portable media center ( pmc ) is a defunct hard drive-based portable media player ( pmp ) platform developed by microsoft .

announced at the 2003 consumer electronics show ( ces ) , and released in early 2004 , it was originally positioned as a competitor to apple 's ipod .

the platform was conceived in line with microsoft 's windows media center strategy , where the idea was to have a single media management interface that would be used on both pcs and in consumer devices , including televisions and handhelds .

the strategy was developed by microsoft 's windows embedded group in partnership with the ehome division , which formed in february 2001 and started partnerships with companies like samsung with the goal to " develop new technologies so consumers can enjoy whole-home entertainment , communications and control experiences where , when and however they want them " and " develop an entire ecosystem of pcs , digital devices , intelligent home appliances and services that will easily and cost-effectively transform average households into next-generation digital homes . "

the windows media center name was created with the release of a windows xp product edition , windows xp media center edition , geared towards this ecosystem .

codenamed media2go , it was later rebranded as windows mobile software for portable media centers , before being named portable media center .

its operating system was a specialized version of windows ce , .

in 2007 , microsoft discontinued licensing the platform .

the first portable media center product released was the creative 's zen portable media center .

all pmcs are able to play audio files in mp3 and display images in jpeg .

also , they support microsoft 's proprietary formats : windows media audio ( wma ) and windows media video ( wmv ) .

other video formats will either be supported by each individual pmc , or transcoded though windows media player .

media transfer protocol ( mtp ) is used for transferring data .

all players use a graphical user interface ( gui ) modeled after media center , a software portal bundled with windows xp media center edition .

manufacturers include creative , philips , iriver , samsung , and toshiba .

the portable media center was succeeded by zune , and served as the basis for its software .

zune had similar aims to provide a unifying media platform across pcs , devices , and televisions ( 3-screen strategy ) .

