Photographer Tom Martinez left Brooklyn for a few days and came back with this picture of a tiger at the Miami Metro Zoo. Tom writes, "The tiger eyes its prey, an annoying paparazzi."
Today's headline comes from the first stanza of William Blake's poem.
The Tyger
Tyger! Tyger! burning bright,
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?
When Hepcat's COBRA ended, we were in dire need of a reasonably priced health insurance plan. After quite a bit of agonizing and research, we signed on for Freelancers Union Health Insurance.
So far, so good.
Today I got this note from the FU about the New York Observer, which is reportedly having such a tough time paying their bills that they've stopped paying freelancers.
As afreelancer I know, we're often the last to be paid—or the first to be stiffed when times get tough. So the Freelancers Union is asking their membership to make a stink.
Contract writers have been
stonewalled by the paper's payroll department after months of
non-payment. And it's evidently not the first time they've left freelancers in the lurch.
Style Editor Nancy Butkus said it best herself: "What I'm being asked to do is immoral." We couldn't agree more.
But it isn't Nancy's fault. This kind of behavior gets instituted from
the top, and that's why Freelancers Union is committed to making sure
freelancers get paid for the work they do.
The Department of Labor really should institute protections for
freelancers, just like W-2 employees have. But let's tackle the issue
from both ends. Send a message to the newspaper that it's not okay to
balance its budget on the backs of independent workers.
Click here to tell the New York Observer to pay its freelancers on time, every time.
Best,
Althea Erickson
Senior Manager of Advocacy and Policy
If you don't see much on OTBKB today it's because I am sick. Just trying to be okay…
They sounded familiar but I thought it was a band.
Turns out its a sketch comedy group with a hit television show on IFC. We don't get cable so sue me.
Why am I doing this? I'm not really sure but I like the word "free."
I've
never seen their act so I can't say whether they're funny or not. I
just figured maybe some OTBKB readers are into the show.
For
the uninitiated, TWKUK is made up of Trevor, Zach, Sam, Darren and
Timmy and they take on the culture's fascination with celebs,
infomercials, office culture and potty hurmor.
From the sounds of it they are debauched and depraved. Want free tickets? Don't bring the kid.
Pertinent
facts: The third season of the the show is currently on IFC on Tuesdays
at 10 pm. They are on the road for their first ever World Tour. They've
got a movie coming out called Miss March.
There are also tickets for tonight's show.
louise_crawford(at)yahoo(dot)com
On your mark, get set, MEMOIR!
Brooklyn Reading Works presents the annual Memoir-A-Thon. Curator Branka Ruzak has gathered together a stellar group of memoirists, whose work touches on: incest, teenage psychiatric incarceration, an AIDS sanitorium in Cuba and more,
Robert Goolrick reads from "a blistering family memoir of a life deformed."
Mindy Lewis writes in honest, unflinching prose of a teenage stay on a psychiatric ward.
Elena Schwolsky shares her experience working in an AIDS Sanitorium in Cuba.
Erica Silberman gives us nuts in her pockets and tissue up her sleeve.
Robert Goolrick is the author of The End of the World As We Know It, described by the New York Times, as "a blistering family memoir." His novel A Reliable Wife, will published by Algonquin Book on April 7th. He worked for many years in advertising and lives in NYC.
Mindy Lewis is the author of Life Inside: A Memoir (Washington Square
Press), named a 2003 Book of the Year by the American Journal of Nursing and
an ELLE "Must Read". She is also the editor of Dirt The Quirks, Habits and
Passions of Keeping House, forthcoming from Seal Press this spring. Her
essays have been published in Newsweek, Lilith, Poets & Writers, and Body &
Soul magazines. She teaches at The Writer¹s Voice of the Westside YMCA, and
has also taught at Brooklyn College and the Metropolitan Center of Empire
State College/SUNY.
Elena Schwolsky public health educator in NYC who is writing a memoir
about her experience working in an AIDS Sanatorium in Havana, Cuba in the
mid 90's. Elena spent ten years on the frontlines of the AIDS epidemic as a
pediatric nurse in Newark, NJ. When her husband died of AIDS in 1990, she
found her voice in writing and began to explore the intersection of her
personal and professional experience. In 2001, Elena was honored with an
award for her writing from the Barbara Dane/Money for Women Fund.
Erica Silberman reads from her collection of essays, Nuts in My Pockets,
Tissues Up My Sleeve. She is a playwright, essayist, and screenwriter. She has written
sixteen times for theAtrainplays, a twenty-four hour theatre project. Her
plays have been produced or developed at The Ensemble Studio Theatre, New
World Stages, Playwrights Horizon, the Stonington Opera House, and the
Metropolitan Playhouse. She is published in Teachers and Writers, and will
be published in Playscripts, and Sunday Salon 'zine. Erica has been featured
on NPR's PRI. She is a mentor at Girls Write Now and the co-president of The
New York Coalition of Professional Women in the Arts & Media.
The Where and When
Thursday March 12th at 8 p.m.
Fifth Avenue and Third Street
Here's an excerpt from the Brookyn Paper's breaking story:
Sorry to tell my colleagues in the media, but Tuesday night’s
meeting of the Park Slope Food Co-op did not turn into the anti-Israel
paroxysm you all wanted.
Last week,
I became the lone journalist (in the nation, it appeared) who reported
the truth that the famously liberal, member’s-only supermarket on Union
Street was NOT — I repeat, not — considering a ban on Israeli-made or
-grown products.
All this talk of a ban — whipped up first by the Jewish Forward and
then repeated (like a blood libel?) around the world by bloggers who
seem to regard the 16,000-member market as some kind of anti-Israel
hotbed rather than a great place for hothouse tomatoes — stemmed from a
single stray comment by a woman at last month’s meeting.
“I don’t know whether or not we carry Israeli products,” said the
woman, who identified herself as Hima, “but I propose that we no longer
carry them.”
Of course, but that’s now how it works at America’s largest,
member-run food cooperative. Stray comments at a Park Slope Food Co-op
general meeting don’t become Co-op law until — and please believe me
because I know this from personal experience — extensive debate,
discussion and more mudslinging than at an organic composting facility.
And that’s just to get the item on the AGENDA for an upcoming
meeting! You should have seen the battle over selling beer! An earlier
proposal to sell meat nearly ended in murder (of humans, not cattle)!
Alas, the above fact didn’t matter to America’s blogosphere, which
ran with the story that the Co-op was considering a blockade of Israel,
from which it buys some persimmons and red peppers.
They sounded familiar but I thought it was a band.
Turns out its a sketch comedy group with a hit television show on IFC. We don't get cable so sue me.
Why am I doing this? I'm not really sure but I like the word "free."
I've never seen their act so I can't say whether they're funny or not. I just figured maybe some OTBKB readers are into the show.
For the uninitiated, TWKUK is made up of Trevor, Zach, Sam, Darren and Timmy and they take on the culture's fascination with celebs, infomercials, office culture and potty hurmor.
From the sounds of it they are debauched and depraved. Want free tickets? Don't bring the kid.
Pertinent facts: The third season of the the show is currently on IFC on Tuesdays at 10 pm. They are on the road for their first ever World Tour. They've got a movie coming out called Miss March.
There are also tickets for tonight's show.
louise_crawford(at)yahoo(dot)com
Go and take a sneak listem over at NPR.org to Neko Case's new album. Finally. It sounds awesome.
Follow link below to see the online version of this picture, which has Facebook style tags on it with identifying names. In the Times.
This article is so cool. I didn't know Eric Demby, of the Brooklyn Flea, looked like that.
"These days, with a kitchen and a bit of
ambition, you can start to make a name for yourself in Brooklyn. The
borough has become an incubator for a culinary-minded generation whose
idea of fun is learning how to make something delicious and finding a
way to sell it.
"These Brooklynites, most in their 20s and 30s,
are hand-making pickles, cheeses and chocolates the way others form
bands and artists’ collectives. They have a sense of community and an
appreciation for traditional methods and flavors. They also share an
aesthetic that’s equal parts 19th and 21st century, with a taste for
bold graphics, salvaged wood and, for the men, scruffy beards.
"Rick
Mast, 32, said he and his brother were initially attracted to the
borough because it was cheaper than Manhattan. “But now I think the
real draw is the creativity,” he said. “In Brooklyn, to be into food is
do it yourself, to get your hands dirty, to roll up your sleeves. You
want to peek in the kitchen in the back, as opposed to being served in
the front.”
"Gabrielle Langholtz, the editor of Edible Brooklyn,
which chronicles the borough’s food scene, said it has grown along with
the arrival of what she calls the “new demographic.”
"“It’s that
guy in the band with the big plastic glasses who’s already asking for
grass-fed steak and knows about nibs,” Ms. Langholtz said.
"“Ten
years ago all of these people hadn’t moved to Brooklyn yet,” she added,
comparing Brooklyn today to Berkeley in the 1970s. “There’s a
relationship to food that comes with that approach to the universe,”
Ms. Langholtz said. “Every person you pass has read Michael Pollan, every person has thought about joining a raw milk club, and if they haven’t made ricotta, they want to.”"
Onward & Upward
One train's automated
Say MTA releases
With more to follow suit
Just like fare increases.
I just heard from Alison, one of the organizers of the new Park Slope Schoolhouse with more news about the school formerly known as the Berkeley Carroll Child Care Center
The
organizing group consists of past and present parents who wanted to save a program that has been operating in the neighborhood for two decades; some of the teachers have even
been there since the program's inception.
The group had a lot of help from so
many people and organizations. In that way, it was the best kind
of community effort, Alison said.
And look who helped: Fund for the City of New York, Methodist Hospital, the Berkeley Carroll School and Helen Halverson, the former director of the Berkeley Carroll Child Care Cente.
Park Slope Schoolhouse, formerly the Berkeley Carroll Child Care Center, is now scheduling tours for 2009-2010 1's, 2's and 3's program. Here's the announcement they sent to Park Slope Parents.
A few months ago, many of you heard of the decision by the Berkeley
Carroll School to close its Child Care Center , which was discussed
extensively on this list. Since then, a group of current and former Child
Care Center parents have been working to secure the future of this
wonderful program, which has operated in our neighborhood for over 30
years.
Today, we are thrilled to announce the formation of The Park Slope
Schoolhouse, a child development program for 1 – 4 year olds. We will
operate the program formerly known as 밫he Berkeley Carroll Child Care
Center?through a newly formed non-profit entity and we have been accepted
to the Fund for the City of New York 뭩 incubator program for start-up
non-profits.
The program will continue to operate in its current format, running
annually from September ?August. Parents can select from two-, three- or
five days a week options, and the program will continue to operate from
7:30 AM – 6:30 PM.
Returning families and siblings will be given priority, but spots will be
available for all ages served. Students must be aged one, two or three by
September 1, 2009 for inclusion in the applicable class.
Given the late stage of the pre-school admissions process, the timeline
for acceptance into the program has been accelerated. Tours will be
conducted Feb. 17 ?25. To schedule a tour, please contact Natasha
Corlette at (718) 768-4873.
With the exception of siblings of current and former program students, acceptance
to the program is on a first-come, first-served basis. Applications will
be distributed on Feb. 26 to families who have completed tours. Notice of
acceptance will be given on March 3 and contracts/deposits are due March
11, 2009.
We are incredibly grateful to the many people who supported this endeavor
and made this happen and have a special thank-you for the Fund for the
City of New York, who believed in our mission and accepted us into its
incubator program; Methodist Hospital, who generously has allowed us to
stay in our current space until our new location anticipated to be at 5th
Ave. in the South Slope is renovated; the Berkeley Carroll School for its
assistance in transitioning the program to new leadership; and to Helen
Halverson, the former director of the Berkeley Carroll Child Care Center
for her guidance and support. Every day we hear more and more bad news
about our economy, jobs, etc., but these organizations and individuals
plus many others have contributed to saving 48 childcare spots and 18 jobs
in our community and we are so happy to be sharing this great news in this
tough economic environment!
](http://onlytheblogknowsbrooklyn.com/pictures/6a00d8341c5fb353ef01116896f04c970c-800wi.jpg)
Here is the occasional feature from the Center for
the Urban Environment (CUE). In this submission
Jessica Brunacini, Early Childhood Educator at the Center, takes a close look
at the “Cue’s of Spring.”
It's been a long, cold winter, and Brooklynites seem to be chomping at the bit
for spring to arrive and stay for good. A sunny day of 56 degrees really
sets hope off. But, it seems, the next day flips back down to wet and freezing.
Aside from temperatures rising, what are some other cue's of spring that we can
all keep an eye (and ear) out for in the next month or so?
Flora—
All different types of plants and trees begin to bloom. Many of the
perennial bulb flowers, after surviving the freezing temperatures of winter, are
eager to sprout from the cold, hard ground. The dainty White Snowdrops are
first to poke out, often even pushing their way out through the final snowfalls
of winter. They are followed by what many, myself included, consider the first
sure sign of the arrival of spring—bright and happy Daffodils and Tulips,
which begin growing anytime from March onward. While their flowers may
not stick around for long, the leaves of these perennials continue to gather energy
and nutrients that are sent down and stored in the underground bulb to allow
for next spring’s growth. Not to be outdone by their plant
relatives, first leaves and flowering buds on Magnolia, Callery
Pear and, of course, Cherry trees push their way out to wow us with their
bold and beautiful colors as well.
Fauna—
After slowing down for winter, the birds and the bees are at it again.
With many new food sources available thanks to all of the blossoming plants
and trees, Honey- and Eastern Carpenter bees will be buzzing about from flower
to flower, gathering pollen to feed the grub-like larva that are hatching in
their nests. Come April, though, bees and many other insects should keep
their eyes peeled, as many different types of Warblers (Yellow, Black-and-White,
Common Yellowthroat, etc.) make the migratory trip back to their summer homes
throughout the parks of Brooklyn and the other boroughs. These small
birds are mainly insectivores, feeding on the many insects found near the cup-like
nests they build close to and even on the ground in the wooded areas and near
the ponds and lakes of our own Prospect Park. The Warbler’s chatter
and songs filling the air, along with the eye-popping colors of the season’s
early blooming flowers, are some of spring’s best cues that the winter
doldrums are on their way out.
References: Brooklyn Botanic Garden (www.bbg.org), Cornell Lab of
Ornithology (www.bird.cornell.edu), Field Guide to the Natural World of New
York by Leslie Day. Photo from wikipedia commons.
Once again we are graced with the wit and wisdom of Scott Turner of Rocky Sullivan's in Red Hook.
Greetings, Pub Quiz Eloquence Peddlers…
We live in a vibrant, exciting, pulse-increasing, edge-of-oblivion era. War, recession, globalization, an actual apology from Rupert Murdoch.
Astonishing things cross our field-of-vision so fast we've had to make
full use of a tool that we can't possibly make full use of — talkin'
about you, Internet.
So why is it that athletes act dumber than fenceposts?
Why such a mean-spirited broadside in a week of storybook endings, from Slumdog Millionaire's OscarTM triumph to yet another Captain Sully sighting (at President Obama's Democrats Jump To Their Feet/Republicans Sit On Their Hands Fest)?
Devon Harris is why. On Tuesday night, Harris, playing for Bruce Ratner's New Jersey Nets
(slogan — "Uh…Hello…We're, Er, Playing The Sport of Basketball If,
You Know, You'd Like To Stop By…") hit a miraculous last second shot
to beat the Philadelphia 76ers. Okay, forget that Harris
couldn't possibly have received a pass, taken a few steps, deliberately
run into a 76er to draw a foul, get fouled by said 76er, attempt a
desperation shot, lose control of the ball, regain control of the ball,
and heave it half the length of the court in 1.8 seconds. No surprise,
of course, to Brooklynites who've watched Ratner's Atlantic Yards debacle unfold in a custom-designed Markowitzian phantasmagorical parallel universe.
Said Harris, "I infuse the bold aesthetics of Swan Lake with a Kierkegaardian predispositional radical embrace of C.L.R. James."
Anyway, Harris' shot goes in and the Nets win in stunning, dramatic
fashion. Interviewed after the game, Harris had this to say: "It was a
wild shot. I
don't have that much to say about it."
Waxing equally eloquently was Harris' teammate Vince Carter: "That's impressive," said Carter. "I don't know if he ever in his life could do it again."
Yeah. See, here's the thing. In the immediate aftermath of
championship wins, record-setting performances, and legendary moments,
America's pro athletes unleash torrents of mumblymouth bromides. It'd
be nice if Harris, who'd just created this year's best buzzer-beater
highlight, had something more to say about it than "I don't have that
much to say about it."
Well, no, he didn't, but could you imagine?
As
for Carter — really, Vince, you don't know if Harris ever in his life
could received a pass, taken a few steps, deliberately run into a 76er
to
draw a foul, get fouled by said 76er, start a half-court shot, lose
control of the ball, regain control of the ball, and heave it half the
length of the court in 1.8 seconds again? Well, you're the NBA superstar — you should know.
"I
don't know what to say, man"…"I can't put it into words"…"Whooo! I
just don't know…" "I can't put it into words." Grown men and women
paid handsomely to entertain us, and they don't know. Yes,
adrenalinizing pinnacle-of-a-career moments can sap one's strength.
But remove their tongue with surgical precision?
The sad fact is that in sports today, all we're left with is the
score. The era of the Interesting Athlete is gone. Nicknames like Mordecai "Three-Finger" Brown and Oil Can Boyd, are gone.
Eccentrics like Bill Lee, Dock Ellis, Turk Wendell, Dick Allen, Mark Fidrych, Esa Tikkanen, and the entire American Basketball Association, gone.
Hard-shell bad-asses like Bob Gibson, Bill Russell, Jim Brown and Chuck Bednarik, gone.
Politically-charged athletes like Curt Flood, Tommie Smith and John Carlos, Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf and Jim Bouton, gone.
We're left with blandishments like Devon Harris, Michael Phelps, Sidney Crosby, Tiger Woods, Eli Manning and,
well, entire rosters of entire leagues of entire sports. I understand
why owners want it that way — compliant players are just plain easy to
deal with.
At the same time, I don't understand why owners want it that way.
Wild eccentricity puts fans in the seats and gets them talking about
sports again — something we'll see less and less of as the recession
and Mets/Yankees ticket-price greed discourage more and more from caring. The Bronx Zoo
Yankees of the '70s and the obnoxious, brawling Mets of the '80s are
legends in this town who reached beyond hardcore sports fans to bathe
in the greater ether of human existance.
We like indelible marks left on our souls. All the better if
they're jagged, sharp and joltingly entertaining. Even Captain Sully,
who I believe is scheduled to rescue a cat in our tree, rewire our
kitchen and cure AIDS later in the week, spoke out in favor of increasing pilots' salaries.
Athletes are told to shut up and play. Why? If they're
interesting or eccentric or both, let's hear it! Sports is always
entertainment, but entertainment isn't always sports. That means
entertainment wins! Put that full scholarship and those longe nights
on the road to good use. Spew wild, fascinating quotes all over the
bored beat writers covering your team! Cause controversey! Speak from
your heart! Listen to your soul, not your team owner and agent!
Even just the truth. That's enough. Goodness knows truthtellers
in this new millenium are the biggest kooks out there. Is that
possible, Modern American Athlete? To say it with relish, and let us relish what you say?
"I don't have that much to say about it."
Ugh…I thought you'd say that.
On Tuesday night, I found my way into a noisy cocktail party at the 92YTribeca, where I knew no-one in the crowd of twittering 20-somethings.
Billed as a night of networking, conversation and new ideas, I entered the buzzy, jargon-filled world of Mashable NextUp NYC .
But it was too noisy for conversational networking and most attendees were too busy staring at their iPhones to bother reading each other's name tags. I was, however, approached by a very nice PR woman for Gerber and Nestle, who remembered me from another event and we had an interesting chat about the delicate business of approaching bloggers about product giveaways.
The state of the NYC Blogosphere was the question of the night and a line-up of "high-profile" speakers tried to tease out an answer.
Mostly, the speakers, some who came prepared, some who spoke off the cuff, approached the topic circuitously but some revealed themselves to be savvy mediafarians, unable to fathom a world where people don't spend their day staring at an iPhone.
Maybe that cool rectangle is the brave new world.
But if Twitter is the state of the blogsphere I feel alienated—even if I do spend my day staring at my iPhone (and maybe I should actually activate my Twitter account).
Still, disappointment pulsed through my veins. I was hoping for something really exciting and visionary. But there was no vision in sight: The NYC new media world is just like the old media world dressed in cool tech clothing.
For me this event was the opposite of the Brooklyn Blogfest as it had none of the local fervor, social
activism, entrepreneurial passion or nutty creativity of that event. And there was
absolutely no mention of Brooklyn, which is KNOWN to have more blogs than anywhere else in the USA.
For this crowd, New York blogging is Gawker and Nick Denton. End of story.
It's all about page views, ad sales and how to drive people to your site with clickable headlines. Which isn't to say that I didn't learn a hunk about what's going on in the big city. Because I did.
In fact, I much enjoyed adorable Nicholas Carlson's spiel about how to write a headline. A senior editor of Silicon Alley Insider, he was funny without being snarky and quite smart about this twittering, new media world.
The word aggregation was in high usage. But Carlson did say humorously, "It is a good idea to bring something original to the Internet from time to time."
This was not an entrepreneurial group of self-starters. These were bloggers and publicity folks who probably studied new media at college and actually get paid to work for some of the larger blogs like Gizmodo, CNET, Gawker, The Daily Beast and Silicon Alley Insider. They graduated into a world where "print is dead" and they have little sentimentality about that and no intention of going to journalism school.
Which is fine by me. But some old-school-types find that vexing. Like the 30-year-old guy sitting next to me, who grumbled, "Would you want to see a doctor who didn't go to medical school."
A communications professor, he sneered at the idea that anyone can be a journalist. "This generation is so entitled," he told me.
I did enjoy Caroline McCarthy, a staff writer of CNET News/CBS Interactive, who told a funny story about posting a photograph of a hula hoop in the hallway of her East Village apartment building to Twitte. The next day, she heard from her downstairs' neighbors, who twittered back with: 'Hey that's our hula hoop.'
"That's how you meet your neighbors in 21st century Manhattan," she told the crowd. That got a big laugh and I loved it.
We bloggers in Brooklyn are always wondering where all the local Manhattan blogs are. But I guess the Manhattan scene is, like Manhattan, younger, glitzier and more fame and fortune-oriented.
Hyperlocal it ain't. This crowd wants to reach the millions out there who read Boing Boing and watch You Tube. They want the hits and the ad revenue.I know, I know, you gotta make money somehow. But still…
When new media becomes status quo it does lose its edgy eccentricity. Maybe that's why it's still so scrappy and fun out here in Brooklyn. Even better, Manhattan doesn't even know we exist.
Ond day soon they'll find out about us. Just like the Manhattan-centric, once upon a time, discovered the clubs, restaurants, and art spaces of Williamsburg, the great restaurants of Fifth and Smith and the brownstones of Park Slope.
Feeling under the weather like everyone else I know AND eager to get home to Obama's speech, I dragged my sorry and misunderstood Brooklyn self out onto the streets of Tribeca.
I left before the keynote,which meant I didn't get get to hear Bryan Keefer, who is director of product for The Daily Beast.(what does that mean?) and co- authorr All the President’s Spin: George W. Bush, the Media, and the Truth.
The book grew out of Spinsanity.org, a group blog he co-founded that
was devoted to debunking political spin.
The Daily Beast, isn't that Tina Brown's new blog? I wonder if she's ever been to Brooklyn?
My Little Red Book sounds like a must-read for parents of tweens and the kids.
The editor of the book, Rachel Kauder Nalebuff writes:
"Whatever a girl experiences or expects, she'll find stories that speak to her thoughts and feelings. My Little Red Book
aims to provide support, entertainment, and a starting point for
discussion for mothers and daughters everywhere. Royalties from sales of the book are being donated to charities promoting women's health and education. Let the dialog begin!"
A friend wrote in to tell me about Jane Brody' new book, Jane Brody's Guide to the Great Beyond, and a reading at Barnes and Noble on Wednesday night.
She's doing a tal and signing a the Park Slope Barnes and Noble on Wednesday February 25th at 7:30 p.m.
Here's the blurb from the B&N website:
An invaluable road map to putting your
affairs in order–or helping your loved ones do the same–this
comprehensive book will answer every question you might have about what
does and does not help smooth the transition between life and the Great
Beyond. Wise, practical, and characteristically straightforward
throughout, Brody advises on
• the intricacies of a
well-thought-out (and fully spelled-out) living will that health care
practitioners readily understand–and how to designate a health care
proxy.
• planning a funeral or memorial to ensure your wishes are followed, including tips on how to reduce expenses.
• discussing prognoses and treatment options with doctors.
•
your options for controlling pain, shortness of breath, bed sores, and
other physical symptoms–plus the facts on feeding tubes.
• receiving the support you need through hospice care–and suggestions for loved ones and friends who want to help.
• lightening and enlightening your trials by incorporating spirituality into your life.
•
understanding what happens, physically and mentally, when death is
imminent, and recognizing when hand-holding and reassurance, not food
or drink or an oxygen mask or CPR, is the proper course of action.
•
easing your way through the journey of grief by admitting the reality
of the loss, showing your emotions, and allowing yourself the timeyou
feel you need.
No matter your age or current health, preparing
for the inevitable when you are still fully in control of your
faculties ensures that you’ll be in a far better position to enjoy the
time you have left. As Brody notes, “From the start, consider the
finish.”
This story is making its way around the world. I just noticed that there's an article Haaretz, an Israeli newspaper (actually they republished the article that appeared in The Jewish Daily Forward article).
My Friend Gilly Youner wrote this letter to the editor while standing on line at the Food Coop. She writes: "This is the letter I sent to the Linewaiter's Gazette -dont know yet
if they will print it( I wrote the original draft standing in line, a
little bit shaky from the emotional aspects)…
Linewaiters’ Gazette,
Park Slope Food Coop
Att: Letters to the Editor
Brooklyn, NY 11215
To Hima B. who did not sign her last name to her letter to the editor:
As an American and an Israeli, I fully support all forms of peaceful protest, and it is certainly your right, at least in this country, to boycott any products you choose. I fully deplore the loss of life of civilians, and disagree with many of the tactics used and decisions made by all parties in this situation in Israel, in Gaza. But what did you boycott when armed Palestinians pulled my old family friend Avi Boaz out of his car in Bethlehem in 2002 and shot him dead, or when Palestinian terrorists came to my neighborhood in Netanya, and massacred families who were sitting down at a Passover dinner?
