Tahani Salah reciting a poem at the "Viva Palestina" fundraising event
held at Widdi Hall in Bay Ridge. The event is part of an effort to
send a second convoy of relief supplies to Gaza.
Photo: Tom Martinez
Monthly Archives: May 2009
OTBKB Tidbits: City Council Candidates
In the 39th Council district:
Bob Zuckerman: On Wednesday Bob Zuckerman, candidate for City Council in the 39th district announced his strong support for the nomination of the Gowanus Canal for the National Priorities List, otherwise known as Superfund. Zuckerman, the former Executive Director of the Gowanus Canal Community Development Corporation (GCCDC) and Gowanus Canal Conservancy (GCC) finally decided to back Superfund designation after long deliberation.
In the 33rd Council district:
Jo Anne SImon: One of the cases that Republicans in Congress have used in the past
to hold up Judge Sotomayor's previous nominations and promotions, Bartlet vs NY Board of Law Examiners
was argued by Jo Anne Simon, who is running for City Council in the 33rd district. Below is an excerpt from an editorial/essay that Ms
Simon wrote in support of the Sotomayor nomination:
We need strong, insightful and smart people on the U.S. Supreme Court.
We need justices that aren’t afraid to look evidence squarely in the
eye, to see through subterfuge and rhetoric, and to see that what is
being sold as “fair” many actually be unfair.
We need justices that aren’t afraid to look evidence squarely in the
eye, to see through subterfuge and rhetoric, and to see that what is
being sold as “fair” many actually be unfair.
Judge Sotomayor could have resorted to the New York State’s
simplistic interpretation, but she didn’t. She worked hard. She
played fair. She listened to all the evidence and asked tough
questions. She did her homework. She showed respect and sensitivity to
everyone in the courtroom. She had the courage to say to both sides,
“if you’re right, explain how.”
As attorney for David in this fight against Goliath, I knew we
faced an uphill battle. But I also knew from the moment of our first
appearance in court, that Judge Sotomayor cared about the person behind
the caption. She cared that her courtroom was a level playing field, a
place where people seeking justice would find it.
That’s what America is all about–fair play. There is nothing
particularly “liberal” about insisting that a government bureaucracy
not hide behind heartless rules and biased procedures. In
fact, changing the way bureaucracies operate is part of the change
people voted for in November.
In these dangerous times, we need justices on our Supreme Court who
are not just the brightest, but the best. We need Justices who
understand justice. We need Sonia Sotomayor on the Supreme Court.
Superfund Meeting: Who Gets To Clean the Gowanus Canal?
200 people gathered in the auditorium of PS 32 on Hoyt Street
in Carroll Gardens for a presentation organized by the Executive/Public Safety/Environmental Protection/Permits/Licenses Committee of Community Board 6 to hear representatives of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on a proposal to designate the Gowanus Canal as a Superfund site.
Also on hand were representatives from the City to discuss the City's alternative plan for the Gowanus clean-up.
Citizens. Reporters. Politicians. Candidates. Neighborhood Activists.
Bloggers. Photographers. Videographers. They were all there and there
was a buzzy, excited and anticipatory vibe in the room prior to the
program.
But once the presentation began, the audience was rapt. Richard S. Bashner, chairperson of Community Board 6, welcomed the crowd and emphasized that "This is not a public hearing. We are not taking comments from the public but we are taking questions."
For starters, the EPA's Angela Carpenter talked about what the EPA found in the Gowanus Canal. And trust me, it's toxic and stinky. The following contaminants were found in very high concentration all along the length of the canal:
–Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs): up to 4.5% in the canal sediment (that's per hundreds)
–Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs): up to 43 parts per million in canal sediment
–Heavy Metals ( Lead, Cadmium, Arsenic and Zinc)
–Volatile Organic Compounds
The presence of these toxic chemicals dates back to the industrial presence that existed along the Gowanus Canal, including Manufactured Gas Plants, coal yards, cement
makers, paint and ink factories, oil factories and the city's sewer overflow that filled the Gowanus Canal for decades.
Carpenter also clued the audience into EPA-speak, numerous acronyms they use almost constantly like RPM (Remedial Project Manager), NPL (National Priorities List), HRS (Hazard Ranking System), RI(Remedial Investigation), MGP (Manufacturing Gas Plants), PRP (Possible Responsible Parties) and more.
You gotta talk the Acronym Talk.
The EPA's Walter Mugdan, director of the Division of Environmental Planning & Protection for Region 2 was the star of the evening. With 30 years experience, he speaks knowledgeably, clearly and with humor and seriousness about a subject that is quite complex.
So what is it that has the EPA so concerned about the Gowanus Canal?
The EPA is concerned about the unbelievably high levels of contaminants in the water and the mud. But they are also very concerned because people fish in the Gowanus.
Yup. They do. And they eat the fish.
And with all the toxins in the Canal that's NOT a good thing. Of course there are advisories in New York and New Jersey telling people to severely reduce their intake of fish.
People also kayak in the Gowanus.
"I would not choose to kayak in the Canal unless you can get into the kayak without splashing water all over yourself and I've never been able to do that," Mugdan said.
So everyone agrees: "You gotta clean the water. you gotta clean the mud," he said. And you've got to clean the upland sources because if you don't do that you're going to continue to have problems whenever it rains.
