Knockown Center hosts porn event [NSFW]

It was a very interesting Friday night in Maspeth last week...

Here we are at the Knockdown Center. Approaching the venue, it looks innocent enough.

Nice sized crowd. This looks like it may be one of those wholesome educational activities that Maspeth has been promised by the guy that owns this place.

Oh, wait, no... "Hedonists". That word popped up a lot in online references to this event.

And there we are. The original photo was NOT blurred.

It's funny how Dizzy Lizzy Crowley never mentioned "porn" while lobbying for this place to get a liquor license.

As per Crowley and the folks that run the place, we were supposed to be getting an "arts center" along the lines of PS1 and MoMA. When are these types of events scheduled at those institutions? I keep missing them.

Originally, I figured the mention of BJs in the bathroom referred to something depicted in the slideshow.

But then I discovered that this place only has one built bathroom. So who knows what goes on inside it?

Ladies, would you feel comfortable sharing this space with young men drinking alcohol?


Aaaand this photo brings up an interesting question. Since the place is still under construction, it needs a temporary place of assembly permit to host large crowds of people. So which pencil pusher at DOB thought it was okay to allow them to keep gigantic boulders in the aisles, blocking the paths of egress?

And they plan to have the boulders sitting there during next week's rap concerts, which are expected to draw 5x the number of attendees. From Bushwick Daily:

Upcoming art shows include “Sound and Fury,” an exhibition of large scale sculpture works by Joel Shapiro, Richard Nonas and more, curated by Clocktower Gallery...The show will be up and running during the MIA show, allowing for a very unique opportunity for concert and rave goers to interact with fine art sculptures.

Interact? How about break their necks? And management swore up and down to CB5 that they would never have a "rave" event at the Knockdown Center. So much for that.

From the Queens Chronicle:

Meanwhile, the temporary liquor permits the center sought for the two concerts to be played by popular Sri Lankan rapper M.I.A., scheduled for May 8 and 9, were denied by the SLA.

Thank goodness for small favors!

After nearly 30 minutes of testimony and questioning, the State Liquor Authority decided to give the operators of the Knockdown Center, the controversial arts and events venue at 52-19 Flushing Ave. in Maspeth, until the close of business on April 29 to submit additional paperwork concerning security at large events.

The facility is also seeking a permit to host up to 5,000 people at a time.

A vote on the center’s liquor license application will occur at the agency’s next board meeting, on May 6.

Terrence Flynn, the attorney representing the Knockdown Center at the hearing, asked for an adjournment from the board to allow more time for the center’s owners to formulate a comprehensive security report and to allow for a meeting with the 104th Precinct.

“I would ask to leave the record open for two weeks to provide a complete security report and to have a meeting with the precinct,” Flynn said. “If we can control the numbers of people that at these events, then we can satisfy the community’s and precinct’s concerns.”

Area civic activist Christina Wilkinson testified that young children are believed to be living at the center illegally, an allegation which Flynn denied.

“I know of no children occupying this building at all,” he said.

Records reveal that complaints about illegal occupancy have been lodged since 2011, but the owner has not responded to requests for inspection.

And this place has been hosting events since 2012 and just decided to come up with a comprehensive security plan? And everyone is supposed to be okay with that, I suppose.

God help us all.

Bear Eats Man has been altered

Contributor George the Atheist received a response to the open letter he sent to Parks Commissioner Veronica White about "Bear Eats Man" at Socrates Sculpture Park:
It's hard to believe that the property owner, the Parks Dept, has no jurisdiction over what is placed on its own property.

A barely noticeable sign now warns visitors that there is a depiction of a "nude male" inside the park. (But not what is happening to the nude man's rear.)

Egad! The nude man has been vandalized!

Pornographic sculpture at Socrates?

From George the Atheist's blog, which includes an objection letter to Veronica White, Parks Commissioner:

"...this narrative depicts a moment of shock and death." What? Death by tumescence?

"The wild bear looms over man while sinking his teeth into the man's shoulder." You see teeth here? I sense something else is being sunk into that poor fellow. Even his buttocks are bloody red!

