This is what the sky looked like Wednesday afternoon. Thanks Weather Channel
Tag Archives: Brooklyn
Green Beans Not Walgreens in Windsor Terrace
2,000 signatures have been collected so far from neighbors in Windsor Terrace, who are opposed to a new Walgreens at the site of the old Key Food, that went out of business in 2012.
“Green Beans Not Walgreens” is smart and funny new slogan (and website name) the group has come up with. The site will be chock full of information and action to oppose the replacement of Key Food with a Walgreens pharmacy.
The neighborhood activists say the area needs a full-service grocery store and not another pharmacy/drug store. Read more at their website.
Louis CK Episode Filmed in Park Slope’s Community Bookstore Airs July 19, Public Screening TBD
http://youtu.be/4Muf6Gl2pHM
This Thursday, July 19, one of the episodes of Louis C.K. shot in the Community Bookstore airs at 10:30pm on FX. So they are going to have a viewing party, of course. But where?
At last report, they were still trying to find a site with cable TV and plenty of space (and alcohol).
I will let you know where the viewing party is when I find out.
Peter Luger Named Best Steak House In US By USA Today
Peter Luger, the renowned and historic steak house in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, was recently named the best steakhouse in the United States byUSA Today.
Marty Markowitz had this to say about this carnivore’s emporium: “Now Americans across the country know what Brooklynites and New Yorker s have known all along: that Peter Luger is, hands down, the best place to eat a steak in America.”
The steak house has been around since 1887. Here’s a link to the USA Today story: http://travel.usatoday.com/destinations/story/2012-07-12/The-USAs-best-steakhouse/56183522/1
Stitch This at the Brooklyn Museum
To all you crafty minded people who aren’t going to a beach this weekend, I’ve got something for you to do on Saturday, July 21 at the Brooklyn Museum, which is very well air-conditioned.
I just heard from Julia Santoli a member of the Adult Programs division of the Education Department at the Brooklyn Museum.
This Saturday, July 21 at 2 pm, the Brooklyn Museum is holding a Creative Art Making program called “Stitch This.”
Led by Etsy artist Jessica Marquez, participants will create bold, graphic works of art combining thread and paper with images and text. Participants will need to bring their own image (preferably as 5 x 5-inch photocopies), or be inspired to create something original.
There is a $15 materials fee, and registration is required. Register at www.museumtix.com or at the Museum’s Visitor Center.
Sounds fun, eh?
An Upright Piano on Third Street
About a month ago, someone on Third Street (between 5th and 6th Avenues in Park Slope) wanted to get rid of an upright piano. They wrapped it in plastic and left it in their building’s front yard. Perhaps they were waiting for someone to take it, to sell it, or for bulk garbage day.
The Department of Sanitation provides “free curbside removal of large non-commercial ‘bulk’ items (items that are too big to be discarded in a container or bag) from residential buildings.”
A piano is definitely too big to be discarded in a container or bag.
On Monday afternoon, in preparation for bulk garbage pick up, the piano’s owners left the piano on the curb.
A talented local musician I know tried to convince his father to carry the piano to the apartment where he lives. When THAT didn’t happen, he had the idea to make a video of himself performing two songs using that piano. A group of his friends arrived on Third Street with a video camera and professional recording equipment.
The shoot lasted an hour or more. The piano is broken and more than a little out of tune. The local musician was able to make the non-working peddles work.
It was, I thought, a sight to behold. In the golden light of a summer afternoon, a young musician sat on an old television set, playing an out-of-tune upright on the Third Street sidewalk, surrounded by friends.
The songs, they were beautiful.
New Awnings on Seventh Avenue via Here’s Park Slope
Let’s throw some love over to Here’s Park Slope. He’s got pictures of some new signage on Seventh Avenue. The Community Bookstore has a new green awning with the lovely typography we wrote about a few weeks ago.
Also a new awning and renovations to the interior of Rice Thai Kitchen. Not pictured is a new hanging sign for Shawn’s Wine & Spirits.
Venus & Jupiter Shinning Bright Over Park Slope
How remarkable. That’s Venus and Jupiter out my bedroom window, visible in the predawn darkness and morning twilight. According to Earth Sky, you should be able to see two planets just before and after dawn throughout July.