Mugdan also mentioned that the EPA, with the New York City Department of Health, would conduct a study about the health hazards of living near the Canal. This has never been done.
The question is who gets to clean the Canal?
"There are many ways of skinning the same cat and I'm a cat lover so don't take that the wrong way," Mugdan said. Indeed, what is at issue here is this: Who gets to skin this cat? And from what I learned last night there are three ways to go:
—SUPERFUND, which is paid for by responsible parties (PRPs). In this case, National Grid and those manufactured gas plants. Mugdan emphasized that in NO case is a resident homeowner a PRP and work would begin whether or not the EPA had the money from the PRPs.
According to Mugdan, the EPA is very sucessful at getting the money from PRPs because of high fines and stringent enforcements. "Most cases are settled. We get 100% compliance unless the responsible party is long out of business and bankrupt," Mugdan said. The rest is paid out of the EPA budget.
—ALTERNATIVE TO SUPERFUND is a alternative plan with no Superfund listing. But it is a process much like Superfund and is overseen by the EPA. The EPA requires that the agency that does the clean-up "sign on the dotted line and accept the threat of penalties if they don't get the job done according to the EPA's requirements."
Mugdan seemed to suggest that this option is for those who fear the Superfund stigma.
WRDA: This plan is paid for by the Federal Water Resources Development Act and would utilize the Army Corp of Engineers. It is also paid for by congressional earmarks and taxpayer money. Congress would have to decide whether this was a high priority and getting that congressional appropriation can be dicey. This approach also requires the approval of the EPA.
How Long Will It Take?
"Longer than you wish and less long than you feel," was Mugdan's reply. No matter how you slice it, this is not a quick process. Mugdan thinks the EPA is already ahead of the game because of the data collected by the Army Corps of Enginenrs. It will then take 12 months to do a Feasibility Study. The Record of Decision (or ROD) will take another year. And the actual work to clean the Canal: Mugdan said "It might be a decade. It might be less."
"It's the work that drives the time not the process," Mugdan told the crowd. "There are, however, ways to manage the process to build some efficiencies into it," he said. "But it is complicated for anyone who does the work."
Mugdan seemed to suggest that the WORDA process might take the longest "because you have to get the sufficient funds from Congress and everyone in country is in competition for that money. Congress has authority to do what it wants. Is it politically likely? No one in this room can say."
Mugdan also talked about the important role of the stakeholders, including local residents, community groups, local businesses, and prospective developers. "Their needs need to be addressed. A Citizen Advisory Group (CAG) is a good idea, a monthly group that can assess the process." Mugdan said.
"There are sites where people agree but this ain't one of them," Mugdan added.
So what is it all going to cost?
"$300-400 million. Definitely not $100 million. Probably not $600 million," Mugdan said.
So what does the City want to do?
After Mugdan's virtuosic performance it was time for the City to talk about their approach.
For New York City, Caswell Holloway, Chief of Staff for Deputy Mayor Schyler, took the microphone. It is clear that the City, like the EPA, wants to clean the Gowanus Canal. But they don't want it listed on the National Priorities List and they want to do it in their own "alternative way."
They also want to continue the work they've been doing with the Army Corps of Engineers, who've already collected important data and have begun flushing the tunnel and dredging.
As far as the process: it seems that the City wants is to take a Chinese
Menu Approach: a little Alternative Superfund, a little WORDA and if all else fails they'll take Superfund designation. They want to leave their options open.
"There is no rush to get on the list," he told the crowd. "We can always get on the list if this plan doesn't work." In other words: give the city a chance. You can always go to the EPA if this doesn't work," Holloway said.
Okay.
Here are the City's reasons for an Alternative Plan:
–To maximize existing investments (i.e. Public Place, Toll Bothers, planned re-zoning and work in progress by the Corps of Engineers.
–To avoid being associated with Superfund NPL (National Priorities List). "NPL makes lenders nervous and can draw resources way from the community," Holloway said.
–To not get in the way of plans for Public Place, Toll Brothers and the planned re-zoning.
–To make sure polluters pay, the City wants the polluters to be a key part of the plan. To do this, the city wants to see the voluntary engagement of responsible parties. They'll even give the PRPs a discount if they come forward voluntarily.
"The Army Corps of Engineers is tremendously excited about the Gowanus Canal. It's one of their top 8 priorities. And a voluntary process would be faster than Superfund. Superfund is compulsory and big corporations don't like to be told what to do," Holloway said.
"There is no need to rush the listing. The EPA has the ability to list it whenever they want to. If the city fais, they can list. Now is the opportunity to pursue alternative plan. And EPA doesn't lose ability to list it," Halloway told the crowd.
So how to characterize the two plans?
Superfund: The EPA knows what they're doing. They will start whether or not they have the PRP money. They understand the magnitude of the problem and they won't go away until it's done.
The City: They're already working with the Army Corps of Engineers and want to continue that partnership. They don't want to be stigmatized by a listing on the Superfund Priorities List nor do they want to delay projects that are already in progress like Toll Brothers, Public Place and the rezoning of the Gowanus area. Their's is a "give us a try" approach. It's warm and fuzzy for developers (no delay) and polluters (get a discount if you come forward). Their slogan: "There's no rush to list. You can always get a Superfund listing."
