The Fort Greene Park Conservancy

To All -
I have been involved with the Fort Greene Park Conservancy as a volunteer since 1999. Utilizing my background in public relations, graphics and journalism, my efforts enabled the Conservancy grow from a local gardening club in the 1990s to the organization it is today.
In 1999-2000 I created the Fort Greene Park Conservancy website. I wrote or edited the website’s content, newsletters, press releases, articles and upcoming events. The graphics and historical images came from me. I promoted the organization with custom banner ads; coordinated the advertising space; instituted the “Donate Now” PayPal buttons. I wrote, designed and hosted the Centennial2008.org website. I set up the FGPC Flickr site, the Facebook pages, and the Twitter accounts; and coordinated the Constant Contact email service. I acted as the press liaison, fulfilling requests for images and historical information. In addition I have worked on every Halloween Festival and fundraiser since 2000.
Last month I was both surprised and disappointed to learn that the future of the Fort Greene Park website had been determined without any input or involvement from me. It appears the new Board had made this decision without even contacting me or giving me the opportunity to submit my own proposal for the site’s future. I had been lobbying for a complete FGPC website redesign for many years, similar to my recent work on the new Fort Greene Association website.
Effective immediately I will no longer be involved in any manner with the Fort Greene Park Conservancy. I have already begun the transfer and cancellation of the web hosting. I wish to do this in a time frame that is convenient for me, rather than wait until the board gets around to inform me of their plans. Any current FGPC website content that is to be reused must be approved by me, and attributed to me. The use of, or transfer of any other content – either created by me, archived, and/or owned by me – will be at my discretion.
The new board of the Conservancy seems to have little regard for the community residents who built the organization and their efforts. In my opinion, any non-profit community group that treats their longtime volunteers in such a way is not worthy of community support. I will no longer support the Conservancy and urge others to do the same.
Sincerely,
Abbot Weissman

Cirkus Cirkör and Inside Out take Brooklyn.

The Swedish traveling troupe, Cirkus Cirkör had their US debut at BAM in Brooklyn last weekend. Experiencing this "Little Circus That Could" was a relevation, not unlike discovering a diamond in the ruff. Their inspired mini-extravaganza, Inside Out, proved to be a genuinely original, hip, artsy Rock n' Roll Circus, with a fabulous ensemble of performers - including multi-talented aerialists, jugglers, acrobats, mimes, contortionists, clowns and musicians.

Going deeper and darker than their more-well-known competition, Cirkus Cirkör’s highly creative and compelling production featured recurring themes about the realities of life - and death - and how one must face their own fears to really live. When combined with the troupe's creative less-is-more, “let’s put on a show!” DIY theatre vibe, Inside Out was an exciting, uplifting, life-affirming experience - both visually and emotionally – set to the driving rhythms of Irya's Playground, a great, real Swedish rock band -- who could have been a fabulous show by themselves.

Irya Gmeyner, the band's captivating lead singer (who is originally from Britain), sounds like a younger, energized Marianne Faithful. Dressed like a classy 1960s Las Vegas showgirl with a Fender Telecaster slung around her neck, she definitely hits the high notes, as does the hard-driving yet understated group of seasoned, pro musicians. Cirkus Cirkör’s trained troupe of skilled circus professionals were equally fun, charismatic and a joy to behold - still maintaining a personable, down-to-earth energy - like people you would like to hang out with and know.

If you ever enjoyed Cirque de Soleil and wish you could go back in time and see them before they got so corporate slick, expensive, new age-y and full of themselves – you will fall in love with Cirkus Cirkör - like much of the audience did last weekend at BAM. Hopefully someone will have the good sense to book them for at least two weeks next year.

DO COMPANIES REALLY READ THEIR EMAIL? New Series. (Garmin)

As a former Garmin owner I received a recent email from them about their new products. I finally decided to take my name off their list. While on the Garmin website I saw they had an email address for users to submit stories and testimonials about how Garmin products have affected their lives (stories@garmin.com). Inspired, I sent off a short email of what was on my mind in relation to their company.

MY EMAIL SUBMISSION:

I just removed my name from your email database for the following reason: In early 2007 I bought a $500 Garmin unit. I used it a few times until it was stolen when my car window was smashed the day before Christmas in 2008. I immediately called Garmin and asked to have the unit DEACTIVATED. I had registered it properly and upgraded the software so you had access to all the unit's specs. The person I spoke with told me you do not do that even if I could prove it was my Garmin that got stolen. I offered to provide the Police Report and any other paperwork associated with the break-in (i.e. window repair insurance forms etc....) You said NO.

I now have an IPhone which I use for directions. I can see the traffic with Google Maps for free and can get turn by turn instructions from other software. AND IF I EVER HAVE MY IPHONE STOLEN I CAN DEACTIVATE THE ENTIRE UNIT WITHIN MINUTES - making it useless. In addition I can locate the phone via GPS if it is turned on with Location Services activated.

I was incredibly disappointed. I was not only being victimized by the theft but by your company's wimpy response. I will probably never buy anther Garmin product and I wish you luck. Abby Weissman

THE GARMIN COMPANY'S EMAIL RESPONSE:

Thank you for your faith in Garmin products and for taking the time to share your story with us. By submitting this comment to stories@garmin.com, you grant permission to Garmin to publish your name, story and/or testimonial, along with any associated photographs or digital images, on Garmin’s blogs, in Garmin’s internal newsletters, in Garmin’s marketing materials, in Garmin’s annual report to its shareholders and on Garmin’s website. If you do not want Garmin to publish your name, story and/or testimonial for these purposes, then you must promptly reply to this email and request that Garmin not publish your name, story and/or testimonial for these purposes.

It's All About The Park.

If one doesn't agree with someone else's opinion, attack their ideas, not the person. Otherwise nothing constructive can transpire. Hours before my Michael Jackson Block Party editorial was posted on the NY Times "Local" blog, the NYC Police Department and the NYC Parks Department had already reached similar conclusions to mine and were working to move the event to a much larger, more appropriate location in Prospect Park.

