Bay Currents Volume 8 Issue 1

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

It’s your newspaper -- you count! Vol. 8, No. 1, August 12 - September 9, 2011

Also Inside:• Yellow light for fracking• Gay marriage -- not a civil right• ‘Russian Dolls’ unkind• Verizon hang-up• From KFC to TD• Brighton PO to close?

page 8

page 4page 4Stranger Danger?

Think backyard pools are safe?

After the murder of 8-year-old Leiby, should parents worry about

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It’s not often that I use this space to respond to an editorial in another publication, but this is one of the times that I feel I need to.

Miven Trageser, a child therapist in Los Angeles, described in a recent “Be Our Guest” column in the New York Daily News her belief in “free-range childhood,” declaring that she will “still let my kids walk home alone” even in the aftermath of the horrific abduction and murder of 8-year-old Leiby Kletsky by a kind-looking stranger in Borough Park.

“Yesterday, I left my 9-year-old alone in Yogurtland while I went to the rest room,” Trageser wrote. “She

was entirely comfortable with this arrangement. She has been raised to trust that her world is mostly safe, that adults are usually trustworthy.”

Yes, the world is mostly safe, and adults are usually trustworthy. But there is a big difference between mostly or usually, and completely and always.

Too often common-sense caution is confused with over-protectiveness. No, we can’t put our children in a bubble, but a mother taking her little girl with her to the restroom in a crowded store is simple common sense -- I don’t think it would give the girl any neurosis or undue fear, as Trageser suggests it would.

I remember that when our son was little, his mother would always make sure she would hold his hand or at least that he was ahead of her within sight – not walking three yards behind her as we’ve seen parents frequently do with children even as young as 4. More than once Suzanne was accused of being “overprotective” and “stifling his independence.”

Matis is now 20 – he’s anything but fearful or dependent. When he has his own kids, I’m sure he will be as “overprotective” and “stifling” to them as his mother was to him.

And they’ll grow up to be just as confident and independent – and safe – as he is.

The hard-earned successes of the protests and movements of the early and mid 20th century have had a disturbing consequence – it seems that every subsequent movement, no matter how narrow or even misplaced, is instantly put in the same league as these very legitimate struggles.

The activist group PETA calls for the “liberation” of chickens. Unions representing government workers who often grab six-figure incomes in overtime (from tax money) and enjoy virtually free health and retirement benefits (again, from tax money), compare their demands for even more money and fewer working hours to

those of coal miners in the 1930s. Smokers protesting the city’s ban on lighting up in a park or at the beach liken their cause to that of Rosa Parks who refused to give up her seat on a bus to a white man, igniting the civil rights movement.

So it is, too, with the legalization of same-sex marriage in New York State, the so-called “marriage equality” law successfully pushed by Gov. Cuomo and enthusiastically embraced by Mayor Bloomberg. They and other supporters – and even an insurance company in its advertising – deem it a civil rights issue.

It is not. Disallowing a man from “marrying” another man or a woman

from “marrying” another woman no more persecutes homosexuals than prohibiting a 10-year-old girl from getting married persecutes the 10-year-old. Does banning a man from having more than one wife discriminate against the man or the women? What about preventing a man from “marrying” his sister (or brother, for that matter)? Is that persecuting the siblings?

Crying “Prejudice!” or “Discrimination!” when protesting any conceivable limitation or rule, makes it that much harder to combat real examples of prejudice and discrimination.

Then, everybody loses.

Common-sense caution


After the tragedy of Leiby, Parents have new fears of ‘stranger danger’

Talk to your children…

by DAViD J. GLEnn

[email protected]

Leiby Kletzky, a week away from his ninth birthday, became missing on Monday, July 11 on his way home from day camp in Borough Park, hundreds from the community, and beyond, started a massive search for him. As the entire city – as well as the nation and many parts of the world – discovered early Wednesday, the good-natured, trusting boy had been abducted on 13th Avenue by a seemingly trustworthy man whom he approached for directions, and then was brutally murdered.

It was every parent’s worst horror – even more so because of where it occurred. Such a crime was unheard of in Borough Park, a close-knit Orthodox Jewish community where a spate of shoplifting would be considered a crime wave.

It’s why more than 10,000 people – including many from outside Borough Park – attended the little boy’s funeral later Wednesday.

And it’s why parents, all around the city, seem to be keeping an extra eye on their little ones, holding their hands a little tighter (although some persist in letting their children, even as young as 4 or 5, walk yards behind them on the sidewalk or in stores).

Even though most of us were told as children not to talk to strangers, police officials often say that “stranger danger” is more feared than real, that most abductions are related to custody battles.

But when there is such a case as little Leiby’s, especially as horrific and unexpected as it was, no pronouncements from government officials or any list of statistics will allay the fear: “Can this happen to my child?”