portable media center

for a first iteration , the creative zen portable media center delivers on the promise of pmcs and windows media player 10 .
bottom line : for a first iteration , the creative zen portable media center delivers on the promise of pmcs and windows media player 10 .
for a first iteration , the creative zen portable media center is polished and for the most part delivers on the promise of pmcs and the new windows media player 10 .
we don ' t normally dedicate a lot of time to new hardware and gadgets , but we love a good media center , so it ' s great to see how solid the zune hd actually is as a portable media center . head over to gizmodo for their full rundown . [ gizmodo ]
the portable version of media center is seen as a natural extension of the platform . the idea frequently touted of how it might be used is that you record your favourite show in the evening on your media center pc , and copy it across to your portable media player to watch on the train to work in the morning . iriver even includes a protective case in the box so you can keep it safe in your bag .
eight months after its announcement , the creative zen pmc is finally here . despite its bulk , the player is solid , but it ' s the microsoft portable media center software that deserves most of the praise .
intuitive onscreen interface ; big and colorful screen ; solid battery life ; impressive integration with windows media player 10 . 0 and windows xp media center edition ( mce ) .
i was attracting stares on the train . and it wasn ' t because i had snagged a seat in the crowded car ; it was because of the device in my hands : a shiny new creative zen portable media center .
it’s not often that microsoft consigns an os to the recycle bin but it was revealed this week that the software colossus has deep - sixed the portable media centre .
our siblings - in - tech over at gizmodo have gotten their hands on microsoft ' s new zune hd ( available next month ) , and apart from looking like a solid digital media player and web browser , zune hd has one more surprise up its sleeve : it ' s also an impressive portable media center .
the $ 499 handheld multimedia player is the first device based on microsoft ' s new portable media center platform . i found a lot to like about the zen , but i ' m not convinced i ' d be willing to shell out the cash to buy one .
the sleek black plastic of the case and display reflects the polish of the creative zen portable media center , a well - finished first pass at a pmc . but the polish is also the biggest drawback : the reflective screen bounces back room light and fingerprints as well as the images .
microsoft updated the pmc to a slicker version 2 . 0 in early 2006 to “enable partners to build smaller less expensive and more competitive devices” according to microsoft employee david bono who confirmed the pmc’s death notice in the a newsgroup posting ( on urltoken center . portable ) this week .
the portable media centre os was written using the same windows ce framework as windows mobile but with an interface modelled on that of the windows xp media centre . the first pmc players were introduced by launch partners creative and samsung with toshiba later joining their ranks and were intended as go - anywhere companion to your multimedia - packed xp computer .
all pmcs require a windows xp or windows xp media center edition pc . you connect the device to your pc via usb 2 . 0 and transfer content using microsoft ' s newly - released windows media player 10 . i tested out the creative zen on a pc running windows xp pro and found it easy to install ( though my pc wouldn ' t recognize the pmc before i upgraded to windows media player 10 ) .
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( wmp10 ) . the zen pmc is designed as the portable counterpart to wmp10 and its library ; therefore , the majority of content on the device can mirror your pc , though typically in a more compressed form . this includes everything from mp3s to jpeg photos to movie downloads to home movies . throw a windows xp media center edition ( mce ) pc into the mix , and the zen pmc turns into a portable playback - only tivo - like device , as it will allow you to watch your recorded mce broadcasts on the road . those without an mce pc can still record and transfer tv using a tv - tuner card and third - party software .
future is aop & ppa digital publisher of the year and bma media company of the year .
if you use a pmc with a tv - connected media center pc ( or even a standard xp - based pc with a tv tuner card ) it becomes a much more useful device . you can record television programs and transfer them to your pmc to watch while you commute or travel .
portable media centers , or pmcs , display still images and play audio and video ( including tv programs and full - length movies ) stored on their hard drive . they do not feature wireless connectivity and they do not stream video or audio . the creative zen is shipping now ; pmcs from samsung and iriver are due later this year .
the zen pmc ' s controls are highlighted by the windows - icon - clad start button , which instantly takes you to the top menu . given the feature - laden device ' s deep menu options , the button is critical for comfortable navigation and will be found on all pmcs and media center edition remotes .
the players went beyond the mandatory syncing with windows media player to load tunes and photos — they could also download and replay video content recorded on your media centre system . however with so few people running a true media centre pc in the first place most buyers found the pmcs to be over - engineered ( and over - priced ) for more modest mainstream needs .
over the past year microsoft has clearly been focusing its efforts on strengthening its hold on the place in your home that it sees as its future – the lounge . several media center pcs have made their way into the trustedreviews labs over the past few months and with the improvements found in the 2005 version of the operating system things certainly seem to be coming together .
of course the key advantage of a microsoft product is that it’s likely to have a decent interface . we have the linux based iriver pmp - 140 in the office to play with , and the interface on that is really not great at all . conversely , the interface for windows media center 2005 is fantastic to use , and it’s pretty good on the pmc - 120 too .
pmcs support several content formats , including windows media video , windows media audio , mp3 , and jpeg . the device and included software also make it easy to convert files in other formats - - mpeg , mpeg2 , mpa , wav , and avi , for example - - into formats you can use .
the toughest part about building a digital media delivery device is striking the balance between making a secure platform content producers can trust , while at the same time offering consumers more freedom with their media than they’ve previously had . swing too far in one direction , and no one will buy into it ; go too far the other way and out come the lawyers . has microsoft gotten the balance right , and are the new pvps based around windows media technology something to put on your holiday wish list ? turn the page to find out .
microsoft’s windows media player strategy has been leading up to today , where the company formally unveils the new windows media player . as its partners begin to ship their personal video players ( pvps ) , microsoft is betting big on subscription - based content models , though company officials did acknowledge that they expect content illicitly downloaded from p2p networks to help drive early adoption .
unlike music files , video content isn ' t exactly spilling out of the woodwork . you can purchase or rent specially formatted movies from sources such as cinemanow ( which is conveniently integrated into wmp10 ) and mlb . com , load up your own home movies , or watch tv broadcasts that you ' ve recorded with your media center pc . if you have tons of content that you ' ve downloaded from p2p apps , it ' s likely that a number of those files won ' t be supported without a third - party decoder .
bulky design ; lacks a built - in kickstand ; reflective screen not ideal for outdoors use ; no audio - or video - recording capabilities ; works with windows xp and windows media player 10 . 0 only .
but microsoft clearly considers pmc to be yesterday’s platform . bono ( the microsoft staffer not the rock star ) says that from now on microsoft will focus its “product and marketing resources on building media experiences on connected windows mobile powered devices” .
an all - new windows mobile os would likely combine the technology subsets of those devices along with enhanced multimedia capabilities in the same way that windows vista integrated xp’s bolt - on tablet and media centre editions into the core operating system .
the iriver pmc - 120 offers a 3 . 5in screen with a resolution of 320 x 240 and a 20gb hard disk , providing a theoretical maximum of 80 hours of video storage if recorded at native resolution at 500kps . iriver has experience of producing portable media players with its pmp - 120 and pmp - 140 linux based devices having been available for some months . the pmps offer support for avi , asf , and versions three , four and five of the divx codec – without any need for transcoding . by contrast , this unit , the pmc - 120 , only supports video files encoded in wmv format – though as a microsoft device that’s hardly a surprise . it also supports mp3 and wma audio and jpeg images . you can import other video formats aside from wmv , but they have to first be transcoded using windows media player 10 . this inevitably means that the pmc - 120 doesn’t offer drag - and - drop convenience with many of the video files you are likely to already have on your pc .
the zen also features a / v out slots that let you connect the device to a tv to watch a movie or television show . unfortunately , watching stored video on my 27 - inch television wasn ' t pleasant , as the image appeared distorted . it reminded me of watching video recorded on an old vhs tape . but the zen is really meant for mobile use , and it does that job fairly well . still , i ' m not convinced it ' s worth the money for most people . frequent travelers or tv lovers ( especially those with a media center pc ) might find it to be a dream device , but for the rest of us the price is just too high .
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as any user of windows mobile can attest the platform’s pocket media player remains one of its most lack - lustre components . video synchronisation is limited to an eclectic mix of formats which must meet arcane encoding specs and there’s no ability to whip up even a simple mp3 playlist on the fly .
the zen is also one of the first devices to support microsoft ' s new windows media digital rights management 10 ( formerly code - named janus ) , which will let you transfer subscription - based content from your pc to another janus - compliant device . should your subscription run out , the content also expires on the player .
playing back audio , video , and still images on the zen was a breeze . the device powers on in less than 5 seconds , and the opening screen shows a basic start menu that lets you choose from
my tv ,
my music ,
my pictures ,
or
my videos .
select one , and you can browse through your media collection and play back your files . the zen includes both a headphone jack and a built - in external speaker . the included earbuds are serviceable , and the speaker will do in a pinch , but you ' ll really want better quality headphones to best enjoy the audio .
to transfer content to the zen , i selected the
sync
tab in wmp 10 . from there , the app presented me a screen split in two ; on the left i could build a list of content i wanted to transfer to the zen , and on the right i could select the zen itself ( you also have the option of syncing content to your cd or dvd drive , or other forms of removable media storage ) . then , with one click , the sync began . transferring a three - hour baseball game ( a 469mb wmv file ) i downloaded from urltoken ( a microsoft content partner ) took just a few minutes . you can also set wmp 10 to sync content automatically .
oh creative : your fat form factor felt so great stretching my jeans pocket … or not .
