Bob Antonicello retweeted
Everyone is furious at the prankster.
They are missing the real tragedy.
Man A wakes up at 5 AM, works 10 stores,
and misses his 4 kids' bedtime—
yet still can’t afford his mortgage.
Boy B produces nothing, mocks working men
with a phone, and makes thousands in clout.
The problem isn't a pizza company.
It’s a broken system that punishes the Builder
and rewards the Parasite.
When a father’s sweat buys less than
a clown’s disrespect, a nation loses its soul.
Restore the dignity of honest work.
well said!
Marvel Studios has released a statement on the tragic passing of Sir Patrick Stewart.
“All of us at Marvel Studios are deeply saddened by the passing of Sir Patrick Stewart. Sir Patrick brought Professor Charles Xavier to life with extraordinary grace, intelligence, and humanity, defining the character for generations of fans, from X-Men to Logan to Avengers: Doomsday.
He was a singular talent, a generous collaborator, and a true gentleman. Our hearts go out to his wife Sunny, his children, his friends, and the countless fans around the world whose lives he touched with his art.”
Bob Antonicello retweeted
Dick Van Dyke and Mel Brooks (both 100) are the last surviving Hollywood icons that served during WWII.
Awful news! Wonderful actor! RIP sir!!
Bob Antonicello retweeted
Let's talk about a longtime DC resident who owned a property for which she was unable to collect rent, and whether we think what she went through is just.
Veronica Hegens, 59, bought a row house in DC many years ago. Smart investment, right? She lived in it for years until she decided to rent it out when she had to move in with her own father to care for him. Hegens is a retired Army major.
At first, her renter, a participant in the city's voucher program, worked out fine. Most of his rent was paid by the city's taxpayers ($2,600/month). Her renter then notified her he would vacate. All good, Hegens was prepared to find another tenant. But the renter died shortly before his move-out date. Upon his unexpected death, Hegens discovered his girlfriend, who had never signed a lease, was occupying the property with no intent to leave. DC's rules for what qualifies one as a "tenant" are lax, so a person without a lease occupying the apartment gets a lot of legal considerations.
The girlfriend had not paid rent for 6 months at the time local news covered Hegens' plight. When Hegens, the owner of the property, changed the locks on the property, the girlfriend took her to court and received a temporary restraining order and was able to stay in the property.
Hegens fell behind on her mortgage without rental income, was coming close to foreclosure, and became less and less able to make repairs due to financial strain and the girlfriend's obstinate occupancy. Hegens had to pay for court expenses and was charged fines by the city for not keeping up with her responsibilities while the unemployed girlfriend lived in her property. There are groups that give free legal services to people like the girlfriend.
In March of 2026, Hegens and the girlfriend went to mandated mediation. The mediator told the girlfriend to vacate, but with ANOTHER 4 months to find new housing. She was asked to pay minimal rent during that time (about 1/5 of what the actual tenant had paid). The girlfriend finally moved out of the unit in June— a total of 9 months of zero or minuscule rent for Hegens on the property she owns. Hegens credits local news coverage with the resolution of her case in a relatively timely manner. A local advocate for small landlords says many such cases take more than a year to reach any kind of resolution.
Jersey City still highly at 8! It’s good to see San Francisco recover!
Here are the top 20 markets for real estate investment in 2027, according to ULI's annual Emerging Trends Report just released this week. Quick thoughts on multifamily market in each:
DFW stays No. 1, not a surprise. Been steadier than other Sun Belt markets. Still supply to work through, but still attractive and very liquid.
San Francisco ranks No. 5, up 40 spots from last year, and would probably rank No. 1 if not for the fact that many survey respondents would probably never invest in San Francisco regardless how it is. Same for Manhattan, where policy risk questions dampen some enthusiasm and redirect capital elsewhere.
Interesting to see DC's Northern Virginia suburbs rank high, yet its Maryland suburbs rank dead last and the District is in the bottom 5. But that's the reality of the DMV, and its just governance issues-- with the District and Montgomery County competing for the crown of most conspiratorial anti-business market while Northern Virginia gladly benefits from it.
Austin and Boise both rank outside the top 20, but I'd be bet on both being in top 20 next year. ULI's list is supposed to be forward-looking, but this is example of how in reality it's still very much a present-day lens... just like San Francisco ranking No. 45 last year.
Knoxville ranks as highest tertiary market, coming in at No. 20 overall. Good market but surprised it's so high.
ULI's survey respondents put Norfolk and Milwaukee in the bottom 10, but I think they're just saying they don't know these markets. Both are very steady and interesting, low supply.
Bob Antonicello retweeted
Fantastic Rutgers Real Estate conference yesterday in New Brunswick. Packed house with A+ speakers like @miasayoko and the great @bobantonicello (sorry I had to leave before saying hi)… plus a slew of @GovSherrillNJ cabinet and key appointments. Huge news: the Governor’s office reports that 74% of the DEP backlog is cleared and the entirety of the DOT minor access permits have been cleared. This is the sort of stuff that doesn’t always get reported but is really positive news. Credit where it is due: there is clearly a major effort to make state government more responsive and work faster… that should be applauded.
This type of conversion is a win-win. Nice work!
A historic Voorhees office building that has sat empty since 2024 is getting a new life. Plans have been approved to convert the former corporate headquarters into 178 luxury apartments: buff.ly/aNmKZXK #SouthJersey #RealEstate
The Captain is 95!! Wow, we should be so lucky to live that long and still have his energy and clarity.
Mount Dora, Florida! I'm bringing my latest musical adventure to your beautiful city! On Friday, 2/26/27, I'll be performing live with my band the *uckers at Mount Dora Music Hall!
