So . . . what do you really think of the Dept of Health?

I once worked in Kentucy Fried Chicken on 138th Street and Grand Concourse with two guys that used to pee in the cole slaw and watch the customer's reaction.

About enforcement. It's hard to do when you don't have enough inspectors to go around. There's also a problem with developers especially Hasidic Jews. The Hasidim don't obey any law. They'll take over a building, demolish the building, and try to build before they are noticed. Hoping that they won't be stopped before it is too late. They are then slapped with a fine, they are not ordered to tear down the new building, that they gladly pay and continue to build. The only time they don't get past this is when they are stopped by ppl in the neighborhood. This is what happened around the corner on Sterling Place between Washington and Classon Avenues. It also occurred next to 310 14th Street between 5th and 6th Avenues in Park Slope.

Before you hire a contractor, you should check out their license. See if they have any violations or check if they faced disciplinary charges at any time in the past. How?

http://nyc.gov/html/dob/html/bis/bis.shtml

http://nyc.gov/html/dob/html/licenses/iad.shtml

Many ppl have control they just don't know it. There is much info out there. Let your fingers do the walking.

To me, these codes and the way they are being enforced, are akin to some city agency going around to rock clubs, measuring the decibel level of the sound system, and shutting down places that may possibly cause hearing loss. How would you all feel if that were going on?

They'll close down a neighborhood pizzeria for something as silly as an older guy with little hair who refuses to don a hat, but our city allows truck traffic to spew diesel particulate into our air, subjects us to dangerously hot unairconditioned subway platforms, allows us to use public pools and beaches even if we don't know how to swim, allows 90 year olds to drive...hell, maybe they should even put up gates in high crime areas to protect us from possible damage to our person from gunshots, muggings, or being given menacing glances.

Can we measure the amount of alcohol given in each drink at a neighborhood bar so that people can gage how drunk they're getting, and shut down bars who won't stick to a 1 oz of booze per drink rule?

You're talking about different agencies. Either way it really doesn't matter. Agencies are comprised of the same types of ppl that you'll find in any industry. Some of the ppl are good at what they do and others just plain suck. The ppl that suck are the ones that give the respective agency a bad name. There is still one major problem. It's a city agency and that means that there will never be enough good ppl to do the job. It also means that there will always be those that shouldn't have the job. Look at the police. Is every cop a good cop? Does every cop do her/his job when comes to serving and protecting the public? The answer is no. It's that way in the private sector too. Haven't you come across lawyers that have no clue about what they are doing? Same thing with city agencies.

GiveMeCandy wrote: To me, these codes and the way they are being enforced, are akin to some city agency going around to rock clubs, measuring the decibel level of the sound system, and shutting down places that may possibly cause hearing loss. How would you all feel if that were going on?

I'd applaud it. So many places have their music WAY too loud. Last night I met a friend at Kenny's Castaways in the city, a decent space, but not huge, and the live band was playing loud enough for a concert hall. WTF? There's no reason for that kind of volume. I don't know how the neighbors can stand it.

oh and volume levels at KENNY'S CASTAWAYS?????

How about DONT MOVE TO NEW YORK CITY? Or even better, don't move next door dummy.

When does NY get to be NY? Why did you move here if you wanted some approved volume levels in a friggin' old, lame, Village bar?

Decibel readings are not about hearing damage, they're about noise complaints from entitled homeowners. And frankly, rock clubs get poked at because of enormous, drunken crowds attracted to Chelsea discos, just like Dom get's picked on because of Taco Bell.

Go ahead, pay your taxes. We're getting great services.

Every time I check out the website below, all of my favorite local restaurants have health violations.

Today there are 103 restaurants in Midwood listed for health violations.

http://167.153.150.32/RI/web/index.do?method=goldenAppleList

noisejoke wrote: oh and volume levels at KENNY'S CASTAWAYS?????

How about DONT MOVE TO NEW YORK CITY? Or even better, don't move next door dummy.

How about: Don't flame. Name-calling is not cool.

Frankly, I don't see what living in NYC has to do with this. It's not like I'm complaining about the noise of traffic or subway trains; those are beyond our control. But bands do not need to have their amps turned all the way up when halfway is enough for the size of the room. That's just obnoxious.

Clearly noise doesn't bother you. Good for you. But in MY opinon, if I can hear music perfectly well while wearing earplugs, it is unnecessarily loud.

Sprite - I do apologize for the name-calling. Very unlike me. However, I was quite poorly speaking to a rhetorical "neighbor". I do take great exception though to your complaining about a rock band's volume while you're choosing to enter a rock club.
Traffic and trains ARE something people can and should complain about. Municipalities erect sound and pollution barrier walls on highways (as they have on the LIE), and train wheel noise is dealt with continuously by Transportation agencies and train manufacturers.
In contrast, rock music performers and clubs are unfortunately working almost entirely within a commercial realm promoted by private enterprise. These "institutions" without aid of arts funding have contributed greatly to the cultural presence and history of NYC and have had a great part in creating the idea of "New York" that has attracted visitors and transplants for decades. It's bad enough that some would move to traditional night life areas and complain about noise, crowds etc (and if G. Village doesn't qualify, what does?), but to actually voluntarily enter such an establishment and seek to impose your personal limits through more government involvement and restriction is baffling. This is not an issue of unkowingly ingesting dangerous food, wherein the public does deserve protection. This is an issue of taste and personal perception. Your opinion that the music "is unnecessarily loud" is admitedly subjective. So, vote with your wallet and your feet and please don't impose your needs on those who choose to book the bands, play in the bands or see the bands.
Jewel Burns - I guess I'm the dummy since I don't think I understand your comment. Does "Bill Gates" mean I should find a wealthy friend, or has something I've written peg me as a lover of Microsoft products? And am I to go to Paris in order to enjoy great, handmade cuisine in the company of dogs? How 'bout you keep your Taco Bell, clean or dirty. I'll be waiting on line at DiFara's, enjoying true food made with great care and talent.

The problem here is that no one wants to participate in this thread because your nonsense responses are all over it, Mr. Burns.

There is organizing going on. More info later. I think I may need to organize beyond the Park Slope/Heights area to find more folks who are sympathetic to small, family-run eateries, rock clubs, and whatever makes NYC a more interesting place to live than Charlotte.

And you sir are a TROLL!

From my experience of working in restaurants in the city and country, I've seen it all everywhere. Rats dancing on dishes, dirty fly-paper sticking to food about to served, cakes dropped on floors and then picked up and served....

Some of the upscale restaurants had the most horrid kitchens.

The cleanest kitchen I ever saw was at Mc Donalds.