As always, my main motivation and concern is the present-day, run-down and decrepit condition of historic Fort Greene Park. For the past 10 years I have been a volunteer member of the Fort Greene Park Conservancy - the non-profit community group dedicated to the restoration and renewal of Fort Greene Park.

To me this was never about race or class. It was about the park. In my mind Michael Jackson's music transcends all national boundaries beyond race, appealing to a broad cross-section of fans of all colors and all ages from all over the world. I apologize if I offended anybody, especially the Jackson Family and friends.

30 years ago most people were afraid to even go into Fort Greene Park. Nowadays, the park is host to a wide variety of free community events for all age groups. The Conservancy and other groups present a variety of special events throughout the year, including live music, theatrical performances, films, readings, dance parties like Soul Summit, the annual Halloween Celebration. and more. There's also tennis courts, basketball courts, two playgrounds, a picnic barbeque area, and historical exhibits at the newly-restored Visitors Center near the monument. On weekends and select weekdays there are nature walks and talks about local history by the Urban Park Rangers.

Bob Dylan in Concert - November 21, 2008

Outside the Palace Theatre on that cold November night last fall, a raging financial storm was brewing; threatening to destroy practically everything in its path. But inside the former gilded movie palace, the legendary singer-songwriter Bob Dylan gave an uplifting and exhilarating performance, one which was billed as an exclusive "Fans Only" show for die-hard members of his fan club & website, bobdylan.com. Although I have seen him perform a number of times over the years as a younger man, that night I had no idea what to expect. I am pleased to report that, despite the audience's somber mood upon arrival, Bob Dylan and Company delivered us from evil, for at least two hours, with a blazingly hot show, blasting away our blues with their home-brewed mix of loud, raucous, good old American guitar-based rock n' roll.

The band''s inspired musical arrangements came straight from the DNA of American rock n' roll, ranging from hard-driven rockabilly, country western swing and raunchy electric rhythm & blues. In his latest self-styled incarnation, Bob looked more cheerful and animated than he's been in years, dressed like an upbeat mariachi Leonard Cohen in a borrowed country star's Nudie suit. Throughout the show Dylan mostly played the electric organ, as he has been doing lately, snarling his thought-provoking lyrics in a standing position. On a few cuts he played some spirited guitar, showing that he's still got it, throwing in some classic blues harmonica on other cuts. Overall Dylan seemed transformed,..... re-born and rejuvenated, as a growling, stalking, Muddy Waters-esque frontman, backed by the best searing electric blues band you could find anywhere. Standing at the organ he churned out thick smoky R&B riffs, appropriately drenched in the classic Hammond organ "Leslie" sound. (He had a small Leslie tone cabinet hooked up).

By the middle of the show I had a major epiphany about Dylan and his half-century musical output, which put to rest the longstanding "which Dylan is the best Dylan?" debate which has dogged my personal relationship with the man's new work for decades: From my perspective that evening, there is no best Dylan. Nor is there any point in debating the merits of the "old" Dylan versus the middle period; versus the new; or of comparing his classic '60s work to his later music. It's all good, as they say.

Dylan's newer (last-ten-years-or-so) music, especially if experienced in a live performance setting, is as rich, thought provoking, and relevant as any time period, and stands on its own - even with the huge shadow of his earlier work. Comparisons are pointless and irrelevant. One must live in the NOW, like Bob himself must try to do,.. and don't look back. At this show his newer songs outshone the older ones by a leaps and bounds; some even taking on powerful new relevance and meaning for our troubled times.

I got the chills when he snarled the powerful refrain: "I used to care, but things have changed" (from 2000's "Things Have Changed), as loud spontaneous cheers of recognition arose from the crowd. But the audience's roar was not just for the song – it was more for the searing sentiment; as if Dylan's dark words were channelling our pain and anger, and gave definition to the sense of betrayal we all felt that night – reeling from the near-collapse of our entire financial system. It was especially powerful because earlier that same day the banking giant Citibank nearly bit the dust. Similar emotions of impending doom were evoked in other works, such as Dylan's searing rendition of "The Levee's Gonna Break" from 2007's excellent "Modern Times." Another "newer Dylan" standout was the poignant love song, "Make You Feel My Love" from 1997's "Time Out Of Mind."

By the show's end I had done a 180 degree turn, as if I was hearing and seeing the older/newer Dylan as Dylan for the first time. I even wished that Bob had focused solely on his new work, and performed fewer, if any, of his "classics." He doesn't have to. In my opinion, I do not need to hear an updated version of "Like A Rolling Stone." Bob Dylan is not, has never been, and probably never will be a "golden oldies" act. And furthermore, since Dylan routinely performs his old stuff with totally different arrangements anyway, he might as well be doing new songs (which paradoxically he already does, in essence, with the old classics...? maybe.). Lucky for me, the concert focused more on his stellar later work, like "Modern Times," "Time Out of Mind," and "Love and Theft" -- all fine recordings that all ""old-school" Dylan-ites should check out and embrace.

If you have not yet been there, also check out Bob's classy website, BobDylan.com, The site is a successful compendium of his long career, which is equal parts scholarly archive, part news and PR, and part web 2.0 e-commerce and social networking site. Like Bob, the site has its feet planted solidly in both the past and the present; chock full of song lyrics, set lists, a comprehensive discography and more. Click on any song title and watch the retro record spin as you listen to it. And read the user's reviews and comments from this show in the Tour Archives (including mine).

