9/30/11
Zombiefest 2011
The Zombie Walk starts at 6 PM, and the after-party, featuring a screening of horror classic Night of the Living Dead, Zombie-themed performance art and a beer special, will be at the Cove, at 108 North 6th Street, at 7 PM.
All proceeds of Zombiefest go to benefit the Food Bank for New York City.
Every dollar donated to the Food Bank can produce 5 meals for hungry people.
Here's the Facebook invite.
9/29/11
Walmart Metastases in Brooklyn?
There are 20 sites for sale in Brooklyn where little boxes, about half the size of a Pathmark, could be located, including one on Seventh Avenue between 64th and 65th Streets in Bay Ridge.
Meanwhile, Walmart is still hovering over the Gateway II site in East New York, making Mom and Pop very nervous.
The company has been courting the borough over the past couple of years, dropping cash on the Brooklyn Public Library, the Gateway Salt Mash restoration and BP Marty Markowitz’s summer concert series.
City Council Member Charles Barron, who is pushing back hard against Walmartization, said that New Yorkers already have plenty of shitty no-benefit jobs working for racist, sexist anti-union employers.
The article from the Brooklyn Paper.
Hinsch Luncheonette Is Closing
I first saw the sign in the window announcing the closing as I was riding past on the 5th Avenue bus Thursday night. I went back today with my camera and photographed it.
Hinsch's is closing after 63 years, it says, because its lease is expiring, and the Logue family, which owns the place, given the recession, customers' "changing eating patterns", and the desire for early retirement, has decided not to renew the lease.
I'll miss that place, not just for its comforting retro look and feel, but because I don't think Bay Ridge has another source of chocolate egg creams like the ones I buy at the fountain there.
There are a lot of other people who are going to miss it too, like the guy I talked to there today who's been coming to Bay Ridge from Cobble Hill every week for years -- just for Hinschs' waffles -- and the person who left this love-note on the front door.
More from the Brooklyn Paper.
9/28/11
Harvest Festival at Narrows Botanical Garden
Today, the 4-1/2 acre garden, tended by local volunteers, boasts a butterfly garden, a turtle sanctuary, two rose gardens, a lily pond, a native plant garden, and, every October, family-friendly neighborhood favorite The Bay Ridge Harvest Festival.
This year's festival will take place on October 16th from noon to 5 PM, featuring the AL e MO square dancers, the annual pumpkin patch, where kids can pick and paint their own pumpkins, raffles, refreshments, arts and crafts -- and the ever-popular doggie costume contest.
The Bay Ridge Food Co-op will have a table there, handing out brochures and information about joining, ordering from its buying club (now in its 9th cycle) and working together to realize the dream of a local co-op market.
For more information about the event, contact Linda Dahl at linda@narrowsbg.org or visit the NBG website.
Rain date: October 23rd.
Upstate Farmers Hit Hard by Irene
Irene could not have arrived at a worse time for the farmers -- just when most of them are bringing in the crops that represent their entire year's work.
Government officials in Sullivan, Ulster and Orange counties have characterized Irene, which crested creeks and rivers at near-record levels, as the biggest catastrophe ever to hit their region. The extent of the storm damage will mean that upstate residents will face critical food shortages this winter.
Nearly 80% of the upstate farmers who market their produce through the Bay Ridge Greenmarket have reported crop losses -- some have lost their entire 2011 harvest.
So this Saturday, October 1, and next Saturday, October 8, the Greenmarket, at Walgreen’s parking lot, 95th Street and 3rd Avenue in Bay Ridge, will be collecting food and supplies for its farmers.
All Greenmarket shoppers are asked to contribute.
For more information about the Greenmarket's Hurricane Irene Relief Fund and what you can do, please visit http://www.grownyc.org/relief or call Council Member Gentile’s office at (718) 748-5200.
New York Times Mocks Wall Street Protest
The Times dismissed Occupy Wall Street as "a diffuse and leaderless convocation of activists against greed, corporate influence, gross social inequality and other nasty byproducts of wayward capitalism" that hadn't even drawn that many people.
New York City couldn't hold a candle, the Times goaded, to the 100,000 people mobilized to Madison at the peak of Wisconsin's outrage against Scott Walker.
Besides, sniffed the Times, the Wall Street protesters can't even agree on what they're protesting.
Pathetic (in so many words), the Times archly concluded.
The New York Times article.
Salon mocks Big Media's sneering coverage of the Wall Street protest.
The Times changes its tune [Alternet.]
9/27/11
Garden of Eden Home Accused of Abusing Mentally Disabled Man
MFY brought the proceeding on behalf of Deepak Mirani, a 55-year old disabled resident of the Garden of Eden Home, an assisted living facility at 1608-1620 Stillwell Avenue, near Kings Highway in Brooklyn.
