Volume GG, Number 13 June 28, 2012 Golden Steps Elder …...Look for additional information about these and other events in this issue. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 ... community of Sunset

Thanks to a new workercooperative, help may soon beon its way for PSFC membersand others concerned abouthow to assist elderly relativesand neighbors. Golden StepsElder Care Coop, a worker-owned cooperative businessstarted by the nonprofit Cen-ter for Family Life in SunsetPark, is available to providenon-medical services and

companionship to improvethe quality of life of seniors liv-ing in their homes, in assistedliving facilities, nursing homesand rehabilitation centers.Golden Steps’ professionalCompanions are able to pro-vide care to those over 65 in allfive boroughs of New York City.

Golden Steps Companionsare trained home careproviders who handle the daily

non-medical needs of menand women in their later years.All of the Companions aremembers of the Cooperativeand co-owners of the busi-ness. They are trained to pro-vide non-medical servicessuch as preparation of mealsbased on dietary restrictions,running errands, providinglight housework, and escorting

Next General Meeting on July 31The General Meeting of the Park Slope Food Coop is held on thelast Tuesday of each month. The next General Meeting will beon Tuesday, July 31, at 7:00 p.m. at the Congregation Beth Elo-him Temple House (Garfield Temple), 274 Garfield Place.

For more information about the GM and about Coop gover-nance, please see the center of this issue.

IN THIS ISSUEPuzzle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2GMO Labeling Updates: Are GMO Foods Really Cheaper? . . . . 4Plow-to-Plate Presents: Tupperware! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5Ban It or Bag It? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Coop Hours. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Coop Calendar, Workslot Needs,

Governance Information, Mission Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . 9Letters to the Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Classified Ads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Sniffing theCilantroBy Ed Levy

The other day, I observed a shopper making a left turn at theend of the produce aisle near the lemons and garlic into the

rear aisle, headed for the yogurt, when two oncoming cartsusing both lanes came fast across the back lane side by side,like hotrods on a drag strip, from the direction of the slicedturkey. The duo sped up as they saw another shopper who wasalso about to enter the rear aisle from the bulk items aisle, inorder to get wherever they were going before she did. All four ofthese shoppers, with their carts, met in a dense gridlock ofmetal and frustration by the endcap with the cheese.

At this point, a shopper who thought she was being helpful

Golden Steps Elder Care Coop: Offering Care and Companionship to Seniors

Volume GG, Number 13 June 28, 2012

O F F I C I A L N E W S L E T T E R O F T H E P A R K S L O P E F O O D C O O P

Established1973

Golden Steps' Elder Care Coop caregivers at their Seventh Heaven street fair.

By Frank Haberle

The Park Slope Food Coop is a member-owned and -operated con-sumer cooperative. As member-owners, all of our members con-

tribute labor (i.e. workshifts) and share the dividends of our efforts (i.e.lower prices for our food). Our Coop is just one example of the many dif-ferent types of cooperatives that are rising throughout Brooklyn, givingmembers and workers opportunities to own and manage the businessand share the benefits of working together.

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CoopEventHighlights

Tue, Jul 10 • Safe Food Committee Film Night:Tupperware! 7:00 p.m.

Fri & Sat, • Blood DriveJul 13-14 11:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.

Sun & Tue, • All About the Coop’s NewJul 22 & 24 Animal Welfare Committee 7:00 p.m.

Fri, Aug 3 • Film Night:Finishing Heaven 7:00 p.m.

Look for additional information about these and other events in this issue.

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seniors on errands and toappointments. For the seniorsthey care for, who may havelimited mobility and/or beexperiencing social and emo-tional isolation, the presenceof a companion who can pro-vide friendly, sympatheticcompany can be at least asimportant as the practical ser-vices provided.

Golden Steps Elder CareCoop is one of several work-er-owned cooperatives devel-oped with the support of theCenter for Family Life, asocial service organizationserving families in the SunsetPark community. Othermodel programs include SiSe Puede (We Can Do It), aCooperative HousekeepingService, and BeyondCare, aservice that provides babysit-ting and childcare.

A Cooperative SolutionFor Caretakers and forSeniors

According to VanessaBransburg, Cooperative Coor-dinator of SCO Services at theCenter for Family Life, GoldenSteps Elder Care Coop gotstarted with the help of theCenter’s Incubation Program,which has developed worker-owned cooperatives in SunsetPark since 2006. Recently, theprogram identified a numberof people who were interestedand skilled in the area of eldercare. “We have been seeing a

need to assist members of thecommunity to find dignifiedand living wage jobs for someyears now,” Vanessa says. “Weconducted a market study andfound that there is a hugeincrease in elder care thatMedicaid and Medicare arenot covering. For example,some people just need to hiresomeone for a few hours toaccompany them to the doc-tors or to a cultural event. Theamount of hours that they aregiven by their insurance some-times does not suffice andmany of the services neededare non-medical.”

The Center for Family Lifehosted an open house for thecommunity of Sunset Parkwhere Vanessa explainedwhat the Cooperative wouldentail and what the require-ments were to join. Afterreviewing more than 100applications, and doing vari-ous rounds of group and indi-vidual interviews, they puttogether a group of 30 womenwho would begin the 12-weekcooperative course.

All of the members whojoined were women betweenthe ages of 20 and 62; all LatinAmerican immigrants fromcountries such as Mexico,Ecuador, the DominicanRepublic, and Argentina.Many came to the Coop withpast experience caring forseniors in the home and com-munity, while others haveexperience as nannies andhousekeepers, as well as fac-tory and administrative work.Some of the members werealready certified as HomeHealth Aides; however, all ofthem had to complete a 12-week course at the Center forFamily Life that covered bothbusiness development andelder care training. The eldercare training includedCPR/First Aid for adults, basicsof Alzheimer’s, Nutrition andMeal Preparation throughCornell Cooperative Exten-sion, stages of aging, and howto create and conduct activi-

ties that are appropriate forthe client based on their phys-ical and mental capabilities aswell as interests. Even afterthe 12-week training, the Coopcontinues to provide internaland external trainings to itsmembers. For example, themembers will be taking a 50-hour Dementia training for Professionals, conducted bythe New York ChapterAlzheimer’s Association.

“With a worker-ownedCoop,” Vanessa says, “a bigpart of the focus is on the ben-efits and professional develop-ment and support of all of itsmembers. By working collec-tively, the members of thecoop are able to create theirstandards of pricing, contracts,and quality and conditions ofwork. Working individually,they may have been isolateddoing mostly domestic workwhere they are exposed andvulnerable to exploitation,wage theft, and unsafe work-places. The Cooperative is anempowering model that putsall of the decision-making andcontrol in the hands of theworker-owners.”

“With a worker-owned Coop,”Vanessa says, “a big part ofthe focus is on the benefits

and professional developmentand support of all of its

members.”

“Since Golden Steps isworker-owned,” Vanessa adds,“our workers are motivated toprovide high quality service atan affordable price to allowthose we serve to lead saferand happier lives at home, giv-ing them the comfort of know-ing that they are not alone,and giving their loved ones thepeace of mind that they are ingood hands.”

Building a Model forSuccess

Vanessa, who was born inBuenos Aires, Argentina andmoved to San Diego, Califor-nia when she was 7 years old,joined the Center for FamilyLife staff five years ago afterreceiving her Master’s inSocial Work from ColumbiaUniversity. “I decided to startworking in Coop developmentbecause of my interest in com-munity organizing, workersrights and immigrant rightswork. I have felt strongly thatdeveloping Coops has been avery effective and powerfulway of empowering thewomen, mothers, and immi-grants we’ve partnered with totake their time and labor intotheir control. I’ve seen thiswork affect the members andtheir families both economi-

cally and on a psycho-socialand emotional level.”

As the Center for FamilyLife’s Cooperative Coordina-tor for the past five years,Vanessa has been able to helpGolden Steps Elder Care Coopfrom its outset. The Coop’sdevelopment and structurehas followed the successfulmodels of the other Coopsdeveloped by the Center forFamily Life, the Si Se Puede!Women’s Cleaning Coopera-tive and Beyond Care ChildCare Coop.

Vanessa’s role in GoldenSteps has included research-ing the project, creating the12-week training curriculum,conducting some of the train-ing sessions and coordinatingothers that required outsideconsultants. She continues tofacilitate their meetings andwill do so only until the Coop-erative’s leaders have the skillsto lead meetings on their own.

Working with GoldenSteps

A family that seeks toengage a Companion to workwith a senior family memberthat may need assistanceeither on a part-time, full-timeor overnight basis should con-tact Vanessa at (718) 687-1978or [email protected] todiscuss the program servicesand fees and to arrange for apreliminary meeting with theCompanion, the senior andfamily member. ■

2 � June 28, 2012 Park Slope Food Coop, Brooklyn, NY

Read the Gazette while you’re standing on line OR online at www.foodcoop.com

Textonyms

Puzzle author: Stuart Marquis. For answers, see page 15.

The numbers on modern telephone keypads are associated withgroups of three or four letters:

2 = ABC, 3 = DEF, 4 = GHI, 5 = JKL, 6 = MNO, 7 = PQRS, 8 = TUV, 9 = WXYZ

Many texting devices support “predictive text.” That is, when numberkeys are pressed, the matching letter possibilities are looked up in adictionary to find a matching word. For example, 2-2-8 might beturned into the word C-A-T.

However, the same keys (2-2-8) also correspond to other words—BAT or ACT. These alternative possible words are known as“textonyms.”

Each of the words listed below has at least one common Englishword textonym. It may help to first turn the word back into acorresponding letter sequence. The first word is done for you.

ACHE 2243 = ACID, CAGEDARTWOODPONYFORTYTORAHQUOTESTOLENGOVERNPURPOSEABSTAINBARRETTE

If you are interested in the history of the Coop or in when and how particular subjects have been

discussed in the Gazette...

Send an e-mail to Len Neufeld, Gazette indexer, [email protected], to request PDF files of

either or both of the following indexes:

◆ An alphabetized list of the titles of all articles published in theGazette from 1995 to the present, with issue dates.

◆ An alphabetized list of all subjects (including people’s names) discussed in Gazette articles from 1995–99 and 2001 to the present,

with article titles, issue dates, and page numbers (subjects for the year 2000 are being added).

Many of the Gazette issues referenced in these indexes are available as PDFs on the Coop’s website.

The Golden Steps Elder Care Coop is located in SunsetPark, Brooklyn.

Vanessa Bransburg, coordi-nator of Golden Steps ElderCare Coop.

Elder CareC O N T I N U E D F R O M P A G E 1

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Puzzle author: Stuart Marquis. For answers, see page 15.

