vol6 issue 12 by Bay Currents

Sheepshead Bay • Brighton Beach • Marine Park • Manhattan Beach • Coney Island • Flatbush • Gerritsen Beach • Mill Basin • Bergen Beach

It’s your newspaper – you count!

Vol. 6 No. 12, Feb. 16 - 28, 2010

City to smokers: THIS is what you’re doing to yourself! Page 4

Also Insi de:

• Mosqu e not we lcome • Housin g is ‘a basic right’ • A man of many talents • Holistic wellness • On the AV squad • I. Freid in: Marching backwar ds

Free RENT W/OPTION

TO BUY -

NEW

CONDOS

3.5% DOWN OPEN HOUSE SUNDAY 12-6 pm

FHA LOAN

ONLY 3.5% DOWN SELLER PAYS CLOSING FEES

SELL

ONLY 3.5% DOWN SELLER

PAY S

CLOSING

FEES

$8,000

Aaron Ivatorov

Aaron IVATOROV

· Residential · Commercial · · Investments ·

TAX CREDIT REAL ESTATE BROKER

Residential · Commercial · Investments

call 718-732-3899 x 8001 www.3165Emmons.com

SHORT SALE MUST

718-732-3899 x 8001 www.AaronBroker.com

CERTIFIED DISTRESSED EXPERT

www.AaronBroker.com

718-732-3899 x 8001

FAMILY RESTAURANT

10% OFF!

See Page 6

Member of the New York Press Association

Publisher’s Notebook

Staff writers Kateryna Stupnevich Heeyen Park Dominique Carter

David J. Glenn Publisher

Suzanne H. Glenn Editor

Contributors I. Friedin Michael Schlager Kerry Donnelli Jacqueline Donnelli Matt Lassen Dale Nesseman

Arthur Melnick Associate Editor

Patrick Hickey Jr. Sports Editor

Design by Design-ER

ADVERTISING Bay Currents & Bay Currents Margin & Margin Maker Maker (a division of the PeopleSales Group) have now partnered to develop the newspaper to the fullest for you, OUR READERS. To ﬁnd out more about our results-driven creative advertising programs, contact 347-869-5638 or e-mail: michaelschlager@hotmail.com

347.492.4432 Sales: 718.676.5434 E-mail: Info@baycurrents.net Web: www.baycurrents.net Editorial:

David J. Glenn

If even one smoker quits… Mayor Bloomberg has been criticized in some circles for being a “nanny mayor” – crusading to protect New Yorkers from the ills of fatty foods, air pollution, and, of course, smoking.

ing a smoker who has lost his voice through tobacco smoke and must talk through a mechanical device in his throat, or the woman who lost several fingers by way of smoking-induced illness. If this saves even one smoker from disease or death, it’d be worth it.

hile other criticisms of the mayor – his apparent coziness with developers, his penchant for everincreasing parking fines – may be justified, the “nanny” charge is not. The latest campaign by the city’s Department of Health, the subject of our cover story, is a case in point. Whether any smoker will be discouraged from lighting up when seeing a large poster of a diseased lung or strokeafflicted brain, remains to be seen. But it’s a good try. There isn’t any real nanny around to stop him from killing himself – this might be the next best thing. And to dispel the inevitable argument that the Bloomberg administration is implementing this merely to raise more revenue from fining retailers who don’t comply, I have a suggestion: Use all the money from such fines to

fund more quit-smoking TV ads – like the one show-

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! To continue to be the independent and effective community newspaper we are, we need to hear from you. We want to know your concerns, opinions, suggestions, praises, and criticism.

Write to us at: letters@baycurrents.net or LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Bay Currents 2966 Avenue U, Suite 108 Brooklyn, NY 11229

Join the family of

Bay Currents

VISIT OUR NEW HOME! Bay Currents has a new home on the Web - it’s the same address,

WWW.BAYCURRENTS.NET BUT IT’S A DECIDEDLY DIFFERENT, USER-FRIENDLY SITE. WE’D LIKE TO HEAR YOUR SUGGESTIONS OF WHAT YOU’D LIKE TO SEE ON IT.

advertisers!

CALL US AT 347-492-4432,

Call 718.676.5434

or E-MAIL: INFO@BAYCURRENTS.NET

Page 2

Feb. 16 28, 2010

www.BayCurrents.net

Around the Bay The return of Loehmann's Loehmann’s clothing store on Emmons Avenue, closed since a fire in November, has reopened in Sheepshead Bay at 2807 West 21st Street. Fire officials said the early morning, Nov. 21 fire that began in Loehmann's Seaport Plaza was being investigated as "suspicious." No new findings were disclosed by press time. Now a national 60-store chain, Loehmann’s was founded in 1921 in Brooklyn.

‘Incredible’ pizzeria back Nearly a year after a fire all but destroyed Totonno’s Pizzeria at 1524 Neptune Avenue, the Coney Island mecca for pizza lovers finally has reopened. Owner Louise Ciminieri, better known as Cookie, never really doubted the icon would be back. “Thumbs up! We’re going to rebuild,” she had said shortly after the fire in March last year. Tony Muia, who leads a “Slice of Brooklyn Pizza Tour,” has nothing but praise for Totonno’s classic pizza. “The crust is a nice solid crust for a Neapolitan pie. It’s always evenly cooked around, a nice sort of welldoneness. The sauce is a sweet tomato sauce, and the fresh mozzarell’– it’s just incredible,” he said.

Crime to go down ‘even more’ The new commanding officer of the 60th police precinct vows to bring down crime in Coney Island and Brighton Beach “even more” than last year. “The police officers here are all very involved and they did very well last year,” said Peter DeBlasio, who took command earlier this year. “This year we plan on bringing the crime down even more.” The 60th precinct reports that overall felony crime was down in the neighborhood by 14 percent in 2009. Although murder rates were up in 2009 compared to that of 2008, other violent crimes like rape and assault decreased, the precinct reported. www.BayCurrents.net

DeBlasio, a life-long New Yorker, has been with the NYPD for 26 years and for the past five years served as the commander of the 66th precinct in Borough Park.

“Don Quixote” The Brooklyn Center for Performing Arts at Brooklyn College presents the Israel Ballet’s production of “Don Quixote” at 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 21. The performance, based on the classic novel “Don Quixote de la Mancha” that also inspired the legendary Broadway musical, is part of the ballet company’s first American tour in a quartercentury.

City to ease water debt Amid the foreclosure crisis gripping the nation, Mayor Bloomberg has announced a “water debt assistance” program to ease the burden of homeowners who may face foreclosure. Owners of two- or three-family homes who are seriously behind on their water and sewage bills will be given some extra time before any liens are placed on their property. “We are going to defer immediate efforts to collect debts from about 2,000 two- and threefamily unit homeowners who are far behind on their payments, and who are late on their mortgage payments,” Bloomberg said. “We’re giving them a financial lifeline.” He stressed, though, that “we are not eliminating their obligations – or passing the buck to other homeowners. Everyone participating in our program must commit to paying back their debts in full whenever their homes are sold or refinanced. They also will still be responsible for staying current on their water bills going forward.“ For more information on the program, call 311.

Performances are at the Gershwin Theater on the college campus Feb. 18-28. For more information, visit depthome.brooklyn.cuny.edu/theater.

For ticket information, call 718-951-4500, or visit www.brooklyncenteronline.org.

Beyond the Bay “Making It”

“My Sister, My Friend”

A multi-media concert by Stew and Heidi Rodewald, based on the unlikely success of their Tony Award-winning Broadway musical “Passing Strange,” will be presented at 8 p.m. Feb. 17-22 at St. Ann’s Warehouse at 38 Water Street in the DUMBO section. For more information call 718-254-8779, or visit www.stannswarehouse.org.

The Berean Community and Family Life Center hosts its eighth annual Women’s Conference and Health Fair, “My Sister, My Friend,” on Saturday, March 13 beginning at 9 a.m. at the historic Berean Baptist Church, 1635-49 Bergen Street, between Utica and Rochester Avenues in celebration of Women’s History Month. For more information call 718-7782938, or visit www.bereancommunity.org

Membership drive The Madison-Marine-Homecrest Civic Association, now in its 25th year, has started its 2010 membership campaign. Annual dues are $10 per household or business. The next meeting is scheduled for March 18 at the King’s Chapel, Quentin Road and East 27 Street. For more information, call 718-934-8214.

Mobile office Assemblyman Steven Cymbrowitz’ mobile community office will visit the Midwood branch of the Brooklyn Public Library on Friday, March 5 from 2 to 4 p.m. A staff member will be on hand to help community residents with problems, answer questions and discuss local issues. The library is at 975 East 16th Street, between Avenues I and J. For amore information call 718-743-4078.

