Blog#3

I'm finally back to HL after a week and i miss this place a lot. I'm glad to be back because i like being part of a creative group. i found out yesterday that i have a term paper in global history and it is all about creativity. The whole time I've been gone, I mostly was at home for school break, doing school work. I also had to stay after school to start my term paper for history yesterday. I'm thinking about combining several movie ideas involving time traveling.

Home Copked Food Yum :)

So yesterday i finally decided to go home-sweet-home and i was expecting a home cooked meal. I get in all the light were off. i look in the refrigerator what do i see....a desert. there was crusted noodles a bottle of orange juice was no top and cheese but no sandwich meat.i was pissed!!!!!! i end up eating some Ramen noodles.ugh! It was a Sunday i was expecting a home cooked meal! i left my grandmas house and she don't even cook for me..come on shes grandma man! i just want a home cooked meal with aloft of love I'm tired of fast food!

Here...

B.B. Simons Belts

So i don't know the big thing about freaking BB Simon belts. I mean they are pretty and studded out but not for no $300. i think they should at least start at $100. So my boyfriend wants one and its $300 the things we do for love-i guest.

Winter Recess is here, but everyone is stressed. WHY? because almost all of our cameras are broken. The cameras we have are really old but it's probably cheaper to to get them repaired than to buy new ones. I'm hoping to go out with my new vintage camera and take shoot some of my fave spots*wahooooo*

My First Day

Well, this is my first day here ever since i quit my last job because of my mother. I use to work with a florist that was ripping me off my money and that didn't make my life any easier. I finally got an interview from this place that I'm working at now ( thank god). It's been nice so far even though today is my first day I think everything is going to go great. A part of me don't want to go home even though I have to because I'm not eighteen yet. So we will see how that goes. Also, theres this stupid love day is coming up. Even though i don't have a love I like this guy and he's like an off and on switch. it really sucks. Maybe i'm just hating because I don't have no one to celebrate this day so that hurts.

Blog #2

So as i'm thinking about my day, i'm wondering if i could of done different things today. My answer is yes, i should of payed more attention in school and talked a little more in class. I think today went pretty well so far and there is no school tomorrow!!! I'm so happy because now i can sleep more and have more time to myself. All my friends are excited for this as well as psyched for this!

First day at HL

So I come in early and I'm hyped because I thought I was going to be late so yaya me go kadija; First thing first I'm working with christian on the HL Newbie little paper and I am hungry for real like all I ate the whole day was a bagel, anyways back to Hl I think I'm going to have a lot of fun here and when I get use to everyone here they better be ready for my sillyness. As I make this blog me and christian is discussing phone plans; he is very nice I like him a lot he is funny he calling his boo I am laughing because I want to call mines too. Okay I am done here I'll update later :)

An Underground New York Landmark Goes Away

An Underground New York Landmark Goes Away
“Brooklyn Banks” a national skateboarding landmark set to be closed until 2014.
By Frank Dutan

A skate park located next to the Brooklyn Bridge, called the Brooklyn Banks, has over the years become an iconic skating spot in New York City. Although strewn with broken beer bottles and the acrid stench of urine, the Banks, which is about the size of a football field, offers skaters - novices and professionals - a brick paved road resembling a valley with several skate ramps and an obstacle course. With the marble ledges and smooth rails in Midtown Manhattan and the Wall Street area heavily guarded, the Banks offers skaters, those who do not want any trouble with the authorities, a safe haven; achieving its iconic status as one of the premier skate spots on the East Coast because of its street like feel.
In 2004, the Banks became so popular that city administrators stepped in and proposed a plan to reconstruct the skate site as a green park and placed barricades to make sure skaters could no longer use the space.
When Steve Rodriguez, owner of 5boro Skateboards and a skateboarder himself, learned of the city’s plan, he decided to come to the aid of the Banks and managed to convince the city of the skate site’s benefit to many young people; eventually he became a skateboarding consultant for the city.
Recently, protests increased against closing the Banks. The New York City Department of Transportation issued a statement, which said that a Brooklyn Bridge rehabilitation project is slated to begin in 2010 with an expected completion date sometime in 2014.
“After the painting work in this area is complete, anticipated for mid 2010, the park will be reopened with the exception of the storage area,” said the DOT in its statement. This means that by mid 2010 only half of the Banks will be available.
While there are insufficient rinks for skaters in New York City, those that exist do not offer free skating. There is the Houston Skate Park on the city’s West Side, which charges $10 admission, and insists on that all skaters must wear a helmet and sign a waiver if the skater is under 18 for insurance coverage. However, in the vicinity of the Banks, there are a few free skate parks, but none which are able to cater to the number of skating enthusiasts the Banks attract.
But, while the Banks is not equipped with 12-foot high half pipes, ramps and other amenities as in other protected spaces, it offers instead street curbs and the edges of benches: all essential to the street skateboarding scene.
A frequent skater, 15-year-old Alexander Barna, complained, “That sucks. I don’t think the city would keep their word. What if they return it in bad condition? The place is fragile already. I mean there are so many spots around here but it’s hard to find one as convenient as the Banks, plus one without security or free. I don’t know what I’ll do without skating. The city should at least give us something back in return, it’s not like were committing crimes”

Race fails to heat Broadway

Race fails to heat Broadway
By Nyiesha Showers

The Broadway production of "Race" brings heat to the Barrymore Theatre. The play’s title could mean many things, from the participants in an unfair presidential campaign to someone running a 100-meter dash; it is a story about the relationship in American culture of Black and White, the seemingly never-ending topic of racism.
This controversial story, written and directed by David Mamet, cast the actors for the production, including David Alan Grier, James Spader, Kerry Washington, and Richard Thomas. According to the casting, Grier, known for his involvement in "In Loving Color" assumes the role of Henry, a black lawyer who works alongside Spader, who plays Jack Lawson, and Washington, as Susan, the new legal assistant working for both lawyers.
At the play’s Dec 5 preview, the cast weren't the only celebrities present. In fact, the audience was full of different actors and producers, including Marie Janella from “Everybody Loves Raymond” who was dressed in a comfortable pantsuit and a brown, flowy shawl, Damian, who was casually dressed, Damian Jr., and Kim Wayans, who wore a black wool coat and a gray fedora; fitting in perfectly with the other audience members.
For a play that addressed the issue of race in the American society, it wasn’t an unreasonable expectation for the composition of the audience to be predominantly Black; rather, there were more whites than Blacks who were sparsely located in the theater.
In this presentation of “Race” the director shone the light on the unspoken issue of discrimination and prejudice. The plot surrounds a group of lawyers who takes the case of Richard Thomas, a rich white executive who's accused of raping a black woman. Disagreements between the lawyers about his innocence creates a dissension between Jack and Susan.
Henry believes Thomas is guilty. Grier plays his character smart, giving off the impression that he resents white people. In response to the question do all blacks hate whites, Henry excitedly says “You bet we do.” Despite this, he still keeps his cool while representing the client. The play’s director chose to display Susan more stereotypically; she's just another petite black woman whose beauty could be described as "easy on the eyes". But, controversy rears its head in the law firm when Susan goes behind Jack’s back and requires evidence against their client. Spader does a good job giving conviction as a demanding force over both Henry and especially Susan.
While attention was brought to bear on the touchy issues of racism and discrimination, as the play unfolded, there were moments when the audience was held in suspense, but the absence of a resolution when there was no verdict against Thomas led to an overwhelming sense of disappointment.
The production's downfall has nothing to do with the actors, who did their job delivering a performance. Rather the problem was with the script. The play contained two significant social constructs: Mamet's idea to expose sexism in the workplacee was good, except that he only had execute it better. the entire production could have been great. Second, racism, as the play’s central focus was tackled tastelessly. Listening to the dialogue between the lawyers, one was aware of the liberal use of generalizations and stereotypes of both races.
Despite its shortcomings, the play had a few commendable elements, one such was the revelation that Lawson had investigated Susan before hiring her, a process, which seemed as though taken from an episode of the television show, “Law & Order”.
But, Susan brings the play to its conclusion with a testimonial; she commanded the spotlight on the stage when she said that the reason why Thomas is guilty is "because he's a white man", and which delivery was made with such force and passion that it too could not avoid being stereotypical. What is clear about this play is that the election of a Black president meant nothing to the writer who wrote a piece about hating another because of their race.
Once again, history repeated itself; this time on the stage.

Countdown Clocks Alert Bronx Commuters MTA expands beyond the “L” Line.

Countdown Clocks Alert Bronx Commuters
MTA expands beyond the “L” Line.
By Frank Dutan

New York City commuters no longer have to strain their necks and bodies or do the “platform lean,” to see if their train is approaching the station.

As promised, the MTA installed countdown clocks in five stations along the 6. train line. These countdown clocks will tell commuters exactly how many minutes until the next train arrives. The MTA will test the effectiveness of the clocks with hopes to release the technology and make it available to all 152-subway stations by mid 2011.

Riders on the 6. line aren’t the only commuters to receive this luxury. The MTA has also installed countdown clocks on the L line. Bronx straphangers like Ms. Kennedy, a mother of two, greatly appreciate this service, “It’s pretty cool, and it lets the customers know what is actually working… They need to put them in all stations” and young Alton Thomas, son of Ms. Kennedy, finds the clocks fun and useful, “It tells me six minutes sometimes four maybe 11 and its fun”.

Rose, another Bronx commuter, grateful for now being able to use her time more productively and no longer being in harm’s way while performing the “platform lean,” “It gives me enough time to take out my stuff and go into the train. I don’t have to be glancing for the train, which is very dangerous you might lose you balance and end up in the middle of the tracks. I think it’s a great idea and I agree with it”.

MTA’s officials said in a statement to HarlemLIVE , “the testing period [on the 6. Line] is open-ended” when asked about plans for clocks on other lines they responded, “Clocks will not come to lines, but to stations who are located next to the right [electronic] equipment” and that “it is based on areas where the stations are located”. The clocks will be placed in the outer boroughs first. The timers will move on to the rest of the Bronx, and then Brooklyn for now. In a city where commuters move at such a rapid pace, countdown clocks will be able to improve proficiency among riders.

Disposing Christmas Trees the Green Way

Disposing Christmas Trees the Green Way
The city’s commitment to a recycling program
By Frank Dutan


By the time Dec 26 has rolled around, the frantic preparations and celebrations of Christmas are over. Even though the holiday season still continued to include New Years, those who bought those fresh evergreen Christmas trees from street vendors were usually clueless about how best to dispose of the trees and the city was burdened with piles of discarded trees blocking sidewalks.
Luckily, in New York City, a lot of information is available about recycling on the city’s Department of Sanitation (DSNY) Website, where the claim is made that “NYC has the largest, most ambitious recycling program in the nation”, which according to the Website, the city instituted in 1995 its Christmas Tree Recycling Program. City residents have learned that with the trees, if not properly disposed and left unattended for an extended period, they begin to fall apart, with mounds of fallen pine leaves accumulating at the base and an awful stench of rotting vegetation permeating any enclosed space.
For this Christmas tree season, from Jan 4, 2010 to Jan 15 2010, city residents could place their Christmas trees, after removing tree stands, tinsel, lights, ornaments, and other decorations, on the curb outside of their apartment building or house. The city wants to make sure that all trees can be recycled and be of benefit to the city. DSNY regulations state that if when trees are discarded and still have decorations attached, that since most decorations cannot be recycled, that the tree would be thrown into a landfill with other garbage and not reduced to chips. But, for those Christmas trees to be recycled, they are fed into a mobile processor, which reduces them to mulch for parks, playing fields, and community gardens throughout the city. And, about this time of the year, the city holds its NYC Parks & Recreation Mulchfest, which allowed New Yorkers to participate by bringing their trees to designated sites throughout the five boroughs, which took place on Jan 9 and 10 from 10am to 2pm and for those who wanted, free mulch was available.
One famous tree, the 76-foot-tall Norway spruce, the city’s pre-eminent Christmas tree, which adorned Rockefeller Center, like its smaller cousins, is also recycled. At the end of the Christmas season, when the tree is taken down on Jan 7, it is donated to the non-profit organization Habitat for Humanity, which specializes in building “simple”, “decent” and “affordable housing” for low income people. According to the organization’s Website, the 2008 Rockefeller Center Christmas tree was milled into lumber, was used as shelving, and is now part of 41 homes that were built last year in the Ocean Hill section of Brownsville in Brooklyn, New York. Contacted for plans for the 2009 tree, Habitat for Humanity said that the tree would be milled for a home for Iveth Bowie and her four children who live in Connecticut, incorporating the entire tree into the walls.
In a press release issued last year the DSNY announced that the Christmas Tree Recycling Program managed to collect over 166,638 trees and the Mulchfest brought in 13,137 trees. The number of trees collected in the Mulchfest this year show an increase over the 11,000 collected from the previous year. According to the DSNY, this increase means that city residents have become more aware of the need for recycling and have become more active participants, especially with the city facing serious economic problems; the mulch from the trees relieves one expense, organic fertilization for trees in parks citywide.

