You don’t expect the kind of people who use their back yard as a trash dump to ever bother with something as responsible as condom use. And yet, the former residents of my house seem to have had far less kids than they might have if it weren’t for their use of rubbers. We have found both semi-decomposed condoms and their foil wrappers all over the yard. Wrap it before you tap it, or you will pay her, playa.

Ellie Frye of Bushwick, inspired by her Japanese counterparts.

I mostly see them by the Morgan stop, since those kiddies tend to be younger and more… ridiculous? than those of us on the other side of Flushing. It’s actually an odd combination of styles — the fat bearded ripped-t-shirt slob look and the dainty ruffled “lolita” look might share a relationship. Don’t wince as the cute young girl gets swallowed by those walrus jowls — that’s just a kiss. What is with the girls in the lace and frills — and are those goths I see? And is that a goth-lolita combo?? Yes to all.

Allegedly, lolita fashion is becoming popular across the country, as well as goth and that Marilyn Manson in-between look. Nowhere is that more apparent than a stroll down the industrial fringes of Bushwick, If you’re not convinced it’s hot now, well, Phaidon has a book about it. Now what?

Found this awesome photo of elevated tracks on flickr, but I can’t figure out exactly where it might be. Most of the storefronts are obscured by the track’s pillars and contrasted out, and where in Bushwick under the M or JMZ does the road curve like that? Any ideas?

I love the New York Times‘ David Gonzalez for his over-the-top use of metaphorical language — my first notice was in an article about the tenants of 64 Troutman (note the MLK ref), and now we’re really treated to a doozy today in an article about 208 Evergreen. A long intro marries a child’s geometry homework and the shapes reminiscent in the terrible conditions in which the residents of the building live.

I also am impressed with his access to Monsignor John Powis, the man behind (in various capacities) Make the Road NY, St. Barbara’s church, and the Orwellian named Bushwick Housing Independence Project. I enjoy Powis’ quotes, especially the more juvenile ones like, “the landlords come in and just want to make money” — which is apparently a shock to this man of God. Does he mean to tell us that people don’t put hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars into purchasing property with the sole purpose of providing comfortable and inexpensive housing to strangers out of the kindness of their own hearts? Say it ain’t so, Monsignor.

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The very “independent” tenants of 64 Troutman are suing their landlord under the new Tenant Protection Act which forbids the kind of harassment the tenants claim they are suffering in order to get them to move out of their regulated apartments. This includes storing a bag of dead cats in the building in order to stink it up.

A group of landlords is appealing the law, claiming that “there are already 10 laws on the books,” to deal with this kind of behavior and it will “encourage people to make frivolous claims.”

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Asthma hospitalization rates for children ages 0-14. Bushwick proper in red, EW Industrial (Morgan) Area just to the north.

Elena Gaudino, 23, moved to Bushwick early last summer for its modest cost of living and proximity to Manhattan. Though excited to be living in the city, Elena’s celebration was cut short as her health started slipping and she began developing symptoms of asthma –- the respiratory condition where airways occasionally constrict and become inflamed.

“Every time I get sick now it’s a lot more concentrated in my respiratory system,” she said. “I didn’t used to be this way, but there are times when I feel my throat start closing and I don’t even see it coming.”

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Li­ghtni­ng Bo­lt at th­e­ Todd P sh­ow u­n­de­r­ th­e­ M­ Tr­ain­ in­ ­ B­u­sh­wick.  The above and more pictures here.

Surfer Dudes. James Wagner saw them on Bogart across from Grattan.  I saw one running down Broadway by Dekalb.  Where are you coming from and where are you going?

Awesome in Many Ways. Erik Burke, creator of Over Under, the beautiful mural which now graces the once pepto-pink facade of Jeremy’s building, also has the coolest tatoo I have ever seen. I want the legal pad version on my back.

The sounds of Bushwick all at once. Having now moved to nearby Ridgewood, I can laugh more heartily at this.  A week ago this was too much my reality and I may have thrown something large and sharp.

Nanook of New York reviews a hell of a show at the Bushwick Starr the other night.  There were battles, cat suits, invasions, cowboys, cacti, and so much more.  Hard to put into words how symbiotic Pass Kontrol and the Bushwick Starr can be.  Nanook does a good job.

There’s something about New York and eating late. And I want to show that it happens in Bushwick, too. I hope you had just as good a dinner as I did. We cooked empanadas. Actually, I took the picture and she assembled the food. I’m not good with spices. Everything tastes like it was catered by Mrs. Dash if I get near the stove. I’m good at doing the dishes or at least that’s what they tell me to get me to do the dishes.

Who’s ready for some super chill September nights? (Besides me….) This weekend holds all the promise of fall. Movers and shakers not headed out of the hood to spy on the DUMBO Arts Under the Bridge Festival, can enjoy a lovely afternoon coffee followed by a costume change and Bushwick event in the evening.

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Posted all around Wyckoff Heights hospital today, this parking notice let’s the neighborhood know they’re cockroaches compared to some shitty TV show that sounds so vapid it will likely be dumped before they film the actual show. So Wyckoff Heights residents, get off the streets you pay to maintain — someone’s pointing cameras at it!

Big thanks to the Queens Crapper who caught this (I was AT the medical center today and didn’t notice!).