We've got some incredible music planned!
Tickets are on sale now: eventbrite.com/e/william-sha…
This is the way my father raised 4 boys and raised my sons and it’s just solid old-school etiquette.
Small etiquette tip:
Taking a lady out to dinner?
You asked, so you pay. Settle the bill discreetly, don't mention it afterwards, and don't expect anything in return.
She can relax and enjoy the evening, knowing she's with a man who has it in hand.
If she offers to split, thank her and say it's your pleasure.
And don't keep score. A date isn't a purchase.
Carry on, Gentlemen 🫡
Sad day, he was a young man and a great Ranger! RIP Ron…
The New York Rangers organization mourns the loss of Ron Duguay, one of the most popular players in franchise history. Ron's signature skating style - with his hair flowing as he moved down the ice - captivated The Garden Faithful, and his skill, tenacity, and charisma earned him the admiration of all New Yorkers. We join the hockey community in sending our condolences to Ron's friends, family, and loved ones during this difficult time.
Bob Antonicello retweeted
Interlude 🇮🇹🎶
One of the most beautiful and iconic pieces in the history of cinema
The Godfather, composed by the great Italian maestro Nino Rota
Later immortalized as “Speak Softly, Love,” with lyrics by Larry Kusik, it became a timeless masterpiece
Bob Antonicello retweeted
May 5, 1945. Hitler has been dead for five days. The war in Europe is almost over.
In a castle in the Austrian Alps, American soldiers, German soldiers, and a group of elderly French prisoners grab rifles and get ready to fight the SS.
Together.
The castle was called Schloss Itter. The Nazis had turned it into a prison for very important people. Not ordinary prisoners. Trophies.
Inside were two former prime ministers of France, Paul Reynaud and Édouard Daladier. Two of France's top generals, Maxime Weygand and Maurice Gamelin. A famous tennis champion, Jean Borotra. And the older sister of Charles de Gaulle.
As the Reich collapsed in early May, the SS guards panicked and ran. The prisoners suddenly found themselves in charge of a castle, with weapons left behind, and a serious problem.
Waffen-SS units were still roaming the area. Fanatics who would gladly kill them all.
They needed help. Fast.
One of the castle's prisoners, a Yugoslav handyman, slipped out on a bicycle to find the Americans. Separately, a German army officer named Major Josef Gangl also went looking for them.
Gangl was a Wehrmacht officer who had turned against the Nazis and was secretly working with the Austrian resistance. He wanted to protect the prisoners too.
He found an American tank commander named Captain Jack Lee.
Lee was 27, tough, cigar chewing, and willing to do something insane. With a single Sherman tank and a handful of American soldiers, he drove up into the mountains alongside Gangl and a few of his German troops.
They reached the castle on May 4.
The French prisoners were not exactly thrilled to see a tiny rescue force. They had expected an army. Instead they got a few Americans, a few Germans, and one tank.
The next morning, the SS attacked.
Somewhere between 100 and 150 Waffen-SS troops hit the castle with machine guns, mortars, and anti-tank weapons. The defenders fought back from the walls and windows. Americans and Germans side by side.
The French prisoners refused to hide. Some of them, including Reynaud, picked up weapons and joined in.
The Sherman tank was knocked out. The defenders were running out of ammunition. It looked like the castle would fall.
Then Jean Borotra, the tennis star, volunteered to make a run for it. He jumped the wall, slipped past the SS, and sprinted through the countryside to find American reinforcements.
He found them. And he insisted on coming back with them to finish the fight.
During the battle, Major Gangl saw Paul Reynaud exposed to gunfire and moved to pull him to safety. A sniper shot Gangl dead.
He had survived the whole war as a German soldier, only to die defending French prisoners from the SS in its final days.
That afternoon, the American relief force arrived and broke the attack. The SS were scattered and captured. The prisoners were saved.
Jack Lee received the Distinguished Service Cross. In Austria, Josef Gangl is remembered as a hero, and a street is named after him.
It is believed to be the only battle of the war where American and German soldiers fought together on the same side.
Bob Antonicello retweeted
Treating Kelly Clarkson like she’s too poor to shop at your store seems like one of the dumbest reasons ever to lose a lot of business. Clarkson on Saturday posted that she went to a Brooklyn store that day called Art of Play that then treated her like she couldn’t afford their merchandise.
The issue here isn’t that they didn’t recognize her. It’s that because she was dressed normal, they treated her like trash. Clarkson says she got looked at like she was broke and was offered something “comparable” instead. She called the employee an idiot and told her followers to check the place out if they want the Pretty Woman experience.
That’s the part that stands out. And if they did recognize her and still treated her like that then that’s even more insane. Clarkson has sold millions of records and hosted a talk show for years. Assuming she can’t pay at a curiosity shop is a ridiculous read. The store has not responded.
People still judge on appearance and it’s fine to have suspicions, but assumptions are what get you into trouble. Especially as a retailer. Many rich people like to dress casually these days.
And as a store, you should treat people with respect regardless of how wealthy you think they are. Once a store’s reputation is destroyed, the cost to repair it can be unaffordable.
Art of Play just taught businesses a valuable lesson in the consequences of being rude. Instead, just be kind. It’s free and it’s good business.
Ben Mankiewicz delivers a great tribute to Eva Marie! She was an outstanding actress! RIP Eva Marie!!!
A couple of revealing memories of @TCM’s friend, my friend, Eva Marie Saint, who was the best. Kind, emotionally available, very funny, and a little wicked.
