definitely bluebells, here ya go....

http://www.freefoto.com/images/12/36/12_36_1---Bluebells_web.jpg

Posted by: danm at May 11, 2009 4:51 PM in response to Name this Flower

Looks like bluebells to me

Posted by: danm at May 11, 2009 4:49 PM in response to Name this Flower

Here is another viewpoint fro a landlords side. my partner and i are landlords in Bed Stuy who own a brownstone and live on the first two floors. We have two floors of rentals. We are working on the house and have had the most wonderful luck with our tenants. The top floor tenants have a small dog and she is a really well behaved small dog that gets along well with our cats.

Our tenants do not mind the fact that there is construction going on on the ground floor so we keep the rent a bit low. We hoped that that everyone would stay forever, unfortunately the thrid floor tenant, a doctor is moving to a new hospital in new jersey. Long term tenants, the right ones are the best. Ours have become friends and we love them.

Posted by: danm at May 11, 2009 4:01 PM in response to landlord preferences

more4less is absolutely right in his science. Hot air rises and escapes more quickly when the top of the windows are open. If both sashes are open the room cools even faster, this allows even circulation. I would also go right along with his suggestion of window locks at a safe height allowing the bottom sash to rise enough air in without allowing the munchkin out.This will allow the thermo dynamic flow of air to flow properly. (Pretty good stuff huh?)

Posted by: danm at May 7, 2009 1:35 PM in response to Window Guards for Child

In my opinion I would hire a structural engineer for an older house for sure for the weight bearing load of the roof. An architect would most likely be able to do the math but a structural engineer would give you the math for sure. An architect would hire an engineer to do the math for him and then do the renderings and design based on those figurings from what I understand.

Posted by: danm at May 4, 2009 2:49 PM in response to Engineer vs Architect

After working on our backyard that faces north we have worked with the trials and tribulations of shade for a long time. The best local place I have found in Brooklyn is in Brooklyn Terminal Market. L J Lapide, 718-763-3665. I have been going there for four years now. They are knowledgeable. the prices are great, the products are excellent and they have a vast selection. The people are also very nice. There are a couple of nurseries there but they are the best.

They can guide you as far as what will do well in shade and what will not. They have perrenials and annuals, bulbs and seed, etc.

Good luck with the shade.

Posted by: danm at May 4, 2009 2:43 PM in response to Perennials

daveinbedstuy you are truly an selfish moron. After spending 19 years in the fire department and seeing what truly idiotic things people do I can tell you all first hand that propane bbq's are dangerous. There is a reason this law is in place and just because daveinbedstuy thinks his burger is good enough to possibly subject his family and neighbors the loss of their homes is truly, as I said earlier, selfish.

Many times the operator of the bbq is not being idiotic or careless, they may simply not be aware of how to operate the bbq properly and the propane tank may not be connected properly. This can lead to many problems.

And if you think that it is safe simply because it is a "small tank just like the plumbers use" think again, those can do plenty of damage in the time it takes you to call the fire department and the few minutes it takes for them to get there.

In short, I would not do it.

Posted by: danm at April 26, 2009 1:28 AM in response to Propane grilling on roofs?

Slopenick don't worry about hannible, just keep reading the posts.

Bed Stuy and Crown Heights have earned a bad rap for many years. I live in the south end of Bed Stuy and have for going on five years now. It was a fine neighborhood when I moved in and has changed even in that time. We are a gay couple who moved from a rental in Park Slope. Our neighbors figured out fairly quickly that we were gay and you know what? It was no big deal. Perhaps it was because they also knoew I am a retired firefighter, but because it was as I said, no big deal. So that saus something for the image that people have of the neighborhood. It is heavily caribean and the people are great beighbors on the whole.

The real estate market has come up nicely and my house has appreciated in value nicely. I did get a "fixer upper" and luckily I am able to do the work mostly between myself and my friends. The neighborhood has changed in the time I have been there for sure. There are now more cafes, and a great restaurant that is thriving.

Getting to the BQE is not too bad, up Marcy Avenue to the BQE or even the Wlliamsburg Bridge.

And as far as being an "interloper" in the neighborhood I am exactly four blocks from my Great Grandfather's townhouse which he and my Great Grandmother settled in in the 1890's. I am actually the fourth generation (with a 60 year gap) on my Mom's side of the family in this neighborhood and proud to be back home. Take a look around, wonderful houses, really good people.

