blockbusting

update 1, update 2, to my earlier post.

hopefully, the charges stick and their lawyers won't be able to get them out in 25 years at least.

druggy druggy

last Friday, Brooklyn cops swooped into my street and raided two notorious houses, resulting in arrests and general glee among my neighbors. had I known, I should have taken the day off and you would be watching YouTube clips instead of my boring prose.


these dens of iniquity (not obvious from the facade) housed what I called the "PBA" - the Puting Basura Association; in other words, white trash who were usually drunk, loud, belligerent, and generally not very nice neighbors. as i have learned, community activists have been pestering the police and local politicians for years to do something about them, and it turns out dealing and using dope is also part of their repertoire.

here's more details from the sharp eyes of the Brooklyn Eagle and the Bay Ridge Rover.

a tenant in my building who delivered the news to us after work wryly said, "now we have nothing to talk about."

my street still has a mobile truck stationed, raising the thoughts that the arrested felons may be out on bail soon, or they will be supplanted by others.



well, it will at least be quiet for awhile, especially for those who live just beside these houses.

blue in red

with the frenzied opening day of the IKEA in Brooklyn (Red Hook) behind us, let us give a toast to the Big Blue Box and its controversial appearance in the borough, by running this.

originally appeared in Esquire Magazine, June 2006


oh, well, just like the normal people, i "need" to grab a couple of things. how's saturday sound?

from the brownstoner

holy Marty Markowitz! the venerable brownstoner linked to a photo of mine!



Thanks! Brooklyn, baby!!!!