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began to play traffic cop andtonguelashed the guy makingthe left out of produce. “Can’tyou see what’s going onhere?” she asked, with a lot ofintensity, and demanded thathe retreat in order to end theimpasse. Since it wasn’t hisfault and the blame—such asthere was—seemed to liewith the two shoppers whohad been drag racing, herpolice work untangled thegridlock, but caused hurt feel-ings and suppressed reac-tions. It seemed apparentthat letting the shopperswork things out on their own,with the usual perfunctorysorrys and excuse mes andthank yous, would haveworked better than escalatingthe situation with an overlyenthusiastic interventionthat shamed the wrong partyand left everyone feeling a lit-tle weird.

For this reporter who waswatching, the incidentbrought to mind the wholeissue of member etiquette inour constantly crowded store.What are the rules of theroad, unspoken, written andimplied? How could we movethrough the store and per-form our shifts more con-sciously and cooperatively?

Culled from a variety ofsources and member sug-gestions, here is a checklistof 45 uncooperative, irritat-ing, unsanitary or merelyrude behaviors, with a fewmore trivial infractionsthrown in. Take the test tosee how cooperative a mem-ber you are. To score yourown test, see the key that fol-lows the list. 1. Being dishonest abouthaving few enough items forthe express line. (The cutoff

point is 15.)2. Eating food you have notyet paid for.3. Eating food and not payingfor it at all. (You threw away thewrapper and totally forgot.)4. Abandoning your cart inthe middle of an aisle whileyou go elsewhere to get anitem you want.5. Blocking the aisle to have aconversation with a friend.6. Talking on your cell phonein a loud voice.7. Holding up the checkoutwhile you fish around in yourwallet or bag for a really longtime to look for your mem-bership or debit card.8. Continuing to shop whileyou are on the line, hopingsomeone will push your car-riage forward.9. Not pushing forward thecarriage of the person in frontof you when he has leftmomentarily to get the pastahe forgot.10. Continuing to shop whileyou are being checked out. 11. Slowly counting out exactchange in painstakingly smallamounts when paying foryour purchases.12. If you are a checkout work-er, talking on your cell phonewhile weighing and ringingup items.13. Leaving items you havedecided at the last minutenot to purchase at the check-out instead of returning themto the shelf.14. Putting them back in thewrong place.15. Checking out with a lot ofloose, unbagged produceitems that all need to beweighed, like Brusselssprouts, for example, whichkeep rolling off the scale.16. Not grouping multipleitems during checkout, so theYukon gold potatoes have tobe weighed in little groups,first two potatoes, then four

potatoes, then two.17. Not saying anythingabout a mistake the checkoutperson makes in your favor. 18. Using an outside shop-ping cart inside the store.19. Taking the outside carthome without a walker toaccompany you and notbringing it back right away.(Full disclosure: I once keptone till the next morning inmy apartment on EighthStreet.)20. If you’re a checkout per-son, sniffing the cilantro orthe basil (or whatever).21. Tasting bulk items.22. Emptying bulk itemsyou’ve bagged back into thebin when you decide youdon’t want them.23. Using multiple twist tiesto tie your plastic bagbecause it’s a hassle toextract just one tie from thecup. 24. Keeping the pen from thelabel station. 25. Touching all the otherbroccoli heads as you searchfor the bunch you like (eventhough they’re virtually iden-tical); squeezing the toma-toes and melons.26. Not picking up stuffyou’ve spilled or broken.27. Elbowing someone as youreach to get the item you need.28. Running your cart intoother people or over their feet.29. Coming late for your shiftand leaving early.30. Holding the freezer dooropen while you browse forthe kind of frozen pizza youlike best. 31. Going into the basementyourself to look for items youneed.32. Getting angry with the entryperson who tells you you aresuspended; shopping anyway.33. Walking past the entry work-er without showing your card.34. If you are an outside work-er, not noticing, because youare in a conversation, thatthere are people who needassistance.35. Sending your nanny to doyour shift.36. Shopping for people whoare not Coop members.37. Allowing yourself to bechecked out by members ofyour own family or household.38. If you are bagging spicesor dried fruit, not being accu-rate about the weight.39. If you are a squad leader,being too lax or too harsh inenforcing the makeup rules.40. Unloading items fromyour cart onto the wrong endof the checkout area (theplace they go after they arescanned). 41. Bringing paid for itemsback onto the shopping floorbecause you have to go to the

bathroom or talk to yourfriend or do more shopping.42. Parking your car in front ofthe Coop.43. Parking in front of the fire-house.44. Parking in front of the fire-house.45. Parking in front of the fire-house.

I f you checked none ofthe boxes, then you were

probably asleep or, to put itpolitely, dissembling whenyou took the test. I f youscored under five, you are abodhisattva. Five to ten, youare doing nicely, thoughthere is room for improve-ment. Ten to 20, there’smore room for improve-ment. More than 20, you aredisplaying a truly low levelof cooperation! ■

Park Slope Food Coop, Brooklyn, NY June 28, 2012 � 3


SUMMERTIME

...and the living is easy.But don’t forget your Coop shift!If you plan on being away during one of yourworkslots, please make arrangements to have

your shift covered.

One way to do it is to use the Shift Swap at www.foodcoop.com!

If you plan on being away for eight weeks ormore, contact the Membership Office to take a

leave of absence.

Your co-workers will love you for it!

EXPERIENCED REPORTERSPlease Apply

Workslot DescriptionWe have four distinct Linewaiters’Gazette teams—each producing anissue every eight weeks. You will de-velop and produce an article about theCoop in cooperation with your team’seditor every eight weeks.

For More InformationIf you would like to speak to an editor or another reporter to learnmore about the job, please contact Ann Herpel in the MembershipOffice or email her at [email protected].

To ApplyPlease send a letter of application and two writing samples at least800 words long (one sample must be a reported interview) [email protected]. Your letter should state your qualifications,your Coop history, relevant experience and why you would like toreport for the Coop. Your application will be acknowledged and for-warded to the coordinating editors, Stephanie Golden and ErikLewis.

Seeking Diversity on the Gazette StaffThe Gazette is looking for qualified reporters. We are interested inusing this opportunity to diversify our staff. We believe that we canenrich the quality of the Gazette and serve the membership betterwith a reporting and editing staff that more closely resembles themix of Coop members.

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SniffingC O N T I N U E D F R O M P A G E 1


By Greg Todd

Not one of the GMO foods beingmarketed claims to provide a

consumer benefit. None claims tomake you thinner, smarter, healthieror better-looking.

The only benefit that the industryconsistently lays claim to is thatGMOs make food cheaper to produce.Is even that thin claim supportable?

Not when you factor in the possibleenvironmental and health effects. IfGMO producers such as Monsantohad to pay for the costs of contamina-tion their seeds cause to organicfarmers, GMO crops might not be socheap. Health effects are more prob-lematic to document because the fed-eral agencies that monitor novelfoods and drugs, the FDA and theUSDA, have decided that GMOs are“substantially equivalent” to non-GMOs. Since this determination wasmade in 1992, however, even theagencies’ own scientists have admit-ted that traditional seeds and GMOseeds are not the same.

And the anecdotal evidence con-tinues to roll in. Anti-GMO crusaderJeffrey Smith has collected hundredsof stories suggesting health implica-tions including infertility, immuneproblems, accelerated aging, faultyinsulin regulation and changes inmajor organs and the gastrointestinalsystem. Established researchers suchas Árpád Pusztai, Ignacio Chapela andeven soil biologist Elaine Inghamhave had their reputations attackedfor attempting to research GMO dan-gers. What do these health effects

cost American taxpayers? We maynever know precisely, but I’m sure it’sa lot. None of these is reflected in theshelf price of GMO foods.

California GMO LabelingInitiative

Perhaps the anti-labeling stance ofour government will shift thanks tothe referendum now slated for Califor-nia ballots in November. This referen-dum got 971,126 signatures, well overthe 550,000 required to be on the bal-lot. The initiative would requiregenetically engineered foods (alsoknown as Genetically Modified Organ-isms, or GMOs) and foods containingGMO ingredients to be clearlylabeled. Just getting enough petitionsignatures, however, is a huge mile-stone in a California ballot initiativeeffort.

Since 2010, ballot access has costmost successful petitions $2- to $3million. Most of that money goes topetition firms who charge to gathersignatures. The Committee for theRight to Know, which reports raising$27,472 through March 31, reliedinstead on volunteers described as“concerned mothers, farmers, fisher-men, business leaders, students andvolunteer leaders.”

Across the world, there is nowagreement that genetically engi-neered foods are different from con-ventionally bred foods and that allgenetically engineered foods shouldbe required to go through safetyassessments prior to approval. Thesepositions are spelled out by Codex

Alimentarius,the foodsafety stan-dards organi-zation of theU n i t e dN a t i o n s ,which theWorld TradeOrganization

considers to be the global, science-based standard, and thus immune totrade challenges.

For more on the California referen-dum, please check out the followingwebsite: www.labelgmos.org.

Things You Can Do Now:Consider Labeling It Yourself

Tired of all of these labeling delays?Then you might want to consider thelabel-it-yourself option. As the “labelit yourself” web site observes, pollsconsistently show that Americanswant to know what’s in their food, justlike the consumers in Europe, China,Japan, Australia and most other devel-oped countries. Some folks think theonly way to overcome the conspiracybetween our governmentand large biotech compa-nies that has produced thelabeling ban, is to simplylabel foods themselves.Accordingly they’ve devel-oped their own label thatlooks like this:

If you’d like to make astatement to the cabalthat has blocked labelingin the US, go to the follow-ing website and print outyour own set of labels.Remember that the fol-lowing are generally GMOfree:

• USDA organic prod-ucts

• Most produce (exceptcorn and sugar beets)

• Products with theNon-GMO Project logo

Make sure all of the ingredients ina product are non-GMO, rather thanjust a few (www. labelityourself.org).

Get PoliticalWant to send a message to Presi-

dent Obama?While on the campaign trail in

2007, Barack Obama promised tolabel GMO foods if elected. Now’sthe time! Here’s a link to a petitionthat will send President Obama amessage about labeling GMOs(www.action.fooddemocracynow.org.sign/label_gmos_now).

In the meantime, keep up-to-date with our labeling efforts at the Coop by visiting our website:www.gmodanger.wordpress.com. ■



G M O S H E L F L A B E L I N G C O M M I T T E E R E P O R T

To receive workslot credit for attending themonthly General Meeting, members must sign up in

advance in one of the following three ways:

◆ On the Coop’s website(www.foodcoop.com)

◆ Add your name to the sign-up sheet in the ground-floor elevator lobby

◆ Call the Membership Office

GMO Labeling Updates: Are GMO Foods Really Cheaper?