I was having trouble sleeping and I popped out of bed.
Our bedroom window faces north but gives us a view of the east. Venus and Jupiter are the sky’s brightest and second-brightest planets. Very bright tonight!
Good thing I couldn’t sleep.
From my window, it looks like they’re straight up from Second Street and Seventh Avenue. It’s a sight to behold. Such bright planets, here in Brooklyn.
And there’s more planet watching to come. Earth Sky says: “mid-July 2012, the waning moon will pass the bright planet Venus and Jupiter, making for some spectacular predawn sky scenes.”
New Poetry From D. Nurske: A Night in Brooklyn
D. Nurske was the Brooklyn Poet Laureate two poet laureates ago (Tina Chang currently holds that honor). His books of poems are published by Knoph, which makes him an unusual poet because “major publishing houses” don’t publish much in the way of contemporary poetry.
He’s considered a major American poet, I guess.
A resident of Brooklyn, he is the author of nine books of poetry, including Voices Over Water, The Fall (Knopf) and, Burnt Island. He has received in Whiting Writers’ Award, two grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, and a Tanne Foundation Award.
I’ve saw him read at Park Slope’s Community Bookstore in 2008 and he was quiet, thoughtful and compelling, as are his poems.
Now he has a new book out called A Night in Brooklyn, which you can get as a paper-and-glue book or as an eBook. Here’s the wonderful title poem from the book and it’s about a night of love in a narrow Brooklyn bed. I love it.
A Night in Brooklyn
We undid a button,
turned out the light,
and in that narrow bed
we built the great city —
water towers, cisterns,
hot asphalt roofs, parks,
septic tanks, arterial roads,
Canarsie, the intricate channels,
the seacoast, underwater mountains,
bluffs, islands, the next continent,
using only the palms of our hands
and the tips of our tongues, next
we made darkness itself, by then
it was time for daybreak
and we closed our eyes
until the sun rose
and we had to take it all to pieces
for there could be only one Brooklyn.
Tres Brooklyn: AO Scott and David Carr on Brooklyn in the New York Times
David Carr and A.O. Scott chatting on video on the front page of the New York Times website. Talking about Brooklyn.
Scott, film reviewer for the Times, lives in Brooklyn (Lefferts, I think) and his family harks from here. Carr, NY Times technology columnist, doesn’t know from Brooklyn but he’s funny so that’s okay. So what do they talk about when the talk about Brooklyn?
“Brooklyn has gone global, this Brooklyn brand. It’s become an adjective. In Paris they say: “tres Brooklyn.”
“Brooklyn has always been a real place with a diverse population.”
“Brooklyn is not just a place, it’s an aesthtic, with an emphasis on the material over the production values…”
“This leaf on lettuce was grown on this roof garden in Bushwick…”
“When all you really wanted was a salad.”
“There’s always stuff you can make fun of, especially when young people are doing it…”
“Lettuce with a back story…”
Juror Qualification Questionnaire
It came in the mail today. The dreaded Juror Qualification Questionnaire. Well, it may not be as bad as getting a jury summons but it still does cause a trill of anxiety.
I am required by law to fill out this questionnaire and I must respond within ten days. And it’s all because my name was chosen at random from my voter, DMV or tax list. Just pulled out of a hat.
What bum luck.
What is your date of birth? Can you understand and communicate in English? Are you a resident of Kings County? Are you at least 18? Have you ever been convicted of a felony?
Have you eve been a juror?
Yes, of course I’ve been a juror. It was June of 2005, a criminal case that lasted for about three weeks. Truly, one of the most interesting and influential experiences of my life.
I found it so interesting, so emotionally gripping, that it inspired me to train, for one year, to become a court reporter. After one year at the New York Career Institute, I decided that court reporting was not my cup of tea. It wasn’t exactly a waste of time, but it was a misstep.
Now I can check that off my bucket list.
So today when I got my juror qualification questionnaire, it brought to the fore many thoughts and feelings.
Firstly, has it really been six years since I was on a jury? Yes, June of 2005 was seven years ago.
Then, will I really have to do it again?
Likely. And it was so interesting last time. It’ll probably be even more interesting this time now that I know so much more about the legal system, about the law, about courtrooms, about court reporting.