When Mirani's Supplemental Security Income (SSI) got cut off last year -- something that apparently happens a lot to people on SSI -- his case manager at the home, instead of helping Mirani get his SSI back, threatened to throw Mirani out of the facility and blacklist him so he couldn't get into other housing, unless Mirani agreed to let Garden of Eden take money out of his $178-per-month personal needs allowance.
What the case manager did was illegal, but DOH failed to impose any penalty, MFY said.
Residents like Mirani are particularly susceptible to intimidation, said MFY, because they're so dependent on the living facility.
The Press Release from MFY Legal Services.
9/26/11
Library Offers Amnesty to Children, Teens
Anyone under 18 whose borrowing privileges have been suspended for racking up $15 or more in fines can take advantage of the program, funded by publisher McGraw-Hill. Called "New Chapter", it offers amnesty to kids and teens who bring back their overdue library books -- and even lets them check out new books and media.
Local Council Member Vinnie Gentile, who chairs the Council's Select Committee on Libraries, praised New Chapter as a fresh start for kids and teens at the beginning of the new school year. An estimated 100,000 are expected to bring back their overdue books and materials under New Chapter, which runs until October 31.
9/25/11
John O'Hara's Pardon Request Goes to Gov. Cuomo
O'Hara, an attorney and political activist, was convicted of "illegal voting", a felony, back in the 1990s. A petition in support of his pardon application is linked to this blog.
O'Hara's law license was reinstated by the Appellate Division of the New York Supreme Court in 2009 after a twelve-year suspension and in April, 2011, he was admitted to practice in Federal Court.
"Dear Governor Cuomo:
Pursuant to Article IV, Section 4, of the New York State Constitution, the Governor of New York has the enviable “power to grant … pardons after conviction, for all offenses except treason and cases of impeachment, upon such conditions and with such restrictions and limitations, as he or she may think proper ….” New York has always been in the forefront of permitting the chief executive, in his sole discretion, to mitigate what may be deemed a harsh and inflexible punishment. In fact, New York was one of only few of the original states where the pardoning power rested with the governor. See, N.Y. Const. of 1777, art. XVIII. Most states have since followed.
This petition is respectfully submitted on behalf of Mr. John O’Hara, who was convicted for a harmless mistake under the exceptional circumstances of a historical anomaly. The conviction is his first and only infraction of the law and has left devastating effects in its wake. He was cut off from his legal career and political aspirations early in his professional development, fined heavily, and served three years probation with 1,500 hours of community service. All this for casting his vote over a period of one year from an address deemed not to be his “principal and permanent” residence.
There was never an intention of duplicating his vote in the elections of that year, nor did he manipulate or induce fraud on anyone else’s vote. Yet, in view of the progeny of election cases, which are very few, the punishment endured would seem beyond the pale. Even in Susan B. Anthony’s case, the only other conviction for unlawful voting, the court levied a fine of $100.00, plus the costs of the prosecution, and then decided not to pursue any payment. See, D. Linder, The Trial of Susan B. Anthony for Illegal Voting, 2001.
Looking back, it would be unthinkable to hold a grudge against Susan B. Anthony for voting in 1872. It is just as untenable to continue to withhold our forgiveness for Mr. O’Hara’s mistaken residency filings in 1992 - 1993. We cannot take back his conviction; he has paid his fine and served his full sentence. We cannot annul his shame and loss of legal status, although, fortunately, he has been reinstated as an attorney, almost twelve years later.
O’Hara has paid an inordinately high price for a relatively minor offense of a law that is typically not enforced. His pardon can, however, retrieve his professional reputation and dignity. In the scheme of things, Mr.O’Hara’s conviction may appear relatively insignificant to other more serious ones seeking to be pardoned. But, restoring his reputation is not insignificant to Mr. O’Hara. Further, granting him the pardon carries with it no repercussions. It would not prejudice the public or put anyone in danger.
Procedural History
On or about October 23, 1996, an indictment was handed down against John Kennedy O’Hara for crimes of false registration and voting during the election year November, 1992 to November, 1993, a total of seven counts. Two of the counts pertained to false registration; the remaining five counts related to illegal voting.1 Mr. O’Hara, who maintained an apt on 61st Street in Brooklyn, began living at his girlfriend’s residence on 47th Street, Brooklyn, and registered and voted from her address during 1992 – 1993.
For reasons still mired in speculation, charges were initiated against Mr. O’Hara in 1996, three years later, for wrongfully registering and voting from the 47th Street residence. The relationship had already ended and Mr. O’Hara no longer stayed at that address.
At the conclusion of the trial in May, 1997, O’Hara was convicted of the charges, but the Appellate Division, Second Department, reversed for an improper charge to the jury regarding a missing witness. People v. O’Hara, 253 A.D.2d 560 (2d Dept, 1998). A second trial was held, which ended in a deadlocked jury. At the third trial held in October, 1999, O’Hara was again convicted of all charges; that holding was affirmed by the Appellate Division, Second Dept. in July, 2000. People v. O’Hara, 274 A.D.2d 486 (2d Dept, 2000). Mr. O’Hara sought relief in the state’s highest court, but the Court of Appeals affirmed the judgment. People v. O’Hara, 96 N.Y.2d 378 (2001).