Did you boycott all American-made products when the U.S. began the war in Iraq and killed civilians there? Why ask the Food Co-op to make arbitrary black-and-white decisions, in a world of varied grays. Peace was achieved in Ireland through negotiations, how about asking the Food Coop to support the peacemakers in this process? There are many groups working on that right now, and I’d be surprised if many co-op members are not already involved in some of them.
Sincerely,
Gilly Youner
February 2009
Brad Lander is running for City Council; he's the so-called front-runner if you can be a front-runner nine months before the primary.
Then again, Brad has more money than the other capable candidates in the race, including Josh Skaller and Craig Hammerman. All are hoping to replace Bill deBlasio, who is running for Public Advocate. I'm set to interview Brad tomorrow about his perspective on things,which I am looking forward to.
I've been exploring his website and I see that's he's got a blog. I found this story interesting. It confirms my sense that personal blogging can bring a candidate to life.
Last night, I was honored to attend a memorial service at the Prospect
Park Picnic House for Marine Lance Corporal Julian Brennan. Julian
grew up on 15th Street in Park Slope. He was 25 when he was killed in
Afghanistan last week.
The event was heartwrenching, of course. It was impossible not to
cry while listening to his friends talk about how Julian made them
laugh … or while reading the note he wrote to his mom for Christmas
in 2005, wishing that he could be 5 years old again, so she could
cradle his head in her arms.
But there was also tremendous inspiration, both in Julian's life,
and in how his parents are responding to their almost unimaginable
tragedy. Julian was a remarkable person, a gifted actor, who felt a
call to service at the funeral for his grandfather, Marine who fought
in WWII. "The only way I think I can describe myself,” he wrote, “is
as a guy who will go out of his way to make someone laugh, write a
great song, find a reason to dance, and watch the sun rise every chance
he gets."
One of the most remarkable things about Julian – and about the
Brennan family – is how they combine the deepest ideals of service from
both older and newer parts of our neighborhood. Julian followed his
Irish Catholic grandfather James into the Marines, feeling that after
September 11th he had a duty to fight for the ideals and the security
of our country. And he also followed his father Bill Brennan, a
musician and actor who performs kids music (he appears on one Park
Slope Parents CD), and who played a song of forgiveness and healing at
the memorial service.
Too often in our neighborhood, it seems as if these very different
ideals might exist in neighboring houses on a block in the Slope or
Windsor Terrace or Carroll Gardens, but that they are still two
different cultures, sometimes even worlds apart. Julian and his
family's example reminds us that they can and should go together —
that they are merely different ways of serving something bigger than
yourself.
In a remarkable act of compassion, his parents Bill and Thya Brennan
are asking us to make contributions in Julian’s memory to the Central Asia Institute, at www.ikat.org.
CAI’s mission is to promote and support community-based education,
especially for girls, in the remote regions of Pakistan and
Afghanistan.
Please consider a donation in Julian's memory to:
Central Asia Institute
P.O. Box 7209
Bozeman, MT 59771
In memo line, please write: Julian Brennan
Please help the Brennans to make a deep and abiding blessing of Julian’s life and memory.
My cousin writes that she is celebrating. "What a man!"
A friend in Queens wonders "whether stimulus package will help a.
finance education b. get a green job (or any job) c. fund a business d.
none of the above :-(
A friend in Manhattan says that "she is once again inspired."
A friend from Carroll Garden is "having popcorn with the President."
Some I don't know said abuot the Republic rebuttal: "Republican Rule No. 1: Never, ever agree to follow an Obama speech.
State of Union rebuttals should go to unknown Republican freshman
members of the House for the next 4 years, otherwise the republicans
will have no-one left to run against Obama in '12."
City Councilman David Yassky "is inspired and energized by the State of the Union!!"
Obama is on the final stretch:
These words and these stories tell us something about the spirit of
the people who sent us here. They tell us that even in the most trying
times, amid the most difficult circumstances, there is a generosity, a
resilience, a decency, and a determination that perseveres; a
willingness to take responsibility for our future and for posterity.
Their resolve must be our inspiration. Their concerns must be our
cause. And we must show them and all our people that we are equal to
the task before us.
I know that we haven’t agreed on every issue thus far, and there are
surely times in the future when we will part ways. But I also know
that every American who is sitting here tonight loves this country and
wants it to succeed. That must be the starting point for every debate
we have in the coming months, and where we return after those debates
are done. That is the foundation on which the American people expect
us to build common ground.
And if we do – if we come together and lift this nation from the
depths of this crisis; if we put our people back to work and restart
the engine of our prosperity; if we confront without fear the
challenges of our time and summon that enduring spirit of an America
that does not quit, then someday years from now our children can tell
their children that this was the time when we performed, in the words
that are carved into this very chamber, “something worthy to be
remembered.” Thank you, God Bless you, and may God Bless the United
States of America.
The speech lasted 50 minutes and he was interrupted by applause 53 times (pundits count these things).
Finally, the Iraq war:
"I will responsibly end this war. With our friends and allies we will create a strategy to defeat safe havens in Afghanistan and Pakistan for Al Queda…I will not allow it."
"To the men and women, who are serving this country, we honor your service, we are inspired by your sacrifice, and you have our unyielding support."
"Extended benefits and health care to those who are serving this country…"
Living our values doesn't make us weaker, it makes us stronger…The US of American DOES NOT TORTURE we can make that commitment here tonight."
"American cannot meet the threats of this century alone…We must move forward with the confidence and candor that these times demand."