“The Trojan Women” The Department of theater at Brooklyn College presents “the Trojan Women,” the classic play by Euripides depicting the women of Troy watching helplessly as their city burns in war. Feb. 16 28, 2010

Page 3

Cover story

City to smokers: This is what you’re doing to yourself! By DAVID J. GLENN publisher@baycurrents.net

If you’re a smoker, you’ve no doubt noticed the large poster of a diseased lung, decaying tooth, or stroke-afflicted brain as you step into your favorite retailer to buy your pack or carton.

ity Department of Health officials want you to look long and hard at the poster – hoping that maybe you’ll think twice about buying the toxic product. “Smoking continues to be the leading cause of preventable death in New York City,” said Dr. Thomas Farley, New York City Health Commissioner. “While the tobacco industry spends billions of dollars every year to glamorize smoking, we will show New

Yorkers the harsh realities. These warning signs will help persuade smokers to quit and show children why they shouldn’t start to smoke.” Retailers have until March 1 to fully comply with the new regulations passed by the Board of Health, which require the posters to be displayed prominently at the point of sale in any retail outlet in the five boroughs. As of March 1, sellers who don’t comply can be fined anywhere from $250 to $2,000; a department spokeswoman wouldn’t specify how the amount is determined in each case. A spot check by Bay Currents didn’t show any big effect so far from the posters. “I still buy cigarettes from here,” said smoker Larissa Solomonskaya, a customer at the Brighton Beach Deli & Grocery on Brighton 11th Street. “I’m sure so do others. It’s a frightening picture, but I don’t know if it’s enough to make people quit smoking.”

“Everybody here knows what smoking does to you,” said a cashier at the deli, “so the posters didn’t really change much. Business is still the same with cigarettes, it didn’t change.” “It hasn’t really affected business, but if we don’t put it up, we get a $2,000 fine. It has to stay forever,” said Amit Gulati, an employee of Yireh Deli Grocery on Brighton Beach Avenue. On a recent afternoon at convenience stores and chain-pharmacy outlets along Avenue U and on Nostrand Avenue, customers were buying cigarettes apparently without even noticing the posters. At some outlets, the poster was right next to the cash register, while at others, it was displayed next to the cigarettes, not prominently visible from the main counter. But city health officials are confident the posters will have an effect. They say studies show that smokers who fully realize the hazards of smoking are more likely to consider quitting. The idea of the posters is to “ensure that any customer contemplating a tobacco purchase sees the health effects of tobacco use,” the department states. “Last year New York City achieved its lowest adult smoking rate on record (15.8%), but about 950,000 New Yorkers still smoke – and tobacco-related illness still claims more than 7,400 lives in the city each year. Smoking kills more New Yorkers than AIDS, drugs, homicide and suicide combined.” Kateryna Stupnevich contributed to this story

Third strike for cigarettes

t’s well-documented by now what smoking does to the user, and what second-hand smoke does to those near the smoker – but a new study shows that third-hand smoke is dangerous, too. The study – by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, a federal Department of Energy lab at the University of California at Berkeley – published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, found that nicotine vapor from lit cigarettes collects on walls, carpets, drapes, furniture, and other indoor surfaces and can linger for months. “Our study shows that when this residual nicotine reacts with ambient nitrous acid it forms carcinogenic tobacco-specific nitrosamines,” said Hugo Destaillats, one of the authors of the study. TSNAs are “among the most broadly acting and potent carcinogens in unburned tobacco and tobacco smoke,” he said. Opening a window or turning on a fan to air out a room while a cigarette burns

Page 4

Feb. 16 28, 2010

does not eliminate the third-hand smoke, which is particularly dangerous for infants and toddlers, the researchers said. Smoking outdoors doesn’t help much either. “Smoking outside is better than smoking indoors, but nicotine residues will stick to a smoker’s skin and clothing,” said Lara Gundel, another author of the study. “Those residues follow a smoker back inside and get spread everywhere.” David J. Glenn

www.BayCurrents.net

Housing is ‘a basic right’ By KATERYNA STUPNEVICH

Nadler and other officials work with tenants on regular basis, and many advocacy groups provide information and guidance related to tenants” rights. Brooklyn Housing and Family Services, funded by city and state agencies, works with up to 1,000 buildings and assists some 60,000 tenants. “Up until about four years ago, all of our resources were used to work with tenants and landlords. But since the mortgage crisis, we also deal with people in danger of losing their homes,” said Larry Jayson of Brooklyn Housing and Family Services. “We are funded specifically to assist homeowners and organized tenants in multiple dwellings, as well as work with landlords throughout the entire borough.”

stupnevich@baycurrents.net

As jobs, salaries, and benefits go down in New York, certain things – like rent – are skyrocketing. Worst of all, the combination of confusing laws and lack of direction is leaving many tenants in distress; puzzled about what’s legal and what’s not.

any tenants are misinformed or just unaware of the type of housing they are living in, and what they are entitled to in terms of rent and maintenance. Most rental housing in New York City falls into three categories: market-rate housing, rent-regulated housing, and subsidized housing. Market-rate housing can be new buildings which were built recently and were never rent-controlled, or premises which have undergone deregulation and no longer qualify for rent-control or rentstabilization. Market-rate housing includes apartments where rent exceeds over $2,000 per month, co-op and condominium buildings apartments that are being rented or sublet, and buildings with less than six units. In such apartments, the landlord is free to charge any rent that he deems appropriate. “Citywide, unregulated rents are 70 percent higher than regulated rents. The median regulated rent is $640, while the median unregulated rent in comparable buildings is $1,090,” the New York State Tenants and Neighbors Information Service reported in a recent study. “The enormous difference between regulated and unregulated rents indicates that in most cases, the deregulated apartments are priced out of the reach of people with incomes similar to those of the previous tenants.” Kumali Zairee, of Astella Development, a Coney Island non-profit, agrees that most people who live in market-rate apartments struggle to pay the rent. “Affordable housing is the biggest problem for people in Brooklyn,” she said. “[The city] should make it so that people can afford it, especially the way the economy is right now.” Although New York City does have rentregulated apartments, which are either rentcontrolled or rent-stabilized, there aren’t enough of them and the rent is steadily growing there as well, and rent control may

www.BayCurrents.net

Here are some organizations and agencies that can help not apply to buildings that were built after 1947. Rent-controlled units are subject to the maximum base rent (MBR), which reflects the cost of maintenance, annual taxes, water and sewer charges, among other expenses. The MBR can legally increase every two years, depending on inflation and the rise of building expenses. Singer says that “raising the ceiling” on rent control is becoming a major issue for tenants; she says that some may be paying as much as 10.5 percent increases. In case of vacancy, a rent-controlled apartment becomes rent-stabilized, unless the building has less than six units. Since the Rent Regulation Reform Act of 1997, rent stabilization became applicable only to apartments where rent does not exceed $2,000 per month. In order for the apartment to qualify for rent stabilization, it also must be the primary residence of the tenant. The landlords of rent-regulated housing are prohibited from charging more than the legal-regulated rent. Over decades, the City has tried to create more affordable housing by establishing subsidized apartments, which includes “Section 8” housing, public housing, and Mitchell-Lama housing. While MitchellLama housing program provides affordable housing to middle-income residents in rental and co-op buildings; both, public and “Section 8” housing is strictly reserved for low-income residents. “Section 8” housing is a voucher program which allows the

tenant to live in a private housing sector and pay only a portion of the rent, usually no more than 30 percent of the household’s income – the rest is covered by the government. Low-income tenants who qualify for public housing reside in buildings managed by the New York City Housing Authority, usually the most inexpensive housing in New York City. Elected officials say that affordable housing is a necessity for New Yorkers and needs to be expanded. “I firmly believe that housing is a basic right – not a luxury – and, particularly now in this economy, it is an essential component of middle- and working-class stability,” said Rep. Jerrold Nadler.

Brooklyn Housing and Family Services 718-435-7585 http://www.brooklynhousing.org/ New York City Rent Guidelines Board 212-385-2934 http://www.housingnyc.com/ Tenants and Neighbors 212-608-4320 http://www.tenantsandneighbors.org/ Brighton Beach Neighborhood Association 718-891-0800 http://www.brightonbeach.com/ Astella Development Corp. 718-266-4653 http://www.astelladevelopment.org/

Mary Quinn Powell, community activist, dies at 91

ary Powell, lifetime Brooklynite, community activist and long-time president of the Madison-Marine-Homecrest Civic Association, died Feb. 12 after suffering a stroke. She was 91. Her activism began in 1958, when she took a job as a clerk at the Columbia University School of Social Work. She soon became a representative for her fellow workers in the Drug and Hospital Workers Union. When the school’s book store closed in 1969, Powell stepped in open up her own University Book Service so students and faculty could get their books. In the 1970s, Powell founded the Erasmus Neighborhood Association in Flatbush, and went on to serve as president of the MadisonMarine-Homecrest Civic Association She also was an officer for the New York chapter of the National Older Women’s League, where she worked to empower older women. Powell is survived by her daughter Maureen McKenna of Surprise, Ariz., sons James of Staten Island, Michael of Enfield, Conn., Bruce of Silver Lake, Penn., and Richard of Mt Laurel, N.J., 15 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. She also leaves behind brothers James Quinn of Chestnut Ridge, NY, and John “Red” Quinn of San Diego, Calif., and her younger sister Catherine of Hendersonville, N.C. A funeral mass was at Good (l. to r.): Mary Powell, Pastor Ron Weinbaum of Shepherd Church. She was interred the King's Chapel, Brooklyn Borough President at Resurrection Cemetery on Staten Marty Markowitz, Ed Jaworski at MMHCA's Island. 2009 Holiday Party

Feb. 16 28, 2010

Page 5

War against Marty’s amphitheater rages on

Proposed mosque spurs opposition By HEEYEN PARK And DAVID J. GLENN park@baycurrents.net

Plans to build a four-story mosque on Voorhies Avenue off East 29th Street were met with some serious opposition at Community Board 15’s recent meeting.

ome 300 people crowded into the meeting room at Kingsborough Community College – with more waiting outside – as property owner Allowey Ahmed, a 60-year-old Muslim immigrant from Yemen, outlined, and defended, plans for the mosque and religious center in the residential area. “We have religious rights in America like everyone else to worship God,” he said. “I’m not an Islamophobe,” said resident Gregory Kalman. “I oppose the mosque on the issues of traffic and parking,” which he said would be compounded by the nearby elementary school that already brings in traffic at arrival and dismissal.

