All posts by louise crawford

Atlantic Yards

Times on Ratner: A Stunning Bait and Switch

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In yesterday's New York Times Nicolia Ouroussoff wrote a scathing piece about Forest City Ratner's decision to change architects on the Atlantic Yards Project. Read this excerpt from Ouroussof's harsh assessment of the situation over there, which he characterizes as a "stunning bait and switch."

Whatever you may have felt about Mr. Gehry’s design — too big, too
flamboyant — there is little doubt that it was thoughtful architecture.
His arena complex, in which the stadium was embedded in a matrix of
towers resembling falling shards of glass, was a striking addition to
the Brooklyn skyline; it was also a fervent effort to engage the life
of the city below.

A new design by the firm Ellerbe Becket has no
such ambitions. A colossal, spiritless box, it would fit more
comfortably in a cornfield than at one of the busiest intersections of
a vibrant metropolis. Its low-budget, no-frills design embodies the
crass, bottom-line mentality that puts personal profit above the public
good. If it is ever built, it will create a black hole in the heart of
a vital neighborhood.

But what’s most offensive about the design
is the message it sends to New Yorkers. Architecture, we are being
told, is something decorative and expendable, a luxury we can afford
only in good times, or if we happen to be very rich. What’s most
important is to build, no matter how thoughtless or dehumanizing the
results. It is the kind of logic that kills cities — and that has been
poisoning this one for decades.

Breakfast of candidates

Howard Dean in Park Slope: Endorses Two Candidates for the 39th City Council District

First the exciting news. Dr. Howard Dean, the man that could be credited with changing national Democratic party politics as we know it because of his grassroots presidential campaign in 2004, was in Park Slope this morning specifically to endorse Josh Skaller, a candidate for the City Council in the 39th district.

Dean, the former governor of Vermont, 2004 presidential candidate, and former Chairman of the Democratic National Committee, is currently a consultant for Democracy for America, a grassroots political organization run by his brother.

So what's the Dean/Skaller connection?

Josh Skaller worked for Howard Dean's presidential campaign and Dean felt strong about personally endorsing him. He also brought word that Democracy for America was endorsing Josh as well. That endorsement is part of a more official process as that group endorses grassroots progressive candidates all over the country.

Dean's personal endorsement is a huge boon for Skaller, who is one of the front runners in a competitive race. But there's one caveat. Brad Lander, another candidate for City Council district in the 39th also worked for Howard Dean's presidential campaign. Dean, at the press conference this morning in the temporary campaign headquarters of Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats on 10th Street just off Seventh Avenue, explained it this way: 

"I was at a party for Jerrold Nadler and I met Brad Lander and told him that I would not endorse anyone in his City Council Race. Then I found out that it was the race that Josh is in. If I was more of a research oriented person and had done my homework I wouldn't have spoken so fast. It's a delicate situation. So I'm personally going to endorse both Josh and Brad. But the Democracy for American endorsement is for Josh and Josh only. They're both good progressive candidates and no one working for them was willing to say anything about the other candidate. But the DFA chapter is here is one of the most active and we want to see progressive people run for office…"

Funny non-sequiter that followed: "People say that Obama copied us with Obama for America because we were Dean for America. But the truth is they followed us in copying Bartlet for America from The West Wing."

Breakfast of candidates

Tidbits: City Council Race (39th Endorsements)

While I was away…

Josh Skaller, candidate for City Council in the 39th was endorsed by Howard Dean, former governor of Vermont, 2004 presidential candidate, former Chairman of the Democratic National Committee and now a consultant with Democracy for America, a grassroots Democratic organization run by his brother.

A
press conference will take place at the campaign office of the Central
Brooklyn Independent Democrats (CBID), 548 10th Street (between 7th
& 8th Avenue) in Park Slope, Brooklyn at 9 am. Dr. Dean will then join
Josh Skaller at a nearby subway station to greet residents of the
neighborhood.

Skaller
was also endorsed by Assemblyman Jim Brennan, state Sen. Eric Adams, the Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats and CORD.

Here's a partial tally of the other endorsements in the 39th:

Brad Lander has a long list of endorsements, including the Working Families Party; Local
32BJ, a union; Rep. Jerry Nadler,  state Sen.
Daniel Squadron.

John Heyer has been endorsed by the Independent Neighborhood Democrats.

Bob Zuckerman has been endorsed by Assemblyman Richard Gottfried, Councilman Alan Gerson,  state Sen. Tom Duane, Assemblymembers
Jonathan Bing, Deborah Glick, Micah Kellner, Daniel O’Donnell and Matt
Titone.

Not sure about Gary Reilly. 

Tomorrow: A look at the endorsements in the 33rd.

Civics and Urban Life

I’ve Been Away…

To those who were wondering, I was away for a few days. One day in Staten Island at the Art by the Ferry event doing a reading.

Then I went upstate to my father's house.

So it's been a busy couple of days. Back to the blog…Thanks for your notes of concern and curiosity.

Scott Turner of Rocky Sullivan's

Greetings From Scott Turner: Brain Dump

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The latest from Scott Turner, Rocky Sullivan's quiz man and weekly OTBKB contributor.

Greetings, Pub Quiz Puzzlistas…

There's a lot going on, globally and locally.  David Carradine continues to be the tawdriest celebrity death since Bob Crane…the Brazilian navy is finding, then isn't finding, then is finding debris and people from the Air France crash…the Mets continue to suffer the ill-effects of wearing the color black and playing in a stadium that is everything but a baseball stadium…the final three episodes of Pushing Daisies are finally being aired — wonderful for new adventures of the Pie Maker and Dead Girl, sad that the show continues to be cancelled…and the great new Green Day album, 21st Century Breakdown.

http://www.nndb.com/people/840/000022774/david-carradine-1.jpghttp://content.answers.com/main/content/img/webpics/bob_crane.jpghttp://www.newsday.com/media/photo/2009-06/47256929.jpghttp://visualcrack.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/daisies.jpghttp://blogs.creativeloafing.com/tampacalling/files/2009/05/21stcenturybreakdowngreendayalbumcover.jpg
this little corner of News of the Day…

Oh, and the Atlantic Yards project just keeps on sinking to new depths none of us could have imagined.  It's not finished — as one wag described it, Bruce Ratner is a zombie who doesn't know he's dead.  If you want more info, see below.

This week, feast your eyes and shortly thereafter your minds on these five items:

1) The Most Unsettling Cassette Tape Ever Released:

I have this cassette in my possession, and will be making the Grand Prize of a special flash-answer Quiz Mail contest in the next few weeks.  In the meantime, mull over the cascade of bewilderments:

  • that's Lou Reed?!
  • why does an Italian record label have a nondescript shamrock for its logo?
  • is Tutto Tutto Tutto ("All All All") the best translation of "greatest hits"?
  • Who is the mysterious "David" who seems to have owned this stunning edition?
  • no…really…that's frakkin' Lou Reed?!!!

2) One of the best new blogsites in the Internet tubes is Puzzling New York.  The brainchild of Morgan Doninger, PNY is a Gotham-centric blast of quizzes, puzzles, riddles and brain-twisters geared toward Sporclists who want to dive deeper than listing the titles of every Julia Roberts movie.

Morgan's PNY picks up on an obvious construct — New York City
is so interesting, historical, nomenclatural and multi-layered that
it's the perfect endless font of fun facts and challenging
confoundments.  There are already five puzzles up, and more to come.

To this end, Rocky Sullivan's Pub Quiz is honored to have Morgan as this Thursday's Extra Special Guest Quizmaster. 
In this order, visit Puzzling New York and, on Thursday, come to
Rocky's to see the man, the puzzlarian, the legend in person — Morgan
Doninger.

3) Paul Lukas' and Kirsten Hively's wonderful research-project-cum-mystery-story-cum-museum-installation on the evasive, ghostly Candela Structures, the 1964 World's Fair's oddest remnants, is a must-see at The City Reliquary in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

postcard.jpg.jpeg

It's
one of those moments where the journey became the story.  In this case,
Paul and Kirsten's tireless pursuit of a simple quest — who designed
these little structures at the edge of the Flushing Marina.  The quest turned quixotic before finally striking paydirt at the elevenest of all hours.

The Candela Structures exhibit runs through June 28th.  Catch it while you can.

4) It's not every day that Rocky Sullivan's has a retired U.S. Army general come to speak about the Bush Administration's policies on torture — never mind comparing those abhorrent practices to the British government's disgraceful tactics against Irish republicans during the 30 years of war in the north of Ireland.

It's not every day, but it's one day — this Wednesday, June 10th.  The O'Donovan Rossa Society, which meets every second Wednesday of the month, presents Brigadier General (Ret.) James Cullen, speaking on State Terrorism, From Torture to Murder from Abu Ghraib to Castlereagh.   The talk begins at 7:30, free admission, and all are welcome and encouraged to attend.  Here's the press-release:

Brigadier General Ret. Cullen will discuss
lessons learned from the torture/enhanced
interrogation methods used in Iraq
and Guantánamo under the Bush Administration. He will draw parallels with the
experience of Iraqi detainees under Cheney/Rumsfeld policies and interrogation
methods used during the height of the recent conflict in Northern Ireland,
drawing out the lessons learned from the murder of Irish Human Rights Lawyer’s
Pat Finucane and Rosemary Nelson, both of whom died at the hands of state
sponsored death squads.

 

James Cullen was part of a group of retired Generals
and Admirals who lobbied all of the candidates during the 2008 Presidential
elections to put a halt to the use of torture in Iraq,
Afghanistan
and at Guantánamo. He was an invited guest in the Oval Office of the White
House when President Obama signed the executive orders to stop the use of
torture in January 2009. James P Cullen is a retired Brigadier General in the
United States Army Judge Advocate General's Corp, and last served as the Chief Judge
of the U.S. Army Court of Criminal Appeals. He has also served as
Secretary/Treasurer of the New York Construction Industry Disaster Relief Fund.
In 1980, Mr. Cullen became the founding president of the Brehon Law Society,
working closely with the late Paul O'Dwyer and other civil rights attorneys on
cases related to the conflict in Northern Ireland. He currently
heads the real estate and construction department of Anderson Kill and Olick,
and was the subject of a recent New York Times feature by Jim Dwyer on
January 29, 2009, entitled, “An Honor Guard Comes Out for Obama’s Ban on
Torture”.

5) Last, but certainly not least, a  message from Develop Don't Destroy Brooklyn:

Atlantic Yards is not dead, which is why we are holding Tuesday's meeting.

It's
Crunch Time: The coming months of 2009 will be the most critical time
in the nearly 6-year old fight against Atlantic Yards. The approval
process will be re-opened, the political environment will change, and
the clock will continue ticking on the developer's plans.

It's
time for all hands on deck so we can all succeed in defeating Atlantic
Yards and moving forward with responsible, community-based development
over the Vanderbilt Rail Yards.

DDDB Community Meeting with Updates on the Fight and Planning for Action:
Status Report, Planning, Q&A and Discussion

June 9. 7pm.
Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church
85 South Oxford Street
Fort Greene

With:
Councilmember Letitia James
DDDB Board Member and Pratt Professor Ron Shiffman
DDDB Co-founder Daniel Goldstein
and invited guests

We look forward to seeing you there.

Music

OTBKB Music: Celebrate Brooklyn Opens Tonight with David Byrne

David_byrne Tonight, Celebrate Brooklyn opens its 31st season with David Byrne. 
This is earlier than in the past, and Celebrate Brooklyn will take next
week off.  But this is a world class event for an extremely reasonable
price at the Prospect Park Bandshell.

The show is not only music but dance as well.  The performers are:

David Byrne: Voice/guitar
Mark Degli Antoni: Keys      
Paul Frazier: Bass
Mauro Refosco: Percussion
Graham Hawthorne: Drums

BG VOX
Kaïssa
Redray Frazier
Jenni Muldaur

DANCERS
Lily Baldwin
Natalie Kuhn
Steven Reker

I've taken a look at the set lists from a few of David's shows last
week and I see that there has been a nice mix of songs from David's
recent album with Eno, Everything That Happens Will Happen Today and
favorites from The Talking Heads as well.  There's even a chance that a
song from David's first collaboration with Eno, My Life in the Bush of
Ghosts will show up.  But as they say, past performance is no guarantee
of future results, so we'll see what David and company have up their
sleeves for Brooklyn.

David Byrne, Celebrate Brooklyn, Prospect Park Bandshell, gates open
6:30, show at 8:00pm; Note: Enter 8th Avenue and 11th Street.

 –Eliot Wagner

Postcard from the Slope

What’s the Purpose of this Saturday’s Recession Survival Fair?

This Saturday's Recession Survival Fair, a non-profit community service event meant to  assist Brooklyn and New York City residents in tackling the
challenges springing from the economic recession, is certainly a timely event.

Very timely. Figures released today show that the unemployment rate has hit 9.4% (the good news is that job losses have slowed).

Organized by Brooklyn for Barack in association with The Stuyvesant Heights Parents Association, the Fair takes place on Saturday, June 6, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Mount Lebanon Baptist Church, 230 Decatur St. (near Lewis Ave.) in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn

So what is it?

Attendees will have
free access to important information and professional help on a range
of relevant topics, including healthcare, food and nutrition, job
search, debt and personal finance, and tenants’ rights and foreclosure.


And who is it meant to serve?

Ellen Enders, one of the organizers behind the Recession Survival Fair, came up with three
hypotheticals (based on people she knows) of people the fair could
help.

A freelance graphic designer from East
Williamsburg who is underemployed now and who has no health insurance,
is having trouble paying bills now and has diabetes.
We can help him with free fitness resources, resources
specifically for diabetes care, a source to help w/ prescriptions, some
budgeting advice, nutrition info for diabetes, prescreening for food
stamp eligibility, and advice on how to negotiate and prioritize his
bills as well as maybe some job hunting tips or business start up
resources.
A 56 year old woman was laid off this fall as an
accountant at a financial firm.  She's worked there her whole life.
 She has lost a significant amount of her retirement savings.  Her
emergency fund is gone.  She is dipping into her retirement savings.
 She has stopped paying for COBRA to save money so no longer has health
insurance.  She is losing weight because she is depressed and worried.
 She is sending her resume out but is not getting any calls.  She is
overwhelmed.  

We can help her with counseling support resources,
Medicare/Medicaid or healthcare resources for uninsured.  We have lists
of classes she can take about eating healthfully on a budget and she
can get pre-screened for food stamps.  We will have financial counselors
there who can sit with her privately and come up with a plan of attack.
 We have resources for resume and cover letter classes as well as
information about social networking for work and finding a job in the
internet age.  She can find out about jobs of the future in NYC and
focus her job search at companies in those sectors.  In addition, we
are setting up a bartering system so that she can exchange her
accounting skills for yoga classes.

A 43 year old man who is working but whose hours
have been cut back by his company has a house in foreclosure.  He has
accumulated some credit card debt since his work hours were cut back
and he has lost some of his retirement savings.  His mother lives with
him and his family and she is suffering from the aftereffects of a
stroke.  His wife is trying to go back to work but they have two young
children.  None of them have health insurance.
We can help him with both legal help for his foreclosure as well
as private financial counseling to straighten out his debt and get a
savings plan in place.  He can attend our debt and credit repair
presentation and our panel discussion about foreclosures.  We have
resources for eldercare, and information about stroke.  We have
counselors who can help the family find a combination of health
insurance resources that suit them.  We can help his wife with job
search information and childcare resources so she can go back to work
and help with the family financial crisis.

Religion

Saint Saviour Parents Continue to Protest at the Diocese

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Saint Saviour Elementary School parents protesting the decision by their pastor, Father Daniel Murphy, not to renew the contract of James Flanagan, their popular, longtime principal, held a peaceful protest in front of the Diocese of Brooklyn's
office located at 310 Prospect Park West today even though Bishop DiMarzio wasn't there.

The Bishop was scheduled to attend a meeting at the Diocese but it was cancelled because of the  funeral of police officer Omar Edwards, which he was attending.

According to a parent who was at the protest,  parents were "warmly greeted" by the Diocese employees as well as the employees of The Tablet, the Diocese of
Brooklyn's newspaper which is also located there.

Interestingly, a reporter for The Tablet interviewed several of the parents; they were told that The Tablet will run a story on the controversy.

Saint Savour alumni and
parishioners intend to continue to bring their protest to the steps
of the Diocese, at its locations at Greene Street and on Prospect Park West. It is still the hope of the parents that Bishop DiMarzio will eventually decide to meet with the parents and confirm
whether he, in fact, was responsible for Mr. Flanagan's non-renewal as part
of his vision for the future of parish schools.

 
One parent who emailed me has doubts that Bishop DiMarzio had anything to do with the
decision concerning Mr. Flanagan. " I believe Fr. Murphy has now
decided to claim it was all part of Bishop DiMarzio's decision given the
serious backlash he has received in his Parish, which has come not only from the parents,
but from many of our older parishioners as well.  I don't believe
the idea of casting someone aside simply because you believe
they are too old and, as it appears Father Murphy has done, has been
taken well by them."

.

Music

OTBKB Music: Care Bears on Fire at The Library

P6040052 When I was in Austin at the South By Southwest festival last year, I
made sure I caught Care Bears on Fire, as the Park Slope band was the
closest thing to a home team for me.  So of course I took a walk over
to the Central Branch of The Brooklyn Public Library Thursday afternoon to
catch Care Bears on Fire again at the Library's "Block Party."  The
audience consisted mostly of parents, sitters and nursery
school-aged kids.  But given the hour, 3:30, I guess you'd have to
expect that.

Since the last time I saw them, the band has had a change in members,
with former bassist Lucio leaving over differences in musical
direction.  CBOF is now an all-girl trio with Jena (bass) joining
Sophie (guitar) and Izzy (drums).  But once I heard them, any thought
that CBOF were consciously trying to be The Runaways (or The Bangles or
The Go-Gos) went right out the window.

The set was short.  But there were a few new songs in it.  A couple of
times a 60s pop riff showed up in a new song, but then Sophie turned
back toward Johnny Ramone land.  Those new songs will be on a new album, Get Over It, coming out July 14.

********
I had a recommendation for tomorrow, but the artist canceled the gig at the last minute.

 –Eliot Wagner

real estate

Develop Don’t Destroy On Ratner’s Decision to “Dump Gehry”

In a press release from Develop Don't Destroy Brooklyn about the latest news that Forest City Ratner has decided to replace architect Frank Gehry with Ellerbe Becket on the Atlantic Yards project. Daniel Goldstein, a spokesman for the group calls for Governor Paterson to take control of the situation. "Then,
finally, stakeholders and our elected officials can work together with
multiple developers to construct affordable housing and reasonable
density over the Vanderbilt Rail Yards. The community has the plan—the
Unity Plan—and its viability and public benefits are light years ahead
of the zombie project known as Atlantic Yards." Here's an excerpt from that press release:

Nearly all of the purported public benefits of the project have disappeared or dwindled to nearly nothing over the past year:

> With the focus on the arena, the "affordable" housing is barely
still in the picture, with the number of units and income levels
unknown and financing non-existent.

> The world class, one-of-a-kind Frank Gehry arena is now gone.

> The office jobs and their projected revenue are gone, as there are no plans to build the office tower.

> The so-called "urban room," a glorified lobby at the base of the
office tower and entrance to the arena, touted as a great public
amenity will not come to fruition without the office tower and with the
new hangar-like arena design.

> Last week the Independent Budget Office (IBO) testified that the arena would be a money-loser for NYC.

> Purported "blight" would be replaced with the real blight of Ratner's demolished properties and parking lots.

real estate

Ratner Drops Gehry Design; New Stadium Design by Ellerbe Becket

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Bruce Ratner has decided to remove Frank Gehry as the architect of the Nets Arena for his Atlantic Yards Project. Instead he has selected Ellerbe Becket, a Kansas City, MO architect, whose design will cost $200 million less than the Gehry project, which was going to cost $1 billion. For in-depth analysis go to Atlantic Yards Report.


Above: old Gehry design; below: Ellerbe Becket stadium design

real estate

Breaking: Dock Street Tower Approved by City Council Committee

Huh? Wha? Really?

So much for honoring the sanctity of one of the greatest bridges in the world. And all for a condo tower. Yeesh.

The Brooklyn Paper reports that the City Council’s land-use committee voted 17–4 to support Walentas’s
request for a rezoning on his Dock Street site so that he could build a
300-unit tower — which includes a public middle school and scores of
units set aside as below-market-rate rentals.

The project is heavily opposed by many  DUMBO community members, politicians, celebrities and even David McCullough, the author of "The Great Bridge: The Epic Story of the Building of the Brooklyn Bridge." Opponentts, who have quite passionate in their opposition, claim that the tower will forever ruin views of the bridge which has been called a work of art. Here from the Brooklyn Paper.

Others like the Brooklyn Paper say that the tower will obscure few views of the Brooklyn Bridge.

City Councilmember David Yassky opposed the building of the tower and Borough President Markowitz called for a thinner tower. Here from the Brooklyn Paper:

"The decision to support the project was a rare instance when a
council committee opted not to defer to the wishes of the local member,
in this case, project opponent Yassky.

It would be equally rare if the full Council, which is expected to
vote on the development next week, overturns such an overwhelming
committee vote."

Civics and Urban Life

Fifth Avenue Record and Tape Center Moving to New Location Nearby

According to the NY Daily News, the Fifth Avenue Record and Tape Center on Fifth Avenue near 9th Street has a stay of execution. Sort of. At the end of June owner Tony Mignon will be evicted from his old location and will move to a new and smaller space just three doors down from his current spot at 439 Fifth Ave, where he's been for 38 years.

Nice ending to what could have been another stupid eviction story. And the records live on.

Civics and Urban Life

Friday June 5: Jazz at the Old Stone House

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Looking for something to do this Friday night?How about a little night music at the Old Stone House? Jazz music, that is.

That's right. It's First Friday Jazz (the last of the season)
Featuring Charles Sibirsky on piano
Gary Levy on alto sax
Dan Shuman on bass
Michael Petrosino on drums
8 pm. 
$12, drinks and snacks available

And while you're there, check out Hugh Crawford's show of photos, Essence and Accident.

ART

BAM’s Next Wave Festival Line-Up Announced

MMFroman.570x380 BAM's Next Wave Festival returns
for its 27th season with quite a line-up of contemporary
performance, artist talks, literature, film, and visual art.

There are some familiar artists at this festival as well as new ones and unexpected European celebrities, including Juliette Binoche in In-I and Isabelle Huppert in Quartett, participating in this festival dedicated
to presenting "emerging artists at the forefront of their disciplines
alongside modern masters who continue to innovate, this year's Next
Wave is packed with adventurous art for adventurous audiences."

Here's what popped out at me:

In-I directed and performed by Juliette Binoche and Akram Khan: Sep 15, 17—19, 22—26

Songs of Acension by Meredith Monk and Ann Hamilton: Oct. 21-25

Itutu by Karole Armitage Gone! Dance: Nov. 4-7

Quartett by by Heiner Müller, Odéon-Théâtre de l'Europe, Conceived and directed by Robert Wilson: Nov. 4-, 10-14

Inside Out by Cirkus Cirkör, Live music by Irya's Playground, directed By Tilde Björfors: Nov 12 -14

Really Real choreographed and directed by Wally Cardona with live music performed by Brooklyn Youth Chorus: Nov 17 & 19—21

Kepler by Philip Glass, an opera about Johannes Kepler (1571—1630), a founding father of modern science who discovered the laws of planetary motion: Nov 18, 20 & 21

Breakfast of candidates

Tidbits: City Council Race (Petitioning Phase)

Starting June 9th Democratic City Council candidates all over the city will begin "petitioning." That means they're getting out there to get the required number of names that they need to be on September's 15th primary ballot.

It all starts next week and the candidates are gonna be busy. You will probably be seeing some of these candidates on the streets of your neighborhood. Some are having petitioning parties and special events.

Keep in mind you can only sign one petition. If you want to support Green Party candidate David Pechefsky's right to be on the ballot in the general election, you will have to wait to sign his petition in July.

The petitioning period is a good chance to eyeball the candidates. You can talk to them and get a feeling for who they are.

Go to the candidates websites to find out where they're going to be next week. To find their websites, google their names and you'll find their website.

39th candidates: John Heyer, Brad Lander, David Pechefsky (Green Party petitioning in July), Gary Reilly, Josh Skaller, Bob Zuckerman, (Green Party).

33rd candidates: Issac Abraham, Ken Baer, Doug Biviano, Ken Diamondstone, Jo Anne Simon, Even Thies.

Breakfast of candidates

Councilwoman Tish James at Edwards Funeral in Bed-Stuy

Democratic Brooklyn City Councilwoman Lettia James attended Omar Edwards' funeral in Bed Stuy. She told a reporter for the New York Times (published on City Room):

“My heart is very, very heavy,” Councilwoman Letitia James, a
Brooklyn Democrat and a civil rights lawyer told the Times. “There is a collective
sigh in central Brooklyn.”

She added, “There’s no way we can ignore the issue of race: It’s got to be confronted.”

Postcard from the Slope

Park Slope’s Steven Johnson Pens Time Twitter Cover Story

 Images Park Slope's Steven Berlin Johnson, the author of 6 books including The Invention of Air, Everything Bad is Good for You and Ghost Wars, has a story about Twitter in this week's Time Magazine. He is also the founder of outside.in, a local news web network.

How do I know? He twittered me about the article this morning.

"I've written this week's Time Cover story about how Twitter is changing the way we live and showing us the future of innovation. Buy a copy."

He followed up with this tweet:

"Here's the twist: that last tweet about the Time cover story "is" the cover of Time this week. Wrap your head around that!"

In the article he writes,

This is what I ultimately find most inspiring about the Twitter
phenomenon. We are living through the worst economic crisis in
generations, with apocalyptic headlines threatening the end of
capitalism as we know it, and yet in the middle of this chaos, the
engineers at Twitter headquarters are scrambling to keep the servers
up, application developers are releasing their latest builds, and
ordinary users are figuring out all the ingenious ways to put these
tools to use. There's a kind of resilience here that is worth savoring.
The weather reports keep announcing that the sky is falling, but here
we are — millions of us — sitting around trying to invent new ways to
talk to one another.


Postcard from the Slope

Help Emily’s Brother David Brundige Make a Park Slope Comedy Film

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A woman by the name of Emily Brundige, an animation artist and blogger, is sending around an email to Park Slopers because her brother David Brundige is trying to raise funds to make
his first feature film, which takes place in Park Slope and is called "The Prospects."

This is a Park Slope story, folks. And maybe a movie worth supporting.

Filmmaker David Brundige says that he has  "infused
this movie with all that I love about Park Slope, and the story of
romance and friendship that comes with it is derived from that deformed
funny bone lodged in my heart."

Making a Park Slope film served two purposes for the filmmaker: "First, there were a hundred things
from which to draw and inform our movie; fascinating scenarios,
settings and people were abundant. The second benefit is that we knew
the streets, as it were. This meant that shooting would be easier as we
procured locations and recruited local faces to appear in the film.
Containing the movie in Park Slope meant limiting the number of
locations, and their proximity to one another assured smoother company
moves-all boons for filmaking on a budget."

According to Brundige, her brother, who grew up in Los Angeles, is an incredibly gifted screenwriter and director, and she's been watching him
make ingenious short films and videos since he was in high school. 

To help Brundige make his movie, you can decide to pre-purchase a DVD for $25 (which will help fund
the film), donate less if you can't afford the $25, or if you happen to
be in a good position to donate more, you can donate over $25 and
recieve special bonus perks.

Here is Emily's brother David in his own words on his website.

The idea to make a feature film on a shoestring budget
came to us a few years ago, when I was already two years into my search
for investors for my $5M project called Kidnap the Princess. Jeremy
Weissman, Charlie Hewson and I were living together at 465 13th Street
in Park Slope, Brooklyn, and were inspired by the neighborhood around
us, especially during the summer. For me, having grown up in L.A., Park
Slope epitomized that "neighborhood feel," as Charlie, Jeremy and I
became friendly with many neighbors, store clerks, and waitresses who
saw us every day.

Making a movie about this
rich area served a double purpose. First, there were a hundred things
from which to draw and inform our movie; fascinating scenarios,
settings and people were abundant. The second benefit is that we knew
the streets, as it were. This meant that shooting would be easier as we
procured locations and recruited local faces to appear in the film.
Containing the movie in Park Slope meant limiting the number of
locations, and their proximity to one another assured smoother company
moves-all boons for filmmaking on a budget.

What
has taken so long to get to this point is not the laboring over a
script, nor the fact that I moved back to L.A. a year and a half ago.
For me, it was $5M that has been dangled in front of my face over and
over again by potential investors for Kidnap the Princess, an amount
that would mean an instant rocket boost onto "the map." As phony
investors and bad deals came and went, I fell into a perpetual cycle of
finding part-time jobs that would allow me to pay rent and go to
meetings, talk to lawyers, and get investment packets together at the
drop of a hat. I managed to stay away from Top Ramen, but I did scrape
my knee on the poverty line. The last deal that fell through this March
with a top Hollywood producer was the proverbial last straw.

The
past five years have been emotionally draining on my self-confidence as
a filmmaker and on my general development into becoming the person I
want to be. Filmmaking is so tied into who I am and how I perceive
myself, that not making films has been, let's just say, hard. I don't
mean to depress you, only to help you see why making this film means so
much to me, and why it has to be filmed right now.

One
other reason for the film's urgency is that 465 13th Street, the
brownstone that we shared as friends and that Charlie has now lived in
for five years, is being sold by its owners. The next two months will
be our last chance to use it for filming, as we had always planned. It
is now or never for this film.

I have infused
this movie with all that I love about Park Slope, and the story of
romance and friendship that comes with it is derived from that deformed
funny bone lodged in my heart. I hope you'll decide the DVD is worth
your $25 and that you might help push this film over the edge by
donating more.

All money raised will go into
making the film. If we raise in excess of $25,000, the extra funding
will be used to entice a name star to appear in the film. Some hopefuls
are Sophie Okonedo, Paula Patton, and Meghan Good to play Cherise, and
Laura Linney or Patricia Clarkson to play the old man's daughter.
Thanks for reading and thanks even more for caring.

– David

Civics and Urban Life

Funeral for Omar Edwards in Bed-Stuy This Morning

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Hundreds will fill the Our Lady of Victory Church, a Bed-Stuy congregation, for the funeral of the
25-year-old Omar Edwards, the police officer who was mistakenly killed by a fellow officer.

According to WNYC, police officers are lining the streets five deep for many blocks.

Loudspeakers will be set up outside the church which seats 800 people to accommodate the people who don't fit inside.

Mayor Bloomberg, bearing a detective's gold shield for Edwards' family, will eulogize Edwards. The posthumous promotion will enable Edwards' family to receive a pension based on a detectives salary of $104,000 up from $41,000.

A week ago Officer Edwards was shot to death in Harmlem by another police officer who mistook him for a perpetrator.

Edwards, whose car had been burglarized outside his Harlem stationhouse, ran after the perpetrator, a drug addict, with his gun drawn. The chase attracted the attention of three cops, including Officer Dunton. 

According to witnesses, Edwards
turned toward Officer Dunton with his gun in hand. Unaware that Edwards was a cop, Dunton fired three times, killing
him.

Civics and Urban Life

Obama’s Speech in Cairo: “All of us share this world for but a brief moment in time”

Here is an excerpt from the momentous speech that Barack Obama made this morning at Cairo University.  For the full text go here.

All of us share this world for but a brief moment in time. The
question is whether we spend that time focused on what pushes us apart,
or whether we commit ourselves to an effort – a sustained effort _ to
find common ground, to focus on the future we seek for our children,
and to respect the dignity of all human beings.

It is easier to
start wars than to end them. It is easier to blame others than to look
inward; to see what is different about someone than to find the things
we share. But we should choose the right path, not just the easy path.
There is also one rule that lies at the heart of every religion – that
we do unto others as we would have them do unto us. This truth
transcends nations and peoples – a belief that isn't new; that isn't
black or white or brown; that isn't Christian, or Muslim or Jew. It's a
belief that pulsed in the cradle of civilisation, and that still beats
in the heart of billions. It's a faith in other people, and it's what
brought me here today.

We have the power to make the world we
seek, but only if we have the courage to make a new beginning, keeping
in mind what has been written.

The Holy Koran tells u: "O
mankind! We have created you male and a female; and we have made you
into nations and tribes so that you may know one another."

The Talmud tells us: "The whole of the Torah is for the purpose of promoting peace."

The Holy Bible tells us: "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God."

The
people of the world can live together in peace. We know that is God's
vision. Now, that must be our work here on Earth. Thank you. And may
God's peace be upon you.

Postcard from the Slope

Saturday: Recession Survival Fair in Bed-Stuy

Norm Elrod runs the blog, Jobless and Less, a blog for the employmentally challenged, where he writes about his current experiences with unemployment. He is also helping out with this Saturday's Recession Survival Fair in Bed-Stuy, which is being organized by Brooklyn for Barack in association with the Stuyvesant Heights Parents Association.

