tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-39984328484150304052023-12-05T05:38:20.908-05:00Brooklyn BornViews of a born and bred Brooklynite. (umbrooklynborn@gmail.com) This blog satisfies my need to hear and air feelings of B'klyn from the people whose life experience were born here. Hopefully it'll balance to some of the revisionist historical musings I've seen as if Bklyn barely existed before the 90's. Brooklyn as Tabula Rasa. If we can all live as best possible while appreciating the past and neighbors we've inherited that would be great too.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04437242130709591270noreply@blogger.comBlogger447125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3998432848415030405.post-13426051945898195762017-07-13T21:59:00.004-04:002017-07-13T21:59:40.231-04:00The last night before gentrification: The 77' NYC Blackout<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I remember my aunt (who will undoubtedly toss some cents at this post) telling us it was a blackout. </div>
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My grandmother or maybe my mom, was skeptical. On this mid July day 40 years ago I was a tiny child and the day was still brightly lit at something passed 7:30 PM or probably later based on what came next.</div>
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Also the TV was on. Contradictory to any "Blackout" talk the house offered, Roger Grimsby a name who bore a a news man on Channel 7 to fit it, joylessly told the news of the day, and I'm certain (due to my strange memory) he was talking about power outages. The household debate between a girl, her adult sister and their mom raged on, loudly.</div>
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I'm pretty sure my mother pointed out to her youngest sister that the TV was still on. My Aunt, then a young teenager was frustrated and in full "nobody listens to me" mode.</div>
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Perfectly, during the conversation involving the TV, Roger Grimsby and the electricity in our building went out.</div>
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"SEE!!!" came rising from you-know-who.</div>
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We lived on the 12th floor. A rarity for a non-housing project non-luxury building in Brooklyn. Crown Heights in fact. Fun fact I can see that building from my current kitchen window. The universe circles.</div>
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Back 40 years ago, the TV off, the apartment now light by large unblocked city and sky facing windows the conversation finally had a chance to lurch forward. "What is happening" "How much" "How long" started new branches of conversation each digging into the topics and planting new roots.</div>
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My memory, and I trust it because at that age I'd seen nothing like this before or since in real life, tells me that before the TV went out, part of my mom and grandmother's argument, against "blackout" was that the city's skyline was lit up as the sky became twilight, that strange time when man-made light and sun we're both present and visible, windows making a mosaic of clear parallelograms each inlaid on rectangles themselves.</div>
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The memory I'm slowly baking to is seeing sections of the city in order from uptown to down, begin to go lightless. It looked like at least ten blocks at a time, switching off, orderly, a simple procession. That, as I recall was what got the debate stopped. I feel like my mother had pointed out that the city had lights "SEE!" and she pointed. And then the illumination of the dominions began to fall, and made way through the isle of olde Dutch robbery.</div>
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When all Manhattan was out, we all turned our heads or bodies, expectantly to the TV, where Roger, still without joy or even astonishment, continued speaking to us. It seemed to take a small pause in time for him to finally get the news and then in a flash, he the tv, our dining area lights, all gone.</div>
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It seemed to be connected says my memory, that within 1 minute there was a screech of tires and then a scream, from the intersection of Park Pl. and Classon Ave, 12 stories (and more) below.</div>
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We ran to our terrace (another rarity in Brooklyn then and now) and looked below to intersection:</div>
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Darkness punctuated by long swords of car headlights was most easily seen. At street level, people argued, glass broke, people ran. For light, for their lives. From their fears, and back then unlike now, many of those fears was likely.</div>
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Ironically in 2017 you could say it was lit, and yet the opposite.</div>
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When the dark was full, we lit candles, cautiously opened the apartment door to the knocks we heard in the hall. It wasn't risky, the building was full of doctors, nurses and the administrative staff whom all worked for the Brooklyn Jewish Hospital (now apartments! <a class="_58cn" data-ft="{"tn":"*N","type":104}" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/gentrification?source=feed_text&story_id=10154922124038823" style="color: #365899; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit; text-decoration: none;"><span class="_5afx" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit;"><span aria-label="hashtag" class="_58cl _5afz" style="color: #4267b2; font-family: inherit;">#</span><span class="_58cm" style="font-family: inherit;">gentrification</span></span></a>) Our neighbors came around with flashlights, checking on everyone.</div>
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We stayed in that night, of course. The elevators didn't work, and who wants to take the stairs to a perceived and darken hell.</div>
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We could hear yelling, occasional screams, and car horns intermittently all night. It was probably the most chaos I ever or have since heard, but it didn't seem that much crazier than 1977 NYC to my tiny ears, just more consistent and without ebb. The sounds lasted until we finally fell asleep. At least I did.</div>
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During the 25+ hour long blackout, parts of Brooklyn burned; Especially, in Bushwick and along it's border with Bedford-Stuyvesant (back when Bushwick was still able to reach north west toward Marcy Av. Many apartments went up and many more small businesses were abandoned by small business owners, and later by insurance companies and bank loan officers. </div>
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Some areas were not to return to prosperity until the plans drawn up in the weeks and years that followed that night, were set in motion.</div>
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<span class="_5afx" style="color: #365899; cursor: pointer; direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; text-decoration: none;"><a class="_58cn" data-ft="{"tn":"*N","type":104}" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/nycblackout?source=feed_text&story_id=10154922124038823" style="color: #365899; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit; text-decoration: none;"><span aria-label="hashtag" class="_58cl _5afz" style="color: #4267b2; font-family: inherit;">#</span><span class="_58cm" style="font-family: inherit;">NYCBlackout</span></a></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04437242130709591270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3998432848415030405.post-70449030355155145842016-06-01T12:36:00.001-04:002016-06-01T12:40:35.107-04:00Brooklyn Creative Market : Crown Hts Sat. 6/4 meet B'Klyn's newest creatives!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_hc4tqkAPlQ/V08NGrMFCkI/AAAAAAAAAxg/kcibpfCH3ng7hehqUv8IjX6UtXziwZmngCKgB/s1600/Spinellis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_hc4tqkAPlQ/V08NGrMFCkI/AAAAAAAAAxg/kcibpfCH3ng7hehqUv8IjX6UtXziwZmngCKgB/s1600/Spinellis.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This Saturday June 4th on the rooftop of the Brooklyn Children's Museum will host the Brooklyn Creative Market and you should stop by.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Why and What's this? </span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pr0AFGeUaW8/V08NW6yDtvI/AAAAAAAAAxs/dtstOAJ2VxwKRrWMlv1D-vxUdkV3jqYfwCLcB/s1600/Brooklyn-Creative-Market-Flyer%2B3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pr0AFGeUaW8/V08NW6yDtvI/AAAAAAAAAxs/dtstOAJ2VxwKRrWMlv1D-vxUdkV3jqYfwCLcB/s640/Brooklyn-Creative-Market-Flyer%2B3.jpg" width="451" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's a gathering of youth entrepreneurs, new and emerging young people from their teens up, who are being granted an opportunity to bring their Fashion, Music, Photography and art in general, to the public and gain valuable business and marketing experience.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The event will feature a youth lead pop up shop for young creative entrepreneurs to showcase their products and services to the world.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">50+ creatives will display their work in Art, Fashion, Food, Photography, Music and more. </span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Live performances</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Two DJ's</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">50+ vendors</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">INteractive activities</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Pitch competition where one business will win $1,000 for their startup.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For some it will be the first time they're bringing their creativity to the public and for all it will be an incredible boost to confidence and self-determination.</span><br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-szD0jvZsT8s/V08NIErypBI/AAAAAAAAAxk/q6hPFGUiKFY7NIdOqAZs14GfopqWp9_NACLcB/s1600/5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-szD0jvZsT8s/V08NIErypBI/AAAAAAAAAxk/q6hPFGUiKFY7NIdOqAZs14GfopqWp9_NACLcB/s640/5.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'm proud to say I helped support this event and as a result 6 of the best entrepreneur's business plans will receive $1000 to act on their ideas.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's exactly the type of thing many of us talk about, giving real world business opportunity and experience to creative young native Brooklynites in a way that helps them focus and build their future careers.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here's where you can receive your (free) ticket:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here's a link with more details on registering as a vendor</span><br />
<a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/brooklyn-creative-market-registration-25135392636"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">https://www.eventbrite.com/e/brooklyn-creative-market-registration-25135392636</span></a><br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gzjD13Vqt3U/V08NE0FhXzI/AAAAAAAAAxc/hwO8KcY995Ut71Nq2UCb_9NopQQGhAqGACLcB/s1600/sale28329.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gzjD13Vqt3U/V08NE0FhXzI/AAAAAAAAAxc/hwO8KcY995Ut71Nq2UCb_9NopQQGhAqGACLcB/s640/sale28329.png" width="452" /></span></a></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04437242130709591270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3998432848415030405.post-77827657242447805632016-03-23T08:35:00.001-04:002016-03-23T09:43:01.965-04:00RIP PhifeDawg, aka Malik Taylor and some of 90's NYC <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">(Above a still from the music video for "Jazz/Buggin' Out" by "A Tribe Called Quest" (1991) featuring a then mostly desolate DUMBO waterfront in the background. Of course that building behind them in this shot is being made currently, into condos.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Phife Dawg is dead at 45. This one personally hurts.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"Phife Dawg" aka Malik Taylor was a lyricist and key member of hiphop's ground breaking group "A Tribe Called Quest"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Some folks rant about people mourning the death of entertainers or celebs, and if you're kind of fan of<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Tribe_Called_Quest" target="_blank"> "A Tribe Called Quest"</a> then Malik Taylor aka Phife Didd-dawg was the energetic essence of that, but he was also the dude I'd see on the regular in NYC. Specifically in video game arcades where he'd hold down a machine for hours, beating anyone who foolishly stepped to challenge, or just rocking the machine by himself.
If you have no idea who I'm talking about let me take a few lyrics from the man himself to explain:</span><br />
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<i>"Now here's a funky introducti<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">on of h</span>ow nice I am
Tell your mother, tell your father, send a telegram
I'm like an energizer cause, you see, I last long
My crew is never ever wack because we stand strong"</i>
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<span data-offset-key="6nn8i-0-0">From "Check the Vibe" by A Tribe Called Quest</span><br />
<span data-offset-key="6nn8i-0-0">(This video shot with contours of a desolate DUMBO in the Background)</span></div>
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<span data-offset-key="6nn8i-0-0"><br /></span>Phife on his preference of women:
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<span style="color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>"I like 'em brown, yellow, Puerto Rican or Haitian
Name is Phife Dawg from the Zulu Nation
Told you in the jam that we can get down
Now let's knock the boots like the group H-Town
You got BBD all on your bedroom wall
But I'm above the rim and this is how I ball
A gritty little something on the New York street
This is how I represent over this here beat"</i></span></span><br />
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<span data-offset-key="6nn8i-0-0">From "Electric Relaxation" </span>by A Tribe Called Quest, <br />
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<span data-offset-key="6nn8i-0-0" style="color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">Phife On </span><span style="color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">fidelity:</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span data-offset-key="6nn8i-0-0" style="color: #141823; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>"O</i></span><span style="color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>riginal rude boy, never am I coy
You can be a shorty in my ill convoy
Not to come across as a thug or a hood
But hon, you got the goods, like Madelyne Woods
By the way, my name's Malik
The Five-Foot Freak
Let's say we get together by the end of the week
She simply said, "No", labelled me a ho
I said, "How you figure?" "My friends told me so"
I hate when silly groupies wanna run they yap
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Word to God hon, I don't get down like that."</i></span></span></span></div>
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<span data-offset-key="6nn8i-0-0" style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Also From "Electric Relaxation" </span><span style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">by A Tribe Called Quest</span></div>
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<span data-offset-key="6nn8i-0-0"><span data-offset-key="6nn8i-0-0" style="color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">Phife On </span><span style="color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">life(kinda):</span></span><br />
<span data-offset-key="6nn8i-0-0"><i><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #141823; font-family: times, times new roman, serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></span></i></span>
<span data-offset-key="6nn8i-0-0"><i><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #141823; font-family: times, times new roman, serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">"I never half step cause I'm not a half stepper
Drink a lot of soda so they call me Dr. Pepper</span></span></span></i><span style="color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">(sad! He was referring to his indulgence of sugars that led to his diabetes)
</span><i style="color: #141823; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Refuse to compete with BS competition
Your name ain't Special Ed so won't you seckle with the mission
I never walk the street thinking it's all about me
Even though deep in my heart, it really could be
I just try my best to like go all out
Some might even say yo shorty black you're buggin' out"</span></i></span></div>
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<span data-offset-key="6nn8i-0-0">From "Buggin' Out" by A Tribe Called Quest, </span><br />
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Damn! Imagine being 20 years old and those lyrics play over Tribe's dope beats as you walk down the street, into the club, off to class, Phife aka #MalikTaylor made an introduction, lines for anyone feeling the vibe, especially someone young as he was then, trying to find their way.<br />
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It's very important to note these albums came out over 20 years ago, when HipHop was still a largely unknown genre, and when images of HipHop ranged from under budget to cliched. Yet A Tribe Called Quest powered by Q-Tip's fertile visual imagination, he and Phife's lyrical flows, Ali Shaheed Muhammad's dope beats and all three of their combined energies created videos which were imaginative, bugged out (sometimes literally, as shown above) and always full of Black and Brown faces.<br />
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Smiling faces, Hard Faces, Happy Faces, Dancing Faces, Living Breathing on the Block from Bk to Queens, faces. Us just living, being, us.<br />
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For a great example check out this video for "Oh My God" which was shot on Monroe (btw Marcus Garvey and Monroe *below) in Bedford Stuyvesant. </div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span data-offset-key="3h86c-2-0">I can't begin to express what it was like in the 90's to click on "Video Music Box" (running on a public tv station channel 31 here in NYC at the time) and seeing the block my family lived on, and the people of Brooklyn I recognized as everyday people being the setting for the music of the moment. Tribe was a part of the culture that elevated an unseen NYC for millions of people.</span>
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If you're reading this and you've never heard of any of this, it could because while Phife and A Tribe Called Quest (#ATCQ) were pioneers in a jazz infused melodic hiphop that plotted the course for hundreds of lyrasis and producers to come, most notably The Roots, so you may not have heard Tribe on your radio but it didnt matter or as Phife might say:</div>
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<span style="color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>No need to sweat Arsenio to gain some type of fame
No shame in my game cause I'll always be the same
Styles upon styles upon styles is what I have
You wanna diss the Phifer but you still don't know the half.</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">From "Check the Rhime" by A Tribe Called Quest
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<span data-offset-key="6nn8i-0-0"><i><span style="color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Rappin' is an art, coming straight from the heart
So forget the chart because the action can start."</span></span></i></span><br />
<span style="color: #141823; font-family: "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">From "Hot Sex" A Tribe Called Quest (on the Boomerange Movie Soundtrack)</span></span></div>
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<span data-offset-key="6nn8i-0-0">Me, I used to be a gamer, hardcore, and like others I'd go to the city to play the best in the land. I saw Phife regularly in the arcade. Occasionally I'd stand by and watch his gamer skills. He was totally unpretentious. A regular dude like everyone else, flexing skills at a serious hobby, concentrating mad hard, or cracking jokes.</span></span><br />
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<span data-offset-key="93rm1-0-0" style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Dudes would come and try talking him up, but usually not, cause Phife was busy leveling up. And if you know, you know how that goes. After a while my visits to the arcade were just to come and go. I'd step in and right back out cause if Phife was on deck nobody had next.</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-skk1yGoRayo/VvKMCrM4JtI/AAAAAAAAAwg/JmOezcfTww8AspU7xP1yuVpTPXTvVKLtQ/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2016-03-23%2Bat%2B8.02.58%2BAM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="215" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-skk1yGoRayo/VvKMCrM4JtI/AAAAAAAAAwg/JmOezcfTww8AspU7xP1yuVpTPXTvVKLtQ/s320/Screen%2BShot%2B2016-03-23%2Bat%2B8.02.58%2BAM.png" width="320" /></a><span data-offset-key="d8t7q-0-0">Phife is a part of my NYC, my Hip-Hop my memories. </span><br />
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<span data-offset-key="d8t7q-0-0">Seeing him struggle with diabetes in the "A Tribe Called Quest" documentary was rough, but like anyone would, I'd hoped he was recovering toward a happy ending.</span><br />
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45 is young. Way too young to go.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1sdYBxmWoWc/VvKbtMlz2UI/AAAAAAAAAw8/JapiDbSK1T0Q77MLSVurYKblro256W2Yg/s1600/MalikTaylor%2Baka%2BPhifeDawg.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1sdYBxmWoWc/VvKbtMlz2UI/AAAAAAAAAw8/JapiDbSK1T0Q77MLSVurYKblro256W2Yg/s640/MalikTaylor%2Baka%2BPhifeDawg.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Recent photo of Malik Taylor aka "Phife Dawg" Photo credit <a href="http://www.andrewhwalker.com/" target="_blank">Andrew H Walker</a>/Getty)</span></div>
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"You on point Phife?" Yo Rest in Peace man. </div>
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</span><span data-offset-key="7pm64-0-0" style="color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">#RIPPhife
#ATCQ
#NATIVETONGUES
#HIPHOP
#FallenRappers
#NYC
#BROOKLYN
#BKLYN
#QUEENS
#UPTOWN
#BRONX
#WORLDTOUR
#LONGISLAND
#VIBE
#PEOPLESINSTINCTIVETRAVELS </span><br />
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(Apologies for the wack spacing throughout this, I will be overhauling this blog soon)</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04437242130709591270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3998432848415030405.post-9883445764618805222016-02-25T14:17:00.001-05:002016-07-27T15:47:37.917-04:00Let's Play Politics without Playing Dumb 2016<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Hi, good to see you again.<br />
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Once again "It's been a long time, I shouldn'ta left you..."<br />Life has kept me hyper busy, I was away most of last summer on a film series (I'm blessed) but there is so many thoughts I want to share in response to some wonderful and intelligent friends’ comments on social media, especially Facebook, who seem to have caught what I call "Trump-itis". <br /><br />You know the condition caused when people are exposed to so much Trump coverage that alarm bells go off in a person's subconscious and results in them spending a lot of time and posting a lot of words discussing Donald Trump’s presidential chances with no eye or ear to the fact-based realities of his chances of being the next President of the United States.<br /><br />So in short I wrote all this. Trump has little chance of being president of the United States, if a majority of the electorate shows up. <br /><br />Now I do have a lot to say about a lot of recent NYC and of course especially Brooklyn news, like the planned streetcar line, the method of redevelopment in East New York, the (I'd estimate) 500 new units of housing coming to small area of Crown Heights destined to shift lift further from "affordable", and best of all The Brooklyn Community Foundation, a non-profit that is directly and positively impacting Brooklyn communities.<br />
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So posts on all that will come. However I’m going to put that on hold to address more of this Trump fascination.<br /><br />First, I'd ask you to humor me and do this: swap Bernie Sanders for Barack Hussein Obama, and Donald Trump for John McCain (remember early 2008 John McCain? The very experienced, war hero, centrist who speaks plainly and has the support of all sides!!) and it becomes obvious that a lot of what's happening in media coverage year is playing out like 2008. Personally on the Dem side I know many friends support Hill over Bern, and that's fine because it doesn't matter. We all on the Dem side essentially have the same politics, it's a matter of who we prefer and trust (for a number of reasons) to enact and fight for a majority of those policies.<br /><br />I believe voting matters, but given the opposition, at this point if the Democrats nominated that creepy robot in the new Boston Dynamics videos everyone will come around and support it. It doesn't matter, after the convention there will be one Dem candidate and we'll all support them.<br /><br />After the Dem convention someone electric probably joins someone's ticket maybe one of the Latino-American political twin Castro brothers from San Antonio TX, and then they go campaign, with 2 (maybe 3) former Democratic presidents in tow, because the Dems won't make the mistake of 2000 again and not use the sitting president's bully pulpit to galvanize turnout among African Americans especially (which is one reason why the talk of if Bern can get support from the African American electorate is silly)<br /><br />So no matter who is nominated on the Dem side, no significant number of voters on the Democratic side are going to defect to Trump, Rubio or Cruz. Just like no significant number defected from Hillary to McCain in 2008. I'm sure some people in 2008 refused to vote for Obama, but ultimately twice in the last two elections, with wars and soldiers abroad and a bad economy all making people feel unease, the majority of presidential voters picked the guy who supposedly couldn't overcome the heated anger of the Right wing. <br /><br />Trump doesn't have the numbers to win. And the entire GOP set of candidates this year are too extreme (Except Kasich who interestingly, Trump's wins is pushing out of contention) to get any major traction with the entire electorate.<br /><br />And a note about Trump’s “wins”.<br /><br />Primaries in most states are closed, meaning usually when Trump wins he's winning ONLY among Republicans, he's getting no Democratic votes and no Independent votes because most of those voters are not allowed to vote in the Republican primary. For example in Nevada there are approximately 750,000 self-identifying Latino’ s in the state.<br /><br />Of that number about 16% are and were able to vote in the Republican primary and Trump won 7% of them with the other Republican candidates splitting the remaining 9%. Trump declared that he had won the Latino vote in Nevada, and if you’re counting that 16% as the entire vote, yes his 55% of that 16% is a win, but it’s not near all the Latinos in the state. The Democrat and Independent self-identifying Latino's in Nevada are over 70% of all Latino. Trump didn’t "win the Latino vote in Nevada" he spun it, said he did, and everyone keeps repeating.Please stop.<br /><br />Many people are writing, and endlessly reposting these and other numerically inaccurate stories about Trump, and Trump's chances and its a waste of time, energy and a distortion of reality. A better more important more long impacting story is about the remaining vocal fringe of unabashed racist Americans that make up a significant number of his supporters.<br /><br />It’s a difficult habit to break, reporting sensationalism. The news media gets more money in views, paper sales, and TV ratings by talking up Trump, they think they have to. But it's as useful as when the NYC media pretends to be excited for a new New York Knicks and Nets seasons, knowing damned well they are not going to be anywhere near the championship when the season winds up.<br /><br />The real issues are making sure more than 40% of the eligible electorate comes out to vote, because the national electorate swings overwhelming democratic. (It doesn't seem like that because of news and congress, but the congressional districts have been rigged by Republican (and sometimes Democratic) governors to corral people into voting districts based on their party affliction.<br /><br />So I suggest the real issue is getting more people to vote. I suggest we share those articles about denial of voting rights, about voter registrations drives. <br /><br />Post more articles about what people need to be sure and do so they are prepared to vote. That information better ensures a democratic win. Sharing the news on how much our vote matters is the best news to share this election season. </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04437242130709591270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3998432848415030405.post-70913179641726853392015-08-28T13:33:00.000-04:002015-08-28T13:33:52.650-04:00TOMORROW: GAMES, FOOD, SCHOOL SUPPLIES for the Kids in Crown Heights<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-owoQV3Ne-Jc/VeCbDwXfQgI/AAAAAAAAAvY/pz50nsm3ayc/s1600/d8c63c62-32e4-428c-8b55-a9b7e9b5e25e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-owoQV3Ne-Jc/VeCbDwXfQgI/AAAAAAAAAvY/pz50nsm3ayc/s640/d8c63c62-32e4-428c-8b55-a9b7e9b5e25e.jpg" width="451" /></a></div>
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S.O.S. Crown Heights (Save Our Streets) is hosting a street party tomorrow on Kingston Av from Eastern Parkway to St. Johns.<br />
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They're a great group with a great cause and there'll be food, games, sports and giveaways all for the kids. Spread the word, share the streets.<br />
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For more info contact <a href="mailto:SmithJ@crownheights.org">SmithJ@crownheights.org</a></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04437242130709591270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3998432848415030405.post-69839464074270049662015-05-07T12:36:00.000-04:002015-05-07T12:36:28.757-04:00Kids Get Free Bike Helmets TODAY - Main BPL<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Today from 3:30p to 7p (or until supplies runout) Kids will get a free bicycle helmet and fitting at the main branch of the Brooklyn Public Library. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Helmet fitting and giveaway at the Central Library </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">10 Grand Army Plaza between Flatbush Avenue and Eastern Parkway in Prospect Heights, (718) 230–2100. (May 7 at 3:30-7 pm, or until supplies run out. Free.</span></span></div>
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This an other kid (and bike) related events are happing all the time at the library, for more information check their site: <a href="http://www.bklynlibrary.org/">http://www.bklynlibrary.org</a><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04437242130709591270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3998432848415030405.post-1181824455441113802015-03-26T03:29:00.000-04:002015-03-26T03:52:12.428-04:00Crown Heights "Stop Shooting, Start Living" Talent Show this Saturday<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The Crown Heights Community Mediation Center is hosting the "Stop Shooting, Start Living" Talent Show this Saturday March 28th from 3:30pm - 5:30p</div>
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From the CHCMC website:<br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's <span style="line-height: 24px; text-align: left;">a chance to showcase singers, rappers, dancers, drummers, poets, actors, and many more talented members of Crown Heights and Bed-Stuy, all united to stand against violence. In addition to great entertainment, members of the S.O.S. team lead the audience in anti-violence cheers and raffle off prizes from local businesses and restaurants throughout the event. View a video of the 2014 Talent Show </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7rw1bTuF84" style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">here</a><span style="color: #5f5f5f; line-height: 24px; text-align: left;">.</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 24px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Doors open at 2:30 and the show begins at 3:30. Admission to the Talent Show is free. To pick up tickets in advance, please contact Jazzi Zzaman at <a href="mailto:zzamanj@crownheights.org">zzamanj@crownheights.org</a> or call or call 917-244-7185</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">For any unfamiliar the Crown Heights Community Mediation Center has been a neighborhood institution and ally for nearly two decades. Throughout the year they work with the community to produce opportunities for adults and children to build positivity in Crown Heights and neighboring Bedford-Stuyvesant.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">Below is one such example the "Arts to End Violence" Contest.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">Check their site for more details </span></span><a href="http://crownheights.org/">http://crownheights.org</a></div>
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<b style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Arts to End Violence 2015: Call for Submissions and Partnership</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://crownheights.org/" target="_blank">The Crown Heights Community Mediation Center</a></span></b> requests that you join us in our efforts to <b>stop shootings and killings</b> in Brooklyn and beyond. In 2015, we encourage you to <b>dedicate some classroom time</b> towards discussion of gun violence and the <b>creation of art </b>that explores the epidemic that is destroying so many lives. For those of you who are adult artists- please consider submitting a piece for our gallery exhibit. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">CHCMC is pleased to announce our fifth annual <a href="http://crownheights.org/arts-to-end-violence/" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: blue;">Arts to End Violence contest</span></b></a>. Artists, merchants, schools, clergy, youth, and neighbors are all collaborating and organizing to <b>make gun violence unacceptable</b> in our city, instead of a regular and “normal” event. Each year Arts to End Violence hosts a series of inspiring and educational events, including a gallery exhibition to display antiviolence art from adults and youth and a block party where children can create their own art and celebrate each other’s talents.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">We are seeking the help of local artists, schools, and art-related organizations to maximize our impact on the community. You can get involved in the following ways:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">· Invite our staff to facilitate a workshop/presentation at your school focusing on anti-gun violence</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">· Submit your art or your students’ art into our contest (submissions of all ages are welcomed)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">· Attend the Arts to End Violence events (Calendar below)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">· <b>Display winning artwork at your site</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Submissions of 2-D artwork including prints, photography, paintings, drawing and collages will be considered. Click <a href="http://artstoendviolence.tumblr.com/" target="_blank"><b>here</b></a> to see submissions from previous years. Submissions can include art made specifically for this contest or previous works that connect to the theme. All submissions should be accompanied by an artist statement.</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04437242130709591270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3998432848415030405.post-78919137675979003472014-12-04T12:16:00.000-05:002014-12-04T14:03:42.672-05:00FUN, FREE, FAMILY Event by FES this Sat, Marcy Playground<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: small; text-align: left;">Just found out about a fun, free community event in Brooklyn THIS Saturday, 12/6 in support of #DontStealPossible — a movement created to raise awareness of the NYC education crisis and the 143,000 students stuck in failing NYC schools. </span></div>
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In celebration of this one-of-a-kind campaign, there will be a #DontStealPossible neighborhood block party on Saturday, December 6th at Marcy Playground (corner of Myrtle and Nostrand, in Bed-Stuy) from 12-3pm that features family-friendly entertainment and activities including music, arts & crafts, face-painting and storytelling, as well as complimentary bites, drinks and snacks.</div>
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Here's a map to get your orientated, check <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/@40.695164,-73.9510253,15z" target="_blank">googlemaps</a> for specifics.
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VoJXgzzeNAg/VICWNwJ5UfI/AAAAAAAAAt4/MGeJ63N236Y/s1600/circleMap-maker-brooklynbornblog.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VoJXgzzeNAg/VICWNwJ5UfI/AAAAAAAAAt4/MGeJ63N236Y/s1600/circleMap-maker-brooklynbornblog.gif" height="640" width="632" /></a></div>
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Local area favorites such as artisanal handcrafted donuts from <a href="http://www.doughbrooklyn.com/" target="_blank">Dough</a>, tacos from <a href="http://www.tacombi.com/" target="_blank">Tacombi</a>, hot apple cider, hot cocoa, and more will be available to attendees, at NO CHARGE.</div>
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Kids and parents will also have the chance to sign and complete the #DontStealPossible mural by renowned New York native artist, <a href="http://www.greglamarche.com/" target="_blank">Greg Lamarche</a>, created last month for the #DontStealPossible rally in Foley Square that brought over 1,000 parents, teachers and kids together.</div>
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And for the event, see the flyer above for further details:</div>
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</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04437242130709591270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3998432848415030405.post-70726195212989267632014-11-18T10:42:00.001-05:002014-11-18T10:42:17.542-05:00CrowHill Comm Assoc Meeting tonight 11/18The meeting will be held at the Gospel Tabernacle Church <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">725 Franklin Ave</span><div>Between Park Pl and Sterling Pl in Crown Heights to discuss local issues, all are welcomed especially Crown Heights residents.</div><div><br></div><div>This is the tentative agenda:</div><div><ol><li><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Opening statement from CHCA Vice President Paul Carson</span></li><li><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Report on Halloween Parade by CHCA President Frank Esquilin</span></li><li><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Status of children’s workshops & Scholar’s Program by CHCA President Frank Esquilin</span></li><li><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Community Survey by CHCA President Frank Esquilin</span></li><li><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Community Information by CHCA Project Manager Constance Nugent-Miller</span></li><li><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Thanksgiving Food Basket cost approval by CHCA Treasurer Joanne Crispe</span></li><li><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Report on CHCA website by CHCA Secretary Josh Thompson </span></li><li><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Guest Speaker: Mr. Mathew Pitt from Councilwoman Cumbo’s Office </span></li><li><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Guest Speaker: Mr. Harold Lutchman, Capital One Manger</span></li><li><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Guest Speaker: Mr. Guillermo Phillips, President of the Panama Assoc. </span></li><li><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"Did You Know?" by Mike Fagan</span></li><li><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Guest Speaker: Ms. Jennyfer Bagnalli, President of the PTA for P.S. 316</span></li></ol><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Check their website for more information: </span></div><a href="http://crowhillcommunityassociation.cmail1.com/t/r-l-ctlhkjy-jidkdymui-k/" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">http://crowhillcommunityassociation.com</a><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><img src="http://i1.cmail1.com/ti/r/67/124/15E/042147/template-1-right-sidebar/smallspacer.gif" width="329" height="15"></span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04437242130709591270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3998432848415030405.post-85413142894240577192014-09-28T14:11:00.001-04:002014-09-28T14:18:06.484-04:00A Successful talk about renters rights in the wake of Gentrification <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lj4xZp7IfKw/VChO_5qO_cI/AAAAAAAAAtY/Kl6j8Ec4XxQ/s1600/5myles.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lj4xZp7IfKw/VChO_5qO_cI/AAAAAAAAAtY/Kl6j8Ec4XxQ/s1600/5myles.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Before the event (I'll post a better photo later)</span></div>
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Last night's talk about Gentrification was better than I'd hoped. The organizer of the meeting Neta Alexander screened two films "Rent Freeze" which documented the struggle to install a five year rent rate freeze for all stabilized and rent controlled apartments in New York City. And "A Snowboarding Day in Brooklyn" by Jason Scott Jones, which captured a moment of bless ruined by the inequity certain New Yorkers often face.<br />
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The event was well attended with an active audience and four guest speakers Donna Rachel and the filmmakers. Topics of renters rights were heavily discussed. I met great people and came away more optimistic and with specific ideas on what we can all do to increase the sustainability of longstanding communities while uniting with new comers to the neighborhood to make Crown Heights in particular and the once neglected neighborhoods of New York city as a whole, vibrant functioning places again.<br />
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I'll post more about the discussion event, and some inspired thoughts that came out of it, and hopefully some new ongoing reporting that may be featured on this blog.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04437242130709591270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3998432848415030405.post-35673541428651787762014-09-26T11:44:00.001-04:002014-09-26T11:45:04.049-04:00TOMORROW PUBLIC TALK ABOUT GENTRIFICATION IN CROWN HEIGHTS - ALL INVITED<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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TOMORROW - SATURDAY 9/27 7:30pm a public talk about Gentrification - Rent Controls & Resistance - will take place at the FiveMyles Gallery at 558 St. Johns Place in Crown Heights. </div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wXB8xTNSgSQ/VCRjROkhodI/AAAAAAAAAsY/PxZI0k0k2HU/s1600/RentFreezeColor-poster(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wXB8xTNSgSQ/VCRjROkhodI/AAAAAAAAAsY/PxZI0k0k2HU/s1600/RentFreezeColor-poster(1).jpg" height="640" width="516" /></a></div>
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Everyone is invited to come down and join in. Two short films on the topic as it relates to Brooklyn will be shown, come down and meet the contributors to the Brooklyn Born blog as well as the filmmakers and Rachel Godsil, Director of NYC's Rent Guideline Board, and lenders of the Crown Heights Tenants Union.</div>
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Details on the flyer for more information contact Neta Alexander (<a href="mailto:NA889@nyu.edu">NA889@nyu.edu</a>)</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04437242130709591270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3998432848415030405.post-21107744515502886242014-09-25T21:30:00.000-04:002014-09-27T04:36:10.805-04:00Smorgasburg & Bklyn Flea, coming to Crown Heights<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W2gLVIa4ii4/VCS7sQcrX_I/AAAAAAAAAs0/fV0BEgffSYc/s1600/BERGN-BB-xP-3030.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W2gLVIa4ii4/VCS7sQcrX_I/AAAAAAAAAs0/fV0BEgffSYc/s1600/BERGN-BB-xP-3030.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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(<span style="font-size: x-small;">Above) "BERG'N" the newest eating, hanging, drinking spot to land in Brooklyn and most audaciously, in Crown Heights. Soon to be sharing Winter customers with the Brooklyn Flea and Smorgasburg</span></div>
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Whoa.<br />
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I like food. And much in the same way I like to have my good t-shirts dry-cleaned for reasons of practicality and pampering, I occasionally enjoy spending more than I should on small portions of obsessively prepared, delicious food.<br />
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In other words I like <a href="http://www.smorgasburg.com/" target="_blank">Smorgasburg</a>.<br />
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And they've just dropped the word that they're going to be in Crown Heights for the winter weekends starting on Nov 8th & 9th placing them at 1000 Dean Street the newest of recently renovated commercial spaces in the western end of the neighborhood. This will place them back to back with Berg'n which I have been to twice but yet to review because I want to get a fair sense of Berg'n before I proclaimed it the latest and tastiest Beer-eteria I've been to. Oh see? there that went.<br />
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Eric Demby, Smorgasburg & Brooklyn Flea co-founder says there'll be between 100 and 110 vendors each weekend and that they'll be set up with more permanent stalls. Of those, five to 10 will be cooked-food stands and more from the "packaged-food contingent." In addition to food vendors from Smorgasburg there will be marketeers from the Brooklyn Flea in the space, making for an enclosed experience of food, shopping and meet up spaces. ("Whooohoo 360º!!" says the marketing staff.)<br />
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Snips aside it's a brilliant move. Berg'n the venture co-funded by GoldmanSachs (is this the first time they've invested in Crown Heights?) has been packing them in, even in these pics I took on their second day open just before lunchtime.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QnFQ6rulYO4/VCS7rgVrwTI/AAAAAAAAAsw/wJs1WeqQeJU/s1600/BERGN-BB-xP-3021.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QnFQ6rulYO4/VCS7rgVrwTI/AAAAAAAAAsw/wJs1WeqQeJU/s1600/BERGN-BB-xP-3021.jpg" height="425" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">(Above: <span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: ff-meta-serif-web-pro; line-height: 24px;">owner and Ramen Burger creator </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: ff-meta-serif-web-pro; line-height: 24px;"><a href="http://www.goramen.com/p/about-me.html" target="_blank">Keizo Shimamoto</a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: ff-meta-serif-web-pro; line-height: 24px;">, he nimbly prepared one for me)</span></span></div>
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I'd figured it would be the convenient lunch destination for whatever businesses filled 100 Dean Street. Now this merge of offerings that attract and overlap like-minded customers boosts all the player's profiles and profits, and will probably go a long way to keeping Berg'n profitable despite the weekday afternoons when people traffic is lower.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QGYZUl8UAxs/VCS7rjrEPfI/AAAAAAAAAss/entDA4FZQ6Y/s1600/BERGN-BB-xP-3026.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QGYZUl8UAxs/VCS7rjrEPfI/AAAAAAAAAss/entDA4FZQ6Y/s1600/BERGN-BB-xP-3026.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: ff-meta-serif-web-pro; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">(Above: A Ramen Burgen, bun of ramen noodles in between a tasty hunk of shredded beef chuck, juicy steak tomato, arugula and special mayo sauce, seconds later it became part of me)</span></span></span></div>
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I haven't written about 1000 Dean (the old Studebaker repair building long since under used) being made into a wide open ready to go commercial space mostly because I haven't heard of a main tenant being announced. Bergen and Dean streets run straight from Brownsville(Ocean Hill now, yeesh) East New York's end of Crown Heights and continue west straight to within blocks of Brooklyn Bridge Park. Bike lanes and buses on both streets. It's exactly what I've been saying to potential property buyers for years now, follow the bike lanes, there on lies a plan.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-O-Hkyqww690/VCS7rmK7eJI/AAAAAAAAAso/0WrxAyZztmU/s1600/BERGN-BB-xP-3020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-O-Hkyqww690/VCS7rmK7eJI/AAAAAAAAAso/0WrxAyZztmU/s1600/BERGN-BB-xP-3020.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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So all this new business in Crown Heights could be cool. Downside I can imagine now there'll be more new people who haven't gone through the crucible of moving to Crown Heights, meeting neighbors and becoming aware through hard and soft interactions not to be a entitled douche. So let's so come November how much fun it is to be around here on the weekends. Between this and Starbucks having opened today on the other end of Franklin's now crowded commercial corridor (mostly from Eastern Parkway to Dean St) we'll really get a sense of how much of the conscientious character of the neighborhood stays intact as we develop forward.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Zi186FlBWeY/VCS7sQD2rEI/AAAAAAAAAs4/BXTWczpEdVw/s1600/BERGN-BB-xP-3034.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Zi186FlBWeY/VCS7sQD2rEI/AAAAAAAAAs4/BXTWczpEdVw/s1600/BERGN-BB-xP-3034.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">From the left; Mighty Quinn's (BBQ), Asia Dog, Pizza Moto, & Ramen Burger,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">(clearly you can't sell food here without a compound name)</span></div>
