More significantly though is the new New Yorker’s disrespect of bagel culture. It is not that they do not appreciate the greatest carbohydrate New York and Brooklyn have to offer, it’s that they do so all wrong. Some of these people do something that would have any self respecting Brooklynite feeling defeated and angry. They have the nerve to toast perfectly good bagels ruining their doughy softness and making them into just some regular old toasted bread.

A Brooklyn bagel is not the same as those dumb things you get in a frozen bag at your local supermarket and to toast one is a crime against culinary justice. A nefarious and vile act that should be grounds for sending people to some Brooklyn salt mine deep in East New York.

This might not be Brooklyn news but apparently it is to some.

As far as anyone can tell, the sequence of events was that Browne’s half brother, Dale Ogarro, was being robbed by two armed thugs outside of their Brooklyn, NY brownstone apartment. After seeing this, Browne rushed out with a .38-caliber pistol. The facts of why the police were already there are unclear but when Browne came out brandishing the weapon, Officer Murtha yelled out “Freeze! Freeze! Drop your weapon!” This according to authorities at the NYPD. When Browne did not slow down or drop his gun, Murtha fired one shot which hit Browne in the chest. It was later discovered that the gun was an unregistered weapon.

After he was shot and the evidence of an unregistered weapon surfaced, the apartment was searched. $1,000 in cash, a scale, and five pounds of pot were found in the apartment that the two brothers shared. They both have long arrest records related to drugs.

This shooting is exactly one month removed from the fatal shooting of a Detective of the same Brooklyn, NY 75th precinct. It also happened during a calamitous and equally confusing scuffle having to do with a marijuana robbery.

The view of Manhattan from Brooklyn, always an iconic reminder that we live in one of the most exciting and vital places on the planet, was changed forever. So too was the view from our collective psyche. The last ten years have been a series of culture shocks and cultural breakthroughs. The technology we once feared would drive a wedge between humanity has instead become a hyper connective network. In a way that reaction could have something to do with the events of 9/11. The fear of being suddenly torn from someone you love or something familiar now has us forever connecting to one another. It is safe to say that on that day Brooklyn and the world got a whole lot smaller.

We received this plea from Anthony Weiner‘s mother yesterday. She has solicited us as a trustworthy source to argue on her son’s behalf. Here is what she has written.

Our little boy Andy. Such a shame. I don’t know how many times I told him, if you’re going to show your genitals do it so that no one else can see! We used to play those games when we were little, go out on the farm and show each other the dinky-doo and ba-ji-ji, but Anthony, oy! He had to get all mixed up in this facebook and the twitter. I know about sexting. How the kids these days like to talk dirty on their phones and the internet. But this! This is a little crotch-photo! It’s harmless. A little flirtation never hurt anybody, nothing more than seeing our boy in his swimsuit at the beach. Honestly I don’t see what the big deal is.

I know it’s funny that Mort’s last name is Weiner so it looks like the hot dog spelling and Anthony’s hot dog profile is all over the internet. But the Weinergate is a bit much isn’t it? Nixon didn’t even have a sex life; at least our Anthony is getting schtupped!

Honestly, it’ll all blow over in a few weeks. Remember Clinton? That was meshuggeneh. I hope you all forget about this and remember how Anthony has served the district over the past years.

-Fran Weiner, Anthony’s loving mother.

I think I know. 20 years ago, and even today, Park Slope was an ideal neighborhood for young, aspiring artists. Then the yuppies found out about it, and gentrification ensued. It’s close to downtown, right next to the Park, safe, what’s not to love? Let’s stake a claim here and raise a family. Right? So they did.

Now it seems the small remaining artistic community is fighting back. The ghost stroller is a mockery of memorial bikes painted white. No baby in a stroller was smacked by a moving car – it’s some Park Slope artist lamenting the loss of his hepcat community to the thriving papoose wearing yuppie moms.

Gentrification is a good thing guys. It’s what lead to the development and safety of other Brooklyn communities, like the newly coined South Park Slope, and East Williamsburg. And so is art. It’s provocative and makes people think, even if they attribute a different meaning than the artist’s intended one. That comes with the territory.

As for the artists, I’d say don’t despair. Move to Bushwick.

Although we’re often lighthearted at Brooklyn NY News, serious topics are sometimes more pressing. Today is one of those days.

Syed Hashmi, a 30-year-old former Brooklyn College student, pled guilty Tuesday for aiding in the delivery of military supplies to al Qaeda. Hashmi admitted to helping a roommate transport outdoor military gear to the terrorist organization in Afghanistan from London in 2004.

The three other charges against Hashmi were dropped, reducing a potential life sentence to 15 years. Hashmi awaited trial in custody for four years, and could be released in as few as 10 years for time served and good behavior.

In related news, two Brooklyn residents were arrested today for providing technology aid to al Qaeda. The residents, Wesam El-Hanafi and Sabirhan Hasanoff, also face 15-year sentences.

