Who Walk In Brooklyn

Angry M.F. Fisher, Food Writer, is on the case: Ayo, I was rocking the Flatlands Ave Haitian scene yesterday & was therefore unable to attend the sham rally downtown in support of Eminent Domain abuse & Bruce Ratner’s so-called “Atlantic Yards” project. For the definition of real check Stormin’ Norman Oder at Atlantic Yards Report; a shot of fulminating Carl Kruger in vainglorious flight is over at Develop Don’t Destroy. Point blank: even by the exceedingly low standards of Brooklyn politics, Kruger is a particular venal specimen, although his bold— or just forgetful?— shamelessness does have comic rewards. Reader’s of Brian Berger’s New York Calling might be surprised to hear this. As it was written (in Summer 2006):

Back at Avenue U and Flatbush, it’s hard to imagine when this was a sleepy corner of the borough, with open lots, small farms and, through the 1930s, even squatters. All my Brooklyn-raised pals have odd memories of King’s Plaza: it was a novelty. Today, despite being on the edge of Jamaica Bay and Gateway National Park, a big-box style expansion of King’s Plaza is underway. Although this part of Brooklyn is often thought of as rather conservative, angry remarks from NY State Senator Carl Kruger tell another story: “We warned City Planning not to arbitrarily approve a use for this site that will erode an already perilous traffic situation, destroy neighborhood mom-and-pop businesses and allow a historically bad neighbor to further thumb its nose at the community. Once again, the administration has demonstrated where its priorities are— in keeping big business happy.”

Zyczymy Scmacznego, Food Writer, adds: Ayo, I was up in tha’ Boogie Down, back on the West African food beat— ya’ll might remember when Ernie Koy Jr got his Dibu Siya Banku on there last year— & missed the rally too. Although I failed, again, to acquire the tilapia (The Bronx meets The Gambia style) of my dreams… I shall return! Also returning: Brian Berger & Marshall Berman, along with Mindy Fullilove, Tom Angotti & moderator Michael Galinsky at the New York Public Library, June 18 at 7 pm. Where? The Island of Manhattan. Why? The Anger. How? Save Willets Point! Now wait, wait— who are ya’ll, precisely? NYPL Live knows, & they call it, precisely, “Eminent Domain: The American Dream For Sale.” If any WWIB readers want to say hey, with any luck at all I’ll be the Slavic dude in the back, nibbling on tilapia. Without such fortune I’ll just be hungry.