I would say stay on the south side of Bed Stuy towards Fulton Street so you are close to the A train, the same for Crown Heights, stay on the North End.

Good luck in your search.

Posted by: danm at April 26, 2009 1:14 AM in response to Eager for advice

Hi,

As a retired firefighter let me say this. Anything that is in hampers the means of egress for the fire escape is illegal and MORE IMPORTANTLY dangerous for you and firefighters who may be in your apartment God forbid there is a fire and you neeed the fire escape. You may think the solution is simple to get out of the window but if there is an emergency and you are excited or there is smioke you may not find it so simple.

If you put the exhaust in the top of the window this may hamper you from opening the window fully and exiting the window as well, just something to think about.

And back to my original point anything blocking the means of egress in a fire escape window is illegal and once again most importantly dangerous.

Posted by: danm at April 5, 2009 1:14 AM in response to AC in fire esc wndw w/gate?

I put silicone on every seam there was on my skylights and also used the spray foam that expands in areas where it was sealed between the room and the unit itself. It made a big difference. You also may try using plexy as a barrier between the skylight and the rooms.

Posted by: danm at February 6, 2009 3:55 AM in response to Draft through Skylights

I will rerun the first answer, are you high? Unless you want to keep the fire department even busier than they already are I would suggest finding another way to get rid of this stuff, follow the thread to the sanitation department.

And iknow unfortunately it may not have been a set up. HAving been in the fire department for 19 years you would truly be amazed at the incredibly dumb things people do, firefighters see it all the time.

Posted by: danm at February 3, 2009 1:08 AM in response to dumping stuff into oil tank

I will rerun the first answer, are you high? Unless you want to keep the fire department even busier than they already are I would suggest finding another way to get rid of this stuff, follow the thread to the sanitation department.

Posted by: danm at February 3, 2009 1:06 AM in response to dumping stuff into oil tank

We got 50 sheets of the insulation from Genaro and are bow insulating our first floor. The insulation is in great shape and has already tightened up our first floor very nicely. The price can't be beat and after seeing what they are doing to the house they are working on I was impressed. Genaro also took time to speak with us about installing. We used all but one of his ideas and are very happy.

Genaro we will be back for more when we start the second floor.

Dan

Posted by: danm at February 3, 2009 12:40 AM in response to Great Insulation Cheap

Where did this stupid urban myth come from. I am 44 and grew up here and kids were throwing sneakers up then and still are. It is a kid thing. Atleast that has not died away like so many of the games we played, now taken over by kids sitting inside and playing video games. Skully boards are seen every now and then (one of my favorites) but a game of ringalevio anyone? Maybe some stoop/curb or stickball?

Posted by: danm at February 3, 2009 12:32 AM in response to Closing Bell: Why are There Power Lines in East New York?

I agree with errol832000 (and yes I do plug myself on occaision here as well, I am an interior painter.) I also however own and am redoing a brownstone in Bed Stuy. Ask for money off off the asking price. The owner is going to install whatever the cheapest system is he can and that will hurt you in the long run. Also do yourself a favor and whatever the deal is with the hot water get a good hot water heater. If the house has rentals and therefore more than one shower going you may want to consider two.

Dan

Posted by: danm at January 25, 2009 6:56 PM in response to What is wrong with this picture?

Hi,
My name is Dan and I am an interior painter. I charge by the square foot for room painting but also charge by the hour for small jobs like windows. I come with full references and also have had clients post about my work on Brownstoner as well. (search painters and look for Dan.)

If you are interested please send en e mail, dan@danielmoynihan.com.

Posted by: danm at May 21, 2008 10:00 PM in response to painter needed

Hi,

are you looking for interior or exterior painting please? If it is interior please contact me at dan@daniel moynihan.com (remove the break in between my name, that is for the spammers.) Please send me an e mail and ;et me know what you are looking to do. I am an experienced painter who comes with full references. I am a retired firefighter who now works for myself. I take one job at a time and never juggle two clients.

Thanks,
Dan

Posted by: danm at April 14, 2008 10:54 PM in response to Request Craftsmen Recommendations

How do I sign up for this please?

