From The New York Shitty Inbox: Gentrification?!?

iwanttolivehere

Interesting things happen when I stay up late. Mind you, they are not usually good things. But this case may very well be an exception: in the wee hours of the morning today the following found its way into my inbox.

Anni Atkinson of Earthsharing.org.au (Yes kids, that’s Australia) writes:

have you ever heard of GENTRIFICATION?

well, not many people have which is surprising as it effects us all.

so, I am attempting to do something about this! well, me and the team at Earthsharing Australia! I work with a not-for-profit called Earthsharing that offers free education services on economics and we focus on economic justice for all.

Currently we are working on an international film competition with the theme of ‘Gentrification’ which looks at issues of gentrification and how such cycles effect creative communities and artists in our cities. First Prize is $3000, with runner up prizes from Madman and Crumpler.

your blog is rad and we would be honored if you could throw a little love our way and mention the film competition to your readers!

Please contact me for more details including a press release or an e-flyer.

In the mean time, check out our website for more details!

The first line of this email made me erupt into fits of uncontrollable (and demented) laughter. Have I heard of gentrification? Feeling more than a little raffish, I wrote back:

You are asking  ME, a resident of Greenpoint, Brooklyn, USA (which is located pretty much halfway around the globe from you), to inform my readership about film competition about  GENTRIFICATION?!? Greenpoint: a neighborhood where a “luxury” condos proliferate in the shadow of the east coast’s largest WASTE TREATMENT PLANT? Where environmental issues the likes of which you cannot begin to comprehend remain unabated. And yet artists are being pushed out because there are people willing to dole out $2,000+ USD rent for a one bedroom/studio for this?

Give me the fuggin’ flier, your creds and press release— STAT.

Well, she did.

earthsharingNYS

I’ve done some poking around and this contest is 100% legit. Let’s show our friends down under how our fair city treats the creative community and everyone else who cannot a condo or $2,000 a month rent? You can get the 411 on how to enter this contest by checking out Earthsharing’s web site or by emailing them at: timmah (at) earthsharing (dot) org (dot) au

NOTE: they are currently requiring that entries be mails. I have suggested they accept submissions via YouTube as mailing matter overseas can be both costly and dicey. They are looking into it.

Otherwise, you can play the Gentrification Game by clicking here. Simply put you are a landlord/speculator and your goal is to kick out tenants. Play it. It’s a fucking HOOT!

Miss Heather

P.S.: Earthsharing also has a number of interesting videos on YouTube. Check ’em out. You’ll find the tales contained therein eerily familiar.

New York Shitty Day Ender: Heart Walk 2009

heartwalk

This was brought to my attention by my colleague, fellow Greenpointer and participant in this event: Bitchy Bluestocking. Here’s the general rundown per her email:

As some of you may know, I joined a fitness class at the Greenpoint YMCA this summer. Punk Rope is an incredibly fun, butt-busting workout, and its founder, Tim Haft, regularly volunteers his rope-jumping expertise at community events. I recently helped out at the Astoria Water Walk, and there were a lot of happy faces during our demonstration.

On Sunday, October 11, I will be joining team Punk Rope for Heart at the Brooklyn Heart Walk in Prospect Park. This 5K will raise money for the American Heart Association, which gets the word out about heart disease and stroke, the country’s number one and number three killers, respectively. It also contributes to research on heart disease and trains millions of people in CPR and emergency cardiovascular care. It goes without saying that some of my teammates will be jumping the 5K, and Punk Rope will also be warming up the crowd…

Anyone interested in helping Ms. Bluestocking achieve her goal can do so by clicking here or by contacting Tim Haft via email at: tim (at) punkrope (dot) com

Thanks!

Miss Heather

Reader Contribution Du Jour: Awwwww Fook!

April 1, 2009 ·
Filed under: Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn, Culture War 

fook

Although both I and my good friend down at Bed Stuy Banana have already featured this delightful establishment I’m going to do it again. Some things just don’t get old. Jason Lombard (of Dog Habitat) who sent me this photo writes:

I know you venture to Bed Stuy once in a while – I was there last week and came across this joint. The Fook Hing Chinese Restaurant on Nostrand Ave. Close to the fook hing G stop. The sign says it’s fook hing delicious. I’ll take their word for it – I didn’t try the fook hing chicken. But that’s a good thing because they got shut down for fook hing rats!

I couldn’t have said it better myself.

