Occupy Brooklyn Marches to Atlantic Yards and Other Sites of Corporate Greed

A multi-generational crowd showed up at Korean War Veterans Plaza in Downtown Brooklyn yesterday for the Occupy Brooklyn community event. The Green Party, FUREE and Common Cause joined the Occupy Brooklyn group.

The day included teach-ins about community organizing and the impact of big money on our politics, a hot lunch, performances and a march to sites of corporate greed in Brooklyn, including Atlantic Yards. Speakers said the 1 percent spend their political money to game the system against the 99 percent.

Occupy Brooklyn obtained a permit to exercise their constitutional right to walk on the sidewalk. An amazingly large number of police accompanied them.

Kudos to the cooks!

The march -- powered by a cheerful brass band -- made stops at various sites including Chase Bank, Citipoint, Joy Chatel's house and several Forest City Ratner properties, including Barclay's Center at Atlantic Yards. Speakers said that Atlantic Yards promised thousand of housing units, 8 acres of public spaces, 10,000 jobs, a public school and more in return for their $300 million in subsidies. While about 100 people are employed at Barclay's Center, they said, none of the other promises have been kept.

Noticing New York points out that Ratner's holdings "sit astride a confluence of Brooklyn’s key subway lines and most important subway stations."

More Occupy Brooklyn events are happening today. Here's the schedule.

- Occupy Brooklyn this Weekend, If You Don't Get Run Over

Photos by MK Metz

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Veteran's Day On 11/11/11 -- Watch Out for Electronic Devices, Eat Ravioli

Today is Veteran's Day but many people are focusing on the fact that it is also 11/11/11, a date that won't roll around again for another hundred years.

Here is what the numerologically-inclined say: All kinds of odd things will happen today. Just like in the movie 11-11-11, the number 11 will weird you out all day. Something, for example, will happen at 11:11 a.m. and also 11:11 p.m., if you make it that long. You will notice the number 11 on dollar bills, on your receipts and online.

Some say that people all over the globe are noticing the numbers 11:11 today because "1,111 fun-loving Spirit Guardians" are playing tricks on us to let us know that they are here. "They will use almost any electrically controlled device to get your attention," like turning off lights when you pass by or making your electronic clock blink 11:11.

On the other hand, some people plan to get married at 11:00 today or buy 11 Lottery tickets today. Why not!

Alternately, a Nordic god of destruction may come in the form of a colossal dragon and devour the world -- if you follow the plot of the virtual world of Skyrim, which has just released the latest in a series of popular video games called the Elder Scrolls series.

The last time we had an 11/11/11 was in 1911. Weird things happened then, too. One of them was "The Great Blue Norther of 11/11/11." According to Paradigmsearch,

"The day started fine; there were even record highs for that time of year. Then it all changed; temperatures began to drop. Within the space of ten minute the temperature dropped 40 to 50 degrees; by midnight a 66 degree temperature drop was recorded. There were dust storms, thunderstorms, tornados, and blizzards. Over 300 deaths were reported."

But most important, today is Veterans Day. Veterans Day started with the World War I armistice that took effect at 11 a.m. on Nov. 11, 1918. According to Wikipedia, "Major hostilities of World War I were formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918 with the German signing of the Armistice." Each year on November 11th at Arlington National Cemetery, a wreath laying at the Tomb of the Unknowns at exactly 11 a.m.

We also learned on Wikipedia that the holiday is often celebrated by having a ravioli meal, because after the war President Woodrow Wilson invited 2,000 soldiers to the White House and fed them all ravioli.