To help see that it doesn’t, Assemblymen Dov Hikind and Peter Abbate from Brooklyn and state Senator Diane Savino from Brooklyn and Staten Island, have introduced

in the state legislature “The Leiby Initiative” to give a $500 annual tax credit to New York City home- or business-owners who install and maintain surveillance cameras around their property. “This legislation could literally save lives,” said Hikind. “If there had been even more cameras along the route that Leiby took when he got lost on his way home from camp, perhaps we may have been able to find him sooner.”

Stanley Patz of Soho in Manhattan, the father of 6-year-old Etan whose unsolved 1979 disappearance ignited national awareness of

the tragedy of missing children, suggests an additional way to use technology to help prevent children from going missing. Patz, whose son’s image was the first in the nation to be placed on milk cartons, is proposing to police officials and to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children – which was established due to Etan’s disappearance – that they encourage cell-phone providers to offer to children basic phones for free or at low cost equipped with a “Call Mommy” button that children could use if they are lost or need help. The idea “would be a benefit to everyone,” Patz said.

And, City Councilman David Greenfield, whose District 44 includes Borough Park along with Midwood and Bensonhurst, has introduced “Leiby’s Law” to set up a “safe haven” in businesses or homes on every block in the city where kids could go if they’re lost or otherwise need help, so they won’t go over to a stranger on the street.

Under the program, children would be able to seek help at participating businesses or homes – which would undergo background checks -- that display a bright green, city-issued “Safe Haven’” sticker in their window. The businesses residents would then call the police while providing safe shelter for the lost child.

“I haven’t been able to sleep since the terrible tragedy that befell Leiby Kletzky,” Greenfield said. “This bill is a simple and low-cost way to create safe havens for children across New York City. What’s more, store-owners and residents who participate will send a clear message that they care about New York’s children.

“Residents of New York City need peace of mind. Leiby’s Law would provide a better option for children than simply asking strangers for directions.”

“It would be a pleasure to be a part” of the program, said Faigy Lebovich, owner of Kosher Candy Man on 13th Avenue and 47th Street.

Adam Nussbaum, owner of What A Deal! toy store on 13th Avenue, near Leiby’s day camp, said that often children who get disconnected from their parents on the avenue come in to his store. “They call the parents and we give them a toy to play with while they wait,” he said.

Nussbaum thinks the Safe Haven Program is a good idea. “Everyone in the community should be involved,” he said.

Misaskim, a Jewish crisis intervention organization that helped in the search for Leiby and in the aftermath of the tragedy, had warned parents about stranger danger, in an article on its website – before the crime:

Misaskim would like to remind parents about the increased risk of youngsters being lured away from an adult’s watchful supervision, especially in the warmer months. During the spring and summer, children and teens spend more time outdoors and away from home. Vacations, camps, and trips to amusement parks pose new safety challenges. According to Nancy McBride, Director of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCME), children can be more vulnerable in the summer when they may not have as much adult supervision. McBride points out that perpetrators look for easy “access and opportunity.”

Prevention ContentionIn making hard-and-fast rules about not talking to

strangers, we have to take into account the situation if a child is lost and there are no familiar adults nearby. To whom will your child turn for help? There have been several situations where missing children actually hid from the search-and-rescue teams because they perceived them as strangers. “We need to teach kids things that are actually going to help them if they’re in trouble,” says McBride. “We really need to teach children about situations to avoid and to be concerned about - not people. We can’t tell kids who the good people and the bad people are.”

Lurking LuresWhile all children are vulnerable and can easily be lured

away, children ages 8-12 are at the highest risk of being abducted. It is particularly important to teach children in this age group about dangerous adult behaviors so that

they have greater awareness when they are in an unsafe predicament. This can be accomplished by talking to kids about the various lures most commonly used by perpetrators. After interviewing hundreds of convicted abductors, Ken Wooden uncovered the strategies these people use to entrap their victims. In his Child Lure Prevention program, Ken familiarizes children with the most frequently used lures.

Perpetrators may try to appeal for assistance from children. They may claim to be lost and ask for directions, or request the child’s help with packages, and in some instances - pretend to be disabled. Sadly, this lure turns out to be the greatest threat to human life. Tell children that adults who need assistance should get it from other adults, not children. They don’t need to be polite in these situations, they need to be safe. Children should pretend that they didn’t hear the request and run away in the opposite direction.

Luring kids with candy, toys or other gifts still happens, and it still works. Yet, money is the most effective bribe. When children are bribed they are warned not to tell their parents. Discuss with children that it’s never okay for an adult to ask them to keep a secret from their parents. Children should know that they can always share secrets with you, especially if the secrets make them feel upset or scared. Parents should always inquire about unexplained gifts. Who gave them to your child? Why and when were they given?