Ahmed countered that most of the potential congregants live in Sheepshead Bay and would walk to the mosque. Another resident, who identified herself only as “Stephanie,” charged that the Muslim American Society, a national organization involved in the local project, supports terrorist groups. Officials of the MAS, based in Falls Church, Va. say the group renounces violence and terrorism. The MAS was created in 1933 by the Muslim Brotherhood, itself founded in 1928 in the Middle East by a young elementary school teacher. The Federation of American Scientists – founded by scientists who had worked on the Manhattan Project and currently researches potential terrorism threats – reports that.over the years, the Muslim Brotherhood has divided into factions, including violent groups such as al-Jihad and al-Gama’at al-Islamiyya in Egypt, HAMAS in Palestine and mujahideen groups in Afghanistan.

By KATERYNA STUPNEVICH stupnevich@baycurrents.net

Opponents of the proposed amphitheater at Asser Levy Park won’t quit.

t a recent Community Board 13 meeting, residents expressed anger over Borough President Marty Markowitz’s $64 million project. “Keep in mind, this is our park, not the politicians’ park,” said Al Turk, vice president of Temple Beth Abraham, one of two temples at the park. “This is our money, not the politicians’ money.”

Turk expressed the feelings of many when he said he was outraged that Markowitz wants to spend $64 million in taxpayer funds for the project while public schools and other vital city facilities face budget cuts. Brighton Beach resident Arlene Brenner also spoke for many when she said that locals feared the noise from a year-’round concert venue. To illustrate the point, she blasted a radio into the microphone, shouting “Can you hear me?” – drawing applause from the anti-amphitheater crowd. “Marty’s dream is our nightmare,” said Ida Sanoff, a local activist and the president of Friends of Seaside Park. Sanoff said that many people who are familiar with the project are actually against it, even if they fail to speak up in opposition. Other residents proceeded to accuse the board members of inaction in the matter.

718-209-2246 5922 Avenue N (at the corner of Ralph Avenue)

Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner Brunch every Saturday & Sunday

Take

10% OFF entire meal with this ad (minimum 2 people)

Try our 8 oz. burgers!

Fresh ﬁsh daily

Open 7 days a week 6 a.m. - 10 p.m. We Cater

FREE DELIVERY!

718-209-2246 Page 6

Feb. 16 28, 2010

www.BayCurrents.net

â&#x20AC;&#x153;â&#x20AC;Śyou want to know if Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m moral enough to join the Army, burn women, kids, houses and villages after beinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; a litterbug.â&#x20AC;?

Coney Islandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own is a true legend By HEEYEN PARK park@baycurrents.net

No one could argue that Arlo Guthrie is not a legend in his time.

he 63-year-old folksinger and songwriter â&#x20AC;&#x201C; who grew up in Coney Island, which he called the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Holy Landâ&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201C; continues to touch people around the world with his guitar, harmonica, and piano. The son of Woody Guthrie, also a folksong legend, grew up surrounded by folksingers and songwriters â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Pete Seeger, Lee Hays from The Weavers, Ramblin Jack, and Leadbelly, to name a few. Guthrie is best known, of course, for his â&#x20AC;&#x153;Aliceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Restaurant Masacree,â&#x20AC;? the 1967 hit that inspired a 1969 movie by the same name. The song, lasting a full 18 ? minutes, recounts a true, albeit a little exaggerated, story in Great Barrington Massachusetts. On Thanksgiving Day, 1965, the 18-year-old Guthrie and his friend Richard Robbins, 19, were arrested by Stockbridge police officer William â&#x20AC;&#x153;Obieâ&#x20AC;? Obanhein for illegally dumping some of Aliceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s garbage after discovering that the town dump was closed for the holiday. Two days later they pled guilty in court, were fined $50,

and told to pick up their garbage. The song goes on to describe Guthrieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s being called up for the draft, at the New

York City induction center on Whitehall Street. Because he had a criminal record for littering, he is sent to the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Group W Bench,â&#x20AC;? in the company of thieves, rapists, and assorted other felons. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m sittinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; here on the Group W bench â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;cause you want to know if Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m moral enough to join the Army, burn women, kids, houses and villages after beinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; a litterbug,â&#x20AC;? he says in the song. He encourages his listeners to sing along, to resist the draft, and to end the war. Guthrie first performed the song publicly in a live broadcast over New York radio station WBAI 99.5 FM one evening in 1967. It is now regularly played on Thanksgiving by many classic rock radio stations He revised and updated â&#x20AC;&#x153;Aliceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Restaurantâ&#x20AC;? years later to protest President Ronald Reaganâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s policies, but this second version has not been released on a commercial recording. He sang a third version during the Bush Administration that

was recorded and released by the Kerrville Folk Festival. Guthrie said he learned that Richard Nixon had owned a copy of the song, and he jokingly suggested that this explained the famous 18? minute gap in the Watergate tapes. , â&#x20AC;&#x153;A lot of people think Aliceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Restaurant was an anti- war song,â&#x20AC;? Guthrie once told the New York Times. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not. It is an anti-idiot song.â&#x20AC;?

Cover to the 1997 rerecording

YOUR DOCTOR SAID ASPIRIN CAN LOWER YOUR RISK FOR ANOTHER HEART ATTACK OR STROKE. #65 "41*3*/ .": 3"*4& :063 3*4, 0' 450."$) 6-$&34 -PDBM SFTFBSDIFST BSF TUVEZJOH BO JOWFTUJHBUJPOBM ESVH UIBU DPNCJOFT BTQJSJO XJUI B TFDPOE NFEJDBUJPO UP TFF JG JU DBO IFMQ QSFWFOU TUPNBDI VMDFST :PV NBZ RVBMJGZ UP QBSUJDJQBUF JG ZPV )BWF UBLFO NH PG BTQJSJO EBJMZ UP QSFWFOU BOPUIFS IFBSU BUUBDL PS TUSPLF GPS UIF QBTU UISFF NPOUIT PS NPSF BOE ZPV BSF FJUIFS "HF XJUI B EPDVNFOUFE IJTUPSZ PG VMDFST XJUIJO UIF QBTU GJWF ZFBST PS PWFS BHF XJUI PS XJUIPVU B IJTUPSZ PG 6MDFST

1BSUJDJQBOUT XJMM SFDFJWF BMM TUVEZ SFMBUFE NFEJDBM DBSF BOE EJBHOPTUJD UFTUJOH BU OP DPTU BOE NBZ CF DPNQFOTBUFE GPS UJNF BOE USBWFM 5P MFBSO NPSF DPOUBDU 5)& -0$"- 3&4&"3$) 5&".

4ZOFSHZ 'JSTU &BTU UI 4USFFU #SPPLMZO /:

718-785-9610 www.BayCurrents.net

Feb. 16 28, 2010

Page 7

Coney Islanders gather to save ‘The World’s Playground’ By KATERYNA STUPNEVICH stupnevich@baycurrents.net

Coney Island residents recently joined people from across the five boroughs to discuss ways to prevent the Bloomberg administration from what they describe as turning a historic playground into a marketable monopoly.

“T

he City pretty much destroyed Coney Island as an amusement area, and now they are trying to bring it back,” said Ruth Magwood, a long time Coney Islander. “But this time there’s a lot of flaws with the plan.” The City plans on reconstructing Coney Island by dedicating 15 acres to highrise hotels along the south side of Surf Avenue and only 12 acres to the amusement area – a design that the volunteer group Save Coney Island calls “not big enough to serve the market of New Yorkers and tourists who would visit Coney Island.” In efforts to prevent the development, Save Coney Island has already filed a lawsuit against the City, claiming the Bloomberg administration had failed to

perform an “environmental review to the legal standard.” Save Coney Island spokesperson Juan Rivero said the organization may also press the City to purchase additional land for the amusement area, but for now their hopes rest on the lawsuit. “I think our best tactic is to delay through litigation until Bloomberg leaves office,” said Johnny Salvatore, a film producer for Atlantic Films. Salvatore is not the only one who feels that the needs and wants of the community continue to be ignored by the City. “We are all interested in revitalizing Coney Island, but if [the City] is taking our voice away, then they don’t deserve it,” said Pastor Connis M. Mobley of United Community Baptist Church. “They continue to build smoke screens even though there are still issues that are real to us but haven’t been dealt with.” Locals as well as visitors to Coney have complained for years about the limited bathroom amenities, sewage problems, and lack of enough parking and lights. But some remain optimistic. “We may not agree with everything the City plans to do, but it’s a start,” said

Stan Fox, a long-time operator of Coney Island amusements. “Coney Island may

be down and out right now, but you can’t kill it. It’s going to come up again.”

