One-time Ringo clone is just a Jewish kid from Brooklyn

CNN Newspaper group

By Stacey Knott

What a long, strange trip it’s been for Jake Ehrenreich — from the day he hallucinated that his genitals had disappeared to the day he had part of his son’s genitals cut off.

In the actor’s new memoir, “A Jew Grows in Brooklyn — The Curious Reflections of a First-Generation American,” based on his Broadway show of the same name, he explores topics as diverse as the Jewish traditions he grew up in to his dalliances in sex, drugs and rock ’n’ roll.

It all began for Ehrenreich in East Flatbush, where he was raised by his Polish immigrant parents, a family he described as “dysfunctional.” (There was that time his older sister chased him down the street wielding a kitchen knife screaming “I’ll kill you.” Obviously, she failed.)

While in junior high, Ehrenreich’s love affair with music began, and as a teenager, he started getting gigs in the Catskills. Soon, he was touring overseas in a Beatles cover band as Ringo Starr during the height of Beatlemania.

The rocker lifestyle also followed (as Ehrenreich tells it, he was pretty lucky with the ladies; it must have been the long, curly hair). That also included a drug addiction which Ehrenreich eventually shook, but not before hallucinating that his genitals had disappeared (not true, as it turned out).

On the night that he finally kicked the habit, Ehrenreich was so high on cocaine that he could barely breath, let alone sing. To get through the gig — and keep his job — he pretended the microphone wasn’t working during a crucial solo. It worked.

Fast-forward 30 years: Ehrenich is clean, has a new haircut, performed on Broadway in shows such as “Dancin’,” “Barnum,” and “They’re Playing Our Song,” as well as his own, and raised a family (that bris? It’s no laughing matter).

The actor currently lives upstate, but his love of Brooklyn shines through in his memoir.

“I think everybody has a warm feeling about where he grew up, I will say to my deathbed Brooklyn is a great place to grow up,” he said.

“I was exposed to so many different kinds of people and circumstances I can’t imagine anything else…it was some of the most wonderful memories of my life.”

Sharing his varied life experiences turned into a “voyage of self discovery” for Ehrenreich, who has taken lessons from the highs (pun intended) and the lows, which included losing his sister to early-onset Alzheimer’s, to try and find purpose in life.

Of particular import has been advice from his father, who taught him to “live your ideals, never compromise your integrity and let your actions speak louder than words.” No microphone needed.

Caitlin Sarubbi: Scholar, athlete, inspiration

By Stacey Knott and Michèle De Meglio
Courier Life publications

Monday, March 29, 2010 8:24 PM EDT

There’s no stopping Gerritsen Beach native Caitlin Sarubbi. The 20-year-old Harvard student just returned from competing at the Paralympic Games in Vancouver and, if things pan out, will intern at the White House this summer.

Sarubbi’s accomplishments are all the more impressive considering that she is legally blind and was born with a rare congenital syndrome requiring 57 reconstructive plastic surgeries to sculpt her face.

Throughout it all, she has maintained a positive attitude and achieved so much more than most of her peers.

“I have so much to be grateful for because I am so blessed. I just try and live a good fulfilled life and I take nothing for granted,” Sarubbi said.

At last week’s Paralympics, Sarubbi competed in the downhill skiing categories for visually-impaired athletes. While Sarubbi relies on her instincts, a guide travels down the slopes in front of her and warns her, via microphones and ear pieces in her helmet, about rough terrain.

“I got a couple of top-10 finishes, which I was happy with. I have only been training and racing full-time for a little over a year so I was extremely happy with my performance,” she said.

She placed seventh out of 15 in the Women’s Slalom and sixth out of 10 in the Women’s Super Combined.

Sarubbi was the youngest and least experienced competitor in her races.

“Experience always wins, you have to pay your dues, and work your way up,” she said. “I knew I wasn’t going to win, but I gave it my best shot and took it as a learning experience.”

She was nervous but decided to “go all out” — a motto she applies to all aspects of her life. She entered Harvard’s pre-med program in 2008, but took a year-and-a-half break to focus on skiing.