introduced in early 2004 the pmc was intended to combat the seemingly unstoppable ipod by combining microsoft’s strengths in os development and pc penetration and its relationships with the heavy hitters of the hardware world .
however when microsoft moved onto phase 2 of their ipod - smashing campaign with the development of the zune ( built by pmc partner toshiba ) it chose to bypass the pmc in favour of writing a new os — albeit one based on the same ce foundation as the pmc and its pda and smartphone sibling windows mobile .
asked about the implications for their existing pmc - based gigabeat range a toshiba spokesperson told urltoken that “toshiba will continue to support the pmc operating system through our gigabeat range” with microsoft continuing to work with toshiba as they’re classified as an ‘existing partner’ .
the timetable could be right for a significant pmc - inspired overhaul of the player in the forthcoming windows mobile 7 os codenamed ‘photon’ .
being built on the new windows ce 6 framework photon is rumoured to be the release which will unify the windows mobile platform as a single os rather than the current offering of three versions for three different types of products — pdas pda - phone combo devices and smartphones ( devices without a pda touchscreen ) .
putwindows mobile 6 has already taken a step away from being device - specific by branding the different flavours of the os as classic standard and professional .
then again considering vista’s laggard performance and substantially increased hardware hit we wonder if an uber - os for mobile devices would be a good thing . . ?
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the left half of the zen pmc includes a circular four - way navigational pad with a nested select button and an essential back key . the right half has two dedicated volume buttons and another circular controller for play / pause , forward , and rewind commands . you ' ll experience a tactile pop with each press , along with an accompanying and strangely appealing system chime , which is on by default . along with a power button , four numbered keys line the top of the unit and are designated as programmable presets . pressing one takes you directly to your favorite movie ( complete with a bookmark ) , song , album , artist , or photo . we like this thoughtful feature , as we all know how difficult it is to fish for content in a 20gb sea . except for the start key , which lights up green , and the preset buttons , all keys are backlit in a dim and mystic blue when activated . expect to use both hands for most operations . once in a while , you ' ll catch yourself erringly pressing the play button with your right hand instead of the left - handed select . aside from this , the controls are extremely intuitive , thanks in big part to the windows interface ( more on this later ) .
a power port resides on the device ' s left side , and a hold switch , an a / v - out jack , and an
intelligent
headphone jack line the right side . a dock - style usb 2 . 0 connector is located on the zen pmc ' s bottom side . the silver backside features a removable lithium - ion polymer battery . it ' s important to note that unlike many pvps out on the market , the zen pmc lacks a built - in kickstand to prop itself up . instead , the device ships with a carrying case with a flap cover that substitutes as a stand . the case is worth bringing along on your travels since holding the zen pmc to watch a movie for an extended period of time can be taxing on your hands , your arms , and your neck .
you ' ll also find a tiny speaker on the bottom - right corner of the zen pmc . surprisingly , it doesn ' t sound terrible and tinny . and if your headphones accidentally pull out of its jack , the system saves you from potential embarrassment and mutes the audio .
our chief design complaint is the zen pmc ' s sheer bulk . granted , it has a terrific screen indoors and swiss army knife - like functionality , but its thickness just doesn ' t feel right , especially when used for audio . creative claims that the device is small enough to fit comfortably in your pocket . our advice : don ' t wear tight jeans . the zen pmc would also be better off with a docking cradle , which will be available as an optional accessory in october .
the zen pmc ships with an a / v line - out cable , a proprietary usb 2 . 0 cable , a carrying case with a built - in stand , a pair of earphones , a quick start guide , an install cd , and an inconvenient two - line - and - a - brick - style power adapter .
all this content may sound nice , but what formats does the zen pmc actually support ? all pmcs support wmv ( versions 7 , 8 and 9 ) at 320x240 pixels , 30 frames per second , and with a constant bit rate of up to 800kbps . similarly , all pmc devices can play back wma ( including protected wma , wma lossless , and wma voice ) , mp3 , and jpeg files . if you have other types of files , such as mpeg , mpeg - 2 , dvr - ms ( microsoft recorded tv ) , tiff , wav , avi , and so on , they need to be transcoded into a compatible pmc format and size . this may sound confusing , but never fear , wmp10 takes care of all the transcoding automatically in the background so that the files are ready to roll the next time you sync the device . the original files remain untouched , and in most cases , you won ' t even know it ' s happening . it ' s important to note that popular file formats such as mpeg - 4 and divx are not compatible with the zen pmc unless you ' ve purchased a third - party decoder plug - in for wmp10 . pmc oems can add support for other formats .
while transcoding content decreases quality , that ' s not necessarily a bad thing in the pmc ' s case . imagine trying to transfer 85 hours of video or tens of thousands of photos from your pc to the pmc . without reformatting , you ' ll quickly run out of space . where the decrease in quality will show up is when you hook up the zen pmc to a tv ( ntsc or pal ) .
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all will have common features required by microsoft , including minimum specs for hard drives , display , and resolution . the shipping zen i tested had a 20gb hard drive and a 3 . 8 - inch display with a screen resolution of 320 by 240 . the zen , which is about twice the size and weight of my ipod , feels sturdy and features firm , shiny buttons and a shiny black case . unfortunately , that shine can cause light to reflect off the screen at times , making images hard to see .
however i wasn ' t entirely pleased by the way wmp 10 managed the zen . first , it was hard to find the correct software button to safely disconnect the pmc from my computer - - there was no equivalent of the
eject ipod
button found in itunes . i had to manually shut down the device using the icon in my system tray . second : when i built a playlist of songs using wmp 10 and then tried to transfer it to the pmc , only the songs on the list were transferred - - not the playlist itself .
the zen includes a removable rechargeable lithium ion battery . creative says the battery will power up to 22 hours of audio playback or 7 hours of video playback between charges .
video quality was mixed , depending on the source . movies from cinemanow were crystal clear , but the baseball game i downloaded would occasionally blur , much the way streaming video appears on my pc . despite its small size the screen proved easy to see , even when watching big - picture events like a baseball game .
creative creative ' s new pmc is handy for playing back audio and video on the go , but it sure is pricey . $ 499 urltoken
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“who can play what , where , how many times ? ” those eight words encompass most of the tussle that’s come to be known as digital rights management ( drm ) .
okay , so it’s more complicated than that , but this phrase does convey the crux of the problem . it’s an issue that often pits consumers against producers , and quite often neither side is playing fair . the riaa has its lawyers . users have kazaa . content producers often act like thugs , using their lawyers as muscle , and some consumers act like thieves , downloading as much “free” content from p2p networks as they possibly can . can anyone negotiate a truce between these two sides ? is anyone foolish enough to even try ? if that truce takes the form of legally downloadable content with some playback restrictions , the answer is yes .
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screen is susceptible to glare and smudges . recorded video looks bad on a full - size tv . no kickstand .
the unit measures 3 . 2 by 5 . 7 by 1 . 1 inches ( hwd ) and weighs 0 . 8 pounds . our early production unit delivered exceptional battery life : 7 hours , 25 minutes when playing video . the controls have a solid feel and didn ' t require too much pressure to manipulate . volume buttons , however , are confusing : the up button ( a speaker icon and a plus sign ) makes sense . but the down button shows a minus sign and a tiny speaker icon facing left ; the combination looks like a right - facing arrow . on the top of the unit , four buttons for presets work like buttons on a car radio : they take you to a favorite playlist , video , slide show , or what have you ( essentially , the
my grandchildren
button ) .
on our hands - on tests , audio and photo playback worked well . you can start music playing , then start a slide show , and the music continues playing in the background . with video , we found an occasional stutter , but not enough to detract from the overall enjoyment . there is a composite video output ( rca jacks , not s - video for video ) so you can hook up to a tvbut the unit ' s 320 - by - 240 resolution video does not look good on a typical tv , and the occasional artifact looks worse spread across 32 inches . the biggest impediment to extended video watching is the lack of a kickstand to prop the unit up on a desk or tray table ; both the iriver and samsung pmcs have them , and we suspect users will demand a fix from creative . synchronization is via a proprietary usb connector . creative plans to offer a docking module for about $ 40 ( not available for testing ) , and we ' d recommend adding that .
bill howard is the editor of technoride . com , the car site for tech fans , and writes a column on car technology for pc magazine each issue . he is also a contributing editor of pc magazine . bill ' s articles on pcs , notebooks , and printers have been cited five times in the annual computer press association awards . he was named as one of the industr . . . see full bio
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for a cutting - edge piece of technology the pmc looks fairly mundane . riyad described it as utilitarian , which is a fair description . it does a job but you’re not going to be impressed by it in the same way you will be when you hold something like a sony psp . the device weighs 10 . 2oz / 289g , which isn’t super - light but feels right for a device like this . the 3 . 5in diagonal screen sits in the centre with the controls on either side . on the under side of the pmc is a hold key , so you can avoid accidental button presses . though it’s nothing special to look at , build quality is reasonable , aside from some dubious points like an easily losable flap covering a docking connector . currently there’s nothing to connect the docking port to but iriver informed me that it’s there , “for possible future accessories or upgrades” .
getting to the crux if the matter , it has to be said that there are a couple of major issues with the display . first , it has a 4 : 3 aspect ratio . surely somebody should have told microsoft that widescreen is really quite popular these days . all major tv programmes are now recorded and broadcast in widescreen , so a 4 : 3 screen is a big disappointment . things get even worse once you try to import widescreen content but we’ll get onto that particular debacle later .
quality wise , the screen is decent but nothing to write home about . it is bright enough but it’s not at all vibrant . though the screen isnt’ that big , at the relatively low resolution you can make out the chicken - wire effect of the lcd on the screen as you watch . even worse , viewing angles are poor . to get the best from the screen you need to be looking directly at it so if you want to share the viewing experience then both of you will see a poor image . there is a two - position stand at least , so you can rest it on a flat surface in front of you without you having to hold it .