Also, the concert's venue, the United Palace theatre, is a spectacular treat and worth a trip uptown in itself. Like Dylan, the theater has lived a number of lives. Starting as a grand, gilded RKO movie palace in the golden 1920s, and dressed in the latest garish neo-Moorish and Egyptian styles of the day, it survived the Depression and World War Two only to be nearly done in by the advent of Television. Ironically It was saved from the wrecking ball in the 1950s by Harlem's "Pray for Cash" TV-evangelist, Reverend Ike and his church, which still owns the building. This mainstay of the Washington Heights neighborhood recently became available for rent to concert promoters, and it Is truly a unique evocative venue in which to see any performer – especially an American legend like Bob Dylan.

Upgrading my Mac from OS X 10.5.5 to 10.5.6 - My Problems and Solutions

Day One - Bummer: I tried to update my system to OS X 10.5.6 twice yesterday using two different methods (the standalone and the Combo installers) and got the same blue screen with a frozen cursor both times. I even left my mac on all night the second install (with the monitor off) hoping it would eventually boot up but awoke to the same blue screen. So I had to reformat my primary hard drive and do a complete restore from a backup - twice since last night.

Luckily I had followed Apple's 10.5.6 Upgrade advice and did a full backup of my primary volume before attempting this update. I am now back with OS X 10.5.5. The problem does not affect all users but I would still run a backup regardless. (I use a $29 shareware application for my backups called Super Duper! from Shirt Pocket Software. I recommend it for creating easily managed and scheduled full bootable backups.)

In addition, I read that even if you are successful applying the update, Extensis Suitcase may not launch in 10.5.6, this goes for both the older Suitcase Fusion and the newer Suitcase Fusion 2.

(FYI here is a link to the first press I had seen about the 10.5.6 upgrade blue screen issue.)

Day Two - working again:
I just got everything working, at around 8 pm following day. It seems to me now that this issue on my end had more to do with a corrupted administrator password or user file rather than Apple's ineptitude. Although the computer operated fine for months using Leopard (starting with 10.5.0 and with all subsequent upgrades up to version 10.5.5), the corrupted password file was most likely an issue for a while and only came to my attention because of the 10.5.6 update. (During the past few months my Mac did develop a few annoying glitches which I had noticed - which I discuss below)

The way I discovered my corrupted password hypothesis was almost accidental: I finally resigned myself to the reality of the situation and reinstalled the original Mac OS 10.5.0 from the Apple Installation DVD. I used Archive and Install, an option which moves existing system files to a folder named Previous System, and then installs a completely new 10.5.0 operating system with your important settings. The initial install went fine except that when I finally rebooted, the screen asked for the administrator's name and password, which I know by heart. But no matter what combination of name and password I chose it kept rejecting me. So I could not even log-in to my own computer. I already knew how to reset a password (from dealing with clients who don't remember!) so I rebooted from the 10.5.0 Installation DVD and selected Utilities, then Reset Password. I was a bit concerned that I could be creating an entirely new administrator (and desktop environment), which could have led to another "bag of hurt" (a term Steve Jobs recently used when referring to the annoyingly complex Blue Ray licensing deals, and why Macs still do not have them). So I used the exact same name and password as before. Amazingly, when I restarted, the computer knew who I was and everything was great for now. I was so happy I ran a bunch of Microsoft Office Updaters - which were now working properly!

In addition, the Suitcase Fusion issues had been resolved by yesterday afternoon by fast-thinking Extensis engineers - who actually sent out an email message alert to registered users with the fix! They had just discovered that if your Mac's computer name (the one used for Bonjour, file sharing and in networks) was more than 20 characters (and/or included unacceptable UNIX characters and some punctuation), then Suitcase Fusion and Suitcase Fusion 2 would not launch in Mac OS 10.5.6 on that Mac. Once this "computer name" was shortened or corrected, and after a reboot, Suitcase Fusion software worked again. Go here to lean more about the fix from Extensis. (FYI: The way to see your computer's "network" name is to go to System Preferences, then select Sharing. Your computer's name is shown on the top. You can also change it there. Your actual UNIX name is shown in grey under the editable name. it uses "-" for spaces and ends with .local. For example, my computer's network name is "abbys-computer.local.")

The Original Glitches: The first glitches I was experiencing prior to this update fiasco were annoying things like: whenever I tried to install one of the hundreds of updaters for Microsoft Office 2004 and 2008, the installers kept quitting, stating that "only an administrator can install this update" [sic]. I am the administrator, asshole. Another thing was that Spotlight kept indexing, repeatedly and never finished - which made it totally useless. Also, Time Machine kept stopping and was giving me a regular Backup Failed error so I had to deactivate Time Machine. In hindsight these more-annoying-than serious incidents, although not directly related or fatal at the time, were indicators of the presence of a damaged or corrupt file at the core of the operating system (like a corrupt password file), and most Apple techies would have advised me to wipe and reinstall a clean version of Leopard a few System updates ago.

But the thought of completely reinstaling Leopard and then applying all the updates to bring it back up to version 10.5.6 is not something you do for fun - or on a whim. Luckily there is a combo updater option with 10.5.6 - which means you can jump from 10.5.0 to 10.5.6 with one updater.

The Migration: On my path to reinstall a clean copy of Leopard I discovered an important shortcut: if your primary system hard drive (the one with your System folder and your User settings and Applications) is too full to do a complete Archive and Install, instead of spending hours going through your hard drive and backing up or trashing files, if you have a current backup/clone of that hard drive connected to your computer, you can safely do a clean install by erasing the entire primary hard drive, installing Leopard and then using Apple's great Migration Assistant to put back and restore all your user settings, files and applications.

I had previously thought that the Migration Assistant only applied to Firewire Transfers from one Mac to a new Mac using a Firewire cable. I started up the Migration Assistant (located in Utilities) and after entering my admin password I came to a screen that allowed me to select the sources for a migration or restore - which included local hard drives. (see image below arrticle). This means I can now wipe my primary hard drive without fear (or less fear), reinstall a clean new system, and then bring in all my original files and settings -- such as user accounts, applications, network and computer settings, files, and volumes -- in a easy orderly process -- without having to reconfigure and personalize everything -- like remember every password, serial numbers, reinstalling applications. etc....

