Flickr photo by callhn

BHB Photo Club pick by joshderr via Flickr

BHB Publisher Homer Fink writes in this week's Off Topic: The world that Buckley came up in, that of Goldwater who beget Reagan, has gone off the rails of the Crazy Train.  Buckley was nothing if not a gentleman, but today's neo-cons love to throw barbs and make outrageous statements (i.e. Bill Cunningham, Ann Coulter). Even today certain conservatives are questioning John McCain's CITIZENSHIP. Read "Buckley's Legacy: Trash Talk?"

When it comes to pontificating on political pundits, I'm no Olbermann.  Heck, I'm no Scales or Instaputz. But the events this week in the conservative world are pretty fascinating indeed.

William F. Buckley Jr. , the King of All Conservatives, died this week at 82.  He's the man who basically invented the modern conservative pundit platform when he created The National Review in 1955. Those were the days when conservatives were basically of the "small government, fiscal responsibility" variety. 

However the world that Buckley came up in, that of Goldwater who beget Reagan, has gone off the rails of the Crazy Train.  Buckley was nothing if not a gentleman, but today's neo-cons love to throw barbs and make outrageous statements (i.e. Bill Cunningham, Ann Coulter). Even today certain conservatives are questioning John McCain's CITIZENSHIP. 

Coulter is not worth my time to explain how she's just a hate monger.   Cincinnati radio host Cunningham (pictured) is impressive in his destructiveness – not only did he put the future Republican nominee in a bad situation by hammering home Barack Obama's middle name when introducing McCain but he's also made anyone who's ever made a living in radio look like a complete tool. 

In Robert Semple's obit of Buckley he writes that he "hated most of what the liberals stood for. He didn’t hate them." That's a powerful statement. Every college frosh loves to throw around Voltaire's famous quote about free speech when the issue of uncivilized discourse is brought up.  But with every overused example there lies a certain truth. Disagree yes, be disrespectful, no. And there's no way you can convince me that Buckley was the least bit satisfied with his offspring: Limbaugh, Cunningham, Hannity, Fox News, Coulter et al. 

Hateful attacks, smears, rumor mongering these are the weapons of today's conservative. Hardly the legacy Mr. Buckley thought he'd leave behind.

There's a lively conversation at Brownstoner today about a 3 bedroom, 1050 sq. ft. coop at 61 Pierrepont:

Brownstoner: Coop of the Day: Three bedrooms in a prewar building in The Heights for $800,000? Sounds like a good deal—at least on the surface. Unfortunately, the surface is as far as this listing at 61 Pierrepont Street lets you go. There's not a single interior photo of this sponsor unit. The lack of disclosure combined with the fact that the unit just received a $65,000 price cut after three weeks on the market doesn't inspire confidence in the state of the apartment.

B'stoner commenters are going batsh*t over the price tag.  But this is prime Heights turf, right? What do you think? 

Brooklyn's game show Kingpin, Dick Swizzle announced today that he will host two massive farewell bashes at Magnetic Field which will be closing at the end of March. Continue Reading →

Word coming into BHB that there was a really bad slip and fall in front of Andy's at 128 Montague Street today. A man was seen falling down stairs there and the force of his tumble ripped out one of the banisters according to eyewitnesses. Cops and fireman were on the scene. It's alleged that the man suffered a broken ankle.

Overheard conversation between two passersby: "Yo, that dude is set for life!"

So, did you go to the BHA Annual Meeting last night? Whaddya think?

Also:

Save the Lobster…. continues.

League Treatment Center may take over Poplar Precinct. Good? 

…and whatever else is on your mind. 

BHB Photo Club pic by dietrich via Flickr

Noted designer/Brooklyn Heights resident Harry Heissmann's apartment is featured in New York Magazine:  

NY Magazine: This is what I can afford without eating water crackers for the rest of my life,” Harry Heissmann says while standing in his ten-by-twelve-foot living room, a cabinet of curiosities where every object tells a story, down to the grass-green Papuina pulcherrima tree-snail shell. Heissmann bought the one-bedroom apartment in a 30-unit prewar complex on a quiet street in Brooklyn Heights in 2003; he lives there now with his partner, Mark King. Heissmann, a decorator who has worked with Albert Hadley for the past eight years, has not a shred of big-space envy.