Conclusion: Even the City thinks you can always go with Superfund. So I say why don't we just start with Superfund. It's a great team. They're good to go. We won't have to wait around for earmarks or PRP money. Go for it, EPA. Get that Gowanus clean, clean, clean. However long it takes!
No Words Daily Pix: Photograph by Hugh Crawford
Disappointment About Limited Usage of New Turf Field
This is the story of a new turf field in Park Slope primarily designated for team sport usage. It seems that some community members are dismayed at how little time is allotted for free use by the community. A concerned citizen took the matter to the Parks Department and change may be afoot.
Yesterday I got an email from Judy Schneier, the aforementioned "concerned citizen" and Park Slope resident, who is disappointed that the lovely new turf field in Washington Park (between 3rd and 4th Streets near Fourth Avenue) is a "permitted field."
That means that those who want to use the field must get a permit from the Park Department. According to Kim Maier, Director of the Old Stone House "there are set community hours for the Washington Park ball field from 8-10 am on Saturday and 4-6 pm on Sunday. The rest of the time, permitted games/groups will have precedence," she told me.
The permitting requirement begins next week. Schneier writes;
Next week we understand the field will be permitted up all the time
save 4 hours of community use. We want to keep this from happening.
Kids and families are using the field like crazy. Why should 95% of the
time be for teams? Where was the consult with the community before
such a decision was reached? It may be that we were better off with
the old cracked blacktop which we were at least allowed to use.
save 4 hours of community use. We want to keep this from happening.
Kids and families are using the field like crazy. Why should 95% of the
time be for teams? Where was the consult with the community before
such a decision was reached? It may be that we were better off with
the old cracked blacktop which we were at least allowed to use.
Yesterday Schneier wrote to say that she got in touch with the Parks Department and spoke with a Mr. Greene and a Mr
Martin Maher over there. They confirmed that the field is to be permitted and told her that it was built for that purpose.
When I asked about
community time Mr. Maher said they had permitted some of that too but
didn't know how much. My request of 50% was way out of the realm of
possibility according to him. Kim Maier, who runs the Old Stone House, had told
me that community time was four hours a week and I believe her. I told him
parents were furious about losing the field for free child and family
play. I told him we were getting petitions together and would fight
for the play space. We said goodbye and an hour later Mr. Greene
called me back. It seemed he and Mr.Maher had spoken and Mr. Greene
said he also spoken to the Commissioner. He told me that actually 50%
was probably doable since most of the league play was on the weekend.
Afterschool time may be open to the community. I asked if he could put
that in writing and he told me that these discussions were just
beginning and nothing was decided. He said he'd get back to me.
community time Mr. Maher said they had permitted some of that too but
didn't know how much. My request of 50% was way out of the realm of
possibility according to him. Kim Maier, who runs the Old Stone House, had told
me that community time was four hours a week and I believe her. I told him
parents were furious about losing the field for free child and family
play. I told him we were getting petitions together and would fight
for the play space. We said goodbye and an hour later Mr. Greene
called me back. It seemed he and Mr.Maher had spoken and Mr. Greene
said he also spoken to the Commissioner. He told me that actually 50%
was probably doable since most of the league play was on the weekend.
Afterschool time may be open to the community. I asked if he could put
that in writing and he told me that these discussions were just
beginning and nothing was decided. He said he'd get back to me.
Ms. Schneier believes that the next step is to circulate petitions and make a reasonable proposal. She plans to reach out to Craig Hammeman, District Manager of Community Board 6 and City Council member Bill deBlasio.
She says that when she mentions this to other parents, many are very upset that the field "is to be taken away and they want as much community time as possible. Most
people seem to think 50% is a reasonable compromise."
I realize most
team play is on the weekend though of course families are also around
then. I don't feel we can be rigid, we just have to see that free play
time is a big part of the plan
team play is on the weekend though of course families are also around
then. I don't feel we can be rigid, we just have to see that free play
time is a big part of the plan
OTBKB Music Video: Angie Mattson – Drive
One night at the South by Southwest Music Festival this past March, the
lines
were too long for me to get into my first or second choice places. So I
headed
over to the Driskill Hotel and ended up seeing Angie Mattson. Angie
plays
atmospheric rock and this song, Drive, is one of her best. Even
though she's based in LA, she's even played Union Hall. And you can be
sure that if she shows up around here again, I'm going to put the word
out.
–Eliot Wagner
New Blog on the Block: Brokelyn
There's another new blog on the block! It's called Brokelyn (good name) and it's all about living large on small change. Stop by with the welcome wagon filled with low priced Costco snacks and take a look. The editor, Faye Penn, a columnist for InStyle Magazine
and a contributing editor at WSJ. Magazine, was at Blogfest a few weeks back. She gave me her card and I've been waiting for the opening of the blog ever since.
Well, I'm glad to report that Brokelyn has finally opened its door and I was not disappointed. Brokelyn is a smart, well-designed, very professional-looking blog that has lots to offer including sections on food & drink, outings, sales & deals and more. All on a budget!
A former features editor
for New York Magazine and The New York Post, Penn lives in Ditmas Park and is calling Brokelyn a blog-o-mag "founded in
celebration of a place we’re endlessly enthusiastic about, no matter
how [synonym for crummy] the [synonym for economy] gets."