the park slope food coop ( psfc ) is a food cooperative located in the park slope neighborhood of brooklyn in new york city .

it is one of the oldest and largest active food co-ops in the united states .

as a food cooperative , one of its goals is to be a " buying agent to its members , not a selling agent to any industry . "

non-members are welcome to visit the store , but may not shop .

formed in 1973 , psfc has grown to include over 17,000 members .

the psfc business model requires each of its adult members to contribute 2 hours and 45 minutes of work every four weeks , and that no member share a household with a non-member .

in exchange , active members may shop at the store .

the store sells a variety of foods and household goods , mostly environmentally friendly products , at a 21 % markup over the wholesale price ( compared to 26-100 % at a supermarket ) .

the savings are possible because labor is contributed by its members .

psfc operates as a new york state cooperative corporation .

park slope food coop

thieves were arrested at the park slope food coop in november and december , police said .
the community is the park slope food coop and the form of hate is anti - semitism .
in the coop , and then the bloggers at fips , a satirical blog about park slope , ran with it . evidence of said fight : scant . evidence that park slope residents like to make fun of park slope : abundant .
fruits of conflict : a proposal to boycott israeli products at brooklyn ? s park slope food coop has outraged jewish members .
the park slope food coop is facing what may be the most troubling problem in their 39 - year history : apathy .
sarah wellington of we will not be silent makes her position clear at the park slope food coop . photo credit trey pentecost
the park slope food coop requires members to work shifts there . a blogger said she had heard that some were sending nannies .
at the park slope food coop , about 15 , 000 members enjoy savings of up to 40 percent on environmentally friendly groceries .
thousands of members of the park slope food coop gathered at brooklyn tech high school to debate the proposal to ban israeli products .
we are members of the park slope food coop who affirm , like its founders , that the coop as a community stands for human rights , food justice , and positive global interdependence .
( 1 ) see , for example , shurat hadin’s letter to the park slope food coop , june 1 , 2015 , urltoken .
tweets , pics , videos and more : explore our minute - by - minute coverage of the park slope food coop debate and vote .
more than 1 , 600 members of the park slope food co - op gathered to vote on tuesday night .
the plow to plate film series is dedicated to bringing informative , engaging films to both the park slope food coop community and the wider community .
park slope food cooperative - since 1973 . estimated 18 , 000 members . one of the us largest , oldest , active food cooperatives . it rocks !
the park slope food co - op , bastion of high ideals and low prices , conscientiously screens the food it sells to help members avoid genetically modified ingredients .
or maybe bds never left the park slope food coop , the member - run brooklyn grocery store that in 2012 debated whether or not to join the bds movement .
for nearly 40 years , brooklyn ' s park slope food coop has waged a quiet war to topple murderous dictatorships and bring cruel captains of industry weeping to their knees .
plastic bags / wrapping / packaging from most products sold at the coop – food and non - food .
i wonder what she means by hate speech . does that including speech that trashes israel ? park slope food coop members for boycott divestment and sanctions are appalled by the policy :
the park slope food coop , in brooklyn , is known for its rules : organic and nonorganic products must not touch ; long vegetables must be displayed lying parallel to the aisles .
brooklyn — two park slope food coop members were arrested after store management accused them of shoplifting approximately $ 18 , 000 worth of goods over the course of 2016 , police said .
a shopper at the park slope food co - op in brooklyn , n . y . , in 2004 . ( kathy willens / ap )
located in the heart of brooklyn , near prospect park , the park slope food coop is at the nexus of the borough’s many diverse jewish populations . from the liberal jews of park slope to the hasidic jews of crown heights , the coop is one of the few places in brooklyn where jews of all denominations converge in a shared mission : to buy natural foods at reasonable prices .
the park slope food coop ' s venture into the treacherous waters of middle east politics ended when its members voted overwhelmingly tuesday not to go forward with a referendum to boycott israeli products .
despite how heated and personal this ( and , it seems , all israel - palestine politicking ) gets , chances are the park slope food coop is still a far way from dissolution . “
1973 : the park slope food coop is born . something you won ' t find in the produce department : south african apples . coop members finally get to bite into these rare fruits when the country holds its first democratic election in 1994 .
for this list is a rumor that was disseminated in the park slopiest of ways . first amy sohn , who wrote a satirical novel about park slope , tweeted a story about
so the allegation by a park slope blog last week that some members were sending their nannies to fulfill their work shifts has raised eyebrows and debate among the granola - and - strollers set of greater park slope , and smug satisfaction among those who would rather go to key food .
joseph l . holtz , founding member and general coordinator of the park slope food co - op , said a new layer of oversight of its pension fund was unnecessary .
for over 40 years the food coop has been a brooklyn fixture . started as a buying club for conscientious residents of the park slope area , it has grown into the largest member - operated food cooperative in the world with over 16000 members working and shopping here .
“you’re suspended , ” the entrance worker at the park slope food coop announced as i swiped my membership card . some entrance workers speak softly , but not this one . worse , there were a dozen other shoppers within earshot .
members shopping at the park slope food co - op in brooklyn . unrest over the co - op’s pension fund has resulted in a vote on a reform proposal scheduled for tuesday .
the park slope food co - op has roughly 90 paid employees . its members must work at no pay in exchange for access to the co - op’s much - publicized low prices .
the coop newsletter is published biweekly and available to all at the coop . here are the most recent issues :
“it will remain an irrelevant gesture to 5 million israelis and 2 million palestinians , but it will make someone in park slope feel really good about themselves , ” he said . that’s what this is about ; it’s about the political purity , which is part of park slope’s unique self - absorption . ”
on june 1 , 2015 , a zionist journal , the algemeiner , published a letter it said was sent to the park slope food coop . the letter was from the israeli law firm shurat hadin and was addressed to the coop’s board president bill penner and senior general coordinator joe holtz . in the letter , shurat hadin threatened a lawsuit against the coop if we decide to boycott israel or israeli products . park slope food coop members for boycott , divestment and sanctions requested an analysis of this threat from the center for constitutional rights ( ccr ) and palestine legal . below is their response which can be downloaded here as a pdf document .
park slope , brooklyn , is one of the most liberal and highly - educated communities in the western hemisphere , indeed any hemisphere . every other week , the park slope food coop publishes a newsletter called the linewaiters’ gazette . in august the publication said that the issue of possibly boycotting israeli goods– chiefly the seltzer - maker sodastream– was so divisive that it was not publishing letters on the subject of boycott , divestment and sanctions ( bds ) :
“i’m disgraced , ” ms . colic confided as she sipped blueberry tea one day this summer at the tea lounge in park slope . “look , you can see the sign from here , ” she said , despondent , pointing to the neon green “food coop” shining across union street .
if this were true , that park slope is one of the most liberal and highly - educated communities in the western hemisphere , indeed any hemisphere , then it would seem there’s a real business opportunity waiting in the wings . a health food coop that is not run by zionists .
members at the meeting did not seem to know whom to believe , mr . hessney or mr . holtz , who is widely revered at park slope for devising its free - work - for - cheap - food business model .
while similar food co - ops across the nation often hire nonmembers for checkout positions or other tasks , in park slope , members carry 75 percent to 80 percent of the workload , according to joe holtz , the general manager .
in park slope , however , gentrification turns out to have brought not only craft beers , man buns and deluxe baby buggies , but also a cohort of sophisticated finance professionals who still join the co - op for its cheap food .
