Seen & Heard: Advance Notice About Protests

••• Before posting that coffee cart’s anti-Trump protest, I had asked the operator if he was responsible, and unless I wildly misunderstood, he confirmed it. After a couple of readers questioned the veracity of the image, however, I asked the Instagrammer who posted it for assurance that it was real. Until I hear back, and particularly if I never do, we’ll have to appreciate it as art rather than reportage. (And another Instragrammer’s recent “Love your work” comment doesn’t give me much confidence.)

••• “Is there any way to find out who is protesting or whatever outside on a given day?” emailed A. yesterday. “For example, something is going on right now—but what? Given the politics of the moment, it might be interesting to post on TC.” Wouldn’t it, though? I’ve never been able to determine in advance when events such as protests are scheduled. It’s always struck me as odd that the city insists on posted notifications about certain things (such as film shoots), and Community Board 1 has to approve street closures (such as for street fairs). But then a rally like yesterday’s—unionized construction workers protesting about lax site safety—which involved installing huge TV screens and blocking off streets (jamming up traffic all around City Hall Park), had no warning beyond “no parking Tuesday” signs. The NYPD knows about the events in advance, and each precinct should really post a listing online of all amplified sound permits—or at bare minimum, tweet a heads-up for each event—but politicians seem to fear engaging with the police. (Meanwhile, yesterday’s rally is another example of the 1st Precinct refusing to enforce its own limits on volume—the amplified sound was audible as far away as Church Street.) UPDATE: Sara pointed out the Take Action NYC calendar, which is helpful if you’re looking for progressive political actions, but what the city needs is a comprehensive listing of events that would include yesterday’s rally of unionized construction workers.

••• “Has anyone filed a 311 complaint about the bollards being broken on Duane?” asked TAMK. “The more complaints/notices filed on 311 the easier it will be for DOT to look at the corner again for a better solution. They cannot fix what they do not know….” As you can see below, however, the bollards don’t stand a chance.

••• I know this signage for an R train entrance in the WTC mall is supposed to be whimsical, but according to the New York City Inline Skating Guide, “Wearing roller or inline skates in the subway system is disorderly conduct. (Section 1050.10 lists fines of $25 to $100, or imprisonment up to 10 days.)” And it seems safe to say that skating is also forbidden in the WTC mall….

••• The notices posted about Yves‘s application for a sidewalk café say it wants to have 21 tables with 39 seats. That means it intends to have tables on N. Moore, which Community Board 1 will not like, but the owners are likely to go straight to the City Council for approval (as with Smith & Mills next door).

••• Signs for a shoot for Happy are on Warren and parts of Broadway, and possibly elsewhere (so it seems like a big one). I reached out to @OLV to see if they know what Happy is, since I saw nothing online, and @marchriska chimed in that it’s “a new SYFY show with Chris Meloni.” Meanwhile, the city really needs to give Warren a break—this is like the fifth shoot in two weeks.

••• Two mornings in a row this week, I came across dogs being walked inside Whole Foods. I have a dog and I think this is wrong, but even if you disagree, can we agree that your dog belongs in a carrier?

••• I made a pretty Instagram yesterday.

 

14 Comments

  1. Shouldn’t the City send a bill to the various construction unions for the cost of cleaning up the massive amount of litter the protesters left on the streets?

  2. Not sure if it’s “Happy” but they were setting up for a Christmas shoot in City Hall park this morning – spotted them unpacking oversized candy canes and reindeer this morning. Very disorienting pre-coffee.

  3. The description of “Happy” with Chris Meloni from IMDB:
    “An injured hitman befriends a perky blue horse.”

    http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2452242/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_2

    Sure to be big during next year’s awards season.

  4. There will be a “No Ban No Wall! March for Muslims and Allies!” protest from 5-8pm at Foley Sq this evening. NYPD set up the barricades this morning.

  5. I’ve seen dogs in both Whole Foods and Best. And I’m not talking about service animals. The staff do nothing even when you ask them to. Dogs do not belong in grocery stores no matter how entitled their owners are.

    • I totally agree that animals do not belong in grocery stores, but don’t blame Whole Foods. All a dog owner has to do is say that the dog is a service animal, and the law says they cannot be asked for proof. I found this so unbelievable I had to look it up myself.
      http://www.nyc.gov/html/mopd/downloads/pdf/service_animal_one-sheeter_2014.pdf
      I suggest we all contact our City Councilpeople to ask that the law be changed so that REAL service animals have to be licensed and identified as such. Too many entitled scofflaws getting away with this.

      • Just for the sake of it, WHY don’t animals belong in grocery stores? In Europe, it’s no problem, you just walk in with your dog, do your shopping, then pay and leave. No one dies. The sky doesn’t fall. I know…it’s illegal here. But is there a good reason?

        • I see people with their dogs in Dean & Deluca (SOHO) all of the time. I don’t think it’s such a big deal, except that Dean & Deluca doesn’t have multiple open food bars. Whole Foods does.

          If I were choosing my food from an open food bar, hot or cold, I’m not sure that I would feel comfortable with patrons walking their pets right next to open-faced bins of food.

    • Totally agree! Dogs have no self-control! Toddlers of the same height are model, well-behaved mini-citizens. Dogs are literally eating machines! God helps us if one of our angelic toddler’s pudgy little forearms falls in the direct path of Fido’s jaws of death and disease and the simmering Chicken Tikka Masala! Dogs are off-leash and out of control! Lock ’em all up! Build a wall or crate around them all! This stops now! Don’t get me started on them pesky cats!

  6. I could watch that drifting snow for hours. Reminds me of an old silent film. Well done.

  7. Thank you for providing a link to the Take Action NYC calendar for protest information. Since I’m not on Facebook, I’d been looking for something like this.

  8. Since I can’t imagine the Christmas set is for McCarthy’s movie, I will settle for Happy. What makes me happy is the video screen on the set is showing knockoff Teletubbies farting rainbows between each other’s bum. That makes me chuckle after this week.

  9. There are serious valid health reasons why dogs are not allowed
    where food is handled (consider why the pooper scooper law finally was passed. Now, If we don’t want a pet that’s just pooped leaving something on our sidewalks, why is it OK to have the same animal just walk into our food supply store? ). Walking dogs are close to the ground, so are
    small children, making the parasites they can transmit easier to “share.” Sick children can also sicken their adult parents. I would report anyone I saw letting their dog walk free in any market. They are breaking the law. I work for the Board of Elections and even Service Animals are not allowed free rein.

Comment: