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Wednesday, October 29, 2008

PhotoWedns: 10/29/08 Unseen Forces

In honor of All Hallows' Eve, this photo Wednesday I present the Gothic archway from Greenwood Cemetery, I visited recently for kicks (seriously there was a dance rehearsal going on) and took some shots, all of which came out in a variety of wonk forms. Some pics show upside regardless of how I view them others like this one are just plain distorted. You make the call, is the problem pixel or poltergeist?

The Chapel:
Greenwood Cemetery

The Entrance:
Greenwood Cemetery

The Entrance:
Greenwood Cemetery

Nestled in between Park Slope, Windsor Terrace and Sunset Park, the cemetery is historic (founded 1838) a Nat'l landmark and a fave with night stalkers who love to hop the fence and cuddle up to notable interns like: Samuel (what's the code?) Morse, Cooper Union Founder, Peter Cooper, Composer Leonard Bernstein, Charles Ebbets (of Ebbets Field) and Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat.
(source wiki)

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Mirrors on Grand Av

Damn, so yesterday was hectic (if you were ducking shots on Fulton St) but didn't it just look beautiful out? Well today we get the funk wetness complete with megaton bombastic thunderclaps that make me wish I could see through clouds.

But enough about that, what I've been meaning to post is that two sundays past I was wandering around as I do on sundays and I saw a sign for ¢25 wings and cheap beer. So considering where they economy is headed I took it as sign of what I should get used to and walked in.

The place was Mirrors, on Grand (btw Clifton and Lafayette, Clinton Hill/BedStuy), the occasion was football watching, and the beer and wings were satisfying beyond their price points. According to the bartender the place has been open most of the year, and official since Aug.

Mirrors has the potential to be a cool lounge on sunday afternoons. I've passed by in the evening and it has a good crowd, but that sunday of two weeks ago was light. The game however was cool, flat-screen plasma crystal clear, Giants beat the Niners and the crispy wings beat the bar-b-que wings, I prefer salty to sweet.

I told a few peeps about the spot and happy to report last sunday the crowd was three times larger, but still there was room for more and wings to spare.

Anybody got an opinion of Mirrors?

photos whenever it stops raining.

Monday, October 27, 2008

Unfortunately 5 shot

Been hearing sirens and seeing helicopters flying all over downtown.
Fulton Shooting 10/27/08
I turned to 1010wins and 5 people were reported shot in barbershop on Fulton, I think I know the shop that would put it within a block or two of South Portland. One of the wounded may be an off-duty cop, makes me think many layers of story to come. Oh brooklyn when will you stop buckin'?
Fulton Shooting 10/27/08
No media reports online as of 2:27pm.

Update: Four shot, one dead, the wounded expected to recover, apparently it was a 2 on 1 gun battle up Fulton St, and the targeted man ran into barbershop/beauty salon.
As of 5:30pm the streets seem to be open.

This really is ridiculous, and not typical of what life has been like over the last ten-fourteen years but sadly it's still not outside the realm of possibility.

There are guns on the streets, there are depraved individuals who wield them and until we decide that these problems are important enough to address as a society, until we stop thinking that the building of stadiums and vacant overpriced condos can prevent these occurrences, they will happen. We are a society, a community, and the problems that are left untreated will reach us no matter how hard society tries to push those problems away.

I took that photo above to illustrate where this happened, and then I remembered that the Cake Man Raven's shop is just up the street, and during the summer the celebration held in his honor and attended by the Councilwoman Tish James and Marty (i wanna be Boro Prez for life)Markowitz took place basically a several feet away from today's shooting.

Here's a photo and my post from that day (the Hanson place entrance to the shop would be on the left side of the photo):
Cake Man Celebration Ft. Green Brooklyn - 14http://umbrooklynborn.blogspot.com/2008/07/cakeman-raven-celebration-in-fort-green.html
This photo is more indicative of what the neighborhood is than the events of today.

Saturday, October 25, 2008

Gone WTF Wind

So this is not a Brooklyn related posting. In fact if I want to be more organized this is an outsid'ah Brooklyn sighting but whatever. Point is earlier today I watched four, counted'em four aircraft in succession slide across the skies, sideways.

I was in lower Manhattan, and in a uncomfortable frame of mind as I get when I'm on Church and Vesey streets, I went into the deli there between church and broadway, the same one featured buy many stories from that terrible day seven years past. Partially I was in there because I was fiend'ing for a hamburger (after seeing Josh Brolin eat one in his latest film)and partially I thought to myself, I haven't been in here since... so no time like the present to make a new start. I got my burger, I stood in the street and e'te it and then turned to the subway when "WTF!" up above the streets, framed visually by the buildings on Maiden Lane, was a passenger jet sliding wing first, like a flying SUV hydroplaning across the clouds.