We’re not going to dwell on that part around here—we’ll be too busy
finding new ideas for bargain obsessives, stoop-sale sartorialists and
wallet-aware foodies. Or we’ll be calling 100 Brooklyn dentists for the
cheapest teeth whitening
(even though we’re not positive that the cheapest dentist is always the
best one.) If you have ideas, tips, lavish praise, or fully conceived
and photographed articles about budget-friendly Brooklyn, by all means,
please send them our way.
May 30 at LIU: The Streets of Brooklyn in Film
Here's something interesting for all you Brooklyn film scholars and aficionados out there. An academic conference on Brooklyn street films. Very interesting.
The Brooklyn Film & Arts Festival
in partnership with Long Island University's Brooklyn Campus Media Arts
Department is presenting a film conference titled "The Streets of
Brooklyn in Film" on May 30th, 2009. The conference will focus on the
depiction of Brooklyn "street-ethos" in Hollywood films.
At the conference there will be three panels with scholars discussing a broad
range of Brooklyn "street" films including " 'Neath Brooklyn Bridge"
1942, "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn", 1945, "City Across the River" 1949,
"The Little Fugitive" 1953, "On the Waterfront" 1958, "The French
Connection" 1971, "The Lords of Flatbush" 1974, "Saturday Night Fever,
1977, "The Warriors" 1979, "Last Exit to Brooklyn" 1989,"Straight Out
Of Brooklyn" 1991, "Strapped" 1993, "Little Odessa", 1994, and a Spike
Lee Brooklyn "street-films" retrospective with its own panel discussion
with excerpts from, "She's Gotta Have It" 1986, "Do the Right Thing"
1989, "Crooklyn" 1991, "Clockers" 1995, "Summer of Sam" 1999.
The
Streets of Brooklyn in Film conference discussions will explore the
representation of Brooklyn street archetypes, the role of imagined and
"real" Brooklyn street ethos in influencing the characterizations of
Brooklyn's communities, family-life, and class conflict in Hollywood's
Brooklyn "street" films.
Streets of Brooklyn in Film conference discussions will explore the
representation of Brooklyn street archetypes, the role of imagined and
"real" Brooklyn street ethos in influencing the characterizations of
Brooklyn's communities, family-life, and class conflict in Hollywood's
Brooklyn "street" films.
Some unique films such as the
enchanting "Little Fugitive" and the very moving "A Tree Grows in
Brooklyn" will provide a child's-eye view of Brooklyn streets. While
"Strapped", "Little Odessa", "Clockers", and "Straight Out of
Brooklyn" illuminate the impact of the street mindset on hard-pressed
families caught in the crossfire.
Some
of the speakers, including Prof. Larry Banks, Prof. Joe Dorinson, Prof.
Michael Hittman and special guest speaker, Sol Yurick, author of "The
Warriors" will bring a personal Brooklyn perspective to the
discussions, since they are all longtime Brooklyn residents.
The
Streets of Brooklyn in Film has been conceived and curated by Aziz
Rahman, director of the Brooklyn Film & Arts Festival and this
program has been made possible by a grant from the New York Council for
the Humanities.
Date/Time: Saturday, May 30th, 2009. 12:00pm to 5:00pm.
Location:
Long Island University's Brooklyn Campus Spike Lee Screening Room.
Flatbush Avenue & Dekalb Avenue. (Entrance on Dekalb Avenue.)
Information: Please call (718) 488-1052.
The
Brooklyn Film & Arts Festival is dedicated to presenting cultural programs
about Brooklyn that illuminate the rich history and unique character of
Brooklyn’s vibrant past and illuminating Brooklyn of the here and now.
Website: www.FilmBrooklyn.org Email: Brooklynfa@yahoo.com
Gabriele Gorden: Eyes on Brooklyn (Superfund Meeting)
No Words Daily Pix: Photograph by Hugh Crawford
Domestic Workers’ Bill of Rights
A friend sent this email about the Domestic Workers' Bill of Rights, which is pending approval in the NY State Legislature. If this is something you want to support, there are only three weeks left in the legislative session and every voice of support matters. Here is my friend's email:
As
an employer of a wonderful nanny for the past 10 years, I got involved
with the campaign for Domestic Workers' Rights in appreciation for all
of her hard work. Many of you may remember being a new parent and a
new employer, and having to compare notes with other parents about
vacaction pay, sick days and pay increases for caregivers. These are
important matters that affect the 200,000 domestic workers in the NY
Metropolitan area — they are matters that shouldn't be left to
individuals' discretion or to be hashed out on park benches and
internet groups.
I'm asking
that you take a look at the information here and then:
- Call
your local State Assembly and State Senate representatives and urge
them to vote YES! on the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights. - Plan to attend any of the events listed below
- Spread
the word to your friends, caregivers and organizations you are involved
with and encourage them to make calls and also attend these events
With your help we can bring more respect to the work that makes other work possible.
Five years ago, the Domestic Workers' Bill of Rights was
first presented to NY State legislators about five years ago. There is now more momentum than ever before towards the bill being
passed – hopefully this legislative session.
