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What Netflix Members In The Five Boroughs Are Watching

Netflix allows you to view what their members in different parts of the country are renting, "much more than other Netflix members."

Below are screengrabs showing the top ten movies (from a listing of 25 displayed) in each borough of New York City that are being rented much more than Netflix members elsewhere. For unknown reasons, Queens was not an option in the menu of major cities in New York City; instead, you had to choose between just a few neighborhoods within, such as Jackson Heights, Flushing, or Astoria. Astoria was chosen.  The number one movie being rented much more by Netflix members in Manhattan than anywhere else in the country? Nursery University. Born Rich takes the number four slot.

As an added bonus, Yonkers is also included in this exercise. The number one movie being rented in Yonkers "much more" than anywhere else in the country? Scroll down to see.

Manhattan:

Brooklyn:

Bronx:

Queens:

Staten Island:

And the top ten movies being rented at Netflix much more in Yonkers, than elsewhere in the country:

Gmail Themes: NYC vs. MANHATTAN vs. STATEN ISLAND vs. BOSTON vs. UGANDA vs. SYDNEY vs. IRAQ

Google slowly and surely rolled out new thematic designs for Gmail yesterday, and though I'm not sure at this time, I think it is a new universal setting at this time. (Gmail's Phantasea theme at right)

I geeked out with Google themes last night, and discovered that if you choose certain themes, you are asked for your Country and City location, with text appearing on a mouse over explaining that the themes will change depending on your location. What's more, I have since learned that the themes chosen will also change during the day according to morning, noon, and night. I immediately changed my location to Gulu, Uganda, to throw Google and the Government off my scent. I know how these games are played, like reindeers.

The screen shot above shows three different Beach themes set at the locations of Manhattan, NYC, and Staten Island respectively, all from 6pm-ish. NYC is specific, and not the same as Manhattan, as sometimes the two locations had different designs, different as well if you chose Brooklyn or Staten Island for instance. I'm not sure what city above has the most pleasing beach. Staten Islands has a nice purple glow. Is the sun setting in Staten Island while it is rising in NYC?

I do know that Baghdad, Iraq has a very ominous beach, thanks to Google Themes. I also know that Gulu, Uganda has beautiful golden brown, sun baked mountains, while NYC has frozen, snow capped, inhospitable looking things.

What did the Tree Theme look like in different locales? Again, from 6pm-ish, Seattle is cloudy, Mexico City is has clear skies, and Manhattan is bright and sunny out.

The Tea House theme is getting dark in Brooklyn, it's late afternoon in Dallas, and later afternoon in San Fran. and evening has set in here in NYC. Across the pond, London's moon is rising.

A collection of these screen grabs is up at Flickr. Here is a Flickr set of every Google theme set to location NYC. Then I got bored with changing my location, switched it back to Gulu, Uganda, and shredded the draft of this post.

Visiting Manhattan Night Court At 100 Center St. Part I

NYC The Blog finds that NYPD policy targets homeless people for fare evasion on the M35 bus as it runs from Wards Island Men Shelter to 125th St. Classist public policy, or effective crime prevention?

One man present at Night Court yesterday evening had been charged with fare beating on the m35 that morning, and did not want to give his name. He claimed that he and five others here in court were picked up that morning after boarding the bus at approximately 6:30am on their way to an outpatient facility in Harlem. They are homeless, living in the shelter, and the bus is their connection to job interviews, mental health facilities, friends and family. None of them had money for the fare, and snuck on the bus from the back door. When the bus approached 125th st, maybe at 123rd he said, it pulled over; police were waiting with vans. Multiple homeless residents were arrested for fare beating, and were now at Night Court facing charges. 

Google Wraps Times Square Subway Shuttle In Advertisement

The History Channel was recently the first to take advantage of the MTA's new decision to allow a complete wrapping of subway cars in advertisements, when they wrapped the shuttle train in Times Square. And now Google has stepped up as the next concern to wrap a train, wrapping three exterior cars with an advertisement for Google Maps, slightly less understated then the History Channel's ad, if such a thing could be, as Google has only wrapped the exterior of the train, leaving the interior with the more traditional ads we are used to seeing in the square displays or banners up top.

The Times Square station seems to be ground zero for utilization of a number of uncommon advertising uses, with columns, steps, turnstile arms, trains, and many other surfaces being covered in ads. More pictures below of the Google train below.

