BROOKLYN — With apologies to historian Barbara Tuchman, these comments could be titled “The Shoes of November.� The “shoes� relate to two major land use decisions that are expected to be made between now and the end of the month.

The two dropped shoes concern two large underused land areas within about {read more...}

It is odd that Sen. Squadron’s vision of a 21st century park is so different from Frederick Law Olmsted’s 19th century vision of Central and Prospect Parks. Instead of Olmsted’s tranquil meadows and woods offering quiet, contemplative escape {read more...}

BROOKLYN — I guess I am puzzled a lot these days, but I spent much of this past weekend more confused than usual.

The source was the uproar and language of the reaction to the government’s decision to try the top five terrorists of 9/11 in the very city they terrified.

Listening to {read more...}

I don’t know their names or how many there are, but one can bet that there were some city employees who unexpectedly spent last weekend getting ready for a trip.

This happened because the city and Coney Island landowner Joe Sitt have finally cut a deal. Part of that deal is that {read more...}

Next year is an “off-year� election. This means that every member of the House of Representatives is up for election and one-third of {read more...}

I wonder how many people in Brooklyn have a positive feeling about IKEA, yet have never stepped foot into its store in Red Hook.

This is not an academic question or one with a catch. There have to be a good many people with a good feeling about the store because the {read more...}

BROOKLYN — After the historic vote this weekend by the House on healthcare reform, President Obama told those who voted for it that they will realize, “This was my finest moment in politics.�

And he’s right. It is unlikely any of the members will be called on again to vote for any {read more...}

As a previous Brooklyn resident, a native New Yorker, and a spokesperson for the Church of Satan, I am disturbed that you’d use the {read more...}

BROOKLYN — Well, now we know why Bloomberg spent all that money.

It can now be told that the Bloomberg campaign sharpies always expected a closer race than most people thought it would be and the polls showed.

This was the reason the campaign made an unprecedented effort to obtain community-newspaper endorsements. {read more...}

While the Bloomberg administration pursues its campaign to protect us from second-hand smoke, trans-fat, and soft drinks, it appears strangely insensitive to a nasty pollutant that is eroding the quality of life of entire NYC neighborhoods. The pollutant {read more...}

BROOKLYN — For personal reasons I have become a bus rider, at least going to work and now and then coming home. I do continue to use the subways, but only when I have to. It’s all those stairs.

I have long been an observer of buses from the outside, now I {read more...}

BROOKLYN — I noticed this weekend that there is a new book out called Appetite City: A Culinary History of New York. It is written by William Grimes, former restaurant critic of the Times, and if the review in the Times Book Review is accurate, this looks like a winner.

No one {read more...}