Perpetrators may fake a crisis in order to trick children to follow them. One common scenario is telling a youngster that “Mommy had an accident and she asked me

Cover Story

“We need to teach kids things that are

actually going to help them if they’re

in trouble.”

to come get you.” Talk to your children about this lure and have an emergency plan in place with your children. Who will contact them in case of an emergency and whom do they need to call if there is an emergency?

Most children are fascinated by animals and can easily be lured away with the promise of being able to see a litter of newborn kittens or when asked to help look for a lost puppy. Children must know never to enter anyone’s home

or car without parental permission. They should never respond to such requests and should report the incident to their caregivers.

Children who are starved for attention are especially vulnerable to this type of entrapment. They will blindly follow their abductors in exchange for being listened to, praised, or shown any other form of affection. Children should know that nobody may touch them in a way that makes them

feel uncomfortable. If an adult tries to touch them they should yell “NO!” and run away. Encourage your children to immediately report such incidents.

Creating a SceneWhile familiarizing youngsters with the lures used by

abductors proved to be the most effective way to prevent abduction, the NCME has some compelling evidence that parents will want to know about.

Thousands of children in the United States are lured away each year. But the good news is that many do manage to get away from their abductors. How? Eighty-eight percent of these children created a scene. They yelled, fought, kicked, screamed, and flailed. “All of those things need to be done so that the child does not get into that vehicle or so that the child does not get abducted by that person,” McBride warns parents. “I’d much rather know about attempted abductions where kids got away than be part of an abduction where a child is unfortunately taken.”


By JOSEPH REISMAN

[email protected]

Question: I received a commission check in addition to my regular salary check. The taxes withheld were double my regular check. Was this correct?

Answer: In addition to regular compensation, if you receive other wages, such as commissions, awards, or back pay, these payments, known as supplemental wages, may be subject to special rules that affect how much federal income tax is withheld.

Generally, the amount of income tax withheld from regular wages is computed by using IRS-provided tables or percentages and the information on Form W-4, Employee’s Withholding Allowance Certificate.

For supplemental wages, the calculation is based using one of two methods.

1) With the aggregate method, the supplemental wages are added to regular compensation paid during the same period. Income tax withheld is based on the method applied to regular wages.

2) You can choose the f lat-rate method if you treat supplemental wages as a separate payment and you’ve had income tax withheld from other wages during the current or prior year. As the name

indicates, you use a f lat rate of 25% for 2011 and 2012, without regard to Form W-4.

The flat-rate method is mandatory for federal withholding purposes when supplemental wages exceed $1 million in a calendar year. In that case, the rate increases to 35%.

Remember, Social Security and Medicare taxes are also withheld from most supplemental wages. Military differential pay is one exception to this general rule.

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Cuomo gives fracking a yellow light

Stop fracking now! NYU students join opposition against fracking

By ERIC LIMA

[email protected]

The Cuomo administration will allow limited natural gas drilling upstate – which some legislators and many environmental groups fear will threaten New York City’s drinking water.

On June 30, five days before the moratorium on hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking,” was due to expire, the state Department of Environmental Conservation said it would allow fracking in the Marcellus Shale, but with what Cuomo described as strict environmental regulations, and only after a full report on the potential dangers is completed following a 60-day public-comment period. The beginning date of the comment period and the procedure are to be announced.

But things could be held up further because of an explosion at a natural gas site in Pennsylvania last April that spilled toxic chemicals into local waterways that were supposed to be protected from fracking. In May, state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman sued the EPA, saying the agency had proposed the fracking regulations “without first conducting an assessment of the environmental impacts related to allowing fracking in the Basin.” The lawsuit included a reference to the “blowout at a Pennsylvania natural gas drilling site [that] caused gallons of chemical-laced water to spill over neighboring land and into a stream…”

The Republican-led state Senate and Mayor Michael Bloomberg agree with the DEC report that it’s possible to learn from the mistakes of other states, Pennsylvania in particular, and say it’s safe to drill for natural gas in New York in order to boost the state’s ailing economy.

New York’s environmental groups disagree.

The New York State Sierra Club, Atlantic Chapter, works with volunteers to advance the chapter’s conservation objectives in New York State’s administrative, elected, and public arenas. Chapter chairman Roger Downs lists several problems he says New York State would face if fracking is permitted. He stresses on the Club’s website that that The New York Times “presented a scathing, three-part series revealing that the EPA had suppressed reports concluding that New York and Pennsylvania’s sewage treatment facilities are incapable of treating drilling wastes --– including levels of radioactivity 100 to 1000 times higher than drinking water safety standards.” He adds:

“The Assembly held hearings on the public health impacts of hydrofracking and the testimony of a dozen medical professionals, endocrinologists and public heath experts revealed how little we know about the human pathology of drilling –-- and what we do know indicates there could be widespread issues.

“Dozens of municipalities and townships amended zoning regulations to prohibit fracking within their borders.