I’ll probably want to stare at the court reporter the entire time with true admiration, awe and relief that it is she and not me.
July 21: Brooklyn Castle at Rooftop Films
Brooklyn Castle, a new documentary, is the story of a public school chess team at Williamsburg’s IS 318. With rankings higher than Albert Einstein’s and students from mostly low-income and immigrant homes, this dedicated chess team has captured over 26 national chess titles, more than any other middle school in the United States.
Facing budget cuts and the threat of losing the chess after-school program, the instructors students and parents band together to help save the program.
This uplifting, must-see film will be presented by Rooftop Films on their very own rooftop in Park Slope/Gowanus on Saturday, July 21. Location: The Old American Can Factory (232 Third St. @ 3rd Ave). Doors open at 7:30PM. At 8PM, there will be a mini-chess tournament. The film begins at 9PM.
Magical Mermaid Mayhem at Mini Jake’s in Williamsburg
The Coney Island Mermaid Parade was a few weeks ago. But here’s a mermaid parade for hipster kids that might be just as fun.
This Saturday from 11AM until 3PM there’s going to be Magical Mermaid Mayhem at Mini Jake’s on North 9th Street in Williamsburg.
Children (and grown ups?) are being asked to show up in their mermaid or sea related costume for mermaid snacks, mermaid games, mermaid art activities, mermaid raffle and making up mermaid poems.
Melanie Hope Greenberg, a mermaid fanatic and Park Sloper, will be there reading from her picture book, Mermaids on Parade at 11AM.
At 2PM, you’ll have the chance to meet Janna Kennedy, Coney Island Mermaid Parade costume designer and prize winner. And at 2:30, the shop will be having a mermaid parade of its own.
Free Frozen Yogurt at Pinkberry Opening Celebration on July 19
A representative from Team Pinkberry wrote in to OTBKB to say that there will be FREE frozen yogurt at Pinkberry during the Opening Celebration of the first Brooklyn store which happens to be in Park Slope on Seventh Avenue and Garfield Place. The festivities begin at 6PM on July 19th.
I’m not saying you’re gonna get BIG free sundaes and stuff. It might just be little taster cups. Maybe a rep from Team Pinkberry can chime on in.
But you don’t want to look a gift horse in the mouth.
Cobble Hill Video Store Tries Crowd-Sourcing to Raise Cash
Jim Hanas, the Social Media Editor of the New York Observer just got in touch via email to tell me about an interesting article today about Cobble Hill’s Video Free Brooklyn by Kim Velsey; it’s one of the last video rental shops in Brownstone Brooklyn.
Sigh.
But this is a video store with social media and crowd sourcing smarts. Rah. They’re using a Kickstarter-like service called Indiegogo to raise money so they can afford much needed renovations to their shop. Here’s a quote from the Observer article.
“I don’t think it’s any different or less valid than when PBS or NPR ask people to donate for a free tote bag, or the Kickstarter campaign in Detroit to build a life-size statue of RoboCop,” said Mr. Hillis, who has thus far raised about $7,000 (with two weeks to go on a $50,000 campaign) on Indiegogo. “As long as you’re transparent about where the money is going, you’re putting together something that people want to be a part of.”
Anything to keep a real video rental place in business. We miss Video Forum in Park Slope for the convivial conversation and tips about movies.
Sigh.
Here’s the link to Video Free Brooklyn’s Indiegogo page.
Dear Listen: Should We Be Breastfeeding 7-Year-Olds?
DEAR LISTEN:
I just read in the New York Post today that the production company behind “Dance Moms” and “American Stuffers,” is developing a reality series based on mothers who breastfeed older children. The Post article included a picture of a Park Slope mom breastfeeding a 3-year-old. What do you think of this phenomena?
Thanks,
Should We Be Breastfeeding 7-year-olds?
DEAR SHOULD WE BE:
Years ago, I remember reading about Viva, one of Andy Warhol’s Superstars (and member of the Factory) in the Village Voice. She said she’d breastfed her son until he could ask for it himself, “Hey mom, give me some tit!”
I remember thinking: that is just so weird. That was, of course, before I had my own children in Park Slope in the 1990’s when attachment parenting was all the rage.
