ON DECEMBER 5, 1955, FOUR days after Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her seat on a segregated city bus, a community meeting was held at the Holt Street Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama. Thousands of black citizens gathered to hear about the proposed bus boycott, filling every inch of the church’s sanctuary, balcony, and basement auditorium. Loudspeakers were set up to accommodate the overflow, which extended for three blocks in each direction.   “There co...

Still?     It is January 8 and I am still wishing people a Happy New Year. Are you?     At what point does it no longer feel right to be extending that greeting? Is January 15 a good time to stop? Halfway through the first month of the year. I'm not really sure.   Well, happy new year! This could be the last time I am going to say that until 2020 . . .     ...

Over the weekend, I had the opportunity to watch the CNN documentary about Gilda Radner, “Love Gilda.” It was truly an interesting documentary, a film that will stay with me.   One interesting aspect of the film was the use of Gilda’s own letters, journals, and diaries. Current comedians such as Melissa McCarthy and Amy Poehler read Gilda’s own words and thoughts. Hearing her thoughts and words so many years after her death--and hearing the readers’ appreciation of having th...

Best wishes in this first weekend of the new year. Many recent Gotham blogs looked ahead and share resolutions and predictions for this year. Instead, I continue practice to share a list compiled and commentary posted to my website on the top ten shows I attended in the year just ended. Hope you find the list -- 1) John Fogerty and ZZ Top 2) The Richie Furay Band performs POCO DeLIVErin’ 3) Jeff Beck, Paul Rodgers, Ann Wilson 4) Glenn Tilbrook 5) The Eagles 6) Ro...

I'm back! I took off the last couple of years and now I'm resureecting my predictions blog.   If you're interested...here's my record since 2007:   2007 - 1 for 7. (my rookie year:)2008 - 1 for 1 (gutsy picking one but it was spot on)2009 - 3 for 5 2010 - 2 for 32011 - 3 for 3!!! 2012 - 3 for 3!!!2013 I took a break, the launch of the new website took all my attention2014 - 2 for 32015 - 0 for 3, bad year but came close on the stock market2016 - 2 for 4   Since 2007 I'm 17 f...

My Top 10 New Year's Resolutions are as follows: 1) Eat less French Fries2) Drink more water3) Wear a hat and sunscreen4) Make a new friend5) Wash my hands more6) Be more tolerant 7) Spend less time on my phone8) Fend off suppression9) Develop new routines10) Dream!...

We live in the Town of Oyster Bay in Nassau County. We have been avid recyclers. Things are changing. A few weeks ago, we received a notice of new recycling guidelines. The notice announced that “The International Recycling Market Changed...Here’s how it impacts you!” It was reported some time ago that China, which historically purchased much of our recycled waste, was changing what it would accept. For whatever reasons, standards would be different going forward. ...

So, we've started another glorious year. I've only the one resolution, to be kinder to myself and whoever I come across in the wonderful world of ours. Now that its January 2nd, how do you keep the momentum of a fresh start going? I meditate, surround myself with kind people and do my best to stay in the present. And, of course, gratitude, gratitude, gratitude. In my circle, there have been births and deaths, loss and gain, LOVE and not so loving. I've survived and thrived...

  As we all wake up today, it is the start of a new year — kind of like a new beginning.     Think about your first day of high school, first day of college, first date, new job, birth of your first or second child . . . So many things happen in our lives that start a new cycle of life.     That’s how I feel about January 1st every year. There is a whole fresh year ahead. Who knows really what we will be talking about on New Years Eve of 2019. But on New Years Day we have...

As tonight is New Years Eve, I am thinking about resolutions. My resolutions, most years, are generally the same, I will try to lose or maintain my goal weight. This year, I really wanted to make a resolution that was different and had some meaning and substance. So here goes.   This year, my resolution is to truly examine my business model and figure out what works and what doesn’t work. Thereafter, I want to fix what doesn’t work and work on replicating what does. For me...

Music matters to me. (I suspect you know that.)   Ahead of this new year, I offer an updated (and of course verified) “Songs To Ring In The New Year.”     It follows “Light It Up,” my blog four weeks ago, which shared my updated seasonal playlist, Happy Holidays in songs. I hope folks enjoyed this musical cheer throughout the holiday season and that includes celebrations that continue into the new year (think the alternative name of my fave diner).   As wering in the new year...

This news might have you saying...Really !?!?   Police in Ohio said a couple broke into a home, washed their clothes, then showered and fixed themselves some coffee before robbing the place last Monday.   Luckily, a nearby family member of the homeowner confronted the couple with a gun and held them at gunpoint till the cops arrived.   Police said they found a computer, credit cards, car keys and jewelry from the home in the truck that belonged to the couple.   If, and when,...

And then there’s Truth!

...

As I ponder this last blog for 2018, I think about the blogs that were never written. There were many. Among the bloggers – with appropriate guidance – we stay away from blogging about politics. Oftentimes what strikes me as worthy of a blog is set aside due to our self-imposed restriction. I don't dare refer to it as censorship because it is not, it is self-imposed decorum. I am sure that the events of the upcoming year will provide fodder for many blogs, some to be...

From daily newspaper The Sun, 1897: Dear Editor— I am 8 years old. Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus. Papa says, "If you see it in The Sun, it's so." Please tell me the truth, is there a Santa Claus? Virginia O'Hanlon115 West Ninety Fifth Street Virginia, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their litt...