Toys for Tots Run Brings Out ECCA’s Best

Posted on November 17, 2010 by Patrick Clark

Click image for next slide

Classic car buffs got into the holiday spirit last weekend, as the Queens-based East Coast Car Association held its 12th annual toy run to benefit St. Mary’s Children’s Hospital on Sunday, Nov. 14.

About 110 cars and motorcycles departed from Forest Park Bandshell at 12:30 p.m., following police escorts from the 102nd Precinct and Highway Patrol to the Bayside hospital, where they handed out toys and presented the hospital with a $15,000 donation.

In years past, the toy run started out from Otto Road in Glendale, but the NYPD issued this year’s permit for Forest Park.

Some ECCA members grumbled that the new starting place deprived car owners the chance to parade their prize-automobiles down local streets, but most agreed that Forest Park provided a picturesque backdrop for the day.

“This turned out to be nice,” said ECCA member Mike Bilski. “We’ll have a good time here, and then we’ll go and have a good time with the kids.”

To view a slideshow of classic cars at Forest Park, click on the image at the top of this post.

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Slideshow: Selling Individuality in New York City

Posted on November 16, 2010 by Lily Rothman

The One of a Kind Show and Sale, opening last Thursday and continuing over two weekends, is a different kind of gift fair: unlike the wares at the Grand Central or Union Square holiday markets, these goods are all—as one might guess—unique. Although the show has attracted about 75 fewer vendors than last year’s (the move to a more central location on 34th Street meant losing some space from the old Pier 94 spot), the sale addresses the growing market for handcrafted goods.

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Click image for slideshow

And it’s a win-win. For shoppers, there’s the chance to check out unique goodies and meet the craftspeople behind the work. For the vendors, there are plenty of plusses too. Besides the potential profits, one-of-a-kind work has its practical advantages. “There are always people who like to dress in one-of-a-kind and those are my customers,” explained Twain Revell of Twain’s Twines, a knitwear design company, as she worked on a giant teal garment that looked a long way from finished. “It’s easier to make just one!”

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In New York, Few People Report Sexual Harassment in The Subway

Posted on November 14, 2010 by Jose Bayona

“Not limited to the NYC subway system”… that is at least one conclusion we can draw so far from this survey (not that we couldn’t have guessed that before).  Forty percent of respondents reported having been victims of a groping incident in the public transportation systems of NYC, London and Barcelona. Thirty percent reported having witness an incident. However, the surprising thing is that, out of that seventy percent who has had some kind of contact with this inappropriate behavior, only one person reported it to the authorities!! What is wrong with us New Yorkers?

I suppose the story of the one person who did report it to the authorities might give us at least some insight into why people do not bother.  Our respondent was attacked on November 10th, 2010 (that is, last week!) by a drunk man who pushed her against the wall and attempted to kiss her.  She managed to run away and scream for help, but nobody answered.  She reported the incident to the MTA’s personal and waited 30 minutes for cops to show up at the scene.  The MTA employees seemed annoyed by her. And the cops? Never came.

As for the MTA employees and cops who did not do their jobs?  You should live up to your duties as public servants.  Please reconsider and pull your acts together as us citizens rely on you to keep our subway system safe.

https://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AnV_HD_tjZ8kdFBSRUlXeGZiWE9BNzZqa3ZQRHJYTXc&hl=en#gid=0

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Survey reveals anger at private boarding school pants style.

Posted on November 14, 2010 by Orlando Rodriguez

Saggy Pants, originally a private boarding school style inspired by economist Adam Smith to raise underwear sales, has invoked the anger of many inner city parents as the trend has spawned imitators from Newark to Los Angeles.

57% of those who took the survey felt that anyone wearing their pants so low should be smacked. 29% of respondents felt that the style should be restricted to the 3 particular boarding schools where it originated: Brooks, Taft and Salisbury. In the area of graduate education, 38% felt that NYU Journalism School should raise its standards and not have the ability to wear your pants low be its only requirement for admission.

The survey was held on the Pests of New York Blog via Facebook and Twitter between October 14 and 29th. A full summary of all questions and their results is below.