What is noteworthy in the Court of Appeals decision is the lengthy dissent written by Judge Albert Rosenblatt and concurred by Judge Howard Levine. Both jurists believed that the narrow definition of residence given to the jury was error and “confusing” without further explanation. Id. at 388; see, also, Election Law, section 1-104(22). Further, it was in contradiction to prior holdings and the prevailing practice of permitting a broader application for choosing between dual residences. See, also, People v. Ramos, 223 A.D.2d 495 (1st Dept, 1996) (affirming dismissal of indictment for insufficient explanation of election law definition of residence). A more recent case decided in 2008 in the Third Department iterated the Court’s broad application for choosing between dual residences. See, Matter of Wilkie v. Delaware County Bd. Of Elections, 55 A.D.3d 1088 (3d Dept, 2008).
That being said, the possible misunderstanding of election residency requirements is not the reason for requesting Mr. O’Hara’s pardon. Mr. O’Hara was tried by a jury of his peers who concluded that the address from which he registered and voted was not his principal and permanent residence. This petition does not request that you override or annul the decision. I only wish to point out that under similar circumstances there continue to be differing results.
Nonetheless, the conviction stands, affirmed by the brethren of our highest court. Mr. O’Hara took his battle all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, but certiorari was denied. Mr. O’Hara paid his fines and served his sentence. It is too late to undo the deed. But, it is not too late to pardon Mr. O’Hara.
That is the focus of this plea for pardon. Pardons are generally for the personal benefit of the convicted party. However, I believe that a pardon on behalf of Mr. O’Hara carries with it a salutary effect for the public, and I ask your indulgence while I make my argument for the requested relief.
Background Summary
Mr. O’Hara is a graduate of CUNY Law School and was admitted to the bar in 1991 with an apparent penchant for public service. In 1990, he was already a member of his Community Board, and that same year made his first attempt for public office by entering the primary for New York State Assemblyman, but was unsuccessful. During his tenure on the Community Board, he chaired the Economic Development Committee and was instrumental in bringing the large discount company, Costco, into the area. He was also chair of the Youth Services Committee, which allocated millions of dollars to various youth programs within the community. He resigned from the Board in 1997, following his conviction at his first trial.
Mr. O’Hara quickly became known for his outspoken manner and as a maverick in political circles. In 1992, O’Hara again opposed the party’s choice for State Assemblyman, and lost by just a few hundred votes. The election year of 1992 – 1993 was the basis of his indictment for false registration and voting. But, there was no prosecution of the charges in 1992 or 1993.
Mr. O’Hara continued to challenge the party incumbent for State Assembly up through the election year 1996, each time without success. That was his final challenge; it was the year he was arrested and indicted. But, not in that order. In fact, a grand jury had already been convened prior to his arrest and ended with the true bill filed on October 23, 1996, about a week before election day.
Thereafter, the saga of repetitive trials and continuing appeals began. I became involved in 2000, while serving as President of the NYC League of Women Voters. A year later, Mr. O’Hara approached me again to encourage me to run as an opposition candidate for judge in the election year 2001. To Mr. O’Hara’s credit, after my election to the bench, Mr. O’Hara at no time solicited any requests, references or counsel, legally or socially. In fact, Mr. O’Hara honored the ethical distance required by judges and we spoke only a few times by telephone during my entire tenure.
O’Hara displays a high level of ethics in his work and personal life, along with a strong commitment to public service. He is the first in his family to complete college and, then, exceeded their expectations by going on to law school. The task was further laden by his having to work nights to support his costs of higher education. Until his conviction, he never shirked his duty to vote and took pride in his community activism. The conviction not only caused him to lose his right to vote and legal livelihood, but also dashed his dreams of political participation.
Even while serving his sentence of community service, O’Hara was acknowledged by the Coordinator of his community service for his diligence and admirable work ethic. It was joined with another letter of praise written on behalf of Mr. O’Hara when he applied for readmission to the bar. The Character and Fitness Committee, consistent of twenty-five members, unanimously recommended O’Hara’s reinstatement in May, 2009. Of note is that, following a review of the documents of the case and a personal interview of Mr. O’Hara, the Committee stated that it had “grave doubts that Mr. O’Hara did anything that justified his criminal prosecution …” Decision of Committee on Character and Fitness, May 21, 2009, p. 6; see, also, NY Law Journal, Oct. 13, 2009. The Appellate Division, Second Department, restored the name of John Kennedy O’Hara to the roll of attorneys in October, 2009.6 This year, in April, 2011, he was admitted to practice in the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York.
Why The Pardon Should Be Granted
A. For Reasons of Justice and Fairness
In our tripartite system of government, the Judiciary is often the last word. But, we know that it is not a perfect system. Your extrajudicial powers of clemency and pardon provide a safety valve for the problems inherent in an overloaded and rigid system of criminal justice. It provides another opportunity to review the offense more thoroughly than, or at least differently from, what was offered at trial. It also offers a new perspective on how fairly the justice system is operating.
