Bushwick Clicks: Condos, Coffee, and Crime
Cuchifrito, by Shira Golding
Warehousing Warehousing: Developers sitting on tracts of vacant and might-as-well-be-vacant industrial tracts in Bushwick are taking advantage of the downturn to get their properties rezoned residential, something they didn’t bother with in the recent frenzy. In the next bout of “irrational exuberance,” or even a modest uptick in the market, look for condos on the Rheingold Brewery site.
Bushwick Beans: New York coffee roasters are finally getting some respect, including two roasters which will soon operate out of spaces somewhere in Bushwick.
Myrtle Madness: A map dork after my own heart, Chi Birmingham sketches some of the odd block shapes created by Myrtle slicing east to west through our cockeyed Bushwick street grid. Fun. Also check out the artist’s website; lots of cool noiry and 60s-evocative stuff.
Undocumented, Uneducated: A Bushwicker whose parents are undocumented immigrants is having trouble applying for college because of her family’s status. “Illegals” are usually forced to pay all the same taxes we do, and so they should have access to all the things supposedly paid for by those taxes. Not since the Trail of Tears has a (domestic) group of people been robbed so gleefully and nonchalantly by Americans, while perversely being treated as parasites.
Demanding Dollars: Armed robbers have been hitting Family Dollar stores between Bed-Stuy and Bushwick, so keep an eye out. If you see them, jump behind that display of $2.99 picture frames.
August 19th, 2008 at 1:09 pm
About that dumb chick there are hundreds of illegals in CUNY none have had any problems with INS.
Plus she is not illegal she just can exempt her parents if she’s that much of a coward.
August 19th, 2008 at 1:28 pm
Grrrrr. Read the article again. This girl has been denied nothing and has not been “robbed” of anything (unless this word was being used as a prequel to the Family Dollar story).
Another correction - illegals rarely pay the same taxes as “us”. Because illegal aliens typically earn so much less than natives, their contribution is much less. Their American-born children are entitled to be educated at American taxpayer expense. However the cost of this education is often 20% higher due to mandated immigrant-oriented programs.
August 19th, 2008 at 2:13 pm
This girl isn’t being robbed — but denying all manner of services that people pay for based on their immigration status is robbing. The very fact that these people are here means they are supplying a demand — after all, illegals don’t get welfare, so that’s not exactly a draw for them. They pay as much or more taxes than at least the poorest Americans, so there’s no grounds for treating children of illegals any differently. Unless you want “you get what you pay for” system for education, etc. That’s called “the market.” I’m for it. Until then, I’m sick of Americans acting like illegal immigrants are parasites on the social order, when they are the opposite.
August 19th, 2008 at 3:52 pm
My point was that you, once again, took an article and used it to further your own agenda. I actually don’t disagree with your above stated view of ‘illegals’ in America.
Regarding public education in NYC, you unfortunately usually do not get what you pay for. Increased spending in this area usually equals increased administrative expenses. Move to Syosset to get the kids a good public education or figure on paying for private education in NYC.
And Jeremy, if the majority of Americans acted as if immigrants were parasites as you say, well, then there would be no more immigrants. I think the majority of us are compassionate and humane when addressing such issues.
August 19th, 2008 at 5:38 pm
I don’t see your alleged point anywhere in your first comment. As for my “agenda,” maybe I should just paste raw URLS here instead of saying anything about anything. Then you’d stop being so nitpickingly literal about everything.
If you really think most Americans are tolerant of illegal immigrants, I’d say you haven’t read a comments section of a newspaper anytime recently. The ONE problem grassroots Republicans have had with Bush is his amnesty proposals. Not to mention the Reagan Democrats angry that “they’re stealing our jobs.”
August 19th, 2008 at 6:32 pm
Ack! Get that boy something to eat or maybe a little more rest would help? Hey, it’s your blog so who am I to question how you choose to present your viewpoint? I really do appreciate the hard work you and others bring to expand our knowledge of our Bushwick environment. And, while I did miss reading your comments while you were on vacation, it seems that maybe you cut it a bit short.
August 20th, 2008 at 10:32 am
“it seems that maybe you cut it a bit short.”
You can say that again.
August 25th, 2008 at 12:38 pm
If you think dollar store hold ups are the apex of armed robbery in Bushwick, you got another thing coming. Add on to that the fistfights, bat fights and knife wielding commonly seen by Myrtle and Knickerbocker ave. Just because the precinct is up the block, don’t think for a second it can’t happen to you. This is not Bedford kiddies, don’t get it twisted, they’ll twist your mop head out here.