Only the Blog Knows Brooklyn

No Words Daily Pix: Photograph by Hugh Crawford

Happiness is a New Album to Fall in Love With: Neko Case's Middle Cyclone

Neko Case's album won't be released until Tuesday. But I'm wearing out the grooves at the npr.org site where they're previewing it.

It's an exclusive first listen. The whole album is there but this is my pick fave. Lyrically, it is one of the most unusual love songs you may ever encounter.

This Tornado Loves You (excerpt)

...I have waited with a glacier's patience
Smashed  every transformer with every trailer until nothing was standing
Sixty-five-miles wide
Still you are nowhere, still you are nowhere
Nowhere in sight
Come out to meet me, run out to meet me
Come into the light...

Get Fresh: A Localvore Destination with a Top Chef on Fifth Avenue

Last night standing in front of Perch where my son Henry Crawford was performing I noticed flickering candlelights in the window of Get Fresh Table and Market.

It looked so pretty inside and from what I could see there was a nice-sized crowd in there.

As reported on OTBKB, Get Fresh has worked hard to reinvent themselves; they're made some big, bold changes over there and are really getting their act together.

Which isn't to say they didn't have it together before. But the shop started with a shaky concept: a place to buy pre-selected localvore and organic ingredients pre-packed and ready to cook, including cooking directions.

It wasn't ready-to-eat it was ready-to-cook.

I don't think locals ever really took to the concept.

Previously it was a gorgeous but underused space. Now as a restaurant and market it makes total sense. By day it's a cafe, market for prepared and ready-to-cook foods, and place for cooking workshops for adults and children. By night: a restaurant with a noted chef.

Ben Muessig in this week's Brooklyn Paper wrote a brief profile of Mark Simmons, the cook who was on the Bravo cooking show, Top Chef. Simmons told Muessig that he hopes to turn the Fifth Avenue restaurant into a localvore destiantion. He is also the chef creating the food for the market.

“Our goal is definitely to focus on organic and local food — and that suits me because that’s how I grew up in New Zealand,” said Simmons.

“It’s very natural to me and it’s fulfilling to be doing something that I believe in,” he said.

But it hasn’t been easy for the Kiwi cook to transition between the fast-paced TV show and preparing reheatable meals — like braised pork chop with kidney bean sauce ($12 per serving) and squash risotto with white wine, arborio rice, organic butter and Parmesan cheese ($11).

“I’m learning how to take the organic ingredients and pre-prepare them so they’re at their optimum when people get home,” he said.

Get Fresh Table and Market [370 Fifth Ave. between Fifth and Sixth streets in Park Slope, (718) 360-8469].

No Words Daily Pix: Photograph by Hugh Crawford

How Was the Whitest Kids U' Know Show?

6 people  got tickets last night to the Whitest Kids U' Know show at The Bell House. I just heard from Tim, was one of the lucky winners:

Hey-

I just wanted to thank you again and say that it was a really nice surprise for my girlfriend and I on a Thursday night, where all we had to look forward to was 30 Rock. We live right around the corner from the venue, so it was easy and lots of fun. Much obliged.

I asked him to write in about the show. Anyone else want to tell us about their act? I couldn't go because I was feeling too sick—and watching 30 Rock. But I'm dying to hear.

Two New Curators for Brooklyn Museum's Sackler Center

Two new curators are joining the Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art at the Brooklyn Musuem. Welcome to Brooklyn Catherine and  Sharon.

Catherine J. Morris has organized several exhibitions that explored issues related to feminism and its impact as a social, political, and intellectual construct on the development of visual culture-among them Decoys, Complexes and Triggers: Feminism and Land Art in the 1970s at the Sculpture Center, Long Island City, New York, and Gloria and Regarding Gloria at White Columns, New York. She is also the co-curator of Hans Hoffmann: Circa 1950, currently on view at the Rose Art Museum at Brandeis University. For the past five years Morris has also been Adjunct Curator of Contemporary Art at the Philbrook Museum of Art, Tulsa, Oklahoma, and has authored or contributed to several scholarly publications and catalogues, including two books about Cindy Sherman. A longtime Brooklyn resident, Morris is a graduate of the University of Maryland and the recipient of an M.A. from Hunter College. As Curator of the now-two-year-old Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art, she will organize a wide range of special exhibitions and oversee the Center's permanent collection, which includes The Dinner Party by Judy Chicago.

