Goodbye Gross Old Payphone Stalls, Hello New and Soon-To-Be Gross WI-FI Kiosks

 

Here's some Digital Age progress coming to a street near you: NYC is replacing those dinosaur payphone stalls used now as gum receptacles (and the occasional toilet) with super useful Wi-Fi hubs. Last Wednesday the Franchise and Concession Committee voted unanimously to allow a city group called LinkNYC to place 500 kiosks all around NYC starting in 2015. The kiosks will serve as Wi-Fi hubs so you don't have to steal wireless from your neighbor's open network. They'll also allow you to make free US phone calls on your cell phone, and charge your phone.

Park Slope homeslice Mayor Bill de Blasio was so in favor of this initiative that the city helped to create LinkNYC as a public and private partnership. And don't worry, according to the city, it doesn't cost taxpayers a thing. It's all funded off of advertising revenue. Basically these kiosks are going to be covered in digital "intelligent" ads so they can pay for themselves, which is fine by me. 

de Blasio was quoted by the Brooklyn Daily Eagle saying: 

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We'll Never Be Royals, But We Have Some Dropping By the Hood Tonight

Photo via The Daily News

Dust off the fine china FIPS'ters. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are dropping by for a spot of tea this evening before going to the Barclays Center to watch the Nets play the Cleveland Cavaliers. Yes, the couple complete with baby bump, but sans their toddler Prince George, actually wanted Brooklyn as a stop on their official visit to New York. 

A bigger history nerd than myself (which is a tall order) from the Daily Beast couldn't help but make the connection between the Royal visit to BK and the historic Battle of Brooklyn fought at the start of the American Revolution.

They may not realize they will be sitting where, almost 240 years ago, the Battle of Brooklyn—fought between the American and British armies—raged on just one month after the United States declared its independence from King George III (who, of course, would not stand for it).

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Hey Lazy Asses You Can Get Your Christmas Tree Delivered!

It's the most wonderful time of year when Christians go out to street corners and drop 70 bucks on long-dead evergreens to hoist in their living rooms and the Jews just laugh at them. Actually I'm wrong about that, there's something called a Hanakkuh bush, it's like a thing. It even has a wikipedia page. I had no idea. 

But are you tired of dragging a tree up the street or strapping it to the top of your car or doing this to find the perfect Christmas tree, well here's exciting news: You can get a Christmas tree delivered right to your door, it's like Fresh Direct but for Christmas trees. The company that does it is called NYCtrees and it was founded by two New York brothers Harold and Louis DeLucia. The service offers 4-10 foot Fraser firs delivered to Manhattan, Brooklyn or Queens. Every delivery comes with a tree stand and expert installation. The installers will even clean up the needles before they go. Yeah, I KNOW, that's pretty awesome since my tree is always crooked and I'm always picking up needles from five trees ago.

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Windsor Terrace Is One Step Closer to Becoming Park Slope

Oh how that title will rub people the wrong way. But think about it, especially those of you who live in the WT (I've been a resident for 13 years) you've seen the change. Not that I think it's all a bad thing. I'm just acknowledging that it's been happening. And this bit of news is sealing the deal.

Since I'm the master of burying the lede, let me now provide you with one: The Windsor Terrace Food Coop is going to happen. Or as the Daily News so artfully put it: "Brooklyn's budding food cooperative is nearing its first harvest." 

This momentous news stems from an announcement that the fledgling coop is negotiating a lease agreement for a future home on Caton Avenue and East 8th Street (which is technically Kensington). The coop's leader Jack O'Connell says he's hesitant to announce the exact address for fear that someone may swoop down and make a better offer.

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Ditmas Park Throws Its Hands Up in the Air... Literally.

Photo by Andrew Weakland via Ditmas Park Corner

Yikes! Our sister or brother hood (do neighborhoods have genders?), Ditmas Park has fallen prey to a series of armed robberies. Gunmen in hooded sweatshirts have been terrorizing restaurants and coffee shops by holding up the workers and patrons, stealing cash and valuables then bolting. 

The latest incident was at 9:50 this past Thursday night at Lark cafe on Church Avenue. A group of writers were engaged in their weekly workshop session when an armed robber in a hoodie and wearing a mask came in and held the whole place up at gunpoint. According to Gothamist he made off with three laptops, a bunch of iPads and some money cash from the register. Again this was only one in a series. Kari Brown owner of Lark told the New York Times on Friday, "It was our turn last night." In other incidents the assailants have made off with jewelry and other valuables. 

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