By Adam Rabiner

In one of its rare departuresfrom presenting a film

about food, the Plow to Platecurators have chosen to serveup a side dish—an importantinnovation in food delivery,the ubiquitous Tupperwarecontainer. Love it or hate it,Tupperware plays an impor-tant part in both food andwomen’s history in the work-force. Plow to Plate’s veryown Robin Hessman co-pro-duced this delightful docu-mentary and will be hostingthe screening.

Tupperware! tells the re-markable story of Earl SilasTupper, a life-long tinkererand inventor who finallycame up with the product of alifetime and his stormy part-nership with Brownie Wise,who led Tupperware HomeParties, the part of the com-pany in charge of sales, pub-lic relations and marketing.

After seeing Tupperware lan-guish on store shelves, Wisepaid a visit to the reclusiveMr. Tupper and pitched theidea that Tupperware be soldin the home through fun andfestive home demonstra-tions. He hired her on thespot and Wise became theQueen Bee, the first andmother to all subsequent“Tupperware ladies.”

Tupperware! strikes a bal-ance between telling the sto-ries of Mr. Tupper, Ms. Wiseand the myriad of Tupperwareladies for whom the Ameri-can workforce was openingup and providing unprece-dented opportunities. Astereotypical image of thewoman worker at the timehad been Rosie the Riveter, atough-looking broad deckedin a blue denim shirt, wearinga bandana and flexing herbiceps. However, by the1950s, women were increas-

ingly expected to play a moredomestic role. The Tupper-ware Lady opposed this pres-sure and represented a wholenew image of the femaleworker: a white gloved, gen-teel and feminine, sales-woman. It was a far cry fromWilly Loman.

Brownie Wise was noWilly Loman. A natural andself-taught marketer, sheconvinced Tupper to allowher to build a Disney-likeheadquarters in Kissimmee,Florida, just outside ofOrlando. From here shethrew annual, themed,Jubilees for all her Tupper-ware Ladies. These dayslong events, f i l led withgames, rewards, food andfun, were part employeeappreciation retreats andpart rallying calls to furthermotivate and energize.Brownie Wise planned, coor-dinated and presided over

these events, beloved byeveryone for her energy,charm and leadership, atopic on which she had evenwritten a book. At the heightof her fame, at a time whenwomen still faced glass (orshould I say plastic) ceilings,Ms. Wise was the f irstwoman ever to grace thecover of Business Magazine.

Yet, as in Arthur Miller’sfateful drama, things endedtragically for Ms. Wise, aswell. For a variety of reasons,she and Mr. Tupper’s busi-ness relation soured and hefired her. With a severancepackage of $35,000 sheattempted, but failed, to cre-ate a cosmetics company,Cinderella, based on the

same model. Earl Tupper, onthe other hand, cashed out byselling his company for $16million dollars, renouncedhis American citizenship, andbought an island in CentralAmerica where he lived hisremaining days continuing totinker and invent.

Tupperware! tells an impor-tant story about Americancultural history. And a cau-tionary business tale. And,refreshingly, you’ll hear noth-ing about the dangers ofBisphenol A (BPA). We’ll savethat for another day. ■

Watch Tupperware! On Tues-day, July 10, 7 p.m. Park SlopeFood Coop, 782 Union St., 2ndfloor. Refreshments will be served.

S A F E F O O D C O M M I T T E E R E P O R T

Wednesday, July 4Shopping hours:8 a.m.–7:30 p.m.The Coop will need workers on

Wednesday, July 4, especially in Receiving.

July 4 wallcharts for FTOP openings are now posted.

Check with the Membership Office.

If you owe a make-up, you don’t need to schedule your

make-up. Just show up at the startof any shift.

The last working shift on July 4 will be 6 p.m.

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VALET BIKE PARKING IS HERE ON SUNDAYS!

Every Sunday, April 1–November 18, from 3:30–8 p.m.,

Coop members can leave their bikes with our valet parking service, which is like

a coat check for bikes. Working members willcheck in and watch your bike for you.

Just drop off your bike, stroller, scooter orpersonal cart, do your shopping or your shift,

and hop back on. No locks, no worries, no theft. Service operates rain or shine.

Look for us in front of the yellow wall. (Note: no bike check-in after 7:30 p.m.)

Valet bicycle parking at the Coopis brought to you by the PSFC

Shop & Cycle Committee.

Plow-to-Plate Presents: Tupperware!

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M E M B E R C O N T R I B U T I O N

The Linewaiters’ Gazette is revamping its organizational

structure and looking for qualified members to fill

the new work slots!The two new positions are:

Co-Coordinating Art Director(CAD) and Co-CoordinatingProduction Manager (CPM).

Both are supervisory positions on theproduction teams. In total, the Gazettewill be adding two CADs and four CPMs.

Responsibilities include:

• Supervise the members working in the Art Department or on the weekend Production Teams

• Screen applications for members wanting to jointhe Art Department or the Production teams

• Develop training tools

•Monitor and assess performance of team members

• Provide feedback to team members

• Have a working knowledge of Quark, InDesignand Photoshop (Co-Coordinating ProductionManager only)

• Improve and manage Gazette processes in order toproduce a quality newspaper

• The Co-Coordinating ProductionManager must be available to work onSaturday and Sunday, once everyeight weeks.

If you have any questions about the positions or thetime commitment, or are interested in applying,

please contact [email protected]. Include inyour e-mail your relevant experience and skills.

Applicants must be members in good standing andhave an excellent work history.

Join the squad that helps to compost more

than 2,000 buckets of food scraps!

Work outside in lovely Brooklyn Gardens.

Work in teams of two, hauling buckets

of the Coop's produce scraps to

local gardens for composting.

Work any time on your scheduled day. The work is

physical and is done in delightful weather as well as

inclement weather. Reliability is a must—if you are

prone to miss your shift, this is not the spot for you.

If you are interested or want to find out more, please call Sherry (Squad Leader) at 718-398-4454 or Annette Laskaris (PSFC) at 718-622-0560.

What Is That? How Do I Use It?

Ask Me QuestionsAbout Coop Foods

Friday, June 29, 8 to 10:45 a.m.Monday, July 2, 12 to 2:45 p.m.Monday, July 9, 12 to 2:45 p.m.

You can join in any time during a question-and-answer session

on the shopping floor.

Look for tour leaders in produce aisle.

By Mark Jobson

“Bans shove, not nudge,people to change their

behavior.”—reuseit.comCurrently there is a pro-

posal by the EnvironmentalCommittee to completelyban plastic roll bags from theCoop shopping floor. (Theseare the bags most of us usefor produce, bulk items,meats, etc.)

One of the things aboutour Coop I like very much isthat there is always a possi-bility to learn somethingabout another aspect of thecooperative shopping expe-rience, to begin a con-versation and ultimately(hopefully) to experiencechange. Having said that,when it came time for theGeneral Coordinators tobegin their presentation onthe effects of possible elimi-nation of plastic roll bags atthe May 29 General Meeting,I quickly realized this denseand multifaceted conversa-tion was not something thatwas going to be easilyabsorbed in one meeting. Ialso realized that thischange could have a seriousimpact on something mostof us probably take for grant-ed, and if a Coop-wide voteon the issue is imminent, wemust start talking now.

For those not attending,I’m pleased to say that the General Coordinators’research report was as impar-tial and unbiased a presenta-tion as possible, seeminglyinclusive of the “all” of theplastic roll bag experience. Wehave consequences to consid-er and there are many sides,such as environmental re-

sponsibility, sanitary stan-dards, costs to the individual,reusing and recycling bags,the nature of our business andeffects on its daily operations.

There are simple things Inever thought about. Forinstance if you buy wholepoultry meat and put it in aplastic roll bag, it preventsleaks of blood and other flu-ids onto the shopping cartsand checkouts. We all use thecarts and checkouts over andover again, and neither arecleaned or sanitized on a reg-ular basis. (I found it interest-ing that San Francisco, whichhas legalized bag bans,excludes banning plastic rollbags for sanitary reasons.)

What if I reduce consump-tion by reusing? One memberstated he’d reused his exist-ing plastic roll and breadbags for an entire year. Theyare sturdy, can be used morethan once and are easy towash and keep clean.

But the elimination ofplastic roll bags may just beinconvenient to the pointthat members will want toshop elsewhere. Sometimesyou swing by to shop anddon’t have bags with you, andthat frozen item would“sweat” all over the inside ofyour shopping bag and getthings wet. Or you needsomething from the bulkbins. What do I do then? Notbuy what I came to buybecause there aren’t anybags? Purchase one of the re-usable bags for sale, addingto the price of my grocerybill? This could prove a hin-drance to shopping andchecking out, and none of uswants more of that.

A surprising conflict,voiced by the General Coordi-nators and members, is theuse of muslin/re-usable bags.While this is good environ-mentally, it affects the TAREweight and we end up payingfor these bags every time weuse them. TARE weight refersto the weight of the bag (.01of a pound) and is automati-cally deducted when we useplastic roll bags, so basicallywe are only paying for what’sin the bag, not the bag itself.(Did you know about TARE? Inever knew.) Since the muslinbags weigh more, you arepaying for that bag as well aswhat’s inside. Every time youuse it. Kind of an environmen-tal yea! and a financial boo.That can seriously add toyour shopping tab over thecourse of a year. And our reg-isters are programmed withsoftware that cannot changethe standard TARE weightwithout costly modifications.

So I have shopped a fewtimes since the meeting, andreused some plastic rollbags and bread bags I had athome. So far life is still goodand this has not rocked myworld. Perhaps I was nudged—in an educational way—bythe discussion. One thing Iknow is it was simple tothrow them into the canvasbags I already use wheneverI go shopping. The otherthing I realized is that Ialready have the bags athome, so do I really neednew plastic roll bags everytime I shop? Probably not(all right, once in a while...)but I like that I am now ask-ing myself the question.

Sometimes that’s the bestway to start a conversation.Now is the time. ■

Ban It or Bag It?




Interested in Engaging Coop Work?Disciplinary Committee Seeks NEW Members

Our work includesApplying Coop’s rules and regulationsDiscussing policy issues related to the DC’s workInvestigating allegations of uncooperative behavior by members and

engaging in problem solvingDaily email contact with DC members to discuss casesParticipating in mediation, disciplinary hearings, and other conflict

resolution methods

Requirements:In order to be considered for this position, any candidate must:be a member for at least a yearhave good attendance recordpossess the abilty to work on a teamcommunicate clearlyhave good writing skillshave computer proficie cy (Excel, Word, emails) is essentialattend an evening meeting every six weeks

We work on average 6 hours per month, more than the required work shifthours. You will be credited and your hours banked for future use.

