Alan Harding Sued; Thrown Out Cat Adopted; and More Brooklyn Briefs

- Alan Harding, owner or partner in popular Smith Street eateries like Pacifico, Patois and Gowanus Yacht Club, is being sued by his estranged wife Leslie Parks, the Brooklyn Eagle reports. Ms. Parks is daughter of the late filmmaker and musician Gordon Parks. 

- Brad McDonald, the new Executive Chef at Colonie on Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn Heights, will be opening a small, “kitchen-focused” restaurant in DUMBO. BHPress

- Cat thrown out on Verrazano Bridge adopted by Whoopi Goldberg. Gothamist

- Woman robbed at gunpoint on Williamsburg Bridge. Gothamist 

- The infamous “Son of Sam” serial killer, David Berkowitz, has no intention of seeking parole from prison as he is now a born-again Christian.  Brooklyn Eagle

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Time-Lapse Video of Hurricane Irene Forming In Atlantic, from NOAA

Hurricane Irene's evolution from tropical wave to Category 3 storm is shown here in time-lapse imagery from the GOES-East satellite starting on August 19th and ending on August 24, 2011.

Visualization courtesy of  NOAAVisualizations.

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Unnerved Pigeons; Gribbles and Borers; and More Brooklyn Briefs

- A photo shows that pigeons in Brooklyn were just as unnerved by the earthquake as the borough's human residents. BHPress

- Jane's Carousel opening announced. Brownstoner

- Three more digital companies moving to DUMBO.  Brooklyn Eagle

- Waterfront parks like Brooklyn Bridge Park are spending millions to ward off gribbles and borers. NY Times 

- Dov Hikind is ecstatic over removal of pedestrial islands. Brooklyn Politics

- They caught the guy who robbed the Chase bank on Myrtle Avenue last week. The Local

- Brooklyn home prices up 8 percent, but still down 24 percent from the peak. Brooklyn Eagle

- The most disgusting thing we've ever heard about hotel rooms. NY Times

- Facebook is preparing for Armageddon. Gawker 

- Freeze-dried food with a 30-year shelf life. Shelf Reliance 
 

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Earthquake: Brooklyn Probably Shook More Than Manhattan

Hipsters were right: Brooklyn probably shook more than Manhattan in today's earthquake.

As reported in the Brooklyn Eagle, Dr. Won-Young Kim, senior research scientist at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University says that when an earthquake hits the city, Brooklyn's going to shake more than Manhattan.

As we reported last year, Manhattan is resting on rock, while Brooklyn is sitting on sediment. So a tremor you would hardly feel in Manhattan will cause rocking and rolling in Brooklyn.

This seems to be borne out by today's quake, at least if measured by all the Twitter chatter coming from Brooklyn!

Before today, the last big quake in Brooklyn (about a 5.2) took place in 1884.

Earthquake: Brooklyn Probably Shook More Than Manhattan Brooklyn Eagle

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The Great Earthquake of 2011 Hits Brooklyn -- Check Your Pilot Lights; Expect Aftershocks

Brooklyn residents hit the streets after today's quake.

Construction workers at 20 Henry Street evacuated the building.

Brooklynites are calling it an "artisanal earthquake." Hipsters are Tweeting that they felt it last week, before it was cool. A Brooklyn Earthquake Fund has been started for the poor creatures in Williamsburg. The Brooklyn Earthquake Party is ON!

Hundreds of Brooklyn residents evacuated their offices and apartment buildings during this afternoon's 5.9 earthquake (it took place in Virginia at 1:51 p.m.), but there have been no reports of major damage.

UPDATE: Hipsters were right! Brooklyn probably shook more than Manhattan!

Federal buildings in the Washington, D.C. area have been evacuated. JFK Airport has been shut down. The Indian Point Power Plant is still online.

Pilot lights on gas stoves frequently go out when shaken, so remember to check yours when you get home.

Verizon Wireless, Sprint and AT&T reported congested lines, making it difficult for many to get through.


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Santa Rosalia Feast Cancelled; Wal-Mart's Bribes; and More Brooklyn Briefs

- Two heroic men jump onto track at Carroll Street F station to save a disoriented man. Gothamist

- The fabled Santa Rosalia Feast, an Italian-American tradition that has taken place on 18th Avenue for more than three decades, has been canceled this year,and people are yelling and pointing fingers. Brooklyn Eagle

- New York Magazine has put together a list of all the baksheesh that Wal-Mart has been spreading around to gain approval for one or more stores in New York City -- starting with East New York, Brooklyn.

- Mayor Bloomberg found himself in the Navy Yard Monday, flanked by women dressed in retro Pan Am uniforms, giving a speech about how TV has been very good to NYC. NY Times

- It's not speeding that makes Atlantic Avenue dangerous, says Downtown Brooklyn leader. Brooklyn Eagle

- Human placenta smoothies: popular in Brooklyn. Gawker

- Tediously, anti-Prospect Park West Bike Lane people again demand removal of lane. Brooklyn Eagle

- Non-stop Culver Viaduct restoration even includes weeding. PMFA

- Where the Grateful Dead played in Brooklyn. Brownstoner

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Blood-Thirsty Fans Flock to 2011 'Dark Shadows' Convention at Brooklyn Marriott

Dedicated fans flocked to the 45th annual  Dark Shadows  convention at the Brooklyn Marriott this past weekend. The Gothic vampire soap opera ran on ABC from 1966 – 1971, but has a huge cult following.