"The eyes of all people in all nations are upon us." Cut to shot of Pilot Scully. "This is a tremendous burden but also a great privilege. In our hands lies the ability to shape our world for good or for ill. It's easy to doubt…In my life I have learned that hope is found in unlikely places…from the dreams and aspirations of ordinary Americans who are anything but ordinary…"
"What if he farts," OSFO asks. No comment.
Standing O for banker in Florida who gave his money away….
Obama is wrapping up now with stories about real people who have done incredible things…Now he's talking about a letter he got from a young student in Dylan, South Carolina. "'We are not quitters.' that's what she said." he looks up at the girl, who is sitting next to Michele Obama. She and her mom are crying.
Heck, I'm crying. Obama stares up at them beautifully.
"It is time for America to lead again…"
Energy:
He talked about solar energy and other forms renewable energy
And about cars:
"I believe that the nation that invented the automobile cannot walk away from it…"
Correction: Hepcat say that Germany's Gottlieb Daimler and Carl Benz invented the automobile…
Healthcare
"We can't put health care reform on hold. It's time." That's music to my ears. Nice shot of Hillary Clinton standing up and clapping…
"A disease that has effected everyone including me, we are seeking a cure for cancer in our time."
"A commitment to quality health care for every one…health care reform can not wait, will not wait another year…"
Education
"Right now, three-quarters of the fastest-growing occupations require
more than a high school diploma. And yet, just over half of our
citizens have that level of education. We have one of the highest high
school dropout rates of any industrialized nation. And half of the
students who begin college never finish.
This is a prescription
for economic decline, because we know the countries that outteach us
today will outcompete us tomorrow. That is why it will be the goal of
this administration to ensure that every child has access to a complete
and competitive education — from the day they are born to the day they
begin a career."
"Our school don't just need resources, they need reform…and rewards for successful teachers. We'll invest in innovative programs and expand our commitment to charter schools. It is our responsibilities as lawmakers and educators to make this system work."
"I ask every American to commit to one year of higher education. Whatever the training may be, every American will need to get a high school diploma…It's not just quitting on yourself. It's quitting on your country. And this country needs the talents of every American."
Joe Biden is up with that last line.
"By 2020 we will have the highest proportion of college graduates. That's a goal we can meet."
"I intend to encourage a renewed spirit of national service…"
"Put people to work, put money in their pockets…"
I can tell it's going to be a long speech heavy with content and mean. I can listen to our president for hours.
As soon as I took office, I asked this Congress to send me a
recovery plan by President’s Day that would put people back to work and
put money in their pockets. Not because I believe in bigger government
– I don’t. Not because I’m not mindful of the massive debt we’ve
inherited – I am. I called for action because the failure to do so
would have cost more jobs and caused more hardships. In fact, a
failure to act would have worsened our long-term deficit by assuring
weak economic growth for years. That’s why I pushed for quick action.
And tonight, I am grateful that this Congress delivered, and pleased to
say that the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is now law.
Over the next two years, this plan will save or create 3.5 million
jobs. More than 90% of these jobs will be in the private sector – jobs
rebuilding our roads and bridges; constructing wind turbines and solar
panels; laying broadband and expanding mass transit.
Because of this plan, there are teachers who can now keep their jobs
and educate our kids. Health care professionals can continue caring
for our sick. There are 57 police officers who are still on the
streets of Minneapolis tonight because this plan prevented the layoffs
their department was about to make.
Because of this plan, 95% of the working households in America will
receive a tax cut – a tax cut that you will see in your paychecks
beginning on April 1st.
Because of this plan, families who are struggling to pay tuition
costs will receive a $2,500 tax credit for all four years of college.
And Americans who have lost their jobs in this recession will be able
to receive extended unemployment benefits and continued health care
coverage to help them weather this storm.
I know there are some in this chamber and watching at home who are
skeptical of whether this plan will work. I understand that
skepticism. Here in Washington, we’ve all seen how quickly good
intentions can turn into broken promises and wasteful spending. And
with a plan of this scale comes enormous responsibility to get it right.
Big smile from Joe Biden sitting behind the president. Standing O from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi when Obama says, "Nobody messes Joe."
–Obama talks about Recovery.gov where Americans can monitor how the money is being spent.
–If we don't restart lending in this country our recovery will be choked…The flow of credit is the life blood of how we get along…"
For some reason OSFO is playing "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" on the piano; it's driving me nuts. Hepcat is having a fit because the TV is too loud.
"What is your problem?" I ask.
Standing O and I don't even know why. Joe Lieberman looks positively miserable. What a jerk.
I intend to hold these banks fully accountable for the assistance they
receive, and this time, they will have to clearly demonstrate how
taxpayer dollars result in more lending for the American taxpayer.
This time, CEOs won’t be able to use taxpayer money to pad their
paychecks or buy fancy drapes or disappear on a private jet. Those
days are over.
I like that.
It's like a State-of-the-Union but he hasn't been in office long enough for one. Hugh went out for double-stuffed Oreos before the Obamathon (The pundits are saying that the speech will be upwards of 50 minutes, including applause.
According to Joel Klein, author of Primary Colors, says that Bill Clinton told Obama he need to be more optimistic.
The Supreme Court Justices are coming out now. Ruth Ginsberg is there!!! She just had pancreatic surgery not long ago. What a hero. She doesn't look too bad.
The honored guests: The Scully and the crew of the flight that landed in the Hudson River are there.Michele glowing, sits in the balcony in a sleeveless purple dress.