Miss Heather

Calling All Shittites: Contributors & Tips Wanted

mrpoopyheadthumbNow that my life has resumed some sense of normalcy (or at least as close as it gets with yours truly) I can finally get around to doing a few things I’ve been meaing to do but have gotten lost in the shuffle. Soliciting tips and contributors is foremost among these things.

Over the last few months I have increasingly come to the opinion that New York Shitty would be augmented with the addition of some other, new “voices”. Recent events (such as the untimely passing of Bob Guskind and the impending demise of the Greenpoint Courier) and my growing acceptance of the fact that I am only one person have made me realize that expanding the content on this site and providing a large forum are much more important than I had previously thought.

So here’s the deal: if you are interested in being a contributor to this site please email me at missheather (at) thatgreenpointblog (dot) com. But before closing this post I would like to make my criteria/preferences/”plan” known:

1. I do not consider New York Shitty to be exclusively a “place blog”. However, there are some geographical areas I tend to focus on more than others: Greenpoint (obviously), Williamsburg, East Williamsburg, Bushwick, southwestern Queens and to a more limited extent: Bedford Stuyvesant and the East Village. Here’s a map to give you a general idea of what/where I am talking about.

nysmap

The previous having been written I want to make it clear that I am open to material from outside this area. I simply do not want it to override the north Brooklyn-centric nature of this site.

2. What kind of content am I looking for? I’m pretty open to suggestions. One thing I would really like to have happen is feature an adoptable pet once a week. If this sounds like something you are interested in doing, let me know. Otherwise I want to make it clear what I do not want: schmaltz. If you are going to write about your children it better be fucking good. Family Circus (and its ilk) put me in a blind rage. It also goes without saying that racist, sexist, classist, anti-Semitic, homophobic material, etc.— in other words hate speech— will not be published.

3. What’s in it for me? New York Shitty is not a for profit site, therefore I cannot afford to pay you. However, plans to convert this site (along with a redesign!) are in the works. So perhaps some day compensation will be involved. For the time being, however, a little publicity and/or link love is all I can offer.

4. Please be literate.

5. Unless you have sustained a serious brain injury or have multiple personalities please refer to yourself in the first person. Which brings me to my final point…

6. Please do not be insane. The world wide web has enough crazy people posting crazed missives on it already. I have no intention of adding to this problem.

This is pretty much all I can think of. I want to leave the possibilities for this site as open as possible.

Thanks and I look forward to hearing from you.

Miss Heather

Map Image Credit: Google Maps

Bed Stuy Photos Du Jour: The Word On The Street

February 27, 2009 ·
Filed under: Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn 

b57

Flushing Avenue.

hey

Tompkins Avenue.

suckmydick

Vernon Avenue.

Miss Heather

Bed Stuy Video Jour: Park Avenue Thingamajig

February 26, 2009 ·
Filed under: Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn 

I have no idea whatsoever why I find this so fascinating. I just do.

Miss Heather

Bed Stuy Photo Du Jour: HOLLA!

February 25, 2009 ·
Filed under: Bed-Stuy 

holla

From Park Avenue.

Miss Heather

Crosstown Local Photo Du Jour: The Devil In Bed-Stuy

February 23, 2009 ·
Filed under: Bed-Stuy, Crosstown Local 

shotgun

From the Queens bound platform at Myrtle – Willoughby.

Miss Heather

From The New York Shitty Photo Pool: Sunset On Black Friday

November 29, 2008 ·
Filed under: Bed-Stuy, Bushwick, Greenpoint Magic, Williamsburg 

As the Mister and I were knocking around Jackson Heights yesterday we noticed the absolutely breathtaking sunset. We were not able to get a photograph of it. Thankfully Greenpoint’s very own mugsniffer did. He writes:

View from my Greenpoint apartment, now marred by the bulky EDGE building along the waterfront.

Regardless it’s a damned nice photo. You can see more great Greenpoint imagery a la mugsniffer by clicking here.

Miss Heather

Williamspoint Photos du Jour: It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like X-Mas!

November 25, 2008 ·
Filed under: Bed-Stuy, Greenpoint Magic, Williamsburg 

Kent Avenue, Williamsburg.

Lorimer Street, Greenpoint.

I would like to advise my fellow north Brooklynites not to overindulge this upcoming turkey day. The eyes in the Stuy will be watching us.

Miss Heather

  • NYS Flickr Pool

    christmas tree oddly placedDissociationMalevolent and asking for donations20241031_095113Hudson Yards  EDGELooking east-Northern view.
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