Although there is a dearth of cases with which to compare the O’Hara case, it is clear that disparate punishment was meted out to other parties involved in similar circumstances. Mr. O’Hara paid a high fine, was sentenced to three years probation, and went on record as a felon. Others in similar cases, at the very worst, faced losing their right to vote in the current election. Mr. O’Hara, on the other hand, was stripped of his voting rights and, more importantly, his legal license.
In New York, there have been a few civil cases on the issues of false voter registration and residency. But, none of them, whether the party wins or loses, would result in a criminal conviction. In Matter of Bressler v. Holt-Harris, 30 N.Y.2d 529 (Ct of Appeals, 1972), the Court affirmed the decision of the lower court in denying a petition to strike Mr. Holt-Harris’ name from the registry of voters. Even if petitioner prevailed, the only consequence for respondent Holt-Harris would have been his inability to vote in the district where he claimed he resided.
The same issue arose in a more recent case, Matter of Wilkie v. Delaware County Bd. of Elections, 55 A.D.3d 1088 (3rd Dept, 2008). Mr. Wilkie successfully sought an order to reinstate his voter registration. No criminal consequences were ever considered in the proceeding.
As a matter of fact, there has been only one other attempt to convict a party for false registration and illegal voting. In People v. Ramos, 223 A.D.2d 495 (1st Dept, 1996), Mr. Ramos, like Mr. O’Hara, was charged with false voter registration and illegal voting. A true bill of the Grand Jury was returned, but the case never made it to trial. The Supreme Court Judge dismissed the indictment, holding that the statutory definition of “residence” did not provide enough information to sustain the charge. Id. An interesting note here is that the trial judge gave the prosecutor leave to re-present, which apparently (s)he did not. Not so for O’Hara, where juries were convened for three separate trials.
The similarities in the voter residency cases are undeniable and the Court has given in each such case, with the exception of O’Hara, a broad application to the governing election statute. A good example is the Bressler case, supra, where despite respondent’s lack of any meaningful contact with his registered address, the Court declared it a lawful voting residence. The same applies to the Wilkie case, supra, in which the appellate court followed the bent of the high court and chose not to interpret the statute narrowly and reinstated Mr. Wilkie’s voter registration.
In the O’Hara case, the same charges of registering and voting from an unlawful residence resulted in punishment far afield of a violation of the Election Laws. Without excusing his conduct, we entreat you to use your power of leniency to pardon Mr. O’Hara for his unprecedented conviction.
B. For Reasons of Public Policy
Mr. O’Hara was convicted of registering and voting unlawfully. His is the only case in New York prosecuted successfully for doing so. That is, except for the conviction of Susan B. Anthony in 1873. For her punishment, she was fined $100, but refused to pay it. The government never pursued collection action against her. See, D. Linder, The Trial of Susan B. Anthony for Illegal Voting, 2001.
Mr. O’Hara, on the other hand, was fined upwards of $20,000, sentenced to three years probation and 1500 hours of community service. Even before his appeals were perfected, he was disbarred. Nevertheless, the request for pardon is not based on sympathy. It is a plea to reexamine how New York doles out comparative justice.
The determinative factor in John O’Hara’s conviction was whether he registered and voted from his “permanent and principal home”. See, Election Law, sect. 1-104(22). In other cases addressing the issue of dual residences, the courts applied the generally accepted broad definition of the rule. Both Wilkie, supra, and Bressler, supra, were permitted to register and vote from one of their addresses, although they admitted that they had minimal contact with the voting address and it was not the principal residence.
The opposite occurred in the O’Hara case, where a jury construed the definition literally and found that his chosen voting address did not comport with a permanent and principal place of residence. To be fair, it was the first time the issue was put before a jury, prior cases having been decided in a civil forum by a judge. What sets the O’Hara case apart is that it went the full course to trial, not once but three times. The first conviction was reversed by reason of an erroneous jury charge regarding a missing witness. The second attempt produced no conviction because the jury was deadlocked. The third trial was the tie breaker, which led to the final conviction and sentencing of O’Hara.
The fact remains that a different jury in a different case under similar circumstances could interpret the definition of residence under section 1-104(22) of the Election Law in a different light. Even more chilling is the fact that enforcement of the residency rule is random, at best, and selective, at worst. In the matter of O’Hara, the charges were brought three years (in 1996) after the alleged violations (in 1993). Out of more than a million registered voters in Brooklyn, O’Hara was the only case investigated and then prosecuted for illegal voting. For those people who maintain dual residences, a danger looms that a vote from one of the addresses may lead to criminal allegations from opposing factions.
Despite Judge Rosenblatt’s cogent dissent in the O’Hara case, the high court’s majority would not upend the jury’s determination. As a jurist, I understand the learned court’s resistance. The jury is the proud foundation of our judicial system, and it works. We recognize and revere its findings. This petition for pardon does not ask that you alter the outcome.
