Greenpoint
Lorven Pharmacy
Culture on the Cheap
Found On Wythe Avenue: Stress-inducing Kitten
Found on the corner of South 1st and Wythe she’s doing but boy does she meow a lot and she’s stressing out my old cat
If this furkid is yours (or you want to make her yours) please call the phone number indicated on this flier. Thanks!
Miss Heather
Southside Smash & Grab: Reward Offered
I found a great many of these fliers on Havemeyer Street this afternoon. Am I the only person who has noticed that smash and grabs seem to be becoming more and more common? If there is a lesson to be learned from this flier it is this: store your valuables outside of eye shot of would-be thieves. Keep them in your trunk— or better yet— secure them in your apartment.
In any case, it goes without saying (but I’m going to say it anyway) that if you know anything about the whereabouts of this person’s purloined belongings please contact him or her at the above telephone number. Better yet, contact the 90th Precinct. Thanks!
Miss Heather
Happy Yom Kippur From New York Shitty!
Yesterday I racked my brain trying to find a lighthearted, fun way to wish my Jewish friends a happy Yom Kippur. I failed miserably in this endeavor. Thankfully today went for a walk.
I have no idea what this says (or the what, if any, significance underlies the use of rubber chickens) but it made me smile and I hope it did the same for you. Happy Yom Kippur everybody!
Miss Heather
New York Shitty Day Starter: Two Week Old News On A Blog = New York Post “News”
Filed under: 11211, Asshole, Criminal Activity, Plagiarism, Williamsburg, Williamsburg Brooklyn
On August 19, 2009 I wrote a little post about Cutting Edge Fitness on my “blog”. It was at the behest of a concerned citizen and started like this:
Hi Miss Heather,
I enjoy reading your blog from time-to-time and especially appreciate the news on the developments around the neighborhood.
I’d like to share with you some information about a building on the Southside, in hopes that it can get out to others who deserve to know. So, here goes:
The building has a retail space in the bottom which is currently owned by the developer and being rented to a John Suarez, who is running it as a gym, called Cutting Edge.
Well, there are many problems here:
1) The space isn’t zoned to be a gym
2) He is occupying space in the basement and using it for classes and workout space when it is only supposed to be used as storage
3) There’s no proper emergency exit from the basement
4)He’s illegally (i.e., with no work permit) installing showers/bathrooms in the basementThe biggest problem of all is that John Suarez has been forbidden by the Attorney General to ever operate a gym. A few years back he had advertised the opening of a new gym in the neighborhood, called Core Health and Fitness. He never opened the gym, even after taking people’s money. He was ordered to pay back $172,000 in restitution, but I know for a fact (a neighbor was a victim of the scam) that people did not get their money back.
You can read my post in its entirety by clicking here. After I hit the “publish” button, August 19, I turned to the Mister and said:
I lay odds 80% in favor of this being ripped off by the “print media”. I’d give it 90% except this actually helps people.
On August 20, 2009 my tome was linked to by:
On August 23 I took up the matter with Queens Crap and Forgotten NY. We agreed this item would be cribbed— but by whom? My knee jerk reaction was the New York Post. And as of August 31, 2009 my prognostication came to pass.
The Post one-upped my lowly blogger person by sending out a professional “photographer” to document said premises (which I had done already); he was assaulted by Mr. Suarez. I learned about this via Gothamist:
And here’s a here’s a slice of the Post’s take:
Compare my fact-finding with Ms. Sutherland’s and Mr. Ginsberg’s “scoop”: they dovetail. I was more specific (because my source and I did our research). But am I cited? Of course not. Amber and Alex claimed this discovery as their own.
Yesterday’s (or two week old) news— gleaned from blogs— with ample sensationalism thrown in is the Post’s modus operandi. If the chronic practice of “print journalists” plagiarizing “bloggers” and touting their (my) fact-finding as their own bothers you, dear readers, you can contact Alex Ginsberg at:
alex (dot) ginsberg (at) nypost (dot) com
Miss Heather
New York Shitty Day Ender: Much Ado About Edge
No, not that Edge, this one!
Anonymous writes:
Hi Miss Heather,
I enjoy reading your blog from time-to-time and especially appreciate the news on the developments around the neighborhood.
I’d like to share with you some information about a building on the Southside, in hopes that it can get out to others who deserve to know… So, here goes:
The building has a retail space in the bottom which is currently owned by the developer and being rented to a John Suarez, who is running it as a gym, called Cutting Edge.
Well, there are many problems here:
1) The space isn’t zoned to be a gym
2) He is occupying space in the basement and using it for classes and workout space when it is only supposed to be used as storage
3) There’s no proper emergency exit from the basement
4) He’s illegally (i.e., with no work permit) installing showers/bathrooms in the basementThe biggest problem of all is that John Suarez has been forbidden by the Attorney General to ever operate a gym. A few years back he had advertised the opening of a new gym in the neighborhood, called Core Health and Fitness. He never opened the gym, even after taking people’s money. He was ordered to pay back $172,000 in restitution, but I know for a fact (a neighbor was a victim of the scam) that people did not get their money back…
As you can see my anonymous friend has a lot to say. Let’s take a break for a moment and evaluate points 1-4.
1. The space isn’t zoned to be a gym
This is, in a manner of speaking, correct. You see, 117 South 3 Street has no Certificate of Occupancy on file. None. Zero. Zippo. Therefore, the fact this building is occupied at all— be it by tenants or businesses— is an issue. Then again (and this is where it get really interesting), this depends on which 117 South 3 Street you look up. You see, for some inexplicable reason this building has two Building Information Numbers (BINS): the latter has a Certificate of Occupancy on file. Not that it allows the basement to be used as a commercial space: it doesn’t.
Point numbers 2 & 3:
He is occupying space in the basement and using it for classes and workout space when it is only supposed to be used as storage… There’s no proper emergency exit from the basement…
Okay, I haven’t actually been in this building so I cannot verify this. Which brings me to to point number 4:
He’s illegally (i.e., with no work permit) installing showers/bathrooms in the basement.
Now this one I can prove! You see, the Department of Buildings paid 117 South 3 Street’s basement a visit last month.
In fact, it even netted him a Stop Work Order.
Not that this appears to have done much, mind you:
How this tale end? Will Mr. Suarez get caught— and if so, by who:
- the Department of Buildings?
- the office of the Attorney General?
- The Edge’s trademark infringement attorneys?
Or:
- have my tipster and my copyrighted material plagiarized by the New York Post? Flagrantly and without apology.
I suppose only time will tell. In the meantime, caveat emptor.
Miss Heather
P.S.: Those of you harboring any doubts as to whether or not John Suarez is behind this business (and is at large at 117 South 3 Street), Google the phone number on the below flier.
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