The history of Black History Month By KATERYNA STUPNEVICH stupnevich@baycurrents.net

As the decades have passed since February was designated as Black History Month, some have argued against its relevance, contending that the celebration of one particular race fuels racial division and separates black history from American history. Others still recognize the significance of maintaining the tradition, complaining only that the shortest month of the year was chosen.

“T

he African-American experience is central to any understanding of U.S. history – whether westward expansion, industrialization, the Civil War, or human and civil rights movements within the U.S.,” said Gunja SenGupta, a history professor at Brooklyn College. “It was precisely because this centrality of African American history to American history was historically forgotten or misrepresented that we needed a ‘Black History Month’ to jog our collective memories about our collective past as Americans.” SenGupta says that ideally society should remember the history of AfricanAmericans without the yearly reminder, but until that occurs Black History Month retains its relevance.

Page 8

Black history was first recognized as “Negro History Week,” launched by Dr. Carter G. Woodson – known as the Father of Black History – in efforts to bring nationwide awareness of the vital roles that blacks played in American history. Woodson was one of the first scholars to study the history of African-Americans and try to preserve it by collecting artifacts and publications which referenced the contributions of blacks. Before his involvement, black history was rarely studied or even documented. The African American presence was practically non-existent in history books, with the exception of reference to the inferior social position of blacks.

In 1915, Woodson founded the Association for the Study of African-American Life and History (then called the Association for the Study of Negro Life) and established the Journal of Negro History a year later. In 1926, Woodson initiated “Negro History Week,” which was celebrated during the second week of February because it coincided with the birthdays of two prominent American figures: Abraham Lincoln, who issued the Emancipation Proclamation, and slave-turned-abolitionist Frederick Douglass. The tradition was eventually extended to the full month and renamed Black History Month. Opponents of Black History Month have argued not only against the tradition, but also against incorporating it into educational curriculums. An article in The Western Journal of Black Studies, written by Abul Pitre and Ruth Ray, reports that several scholars dismiss Black History Month as an attempt to rewrite history. Others in opposition fear that the annual reminder of the historical injustice against African Americans will fuel hatred and anger toward white

Feb. 16 28, 2010

people, and only cause a greater division among races. Supporters of Black History Month say that such claims are merely used as an attempt to eradicate Black History Month and its teachings. “I think it is still appropriate to have a month dedicated to one race because of the experience of black Americans, and because that experience was ignored for so long,” said Patricia Stapleton, a Brooklyn College political science professor. “I also think it is important to point out that such a celebration is in no way intended to denigrate other races. My opinion on Black History Month is that it is an important way to celebrate the struggles and successes of a significant part of the American population.” Despite the controversy, Black History Month remains a tribute to the struggles and successes of African-Americans throughout history. To this day, the tradition serves to remind Americans of all origins of the brutality of slavery, the distress of racial discrimination, and the agony of segregation, as well as the many unsung black heroes. “Forgetting the ways in which our differences as individuals and as groups structured our history would be a very dangerous and misleading exercise in denial,” said SenGupta. “Rather, we should understand the ways in which we evolved as a society that celebrates difference and cultural pluralism, and African-American history is vital to that endeavor.”

www.BayCurrents.net

In the stars

Earthlings to Mars: Say “Cheese!” By DAVID J. GLENN publisher@baycurrents.net

How would you like to take pictures from the surface of Mars?

o, you don’t need a high-powered telescope. All that’s required is Internet access. NASA is beginning a program to take suggestions from the public of what shots a powerful camera aboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter should take of the surface of our solar-system neighbor. The High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment, or HiRISE, camera on the Orbiter to date has recorded nearly 13,000 observations of the Red Planet’s terrain. Each image covers dozens of square miles and reveals details as small as a desk. Now, anyone on Earth can nominate sites for pictures. “The HiRISE team is pleased to give the public this opportunity to propose imaging targets and share the excitement of seeing your favorite spot on Mars at people-scale resolution,” said Alfred McEwen, principal investigator for the camera and a researcher at the University of Arizona, Tucson.

NASA anticipates that many people will be excited about virtually participating in this exploration of Mars, and that their suggestions will add to the accumulated knowledge of the planet. Even though thousands of pictures already have been taken, less than 1 percent of the Martian surface has been digitally captured. Students, researchers and others can view Mars maps using a new online tool to see where images have been taken, check which targets have already been suggested, and suggest new shots. “The process is fairly simple,” said Guy McArthur, systems programmer on the HiRISE team at the University of Arizona. “With the tool, you can place your rectangle on Mars where you’d like.” McArthur developed the online tool, “HiWish,” with Ross Beyer, principal investigator and research scientist at NASA’s Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, Calif., and the SETI (Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence) Institute in Mountain View, Calif. The HiRISE science team will evaluate the submissions and assign high priority to select ideas. Thousands of pending targets from scientists and the public will be imaged when the orbiter’s track and other conditions are right.

HiRISE is one of six instruments on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. Launched in August 2005, the orbiter reached Mars the following year to begin a two-year primary science mission. The spacecraft has found that Mars has had diverse wet environments at many locations for differing durations in the planet’s history, and Martian climatechange cycles persist into the present era. The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter is in an extended science phase and will continue to take several thousand images a year. The mission has returned more data about Mars than all other spacecraft combined. “This opportunity opens up a new path to students and others to participate in ongoing exploration of Mars, said the mission’s project scientist, Rich Zurek of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif.

To make camera suggestions, visit uahirise.org/suggest More information about the MRO mission is at www.nasa.gov/mro

2009-2010 SEASON

Subscription for $60 and enjoy all three wonderful performances: Sunday, February 21 at 2pm This internationally acclaimed company returns to the U.S. for the first time in 25 years with one of the most beloved ballets in the classical repertoire. Individual tickets: $30/$20

David Broza

Sunday, March 21 at 2pm A superstar in his homeland of Israel, David Broza’s unique style combines traditional Middle Eastern influences, flamenco, and American blues for a true world music sound. Individual tickets: $25

Israel Ballet

Sunday, March 28 at 2pm

photo © Emanuel Ogdan

Take a sentimental journey back to the 1940s with this nostalgic revue of swing, jitterbug, and big band classics. Individual tickets: $25

www.BrooklynCenterOnline.org or 718-951-4500

(Tues-Sat, 1pm-6pm)

Program support provided by:

Walt Whitman Theatre at Brooklyn College, 2900 Campus Road, Brooklyn (on-site paid parking available)

www.BayCurrents.net

Feb. 16 28, 2010

Page 9

718-251-8030 6610 Avenue U, Key Food Shopping Center in Mill Basin

Catering for All Occasions Dine In • Take Out • Delivery Now serving pizza by the slice all day! Ask us about our other two locations! Free Convenient Parking

Page 10

Feb. 16 28, 2010

www.BayCurrents.net

The Bay Parent

Let children have their childhood By RIVKI JUNGREIS, MS.Ed, LCSW info@baycurrents.net

Parents often reflect on the contrast between how they raised their older children compared to their younger children. They are confronted with the reality that some of the child-rearing methods they used in years gone by no longer serve in good stead.

ounger parents of today often hear their moms wax sentimental about a more innocent era when one-onone conversation with their children was the standard fare in communication. They were able to devote the lion’s share of their time to their toddlers. Story time, game playing, long talks, leisurely car rides, and trips to the amusement park all seemed so effortless. The words, “quality time” were not even a part of their vernacular. A decade or so later, though, there’s quite a different parenting scenario. Due to the explosion of modern technology and increased responsibilities, we find ourselves on mental overload, riddled with guilt that we can’t, or think we can’t, give the same kind of attention to our children that we received when we were younger. Texting, emails and computerized voices have replaced the warm tones of human voices and connection. Cell phones, computers, iPods, and video games promise to afford us more time with each other, yet the sad reality is the opposite. Studies indicate that all of these factors have led to a gargantuan breakdown in family relationships. The numbers of increased youth at risk are staggering, and maintaining a sense of control in the home is no longer a given. We are finding that parenting in the new millennium requires greater determination. What can we do? Despite hectic schedules, mothers should be aware that proper role modeling can still reach their children in profound ways. It is difficult for children to behave in a manner that is different from what they see at home. If parents don’t treat each other, or their children, with respect, should it be any surprise if the kids become disrespectful? Lifetime lessons are learned when a child witnesses the interactions and communication style particularly of his mother. Does she lose her cool? Does she speak with anger? When we speak quietly we convey strength and control of the situation. The ultimate objective of every parent is to rebuke without anger, without diminishing their child’s self-worth or by losing control. One of the first things I discuss in my parenting workshops is language. Compassionate communication builds a child’s self-esteem. Rather than saywww.BayCurrents.net

