Miles Alex: Writer

Relationships In The Life Of An Artist

2011-04-24T22:26:00.005-04:00

Sometimes being an artist can be tough on a significant other not also pursuing an artistic endeavor. We who are artists see life through different lenses. Our inclinations are to travel far and wide - both physically and emotionally. We do not make a contrived effort to do so - it just happens as part of our personas, our psychological makeups. We do these things in order to uncover the truth...to separate reality from fiction so that when we reach out to the world to touch someone we are equipped with the proper tools.

Interacting with men, women, guys and gals, the highest ranking to the ones at the lower rungs, is all part of the framework that defines us and makes us what we are. In order to share our own perspectives through our artistry we must emote with others, feel how they feel, see life through their eyes too. This can sometimes lead to high levels of intimacy - not necessarily physical, but emotional and otherwise - with people with whom we interact.

Too often, a significant other cannot appreciate our complex makeup, our drive to do the things we must as part of our journey. The life of an artist can sometimes, ironically enough, lead to one of loneliness, emotional turmoil, and broken romantic relationships.

It's not an easy road to travel...but somehow we cannot take a detour...we must travel wherever the heart leads...or we perish....

America

2011-04-06T14:30:00.010-04:00

America is a blessed country and I thank God to be here...but my love would be insincere if I ignored its unjust history - land viciously seized from original inhabitants and then worked upon by coerced, enslaved peoples brought across the oceans. There was also the irony, after slavery ended, of ugly racism against those emancipated for being here!

The Founding Fathers set the right tone for a great country by creating a masterpiece Constitution. America is indeed a country of which I am proud to be a citizen...but I am ashamed of the ugly spectacle of some of its past. America today, and all who reside herein, owe homage not only to those who revolted against tyranny from abroad in 1776 - but also to the likes of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and other Civil Rights heroes, for revolting against injustice and oppression from within.

Accountant In Manhattan Dreaming Of Writer With A Home In Queens

2011-03-18T01:01:00.000-04:00

I'm a dreamer with a dose of reality. I'm an accountant by day who writes a blog and aspires to be a professional writer earning an income from writing, while creating pieces to move the reader. I've been a resident of Manhattan for decades, but I'm also an admirer of the borough of Queens - so much so that I've even written an earlier piece on it in this blog.

Transitioning from accountant to writer only is not an easy process - from a financial and career perspective; moving to Queens and bidding goodbye to the Upper West Side of Manhattan which I've come to love - and which I've also blogged about earlier - will not be easy either. So what's an accountant in Manhattan who dreams of being a writer with a home in Queens to do?

I'm gonna aim for a combo on both counts...maybe I can one day be a part-time accountant and also write professionally - and still have two beautiful careers...and maybe the lucky stars will align over me and make it possible for me to have two homes - one in Queens and one in Manhattan's Upper West Side!

Dream on...and work hard at the same time, accountant and writer, Manhattanite and 'Queensite"-to-be!!!

Exiting An Unhappy Relationship

2011-03-17T22:03:00.000-04:00

If a romantic relationship - marital or otherwise - is causing one or both parties insoluble grief and unhappiness, it's time to exit. Life is too short to prolong the agony.

With your inner strenth, support from family and good friends, and your religious faith, if any, move on and pick up the pieces again. It is never too late to minimize losses and seek a better future. You owe it both to yourself and the other party.

No couple Is An Island Unto Itself

2011-03-14T11:42:00.000-04:00

In this 21st century, both men and women in romantic relationships - marital or otherwise - must understand that neither party is personal property or chattel. The bond obviously must be there to sustain the pairing, but they must both recognize each other's right to friends and to interaction with other human beings - whether it be social, professional, religious, or personal. When a man and woman decide that they should become a couple, it does not mean that they've also decided to put locks around each other or to stifle each other's personas, personalities, or growth as human beings.

Restricting a partner from interacting on a personal level with another person of the opposite gender creates more problems for a relationship and can cause it to flounder and eventually collapse. In this modern era, women, like men, do have career and professional aspirations and achievements. Both men and women live in a world of constant communication via phone, online, and in-person means.

Before creating the bond that defines a longterm relationship, they must understand that while they are becoming an item together, they do not dissolve their individual identities. There ought to be enough common interests to sustain the relationship, but there must also be breathing room to pursue interests and communications with others without restriction merely because the two are in the relationship.

I wish all couples much success as they navigate the turbulent waters and the inner and outer conflicts that sometimes mar the beauty and joys of being together. It's not an easy road to travel these days

The Unkindness Of History

2011-02-13T19:38:00.000-05:00

History sure has been unkind to peoples in different settings all over the world.

I often think of America and what a great country she is, and how blessed I am to enjoy her magnificence. But I also think of those who, from the inception, contributed to her present-day status. Eurpoeans, African slaves, indigenous peoples, all participated, voluntarily, or involuntarily, in the formation and development of the United States of America. The blood, sweat, and tears of millions have left a trail and legacy in the history books.

Some have argued that it was a "Manifest Destiny," a design by God, that Europeans should settle this great expanse and exploit its natural resources, and in the process create the greatest superpower in human history.Yet, though, founded on the principles of equality and disregard for class, race, or religion, the nation took a few hundred years to live up to its professed doctrines.

One reflects on a history that also includes lands taken from Native Americans and enslaved labor brought to work those lands. Crimes against groups of peoples were part and parcel of the process. Somehow, it's hard to look back with a Machiavellian perspective, and give a standing ovation on the basis of the philosophy that the end justifies the means.

Make no mistake, millions of Americans - born and naturalized - stand in awe of this great land. They are thankful to be a part of a country that affords everyone the opportunity to pursue their maximun potential - and to do so in a society that does not bow down to royalty or require social class or religion as a prerequisite to achieving the best in life.

I do wonder though why so many innocents had to be destroyed for a great country to emerge. Was it just another example of Darwin's theory of the survival of the fittest? Was there really a "Manifest Destiny"? Was there no other way for such a magnificent country to emerge?

Perhaps the writer's imagination in me rises too often and rouses my sentimentalities and consciousness to events of yesterday best left alone. Perhaps, one needs to focus absolutely on the status quo and the future. In my journey through life as a writer I often seek answers...and I am often bewildered at the sacrifice of untold millions throughout human history in all parts of the world.

Indeed history seems to have been unkind to many. Somehow, some events of the past six thousand years, and of today, in America and in different parts of the world, seem to counter the concept of a Divine Being. Maybe God has stepped aside to let us do our own thing? Maybe the metamorphoses that nations, societies, peoples, groups, individuals undergo are a constant struggle for superiority - without the intervention of a God?

What I do concede is that America's history does have its blemishes - but so does the history of every civilization. Maybe the day will come when we no longer have to claim that it was divine destiny that some be sacrificed so that others could prosper.

Possibly, the answer is to accept the mistakes of the past without reference or need for divine justification. Perhaps, we all need to acknowledge that casualties are inevitable as history evolves...and that, as modern societies, we must learn to adapt, to minimize suffering, and try to enforce equity...and to continue our march forward, without looking back too much at the past...and without seeking divine justification for the acts of man...

Does God Exist?

2011-01-20T15:11:00.000-05:00

For many of us, it is comforting and reassuring to believe that there is a God who created us and who awaits us at the end of our mortal lives. Ever since the beginning of recorded human history, we have looked to the skies, to revered objects, and to our own selves as affirmation of a Superior Deity who brought into being all the magnificence of the world around us.

There are however questions that can shake the beliefs of even the most ardent and devoted of believers. Why does a good God allow so much suffering all around us? If there is a God, why should a little innocent child be stricken with cancer? Why should history be replete with so much savagery by man toward fellow man? How could a benevolent God allow mass murder and massacres, slavery, the Holocaust, tribal, ethnic, and religious atrocities by one group toward another, rape of innocent, helpless women, and even children at times? And some of these events continue unabated in many parts of the world today.

If we look at the beauty and splendor of living and non-living organisms that populate the planet and galaxies as proof of a marvelous, omnipotent Creator, then surely such positive energy must be offset by all the tragic events since the beginning of time to the present day, should it not? Is there a God who allows tragedy to continue? Was there once a God who no longer exists? If God does exist, why then does he/she allow the status quo to continue? What is man's destiny after his physical armor has breathed its last? Reincarnation? Resurrection from the dead? Will Jesus come again to save the world once more? What form do we take in the next phase of life after this - if there is one?

These, my friends, are the questions that many sometimes ponder - perhaps not every day, but certainly ever so often. I myself am not an agnostic but of the Christian faith, As a teenager and churchgoer at a Pentecostal church, I stood on the street corners of Georgetown, Guyana, handing out religious tracts to passersby. Even as the years go by, I remain favorably disposed to the existence of a God, and recognize the validity of different religious persuasions which recognize a Supernatural Being.

I do, however, have my doubts whenever a tragic event involving an innocent child, woman, or man occurs or whenever a horrifying injustice is reported. Perhaps, in my journey as a writer, I will find some answers. If I do, I will surely share them with my readers. As of now, for me, there are more questions than answers.

Movements Of People In Search Of Better Lives - Another Perspective

2011-01-04T11:19:00.000-05:00

The world, we have been taught and have come to believe, was created by God Almighty. Human labor exists wherever there is habitable land mass. Natural resources are not evenly distributed among countries and regions. Colonialism was not generally premised on a flow of development in two directions. Europe was largely the beneficiary of the goodies secured from exploited new territories. Natives and transplanted, sometimes coerced labor, were exploited so that resources could be tapped.

When the conscience of humankind was finally roused enough to demand the end of slavery, genocide against natives, and other forms of injustices by foreign entities, the power structures changed around the globe. But when the smoke cleared and the dust settled, nations and individuals were left in economic and political disarray.

The uneven distribution of natural resources, the one way flow of goods and services secured by outside interlopers using coerced labor, the forced movements of entire cultures and peoples away from their traditional lands and hunting grounds and agrarian lifestyles - all these events have resulted in imbalances in the world economy. People will do what is necessary to feed themselves and their families and thus will gravitate toward regions and countries that offer opportunities for survival or for better lives.

To be sure, even in God's Good Earth, countries do need to safeguard their borders, their citizens' jobs, and their economies. But in this era of global economics, exportation of jobs, free trade, and other geo-political activity, the historical movements of people in search of livelihoods will continue. It must be remembered that many great nations, including America, have been founded by immigrants, or in many cases, forcibly acquired from others.

People uprooting and transplanting do not do so whimsically for there are often substantial adverse cultural, familial, and personal consequences. Understanding that human civilization did not occur in neat, orderly, equitable patterns - and that many areas of the world, and millions of people, were displaced as a price of progress by others - will better serve us when we examine immigration issues. When contemporary geo-political factors are considered also, one can have a better perspective on this sometimes volatile issue.

Trying To Change A Lover In A Relationship

2010-12-14T14:10:00.000-05:00

Too often we enter into romantic or marital relationships thinking that we can easily change a partner to be the way we want him or her to be. Perhaps this is one of the fatal flaws which doom so many relationships today.

It is unfair to expect someone to surrender entirely their modus operandi, their lifestyle, concepts, characteristics, goals, hobbies, dreams to make the other party happy. When one enters into a long-term relationship, it is both prudent and realistic to know about the person with whom one wishes to share both one's own life and that individual's life. One must learn about the other up front - their ways, lifestyle, aspirations, opinions on significant matters such as religion or lack therof, politics, social issues, personal moral standards, hygiene, culinary tastes, etc. Then one must decide, if there are any incongruities between the two individuals, whether one can live with those, and whether the love one feels for that other person is sufficient to overshadow any differences.

We must also remember that it's qute difficult to find a clone of oneself with whom to engage in a life partnership. We should seek areas of compatibility with our potential mates as we will be spending more time with them than with anyone else. But we must also reccognize that there'll be differences. No one individual will have all the ideals we wish for or all the attributes we crave in a partner. But each man or woman has a combination of traits - laudable and not so laudable. One person may be a heavy drinker but a non-smoker and another may be a teetotaler but a smoker. One may use frequent profanity while another shuns its use. One party may never look at another of the opposite gender while in a relationship, while the other may be a free-spirited individual who cannot but admire God's beautiful creation in the form of the opposite gender.

There is no right or wrong here, for the discussion assumes there is no criminal or illegal behavior - just that if one examines any individual one will find a wide range of personality characteristics and behavioral features. Know these ahead, decide whether they are pluses or minuses for you. If they are minuses, can you live with them without trying to change that person? Will that person agree o change or modify them upon request? if no, can you continue on and live with the differences?

Do some soul-searching before deciding on something as important as sharing your life with someone. Love is indeed important in all this...but to enter a marriage or romantic commitment with the expectation that the other party must change for you is to premise a relationship on something that comes short of full love and respect for your lover's right to be himself or herself.

Relocating To Somewhere New

2010-10-18T08:29:00.000-04:00

There's so much at stake when one uproots oneself from a place called home, perhaps all one's life, to relocate elsewhere. Even though one may have done all the research and taken all the intelligent steps, one can find that, years after one has relocated, one falls into a number of categories. One may end up disappointed, ecstatic, or just about on average satisfied that one has done the right thing.

We are all different and each of us may have different visions than another individual or individuals. This is so true in just about anything in life - occupation, entertainment, dining, neighborhoods, religious and ethnic backgrounds and dispositions...and certainly in being happy in a new locale, state, or part of the world.

Perhaps that is why we can never visit online or other forums for absolute approval or disapproval of a desire to live somewhere. We can be guided only so much by others' experiences, points of view, and their stories of success or failure.

We must also constantly be aware that so much goes into making a place of residence the place that it is - weather, jobs, traffic, crime, religious and political climate, level of tolerance for others of differing perspectives, cultural opportunities, recreation, dining, entertainment, educational infrastructure, access to decent medical care, family and friends...and the list goes on.

We can do all the research online on forums and other sites, we can visit different areas for extended periods, chat with locals, read local newspapers and use other media - all good to go. I believe, however, that in the final analysis, we sometimes can never know unless we try it out by actually living somewhere. However, though it's not foolproof, doing all the necessary research, visits, and soul-searching can at least give us a clearer idea of whether we should eliminate a place from our list or go right on ahead with the relocation plans.

There will always be pros and cons wherever we go in life, in whichever part of the world or the country we yearn for. And what's fantastic for one person is a disappointment for another. At least by exploring the pros and cons which a very large percentage of people experience, one can determine whether: (a) one can be happy with such a list or (b) one does not feel the same way as the majority and therefore need not be guided accordingly.