The plane which looked to my (geeky, plane enthusiast) eyes to be a 737 was moving sideways led by it's left wing. The only thing more striking than the direction was that it was very low and that there was no other motion, not a wobble or anything.

I just looked up in shock and by the time I reached for my camera the plane was already out of sight. the sight of a enormous flying machine careening across the skies really made my stomach drop. several hectic thoughts in a few seconds later I became aware of the wind, and most of all the clouds, there was an area of clouds, darker than the general overcast sky the seemed to be swirling in the area where I spotted the plane. I ran in that direction up Vesey, because frankly I never saw anything like that before and I wanted to be able to prove I wasn't hallucinating.

I kept my camera out and stood on broadway across from J&R music world and sure enough another shriek of jet engine noise and another sideways slide from possibly the same plane or another of the same size. The planes seemed to be over the east river, and I am certain based on their location that they were in bound to LaGuardia (I've lived in under the LaGuardia flight path for decades). three more planes of various sizes skidded through the clouds after as I tried to record video of it with my camera.

the idea of flight is something we've accepted and I for one love flying, I dig it as much as I can and am always up for a plane trip. but physics aside, it's some crazy shit we do, and we've accepted it as normal. but seeing a plane moving sideways instead of forward, as if swatted by some great unseen cat paw really brings home how out of control the situation can be in a way i've never experienced, despite all the history I've seen.

eventually the swirling clouds became so dense that the last plane I saw was enveloped as it came into view and I tried not to image being on a plane, above New York City, descending sideways, while blinded. no moral, no followup, and no mention of it on the news(although there was a published delayed scheduled of four hours due to wind posted on the LaGuardia website) for all I know this is normal. Just another of the outlandish, possibly life altering scenarios we all simply allow without a second thought.

All I could think as I walked away was "shit, there is so much in this world of ours that is out of our hands." I guess that's why it's vital to make decisions whenever possible.

Monday, October 20, 2008

PhotoWed - 10/22/08 - Recent B'klyn happ'nings

I'm behind on blogs and photos. Here's a bunch of stuff I've noticed in the last month...

Fall foliage colors D.u.m.b.o.
Dumbo & Fort Green Oct 2008
The Petcher's(aka Ward) Bakery (Prospect Heights) is almost gone
Fulton Street (Bedstuy to Clinton Hill) is getting new sidewalks (finally)
Under the Manhattan Bridge (D.u.m.b.o.) has become a skinnydipping hottie spot
Dumbo & Fort Green Oct 2008
The Albee Square Mall (Downtown) is a memoryThe Once and Former Albee Square Mall
Grand Army Plaza is going Extreme Makeover
A very preggers M.I.A. performed in this space at the Diesel XXX party.Brooklyn Heights Oct 2008 Diesel Party space
Ft. Green Park is getting color
(and the Sailor's Monument is still on lock down)IMG_2813.JPG

More photos to come...

Saturday, October 18, 2008

Borough Prez for Life? Raise your voice Sun 10/19


Bill Clinton as "Mayor/Boro Prez for Life" in a term unlimited world

Just found out about a forum on term limits happening tomorrow:
Thanks to Gowanus Lounge who wrote this:
"Tomorrow is the day when those who oppose the idea of repealing term limits in general or who specifically don’t want to see Michael Bloomberg become Putin on the Hudson or Marty Markowitz become Borough President for Life can have some time to hoot and holler. The forum takes place tomorrow, Sunday, October 19th, at Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church from 2:30 PM - 4:30 PM, Council Members Tish James, Bill de Blasio, Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum and Rep. Anthony Weiner will co-sponsor the public forum. All have self-interest in not seeing the instant repeal of term limits, but sometimes, not being 1,000 percent selfless does not make one wrong."
My aunt and I were discussing term limits and the fact that they are imperfect, and that in a better system the unwritten requirements to run for office (having loads of cash, and support of political machines for example) wouldn't prevent so many new people from being candidates. But since those unwritten rules are part of our system the simple fix is to force politicians out so they have less opportunity to become the voice of the most moneyed constituents as instead of all constituents.

Hope to see you tomorrow.
-ubb

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Photo Wednesday 10/15/08 Fall Preview

Jeez...
I know it's been said over and again, but it is work to keep a blog up-to-date.

Having said that, I am behind on PhotoWednesdays, because I have been so busy living life and taking photos that there hasn't been time to post.

So here in pictures is Early Fall Bk Style. Enjoy.

(FYI its 2014 and I just noticed the links to the photos have evaporated, when I have time I'll put them back for now just type "Photo Wednesday" in the search field above and look it all the neat pictures)