Time’s front cover photo of a toddler boy standing on a chair drinking from his mother’s breast has caused a torrent of opinionating and hyperventilating. I think it’s pretty rare for 7-year-olds to be breastfed.
That said, when is enough enough?
That’s a damn good question. Oh yeah, that’s the one you asked me.
For health and nurturing, breast feeding is the best thing ever during the first couple of years of a baby’s life. It’s fairly easy to do if you’re staying home with the infant. It’s not so easy if you have to go to work. Office pumping is a bit of a nusiance but it is doable if you have a private place to do it at your work place. I was lucky to have an office to myself and I’d just shut the door, put up a sign “pumping in progress” and my co-workers would leave me alone.
But I was lucky to work for a great company at the time. Sad to say, that company is no longer around.
I believe that parenthood is a slow, gradual process of letting go and creating an independent creature that can survive and thrive away from you. That said, a cozy, loving, attentive beginning is fundamental to create a strong, healthy human being.
So, when is enough enough?
Damn it, I don’t know. I think it’s an intuitive thing. My children seemed to lose interest at a certain point. They were each different. If the mom isn’t enjoying it anymore, it’s probably a good time to stop. If the child can ask for it like Viva’s kid and even be spoiled about it I think he or she has had enough. I don’t think you’re doing your kids any favors by prolonging what is essentially an important mother-infant bonding into later childhood.
But hey, I’m not one to legislate what others do. I didn’t breast feed past the age of two but that’s just me.
Sincerely,
She Who Listens
Note: Dear Listen is OTBKB’s new advice column. Send your questions about anything to dearlisten@gmail.com
July 15: Spoken Word & Percussion by Poets Who Studied with Allen Ginsberg
I thought the Allen Ginsberg part might get your attention. I know that most of these poets studied with him. Not sure about the musicians.
Poetry, percussion, and poets who stick together through thick and thin. Who can resist? This is a fun-sounding reading with music by a group of excellent New York poets who studied with Allen Ginsberg at Brooklyn College.
Poets Bill Evans, Thaddeus Rutkowski, Joanna Sit, Michele Madigan Somerville and Mike Sweeney will read with percussionists Peter Catapano and Tony Cenicola (of The Unfortunate Buzz Trio).
Every single one of these artists (except Tony Cenicola) has appeared at Brooklyn Reading Works at the Old Stone House over the last few years!
And it’s at the Cornelia Street Cafe (Owned by Park Slope’s Robin Hirsch) at 6PM on Sunday, July 15th. See you there.
Continue reading July 15: Spoken Word & Percussion by Poets Who Studied with Allen Ginsberg
What I Read & Watched: Cool Culture Blog
I just discovered What I Read And Watched (notes on what I read and watched and saw). It is a cool NYC blog about arts and culture that’s been around since 2007. The blog is almost like an annotated list of the things that interest the blogger, a she, written as a way to keep track of it all.
I notice that she frequents Celebrate Brooklyn and writes about the shows which is another plus. She seems like a really interesting person and she has excellent and expanisve taste in books, movies and art shows. She’s someone to “follow.” Here are some examples.
WIRW on Keith Haring: “One thing that I really enjoyed, this exhibition completely brought me back to NYC in the early 80s. I could FEEL the city, what it was like back then. It was a special time, a special creative moment, and in that way it made sense to focus on those four years of his work.”
WIRW on The IHOP Papers (a novel): “A wry and amusing voice, very self aware. Great story about a terribly nervous/neurotic young lesbian in San Francisco back in the days where people left messages on each others answering machines.”
WIRW on Dijkstra Rineke show, which is soon coming to the Guggenheim Musuem: “These large, bold, dramatic portraits simultaneously suggested emotional intensities and human frailties. Photographed in the US and Europe, they depict young subjects. Large-seeming heads and soulful eyes look out over lanky awkwardness and precise stillness.
Bookmark What I Read & Watched. Now.
Greta Gertler and the Universal Thump at Barbes
Greta Gertler sends me press releases from time to time and I read them. At first I read them because of the last name that we share. Her’s, however, is spelled without the annoying—and distinctive—h as in Ghertler.
Now I read her press releases because I know how very talented she is.