maybe organizations like the park slope food coop , which sells maybe five products from israel , are tired of nasty , obsessive , sometimes antisemitic , bds supporters ripping their communities apart to pursue their pet cause . they’re not the only ones . bds is starting to play itself out in the united states .
village partenaire bees coop is a joint project of sustainable food , managed by its members and integrating the core values of sustainable development .
the cooperative model of bees coop seems particularly adequate to invite local people into a sustainable food project . this project may well be a excellent gateway to food habits generally reserved to higher social strata . aware that food is a potent intercultural connector , bouillon de culture has been organizing workshops about sustainable food for a number of years .
i thought the woman in the photo with the black palestinian t - shirt had a joint in her mouth . not that that wouldn’t be okay . lots of park slope coöp shoppers just like to get stoned and buy healthy food to munch on conflict free
founder of la louve cooperative in paris we believe in this model because we have seen it at work , live , during our numerous visits to the park slope food coop in new york . in this large cosmopolitan city , the park slope coop is the most effective supermarket ( in terms of turnover by square metre per year ) . and it is for that very reason that we find it interesting : it works . the model significantly improves access to healthy and quality food , it creates a dynamic and democratic atmosphere , without sentimentality nor dumbing down ; it is profitable . so , for us , it is a perfect combination of idealism and pragmatism .
of all the shops in this retail - packed city , the one that produces the craziest rumors isn ' t a high - end boutique on madison avenue or a celebrity vanity project in soho but a humble , member - managed grocery store in brooklyn . why is the park slope food coop the target of so much gossip ?
please be prepared to show your coop membership card . cash donations in any amount are welcomed to help offset the cost of collections to the coop .
the membership office , staffed by a combination of paid coop staff coordinators and member workers , can answer your coop and membership related questions , take photos for coop membership cards , and assist prospective members with the joining process .
she said the park slope food co - op members that support the b . d . s . group had received endorsements from a range of activists and social justice organizations , including the writer alice walker , the antiwar group code pink and mustafa barghouti , a palestinian politician .
last may , the brooklyn paper reported that a “wildly controversial ban” on israeli products was going to hit the park slope food coop . but the boycott had actually been first proposed in 2009 , by a member named only as “hima , ” who suggested there should be a ban on israeli products at the store , the market’s newsletter the linewaiter’s gazette reported .
members of the park slope food co - op voted overwhelmingly on tuesday night against a motion that would have moved the organization closer to joining an international boycott against products made in israel . the vote settled a debate that had embroiled the venerable neighborhood institution for many months and divided its membership .
if you are not currently a member , we welcome you to join the coop .
“let thy food be thy medicine and thy medicine be thy food” – hippocrates . that is the message from the founding father of modern medicine echoed in the controversial new documentary film food matters from producer - directors james colquhoun and laurentine ten bosch .
the year isn’t off to a good start for the park slope food coop . in january , two members of the venerable brooklyn institution were accused of stealing more than $ 18 , 000 worth of goods . each had been caught shoplifting once , and when police consulted surveillance tapes , it turned out that the two men ( one of whom was 79 years old ! ) had some seriously sticky fingers .
more than 1 , 600 members of the organic - food outpost packed the brooklyn technical high school auditorum for the most debated issue since the coop outlawed plastic grocery bags .
in just a few days , hordes of ecominded and highly political food shoppers will bear down on brooklyn tech’s 3 , 000 - seat auditorium for the latest installment of a three - year - long israeli boycott campaign that has engulfed the park slope food coop . the meeting was moved from the 400 - seat synagogue where it is normally held for obvious topical reasons , but also because the issue is likely to drive out thousands for tuesday’s main attraction : a vote on whether to hold a
thank you for radhika sainath’s important article about the widespread assault on campaigners for palestinian rights . while the piece addresses academic settings , similar targeting in community venues like brooklyn’s park slope food coop shouldn’t be overlooked . at this historic institution , founded in the 1970’s and now with a membership of over 16 , 000 , members advocating that the coop join the movement for boycott , divestment , and sanctions have been met with a barrage of condemnation and censorship reflective of the patterns outlined in sainath’s article .
i ' ve been shopping at the food coop for about 5 years now and it ' s absolutely amazing . the produce is always fresh and organic for a reasonable price . the only thing that is troublesome is the shift that you have to work once a month in order to be a member at the food coop , but it is all worth it . i ' m always pleased and enjoy my experience at the coop .
as of april 24 , 2018 we no longer accept baby food pouches and caps .
the future of food distills the complex technology and consumer issues surrounding major changes in the food system today — genetically engineered foods , patenting , and the corporatization of food — into terms the average person can understand . it empowers consumers to realize the consequences of their food choices on our future . see more information at the films website : urltoken
join bakers , chefs , food scientists , farmers and foodies for some truth about food . these discussions explore and celebrate all things food , covering flavor , sustainability , obesity , famine and more . featured talks are “my subversive ( garden ) plot” – roger doiron shows how gardens can re - localize our food and feed our growing population ; “the global food waste scandal” – tristram stuart delves into the shocking data of wasted food , “why bees are disappearing” – marla spivak reveals four reasons which are interacting with tragic consequences , and robyn o’brien talks movingly about her child’s food allergies at tedxaustin 2011 .
ingredients is a seasonal exploration of the local food movement . learn more at : urltoken
one longtime member said the boycott would have gone against the communal principles of the coop .
omar barghouti , a palestinian human rights advocate and co - founder of the b . d . s . movement , said that regardless of the outcome , the fact that the debate had reached park slope reflected the momentum the cause had gained .
accusations fly that celebrities are sending
minions
to cover their shifts at the park slope co - op , the vogue editor had a brief run - in with a revolving door over the weekend , and the senate barbershop gets a bailout .
here comes a project that intends to take part in a new food system , more equitable and sustainable . it’s very good news for all those who , like us , fight daily for the respect for the right to food and food sovereignty in the north as well as in the south . the bees coop is an example to be followed . and to be supported !
food design takes a look at the secret chambers of a major manufacturer of food , where designers and scientists are defining your favorite mouthful of tomorrow . it shows how form , color , smell , consistency , the sounds made during eating , manufacturing technique , history and stories are all aspects of food and eating that both influence food design , and are created by it .
if you took the zionists ( be they liberal or other ) out of park slope pw would no longer be able to make the educationally ‘hemispheric’ claims onto this brooklyn enclave that he made at the onset of this article . sort of like the pm of france saying france would no longer be france w / o its jews - so goes park slope w / o its ‘liberal’ zionists . its safe to say - other then for parks property values - i’d take manhattan . brooklyn is far too ‘hip’ anymore for old center zionists .
amazing food options ! yes , the coop can get too crowded . yes , there may be people who have very interesting viewpoints from yours . however , the options for food are limitless . i joined because i was on the whole 30 and wanted to make sure that i had access to whole foods at reasonable prices . the coop delivers on this account . i enjoy working my shifts and sharing the responsibility with my household partner . i have also made a lot of new friends through the coop .
in city hall park wednesday , mayor michael r . bloomberg presented some plastic objects that can now be recycled under the newly expanded program .