We recognize the importance of various points of view when consideringcases brought to us. WE ARE SEEKING A CANDIDATE POOL THAT REFLECTSTHE DIVERSITY OF THE COOP’S MEMBERSHIP.

Interested? Please call Jeff: 718-636-3880

Skills needed:CommunicationProblem solvingConflict resolutionDealing with difficultsituations and peopleInvestigationWritingResearch

Currently we havemembers from thefollowing fields:Social work, education,law, dispute resolution,holistic medicine, design,and journalism

Join us to make the Coop the best place it can be for everyone.

n

Park Slope Food Coop Video Squad

Workslots Available For FTOP credit

There are current workslot openings for: 1. Production–Camera Crew(must have own equipment)2. Final Cut Pro Video Editors(must have own equipment)

For more information, [email protected] and include

“PSFC Video Squad” in the subject line.

The Coop has a regular show on Brooklyn Cable Access Television and will soon be expanding topodcasting via the Internet. The shows featuresmembers and issues related to the Coop and thelarger Brooklyn community. Past shows includehealth, improv performance, live music, cooking

classes and ideas for living ecologically.

Followthe

FoodCoop

on

@foodcoop

Please protect yourfeet and toes whileworking your shiftat the Coop by not

wearing sandals orother open-toed

footwear.

Thanks for your cooperation,The Park Slope Food Coop




COOP HOURS

Office Hours:Monday through Thursday

8:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.Friday & Saturday

8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.Shopping Hours:

Monday–Friday8:00 a.m. to 10:00* p.m.

Saturday6:00 a.m. to 10:00* p.m.

Sunday6:00 a.m. to 7:30* p.m.

*Shoppers must be on a checkout line 15 minutes after closing time.

Childcare Hours:Monday through Sunday

8:00 a.m. to 8:45 p.m.Telephone:

718-622-0560Web address:

www.foodcoop.com

P L A S T I C S

RECY

LING

Monthly on the...Second Saturday

July 1410:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.

Third ThursdayJuly 19

7:00 p.m.–9:00 p.m.Last Sunday

July 2910:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.

On the sidewalk in front of the receivingarea at the Coop.

What plastics do we accept?Until further notice:

• #1 and #6 type non-bottle shaped contain-ers, transparent only, labels ok

• Plastic film and bubble wrap, transparentonly, no colored or opaque, no labels

• #5 plastic cups, tubs, and specificallymarked caps and lids, very clean and dry(discard any with paper labels, or cut off)

•NOTE: We are no longer accepting #2 or #4 type plastics.

PLASTIC MUST BE COMPLETELY CLEAN & DRY

We close up promptly. Please arrive 15 minutes prior to the

collection end time to allow for inspection andsorting of your plastic.

This newly formed committee will focus on research and education. We plan to:❁ research animal-care standards for Coop meat, eggs, dairy, and seafood

❁ decode labeling used on Coop products (organic, cage-free, Certified Humane, etc.)❁ determine which Coop personal-care and household products are tested on animals

❁ inform members via fact sheets, Linewaiters' Gazette articles, signage, etc.

We seek an applicant pool reflective of the diversity of the Coop, including dietary diversity (omnivores, vegetarians, and vegans welcome).

Requirements:• Must be a member for at least one year• Have good attendance record• Attend monthly committee meetings on Mondays,

C week, 7-8:30 p.m.• Participate in subcommittee work as needed

For more information about the committee and to apply, please go to www.psfcanimals.blogspot.com/2012/06/

apply-within-were-ready-to-add-new.html

This Issue Prepared By:

Coordinating Editors: Stephanie GoldenErik Lewis

Editors (development): Erik LewisJoan Minieri

Reporters: Frank HaberleEd Levy

Art Director (development): Eva Schicker

Illustrators: Lynn BernsteinEthan PettitDeborah Tint

Photographers: Rod Morrison

Traffic Manager: Barbara Knight

Thumbnails: Kristin Lilley

Preproduction: Yan Kong

Photoshop: Terrance Carney

Art Director (production): Dilhan Kushan

Desktop Publishing: Kevin CashmanMike Walters Oliver Yourke

Editor (production): Tioma Allison

Puzzle Master: Stuart Marquis

Final Proofreader: Nancy Rosenberg

Index: Len Neufeld

Advertisement: Andrew Rathbun

The Linewaiters’ Gazette is published biweekly by the Park SlopeFood Coop, Inc., 782 Union Street, Brooklyn, New York 11215.

Opinions expressed here may be solely the views of the writer. TheGazette will not knowingly publish articles that are racist, sexist, or oth-erwise discriminatory.

The Gazette welcomes Coop-related articles, and letters from members.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINESAll submissions must include author’s name and phone number andconform to the following guidelines. Editors will reject letters andarticles that are illegible or too long. Submission deadlines appearin the Coop Calendar opposite.

Letters: Maximum 500 words. All letters will be printed if theyconform to the guidelines above. The Anonymity and Fairnesspolicies appear on the letters page in most issues.

Voluntary Articles: Maximum 750 words. Editors will reject articlesthat are essentially just advertisements for member businesses andservices.

Committee Reports: Maximum 1,000 words.

Editor-Writer Guidelines: Except for letters to the editor, whichare published without editing but are subject to the Gazette letterspolicy regarding length, anonymity, respect, and fairness, allsubmissions to the Linewaiters' Gazette will be reviewed and ifnecessary edited by the editor. In their review, editors are guidedby the Gazette's Fairness and Anonymity policies as well as stan-dard editorial practices of grammatical review, separation of factfrom opinion, attribution of factual statements, and rudimentaryfact checking. Writers are responsible for the factual content oftheir stories. Editors must make a reasonable effort to contactand communicate with writers regarding any proposed editorialchanges. Writers must make a reasonable effort to respond toand be available to editors to confer about their articles. If thereis no response after a reasonable effort to contact the writer, aneditor, at her or his discretion, may make editorial changes to asubmission without conferring with the writer.

Submissions on Paper: Typed or very legibly handwritten andplaced in the wallpocket labeled "Editor" on the second floor at thebase of the ramp.

Digital Submissions: We welcome digital submissions. Dropdisks in the wallpocket described above. The email address forsubmissions is [email protected]. Receipt of yoursubmissions will be acknowledged on the deadline day.

Classified & Display Ads: Ads may only be placed by and on behalfof Coop members. Classified ads are prepaid at $15 per insertion,business card ads at $30. (Ads in the “Merchandise–Non-commercial”category are free.) All ads must be written on a submission form(available in a wallpocket on the first floor near the elevator). Classi-fied ads may be up to 315 characters and spaces. Display ads mustbe camera-ready and business card size (2"x3.5").

Printed by: Tri-Star Offset, Maspeth, NY.


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S Store Equipment CleaningMonday or Wednesday, 6 to 8 a.m.The Coop is looking for members to cleanthe checkout area of the store. It entailscleaning the scales at each checkout andvacuuming around the base of the checkoutstation as well as sweeping and occasionallymopping. You will work under the supervi-sion of a staff person.

Plastics Recycling BalerSaturday, 1 to 3:45 p.m.Baler will work as a member of theEnvironmental Issues Plastic RecyclingCommittee. Work includes operating the balermachine in the receiving area—NO OPEN-TOED FOOTWEAR SHOULD BE WORN WHILE

WORKING IN THIS AREA. Worker must be ablework with Receiving Staff to coordinate the useof the baler and shared workspace, must beable to follow detailed safety instructions.Some strength and lifting required. Trainingwill take place on first scheduled shift. You willneed to contact Cynthia Pennycooke,Membership Coordinator, via phone Mon-Fri 8a.m.-12:30 p.m. in the Membership Office or e-mail [email protected] prior tobeing assigned to this shift.

Laundry and Toy CleaningSunday, 8:30 to 10:30 p.m.This work slot has two responsibilities. Youwill load laundry into dryer, fold it and redis-tribute it around the Coop. While the laundry

is washing/drying, you will clean toys in thechildcare room. You will be working with apartner on these tasks. Please contactAnnette or Jana in the Membership Office forfurther information.

Office Set-upMonday or Thursday, 6 to 8:30 a.m.Need an early riser with lots of energy to do avariety of physical tasks including: setting uptables and chairs, buying food and supplies,labeling and putting away food and supplies,recycling, washing dishes and making coffee.Sound like your dream come true? This jobmight be for you. Please speak to Adriana orCynthia in the Membership Office for moreinformation.

Attend a GMand Receive Work Credit

Since the Coop’s inception in 1973, the GeneralMeeting has been our decision-making body. At theGeneral Meeting (GM) members gather to makedecisions and set Coop policy. The General-Meeting-for-workslot-credit program was created to increaseparticipation in the Coop’s decision-making process.

Following is an outline of the program. For full details, seethe instruction sheets by the sign-up board.

• Advance Sign-up required:To be eligible for workslot credit, you must add your

name to the sign-up sheet in the elevator lobby. The sign-ups sheet is available all month long, except for the day ofthe meeting when you have until 5 p.m. to sign up. On theday of the meeting, the sign-up sheet is kept in theMembership Office.

Some restrictions to this program do apply. Please seebelow for details.

• Two GM attendance credits per year:Each member may take advantage of the GM-for-

workslot-credit program two times per calendar year.

• Certain Squads not eligible:Eligible: Shopping, Receiving/ Stocking, Food

Processing, Office, Maintenance, Inventory, Construction,and FTOP committees. (Some Committees are omittedbecause covering absent members is too difficult.)

• Attend the entire GM:In order to earn workslot credit you must be present

for the entire meeting.

• Signing in at the Meeting: 1. After the meeting the Chair will provide the

Workslot Credit Attendance Sheet.2.Please also sign in the attendance book that is

passed around during the meeting.

• Being Absent from the GM:It is possible to cancel without penalty. We do ask that

you remove your name if you know cannot attend. Pleasedo not call the Membership Office with GM cancellations.