[UPDATE: Adage is reporting that Google advertisements inside the train which offer directions are erroneously giving wrong information. "Specifically, we spotted this erroneous tip inside the train car: To get from Grand Central to Madison Square Garden, take the 1, 2 or 3 train and then walk to 4 Penn Plaza. Only the 1, 2 or 3 train doesn't run through Grand Central -- it goes through Times Square. Oops!"]

Related:

• Asics Digital Projection Ad: Union Square Subway Station
  
• Straphangers At 163rd St C Train Station View Less Number Of Advertisements
  
• Obama Wins; Subway Trains Parade Down 125th St Last Night.
• The Most Cavernous Subway Station In NYC?

"I paid $35,000 for the apartment in 1994"

Those are words that casually came out of a friends mouth, while at his one bedroom apartment in Murray Hill this week. (not pictured in photo at right)

"I bought it at foreclosure in 1994. Actually, someone else did. Some woman placed the winning bid, sight unseen, for $29,000. After giving it some thought, I offered her $35,000 for the apartment after the auction ended."

"After giving it some thought"? Like what? You went home and batted the idea of buying an apartment in NYC for $35,000 and were like, I don't know, that's a lot of money, its not worth a dime over $30,000!?

Uggh. "I bought the apartment for $35,000", "Do you like my new Coach bag?" and "That restaurant is very exclusive. It has a doorman and velvet rope" are all little sequences are words that make me want to kill myself.

Dear God please help me find an apartment for an equivalent price. Also, thanks for blessing my friend.

President Paris Hilton

Seen at yesterday's Veterans Day Parade, on 5th Avenue between 26th and 27th Streets. The gentleman holding the sign spoke to NYC The Blog, explaining that Paris "did a political video" and "was involved with the campaign. She's already like America's President and I just want to spread the word."

Nuts 4 Nuts On 53rd And Broadway

I've since forgotten what the proprietors name is, having neglected to write it down, though I did remember a few details from our conversation. He came to the U.S. from Chile ten years ago, and lives a few blocks west from where he sets up his cart here at 53rd and Broadway, south of the Ed Sullivan Theater, this evening catching everyone waiting on line for the Late Show With David Letterman. He's been working the cart in this spot for seven years, from 10 am to 11 pm everyday; sometimes he set up across the street on the east side of Broadway if the foot traffic is better over there. He tells me that he takes home about 70-80 dollars a day, 100 on a good day. I'm not sure if he was referring to his gross take or his profit and am unaware what his expenses might be, if he rents the cart, pays a fee of his take to someone else, how much the peanuts cost, etc...so I'm inclined to believe those numbers, if accurate, were referring to his profit after any and all expenses, as in the ten minutes I stood there conversing with him, he sold a half dozen or more bags of peanuts at two dollars each; if indicative of his business, that's about 70 dollars every hour.

Harlem Resident And NYC The Blog Reader Details His Own Recent Mugging On Nov 4th

NYC The Blog's report on a mugging around 145th st. last month, resulting in the victim losing his iPhone, prompted a reader to write in, saying, "Oddly enough, I read this blog post when it was first posted. Needless to say, it slipped my mind since, until I was mugged, same fashion on election night at 8PM on 147th, walking from St. Nick to Convent."

Pressing him for more detail via an email follow-up, Harlem Guy left a comment, noting in part,

"...It was around 8PM, and I was walking from the 145th ABCD stop on 147th from St. Nick to Convent. I was caught up in election excitement and was getting live updates from a friend of mine, on, you guessed it, my iphone."

Damn you iPhone! Didn't anybody read the helpful officers guide NYC The Blog posted on how not to get mugged?!

Luckily for Harlem Guy, although his assailants did brandish a gun, the police happened to be in eyesight. He continues,

"Essentially, I was walking, and a guy was rushing up the street yelling. At first, I ignored him, thinking it was NY as usual, until he put a gun on my back and yanked the phone and took off running down 147th to St. Nick. Luckily (I guess), the cops were driving up the street at the time and witnessed the before, during and after of my mugging--but due to a broken radio, were unable to catch the guys (turns out one of them was waiting behind for a lookout/assistance if needed). Had the cops not been there, it probably would have been a much worse outcome--I still have my wallet, well being, and bottle of champagne.