Potential transplants must also determine whether they have the financial, emotional, and other resources to fall back on should they decide that their new locale is not the place to be. Or at least they might evaluate whether they can make the best of a bad situation and move on with life. Then, of course, they might just find out that moving to their new town, city, or country was the best decision they ever made.

My Life, My Dreams, My Daughter

2010-06-08T14:43:00.000-04:00

Foreword: Dedicated to fathers who, for one reason or the other, are temporarily separated from their little angels...maybe dads called up to service or civilians unwittingly living apart from the daughters they love so much. Just my tribute, vicariously done for them all.

My Dearest One
How often I sit and think of you
I wish that you were here beside me
So that I could hold you in my arms
And kiss you tenderly

You are my little angel
And Daddy loves you so much
You'll never know

I remember those happy days last year
When you merrily cooed against my chest
And I caressed your tears away

Darling, you are my life, my dreams, my everything
For you, I'll keep on living
God willing
To see you grow into a fine young woman

Though we are far apart
Thoughts of you
Within my heart
Keep me steady
As I traverse the dark and lonely pathways

I dream of you each day
In my memories I recall
Your sweet and innocent smile

Do not despair, my Dearest One,
Daddy will be with you once more
In a short and precious while.

A Profane World

2010-05-17T14:15:00.001-04:00

Seems to be that we all could do with less profanity in everyday life.

You turn on the TV, go to the movies, go online, walk down the street - and slam bang right in your face comes a torrent of vulgarity and profane words that would require a truckload of Kleenex to wipe it all up.

When did our culture become so accepting of the "F" word and other assorted foul language that their use has become the norm rather than an exception because someone has been sent over the edge by a not so fortuitous circumstance? Why is it now acceptable for a Vice President of a major country to whisper the "F" word to his boss, the President, in the presence of other dignitaries and public officials at the signing of a major piece of legislation? Yeah, he didn't realize that the mike was on...but what did he do days later? Apologize? Well, no big deal these days...he laughed it off...and all is well now as far as he is concerned.

It is disturbing for some of us that this degradation of popular culture leaves no room for those who are opposed to a daily torrential downpour of obscenity. If we want to see a contemporary movie, play, or performance, we need put up with language that we'd rather not be exposed to 24/7.

It is surely pathetic to see, as I do here in NYC so often, a mother spitting out perversity and filthy language to her friends in normal conversation while pushing a baby carriage down the street with an infant or toddler now learning to mumble her first words. What a sickening example for the kid.

Yeah, some argue that vulgarity is art...well if it is, let's treat it the way we do other art forms - give the people a choice to decide which piece of art they'd like to view or appreciate. Let's not force our own art form down the throats of others.

Spanish Woman

2010-05-05T13:57:00.000-04:00

Spanish woman, why did you do this to me?
Did you have to take my heart
And rip it apart?

Spanish woman, I trusted you
Why did you have to deceive me so?
When first we met
I thought you someone kind and gentle
Alas! That seeming innocence
Has pierced my heart so fiercely!

Spanish woman, so far away
From your native shores in Santo Domingo
You have captivated this poor indio
Now you return to your fiance
After deluding me and taking me to magnificent heights!

Spanish woman, I wish you good luck
But please do not do to him
What you've done to me

Do not bind him with your deceptive majesty
It would be better
If you set him free
Like you've done to me.

Life In Death

2010-04-30T14:37:00.000-04:00

The lights grom dimmer in my weary mind
Memories fade as if they never were
A nabbing pain cuts through
Both flesh and mind

All my years I've struggled
And searched and cried
I've fought the bitter battle called life
And chersihed dreams of happy days
That never did come through

Now in my final misery
I do not struggle
Despite the burning aches
And broken spirit
A smile transfixes my solemn face

Death, immortal foe of man
To me, you are more
Than just a friend
Come quickly to my rescue
Take me from this death called life
And give me life...in death

Something Is Wrong Somewhere...I Know

2010-04-29T10:49:00.000-04:00

Why are some men rich
And so many poor?
Rich men live in fancy bungalows
While poor men suffocate
In overcrowded, run- down shacks

Something is wrong somewhere...I know

Rich men wield authority
Yet they grumble
Beneath their sneers
All the poor can do is crumble

Something is wrong somewhere... I know

The rich get richer
The poor get poorer
Their fate, it seems
Is to be diseased with poverty
For the rest of a sullen, bitter life

This world is so twisted
The rich lie and buy
While the poor cry and die

There must be something better
Beyond this unfair, unjust sphere
Because in this sick and torturous world
Somehing is wrong somewhere...I know.

Creation And Destruction

2010-04-27T10:00:00.000-04:00

I often sit and wonder
Why did God
In all his splendor
Contrive the creation
Of worthless beings
Such as you and me

The Earth he made
A precious gem
To crown his universe
The birds to beautify the sky
The fish to occupy the rich waters
The animals so picturesque
Amongst green foliage

The heavens and the earth
Testified to his great majesty
But one regret had he

From precious dust
He brought forth man
And since that day
One thing only has been for sure
The destruction of everything
Sacred and pure.

Race/Ethnicity And House Rentals In NYC (And Elsewhere?) Immigrant Communities

2009-12-23T14:03:00.000-05:00

My observations lead me to conclude that the reason many immigrants rent out their homes only to those of their own racial/ethnic background or to other immigrants is that often they are renting a family house where the unit is not up to par. There may be building code violations, e.g., renting a basement that does not meet legal requirements, overcrowding the home with multiple tenants in attics, etc., and not providing adequate heat or other living facilities.

They know that they can get away with it - and especially so in today's NYC housing crisis. Many immigrant tenants are struggling to make ends meet and their immigrant landlords either are likewise struggling or seeking to maximize returns by cutting corners. This scenario has been played out for generations in NYC in all boroughs but especially so in the the outer ones. It is nothing novel and involves an interplay of economics, culture, and sometimes, even fear - especially among illegal immigrants.

This explanation in no way attempts to justify the status quo but only discusses what I believe is the rationale.

These landlords realize that they cannot easily get away with overt attempts to stiff tenants if the tenants are American citizens or grew up in NYC and as such won't stand for paying rent and getting subpar, mediocre, or nonexistent services in return.

Of course, race and ethnicity as factors can, and do indeed exist, outside of immigrant communities but this topic seeks to address these issues specifically in immigrant communities.

To be sure, this part of pursuing and achieving the American Dream has become institutionalized over the centuries and the system turns a blind eye because many Americans understand the dynamics dating back to their own immigrant ancestors who resorted to renting their homes to pay the mortgage as the only way to achieve home ownership.

America In Afghanistan

2009-12-16T11:09:00.000-05:00

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/16/opinion/16dowd.html

Indeed, as Maureen Dowd points out, there are some unintended consequences and paradoxes in Afghanistan. And undoubtedly, our foreign policy has come up short many times in the past in different regions in the world.

What's important is that we learn from our errors and move forward. Armed with history as our guide, we need to secure our country and protect our interests while trying as best as possible to promote freedom, democracy, human rights, and other principles upon which America was founded and which have stood the test of time over the centuries.

Given the geopolitical events following the end of World War II through the late 1980's, the Soviet Union was considered a threat to democracy and we proceeded into Afghanistan - and other parts of the world before that - premised on that belief. We armed the likes of Bin laden, the Taliban, and other insurgents to wage war against that so-called enemy of freedom.

Ironically, the guys we armed and financed turned out to be a dream gone bad, a nightmare in disguise. We were at fault for pulling out and leaving so abruptly after the Soviets exited Afghanistan. In hindsight, we can learn that success in defeating an enemy involves more than winning a battle or war and making as quick an exit as we can. Leaving behind a scene of foes on the run is insufficient. Allies left hanging can come back to mercilessly haunt us.

We most certainly need to also always proceed with caution when we enter conflicts outside the USA where many view us both with astonishment and hatred. Some of the latter sentiment is of course based on envy. At other times, however, such ill will is partially created by us when we implant ourselves overseas without taking into account the existing cultural, religious, historical forces at play.

It would be wonderful to bring all the troops back to American soil and to never again have to send our soldiers to foreign regions. The realities of being Superpower Number One in the world, however, make that an idealistic and unrealistic point of view. Both to protect our own security and interests and to reach out to those in need who throw themselves at our doorsteps pleading for our benevolence, we will always be required to have military responses throughout the world.

It is imperative, however, that we always have our best self-interests as our paramount objective and guiding light. It's logistically impossible for us to police the entire world. Also, our ideals cannot be forced on others. We must be able to recognize the need to use allies to attain our goals without being duped or misled as to the true nature and intentions of those with whom we sleep. We must also respect the traditions and cultures of others while defending our own when there is a conflict between our values and beliefs and those of others around the world.

I daresay that I too, like Maureen Dowd, am wary of the allies and regimes we sometimes support. I do propose, though, that sometimes it is necessary to fight alongside individuals with whom we differ sharply when our national security and self-interests are at stake. And like Secretary Gates, I too believe that we cannot make attempts to dramatically and swiftly change the status quo overnight. That some societies around the world are desperately in need of change is undisputed. We must carefully implement our methodology and the road we travel to bring about such change must be carefully traversed, however, as often the route is laden with minefields - literally and figuratively.

Finally, we do need to be in Afghanistan for a much longer time frame than we would like. The enemy brought a war against America, its citizens, its right to exist, beyond the doorsteps and into our homes. While there are thousands like Bin Laden and the Taliban around the world who have similar intentions, we cannot just roll over and let them have full sway. The elimination of the machinery and operations of those with murder in their hearts against us, whenever we can do so, is a tremendous duty and responsibility of our elected government - whether Democrat or Republican, liberal, conservative, or moderate.

We must, when the smoke clears and the dust settles, and the physical war is won, also ensure that we do not leave behind a vacuum easily filled by those with evil intentions. That perhaps, will be the harder fight to win.

Sex And Relationship Advice, Anyone?

2009-12-14T13:37:00.000-05:00

http://www.msnbc.msn.com

LOL. Now I know where to go if I ever need help. One never knows when one's marriage or relationship might be in need of a little fine-tuning! Yeah, a lil old sex and relationships advice from a fellow writer or brand new columnist never hurt anybody, right?

Well, unless you're in office, or running for office...or are running away from a significant other...and know that you'll have to keep on running!

Today's Marriages - Celebrity and Ordinary - Don't Need Backseat Drivers

2009-12-10T13:56:00.000-05:00

It's an awesome enough task for two people to come together in holy matrimony, to start a life together, and as the years go by, to endure the trials and tribulations of marriage, life, and love. Dealing with each other can be complicated enough.

Celebrities have the additional burden of always being in the limelight where their private lives are the grist of tabloids and other scavengers on the prowl for torrid, steamy, salacious events to help sell their otherwise limping along publications. That there is an audience for such material is even sadder than that there are purveyors of the stories that constantly feed on the unfortunate events in the private lives of the well-known - politicians, entertainers, etc.

Ever so often when a well-known couple is facing private marital issues, a frenzy is whipped up by external forces unleashing a virulent, scathing attack that leaves no room for private moments for the hapless couple trying to deal with the emotional aspects of their turbulent marriages and lives. The endless quest by the media fueled by its audience to produce every Tom, Dick, and Harry, or Jane and Mary, to rub salt in the wounds actually snowballs, gaining endless momentum, leaving behind a victimized couple unable to reach out privately to each other in a conciliatory manner to protect their love and sustain the marriage for themselves, their children, and loved ones.

To be sure, backseat drivers - shouting on every rooftop to every allegedly wronged spouse to "leave that man," "take the scum for every dollar he's worth," "chase her out of the house" and "keep the kids and the dog" - are not peculiar to celebrities only. Even ordinary regular men and women holding average jobs and enjoying average lifestyles face unsolicited and often harmful advice from all and sundry when they are faced with the vicissitudes and ordeals of their marriages.

Neighbors, coworkers, even mere strangers, often come up uninvited, proclaiming that a woman who places family, children, and love as guideposts in dealing with a so-called cheating husband, is a detriment to the progress of the liberated woman. Men too, facing issues in their marriages where the female spouse has, God forbid, reached out to another male for comfort or kindness, are often encouraged by peers and others to abandon their marriages without hesitation. Character attributes and labels of unpublishable content are often ascribed to the woman for venturing into territory once alleged to be predominantly the domain of men only.

By all appearances, backseat drivers are often people who themselves lack the judgment, characteristics, or capabilities to enjoy or successfully perpetuate their own marriages, let alone those of others struggling with the normal and not so normal conflicts of marital relationships.

In recent memory, when a former president's escapades with his lady friends became the talk of the town, country, and Congress (where matters rose - arguably, one can even say, lowered - to the level of impeachment), the First Lady showed us all how to deal privately with a marriage in trouble. She calmly and personally dealt with the issues confronting her and ignored the scathing attacks of all and sundry that she "dump Bill" and "stand up for women's rights." She concluded that hers was a marriage between her and her husband only, not between the couple and others rallying for one cause or the other.

Hilary may not have made a good president, had she been elected to that office, but she surely taught us all a brilliant lesson - a marriage is between a single man and a single woman, and for celebrity or non-celebrity marriages, backseat drivers aren't the ones to determine success or failure. It's the husband and wife, their families, and professionals, if sought out by the couple, who must conclude what is best for them both.

No Stopping Health Care Reform - Government Already A Major Player

2009-12-09T13:50:00.000-05:00

http://news.aol.com/article/government-run-health-care-is-already here

Indeed, as the writer points out, government at both the federal and state levels is already a major player in American health care. With or without the much analyzed and critiqued public option, we all as taxpayers through our government participate in the dispensing of health care throughout the country. Medicare, Medicaid, federal income-tax subsidies are just some major examples of how involved our governments already are in the process.

Notwithstanding the choreographed tantrums, paranoia, and frenzy over so-called "death panels" and the controversy over coverage for breast cancer screenings, government involvement has been around for quite some time. All indications are that when the smoke clears and the dust settles, Americans in general will have shown that they recognize the need to provide quality health care while at the same time offering coverage to millions left out in the cold. To be sure, it is for most Americans, imperative that affordable, high-quality medical care be available to all citizens.

For there to be a true democracy from a country that has time and again rallied the citizens of the world on behalf of the oppressed, the disadvantaged, and the poor, we cannot have a system that denies quality life-saving options for those in need - regardless of economic or personal financial circumstances.