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Most Have Witnessed PDA and Many Have Participated According to Recent Survey

Posted on November 14, 2010 by Amy Stretten

A few weeks ago, I asked readers if they have witnessed and/or participated in public displays of affection (PDA) and what their thoughts are on the issue. Well, the survey results are finally in!

Most survey respondents are in a committed relationship or are single and looking for love.

Apparently I’m not the only one who has seen PDA, as all of the survey participants have witnessed PDA, too.

Most respondents reported that they see PDA on the street and in bars/clubs. On public transportation and in the park came in 3rd.

Respondents reported that they usually see PDA in the form of kissing and hand-holding. Only two people reported that they saw way too much for comfort.

Teenagers and young adults are reportedly the most common PDA offenders. Only two people reported that they have seen middle-aged people engaging in PDA.

Surprisingly respondents were scattered along the scale of how badly PDA bothers them. No one reported ambivelance and no one reported that they completely hated it either.

Most participants reported that they feel PDA is harmless, while just one person said they loved PDA and another said it's "like a terrorist attack."

More than 2/3 of survey participants have engaged in PDA.

Take a look at the results gathered here. To check out the other pie charts and bar graphs which break down the date, click here.


Thank you to everyone who participated in this survey!

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Fast Walkers Walk Fast Because They Must

Posted on November 14, 2010 by Yudith Ho

The survey results are in but answers are still at large. As of November 12, slow walkers are still underrepresented in the survey, making up only two of the 14 responses. This raises the question of whether there are simply more fast walkers in the City or if they are just more opinionated.

On which turf do you stand?

Aside from that, the survey received a pretty balanced mix of respondents. Exactly half of the respondents are female and the other half male. Ages range from 24 to “old” with most of them in the late twenties. About half of them grew up in parts of the US like Massachusetts, Ohio, Texas and Oregon while the rest are from Philippines, Poland and the UK.

But let’s look at the actual results. Continue reading →

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Survey Said: People Find Food Laws Palatable!

Posted on November 14, 2010 by Patrick Wall

Don’t you tell me what to do!  (Though feel free to whisper gently into my ear how many calories are in that Big Mac.)

That, more or less, is what our survey from a few weeks ago revealed about New Yorkers’ attitudes toward the city government’s healthy eating initiatives. While our respondents (all 14 of them) tended to oppose government efforts to influence citizens’ food choices in theory, when asked about the city’s actual influencing efforts they were sort of, well, appreciative.

For those keeping score, here are the hard numbers:

  • The majority of respondents (9 out of 14, or 65 percent) landed near “Separation of shopping cart and state is a constitutional right.” Only one dictator-friendly—or just lazy—New Yorker agreed with the statement, “Heck, the mayor can order my takeout for me for all I care.”
  • If our survey-takers were mayor (God help us), they would focus on nutritional education (29 percent) or junk food restrictions (21 percent).
  • The city’s law banning trans fats—remember those?—was surprisingly popular: 86 of respondents supported it. They also appreciated city ordnances that required calorie counts on menus and that regulated what foods schools can sell (about 80 percent in each case).
  • The vast majority (12 people, or 86 percent) admitted to being influenced by those menu calorie counts (suckers!).

Finally, while the crowd offered many thoughtful points and suggestions (healthy food fairs, celebrity PSAs, food stamps for farmers’ markets), our favorite was this British-Freudian pearl of wisdom:

“Banning stuff only makes it naughtier, and hence people want it more.”

To see the results in all their sordid detail, head here.

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Mothers in Law: Familial Pest Results

Posted on November 14, 2010 by Jennifer Hamblett

Regardless of the endless jokes and overcooked vegetables, it seems the myth of mothers in law as a matriarchal dragon may be just that, a myth! As the results of the survey come in the vast majority of participants have positive stories to tell. In fact more men described their relationship with their mother in law as ‘close and comfortable’ than women did.

That’s not to say that we don’t have complaints or horror stories…

“She once locked us in her apartment and took away the key,” is definitely on the horrific side.  Being overly opinionated was another common complaint…

She “acts as if she has the final say on how to raise the grand-kids,” said one participant.