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Look at those scant lines of people up there, it won't be that way when the Smorgasburg train comes to Crown.<br />
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More details from the folks at Gothamist: <a href="http://gothamist.com/2014/09/25/smorgasburg_crown_heights.php">http://gothamist.com/2014/09/25/smorgasburg_crown_heights.php</a><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04437242130709591270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3998432848415030405.post-43071072447766800562014-09-25T14:50:00.000-04:002014-09-25T14:50:13.585-04:00A PUBLIC TALK ON GENTRIFICATION in CROWN HTS - THIS SAT 9/27 7:30 ALL INVITED<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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THIS SATURDAY 9/27 7:30pm a public talk about Gentrification - Rent Controls & Resistance will take place at the FiveMyles Gallery at 558 St. Johns Place in Crown Heights. </div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wXB8xTNSgSQ/VCRjROkhodI/AAAAAAAAAsY/PxZI0k0k2HU/s1600/RentFreezeColor-poster(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wXB8xTNSgSQ/VCRjROkhodI/AAAAAAAAAsY/PxZI0k0k2HU/s1600/RentFreezeColor-poster(1).jpg" height="640" width="516" /></a></div>
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Everyone is invited to come down and join in. Two short films on the topic as it relates to Brooklyn will be shown, come down and meet the contributors to the Brooklyn Born blog as well as the filmmakers and Rachel Godsil, Director of NYC's Rent Guideline Board, and lenders of the Crown Heights Tenants Union.</div>
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Details on the flyer for more information contact Neta Alexander (<a href="mailto:NA889@nyu.edu">NA889@nyu.edu</a>)</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04437242130709591270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3998432848415030405.post-7208739173751601342014-09-17T09:43:00.000-04:002014-09-17T09:43:08.786-04:00Brooklyn Heights Public Library Slated for Redevelopment/Partial Sale<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pOp9T8_2Ojc/VBmNutDF4PI/AAAAAAAAAsE/mMZR9ek1aio/s1600/brooklyn-public-library-hudson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pOp9T8_2Ojc/VBmNutDF4PI/AAAAAAAAAsE/mMZR9ek1aio/s1600/brooklyn-public-library-hudson.jpg" height="443" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Architect's rendering of the proposed new library with residential rental units above.</span></div>
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I just noticed the news that the Brooklyn Public Library is selling the land of it's current Brooklyn Heights branch for $52 Million to developer Hudson Companies who will build a new library and market rate apartments on that space.<br />
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The new library will be physically smaller than the current but the press release says there will be more "usable" space in the new than currently available. Market rate for the area which is across from Cadman Plaza will make the apartments among the most expensive in the borough.<br />
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Personally I have no qualm with any of this. I don't know the exact number of people who make use of the library but I worked on a BPL project a few years back and the purpose of that project was their constant need to raise funds. Budgets have been tight at the libraries for decades. If the BPL can raise <a href="http://gothamist.com/2014/07/02/brooklyn_public_library_seeks_money.php" target="_blank">some much needed </a>funds, without entirely closing a branch, in a neighborhood where I'm guess you'll find on average more private libraries in homes than most neighborhoods have books in their own public library, I don't see a major loss.<br />
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The libraries do need to continue finding ways to expand the vital services they provide like internet access and skills training so that they can stay viable and fund their branches in less well off neighborhoods. Selling the branch for apartments isn't going to be a revenue stream going forward.<br />
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I could be wrong. Do you have any thoughts to share?<br />
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News reports from NY1 <a href="http://www.ny1.com/content/news/215639/brooklyn-public-library-votes-to-sell-brooklyn-heights-branch-to-private-developer/">http://www.ny1.com/content/news/215639/brooklyn-public-library-votes-to-sell-brooklyn-heights-branch-to-private-developer/</a><br />
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Brooklyn Eagle: <a href="http://www.brooklyneagle.com/articles/2014/9/16/breaking-brooklyn-public-library-approves-52-million-sale-brooklyn-heights-branch">http://www.brooklyneagle.com/articles/2014/9/16/breaking-brooklyn-public-library-approves-52-million-sale-brooklyn-heights-branch</a><br />
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And the most comprehensive coverage I found was on the Brooklyn Heights Blog:<br />
<a href="http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/70276">http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/70276</a></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04437242130709591270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3998432848415030405.post-41735167974474826852014-09-10T16:14:00.000-04:002014-09-10T16:18:56.982-04:00Photo Wednesday 091014 : West Indian Parade 2014 Edition<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I was in the parade which feels like many more than ten days ago. Not in the parade in the teen aged sense of the days when I'd hope the barricade and join the mostly other non participant paraders, but in a more age mature stroll with my niece and nephew down the parkway lanes, enjoy the people watching and food scents.<br />
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From my point of view, having walked back and forth from Franklin to Nostrand and back, as well as taking the train out to Utica Av, (with the exception of a lack of information dolled out to the rank and file officers on where crowds could permissibly cross streets) the parade was a grand success.<br />
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I have lots of pics (Senator Chuck Schumer was hilarious with the bullhorn in my opinion) and I'll put up a gallery soon, but I've settled on this shot from high above Franklin Av and Eastern Parkway.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04437242130709591270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3998432848415030405.post-8812847567110642432014-08-27T18:28:00.001-04:002014-08-27T19:28:40.334-04:00PHOTO WEDNESDAY : AFROPUNK IS WHATS UP EDITION<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
So yesterday was a lot. I'm still recovering from the greatest weekend in Brooklyn this summer of 2014.<br />
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The Afro Punk Festival had been on my calendar since I was forced to miss it last year, and then outta the blue Spike Lee, 40Acres, DjSpinna and the New York Knick City Dancers (?!) decided to throw a huge old fashion Brooklyn block party styled tribute to Michael Jackson at Restoration Plaza in Bed-Stuy.<br />
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So of course I hit both.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mr_fuetur/15023357635" title="Afro Punk 2014 Day 1xP-2585 by B'klyn Born, on Flickr"><img alt="Afro Punk 2014 Day 1xP-2585" height="400" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5578/15023357635_766b0fb2e6_o.jpg" width="600" /></a>
And (as you can see) I got pictures, click through the one below or check the album (since yahoo killed flickr's slideshow function <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mr_fuetur/sets/72157646939767815/">https://www.flickr.com/photos/mr_fuetur/sets/72157646939767815/</a>) and it's like you were there, only much quieter and less cool.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mr_fuetur/15023357575" title="Afro Punk 2014 Day 1xP-2463 by B'klyn Born, on Flickr"><img alt="Afro Punk 2014 Day 1xP-2463" height="400" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3926/15023357575_afb3bc0ea6_o.jpg" width="600" /></a>
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and video and stories and my god there needs to be another weekend between last and next just to express all the greatness that went down, from Spike hosting a good all family event for longterm Brooklynites and newcomers from around the world, including bringing out two of the newest Knick players, to a free rock event that somehow got a fraction of the Arcade Fire concert's media coverage despite it being just walking distance away from AfroPunk which was hands down the greatest music event last weekend and possible of the August if not the summer.<br />
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Here's a list of bands if you were getting married last weekend or just had fingers in your ears:<br />
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Meshell NDegocello<br />
Fishbone<br />
Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings<br />
D'Angelo<br />
Bad Brains<br />
Alice Smith<br />
Lianne La Havas<br />
Unlocking The Truth<br />
Body Count with front man Ice-T<br />
SZA<br />
The Bots<br />
Valerie June<br />
about half The Roots<br />
and thats only about 1/5 of the show. Plus there was food beer and rows of tents with vendors selling artwork, clothing and more. And entry was free.<br />
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So up there is a slideshow of some of the best pics and I'll be getting the video I shot soon with some special clips.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04437242130709591270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3998432848415030405.post-50945810344118351422014-08-23T18:54:00.001-04:002014-08-24T12:54:53.908-04:00AfroPunkFest 2014 & Spike Lee MJ Party<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-gL7NTy4PscY/U_kbnGN_6hI/AAAAAAAAArM/HGM-aUoU8yk/s640/blogger-image-976577483.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-gL7NTy4PscY/U_kbnGN_6hI/AAAAAAAAArM/HGM-aUoU8yk/s640/blogger-image-976577483.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">(above: Alice Smith mid set on Saturday Aug 23, 2014 at Afro Punk Festival, Commodore Barry Park, Bklyn)</span></div>
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AfroPunk 2014 music art food culture ere in Downtown/Fort Greene Brooklyn and i'm here.<br />
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5:15p Alice Smith at the Green Stage literally brought the sun out with her voice and energy.</div>
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Amazing set, Alice gave that no nonsense sweet sweet fierce fierce love to the crowd, her inspirations and even had a little left over for the soundman.</div>
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<a href="http://www.liannelahavas.com/" target="_blank">Lianne La Havas</a>, brit born, Jamaican/Greek descended chartreuse/muse followed a Beverly Bond DJ set, and proceeded to cause a Brooklyn swoon the likes of which many are still happily unrecovered from. </div>
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Throughout the crowd I heard as many people singing La Havas lyrics as there were remarking about how perfectly darling she is. Its true Lianne's songs have the quality of a young woman who's in the effort of finding love has had heart tarnished and uses the experience to burnish out songs which when delivered in her range from primal scream to often audible whisper, melt the heart.</div>
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It's a perfect bit of scheduling that <a href="http://valeriejune.com/" target="_blank">Valerie June</a> (whom I just caught before her set ended) Lianne La Havas & Alice Smith, played a processional lead toward Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings, because each of the three musicans present a facet of young womanhood. Valerie's rockabilly strunging and "aw shucks-esque" sing cleverly ensconce a Valerie's woman who will not be taking shit now or later. Lianne is romantic optimist, going mind and heart wide open into the romantic abyss, and Alice is lightning a potential lover hopes to catch and worries my fry them. </div>
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If you'll allow me to wrap these three musicans into a loosely fitting metaphor, here goes, Alice Smith is Id, Lianne the Ego and Valerie's the Super Ego. Granted each has songs in which they play all and none of those roles, but on stage thats what the viberation I hear.</div>
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<a href="http://alicesmith.com/" target="_blank">Alice Smith</a> is a force of nature unapologetically contained in the body of an electrifying young woman. When Alice's label lacked the vision of her second album, the Grammy nominated artist went to her crowds and funded "SHE" her second album which has produced more of the high voltage, piognant and true songs of Alice's heart as mind, laid bare, that make her a musical pleasure to be transfixed by.</div>