It is because we recognize this fundamental benefit as a right not a privilege of American citizenship that so many through elected representatives have agreed across party lines that the status quo, as good as it might already be, needs to get even better, that a system of free enterprise cannot co-exist with denial of care and still be lauded as the best system in the world.

We are now on track to come together in a truly bipartisan way to address the sticky issues and to emerge, after all the healthy debate, as a better nation, as a beacon to the world that America's political and economic system knows no bounds, that we are truly a God-blessed nation always evolving toward a society that incorporates both a belief in Godliness and a duty to be our brothers' keepers. In the process, we all emerge better as individuals and as a country. And as with other sectors of the economy, we recognize the ability to provide quality even as we implement safeguards against malfunctioning via oversight, influence, regulations where needed, tax incentives and a host of available tools at the government level.

Let the debates continue so that the best health care plan for the nation can eventually emerge.

Race As A Factor In Evaluating Neighborhood To Move To - NYC (And Elsewhere)

2009-12-02T10:09:00.000-05:00

Save for many geographic areas of Manhattan, ethnic and racial enclaves exist in many parts of the city. For example, many immigrant groups gravitate toward neighborhoods where they feel, rightly or wrongly, that they'll be more comfortable residing.

We've come a long way from a Jim Crow kind of segregation but I don't fault someone who, in considering whether to move into a new neighborhood, evaluates the total demographics including race, ethnic, age, and crime stats, along with housing options, transportation alternatives, and amenities in determining a proper fit. Race and ethnicity are factors in demographics. To consider one's race and speculate on how one would fit into a specific community doesn't make one a racist.

After evaluating all the stats, one may still proceed to that neighborhood where one's ethnicity makes one stand out - it could be a black person in a white neighborhood, a Chinese in a Japanese neighborhood, a white person in a black neighborhood. It's up to each individual to evaluate all the stats of a neighborhood... and race is one of the stats.

Then, that individual must make that decision for himself/herself. After all, the joy or pain of a new neighborhood will be his or hers alone. And let no one violate the rights of any individual to move into any neighborhood he or she can afford.

That would be against both the law and the spirit of what America is all about.

Respect And Security For The President

2009-11-30T15:38:00.000-05:00

http://tv.msn.com/tv/article.

Regardless of whether or not the couple is "shopping" their story, their action in invading the state function is both outrageous and disconcerting.

It demonstrates a lack of respect for the office of president and for the president himself for the pair to masquerade as official and invited guests to an event hosted by the highest office in the land.

What, however, is more alarming is the breach of such an important security. This certainly rises to a level that warrants a congressional investigation as well as criminal charges once it has been determined that a constitutional, statutory, or case law violation has occurred. If there is none on the books to prosecute for such an infringement on the president's security, as a well as on the safety of invitees, then surely there is a crying need for this to be addressed forthwith.

If the pair was seeking a comedy routine or a moment in the spotlight or some pecuniary award, we can perhaps grant them one of their wishes...a spotlight in the court system.

The Beautiful Lady Can Be A President!

2009-11-18T16:03:00.000-05:00

http://www.dailyfinance.com/2009/11/18/palin-photographer-breached-contract-with-sale-to-newsweek

I've got to tell you, Sarah, you look beautiful! And I mean it, all politics aside!

Now, we may have a case of ethics and breach of contract here...and Sarah, you may think it's sexist, but, hey, it's your pose, isn't it?

Don't worry too much. We, unfortunately, have a legacy of brilliance without beauty occupying the White House for most of its history.

It's about time for a beauty to take the helm and strike a pose of both brilliance and loveliness in that most distinguished office.

Do you agree, beautiful lady?

Sexiest Man Alive?

2009-11-18T15:01:00.000-05:00

http://www.popeater.com/2009/11/18/johnny-depp-people-sexiest-man-alive

One of these days I've got to make that list!!

Wonder who decides the nominees and the winner? Is the list of eligibles exclusive to show biz characters? Do bloggers have a shot at it too? LOL.

Congrats, Johnny.

George Jones On Today's Country...Music, That Is.

2009-11-03T10:25:00.000-05:00

http://music.msn.com/music/article.

Country legend George Jones has it right about rap music...but I've got to disagree with his comments on Taylor Swift and Carrie Underwood.

Country music, like other genres, cannot always exist within clearly defined and absolute parameters. Music sometimes straddles two or more categories. The artiste, the writer, the producer...everyone comes together to put out music forms based on the mood, the spirit of creativity, or other influences taking hold at the moment or moments. True, an opera performer is unlikely to belt out a rock and roll tune, a country star would make a strange bedfellow on a label with a Reggae artiste, but borders do shift and singers do perform terrific pieces that can sometimes end up in different classifications.

Traditional Country Music performers still abound, as George himself points out, but to dismiss outstanding singers like the captivating, young, and beautiful Taylor Swift from the Country genre would be tragic. Taylor exemplifies the bountifully talented Country artiste who can blend tradition with popular, who can cross over at times and still remain loyal. Such performers can capture the imaginations, turmoil, emotions of millions around the world with heartfelt renditions that, though they originate in Nashville, can reach out beyond Country and touch that lonely lovelorn soul or that lover enthralled with the delights of passion and the joys of love in his or her life.

Many avid Country fans like me are indeed happy, and count ourselves blessed, to have the likes of Taylor Swift to soothe us...but we are likewise thankful to be able to also listen to beautiful traditional renditions done by such legends as George Jones, Charley Pride, Hank Williams, Jim Reeves, Marty Robbins, Tammy Wynette, Patsy Cline and a whole long list of great Country artistes - living and deceased.

It's all good to go!

Fictional Tidbits?

2009-10-22T09:42:00.000-04:00

Lunch Money

I remember in junior high when I'd wink at a girl and she'd spend her lunch money on me. Now she winks at me and I spend my paycheck on her.

Church Dance

My church holds a lovely dance once a month as part of our dance club events. Everyone gets dressed up in their Sunday best - men in tuxedos, ladies in flowing gowns, and we show up on a Sunday night in the old church barn. The Reverend and his wife lead us in some good old folksy square dancing. An old spinster member of our congregation acts as chaperone to ensure that dancing pairs keep a measurable distance of about 1.5 feet apart and that the only body contact is the occasional holding of hands.

We then take a break after a few dances and sit in opposite rows - men on one side and women on the other. The Reverend's wife then serves us some nice homemade lemonade and freshly baked cookies.

After that repast, we then return to the floor and have a jolly time doing the Polka - in honor of the Central European founders of our church. After an hour or two the dance is over and the dance club chalks up another great event on its calendar.

Then under the supervision of our spinster deaconess, we men kneel and kiss the hands of our dancing belles and wish them a goodnight as we head home with wonderful memories of a great evening at our club!

Just Another Plain Man In The Big Apple

A plain man would be someone like me - he wears a mop head hairstyle, washed-out denim jeans year round, white T-shirt in the summer but goes out on a limb with a colored one in the winter. He walks around with a yellow notebook and Bic pen as if he's on an important mission while he's really just comparative shopping for the price of paper towels around his neighborhood.

He dresses plainly and speaks softly. When he approaches a woman he's interested in at a party, his best line is, "Hey, haven't I seen you before?" His wallet is usually empty except for car fare. At a ball game his only excitement is watching the mascots perform. In his entire lifetime, he's gone on only one or two dates, he's kissed a woman once on the cheek, eats peanut butter sandwiches daily, enjoys sitting on a park bench with his favorite parakeet, a Spider-Man comic book in his lap, and occasionally peering over his eyeglasses as a lovely woman passes by.

His whole demeanor spells plain, lacking enthusiasm or excitement, a man of modest attire and even more modest means. Any glance from a young female passerby is always to the older, grandfatherly, grey-haired, dapper gentleman strolling along beside him on a crowded street.

Rendezvous In The Park

I once was with a very attractive young woman, tightly holding hands as we caressed in Central Park one beautiful autumn evening a few years back. Suddenly, a pair of Polish women walked by muttering in their language, unaware that I was familiar with their dialect, "He ought to be ashamed, potbellied, goatee, toupee. Wonder where he got those red overalls and green shirt. And look at his yellow shoes. That cute chick must be loco to hang with that old geezer!"

As if that wasn't bad enough, I later discovered that my lady friend also understood the dialect and I never heard from her again.

Pigeons, Go Away!

Pigeons have become a menace on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. I can't even use a terrace because of them - so I'd say I prefer the good old days when they would just fly away at the sight of a human being. Some people follow a strange religion that demands that they feed the pigeons on the street each day. Now the pigeons never leave for the parks anymore. They settle on people's terraces, use it as a bathroom, lunch room, and bedroom with their mates.

You try to clean your terrace, but they come back with siblings and friends to throw a party and it's back to square one. I've actually given up and don't use the terrace anymore.

Oh, for the good old days when they would see a human being and at least fly off a little. Now they actually laugh at me when I try to shoo them off the terrace. They even bring their friends to join in my humiliation and to do a song and a dance right in front of me.

In Defense Of The Florida Senior Snowbirds

2009-10-21T15:56:00.000-04:00

In reading comments on online Florida forums, one often encounters remarks directed at and against snowbirds - especially the seniors who comprise the majority of snowbirds in the Sunshine State.

To some extent the obvious resentment many Floridians have against the arrival of snowbird season in Florida is understandable. Hence, the justifiable concern about when do they actually start to come down, and the discussion of issues like bad driving habits, overcrowded stores, restaurants, rude attitudes, etc.

On the other hand, one need not characterize all senior snowbirds as an anachronism, a segment of society to be vilified and cast aside because they are "old people." Let's remember that by the grace of God, some of us will become "old people" someday.

Seniors come down to Florida, spend their life savings - including hard-earned pensions and social security checks - on housing, food, clothing, tourist attractions, and entertainment, and they do so at a long list of establishments eager for them to fork over their funds. This in turn helps the Florida economy, creates jobs for younger people in support-service industries, and helps to generate tax revenue for the state of Florida.

Let's be fair to the seniors who come down there. Even though many of them display bad habits and indeed should be chastised and regulated to maintain safety for all drivers and residents, they cannot be blamed for all the real and imagined ills of contemporary life in the Sunshine State.

Here in NYC, we have several gripes against the constant inflow and outflow of tourists from across the region, country, world who clog our streets, impede our daily trips to and from work as they amble around leisurely looking up at our tall buildings and monuments while walking in rows of five to ten people on busy downtown streets.

We mutter under our breaths, wish that there could be some more tact and consideration by this assorted bunch...but in the final analysis we recognize that the tourists are also an integral part of our life, that should they stop coming, our city and state would shut down.

Perhaps, in Florida too, the state would have to close up shop should snowbird season never arrive...there's a price we all pay to live in the most desirable locales anywhere.

Can A Liberal Enjoy Living In The South?

2009-10-19T16:43:00.000-04:00

The title of this piece is derived from a thread on a North Florida online forum where a self-proclaimed liberal from Minnesota was speculating on whether Jacksonville would be right for a liberal relocating there from the Midwest. Often, Americans desire to relocate to different areas of the country where the status quo political, religious, social values are at odds with their own personal sentiments.

I believe that Americans of all political, social, religious orientations learn to adapt to their new environments if there are other personally rewarding aspects of life to compensate for living in specific areas. It might well be that some of the things that a person relocating seeks, that are independent of their political leanings, cannot be achieved in the desired new area. Climate, weather, geography, the demographics of majority racial or ethnic groups, religion, or age group might differ from what some may personally consider a perfect match for them and their families.

However, an American living in an environment contrary to his/her political/social values is not at all unique. I daresay it might even be very common. For example, as a moderate to conservative New Yorker in NYC, I am overwhelmingly outnumbered by a population that is predominantly ultra-liberal in both political and social values.

As with others who are liberals in Jacksonville or other conservative areas around the South, I too choose to remain silent most times when neighbors, friends, work associates, etc., assume that all New Yorkers share their political, moral, social values. However, one distinction between American society and many others is that it is a choice not a mandate...a choice for the sake of avoiding contention.

Whether a liberal can find a place for himself or herself in Jacksonville or the South in general would depend on whether that person can learn to be as adaptive. And even if one isn't, America still allows people the freedom to disagree without anyone getting maimed, killed, or run out of town for having a different perspective. Only the person relocating can evaluate whether he and his family can adapt and enjoy the new environment for its other attributes enjoyable by people of all persuasions.

Realities Of The Presidency

2009-10-16T14:49:00.000-04:00

http://www.politicsdaily.com/2009/10/15/little-boy-asks-barack-obama-why-do-people-hate-you

Mr. Obama has learned real fast about the realities of the presidency - as his predecessors all have likewise had to once they were appointed to the highest office in the land.

Little Tyren can be excused for his simple characterization of what God's love means in terms of the presidency. He is right on the money, however, about the concept of hate being a negative attribute.

Indeed, it does appear from random posts on online forums across the country that there are some who actually hate - not merely dislike - the current president. To be sure, though, Obama does not hold a singular distinction in this regard. The same venom was directed at his immediate predecessor and a modest to excessive amount of hate toward a sitting president seems to have always been a natural course of events in politics for leaders around the world.

Mr. Obama aptly and adeptly explains to the 4th grader the realities of holding the awesome office of president and the facts of life that go along with the title.

Perhaps, if somehow, candidates running for office would use less rhetoric, make less grand promises, discard personal attacks, be more civil...we might have electorates who show less animosity when disagreeing with an incumbent. Perhaps, a little boy would not ask a president why do people "hate" him, but rather, "Mr. President, are we prepared for another Katrina? Why is there such an outcry at some of your policies? Can you explain, sir, what you plan to do about Afghanistan or health care?"

One has to be careful in these uncertain days, where maniacs on the loose allow rhetoric to shape their agendas and inclination to harm others, that we do not allow political and campaign grandstanding to come back to haunt us all - president or populace.

In Defense Of "Cougars"

2009-10-16T14:09:00.000-04:00

The issue of older woman/younger man dating has recently become the focus of attention in the media and at dinner tables across the country. To be sure, the existence of these relationships is not recent and goes back even to biblical times. However, with the advent and institutionalization of the women's liberation movement around the world - and especially in the USA - its prevalence seems to have mushroomed. Regular media as well as so-called reality shows continue to deal with the subject matter in depth.