At last month's Lobby Day event Speaker Sheldon Silver
met with DWU representatives and, for the first time in five years,
promised to look at the Bill more closely and give it serious
consideration for a floor vote. For more information and news about the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights visit: http://domesticworkersbillofrights.pbworks.com/Recent-Press
May 27th: Ringling Brothers Coney Island Job Fair
WHO: Local Brooklyn and area residents age 16 and older who want to run away with the circus for the summer!
WHAT: A Job Fair at which The Greatest Show On
Earth will be hiring ticket sellers, ticket takers, ushers and
custodial and maintenance personnel for The Coney Island BOOM A RING playing June 18 – September 7 on the Boardwalk in Coney Island.
WHEN: Wednesday, May 27, from 10:00 a.m. till 2:00 p.m.
WHERE: At Keyspan Park in Coney Island — the home of the Brooklyn Cyclones.
WHY: Because The Coney Island BOOM A RING
is is going to be playing on the Boardwalk from June 18 – September 7
and is committed to supporting the local economy. As a result, Ringling
Bros. is taking the steps to hire local people for as many positions as
possible.
For a complete schedule of performances and more information on The Coney Island Boom A Ring, visit www.Ringling.com/ConeyIsland.
Follow The Coney Island Boom A Ring on Twitter: @RBBBConeyIsland.
Leon Freilich, Verse Responder: Seattle Satellite
SEATTLE SATELLITE
Of all the many cities in the nation
There's one most offers a monster vacation.
Atop every hill you come upon hotelry
And in each of the rooms, large-screen TV.
Channel 5's called KING and it features a gong;
Channel 6 answers to the simian KONG.
In New York his fall broke numerous hearts–
But Seattle's put King Kong top of the charts.
Greetings from Scott Turner: Blunt Observation
Once again, we present Scott Turner, Rocky Sullivan's quizmeister, and a Brooklyn writer/designer. As usual this post is brought to you by MissWit
, a Brooklyn t-shirt company.
Greetings Pub Quiz Three Day Weekenders…
A simple, precise, blunt observation this week:
Michael Bloomberg is short.
His
money-vomiting re-election campaign — already on pace to spend more
than the obscene $84 million Bloomberg spent last election run dumped
— is doing everything it can to create the fallacy that Bloomberg is
taller than everyone else in New York City.
Oh, yeah, and this: When Bloomberg took office, he was worth
something in the neighborhood of $4 billion. Now, with the economy,
all the money he's given to charities, and the $160 he's lavished on
his first two campaigns, today the the poor fella's only worth…$12
billion
Yeesh…
Bloomberg's incessant and insufferably false t.v. ads are photographed to make our Napoleon
Mayor look taller than everyone else in frame. Occasionally an actor
whose construction helmet slightly eclipses the mayor slips into the
shot.
"Who put a taller man next to me?! Security to the Bullpen, Security to the Bullpen…"
It's a classic page from the Benign Dictator Image Control playbook.
Bloomberg once claimed to be 5' 10" tall. Proportionately, that would make Wilt Chamberlain,
let's see, multiply by 12, carry the one and…right — seventy-five
feet tall. In the other direction, reports peg the Mayor at 5-1,
,maybe 5-2. Let's say it's 5' 6".
That means that every single actor in his ads are either shorter than 5' 6" or the angles are framed that way.
Or, in the Bloombergian Image Making Machine, there's not a single New Yorker taller than the mayor.
Go ahead. Force yourself to watch the mayor's t.v. tripefests. You'll see.
Look,
no one's expecting Bloomberg to tell the truth in his campaigning.
Campaigns don't, and besides, the mayor certainly plays fast and loose
with truthiness when he governs for real. It's just so stark to see
him revealing — and revelling — in his Napoleon Complex alternate
realities.
Is this a petty bone to pick? Next to the city's affordability,
schools that only teach-to-test, infrastructure collapsing, big
developer coddling, my-way-or-the-highway arrogance, slow action on the
H1N1, jettisoning of basic democratic principles, favors for
political allies, institutional marginalization of political enemies,
and Bloomberg's utter disconnect with anyone less rich than him, yes, of course it's petty.
But it's also a clear indicator of who this man is, how he thinks, what's important to him, and what he allows on his watch.
the real world…
What are we supposed to make of a guy
who claims supreme-leader confidence to run New York City, but in fact
is so vain and insecure that everyone appearing in his ads must be made
to look the lesser next to him.
The emperor truly has no clothes. If he did, his tailor would be constantly letting out the seams.
This Saturday: Brooklyn Half-Marathon New Date, New Course
One of the reasons I love Bar Reis, a neighborhood bar on Fifth Avenue near 6th Street, is how friendly people are when they're in there but not in a drunken, weird way but a friendly, interesting way.
Case in point. Last night I met a young woman named Thomasin Bentley, Manager of Development of the New York Road Runners Club, (NYRR) sitting at the bar. Turns out she'd spent the day promoting the new date and new start location of the Brooklyn Half-Marathon, which is on Saturday, May 30th starting at 8 am. Registration is required.
Boy was she glad to run into me.
11,000 runners have signed up for next week's race, which is part of the NYRR Half Marathon Grand Prix. For the first time, the race will be starting in Prospect Park and ending in Coney Island.
The number of runners is up from 6,200 runners last year. I asked Thomasin what she thinks accounts for the increase.
