Baracklyn Cyclones - Phantom Meets Barack Obama

Minor league baseball is great fun - you see good athletes who hope to play in the big leagues some day in a small arena setting. For much less money than the thieving major leagues would charge you.

But its a lot more than that. The minor leagues are fun . The low cost regime allows for the stands to be jam packed with families and young kids. There are loads of activities designed for those kids, and their parents.

And the teams will do anything for the sake of fun. Tonight, the Brooklyn Cyclones, who play their games beneath Coney Island's Parachute Jump, made the ultimate sacrifice for the sake of fun. They re-named their team for one night in honor of the election of Barack Obama. They became the the Baracklyn Cyclones

And the world was amazed when Barack Obama himself arrived at Keyspan Park to throw out the first ball. He made it a point to seek out the Phantom. Here, we shook hands after some extended policy discussions on Iran or one of them countries that begins with an I. It was like Nixon traveling to China, but I'm not sure who the Nixon is in this situation.

Barack Obama was not the only celebrity to attend the Cyclones game tonight. King Henry himself was there, from England or Bensonhurst, or one of them foreign places. Here, he says hello to Angelina, Bobby, and Keri, as we move from left to right.

Tonight's tickets cost $5 each. For that, we all had the best time. They announced Keri's birthday on the PA system, and she so loved that. If you're in the Brooklyn-centric universe, I highly recommend a trip to see the Brooklyn Cyclones

If you're in the US or Canada but not in near Brooklyn, I recommend that you attend a minor league game near you. It's good, it's very good, and I intend to see the Cyclones again this year.

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Baracklyn Cyclone night as reported by Brooklyn Eagle
and
NY Daily News
and
the Staten Island Advance which reports that some Brooklyn fans hated the "gimmick"

Canadian Invasion - Fleet Week, May 2009

( click on image to enlarge )
My nephew Bobby and I went to the Phillies- Yankees game on Saturday, May 23. I went to get him at grandma's house in NJ. We parked the car near Tottenville, Staten Island, and went to traveled to Yankee Stadium by the Staten Island Railway, Staten Island Ferry, and the No. 4 train.

As we passed the Stapleton SIR station, we saw a cluster of navy ships, in for the annual friendly Fleet Week invasion.




On the ferry, we met up with Jordan Payne, from Prince Edward Island, and Renee Blais, and Philippe, both from Quebec, from the Halifax-based HMCS Fredericton, one of those ships off Staten Island.

Gents, hope that you had a good time in the Big Apple. Come again.

Is Verizon FIOS In Bay Ridge Already?

I saw a Verizon truck just now, and I asked the employee ( Rick ) if FIOS was going to be coming to Bay Ridge anytime soon. He said that the lines were already being installed along 71st Street, and that you could expect it to be available in much of the neighborhood by the end of the summer.

This fiber optic technology offers the fastest internet connections available in the US, and, I am told, the best TV images.

Plus, Verizon includes the BBC World 24 News Channel, which neither Time Warner nor the satellite TV companies have chosen to offer. That's a big deal to a news junkie like me.

I love my Directv, but when FIOS comes to 68th Street, I expect to switch.
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More than one year after the construction ended, the incompetent Bloomberg Administration has removed the No Parking signs on Senator St, by Bay Ridge High School. In another city, this could have been done in a week. In Bloomberg's New York, it takes more than a year to execute the removal of a " No Parking " sign.

Manhattan ALS Walk - May 16, 2009

Team Duffy assembles before 11am on Saturday, on Charles St ( West Village ) before the walk up to 55th Street, along the banks of the Hudson River. It was an overcast day, a good day for a three mile walk.

Team Duffy and its magnificent supporters in America, Ireland, England, and Australia ( yes! ) raised $2680 for medical research and for important services for patients and their families.

Warm thanks to all who contributed. If you'd still like to throw a few bucks to a great cause, it is not too late. Take out your credit card - click on this, follow the instructions, and thank you very much.

C'mon kids. It was only three miles. Get back up there!! Give me three more miles!!

Sunday Music: " The Dark Eyed Sailor " by Steeleye Span

In the midst of rock's unquestioned rule, the British "electric folk " band Steeleye Span began its life in 1969.

The voice of the great Maddy Prior leads here. I really like the languid, intentional, lack of sync between her voice and that of Dublin's Gay Woods here.

I heard this song ages ago. It stays in the mind. The usual cut the ring in half / love lost and then found deal.

It's quite wonderful. Steeleye Span is still around. That's even more wonderful.

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as i roved out one evening fair
it bein' the summertime to take the air
i spied a sailor and a lady gay
and i stood to listen
and i stood to listen to hear what they would say.

he said "fair lady, why do you roam
for the day is spent and the night is on"
she heaved a sigh while the tears did roll
"for my dark-eyed sailor
for my dark-eyed sailor, so young and stout and bold."

"'tis seven long years since he left this land
a ring he took from off his lily-white hand
one half of the ring is still here with me
but the other's rollin'
but the other's rollin' at the bottom of the sea."

he said "you may drive him out of your mind
some other young man you will surely find
love turns aside and soon cold has grown
like the winter's morning
like the winter's morning, the hills are white with snow."

she said "i'll never forsake my dear
although we're parted this many a year
genteel he was and a rake like you
to induce a maiden
to induce a maiden to slight the jacket blue."

one half of the ring did young william show
she ran distracted in grief and woe
sayin' "william, william, i have gold in store
for my dark-eyed sailor
for my dark-eyed sailor has proved his honour long"

and there is a cottage by yonder lea
this couple's married and does agree
so maids be loyal when your love's at sea
for a cloudy morning
for a cloudy morning brings in a sunny day.

New Bay Ridge Key Food Coming Soon

There's been a lot of activity inside and outside the new Key Food supermarket on 69th Street, between Third Avenue and Ridge Boulevard.

Nothing noticeable going on in the projected parking facility across the street, but this afternoon I saw a couple of construction guys taking a look inside there.

This new supermarket will be a very welcome addition to Bay Ridge and hopefully will give a jumpstart to economic activity in the 69th Street and Third Avenue areas.

Support the Greater NY March to Defeat ALS

Brendan ( Pete ) Duffy, with grand-niece Keri, at New York Mets baseball game, July 2006.

Brendan ( Pete ) Duffy grew up in the country in County Monaghan, Ireland. Crossed over to New York in the mid 1950s, the old fashioned way, on the ship. Built a life for himself and his family in the Bronx and nearby.

Strong and cheerful, great with adults, a hundred times better with kids.

With his much beloved children, played the pipes with the Monaghan Pipe Band many times in the NY St. Patrick's Day Parade, and in many other events.

Now, not so good.

In late 2008, he was diagnosed with ALS, or Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Which was not a surprise. His legs had started to fail long before then. He no longer walks.

On Saturday, I'll be joining Brendan's daughter Annette and many others as we walk in the Greater NY Walk to Defeat ALS. These funds will help the ALS Association provide research for a cure - and to provide essential assistance to ALS patients.

If you care to make a contribution, please click here.

I am registered under the name " The Phantom ", so hit the button above the total calculator that says " Support The " and give what you can. It's a really good cause

Thank you. I will have photos of the march here a week from today.