« Closing Bell: Deli Fever Friday Links »

December 24, 2008

Wednesday Links

Operation Impact Cuts Crime in Tough Hoods [NY Times]
Home Sales Fell Sharply in November [NY Times]
Rules Set for Mortgage Loan Appraisals [NY Times]
Bush Pardons Brooklyn Mortgage Shark [NY Daily News]
Atlantic Yards Shifting from Condos to Rentals [NY Daily News]
City's Homeless Population Hits Record High [NY1]

This is the only post for today, so consider it an Open Thread. We'll be back online again Monday. Have a great Christmas!

Trackback Pings

TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.brownstoner.com/mte/mt-tb.cgi/7724

Comments

Is everyone else off work today and doing Christmas eve type things?

Posted by: cobblehiller at December 24, 2008 10:41 AM

Happy Holidays, everyone!

May you be happy and merry in the home you have, with family, friends, warmth and good cheer.

Take a minute to wish a neighbor "Happy Holidays", be nice to people in stores, and give a little something to anyone who asks, whether legit or scammer. The blessing, the mitzva, the karma is on you, and it will come back to you.

To those who travel, travelling blessings, drive safely, and regard any delays as precious time to think about future plans. Take the opportunity to call those you never remember to call when things are busy, chat with your family or travelling companions, and don't fret over what you can't change. You'll get there.

Let's all work to make our communities, our city, a better place in 2009. Let's start, home by home, block by block, neighborhood by neighborhood. I love Brooklyn, I wouldn't live anywhere else in New York City.

Youse guys are the best! Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukka, Season's Greetings!

Montrose Mistletoe Morris

Posted by: Montrose Morris at December 24, 2008 11:06 AM

Ditto, to what M'M'M said above!

Happy Holidays to All!
Cheers and Joy!

Posted by: bayridgegirl at December 24, 2008 11:10 AM

The same to you MMM!

Posted by: cobblehiller at December 24, 2008 11:12 AM

cobblehiller.

Old fart retirees like me are always off :-)

Happy Hanukkah/Christmas/Yule/Kwanzaa/Festus to all!

Posted by: Bob Marvin at December 24, 2008 11:23 AM

Happy holidays to everyone.

Posted by: slopefarm at December 24, 2008 11:41 AM

I never would have guessed you were retired Bob! Good for you!

[Ah retirement...seems such a long long way away, and getting further by the day!]

Posted by: cobblehiller at December 24, 2008 11:45 AM

Oh, all this niceness and goodwill is ruining my planned comment on the crime article. If I read it correctly, the police plan to continue their excellent work in "fringe" Brooklyn, while leaving "prime" Brooklyn to the criminals, thus paving the way for Miss Muffet and HobokenRocks to score some excellent deals -- right?

Yeah, I'm going grocery shopping and making my traditional Christmas dinner today (beef stew with white wine). Was briefly distracted by the heat not working, but got it going. Maybe I'll pick up some nog.

Merry Christmas, everyone.

Posted by: mopar at December 24, 2008 11:47 AM

Merry Christmas to all Brownstoner people!!!

Posted by: Amzi Hill at December 24, 2008 12:07 PM

We were speculating last night about why the number of homeless have suddenly risen. Theories:

*Sudden job loss in service and construction industries.

*Tenants evicted because of landlord foreclosure.

*Landlords selling buildings and/or raising rents. Yes, raising rents! Rents are going up where we are, don't know about the rest of Brooklyn.

Anyone have any ideas?

Posted by: mopar at December 24, 2008 12:12 PM

maybe people are just sick of having to clean their apartments.

*Rob*

Posted by: PitbullNYC at December 24, 2008 12:30 PM

Mopar--

As a nonprofit fundraiser who works on poverty-related issues, all of your reasons are correct, except maybe the last one (it might be true, but I haven't seen any stats to that effect).

And I'd say the job losses are in all industries, and worse for folks who are undocumented and/or had cash jobs (domestic workers, for example) as they generally can't file for unemployment.

Also bear in mind that most people don't lose their apartment and immediately go to the shelter system--they stay with friends or family first. But after two or three months that becomes untenable. I think we're seeing an uptick of folks with no other option but the shelter system, as the economy has been worse for low-wage workers for many months, not just a few.

