we have to install cellular backup devices – who serves the cellular backup devices? Verizon. Oh yes. I couldn’t make it up if I tried. These companies are working together to give all of us the worst service they can possibly muster.
    end of rant.

  • CassieVonMontague

    Request your absentee ballot online now:

    https://nycabsentee.com/

    Potential exposure to Covid-19 is a valid reason to request an absentee ballot.

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