It is however appalling to stumble on online and in-person discussions which include many disgustingly chauvinistic, gender-biased comments by both males and females against "cougars" who are enjoying blissful romance with their young male lovers. Many times, these women are portrayed as dysfunctional, sex-starved, money-hungry, unrealistic, and possessing unflattering attributes for which they should be ashamed.

To women who are enjoying wonderful relationships with their male partners - young or old - God bless you all. Men and women have a natural destiny with each other and this has been the case since the inception of human history. Once both parties are of age and the emotion of love glows and you have the chemistry and common interests to enjoy your moments together, do not allow narrow-minded, shallow, envious individuals to cast a dark cloud over your own happiness.

Go for it ladies, you are human just like the older guy who feels it's his God-given right to fall in love with a woman young enough to be his grand-daughter. Gender equality does not terminate as one grows older nor does it lose validity when the tables are reversed.

To be attractive physically and internally, to find love and joy in life, to enjoy the pleasures of living fully - companionship, activities, romance, sex - these emotions do not exist for one gender solely...and if there's no age limit for males and their choice of partner (within the law), there certainly should be none for women.

A Short, Sweet, But Precious While

2009-10-13T14:20:00.000-04:00

Something about your smile
Enchanted me when I first met you
Just a few short months ago

As I looked into your friendly eyes
When we said hello
I realized you were someone
Worth knowing as more than a friend

Cherie, the dreams and hopes I had
Are all gone
The illusions have disappeared
As suddenly as they came

The tenderness of our short-lived happiness
Has, like an evening sunset,
Turned into darkness of a gloomy night

You are young and oh, so sweet!
You are free and single
Like the robin perched atop yonder branch
Which, alighting an hour or two, is gone

The winter months are around the bend
The snowflakes I can already see
In cold and bitter nights
I'll lie and dream
Of things that might have been

But you, like the robin, which I still can see
Will fly away to chirp in someone else's sweet dreams
May you enlighten that someone's life
The way you did mine

With this sad adieu
I thank you for stopping by my heart
Even though
'Twas just for a short, sweet, but precious while

Cherie, when you think of me in days to come
If ever you do
Do not shed a tear of sympathy
Remember me as someone good
Please forgive the wrongs and forget the bad

Goodbye, sweet angel
And God bless you
Now and always.

Rush Limbaugh As NFL Owner

2009-10-13T10:25:00.000-04:00

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/Goodell-should-say-no-to-Limbaugh

I beg to disagree with Mr. Whitlock's take on the issue.

One should not allow a person's standing on political or social issues to deter him or her from participating in the workings of our economic system. The system, as it functions in a political, social, economic democracy as ours is, allows for persons with the needed capital to participate freely within the constraints of the law.

We cannot allow the flow of capital to be premised on one's position in the spectrum of political opinion. While not exonerating any possibly incendiary comments by Mr. Limbaugh in the past, or views which may be characterized as insensitive or inaccurate, we can still agree that he has a right to put his money where he wants to.

Are we now a nation where one's moral, social, political convictions alone determine one's eligibility to invest one's funds where one pleases or to pursue one's career aspirations? Is it okay to ask a beauty contestant from California what her stand is on gay marriage as a litmus test for her attaining her career and dreams? Is it okay for singers to freely tout lyrics that manifest racial hatred (whether self-hatred or otherwise) or disgust for those of a specific gender and still be able to become successful entrepreneurs freely investing their funds where they please? Who determines what the specific criteria are and when they should be applied for (aspiring) entertainers and investors?

Certainly, the pendulum has swung way to the left in favor of those who hold views once considered heretic in America. No longer are communists or homosexuals barred from entry to the USA as an excluded group under immigration laws. Liberal sentiment has whittled away at many once well ingrained traditional beliefs and practices in America like prayer in public school, Nativity scenes on public and even some private buildings, laws against sexual behavior previously considered taboo, and a long list of conservative positions once held dearly by the nation.

Now, let's not go the other way, in some form of retributive rationale, where we persecute those on the Right who hold views contrary to those on the Left, or try to bar some from freely participating in the economic process based on comments or positions long since abandoned or perhaps taken out of context.

To follow that course is to foment further divisiveness as renowned charlatans roll into town to exploit the situation and ply their wares of self-aggrandizement at the expense of the rest of us trying steadfastly to live and let live and to co-exist within the framework of a plural society.

The Mystique Of Florida

2009-10-13T10:11:00.000-04:00

Florida is like a lover whom one cares so much for.

The love can escalate and take you to unfathomable highs when you are at the peak of your emotions. But alas, like all love, there can be trials and tribulations. Florida, like any other lover, can cause much grief and anguish...then the love may turn to hate and you want to turn your back and leave her or him forever.

Alas! You leave her behind and move on to greener pastures. But the memories of her soft caresses and tenderness haunt you even as you lie in the arms of another. You reminisce about her beauty - the lovely sunsets, the evening drink on the lanai as you take in her lovely shape in the surrounding lakes, the refreshing flora and fauna. You remember the palms swaying provocatively as you drive by, the sugar cane fields, the citrus trees, the blooming hibiscus.

Then you wonder...should I return to her? Will she forgive me for leaving? Can I accept her with all her faults because of all her great virtues? Will I truly be able to endure her low points. Surely, you muse, my new lover will be perfect and faultless, I just cannot return to the wasteland of a long-forgotten time in my life.

Some can continue that facade, deceiving themselves that it's hate they feel not love, others truly have gotten over that bond...and yet again, others silently, in the still of night, drive down back to Florida's soil accepting that there's no substitute and that the hate they thought they felt was really a metaphor for a love that will haunt them eternally.

Formal Rebuke Of Represenative Wilson

2009-09-15T11:23:00.000-04:00

http://www.msnbc.msn.com

A rebuke is absolutely in order. A one-shot save-my-face apology to the president is insufficient. The egregious display of disrespect was felt by fellow members of Congress as well as by fair-minded Americans throughout the country and around the world. Regardless of one's stance on the health care divide, a president addressing lawmakers and the nation deserves to be heard uninterruptedly. This was no town hall meeting - and even under such a scenario one should expect some measure of civility from a federal lawmaker.

To be sure, the issue involved is a heated and highly emotional one but it is nonetheless one of the most pressing items on the national agenda facing us all as citizens. Outcries from both extremes of the debate are expected. But in the hallowed halls of Congress, respect both for the office of the President and the positions of fellow senators and representatives, warrant a courteous hearing to our highest elected official when he has the floor.

Class Versus No Class at VMAs

2009-09-14T10:53:00.000-04:00

http://www.popeater.com/2009/09/13/kanye-west-taylor-swift-vmas

Here we go again - another celebrity without class but presumably with millions in the bank proving that for us, as Americans, for better or for worse, a class act, even if only superficial, is no longer a prerequisite for hero worship.

Well, we do have an example here that accurately portrays the wide spectrum of behavior among those icons in entertainment whom some spend their lifetimes idolizing. A no class runs up, grabs the mike interrupting a lady accepting an honor bestowed upon her and who was in the process of giving thanks for such a momentous occasion in her young life.

Taylor, not only did you deserve your award for your beautiful piece, you are also being awarded in the courts of public opinion for showing that you are a lady of class. Remaining silent while this insult was occurring and still continuing to perform later without outward manifestation of acrimony...these are all characteristics of a talented and classy young woman bursting forth into what promises to be a very, very successful career and future.

Congrats, Taylor, and keep those songs coming!

The Pain And Hurt From 9/11 Live On

2009-09-10T11:18:00.001-04:00

http://www.popeater.com/2009/09/10/charlie-sheen-september-11-911

So we have yet another big shot celebrity struggling to stay in the limelight after his fifteen minutes of fame expires. Some take off their clothes and show us that, hey, my body is just like yours when you step into the shower or disrobe to change clothing. Some figure that being the most foul-mouthed individuals carrying on and committing other acts of public display by themselves, or with other willing accomplices, against the prevailing norms and values of society will earn them another fifteen minutes.

Here, however, we have a guy who decides that accusing our government of acts of murder against thousands of its own citizens and the citizens of other countries in downtown Manhattan in broad daylight in the year 2001, and of orchestrating a cover up of its atrocities, is the way to go.

These days, whenever a loony appears with another outburst like this, all we can do is shrug our shoulders in despair - not at ourselves, but at the pitiful emotional condition one must be in to make such accusations without merit or decency.

In the caves of Afghanistan, the barbaric cutthroats using God's name as a banner to commit heinous acts against civilization must surely be gloating at the latest words of absolution for their crimes.

The Logistics Of Being A Snowbird And Is It Worth It?

2009-09-08T14:04:00.000-04:00

Many people romanticize about being a snowbird and enjoying the best of both worlds. For example, many feel that it would be fantastic to have a home in Florida for the winter months and one up north for the rest of the year...but like almost everything in life there might be some unwelcome realities to face.

For those who indeed are snowbirds traveling back and forth between two owned homes, I'd appreciate some input or comments on the following to guide would-be snowbirds:

...Is it not difficult to have to watch over two homes so far apart as, say, one home in NY and the other in Florida? Are there not issues of locking up both homes at different times of the year and concerns about vandalism, break-ins, burglaries, HVAC issues, etc.?

...Even if one or both homes were condos and not houses, thus mitigating exterior maintenance responsibilities, aren't there still other issues like pest control, utility shut off/turn on, proper interior climate control, etc., that one must deal with while away from each home?

...In a post 9/11 environment where air travel has become a more time-consuming and harrowing experience, is it not now tiring to deal with travel between the two homes on a frequent basis?

Perhaps there are other issues which snowbirds have to deal with that they'd like to share with readers.

Also please be aware that the focus is not only on retirees or senior citizens, as younger people in this age of telecommuting, etc., also can be potential snowbirds.

Do note that this discussion focuses on snowbirds of average means not on those wealthy enough to have a staff caring for each home when the owner is away. We know of well-heeled individuals, movie stars, and other celebrities who can easily handle the two home/snowbird lifestyle...but this thread attempts to look at the pluses and minuses of being a snowbird for those in the mainstream who fantasize about such a lifestyle.

My gut feeling is that if one were to own two homes it would be less grueling if they were within easy driving distance of each other, say both in Florida or both up north. Then of course one would have to take the good with the bad as a year-round routine. If one lives in Florida only, one would need to accept the hot and humid extended summer months to enjoy the wondrous winter; if one lives up north only, one would take the uncomfortable, unpleasant, and sometimes messy winter months as a price to enjoy the other seasons.

The purpose of this article is to evaluate whether being a snowbird is worth it or whether it's best to stay put in one place, bear the harsher months with a grin, and just escape for a rental vacation to the other area when the going gets tough.

Thanks all for any comments.

Jaycee Dugard - A Profile In Resilience And Courage

2009-09-03T16:01:00.000-04:00

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/us_news-crime_and_courts

What a courageous and resilient young woman Jaycee is to have endured years of torment and horror starting as a young abductee at age 11! A young life ruined before it got a chance to blossom. A mere child on her way to school to do what millions of children around the world do each day. Suddenly, a monster and his equally monstrous spouse appear out of nowhere and snatch both her physical being and her soul from following the path and destiny in life which should have been hers to take for granted.

For her to have endured such misery and torment and yet find the resourcefulness to play with the cards that life so cruelly dealt her is an amazing story. To be sure, it's one that can serve as a beacon of hope and faith, that can turn an otherwise ugly, despicable cycle of events into a testament of honor, fortitude, and human capacity to navigate the worst that life can bring one's way...and still emerge triumphant in spirit and self-respect.

God bless you, Jaycee, and may the wounds heal as much as is humanly possible...and may the perpetrators face the judgment of both Man and God.

A Look At Gun Control

2009-09-03T12:07:00.000-04:00

If we are unable as a nation to move beyond the status quo where in some states it's okay to carry a firearm and in other states it's not, then nothing is going to change and we might as well resign ourselves to the way things are.

To be sure, trying to get a national policy at the federal level to outlaw gun ownership except for hunting will face the usual issues of states rights, right to bear arms, what to do with existing gun ownership, etc., especially from Southern states.

Now, that leaves us in the Northeast and the more liberal states at the mercy of thugs who can easily obtain arms purchased in the "right to bear arms" states. We are still one country where people can freely move across state lines. We don't have patrolled state borders with troopers checking our car trunks, etc., to see what contraband legally purchased in one state is imported into another.

Solution: Since we are unable to outlaw gun ownership nationally, let's even the playing field, give everyone - not just the big shots - a chance to protect their lives and property and that of their loved ones. In many "liberal" states, one often finds that the guys with the money, celebrity status, or connections often get firearm permits more readily. How can we allow bigwigs to protect themselves and the average Joe can't? Are our rights predicated on the size of our wealth, popularity, or notoriety? Isn't our smaller property perhaps more important for our survival than that of the tycoons losing a million or two and whose gun rights are obviously premised on the size of their estates and their connections?

Let's not be preoccupied with improper use of firearms, etc. We'll train everyone who gets a permit as a prerequisite before granting a license. And the argument that guns can lead to more family incidents, etc., loses luster when one considers that a kitchen knife or pair of scissors will do just as well for an irate spouse in a violent rage bent on murdering a spouse or family member.

A legally permitted firearm can truly help repel unlawful intruders and criminals who have the advantage over our hapless citizenry. There isn't a cop out there for everyone of us. Sometimes, we just have to defend our own lives and property. More often than not, we don't find ourselves with easy access to a cop or a well-heeled neighbor with a gun permit to come rescue us.

If we can't outlaw guns nationally to level the playing field, then let's all have the right to defend ourselves. One way or the other, let's have equal opportunity to be safe and to defend ourselves, our loved ones, and our property from gun-toting criminals.

Will House Prices Drop In NYC And Continue Dropping In South Florida?

2009-09-03T11:30:00.000-04:00

The entire global economy is in a mess originating from the avarice and uncontrollable greed these past 10 years in the real estate environment. Flippers, brokers, investors, owners, buyers, banks - everyone got involved in a mad frenzy mostly premised on unrealistic, self-serving assumptions about home prices.

In the mad rush to jack up prices and participate in out of control profits, everyone cast aside traditional financial assumptions, qualifications, and prudent analyses of borrowers' capabilities. The mantras of the day became: no money down, buy and flip as if a home were a hamburger, start out with a tremendously low rate and don't worry too much about adjustable rates of the future - today is what counts, real estate only goes up never down, now is always the best time to buy...and the list went on.

