Greenpoint
Lorven Pharmacy
Culture on the Cheap
New York Shitty Day Starter: Dogate
Filed under: 11211, 11222, Dung of the Day, Greenpoint, Greenpoint Brooklyn, Greenpoint Magic, Williamsburg, Williamsburg Brooklyn
(Literally)
Lest I have not made it clear already OSA North Brooklyn has a suspicious provenance, has been less than forthcoming about their mission (to put it politely) and how they are spending the money our elected officials (READ: our tax dollars) have donated to them.
I cannot for the life of me understand why a “community advocacy” group affiliated with the Parks Department can raise money by having concerts and make a nice penny selling concession rights shilling alcoholic beverages at McCarren and East River State Park…
when the patrons of McGolrick Park are admonished to abstain: in English and Polish.
I suppose the “open container law” applies to some citizens more than others. Or as long as folks are swilling booze sanctioned by/profiting the city (or OSA)? Remember, the President of Brooklyn Brewery is one of their founding members) I suppose it’s A-OK? Can you say hypocrisy? This whole set-up reeks of graft.
OSA outlays money to hang advertisements on private property, facing public property (in this case East State River Park)…
and cries “poverty” when it comes a new fence at the McCarren Park Dog Run. McGolrick gets a new fence and McCarren gets Sternberg’s leftovers. I could not understand why this came to pass— McCarren needs help. BIG TIME. Then I remembered that I am (for all intents and purposes) an honest person. I put on my “tweeder” thinking cap and re-read this exchange.
The following missive put it all together:
This has nothing to do the the betterment of the community. It is patronage mutual backslapping, plain and simple. McGolrick gets $13,000 and McCarren gets a paltry $500. The latter phat wad of cash was to be divided between “the two leaders” volunteers who are going to weld together the remains of Sternberg’s fence at McCarren; they get $200 each, and $100 for “little bro helper”. “Little bro helper”, for those of you who are not in the know, is Ms. Thayer’s little brother whose sole qualifications are:
- Being Ms. Thayer’s little brother.
- Taking a welding class.
If a Parks employee/OSA Executive has sent an email indicating her own brother should be compensated $100 for doing no work whatsoever how many more of her friends are on the dole? Just a question.
On that note, I strongly encourage you, dear readers, to revisit the post mentioned at the beginning of this post. I have made some very interesting corrections/amendments— including what appears to be the “Pete Best” of the original OSAnb group. Contrary to what Mr. Short wrote, Adam Perlmutter was not one of the original founders of OSAnb. But this document seems to attest otherwise. Hmm…
Miss Heather
UPDATE, 7/30/09: Be sure to read the comments. Suffice it to say it keeps getting more and more interesting!
UPDATE, 8/3/09: The Greenpoint Gazette has this take about the fencing situation. Choice quote:
…Currently, the fencing surrounding the McCarren Park dog run is a combination of chain-link fence, temporary wire barriers and historical black iron fencing the iron fencing makes up nearly three quarters of the hodge-podge partition. Recently the Park’s Department decided to standardize the fences in Sternberg Park as well, and in doing so uprooted a portion of black iron fencing, which will in turn be installed in McCarren, to match the already existing iron fencing stock.
Actually Diana Reyna gave $40,000 to Sternberg to buy a new fence. It IS an election year after all.
From The New York Shitty Inbox: Townies Versus Newbies
An off-again, on again problem yours truly experiences is insomnia. Last night was no exception: I could not for the life of me fall asleep. Finally I gave up, grabbed a glass of milk and quietly shuffled to the computer. When I checked my email something very special awaiting me. It didn’t help me sleep at all (quite to the contrary— that’s impossible to do after laughing one’s ass off) but it is certainly worth passing along nonetheless. J writes:
I was witness to a really hilarious stoopid event last night.
I was on Bedford and N9 waiting for the B61 around 11pm, being joined by a rather large young local construction (and slightly inebriated) worker guy. He sat on the stoop by the bus stop. Above us, four hipster idiots drunk and or drugged were on the roof snickering and cackling to their own amusement/irony. One of the idiots started flicking crap off the roof at the big Polish guy. He started cursing and finally yelled at them. After a few more times, and a lit cigarette bouncing off his back, he shouted:
Motherfuck!! Fuck you asshole!
to which the girlie on the roof replied:
Fuck you you fucking Polack!
