Radiological Threat ? Fergetaboutit!

New York police set up radiological monitoring and vehicle checkpoints Friday and Saturday in response to the rumor of a terrorist threat published on an Israeli web site, but locals and tourists alike were out in force during the beautiful weekend weather.

By the end of the day Saturday, the extra security measures were being gradually relaxed after New York police said the threat could not be substantiated.

Photo by MK Metz

The Brooklyn Skinny Dipper, and More Monday Briefs

- Brooklyn skinny-dipper found au natural by Coast Guard after all-night search in Long Beach. Forbes

- Buying a condo for your business instead of renting seems to be an idea that's catching on. Hundreds of deal-makers and businesses attended the grand opening of Greenpoint Lofts. Brooklyn Eagle

- Bikers: Ride from Manhattan to the Coney Island Amusement Park on August 24 at 7 p.m. . Riders should get there just in time for the fireworks. Streetsblog

- The Housing Authority swears it has no plans to convert the Whitman/Ingersoll Houses into private condos. Why, then, have these rumors persisted? Blame the blogs. The Brooklyn Paper

- Amanda H. Burden, Director of the Department of City Planning, wrote to CORD: We are aware that members of the community are concerned about the proposed building at 360 Smith Street... We agree that such a study makes sense, and are committed to pursuing it, but ... we are unable to commit to a precise timeframe. Carroll Gardens Petition

- Visit some of Bay Ridge's finest restaurants on BCAT. "Neighborhood Beat: The View from Bay Ridge," premiers Tuesday, August 14 at 8:30 p.m. bcat.tv

The Brooklyn Headhunter: Find a Job in Brooklyn

From time to time, McBrooklyn puts on its Headhunting gear and scouts out a handful of Brooklyn employment opportunities.

Here are today's listings:

- Neighborhoodies needs someone to work in their production department, mostly manipulating letter pressing machines. Craigslist

- A Dollar Tree store grows in Brooklyn, and they need a manager. Great benefits. CareerBuilder

- Their stock is dropping like a rock, but Countrywide Financial is still hiring Account Executives in Brooklyn. NY Times

- Brooklyn Public Library has several openings. Great benefits. A job fair will be held this Wednesday and next Thursday. BPL

- Paralegal in Downtown Brooklyn. $11 per hour. Will train. Craigslist

- Bell Hop at a hotel on 9th Street and 4th Avenue in Brooklyn. $7.50/hour (we assume there are tips on top of this?) Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, job #12999695

- Bank of America has many positions open in Brooklyn. NY Times

- Experienced web producer needed at HUGE. Craigslist

- Home Depot is looking for a store manager. MultiCulturalAdvantage

- GardenGirls needs an experienced horticulturist. $18/hour+ Craigslist

- Starbucks is holding hiring events in Cobble Hill on Thursdays in August. Craigslist

- Office assistant for the Katie Brown Workshop television show. $28K. Craigslist

- Copy operator with retail experience. $25-$38K. Craigslist

- High school librarian. Idealist

- Internet Media Manager. $50K+ CareerBuilder

- Agency seeks Executive Administrative Assistant for NYC criminal justice program. $30K+ Career Builder


Photo by MikeColvin82, Creative Commons license.

Rudy Rally in Brooklyn Monday

The Rudy Giuliani Presidential Committee will be throwing a "Rally with Rudy in Brooklyn" on Monday, August 13 at Congregation Shaare Zion, 2030 Ocean Parkway (between Avenues T and U) at 7 p.m. $40/person.

Discount to members of the Brooklyn Museum and Families First (hahahaha only joking!).

Photo courtesy of JoinRudy2008.

Social Registry Four Year Label Anniversary

Two Day Outdoor Festival

Mean Red sent us this cool graphic:

To celebrate their 4th anniversary, on August 11th and 12th (Saturday and Sunday) they're hosting a two-day outdoor festival. This will feature a whole host of bands including Gang Gang Dance, Psychic Ills, Artanker Convoy, Samara Lubelski, TK Webb and Electroputas. Many new signings to The Social Registry will be performing such as Growing, UK-based Sian Alice Group (playing their first ever US show), Mike Bones, Christy & Emily and Douglas Armour (his East Coast debut). Special surprise -- a reunion show from Ghost Exits, their first live performance in about three years.