“I work hard. I know what I want my life to be like so I work hard to get that,” Sarubbi said.

One of the highlights of the games was carrying the flag in the Paralympics Torch Relay, which she described as an “exciting honor”.

“I got to keep the torch!” she gushed.

Sarubbi started skiing in 2001 when Disabled Sports USA invited her family to Colorado. The nonprofit organization wanted to sponsor a firefighter in a skiing competition but extended the offer to a firefighter’s child with a disability. Sarubbi fell in love with the feeling of rushing down the slopes, which she said gave her a great sense of freedom.

Sarubbi’s upcoming schedule remains busy. She is preparing for the U.S. Alpine National Championships, waiting for an acceptance letter for a summer internship at the White House, and planning to return to Harvard in September. She’s also preparing for the next Paralympic Games.

“My goal has been this Paralympics but I am definitely considering going to Sochi,” she said. “I am probably not going to stop until I have gold!”

A safe haven in Park Slope for nearly 20 years

Lesbian Herstory Archives runs on strength of the community

By Stacey Knott

Wednesday, March 10, 2010 10:14 AM EST

Kings Courier

http://www.yournabe.com/articles/2010/03/10/williamsburg_courier/news/courier-yn_williamsburg_courier-herstory.txt

Tucked away in the rows of brownstones in Park Slope is a library — the biggest of its kind — dedicated to documenting and sharing the lives of lesbians the world over.

The Lesbian Herstory Archives has been at its current three-story spot since 1993 and is jam-packed with books, memorabilia, files, photos and videos that document the events, lives, struggles and successes of lesbians since the 1950s.

All the material in the Archives is donated from people in the community; much of it is from its many volunteers that keep it running.

Joan Nestle and Deborah Edel started the Archives in 1974 in an apartment in the Upper West Side, born out of their dismay at lesbian culture being virtually ignored by libraries, mainstream publishers and archives.

The two started to collect material to prove the existence of lesbians, and fast-forward 35 years, this idea appears to have met its fruition. The Park Slope building is covered floor to ceiling, and even unused sinks are used to display lesbian-themed badges and stickers. The material captures the lives of those in the lesbian community, both famous and ordinary.

The front room on the first floor has a wall lined with file cabinets covering everything from lesbians and abortions to lesbians and music festivals. Also in this room are shelves of books divided into categories like science-fiction and autobiography.

Mimi Lester, a volunteer at the Archives, said they shelve the books by the first name of the author, a throwback to “seventies feminists rejecting patriarchal last names.”

Directly behind the front room is the dining room, complete with a big wooden desk where visitors pore over the material. This room houses a shelf of pulp fiction books which the Archives call “survival fiction,” as some of it is the oldest material in the collection. These were written at a time when lesbianism was a huge taboo, so its lesbian subjects are written in a more discreet way.

Mimi has been volunteering at the Archives for the last few years while studying history and women’s studies at Brooklyn College.

She got involved with the Archives because she believed in the importance of preserving the history of the lesbian community.

“Our history is important, and so often it isn’t recorded or it’s actively destroyed,” said Mimi. “Maintaining a record, even if it’s just of an average person (who) didn’t do anything huge in their life, the fact that there is proof they existed and lived their life as they wanted to is important,” she said.

Mimi believed the Archives are a good place for people who want to explore sexuality; she called it a “safe haven for people to explore themselves.”

She said it is a welcome site in its Park Slope neighborhood and gets only positive responses.

On a recent Monday at the Archives, up on the second floor, surrounded by files of newspaper articles, conference files and a tee-shirt collection, was Kristen Singer, a New York University student working on her master’s thesis. She had been at the Archives full time for the last few months, researching the Daughters of Belasis, the first lesbian organization in the USA. She said the Archives had been “unimaginably important” to her research.

“Everything I need for this topic is here,” she said. Of particular note to the student was a huge video project the Archive had with interviews of members of the Daughters of Belasis. She said access to this material is “priceless. It’s really amazing.”