“Credit unions and lending agencies sounded the alarm that drilling is a liability to property values and they will not provide mortgages to leased land or the land immediately adjacent to drilling activity, potentially preventing millions

of acres of New York real estate from being bought or sold.”

Pro-Publica, a non-profit investigative-journalism corporation based in New York City, stresses that the city gets its drinking water from “a system of tunnels constructed in the mid-20th century that carries 1.2 billion gallons of water a day from upstate reservoirs to New York City and nearby counties.”

The group’s investigation found that many of these tunnels are especially vulnerable to the type of underground explosions used in fracking. Its study also revealed that if any tunnels collapsed, it would be difficult to sue the natural-gas companies – Halliburton prominent among them -- because the companies could easily declare the tunnels were too old and unstable and would have collapsed anyway, and state taxpayers would be stuck with the bill to pay for the clean-up.

The EPA and the House Energy and Commerce Committee are also

investigating, subpoenaing Halliburton to give the EPA a full list of the toxic chemicals it uses, which the company has refused to disclose. The federal investigation is to continue through next year.

From United for Action (www.unitedforaction.org)

There are hundreds of reasons not to frack, any one of which would provide sufficient reason NOT to permit hydraulic fracturing in New York State. Poisoning our drinking water is just one.

Here’s another: Every 7,700 wells create air pollution equivalent to that produced by the entire Dallas/Fort Worth metropolitan area. With the industry considering putting anywhere from 50,000 to 150,000 wells in New York State, we’re looking at putting essentially six to 20 Dallas/Fort Worths upstate. All that air pollution is going to drift over New York City and compound our already serious and deadly air pollution problems.

How many more reasons do we need?! Still, our governor is moving forward

with regulations permitting fracking in our state! We cannot let this happen!

Take Action! Call or write to Governor Cuomo

today and tell him you want fracking banned in New York State. Tell him you want a renewable energy economy that provides sustainable jobs for all New Yorkers and not just here-today-gone-tomorrow jobs for

drillers from Texas! Contact Governor Andrew Cuomo: nYC #: 212-681-4580 Albany: 518-474-8390 Fax: 518-474-1513 http://www.governor.ny.gov/contact/

GovernorContactForm.php save the Date - rally in Philly sept. 7 The Marcellus Shale Coalition,

a powerful gas industry lobbying group, is staging a major feel-good conference in Philadelphia on Sept. 7. CEOs from Chesapeake Energy, Range Resources, and CONSOL are confirmed participants, along with other irresponsible gas-drilling giants.

Plan on t ak ing the day and join us as we go Ph i ladelph ia on Sept . 7 to have a pa r t y of ou r ow n. We’re join ing ac t iv is t s f rom a l l over the reg ion at t he Shale Gas Out rage Ral ly and wi l l be organ iz ing buses to go dow n f rom New York Cit y to make ou r presence k now n. Go to w w w.u n itedforact ion.org for a l l t he det a i l s .

Together, we can help bring New York State and the world into a sensible future where we are not forced to “burn the furniture to heat the house.”

By BRIDGETTE DORAN

Washington square news (the student newspaper of new York university)

Josh Fox’s cont roversial f i lm “Gasland” put hydraulic f ractur ing, or “hydrof racking,” in the public eye. But for a group of NYU students, it presented an oppor tunity to take act ion against the cont roversial method of energy ext ract ion.

After viewing the documentary, several students formed the NYU Students Against Hydrofracking, a coalition against this process to publicize the dangers of natural gas extraction.

New York City is currently one of the only large cities in the country that does not need to filter tap water, but Emma Goode, member of Oxfam and of NYU Students Against Hydrofracking, said that won’t be the case if corporations start drilling in the Delaware River Basin.

“The Delaware River is where New York City draws their water supply from, so we wanted to build a community at NYU that is united against this process,” Goode said.

Jeremy Friedman, manager of

sustainability at NYU, became involved with the group after several student groups expressed interest in screening the film.

“We filled every seat in Kimmel where we screened this movie and people stayed late to speak with the director,” Friedman said. “People wanted to hear what was going on and they left the room very passionate about doing something more, not just learning about it.”

The group at NYU has partnered with David Braun, co-founder of the non-profit organization, United For Action. The organization is made of volunteers who help shape public policy decisions to protect public health and promote sustainability.

“Our movement in the state has gotten us a temporary moratorium on hydraulic fracturing, but we need to take that further,” Braun said. “We need people to join with us, to join with Students Against Hydrofracking, and make sure we can extend that moratorium.”

“I think this is something the students should have a strong voice in affecting,” Friedman said. “They will be able to use their education at NYU as well as the skills they’ve learned from classes, to affect the change.”


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Think backyard pools are safe? Think againBy DAVID J. GLENN

[email protected]

Even though we in southern Brooklyn are very close to the beach, this time of year there’s a proliferation of inflatable pools in neighborhood backyards.