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The stellar end to the 1st night of Afro Punk at the green stage was aptly presided over by the one and only Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings. If you've ever been in a church service, if you've ever been to a racuous party, or had the pleasure of both in one, you'll have a slight idea of what heaven on Earth Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings unfurled in Commodore Barry Park at Afro Punk 2014. Sharon was minister preacher in full in one sequence sharing with the congregation her personal struggles and uncertainties after illness, "I didn't know if I would make it, I had no hair, no eyebrow hair no nostril hair, I didn't know if I would be anywhere.." in another moment renegotiating the playlists into a satisfying melody of their decade longer career songs. The movement of souls was visible, a funk more fortified than the sess tinged air, churning up the clouds as their musical chariot descended, like the revival jams of 100 Days, 100 Nights and eons of horny bass all rolled in to one, knocking the often unknowingly sanctifying crowd flat dead and bringing us back to life. Thats how Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings closed night one of <a href="http://afropunk.com/" target="_blank">Afro Punk 2014</a> on the green stage.</div>
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Today acts ranging from the nearly brad new life of <a href="http://www.unlockingthetruthband.com/" target="_blank">"Unlocking the Truth"</a> (who at aged 13 swiped the title of youngest festival group from <a href="http://www.thebotsband.com/" target="_blank">The Bots</a>) to stalwarts of punk, ska & rock, <a href="http://fishbone.net/" target="_blank">Fishbone</a>, who can always be counted on for a memoral show, will hit the Afro Punk stages, along with dynamic and diverse acts including <a href="http://www.tamar-kali.com/" target="_blank">Tamar-Kali</a>, SZA, The Internet, Cro-Mags, the legenday <a href="http://www.meshell.com/site/" target="_blank">Michell Ndegeocello</a>, and culminating with a festival ending set by D'Angelo. So you've been told.</div>
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In a true challenge to musical loyalty and geographic possibilty at today is also the <a href="http://www.40acres.com/" target="_blank">Spike Lee</a> presented Michael Jackson party in Bedford-Stuyvesant at historical mixed media venue Restoration Plaza from 12noon to 6p <a href="http://djspinna.com/" target="_blank">Dj Spinna</a> will be controlling the decks an spinning straight MJ and Jackson and or Jacksons inspired track just as Spinna does at hos annual MJ and MJ vs Prince parties around the country.</div>
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Cell service at these events tends to be spotty which I dont know whether to blame on infrastructure, or crowd control, but that is the case so I'll be uploading pics tomorrow as well as some choice video.</div>
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Fyi if youre a straight R&B type, the Mj Party ends at 6 as D'Angelo starts at Afro Punk at 8:30 so that <a href="http://web.mta.info/nyct/service/cline.htm" target="_blank">C train</a> (Kingston Av to Lafayette, followed by a walk north on Ashland) might have your name on it</div>
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All Free. That's what's up Brooklyn, USA. </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04437242130709591270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3998432848415030405.post-5808455340720261122014-08-19T13:24:00.001-04:002014-08-19T13:25:09.503-04:00Despite Us Being American: after Michael Brown Jr. & too many more<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Eric Garner's murder saddened me as it has many. As a person of color, as a person who has men that resemble Eric in my family. As a tax payer and American, his murder brought me so much sadness it took two weeks for me to write what I thought was a concise and useful post about it.<br />
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Then Micheal Brown Jr. an unarmed 18year old was killed in Ferguson, MO. by a police officer, shot six times, dead. It's been a week of me mostly avoiding that story for a variety of reasons.<br />
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Finally I wrote this, and my point if you want a headline, is it's not simply the shooting, the death, the tragedy of how people are viewed that has and continues to disturb me, it's that when these tragedies occur, the aftermath says as much about how people of color are considered in America if not more than the entire situation.<br />
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--<br />
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"Despite Us Being American"<br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">He said "I will fight for your right to protest" and I could feel the tears forming.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />I don't know why I chose finally watching Ferguson/Michael Brown Murder news reports to be tonight's insomnia activity.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">One of the clips I saw was Capt. Ron Johnson the solidly build African-American head of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, who was shoehorned into this situation and seems to have been elected for his ability to sit exactly between a rock (the historically disenfranchised community of African-Americans) and the hard place(the Police in Ferguson who as a group have largely deflected the law).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Capt. Johnson started with an apology to Michael Brown's family, speaking in uniform as a member of law enforcement in that state. But you know got me, what gave me pause?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">When Capt. Johnson said to the parishioners ,"I'll protect your right to protest" my eyes watered up. I had to stop watching and wonder if I was just going to start bawling flat out.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">If you haven't watched all these black people, not just in the last two months, or two years but since lets just say the last twenty or thirty years, watching all these black and brown people, (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BART_Police_shooting_of_Oscar_Grant#Aftermath" target="_blank">Oscar Grant</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_Dorismond" target="_blank">Patrick Dorismond</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shooting_of_Timothy_Stansbury" target="_blank">Timothy Stansbury Jr.</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_Baez" target="_blank">Anthony Baez</a>, </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shooting_of_Amadou_Diallo" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;" target="_blank">Amadou Diallo</a><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Eric_Garner" target="_blank">Eric Garner</a>) </span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">many of whom haven't committed a crime, several who committed misdemeanors or were caught in situations where they didn't know they were interacting with police, be killed by law enforcement. If you haven't witnessed that through the life of a black, brown or some other variation of "Other" person, then in some ways frankly you're lucky.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />Lucky to know you're a citizen of a country that can't get enough talking about Freedom and almost always feels an obligation to protect yours. Do you who are not visually "other" have to interact with assholes despite being an American? Of course. Do you wonder if the government is not trying to take advantage or misuse your tax dollars, despite your not being an "other" american? Yes of course. There's lots of concerns. But usually law enforcement doesn't target you. If someone in law enforcement does target you, you have options, you can seek and expect justice, mistreatment of you will most always only go so far.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">That's what hurts. The cop who shot a kid he'd probably never met ten minutes earlier is all kinds of idiot. But the entire police force felt it justifiable to back that idiot. That's a big part of being "other" usually Black as in this case and most cases. The police backed the murder, the victim was Black.That's the full on injustice. It's the same damned injustice. Even with a deep tan in the white house. The injustice starts with the precept that an unarmed, (very possibly innocent) brown skinned male is deserving of gun violence. It's an idea promoted across american society and embraced by law enforcement. Then the injustice continues when the officer of the law kills that black male without (we now know) knowing anything about this male. Then the injustice reaches full voice in the chorus of systematic American racism, when those in charge of the Ferguson Police force decide to back the murder. It starts with a racial history and the ideas that come out of it. But to understand the crime, for friends of those who don't, understand a police officer made very bad decisions, over reacted, killed a person he knew nothing about, and then the Police force decided to do everything it could including leaking false information in public media, to protect the murder.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">That's what happened.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">When the Highway Patrol officer told the congregation "I'll protect your right to protest" they erupted in cheers. CHEERS. Capt, Ron Johnson didn't promise to get justice (he can't alone) he didn't promise to hunt down the murderer (who's not been charged and was allowed to leave the state) he didn't promise to end racism and bias. He said he'll defend the crowd's American rights, and the people cheered. If you’re anything people refer to as “Black” you know this already. You’ve lived this, near and from afar but always as a member of the group not able to get equal treatment under our law. If you aren’t what people call "Black", or married, parented, bonded, brothered and sistered in some authentic way to someone considered as Black, I’m laying this out for you. The crowd cheered, at a member of law enforcement who resembles us, saying that he’ll simply do his job so we could simply have our right to say we’re terribly sad and upset, without us having to fear those we pay to protect us.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Because that's not something we're used to from American police forces, despite us being American.</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04437242130709591270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3998432848415030405.post-27629022130971244362014-08-11T14:37:00.000-04:002014-08-11T14:40:07.715-04:00SAVE ROGERS AVE GARDEN!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ux_3KYuqhNg/U-kM2khdx7I/AAAAAAAAAqs/i-ZQjEhfrNk/s1600/image-1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ux_3KYuqhNg/U-kM2khdx7I/AAAAAAAAAqs/i-ZQjEhfrNk/s1600/image-1.jpeg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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On the corner of Rogers Ave and Park Place in Crown Heights ("western" crown heights as the new comers say, because obviously a neighborhood of two miles requires geographic annotations) there is a small lot that had been neglected by the owner. Concerned citizens long ago transformed the lot into a community open, garden.<br />
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The garden has stood for at least ten years. I remember the mural painted on the wall above it for at least that long.<br />
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Recently developers, one can only imagine who, tracked down the owner, who I was told, was living in Florida and beset with back taxes for the lot. It seems developers purchased the lot for below market value and are now attempting to developed the site.<br />
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Rogers Ave recently got a make-over in the form of an express bus lane. The lane stretches from near Brooklyn College in the Flatbush/Midwood section, connecting with Bedford Ave where it and Rogers merge at Atlantic Ave and continuing to Williamsburg.<br />
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I've been talking up Rogers to friends for years because it has lacked aesthetic charms but had lots of available rentals. Leading in the lacking amenities on Rogers is greenery, specifically flowers, trees. No double entendre here.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PAFlOso8f_A/U-kM78DGl6I/AAAAAAAAAq0/Ur8nnKSd5Qo/s1600/image-2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PAFlOso8f_A/U-kM78DGl6I/AAAAAAAAAq0/Ur8nnKSd5Qo/s1600/image-2.jpeg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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So the fact that there is a garden on Rogers which is fueled by new and old residents who want to keep the neighborhood on the upswing is a great reason in my mind for this site to remain green, and open to residents and especially local kids at the elementary school down the block.<br />
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I spoke with a volunteer who was putting the finishing touches on large painted letters spelling out "SAVE THE GARDEN" (pictured above) and he explained these details as well as the hope that local residents will contact our elected representatives, in this case Mayor DeBlasio, Public Advocate Tish James, as well as the City Councilmember for this site, Robert Cornegy(<a href="mailto:RCornegy@council.nyc.gov">RCornegy@council.nyc.gov</a>) and request the city take over the site as a result of owed taxes and lease the land to the community garden.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-euJiWCgGK20/U-kM8D8LeeI/AAAAAAAAAq4/L7oYieC9bIQ/s1600/image.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-euJiWCgGK20/U-kM8D8LeeI/AAAAAAAAAq4/L7oYieC9bIQ/s1600/image.jpeg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