The frenzy snowballed beyond the realms of financial responsibility and intelligence. The result? Via a domino effect on the rest of the economy, we are all now suffering the economic consequences by way of a national meltdown, loss of jobs, the need to bail out the irresponsible even when some of us did live within our means and did not join the stampede, and the general malaise across the country in the financial, real estate, service and manufacturing industries.

Yes, prices are dropping in South Florida and will soon be doing the same in NYC - but they have much further to go before we return to economic and personal financial fundamentals where home prices are aligned with people's incomes and where people live within their means. Of course, the transition is not going to be an easy one. Greed still prevails. Many owners still will not accept that they cannot get the same prices as their idiot neighbors got a few years ago or that the historical annual rate of return on real estate is about 6 percent not 25 percent.

I suggest that if one can rent, one should do so for several more years before deciding to purchase. Of course, there will be specific personal individual circumstances that might make it more appropriate to purchase.

What ever one does - rent or buy - one should enter into the transaction fully aware that there's an awful and much needed correction still to be had, that there'll be more pain...but that when the smoke clears and the dust settles, we will collectively emerge a better nation, and hopefully we will all have learned a lifelong financial lesson about greed and the need to live within our means.

The Continuing Saga Of An NYC Man In Search Of A Date...Principles (And Some Comforters!) Before Love

2009-08-28T12:45:00.000-04:00

Indeed, meeting people in the city can present a range of challenges - for both men and women. Some are brave enough to adopt extreme measures like going up to someone and claiming to be lost and in need of directions, pretending to be a talent scout, showing up at picnics in the park where one's name is not on the guest list, and a range of other techniques.

Then when one does meet someone, one has to try to weed out the fakes, those with hidden agendas, those fronting, those double parked while promising to spend eternity with you, those who are as real as the weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, people who are after your wallet, your body, your belongings, and the list goes on.

Yes indeed, one can walk up to anybody in the subway and meet him or her - but meeting a genuine, real person is sometimes quite a challenge here in the city.

Yeah, I've decided that the only way to meet genuine people is to be sincere and up-front about your intentions and say what you're looking for in a relationship - be it romantic, sexual, short-term, long-term, etc.

The next time I meet a lingerie model at my neighborhood bar here in the city and she invites me home for coffee, I'll just ask her to be candid and let me know what her intentions are. Is it coffee or is it coffee? It may very well be that I'll acquiesce to what she's seeking but I'd rather she come clean about her intentions.

Oh well, I did meet another Victoria's Secret Model the other day and asked her the same question in her Central Park West apartment after we met at a bar and she invited me over for coffee. Well, she got really upset and showed me the door!

But I'm a principled man, I wanted her to be honest with me. Hey, I can live proudly with myself as I spend long winter evenings under two quilts, three comforters, two blankets, looking at a nightgown catalog and seeing her there as I never saw her before and never ever will outside those pages!

LOL, you win some, you lose some. Principles before Love...just keep some blankets handy!!

Escapades Of An NYC Man In Search Of A Date

2009-08-27T14:43:00.000-04:00

Referrals , My Friend?

A Peruvian friend of mine swore his sister would do the trick for me in getting me to meet some nice Latinas. Yeah, she introduced me to some alright - one was seeking a green card, the other was about to be deported, one was being fitted for new lower and uppers at the dentist, another was on a tummy tucking regimen, and when another giggled she made sounds that would put a rhino to shame. Yeah, they were all nice people. But I was looking for both nice and sexy.

Directions, Please!

I'm constantly encountering strange women that fascinate me. Story of my life - beautiful woman walks in front of me in subway car. I stand in awe. She gazes in my direction, makes eye contact, even asks directions. My knees buckle, I start to stammer, the directions won't come out. Beautiful woman moves on to gray haired older guy horizontally bent over newspaper. He gives directions and even exits train with her to walk her to her address. I exit train, walk home by myself. Realize I got off at wrong stop. Once again I lose possible encounter with exotic stranger and miss stop to boot.

Nothing To Repent For?

In my own case, I often find myself regrettably, after a night of clubbing, ending up in church the next day with no sins on my record from the previous night for which to repent. And when I look behind all I see are a couple of ladies fixing their wigs, spitting gum, rubbing Bengay on their arms, and showing the marvels of Polident as they wink at me.

Chivalry Will Get You Nowhere!

A man has to be aware these days of strange vixens who wink and smile on a rainy day...no matter how lonely he might be here in NYC seeking a friend. I once took off my recently purchased Ralph Lauren overcoat and laid it on the street for the fair damsel I had never seen before but who was sultry looking and kept winking at me on a snowy, rainy winter evening years ago. She appeared to be distressed by the puddles all around near the traffic lights.

Not only did she take up my gallant gesture, she also took up my expensive overcoat, jumped into a cab and sped away leaving me shivering and ducking for shelter in a vain attempt to get some warmth. I ended up that night in a Mexican bar drinking tequila and talking to a drunk named Moe who kept telling me through hiccups and belches of the many lost overcoats he had witnessed from his bar stool near the window.

Dating In The Big Apple: Prima Donnas Versus Players?

2009-08-21T13:33:00.000-04:00

Many men perceive the average NYC woman as good looking. They see also, however, a facade, pretentiousness, overuse of cosmetics and other superficialities to mask the true self, an endless quest by the New York woman for the quintessential man fulfilling a lengthy list of requirements - someone who pampers and caters to a wide array of whims and fancies, who acquiesces or is shoved aside. Many would-be suitors are left hanging or never even get to first base because of this.

Women likewise have come to see the average New York man as a player, a guy out for one night stands even though he tells them such sweet nothings that would impress even the most revered poets of old or chic lit writers of today. So the New York woman builds up a buffer. The one night stands do have a place, she reckons, but after one has had a fill of that, the ambitious woman needs to move on, to raise a family, to say, "Hey, no more double parking when you visit me, I need a guy to complete me not just physically, but emotionally also."

The New York man resigns himself to the endless pursuit of temporary gratification, a "three strikes and you're out" dating technique, a perception of sex as an end in itself, and a conclusion that the dynamics at work in the city justify a scenario where prima donnas and players must play with the cards dealt them.

On a lower spectrum, some men resort to catcalling, hissing, mouth watering, salivating, as the New York woman passes by. It's the only way, they muse, to release pent up emotions - to put on a show to compensate for the loneliness and inability to get a real down to earth woman stripped of all the facades, barriers, buffers of the New York woman. This is an outlet - albeit, a not mutually enjoyable one - for their anxiety and frustration or to compensate for a failure to engage in a more civil way of getting dates. Sure, such techniques do result in attention but rarely produce dating arrangements.

After another man walks away rejected for failing to meet the for-life mating requirements set by the sophisticated New York woman, or the one night stand is over, when the hissing stops, the "hey mamas" are done, and the smoke clears and the dust settles, we're left with a bunch of real lonely men and women. We end up with men and women growing older and worried about fertility, growing old alone and never enjoying in the city the pleasantries of a really sincere good woman or man in their lives. Some turn to online chats in desperation, others to dating services, multitude house pets, or become grumpy and hostile to anyone who even dares to smile at them.

Many accept this as part of being a New Yorker.

Too bad that this is a price many must pay to live in an otherwise enjoyable and truly rewarding city - professionally, culturally and financially

Madoff Came Up Short Again!

2009-08-19T11:33:00.000-04:00

http://www.nydailynews.com/money/2009/dishin_dirty_on_bernie

Oh well, what's new on the unending saga of Bernie Madoff. The comments in this, another tell-all book about a well-known individual, do raise eyebrows and bring into focus considerations of moral principles and value judgments that go beyond one of the biggest investor ripoffs in American history.

Should there be personal or moral boundaries to proscribe the revelations by authors or publishers hell-bent on marketing their product? Should bedroom secrets discovered by a mistress be aired for all the world to see? Is the victim of fraud and deceit entitled to a no-holds-barred approach to get even with the victimizer even if it involves the most private and passionate of events? Were a a man to ridicule a female in similar fashion, would it be considered ungentlemanly and if affirmative, is this display unladylike?

Very few of us will shed a tear for Bernie's demise by the criminal justice system for all the hurt and pain he's caused and all the lives he's ruined. Thus, many may not be upset at the discussion of his physical attributes, or lack thereof, in this memoir.

Perhaps one good thing that emerges from this revelation is that size does not indeed matter, for as the author mentioned, notwithstanding his poorly endowed characteristic, Bernie was able to set her on fire!

Finally comes a validation for those in similar circumstances who've missed many a boat because their ladies underestimated their manly prowess based on initial observations.

Ahem.....this conclusion arises from reading comments by now elated men who suddenly feel vindicated.

Blog Goes On Short Pause

2009-08-15T01:21:00.000-04:00

Dear Reader or Visitor, I'm putting the blog on pause but anticipate continuing it very shortly.

In the meantime, I invite you to send a short e-mail via the Profile part of my blog. I understand that the sentiments and points of view expressed herein may not always be identical to yours. That's understandable and natural.

For an artist, however, any feedback can serve only to motivate, stimulate, encourage, and drive the passion to excel. I have no way of knowing whether there are visitors and your brief e-mail will assist me in this regard.

Please be assured that as a writer I write because I must...and if there is but one reader who enjoys visiting the blog, that would be sufficient grist for my writing mill!

Thanks and best to you all.

Miles Alex
NYC

Exorbitant Salaries For Athletes And Entertainers - Price Tag For Capitalism

2009-08-14T21:19:00.000-04:00

There is obviously a glaring inequity in value placed on many professions by the marketplace.

Unfortunately, the workings of supply and demand do not always bring about equity and fair play. To be sure, they sometimes result in unfavorable allocation of resources or morally unethical consequences. It is, in my opinion, a scar on our collective psyche as Americans, that we place such a hefty premium on being entertained that we do not mind as a society that our ballplayers, movie stars, other entertainers earn bizarre sums while those who strive professionally to make the world a better place earn pittances.

Teachers, doctors, paramedics, a host of workers in assorted fields from health care to home care to education - many with high academic credentials - are in the front lines, sometimes even the "battlefields," working to heal, educate, uplift us for abysmally low compensation when compared to the professional athlete or entertainer - a majority of whom, by all accounts, lack the rigors of an extensive, sometimes even a rudimentary educational background. Many also lack charisma, decorum, moral and professional values, making their spot in the limelight as role models for our young even more bewildering and incredible.

It is a sad commentary on all of us that we continue to participate as consumers in the processes that result in the flow of millions to athletes while many public school teachers tell daily of the horror stories they experience at pitifully low compensation - venturing in front of classrooms across the country trying to mould young minds while risking their own.

Yes, there is no applause from fans at the end of the day, just a lonely ride home sometimes through dangerous neighborhoods for a well-earned respite, while the off-season athlete who can barely spell his own name heads off to the islands for more fun and splendor.

There is a price, unfortunately, that we all pay for the economic and political freedoms that we enjoy as Americans. This is but one item on that price tag.

As much as I abhor it, I am willing - and I believe that most of us also are so inclined - to pay that price to keep our way of life, our freedoms to work, to choose our presidents and our professions, and to entertain and be entertained by athletes and other highly paid entertainers.

In America, we'll take the bad with the good.

I'll Withdraw My Funds...And The Bank's Too, Thank You!

2009-08-13T13:52:00.000-04:00

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/weird_news

I guess the aura of idiocy surrounding this story can be so contagious and all-encompassing that a reader begins to speculate on possible rationales for the scene played out in that bank:

1. The customer saw his balance and was so infuriated with exorbitant bank charges and fees which reduced his balance that he decided on the spot to take revenge.

2. The teller misconstrued a withdrawal slip/note as a holdup - leaving one to conclude that there should be higher educational requirements for the position.

3. The robber was indeed attempting to rob the bank - in which case a GED might be a good requirement before one embarks on such an undertaking.

4. Sarah Palin has the whole state of Alaska in a trance after her tumultuous run for Vice President and equally disconcerting exit from the state's governorship.

Nah...that last one sounds too highfalutin for this scenario in the bank...it's gotta be one of the first three!!!! LOL.

9/11 - Somber Recollections By A Downtown Manhattan Evacuee

2009-08-11T11:40:00.000-04:00

Next month marks nine years since that awful day. I don't have any photos but the memories of that day are bitter and painful. I was one of the evacuees from the downtown area - Water and Pine Streets - on that fateful day. Our building manager actually advised us to hang in and not rush out of the building into the streets like everyone else was doing. Since everything was chaotic, uncertain, tense, he felt that we should evaluate the situation via TV, etc., to determine what to do, where to run, if anywhere, for safety.

A bunch of us waited for a few hours until around 12:00 noon and decided to join the other poor hapless throngs of evacuees along South Street heading via foot through Chinatown, the Lower East Side, etc., until we arrived at the lowest point at which one could board a city bus. The whole trek - by foot then bus - was an excruciatingly painful one as people frantically ran in all directions - some to the Staten Island ferry, others to water taxis, some by whatever scarce fleeing vehicles they could hop aboard, others like me by foot for part of the escape. Of course, we sat in that packed bus for hours and moved along at the slowest pace one can imagine. I actually reached the bus' final destination at 96th Street/Upper East Side around 5:00 pm and took a crosstown to the Upper West Side where I entered my apartment at 6:30.

As I waited in my office building that morning in the immediate aftermath, I witnessed the collapse of one of the buildings from the 10th floor window of my office. I thought of what I was witnessing, of the screams I could not hear but that must surely be resonating throughout the hallways and floors of the collapsing structures. I thought of the people who left work like me to earn a living and who fell victim to hatred and venom from murderous criminals intent on wreaking havoc.

Perhaps, I overreacted internally when a coworker blurted out as a building was collapsing, "I wish I had a camera to capture that scene." I reflected to myself, "How could someone think of a camera now instead of the pain and agony of the dying individuals with no escape?"

I could write volumes of that painful day in our nation's history. It was indeed a sad day to witness such unimaginable horror, the geography of downtown Manhattan transformed into scenes reminiscent of World War 11 images. The fire trucks, ambulances, dust, soot, the sheer violence and agony will remain with me forever.

The sad part for me is that we still haven't caught the mastermind - the coward who continues successfully to hide in the mountains of Afghanistan while we lose more lives in both Iraq and Afghanistan.