"It has to do with the change in date from the dead of winter to the good weather of May. And the change in course: People wanted to end in Coney Island, near the ocean. They'd asked for that," Thomasin told me.
"In these times, people look for community to connect with," Thomasin added. "And running is the cheapest workout in the city. Spend $100 on a pair of running shoes and you're ready to go."
Thomasin's enthusiasm about her job and the Brooklyn race in particular was palpable. She told me that the New York Road Runners Club is looking to form "long term partnerships" with the communities near the course.
"We want to work with local community organizations, volunteer groups particularly in under-served areas to teach kids how to run," she said.
Collaboration with local merchants is also part of this community outreach. Starting Monday, some local restaurants are offering special discounts not just to runners but to everyone. Participating restaurants in the Park Slope area include the Apertivo Cafe, Melt, Blue Ribbon, Barrio, Playa, Sotto Voce, Alata Voce, Cataldo's, Gialeti's Cafe, Down Under Bakery/The Pie Shop and 12th Street Bar & Grill. Go to NYRR.org for more information.
"The restaurants were enthusiastic. Blue Ribbon never serves pasta but they're making a special pasta the night before the race for carbo loading," she told me.
According to Thomasin, NYRR brings thousands of people into these neighborhoods and wants to offer ways for the merchants to benefit from this.
On the Coney Island side, a Finish Line Festival is being planned. It includes discounts on rides like the Cyclone and the Wonder Wheel ($2 off on each). Dino's is organizing a tug of war on the beach which will set up classic rivaliries like runners vs. bikers, Republican vs. Democrats, Yankees vs. Mets, Wall Streeters vs. Main Street.
I can think of some other interesting ones, too.
Ringling Brothers is also getting in on the act. There will be clowns, acrobats, and elephants at the finish line to greet the runners after the 13 mile race.
Go to the NYRR website, to get more information about restaurant discounts, the Finish Line Festival in Coney Island and the new race course. Here's the course:
The race starts on Center Drive in Prospect Park (enter park at Prospect Park Southwest near West 16th Street).
left onto West Drive South, then left onto Wellhouse Drive, north on
East Drive, returning to West Drive; one more complete loop of Prospect
Park before exiting West Drive onto Prospect Park Southwest to Park
Circle; Ft Hamilton Parkway to North Bound Lane of Ocean Parkway
travelling south onto Surf Avenue (East Bound Lane); left turn onto
West 2nd entrance ramp onto boardwalk (near handball courts); turn
right (west) on boardwalk.
Course:
Turnleft onto West Drive South, then left onto Wellhouse Drive, north on
East Drive, returning to West Drive; one more complete loop of Prospect
Park before exiting West Drive onto Prospect Park Southwest to Park
Circle; Ft Hamilton Parkway to North Bound Lane of Ocean Parkway
travelling south onto Surf Avenue (East Bound Lane); left turn onto
West 2nd entrance ramp onto boardwalk (near handball courts); turn
right (west) on boardwalk.
I think ending on the Coney Island Boardwalk is a fantastic idea. The euphoria of ending the race, seeing the Wonder Wheel, the Cyclone and the ocean.
What could be better?
Photo of the old start of the Brooklyn Half-marathon: www.flickr.com/photos/62266625@N00/114826679/
Tom Martinez, Witness: Baby Doll
Coney Island Sensation, Baby Doll (brooklynbabydoll.net) in front of the newly opened Dreamland Roller Rink on the south end of the Coney Island Boardwalk.
Famous Accordian Orch: Local Produce Fest and Full Moon Green-Wood Walk
The Famous Accordion Orchestra's spring gardens tour continues this coming
sunday (may 31) at the Local Produce Festival – Gardens of Union – Union street between 4th and 5th avenues – 12:00 noon.
sunday (may 31) at the Local Produce Festival – Gardens of Union – Union street between 4th and 5th avenues – 12:00 noon.
Made possible with public funds from the Decentralization Program of the New
York State Council on the Arts, administered in Kings County by the
Brooklyn Arts Council, Inc. (BAC), the event is FREE. see also: www.spokethehub.org for other local produce events.
If you've always wanted to go to Green-wood Cemetery, Saturday, May 30th is the night. On saturday (may 30) some of the Famous Accordian Orchestra will be playing at the Full Moon Walking Tour of Green-wood Cemetery (with noted cemetery historian jeff
richman) – 25th street and 5th avenue – starting around 9:00 pm. it's
not free, but it's fun. (www.green-wood.com)
richman) – 25th street and 5th avenue – starting around 9:00 pm. it's
not free, but it's fun. (www.green-wood.com)
Tonight at 6:30: Gowanus Superfund Presentation by the EPA
 Tonight (Tuesday, May 26th) the Executive/Pub Safety/Environmental Protection/Permits/Licenses Committee of Community Board 6 meets for the following presentation. The public is invited and urged to come:
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Next on Breakfast of Candidates: Doug Biviano and Ken Diamondstone
Coming this week: Candidates Doug Biviano and Ken Diamondstone face OTBKB's coffee cup. Now I just have to make a plan with Issac Abraham, Ken Baer and Steve Levin and I've got them all. Look for new BOC's on Thursday and Friday! And in case you missed these:
Breakfast of Candidates: Jo Anne Simon. Read about her career a teacher of the deaf and a disability rights attorney. Her career trajectory will make you feel like a slacker and wonder how she had time to becme such a strong voice in her community and the female Democratic District Leader and State Committeewoman for the 52nd Assembly District. A proponent of the art of listening, she believes that there's a place for all viewpoints atx the table and that "someone who is elected to office can work with everyone."