So if you think there is something wrong with your Mac, like it may be running slower, or giving strange error messages, or Spotlight never stops indexing, etc... one if the first things that any Apple tech will tell you to do is to wipe your hard drive, and reinstall the Mac Operating System software from scratch and then install everything everything else. And yes this approach usually solves almost every problem. But it takes a lot of effort and knowledge on the part of the user.

In my opinion a wipe and reload should be one of the last possible paths. If you have a full backup of your primary hard drive, Migration Assistant saves a huge expense of time and energy (and $). And if you are still one of those users that doesn't back up their entire system regularly, remember: the clock is ticking and you are walking on thin ice. Get an external hard drive a.s.a.p and do a backup. And when your number comes up, check out the Migration Assistant.

My unedited letter to the NY Times about their inaccurate article on the grass in Fort Greene Park - specifically the lack of it.

WRITTEN IN RESPONSE TO AN ARTICLE IN "THE CITY" SECTION OF THE SUNDAY NEW YORK TIMES ON SEPT. 28, 2008 ABOUT FORT GREENE PARK ENTITLED "WHERE THE GRASS IS DEFINITELY NOT GREENER" BY SARAH STODOLA.

To the editors of "The City":

I have been concerned about the overuse of the park for over seven years. The main field’s large dirt patch creates dust storms when dry, and is a mud pit when wet. The author Sarah Stodola suggests that reseeding is a solution. She should have known that a large portion of that main field has previously been fenced off and reseeded at least twice in the past eight years. In 2005 it was fenced for nine months. Unfortunately within days of the fences’ removal the new grass had been destroyed due to overuse. (see larger and additional images at http://www.southoxford.com/pages/mudpit.html).

Now the problem is much worse. The players are moving to adjacent spots. Those new areas are fast becoming a muddy/dust bowl as well. If no action is taken soon most of the usable flat areas of the park will be devoid of any grass. The soccer players are only half the problem; there are the organized football teams, and Brooklyn Technical School, who use the park as their own private sports facility.

There are at least three sports-specific fields within a half mile of Fort Greene Park: Commodore Barry Park at Park & Ashland, Brooklyn Technical High School's Charles B. Wang Athletic Field at Fulton & Vanderbilt, and the South Oxford Park at South Oxford & Atlantic. All of these three locations appear to be underutilized.

Reseeding is not the answer and will never work. IMHO we have two options: either enforce the prohibition of organized sports from that field and divide the space up by installing a hill, trees, rocks and fences; or install astroturf like the city has done on other athletic fields where natural grass cannot be maintained.

I support the great work being done by the youth sports leagues in the area and wish they continue their efforts. I also support the safe use of our historic community park for everyone’s peaceful and safe enjoyment. Olmsted & Vaux, the celebrated designers of our park (and Prospect and Central Park), never intended the area to be used as an athletic field.

Why should 20 or so people be able to ruin the enjoyment of a public park for hundreds of people? Just because it is a public “park” does not automatically make it an athletic field.

Sincerely,
Abby Weissman
Acting-President, The South Oxford Street Block Association,
www.southoxford.com
and volunteer member of the Fort Greene Park Conservancy and the Fort Greene Association.



BLAME THE JEWS: The Anti-Flea Meeting at Queen of All Saints Church, July 24, 2008

As a Brooklyn Flea supporter and sometime-seller, I attended the meeting on Thursday evening July 24 at Queen of All Saints with an open mind. I wanted to understand the church member's and local resident's' concerns about the new Brooklyn Flea - and to possibly help work out some compromises. Instead I walked out – deeply troubled by anti-semitic comments made by the parishioners.

At first the atmosphere seemed mutually respectful. The parishioner's main concerns were about the increased Sunday traffic and noise caused by the Flea Market during their previously quiet and tranquil holy day. They also complained about the lack of parking for themselves, bathroom requests, the numerous bicycles, congestion and crowds, among other grievances.

All of a sudden, one of the featured speakers, Kathleen Walsh, who is a parishioner at Queen of All Saints and "a resident of the neighborhood since 1942," stated: "Would such an entity be allowed across from a synagogue on the Sabaath?" Her declaration stung me like an electric shock; it was an updated version of the same anti-semitic rhetoric that was prevalent in pre-Holocaust Germany: the Jews have too much power. Why in the first place did the politically connected, upscale, hipster Brooklyn Flea (and it's rag-tag collection of "peddlers") choose to park itself right across from our church on a Sunday – rather than across from a synagogue on a Saturday? Her theory: blame the Jews.

Being a “Jewish peddler-of-sorts” myself, and a relative of Holocaust survivors (my Great Uncle Eliah survived three years in Auschwitz and lost most of his/my family during the war), I was stunned by Ms. Walsh's casual expression of hatred. As the evening wore on other church supporters in attendance eerily expressed similar viewpoints. Taken in direct context to the Brooklyn Flea issue, these statements seemed frighteningly reminiscent of one of Hitler's early campaign points - that the Jewish peddlers have too much money and influence - and are victimizing us.

The church's "we're the ones being persecuted here" congregation even tried to blame the Flea for their own dwindling attendance. (Reality check: the Flea has only been open for three months - and the Catholic Church in the U.S. has been slowly losing members since the 1960s.) Imagine the attendees of St. Patrick’s Cathedral on Fifth Avenue complaining about the traffic, shoppers, sirens, trucks, and hoards of tourists on Sundays? And when is street parking guaranteed in NYC for anyone? And why can't the parishioners take the subway like the 7,000 or so Flea attendees do every Sunday ? Get real.