These pools may seem like a great, inexpensive way for children to cool off in the hot summer months, but a nationwide statistic is sobering: One child drowns in a portable pool every five days.

“The use of pools in residential settings poses significant risk … to children, especially in the 5-year-old age group,” researchers reported in a study published in Pediatrics, the journal of the Academy of Pediatrics.

A key problem is that portable pools are very shallow, and parents may have the false perception that it’s safe for all ages and that they need not watch the kids very carefully.

That’s a tragic mistake. Children, especially younger ones, have drowned in inches of water in mop buckets, bathtubs – and inflatable pools. in mop buckets, can drown in just inches of water.

“Parents may think that if their child falls in the water, they will hear lots of splashing and screaming, and that they will be able to come to the rescue,” said Nancy Nord, acting chairman of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) .”Many times, however, children slip under the water silently. Even people near the pool often report hearing nothing out of the ordinary.”

The CPSC, as well as the National Drowning Prevention Alliance, stress that children should

never be left unsupervised at a pool, no matter how shallow it is. They also encourage parents to make sure the pool is emptied of all water when not in use, and that a fence should be placed around it, since children may

wander out to the backyard and go into the pool by themselves.

The CPSC (website: www.cpsc.gov) offers additional tips: Since every second counts, always look for a missing

child in the pool first. Precious time is often wasted looking for missing children anywhere but in the pool.

Don’t leave toys and floats in the pool that can attract young children and cause them to fall in the water when they reach for the items.

For above-ground and inflatable pools with ladders, remove or secure the ladder when the pool is not in use.

Even if children can swim, they can be susceptible to drowning. Always supervise children using the pool.

The CPSC also warns of the “hidden drowning hazards” in bathtubs or buckets:

Recent data show that a third as many children under age 5 (an average of about 115 annually) drown from other hazards around the home as drown in pools.

Many of these deaths are associated with common

household products. For example: About two-thirds of the drowning deaths in the home,

not including pools, occur in bathtubs. Some of these bathtub drowning deaths happened when children were in bath seats or rings.

5-gallon buckets, often used for household chores, pose a serious threat to toddlers. Their tall, straight sides combined with their stability make it nearly impossible for top-heavy infants to free themselves when they topple in headfirst.

Toilets are often overlooked as a drowning hazard in the home. The typical scenario involves a child under 3-years-old falling headfirst into the toilet.

Spas and Hot Tubs pose another drowning hazard. A solar cover can allow babies to slip into the water while the cover appears to stay in place, hiding the child.

Childhood drowning deaths also occur in other containers that may contain liquids, including coolers, sinks, fish tanks and landscape ponds.

CPSC offers these safety tips to help prevent childhood drowning deaths in and around the home.

NEVER leave a baby alone in a bathtub even for a second. Always keep baby in arm’s reach.

NEVER leave young children alone or with young siblings in a bathtub even if you are using a bath seat or ring. Children can drown quickly and silently.

Keep the toilet lid down, and keep young children out of the bathroom when unsupervised. Consider placing a latch on the bathroom door out of reach of young children.

Be sure all containers that contain liquids are emptied immediately after use. Do not leave empty containers in yards or around the house where they may accumulate water and attract young children.

Always secure the safety cover on your spa or hot tub.Learn CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) - it

can be a lifesaver.

Bay Summer


Crowds converge on Coney to mark USA’s 235th – and hotdogs!By ERIC LIMA

[email protected]

As people exited the Stillwell Avenue station and made their way toward the stage at the annual Fourth of July Nathan’s Hotdog Eating Contest, the number of men, women, and children who chose to celebrate America’s 235th birthday in Coney Island seemed to rival the amount of grains of sand on the nearby beach. Millions more watched on ESPN as contest host George Shea wore his traditional Susquehanna straw hat and gray suit dazzled the audience, an outfit similar to what was worn when the first

celebration of hotdog-gluttony contest was held in 1916. Sponsored by Pepto-Bismol and Heinz-Ketchup, the

2011 Contest pre-show began with R&B band X-Clusive, followed by acoustic folk singer Amos Wengler performing “Hotdog” and “4th of July”, then Brooklyn’s own rapper “Badlands” Booker T., the Bunettes dancing cheerleaders, a DJ using an Apple MacBook accompanied by a drummer, The Skyriders Trampoline duo, The Cirque-tacular Trapeze duo and Bullwhips duo, an acrobatic performance by gymnast Kenichi Ebina, and finally running around the stage throughout the show, a midget dressed like Uncle Sam called Little Jimmy. Not since the famous (infamous?) P.T. Barnum first appeared more than a century ago has

a showman used such an odd assortment of homegrown opening acts just to rile up a crowd for the main attraction. By the time Ringleader George Shea introduced the Men’s Hotdog Eating Contest, the crowd couldn’t help but erupt into a patriotic frenzy shouting, “USA! USA! USA!”