Breakfastof Candidates; Evan Thies. A former aide to City Councilmember David Yassky, Thies also worked in
Hillary Clinton's upstate senate office and for Andrew Cuomo. Raised in
New Hampshire, public service was the family business and his
grandmother, Mary Mary Mongron, was appointed by NH governor John Sununu to be the New Hampshire's Commissioner of Health and Human
Services. Struck as a child with Fibromatosis, a chronic disease, he was
homeschooled during the worst of his illness. When he was 11, he and
his mother wrote and passed a bill about his disease. Evan studied his
twin interests, political science and journalism, at Syracuse
University but knew that he was called to public service like he
grandmother.
No Words Daily Pix: Photograph by Hugh Crawford
Tuesday Night: The Whole World Passes Through The Cornelia Street Cafe
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OTBKB Music: Tuesday Recommendation and Video – Robbie Fulks
Windsor Terrace's Robbie Fulks is back in town after his tour of
Scandinavia. I don't know if he was at The Bangles show on Sunday, but based on this song, he might have been.
In any event, Robbie is again appearing with Jenny Scheinman at Barbes. Robbie has called this collaboration "uniquely intense and rewarding." Don't pass up the opportunity to see them in one of the coziest (that is, small) settings right here in the neighborhood, Tuesday, May 26th. Barbes, 376 9th St. (corner of 6th Ave.), 7pm.
–Eliot Wagner
No Words Daily Pix: Photograph by Hugh Crawford
Smartmom: Plenty of Women Can Be Just As Happy Without Kids
Here it is: this week's Smartmom from the award-winning Brooklyn Paper.
The grass is always greener. Ain’t that the truth? Smartmom has
spent plenty of time convinced that friends and strangers have a better
life than she does.
But who’s to say? What makes one person’s life better than another?
Money? Looks? A published book? A husband who makes the bed and fills
the dishwasher?
In her new book of essays, “It’s Not That I’m Bitter (or How I
Learned to Stop Worrying about Visible Panty Lines and Conquered the
World),” Gina Barreca writes about envy, finding a bra that fits, and
life as a childless woman. In her sharp essays, she shows that maybe
the grass is green enough no matter what choice you make because it’s
how you think about things and laugh about them that matters.
Smartmom knows all about grass-is-greener syndrome. When she was
toting baby Teen Spirit to Mommy and Me classes 16 years ago, Smartmom
envied her twin sister Diaper Diva, who was living the swinging life of
a Manhattan single on Columbus Avenue. She had an exciting job in the
film business and copious time to eat in restaurants, see first-run
flicks (in movie theaters!) and hang out with friends.
At the same time, Diaper Diva envied Smartmom’s
married-with-children life. She was eager to meet the right person and
have a baby. Meeting the right person was easy enough; Diaper Diva
married Bro-in-Law in 2000. But the “having a baby” part wasn’t as easy.
The newlyweds moved into a lovely two-bedroom co-op on Prospect Park
West and fantasized about furnishing their extra bedroom with an Oeuf
crib and a Design Within Reach rocking chair. But those weren’t the
cards they were dealt.
As a result, Diaper Diva felt a pang of sadness and anger whenever
she saw a pregnant woman walking down Seventh Avenue. It seemed like
every conversation at Connecticut Muffin was about bedtimes or
breast-feeding. She felt like every woman in the world — every woman
except her, that is — had a baby.
Diaper Diva and Bro-in-Law tried and tried and tried. Finally, they
made the best decision of their lives and adopted Ducky, the
almost-5-year-old redhead who is about as smart, spunky and adorable as
they come.
But Barreca, a professor of English and Feminist Theory at the
University of Connecticut, has a different take. In the essay, “Why
Childless Women Make Good Mothers,” she deals head on with the fact
that she didn’t have children: “I look like somebody’s mother, I sound
like somebody’s mother and, heaven knows, I act like everybody’s
mother. I advise, I worry, I scold, I applaud, and then I worry some
more.”
As a professor, she mothers 150 kids every year.
“They line up outside my door at all hours as if I were some kind of
emotional ATM,” she writes. Usually, she admits, she’s asked about
matters pertaining to the English department or the university. “But I
also hear stories about family difficulties, relationship problems and
financial predicaments. I also give fashion advice (‘Don’t pierce what
can’t easily be unpierced’ is my latest mantra),” she writes.
Barreca calls what she does “incidental parenting,” and she writes
about how much she enjoys the motherly relationships she has with
students and the children of her friends.
Smartmom knows that there are many such women who would make
fantastic moms, but never got the chance. But Gina’s humorous and
analytical take on things helped her overcome whatever emotional pain,
whatever grass-is-greener worrying she might have faced in the face of
her own childlessness. Indeed, without kids, she can be as neurotic as
she wants to be without fear that “a minor under my aegis will carry
lifelong scars.”