Holiday Market at Union Square

Holiday Market at Union Square
Nyiesha Showers

The holiday season is here! That means ice-skating, tree lighting, skiing and most of all shopping. With Christmas on its way many are buying gifts for their loved ones. If you're looking for something unique, stylish and affordable you should definitely check out the Union Square Park Holiday Market.

Stationed in the middle of New York's busiest area, Union Square Park is the heart of the Lower East Side. The Park's been opened since 1839 and served as the home base for lots of community events and festivals like the First Labor Day parade and the popular Greenmarket. Winter is nearing and the Holiday Market is back for its 14th year.

There's not a specific type of product sold at the holiday market. At every corner, there's something different. You may smell coffee at one intersection and turn around to find an eco toy company. In fact, Mariette Papic sells eco-friendly toys made from organic cotton and rubber wood. The toys are made from low impact packaging that is also earth friendly. Papic is good friends with the designer who's been in the business for 10 years. The toys are animals such as elephants and monkeys. The price range for the toys are $20- $45. Papic describes the monkey as an ideal holiday gift, saying it has no age group making it ideal for infants, teens and adults.

Across from her vendor sat Tom Hart who specializes in graphic t-shirts. He's been doing this for five years and heard about the market through a friend. His ideal holiday gift would be his hand painted boots that are priced for $150. When asked his biggest competitor he says he hasn't checked out anybody else, but everything there is "random". That brings me to Gili who sells handcrafted candy wrapper handbags. "We have no competition because our stuff's great!" she says. These colorful bags are made of all different candy wrappers.



Down a few stations from Tom was a coffee vendor. The aroma of coffee beans was thick and provided a feeling of warmth. Around the corner was a pastry vendor who sold chocolates and next to him was Shani. Shani sells wine boxes and other wine products from Thailand. She says since the weather's been nice, she's been doing pretty well financially. "It's better than last year,” she says. "Last year was the beginning of the recession. Now everybody’s prepared.” She does admit that people are a bit hesitant. Papic agrees, saying that people are really shopping. “They’re looking before they buy”. According to Fox 5 news, the overall revenue intake on Black Friday increased this year, yet the average amount of money spent per person decreased.

“Our biggest competitor is the economy,” says Panic in reference to the market. Come out and support the local businesses at Union Square Park. They’re there everyday until December 24th. Check out nycgovparks.org for additional information.

Bad Weaves

So today i have seen the most bad weaves since lace fronts came about. One girl at my school had the nerve to put in the front of he hair Pink and Purple pieces so high like a pineapple. Then had the nerve to have her natural hair not permed so it looked as if she just curled it then had the matching contacts to match. Also another girl had a long just nappy nappy weave in. Then a bad lace front. Idk why people let them come out the house like that its like do you look in the mirror before you leave? lol

Day 1

Hello, I'm writing this to reflect on my first day at HL so far. It is really cool. So far the people I have met today were amazingly nice, cool and fun.