GREENWOOD MONSTER

I JUST SAW A GIANT TURTLE AT GREEN - WOOD CEMETERY. I THOUGHT IT WAS A CANADA GOOSE AS ONE WAS RIGHT NEAR IT. IT WAS CRAWLING ON GROUND AND I WAS LIKE, WHAT'S THAT? IT LOOKED PREHISTORIC WITH SHARP EDGES ON SHELL AND WAS HUGE. HE JUMPED INTO THE LAKE. I'M GONNA BE LOOKING FOR THIS GUY AGAIN. ALWAYS SEE LITTLE ONES THERE BUT NEVER ONE THIS BIG.

THE FATHER OF PROSPECT PARK

JAMES STRANAHAN WHO WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN HAVING PROSPECT PARK BUILT WOULD HAVE BEEN 200 YEARS OLD ON FRIDAY APRIL 25TH, I HAVE A TOUR AND WILL MENTION THAT AS WE WALK PAST HIS STATUE. HE WAS ALSO CALLED BROOKLYN'S "FIRST CITIZEN". WITH CENTRAL PARK BUILT ALREADY HE WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE WERE NOT SECOND CLASS AND HIRED OLMSTEAD AND VAUX TO BUILD US A BETTER PARK. HAPPY 200TH.

PROSPECT PARK WILL BE ROCKING

THIS YEAR IS THE 30TH YEAR OF CELEBRATE BROOKLYN. MANY DIFFERENT ACTS AND SHOWS WILL BE PERFORMED AT THE BANDSHELL INSIDE PARK JUST OFF 9TH STREET. FOR COMPLETE SCHEDULE GO TO WWW.BRICONLINE.ORG/CELEBRATE/2008SEASON.ASP.

RIP DAN FEDERICI

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN E STREET BAND MEMBER DAN FEDERICI HAS PASSED AWAY IN NYC AFTER A LONG BATTLE WITH CANCER. HE LAST PERFORMED ON MARCH 20TH WITH THE E STREET BAND. TODAY'S AS WELL AS TOMORROW'S SHOWS HAVE BEEN CANCELLED. NO DOUBT ALL THE BAND MEMBERS WILL BE HEADING HOME TO NJ TO PAY RESPECTS TO DANNY. I SAW BRUCE MANY MANY TIMES AND IT WILL NEVER BE THE SAME AGAIN.I REMEMBER WAITING IN FRONT OF J&R MUSIC WORLD WITH $1000 AND AN PICK-AX HANDLE AT 2AM WAITING ALL NIGHT FOR TICKETS TO GO ON SALE IN 1981. A SAD DAY, BUT DANNY WOULD WANT US TO ROCK ON. DANNY YOU WILL BE MISSED BY MILLIONS. RIP BROTHER.

BROOKLYN BROWN

LEON WILLIAMS OF THE CLEVELAND BROWNS GREW UP ON DITMAS AVE AND E21ST. I SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON THAT BLOCK AS MY THEN GIRL FRIEND LIVED THERE. THIS IS A BROOKLYN KID ALL THE WAY. PLAYED ROUGH TACKLE ON CONCRETE LIKE MY BUDDIES AND I OFTEN DID. PEOPLE WOULD LOOK AT ME LIKE I WAS NUTS WHEN I TOLD THEM WE DID THAT. HELL WE DIDN'T HAVE A DIRT FIELD. I'M ROOTING FOR THIS KID AND THE BROWNS THIS YEAR.

GOOD FOR BUSINESS

THREE NEW HOTELS ARE BEING BUILT ON PRESIDENT ST BETWEEN 3RD AND 4TH AVE'S. THAT'S SEVEN IN A 1/2 MILE RADIUS. ALL WITHIN A FEW STEPS FROM THE TOUR'S MEETING SPOT. MY FLYERS WILL BE AT ALL THESE HOTELS AND BUSINESS WILL PICK UP. http://www.brooklynwalkingtour.com/

NEW YORKER'S TO THE RESCUE

I WAS READING THEN TELLING SOME FRIENDS ABOUT A DAILY NEWS STORY IN SUNDAY'S PAPER ABOUT A KID WHO WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO PLAY BASEBALL THIS YEAR AS HIS FAMILY COULD NOT AFFORD THE FEE'S AND EQUIPMENT.WELL APARENTLY I WAS NOT THE ONLY ONE TOUCHED BY THIS, AS SOME FIREMEN AND OTHER PEOPLE ALSO READ THE STORY, CALLED THE DAILY NEWS AND OFFERED TO BUY THE KID A GLOVE, CLEATS AND WHATEVER ELSE IS NEEDED TO GET HIM ON THE TEAM.THAT'S WHAT NEW YORKER'S DO FOR PEOPLE IN NEED. PLAY BALL!!!