What I do request in this petition is that you pardon Mr. O’Hara for his violations of voting, which, I believe, will have beneficial effects for not only Mr. O’Hara, but also for the public at large. Until the O’Hara case, it was unlikely that one would be prosecuted for violations of election registration or residency. Even if (s)he were, the potential consequence would be a nullification of the person’s vote in that election. Until the O’Hara case, a broad application to the residency statute was the established precedent. That supports New York’s favorable attitude towards open and accessible voting procedures. Our democracy depends on citizens getting involved and engaging the govt. A pardon in the O’Hara case offers an opportunity to encourage further clarification of the residency statute by the legislature or the courts, one way or the other.
Conclusion
The conviction of John O’Hara is one-of-a-kind and seeks a one-of-a-kind pardon. It provides an opportunity for a new perspective on the unprecedented decision in the O’Hara case. Admittedly, the power to pardon is generally applied to those convicted of more serious crimes, whereas those of less significant crimes go unnoticed. Yet, the punishment meted out to Mr.O’Hara far outweighs the criminal charges and may, in balance, even exceed some penalties for far more serious conduct.
A pardon on behalf of Mr. O’Hara will not conjure up any casualties, condemnation or correction. It will, however, help restore his reputation and sense of dignity, a small request for the substantial setback in his life.
For all the reasons set forth in this petition, we pray sincerely for your favorable consideration in granting a long-awaited pardon for John O'Hara.
Respectfully submitted..."
Pitching Your Business Plan to Investors
On Thursday, October 6 from 6 – 7:30 PM, business coach Henrietta Koffi will be at the Brooklyn Public Library's Business Library, 280 Cadman Plaza West at Tillary Street in Brooklyn Heights, with tips on how to present your business plan to prospective investors, including:
- what information to include;
- how to organize your presentation;
- how to present your data;
- how to use PowerPoint.
The event is sponsored by the Brooklyn Public Library | 10 Grand Army Plaza | Brooklyn, NY 11238 718-230-2100 | www.brooklynpubliclibrary.org.
Black Tide at Bluestockings
Here's the FACEBOOK invitation.
Antonia Juhasz' Black Tide, which tells the stories of the people whose lives were destroyed by the catastrophic BP oil spill in the Gulf, is a searing look at the human costs of oil development.
Kirkus Reviews has called Juhasz' book The Tyranny of Oil, "timely, blistering...white hot..."
9/24/11
Another Big Box Comes to Bensonhurst
Thor bought the land six years ago for $10 million.
Even before construction begins on the $150 million Bay Center project at 1752 Shore Parkway, Thor has leased 143,000 square feet -- including a 700-car parking lot -- on the lower level to anchor tenant BJ's Wholesale Club.
The developer is seeking commercial tenants for 69,000 square feet of space.
The article from Crain's New York.
2011 Brooklyn Lyceum Fall Marketplace
In addition to two floors of vendors selling their hand-crafted wares, the event will feature tours, raffles, a puppet show and a visit from a group of Superheroes, as well as intelligent conversation and excellent coffee.
Parents of young children will want to take note that Russian fairy tale The Firebird will be performed by acclaimed puppet company The Puppet People at the Lyceum on Saturday, October 15 at 2 PM and at 7 PM.
Buy tickets for The Firebird here.
9/22/11
Two More Sexual Assaults, One at Fort Hamilton F Station
According to police, the man who came up behind a woman walking down Prospect Avenue in Park Slope at around 9:30 PM on Wednesday, groped her breasts, and ran, looks to be part of the pattern that includes nine other similar assaults in Southern Brooklyn since this spring.
Earlier, at around 2:25 AM on Wednesday, cops say that another suspect grabbed a woman around the throat at the Fort Hamilton F train station, showed a knife and demanded her bag. After robbing her, he demanded that she remove her panties.
The suspect, who is described as a bald, stocky, middle-aged black male with scruffy facial hair, is wanted for attempted rape and robbery.
Cops have now posted composite sketches of four different suspects wanted in a string of sex attacks in Southern Brooklyn since March. One, in Bay Ridge, also involved a knife.
The article from PIX 11 includes surveillance video of the Fort Hamilton perp.
More from Kensington Prospect.
More from the New York Times.
Southern Brooklyn's Changing Demographic
Middle-class black families are attracted to the area for the same reason that white families are: single-family homes on safe streets; good shopping; nice neighbors.
In Old Mill Basin between Ralph and Flatbush Aves. the mostly elderly white population is being replaced by African-American and Caribbean families, continuing the trend that turned Flatlands and East Flatbush from middle class white communities into middle class black communities.
As the white population of Brooklyn shifts eastward into traditionally black neighborhoods like Bed-Stuy and East New York, so does the black population, moving further into Canarsie, Flatlands and the formerly-white enclave of Old Mill Basin.