Obama's Cabinet is coming out now. Hillary Clinton with a big huge grin on her face and a bright red suit is the first. Hugh's back with the junk food.
"Get me my double-stuffed," OSFO says.
On the TV: The Speaker of the House announces: "The President of the United Stats." Count the tears in Park Slope, where people get downright soppy every time Obama does anything (myself included).
His level of confidence, conviviality, calm is really incredible.Members of congress thrust their hands in his direction; vigorous hand shaking, encouraging words.
Hillary Clinton looks downright thrilled to see the president. Who could have imagined that during the campaign?
It's taken him more than 6 minutes to get to the lectern.
"Thank you."
OSFO say: "Every time Obama says thank you, you can just hear him thinking 'shut up already.s it typical to introduce the first lady of the United States. He blows her kisses.
Oh my god I am kvelling.
Let's see if he can do optimistic tonight…
I know that for many Americans watching right now, the state of our
economy is a concern that rises above all others. And rightly so. If
you haven’t been personally affected by this recession, you probably
know someone who has – a friend; a neighbor; a member of your family.
You don’t need to hear another list of statistics to know that our
economy is in crisis, because you live it every day. It’s the worry
you wake up with and the source of sleepless nights. It’s the job you
thought you’d retire from but now have lost; the business you built
your dreams upon that’s now hanging by a thread; the college acceptance
letter your child had to put back in the envelope. The impact of this
recession is real, and it is everywhere.
But while our economy may be weakened
and our confidence shaken; though we are living through difficult and
uncertain times, tonight I want every American to know this:
We will rebuild, we will recover, and the United States of America will emerge stronger than before.
The weight of this crisis will not determine the destiny of this
nation. The answers to our problems don’t lie beyond our reach. They
exist in our laboratories and universities; in our fields and our
factories; in the imaginations of our entrepreneurs and the pride of
the hardest-working people on Earth. Those qualities that have made
America the greatest force of progress and prosperity in human history
we still possess in ample measure. What is required now is for this
country to pull together, confront boldly the challenges we face, and
take responsibility for our future once more.
Okay. Optimism is back.
The Berkeley Carroll Child Care Center which is in the process of closing dn is becoming Park Slope School House. I guess someone did the numbers and figured out a way to do it.
I didn't find a web site but I found this:
Do you have an
idea for improving New York City 's
public realm? Design Trust is looking for proposals to improve public space.
Visit the Design Trust staff blog for their thoughts, ideas and ramblings on
NYC public space issues, as well as photos of and updates of their latest
projects.
The Design Trust helps public agencies and community groups undertake
complex urban design projects that are beyond the scope of their mission or
finances. If a project is selected, we organize teams of top architects,
planners, industrial designers, ecologists, landscape architects — whoever
may be required to tackle the project — and work to address the problem at
hand using collaboration and innovation.
Projects are selected every 18-24 months through an open call for
proposals. During each award cycle, the project jury selects one to three
projects for Design Trust assistance. Design Trust projects bring together
neighborhoods, public agencies, and design professionals to find innovative
opportunities for change, making the city more beautiful, sustainable,
functional, and available to all. Since our founding in 1995, the Design
Trust has completed over 25 projects in all five boroughs, serving and
engaging a diverse set of communities
Here’s what we know:
1.
There will NOT be a vote Tuesday night in the Park Slope Food Coop to
ban Israeli products. That’s because, despite the rumors, the proposed
ban is not on the agenda. And, as many have pointed out (like Ben Harris at JTA)
the Park Slope Food Coop loves equally organic food AND process (not
processed food) so if it’s going to be voted on, it’s got to be on the
Agenda. This of course gives me a chance to dust off one of my favorite
Rabbi Arthur Hertzberg quotes (deliver with disdain if you’re trying
this at home): “My generation worships the Master of the Universe; your
generation worships the God of Process.” My generation also convinced
its philanthropists to let us spend their money on “cool Jew” parties,
but that’s another matter. Anyhow…
2. If the resolution ever
comes up, it’s likely to fail, which doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be
opposed when it does (because it should for its inconsistency,
hypocrisy, and general ineffectiveness at ending a deeply challenging
religio-national battle–”Hey Hey, Ho Ho, Israeli Persimmons have to
go!”) It just means it’s one of those “wrong” symbolic votes that
detracts us from the real issues and people of intelligence and reason
have to focus on what can really effect people’s lives, facts on the
ground, as it were.
3. Every day, every hour, every minute,
Israelis and Palestinians of good will are struggling with all their
hearts and souls to end this horrifying conflict. There are a very
large number of organizations in Israel and Palestine dedicated to the
very cause of peace. And there are several members of the Knesset and
the nascent Palestinian self-governance organizations that are striving
to find in-roads of mutual recognition and understanding. Those need
strengthening and support.
4. A boycott of Israeli products to
End the Occupation is not the Montgomery Bus Boycott or Divestment from
South Africa. Why? Because each historical situation is unique unto
itself. And while it may be true that the boycotts in the South or
threats of divestment from South Africa helped shift political
fortunes, it’s also true that great leadership–both internal and
external–brought along the necessary changes to each society.
King-Kennedy-Johnson or Mandela-FW De Clerk–all of whom made
monumentally brave choices to bring transformation to their
societies–must be remembered as critical to the endeavor. Banning Sabra
Hummus (and let’s face it, Abraham’s is too chunky) just isn’t going to
do the trick…
Read the rest at Andybachman.com