ing, “You’re so stupid!” or “You’re such a scaredy cat!” parents should focus on the action, not the child himself. “Your behavior was unacceptable” is much better – and more effective – than just calling names. You are making it clear that his behavior needs to change but he is still a valued and loved human being. Never label a child. If you call him a liar, he will likely become one. Unfortunately, many of us fall short in this area when dealing with our children. How often do you hear parents yelling at their children in stores or getting impatient and publicly embarrassing them? Do we stop for a moment to consider their feelings? Consider the following scenario: How about when you are having company and you are rushing around trying to get everything ready and your child keeps asking you questions, asking you for things or wants you to find something for him. How impatient and irritated do you get with him? Do you ever stop to realize that your child looks up to your every word and every action and it is his or her soul and character that we are shaping? Did you ever stop to think, “Big deal, who is this company”? The guests in our home come and go, but your child stays with you forever, and he will carry the memory of your behavior long after we are gone. A colleague of mine would always say, “Talk now, so they’ll talk later.” One of the ideas I try to promote with parents is five minutes of private time with their child every night. Parents are surprised at how cherished this time becomes and at how often children request their private time. I remember a client telling me about her married son. His own child was very ill and needed to be hospitalized. She said she never forgot the phone call she received from her heartbroken son, requesting private time. Making room for private time and quality time with our children seems more elusive today than ever before, but it’s really not difficult. You can begin by becoming aware of how often you are on the cell phone while your child is with you – this is really time away from him, even if he’s right next to you. Start cutting down on your cell phone time in increments – you’ll soon wonder why in the world you spent so much time on it in the first place! The first words, the first exchange that a child has when coming home at the end of a school day is crucial. Try not to be on the phone when your child walks in. The first five minutes set the tone. Perhaps you can say, in a voice loud enough for him to hear, “My child is home from school now so I must go, because I really want to talk to him.” Of course, the child must know there sometimes will be very important calls that can’t be immediately interrupted. On occasion, take out a child individually, for a malted, a pizza, even an errand with him or her alone. You’ll be surprised – children remember and cherish these

moments forever! Make a goal for some family dinners during the week. Dinner together with children can change their world. Whether you eat or just sit with them is irrelevant. Communication is the key, and the more often the better. Then there are times when communication must be monitored, especially for younger children raised with older siblings. They are often in earshot of adult conversations and absorb subject matter that is far beyond their emotional grasp. Whether it is the problems in a marriage, financial concerns, details of a pregnancy, worries over the physical condition of a grandparent, the younger child is caught in the middle and naturally demands explanations. As parents we feel an obligation to explain and let them into our adult world, but we end up “adultifiying” our younger children. These children can become angry and demanding. Often there is a real sense of entitlement; they can’t understand why they are not being treated as equally as their older siblings. Research indicates that deep down in their souls, children really don’t want to be treated as adults, no matter how much

they may say they do. They feel more secure and loved when they know they are children and that their parents are the adults who are in charge. When too much power and control is handed to a child, it frightens him because his parents have seemingly relinquished their role as protectors. When parents don’t set limits, he cannot feel safe. Anxiety usually sets in. Children should be allowed to have their childhood. They need not be privy to all the adult issues gong on around them. They need not be given choices outside their capabilities. They will fight for the power but ultimately it is not good for them. Young children want to stay up as late as they can and eat what they like, but it is up to us to decide what bedtime and dinner will be. Children can be given choices, but we have to determine what they can choose from. If a child knows consistency and boundaries, and is confident that we have only his best interests at heart, he will be free to soar, to grow, to explore and to learn to become a productive, caring human being.

Hung up on the patent

Antonio Meucci

“M

eucci, come here, I need you” doesn’t have the same, well, ring to it as Alexander Graham Bell’s famous command to his assistant, Watson, but it would have been more fitting. Antonio Meucci (1808-1889), who is honored by Meucci Square bounded by Avenue, 86th Street, and West 12th Street, actually developed a working model of the telephone fully 17 years before Bell – who was Meucci’s lab partner -- secured a patent. Meucci simply couldn’t afford to patent his invention, and he was unable to get the attention of Western Union executives.

Feb. 16 28, 2010

Page 11

Senior currents

No, Grandpa doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need a napâ&#x20AC;Ś By DAVID J. GLENN publisher@baycurrents.net

Bucking stereotypes abut seniors having to take naps during the day, a recent study shows that older adults actually need less sleep than do younger people, and even with less sleep during the night, are less likely to feel tired during the day.

n the study â&#x20AC;&#x201C; published in SLEEP, the journal of the Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society â&#x20AC;&#x201C; adults 66 to 83 years old slept about 20 minutes less than middle-aged adults 40-55 years old, who in turn slept 23 minutes less than 20-30 year-olds. The older adults woke up significantly more often and spent more time awake after initial sleep onset than younger adults. The duration of deep sleep â&#x20AC;&#x201C; with fewer of the rapid eye movements that characterize lighter, dream sleep â&#x20AC;&#x201C; which scientists believe is the most restorative phase of sleep, decreased with age, according to the study.

But although older adults slept less deeply and less overall, and their sleep was less continuous than their younger counterparts, they also showed less need for a quick nap during the day. The study was conducted at the Clinical Research Centre of the University of Surrey in England and involved 110 healthy adults without sleep disorders or complaints. Forty-four of the participants were young, 35 were middle-aged, and 31 were older adults. For the study, they were allowed to sleep normally one night â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the baseline night â&#x20AC;&#x201C; then were interrupted during two nights of sleep, and then returned to normal sleep the fourth night. During the baseline night, younger adults spent an average of 433 minutes asleep, compared to about 410 minutes for middle aged adults and 390 for older adults. On the same night, the younger adults averaged 118 minutes of deep sleep, compared to 85 minutes for middle-aged adults and 84 minutes for older adults. A separate study published in the jour-

I am home

#VU "TQJSJO NBZ SBJTF ZPVS SJTL PG TUPNBDI 6MDFST -PDBM SFTFBSDIFST BSF TUVEZJOH BO JOWFTUJHBUJPOBM ESVH UIBU DPNCJOFT BTQJSJO XJUI B TFDPOE NFEJDBUJPO UP TFF JG JU DBO IFMQ QSFWFOU TUPNBDI VMDFST

ALONE

I feel safe. I am protected. I have Life AlertÂŽ.

help

One touch of a button sends quickly in the event of a medical emergency, fall, home invasion, ďŹ re or carbon monoxide poisoning.

New!

:PV NBZ RVBMJGZ UP QBSUJDJQBUF JG ZPV )BWF UBLFO NH PG BTQJSJO EBJMZ UP QSFWFOU BOPUIFS IFBSU BUUBDL PS TUSPLF GPS UIF QBTU UISFF NPOUIT PS NPSF BOE ZPV BSF FJUIFS "HF XJUI B EPDVNFOUFE IJTUPSZ PG VMDFST XJUIJO UIF QBTU GJWF ZFBST PS PWFS BHF XJUI PS XJUIPVU B IJTUPSZ PG 6MDFST

1BSUJDJQBOUT XJMM SFDFJWF BMM TUVEZ SFMBUFE NFEJDBM DBSF BOE EJBHOPTUJD UFTUJOH BU OP DPTU BOE NBZ CF DPNQFOTBUFE GPS UJNF BOE USBWFM

Now we have two systems available:

Life Alert Classic for seniors Life Alert 50+ for people 50+

5P MFBSO NPSF DPOUBDU 5)& -0$"- 3&4&"3$) 5&".

4ZOFSHZ 'JSTU &BTU UI 4USFFU #SPPLMZO /:

For a FREE brochure call:

ÂŽ

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve fallen and I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get up!

Page 12

changes in the ability to fall asleep and remain asleep,â&#x20AC;? said Elizabeth Klerman of Brigham and Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hospital & Harvard Medical School

:063 %0$503 4"*% "41*3*/ $"/ -08&3 :063 3*4, '03 "/05)&3 )&"35 "55"$, 03 4530,&

When

Your choice of help buttons

nal Cell Biology last year reached similar conclusions. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s possible that [seniors] sleep less even when given the opportunity for more sleep because of age-related

1-877-609-9676 Feb. 16 28, 2010

www.BayCurrents.net

Health Currents

Holistic wellness By ARLENE BRENNER health@baycurrents.net

Holistic health – yoga, relaxation, nutrition, meditation, stress reduction, and more – not too long ago was dismissed as ineffective; it is now rapidly becoming integrated into standard medical practice.

s we offer some insights into this increasingly important aspect of personal health, we will provide resources for further information, and we encourage your feedback. We can grow together. For this first installment, I’ve chosen a topic near and dear to my heart.

Yoga for the Full-Figured Body I have been lean and full-figured and everything in-between. I’ve gone to yoga classes and stood in the furthest back corner of the room. At times I huffed and puffed. But always, I was self-conscious about how I looked, what I wore and who was looking at me. In time, I learned that there was no “right way” to do a posture! The “right way” for me was to adapt postures to my body. Honoring my abilities and limitations was the single most important piece for getting value out of a yoga class. I learned that I could move slower at times and get full benefit for my body. I learned that I could lift my leg in a posture 6 inches instead of 12 inches and get the full benefit. I learned that if I looked inside myself

and paid attention to my body/mind instead of being concerned about everyone else, that I got full value out of the class. In a short while, others like me may find the practice, easier, more flowing and most importantly, more satisfying.