For more information on how to help save the garden, go to <a href="http://www.rogerthatgarden.org/" target="_blank">www.rogerthatgarden.org</a><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04437242130709591270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3998432848415030405.post-79046924912085023122014-08-11T14:08:00.000-04:002014-08-11T14:38:42.390-04:00And now a brief summer 2014 recap.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
It's been a great summer. I've already personally decided this is one for the history books in terms of the congenial weather we've had almost everyday since June.<br />
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It's also been a rough summer in terms of world events, and here at home senselessness like the murder of Eric Garner by members of the NYPD.<br />
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I've been out enjoying the former and loathing the latter so much I've found it hard to focus enough to write.<br />
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Some things I've missed are the random bouts of fireworks, (unrelated to the 4th of July), Kara Walker's "Subtlety" exhibit at the doomed Domino Sugar factory,<br />
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Things that won't be missing from this blog, the upcoming Afro Punk festival in two weeks which is shaping up to be the best ever. Views from the newest property on Eastern Parkway. A tease for Brooklyn's own Crown Heights Film Festival. A soon to be open new bar in an under served part of Crown Heights. Where I think you should place your bets for the next neighborhood to explode trend-rific (hopefully long lived Brooklynites can get in on this) And of course the now shortened West Indian Day parade.<br />
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In the meantime I came across this item about the <a href="http://umbrooklynborn.blogspot.com/2014/08/save-rogers-ave-garden.html" target="_blank">efforts to save a community garden in Crown Heights today and I'm writing a new post to it right now</a>.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04437242130709591270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3998432848415030405.post-75125992147489124092014-07-11T15:36:00.001-04:002014-07-11T15:36:15.496-04:00A Rink Rolls in Brooklyn! BklynBridgePark RollerRink Opens Today!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
"Come on everybody get your roller-skates today!" Happening NOW (as of 3pm Friday July 11, 2014) <a href="http://www.brooklynbridgepark.org/blog/park-updates/pier-2-roller-rink-opening-celebration" target="_blank">The free opening celebration of the new roller rink at Brooklyn Bridge Park!</a><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PQoWLgpLCsc/U8A4yaO0EsI/AAAAAAAAAqQ/IGrmIh1g8vQ/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-07-11+at+3.19.17+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PQoWLgpLCsc/U8A4yaO0EsI/AAAAAAAAAqQ/IGrmIh1g8vQ/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-07-11+at+3.19.17+PM.png" height="482" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">(The New Rink with City and River views, Photo courtesy of Brooklyn Bridge Park)</span></div>
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In addition to today's free event, there are free hours on Fridays, Sundays and throughout the week.<br />
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When not free the rink charges $5 on Weekdays and $8 on weekends. I've never mentioned it on here, but I'm a skater so I'm very excited about the Adult only skate session they have scheduled.<br />
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For full details on hours and rates for entry and rentals check <a href="http://www.brooklynbridgepark.org/blog/park-updates/pier-2-roller-rink-opening-celebration">http://www.brooklynbridgepark.org/blog/park-updates/pier-2-roller-rink-opening-celebration</a><br />
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I am a fan of Brooklyn Bridge Park the new green addition that has figurative and literally sprouted up to the south of the Brooklyn Bridge.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mr_fuetur/4571684814" title="You'll flip for it, Brooklyn Bridge Park by B'klyn Born, on Flickr"><img alt="You'll flip for it, Brooklyn Bridge Park" height="375" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3516/4571684814_3e4c9a22b1.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">(A photo of the park on opening day, 2010 The park's trees were just saplings, and that budding gymnast is probably about to graduate elementary school now.)</span></div>
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<a href="http://umbrooklynborn.blogspot.com/2010/05/day-one-brooklyn-bridge-park.html" target="_blank">I was there on day one of it's opening as covered in a previous post</a>. The park which is still expanding features open fields, a huge pro level set of enclosed basketball courts,Bike paths, photogenic lookouts and nooks, the Smorgasburgh food festival on weekends and music and film screening venues. It exists as an urban oasis in the space formerly occupied by less than inviting looking Port Authority piers. Check any riverside movie from the 70's & 80's and you'll spot them.<br />
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The problem with the current debate of all vs new, is that it's often had in very simple terms. For example I complain about many things new and I will say that is because subjectively (and occasionally objectively) many new things suck here in NYC or come with intense consequences for hard working people that for them, suck.<br />
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I don't care that there is the <a href="http://www.tollbrothers.com/NY/Pierhouse_at_Brooklyn_Bridge_Park" target="_blank">Toll Brother's development</a> that we have to thank in part, for the park. I'm not a fan of some of their developments, but somebody was gonna develop this space eventually.<br />
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Even as a kid, in the beat down years of trash along the river's edge, I realized how fantastic it is to view Manhattan from riverside I wondered why less people lived there. Developers were going to build like the Toll Brother's corp. is doing and if public citizens get new park land as they do in this case, then I'm for it. Plus there's no chance in hell of anyone developing something in front of Brooklyn Heights that walls off their view they way that is currently being done in Williamsburg thanks to the Bloomberg administrations rezoning of that water front.<br />
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Apparently the new development the Toll Brothers corp is building is doing so well, they've raised prices on the units 6 times (according to <a href="http://ny.curbed.com/tags/toll-brothers" target="_blank">CurbedNY</a>) and the first apartment isn't even completed.<br />
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Seems like everyone wins on this one, and if that's the case, I'm all for it.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04437242130709591270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3998432848415030405.post-6763569820719218362014-07-11T14:53:00.001-04:002014-07-11T14:53:35.563-04:00SOUL SUMMIT IS BACK! THIS SUNDAY FORT GREENE PARK!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mr_fuetur/3857838553" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="the last Soul Summit of 2009 in Fort Greene Park - 50 by B'klyn Born, on Flickr"><img alt="the last Soul Summit of 2009 in Fort Greene Park - 50" height="500" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2669/3857838553_69d1775f63.jpg" width="375" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">(Photo from 2011 Soul Summit)</span></div>
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Soul Summit, the dance party made of love peace and of course, soul, will return to Fort Greene Park's top hill this Sunday and if the past is any indication you will not want to miss it.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mr_fuetur/6052016439" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Ft. Greene Park Summer 2011 DSC_0162 by B'klyn Born, on Flickr"><img alt="Ft. Greene Park Summer 2011 DSC_0162" height="333" src="https://farm7.staticflickr.com/6083/6052016439_145d81c951.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
Dj's on hand will be mixing Rare Grooves, House and Dance Classics. Adding to the soundscape will be an untold number of drummers and percussionists who are likely to show and then their hands to the rhythm.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mr_fuetur/6052570314" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Ft. Greene Park Summer 2011 DSC_0210 by B'klyn Born, on Flickr"><img alt="Ft. Greene Park Summer 2011 DSC_0210" height="500" src="https://farm7.staticflickr.com/6205/6052570314_e51c4a865b.jpg" width="333" /></a></div>
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If that's not enough the Soul Summit a festive tradition that began in the early 2000's, is a free gathering, customarily filled with dancers of all ages, united in gracefully soul speaking motion. <br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mr_fuetur/3857837281" title="the last Soul Summit of 2009 in Fort Greene Park - 37 by B'klyn Born, on Flickr"><img alt="the last Soul Summit of 2009 in Fort Greene Park - 37" height="375" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3425/3857837281_c13d502f2e.jpg" width="500" /></a>
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But don't take my words for it, here's photos from previous years.<br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mr_fuetur/6052572974" title="Ft. Greene Park Summer 2011 DSC_0316 by B'klyn Born, on Flickr"><img alt="Ft. Greene Park Summer 2011 DSC_0316" height="333" src="https://farm7.staticflickr.com/6078/6052572974_494a50058c.jpg" width="500" /></a>
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mr_fuetur/3715432753" title="Fort Greene Soul Summit by B'klyn Born, on Flickr"><img alt="Fort Greene Soul Summit" height="375" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2602/3715432753_6e475a7a87.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mr_fuetur/6052022115" title="Ft. Greene Park Summer 2011 DSC_0306 by B'klyn Born, on Flickr"><img alt="Ft. Greene Park Summer 2011 DSC_0306" height="333" src="https://farm7.staticflickr.com/6189/6052022115_dba6edd2f0.jpg" width="500" /></a>
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mr_fuetur/6052570546" title="Ft. Greene Park Summer 2011 DSC_0212 by B'klyn Born, on Flickr"><img alt="Ft. Greene Park Summer 2011 DSC_0212" height="500" src="https://farm7.staticflickr.com/6067/6052570546_7a66bd83a5.jpg" width="333" /></a>
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Beside the dancing crowds, the nearby hill side usually becomes an family affair of spread blankets and spread plates of home cooked meals, children rollicking and tumbling and older folks laying back and enjoying the summer fun.<br />
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mr_fuetur/6052569862" title="Ft. Greene Park Summer 2011 DSC_0195 by B'klyn Born, on Flickr"><img alt="Ft. Greene Park Summer 2011 DSC_0195" height="500" src="https://farm7.staticflickr.com/6080/6052569862_7aa99ba488.jpg" width="333" /></a>
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mr_fuetur/3858627922" title="the last Soul Summit of 2009 in Fort Greene Park - 53 by B'klyn Born, on Flickr"><img alt="the last Soul Summit of 2009 in Fort Greene Park - 53" height="375" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2562/3858627922_d73857c0fd.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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And here's a clip of video (a little shaky sorry) from the last Soul Summit of 2009 when in the middle of the set a light but persistent rain began to fall. How the crowd responded is part of why this event is so spiritual for many, it basically became a baptism.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/b3SF_0j5T0w" width="420"></iframe>
The Soul Summit has been a hard to find event for years now, because the times the group producing the event has been given to hold the event has been altered nearly every year since it began the City.<br />
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Originally the dance party was held at the same Cuyler Gore Park on Fulton. It moved and expanded to Fort Greene where it was a weekly Sunday event.<br />
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However one year the part was shut early by the park's department and it was called off for that summer. Ever since the even has occurred and on occasion had it's permits revoked seemingly without reason. Some years there have been no events at all. So I was happy to hear last week there will be at least one this Sunday. Hopefully there will be more this summer.<br />
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Nothing has been as good as that magical day in the <a href="http://umbrooklynborn.blogspot.com/2011/08/ft-greene-park-summer-2011-dsc0316.html" target="_blank">summer of 2011 when The Fort Greene Music Fest</a>, a full on free music festival was put on in Fort Greene Park, which had local food vendors at booths semi-encircling the soccer field, a stage with emerging artist and world famous musicians, among others Game Rebellion, and headliner Yasiin Bey (aka Mos Def).
