WEDNESDAY: What About Us?
The biweekly news site Brooklyn Ink started an online forum yesterday entitled “How Bad Is It?” that looks at the impact the current recession is having on our borough. Forum participants include Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz and Carl Hum, President and CEO of the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, but readers are encouraged to weigh in as well, particularly on the question, “If you could tell President-elect Obama what kind of economic stimulus Brooklyn needs, what would it be?” Add your voice to the conversation here.

Fact Finder
Park Slope resident John Hodgman — you may know him from “The Daily Show,” or the “PC” from those ubiquitous Apple ads — reads from his new book of fake facts, More Information Than You Require, at the Slope’s Barnes and Noble at 7:30pm.

THURSDAY: Get Down and Dirty
Electro insta-party Dan Deacon pairs up with the more somber, critically acclaimed Dirty Projectors tonight at the Brooklyn Masonic Temple. Doors at 7:30, $12 ticket purchase includes a 6-month subscription to New York magazine.

FRIDAY: Bird Brains
Premiering this Friday, “Claire and the Ornithological Shadow” tells the story of a young bird-obsessed girl who befriend a shadow in a Bushwick whimsy-a-thon, weaving performance, shadow play, puppetry and live music.

Art Weekender
Every 2:nd Friday returns to Williamsburg this month. Some highlights: Hand-cut blocks by Swoon, Judith Supine and others at Ad Hoc Art’s “Brooklyn Block Party,” and “FULLSCREEN,” a visual and musical presentation from Giulio Bruno and Manuel Lain, at Artbreak Gallery. If that wasn’t enough art for you, on Sunday the smART Brooklyn Gallery Hop buses (info in PDF download format) take off from several spots in Brooklyn for gallery tours of four different neighborhoods (DUMBO, Fort Greene, Park Slope, Williamsburg).

SATURDAY: Holiday Fare
To add to our recent roundup of holiday fairs: the Designer Holiday Trunk Show at the Bell House. This free fair, open from 11am to 5pm, showcases hats, bags, stationery, ceramics, sweets and more from some of BB’s favorite local craftsmen, like Mast Brothers Chocolate and Sesame Letterpress. Drinks and live music will be on hand to enhance your shopping pleasure. Site>>

Cookie Monsters
Enter your favorite recipe or just go for the free treats at today’s Cookie Takedown competition at 4pm. Put on by the good folks from the Chili Takedown at The Soft Spot (128 Bedford Avenue).

Hope for Change
Yes we did, but now what? Saturday night at the Williamsburg Music Center, Barack Obama supporters get together for a night of music, photography and moderated discussions concerning what they want to see in the first 100 days of his presidency. Site>>

SPONSORED LINK ‘Tis the season for all things cute and crafty! There’s nothing better than scoring a fantastic present and knowing that you’re supporting a local artist at the same time. With over 200 vendors, the BUST Holiday Craftacular this Sunday is one of the best places on earth to find weird and wonderful items from stocking stuffers and cards to jewelry, art and home decor.

Good Eating
Dine out for a good cause at Tempo Restaurant & Wine Bar, which is donating 100 percent of its proceeds from the night to Modest Needs, a charity that provides low-income New Yorkers with small grants to guard against a downward spiral into poverty. The restaurant is offering a $42 three-course prix-fix meal of its delicious Mediterranean fare for the occasion, and since you’ll be eating for charity, 70 percent of your bill will be tax deductible. In case you can’t make this particular seating, Tempo is repeating the event every Saturday for the rest of the month. Tempo Restaurant, 256 5th Ave, Park Slope, (718) 636-2020.

MONDAY: Happy Philanthropy
If laughter is the best medicine, then Save Darfur has put together a serious dosage of comedy. John Oliver (Daily Show), Todd Barry (Flight of the Conchords) and Greg Giraldo (Comedy Central) all perform for a good cause Monday at The Bell House.

NEXT WEEK
We can’t put a date on it yet, because the opening depends on the delivery and installation of custom cold cases, but sharpen the steak knives and get ready for meat. Marlow & Daughters, the Marlow & Sons/Diner butcher shop we reported on (well, broke the story, really) back in September is opening at some point next week. In addition to beef, pork and the usual poultry suspects, M&D will be taking Christmas goose orders. Tom Mylan, head butcher, envisions himself as a slightly less appetizing animal, though: “I’m going to be a busy little meat beaver,” he said in a text message to BB.

Sent by Chrysanthe, Nina, and Keith. Photos, from top, courtesy of John Hodgman, Dirty Projectors, and updownacross.