Why is a special class necessary for the full-figured body? Well, it’s not necessary for some but is necessary for those who struggle with selfconsciousness, shame and discomfort working with thin lithe, young figures. There are also special needs that may not be appropriate for a thin student. A full-figured yogini may need more time to transition from posture to posture and may need to use props for support. Heavier people often have some health issues that need to be addressed in a yoga class, including breath awareness, lumbar back support and knee injuries. “If you desire to go to yoga and go to a regular class, it might be too intimidating,” said Millie Miraglia of The Exercise Studio, offering fitness classes for the fuller figure.” The whole idea is to make the students feel comfortable so they can be in a yoga class.”

dent’s medical needs should be considered. Students should be encouraged to work at their own pace – I invite my students to listen to the body’s whisper before it becomes a scream. In this way, there is far less chance of injury and much more opportunity to appreciate the richness of each posture and to experience yoga at one’s own level. Beyond these considerations, are the regular benefits of yoga. Breath awareness and movement are essential for a healthier body. There is freedom and joy in breath and movement when done consciously. Increased flexibility, strength and endurance can grow in time. One can feel better mentally and physically, and feel more relaxed, energized and enlivened. My personal favorite benefit – besides feeling great! – is the group support

that blossoms. Yoga is fun when done with kindness to oneself and others in the class. “Ahimsa” –non-violence – is one of the founding principles of yoga. For a yogi that means moving one’s body with awareness and acceptance so no harm is done. It also means being attentive to any inclination toward belittling thoughts directed at oneself or others. These thoughts can be replaced with loving-kindness, breath by breath. I’ve included some resources for Full-Figured Yoga. Of course, check with your doctor first before starting an exercise program. One very popular DVD is Yoga: Just my Size with Megan Garcia. She is a plus-sized woman. I liked her book, Megayoga, but there is nothing like having a real live teacher to bring you into and out of postures, especially for new students. Another popular DVD is Yoga for Round Bodies by two gentle, round gals. For a live teacher and studio, you can check out The Exercise Studio at 2073 86th street 718 373- 3747. I’d love to hear from you. Contact me at health@baycurrents.net, or call me at Bay currents at 347-492-4432. Stay tuned for our next column – holistic dentistry! Arlene Brenner M.S. is a Certified Kripalu Yoga teacher and a Certified Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapist. She has spent more than 25 years involved in holistic lifestyles in one form or another.

What can one expect in a Full-Figured Yoga class? Most importantly, the environment should be non-judgmental and non-competitive, so one can relax and begin to cultivate self-acceptance. It should be gentler with extra time provided for rest periods. A variety of props should be provided and modifications offered for each body type. A stu-

Do you suffer from embarrassing symptoms like gas, bloating, cramps, or diarrhea? Lactagen® was developed and clinically tested by a team of leading medical and scientific specialists to help people struggling with Lactose Intolerance. Try our 38-day program today!

149.95

Receive $20 off Lactagen® today by calling 877-636-8392 and saying the phrase "I Want Dairy Again".* *Code name must be used for offer to be applied

877-636-8392 For more information on Lactagen® and other Ritter Nutrition products call today.

www.BayCurrents.net

Feb. 16 28, 2010

Page 13

Movie Stars 1 Star of “Truman Show” 6 Inquire 9 Scientist’s ofﬁce 12 Play 13 Caesar’s twelve 14 Pub serving 15 Singing voice 16 Type of partnership 17 Scrap 18 Opp. of false 20 Molten rock

22 “Oh __!” (two wds.) 25 Bar 26 Pair 27 Gets larger 29 Not front or back 31 Surface to air missile 32 Asian country 36 Microscopic 39 Cunning 40 Star of “Braveheart” 43 Disastrous 45 Excite

46 Family ﬁght 47 Nothing 48 Promissory note 50 Heathen gods 54 Furniture wood 55 Opp. of SSW 56 Bottoms of shoes 57 Spots 58 Hair stuff 59 Make a present of

DOWN 1 Central daylight time 2 Is 3 Fled 4 Display emotions 5 Herb 6 Shaft 7 Perch 8 Cruise’s wife 9 One of the Florida Keys 10 Remember the __! 11 Started

19 At the same time 21 Ditto 22 Disks 23 French “yes” 24 Modern 25 Jew 28 Reservoir 30 Compass point 33 Chinese seasoning 34 Boxer Muhammad 35 Big Apple (abbr.) 37 Touching with the toe

38 Star of “Top Gun” 40 City 41 Book by Homer 42 Resists 44 Annex (2 wds.) 46 Gas 49 Less than two 51 Aged 52 MGM’s Lion 53 Opp. of 55 Across

ACROSS

Each Bay Sudoku has a unique solution that

Pragmatic name

can be reached logically without

ny student at John Dewey High School (50 Ave. X) who gets “pragmatism” wrong on a vocabulary test should be ashamed. Psychologist and educator John Dewey (1859-1952) was among the founders of pragmatism, the uniquely American philosophy emphasizing practicality.

guessing. Enter digits from 1 to 9 into the blank spaces. Every row must contain one of each digit. So must every column, as must every 3x3 square.

by Matt Lassen

Page 14

Feb. 16 28, 2010

www.BayCurrents.net

Book Currents

Muslim mafia ‘Inside the Secret Underworld That’s Conspiring to Islamize America’ By P. DAVID GAUBATZ and PAUL SPERRY Reviewed by FERN SIDMAN info@baycurrents.net

The Muslim Brotherhood, described by the authors as an Egyptian-based Islamic terrorist organization, appears to be alive and well and cloaking itself in legitimacy in our nation’s capital under the guise of a front group, say P. David Gaubatz and Paul Sperry in their new book, “Muslim Mafia: Inside the Secret Underworld That’s Conspiring to Islamize America” (World Net Daily Books 2009).

nvestigative journalism reaches new levels and concludes with a shocking crescendo in this tome, as Gaubatz , his son Chris and Paul Sperry infiltrate the

Washington-based organization known as the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR); the nation’s largest and purportedly mainstream Muslim-American “civil rights” advocacy agency. The authors support their findings with more than 12,000 pages of confidential CAIR documents and hundreds of hours of video captured in this unprecedented undercover operation. Through nuanced research of internal memos and documents, the authors conclude that CAIR is the ideological cousin of the Muslim Brotherhood and that their leadership is inextricably tied to the promulgation of an explosively violent “jihadist” agenda. Using double speak and a wide variety of cleverly devised subterfuges, CAIR manages to ostensibly present itself as a lawabiding, pro-American organization, but this is all a calculated lie, the authors say. Gaubatz, a military counter-terrorism specialist, served for 12 years as an agent with the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations. He also is a State Department-

trained Arabic linguist. Joining him in the six-month long investigation of CAIR are his son Chris who worked undercover as a convert to Islam, and Paul Sperry, a veteran investigative journalist and author of “Infiltration: How Muslim Spies and Subversives Have Penetrated Washington”. The authors document CAIR’s foreign fundraising sources, including exceedingly large donations from the Wahabi-dominat-

ed Saudi Arabian government. CAIR, in turn, funds Hamas and other terror organizations, the authors say. CAIR’s infiltration even extends to key US law enforcement agencies including local police departments, the FBI, the CIA and the State Department, and the organization plants spies in Congressional offices, Gaubatz and Sperry say. While elected officials from both sides of the aisle, including former president George W. Bush, have legitimized the organization with governmental recognition and ceremonial gravitas, CAIR’s underlying credo remains seditious and rabidly antiAmerican, the authors say. In the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, Bush appeared alongside officials from CAIR and other outwardly benign Muslim groups, announcing, “It is my honor to be meeting with leaders who feel just the same way as I do. They’re outraged, they’re sad. They love America just as much as I do.” These words would come back to haunt the president as facts concerning CAIR’s zealous legal representation of Muslim Americans charged with terrorist activities came to the fore and as history would record, certain members of CAIR’s own leadership would turn out to be named as unindicted co-conspirators in helping to finance terrorist organizations through such front groups as the Holy Land Foundation, Gaubatz and Sperry write. To say that “Muslim Mafia” is an eyeopener, is a definite understatement.