This year included a Women’s Hotdog Eating Contest just prior to the Men’s. Champion Sonia “Black Widow” Thomas of Alexandria, Virginia, chowed down 40 hotdogs in ten minutes to win the Women’s world hotdog eating contest by 11 wieners, taking home the $10,000 prize. The 5’ 5”, 105 pound, 42 year old champ was followed by Juliet Lee with 29.5, who won $5,000. Lee

is a former Chinese chemistry professor who now owns a salon in Germantown, Maryland. In third place was Stephanie Torres, who won $2,500, an aspiring poet who is currently earning her MBA at New Mexico State University. Stephanie ate 23 hotdogs and buns in Las Vegas to qualify for the Nathan’s contest, prior to joining the contest she had eaten a 72 ounce steak, an eight pound deep dish pizza in 30 minutes, and an eighteen pound hamburger in ten minutes.

In the Men’s, following Joey Chestnut from California who won the championship by downing 62 franks and buns, Chicago’s Pat “Deep Dish” Bertoletti, came in second place with 53 hotdogs, and New York City’s Tim “Eater X” Janus, ate 45 hot dogs and buns for third. Also competing in the Men’s contest for the first time were competitive eaters from China. First timers Yat Ming Lam, Lu Ming Kui, and Tai Loi Mak, representing China, were pretty much overwhelmed by their American contenders and came in near last place.

Prior to the contest Nathan’s Famous President Wayne Norbitz announced that once again Nathan’s Famous would donate 100,000 of its hotdogs to the Food Bank for New York City.

Meanwhile, Takeru Kobayashi, the Nathan’s Hotdog eating Champ from 2001-2006, held his own contest on the rooftop of a Manhattan bar at 230 Fifth Ave. In front of friends and fans, Kobayashi, and witnesses at the bar, claim he consumed 69 hotdogs in 10 minutes, one more than the official record of 68, right next to a f lat-screen monitor displaying the Coney Island contest simultaneously. Kobayashi says he helped the hotdog contest gain international notoriety, but is banned from competing because he won’t sign a contract giving contest organizers exclusive rights over his name. If Chestnut wins again next year, he’ll tie Kobayashi’s record of 6-time winner.

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Down2 velocity3 keyboard type4 _____ screen5 computer attacker8 collaborative results9 ____ top10 _____ base12 type of disc14 ____ top

Across1 arrow6 screen _____7 liquid ____ display11 opening13 ____ line15 ____ on16 sick computer17 personal computer

Bay Kakuro

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“Russian Dolls,” an upcoming so-called reality show on the Lifetime cable network set in Brighton Beach, treats Russian-Americans with as many stereotypes as “Jersey Shore” on MTV portrayed Italian-Americans.

The new series features “tawdry, money-grubbing Russians living and spending big in Brighton Beach,” TV columnist Linda Stasi writes in the New York Post.

Here’s a rundown of the characters: Eddie, 26, who wants to be famous. His friend Albert, also 26, whose life ambition is to be rich. Twenty-somethings Anna, an aspiring model; Anastasia, who is too busy getting tan to finish college; and Diana, who hopes to become the princess-wife to a rich Russian guy.

Three women in their 30s and 40s -- including Marina, who with her husband owns the Rasputin nightclub in Brighton.

Like many in the Russian community, journalist Ari Kagan -- a one-time contender for the state Assembly, and now liaison to the Russian community for city Comptroller John Liu -- does not welcome the new series.

“It seems Lifetime Channel wanted to create a Russian response to “Jersey Shore,” Kagan said. “And now, judging from their promotional video and comments in newspapers, it’s obvious they produced a ‘reality show’ that will ridicule the thousands of hard working, well educated and law abiding New Yorkers. Even the title of the show ‘Russian Dolls’ immediately reminds viewers about infamous escorts.

“Lifetime taped most of the series in the Russian nightclubs, bars and restaurants, not in the halls of colleges, law offices or

libraries. Basically, ‘Russian Dolls’ will present a negative stereotype of the entire community that has its share of problems and bad apples, but nonetheless achieved tremendous success in the United States for a very short period of time.”

Sergey Kovalyov, co-founder and executive director of the Russian-American Community Coalition of New York based in Brighton, said: “There are some negative sides to our immigration starting from 35 years ago – as in any community -- but if that’s all they’re showing, then shame on this channel. It doesn’t seem like this series will say anything serious about our community, the businesses and professions that we have contributed to the city and the nation.”

Meanwhile, a live-theater production casts Russian-Americans in a different, yet not much better, light. “Russian Transport,” an off-Broadway play set in Sheepshead Bay – written by Brooklyn-born playwright Erika Sheffer -- is “a deeply personal, emotionally charged tale of an immigrant couple, their two assimilated teenagers and the fierce and fiery upheaval they experience when mysterious Uncle Boris from the old country comes to stay with them for his shot at the American dream.,” as described by the New Group theater company on its website, www.thenewgroup.org.