Asian and Hispanic populations have also surged in Southern Brooklyn.
The article from the Daily News.
Taste of the Marcellus at New Amsterdam Market
Come sample locally-produced items like wool and honey and special treats made with locally-grown ingredients from the Marcellus region -- bacon maple sticky buns from Print Restaurant, braised Piggery pork stew from Jimmy's No. 43, pies, sweet or savory, from Pie Corps, and Early Bird Creamery's special ice cream, winner of the market's most creative flavor award.
Clean water advocates Food and Water Watch, Catskill Citizens for Safe Energy, United for Action, and others will be on hand to provide you with information about the threat that Gov. Cuomo's plan to open New York State to the controversial hydrofracking ("fracking") gas drilling method poses to farming in the Marcellus Region.
Cellist Zuill Bailey at PS 321
Dinnerstein, who will host the concert, said the series is about bringing students, parents, teachers and people from the community together in a familiar, comfortable setting to listen to great music.
Zuill Bailey is widely regarded as one of the premier cellists in the world. His sound has been described as “rich, like dark chocolate . . . strong and direct”. Bailey's recording of the Bach Suites for Telarc last year immediately rose to No. 1 on the Billboard Classical Chart.
Tickets are $15 at www.neighborhoodclassics.com or at the door.
All ticket sales go to benefit PS 321’s programs.
Here's a preview of the upcoming Neighborhood Classics season:
- Friday, Nov. 4, 7pm: Pianist Valentina Lisitsa at PS 142 (100 Attorney St., NYC)
- Sunday, Dec. 4, 2pm: Face the Music at PS 69Q (7702 37th. Ave., Jackson Heights, Queens)
- Tuesday, Jan. 31, 7pm: Pianist Simone Dinnerstein at PS 321
- Friday, March 30, 7pm: Lutenist Paul O’Dette at PS 321
- Thursday, April 26, 7pm: Cypress String Quartet at PS 142
- Sunday, June 3, 2pm: Face the Music at PS 321
9/20/11
New Details in the Long Island Serial Killer Case
Searchers have found 10 bodies near Gilgo Beach since December, 2010, including eight women, one man and a toddler girl.
No additional remains have been found since April.
Five of the bodies have been positively identified as sex workers who advertised on Craigslist.
Police believe that at least two of the as-yet-unidentified remains, a male and a female, were also sex workers, presumably the victims of at least one serial killer preying on sex workers who advertise on the Internet.
Police released composite sketches of what the two may have looked like before their deaths, based on months of forensic tests tied to recovered limbs, skulls and other scattered body parts.
The female (above right), who may have had a tattoo on her right ankle, was between the ages of 18 and 35 when she was killed in 2000. Police think she may have been a sex worker in New York City.
The male, an Asian between the ages of 17 and 23, was dressed as a woman and had missing teeth as a result of decay. Police believe he was the victim of a violent homicide at least 5 years ago.
Police believe, but cannot confirm, that two of the victims may be a mother and her toddler daughter based in part on the similar style of the costume jewelry found on the bodies. The child was wearing hoop earrings and a rope necklace. Two bracelets were recovered from the mother.
Police described the child, whose body was found wrapped in a blanket, as a "non-Caucasian" female aged 16 to 32 months.
The article from Reuters.
A facebook page has been mounted to help identify the two newly-described victims, where you can view photographs of the recovered jewelry.
9/19/11
Five Thousand Occupy The Financial District
Thwarted temporarily by the NYPD, which locked down Wall Street, the crowd escaped the barricades and checkpoints and held a people's assembly at an encampment in a park on nearby Liberty Street, a block from the Federal Reserve Bank.
The three hundred people who spent the night there on Saturday were joined by hundreds of reinforcements the next day. When the crowd tweeted to the world that it was hungry, a nearby pizza delivered $2,800 in orders in a single hour.
The American indignados said they'd be there to meet the bankers when the stock market opened on Monday. Organizers say they're digging in for a long-term occupation. As of Sunday, the NYPD was leaving them alone.
#OCCUPYWALLSTREET started when Adbusters' network of culture jammers was mobilized into lower Manhattan to occupy Wall Street. Social networking seized the meme and built an open-source organizing site. A few days later, 150 people, who became the core organizers of the occupation, attended a general assembly in New York City. Anonymous pushed the meme into the mainstream media.
The article from Alternet.
More from the Bloody Crossroads.
Liberty Plaza called an "American Tahrir Square".
Gloating Wall Streeters organize an anti-Hippie champagne toast (check out the spelling) [Gawker.]
Game-Changing Moment for Cycling in the City
The city having selected Alta Bicycle Share to bring bike sharing to its streets, we can expect to see 10,000 shared bike stations at 600 locations around the city by next summer -- the biggest bike share program in the U.S.
Bike sharing, found in cities around the world, is a successful and popular transportation option that allows riders to check out a bike at one station and ride it to another station near their destination.