upon learning of the injustice done to these coop members and their families , the zionist organization of america ( zoa ) sent a strongly worded letter , reminding the coop that boycotts against israel are illegal in new york state and urged that the four members be reinstated . the coop failed to respond . undeterred , the zoa initiated a petition that garnered hundreds of signatures , asking the coop to stop its anti - semitic obsession with israel and reinstate the four members who spoke out against hate . again , no response from the coop .
with the headline : at a food co - op , a discordant thought : nannies covering shifts .
the coop’s mission is worthwhile : to make healthy and affordable food available to everyone who wants it . yet , over the last several years , the coop has seemingly become obsessed with bashing israel – and only israel – tolerating repeated efforts to have israeli products removed from coop shelves . it is difficult to understand what the jewish state has to do with offering healthy and affordable food in brooklyn , but then anti - semitism has always been beyond reason . the coop regularly features anti - israel articles and letters in its bi - weekly newsletter , provides a platform to anti - israel speakers at general membership meetings , and repeatedly raises boycotting israeli products .
naomi , given that it’s park slope , i would imagine a decent percentage of those 16 , 000 are jewish . is that correct ? i’m just wondering how much this represents the split in the jewish community . or are the leaders on both sides of the debate jewish . ( just curious )
real food films is the first - ever international competition to celebrate short films on sustainable food and farming . we screened the top 10 submissions from this year , along with an additional short called green bronx machine .
the coop in park slope is one of the largest of its kind in the u . s . this reporter is one of 16 , 500 - plus members who work for about three hours every 28 days , stocking shelves or answering phones or taking inventory , for the right to buy its groceries , often organic and heavily discounted . the coop’s policies and practices are influential ; its liberal excesses sometimes laughable . the 2012 bds brouhaha was so acrimonious and self - serious that it merited a satirical pseudo - news story on “the daily show . ”
the coop carries over 15 , 000 products ! many are fresh , local and organic . all are carefully chosen .
votes , which are conducted by paper ballot , happen at monthly general meetings . “the wheels of social justice turn very slowly at the coop , where proposals don’t become coop law until exhaustive debate , ” brooklyn paper wrote in may .
had it passed , the measure would have been largely symbolic because the coop carries only a handful of israeli products .
the park slope food coop ( psfc ) , the largest consumer - owned single - store coop by sales in the u . s . , had $ 39 . 4 million in sales during its last fiscal year , raking in more than $ 6 , 500 per square foot annually .
anyone would salivate at that ,
says ann herpel , a general coordinator at psfc . in our recent story on trader joe ' s we noted that the successful monrovia , calif . - based chain outdoes it competition with an average of $ 1 , 750 in sales per square foot , more than double those of whole foods ( wfmi , fortune 500 ) .
with the headline : with lopsided vote , food co - op rejects effort to boycott israeli - made products .
our new limited - run newsletter will spotlight new york city’s coolest summer activities each week . food and drink included .
the park slope food coop , always good for a laugh about yuppie - hippie culture and over - the - top political correctness , is facing what may be the most troubling problem in their 39 - year history . we ' re actually not talking about the much - chronicled vote that ' s scheduled to take place tuesday - - the vote on whether or not coop members want to take a vote on whether foods from israel should be boycotted . because although reuters ' chadwick matlin attended a recent members meeting and tweeted an array of the sentiments we ' ve come to expect and love from the coop ( mentions of
fascist food
and all ) , the new york times ' kirk semple points out friday that those types of feelings may actually be confined to the minority of the 16 , 000 coop members . the rest of them , it appears , don ' t really care , and just want to get their groceries and get out of there . they are those most un - coop of words : apathetic . self - interested . also , tired and maybe hungry , though only in the most well - fed on whole grains and fresh veggies sort of way .
food chains reveals the human cost in our food supply and the complicity of large buyers of produce like fast food and supermarkets . fast food is big , but supermarkets are bigger – earning $ 4 trillion globally . they have tremendous power over the agricultural system . over the past 3 decades they have drained revenue from their supply chain leaving farmworkers in poverty and forced to work under subhuman conditions . yet many take no responsibility for this . more information on the film’s website .
established in 1973 , the co - op , with about 15 , 000 members who enjoy savings of up to 40 percent on environmentally friendly groceries , is one of the oldest , largest and most successful institutions of its kind in the country . unlike many co - ops — including the flatbush food coop in brooklyn , where guests are allowed to shop without joining and members who don’t want to serve work hours can pay a slight markup for items — park slope has one of the stiffest work requirements : 2 . 75 hours every four weeks for each adult member of a household .
as a response to the situation in gaza . 156 commenters respond . two years later , the coop announces that it ' s
this just reeks of divisiveness , ” agreed one of the coop’s founders . in fact things have even gotten physical , as the
by april of 2015 , many of the coop’s members had rightfully had it . at yet another general membership meeting featuring an israel - hating speaker , dozens of coop members spoke out and demanded that the speaker stop his assault on israel . four members were singled out among the many who objected to the viciously biased presentation , and were suspended from the coop for disrupting the meeting .
as a cooperative corporation , all of our members are owners of the coop . unlike most cooperatives in the united states , the park slope food coop requires members to work . psfc has more than 16 , 000 members who work once every four weeks in exchange for a 20 - 40 % savings on groceries . only members may shop at the psfc , but membership is open to all . our members rely on one another to share the work of running our coop and of contributing to its success . the benefit of this shared responsibility is two - fold , the most obvious being that with scheduled , reliable member labor we are able to keep our payroll costs down , which translates to low prices . but another equally important reward comes from the satisfaction we receive from working together as a community to build something upon which we can all rely .
welcome to the smart set . every morning , we bring you the gossip coverage filtered . today : accusations fly that celebrities are sending
minions
to cover their shifts at the park slope co - op , the vogue editor had a brief run - in with a revolving door over the weekend , and the senate barbershop gets a bailout .
the co - op has 17 , 100 members . its food prices are 20 to 40 percent below those in supermarkets .
the coop opposition to bds against israeli products is led by a vociferous zionist group , including people , i suspect , who are funded by zionist donors . the local jewish community relations council publicly boasted about the work of its staff people in defeating the coop proposal
i visited the store a couple times as the guest of a member of the co - op . it is rare for a co - op to print a newsletter and because of the heat produced by the bds issue i can see that this is a thorny issue for those who wish to keep the issues of food and politics separate . park slope is centrally located and not far from predominantly orthodox brooklyn neighborhoods . ( it’s not in seattle , it’s in brooklyn ! )
designers create clothes , furniture , cars and all kinds of useful items . so why not food ? food designers work on things to eat , giving them a certain style and function . they not only make sure that food and drink fill our stomachs , but also that the eating process is practical and appeals to all the senses – so that we’re hungry for more .
in keeping with these values , we believe that the coop should join the international boycott , divestment and sanctions movement ( bds ) .
this future cooperative supermarket means more links and conviviality within neighbourhoods , a support to the local economy and a promising model of entrepreneurship . i hope that the bees coop will manage to provide a maximum of brusselers with healthy and fair food , and will inspire others .
located in the park slope neighborhood of brooklyn , the politically active food cooperative is one of the oldest and largest co - ops in the united states . founded in 1973 , the market has more than 15 , 000 members , who are asked to contribute labor to keep store prices low . according to its mission statement , the co - op is “a buying agent for our members and not a selling agent for any industry . ” non - members can visit the store but cannot buy anything .