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mr_fuetur/6052015969" title="Mos Def rocking the crowd in Fort Greene Park by B'klyn Born, on Flickr"><img alt="Mos Def rocking the crowd in Fort Greene Park" height="333" src="https://farm7.staticflickr.com/6073/6052015969_851dd72857.jpg" width="500" /></a>
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Despite that being a peaceable day, attended by thousands, where profits were made and no entry charged (run-on alert) that ended on time (sunset) and didn't destroy the park, new home owners in the area complained and a similar event hasn't been held since.<br />
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mr_fuetur/6052015381" title="Ft. Greene Park Summer 2011 DSC_0744 by B'klyn Born, on Flickr"><img alt="Ft. Greene Park Summer 2011 DSC_0744" height="333" src="https://farm7.staticflickr.com/6198/6052015381_822cd7cc2a.jpg" width="500" /></a>
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So with the track record of the past, I really suggest if you're a dancer or lover or music, or just want to take the kids out and enjoy good energy, you come out to the Soul Summit this sunday, who knows how long it will go on, so like summer, enjoy it while's here.<br />
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Read about previous years' Soul Summit's here:<br />
<a href="http://umbrooklynborn.blogspot.com/2010/07/soul-summit-today-fort-greene-park.html">http://umbrooklynborn.blogspot.com/2010/07/soul-summit-today-fort-greene-park.html</a><br />
<a href="http://umbrooklynborn.blogspot.com/2011/08/ft-greene-park-summer-2011-dsc0316.html">http://umbrooklynborn.blogspot.com/2011/08/ft-greene-park-summer-2011-dsc0316.html</a><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04437242130709591270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3998432848415030405.post-44228440260274201192014-07-09T13:29:00.000-04:002014-07-11T14:23:39.157-04:00Photo (Video) Wednesday July 4th edition.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Where were we, ah yes.<br />
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I totally missed the Do the Right Thing 25 years in the making block party. Not only did I miss it, I wrote the wrong date on this blog. Apologies. Everyone down for 2039 right!!?? Ah.. yah.<br />
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Back to the block party, Public Enemy Performed their classic "Fight The Power" as featured in the film, DJ Spinna keep the party amazing, Brooklynites enjoyed an unexpected bonus reunion day with familiar longterm Brooklynite faces meeting up from around the Borough. And if that wasn't enough The artist formerly know as Mos Def: Yasiin Bey spun the packed crowd into a musical frenzy with some of his classics and more than a little dancing to LL's also classic, "Rock the Bells". I know all this from my Facebook timeline of the folks in attendance while I was far away.</div>
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Speaking of throwbacks, The New York Times wrote another article about how Crown Heights isn't just about rioting anymore, which I guess makes the previous 5 articles they've published saying the same thing just wishful opinion engineering? Or maybe they've been so busy reminding people for 23 years that 4 days of protesting, 2 days of looting, 1 horrible act of vehicular homicide that went unpunished (innocent 6 year old Gavin Cato's death at the hands of a driver who avoided scrutiny by fleeing to Israel) followed by a terrible mob attack on an innocent student Yankle Rosenbaum (who was stabbed and later neglected at Kings County Hospital where he died) all of which occurred in an area less than 10% of the neighborhood is all Crown Heights is about, that they need this many articles to set the record straight. Except thats not the purpose of the article, it's really about making prospective buyers feel good about the area.</div>
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Speaking of Independence, the fourth of July happened! And for the first time in a kindergardener's age, the fireworks launched from the East River as opposed to shining so much light on our beloved Jersey (Really Hoboken) neighbors. I wanted to capture great images from the show that was, including the sparkling pyrotechnics cascading off the Brooklyn Bridge itself, (first time I've seen this since the Bridge's centennial celebration back in '83) but my life got in the way (or more accurately a wedding in the family in of all places, upstate, 4th of July Weekend) so here's some cool video from folks with better views than I.</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="338" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/100045280?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="600"></iframe></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="338" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/100057099?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="600"></iframe>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="338" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/99966907?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="600"></iframe>
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<iframe src="//player.vimeo.com/video/100163660?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" width="600" height="338" frameborder="0" webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen allowfullscreen></iframe>
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More coming up this month, <a href="http://www.bkhiphopfestival.com/" target="_blank">The Brooklyn Bodega HipHop Fest</a> (is being held in Williamsburg this year and if you want tickets, hurry, they're selling out fast. Last year's lines we're pretty expansive.)</div>
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"Back to the Future is screening in McCarren Park in Williamsburg, kicking off their outdoor movie season (<a href="http://brokelyn.com/summerscreen-free-mccarren-park-movies-lineup-2014/" target="_blank">tonight</a> FREE!)</div>
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The FREE <a href="http://www.nyc-arts.org/collections/165/martin-luther-king-jr-concert-series" target="_blank">Wingate Concert series</a> kick's off next week with Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds headlining and theres a variety of great of other stuff (Ex: Summerstage events all around the city) I'll try to make time to post. </div>
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Or hey send me an email with your event at umbrooklynborn @ gmail.com and I'll post it here, free of charge.</div>
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Spread Love is the Brooklyn Way</div>
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04437242130709591270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3998432848415030405.post-78475896942454212652014-06-27T18:03:00.001-04:002014-06-29T23:50:18.359-04:00Oops: Live from Bedford-Stuyvesant Spike Lee/Doing the Right Thing<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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(Updated Sat 6/28)</div>
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Apologies.</div>
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I got the date wrong. Hopefully I'm the only person who had to miss out on the block Party.</div>
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"What is brooklyn?” is a question I find myself asking a lot lately. I’m willing to bet, New York being New York, that question is sincerely asked on average three times a week around the world. And that’s sincerely, add the ironic existential asks and I’m sure the question of what Brooklyn is, and my god isn’t runs like a metronome. </div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aHHkxgaKa_g/U63pzgmtzzI/AAAAAAAAApw/XIIFN3xoWRk/s1600/spike-lee-hosts-do-the-right-thing-block-party-main.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aHHkxgaKa_g/U63pzgmtzzI/AAAAAAAAApw/XIIFN3xoWRk/s1600/spike-lee-hosts-do-the-right-thing-block-party-main.jpg" height="506" width="640" /></a>For me to be wondering that, born here, having been, across the span of now five decades (I promise I’m still carded and I still think I’m supposed to be) it’s as bizarre as if I awoke this morning, swung my feet off the bed and looked down wondering, “who’s legs are these?”</div>
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But that’s where I’m at and I’m not alone. The amount of spontaneous conversations I hear and take part in on a daily basis asking the same questions, wondering as well whether we born Brooklynites are still attached to a living breathing factually member, this borough of whether we’re all suffering the pain of a phantom limb are countless. </div>
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There are many Brooklyns. In each era for decades now, there have been many, untouched by the goings on of Manhattan, fairly oblivious to other corners of this same borough. Five decades lived and I’ve never walked the streets of Bay Ridge. I know of people who work a job, raise a family, live a life and never set foot out of Sheepshead bay, or Brownsville, or Greenpoint. It’s not unsurprising in a place like Brooklyn that has a population three times larger than San Francisco and if counted without the other four boroughs would be the 4th largest populated city in the United States.</div>
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I just watched an old episode of what I happily recall President Obama calling a “iiberal fantasy”, TV’s “The West Wing”. In this episode a congressman, and leader of the Black Caucaus tried to make the point that his constituents, young Black men in Bedford-Stuyvesant were being under-represented. The same episode referenced Colombia as proxy for a conversation about the drug war, and in a different region of the world (as well as the plot) “friendly fire” as short hand for the complexities of war. Bedford-Stuyvesant was referenced several times, each timing meaning impoverished, disenfranchised, and Black. That blanket reference doesn’t work today, barely ten years later. And that should be cause for celebration, but the problem for many people, many native New Yorkers, many born Brooklynites, is what definitions do apply to Bed-Stuy, today.</div>
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It’s good that as opposed to poverty and disenfranchisement, there are small businesses and home owners, forging new bonds and reaping dividends in Bed-Stuy. Fantastic would be if more of those people were the residents of that community that helped keep two nostrils above water when the floods of drugs, crime, and systematic neglect rained down upon that part of Brooklyn.</div>
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I recently was invited to the home of a new business partner, he a professional was telling me about the Bed-Stuy brownstown he’d recently purchased. I remarked about how great he, not of Brooklyn, must be finding it all, and I rattled of some culinary and social points of interest. He had no idea where any of these places and the streets they belonged to were. “He doesn’t need to…” I thought to myself as he told me, sheepishly the story of the people who were foreclosed on, which made his purchase possible. To say the least, I felt conflicted. Part of me wanted to look down and ask where my legs were and why weren’t they moving.</div>
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This Saturday <strike>Sunday June 29th</strike> from noon to 6p, on Stuyvesant Avenue and Quincy, Spike Lee will be hosting a block party in honor of his seminal film “Do The Right Thing”<a href="http://www.okayplayer.com/news/spike-lee-hosting-25th-anniversary-do-the-right-thing-block-party-bed-stuy.html" target="_blank">http://www.okayplayer.com/news/spike-lee-hosting-25th-anniversary-do-the-right-thing-block-party-bed-stuy.html</a>. The block is the actual and entire block the Oscar nominated film was shot on. </div>
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If you truly know Brooklyn’s Brownstown belt and the skirmishes contained in, or your simply old enough, you know how much of the city’s ills then and sadly now Spike packed into that film with poignance and power. You then probably know of the scene in the film where a man white of skin walks his ten speed bike, and celtics basketball jersey up the block and into that character’s new brownstone. A lot of people relate that scene from twenty-five years ago to today, especially after Spike voiced the displeasure thousands of us feel at having neighborhoods we’ve lived in redressed around and without us, earlier this year at a Pratt Institute event. I recall watching the film and not understanding how that could ever happen, I was unfamiliar and undeserving of Bed-Stuy back then, I was a teenager. Spike knew what I wish more people knew today, Brooklyn is a place where people intended to live, that had fallen on hard times (for countless reasons) and it only took (and takes) a release of the yoke holding the neighborhood down, offered to those with means, to create a market and a marketing, that would invite people with means to come back.<br />
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Sadly, and what troubles me most is how difficult it is for a lot of us to be happy about Brooklyn's fortunes. If you would have told people in 1989 that Brooklyn would be undergoing the current renaissance we'd be partying in the streets. Surely people would have to presume the problems of drug wars, underfunded schools, over policing, banking discrimination, crime, would have been resolved. But they really weren't, despite the light Brooklyn basks in today, the instrument of change in most cases is a bulldozer. Pushing away, old structures and old cultures, pushing people off the reservation, tables held for the new. Crime hasn't be solved in Brooklyn of most anywhere in New York City as much as it's been made complicated by raising rents on the poor, people who are victims crime and relative to their population, occasionally suspects in crime. The Brooklyn Bulldozer Baby & Bathwater Bloomberg Policy is what happened. And after eight years of a hostile Mayorial administration, and the near two decades of urban decay preceding that, it didn't seem so bad at first, until you saw the baby's rolling down the street and off into cold night.</div>
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Yesterday I was randomly net-surfing (see I am old) and I came across a listing on Franklin in Bed-Stuy for an apartment. Fifteen years ago members of my family used to go to substance abuse treatment a few doors down. Not a nickel to rub between them, not a pot to do anything with at a all. </div>
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The asking price for the apartment I saw online yesterday? 1.025 Million dollars. Seriously where am I?</div>
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Well like I said, Spike is having a block party on Saturday <strike>sunday</strike> and I don’t quite know what that means or where my legs will be, but I believe they’ll be doing the right thing. If you don’t have the house you gotta have hope.</div>
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"Where Brooklyn At? Where Brooklyn At?"</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04437242130709591270noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3998432848415030405.post-57326922984492855182014-06-18T20:01:00.001-04:002014-06-18T20:02:33.884-04:00Photo Wednesday 061814 The Return Edition!Can it be I stayed away to long? Seems I lost some views while I was gone. Well this time let me tell you where I'm at.<div><br></div><div>(Btw if you know where that riff comes from, just look over your should honey, I loves ya!)</div><div><br></div><div>I've been working and meaning to junp back into this blog and I have been overwhelmed by where to start, which is alittle goofy since i started this blog already, six years ago.</div><div><br></div><div>It used to be that I could simply tell you what was taken from brooklyn added to brooklyn an who the players were an than wax philosophic about it all. But now there is so much happening in Brooklyn so often so fast. Stories I wanted to write my personal forecasts on have happened faster than you could post a listing. The sudden wave of airbnb suitcase trawlers going past my window in droves has been half replaced by joggers and streets are alive with the domino lineup of sandwich boards. At least thats what I'm seeing on the streets of Crown Heights.</div><div><br></div><div>So im back and im wading back in and hopefully i wont just be blathering but useful.</div><div><br></div><div>For now lets enjoy the start of summer sun.</div><div><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-UmTm7qPYhOs/U6IoPnnOYFI/AAAAAAAAApY/SWIWCShDpns/s640/blogger-image--1189751147.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-UmTm7qPYhOs/U6IoPnnOYFI/AAAAAAAAApY/SWIWCShDpns/s640/blogger-image--1189751147.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-yB5ySFy5UCI/U6IoRaZOD0I/AAAAAAAAApg/S01D-eDW3xU/s640/blogger-image-75588311.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-yB5ySFy5UCI/U6IoRaZOD0I/AAAAAAAAApg/S01D-eDW3xU/s640/blogger-image-75588311.jpg"></a></div><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-UmTm7qPYhOs/U6IoPnnOYFI/AAAAAAAAApY/SWIWCShDpns/s640/blogger-image--1189751147.jpg"></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04437242130709591270noreply@blogger.com0