Gone With The Times

2009-08-11T11:09:00.000-04:00

O cruel mind
That in my sleep
You should haunt me
With dreams of things long gone by
Of things that're gone with the times

Remind me not
Of her beautiful eyes
Nor of the glistening hair
Which fell low
Like a cascade of rippling waters
Nor of the smile
That for a while
Would set my heart afire

Revive not memories of happy days
Of times gone by
Dreams of another day
That should by now have faded away

The dreams, the hopes are no more
The wound in my heart's still deep
And each time you remind me I weep

So haunt me not any longer, cruel mind
For she is gone
Gone with the times.

Cuba Toilet Paper Shortage!

2009-08-10T14:48:00.000-04:00

http://www.asylum.com/2009/08/11/cuba-runs-out-of-toilet-paper

Another possible solution is to utilize newspaper clippings featuring news items and photos of the party elite and bigwigs. That there would convert everyday trite propaganda into something novel and useful.

Sitting on the throne, one might also enjoy a light moment as one gets ready to exact revenge of sorts for all the shortages, woes, gloom, and malaise of everyday life inflicted by the powers that be.

Urban Madness

2009-08-10T09:57:00.000-04:00

Alone, I feel the pangs
City dweller, I travail
Overwhelmed by the ordeals
Of my daily life
And overcome by the constant cacophony
Resounding through my enervated bones

Sinister faces encountered each day
Seem harsher along the way
Millions to my left and right
Yet my heart cries out in loneliness

Yesterday's pastures
Ebb and flow from my mind
Offering transitory relief
Like they always do

Yet I pray, sweet precious memories
Do not fade away
For you are my only solace
In this jungled mass
I made my new home.

O'Reilly's Tribute To A President And Lessons For Kids

2009-08-07T15:16:00.000-04:00

http://www.politicsdaily.com/2009/08/06/bill-oreilly-pens-love-letter-to-obama-in-parade-magazine

Having voted neither for Mr. Obama in the last elections nor for Mr. O'Reilly as a quintessential icon, I nevertheless must congratulate the latter for his accurate analysis of the president's achievements in life. As O'Reilly points out, Obama was able to rise above personal constraints and sub-par circumstances starting from his early childhood to attain the highest office, not only in America, but in the world.

Indeed, the five traits mentioned exemplify the true ideals of America and the underlying principles that make us a great nation. They also present a hope for a better tomorrow for all of us - kids and adults alike - as we endure our own personal and/or professional setbacks. They may even inspire us as a country as we face a scathing national economic crisis that threatens to tear us apart emotionally and financially, both individually and collectively.

America's kids - and to be sure, kids of the world - can learn a lesson from looking at the arduous path followed by the president in overcoming tremendous obstacles that usually leave a trail of victims and casualties unable to neutralize adversities similar to those which he faced. Indeed, the contemporary American family is under attack and bursting at the seams. The impact on our children is the most unsettling fallout, sometimes resulting in young lives permanently disoriented, lost, damaged, and doomed to futures of underachievement and dissatisfaction.

Mr. O'Reilly's subdued temperament and "hats off to the president" piece could not have come at a more opportune moment.

Quest Of The Soul

2009-08-07T13:25:00.000-04:00

From this abyss of nothingness
My wounded soul in despair cries
Burning Conflicts that will not let me rest in peace
Envelop my entire being

My heart yearns to be free
Free of these bonds that tie me
To an existence more death than life

This hunger that I feel
This thirst that will not be quenched
I quest for something
Far beyond the reach
Of my unworthy self

Sometimes in my torment
I reach out and see a distant light
Shining through this madness
That I call life
But when in aspiration
My outstretched hand grasps for help
Blindness once again surrounds me
I cannot bear this turmoil of the soul

What is this thing that I yearn for?
What is this dream that I dream?
My mortal being basking in worldly pleasures
Yet longs for something more

I will cry and search
I will plead and meditate
My agitations will be heard by one and all
My supplications will reach out beyond the heavens

Until that day when my conflicts are all gone
When I hunger and thirst no more
Then will my soul rest in peace.

Female Sudanese Journalist Faces Whipping For Wearing Trousers!

2009-08-04T14:34:00.000-04:00

http://news.aol.com/article/sudanese-journalist

What a travesty that in the year 2009, in this the high tech era of space odysseys and split second mobile communication, there should exist situations like this in any part of the planet.

That there still are countries in the world that subscribe to archaic, outmoded, bizarre, inequitable, inhuman, barbaric modes of legal and illegal conduct is mind-boggling. Whether the notion to mete out "punishment" in the form of 40 lashes to a woman for wearing trousers in public is premised on religious or secular views of morality is unimportant. What is disgusting is that in some dark corners of the world women are still fighting an uphill battle to attain equality under the law and in the eyes of fellow citizens.

Kudos to the Sudanese journalist for her principled stand. May she stand victorious and may events like this serve as a wake up call to us in the West. We often take for granted the liberties, the sense of fair play and justice, gender, ethnic, religious principles of equality and freedom that we enjoy. Let us remember that it is insufficient to decry the Castros of the world, the Chavezes, the impertinent brazen ones who make a mockery of our capitalist system and way of doing business.

One might add that it is indeed appalling and paradoxical that individuals, legal systems, governments, and the powers that be in some parts of the world perpetuate a system of cowardice and brutality against women and others in the name of a Deity who is allegedly superior than mortal man in morality, equity, fair play, and justice.

We need also to come out strongly against countries that ally themselves with the USA on many fronts proclaiming their stand with us against tyrannies and terror - while at the same time inflicting cruel laws and injunctions against their citizens. Whether it be Saudi Arabia, Iran, Jordan, Egypt, Afghanistan...or Sudan, let our voices against tyranny - of every form or shape - be heard loudly and clearly.

A Quick Glance At Co-ops vs. Condos

2009-08-04T10:58:00.000-04:00

There are pros and cons of each type of shared housing - co-op and condo. One should examine all aspects of each and find the best fit based on one's own financial capabilities, acceptable tolerance level for behavior of neighbors, how many rules and regulations one feels comfortable with, etc., before making the plunge to buy or lease a unit.

First off, realize that both condos and co-ops have advantages and disadvantages relative to each other and vis-a-vis detached houses. Study these and know them up front. Do online research or buy books which discuss the myriad differences between co-ops and condos ranging from bylaws, blanket mortgages, subleasing policies, rules on having pets, rules regarding extended-stay guests in the purchased unit, maintenance charges vs. common charges and the components of each, title deed vs. share certificates to represent ownership, and the list goes on.

Generally, detached houses are the most favored form of housing outside urban areas. In urban centers, many like condos as opposed to co-ops, but the former are more costly to purchase. Indeed, for shared owned housing, condos are the more prevalent form in the USA while in NYC co-ops are more common.

One significant distinction is that the vetting process to purchase or sublease a co-op is more thorough and time-consuming than it is for a condo. With co-ops, the prospective buyer or renter usually must meet with a board consisting of shareholders/owners in the building. One must provide detailed financial statements, occupational and personal data that can sometimes daunt even the most buoyed and optimistic applicant.

Depending on one's perspective, co-ops can be viewed very favorably or unfavorably. Indeed, many in the real estate business summarize co-ops vs. condos by tersely asserting that condos are better for getting in/out whereas co-ops are more desirable once in. The latter conclusion arises from both the vetting process for would-be residents and the co-op bylaws and rules which are usually more stringent on matters pertaining to owner-occupied requirements and maximum subleasing periods allowed by owners wishing to rent out their units.

After one has educated oneself to the advantages of each type of housing, one may well find that one's financial constraints pretty much determine the housing one will be able to purchase.

Memories Of A Lost Love

2009-08-03T09:45:00.000-04:00

My roaming mind keeps moving in the misty past
Reviving dreams that did not last
Oh, that I could turn back the hands of time
And bring back those sweet yesterdays!

The hopes I've had are now become illusions
Like a broken piece of glass
My dreams lie shattered into a million pieces

My darling, that you still were by my side
Caressing the moonlight with your illustrious beauty
Holding me in your warm embrace
Oblivious to the screeching sounds
Of life's unending race

But alas, time, immortal foe of man
Keeps moving on!
Without an adieu, you were gone
Leaving behind all the hopes and dreams we cherished

My passions, gone amok
Keep soaring above magnificent heights
Rivers of tears stream down my solemn face
This my only comfort, yet I cannot persevere

Enchanting One, Queen of my emotions
Enlighten his life the way you did mine
Love him with your tenderness
And make him feel divine

Let him taste the paradise of your lips
That once quenched my thirsty being!
Make him promises and give him dreams

But one thing, I pray
Do not offer him the cup of life
Only to take it away.

A Case For School Uniforms in NYC's Public Schools

2009-07-28T11:54:00.001-04:00

Any kind of unsophisticated school uniform has just got to be better than the status quo in our public schools here in the city. Kids at elementary, middle, high school levels can all do with some dress code to substitute for the present dress fiasco with our kids - waists of jeans hanging precipitously below their butts, blouses and skirts revealing too much for their ages, torn, worn, sloppy, or skimpy outerwear that reveal a don't care attitude that too oft parallels the attitude toward schooling and life in general.

Parents too can save via uniforms for their children as opposed to having to fork over money for their young ones to compete each school term with their school rivals for the newest Nike or Air Jordan, the sexiest tops for young misses, high-end belts and other accessories that would strain the budget of even the most frugal parent.

Civil rights of children being violated? What about the rights of parents struggling to keep afloat financially in the midst of economic woes, sometimes doing two or more jobs to feed, clothe, house themselves and their kids? How about the rights of parents, the school system, society in general, to set the right tone, to instill a sense of pride and dignity in their attire, to prepare them academically and socially for their future years when as adults they will need to conform to work codes and other codes of conduct to become successful in life?

It seem to me like a win-win situation for both the kid and the parent - financially and educationally. The focus would shift from going to school to make fashion statements or to rebel against prevailing fashion norms to one of learning to be future successful elements in society.

Is NYC A Good Place To Live In?

2009-07-28T11:37:00.000-04:00

I'd have to say that NYC is indeed a positively unique place to be. However, there are pros and cons, like everywhere else. For me, the pros outweigh the cons. I love the career, professional, educational opportunities, the dining, entertainment options, the diversity in race, ethnicity, religion. And I love that owning a car can well be optional in many parts of the five boroughs.

However, be forewarned that the rapid pace, the congestion, the humid summers, sometimes bitter winters, high housing costs, cost of living etc., may well put a strain on one's psyche and body.

For some NYC is the only place to ever be. For others, it's the place to be at a certain phase in life...and then it's time to move on.

One will have to experience NYC for himself/herself to make the judgment as to whether our town is ideal for them.

On a personal note, for me NYC still is the best - every borough within the city offers me delights that appease all my cravings for an enjoyable life. However, I'm averse to cold weather and would love to vacation frequently (or to have a second home) in Florida. But whether that should materialize or not, NYC will always be considered for me, a wonderful place to be!

Another Look At Manhattan And The Other Boroughs

2009-07-23T14:33:00.000-04:00

There are positive and negative aspects of living in any of the five boroughs - including Manhattan. Yes, Manhattan is desirable because of its easier access to where many work, its conveniences, transportation options, excellent medical and educational facilities, and so forth.

But the outer boroughs also have areas that excel in many of these areas. Being part of NYC, the residents also pay NYC taxes and are governed by the same executive, legislative, judicial systems peculiar to the city.

They also have something that Manhattan lacks - the ability to look up and see the sky, neighborhoods with a sometimes suburban flair, a little less hectic pace where one can take a breather, national and international airports, major league baseball stadiums, solid middle class homes and individuals living side by side, lovely ethnic cuisines representative of the world we live in, and yes - many lower income as well as upper income people and homes. Regarding homes, it is in the outer boroughs that one can also find a variety of housing including detached houses, co-ops, condos, townhouses, row houses, etc.

As desirable as Manhattan is, here in America, we attempt to be as egalitarian a society as any country can ever be. It is not in keeping with the character of our great country and metropolis that we should allow only a small cadre of elites to live in the epicenter of America. Apart from issues of equity, it clearly sends a wrong signal to the world if Manhattan were to become Beverly Hills.

Despite all the wishful thinking of some Manhattan-centric individuals, that scenario is unlikely - thanks to rent control, rent stabilization, projects, etc.

Yes, the ultra rich should have a shot at Manhattan, but let them stand in line like everyone else.

Arrested As Burglar In One's Own Home...The Larger Issue Of Misuse Of Authority

2009-07-23T10:43:00.000-04:00

http://news.aol.com/article/sgt-james-crowley-defends-gates-arrest

Well, here we go again...another cop using a badge and a gun as blanket authority to intimidate and harass an innocent citizen. So a man is suspected of being a burglar at his own home, gets angry when asked to produce identification and is subsequently arrested for disorderly conduct even after providing proof that the home is his!

One can certainly debate the significance of the race of the police officer and that of the arrested homeowner. The larger issue seems to be, however, that many who wear a uniform and are given a badge and a gun to uphold the law must be held to a higher standard of professionalism, courtesy, and service since those symbols of authority immediately place all citizens - law abiding and otherwise - at a terrific disadvantage.

To be sure, rogue cops around the nation recognize the hegemony of these insignias and use them to intimidate and harass hapless individuals of all races, ethnicities, genders, social, class, religious backgrounds. Like their counterparts who intimidate others without the trappings of legal authority, these rogues know what a lethal combination a criminal mentality and a firearm is in elevating their own feeling of superiority at the demise of the rights of others.

Yes, in this case an apology is the least that should be forthcoming from the officer. But if history is any guide, arrogance, stupidity, belligerence continue without contrition unless public outrage or financial and disciplinary pressure facilitate a superficial sound bite.

What we need as a society anyway is not a cosmetic apologetic response - which in this case we aren't even getting - but a thorough revamping of hiring practices, vetting procedures, psychological evaluation and training of those to whom we give a uniform, badge, and pistol.

In this specific incident, while the officer's behavior does not apparently rise to the level of criminality, it surely lowers to one of discourtesy, arrogance, lack of civility and professionalism by the officer and a use of arbitrary definitions of disorderly conduct to demonstrate his superiority.

Quite beyond the issues of this specific incident and in a larger context of a turbulent record of police mistreatment of law abiding citizens, a caveat needs to be announced - the days of Wyatt Earp are long gone. The average citizen does not wear a sidearm to level the playing field against criminal behavior or intimidatory tactics from those with or without a uniform. And after all, police officers are civil servants whose services are paid for by taxpayers to protect them from the bad guys...not to place them in a crossfire between criminals with a badge and those without one.