Of course, not everyone can afford a $500,000 home in Park Slope or even a high-rent apartment. But crime isn’t just about location—it can happen anywhere.

I grew up in a wealthy area of Pittsburgh that was usually considered safe, but every so often we would hear about break-ins and other crimes. Thus, while it’s important to think about crime rate while looking for Brooklyn apartments, you also need to think about what you can do to protect yourself and your family.

Although there is some information online, I prefer to speak to actual people when researching a neighborhood. These include potential roommates and landlords, local businesspeople, and friends in the area. This way, I can learn everything about a given neighborhood: how late people are still on the street, which areas are the most and least safe, how many cops patrol the streets, etc. With this information, you should be able to find the perfect part of Brooklyn for you.

According to the latest CompStat reports released yesterday by the NYPD, the number of crimes reported in the borough were down compared to the same one-week period last year – 687 major crimes were reported during the period from November 9 through November 15; 764 major crimes were reported in the same one week period last year.

The overall decrease in crime offsets an increase in auto thefts during the past week.  The NYPD reported that 94 vehicles were reported stolen in Brooklyn, compared to 74 during the same one week period last year.  In Brooklyn South, 53 auto thefts were reported, compared to 43 last year; there were 41 reports of Auto Theft in Brooklyn North, compared to 31 last year.

The most notable increases in auto thefts occured in the 63rd (3 last week compared to none during the same period last year), 64th (4 last week, up from 1), 70th (7 last week, up from 4), and 81st (3 last week, up from 1) precincts.

The number of felony assaults increased slightly; 110 such incidents were reported last week compared to 107 during the same one week period last year.

The number of burglary, robbery, and grand larceny (theft) complaints saw double digit decreases.  Burglaries decreased 22.7 percent (133, down from 172), robberies decreased 15.4 percent (143, down from 169), and grand larceny complaints decreased 14.5 percent (196, down from 229).

The number of homicides reported decreased from 2 reported borough-wide during the past week, compared to 4 reported during the same period last year.  The homicides were reported in the 73rd and 79th precincts.

Fewer rapes were reported in Brooklyn North (5, down from 7), however, Brooklyn South reported two more rapes compared to last year (4, up from 2).

Even with the increase in auto thefts, major felony crimes have decreased 12.2 percent overall year-to-date in Brooklyn compared to the first 46 weeks of 2008.

CYPRESS HILLS -

Officers from the 75th Precinct responded to the Norwood Palace nightclub on the 3100 block of Fulton Street, between Hale and Logan Avenues, at 3:00 a.m. Sunday morning for a report of a disturbance.  The melee reportedly began over a spilled drink before escalating into an old-fashioned “Wild West” type brawl.

Witnesses told police that patrons were striking each other with bar stools, chairs, and other objects before gunshots rang out.  Two plainclothes officers were in the area at the time of the brawl; upon their arrival, Donovan Wilson, 19, allegedly fired a gun at a bouncer wearing a bulletproof vest, according to NYPD officials.  After identifiying themselves, officers fired their guns at Wilson after he reportedly failed to comply with orders to drop the gun.

After hearing additional gunfire inside the bar, officers reportedly spotted Kevin White (pictured), 43, holding a gun.  White allegedly refused to drop the firearm after repeated orders and was subsequently shot in the neck.  He was pronounced dead a short time later.

White’s family disputed the NYPD’s version of events, according to the New York Post.  “My brother would never carry a gun,” White’s brother told the Post.

Police sources, however, told The Post that video surveillance reportedly shows White shooting at officers.  Officers also reportedly recovered three firearms from the scene.

White, who had five prior arrests for weapons possession, had previously served as a bodyguard for such celebrities such as Jay-Z, Mariah Carey, and Sean “Puff Daddy” Combs.

The officers, who have not been identified, are on administrative duty pending the outcome of the investigation.

Wilson, who was reported to have been in stable condition, is expected to face charges pending the outcome of the criminal investigation.

It is not immediately known as to whether or not the NYPD or the New York State Liquor Authority had recieved any complaints about Norwood Palace in the past.  It is also not clear if any other patrons were injured in the melee.

Officers from the 83rd Precinct recieved a report from a hispanic male that he had been assaulted while riding his bike along Broadway between Marcy Avenue, Williamsburg and Lafayette Avenue, Bushwick, between 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. on September 23.

The victim told police that 3-to-4 black males assaulted him with a blunt instrument, and that the perps had directed anti-Hispanic statements during the attack.  Police were not able to obtain a further description of the subjects.

The offices of Councilwoman Diana Reyna (D-Bushwick), Councilwoman Rosie Mendez (D-Lower Manhattan), Council President Christine Quinn (D), and Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez issued a joint statement condemning the attack:

“In the City of New York, hate incidents like these will not be tolerated.”

Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call NYPD Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-TIPS, text “577TIP” to CRIMES, or log on to NYPDCrimestoppers.com.