Bike sharing alleviates traffic congestion and crowded streets, buses and subways. It's an easy and accessible way to battle obesity and pollution. And it's low maintenance: no worries about stolen bikes, maintenance, or hauling a bike upstairs to your apartment.
Washington DC's bike share program is so successful that more stations and bikes are being installed to meet demand. The same is expected to happen in New York, once people get the hang of it.
A more bike-friendly New York is the result of teamwork between Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan and the New York City Department of Transportation (DOT), which enabled a 13% increase in commuter cycling between 2009 and 2010 and has doubled bike ridership in the city over the past five years.
A more bike-friendly New York is the result of teamwork between Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan and the New York City Department of Transportation (DOT), which enabled a 13% increase in commuter cycling between 2009 and 2010 and has doubled bike ridership in the city over the past five years.
Since 2009, the city has added more than 200 miles of bike lanes, and plans to install a total of 1,800 miles of bike lanes on New York streets, parks and pathways by 2030.
The post from Alternet.
9/18/11
Cops: South Brooklyn Rapist Could Be Three Guys
The South Brooklyn Rapist racked up four more sexual assaults this month in Sunset Park and Park Slope, bringing the total number of sexual assaults in the 72nd and 78th Precincts to 11, only 8 of which are believed to be part of the same pattern.
But all of the victims seem to have been part of the same pattern: all "petite, white women," most of them wearing skirts.
There could be two to three suspects in the skirt cases, which happened on September 3, 4 and 8.
A community coalition, Safe Slope, arose after an attempted rape on August 26 near Prospect and Sixth Avenue to raise awareness about the rapist and to prevent further attacks.
The article from the Home Reporter.
Manufacturing Jobs Trickle Back to Brooklyn
Seth Pinsky, president of the city's Economic Development Corporation, says that its strategic investments in industrial infrastructure are helping bring industrial uses back.
The city is renovating and marketing a number of its buildings, like the four million square foot Brooklyn Army Terminal complex, to industrial tenants.
Leasing is picking up on the Brooklyn waterfront. Ninety percent of the Brooklyn Army Terminal is now leased to 68 small manufacturers employing about 2,400 people.
High-end Artistic Furniture Makers, which left New York City a decade ago looking for cheaper space, has recently signed a 10-year lease for 15,000 square feet at the terminal, bringing with it as many as 10 jobs.
New leasing at the terminal promises a total of 60 manufacturing jobs.
The EDC is marketing another 100,000 square feet, and plans to build out 400,000 additional square feet of industrial space. It has also partnered with SUNY Downstate to create a new 486,000-square-foot biotech facility called BioBAT at the terminal.
Another EDC project, Federal Building No. 2, is a vacant 1.1-million-square-foot warehouse near the Sunset Park waterfront recently sold to Salmar Properties: Marvin Schein and Sal Rusi, for $9.4 million.
Salmar plans to renovate the structure and lease at least 85% of the space to industrial tenants, with retail space on the ground floor. A $30 -- $40 million renovation is due to begin within the next month or so.
Can manufacturing survive New York City costs? Yes, according to the Center for an Urban Future, which calls locations like the Brooklyn Army Terminal and the Brooklyn Navy Yard to the north safe bets for manufacturing business.
Rents at the terminal, ranging from $6 to $8 dollars a square foot, are competitive with cheaper nearby cities. Comparable space in New Jersey goes for around $5 a square foot. For a lot of small companies, being in New York City is worth that difference.
The article from the Wall Street Journal.
Linkage
The Lief is "languishing"? Who knew? Where my boozehounds at? Get out there and drink, fer Crissake! [New York Times.]
State Senator Carl Kruger's crony found guilty of bribery; political insider predicts that Kruger's political career will be over "by Thanksgiving." [Courier.]
Introducing the compact GPS dog collar [Tech Crunch.]
Bensonhurst trash bin removal project deemed "a success". [Home Reporter.]
Brooklyn Borough Hall Skyscraper Historic District designated. [Brooklyn Heights Blog.]
Jane's Carousel opens in DUMBO [Brooklyn Downtown Star.]
City seeking your input on siting its new bike-sharing program [Brooklyn Daily Eagle.]
David Weprin blames President Obama for his loss to Bob Turner in the special election to replace Anthony Weiner in the 9th District. [Brooklyn Paper.]
Join the Moving Planet Worldwide Climate Change Rally on September 24. [Moving Planet.]
"This is the Logic of Drug Addicts"
Steingraber, herself a cancer survivor, explores the links between human health and the environment, focusing on how chemicals affect growing children. Her personal and scientific insights teach us how to better protect ourselves, our children and our environment.
Her most recent book is Raising Elijah: Protecting Children in an Age of Environmental Crisis.
Here, Steingraber explains why she gave her $100,000 prize to keep fracking out of New York State:
"Emancipation from our terrible enslavement to fossil fuels is possible. The best science shows us that the United States could, within two decades, entirely run on green, renewable energy if we chose to dedicate ourselves to that course. But...we are blowing up mountains to get at coal, felling boreal forests to get at tar, and siphoning oil from the ocean deep.