Gertler will be performing with her band, The Universal Thump at Barbes in Park Slope on Thursday, July 26. They will be joined onstage by special guests Alec Spiegelman & Kristin Slipp (Cuddle Magic) and Byron Isaacs (Ollabelle).
The Universal Thump performed an acclaimed “All Things Must Pass” benefit concert/recording project on the anniversary of the release of that incredible record with special guest Rick Moody, Missy Higgins, Shara Worden (My Brightest Diamond), John Wesley Harding and many others.
Read my ecstatic review of that show here: http://onlytheblogknowsbrooklyn.com/tag/the-universal-thump/ Here’s an excerpt:
“Only in Brooklyn could a super group of stellar musicians calling themselves The Universal Thump come together to recreate the Phil Spector-style wall of sound that enhanced George Harrison’s 1970 All Things Must Pass.
“Only in Brooklyn could this dizzying array of vocalists and instrumentalists, perform the entire, yes, the entire three-album set. In the process they brought down the house not once but numerous times during the three-hour show at The Bell House last night, November 29th, the 10th anniversary of Harrison’s death from cancer and just days away from the albums release date in 1970.”
At Barbes, the band will preview songs from their forthcoming eponymous double orchestral whale-pop album, to be released in the US on October 2, 2012.
Pinkberry Frozen Yogurt Coming to Park Slope on July 20th
Pinkberry has chosen Park Slope as the location of its first Brooklyn shop. An honor, I’m sure. The official opening day is July 20th. Shhhh, I think there’s going to be a grand opening event on July 19th. Keep your eyes open, there just might be frozen yogurt coming out of those spigots.
Pinkberry isn’t just a national yogurt chain, it’s global with outposts in Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Russia, Turkey and Bahrain among others. On their website they say they originated the tart frozen yogurt that everyone serves now. They also serve smoothies, fruit parfaits, waffle cookies, cones and fruit bowls with a wide variety of toppings.
The new Park Slope location is 161 Seventh Avenue on the corner of Garfield Place. For many years, there were various Japanese restaurants in that spot. Most recently there was the Seventh Avenue Wine Bar. Upstairs is Rancho Alegre, the Mexican restaurant I’ve only been to once many years ago.
Nuff said.
Park Slope is becoming something of a frozen yogurt mecca. There’s the very popular Culture: An American Yogurt Company on Fifth Avenue between 3rd and 4th Streets. This company, which originated in Park Slope, makes their yogurt in-house from live probiotic cultures. Toppings like key lime and blackberry pie are pretty wonderful.
There’s also Yogo Monster, now a serve-it-yourself establishment on Seventh Avenue near Union Street with a “salad bar” of fruit, nut and candy toppings. The make-it-yourself aspect is really fun and easy.
So get ready for the frozen yogurt Olympics. Pinkberry, Culture, Yogo Monster. Let’s see who wins our vote.
Tonight: Short Films in Washington Park
Tonight Brooklyn Film Works in Washington Park presents its annual evening of Asbury Shorts, an exhibition of award-winning short films specially selected from major US & International film festivals by Doug LeClaire. I went last year and was very impressed and entertained by the selection of short films. The program features films that have won Academy Awards or “Best of Show” honors from such festivals as Sundance, Chicago International, Aspen Shorts,The Berlin Film Fest, Melbourne and South by Southwest.
Asbury’s purpose is to present these highly entertaining films to the general public in a real theater setting and not on an iPod or computer.
AT 8PM before the show starts, enjoy special musical guests: CUMBIAGRA @ 8 PM.
The films start at 8:40 PM:
“Friends and Strangers”, directed by Ed Caban
“The Lost Thing” directed by Andrew Ruhemann & Shaun Tanand
“Bye Bye Now” directed by Aideen O”Sullian/ Ross Whitaker
“While the Widow was Away” directed by Adam Reid
“She’s a Soul Man” directed by Caitlin Byrnes
Tom Martinez, Witness: New Ride at Coney
Xanadu: Happy, Campy Fun in Park Slope’s Washington Park
What a pleasure to join more than 400 neighbors on the Turf behind the Old Stone House to watch Piper Theatre’s production of Xanadu, the theatrically re-imagined 1980’s Olivia Newton- John movie.
Have You Never Been Mellow?