Image: Make a Wish postcard by Zazzle

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A Heck of a Treehouse; a Comics Festival; and More Brooklyn Briefs

- Everybody loves treehouses. Here's one designed by a Pratt student in Bed-Stuy with rugs, electricity, furniture and lots of windows. NY Times

- Mayor Bloomberg announced yesterday the start of construction on Steeplechase Plaza, a 2.2-acre, $30 million entryway to the revitalized amusement district. Brooklyn Eagle

- Assemblyman William F. Boyland Jr. was acquitted on Thursday of conspiring to take $175,000 in bribes. NY Times

- More details about the Brooklyn Comics and Graphics Festival. ComicsBeat

- Coming soon: miniature, radio-controlled boats -- equipped with underwater cameras and lights -- you can sail around Newtown Creek. Brownstoner

- A car crash, a foot pursuit, a gunfight and two arrests, all in seven minutes in Crown Heights. NY Times

- FUREE (Families United for Racial and Economic Equality )and several elected officials are demanding that the community have input in the hiring process for the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership’s new president. Brooklyn Eagle

- Protesters at Occupy Wall Street are getting progressively sicker. A doctor told the NY Times that conditions could leave park-dwellers susceptible to respiratory viruses; norovirus (the winter vomiting virus), and tuberculosis. And they are shaking hands with thousands of tourists . . .

- It's been a while . . . But yesterday another actor in "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark" has been injured during a performance. Huff Post

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Nannies In Brooklyn Do Pretty Well, Considering

A recent survey by Park Slope Parents found that nannies in Brooklyn earn almost $15 an hour – twice the minimum wage – and receive an average of 11 paid days off a year plus paid holidays.

The Brooklyn Eagle conducted an informal survey in Brooklyn Heights: eight out of 10 respondents thought $15 an hour sounded about right.

More at the Brooklyn Eagle.

Photo by MK Metz

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Prospect Park Volunteer Hit By Racing Biker Remains In Coma

Linda Cohen, a park volunteer out for a walk was struck by a racing bicyclist and seriously hurt in Prospect Park. She was brought to Kings County Hospital where she was put into a medically induced coma, A Walk In the Park reports. She has remained in the coma for a week.

Gothamist adds that another pedestrian was struck by a cyclist in the park and suffered a brain injury this summer. In both cases the bikers stayed at the scene.

Gothamist commenters express a wide range of opinion as to who was at fault and why.

Photo by Olgierd Pstrykotworca, Creative Commons license

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Rickshaws in DUMBO

It was only a matter of time before rickshaws (also known as pedicabs) came to DUMBO.

The drivers see here on Saturday were bundled up under thick quilts, probably waiting for their customers to return after a cup of hot chocolate at Jacques Torres. 

The pedicabs were making the rounds of Brooklyn as part of Revolution Rickshaw's pedicab tours, which includes DUMBO, Fulton Ferry Landing, Brooklyn Heights, Atlantic Avenue, Park Slope, Fort Greene and the Fulton Mall.

Photo by MK Metz

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Time to Visit Brooklyn Navy Yard; GAP Bike Lane Nixed; and More Brooklyn Briefs

- After 200 years, Brooklyn Navy Yard opens gates to the public. (Interesting description of the new museum.)  Brooklyn Eagle

- Brooklyn school  tries to get back to normal after 15-year-old boy dies while trying out for JV basketball. NY Daily News

- DOT axes Grand Army Plaza bike lane -- for now. Gothamist

- A presentation of the responses to the city’s requests for proposals to build a hotel and residential development on the edge of Pier 1 will take place November 22. Brooklyn Heights Press

- Think Brooklyn is tough? Brooklyn court officers tell their tales of the Iraq desert. Brooklyn Eagle

- Residents in East New York struggle with lengthy hot water shortage. NY1

- Remembering when the lights went out in 1965. CBS

- Reaction to Rick Perry's disastrous debate faux pas: "Goodnight Rick Perry. OMG!" Concord, NH Patch

- New report says only five years before climate change is irreversible. Gothamist


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Occupy Brooklyn This Weekend, If You Don't Get Run Over

Occupy Brooklyn is challenging Brooklynites to "join them during this weekend of action to help evict corporate greed from the borough."