1229 Avenue Y (off East 12th Street) Suite 5C • Phone 718-368-2322 • Fax 718-368-3938 • mairalaw.com www.BayCurrents.net

Feb. 16 28, 2010

Page 15

A man with many talents By DOMINIQUE CARSON carson@baycurrents.net

If one were to describe Glenngo Allen King in one word – not an easy task – it would be: multi-talented.

ing, born in Bedford Stuyvesant and raised in Coney Island, is a director, poet, puppeteer, and actor. He attributes his diverse, and long, career to his religious faith, a passion for what he does, and what he describes as the unconditional love and support from his family, friends, and colleagues throughout the years. During the 1960s, Coney Island was a unified neighborhood and children didn’t run out of things to do in the neighborhood, he said. “There were so many activates that children were a part of. There were three movie theaters, a bowling alley, a florist, and two bakeries. But times have changed because many parents are scared when children leave their sight because there is so much street violence and high usage of drugs now.” King found his talents at the age of five. He was fascinated with art, theater, and puppets. He used to make paper mache puppets in after-school programs, and he would pretend to have his own radio and television show with his two older brothers and younger sister. “At first I didn’t know I was setting a path for my career, because one thing led to another and I just kept going and going,” said King. “Then my parents used to watch us individually because they knew that each of us had our own talents. I’m just thankful that my parents let me pursue my dreams.” In his pre-teens King started writing poetry, and his English teacher, Dr. Daisy Aldan and Owen Dodson inspired him to write. He says that even though he usually wrote assigned essays, his teacher also gave the opportunity to write poetry and he developed a love for it. Dylan Thomas,

Smokey Robinson, James Baldwin, Curtis Mayfield, and the Romantics inspired him as well. “Owen was like a walking encyclopedia on theater, art, and literature, and he knew his stuff and he has been around,” said King. “I think it was one of those golden opportunities for me- to be sharing my work with him, talking to him and getting affirmation from one of the village elders.” King continued to flourish as an artist when he received professional training from the High School of Arts and Design and Cooper Union School of Art. Cooper Union is a difficult school to get into because only 60 students are chosen out of hundreds of applicants. “Cooper Union was quite an experience because the whole ambience was amazing. I was at Cooper Union when it was going through a great transition because the school had just come out of the ”60s,” said King. “I consider that school to be a village – the classes are small and if I didn’t know everybody by their first name, I knew their faces. You got to know your professors and they got to know you, too.” King’s schooling wasn’t finished yet. He received theatrical training from performers Brother Jonathan and Geraldine Fitzgerald, founding members of the Everyman Street Theatre Co. of Brooklyn. In the late 1970s, King joined the Brewery Troupe, founded by Brad Brewer, and he was principal puppeteer, performer, and artistic consultant. For the next 25 years he was puppeteering, acting, maintaining puppets, creating new characters, building sets, and developing scripts. “When Brad came into the picture, I knew that this was really what I was going to do. I tell people that when I met Brad it was an act of God. It was, and twenty-five years later I’m still doing it.” King did voice-overs for Fast Eddie, one of the lead sing-

ers in the Brewery Troupe’s musical group, the legendary Crowtations. “When kids see me they expect me to be Fast Eddie,” he said. “It’s interesting to be in that kind of a place because Fast Eddie is an extension of myself. If kids are so fixed into believing that, then I think I’ve done half of my job.”

We specialize in Catering!

Breakfast • Lunch • Dinner Come Visit our Newly Renovated Dining Room Elegant-dining quality at neighborhood diner prices! We also serve wine, beer, and liqueur on premises Free delivery within a 3-mile radius!

Page 16

Feb. 16 28, 2010

717 Kings Highway (at East 8th Street)

718.998.3750 www.BayCurrents.net

Financial Currents

Beware of the RALs! By DAVID J. GLENN publisher@baycurrents.net

They’re more low-keyed about it this year, but the mass-market tax preparers, as well as some smaller preparers, still offer enticing “RALs” – refund anticipation loans – to unsuspecting customers.

hey tend to emphasize the “Refund” aspect of it while downplaying the “Loan” part, and customers often don’t realize that they’re really signing up for a very high-interest loan. The Neighborhood Economic Development Advocacy Project based in Manhattan, whose stated mission is “to promote community economic justice,” says the RALs are “an unnecessary product” that “target the poorest of taxpayers.” “Each year, millions of dollars are siphoned out of New York’s poorest neighborhoods to pay for tax refund anticipation loans,” the NED says on its website. “Made against a person’s expected tax refund or tax credits, RALs typically carry annual percentage rates ranging from 36%

to more than 700% – well above New York State’s 25% interest rate cap. RALs are usurious.” The chains’ ability to offer such quick refunds – sometimes within a few hours of electronically filing – also draws potential customers away from smaller firms and neighborhood accountants. “ Ta x p a y e r s want the money quickly,” said Richard Valenti, an accountant who runs the Flagg Tax Center at 1501 Sheepshead Bay Road, about a block down and across the street from H&R Block. He doesn’t offer refunds in four hours, nor is he able to provide refunds before the filer even gets his W-2 form in the mail, as the large chains offer. “I get calls about it all the time, and I have to tell them I don’t offer it,” he said. Although he does offer some RALs, Valenti says he tries to dissuade tax filers from using them. “I make the same amount

of money whether or not they use an RAL. I try to make them aware that they can save a lot of money by just waiting a little bit for their refund.”

But most insist on getting their money fast, he said. In many cases, they need the funds in order to pay the filing fees. Valenti recounted one case in which the filer received only $50 out of a $300 refund – the $250 went to fees. Sometimes, though, an RAL can be an offer that’s hard to refuse. Valenti showed Bay Currents one return (with all identifying information concealed) in which the filer, who reported an income of about $20,000 for 2006, was due a federal and state refund of some $7,000. “You could understand how the filer, especially since it’s a low income, would want that money quickly, even it means letting the bank take a chunk out of it.” Valenti said. He added that many low-income filers don’t have checking accounts, and can’t benefit from the IRS’s quicker direct-deposit program. The Advocacy Project wants taxpayers to know that not only can they easily avoid RAL fees, they can get their returns filed for free. VITA – Volunteer Income Tax Assistants – are located all around the five boroughs, and will prepare returns for free for low and moderate income filers as well as for the elderly of any income. A VITA site in the Bay area is COJO (the Council of Jewish Organizations), 1658 Coney Island Ave., 718-627-5036. For more locations, visit the Project’s website, www.nedap.org, or call 212-680-5100

Come study the

Famous namesake

Torah

with us Wednesday evenings at

Young Israel of Bedford Bay

hen you hear “Bowery Street,’ you likely immediately think of the famous (infamous?) street in Manhattan. But oceanfront Brooklyn has its own Bowery Street – right in Coney Island, near KeySpan Park off Surf Avenue. The street, originally called Ocean View Walk, was re-named in honor of Manhattan’s Bowery because of its lights and rowdiness.

Free and open to members and non-members

It was a good try…

dvocates of alternatives to automobiles might want to tip their hats to the street sign at Boynton Place (diagonally connecting Avenue X and West 7th Street). The small road honors an inventor, Moody Boynton (1840-1927), who tried valiantly to market his “bicycle” train – an early version of a monorail train reaching the then-unheard speed of 60 mph. The Boynton trains were test-run through Gravesend into Brighton, but Boynton couldn’t muster up enough money to fully market his cutting-edge invention.

www.BayCurrents.net

We will welcome you in a warm, spiritual environment 8 p.m.

Call us about the many other programs and activities for all ages at Young Israel 2114 Brown Street (off Avenue U) Marine Park

718-332-4120

Feb. 16 28, 2010

Page 17

Opinion

Marching backwards By I. FREIDIN opinion@baycurrents.net

Previously mentioned in this column was an upcoming Supreme Court decision that would allow corporate interests unlimited spending on political campaigns.

endering invalid laws passed through the years to reform campaign spending, the nightmare has now become reality. The Supreme Court, not too long ago the defender of individual rights and freedoms, has, with this ruling, sent democracy hurdling back to the days of the robber barons of the 19th century. With a campaign-financing system that already equates with legalized bribery, what does this mean to the future of our democracy? Every writer with a conscience has put pen to paper or, more likely, fingers to keyboard, to rail against this travesty. Throughout the history of the United States it’s been an ongoing struggle to raise the reality to the ideals expressed by the founding fathers in the Constitution and Bill of Rights. It’s “We the people...”; not “We the financial interests...” or “We the white people...”. Yet, the institution of slavery was written into the document, primarily because financial interests of the time dictated. Thus, the table was set for the long hard fight to eliminate the hypocrisy and reach for the ideals. It wasn’t until after the Civil War, almost a century after independence that slavery was abolished and another century before the institutionalized racism that deprived people of color their rights as citizens eradicated. As the Industrial Revolution took root and millions of immigrants poured in to fill the ever expanding job market, their harsh exploitation by the new industrialists was another blight; again with government support. Despite the ideals celebrated every national holiday, hypocrisy reigned as voices of the common people were kept silent. But there were those who would not sit back and accept the injustices. Abolitionists spoke up against slavery from the beginning. In the late 19th century civil rights and labor organizations took root and for about a century there was progress; slowly at first; more rapidly as the 20th century advanced. The greatest leap forward was the advent of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal during the Great Depression. Mired in the worst economic morass in history, after a three year downward spiral and 25% unemployment, the nation was ready for Page 18

sweeping change. With government awareness of its obligation to the public, social progress now became the norm. People were provided protections and entitlements. Labor was recognized and afforded the right to collective bargaining and, after World War II, the civil rights movement gained steam. By the mid ‘60’s, the federal government had barred racial discrimination and established means of enforcement and

equal time for opposing opinions in the media, saw right wing talk radio flourish, misleading the public with falsehoods presented as legitimate opinions. Corporate takeover of formerly independent media companies has also had an influence on the news we receive...or don’t. History illustrates that social progress is a government concern. Civil rights could not have been achieved if the federal government

School closings Apparently the Department of Education’s solution to the problems in our schools is to close them rather than fix them. (Could this be a ploy to save money?) How far will those students have to travel now for their education?