What happened to "love thy neighbor?" or "turn the other cheek?" I am not even going to go into the numerous economic and social benefits that the Flea provides to the local community and beyond. Instead of trying to ban the Flea the parishioners should instead be thinking "how can we benefit from this exciting new enterprise right across the street?" Like the Queen of All Saints Church doesn't need additional funding themselves? At this hot summer meeting it was obvious they are hurting; they do not have any air conditioning to speak of, nor was there a single microphone or basic sound system in sight. The evening's participants could barely be heard above the loud roar of antiquated fans. One speaker, longtime-Fort Greene resident Howard Pitsch made the most sense of all when he suggested that instead of being adversarial, the church should embrace the Flea and open their doors to the newcomers. Perhaps even some of the new visitors would stay and help rejuvenate the parish.

The Flea haters even brought up the same tired argument long-overused by Atlantic Yards’ supporters: (paraphrased) "I lived in Brooklyn for blah blah number of years and you newcomers have no right to express your opinion about my neighborhood." Wait a minute. Exactly how long does one have to live in Brooklyn in order to be considered a real Brooklynite? Those precise residency requirements should be posted somewhere so we can clear up this matter once and for all. The bottom line is, whether one lives in Brooklyn for 5 weeks or 50 years they should have a right to express an opinion about their neighborhood. Perhaps we should all just abide by our own government's residency requirements to vote, and decide public policy, and get a driver's license – 30 days.

In towns and cities across the world, from Thailand to Venezuela, the local houses of worship are the centerpieces of the community, and an open-air market meets every weekend in the town square, across the street. Just like on Lafayette Avenue in Fort Greene.

To tell the truth, I have never personally felt comfortable in any Catholic Church. Based upon their World War Two track record I used to believe that if I ever ran inside one saying "please hide me" they would immediately make a phone call. Last night it seemed to me that they still might make that call.


My references:
Born in Brooklyn.
Both parents born and lived in Brooklyn.
Both sets of grandparents lived in Brooklyn.
Graduate of Pratt Institute, Clinton Hill, Brooklyn.
Permanent resident of Brooklyn since 1992.
Homeowner in Fort Greene since 1998.

Barbecuing in Fort Greene Park

In most of Fort Greene Park barbecuing and open fires are not permitted. Some barbequing is allowed, but only in the designated barbecuing area, which is located by the picnic tables near the Myrtle Avenue/St. Edwards Street entrance. There is an exception to this rule for three holidays in the summer: Memorial Day, Independence Day and Labor Day.

The Park Rules for barbecues in all NYC parks posted on the NYC Parks Department website clearly states:
• Barbecuing is allowed in designated areas only during hours when the park is open.
• There is no barbecuing under trees.
• All coals and litter must be disposed of in separate steel trash receptacles.

Unfortunately most of Fort Greene Park is not equipped to handle barbecuing. The issues are threefold; 1. most barbecuing is done under the trees for shade, which then burns the leaves and branches; 2. there is nowhere to dump the hot coals afterwards, and, 3. the garbage and leftover food causes rodents, blight and other public health issues.

Because there are no proper disposal facilities for the hot coals, these still burning coals are frequently dumped on the ground, the grass or on the base of trees. This not only damages the grass and trees, it also allows the toxic chemicals found in all charcoal to enter into the soil. According to the Kingsford Charcoal Company, these chemicals are poisonous to humans, animals and vegetation - and if ingested by children or animals one should call the Poison Control Center's Emergency Hotline immediately (1-800-222-1222). The trees is the park are one of our greatest assets and must be protected. The shade they provide is a major reason people go to the park in the first place.

While in the past the Parks Department may have turned a blind eye to the barbecuing, nowadays due to the increased usage of the park for a variety of activities it is necessary to prevent damage to the park's assets for the continued benefit of all park goers. This goes along with city-wide park restrictions relating to dog owners, public drinking, drug use, public gatherings and other illegal activities. If you have questions, please refer to the NYC Department of Parks & Recreation website. For their complete list of Prohibited Uses click here.

Phil Spector Walks?!

Over the past six months I have been totally obsessed with the Lana Clarkson - Phil Spector murder trial. Being a rock-music-obsessed child of the 1960s I was always a fan of Phil's. He was the millionaire boy genius of pop; the king of record producers, the short nerdy Jewish guy who got the Hollywood mansion and the hot shiksa wife, Ronnie, his superstar. Spector was a role model to many in the day, such as Stones' producer/manager Andrew Loog Oldham. Phil produced some of the most perfect records in pop history; including the Crystals' "He's A Rebel" and "Da Doo Ron Ron;" the Ronnettes' "Baby I Love You" and "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus;" and the Righteous Brothers' operatic epics "You've Lost That Loving Feeling" and "Unchained Melody." His grand vision rescued the faltering Beatles' final 1970 album, Let It Be, where he crafted an expansive tour de force from run-of-the-mill demo tapes (compare a listen with McCartney's recent de-Spectorized Let It Be, Naked). Watching the trial I was torn between my admiration of Phillip and love of his work, and the fact that he may be a cold-blooded killer. I wanted to believe in his innocence.

Thanks to Dish Network's DVR set-top boxes, fast-forwarding, and Court TV, I was able to experience most of the trial in my living room. I ultimately came to believe that Phil Spector is guilty. There seems to be two Phil Spectors: "Phillip" the good - who is charming, funny, creative, generous, and smart - and "Phil," the evil one -- the belligerent, drunk, lying, threatening, gun-toting loudmouth. Over the months it became painfully obvious that he played a huge part in Lana Clarkson's demise. She met Phillip, and then when she wanted to leave, encountered Phil. Either he put the gun in her face and it went off - struggle or no struggle - or he just shot her, on purpose or accidentally. We may never know. Only two people know what transpired in that foyer that night on Feb. 3, 2003 -- and one is dead and the other is not talking.

