NYC Light Brigade Brings "Practice Peace" to Brooklyn Bridge Park

The NYC Light Brigade, which uses lights for activism, set up this sign made of individual glowing letters within sight of the blue September 11 Tribute in Light last night. Each letter was held by a barely-visible person.

Photo by MK Metz

Go to McBrooklyn's HOME PAGE.

Brooklyn's Interfaith Medical Center to Declare Bankruptcy?

Photo: MK Metz

Hospital officials said today that Interfaith Medical Center is planning to declare bankruptcy as soon as this week, according to the New York Times.

Interfaith, serving Bedford-Stuyvesant and Crown Heights, serves over 250,000 patients a year, mostly Caribbean-Americans and African- Americans.

The Medicaid cutbacks of 2010 played a role, the hospital said.

About a year ago, according to the Brooklyn Eagle, DOH’s Medicaid Redesign Team/ Brooklyn Work Group found that Wyckoff, Interfaith and four other hospitals “do not have a business model and sufficient margins to remain viable and provide high quality care to their communities as currently structured.”

The hospital hopes for millions in financing from the state, but officials told the Times that no money would be forthcoming unless Interfaith agreed to merge with Brooklyn Hospital -- something Interfaith officials say would be the end of the hospital.

In April, several groups -- including Occupy Wall Street's Healthcare for the 99%, the Granny Peace Brigade and Act Up -- marched over the Brooklyn Bridge for a rally about the Brooklyn hospital crisis.

OWS asked: Why did Gov. Cuomo appointed Stephen Berger, a Wall Street millionaire financier, to be in charge of restructuring health care in Brooklyn?


Go to McBrooklyn's HOME PAGE.

Northside Music, Art, Etc. Festival; OWS Makes Bucks in Brooklyn; and More Brooklyn Briefs

- The Northside Music, Art, Film, and Entrepreneurship Festival in Williamsburg will showcase "the next generation of culture and technology." Northside Festival

- 5 affordable one-bedroom apartments in Brooklyn. Brokelyn

- Occupy Wall Street protesters may be marching for change in Manhattan, but they’re making money in Brooklyn. NY Daily News

- BP Markowitz says that, like President Obama, his views on gay marriage have "evolved over time." Brooklyn Eagle

- Early-bird booze brunches might be saved after all. Gothamist

- Fox really screwed up report on bike-sharing and bike lanes in New York City. Streetsblog

- People who eat fast have a 2.5-times higher risk of Type 2 diabetes. Huff Post


Go to McBrooklyn's HOME PAGE.

Up In the Sky Over DUMBO: 99%

Seen on a building in DUMBO Monday night: 99%, projected by The Illuminator.

The Illuminator's Mission: "To smash the myths of the information industry, and let people find out for themselves what the 99% movement is fighting for."

Photo by MK Metz

Go to McBrooklyn's HOME PAGE.

Occupy Wall Street Marches Over Brooklyn Bridge, Rallies for Health Care

Several hundred Occupy Wall Street activists marched across the Brooklyn Bridge and rallied in Cadman Plaza Park in Brooklyn Sunday afternoon, on the six-month anniversary of the massive OWS bridge arrests.

The overall theme was access to healthcare. Several of groups -- including Healthcare for the 99%, the Granny Peace Brigade and Act Up -- spoke about the Brooklyn hospital crisis.

Five hospitals in Brooklyn are in severe financial distress: Interfaith Medical Center, Wyckoff Heights Medical Center, Brookdale University Hospital and Medical Center, Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center and Brooklyn Hospital Center.

OWS asked: Why did Gov. Cuomo appointed Stephen Berger, a Wall Street millionaire financier, to be in charge of restructuring health care in Brooklyn?

Among other things, Berger (as head of the workgroup) wants to shut down SUNY Downstate's inpatient services and move them to SUNY LICH in Cobble Hill. Thousands of central Brooklyn residents would lose health care services, including an Emergency Room, and more than 1,500 jobs would be lost. 