The
Recession Survival Fair will be a non-partisan community service event
to assist Brooklyn and New York City residents in tackling the
challenges springing from the economic recession.

Attendees will have
free access to important information and professional help on a range
of relevant topics, including healthcare, food and nutrition, job
search, debt and personal finance, and tenants’ rights and foreclosure.

DKMS, the world's largest bone marrow donor center, will also be
conducting a drive for potential donor matches. All help will be
provided free of charge, although participants will also be invited to
offer their own expertise to the community in exchange. Here are the
particulars…

Who: Brooklyn for Barack (http://www.brooklynforbarack.org; 718-757-8572) in association with The Stuyvesant Heights Parents Association

What:
Recession Survival Fair, to provide professional info and help to
Brooklyn and New York City residents hurt by the economic recession

When: Saturday, June 6, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Where: Mount Lebanon Baptist Church, 230 Decatur St. (near Lewis Ave.) in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn

How: Subway: A, C to Utica Ave; Bus: B15 to Bainbridge Street; B25, B26 to Lewis Avenue; B43, B46 to MacDonough Street.

Religion

Saint Saviour Controversy: Murphy Says He Was Just Carrying Out Bishop DiMarzio’s Vision

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Today an interesting new twist to the Saint Saviour Elementary School controversy:

Although many Saint Saviour Elementary School parents, alumni and parishioners were under the impression that their Pastor, Fr.  Murphy, was solely responsible for the decision not to renew the contract of James Flanagan,
principal of their elementary school, some parents now believe that he was acting on orders from Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio, the
head of the Archdiocese of Brooklyn. 

In an article in today's Brooklyn Eagle, Fr. Murphy told BE reporter Mary Frost that in his decision not to renew Mr. Flanagan's contract he was just carrying out
Bishop DiMarzio’s long-term vision for the Diocese, a called Preserving the
Vision.

 “We need a principal with the leadership skills that look towards the
future…Principal Flanagan has done a superb job, but things
are changing. We need a principal with the vision for that change, so
we can implement Bishop DiMarzio’s plan well. This doesn’t just apply
to St. Saviour, this applies to all the schools in the Diocese…St. Saviour is
a strong school now, and it’s going to remain strong. The principal is
changing, but nothing else is changing. It’s a significant change, but
the only change," Fr. Murphy is quoted as saying.

It is still unclear whether orders to dismiss James Flanagan came from the Bishop or whether Father Murphy was just interpreting the Bishop's edict.

Some Saint Saviour's parents now believe that it was a direct order from the Bishop. But  Father Kieran Harrington, spokesperson for the Brooklyn Diocese disputes that interpretation. “We
try to facilitate the process but every decision is made at the local
level. The person who makes the decisions is Father Murphy. He hires,
he fires. He signs all the contracts for the parish. We don’t even set
salaries," he told the Brooklyn Eagle.

Sounds like everyone is shifting the blame. It will be interesting to see if the parents take their protest straight to the Bishop now. 



Postcard from the Slope

Kensington Post Office Gets Self-Service Machines

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After years of complaints about the inadequacy of the Kensington Post Office, the US Post Office finally did something about it.

This densely populated Brooklyn neighborhood, like Park Slope (but I think their problem may be worse) has endured long lines and much exasperation about the workings of their local post office.

So today's big news: the post office at 419 Mcdonald Avenue in Kensington was recently equipped with an Automated Postal Center (APC).

Oh gosh. Is it like that automatic check out at the Key Food with a voice and everything or is more like an ATM. Hopefully the latter.

The APC is a self-service machine designed to assist customers in 85% of the possible retail transactions, including mail priority and express letters and packages as well as purchase stamps and request delivery confirmations.

Okay. That sounds very hopeful. I hope the machines are as good as they say. City Council Member Bill deBlasio's sent out this announcement:

"High foot traffic has long been a problem at the Kensington post office.  It is not uncommon for lines to reach the door, causing frustration for patrons.  The APC, it is hoped, will alleviate this pressure and allow the post office as a whole to provide efficient service to more satisfied customers."

Okay. Let's see if machines can fix the problem. 

Buy Local

June 21: Seventh Heaven Street Fair

I just got word that the Park Slope Chamber of Commerce is offering a special deal for Seventh Heaven for vendors who become members of the Chamber. 

For vendors who want to get an optimum "spot" in the fair for free (one of the perks of membership!) you must send in your membership form to the Park Slope Chamber of Commerce indicating that you want your spot, by this Friday, June 5th! 

Forms can be obtained by emailing Catherine Bohne  (cat_bohne@yahoo.com) or calling the Park Slope Chamber at 718.303.4364. 

Completed forms can be dropped off (with your check!) at the Park Slope Copy Shop, marked Attention Bob Kalb. The Chamber is also developing a "Gonzo marketing Ploy" to make their street fair unique and gain extra attention for local business. Stay tuned.