Needless to say, I was a little shaken--especially given the guy would still go ahead with mugging me with a cop RIGHT THERE (the cops said they hesitated when they saw the police car driving up the street but then went for it anyway). Also to be noted were the people hanging out on their stoops that did not raise a finger to help.

I filed a report with the police, although had to encourage them to do so (asked, when discovered it was just my phone taken, "You don't really want to file a report, right?") Looks like these guys are still at it. Be careful up there.

NYC The Blog contacted the 30th Precinct looking to verify the report, who referred me to headquarters downtown, who then referred me back to the 30th precinct. At this time neither of them could confirm or deny the report.

Photos From 125th And Adam Clayton Powell BLVD After The Results Came In

The set of photos this collage comes from, as well as all of the material collected by NYC The Blog that day and evening, will eventually be collected in one spot here, which has a number of photos, videos, and links. Also collected there will be selected links to content from locals and press from around the world, such as this story from the Examiner.com, which did a superb job of reporting on the events and feelings of the evening. If you've a suggestion for relevant video or press that should be included, please note the link in the comments.

Bagels & Pizza At 203 E.Houston St Has Closed

Bagels & Pizza had been there for 14 years. They closed for business after Sunday's shift, and yesterday at 3pm they auctioned of their equipment.

When I went to get a coffee yesterday, The two sons, the father, an employee, and a straggler or two were present. All their equipment was tagged and ready for sale.

Four years ago, they told me, they renewed their ten year lease at more than double the previous rate. I asked the proprietor what he was going to do now. He laughed nervously, and said, "Not be self-employed. I want to work for someone else." It was hard work, and the neighborhood changed he told me, it just isn't profitable anymore.

Subway Musician Prof. Edwardo Alvarado

Often seen at the 34th St BDFV NRQW Station, Prof. Edwardo Alvarado plays his keyboard with the help of three band members and a belly dancer, who play a trumpet, sax, and violin respectively as the belly dancer continues her routine the entire time, never stopping for even a moment. The CD Edwardo sells at his feet notes that he "graduated in the Music Conservatory of Viena - Austria, Ex - Director of the Symphony Orchestrain Gauyaquil - Ecudaor." (YouTube)

Billy's Antiques And Props. And Subway Signs

Yesterday's post about the surplus merchandise available from the MTA, including subway signs you can get both at the MTA, and at Billy's Antiques and Props, elicited comment from Billy himself when he noted that he sells his signs like real estate, with the better locations selling for more money. His comment left NYC The Blog yearning for more information and we dug deeper via email, asking Billy where he gets his subway signs -which always seem to be from desirable locations such as the L train from Manhattan to Brooklyn- or the ABCD sign from Yankees stadium for instance. Does he buy them? Have a secret source within the MTA who offers him first dibs? Find them? All of the above?

Billy confided that he would only tell me his secret in person, and only if I was sworn to secrecy, as of course I would be, as he noted that his "source is a trade secret. If I made it public then every shop would have them I am the only shop to my knowledge that sell the signs legally and have had been selling them for 10 years."

What's more, Billy offered an important consideration when buying a sign, noting that the MTA no longer makes enamel signs, such as the ones he carries, instead today using stickers affixed to metal.

Aside from the great value they have simply as comforting objects for any resident of NYC, who surely would all like to hang a sign from their own stop on their living room wall, Billy speculated that the "craze" for subway signs started with an appearance in a movie, of course, when "Woody Allen did a whole Bedroom scene with Diane Keaton in the mid 80's," and an "8 ft Canal Street [sign] with English Chinese writing on it," was a part of the apartments decoration. According to Billy, today those same signs for $3,500.

"The MTA has had a shop for quite a few years now but like any bureaucracy they never really have the good signs and if they do, they are snapped up by collectors. I've seen some great signs that I sold sell for lots of money on eBay."

Related:

• What's In A NYC OEM Approved 'Go Pack'? Let's Find Out
• Metrocards As Art Displays, Collected And Coveted
• Vintage 7 Train Rolls On The Track Hauling Refuse
• I ♥ NYC Subway Maps From EQ

MTA NYC Transit Memorabilia & Collectibles. Did You Know The MTA Sells Subway Poles, (!) Globes, And More Online?

Yesterday Gothamist noted the 104th Birthday of the NYC Subway. So Happy Birthday!