And despite Bloomberg's message to the contrary, the city is doing a really poor job of handling increased homelessness.

Posted by: tinarina at December 24, 2008 12:38 PM

Do you truly think that's funny, Rob? Sometimes you really come off as a douchebag.

Posted by: tinarina at December 24, 2008 12:39 PM

:( sorry i didn't mean to come across that way.

*rob*

Posted by: PitbullNYC at December 24, 2008 12:42 PM

Hi folks;

I'm off today, busy helping my wife prepare for our dinner tonight (we will have 13 guests).

Happy Holidays to all. Montrose said it all - there is nothing I can add to her words.

I look forward to more discussions in 2009!! Let's hope that the economy improves, so that we don't have to see such stories about homelessness. God bless all.

Posted by: benson at December 24, 2008 12:47 PM

Hope everyone takes the time to remember the true reason for the season. Thank God for your blessings because through the good and the bad, whether you deserve it or not he continues to show his mercy and sustains you.Wishes for a blessed healthy safe New Year.Happy holidays all.Now as I get on the road to upstate traveling mercies to others who have to travel as well.

Posted by: iluvclintonhill at December 24, 2008 1:40 PM

Benson, isn't Montrose a dude?

Posted by: GHB at December 24, 2008 2:21 PM

Nope, GHB. Dudessa.

I'm headed off to bells and smells tonight - Midnight Mass at my local Episcopal church. A family tradition from childhood (Catholic mass, then) that always embodies Christmas for me. Carols sung with a large pipe organ, the scent of incense and pine, the processions and vestments, the Christmas story from Luke, excerpts from Handel's Messiah, and every once in a while, falling snow. It can't get better than that.

Posted by: Montrose Morris at December 24, 2008 2:40 PM

Hello everyone and happy holidays. Joyeaux Noel et bonne annee!
GHB MM id a dudette:)

Posted by: pierre de taille at December 24, 2008 2:44 PM

Hello everyone and happy holidays. Joyeaux Noel et bonne annee!
GHB, our good friend MM is a dudette :)

Posted by: pierre de taille at December 24, 2008 2:45 PM

mopar - It seems that rents are going down in the city. Listen to this feature from the Brian Lehrer Show:

- http://www.wnyc.org/shows/bl/episodes/2008/12/23

Posted by: SnarkSlope at December 24, 2008 2:49 PM

And happy holidays to all from your old pal Snarky, the mayor of Bah Humbugsburg.

Posted by: SnarkSlope at December 24, 2008 2:51 PM

Sorry Montrose Morris. Happy holidays!

Posted by: GHB at December 24, 2008 3:44 PM

no features? whats a jew to do today and tomorrow besides chinese food and a movie?

Posted by: goldie at December 24, 2008 3:51 PM

Thanks, Tinarina, very interesting. SnarkSlope, I heard about that feature on NPR. I though it sounded kind of speculative. (Rents *might* go down for luxury condo housing.) Well, maybe rents will go down. I guess we'll wait and see.

Posted by: mopar at December 24, 2008 3:59 PM

Looks like we're celebrating Jewish Christmas, too, Goldie. Spent all afternoon on the plumbing problem, couldn't go grocery shopping. One of us is a Jew though so it's just as well.

Posted by: mopar at December 24, 2008 4:48 PM

Just remember folks...

Think of those crap gifts you just bought on your credit cards, 75% of which were made in China.

YOU ARE PART OF WHAT GOT US IN THIS ECONOMIC CRISIS!

Yay!

Posted by: Prodigal_Son at December 24, 2008 6:06 PM

I was itching to go into a long Hurang but I like like to wish all the Asshats a Merry Christmas.

Now I'm going up on my roof to shoot at Santa! I have a AR-15 and it's so much fun!

Oh yeah Rob you suck..

The What

Someday this war is gonna end...

Posted by: Return of The What at December 24, 2008 8:33 PM

I agree, goldie...my jewish self is celebrating Xmas in Westchester with my husband's recovering-Catholic mother and agnostic father. The presents are opened - what else to do now but read Brownstoner??

Posted by: mscrochety at December 25, 2008 11:32 AM

« Closing Bell: Deli Fever Friday Links »

December 24, 2008

Wednesday Links

Trackback Pings

Comments

Post a comment

Latest Restaurant Additions