This threw the guy into a rage,
You motherfuck, I show you!
and he proceeds to start kicking the door at the top of the stoop. I went into “keep an eye on things but out of direct contact” mode I learned in BedStuy in the 80’s. He finally kicked the door in, cursing and shouting. He returns with a bicycle from inside the house and curses at the idiots on the roof:
You motherfucks I show you now I have your bike you motherfuck!
and proceeds to ride the bike down Bedford. The problem is – he kicked in the door and stole the bicycle FROM THE WRONG HOUSE. Naturally, the people of the house whose door he kicked in were pretty upset and a minute or so later half dozen of New York’s Finest showed up. The idiots on the roof of the house next door quickly disappeared. Since someone decided to rat me out as an eye witness, I gave them a basic description of the transactions between the idiots and of the guy, and let the folks in the house of the broken door know who should get talked to. Then the 61 finally showed up and I split.
This is turning out to be an interesting summer.
Indeed.
Miss Heather
New York Shitty Day Ender: Rosenwach
Filed under: Williamsburg
Taken July 3, 2009.
Miss Heather
Williamsburg Photos Du Jour: The Faces Of San Giglio
Filed under: Williamsburg
Taken July 12, 2009.
Miss Heather
Williamsburg Slide Show Du Jour: After The Fire
Filed under: Williamsburg
Taken today, July 6, at 10:30 a.m.
Miss Heather
From The New York Shitty Inbox: An Eyewitness Account Of Last Night’s Fire
Filed under: Williamsburg
J (who took the above photograph) writes:
Hi Miss Heather –
Saw the plume erupt just as the regular fire works were lighting up on the Hudson from my friend’s roof and started to count off the blocks north of Metropolitan. Apparently some hipster douchebags were setting off rocket fireworks on Wythe and N.9th and one went into the sawdust hopper of Rosenwach Water Tank. Way to go douchebags! Another Williamsburg institution ruined!!
Cops and Fire Dept are investigating, with probable arrest and incarceration coming soon since it sounds like alot of people know who did it and knowing the wburg gossip train, the city should know within a few more hours once loose lips sink somebody’s yacht. And probably somebody is gonna get their ass beat too, because those guys are working stiffs, and now probably a good dozen of them are out of a job. Thanks a lot douchebags!!
“Oh, we’re sorry, we’re sorry!”
I’m friggin pissed off.
So there have you. For more information check out Brooklyn11211’s update.
Miss Heather
Signs Of The Times
When I stumbled upon these blue chip specimens of New York City signage in my photo pool (which come courtesy of Lost In Brooklyn) it reminded me that I have been woefully amiss in passing along a couple of my own finds. They hail from a recent sojourn through Williamsburg.
This no frills, proletariat model comes from Wythe Avenue. Although it looks like they had a little trouble with the “g” it seemed to be effective, nonetheless. I did not spy so much as a single doggy dumpling.
Bags of garbage, however, were another matter. Nice, but we can do better.
Like this example from North 9 Street.
This is a private garbage can. Do not trespass on my property to leave your dog shit here. Take it home with your and smell it by your house. This is especially directed to the person with her little blue bags.
Now this is more like it! Granted there is no implicit threat being made here, but I for one find the “we know who you are” aspect endearing.
In fact I was so impressed I shared the good news of my discovery with couple of folks writing poetry on Bedford Avenue. They were kind of enough to write a little something on the back of a flier for the Williamsburg Flea Market just for me. It was (appropriately enough) entitled “Shit”.
Amen.
Miss Heather
Vollies Needed For Williamsburg Walks
Filed under: Williamsburg
As many of you are probably already aware this upcoming weekend kicks off “Williamsburg Walks”. For those of you who are not in the know this means every Saturday through July 11th, from noon until sunset, Bedford Avenue will be closed to vehicular traffic from North 9th – North 4th Street. There will also be a great number of activities associated with this year’s event including, but not limited to, the Northside Music & Arts Festival. Needless to say an endeavor of this scope needs volunteers. This is where you come in. You can help the folks at Neighbors Allied for Good Growth and L Magazine to ensure this year’s event is a success by donating “street furniture” or some of your time. To learn more about how you can lend a hand contact the event’s organizer, Gregor Nemitz-Ziadie via email at:
g (dot) nemitzziadie (at) gmail (dot) com
or point and click your way to Billburg.com’s “volunteer” page.
Thanks!
Miss Heather
Image Credits: NAG
New York Shitty Day Ender: Cheesecake
North 9 Street
North 6 Street
Miss Heather
P.S.: Anyone care to enlighten me as to what this “job contingency” incentive is that the Edge is offering? Man oh man they must be getting desperate.
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