NYC The Blog is a big fan of the NYC MTA and DOT, and everytime I walk by Billy's Antiques and Props on Houston St I become envious of the subway signs propped up in front of the tent and wait for the day when I can have my own subway sign, hopefully when I happen to walk by one being dismantled, thrown away, or abandoned in a subway renovation, as paying three to five hundred dollars at Billy's is not in the cards. Or maybe a sign will fall down right in front me on a late ride home on the A train.

Either way, I was perplexed as to how Billy came across so many, as I assumed the City of NY must appreciate the value they have, and would never throw or give them away when it came time to take one down or replace one. So I was pleasantly surprised while randomly browsing the web yesterday to see that the MTA does indeed appreciate the value these items might bring, with a page online for those purposes, selling off parts of subway and station items, or rather, 'Memorabilia & Collectibles'.

Lets look at what they have available. (links below are PDF)

*NEW ADDITION* SUBWAY CAR DOORS, $175.00 for the set

Side Roll Signs, $350.00

MTA Transit Logo, 30 inches diameter, $125.00

The website notes "COMING SOON!!!" Subway Poles $25.00 and I do agree that is worthy of red letters and multiple exclamation points.

Subway Globes, Green $150.00, Red $200.00

There is also some esoteric stuff as well such as master controls, horns, and more. You can check it all out on their Memorabilia and Collectibles page.

As well, the MTA maintains a surplus items page which handles a more utilitarian class off items then the ones listed above. For example, you can buy a surplus bus, unclaimed items such as this Canon EOS Elan 7 (pdf) , one of those little sidewalk snow plowers (pdf) (!! Ive always wanted one of those!!), a toll lane tennant scrubber? (pdf) miscellaneous office equipment, electronics, shop equipment, and more. Fukn awesome, and makes me a bit wistful for those days past when I had disposal income.

MTA Memorabilia & Collectibles Page
MTA Surplus Items
Contact/How To Order
Billy's Antiques

Radio City Music Hall Installs Their Xmas Tree

At approximately 1:00 pm Saturday afternoon, employees of AMA Sign & Electric of the Bronx were putting the finishing touches on Radio City Music Hall's Christmas Tree display, an exercise that started at 11pm the previous night. An employee on site explained that the display arrives in sections, and they were just wrapping it up, so to speak. The photo above shows two men in a bucket lift putting gingerly arranging some of the last strings of lights. While not as heralded as that other tree lighting, it is a large and colorful display, adding a heady dose of iconic visuals to a building one would be hard pressed to out icon.

Speaking of that other tree at Rockefeller Center, it has a webcam, which may or may not work, as well as an official website, The Tree NYC, which offers details (on last year's tree) such as where the tree came from (Conn.), photos of the cutting and transportation, and finally video of the lighting in Rockefeller Center. This years lighting of the tree at Rockefeller Center will take place Dec. 3rd.

Put Your City On

Opening tomorrow night at the Italian Academy of Columbia U, btw 117 and 118 on Amsterdam

• ObamaBike Sells, Democratic Candidate Just Got A Little Richer <Animal>
  
• Trace of an old pet shop surfaces where Duane Reade once held court <Urbanite>
  
• Answers About the History of Wealth in New York <City Room>
  
• Hotel Chelsea Residents Faced With Eviction Notices <Gothamist>
  
• Clowns at Lincoln Center! the Big Apple Circus returns <The Bowery Boys>
  
• Chanel Mobile Art is a Bizarre Example of Consumerism for Sexy-Chic Strivers
  <Fifth Column Blogs>
  
• A Guide To Japanese Candy In NYC <NY Mag>
  
• Urban Fiction Goes From Streets to Public Libraries <NY Times>

More NYC: NYC The Tumblr | NYC The Twitter

Guidebook Says Screw It, Lets Incorporate The LES, Nolita, And Chelsea Into Brooklyn; Advancing A New Reality For Manhattan As Brooklyn's Hanger On

UnScene "is a free guide for the less mainstream, more innovative businesses in our metropolitan areas." The guides are a vehicle for paid advertising which focus on unique and small shops that populate any number fo neighborhoods in NYC. They currently have guides for a number of U.S. cities, and in the NY area, a guide that covers that Borough of Brooklyn. Or rather, the neighborhoods of Williamsburg and Bushwick.