As for Lana Clarkson - she was killed twice. First physically by Spector, and then by Spector's all-star defense team - who's central tactic was to totally degrade her as an actress and person turn her into a desperate suicide case. They called her a drunk, a drug addict and a loser. Instead, by the trial's end I felt I really got to know and like her, and even experienced her death as almost a personal loss. While she may have been a struggling 40-year old actress who had seen better parts, she regularly appeared as a cult attraction at comic book and sci-fi conventions for her fans from her Barbarian Queen days. (Yes, she had fans). In reality her last year of life had been spent recuperating from two broken wrists which sidelined her career for almost a year. Her wrist casts had only recently come off.

Compliments of the defense I met her friends and business associates (including her agent, and the director Michael Bay), heard her inner-most thoughts and fears via email and letters, saw lots of interesting photos of her in life (she was almost always smiling), learned all about her precarious personal finances, and even met her mother, who seemed to be the nice mom we all wish we had. Besides the gruesome crime scene photos and pictures of her autopsied bruised tongue (which Court TV did not show, but I found via the web - god bless the internet) we also saw Lana's recent self-produced promo DVD where she portrayed a wide range of comedic characters specifically for the benefit of casting directors. While the DVD's technical values seemed to be lacking (a fact overemphasized by the defense) it was nonetheless very impressive. One could imagine her as a character actress on a Tracey Ullman or Larry David show. And strangely, I learned we have all seen Lana Clarkson for years - as an anonymous actress in numerous films, commercials and print ads. At one point I stupidly thought, "if she were alive today she would be huge." But now, thanks to meeting Phil, she is big-time famous, dead, and a permanent part of Hollywood legend. She is buried near her idol, Marilyn Monroe.

At the trial we also heard from some of her "best friends forever," the most repugnant of them was Punkin Pie Laughton, a 40-something "club promoter." We all want best friends like her. She was the defense's key witness who pulled together their absurd suicide theory, claiming that in the months leading up to the shooting Lana had confided in her that she was extremely depressed about her life. But despite Punkin's statements about Lana's mental health, if true, she apparently did very little to help her "friend." Furthermore, months after the "suicide" Ms. Pie sent out a 2004 Christmas card which essentially said (sic) "Phil Spector took my Lana." When the prosecution questioned her about the card, she had no real explanation for her flip-flop. Yet she still insisted that Lana was ready to check out. Punkin (yes, that is her correct spelling) happens to work at a rock club, the Backstage Cafe, owned by the the two sons of Barney Kessel, the late guitarist and Spector friend. The sons have both maintained a very close family-like relationship with Phil their entire lives. Spector may even be an investor in their club. For more voyeuristic pleasure, go to Punkin's cluttered MySpace page. If you can read the text over the background photo, in it she claims to be 21, as well as professes to be the lead groupie on which the rock film "Almost Famous" was based upon. She includes photos of herself partying with many 2nd and 3rd tier rock celebrities, including Poison's C.C. DeVille and Lief Garrett. At the top she also writes: "Take a Moment to Remember "Lana Clarksen" Today and Always." Too bad she spelled BFF Lana's last name wrong.

Much about Phil's past was strangely absent from the trial. Where was his second wife Veronica, a.k.a. Ronnie Ronette, who wrote a book about their abusive relationship? or his other ex-wives? or the engineer who worked that John Lennon session when a drunken Phil fired a shot into the studio ceiling? And what about Leonard Cohen, who had a falling out with Spector while making Death of a Ladies Man in 1977. Leonard Cohen was allegedly threatened by a drunken, gun-toting Spector, and was later banned from the studio by armed bodyguards. He contends he was never allowed back to properly finish the album.

And where were the many other witnesses to Phil's tantrums and threats over the years? or his past arrest records for numerous assaults? Before the trial started eighteen women came forward with stories of being threatened with a gun to the face by Spector. Unfortunately Judge Fidler only allowed five of the women to testify.

The most important absentee was Phillip's long-time personal assistant, Michelle Blaine, who also has a close family-like history with Spector. Michelle Blaine is the daughter of Hal Blaine, the L.A. session drummer extraordinaire who headed The Wrecking Crew, the group of talented and prolific 1960's L.A. session musicians who were Spector's backup musicians of choice for many years. Following the shooting Spector spent :40 minutes in the house alone, cleaning up. The gun had obviously been wiped down and placed back in the "murder" scene; Lana's face was also wiped. Not a single call to 911 was ever made from inside the house, despite the fact that there were something like 14 working telephones. If someone accidentally shot themselves in your foyer, wouldn't you call the police immediately? Why would you start cleaning up? And what about the eighteen or so additional firearms found in the house? The jury was only allowed to hear about three guns - the ones which used the same caliber bullets that killed Clarkson. A large garbage bag of those same bullets was found in an upstairs bedroom. Hopefully they can subpeona Michelle at the next trial, which will either be the civil wrongful death suit or the murder retrial.

So in the end the jury was ultimately hung at 10 to 2 in favor of conviction. It all came to down to one juror, the Morman Foreman - the know-it-all engineer holdout who manipulated a second juror to take his stubborn beyond-any-doubt position. I guess the moral of the story (if there is one) is that if you have millions of dollars to spend on multiple attorneys and multiple forensic experts you can pretty much manufacture reasonable doubt in the jury room. Especially with five or so Medical Experts who each had a slightly different theory on the blood spatter. And all you need is one asshole. Also in LA I think people who are so closely aligned with the entertainment industry are reticent to convict one of their own. They still have to work.

As for Court TV, I have a lot of issues about the disjointed way they televised the trial. The first issue is: the trial was on the West Coast! Which means the court day does not get started in New York until almost 1PM and ran until 7PM. Why did they shorten the "Closing Arguments" show and give Star Jones the 4PM slot for her "talk show?" Her show is more about her than anything else and is a step down for Court TV. Everything important in the trial happened in the afternoon here in NY. So there was actually very little "live" coverage. Everything seemed to be broken up into short prerecorded "sound bite" segments, many of which were annoyingly played and replayed countless times. I was ready to shoot my TV whenever they ran their stock overview of the murder, which they must have shown over 500 times.