Park Slope Food CoopMission Statement

The Park Slope Food Coop is a mem-ber-owned and operated food store—analternative to commercial profit-orientedbusiness. As members, we contribute ourlabor: working together builds trustthrough cooperation and teamwork andenables us to keep prices as low as possi-ble within the context of our values andprinciples. Only members may shop, andwe share responsibilities and benefitsequally. We strive to be a responsible andethical employer and neighbor. We are abuying agent for our members and not aselling agent for any industry. We are a partof and support the cooperative movement.We offer a diversity of products with anemphasis on organic, minimally pro-cessed and healthful foods. We seek toavoid products that depend on theexploitation of others. We support non-toxic, sustainable agriculture. We respectthe environment. We strive to reduce theimpact of our lifestyles on the world weshare with other species and future genera-tions. We prefer to buy from local, earth-friendly producers. We recycle. We try tolead by example, educating ourselves andothers about health and nutrition, coopera-tion and the environment. We are com-mitted to diversity and equality. Weoppose discrimination in any form. Westrive to make the Coop welcoming andaccessible to all and to respect the opin-ions, needs and concerns of every member.



C O O P CA L E N D A RNew Member Orientations

Attending an Orientation is the first step toward

Coop membership. Pre-registration is required for

all of the three weekly New Member Orientations.

To pre-register, visit foodcoop.com or contact the

Membership Office. Visit in person or call 718-622-

0560 during office hours.

Have questions about Orientation? Please visit

www.foodcoop.com and look at the “Join the Coop”

page for answers to frequently asked questions.

The Coop on the Internetwww.foodcoop.com

The Coop on Cable TVInside the Park Slope Food CoopFRIDAYS 2:30 p.m. with a replay at 10:30 p.m.

Channels: 56 (TimeWarner), 69 (CableVision).

General Meeting InfoTUE, JULY 31GENERAL MEETING: 7:00 p.m.

TUE, JULY 3The Agenda Committee will not meet on Tuesday,

July 3.

Gazette Deadlines

LETTERS & VOLUNTARY ARTICLES:July 12 issue: 12:00 p.m., Mon, July 2

July 26 issue: 12:00 p.m., Mon, July 16

CLASSIFIED ADS DEADLINE:July 12 issue: 7:00 p.m., Wed, July 4

July 26 issue: 7:00 p.m., Wed, July 18

Our Governing Structure From our inception in 1973 to the present, the openmonthly General Meetings, to which all members areinvited, have been at the center of the Coop’s decision-making process. Since the Coop incorporated in 1977, wehave been legally required to have a Board of Directors.The Coop continued the tradition of General Meetings byrequiring the Board to have open meetings and to receivethe advice of the members at General Meetings. TheBoard of Directors, which is required to act legally andresponsibly, has approved almost every General Meetingdecision at the end of every General Meeting. Boardmembers are elected at the Annual Meeting in June.Copies of the Coop’s bylaws are available on the CoopWeb site, foodcoop.com, at the Coop Community Cornerand at every General Meeting.

Next Meeting: Tuesday, July 31, 7:00 p.m.The General Meeting is held on the last Tuesday of eachmonth.

Location The Temple House of Congregation Beth Elohim(Garfield Temple), 274 Garfield Place.

How to Place an Item on the AgendaIf you have something you’d like discussed at a GeneralMeeting, please complete a submission form for theAgenda Committee. Forms are available on the Coop Website, foodcoop.com, in the rack near the Coop CommunityCorner bulletin board and at General Meetings. Instructionsand helpful information on how to submit an item appearon the submission form. The Agenda Committee meets onthe first Tuesday of each month to plan the agenda for theGM held on the last Tuesday of the month. If you have aquestion, please call Ann Herpel at the Coop.

Meeting FormatWarm Up (7:00 p.m.) • Meet the Coordinators • Enjoy some Coop snacks • Submit Open Forum items • Explore meeting literatureOpen Forum (7:15 p.m.) Open Forum is a time formembers to bring brief items to the General Meeting. Ifan item is more than brief, it can be submitted to theAgenda Committee as an item for a future GM.Reports (7:30 p.m.) • Financial Report • Coordinators’Report • Committee ReportsAgenda (8:00 p.m.) The agenda is posted on theCoop Web site, foodcoop.com, the Coop CommunityCorner and may also appear elsewhere in this issue.Wrap Up (9:30-9:45) (unless there is a vote to extendthe meeting) • Board of Directors’ vote • Meeting evalua-tion • Announcements, etc.

A l l A b o u t t h eG e n e r a l M e e t i n g




Introduction to Infant MassageIf you’re a parent with a newborn to year-old infant, here’s a perfect way to spend anhour that will benefit you and your child for a lifetime. Infant massages are a provenmethod for parents to bond with and contribute to the health and happiness of theirnewborn or infant child. Learn to speak infant, express through touch, soothe and calmthe baby and give the loving, nurturing attention that accelerates neural and tactiledevelopment. Coop member Deirdre Lovell is a licensed massage therapist and mas-sage therapy instructor, former performing artist and mother.

Safe Food Committee Film Night:Tupperware!In the 1950s, American women discovered they could earnthousands—even millions—of dollars from bowls thatburped. “Tupperware ladies” fanned out across the nation’sliving rooms, selling efficiency and convenience to theirfriends and neighbors through home parties. Bowl by bowl,

they built an empire that now spans the globe. Tupperware!, a new documentary byLaurie Kahn-Leavitt, narrated by Kathy Bates, is a funny, thought-provoking filmthat reveals the secret behind Tupperware’s success: the women of all shapes, sizes,and backgrounds who discovered they could move up in the world without leavingthe house. Tupperware! charts the origins of the small plastics company that unpre-dictably became a cultural phenomenon. Co-producer Robin Hessman will be host-ing this event.

Blood DriveFact: Less than 3% of the population donates blood, and 90% will use blood sometime in their life. Presented in cooperation with New York Methodist Hospital. For fur-ther information about blood donation, call 718-780-3644.

Are You New to Medicare?Come learn about the basics of the Medicare program—Medicare Parts A and B,Medicare managed care, and Part D drug coverage. What services are covered byMedicare? How does Medicare interact with other health coverage? How much willyou need to pay for Medicare coverage? When do you need to sign up for Medicare?Michelle Berney, M.P.A., is a consultant with the New York City Department for theAging’s HIICAP program (Health Insurance Information Consumer AssistanceProgram). She specializes in Medicare and its related programs. She has worked inthe public benefits field for more than 12 years and has been a Coop member forseven years.

A Hard Nut to Crack:Researching Your Neighborhood

Demographics and other statistical information are among the most difficult data toharness when you’re trying to learn more about where you live. And what aboutresearching the history of your part of the city? This workshop will introduce partici-pants to resources and techniques to help you get a handle on your neighborhood. By

the end, you will be able to conduct basic demographic research and know how to findinformation about Brooklyn and local issues using websites and resources both on-lineand off. Arpita Bose is a medical librarian and director of a hospital library in Brooklyn.Melissa Morrone is a public librarian in Brooklyn.

All About the Coop’s New Animal Welfare Committee

Have you ever thought about putting animal welfare on your shopping list? Come to thisworkshop and find out how. We'll provide an overview of the Coop's Animal WelfareCommittee and the reasons for its formation. We'll also have a look at the research thecommittee has done on Coop personal-care/household products and animal testing, andexamine what the various labels on our meat, dairy, eggs, and seafood mean. Meetcommittee members, voice your own concerns, find out how to get involved, apply tojoin the committee, and explore how your shopping reflects your values. Jesse Oldhamis a Coop member and has more than 20 years experience in animal welfare. KamaEinhorn is a Coop member and a humane educator.

Handling Your Child’s Anger, Frustration and Fears

Many parents have questions about handling the anger, frustration or fears thattheir children express. Share stories with other moms and dads and hear perspec-tives to help your child with these important issues. Sharon C. Peters, M.A. is thefounder and director of Parents Helping Parents on President Street in ParkSlope. She has worked with hundreds of individual families for more than 15years and has led many parent workshops for schools and organizations. She is ahappy longtime Coop member.

Effective Tools for Rapid Personal Transformation

What emotions are hiding under the cover of your anger? Do you have compassion foryourself and others? Is your heart open? If you are open to transforming your old pat-terns of fear, worry and anxiety and leave room for joy, happiness and fun, it can bedone. And it’s easy and fun! The body is like a magnet, and when these experiences arein cellular memory, the body attracts the same experiences. Doctors and other profes-sionals have used these techniques for daily stresses, eating disorders, robbery, rapeand emotions such as anger, anxiety, fear and others. These remembrances can destroythe quality of life if not cleared. This unique, life changing technology will be demon-strated. Marija Santo-Sarnyai is a Geotran practitioner.

The First Five Steps for LGBT Life Planning

Everyone wants authority and autonomy to live their life their way, although we don’tplan for life’s unexpected surprises. For different-sex married couples there are safetynets. Things can be tricky for LGBT Americans since rights differ by city, state and fed-eral laws and many LGBT adults are not aware of the need to protect ourselves, leavingus vulnerable. Information on the first five steps to start your own safety net will be dis-cussed, as well as an overview of the pertinent federal laws that impact LGBT adults.Long-time Coop member Mary Blanchett, MSA, LNHA, has 27 years of experience inlong-term care.

jul 8sun 12 pm

jul 10tue 7 pm

jul 13-14fri-sat 11 am–6 pm

jul 15sun 7 pm

jul 22sun 12 pm

jul 22 & 24sun, tue 7 pm

jul 27fri 7 pm

jul 28sat 12 pm

jul 31tue 7 pm

For more information on these and other events, visit the Coop’s website: foodcoop.comAll events take place at the Park Slope Food Coop unless otherwise noted. Nonmembers are welcome to attend workshops.

Views expressed by the presenter do not necessarily represent the Park Slope Food Coop.




PSFC JULY General MeetingMeeting Agenda to be announced. For information on how toplace an item on the Agenda, please see the center pages ofthe Linewaiters’ Gazette. The Agenda Committee minutesand the status of pending agenda items are available in the

Coop office. Meeting location: Congregation Beth Elohim Social Hall (GarfieldTemple), 274 Garfield Place at Eighth Avenue.

Film Night:Finishing HeavenIn 1970, at the height of New York’s Warhol Factory scene,ambitious NYU student Robert Feinberg began shooting hisdebut film. Armed with a youthful cast and crew, his then pro-fessor Martin Scorsese as producer, and the guerilla filmmak-ing spontaneity of the era, the production was poised tolaunch Feinberg’s directing career. Cut to 2007, when the

cans of 16mm footage sit languishing in storage. When ex-girlfriend and firecrackeractress Ruby Lynn Reyner convinces Feinberg to finally finish his magnum opus, he re-encounters the fears and self-imposed roadblocks that paralyzed him three decadesago. Directed by Mark Mann. Amy Foote is a freelance editor based in Brooklyn. Herediting credits include HBO’s A Matter of Taste: Serving Up Paul Liebrandt, which pre-miered at SXSW and won a James Beard Award for Television Documentary; the Emmy-nominated, HBO documentary film Finishing Heaven; and PBS Independent Lens’ ForOnce in My Life, which won the Audience Award at SXSW and was nominated for BestMusical Documentary by International Documentary Association (IDA). Amy co-pro-duced Flying: Confessions of a Free Woman, a six-hour documentary series that pre-miered at Sundance and aired on the Sundance Channel. She has been a member ofthe Coop for nearly 11 years, and lives in Sunset Park.To book a Film Night, contact Faye Lederman, [email protected].