Newly appointed Associate Curator in the Brooklyn Museum's Exhibitions Division, Sharon Matt Atkins has been an Assistant Curator at the Currier Museum of Art, Manchester, New Hampshire, since 2004. There she was responsible for modern and contemporary art, organizing exhibitions from the collection as well as traveling loan shows-among them Andy Warhol: Pop Politics, currently on view at the Neuberger Museum of Art, and Spotlight New England: Kirsten Reynolds. Previously she was a Research Assistant in the Department of Contemporary Art, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. A graduate of Iowa State University, Atkins received an M.A. and Ph.D. from Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey.

Artwork by Kiki Smith is part of the Sackler collection.

No Land Grab Has the Links to News and Analysis on Atlantic Yards Court Decision

No Land Grab has links to news and analysis on yesterday's court decision.

Yesterday was a bad day for Brooklyn: the State Supreme Court Appellate Division ruled in FAVOR of the Empire State Development Corporation and AGAINST the community in the challenge to the state's environmental review and "blight" determination for the Atlantic Yards proposal.

Now 26 community organizations, led by Develop Don’t Destroy Brooklyn, will be headed to the Court of Appeals. Petitioners will ask the Court of Appeals to review the ruling and are considering all issues in the case for an appeal.

Bad Day for Brooklyn: Court Rules Against the Community Challenge to Atlantic Yards

I got this in my inbox today from Develop Don't Destroy. Below are links to many breaking news stories about yesterday when the State Supreme Court Appellate Division ruled in favor of the Empire State Development Corporation and against the community in the challenge to the state's environmental review and "blight" determination for the Atlantic Yards proposal:

Coverage of the ruling can be found here:

Appellate court, despite some misgivings, dismisses EIS case; one judge concurs but slams blight study, says his hands were tied
--Atlantic Yards Report

Atlantic Yards developer wins key legal victory
Forest City Ratner gets a green light from courts but still needs one from banks.
--Crain's New York Business

Concerns 'Legitimate' But Project Proceeds
--New York Law Journal

Legal Victory for Atlantic Yards Developer
--New York Times City Room Blog

Breaking news! Ratner wins a big Yards case
--The Brooklyn Paper

Forest City Ratner put out a press release and Mayor Bloomberg released a short statement
(It is worth noting, amongst other things, that in Forest City's press release Bruce Ratner says, "This project has been reviewed as thoroughly as any in the City..." That's an Orwellian quote if we've ever seen one. This project bypassed all city review for an undemocratic state take over and zoning override and a state environmental disclosure process with one public hearing. A project nobody in the city ever reviewed or voted on. A court ruling based on extreme deference to a state agency is not evidence of any review at all, let alone a thorough one.)

Facebook: New Policies From the Ground Up, Open and Transparent

Woke up this morning and noticed a link on my Facebook page to a note from FB founder Mark Zuckerberg.

Last week, we returned to our previous Terms of Use as we worked on a new set of governing documents that would more clearly explain the relationship between Facebook and its users. Since then, I've been excited to see how much people care about Facebook and how willing they are to contribute to the process of governing the site. Our main goal at Facebook is to help make the world more open and transparent. We believe that if we want to lead the world in this direction, then we must set an example by running our service in this way.

We sat down to work on documents that could be the foundation of this and we came to an interesting realization—that the conventional business practices around a Terms of Use document are just too restrictive to achieve these goals. We decided we needed to do things differently and so we're going to develop new policies that will govern our system from the ground up in an open and transparent way.

Beginning today, we are giving you a greater opportunity to voice your opinion over how Facebook is governed. We're starting this off by publishing two new documents for your review and comment. The first is the Facebook Principles, which defines your rights and will serve as the guiding framework behind any policy we'll consider—or the reason we won't consider others. The second document is the Statement of Rights and Responsibilities, which will replace the existing Terms of Use. With both documents, we tried hard to simplify the language so you have a clear understanding of how Facebook will be run. We've created separate groups for each document so you can read them and provide comments and feedback. You can find the Facebook Principles here and the Statement of Rights and Responsibilities here. Before these new proposals go into effect, you'll also have the ability to vote for or against proposed changes.