I did get to "meet" a lot of intriguing guests on Court TV's trial coverage: like Darlene Love, La La Brooks (the fabulous Crystal's lead singer), Annette Kleinbard (from the Teddy Bears), engineer Larry Levine, a few Spector biographers, neighbors, and even his children, including two of his adopted sons, and his smart biological daughter, Nicole. Even Phil's boisterous new wife, Rachelle, made an appearance. Strangely, not one of his recording artists made any appearances pro or con in the courtroom. I guess they still need their royalty checks from Phil - if they are lucky enough to get one.

But part of me can't help still admire Phillip, the Good Spector — not Evil Phil. Many of the songs he wrote and produced will live forever as a permanent part of American Culture. Just listen the that final cresendo in "You've Lost That Loving Feeling." Spectacular. (Anytime the film "Dirty Dancing" or "Ghost" is shown, Phil gets a check). But his artistic legacy does not allow him the right to take someone else's life.

I can't stop thinking about the refrain from an early 1970s, Spector-produced song by John Lennon: "How do you sleep?"

My Day (and night) at Farm Aid NYC

Despite my reservations about going back to Randalls Island I went to hear some good music on a warm sunny summer day and, just by my being there, to support organic, sustainable farming. Dave, my "On the Road" buddy from High School and I arrived there painlessly around 5 pm. We had to drive because Randalls Island, despite what they say, is really not that accessible without a car (unless you consider a subway and a $5 each way shuttle bus from 125th Street). It turned out that there was very little traffic despite the fact it was pretty crowded after all. Most of the people there were in their 20s-30s which was surprising for a show dominated by oldtimers, but OK.

The festival layout sucked; there were the expensive reserved seats in the front, and the general admission $52 ticket area (which became the $25 ticket area) was in the rear. And there was only one huge video screen for the masses to see the performers. But there was a whole bunch of food vendors with organic fare, like Angus Burgers, Vermont Flat Bread Pizza (excellent), Ben & Jerry's and others, along with the usual Philly Cheese Steaks and Funnel Cake (had some of that). There also were booths about organic farming and free samples of soy milk, organic snacks, yogurt and other stuff. A lot of beer was sold there as well.

The music was well worth the trip.  Warren Haynes was great; John Mellencamp and band were really good; you forget how many fine songs Mellencamp has written. The downside of his set was he gave a big speech about the war and Bush - which was preaching to the choir. Counting Crows were enjoyable although the singer is still annoying. I always loved that song "A Long December," which they did. Everyone performed about eight songs. And I almost forgot: the "great" Dave Matthews did an unmemorable acoustic set which fortunately gave us time to eat dinner. I just don't "get" him nor do I understand why he is so popular, especially with the dead-head-type crowd.

We stayed until the great Neil Young finished his set, the second to last of the day. He played an acoustic set with a his sister singing backup and playing guitar, another guitar player, and Neil. He did "Heart of Gold," "Four Strong Winds," "Too Far Gone (one of my favorites), and a bunch of other songs, some new some old. Neil played a lot of harmonica and surprising didn't wear his usual hat. He gave some inspirational speeches about local sustainable farming versus the big business farms who have to put all these chemicals in to make them profitable, when they are not only poisoning us, and poisoning the planet. Also he went on about how a lot of our fruits and vegetables are now imported from Chile or wherever, which means they have to be picked earlier and shipped here with giant ships or planes which use fossil fuels and pollute the water and air and cause global warming. He fully supports local sustainable small farms.

The single best thing there believe it or not was the Allman Brothers Band. They were awesome. Warren Haynes played slide with them and he is almost as good as Dwayne. They had at least two other guitar players as well including Derek Trucks. I was never a big fan in the day (I was at their first Fillmore East gig) but seeing them nowadays, live, you realize how much they kick ass and play with so much more skill and fire than 90% of these bogus groups today. They are truly exceptional. I can even almost forgive Greg for being a narc and ratting on his roadie in the 1970s (who went to prison for being his heroin deliveryperson) and for marrying Cher. (Greg was great though as a scary scumbag dealer in the 1992 movie "Rush." Check it out.)

We hung out on this "hill," in the tree line on the edge of the "bowl" where people were relaxed and smoking weed all day. We did not stay for Willie's set although he played throughout the evening on a song here and there with other artists. Despite the fact there were cops scattered throughout the crowd it was very mellow.

The weather was great... Shore breezes...you could see the rushing river... the city's twinkling lights... cars zipping by on the FDR... and the porta-pottys. The toilet "Porta-shit holes" were totally gross. I went in one, a super-sized porta-san for wheelchair access, and the floor was completely wet, and the entire toilet was filled to the brim with excrement and garbage. It seemed people were pissing all over the place. When I came out I said to the "kid" next in line "you don't want to go in there." He said he would piss on the wall if necessary, which explains the wet floor. Also, there were these portable hand washing stations which ran out of water at like 2 PM but still had soap. Unsuspecting concert-goers were soaping up and attempting to pump out some water, and then walking around pissed off with soapy, dirty hands. A sign would have been helpful.

And then there's the overall poop smell. Randall's Island is host to a large sewage treatment plant on one side which can be smelled all over the island. I am surprised they allow concerts there seeing as how horrible it is when the wind shifts, and the fact that smell is actually molecules from the cause of the smell floating in air. (FYI..Rikers Island also has one too.)

On the way out walking the long march in the darkness to the field where the car was parked there were street vendors selling all sorts of stuff like bogus Farm Aid T-shirts and Whippet balloons filled with Nitrous Oxide. They were right outside the parking lot within 20 feet of mounted policemen, who seemed more concerned with talking amongst themselves.

But overall, the afternoon and evening was fun but kinda of bizarre for old hippies like myself and Dave, who were at the original Woodstock Festival (I was 15 when Dave and I hitchhiked there... that's another story). Even if Farm Aid 2007 was a bit grueling time-wise and crowd-wise, six hours of smelling poop was easier than 3 days of starving and getting wet in the mud. (Remember: don't take the brown acid). In the end it seemed a pleasant time was had by all. You shoulda been there.