Interesting though, was the cover design of the booklet I saw. On the bottom right corner you can see text for Brooklyn prominently displayed, with the neighborhoods of Williamsburg and Bushwick falling underneath, ostensibly alerting any wayward tourist, newcomer, or even long time resident exactly what neighborhoods they could expect to find covered in their new guide book to all there is to see and do in Brooklyn.
But wait a minute? What's that listed underneath Williamsbushbick?

Hold on one minute! Aww shucks, have they listed the neighrborhoods of the LES, Nolita, and Chelsea under Brooklyn? They sure have. Unscene does not have neighborhood guides for Manhattan at this time, so fuk it, just stick LES, Nolita, and Chelsea under Brooklyn. And honestly, this seems representative of the new reality. Brooklyn is the new Manhattan, so this only seems right to list the LES, Nolita, and Chelsea in faded text underneath a new and improved large font Brooklyn.

Not like a tourist from France would know any better. And if you reverse the roles, say if I was in the 6th Arrondissement in Paris and some guide listed Versailles along with the neighborhoods, that'd seem alright with me. I mean, Fuk even our own longtime natives get the geography of these nyc neighborhoods mixed up.

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Why Doesn't The MTA Provide Recycling Bins In Subway Stations?

As the two photos to the right show, both Boston and Metro-North in Conn. provide recycling bins for commuters to dispose of the huge number of newspapers riders carry with them, newspapers which have been blamed for flooding in nyc's subway stations.

According to the NYC.gov website, the MTA did at one time run a pilot program with recycling bins, placing recycling containers in high-traffic subway stations, but the program was found to be ineffective when riders of the nyc subways were found unwilling or unable to differentiate between trash and recyclable, filling the bins with both. The bins, which were installed in stations such as Jay Street in Brooklyn, have since been discontinued. Instead, the MTA continues with their own recycling methods, claiming a 40% recycling rate of all subway trash hauled out of stations. How do they achieve that?

Approximately 30 tons of trash collected daily in the nyc subway sytems gets hauled out to All American Recycling in Jersey City, where the plastic bags are torn open and the contents sorted by hand, with the General Manager of All American asserting that 40% of the material gets recycled.

Now if we could just do something about the 36,000 tons of solid waste is produced every day by the city's 8,300,000 residents and millions of workers and visitors.

More NYC: NYC The Tumblr | NYC The Twitter

Harlem World

Looking North past 125 St From the elevated train line at the 123 Subway stop

• Columbia Students Release New Erotic Magazine <College on the Record>
  
• Thursday October 30th, the Jackie Robinson Recreation Center will be hosting the Halloween Children's Festival <Exodus Foundation>
  
• W.Harlem nightclubs are fly <NYTimes>
  
• "...West Harlem residents expressed concern that evictions and rent hikes would continue to worsen in the face of economic downturn and Columbia’s expansion into Manhattanville." <Columbia Spectator>
  
• John Kelley from the BBC visits the Dance Theater of Harlem <Talking America>
  
• Mulling over the new Target coming to E.Harlem <Geo/Graphi/Culture>
  
• Recollections of growing up in E.Harlem in 1940's <The History Box>
  
• ModSquad Bike Shop Sign is Up in Harlem <Harlem Condo Life>
  
• A Harlem man was gunned down early Saturday on a basketball court a few blocks from his home at 102nd St,. <Daily News>
• The First Line of Defence. Marker honors the 225th anniversary of The Battle of Harlem Heights fought on September 16, 1776, during the Revolutionary War <HMBD>
• Man in Harlem hit by SUV, dragged by clueless driver <Daily News>
• What happens when a secular Jew walks from Harlem to Ground Zero in a burqa?
  <The Comment Factory>

More NYC: NYC The Tumblr | NYC The Twitter

Put Your City On

Yellow B Line, seen at the 145th Street station

• ObamaBike Update: Bid Reaches $1,025 <Animal>
  
• Comedic highlights: City Council term limits hearing <Urbanite>
  
• For Young New Yorkers, Wages Stuck in 1979 <City Room>
  
• Arthur "Kendu" James, 39. West St between Christopher and W 10th Sts
  <I, New York>
  
• Street Etiquette in the present <New York Lookbook.nu>

More NYC: NYC The Tumblr | NYC The Twitter