Focus Career, Finances and Relationships Through Values

Uncover the magic key to managing your career, finances, and relationships throughvalues! Values are often talked about and rarely defined, yet they can simply focus sat-isfaction and meaning. In this workshop you’ll identify your essential values using astandard values-clarification tool. You’ll learn specific tips and techniques to use valuesto: help balance your financial bottom line and live luxuriously within your means; man-age and resolve stress and conflict in both personal and professional relationships,

(especially when talking about money, a major source of conflict!); and, (re)focus orstrengthen work direction for increased meaning and satisfaction. This workshop isappropriate for adults and teens. Linda Katz’s values have been met as a communica-tion and conflict-management coach and facilitator for more than 20 years, and bybeing a Coop member.

Agenda Committee MeetingThe Committee reviews pending agenda items and creates theagenda for this month’s General Meeting. Drop by and talk withcommittee members face-to-face between 8 and 8:15 p.m.Before submitting an item, read “How to Develop an Agenda

Item for the General Meeting” and fill out the General Meeting Agenda Item SubmissionForm, both available from the Membership Office or at foodcoop.com. The next GeneralMeeting will be held on Tuesday, August 28, 7 p.m., at Congregation Beth Elohim SocialHall (Garfield Temple), 274 Garfield Place at Eighth Avenue.

What the Tooth Fairy Never Knew!

This workshop on nutritional, homeopathic, preventive dentistry is geared for those whowant to take responsibility for improving or maintaining their dental health; and, tolearn about the connection between dental problems and systemic diseases. You will betaught how to analyze oftentimes undiagnosed etiologies of dental diseases, TM jointproblems, headaches and loosening teeth. Dental controversies like mercury fillings,root canals and placing nickel on your children’s teeth will be included in this sympo-sium. Dr. Stephen R. Goldberg DDS, is a Nationally Certified Clinical Nutritionist(CCN), Acupuncturist and Oral Myofunctional (Swallowing) Therapist.

Thyroid Problems, Fibroids, Cysts and PMS

Participants will learn five effective, natural ways to eliminate fibroids, cysts and PMS.We will explain the underlying causes of hypothyroidism and hormonal imbalance, howto resolve them, and how to boost energy and clarity through beneficial diet, appropriateexercise, and the use of natural supplements. This class will provide the supportive envi-ronment participants need to identify and implement the changes that will improve theirhealth. Pre-registration suggested. To register, e-mail [email protected] orcall (646) 483-4571. Rebecca Curtis is a certified Holistic Health Coach. Mary Hart,M.S., L.Ac., is a nationally board–certified acupuncturist.

jul 31tue 7 pm

aug 3fri 7 pm

aug 4sat 2 pm

aug 7tue 8 pm

aug 11sat 12 pm

aug 11sat 3 pm

Safe Food Committee Film Night

A Business of Your Own

Venus, the Indwelling Divine

Healthy Thyroid

PSFC AUGUST General Meeting

Agenda Committee Meeting

Food Class

Film Night

Safe Food Committee Film Night

The Very Good Coffeehouse Coop Concert Series

aug 14

aug 17

aug 19

aug 28

aug 28

sep 4

sep 6

sep 7

sep 11

sep 21


MY ‘EXPERIENCE’ WITHHIRING COMMITTEE ANDDIVERSITY ANDEQUALITY COMMITTEE

DEAR EDITOR,Bias and prejudice at Coop’s Hiring

Committee, coupled with complacencyand dysfunction at Diversity and EqualityCommittee. What gives? What to do?

Having had decades of experiencein retail business (including a stint asa supermarket manager), plus a life-time background in non-profits, natu-rally I felt pretty qualified forReceiving and Stocking Coordinatorposition. When I applied for that posi-tion last year, my resume and coverletter were submitted on December12, 2012. Next day I received an emailfrom Hiring Committee (HC) inform-ing me that my resume and cover let-ter had been received, telling me thatdue to Holidays the interview wouldbe temporarily postponed, reassuringme that: “Please be assured that we haveyour application, and that there will be noneed for you to reapply at that point,” andthe interview would be next.

For the next two months I did notget a single reply from the HC,although I had followed up my initialsubmission twice, asking about theinterview: once in January and againin February. Finally late in FebruaryHC responded, informing me that theposition had been filled.

Since I had also experienced anumber of rather unpleasantencounters from some ReceivingCoordinators—while doing somemakeup shifts in January—includingone stating that: “She’ll kick yourass.” (The bottom referred to, beingmy backside!) I felt that the combina-

tion of delaying tactics by HiringCommittee and the not so coopera-tive “encounters,” qualified for areferral to the Diversity and EqualityCommittee (DEC).

From the onset my perception andargument, which I shared with DEC,was that HC lacked any proper hiringprocess (at least regarding my case).That hiring was not based on objective criteriaof one’s experience, and what an applicantknows, but based on whom she/he knows.This is a claim that could be easilyverified or rejected based on existingcorrespondences, dates… as it isdone everywhere else; a very basic,simple routine procedure.

While working with DEC was to avery slow start, the pace got even slow-er once I had established contact withthe person in charge of this case. Whatwas shocking to me was how all of this“process” came to a total halt and com-pletely stopped once we got into docu-mentation of my case (after I sent myDEC contact my resume, cover letterand rest of correspondences she hadrequested) and we were about toestablish the facts of the matter.

Hence, I have been left with nooption but sharing this sordidepisode with all of you through thepages of Gazette, and asking for yourcollective wisdom and advice on howto proceed. Needless to say I’m alsocurious to see if besides me, anyoneelse has also had “the honor” of goingthrough such an experience.

Yours in cooperation,Majeed Balavandi

Shalom, Salaam, Peace

[Editor’s Note: The two letters thatfollow are in response to the letter byMajeed Balavandi.]

THE HIRING PROCESS ATTHE PARK SLOPE FOODCOOP

Recruiting qualified, enthusiasticCoop staff members is a matter wetake very seriously. Mr. Balavandi’sletter presents an opportunity to offertransparency about the Coop’s hiringprocess.

Open staff positions are communi-cated in the Linewaiter’s Gazette, on theCoop’s website, and postingsthroughout the Coop. Hiring Commit-tees are then formed of four to sixpaid staff (both General and AreaCoordinators) who understand theposition’s requirements well. The Hir-ing Committee reviews all applica-tions and each member compiles alist of applicants they wish to inter-view. A group of applicants is theninvited to meet with the Hiring Com-mittee. After the interviews have beenconducted, the Hiring Committee willreach consensus on the two or threeapplicants whose references arechecked. After further discussion,offers will be made to the appropriatenumber of candidates. There arealways more qualified and deservingcandidates than we can interviewand/or hire.

All applicants receive either an e-mail or a letter confirming receipt oftheir application materials. The jobposting states: “Please do not call theoffice to check on the status of yourapplication.” The Hiring Committeescannot respond to questions regardingthe status of individual applicationsduring the process. For applicants whoare not interviewed, the next commu-nication they receive from the Coopwill be to tell them the position hasbeen filled and to thank them for theirinterest and application.

The hiring process that Mr. Bala-vandi participated in was unusual inone respect. In November of 2012, aReceiving Coordinator position wasposted. However, it quickly becameclear that the intensity of the Novem-ber/December holiday period necessi-tated postponing the interviewprocess until January. All candidatesthen received the following e-mail:

“Thank you for your application forthe Receiving Coordinator position atthe Park Slope Food Coop.

We have decided that we areunable to adequately conduct inter-views during the busy holiday period.We expect that we will be interviewingcandidates in the New Year. Please beassured that we have your applica-tion, and that there will be no needfor you to reapply at that point.

We appreciate your interest inworking for the food coop.”

The Hiring Committee apologizesfor any lack of clarity on our part thatled Mr. Balavandi to interpret our e-mail to mean that he would be inter-viewed. Because applicants for jobshere are also member-owners, wetake steps to ensure that memberswill continue to feel welcome at theCoop even when their applications for

employment are not successful. In Cooperation,

Elinoar AstrinskyGeneral Coordinator

THE DIVERSITY ANDEQUALITY COMMITTEE’SRESPONSE:

In 2009, the DEC presented its find-ings from a survey conducted amongCOOP members about bias in theCOOP. Since that time, we have devel-oped anti-racism educational oppor-tunities as well as diversity training.We’ve held over 45 voluntary work-shops, and we’ve trained hundreds ofsquad leaders. Our volunteer commit-tee members do our best to follow-upon all complaints in a timely fashion,and we empathize with and regret theletter writer’s unhappiness with thepace of our follow-up. We are in theprocess of training more complaintreviewers in order to alleviate thisproblem.

To the broader point, we recognizein this case that an acknowledgementof receipt of an application is not apromise for an interview. We took theletter writer’s claim very seriously andtook the time to examine the hiringprocess with staff. We do believe thatthere are safeguards in place and thatthe hiring process is fair and open.That said, we do recommend an addi-tional consideration in the Coop hir-ing process wherein there are diverserepresentatives on any interviewpanel.

We welcome recommendationsfrom the general membership as tohow to respond to issues of bias, asour main aim is to decrease bias over-all in the Coop and to make the Coopwelcoming for all.

The Diversity and Equality Committee

‘PINKWASHING’:RESPONSE TO A COVER-UP

TO THE EDITOR:Israel has an open LGBT culture.

People of any nationality vacation,live openly or raise families withoutfear of harassment or persecution. A2011 American Airlines poll rated TelAviv the best “gay city” in the world(with triple the votes for New York, insecond place).

Since 1992 Israel has passed aseries of LGBT laws:

• Discrimination is banned in theworkplace.

• Discrimination is banned in themilitary: LGBT solders serve openlyin all military branches includingspecial units.

• In the public and private sectorssame-sex partners have equal rightsand benefits to heterosexual marriedcouples.

• They have full rights of adop-tion, with both partners sharinglegal custody.

