Looks like someone took that pirate trend a little too far. The NY Times is reporting on Brian Markey and Owen Cahillane, who are sailing the high seas in their floating abode. Okay, no sailing is involved, but the two roommates, recently transplanted from New Orleans and channeling the spirit of Davy Crockett, live day in and day out on a houseboat in the Bronx. Their floating 250 square feet of space is on Westchester......

With Christmas less than two weeks away, the annual holiday light display is raging through the nights in Dyker Heights, home of TV’s Scott Baio. Every year tens of thousands of people from around the world flock to the outer-borough Brooklyn neighborhood to gawk at the private homes decked out with millions of dazzling lights. It’s an epic spectacle that has to be seen to be believed, and it doesn’t stop at the lights......

'Tis the season to be aware of fire safety during the holidays. Christmas lights caused a fire that left 26 people injured last night. The fire started around 6:20PM in an 8th floor apartment of a Bronxdale building. A woman who lived in the apartment told the Daily News, "My daughter said there's a fire in her room from the Christmas decorations. I called 911, grabbed the kids and ran out." Twenty-five irefighters and civilians......

On Tuesday afternoon, 72-year-old Reinaldo Herrera was hanging Christmas lights outside his Westbury home and went inside to get more lights. Suddenly, a 21-year-old gang member stormed in, threatening him with a gun and demanded cash and jewelry. Somehow, Herrera managed to overpower the would-be robber; the senior said, "When he say, 'Give me the ring, give me the watch, give me the money,' I put my hands on him, strong, to the floor." He......

A look at some noteworthy (and mainly regifted) programs this week: Yule Log (WPIX 11, Monday, 9:00 a.m.) The classic Yule log returns another year on WPIX. This being the 40th Anniversary of the log, channel 11 offers up a one hour special on history at noon, right after this year's showing. If you don't want to wait, they even offer a portable Yule Log for your iPod and The Yule Log.com fan site has......

Today on the Gothamist Newsmap: a bank robbery in Coney Island, a Police motorcycle MVA on 54th Street and Park, and a Homicide on Nostrand in Bed-Stuy. The Christmas lights have started going up in Dyker Heights-- and Janelle and Gowanus Lounge have pix. Or go in person: the best lights are on 84th Street between 12th and 11th Avenue. Canadian black squirrels have begun invading Boerum Hill. Soon there won't be any jobs......

Earlier this week, Queens assemblyman Brian M. McLaughlin was charged with 43 different crimes, including racketeering, embezzlement, stealing from a Little League, fraud and more, taking $2.2 million. McLaughlin's office was raided by the FBI in March, and the indictment that was unsealed this week was 186 pages. The NY Times summarized some of his misdeeds:Law enforcement officials said that Mr. McLaughlin used subordinates as “personal servants,” to take his dog to the veterinarian, hang......

As summer conjures up visions of backyard gardens and long afternoons lounging outdoors, Boerum Hill's Pacifico, a Tex-Mex style self-labled "glorified taco stand" offers a double whammy: a front yard deck & a big backyard. Strung with colored Christmas lights year-round, umbrellas shelter diners on a large front-porch like dining ground while inside, dim lighting and candles accentuate tiled countertops and large, colorful murals. Gothamist recommends starting off with the Queso Fundido, a hot......

- A super who died when he fell while taking down Christmas lights really died from a gunshot wounds - The ACLU sues the country for spying - Dogs can smell cancer as well as smell other dogs' butts - A man who sexually assaulted a woman on West 10th Street was arrested - The Sopranos will end after its January 2007 season - And today was the re-opening opening of the new Bronx......

It only seems right that when the NY Post puts your home's unusual Christmas display on the front cover that the nuts come out. On East 18th Street, the Krupnik-Castellanos family had created a "anti-commercialization of Christmas" display, involving a knife-wiedling Santa holding a bloodied severed doll head, plus many naked Barbies and other doll heads on entwined in Christmas lights on the trees, much to the disgust and delight of neighbors and people walking......

Only thirteen shopping days until Christmas, but you don't have to get us a gift. The only thing Gothamist wants is more pictures of the Dyker Heights Christmas Lights, up on 84th Street in Brooklyn (between 12th and 13th Avenue)-- see the map at right. Blogger 423 Smith is up on the board first, with some wonderful shots from last week. Flickr is letting us down-- only a few paltry offerings on the "Dyker......

December is here, and the joyous holidays of Christmas, Hannukah, Kwanza are coming up soon. Most of those celebrations involve the combination of candles and combustible decorations-- like that extra dry Christmas tree you found the other night on Avenue B. Okay-- it was more of a discarded houseplant, but it's sitting in your living room now, surrounded by four lit menorahs and a slightly frayed set of Christmas lights. Maybe now is the time......

Gothamist believes in adopting a local. Even if it's not in our neighborhood. That's why, after then upteenth Dodgeball message we joined a friend at his local, Boat. Owned by the same people behind Great Lakes, the bar thankfully doesn't have much of a maritime theme past the stenciled oars few and far between behind the bar. With thrift store furniture and ancient videogames, it could feel like a dingy rec room but, refreshingly, nothing's......

The White House website is so smart: Since the most popular part of WhiteHouse.gov was the Barney cam that followed First Scottish Terrier Barney Bush around, the White House developed another Barney film, Barney Cam II: Barney Reloaded last week. While the White House, tongue–in–cheek, says it has a "more complicated plot," and the Times' Elizabeth Bumiller points out that the first video had no plot. It's certainly worth watching, if only to see Andy......