Don't Miss the 8th Annual Fort Greene Park Halloween Festival on October 27, 2007

A favorite Fort Greene tradition for children of all ages, this year's Fort Green Park Halloween Festival will take place on Saturday, October 27, 2007 from 12 noon to 3:00 pm.

As in past years, festival-goers will be treated to free hay rides, face painting, pumpkin decorating, games, and treats. Capping off the Halloween Festival is a children's costume parade, which will take place at 2:00 pm with prizes for the best costumes. In addition to the Halloween Festival, the local dog owner's organization, Fort Greene PUPS, will once again hold their popular annual Dog Costume Contest on top of the Fort Greene Park at 12:00 noon.

Local arts organizations supply much of the talent for the Fort Greene Park Halloween Festival's entertainment. For all of its eight years the Halloween Festival has been sponsored and organized by the all-volunteer Fort Greene Park Conservancy. The Conservancy works with local businesses and organizations to help sponsor the festival as well as staff booths and tables allowing them to introduce themselves to the community.

The Conservancy continues in its tradition of reaching out to all Brooklyn, with an array of free events and festivals, such as the 2007 Summer Film Festival and concerts in the park. Last year's Halloween Festival was made possible in part by the generous leadership gifts from Aguayo & Huebener Real Estate, BAM Local Development Corp., Brooklyn Properties, Clermont Armory, the Corcoran Group, and Wells Fargo Home Mortgage.

To volunteer for the festival or for sponsorship information email the Conservancy at info@fortgreenepark.org. View the website at http://www.fortgreenepark.org.

Halloween Festival 2007 logo design by Abby Weissman, 2007.

Why T-Mobile Sucks

I bought my 83-year old mother a T-Mobile to Go phone via the 1-800 number. The reason I bought this particular service is because she only needs very few minutes a month and it is basically "pay as you go" and I did not want a two-year contract. I was told I could easily refill her minutes via the web or by phone. It had 30 minutes free which were valid for 90 days. If the phone runs out of minutes it becomes deactivated. Then you have to pay to have it "re-activated."

When her minutes were up (after 60 days) I tried to buy new minutes. I first went to my mother's home and called the number for refills on my mother's phone. A recording came on which said "we cannot place an order now due to technical difficulties." My mother tried repeatedly with the same response over a two week period.

I then went to the website. I made an account for my mother and clicked on "Buy More Minutes." I went through the whole process: I entered name, address, phone and credit card numbers, and got an "Order Completed" screen with an order number. Then I press the Continue button and on the very next last screen I am informed that there are technical difficulties and to check back later. It did not even say if my orders went through (they did not). I tried 3 different credit cards - still no luck. Over a period of two weeks, six different times I went to the T-Mobile website to buy refill minutes with the same response.

Then I tried to call T-Mobile Tech Support. A recording always comes on that says something like "due to high call volume there will be an extended wait period to speak with a representative; for answers to your questions please try our website at T-Mobile.com" I wait on hold 15 minutes and give up. This happened three times.

Then I tried to email "Customer Service" via their web support page. I emailed a complaint three times before I got a response -- after three days. The response they sent me was a computer-generated cookie cutter reply saying I should call the T-Mobile To Go Account Management/Refill Center at 1-877-778-2106 and buy minutes. They did not address the many problems I had attempting to buy minutes via the web and via the actual phone at all. I then called the Mobile To Go Account Management/Refill Center at 1-877-778-2106. It says Press 2 for To Buy T-Mobile to Go refill minutes. Then a voice comes on that says "We cannot complete your order now due to technical difficulties, please try again later." No matter what combination of prompts I tried, I could not get a human on the phone.

So I called Sales. A woman got on fairly quickly (they want your money first) saying she was very sorry, but there was nothing she can do except sell me a new phone or plan. She recommended I should call the T-Mobile To Go Account Management/Refill Center at 1-877-778-2106 and buy minutes. I told her that was impossible. She then said that my only option is that I should bring the phone to a T-Mobile store to buy minutes. I explained that the phone was with my 83-year-old mother and that I do not have access to the phone and when I bought it I was told it was very easy to buy new refill minutes for her via the web or by phone. She said that a T-Mobile store was my only choice at this point - and had no explanation for the consistent failures of the web, the phone itself and the 1-800 numbers.

How can a company like this stay in business? They are unbelievably lame. They are blatant liars who are so inept I can barely fathom it. I am sorry I ever decided to buy a T-Mobile to Go phone - no matter what a good deal it sounds like. They are cheating people by making them pay a reactivation fee - because it is almost impossible to buy refill minutes. I will report back when I get to the store.

Forget his Jewish remarks, focus on the fact that Mel Gibson is a serial drunk driver

With all this talk about what Mel Gibson said, people are missing the real point. He is a drunk driver who could have killed people. And this is surely not the first time he has driven drunk. Mel Gibson should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law, just like every other serial drunk driver in the US is. Forget about his anti-Semetic comments. We all already know he hates Jews. Just watch "The Passion of the Christ," which in my opinion is an outrageously anti-Semetic bloody snuff film, which I cannot even believe was not rated X because of the violence. And I like violent movies like "Resevior Dogs," "Sin City" etc... but "Passion" really crossed a line. I cannot believe this movie was shown to Catholic school children!

The real shadow sweep of the Atlantic Yards' towers

On www.southoxford.com I posted a recolored drawing from the ESDC Environmental Study of the shadow sweep of the proposed Atlantic Yards Development. Other drawings from the DEIS are also featured. If Bruce Ratner has his way, many local parks, historic structures and districts will be in shadow, as well as parts of historic Fort Greene Park. If the development goes through as planned, some areas near the yards will never get any sun ever.