Facebook Is As Good As Ten Mothers

In the headline above I am referencing a documentary by the great Les Blank called, "Garlic Is As Good As Ten Mothers."

 I've heard from many friends on Facebook with advice for the flu.

"Chicken soup (or miso will do). Although knaidlach doesn't do so well in miso."

"You must try spicy Thai soup - better than chicken soup for a cold/flu"

"Or the spicy soup from the Japanese place on 7th, that really knocks out the germs."

Note: Gai Tom Kha is the soup I like at Lemongrass, Song, Sky Thai. It has chicken broth, coconut milk, lime juice, pepper and mushroom.

Photo from Elena's Pantry on Flickr.

Untitled Nancy Meyer Project in Park Slope: Welcome Meryl, Alec, Steve (Martin, that is)

Someone tipped me off that the working title for the film set to shoot in Prospect Park next week is: The  Untitled Nancy Meyer Project. So I did a little quickie research.

Director Nancy Meyer is the uber-Hollywood director of some very hot romantic comedies: The Holiday, Something's Gotta Give, Father of the Bride, Baby Boom and Private  Benjamin.

She may well be the most successful non-acting woman in Hollywood.

This film is described on IMDB this way: "A romantic comedy in which two men vie for the affection of a woman."

But check out the cast: Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin, Steve Martin, John Krasinski, Zoe Kazan...

Big Movie To Shoot in Park Slope Next Week

An untitled film project with a roster of hot Hollywood stars is set to shoot next week in Prospect Park. I hear that they're using the Picnic House as a temporary movie studio and have built an elaborate set inside.

This production is a biggie. BIG names. BIG director. BIG budget. Look for BIG production trucks on Prospect Park West I'm guessing.

More deets to come.

Caroline McCarthy Talks Back to OTBKB

I heard from Caroline McCarthy, one of the speakers at Tuesday night's Mashable: Next Up NYC event at the 92YTribeca.

A technology reporter for CNET, that's her on the right in the picture on the left from Moblogic on Flickr.

She had this to say about my post, State of the NYC Blogosphere: A Bunch of Twittering 20-Somethings.

"Glad you liked the hula hoop story, and thanks for coming! 

"I do, however, want to take issue with the "Would you want to see a doctor who didn't go to medical school" remark -- that's apples and oranges in my opinion.  I didn't go to journalism school because I was offered an entry-level reporting job without it, and hence had the option to learn a craft from skilled editors and reporters (my colleagues' resumes run the gamut from BusinessWeek to the LA Times),  while earning a modest salary.  If I'd gone to journalism school, I would've driven myself into debt from paying tuition while being uncertain about what the job market would be when I graduated.

"It's not a new phenomenon; many of my 30- and 40-something colleagues who picked up the profession a decade or two ago did not attend journalism school either. My background was so completely off-the-grid (I was a history of science major) that when I interviewed for the CNET job, the editors had to give me a writing test because I had no writing samples to provide.

"Anyone can *try* to be a journalist, and anyone can contribute to the news.  Making a living off it, well, we all know that isn't easy.  Most of the audience, we knew in advance, was coming from the marketing and PR sectors and was interested in hearing about blogging as a business and its potential for profit in the current advertising recession. 

"So that's why we talked about what we talked about.  As an East Villager -- a neighborhood that SHOULD have a great culture of independent blogging -- I'm jealous of how well they've caught on in Brooklyn.  That said, if my downstairs neighbor is any indicator, maybe we are on our way. :)"

Tom Martinez, Witness: What Immortal Hand Or Eye Dare Frame Thy Fearful Symmetry?

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?

Flu Advice From Charlie Libin

Park Slope's Charlie Libin is usually behind the lens as director of photography or camera operator on films like Able Danger, Be Kind Rewind and Neil Young: Heart of Gold.

A film he directed, American Combatant was selected for numerous film festivals, including the San Paulo International Film Festival and is now available at Amazone.com.