Broken Heart, Broken Dream

2009-07-16T13:45:00.000-04:00

How quickly dreams shatter
And illusions disappear
I thought you loved me too
Oh, What a fool I was
To give my heart to you

Like a fleeting shadow
You have swiftly emerged and disappeared
Into the misty past
Reserved only for loves
That did not last

Hopes soar high and lofty
Then sink low
Beyond mortal grasp
Seems it's all part
Of life's unending story

This chapter has so soon elapsed
Life's challenges once more
Must now be faced
God will, I am sure
Heal the heart
That lies now
So wounded and sore

Another Day In The NYC Subway - Short Story

2009-07-16T10:35:00.000-04:00

4:59 p.m. on a hot, sticky day, summer of 2006, temperature 98 degrees and climbing.

Train pulls in to Wall Street. One car appears to be empty and fully air-conditioned. A mad dash ensues as all those who sneaked out early from work make a frenzied leap for a nice, cool, empty seat.

Lo and behold - there lying comfortably on the floor in the middle of the car is a male dressed in several layers, including a dirty, worn-out sweater and an old beat up pair of dungarees overlaid with a denim jacket and a pair of tattered polka dot boxer shorts - yes, the shorts were hanging precipitously over the dungarees.

The scent was horrific - a mixture of a Cuban cigar gone bad and a public john filled to capacity. He kept muttering to himself, interspersing his statements with expletives: "Koch is no .... good. No, you're not doing okay, Mr. Mayor," "The Dodgers should move to the Bronx," "Go to church all you bastards," and "Marilyn Monroe for president" - and he didn't mean for JFK.

We all held our breaths, exited the car with double the speed of entry, unsure whether the dated rants were more odorous and alarming than the stench on that humid, uncomfortable summer afternoon.

When we looked back into the car, a cop wearing gloves and a mask, was trying gently to remove the narcotics held tightly by the individual and to escort him under the watchful eye of an ACLU lawyer - both appeared as phantoms from nowhere.

Rumor has it that this guy is no degenerate or unfortunate soul who fell on hard times but rather a felon with a long record who doesn't like company on his way home.

Obama Eager To Lend A Helping Hand To A Young Woman?

2009-07-10T16:14:00.000-04:00

http://www.asylum.com/2009/07/10/obama-checking-out-girl

Seems to me the prez was readying himself to lend the young woman a helping hand - as he, a few moments before, had done with another female in the video. This is more that can be said of the leering French prez.

No, fellas in the press, there's no "rumpgate" or any kind of "gate" to make another salacious story for you and to keep you guys occupied for fifteen minutes.

I know, I know...that fella with the cigars and the revised definitions of adult activities have y'all jumping at every innocent glance or gesture.

Anyway, I hear tell from the experts that most normal men take a casual glance at an attractive member of the opposite sex...so what's the storyline here - "Courteous Prez Acts Normal"?

Yeah, I understand, these days, anything normal is bizarre and the new normal is the former irregular.

Hustling, Bustling!

2009-07-10T11:11:00.000-04:00

Hustling, Bustling
Running to and fro
Traffickers abound
The streets are full

Someone slides
Another collides
No one cries
No one comforts
The traffic goes on

Hustling, Bustling
The lights say red
But everyone says go

Warnings, Shrieks, Bang!
Another fatality
One more gone

Hustling, Bustling
No time for the disabled
No comfort for the weary
No hope for the dreary

Hustling, Bustling
Everyone in a hurry
Everyone's on the go
Friend and foe

But whither to they rush?

'Tis a good question you ask
For those who travel the STREETS OF LIFE.

Searching For An Answer

2009-07-09T14:16:00.000-04:00

I've traveled this world far and wide
Seeking something I thought I could find
Loneliness, solitary companion by my side
I had hopes for answers to things on my mind

O'er the mountains and through deep valleys
Beneath sparkling fountains and in dark alleys
My weary feet have had to toil
As I traversed this earth's soil
Searching for a reason to live, a hope for tomorrow
A world without sorrow

But more I traveled more I marveled
At a world full of cruelty
At man's inhumanity

As I look around me
All I can see
Are men yearning to be free
More questions than answers
Violence and pollution
Problems beyond solution
A world full of sin
The world I'm living in

Yet will I trudge on
From dawn till sunset
From sunset till morn
Till I find what I seek
A reason to live
Comfort for the meek
Someone to forgive

"Fore my life comes to an end
There's something I must find
So I can tell you, my friend
Answers to things on my mind
In a world of futility
A world full of cruelty

Desire

2009-07-08T14:06:00.000-04:00

Each time I see you I wish that you were mine
Someone else is fortunate, this I know
To have you and to call you his

My ambitious mind in mockery does aspire
That I were he, enjoying the sweet things
That only you can give
But God blesses only the good
The unfortunate like me
Live and die in agony

Inviting One, speak not the sweet words that you do
Offer no longer your polite smile
For my heart cannot appreciate
That behind it all lies mere courtesy
No, it cries, she cares for me
Oh, that fantasy could become reality!
Such a dream come through would be too heavenly

If someday you e'er should be lonely
And need a friend to share your burdens
I'll be waiting to offer my longing arms
Until that moment I'll hope and pray
That God will bless you today and everyday.

Man And Woman - The Beauty Of Creation

2009-07-08T10:18:00.000-04:00

What a beautiful addition to the planet it was when God created man and woman...or for the naysayers, when Nature put the first male and female on the earth's surface.

For six thousand years of recorded history, men and women have been an item, physically, emotionally, romantically, coming together as one and in so doing perpetuating the human race and adding stability to villages, tribes, countries, regions, societies throughout the world.

Relationships between men and women aren't always easy and may never have been. The very biological and emotional differences which define and separate the two genders sometimes lead to misunderstandings and turbulent relationships. To be sure, the astounding and amazing interaction of man and woman comes along with a price tag.

The wondrous beauty, curves, sexuality, finesse, softer touch, deeper emotions of the female species vis-a-vis the outwardly more robust, sterner, less finished, apparently (but not actually) less emotional facade of the male can come together to create a lifetime of emotional and physical satiety unrivaled in human experience. The same can also create tremendous interpersonal conflict.

Many have tried and are still experimenting with alternatives to the man-woman relationship...but I daresay that despite the awesome challenges that men and women face in their relationships with each other, the intent of God and Nature operating under normal forces to foster incomparable pleasure while sustaining civilization cannot be beat by alternative humanly contrived models.

The Passing Of Michael Jackson, Pop Singer

2009-07-01T10:32:00.001-04:00

There are so many ironies in the passing of the music legend.

First, one must recognize that Jackson was indeed a legend in his field, someone whose songs, music, choreography mesmerized generations and people from all walks of life and all parts of the globe.

We are, however, faced with a number of ironic events since his passing. We have someone suddenly being hailed as a soul mate and symbol for Black America, yet who spent the larger portion of his life bleaching himself as white as he could. Here was a man who sought true love from siblings and family all his life (but somehow seemed unable to achieve that in his rise from child star to adult performer) and is now being embraced lovingly by the family clan. And there's a post-death euphoria about the man that often completely ignores the turbulent events and allegations against him in the past.

We all somehow cast aside negatives when a loved one passes on, so perhaps this is somewhat understandable. The rush to "reclaim Michael" as an idol and persona for African-Americans leaves a bitter taste for many of us, however, who enjoyed his music but are not African-American. Wasn't Jackson loved and appreciated for his music around the world by people of all pigmentations and languages? Did he ever promote himself in Al Sharpton-fashion as a pioneer or pundit for one segment of society or did he not use music to transcend ethnic, racial, religious barriers in a unifying manner?

A music icon has passed on. Those who loved his music should pay tribute in a measured way for his contributions to the world. To revere him as a deity or as someone to be reclaimed by one segment of society or to ignore that he was, after all, another frail human being, like we all are, is to wallow in self-delusion and to do disservice to his memory.

Reminiscing

2009-06-13T18:19:00.000-04:00

teardrops falling
memories haunting
young woman crying
evening darkening
dreams recalling
everything's hurting and paining
bitter past recurring
but present's just as aching

Good luck, Carrie!

2009-06-11T15:37:00.000-04:00

http://www.popeater.com/television/article/carrie-prejean-miss-california-fired

Congrats Carrie, on being fired, and I mean it! You really don't need to wear a beauty pageant crown for your loveliness to be noticed. You are awesome looking and your moral and religious principles are amazing and wonderful today in an era when we are all swamped left, right, center, by iconoclasts who feel that in order to propose their own "rights" they must trample upon those who disagree with their positions.

You deserve better, and you ought to do better, than to have yourself paraded as a sex object before millions on TV, in the media, or in Playboy, being touted as the most beautiful woman/object of desire in California. These pageants, anyway, are all about sex, egotism, self-delusion, and surrendering personal principles for notoriety, money, and fifteen minutes of fame.

Get back to regular "civilian" life, pursue a good education and/or career, hold on to your values....some nice young man will come along, if he hasn't yet, sweep you off your feet, share your values, and you'll be better off in the long run.

Oh, and you don't need to go topless either. Put on any outfit - layers of winter clothing or complete lingerie...and you sure will stun everyone. Fantastic looks, winning personality, good values...many men would die to meet someone like you!

Feet Up An Insult To Israel?

2009-06-11T10:38:00.000-04:00

http://news.aol.com/main/politics/article/obama-feet-up-photo

Feet up an insult? C'mon now, fellas, let's not set up a smokescreen to express resentment at the president's call to stop building settlements in occupied territory and his advocacy of a Palestinian state.

This was a photo not an in-person physical gesture. Maybe we can fault Obama for violating office etiquette but certainly not for flouting the rules of diplomacy, protocol, cultural sensitivity, or worse yet, for insulting the Israeli leader.

Woman

2009-06-06T10:39:00.000-04:00

I long for the touch of her lips
The sensations of her pulsating body
Through this web of loneliness and frustration
My haunted mind evokes desires
That reverberate through my palpitating manhood

To be held in her embrace
To have her squeeze my torso in sweet ecstasy
This imagination becomes a madness
But my body aches in yearning

Woman
I wait for you
Come rescue me
Fulfil me and complete me
Lest my imaginations turn to bitterness and sudden despair

Rent Stabilization In New York City

2009-06-01T14:13:00.000-04:00

There's always a lot of contention and rhetoric regarding the issue of rent stabilization, as evidenced by the annual raucous event in June when the Rent Guidelines Board holds its meeting. To be sure, this is to be expected when one is dealing with issues of finance, livelihood, profits, and making ends meet as a tenant or as a landlord.

There are many in New York City who allege that rent stabilization is to be blamed for the continued housing shortage and high rents. Many landlords with personal agendas refuse to see beyond the lining of their own pockets. They, and their numberless advocates, would like to see the poor, the indigent, the working class, the hardworking fireman, police officer, nurse, janitor, stockroom clerk, and myriad decent, law abiding citizens run out of town and replaced by the wealthy, the Wall Sreeter, loaded foreigners using NYC as a playground for second homes, and kindred types in an assorted well-heeled only clique.

Well, they can dream on, if they must, but the state legislature, many years ago, acted wisely in recognizing that if market forces alone were to determine housing costs in NYC, this great town would become a playland for only the Park Avenue and Fifth Avenue gentry and similar other financially well-endowed individuals. They realized that NYC stands as a beacon to the world of the best of America, that it is more than another metropolis for only the likes of the Rockefellers, JP Morgans, Vanderbilts, and a wave of pseudo and nouveau wealthy, and the menagerie of individuals who have attained or inherited wealth by legal or illegal means.

They understood that NYC is not Beverly Hills, that it stands alone in America and throughout the world as a place for people of all ethnicities, all races, all classes, all religions to coexist, to work, and yes...to find shelter.

Some have argued that since food prices are not generally regulated, why should some housing be subject to rules and price restraints. Housing and food are considered basic human needs in all societies and here in NYC and in America we do provide safeguards for many against out of control food prices by providing food stamps and other assistance to those who cannot afford the market rates by virtue of income and assets. Likewise, in NYC we provide rent regulations to ensure economic diversity in the city's population and affordability for those who would otherwise be priced out.

For those who cry foul alleging that regulations are killing landlords, one must consider also that many owners of rent regulated buildings and units have enjoyed tax breaks, abatements, concessions that were granted to them up front and which some continue to enjoy.

Most Americans support our capitalist form of government in which the marketplace is the dominant mechanism at work. We also demand governmental oversight, vigilance, regulation, interference in ensuring safety, health, environmental standards are met and also that the economic pie is available for all hardworking and that cities like NYC remain economically and socially diversified and well-balanced.

This combination ensures that NYC continues to attract the best talent to manage its industries and governments as well as those at ground level to care for the work needed there. It allows NYC to be the residence and workplace for those also who work to maintain its infrastructure for all - teachers, police officers, firemen, paramedics, construction workers, and a long list of hardworking others scattered throughout the city.

There will always be a few culprits on both sides who abuse a system that was designed to do good. There will be stabilized tenants with lofty salaries and assets, riding high, frolicking in the sand and beach at their other villas; there will be landlords never satisfied with the rent they are getting if they can eke out one more penny from another hapless tenant including the old granny living off of her tiny social security check and struggling to buy food and medicine.

Many owners of regulated apartments do indeed have a difficult time keeping pace with rising costs of energy, labor, maintenance, supplies, etc. We cannot ignore the legitimate concerns of struggling landlords facing escalating costs. But the Board does take into account their concerns when it meets annually to determine the allowable percentage increase in rents for buildings under stabilization.

When the smoke clears and the dust settles, one finds that sometimes there really are struggling landlords; and yes, sometimes there really are people who are unable to move elsewhere not only in the city but practically in any other corner of the planet.

The status quo in rent stabilization may not be ideal, it may not be perfect, and it may well indeed be in need of tweaking or even fundamental reform to address abuses and to find alternative or complementary means of housing affordability. Let's however not throw out the baby with the bath water but work together as residents of the city through our elected representatives to address the concerns of all constituents.

Florida Tidbits - Tales Of Crawlies, Heat, Humidity

2009-05-21T10:06:00.000-04:00

Amusing Anecdotes From The Sunshine State

Bugs, Heat and Humidity or Not Ready For Chippindales

One of the biggest negs down there is the bugs, man. They used to crawl into all my clothes and cause me to suddenly do an unintended Chippendales for my lady friends. Got to the point where I walked around my house nude just to not feel a palmetto in my clothes.

