Just now, near 13th and Garden, a white Isuzu truck (NY plate 3726JV) hit a parked car.

The responding officer said “You gotta be kidding me! I just gave her directions to New York City!”

I mean the more populated Hoboken gets, it seems that someone either secretly made the streets narrower to jam more condos in, or maybe it’s just the congestion of parked vehicles. Perhaps it might be a good idea to RESTRICT the size of delivery vehicles in this town. Even those Fresh Direct trucks stick out too much. If these companies want to do business in town, they should have smaller trucks. It’s been done in other cities or neighborhoods.

A reader reminder me of this EPA website where you can see what kind of reported environmental issues are in your neighborhood…

He said:

“Thought you might find this interesting. I wonder if all those new mommies and daddies and overpriced condo buyers are aware how close they are living to toxic dumps.”

The site listed the following in Hoboken:

• Facilities that produce and release air pollutants: 48
• Facilities that have reported toxic releases: 5
• Facilities that have reported hazardous waste activities: 117
  • Number of Large Quantity Generators: 15
  • Number of Small Quantity Generators: 14
  • Number of Transporters: 3
• Potential hazardous waste sites that are part of Superfund that exist: 2
  • Sites Currently on the Final NPL: 1
  • Sites Not on the NPL: 1
• Facilities that generate hazardous waste from large quantity generators: 0
• Facilities issued permits to discharge to waters of the United States: 4
  • Community Water Systems that serve the same people year-round (e.g. in homes or businesses): 6

Over the live police scanner now..

Some rental van/truck has hit multiple parked cars along Hudson St. between 3rd and 2nd, reportedly driving away.

One officer indicated the cars near 2nd and Hudson were “demolished”.

They found the driver a few minutes ago, and he didn’t even have a real license.

Where’d he learn how to drive? Cooking school?

A few people have mentioned this site to me over the past couple weeks.

What are your opinions of BuyYourFriendaDrink.com? Do you think this is a “cool” idea? Or is this just another useless promotional mechanism?

For starters, there’s only about six Hoboken bars/restaurants currently enrolled in the plan (I’m sure a few more will sign up), but how many people do you think will sign up? Frankly, I would think “buying my friend a drink” would typically involve “hanging out” with them. I mean, what’s next? “Hang out out with your friend” via the web? How about “spend quality time with your significant other” via the web too? Will we ever have to leave the house again? Why must I honestly send them monetary compensation for a drink? And why just at a few select bars? And what kind of “friend” is it when you barely spend time with them? To the point where I can’t even hang out for an hour at a bar? Why be friends with them at all?

As much as this may seem like a “cool” idea, it’s very limited, and forces you to use a particular member of the network. I’d rather my friend send me a towel filled with delicious spicy chicken salad, than forcing me to drink at a bar I may not want to go to. What kind of friend is that? And I saw some quotes from the site, where people bought drinks for friends from out of town.. hmmm.. I guess I won’t be flying to San Fransisco anytime soon, so let me send 10 bucks to my annoying friend to shut him/her up!

Again, it’s an ambitious idea (maybe for insincere business contacts), but how impersonal can you get? I guess I should start the “Virtual Pat on the Back” where some massive steroid-injected goomba will come slap the internal organs out of your esophagus when you do something good (like get a promotion, or bang that hot administrative assistant in your office, etc.).

Opinions?

7/31/2007:

A reader chimes in about his feelings about the state of homelessness in Hoboken. He thinks it’s getting worse. We have a great shelter, but is the situation really falling apart?

“Dear Hoboken 411,

-Anonymous”

7/31/2007 Update:

They’ve added one more day of free kayaking. The final day of free kayaking will be August 25th from 12noon to 5pm in Sinatra Park.

5/26/2007:
If you ever want to get out and try some kayaking on the Hudson River, the Hoboken Cove Boathouse has some days this summer you can give it a whirl!

The first day is Sunday June 10th, from 11am to 4pm over at Sinatra Park. Other planned dates are June 24th, July 8th, and July 21st. August 25th is reserved as a raindate. Not sure why they would have a raindate when you’re already wet and in the water…

From HobokenCoveBoathouse.org:

If you would like to paddle a sit-on-top kayak across river with us-or help run our free kayak program that day… contact: dragonsandy1@yahoo.com
The river trips are about an hour long, must be reserved in advance, and you must know how to swim if you are going to paddle!
See you on the river!

About 1/2 hour ago it was reported there was a fire under the Park Ave. bridge.

HFD responded to the scene and indicated there were a few shopping carts ablaze, and proceeded to extinguish the flames quickly.

A&P and Shoprite are now on full alert to make sure no shopping carts are taken tonight.

Below is a conceptual photo of what the bridge might look like if it REALLY caught on fire.

8th and Washington, as reported by several readers.

A couple ambulances showed up, but the rider does not seem to be badly injured.