Smartmom can totally relate to that. She’s often modeled
less-than-exemplary behavior, particularly when she’s fighting with
Hepcat about his clutter in the living room.
Sure there’s pain, but there’s poignancy, too. “If childless women
make good mothers to the young, we also make dandy mothers to mothers,”
she writes. Just ask Best and Oldest. Unlike Smartmom, Gina doesn’t
judge or evaluate B and O’s parenting skills against her own.
She listens and she thinks: “Please let everybody be OK,” she
writes. “And thank you for allowing other women to accept the burden of
motherhood while I just get to teach kids about literature and the
inherent dangers of piercing.”
So much for grass-is-greener syndrome. Barreca humorously hammers
home the idea that the choices we make do add up to something. Barreca
could have adopted. Diaper Diva could have decided not to. Everyone
chooses a different path, and with a lot of insight and humor, it leads
to different, but equally rich, lives.
Gabriele Gorden: Eyes on Brooklyn
Scenes from the Independent Neigborhood Democrats endorsement meeting on
Thursday night at Long Island College Hospital. John Heyer (second picture down from left) was selected by the 30-year-old Democratic club for City Council Candidate in the 39th district. Jo Anne Simon (in the bottom photo, she is pictured waiting in a hallway for the club's decision) was endorsed for City Council Candidate in the 33rd.
Photos by Gabriele Gorden. She is the new photographic contributor to OTBKB. Welcome Gaby!
No Words Daily Pix: Photograph by Hugh Crawford
No Words Daily Pix: Photograph by Hugh Crawford
Zuckerman Unbound
Bob Zuckerman, one of the candidates for City Council in the 39th District responds to the Independent Neighborhood Democrat's endorsement of John Heyer. The IND endorsement, decided on May 21, came down to a close contest between Zuckerman, an openly Gay progressive, who is the Director of the Gowanus Conservancy and John Heyer, an aide to Borough President Marty Markowitz, who is against abortion and same-sex marriage,
“I am deeply troubled that the Independent Neighborhood Democrats
decided to endorse a conservative candidate who is anti-choice and
anti marriage equality. This club is in danger of becoming an
irrelevant voice because of its endorsement process over the last few
years.
decided to endorse a conservative candidate who is anti-choice and
anti marriage equality. This club is in danger of becoming an
irrelevant voice because of its endorsement process over the last few
years.
"IND is made up of many wonderful and smart people who are committed to
the progressive values it was founded on over thirty years ago. But
the actions of some have continued to tarnish the progressive
reputation of this club and it saddens me to think, as last night’s
vote demonstrated, it’s no longer independent or reform.”
Josh Skaller, another candidate for City Council in the 39th district was also dismayed by the vote. He has been endorsed by Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats and issued this statement:
“It is sad that a majority of IND’s voting membership insulted many
IND members and community residents by choosing to support a
conservative Democrat for City Council who opposes Superfund relief for
the Gowanus Canal and whose opinions on choice and marriage equality
are confusing, at best.
IND members and community residents by choosing to support a
conservative Democrat for City Council who opposes Superfund relief for
the Gowanus Canal and whose opinions on choice and marriage equality
are confusing, at best.
“The residents of the [district] want progressive leadership
committed to reforming city government and unafraid of marriage
equality, a woman’s right to choose and a real, federally supported
clean-up of the Gowanus Canal.”
John Heyer Receives Independent Nabe Democrats Endorsement
That's all I know.
The endorsement meeting was last night at Long Island College Hospital. I hear candidate Gary Reilly made a great speech and wish I could have heard it.
So here's the big news: the Independent Neighborhood Democrats (IND), a Democratic club started 30 years ago by anti-Vietnam War activists (and those interested in the revitalization of Carroll Gardens) endorsed John Heyer for City Council in 39th district and Jo Anne Simon in the 33rd.
In the 39th district, the IND choice for City Council candidate came down to Bob Zuckerman, an openly gay candidate who runs the Gowanus Conservancy and John Heyer, an assistant to Borough President Marty Markowitz and a funeral director at Scotto's Funeral Home. A fifth generation Carroll Gardener, Heyer is a local historian with an interest in preserving the character of Brooklyn neighborhoods. A devout Catholic, he is personally against abortion and same sex marriage.
Heyer took the club's endorsement. Individuals in the club, howerver, are obviously free to vote their conscience in the primary. But what's notable here: a local progressive Democratic group endorsed a pro-life, anti-same-sex marriage candidate. In Brownstone Brooklyn no less.
More later.
Saturday: BKLYN Yard Opening With City’s Best Food Trucks
Opening day at BKLYN Yards is Saturday May 23rd starting at noon (until 7 p.m.) It's a celebration of the beginning of summer with NYC’s
best food carts. Pizzamoto, Red Hook Huarache Vendors, Green Pirate
Juice Truck, and more!
Managed by Mean Red Productions, over the past two summers, BKLYN Yard has been quite the local place for music, dancing, picnics and parties, inlcudingKaiju Big Battle, Sundays Best series, AudraRox, Rooftop Films, and
more.
On the lovely banks of the Gowanus Canal,
BKLYN Yard has a seedy, commercial
landscape vibe but is also strangely bucolic with a grove of trees and boating docks
Free. All ages welcome.