• Gay marriages certified abroad



We welcome letters from members. Submissiondeadlines appear in the Coop Calendar. All let-ters will be printed if they conform to the pub-lished guidelines. We will not knowingly publisharticles which are racist, sexist or otherwise dis-criminatory

The maximum length for letters is 500words. Letters must include your name andphone number and be typed or very legiblyhandwritten. Editors will reject letters that areillegible or too long.

You may submit on paper, typed or very legi-bly handwritten, or via email to [email protected] or on disk.

AnonymityUnattributed letters will not be published

unless the Gazette knows the identity of thewriter, and therefore must be signed when sub-mitted (giving phone number). Such letters willbe published only where a reason is given to theeditor as to why public identification of thewriter would impose an unfair burden of embar-rassment or difficulty. Such letters must relateto Coop issues and avoid any non-constructive,non-cooperative language.

FairnessIn order to provide fair, comprehensive, fac-

tual coverage:1. The Gazette will not publish hearsay—that

is, allegations not based on the author's first-hand observation.

2. Nor will we publish accusations that arenot specific or are not substantiated by factualassertions.

3. Copies of submissions that make substan-tive accusations against specific individuals willbe given to those persons to enable them towrite a response, and both submissions andresponse will be published simultaneously. Thismeans that the original submission may notappear until the issue after the one for which itwas submitted.

The above applies to both articles and letters.The only exceptions will be articles by Gazettereporters which will be required to include theresponse within the article itself.

RespectLetters must not be personally derogatory or

insulting, even when strongly criticizing an indi-vidual member's actions. Letter writers mustrefer to other people with respect, refrain fromcalling someone by a nickname that the personnever uses himself or herself, and refrain fromcomparing other people to odious figures likeHitler or Idi Amin.

LETTERS POLICY




are fully recognized.Like many countries, Israel pro-

motes tourism. Besides its manyattractions as a holiday destinationfor anyone, promotions include itsextraordinary LGBT culture, highlight-ing Israel’s tolerance and diversity incontrast to repressive regimes in theregion and around the world.

The anti-Israel/BDS crowd, recog-nizing that Israel’s favorable recordthreatens their efforts to demonizethe Jewish state, maneuvered to use itagainst Israel, linking promotionof Israel’s LGBT record to the conflictin the Territories, although there is noconnection.

They charge Israel with “pinkwash-ing.” This term originally describedorganizations purporting to careabout the fight against breast cancerbut having problematic records ofcommercial activity. Anti-Israelrhetoric (now in the Gazette) appro-priated the term, claiming that Israel’spromotion of LGBT freedom is a dia-bolical cover-up, designed to detractattention from its evil activities in theTerritories.

“Pinkwashing’” is itself an insidiouscover-up. Its intent is to stop peoplefrom regarding Israel as a model ofprogressive values, while ignoring thehorrific treatment of homosexuals inthe Arab and Muslim worlds. (WhileTel Aviv celebrated its 20th annual gaypride parade this June, gay Palestini-ans continued to hide and flee to TelAviv from the West Bank and Gaza toescape persecution and death.)

It’s at least bizarre that LGBT anti-Israel groups call for a boycott againstthe only country in the Middle Eastthat doesn’t persecute or killpeople for sexual orientation or gen-der identity.

Questions:• Should Israel conceal its extraor-

dinarily free LGBT culture to avoidoffending anti-Zionists?

• Will BDS claim that Israel’s pro-motions of its cultural, religious, his-toric, scenic and archeologicalattractions are also designed to hyp-notize people into ignoring the Pales-tinian-Israeli situation?

• In their efforts to demonize Israel,do BDS leaders want to align LGBTswith countries that stone women,hang gays, and persecute Christians?

By focusing on Israel and ignoringthe horrors against LGBTs in theentire region, “pinkwashing” propo-nents throw their Arab and Muslimsisters and brothers under the busand also do a great disservice toIsraeli LGBT activists.

Selectively boycotting Israel, andIsrael artists, academics, and nowbeleaguered members of the LGBTcommunity is old prejudice in newpackaging.

The plight of Palestinians any-where should not be ignored. Israel’sunique gay rights, an entirely sepa-rate matter, should not be ignored,corrupted or crassly politicized either.

Ruth Bolletino

WE SUPPORT THECOORDINATORS

TO THE COOP:We support the decision of the

Coordinators to cancel the BDS work-shop mentioned in the June 14 GazetteLetters. We strongly agree that Coopspace should not be used for attack-ing and criticizing the decisions ofoutside organizations, in keeping withthe principles of the International Co-op Alliance (ICA) of which we are amember. The Coop provides themeeting space free of charge. It is aprivilege and a favor to the use thespace, not a right. Granting use of thespace may be seen to essentially givethe Coop’s imprimatur to the meet-ing. The Coop meeting space shouldonly be used for activities that directlybenefit and support the well-being ofthe Coop community and are conso-nant with our Mission, and our com-mitment to ICA principles.

In Cooperation,Rhudi Andreolli, Roberta Arnold, Joan

Astrin, Steven Berke, Danielle R. Bernstein,Esther Bernstein, Shalmon Bernstein, Carla

Brookoff, Art Brown, Darrin Cabot,Nathalie Cabot, Benedicte Charpentier,

Sharon Eagle, Arthur Finn, Jill Friedman,Ralph Friedman, Yoav Gal, Boaz Gilad, Sue

Gilad, Yury Gitman, Frieda Givon, YokhaiGivon, Felicia Glucksman, Asya

Gorokhovsky, Leonid Gorokhovsky, LeahGradinger, Misty Gradinger, Ulrich

Gradinger, Ari Gradus, Diana Gradus,Sybil Graziano, Feotiniya Grechko, Eli

Gremont, Fran Hawthorne, DevoraHershkop, Chaya Hoffinger, Yaacov

Hoffinger, Sheldon Jacobson, ConstantineKaniklidis, Linda Katz, G. Evelyn Lampart,

Corrine Lang, Harvey Lang, DavidLeveson, Margaret Leveson, Chana Lew,

Pinny Lew, Sylvia Lowenthal, AleksandraMalamud, Arkady Malamud, Diana

Maislen, Ramlon Maislen, Avishay Mazor,Barbara Mazor, Jacob Milkens, Juliet

Milkens, Sally Minker, Alexander Musayev,Constance E. Nickel, Raisa Oklander,

Marjorie Ordene, Max Orenstein, RodgerParsons, Saul D. Raw, Jeffrey Rickin, Lila

Rieman, Michael Rieman, Zoya Romm,Doris Rosenbaum, Ron Rosenbaum, Meir

Rosenberger, Mirele Rosenberger, RivaRosenfield, Dorothy Rosensweig, Millir

Ruttner, Jonathan S. Sack, Rivkah Siegel,Michael Benjamin Smith, Malkah Spitalny,

Marion Stein, Ron Stein, Malkie Stern,Olia Toporovsky, Rabbi Jerry Weider

[email protected]

BDS ON U.S. CAMPUSES

COOP MEMBERS:

CaliforniaCalifornia backs professor’s right to

call for boycott of Israel on state uni-versity website.

BackgroundDr. David Klein, (tenured mathe-

matics professor at California StateUniversity, Northridge), a long-timeactivist, turned his focus to Palestini-

ans after Israel’s attack on Gaza Stripin winter 2008–09. Klein began a web-site on his CSUN faculty page tobring attention to what was happen-ing in Palestine. It has become an in-depth resource for the growing,international Palestinian-led BDSmovement. Klein joined the organiz-ing committee of the US Campaignfor the Academic and Cultural Boy-cott of Israel; advises the campuschapter of Students for Justice inPalestine; joined faculty oppositionto the CSU system’s plan to resume astudy abroad program in Israel (pro-gram is reinstated).

Opposition to Professor KleinThere have been unrelenting per-

sonal attacks and threats by anti-Palestinian individuals. Pro-Israelgroups called him and his website‘anti-Semitic.’

In April 2012, the Global FrontierJustice Center (GFJC) sent a letterrequesting the California AttorneyGeneral investigate and prosecuteProfessor Klein for the alleged misuseof the name and resources of CSUN inviolation of a state statute. The lettercited Klein’s opinions: hostilitytoward Israel, presenting Palestiniansas victims only—not aggressors,encouraging academic boycott ofIsrael, boycott of Israeli goods, andIsraeli sports.

Support for Professor KleinUniversity administration (acting

president, Harry Hellenbrand) sup-ported Klein’s website as an expres-sion of academic freedom. On May 17,California Attorney General respond-ed by letter to GFJC: “after a carefulreview of your letter and materials,the evidence provided does not sup-port a finding of misuse of such nameand resources. We find no basis forany action on our part.”

On June 5, GFJC sent a letter to theCity Attorney of Los Angeles request-ing they sue Professor Klein.

ArizonaOn the last day of 2012 school year,

the Arizona State University studentgovernment unanimously passed abill “demanding that ASU divest fromthe blacklist companies that continueto provide the (Israeli army) withweapons and militarized equipmentor are complicit with the genocidalregime in Darfur.” Partial list of black-list companies: Boeing, Caterpillar,Motorola, United Technologies, andPetroChina.

WashingtonOn June 4, 2012, the Evergreen

State College’s student-run FlamingEggplant Café voted to boycott Israeligoods citing its mission and state-ment of principles: “nourish the localfood system by making delicious,healthy ecologically and socially justfood accessible to all; support politi-cal participation and direct action tocreate a just and egalitarian society.”

MassachusettsOn April 18, 2012, the University of

Massachusetts, Boston undergradu-ate student government unanimouslypassed a bill demanding that the uni-versity divest from Boeing and othercompanies profiting from war crimesand/or human rights violations. Thebill supports international solidaritymovements including BDS. Boeingproduces the Hellfire missile and AH-64 Apache attack helicopters used inIsrael’s 3-week military onslaughtagainst the Gaza Strip, 2008–09:killing 1,300 Palestinians, mostlycivilians, including 412 children.

References: Nora Barrows-Fried-man, www.bdsmovement.net, AliAbunimah

Mary BuchwaldBrooklyn For Peace

PSFC members for BDS

IS NOT PEACEIMPORTANT

DEAR COOP MEMBERS:I am curious about the single-

minded motivations of Brooklyn forPeace. In a region in turmoil, onlyIsrael is singled out for a boycott. InSyria, the government has instituteda program of killing their own civil-ians—focusing on women and chil-dren. Boycott Syria—nope. In Egypt,the military has recently had a coupand dissolved Parliament. BoycottEgypt—nope. In Saudi Arabia,women are second-class citizens,and denied basic rights. BoycottSaudi Arabia—nope. Iran has stead-fastly pursued a nuclear path, andhas vowed the destruction of Israel.Boycott Iran—nope. And inAfghanistan, schoolgirls are poi-soned en masse to prevent themfrom obtaining an education. Boy-cott Afghanistan—nope. And in thePalestinian Territories, Hamas con-tinues to launch missiles targetingIsraeli civilians. Boycott Palestine—don’t be ridiculous.

