BROOKLYN WEATHER: What’s it gonna do today?  Check here for Brooklyn weather.

CITY NEWS: SUBWAY SERVICE SUPPOSEDLY BACK TO NORMAL after yesterday when the service on the 4,5,and 6 subway lines was disrupted three times,  including power failures that fouled up both the morning AND the evening rush hour. Hundreds of thousands of commuters were forced to find other routes to and from work.   Read all about it at NY1

New York’s favorite hawks, Pale Male and Lola, are expecting at least two little hawks.

_City is revamping its high
school math curriculum, which will mean big changes in the way that
math is taught in New York City high schools. Read all about it at NY1

_Some public schools to hand out physical fitness report cards in an effort to stem childhood obesity. Read all about it at NY1

 _Tolls rise on all MTA bridges and tunnels: tolls on the Triborough,
Whitestone, the Throgs Neck and the Queen’s  Mid-town and Brooklyn
Battery Tunnels have gone up 50 cents from $4.0 to $4.50. Read all about it at NY1

BROOKLYN BEAT:   Marty Markowitz, the president of the borough of Brooklyn, got his two cents into the New Yorker this week. On letters to the editor page he writes in response to a recent cover: "Marcellus Hall’s illustration  of Adam and Eve being cast out of Manhattan by the hand of God is to be commended for its prominent placement of the Brooklyn Bridge, the world’s most beautiful. I am concerned, however, that my copy of the issue may have been missing a second panel, in which the couple realize that what awaits them on the other side of the bridge is not a dark cloud of doom but the promised land itself. High rents might push some residents out of Manhattan, but we Brooklynites welcome these emigres with open arms to our better quality of life, our unrivalled diversity, and maybe even a nice brownstone. Just as Saul Steinberg’s famous westward view from Ninth Avenue exaggerated Manhattanites’ perspective in 1976, your East River scene in 2005 misleads by rendering gloom where  there should be a glow; crossing the bridge is actually a blessing in disguise. Besides, what better than the hand of God to direct you toward the most divine bagels and lox?"

_According to an article called, "School Auction as Economic Indicator," in today’s New York Times, "The Berkeley Carroll School in Brooklyn combines the groovy independent film vibe –the "Sopranos" star Steve Muscemi offered a tour of the set – with local color. One family paid $4,000 to have lunch with Marty Markowitz at Bamonte’s in Williamsburg. "The place is quintessential Brooklyn," said Henry Trevor, an assistant head of school." At Pakcer, someone paid $100. for a gift certificate to a company "dedicated to the spreading of sexual enlightenment throught the promulgation of chosen playthings."

_Bruce Ratner, the developer trying to bring the New Jersey Nets, a
stadium, and office complex to the Atlantic Yards made a $1 million
deposit at Carver Federal Savings Bank in the Atlantic Terminal Retail
Mall. The bank is the largest bank owned by Carribbean and African
Americans.

_The MTA threatens to
sue the owner of F Line Bagels, a small corner shop on Smith and Ninth
Street underneath the F-train, if he doesn’t remove all subway
decoration in the shop. Faried Assad, the owner, spent over $1000.
on the MTA’s own website buying subway memorabelia to decorate the
store. Assad received a Cease and Desist letter from the MTA that
informed him that the F-train logo is a registered trademark. The
letter gave him until March 16th to respond. 

_Brooklyn Democratic leader faces corruption charges. Read all about it at NY1

IT’S THURSDAY: At the Brooklyn Academy of Music, "Play Without Words" a DANCE-THEATER PIECE by Matthew Bourne. Starts March 15th through the 29th.

JEWISH AUTHORS SERIES presents Ophira Edut, contributing editor of "Yentl’s Revenge: The Next Wave of Jewish Feminism." Park Slope Jewish Center. Eighth Avenue and 14th Street. 7:30 p.m.

WORTH TAKING A LOOK:  The SECOND GRADE
ART SHOW at Starbucks. Seventh Avenue between 1st and Garfield Place.
The children’s Romare Bearden-esque cityscape collages will be up all
month.

THIS SOUNDS COOL: JAZZY CHANTEUSE, Jezra Kaye, will be performing at The (Very) Good Coffee House at 53 Prospect Park West (the Society for Ethical Culture). She will be performing with a band that includes: Jerome Harris on guitar and Sonny Barbetto on accordian. Friday 3/18 at 8 p.m. 10 bucks gets you in. All proceeds benefit the Park Slope Food Coop.

_BROOKLYN FREE SCHOOL
OPEN HOUSE on Saturday March 19th From 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the
school: 260 16th Street between 4th and 5th Avenues. Writes school
director, Alan Berger: "See first hand the only school in New York City
where students self direct their own learning and have an equal say in
running the school. brooklynfreeschool@msn.com

_Music for Aardvarks
founder, David Winestone sings ULTRA URBAN KID’S SONGS at PS 58 on
Carroll Street between Smith and Court Streets. Saturday 3/19 at 3 p.m.
$10. per person. Children under 2 free. Hear MFA classics like: "City
Kid," "Bagel," "I was Walking with my Mom Down Avenue A."

Saturday is FAMILY DAY AT THE BROOKLYN MUSEUM. Free admission and lots of fun activities for kids.

_It’s Bagpipe Time.  BROOKLYN IRISH AMERICAN PARADE is Sunday. Parade starts at 1 p.m. at PPW and
15th Street. Marches down 15th Street to 7th Avenue and down 7th to Union Street and back over to
PPW.

_Composer and Park Slope resident, Louis Rosen and vocalist Capathia
Jenkins perform a SONG CYCLE based on the work of Maya Angelou. This
Sunday at Joe’s Pub at 6 p.m. (see Hand-Picked below).

NEW SNEAKERS: On Saturday March 19th: THE BROOKLYN HALF-MARATHON starts on the Coney Island boardwalk  at 8 a.m. Run or come cheer your friends and neighbors.

Here’s the 13.1 mile course for the Brooklyn-Half: Start on the Coney Island Boardwalk at West Second
Street. Head west on the boardwalk to a turnaround at 36th Street, and
then return east. Exit the boardwalk at West 10th Street and continue
east on Surf Avenue. Turn left/north onto Ocean Parkway to Prospect
Expressway to Park Circle. Enter Prospect Park at Park Circle and head
east on South Lake Drive. Continue around the northern end of the park,
returning south on West Drive. Turn left/east onto Hill Drive and
left/north onto East Drive. Turn left/west on Central Drive to the
finish.

If you’re not familiar with the names of the roads in the park, check the map at www.prospectpark.org

HEAR/SAY: "One
looks down from the Brooklyn Bridge on a spot of foam or a little lake
of gasoline or a broken splinter or an empty scow; the world goes by
upside down with pain and light devouring the innards, the sides of
flesh bursting, the spears pressing in against the cartilage, the very
armature of the body floating off into nothingness."
– Henry Miller in "Black Spring"