Ms White, little innocent New York City School children visit this park quite often. Must they be subjected to such an offensive, disgraceful and outrageous depiction of bad taste, questionable "art", and obvious pornography? I submit this borders on child abuse. Just what is going on with the New York City Parks Department under your aegis which champions this blatant display of bestiality?

Do guys getting attacked by bears normally have erections? Just curious.

With liberty and free porn for all!

Here are some choice highlights of a NY1 interview Liz Crowley recently gave.

"We're out there everyday, mornings at train stops, afternoons at senior centers in the evening we're knocking on doors."

So she's out there spending all of her time running for congress (and apparently flying to Israel to study unemployment)? How much time is she spending at her city council job?

Around 5:08, she claims, "We want to be like the next Silicone Valley."

"Silicone Valley" is the nickname given to the San Fernando Valley in California, where the vast majority of our country's hardcore porn is created. I think the genius meant to say Silicon Valley.

The screenshot is from the precious moment when she proudly claimed, "I've worked with my hands in the past."

Yes, we know.

Halloran's Facebook friend is an ass

See that small image all the way to the right on Dan's Facebook page under "friends?"

Wow she likes men AND women. Didn't think Dan was into that. I know someone in his office that might be, though.

Weiner update

Ok, so the latest on the Weiner saga is that he also took photos of his naked self grabbing his crotch in the congressional gym.

Anthony has left the scene to go get "treatment" while Nancy Pelosi and other top Dems are now calling for his resignation. CD9 constituents held a protest yesterday in front of his office with a collection of signs that were a doozy. All this has Weiner finally contemplating resignation.
He also apparently has not had a registered vehicle since 2006.

Saying 'adios' to chica chica

From the Daily News:

They're called "Chica Chica" cards - and they're flooding Corona and Jackson Heights, Queens.

They look like baseball cards. But instead of featuring A-Rod or Derek Jeter, they have graphic pictures of naked or half-naked women - with a phone number offering free delivery.

They're really the business cards of prostitutes and pimps who operate along a stretch of Roosevelt Ave. in Queens - and a move is afoot to make them illegal.

Queens Democratic Sen. Jose Peralta wants to make it a crime to distribute the raunchy cards. He and his Assembly counterpart Francisco Moyo have introduced a bill making distribution of the cards a misdemeanor, categorizing them as obscene material.

"Is this going to eliminate prostitution? It's not," Peralta said. "It's the first step toward improving the quality of life on Roosevelt Ave."

The lawmakers say that on a nighttime walk down Roosevelt Ave., there will be men uttering the words, "chicas, chicas," which means "girls, girls" - and they'll thrust forward one of the cards.

Residents are fed up.

Queens District Attorney Richard Brown calls the "Chica" cards "a vexing problem that is plaguing our communities."

But he said a law to ban them raises "difficult legal questions under the court's interpretation of the First Amendment."

Well where do I begin with this one? First of all, it's refreshing to see legislators trying to do something that actually benefits their constituents for a change instead of just being full of sound bytes and fury, but signifying nothing. Calling in the Guardian Angels - not the worst idea in the world. It won't cost us anything and they may actually help the situation since goodness knows we don't have enough cops to handle this.

Richard Brown, on the other hand, should have used the opportunity to let the distributors of this smut know that he is investigating and prosecuting them. Instead, he wimped out by hiding behind the first amendment. Sadly, most, if not all of the women working as "chica, chicas" have been abused and likely are the victims of sex trafficking. (Of course if Brown did start a crackdown on whore ads, it would put his friends at one local newspaper out of business.)

Forest Hills priest under investigation for kiddie porn

From NY1:

A Queens priest is under federal investigation for allegedly violating child pornography laws.

Monsignor Michael Dempsey of Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Church in Forest Hills, seen above, was placed on administrative leave after the Brooklyn Diocese learned of the investigation.

That means Dempsey cannot present himself as a priest, present sacraments, or wear his robe.

In a statement, Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio said, "The steps we have taken are essential to maintaining our commitment to the bishops’ Charter and Norms. It is a responsibility we take seriously."

Dempsey has been the executive director of pastoral communications at the church since 1978.