“Par t family drama, par t hear t-pounding thriller, this stunning debut from Erika Sheffer beautifully captures the complex and conf licting layers of str iving, joy, pain and ter ror of one very par ticular immigrant experience.”

Lights of screen, stage unkind to Russian-Americans

The Brighton Beach post office – in the heart of what has become known as “Little Odessa” with its predominance of Russian-Americans – is one of five POs in Brooklyn on the endangered list.

It’s among the more than 3,600 post offices nationwide that the U.S. Postal Service is eyeing to possibly close by early next year.

The offices are being scrutinized because, the USPS says, they have

reported lower revenues and a decline in number of customers.

Brighton customers standing in line find that strange, to put it mildly. The Brighton office is the only one in the area – if it were to close, the many residents who depend on it would have to go to the Sheepshead Bay office, which is already overcrowded.

“It would be a big hardship,” said one regular customer.

Brighton PO to close?


Answers to the Bay Karkuro from page 10

Bay KarkuroAnswers to the Bay Crossword from page 10

Bay Crossword

THE CORNER STOPCome by the corner of Avenue U and Bedford Avenue for a great cup of coffee, fresh milk, tasty snacks -- and of course, to pick up the

latest edition of Bay Currents!

Twice the AdviceBy Jacqueline and Kerry Donelli

Distraught

Dear Twins,I am a single father to two daughters,

ages 13 and 14. Sadly, we lost their mother (and my beloved wife) to cancer less than a year ago. I guess we all are having a difficult time recovering, but I think I hide it better than they do. They are both in counseling, but it doesn’t seem to be doing much good. Do you have any ideas how I can cheer up these two beautiful, formerly boy-crazy young ladies? I know it will take time, but their teenage years should be care-free and happy, not laden with sorrow. Please help!

Jacqueline says:Your children have to go through the

healing process of bereavement. The surviving parent is often whom the children turn to in coming to terms with the death of a parent. Often the surviving parent is incapacitated by his or her own grief that support from relatives and friends is essential. It is important that the children be able to discuss how it was and how it is. Children need to have the facts and feelings surrounding their loss confirmed, so it is important to listen to what they have to say. Try not to get frustrated if you find yourself hearing and repeating the same discussions. Help them accept their feelings, but above all accept their time scale. A child’s grief may

take many years -- don’t make it your agenda for them to be back to their care free and happy selves. They just aren’t ready.

Kerry says:It’s imperative that they seek a “grief counselor,”

not just any counselor, as they face a very arduous and painful healing process specific to losing a loved one. If their counselor is in fact such and they have been seeing this professional for some time, perhaps you should seek out a new one. Either way this is going to be a long and slow healing process -- be patient with your children and give them all your love and support.

Guilty

Dear Twins,I allowed my 14-year-old daughter to

get a nose job since she was so insecure and constantly complained about her nose. I really thought it would help her self-esteem. But her nose job looks terrible! My daughter likes it, but the doctor really took off too much! I don’t know how to handle this. I feel terrible for letting her get one.

Jacqueline says:It’s water under the bridge and too late to undo

the damage. At this point, it would be best to leave your opinion out of it and let your daughter rebuild her self-esteem. If your daughter feels good about herself then the task was accomplished.

Kerry says:I agree with Jackie. As long as she’s

happy with it, that’s all the matters.

Appalled

Dear Twins,My son, an 11th grader, swears his math

teacher is drinking on the job. He says he can smell alcohol on him, and that his eyes are always red and often his speech is slurred. This is the second time he’s mentioned it to me. Should I report it to the principal based on his observations?

Kerry says:Yes, report him to the principal. You

might mention that while you aren’t absolutely positive, you suspect the teacher may be drinking on the job since your son has mentioned his suspicions to you on a couple of occasions. Ask that he look into it and make his own assessment. Should your assumption be right, ask that your son get switched to another math teacher.

Jacqueline says:I disagree with Kerry. Before you throw

someone’s reputation under the bus, make sure he is right about this, as the consequences could be very severe for the teacher. The smarter move would be to meet with the teacher first, and make your own judgment. Act from there.

She’ll hate me!

Dear Twins,My sister and I attend the same high

school. I’m in 10th grade and she’s a senior.

I know the crowd she runs around with, and I know she’s smoking pot. But she’s sworn me to secrecy, or should I say she’s “threatened” me to secrecy, so I’m afraid to say anything. Our parents can’t understand why her grades have gone down so much, and why she has such a bad attitude toward them. I could tell them! She’s a pothead! What should I do?

Jacqueline says:As much as you don’t want your sister to

think you are a tattle-tale, you aren’t doing her any favors by with holding information from your parents. For starters, marijuana is highly addictive and illegal, and often leads to other drug use. The consequences of drugs use are many -- none good. Inform your parent’s immediately. There are far worse consequences for her if you don’t. Your sister will thank you one day.