But wait! The MTA is cutting out student MetroCards so they’ll have to pay to go to school. Mayor Bloomberg, fix our schools; don’t close them! MTA, how dare you deprive students of their transportation to school!

Is NYC really the safest? Cops cook the books The New York Times reports that according to retired Police Department brass, under Mayors Giuliani and Bloomberg, precinct commanders were under so much pressure to reduce crime that they “cooked the

books”, downplaying and underreporting crime in their jurisdictions. Many people voted for them based solely their fear of crime, ignoring other vital issues. What do they have to say now?

Doesn’t anyone care about their work?

women were on their way to equal rights as well. Next on the agenda was the war on poverty. But it was never to be. The debacle in Southeast Asia and the election of Richard Nixon in 1968 began the march backwards, accelerating rapidly under Ronald Reagan and culminating with the virtually complete sellout of the people to corporate interests under George W. Bush. And now, the Supreme Court, comprised mostly of business Republican nominees, has dealt a possibly fatal blow to our democracy.

Democracy is dependent on an educated electorate The problem is not, however, only with our government. One of the issues in the forefront of the tumultuous ‘60’s was the lack of an educated electorate. Most citizens, preoccupied with everyday lives, are not truly understanding of the issues and influences affecting our government, nor do they have a comprehension of the hardships of the past and the struggles to overcome. Right wing politicians have promoted fundamentalist religious beliefs, tying them to issues that provide for fewer restraints on the financial and corporate interests. The repeal of the Fairness Doctrine in 1987, which had provided for

hadn’t become involved. In fact, if the New Deal had not passed vital legislation, the nation, on the verge of chaos, might have turned in a totally different direction. Today however, the United States, the wealthiest nation on the planet, is sinking lower and lower relative to other industrialized nations in quality of life for its citizens; now at or near the bottom. Corporate propaganda has become more and more sophisticated as countless millions are spent to convince us that national health care and regulation of banks and other corporate interests are bad for the nation. Manipulated by sophisticated marketing, people are misinformed and confused; too often supporting causes and casting their votes against their own interests. They don’t get the fact that it’s diminishing the quality of their own lives and selling out their children’s future. It is an extremely sad state of affairs that even the Massachusetts Senate seat of Ted Kennedy, last of the true New Dealers, was won by a business Republican and Air America, the radio network airing a voice of reason, is out of business. So, when is the American public going to get it? How much do we have to lose before we, as a society, get fed up enough to act? Will it be too late? Feb. 16 28, 2010

A couple of instances that have come to our attention concerning technical services deserve airing. One concerns Snapfish, the photo website from Hewlett-Packard. Prints ordered for a friend’s elderly mother, arrived with several pictures cropped beyond recognition and distorted colors. With no one to call, he went to their online chat room, based overseas, and was offered answers that, he said, appeared to be right out of a book. Whenever they seemed stumped, there was a long pause followed by another textbook reply. Finally offered a refund, there was no other recourse but to discard most of the photos and apologize to his mother.

For shame, Snapfish! Another incident concerned the Geek Squad, the techie group from Best Buy that, for a hefty fee, will set up or repair your equipment. An elderly woman (isn’t it funny how so many of these incidents involve seniors?) purchased a new HDTV and was charged an additional $130 for delivery and setup. Instead of placing her equipment where it belonged, however, they stacked the cable box, DVD and VCR on top of each other in a cabinet, cutting off the air flow and creating a fire hazard. Apparently, expediency took precedence over quality and safety. For shame, Geek Squad! I. Freidin

Publisher’s Notebook David J. Glenn

don’t want to steal the thunder from columnist I. Friedin, who often waxes nostalgic on this page, but I wanted to spend a few paragraphs looking back on a bit of my own childhood memories. For no particular reason, I was thinking the other day about my elementary school and junior high years as an AV monitor. Those of you who were born after, say, 1970 likely will have no idea what I’m talking about. But the rest of you will know instantly that AV was short for audio-visual monitor. Yes, I was one of those somewhat nerdy boys – I never knew of any girls who did it – selected to regularly schlep a bulky movie projector into various classrooms to show a science or hygiene or history film that no one really paid attention to but which the teachers welcomed because it gave them, in effect, a free period. This was long before the days of DVDs, VCRs, or even video cassettes. I had to learn how to thread

the 35 mm film through the gears and cogs of the projector – something that for some reason none of the college-educated teachers had a clue of how to do. I also had to be ready to trouble-shoot when the film inevitably got stuck, broke, or suddenly went into reverse (evoking howls of laughter from the kids who now were suddenly paying attention). I didn’t get paid, of course, but it actually was my first job. It was a heavy responsibility if it weren’t for me, no one would get to see the steps of photosynthesis, the proper methods of hand-washing, or the gallant patriotism of the Revolutionary War. At least for 45 minutes, instead of being just another school kid, I was a vital teacher’s aide. It’s not like that today. If a teacher wants to use an audio-visual tool, all he or she has to do is wheel in the TV-DVD player, and plop in a disc. Of course, if the video gets stuck, breaks, or goes into reverse, I can be reached at Bay Currents… www.BayCurrents.net

Here are just a few of the places to pick up Bay Currents -- and some great coffee!

WHAT!? YOU MISSED THE LAST ISSUE OF BAY CURRENTS? Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t let it happen again! Make sure you always get the best of news and features of oceanfront Brooklyn by subscribing. Only $25 will ensure that youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll get all the thoughtprovoking features and columns of Bay Currents at your doorstep for six months -- or just $35 for a full year -- even if the nearby sidewalk box, store, or newsstand has run out.

Call 347-492-4432 e-mail: subscriptions@baycurrents.net

mail a check or money order to: Bay Currents, subscription department "WFOVF 6 4VJUF #SPPLMZO /:

ABS DISCOUNT GROCERY 2713 Ave. U (between East 27th and 28th Streets)

SICILY NEWS 2155 Utica Ave. (between Avenues M and N

AVENIUE U SUPERMARKET 1701 Ave. U (at East 17th Street)

APPLE NEWSSTAND 4404 18th Avenue 718-633-5722

JOSEPHâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S CARDS & GIFTS 3042 Avenue U (at Coyle Street) 718-648-0105

LAUNDROMAT JOEYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S CARDS & & CAFE GIFTS 1244 3042Avenue AvenueUU (between and 12th St) (bet. Coyle11th and Brown streets)

CORNER MINIMART 2423 Ave. U (at Bedford Avenue)

CAFE VERTORIS More Than a Bagel 2803 Ave. U (at East 28th St

BAY STOP GROCERY 2970 Ocean Ave. (Ocean Avenue at Avenue Z)

Quick Stop Mini Mart & Deli, Coney Island Avenue at Avenue U

RAJ NEWSSTAND 2811 Glenwood Road (off Flatbush Avenue)

SHAKESPEARE & CO. 14 Hillel Place (at Brooklyn College) 718-434-5326)

STARBUCKS 33 Hillel Place (at Brooklyn College)

USA DELI MARKET QUIZNOS 1917 Avenue U 37 Hillel Place and (bet. Ocean Avenue (atEast Brooklyn College) 19th Street) 347-462-2540

718-648-0105

MILL BASIN STOP 61-22 Avenue U at Mill Avenue

Bay Currents in Coney Island: Brooklyn Public Libraryâ&#x20AC;&#x201C; .FSNBJE "WF Couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t find any issues left Sunshine of Coney Island Deli â&#x20AC;&#x201C; .FSNBJE "WF Rite Aid â&#x20AC;&#x201C; .FSNBJE "WF. at your favorite spot? Key Food â&#x20AC;&#x201C; /FQUVOF "WF Madeleine Jones Day Care â&#x20AC;&#x201C; /FQUVOF "WF Call 347-492-4432 Circles Bistro â&#x20AC;&#x201C; $POFZ *TMBOE "WF

ONE DAY SALE! Wednesday, March 10 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sephardic Bikur Holim Thrift Store 1955 McDonald Ave.

Surf & Turf Grill â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 4VSG "WF

Answers to the Bay Crossword from page 14

Key Food â&#x20AC;&#x201C; /FQUVOF "WF Walgreens Drug Store â&#x20AC;&#x201C; /FQUVOF "WF CVS â&#x20AC;&#x201C; /FQUVOF "WF Peggy Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Neillâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s -- 4VSG "WF American Suds Laundromat â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 4VSG "WF Community Care Pharmacy â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 4VSG "WF Saulâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Pharmacy & Surgical Supply â&#x20AC;&#x201C; .FSNBJE "WF Major Meats â&#x20AC;&#x201C; .FSNBJE "WF

New, used, irregular, vintage, designer clothes for men, women, children All clothes are donated. Proceeds are used to help Sephardic charities ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Answers to the Bay Sudoku from page 14

(F train to Kings Highway, or Kings Highway bus to McDonald Avenue)

For more information, call 718--376-3914 www.BayCurrents.net

Feb. 16 28, 2010

Page 19