We also loved that he did second unit camera for Rachel Getting Married and was an extra during the party scene.

But who knew he was a dispenser of compassionate healing advice. He responded to my status report: Louise finally got that flu that everyone has. She's giving into it now

stop trying to work, etc. surrender, spend a few days in bed, with periodic baths, alotta fluids, chicken soup and some occasional gentle stretching - empty your head (take 2 advil at 9:30 and go to bed (large glass of water at bedside).

L'Chaim: Herb Youner Retrospective in Dobbs Ferry

Friends of Park Slope architect Gilly Youner are looking forward to the March 8th opening reception of L'Chaim, Herb Youner, a retrospective of Youner's paintings and photographs at the Upstream Gallery in Dobbs Ferry.

The following was written by Herb's wife: "This exhibit is a celebration of Chaim Herbert Youner’s life.
 
Herb passed away September 12, 2007, at age 76, in a graceful, peaceful exit.
 
On that occasion, alone in the midst of a holiday celebration, while surrounded by his loving family, he fulfilled his own artist’s statement:
 
“Much of my work deals with loneliness and abandonment around us…Many of us… are ultimately alone, even in the midst of each other.” His paintings will live on. In his March 2000 exhibit statement he writes,
 "I feel the ebb and flow of the tides and their constant motion regardless my presence or absence.”
 Later, in May 2002, he writes: “Carnival rides that spin, twist, change speed and come to a jarring stop are metaphors for life.”

Herb lived a full life. From his first artistic success at the High School of Music and Art, when he received his first award from Colliers Magazine, and exhibited his painting at the Brooklyn Museum; to his Cooper Union experience, and throughout the years of work as a designer, he continued to create the large body of work which these paintings are a part of. His artwork flourished in the last year of his life, when he was invited by the Fundacion Valparaiso, Mojacar, Spain, where he spent a whole month painting as a Resident Artist.
 
His presence is in every piece of his work, in his paintings, drawings, prints, 3D pieces and photographs. He continually explored the effects of light and shadows when creating forms in his Facades, in the surreal images of beaches and playgrounds, in the starkness of the Mediterranean coast.
 
 The show at Upstream Gallery runs from March 5th through March 29, 2000. The opening reception is Sunday March 8th from 2-5 p.m.

Check out the Flickr page created by his proud daughter, who is pictured here with Herb.

.

No Words Daily Pix: Photograph by Hugh Crawford

Freelancers Union Tell the NY Observer to Pay Its Freelancers

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.

Tell the Observer you think they can and must find a solution and pay their freelancers. (After all, these are journalists! Maybe they can take a page from Wall Street and freeze pay at the top?) Doesn't mutual benefit mean mutual responsibility?

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

Finally Succumbed to the Flu That's Been Going Around

If you don't see much on OTBKB today it's because I am sick. Just trying to be okay...

More Free Tickets For The Whitest Kids U Know Tonight at Bell House

  Someone from The Bell House got in touch to say that they wanted to give away tickets to OTBKB readers to a live show by The Whitest Kids U Know.

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.

Here's a link to venue website if you could please include as well, the show is taking place @ The Bell House, Thursday, Feb. 26, 8:00 p.m. Tickets - $15, 18+ (http://www.thebellhouseny.com/calendar.php)

There are also tickets for tonight's show.

louise_crawford(at)yahoo(dot)com

March 12th at Brooklyn Reading Works: The Annual Memoir-A-Thon:

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.

The Old Stone House

Fifth Avenue and Third Street

Brooklyn Paper: No Ban at Food Coop

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.

Read the rest here.

No Words Daily Pix: Photograph by Hugh Crawford

Bell House Ticket Giveaway: The Whitest Kids U Know

  Someone from The Bell House got in touch to say that they wanted to give away tickets to OTBKB readers to a live show by The Whitest Kids U Know.

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.

Here's a link to venue website if you could please include as well, the show is taking place @ The Bell House, Thursday, Feb. 26, 8:00 p.m. Tickets - $15, 18+ (http://www.thebellhouseny.com/calendar.php)

There are also tickets for tonight's show.

louise_crawford(at)yahoo(dot)com

 

Neko Case: This Tornado Loves You

Go and take a sneak listem over at NPR.org to Neko Case's new album. Finally. It sounds awesome.