Venue: The Yard
Address: 400 Carroll Street btwn. Bond and Nevins
Directions: F or G train to Carroll Street / N or R train to Union Street
Price per day: $15
Price for both days: $25
Hours: 1pm-9:30pm

Advance tickets are available through TicketWeb: www.ticketweb.com

Hard copy tickets are available at Other Music and Eat Records.

Mermaids Beat Thor Out of Coney Building, and More

- In two weeks, the nonprofit that runs the Mermaid Parade, the Coney Island Museum, and the Circus Sideshow will close a deal to buy the building it now leases. Coney Island USA founder Dick Zigun says that with the city’s backing, it will purchase the 1917 structure at a price of $3.6 million — beating out Thor for the deal. New York Magazine Daily Intelligencer

- Craigslist is holding a "boot camp" for non-profits and social entrepreneurs at BAM.

- The Kensington blog is compiling a list of trees blown away by the tornado. Respond before the city moves on to the next crisis.

- Closings are moving quickly and new residents have moved in to the J Condo. DumboNYC

- How to help out the Bay Ridge tornado victims. OTBKB

Rock, Paper, Scissors Tournament at KeySpan Park

You know that there's at least one sport you can do: Rock, Paper, Scissors.

On Saturday, September 1st, the Brooklyn Cyclones will hold a "Rock, Paper, Scissors" tournament, with a grand prize of two 2008 Cyclones' season tickets and two round-trip JetBlue domestic airline tickets. The Rock, Paper, Scissors tourney will take place on the field at KeySpan Park, with four finalists advancing to the Cyclones' RPS Final Four, to be held during that night's game against the Staten Island Yankees.

More here.

Photo by Everyskyline, Creative Commons license

Brooklyn's Arabic School Principal Resigns in 'I-Word' Flap

In the end, it wasn't the raging anti-Arab mobs that brought an end to the budding career of the Khalil Gibran school's founder Debbie Almontaser, nor was it the inept site search by the Department of Education.

It was some T-shirts printed by an Arabic women's group with the words "Intifada NYC" that ended the tenure of the first principal of the first Arabic-themed school in NYC, which will open in Boerum Hill in September, reports the New York Post and the Brooklyn Eagle.

Though the T-shirts had nothing to do with Ms. Almontaser or the school, the group operated out of the same offices used by an organization Almontaser works with. Ms. Almontaser initially defended the women's use of the word "intifada." Though she later reconsidered, that (as they say) was that.

Post story here.
Eagle story here.

- Arabic-themed school finds a home here.
- DOE to 'cram' Arabic-themed school into Park Slope elementary school here.

All That's Left of 182 Atlantic Avenue

On July 23, we posted "Say Goodbye to 182 Atlantic Avenue." The site (on Atlantic near Court Street, behind the old Independence Bank building) was recently the home to the highly commendable Independence Community Foundation (the small picture on the left), but it passed into the hands of Two Trees Management on July 25.

Well, we were busy and forgot to check in during the intervening two weeks. But we weren't surprised Thursday afternoon to find that 182 was kaput, because a source had told us that Two Trees was champing at the bit to knock the sucker down.

Independence Community Foundation has moved to 45 Main Street, a Two Trees property experiencing a bit of trouble recently.

Now that 182 Atlantic is torn down, construction will begin on the 37-unit, six story apartment building (photo here) that Two Trees is putting up behind the bank building -- which, by the way, is the future home to Trader Joe's.

Back to McBrooklyn HOME

How Much Is That Doggie in the Planter?

This imaginative bit of topiary on Henry Street near Degraw looks like it's ready to jump out of the planter while waggling its little tail.

Photo by MK Metz