Dark Shadows starred the great Jonathan Frid as the vampire Barnabas Collins, Joan Bennett as Elizabeth Collins Stoddard, David Selby as the ghost of Quentin Collins, Grayson Hall as Dr. Julia Hoffman, and many more (listed below).

Johnny Depp -- a long-time Dark Shadows fan himself --is collaborating with Tim Burton on a film remake as we speak. (Other cast members include Michelle Pfeiffer, Helena Bonham Carter, Eva Green, Jackie Earle Haley, and Chloe Moretz.)

Original cast members Jonathan Frid, David Selby, Kathryn Leigh Scott, Nancy Barrett, Laura Parker, Jerry Lacy, Marie Wallace, Roger Davis, Christopher Pennock, Donna Wandrey, Kathleen Cody, Sharon Smyth, and Barbara Woronko signed autographs, performed re-enactments and answered questions. (Above: David Selby signs autographs.)

Marie Wallace, left, with a fan.

The cast answers questions.

They had a sense of humor about the whole Dark Shadows phenomena.

Fans snatched up CDs, DVDs, books and posters.

Nurse Pritchett.

The crowd filled the ballroom at the Mariott, pretty surprising for a show that last ran in 1971.

Fans get ready for the Dark Shadows Costume Gala.

For more about the 2011 Dark Shadows Convention, see the Brooklyn Heights Press blog.

Photos by MK Metz

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Surreal Giant Food Experience at Brooklyn IKEA

We didn't realize on when we went to the Brooklyn IKEA on Friday that it was all-you-can-eat-crayfish day.

Giant red crayfish (called crawfish or mudbugs in Louisiana) were wandering around the store, freaking out small children.

Sadly, we don't eat mudbugs -- especially giant ones -- and on crayfish day that's all they serve. So we went hunting for something at the "Bistro," where the line was a mile long.

On the way there we saw this giant sign hanging from the ceiling promoting all-beef hot dogs for only 50 cents.

 Then we noticed the little type on the lower right-hand corner of the sign.

Are they trying to tell us we don't get a six-foot hot dog for 50 cents?

IKEA you are a strange place sometimes.

Photos by MK Metz

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Verizon Strike Over, Workers and Management Back to the Table

The strike that has seen Verizon workers picketing on Montague Street in Brooklyn Heights, rallying in Cadman Plaza Park and marching over the Brooklyn Bridge is over for now.

The New York Times reports that union leaders have agreed to call off the strike because Verizon management "had finally agreed to engage in serious bargaining."The existing contract will remain in place while a new one is being negotiated.

More 45,000 Verizon landline (and Fios) workers have been on strike for almost two weeks. The company had asked for nearly 100 concessions, including wage cuts and increased employee contributions to health care plans, a freeze on existing pensions and the elimination of them altogether for new employees.

Christopher Calabrese, executive vice president of CWA 1109, told the Brooklyn Heights Press on Wednesday, “This strike is not just about Verizon. “It’s a fight for the middle class. Verizon is just one of several huge, very profitable companies trying to outsource jobs overseas — while they made $5 billion last year and received a $1.3 billion tax rebate. The middle class is saying enough is enough!”

The landline business, however, is not nearly as profitable to Verizon as the wireless business, which has lower maintenance costs and is mainly non-unionized. Americans in general, however, appear to be getting fed up with profitable corporations putting the squeeze on middle class workers. CNN Money takes a look at how both sides could win in this contest.

- Verizon Strikers Rally in Cadman Plaza Park

Photo by MK Metz

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'Dark Shadows!' Vampires, Werewolves and Zombies Invade Brooklyn This Weekend

UPDATE: We went to the convention! Photos here.

Downtown Brooklyn will be ground zero for vampires, witches, warlocks, zombies and their fans this weekend when the annual Dark Shadows Festival comes to the Brooklyn Marriott.

Dark Shadows, a Gothic vampire ABC soap opera, aired on ABC-TV from 1966 to 1971. An "intense" cult fan following has kept the show alive all these years. Many of the original cast and crew will be at the convention to answer questions, re-enact and sign autographs.

According to Dark Shadow News, event highlights include a dramatic performance from Jonathan Frid and David Selby, acting together for the first time in 40 years, a panel on the new Dark Shadows movie, and a presentation about the history of Seaview Terrace. The Festival concludes with a special gala banquet, which will feature a special Dark Shadows 45th Anniversary awards ceremony, with each attendee receiving an autographed picture of Jonathan Frid (who is pictured above). Schedule here.

According to Wikipedia, "The series became hugely popular when vampire Barnabas Collins (Jonathan Frid) appeared a year into its run. Dark Shadows also featured werewolves, zombies, man-made monsters, witches, warlocks, time travel, and a parallel universe."

The Dark Shadows remake, starring Johnny Depp and directed by Tim Burton, is due for release on May 11, 2012.According to Dark Shadows News, four actors from the original series have filmed cameo appearances. Jonathan Frid (Barnabas Collins), Lara Parker (Angelique), David Selby (Quentin Collins) and Kathryn Leigh Scott (Maggie Evans) all recently flew to England and spent three days on set at Pinewood Studios. More here.

More Brooklyn Zombie News

- Luna Park is searching for evil scarecrows, zombies and clowns for their Nights of Horror. Luna Park  (click third dot from left)

- Drink punch. Do the Hokey Pokey. Eat your date's brains. BITE (Brooklyn Innovative Theatre Experience) presents Prom Night of the Living Dead -- an interactive horror play. Living Dead Prom

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