The Lesbian Herstory Archive is located at 484 14 Street, between Eighth Avenue and Prospect Park West, and is open to the public most days of the week. Upcoming events include a talk with Ann Bannon, an author of lesbian pulp fiction, on April 18, and a tour and guide to the Black Lesbian Herstory of the Collection focusing on the 1970s on April 24.

For more information about upcoming events and open hours, visit www.lesbianherstoryarchives.com or call 718-768-DYKE.

Men stabbed in 'fight over woman' - police

Stuff, Herald
18/10/2009

Two men are undergoing surgery this afternoon after a stabbing incident in Papakura in Auckland.

Senior Sergeant Steve Greally said it was believed the men were stabbed while they were fighting over a woman.

The stabbing wounds were not life threatening and the police were yet to take statements off the men involved, he said.

Taihape back on rail map

Sunday October 18, 2009

ONE News, TV3

News that Taihape is being put back on the rail map has been given the thumbs up by locals.

The central North Island town has been reinstated as a stop after it was dropped from the train timetable in 2005 due to falling numbers, KiwiRail said.

Taihape will be re-appear from October 23.

Rangitikei District Mayor Chalky Leary said the news was "really good," but questioned why the rail stop had not been used over the last three years.

Leary expected trains would only stop for about 10 minutes but said the town believed it would still be good for the local economy, and would give people another travelling option.

"It seems silly, it (the train service) was going right through from National Park to Marton. If you wanted to get off halfway through it was tough luck."

He said the most spectacular part of the main trunk line is the area between Taihape and Marton which included the Rangitikei Valley.

He said the stop would allow more people from Taihape to go through this area.

Tranz Scenic marketing manager Richard Keenan said the stop was being reinstated because they had been impressed with Taihape's commitment to regular train services, including enthusiasm for events and attractions which will add to the appeal of Taihape as a destination.

Hunter missing in Nelson Lakes National Park walks to safety

Stuff, TVNZ

18/10/2009

LATEST: A hunter who was missing in the Southern Alps south of Nelson has made his way to safety, say police.

Tony Manson, 35, walked out of the area, south to a farmhouse about 9am this morning.

A search was launched after he failed to arrive at a pre-arranged time at the Sabine Hut, at the southern end of Lake Rotoroa, yesterday.

Mr Manson had been hunting alone while other members of his party hunted the western side of the lake.

Sergeant Mike Fi tzsimons of Nelson Search and Rescue said Mr Manson had walked out to a farmhouse about 9am this morning.

"He was disorientated and that probably had quite a bit to do with the fact he didn't have sufficient equipment or experience."

Mr Manson didn't have a compass, GPS system or map with him," Mr Fitzsimons told NZPA.

He said if Mr Manson had had the right equipment he could have made it to a hut 4km away, instead of tramping about 20km to the farmhouse .

Two search and rescue teams looked for Mr Manson last night, and five more teams were sent to the area this morning.

Maori Party aims for 18 seats

Stuff, TV3, TVNZ

17/10/2009

The Maori Party plans to have 18 seats in Parliament by 2017, which will include all the Maori seats, its president told a group of Maori Party supporters today.

About 200 leaders and supporters attended the Maori Party's annual general meeting in Auckland today.

Leaders, members and MPs discussed the party's role in Parliament to date and its future plans.

Maori Party president Professor Whatarangi Winata said the party had been active in Parliament to date and had delivered 180 speeches since the beginning of the term.

The party wanted to increase its membership to have more influence in legislation, but co-leader Tariana Turia said for this to be done, more people needed to "cough up" more funds, particually those who were "well heeled".

She said she was disappointed about the recent Rugby World Cup bids but was otherwise pleased with how the Maori Party was working with National.

She said she expected the party to be able to see out its term with National and had a good relationship with Prime Minister John Key and his party.

"We do have a respectful relationship (but) we don't have to agree with one another," she said.

"The most important thing is the Maori Party is sitting at the same table as whoever is in Government."

The leaders discussed the climate change and the Emission Trading Scheme (ETS), and while Mrs Turia said she was personally opposed to the ETS, because it would effect forestry, fishing and farming, three areas essential to the Maori economy, the Maori Party supported the bill because that was what their supporters wanted.