Berger also wanted to close Kingsboro Psychiatric Center and move its services to Staten Island, leaving Brooklyn -- with more mental health needs than any other county -- without any long-term mental health services. (The Cuomo Administration backed off this plan Friday after Brooklyn legislators interceded on the Flatbush facility’s behalf.)

Berger also stood in the way of the effort to include an emergency room at SUNY Downstate at Bay Ridge, according to the Brooklyn Eagle.

Berger is recommending that New York change its laws to allow for-profit investors to invest in financially-distressed public hospitals.

Incidentally, the New York Times recently detailed the mismanagement and lavish life style of Wyckoff Hospital's chief executive and board members, who appear to be sucking Wyckoff dry before the place folds.

A special meeting will take place Thursday night at 6 p.m. at Brooklyn Borough Hall to discuss the Brooklyn Hospital Crisis. All are welcome.
More about this issue at the Save Our Safety Net website.

Photos by MK Metz

Go to McBrooklyn's HOME PAGE.

Orthodox Abuse Cover Up? Williamsburg's New Concert Space; and More Brooklyn Briefs

- Brooklyn DA Hynes accused of failing to tackle Orthodox Jews' cover-up of sex abuse. The Guardian via Failed Messiah

- Renderings released of Williamsburg's newest summer concert space. Brooklyn Eagle

- Will you renovate the Carroll Gardens library -- or fix the bathrooms at P.S. 124? If you live in Brad Lander's district (Columbia Waterfront, Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens, Gowanus, Park Slope, Prospect Park, Windsor Terrace, Kensington, Borough Park) cast your vote on how to spend a million dollars. Brad Lander via Brownstoner

- Brooklyn's Whole Foods to face City Counsel next week. TRD

- A project that would have CB 10 teaming up with hundreds of high school students to clean local parks is facing a possible postponement -- due to the crazy, hectic schedules of the teens. Brooklyn Eagle

- Montague Street Starbucks is moving. BHB

- How one couple traded their way up to a $2.3 million, 2,187-square-foot, three-bedroom penthouse in DUMBO. Dumbo NYC

- Occupy Wall Street to hold a 6-month anniversary march to commemorate the Brooklyn Bridge arrests -- on April Fools Day. OWS

- OWS protest: free subway rides for everybody! Brooklyn Paper

- You are not going to win the lottery, you fool. Gawker

- California man attacked by lion, rescued by bear. NY Magazine

Go to McBrooklyn's HOME PAGE.

Occupy Wall Street's 99% March Over Brooklyn Bridge into Brooklyn Heights

Tens of thousands of citizens exercising their rights marched over the Brooklyn Bridge and flooded Cadman Plaza Park and other areas of Downtown Brooklyn and Brooklyn Heights tonight as part of today's Occupy Wall Street National Day Of Action events. As of this post they are still coming.We read that police estimate more than 32,000 marchers.

Police helicopters are flying below the roofs of the Cadman Towers buildings that surround the park and police buses and vans line Cadman Plaza West. Cars honk in support and people wave flashlights from balconies.

A giant Statue of Liberty ( built by the Occupy Wall Street Puppet Guild) and brass band greets the marchers as they arrived in Cadman Plaza Park and cheerful chanting -- "We are the 99 percent" - is echoing up and down the streets.

When a huge stream of participants headed towards the A train High Street station police briefly taped the entrance closed for no discernible reason, adding to the possibility of chaos.

But apparently this was reconsidered and police are again letting people back into the station. CNN has  reported that 80 people were arrested at the Brooklyn Bridge. Among them was SEIU President Mary Kay Henry and Brooklyn Councilman Jumaane Williams. Many union people are holding signs supporting the Occupy Wall Street movement.

The sound of drums fills the air and the synchronized chants of the People's Microphone can be heard from Henry Street.