It is interesting that the only coun-try that falls under the purview ofBrooklyn Peace is Israel. Nary a men-tion of injustice elsewhere in theregion. Every issue of the Linewaiters’Gazette has an article about a boycottthat the PSFC has already voted not tojoin. Is not peace important else-where in the region?

David Meltzer

NAMES AND EDITORIALPOLICY

TO THE EDITOR:Gazette editors have claimed that

they scrupulously follow policiesthat require respect of member let-ters and other contributions. Why,then, should the editors of the May31, 2012 Gazette have allowed thepublication of a letter by Mel Spain(“Another attack on free speech...”)

C O N T I N U E D O N P A G E 1 4


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CLASSIFIEDS


in which the writer twice refers to“the PSFC Israel Lobby”? The groupthat opposed the virulent com-ments of the BDS supporters neverhad such a name, nor was thatgroup composed of lobbyists forIsrael. Mr. Spain’s letters have clear-ly indicated that he values contin-ued vi l i f icat ion of Israel in thepages of the Gazette, but that doesnot give him the right to fabricatethe motives—or the group name—of those who reject his view.

Michael Rieman

ISN’T IT TIME

TO THE EDITOR:In a review of June 15, 2012 of The

Syrian Rebell ion by Fouad Ajamiappearing in The New York Times, DexterFilkins begins:

“Fourteen months ago, as ordi-nary Syrians were just beginning togather in large numbers to call for

their leaders to quit power, a cherub-faced 13-year-old named Hamza Alial-Khateeb was taken into custodyafter he’d been caught scrawling anantigovernment slogan on a wall at aprotest in the town of Jiza. A monthlater, when Hamza’s body wasreturned to his parents, it bore signsof the most hideous torture. His facehad been beaten purple, his jaw andkneecaps pulverized, his bodystabbed and torched. His penis hadbeen chopped off.”

Although ignored by the Coop, inthose fourteen months, twelve to fif-teen thousand Syrians have died likeHamza, some shot and killed, someburned by fire, and many more blind-ed, castrated, raped and tortured,maimed and mutilated. All thisbloody slaughter carried out by troopsand militias organized by their ownunelected minority government offorty years’ dictatorial rule.

In the same fourteen months, Israelhas come under relentless attack at

the Coop despite the lack of propor-tionality, and despite the overwhelm-ing vote against referendum on thismatter. In the aftermath, Israel andIsraelis of all origins, opinions andkinds, continue to be accused in a warof propaganda … waged principally inthe Gazette.

And I resent it.Isn’t it time after fourteen months

and many thousands murdered inSyria and elsewhere in the Arab Mid-dle East we acknowledge that thesedaily horrors of life exist beyond theborders of Israel and beyond itsreach and influence? Isn’t it timeafter fourteen months the Gazettestop publishing attacks on Israel andIsraelis of all origins and kinds,attacks which appear endlessly andin every issue with no new assertionsof fact?

Isn’t it time for the Coop and theGazette to return to the business of theCoop, and not to descend into thechaos of a perpetual war of words, a

propaganda war which drains theCoop of its authority and robs it of itsstrength, its dignity, its cohesion andits legitimacy?

Allen Tobias

BALLAD OF THE ONLINESON

“O, tell me, Danny, sweet Danny,Exactly why are ye gluedTo the devil’s own contraptionFar worse than coming home stewed?”

“O, Mother, dear Mother, forgive meFor getting your nerves all ajangle,But I’ve mountains of emails to work throughLest my friendships they wither and mangle.”

“But Danny, my poor pallid Danny,Ye cannot stay indoors all day.A boy of your tender age groupNeeds to gambol outside and play.”

“O, Mother, repetitious Mother,Ye keep chanting the same old song.I’ll shut down my darling computer!Can I take my iPhone along?”

Leon Freilich

C O N T I N U E D F R O M P A G E 1 3

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Classified advertising in the Linewaiters’ Gazette is available only to Coop members. Publication does not imply endorsement by the Coop.


To Submit Classified or Display Ads:

Ads may be placed on behalf of Coop members only. Clas-sified ads are prepaid at $15 per insertion, display ads at $30.(Classified ads in the “Merchandise–Non-commercial” cate-gory are free.) All ads must be written on a submission form.Classified ads may be up to 315 characters and spaces. Dis-play ads must be camera-ready and business card size (2" x3.5" horizontal).

Submission forms are available in a wallpocket near theelevator in the entrance lobby.


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THANK YOU!

Thank you to the following members for referring friends who joined the Coop in the last four weeks.

Alexander AbdoAtossa AbrahamianAriel AbrahamsMacrina AivazianJose AlzorrizAnnetteJessica AnthonyKarl BeckCarol BeckerMariel BergerIris BieriEdward BleibergLisa BrunoElaine C.Mandy C.Kelly CarlinEmily CassignacMina CheongKate CohenEdward CopelandDaphne CorrellJamie CourvilleRebecca Curtis

Teresa DevoreGreg Di GesuMadeleine DubusAlyssa FaganSam FederDavid FieldFiona GardnerSetareh GhandehariThomas GilliganJeremy GoldmanAnne GoodmanMark GrashowSarah GregoryLaura GreyMatthew Guidarelli Sabina HahnShami HariharanSebastian HeilpernJacob HenryMichael HicksonDarryl HillKristina JonesClaudia Joseph

Aurora KatzMicah KelberChristie KimStephanie KloseTarikh KorulaHolly LaDueJessica LevinDonna LichawJulia LisztwanDeirdre LovellZoe MoffittMaria MezeiBrandon NeubauerBridget PackardKristiana ParnAmy PeteChristina PolettoDaniella PolyakTanti RosadiKate RubinSimona RubinDavid RubinoKevin Ryan

Sonia S.Jago SalmonNeel SataShayna SchmidtLisa SchneiderRobin SimmenMary SullivanMichele ThomasDeborah VelickJorgen WahlstenBas WaijersNathan WesslerElizabeth WiklerJean Williams-CutlerAmy WonGabrielle Young

WELCOME!

A warm welcome to these new Coop members who have joined us in the last two weeks. We’re glad you’ve decided to be a part of our community.

Adi AviviDeborah BarbiereAmy BarkowAnthony BaughBart BeckermannJudith BerksonMichele BonanTimothy BorstColin Bosio-CadyAmy BrinkerCara BrookeJayson BrownJennifer Brown

Nora CarrollSher ChuRachel CliftVera CorrellAliza CreegerYisroel CreegerDaniel D’OcaRobert DeportoKristen DiNicolaElizabeth DowlingAntoine FarrisJordan FeigenbaumFrank Flavell

Anke FreudeMiriam FreudeWilliam (Bill) FreudeRich FromerJordan GelberMarsha GelberBenjamin GilmanZoltan GluckStephen HamillBen HarringtonBeth HatfieldTimothy HatfieldRiley Hooper

Jessica JacksonAlisha KaplanLynda B. KaplanMichael KatsHarvey KatzKim KatzbergRobert KempDaria LacznaJennifer LaingAileen Szuling LiaoSandy LiebLisa MageeAimee Martin

Amanda MatlesJane MayoFernando MendezViktoria MendezNina MoffittAlex MoshenbergAlexandra NovitskayaUna OsatoAoife PachecoMaia PalileoAmy PetersonRoque PlanasNicole Platt

Robert QuinnRichard RabinowitzCasey RandLaura RaskinSteven RebakStacey RobertsonLucas RubinJennifer SatternJennifer SawyerKirsten SchultzCourtney ShawLacy ShelbyKatrina Sorrentino

Ashley StrattonJustin StrockAnn TartsinisClaire ThomasMary WeeksGale WhiteLucca Zeray

LEFFERTS FARMFOOD COOPERATIVEWe are a newly-formed group made up of residents from Flatbush, Prospect-Lefferts Gardens and Crown Heights, working to develop a new medium-sized food cooperative in the area.

JOIN US: www.meetup.com/plgfoodcoop

WE NEED YOUR HELP!There’s no question Brooklyn needs more food cooperatives, but it’s not simple. Food co-ops are businesses and development projects created for and by the community.

JOIN OUR PLANNING GROUPIn order to make this happen, we need YOU! Why? Because as a member, you have experience with food co-ops. And as a worker/community member, you have experience we need—from organizational development, branding/messaging, finance/accounting, fundraising, to real estate development and community outreach. Even people you know or the groups you belong to are a valuable asset to the process!

GET INVOLVEDPSFC members will receive FTOP credit in exchange for their participation. Join our MeetUp group at www.meetup.com/plgfoodcoop or contact [email protected] for more information.

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

THU, JUN 28 6 p.m. Brooklyn Business Library,

280 Cadman Plaza West at Tillary

St. in Brooklyn Heights: How bad

are conditions at Apple’s facto-

ries? Is Starbucks coffee fair

trade? Find out when Coop mem-

ber Fran Hawthorne discusses

her newest book, “Ethical Chic:

The Inside Story of the Compa-

nies We Think We Love” (Beacon

Press). Free, with autographed

books for sale.

THU, JUL 5 8 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays in

July, XANADU - Summer Camp

‘70s style, rolls into Brooklyn

this summer! Roller-skating

musical comedy spectacular

makes its Brooklyn premier at

Old Stone House, Washington

Park 336 Third Street at 5th

Avenue, Brooklyn 11215; 718-

768-3195; htt://pipertheatre

.org/performances/ Free and

Outdoors.

Community calendar listings are free. Please submit your event listing in 50 words or less to

[email protected]. Submission deadlines are the same as for classified ads. Please

refer to the Coop Calendar in the center of this issue. An asterisk (*) denotes a Coop member.

SAT, JUL 7 11 a.m. Saturday mornings,

Damo I Jin—a ‘tendon-chang-

ing’ form of Chi Kung (“life-force

energy practice”)—returns to

Prospect Park, weather permit-

ting. Newcomers are welcome

to join the class any week. For

more information, contact

[email protected]

or 212-946-1537.

8 p.m. also July 14th and 21st.

The Island of Dr. Moreau,

inspired by H.G. Wells’ classic

novel at Old Stone House,

Washington Park 336 Third

Street at 5th Avenue, Brooklyn

11215; 718-768-3195.


Documents

Volume GG, Number 13 June 28, 2012 Golden Steps Elder …...Look for additional information about these and other events in this issue. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 ... community of Sunset