...Ominously, through the process called fracking, we are shattering the very bedrock of our nation to get at the petrified bubbles of methane trapped inside.
Fracking turns fresh water into poison. It fills our air with smog, our roadways with 18-wheelers hauling hazardous materials, and our fields and pastures with pipelines and toxic pits.
I am therefore announcing my intent to devote my Heinz Award to the fight against hydrofracking in upstate New York, where I live with my husband and our two children.
Some might look at my small house (with its mismatched furniture) or my small bank accounts (with their absence of a college fund or a retirement plan) and question my priorities. But the bodies of my children are the rearranged molecules of the air, water, and food streaming through them.
As their mother, there is no more important investment that I could make right now than to support the fight for the integrity of the ecological system that makes their lives possible. As legal scholar Joseph Guth reminds us, a functioning biosphere is worth everything we have.
This summer I traveled through the western United States and saw firsthand the devastation that fracking creates. In drought-crippled Texas where crops withered in the fields, I read a hand-lettered sign in a front yard that said, "I NEED WATER. U HAUL. I PAY. "
And still the fracking trucks rolled on, carrying water to the gas wells. This is the logic of drug addicts, not science.
I also stood on the courthouse steps in Salt Lake City while climate activist Tim DeChristopher was sentenced to two years in federal prison for an act of civil disobedience that halted the leasing of public land for gas and oil drilling near Arches National Park. Before he was hauled away by federal marshals, Tim said, "This is what love looks like."
After two months of travel, my children and I arrived home to the still unfractured state of New York. After stopping at a local farm stand to buy bread, tomatoes, cheese, and peaches for dinner, we celebrated our return along the vineyard-and-waterfall-lined shore of Cayuga Lake. I watched my son skip stones across its surface. Under his feet lay the aquifer that provides drinking water to our village. This is what security looks like.
Please join me in the struggle to defend the economy and ecology of upstate New York. Bring what you can."
The article from Alternet.
9/17/11
Air Quality in Wyoming Worse than L.A., Thanks to Fracking
According to the Associated Press, residents living near the gas fields in the western corner of the state have complained of eye irritation, shortness of breath and nosebleeds. The cause: ozone. Wyoming now has ozone levels higher than those in the biggest U.S. cities.
USA Today reports that Wyoming's poor air quality has caused at least one daycare center to keep kids indoors and local officials to issue warnings to kids, the elderly and people with respiratory diseases.
From Wendy Koch's USA Today article:
"Wyoming's air is now officially worse than L.A.'s thanks to gas drilling. How much longer is the gas drilling industry going to continue to maintain that what they're doing is safe? And how much longer are people going to continue to buy into the myth that natural gas is somehow a clean energy source. We need to start looking at the bigger picture -- well beyond tailpipe (and stovepipe) emissions and cost at the pump, and start realizing that the full price we pay for our fuel starts when we extract it and continues even after it has been burned."
More from Citizens Voice.
Fracking is also responsible for poisoned wells in Wyoming.
Howard Bloom Interviews Andrew Cohen at the Rubin Museum
Cohen's new book "Evolutionary Enlightenment: A New Path to Spiritual Awakening", is being released on that day. A launch party with champagne and hors d'oevres and a book signing will follow the interview.
The term "Evolutionary Enlightenment", used to describe the theory of spiritualists like Cohen and Eckhart Tolle, conflates spirituality with the biological imperative of evolution.
The $45 ticket includes a copy of Cohen's book.
Texts in Performance at The Old Stone House
Thought-provoking, illuminating and always entertaining, Brooklyn Reading Works is a great night out -- glass of wine included.
On Thursday, October 6, at 8 PM, the presentation, curated by poet Patrick Smith, is Transformation on the Tongue, Texts in Performance, with a group of writers -- poet Sharon Mesmer (The Virgin Formica, Annoying Diabetic Bitch), novelist Tom Rayfiel (Colony Girl, Eve in the City, Parallel Play), songwriter and recording artist Debbie Deane, author and essayist Ame Gilbert (Divorce and the Kitchen), and poet/playwright Pat Smith (Driving Around the House, Not in the News Today) -- performing their own written work.
The $5 suggested donation includes wine and refreshments.
Featured writers' books will for sale at the event.
For more information, contact Louise Crawford at 718-288-4290 or louise_crawford@yahoo.com
Upcoming this fall at Brooklyn Reading Works:
- November 17, 2011: Make Mine a Double (Why Women Like Us Like to Drink) curated by Gina Barreca
- December 8, 2011: A Taste of Salt, a reading with novelist Martha Southgate and others
- January 19, 2001: The Truth and the Ghost Writer curated by John Guidry
- February 16: New Plays by Brooklyn Playwrights curated by Rosemary Moore
- March 15, 2012: The Year of the Dragon: Voices from the East curated by Sophia Romero.
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