More photos and posts to come.

UPDATE 10 p.m.: Events at Cadman Park winding down, but helicopters still hover over park.

CNN video of protester arrests at Brooklyn Bridge here.

UPDATE 10:33 p.m.: Police work the first actual crime of the evening in the area. A perp attempted to rob someone at the High Street A train station, pictured above, on Cadman Plaza West. He escaped without the loot into Cadman Plaza Park. Police haven't caught up with him at this time.

UPDATE: The Brooklyn Heights Blog's Karl Junkersfeld caught the windup in Cadman Park on video here. Carroll Gardens Patch has a good writeup of the events here.

Photos by MK Metz

Go to McBrooklyn's HOME PAGE.

Today Is Occupy Wall Street's Day of Mass Action. Here Are Some Details

Occupy Wall Street groups, unions, students and others are joining together to engage in a national day of action today, referred to as #N17 (November 17), for the two-month anniversary of the Occupy movement. Events are planned across the five boroughs.

UPDATE: Tens of thousands of protesters marched over the Brooklyn Bridge as part of today's events. Photos and story here.

Brooklynites will gather at several locations, including Brooklyn Borough Hall, Grove Street, St. Jose Patron Church and the Broadway Junction subway hubs.

Day's Schedule

* Occupiers will gather at Foley Square at 7 a.m., then march to confront Wall Street with stories of people on the frontlines of economic injustice. "Exchange stories rather than stocks" on Wall Street. (While Occupiers plan to be non-violent, they should expect to get cracked on the head by men in riot gear, some being private security forces paid for by the 1 percent.)

* 3 p.m.: Occupy the Subways. Folks will gather at seven central subway hubs:

• Bronx
  • Fordham Rd
  • 3rd Ave, 138th Street
  • 163rd and Southern Blvd
  • 161st and River - Yankee Stadium
• Brooklyn
  • Broadway Junction
  • Borough Hall
  • 301 Grove Street
  • St Jose Patron Church,185 Suydam St, Bushwick
• Queens
  • Jackson Heights/Roosevelt Ave.
  • Jamaica Center/Parsons/Archer
  • 92-10 Roosevelt Avenue, Jackson Heights
• Manhattan
  • 125th St. A,B,C,D
    
  • Union Sq. (Mass student strike)
  • 23rd St and 8th Ave
• Staten Island
  • St. George, Staten Island Ferry Terminal
    
  • 479 Port Richmond Avenue, Port Richmond

People will take their stories to the trains, using the “People’s Mic."

* Student Strike: Gather at Union Square, 2 p.m.

* 5 p.m. 'Take the Square, Recreate Our Economy.' March from Foley Square to the Brooklyn Bridge. The celebration will culminate in a festival of light.

According to the NY Daily News, "The day will end up with an evening march to the Brooklyn Bridge, where mass acts of civil disobedience are planned, including a sit-in by 99 faith leaders representing 'the 99%.'"

This schedule will probably change so check Occupy Wall Street for updates. We're told that the events will be live-streamed here as well.


Poster by R. Black

Go to McBrooklyn's HOME PAGE.

Occupy Wall Streeters Without Sleeping Bags or Tents? It's Time For Creative Solutions

Yesterday the 1% burst into Zuccotti Park in Manhattan and arrested Occupy Wall Street demonstrators, confiscating sleeping bags, tents and cook stoves. Apparently Mayor Bloomberg thinks that this will make the unhappy and unwashed 99% just go home.

But creative solutions may be applied to the problem! Take the happy camper above, wearing the Selk’Bag -- a "Wearable Sleeping Bag which is Ideal for Camping in Extreme Cold," according to Gizmag. Breaking no rules, Mr. Mayor, because the Selk’Bag is clothing!