But these comments were few compared to the wealth of heart-warming tales…

“I could not have managed to work full time without her wonderful and unobtrusive help. I know I was lucky but she was a real gem!” and…

“Her steadfast determination to support her husband when he was seriously ill – quite something after 50 years of marriage!” said another.

Perhaps the generous comments had something to do with distance then? Absence making hearts grow fonder perhaps as all participants with mothers in law in a different country said it helped.

When it comes to changes, it seems a few adjustments are required such as “short temper” or “allowing me to finish my sentence”. But many of the suggestions were self-less ones,

“Her failing health” or “be less prone to breaking bones by tripping on curbs or falling off horses”

One resounding trend is the roles mothers in law play today.  Over 40% of mothers in law helps or helped with childcare and over 50% of mothers in law go on family holidays.

As the holiday season approaches, think of these results and cherish your relationship with your mother in law….or if not bite your lip and grind your teeth and try not to kill each other!

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Babies In NYC Bars? The Results

Posted on November 14, 2010 by Susan Rohwer

The results are in: 25 people responded to the “babies in bars” conundrum starting October 16.

And from the looks of it, 16 respondents didn’t seem to care if parents brought their kids into a bar.  That’s far more than the 9 people who were absolutely opposed to the idea.

The results of question two shows that people are most comfortable with the immobile newborn rather than with a kid that walks.

The babies in bars continuum of approval from question 3 was all over the map.  An answer of 1 means you feel: “Negative approval times infinity: is nothing sacred for the childless?!”  And 20% of participants felt that way.  However, the 32% that put 2 as their answer, leads me to believe (unscientifically of course) that people weren’t comfortable with just saying no.

The comments section was the best part.  Perhaps anonymity lends people to more honest responses?  I’ll let you decide.  Here are some highlights:

“I’ve never seen a baby in a bar, but I think it’s a fine idea as long as the baby-toters are using good judgment regarding the safety and happiness of their babies.”

“Really, if they are quiet and well behaved kids, I don’t care as much – but well-behaved kids are a rarity in NYC, especially in park slope, which should probably be razed.”

“You have places made for you and they’re called ‘family friendly restaurants’ (which is almost ALL restaurants anyway). Go to a fucking Chili’s where they have a kiddie menu AND the option to buy a ‘Whammin’ Jammin’ Super Margarita Blast’ or whatever.”

“I worry about parents’ ability to supervise their baby and get it home safely if they are intoxicated, but if they’re responsible I think it’s fine. Actually they should make bars with play areas for kids….”

Most people would not bring their kids to bars, as per the results of question 5.  And of all of the people who took the survey 21 didn’t have kids, results that I think could have something to do with the negative responses.

So there you have it dear readers, the results run the gamut.  It seems to me that the people who are most opinionated about this issue are those without children.  Want to prove me wrong?  Take the survey.

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Bedbug Survey Results

Posted on November 12, 2010 by Alissa Ambrose

The bedbug results are in.
As of November 12th, only 2 of the 18 survey responders actually had a bedbug infestation in their own homes. Both of them were in Brooklyn and both were in the past 6 months.
About 3/4 of the those who did not have bugs themselves, knew someone who has and 40% say that this has affected the way they socialize with them.

Here are some of the ways respondents said the bedbug “plague” has changed or affected their lives in New York:

“I’ll cross the street if there’s a sketchy looking mattress or something out on the curb, but that’s more my weird neurosis than a serious precaution.”

“I look for tell-tale signs when I go to people’s apartments and wonder why someone is scratching himself or herself.”

“I stick my clothes in the dryer after i go to the movies (when i used to have a dryer)”

“I try not to touch people in the streets or buy clothes from any area near NYU.”

“I sometimes get phantom bites!”

So far, it does look like the hype is bigger than the reality when it comes to bedbugs in NYC. Worrying, rather than itching, is the problem for most of these respondents.

See the complete results in the chart below, and if you haven’t taken the survey yet, please click here.

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