"With a Kitchen and a Bit of Ambition You Can Make a Name For Yourself In Brooklyn"

From today's New York Times:

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.”"

Leon Freilich, Verse Responder: Onward and Upward

Starting today L line trains are fully controlled by a computerized signal system.
--MTA announcement

Onward & Upward

One train's automated

Say MTA releases

With more to follow suit

Just like fare increases.

Park Slope Schoolhouse: Saving Something Worth Saving Like A School And Jobs

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.

"it's really been a privilege to save something worth saving and create something that services such a huge need in our community.  We are delighted to say that all of the teachers and staff have been invited to stay on in their current roles, so we have saved 18 jobs in the process in addition to the 48 childcare spots."'

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.

Dear Park Slope Community:

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!

Urban Environmentalist NYC—Eco Lens

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.

Greetings From Scott Turner: A Vibrant, Exciting, Pulse-Increasing, Edge-of-Oblivion Era.

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.

State of the NYC Blogosphere: A Bunch of Twittering 20-Somethings

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: First Period Stories

 My Little Red Book sounds like a must-read for parents of tweens and the kids.

It is about first periods, collected from women of all ages from around the world.

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!"

The Prime of Ms. Jane Brody: Feb 25, 7:30 Reading at Park Slope Barnes & Noble

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.

I spoke to Jane this morning, don't know if you read her stuff (at my in-laws I discovered a cache of her books from decades ago and almost stole "em) the new book she wrote could have been useful for us for during the "Dad transition"---now he's here, now he's not.

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:

From the beloved New York Times columnist, trusted authority on health, and bestselling author comes this complete guide to everything you need to know–emotionally, spiritually, and practically–to prepare for the end of life.

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.”

Letter About Boycott Controversy: Written While Waiting On Line at the Food Coop

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

The Candidate Blogs: Brad Lander on Julian Brennan

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.

No Words Daily Pix: Photograph by Hugh Crawford

Reaction to Obama Speech From My Facebook Friends

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!!"

Live Obama: This Was The Time When We Performed Something Worthy to be Remembered

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).

Live Obama: I Have Ordered the Closing of Gitmo

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.

Live Obama: Energy, Healthcare and Education

"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..."

These education policies will open the doors of opportunity for our children. But it is up to us to ensure they walk through them. In the end, there is no program or policy that can substitute for a mother or father who will attend those parent/teacher conferences, or help with homework after dinner, or turn off the TV, put away the video games, and read to their child. I speak to you not just as a president, but as a father when I say that responsibility for our children's education must begin at home.

Live Obama: It's An Agenda that Begins With Jobs

 "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.

That is why I have asked Vice President Biden to lead a tough, unprecedented oversight effort – because nobody messes with Joe. 

 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.

Live Obama: The Worry You Wake Up With And The Source of Sleepless Nights

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.

Park Slope School House: The Nabe Needs It

Once again, I am the last to know. Full disclosure: I was in New Jersey over the weekend swimming in a Biosphere pool.

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:

Leading Neighborhood Program with 20+ Year History Now Offering Tours for 2009-2010 Academic Year–Parents who need child care in Brooklyn now have the option to send their children to Park Slope Schoolhouse (PSS), a child development program with courses for children who are one, two or three years old by September 1, 2009. PSS is a newly formed non-profit early childhood education program that formerly operated as the Berkeley Carroll Child Care Center and previously, as the MHB Child Care Center (operated by New York Methodist Hospital). The program has a rich history in the neighborhood, having been in operation since 1986.

Design Trust: Submit Proposals To Improve Public Space

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.

New York City community groups and public agencies are invited to submit proposals for research, design, and planning projects that will improve public space in New York City and benefit from private-sector expertise. Proposals for 2009-2010 projects will be accepted until 5 pm, May 1, 2009.

