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Messages - OftenCranky

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General Discussion / Local Crime
« on: September 26, 2014, 10:18:48 AM »
So, the Zayle's on 86th street was hit early this morning, windows busted open.  That has not even hit the papers yet. A man parking his car at 6AM on Sunday on 82nd between 5th and 6th was assaulted and robbed: "On Sunday, September 21 around 6:05 a.m. a man who had just parked his car near Fifth Avenue and 82nd Street was allegedly pushed to the ground by two unknown men. According to cops, the perps then pushed the victim to the ground and began to punch and kick him. The perps then allegedly swiped the man’s wallet and his Samsung Galaxy Note 3 cell phone from his pocket and fled the scene." - Courtesy of Home Reporter.
Looks like it's back to open season on merchants and residents.  My question is, seriously, how big is the 68th precinct?  Seeing a cop on the street is like spotting a Unicorn - only that Unicorn is on line in Starbucks - and seeing a police cruiser patrolling the side streets is like spotting a Roman Chariot.  Not that that this is such a big deal in comparison, but I also cannot walk down a street without passing people smoking pot like cigarettes. I just don't understand what the big deal is about cops having more of a presence?

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General Discussion / Re: Bigger/Additional Greenmarket
« on: September 03, 2014, 11:15:18 PM »
It's a great idea but I don't think there would be enough customers for it to thrive. I go into the bakery and people are saying stuff like '.50 cents for a cookie?? What??' People have no money and what they have they seem to put into their cars; their phones; their dogs. I don't think people got the memo about how excellent fruits and vegetables cost more (btw: I love your 'end of life produce' expression - so on target - I'm stealing it ;) The produce in C-Town and the small fruit stands is mostly disgusting, as is the meat. If I have to get decent fruit and meat I go to Bensonhurst to LaBella's and Leoni's and some of the old school places, or I order from Fresh Direct which has great quality. Quality food is important to me and even the better cuts of meat and produce costs less than takeout. I really love your idea, I just don't think it would work here. As far as the Walgreen's market, it was always sparsely populated. IMO: We just don't have the critical mass of people here who value quality to support such an endeavor.

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General Discussion / Feral Cats & Rabies
« on: August 24, 2014, 07:53:16 PM »
The whole feral cat situation is very unfortunate and people and organizations and local gov seem to have a whole bunch of different positions but no solutions. There are people who feed them. There are groups that trap, spay and euthanize them. There are people who try to adopt the kittens which gets kind of impossible by the time they are old enough to move quickly. Growing up here, I recall my mother took in a male semi-feral kitten at about 3 months old and he was always just a little bit mean and a biter, no joke. When I had my own house and backyard here the cats used to defacate and spray make me generally crazy in the backyard.  I finally bought something called the scarecrow which was a motion detection device you attach to your hose and it sprays a plume of water towards cats when they are in the yard and they soon choose the path of least resistance to hang out in. It was amazing and safe and cheap. But of course the cats just went elsewhere. Anyway, I tried at one time to convince our local pols that this was a potential public health issue but they were not buying it. Now, I read this and the possibility of rabies jumping from racoon to cat so people should be a little careful http://m.nydailynews.com/new-york/rabies-alert-brooklyn-article-1.1910888

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General Discussion / Bay Ridge Drivers / Speeding Cameras
« on: August 15, 2014, 04:58:18 PM »
OK, this is my last topic of the day because even cranky takes a break.  But it is the most serious. People drive on 4th Avenue like maniacs.  They drive on Ridge Boulevard like maniacs.  On Bay Ridge Parkway like maniacs.  You get my drift.  There has been such a marked increase in drivers running lights.  The light turns red and for a solid two seconds cars drive through it.  That basically means there is absolutely no hope for the pedestrian.  At one time, the street crosser was able to anticipate a car, some distance away, stopping at a red light.  Nope.  Over.  It is actually easier for me to cross 4th avenue by going down to the subway on one side of the avenue and emerging on the other side as opposed to crossing the street in the 17 seconds we are given. I have actually been crossing the street at a red light and a car, anticipating my speed of walking, ran the light at about 70mph.  I felt it whoosh past me and had to sit on someone's stoop to lower my heart rate.  I don't want to die on a city street, asleep in my bed will be fine, thank you.  When are the cameras that take photos of drivers running lights getting here?  I heard soon and I hope so because the only thing that is going to stop irresponsible drivers are hefty fines. 

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General Discussion / Spitting
« on: August 15, 2014, 04:47:12 PM »
When I was a little boy, right here, in this very neighborhood, my mother always taught me: say "thank you," give up your seat for ladies and older people on the bus, and above all else: Don't Spit!  Where were everyone else's mothers?  Seriously, spitting on the street or subway tracks (or the "I'll spit in a trash can on the sidewalk because that's classier") is repulsive, aggressive and unnecessary, yet so enduringly popular in Bay Ridge. Is it just a bad habit?  If there is something that so needs to come out (which I highly doubt) use a Kleenex. I'm not a sociologist, so I'm curious as to the history of this disgusting habit.  Being a man, and mostly witnessing male spitters, I have to say it always strikes me as something of an act of aggression. For instance, if I'm walking on the street and another man is walking towards me in the opposite direction, he'll often sort of growl at me and spit to the side, as if to hint "don't mess with me, buddy!"  I'd really be much more impressed if he told me he reads two books a week or something.  So, if anyone can tell me why spitting is so popular in Bay Ridge, I would be immensely grateful.   ;)

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General Discussion / R Train / Montague Tunnel
« on: August 15, 2014, 04:37:19 PM »
Going without the R Train as one continuous route going into the city as the Montague tunnel is being repaired for one solid year has really been torture.  My commute has literally gone from 55 minutes to 75 to 90 depending on time of day.  Is it really going to be completed by October?   

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General Discussion / Re: trash everywhere!!!
« on: August 15, 2014, 04:34:34 PM »
I agree with you.  It is depressing.  Third Avenue and Fifth Avenue are terrible.  Shopkeepers rarely sweep or clean up, people litter, the sanitation department lets things fall on the avenue and no one does anything about the mess.  The streets are hit or miss.  On my old street, people were obsessive about keeping the sidewalks and the street clean.  On my new street, not so much.  I think people just think it's a losing battle so they don't even bother.  It's sad because people keeping the sidewalk clean is actually pretty easy.  And yes, removing the trash cans is/was ridiculous.  You can't change human nature: people always take the path of least resistance and would never hold onto trash when they can just litter.  People littering the little bit of garden around the trees is gross, too.  I have seen people literally clean out all the trash from their cars (The Car, of course, being Bay Ridge's version of a house) and dump it onto people's sidewalk.  Get ready:  I'm here and I'm cranky! :-)

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