Kerry says:I recommend that you try to get her to

seek help first. Perhaps you could help her by finding a therapist or a rehab clinic. If she refuses to go then I agree with Jackie that you should speak to your parents. By trying to maintain a “cool” disposition you are only enabling your sister to destroy her life.

Have a problem? Maybe the twins can help. Contact them at

[email protected] or at

TWICE THE ADVICEbay Currents 2966 Avenue u, suite 108, brooklyn, nY 11229

AIM: Creativeblah1


Mayor Bloomberg took the opportunity while speaking before the Brighton

Beach Business Improvement District on July 28 to announce that the beach at Seagate, along with several other city beaches that were closed due to a sewage spill, were now officially

reopened. During the BBBID meeting at the National Restaurant on Brighton Beach Avenue, the mayor and several

of his commissioners fielded questions and comments ranging in topics from

fixing the streets (Community Board 15 chairwoman Theresa Scavo complained

FROM KFC TO TDOn the site where a KFC restaurant used to be at the busy intersection of Nostrand Avenue

and Avenue U in Marine Park, a crane prepares the lot for a new TD bank branch to be built there. The bank will join the Roosevelt and Valley National to bring three banks

within a block of each other.If you come across any newsworthy or simply interesting scene in southern Brooklyn, snap

it with your cell phone, digital camera, webcam, or any other device and email it to us at [email protected]. We’ll reward you with full credit in print and online!

VERIZON HANG-UPEmployees of Verizon have included the Verizon store on Kings Highway and East 17th Street as a site for their picketing. The workers, members of the Communication Workers of America union, have been without a contract since early August, and complain that the company is seeking to slash wages and benefits that Verizon extols in full-page ads in the

city’s dailies, and that it plans to ship many jobs overseas.

Mayor faces the Brighton BID

BAY CURRENTS PHOTO

BAY CURRENTS PHOTO

BAY CURRENTS PHOTO

The other day we received a mailing from Walmart, which, as you probably know, is trying to locate an outlet anywhere they can in New York City.

On one side of the flyer was a huge photo of glistening red apples, with the heading:

“Care about a sustainable future? So does Walmart!”

It went on: “That’s why we’re working hard to be supplied 100 percent by renewable energy, create zero waste, and sell products that sustain the environment.”

Now, I’m not a scientist, but it seems to me that this goes against the laws of physics. I really don’t think it’s possible to actually have zero waste

-- any process, natural or man-made, inevitably produces some kind of waste product. And 100 percent renewable energy? Well, unless they plan to set up a series of windmills or solar panels to handle heating, cooling, lighting, refrigeration, and everything else in their big-box stores, I don’t see how they can do that, either.

Oh, there’s one other thing. The flyers that they mailed out are printed on thick, glossy colored paper -- the kind that requires a lot of fresh pulp and energy to produce, not exactrly “products that sustain the environment.”

Hypocrisy, anyone? --- David J. Glenn

Walmart -- Save face, live hypocritically

that utility crews would often leave gaping holes in the streets after digging to make repairs) to the city’s new ban on smoking

at city beaches or parks (a professor at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine commended Bloomberg for the ban).

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Bay prostitution ring, two pharmacies busted

Authorities have arrested 17 people in connection with a high-end prostitution ring operating out of Sheepshead Bay.

In separate federal action, two area pharmacists were charged with a $3 million Medicare scam operation.

Brooklyn prosecutors charged “High Class NY” – which offered “models” for as much as $10,000 a night -- with taking in $7 million over three years by offering services through several websites and various advertisements.

If clients asked, the hookers would also provide them with cocaine and other drugs, the indictment said.

High Class NY operated 24 hours a day, seven days a week, out of a second-floor office on Coney Island Avenue bearing the sign Network Marketing Group, upstairs from a tile store and next door to a law firm, prosecutors said.

A husband and wife and their two sons were among those arrested, who could face jail time up to 25 years.

Investigators used surveillance and undercover work to bust the ring, said Det. Joe Panico.

The two Bay pharmacists were charged with bilking Medicare to the tune of more than $3 million worth of prescriptions that were never filled.

Luba Balyasny, 46, and Alla Shrayber, 40, owners of Monica’s Pharmacy, 1324 Sheepshead Bay Road and L& A Pharmacy, 394 Avenue X, were charged with conspiracy to commit health care fraud.

“From January 2007 through December 2009, Balyasny and Shrayber allegedly defrauded the Medicare Part D program by systematically submitting false claims through their pharmacies for certain prescription medications that were not purchased by their businesses and were never dispensed to Medicare beneficiaries,” the U.S. Justice Department said in a statement.

Balyasny and Shrayber face up to 10 years in federal prison if convicted.

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Bay Currents Volume 8 Issue 1