at the focal point of this movement , and of this film , are the farmers and chefs who are creating a truly sustainable food system . their collaborative work has resulted in great tasting food and an explosion of consumer awareness about the benefits of eating local .
that event was so tense the coop was criticized for not having adequate security on hand ; it also drew a lot of media attention .
peoples ? obvious winner in a debate of human lives vs . injured pride . imports to the coop are injurious enough to the world w
“starting today , ” mayor michael r . bloomberg said at a news conference in city hall park , “if it’s a rigid plastic - – any rigid plastic - – recycle it . ”
fresh celebrates the farmers , thinkers and business people across america who are re - inventing our food system . each has witnessed the rapid transformation of our agriculture into an industrial model , and confronted the consequences : food contamination , environmental pollution , depletion of natural resources , and morbid obesity . forging healthier , sustainable alternatives , they offer a practical vision for a future of our food and our planet .
they also spoke with farmers who are practicing more sustainable methods of producing food , and learned of the many alternatives to conventional agriculture .
” i can see that this is a thorny issue for those who wish to keep the issues of food and politics separate . ”
the coop sign committee is responsible for designing and producing permanent signage throughout the coop . in addition to a member with sign production experience , we seek general graphic design knowledge for signage work using indesign , illustrator , and photoshop . candidates must have access to these tools at home .
special un rapporteur on the right to food ( 2008 - 2014 ) and co - president of the international panel of experts on sustainable food systems ( ipes - food ) . the participative and cooperative supermarket that the bees coop project seeks to launch is a response to three needs : first , the need to contribute to making sustainable food consumption affordable to all by encouraging the diffusion of sustainable food consumption principles to populations from humble background who often feel excluded from it ; the need to allow the co - operator to take part in the life of the supermarket , favouring the ( re - ) creation of social links while ensuring the economic viability of the supermarket ; and finally , the need to allow brussels to catch up with brooklyn and paris where similar projects have been launched or are being launched today , at the cutting edge of social innovation . i’m delighted to support the bees coop project , which , i’m convinced , opens up avenues for the future .
bouillon de cultures , a community centre situated in the coteaux - josaphat neighbourhood in schaerbeek , gladly supports the bees coop project . we have been commited to sustainable food dynamics for several years and are very happy to see this sort of project take place in an underprivileged neighbourhood of brussels .
attention being paid to the local food movement comes at a time when the failings of our current industrialized food system are becoming all too clear . for the first time in history , our children’s generation is expected to have a shorter lifespan than our own . the quality , taste and nutritional value of the food we eat has dropped sharply over the last fifty years . shipped from ever - greater distances , we have literally lost sight of where our food comes from and in the process we’ve lost a vital connection to our local community and to our health .
maybe it ' s insecurity : coop members volunteer for two hours and 25 45 minutes a month in exchange for healthy , ethically - produced food , making the rest of us feel like overworked sloths subsisting on hot pockets . maybe it ' s because people just love tearing down an endeavor that ' s so painfully earnest . or maybe that coop really does attract more than its fair share of kale - addled lunatics . we ' re not going to pretend we have the answer—but we are going to take you through a tour of the best coop rumors and controversy in recent years .
”for folks who are saying this debate is bringing negativity into the coop . negativity is already there . it’s there in every olive . . . ”
food beware begins with a visit to a small village in france , where the town’s mayor has decided to make the school lunch menu organic and locally grown . it then talks to a wide variety of people with differing perspectives to find common ground – children , parents , teachers , health care workers , farmers , elected officials , scientists , researchers and the victims of illnesses themselves . revealed in these moving and often surprising conversations are the abuses of the food industry , the competing interests of agrobusiness and public health , the challenges and rewards of safe food production , and the practical solutions that we can all take part in . food beware is food for thought – and a blueprint for a growing revolution .
what’s especially bizarre about all this is that the fight isn’t really about the coop selling israeli products — it barely carries any , apart from some bath salts , peppers , lychees , and those sodastream seltzer machines . it’s fundamentally about distant politics and the coop’s evolving self - image , increasingly yuppy parents as opposed to the militantly rule - following matron with “long , straight silver hair wrapped with a dangling scarf , wearing diaphanous layers , abundant turquoise jewelry and redolent of a low - grade patchouli oil which didn’t quite mask a faint yet distinct undertone of un - neutered cat” that confronted one local resident looking to join ( and who later described the ordeal on our favorite inappropriately named park slope blog ) .
thin plastic film wrap – from notecards , tea boxes , pre - packaged cheese , household items , pets food , juice packs , etc .
psfc covers most food categories even though it sells only several thousand items , which sets it apart from a specialty food store . much like a trader joe ' s , which also doesn ' t use slotting fees , goods are on the shelves because members want them , not because manufacturers essentially rent shelf space through extra charges . the store can therefore capture most of the money its customers spend on food in any given week .
in soul food junkies , hurt sets out on a culinary journey to learn more about soul food tradition and its relevance to black cultural identity . through candid interviews with cooks , historians , scholars , doctors , family , and everyday people , the film puts this tradition under the microscope .
some former members of the sanders campaign have already joined forces with democracy at work , an organization which seeks to promote cooperatives throughout the area . at the local brooklyn commons , new school university economics professor richard wolff has spearheaded the new group . meanwhile , just up the road from brooklyn commons lies the park slope food coop , the largest food cooperative in the country with 17 , 000 members . if carried out correctly , bernie folk could help to foster a network of cooperatives designed to assist immigrants along the lines of exarcheia in greece ( see below ) . the question really boils down to political will and finding an appropriate space , be it the brooklyn commons or some other venue . former bernie volunteers should make use of their data base of contacts to identify a suitable space , rather than guardedly hold on to information . the activist gold standard
can it really even be a coop , then ? maybe we should just start calling it a whole foods . or worse . . . a starbucks .
the volume makes it work ,
says herpel . the coop handles so much money that it deposits its cash in the bank every two hours for security reasons . similar to trader joe ' s or grocer stew leonard ' s , the food coop has a limited selection of items ( 9 , 500 , vs . about 50 , 000 in a typical supermarket ) in a relatively small store footprint ( 6 , 000 square feet ) , which allows it to buy in bulk and produces a high turnover on goods . herpel says that the coop turns over its inventory 60 or 70 times a year .
, the largest member - owned and - operated co - op in the country . something between an earthy - crunchy health food haven and a soviet - style reeducation camp , the coop offered great groceries at low prices but required its members to work in the store for the privilege of shopping there .
over nine months , director mischa hedges and his crew traveled the west coast to learn more about our food system . while interviewing farmers , agricultural experts , nutritionists and activists , mischa and his team learned that the standard methods of producing food do not take environmental or human health costs into consideration .