Thanks,
Dan

Posted by: danm at April 14, 2008 8:14 PM in response to Anatomy of a Brownstone Green Roofs Green Homes

I wouldn't suggest going with a guestimate. Any good painter will measure your room, look at the condition of the walls and ceilings to see if there is any repair and prep work the be done and warn you about it before hand and then give you a written estimate based on an agreed upon per square foot charge (I charge $1.60 per square foot, this includes labor and materials.) If there is any prep and repair work to be done and it is not done properly the underlying plaster or sheet-rock will simply crumble and your newly painted wall will not be there soon enough. If you would like I can come and look at the space and give you an estimate. Please send me an e mail, dan@danielmoynihan.com if you are interested in meeting with me. I come with full references as well.

Thanks,
Dan

Posted by: danm at April 9, 2008 1:54 AM in response to painting costs...

Call 311 repeatedly. 311 works. You do not have to leave your name if you don't want to but be sure and have a pen handy to record your complaint number so you can follow up.

What is wrong with you people suggesting they move? Shame on you.

Posted by: danm at March 30, 2008 5:10 PM in response to Bad neighbours!

I am not sure I would want bats in my garden. Bats harbor any number of diseases that can easily be contracted by humans or family pets including rabies. Talk to a vet before deciding whether you want to encourage bats to move into your garden. There might be other ways to deter mosquitoes, including getting rid of standing water, mosquito coils and bug zappers.

Posted by: bohuma at May 5, 2009 3:52 PM in response to How to attract bats

Almost every backyard I've been in in Bklyn has had bats flying overhead at around twilight. You may mistake them for birds.

Posted by: Arkady at May 5, 2009 4:30 PM in response to How to attract bats

A word to the wise re: handling bats—they are nocturnal animals. If you encounter one during the daytime, there's a good chance the bat is rabid, or otherwise ill.

Posted by: vinca at May 5, 2009 8:59 PM in response to How to attract bats

Too funny, Ljubitca! Keep us posted on the bat urine search. I know bat guano is a good fertilizer and can be bought. What's the difference?

Posted by: tinarina at May 5, 2009 9:33 PM in response to How to attract bats

Don't they carry the henta virus or something? The same one mice and rats have?

Posted by: Heather at May 6, 2009 5:10 PM in response to How to attract bats

The bats in NY are brown bats. They are insectivores and wouldn't bite a person, so the rabies threat is almost nil. Unless, I suppose, a person bit a rabid brown bat.

I hung a bat house up 4 years ago and I've never seen one even attempt to investigate it. I do occasionally see bats swooping under the streetlights on our block, but very rarely.

I've been saying for years to anyone who'll listen that BK needs more bats. If you find the 'bag o' bats' source, I'm in for two bags!

Posted by: houseowax at May 7, 2009 10:13 AM in response to How to attract bats

There's information about window guard installation, as well as additional links at: http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/win/winbroc.shtml
NYC-approved guards can be purchased at the two hardware stores on Court St., one at approx. Livingston and the other at approx. Schermerhorn, if not available at your own local hardware store. In addition to link above, the guards come with installation instructions.

Posted by: vinca at May 7, 2009 1:40 PM in response to Window Guards for Child

No one would call either my husband or I handy, but we had no problem installing window guards bought from a hardware store years back. They sell in either the standard 3-bar height or the taller 5-bar size.

Posted by: petunia at May 7, 2009 2:39 PM in response to Window Guards for Child

I think "Tears in Heaven" by Clapton says it all about window guards in a house with kids in it.

Even if you have a "policy" of opening windows from the top, somebody is going to open the window in a way that a kid can out out it.

I agree installation is not that hard.

Protip: many of the window guards sold today are supplied with screws with strange beveled heads. These screws are designed so that they can only be screwed in and not taken out -- presumably a benefit for landlords concerned about liability. For your purposes you'll want to toss those and use regular screws.

Posted by: phripley at May 7, 2009 4:05 PM in response to Window Guards for Child

My wife and I have a 2 year old and we installed "guardian angel" window guards; they are very logical in the sense that you can take out the bars in case of a fire, in case of any other reason for quick escape (or to install AC during the summer). I wouldn't take chances with a child in the apt, we have seen our little one climb the window areas in ways we never imagined. Guardian Angel allows for the safety measures but without a potential obstacle to getting out through any window necessary.

Posted by: mafoombey at May 7, 2009 9:59 PM in response to Window Guards for Child