Props to cast, especially Alissa Laderer, MaryAnne Piccolo, who bring much in the way of joy, talent and enthusiasm to their singing and dancing (sometimes on roller skates). They made it look easy and artful on an extremely humid night. What spirit!
Have You Never Been Mellow?
Truth be told, the show itself has few memorable songs (Have You Never Been Mellow?) but overall conveys a spirited disco feeling with soaring gospel harmonies. The set and costumes are colorful and campy fun and the glittery, Spandex spectacle is a pleasure to watch from the plastic lawn sipping a beer from The Gate, munching on Starburst (bought at the concessions stand).
Have You Never Been Mellow?
Set in Venice Beach circa 1980, the story, by Douglas Carter Beane (the award-winning playwright of “The Little Dog Laughed” and “Lysistrata Jones”), is about Kira, a Greek muse who descends from Mt. Olympus to inspire Sonny, a street artist with a dream to open a roller disco.
Have You Never Been Mellow?
Silliness, satire and star-crossed love come together in a happy frolic directed by John Macinerney, who was kind enough to provide me with my very own day glow necklace. At the end of the show, the cast joyously tossed beach balls to the audience.
On a very hot Friday night, it felt like we were at Venice Beach being very mellow indeed.
Damn, I can’t get that song out of my head. Dates: July 12, 13, 19, 20 at 8 PM at the Old Stone House (The Turf).
The photo is by my friend Josh Mack.
Aftermath of Park Slope Fire
Yesterday’s fire at 196 Seventh Avenue, the building where Good Footing Adventure sells sensible Birkenstocks, Dansko and Merrell shoes to sensible Park Slope feet, was the talk of the micro-community of Seventh Avenue between 3rd and 2nd Streets.
On Friday, I walked by many times and saw the owner of the shop standing outside fielding questions from neighbors, police, firefighters and passersby.
He probably got tired of saying that he had no idea how the fire started on the roof of the building. Thankfully the fire didn’t get very far because the FDNY’s response time was rapid and they put out the fire in 16 minutes.
Fast.
But that didn’t stop them from drenching the entire building with water and causing substantial amount of water damage that way. At 5PM walking past the building, I smelled that depressing stench of charred property and heard that the tenants could not return to the building until the water damage was cleaned.
Clearly Good Footing had insurance. Fire Response, a firm that cleans up after disaster, had a bright red truck parked outside of the store and workers were hard at work cleaning the store.
I don’t think a clean up was underway for the rest of the building. Yet. I don’t know if the landlord but I don’t think he was on the premises before, during, or after the fire.
I’m wondering how the tenants of that building are faring. Obviously they are displaced for the time being. It’s early yet, but I will walk by there in a few and find out how things are going.
Hot Nights, Cool Movie Theater: Magic Mike
I’ve heard that Magic Mike is the PERFECT summer movie because it is so HOT to see Channing Tatum and Matthew McConaughey as male strippers. Have you seen it? Do tell.
Here it is in a simple sentence: A male stripper teaches a younger performer how to party, pick up women, and make easy money. Directed by Steven Soderbergh.
Here it is even simpler: Air conditioned movie theater like the UA Stadium Court Street 12 on Court Street.
Xanadu in Washington Park July 6, 12, 13, 19 & 20
It happened last night. The wonderful equity actors of Piper Theatre rolled into Washington Park for six showcase performances of Xanadu.
I wasn’t there but we did drive by and saw the beautiful purple lighting. We do plan on catching the show, which sounds very fun. Roller skates and all.
There are five performances left: July 6, 12, 13, 19 and 20 @ 8 pm. Outdoors under the stars on Washington Park field. Concession, including beer & wine.
Hard to believe, this is the first ever Brooklyn production of Xanadu, a musical comedy with a book by Douglas Carter Beane (Lysistrata Jones, The Little Dog Laughed, As Bees in Honey Drowned), music and lyrics by Jeff Lynne and John Farrar, based on the beloved 1980 cult classic film with Olivia Newton John, will be directed by John P. McEneny Piper’s artistic director.