What other creativity can be applied to spending a winter in a park with no cooking, tents or sanitation? All these items can be shoved into your backpack:

Sanitation first! Under that Selk'Bag you'll be wearing your astronaut diaper, at least until you can get to McDonalds. Technically it's called a Maximum Absorbency Garment (MAG). A MAG is the diaper astronauts use during long operations. See Wikipedia.

You'll need warm hands to draw up protest signs and hand out flyers. Get these HeatMax Hot Hands at Amazon.

Next, you'll need some hot meals. How about HeaterMeals, "The Original Self-Heating Meal." With tasty 12 ounce entrees, "HeaterMeals® are the #1 mobile hot meal choice for emergency response or as part of an emergency kit, outdoor recreation activities, or just whenever you're hungry!"

No electricity or generators? Light up the night with K Light Solar Lanterns. Approximately the size and weight of a can of soda, thesolar-charging battery and bright, energy-efficient light-emitting diodes (LEDs) makes the K-Light a protest-ready piece of equipment.

Most important of all: travel-size 8-inch Djembe drums for those all-important, non-stop, migraine-producing drum circles.

There are probably many other solutions to the problem -- short of taking over Gracie Mansion while the Mayor is in Bermuda this weekend ... ho ho ho, just joking, Mayor!

Any serious creativity out there?

- Occupy Brooklyn Marches to Atlantic Yards and Other Sites of Corporate Greed
- Occupy Brooklyn this Weekend, If You Don't Get Run Over

Go to McBrooklyn's HOME PAGE.

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 . . .

Go to McBrooklyn's HOME PAGE.

Occupy Wall Street 'Clean Up' Clash: Local Pols Asks Bloomberg to Chill

(UPDATE: A slew of local representatives have joined in asking the Mayor to seek compromise. See below.)

As it looks like the odds of conflict tomorrow morning are increasing, Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer sent us word that he has called on Mayor Bloomberg to immediately meet with the Lower Manhattan community, Occupy Wall Street (OWS) and the major stakeholders before proceeding with the planned clean-up of Zuccotti Park.

The Mayor says the clean up will begin at 7 a.m. tomorrow (Friday).

OWS is calling on occupiers to resist the clean up, because the Mayor has used this ruse in the past to boot occupiers out of a park.

According to OWS, "This is an emergency situation . . . NYPD Police Commissioner Ray Kelly has said that they will move in to clear us and we will not be allowed to take sleeping bags, tarps, personal items or gear back into the park. This is it — this is their attempt to shut down #OWS for good."

OWS is calling for nonviolent tactics to hold ground. Example: "Sit down, link arms and do not let go! If the police drag you away, you can comply or go limp." OWS warns that occupiers can expect to be arrested.

Seniors, Start Your Engines

It's interesting to read that senior citizens have asked how they can help. Suggestions have included driving very slowly around the park tomorrow morning.

Stringer says he hopes to "avoid unnecessary conflict and protect the safety and well-being of all involved." Earlier today, the Stringer met with OWS protestors and encouraged them to formalize and publicize a “Good Neighbor Policy,” which has now been posted online.

Manhattan's BP said, “It’s my view that it is wise to have more discussions and meetings and not rush to a 7 a.m. deadline," he said. “There is no need to rush into hasty, precipitous action when it comes to the peace and safety of our community."

UPDATE:

Public Advocate Bill de Blasio also sent in a statement advising compromise: "I am deeply concerned that the City has upended this balance by trying to unilaterally remove protesters and their effects from Zuccotti Park."

UPDATE2: Brooklyn Council Members Brad Lander, Tish James, Steve Levin, Matthieu Eugene, and Jumaane Williams signed a letter to Mayor Bloomberg asking him not to crack down on the Occupy Wall Street protesters. More here.

Go to McBrooklyn's HOME PAGE.

Livestream: NYC Occupy Wall Street March -- Wed., Oct. 5

Watch here for today's 4:30 p.m. march in Downtown Manhattan.

Global Revolution livestream.

Go to McBrooklyn's HOME PAGE.