Open Thread Wednesday

By on September 16, 2020 7:09 am in open thread

What’s on your mind? Comment away!

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  • Nomcebo Manzini

    Does anybody have a report from the front – PS 8?

    Simply put – how’s it going?

    The Cynthia Nixon op-ed in yesterday’s Times was very sobering reading, i.m.o. Whether you like or respect her, she’s a NYC parent of a public school kid, and I very much doubt that the school in question is severely “under-resourced.”

    The comments in the Times mostly heaped abuse on diBlasio and the DOE, so I’ll skip that. School cleanliness – I remember hearing how well the “janitors” make out years ago, and I doubt that that’s changed – was one key issue, but the focus of her hand-wringing was testing or the lack of same.

    I’d like to think that a good principal – does that apply to PS8? – could make a world of difference, but voluntary-only testing and even temperature checking [reported] sure makes it sound like a train wreck is coming.

    Oh, yes, if anyone wants to report on Heights pre-schools and/or the 3 nearby independents (how they’re doing), I’m all ears.

  • CassieVonMontague
  • CassieVonMontague

    Brooklyn Women’s Exchange now has an online shop:

    https://brooklyn-womens-exchange.myshopify.com/

  • MaggieO

    i’ll report on Imagine DUMBO (preK) – it was operating as an emergency childcare center for essential workers throughout the summer and is now back in regular operation as daycare and UPK. no parents allowed in the building, kids get their temps taken at the door (though I’m among those less convinced of the need for this particular action), and it seems like things are going well.

  • Reggie

    Just for the record, Trish Peterson is a good principal.

  • Robert Perris

    It’s not all of Brooklyn Heights, just Census Tract 3.01, bounded by the bay and Pineapple, Hicks and Joralemon streets. At least the self-response rate finally got above 50 percent–that’s new since the last Open Thread. The North Heights is between 68 and 74 percent! There are six tracts in Community District 2 that achieved that!

  • Andrew Porter
  • Andrew Porter

    Pretty much same perspective, in the 1940s. Elevated train tracks still at the left. Streetcar tracks have been removed from Montague Street:
    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/37bd6a33d1e265a3aab80c47a23a4398e6f51a3517135c983306dca95d0a6d48.jpg

  • CassieVonMontague

    I’ve seen census workers visiting brownstones. After overhearing one conversation where the resident was informing the worker that there is no basement apartment anymore, my pet theory is some conversions to single-family has thrown off their estimates.

  • Andrew Porter

    I think Truman Capote doesn’t live here any more…

  • SongBirdNYC

    NOTE: These are my personal opinions and do not represent the blog as a whole. The times has good education reporting but I suggest you also follow the education reporting in Chalkbeat and on WNYC. You’ll get a well rounded picture from that. The bottom line is DeBlahBlahBlah and Carranza should have made a decision MUCH earlier in the summer (Like LA and Chicago) and stuck to it. Then they would have had many, many weeks to focus on their plan, and be careful and deliberate about its execution. Instead of the fire drill they put families, teachers and administrators through here in NYC. And yes, Trish Peterson is an EXCELLENT Principal, a teacher’s principal. She’s fair, has high standards and is a problem solver. PS8 also has tons and tons of parent support both human and financial resources. It’s the schools in the rest of District 13 that I encourage parents to be concerned about. PS8 is doing a school supply drive for PS307 and encouraging families who received the debit card with the equivalent of $420 of food stamps to donate that amount to D13 directly.

  • Jorale-man

    I went into a medical office on Montague a few weeks ago for a routine check-up and they took my temp three times in different parts of the building. I wanted to say, “you do realize that not of this will catch an asymptomatic virus carrier, right?” (Meanwhile, one of the guards had their mask down under their nose.) But thought better and let it ride.

  • MaggieO

    i hear ya. 2 times at the dentist this morning. it is a surprisingly contentious issue for people. with a few exceptions it isn’t actually mandated – childcare being one of those exceptions.

  • Reggie

    Not to mention, those forehead thermometers are hardly precision instruments.

  • Karl Junkersfeld

    I do not pretend to know anything about what is happening with regard to school openings but I think the teachers union had a great deal to say regarding additional revisions to any plan put forth by DeBlasio/Carranza. If union officials were not included in the initial school opening task force then shame on DeBlasio.
    https://www.forbes.com/sites/danielcassady/2020/09/01/teachers-union-threatened-to-strike-convinced-nyc-to-delay-school-reopening/#f7d7ec9472c1

  • Reggie

    Too much good information here for a smart-ass answer but the real bottom line is y’all should have voted for Billy Thompson in the primary like I did.

  • Jorale-man

    Interesting. Obviously, it can’t hurt. But as a safety measure it has a lot of holes…

  • neighboronhicks

    Does anyone know if daycares are talking to expecting parents? I’ve reached out to several but have heard nothing back yet, which I’m hoping/assuming may be Covid-uncertainty-related.

  • http://www.yotamzohar.com StudioBrooklyn

    Your experience, from “I wanted to say…” through “…let it ride” is something I resonate with almost hourly.

  • Jorale-man

    Hehe. This pandemic is a real test of the social compact. I came in from a walk this evening where probably 1 in 5 people I passed were not wearing a mask or wearing one properly. Six months into this and it’s still a problem for some people.

    I’m adept at seeing these people coming and getting out of their way. But I’m still dumfounded how such selfish, boorish behavior exists in plain sight around here (waiting for BHMike to chime in in 3…2…1).

  • CassieVonMontague
  • El

    The absolute worst is when people take off their masks to talk – the exact opposite of what you should be doing! I feel that a lot of people haven’t internalized the point of wearing a mask. It’s not an amulet that works if you just have it…

  • aeshtron

    I’ve still got Bill Thompson T-shirts over the seats of my ugly, oversized, pollution spewing vehicle! If only…

  • Karl Junkersfeld

    Reggie, I caught Mr. Thompson campaigning in Brooklyn Heights many years ago with our Borough President Eric Adams.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsCzMaP1MGs

  • Jorale-man

    Exactly! Or sometimes you’ll see two people walking down the street talking, one with a mask on and one without. Are they hedging their bets? Conducting a weird science experiment?

  • Reggie

    The younger, heavier, pre-vegan Senator Eric Adams! Thanks for that! I am feeling nostalgic … and old.

  • http://www.yotamzohar.com StudioBrooklyn

    I’ve always wondered about the t-shirts over seats in cars thing. What’s the reason for that?

  • Karl Junkersfeld

    Just looked at when I took this video, 11 years ago. Holly Cow.

  • Cranberry Beret

    Retail apocalypse continues: Starbucks Fulton Landing is closing next week.

  • CassieVonMontague

    No one went there anyway. Too far from offices and art studios in DUMBO aren’t getting Starbucks. No idea why tourists didn’t go. Too many cooler options?

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