The cast includes Alissa Laderer (Kira), Jamie Roach (Sonny Malone), M.X. Soto (Danny McGuire/Zeus), Kelly Blaze (Calliope/Aphrodite), MaryAnne Piccolo (Melpomene/Medusa), Jake Mendes (Talia), Ricky Dain Jones (Terpischore), Matthew McGloin (Hermes), Jennifer Somers Kipley (Euterpe/Thetis), Linnea Larsdotter (Erato/Hera), Emily Bodkin (Thalia) and Arielle Vullo (Urania).
Xanadu has choreography by Karen Curlee, musical direction by Laura Mulholland, set design by Sarah Edkins, lighting design by William Growney, sound design by A&L Sound Partners and costume design by Lauren Fajardo and Sandye Renz.
Indie Declaration: We Hold These Truths to be Self-Evident,
“When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, –That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.
“Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.”
Daniel Meeter: Why Be a Christian If No One Goes to Hell?
The very wise, erudite and wonderful Pastor Daniel Meter of Park Slope’s Old First Dutch Reformed Church has just published a new book with the bold title, Why Be a Christian If No One Goes to Hell?
I have not read it yet but I plan to because I am intriqued by the title and interested in anything Daniel Meeter does. Well almost anything.
The new book, published as an ebook by Shook Foil Books, is blurbed to be “a warm and friendly tour through the peaceful and positive features of the Christian faith, without judgment of other religions.
Let me say that I am impressed that Meeter decided to go the ebook route. His digital tome is available on Nook, Kindle and IPad. How cool is that?
Sayeth the blurb: “The book is a practical and down-to-earth introduction for the curious, the inquirer, and anyone who wants to discover Christianity in a new light. It confidently clears away the ever-present and negative motivation for being a Christian: the fear of going to hell.”
“The conventional doctrine of people suffering in hell is not part of the original Biblical faith, and belief in hell is not required of a Christian today.
If you are shopping for a religion, want to develop your spirituality, or just want to know more about Christianity, check out Meeter’s book. Chapters include: To Be Spiritual, To Save Your Soul, To Be a Human Being, To Deal with Guilt, To Know God’s Story, To Love Your Neighbor, and many others.
Wear It Proudly: I’m Still Calling It Atlantic Av Pacific St
Graphic designer and Develop Don’t Destroy Brooklyn activist Deborah Goldstein, also known as Miss Wit, wanted to share her latest t-shirt design with the readers of OTBKB.
I too have been miffed at the renaming of some local subway stations. For instance, the Atlantic Avenue/Pacific Street subway station has been renamed Atlantic Av/Barclay’s Stadium, I believe. Jay Street Boro Hall is now Jay Street MetroTech.
Miss Wit writes, “A British multinational bank (in the news currently for extreme and “systematic greed” practices) bought NYC subway naming rights very cheaply from a cash strapped state agency on the back of a corrupt deal.
“By calling the subway station by said British multinational bank, which certainly not a very many will do, one accepts that scenario as being acceptable.
“The station once known as Pacific Street-Atlantic Avenue will soon be called something else, due to the fact that the same company that bought the rights to the stadium the station sits under, also bought the rights to the station. For the first time in NYC Transit history, a Subway station will bear the name of a corporate entity.
But….
I’m Still Calling it Atlantic Pacific!”
You can buy the t shirt here. FOR 10% OFF Use Promo Code FFCR at check-out thru July 15
Produce a Special for Brooklyn Community Access TV
Not everyone has time to create a weekly television show, or even a bi-weekly or monthly series for Brooklyn’s community access television network.
But BRIC, Brooklyn’s community access television organization, wants you to know that this shouldn’t stop you from submitting your content to air on Brooklyn’s community access television network. If you have a 28-minute or 58-minute piece that you think the borough of Brooklyn will want to watch, give them a call and request an appointment to air what we call a “Special.”
Special time slots don’t occur on a regular basis, so you don’t have to commit to submitting content on a rigorous schedule. Create your program in an amount of time that best fits your schedule, give them a call to arrange a Special time slot, and watch your program on the BCAT TV Network. Pretty simple.
According to BRIC, many of their regular users submit specials that can air during one of the station’s programming quarters. In fact, you can submit as many as 4 programs within a 13 week period. For more information, visit their website or call 718-683-5605 to arrange an appointment with their Programming Department so you can get your Special time slot.