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

Andy Bachman: Some Perspective On Food Coop Boycott Controversy

Here's my fave, Rabbi Andy Bachman on the Food Coop boycott non-controversy that's being fanned into one on the blogosphere. I feel like posting the WHOLE thing because it made me cry. But I'll just do an excerpt so y'all will go over to Andy's blog.

Well, let’s just drink a cool glass of water and get some perspective.

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

No Words Daily Pix: Photograph by Hugh Crawford

Today: Atlantic Yards Eminent Domain Court Argument

Here's today's media alert, press release or whatever you want to call it from the folks over at Develop Don't Destroy Brooklyn:

The challenge, by nine brave home and business owners and tenants, to New York state's use of eminent domain to take the their properties for developer Forest City Ratner’s Atlantic Yards development proposal will be argued in court on Monday, February 23.

Forest City Ratner cannot build its floundering project without these plaintiffs’ properties.

Monday, February 23. 10am*
Supreme Court, State of New York. Appellate Division**, Second Department
45 Monroe Place. Brooklyn, NY.

The lawsuit was filed on August 1st, 2008 and fully briefed at the end of December.
All briefs in Goldstein et al. v Empire State Development Corporation can be found here.

On his Atlantic Yards Report Norman Oder has an extensive preview of the arguments and issues discussed in the briefings

(*Note: The court has the argument listed as the 7th on the docket, so we do not know precisely when it will be argued. But we advise showing up by 10 if that is possible for you, but later is okay if that is not possible. **State law requires all eminent domain challenges to go directly to the appellate division. This case is not an appeal.)

Other Pending Legal Challenge

The legal challenge to the state’s environmental review and approval and in particular New York State’s determination that the proposed Atlantic Yards project site is “blighted” is awaiting a ruling of an appeal. That appeal was argued over five months ago, on September 17, 2008. A ruling for plaintiffs in this case would mean the project could not go forward.

More about this case is at: www.dddb.net/FEIS/appeal.

The Animated Life in the Times: Jeff Scher's In Your Dreams

Today in the New York Times, Jeff Scher's short short animated film "In Your Dreams."

"To make the film, I painted multiple watercolors of my wife, who has always been my favorite subject. I already had boxes full of paintings to work from, spanning the length of our marriage. They were all painted in the morning because, with its bright golden luminance, that’s the light I find most suited to watercolor. And we are both always quite happy when she can sleep late."

Watch the film here.

Blognigger on Food Coop Boycott Controversy

Here's Blognigger's satiric posting on Fucked in Park Slope about the ban proposed by a small group of Food Coop members on Israeli food as a protest against the military attacks in Gaza. Here's an excerpt:

PARK SLOPE, Brooklyn (FIPSNN) - The trouble began in a local synagogue, of all places, where at a monthly general meeting, a Park Slope Coop member proposed a ban on Israeli foods. The gesture was one of protest, aimed at expressing the organization's contempt for the country's recent military campaign in Gaza. Here in Brooklyn, however, many Jews objected; that's when divisive lines were formed, and Coop members began to choose sides.

Now, in a move that is sure to ignite protest from Jewish advocacy groups citywide, the Coop board has voted to recommend that Jewish Members adorn Stars of David while shopping at the Coop. The Coop board insists that the move is one of compassion, and senior members of the organization met with FIPSNN to elaborate.

Read more at Fucked in Park Slope.

Readings on the Fourth Floor: Broadway Unbound

PS 107 presents the 5th Annual Readings on the Fourth Floor, a series of Wednesday night author and artists events, which is also a fund-raiser for the school's library:

Jeff Bowen and Hunter Bell, creators and stars in the Obie-award winning musical Title of Show, will be joined by their female lead, Susan Blackwell. Jeff Whitty, Tony Award- winning playwright (Best Musical 2004) of Avenue Q and Tales of the City will be joined by Bobby Lopez, Tony-award winning composer and lyricist for Avenue Q. Doug Aibel, artistic director of the Vineyard Theater, which took both of these shows to Broadway, will round out the panel.

Anecdotes, spontaneous song and the trials and tribulations of creating musical theater that goes beyond the norm will be center stage in this evening of theatrical insight.

The Where and When

Wednesday, February 25, 2009
PS 107
1301 8th Avenue
7:30 - 9 p.m.