all of us should be deeply concerned about the failure of state and local representatives to stand up to the coop’s tolerance for unremitting anti - semitic attacks on israel . while we commend those representatives who supported legislation against anti - israel boycotts , we – and all of you – expect more from our elected officials . recent violence , vandalism and threats against jewish institutions are getting heightened public attention . but the truth is that anti - semitism has long been a serious problem in the u . s . the fbi’s hate crime statistics bear this out : jews have always been the biggest target of religious hate crimes . we need to know that when the anti - semitism is expressed as anti - israelism , community institutions like the park slope food coop – and our elected representatives – will not tolerate it . otherwise , jew - hatred , however it is expressed , will continue to grow .
that coca - cola boycott , re - affirmed unanimously , protests union - crushing practices and the company’s role in the obesity epidemic . the coop boycotted south african products in its early years , said joe holtz , a founding member of the coop who today works on the committee of paid staff that directs its operations .
two angry moms shows not only on what is wrong with school food ; it offers strategies for overcoming roadblocks and getting healthy , good tasting , real food into school cafeterias . the movie explores the roles the federal government , corporate interests , school administration and parents play in feeding our country’s school kids .
given new york state’s prohibition against anti - israel boycotts and a new york city council resolution condemning the anti - israel boycott movement , we reasonably believed that state and local officials would be deeply troubled to learn that the coop was punishing members who strongly objected to coop activities that could be illegal and violated public policy . we were wrong . we contacted new york state senators jesse hamilton , kevin parker and diane savino , new york assembly members jo anne simon and pamela harris , and new york city council members brad lander and chaim deutsch . each represented either the coop or one or more of the suspended coop members . not a single elected representative intervened , even to express concern about the injustice of the coop’s harsh punishment and the unfair burden it was placing on the suspended members and their families .
one : i included eden foods in my presentation because an eden foods boycott would afflict a cancer survivor among our membership with higher food bills . i said that even if only one coop member suffers an injustice then the whole coop suffers an injustice . i said if we are to go down that road , then we need a supermajority to address such an imbalance and show the greatest possible solidarity . no protest was made from the audience , silence being interpreted as agreement .
rather than bombard viewers with impersonal facts or apocalyptic policy analysis , ana sofia joanes’ fresh ( spring 2009 ) is born from a place of hope . ana is a powerful public speaker on the social and political issues linked with the connective power of local food systems . she motivates action in viewers , encouraging them to become involved in the transformation of their own food system . by celebrating the real people who are taking sustainable steps toward reinventing the american food system , joanes aims to motivate viewers to engage in what is happening around them and support the world’s food innovators , activists and lovers in their own communities .
filmmaker kristin canty’s quest to find healthy food for her four children turned into an educational journey to discover why access to these foods was being threatened . what she found were policies that favor agribusiness and factory farms over small family - operated farms selling fresh foods to their communities . instead of focusing on the source of food safety problems — most often the industrial food chain — policymakers and regulators implement and enforce solutions that target and often drive out of business small farms that have proven themselves more than capable of producing safe , healthy food , but buckle under the crushing weight of government regulations and excessive enforcement actions .
we are an example on how to shop for food in peace ,
the member said .
why would we want to ruin that ?
the membership office is located on the second floor of the coop . reach us in person or by phone at 718 - 622 - 0560 during hours listed below .
at the coop , though , trust is on back order . in 2013 , the new york times reported the shop lost $ 438 , 000 in stolen items .
there is fear , i think , among coop administrators , that the present debate about boycotting sodastream might create unresolvable bitterness among the members , undermining our “cooperative” cohesion .
the post had the deliciousness of a candace bushnell novel , or maybe , for connoisseurs of locavore fiction , an amy sohn novel . a character in ms . sohn’s “prospect park west” describes the “painfully long two - and - a - half - hour orientation” before signing up for a food co - op work team , and briefly considers sending her nanny to work for her .
like any place that wears its ideals on its sleeve , the co - op evokes rage , adoration and all the emotions in between . in 2006 , the food web site urltoken published “won’t work for food , ” an essay by a onetime co - op member who described the place as “something between an earthy - crunchy health food haven and a soviet - style re - education camp . ” three years later , passionate comments about the piece are still being posted .
the food co - op is easy to lampoon , as one new york times writer did recently , as
the land of soya milk and honey
. for a start , it is located in park slope , brooklyn ' s equivalent of london ' s islington . then there is the air of ordered disorganic chaos that fills the store . ask someone stacking shelves where to find something and , unless it is something they buy themselves , they will have no idea . despite longstanding promises , you can only pay with cash , cheque ( by special arrangement ) or food stamps - no debit cards . you queue once to get rung up and then once again to pay . the narrow aisles are often clogged with trolleys full of goods waiting to be unpacked .
metered and non - metered car parking is available on the street throughout the neighborhood , though space can be tight . the coop offers a “cart return” service : members will walk you and your cart of groceries to your parked car—so long as it is parked within the cart return service area —and return the cart to the coop for you .
“all of us should be deeply concerned about the failure of state and local representatives to stand up to the coop’s tolerance for unremitting anti - semitic attacks on israel . ”
their suspensions will end next month , but the ordeal they endured , and the failure of our elected representatives to step up to the plate to help them , is an important lesson not only for coop members , but also for the rest of us . coop members who simply want to buy healthy and affordable food are still being forced to tolerate fanatical , hateful attacks on the one jewish state . the coop’s newsletter is still rife with anti - israel and anti - semitic articles . one recent article called for the boycott of sabra hummus , because it is “half owned by an israeli company . ” sabra hummus , however , isn’t produced in israel , but in the united states .
filmmaker byron hurt grew up eating lots of soul food : grits and scrambled eggs covered with cheese , buttered biscuits with gravy , bacon , and other fatty foods .
been a member since 1978 . lot of knuckleheads on yelp crying about the coop population , comments others made to them while shopping , and other nonsensical complaints . because the coop has great products and low prices , its membership has increased tenfold over the years . i go to the coop to shop not make friends . to the meatballs on yelp , the crybabies , don ' t put the place down . you don ' t like the crowds ? leave . someone says something you don ' t like ? ignore the person . you ' re there to shop . don ' t like it that much ? leave . don ' t complain here and prevent others from joining . have a valid complaint ? take it to the general meeting or bring it to the attention of someone in the membership office . think i ' m trolling ? you ' re too thin skinned to be a real new yorker . the prices are low because we work . why ? the coop doesn ' t have to hire workers to stock shelves . the coop has a construction section . no need to hire contractors . the coop saves money and the general membership saves money . dali l . give 5 stars , if you love it - otherwise take your review and leave . on second thought forget dali l , she ' s childish and an asinine buffoon . the place was a lot smaller in 1978 . the coop purchased the rug cleaner next door and expanded . you want the current building to increase in size ? don ' t complain . dig into your pocket and donate a million dollars . those days we didn ' t have shopping carts . we all deposited our groceries in boxes and pushed them along the floor or carried them . we had a lot of bulk items . not much in refrigerated items . no meat , poultry , or fish . today , the park slope food coop sells wild fish , albeit frozen , poultry , beef , pork , and lamb . all meats and poultry are prepackaged . they ' re all free range , steroid and antibiotic free , and many products are fed organic feed , such as d ' artagnan chicken . yes , the coop sells ice cream and frozen foods .