According to Occupy Brooklyn, Occupy Wall Street is holding "Brooklyn Occupy Your Block Weekend of Action." People will be gathering near Brooklyn Borough Hall on Saturday Nov. 12 and Sunday Nov. 13, 10am - 9pm. (Note the address given is not Brooklyn Borough Hall, it's Korean War Veteran's Plaza, top circle.)

See full schedule of events here.

At 2:30 p.m. on Saturday everybody is going to March to Evict Corporate Greed. Here is a map of the march route. Sorry to be a wet blanket but it may as well be called "March To the Most Dangerous Traffic Intersections in Brooklyn."

Everyone is leaving from Korean War veteran's Plaza (Point A), walking to Atlantic Yards and then ending up back at Metrotech in Downtown Brooklyn (Point B).

How to Do It Without Getting Killed: Walk up Tillary Street to Jay Street. Watch out crossing Adams -- Tillary at Adams Street is the scene of numerous deadly and near-deadly accidents. If your survive, the map calls for a stroll through MetroTech. You will not be killed walking through MetroTech.You can get some coffee at Starbucks there.

If you make it to Flatbush Avenue Extension we can only advise you to stay on the sidewalks, folks! Obey all traffic rules. (You won't pass much Corporate Greed on Flatbush but you will pass Junior's!)

And if you make it to Atlantic Terminal, congratulations. You have actually arrived at Brooklyn's most flagrant site of true Corporate Greed. As you circle around it from Fort Greene Place to Atlantic Avenue, watch out for speeding trucks. There's not enough time to cross the street at that light.

The Way Back

On the way back along Flatbush, be very careful when you get near 4th Avenue. This is one of the most dangerous intersections in Brooklyn. (Officially it's the third most dangerous.) We have actually observed cars literally flying upside-down through the air at this crossing. DOT has increased crossing time there, however, so instead of having to run screaming through the intersection, you just have to run.

If you are careful crossing streets as you make your way back along Flatbush you will make it to Fulton Street. Aside from crowding this busy shopping street on a Saturday afternoon and annoying the hell out of people, you should be OK.

For some reason you'll be turning onto Duffield Street (Corporate Greed at the Sheraton?). Then you'll be hanging a left onto Willoughby. (Those are closed storefronts you'll be passing. There's art in the windows to liven then up a bit, but it's really kind of sad.) Then you'll pass along various Downtown streets until you get back to MetroTech.

Looks like you'll be taking over Metrotech! With arts, performances and food!
Do you know that NYU-Poly students will be celebrating their Homecoming there on Saturday? (MetroTech is NYU-Poly's campus.) They'll probably really like all the commotion . . .

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Low-Flying Navy Airship Will Be Hovering Over New York City Today

The U.S. Navy and the FAA will be conducting "capabilities flights" using a U.S. Navy MZ-3A Airship (a modified blimp, shown in photo above) in and around New York City today, 11/09/11, from 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

According to NotifyNYC, the flights will be based out of Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn, and will operate at altitudes of 1,000 feet and below. (The Empire State Building, Bank of America Tower, New York Times  building and Chrysler Building are all over 1,000 feet tall.)

According to Wikipedia, the manned 178-foot LTA craft can remain aloft and nearly stationary for more than twelve-hours, performing various missions in support of technology development for Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR).

According to its manufacturer American Blimp, the SPECTOR series of airships answers "the increasing demand for airborne surveillance by military, police and civil aid agencies."

And in case you forgot, today at 2 p.m. the country is conducting a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System. Totally a coincidence. Really.

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia

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New NYC Homeless Shelter Rules Will Send Homeless Pouring Into Zuccotti Park

As the Occupy Wall Street crowd in Zuccotti Park in Lower Manhattan tries to deal humanely with increasing numbers of homeless individuals, New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg tightens the rules for getting into homeless shelters.

Coincidence?

Photo by MK Metz

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