Darned if I didn't catch my next door neighbor, a lonely transplanted senior Southern widow from Atlanta, peeking through the window one day and doubling up in laughter. That hurt both my pride and my ventilation system to keep cool so much that I hightailed it out of Florida and never looked back.

Crawlies In My Undies

Lady friend of mine from NYC moved down and had a change of heart. One night she laid out her nightie and undies on the bed, hopped in the shower, came out and jumped right into to her fresh lingerie. Didn't realize that some crawlie got in her lower undies while she was showering. I tell ya, she flew out of those drawers faster than Catwoman could say "meow." She packed her bags and headed back to NYC in a jiffy!

Hey, don't let that discourage you...do what another friend does down there...she gives every piece of clothing a thorough shaking before jumping into it.

Puerto Rican Underclass In America

2009-05-20T13:32:00.000-04:00

There are many stats that point to the existence of a large underclass among Puerto Ricans in high density urban areas like New York City. Many have tried to shed light on this by examining the socio-economic factors at work. The analysis often involves issues of race, color, education, income, job opportunities, etc. Some have raised questions regarding the status quo for this group when compared to other immigrant groups in the country who appear to have generally fared better as a whole.

I believe that one and only one of several reasons for the existence of such a large underclass of people of Puerto Rican origin in the USA as opposed to that of other immigrant groups is tied in to the process of immigrating into the USA.

Somehow, it seems to me, that when, say, East Europeans, Dominicans, Mexicans, Jamaicans, etc., need to go through a process of securing a green card, that in itself makes a powerful difference in their psychology when they arrive to work and live in America.

For the Puerto Rican, their homeland is a territory of the USA - not a state, not independent, somewhat in between. All that is needed to obtain citizenship is that plane ticket - destination America. This easier process of becoming an American as vs. the lengthier, more uncertain and dubious, less guaranteed one for other immigrant groups, perhaps cultivates a momentum for the latter, unlike the former, that carries forward upon arrival.

The immigrant who has to attain a green card takes nothing for granted; he/she accepts that he or she may need to start at the absolute bottom and usually would be willing to do very low paying and low esteem jobs in order to attain the American Dream - restaurant delivery person, janitor, bus boy, etc., that we see many Mexicans and East Europeans doing.

The culture of being not fully American back on the island but at the same time being distinguishable from other immigrants like Dominicans, I believe, creates a different mindset, and many migrate here and remain at the lower rungs of the economic ladder.

This brief analysis is of a general nature pertaining only to those in the underclass communities and one must absolutely recognize that the island has provided many lawyers, doctors, and successful immigrants to the USA - and these have fully assimilated into the mainstream in cities and towns across America and live in integrated communities, not in areas that one can label a "Puerto Rican" neighborhood.

Scams In The Big Apple

2009-05-19T09:28:00.000-04:00

Make Mine Well Done And On The House

It's seventy-five degrees, cool breeze blowing, beautiful summer evening at a prominent watering hole and steakhouse on Manhattan's Upper West Side. The restaurant is doing a brisk business both indoors and in its outdoor/patio service. Patrons are happy, jovial, sipping their drinks and enjoying a nice meal, good company, pleasant conversation, and a relaxed atmosphere.

Guy walks in off the street, impeccably dressed, warm smile, steps up to bar and asks bartender for John. Bartender replies that John left establishment about one year ago. Fella looks disappointed but peruses menu anyway and orders most expensive cut of steak from this well-known steakhouse. He enjoys a martini while awaiting his well-done steak. While taking in the ambiance and frivolity, he engages others at bar in friendly conversation - discussing local politics and the day's headline news.

After his hearty meal, he orders another martini, followed by a glass of Muscata, a fine Italian dessert wine. He then orders dessert and in the meantime steps outside to apparently have a smoke - as other diners were also doing.

The well-dressed, suave, friendly, conversational gentleman never returns and the bartender is stuck with a bill of $125.00.

Rumor has it that this fella enjoys his evening meals repeating this episode in fancy restaurants across town

Ketchup, Anyone?

Middle-Aged man in Texas hat and cowboy boots strolls in to Mickey D's in Rockefeller Center area. Walks up to cashier and bellows, "Give me a Texas-sized burger and some good old Southern fries!" Cashier corrects and fills his order and he grabs a seat. Everyone stares at him as he rapidly devours meal, belches loudly, and gets up to put on top half of rodeo outfit - a stylish denim jacket that he had hung on chair back.

Man and woman seated behind jump up and point out to him that there's a heap of ketchup and mustard at back of his jacket. Woman grabs his jacket and whips out tissue from purse to render assistance. Meantime her male companion engages Texas man in conversation about weather in NYC, asks tourist how's it down there in Texas, is Bush still a popular hombre there, etc.

Wiped jacket returned to grateful man from Texas who profusely thanks couple for kindness. Couple exit hurriedly saying they're in a rush for the early matinee at Radio City. Texas man leaves Mickey D's, then moments later runs back in yelling, "I've lost my wallet and my cell phone that were in my jacket! Anybody found them?!"

The ketchup scam strikes again.

President Obama And Detainee Abuse Photos

2009-05-14T23:49:00.000-04:00

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/14/us/politics/14photos

Well Mr President, you're learning real fast what it's like to be president and not a candidate running for office. Kudos to you for making the right decision as Commander-in-Chief. Your decision to fight the release of the photos shows that you are adapting well into your position and the various hats you must wear as top guy in America.

You recognize that the backlash from releasing what must surely be awful images would serve only to stoke the flames of Anti-American sentiment and further risk the lives of our troops and civilians abroad in Afghanistan and Iraq. As you pointed out, there's nothing new being brought to the table that has not already been exposed. A picture may be worth a thousand words and several pictures multiple thousands ....but we need a brevity of words right now.

Your position clearly is not premised on an exoneration of brutality and mistreatment of prisoners by American soldiers. You've clearly stated that. Your statesmanship in listening to the pleas and heeding the advice of top commanders should not be categorized as a flip-flop.

Rather, it is an awakening to the realities of the high office you hold and an acceptance that a president at this stage of his presidency is no longer on the campaign trail hurling rhetoric. He's a chief executive who must temper personal outbursts and neutralize those who abuse the concept of freedom of information by blindly following a script without taking into account the overall consequences to America on the whole.

Well done, Mr. Prez.

Note: The writer was a supporter of the McCain candidacy during the elections.

The Daily Grind Of A Subway Ride In NYC

2009-05-13T10:00:00.001-04:00

When I think of the pros and cons of living in NYC, I list the subway both places. It's a pro in that you save on the costs of owning a car. That's it for subway pros.

The cons? How about jam packed trains and cars, people reading their newspapers on your back, shoulder, or any of your body extremities that happen to be in view? How about the people with their ipods and backpacks who can't hear you say excuse me so that you can get by them in a crowded car and who hit you with their backpacks if you do try to squeeze by anyway? Or the well dressed guy in the 3-piece Armani who grabs the seat next to you and smells like the bum that you tried to avoid sitting next to in the other car?

The folks who decide it's their constitutional right to stand at the exits of the car all the way from uptown Manhattan to downtown Brooklyn and who look at you with a scowl when you try to make your paid for ingress and egress from the train? The people seeking handouts who decide to board the train at 5:00 p.m just in time for rush hour? You move over to another car and there's a five-man vocal group who never made it in the 60's and strangely enough still think they have a shot at it in the 2000's and need to exhibit their talent in an overcrowded train full of tired, frenetic, depressed commuters who just heard on the news before leaving work that the Dow plummeted another 500 points thus converting their 401k's into 101k's?

The old lady who shoves you out of the way almost causing you to lose your balance as she dashes for the one available seat in the car competing with a 350-pound man who gets there first and hastily sits down, in the process displacing two seated individuals to the left and right?

How about the subway conductor to whom you ask a question about how to get to South Street Seaport and who refers you to the map in the car which you can't see properly because of the tall fella sitting next to it and whose body covers it entirely? What about those tourists that just have to saunter in with their maps, papers, backpacks, luggage at rush hour rather than taking an earlier train since they pretty much can control their own schedules?

The crowds, the scents, the perverts having a field day with crowded cars, the scowls, the pole and door huggers, the ipod wearers who don't give a damn about you trying to get by, the seats designed in the Orient for smaller sized people and unsuited for Americans thus forcing you to stand if an even slightly overweight person sits since she then needs to occupy 1.5 seats leaving you no room? And some highly paid MTA consultant probably recommended the ordering of fore mentioned cars in order to "save costs" but in reality to show that they are earning their grossly paid fees.

I tell you, if I could land a job somewhere nice where I could drive to work, secure a house with even a small yard, and seduce a loving woman to worship the ground I walk on (lol), I would exit the city in a New York minute and never look back at a NYC subway again.

Ah...a little fantasy never hurt anyone. What's that, sir, the train is out of service again and I'd better wake up or get kicked off?

Come Back, My Darling

2009-05-12T09:26:00.000-04:00

Where are you when I need you, my precious?
You promised sweet dreams,
idyllic romance, passionate kisses
But like in a mist
I seek and cannot find my path to you
Are you real or a mirage?

We sit in a park
I lay my head upon your tender bosom
My eyes shut, your soft lips reach down
And moisten my dry and restless body
Then I open my eyes and you are gone

My entire being aches for you
Were your words meant
Just to tease and deceive?
Are you only a seductress
Riding the wild and turbulent waves
Of my anguished soul, seeking to tempt and destroy?

Return to me, my love
Stimulate my mind and my passions again.
For a fleeting moment once more
Drive me wild with your desire
And impetuous yearning
Then depart again, if you must

Like a will o the wisp
You come into my life
Torment me with your sensual being
Make love to me in a way
Beyond the boundaries of my fantasies
Then leave me wounded and torn
Departing without a trace

Come back, my darling
I'll take you for but a moment or two
Than to endure life
Without even a dream to pursue

Manhattan's Upper West Side - Choice Part Of Town

2009-05-10T15:06:00.001-04:00

The Upper West Side is one of the most vibrant and eclectic parts of the entire NYC region and includes a wide spectrum, to wit, old money, new money, yuppies, hipsters, hippies, black, white, Asian, Hispanic, immigrant, native-born, senior, middle-aged, young, college-educated, high-school educated, dropouts, kids in strollers, Gentile, Jew, Muslim.

Here we have the world renowned Lincoln Center, Juilliard School, Museum of Natural History, Beacon Theater, Symphony Space, Columbia University, Barnard Collge, Bank Street School, Cathedral of St. John the Divine, Central Park, Riverside Park, churches, synagogues, tons of dining and entertainment options including the well-known Tavern on the Green in Central Park, world-class hospitals, fantastic transportation options - subway, bus, taxi, and the list goes on.

The real estate includes hi-risers, low-rise and mid-rise buildings, brownstones, townhouses. Some buildings are of solid, lovely prewar construction, others are postwars with modern amenities. There are co-ops, modern condos, rentals, elevator/laundry buildings, walkups, historic and landmark buildings.

Mostly middle class, the citizenry also includes the well-heeled as well as lower income segments, all living side by side in relative harmony.

Young and old alike can be seen strolling its avenues and cross streets. Main thoroughfares include bustling Broadway offering commercial and residential edifices, lots of shopping, dining, banking facilities. Additionally, Columbus and Amsterdam are two very popular, well-trafficked Avenues.

Manhattan's UWS is a wonderful place to live or work and provides all the amenities of contemporary urban life within its boundaries. It's a good place to be for singles, married couples, families, seniors and one can sometimes even encounter the ubiquitous hipsters alongside the college crowd in the cafes and avenues stretching from Julliard all the way up to Columbia, Barnard and City College.

One would be hard pressed to find a more eclectic environment anywhere else in New York.

Authentic Spanish or English?

2009-05-08T15:05:00.000-04:00

There is a misplaced, haughty, and erroneous sentiment, probably originating in Europe, that any language spoken by descendants of the original colonizers and their assorted brethren, the latter consisting mainly of descendants of slaves and indigenous people, has got to be inferior to the mother tongue.

Such a characterization is no doubt premised on an arrogance and feeling of superiority based on the concept that the best of anything can be found only in the mother country, that the colonies are now free, so to hell with them and their second class, diluted, crass cultural and linguistic heritage.

If one examines the origin of language one can easily dispense with such ridiculous assertions and dismiss the downgrading as just another residue of the old world system of hegemony, class distinctions, and need to exalt one's own self by attempting to belittle others. Language has never been static. It evolves and undergoes transformations on a daily basis. Slang, colloquialism, vocabulary peculiar to the flora, fauna, vegetation, customs of a specific jurisdiction will obviously all modify and amplify a language that thus becomes customized to the location in which it must be spoken and be adapted. This is no way renders the language as inferior or mediocre. To be sure, it is a reflection of the inevitability of change in society - cultural, linguistic, etc.

Americans took a language spoken by the early English colonizers and perfected it, stripping it of its superfluities, its excess verbiage, its highfalutin aspects, its air of arrogance....and catapulted it into the wonderful language that it is today - cogent, flowing, easy to grasp and use, able to be modified by newer words reflective of a dynamic society not stuck in medieval and archaic times and cultures.

The same can be said of the beautiful Spanish spoken by average educated people in Cuba, the islands, and mainland South America. Yes, the accent is different to the Castilian of Spain, yes, the vocabulary includes slang and words derived from life in those countries vs. life in Spain, but to call it anything other than Spanish is disingenuous, to put it mildly.

Language is dynamic not static and the languages spoken, even originally, in the old countries were never monolithic. There have always been variations and dialects before Columbus set sail. Sometimes the variations were regional within the country. No doubt, class, religion, the old feudal systems, conquest and re-conquests by waves of invaders all helped to morph and adapt the native tongues.

One must nevertheless give credit to the mother countries for setting the tone, the parameters, for attempting to enforce a structure, grammar, and boundaries. However, to assert that the only true spoken language is to be found there and that what's spoken in the former colonies is always inferior is to fail again to recognize that in the latter there is also diversity in the spoken word. There are educated, less educated, well spoken, poorly spoken versions of Spanish, English, and other languages.

Surely, however, one does not need to return to Europe or elsewhere to find authenticity in language.

Moral, Economic, Social Issues Of Gentrification In NYC (And Elsewhere?)

2009-05-08T10:44:00.000-04:00

The issues involved in the salvaging of neighborhoods and rehabilitating them so that they become livable and part of the mainstream of the city are complex and highly emotional. It seems sometimes that one's perspectives are premised on one's moral, religious, social, economic, and philosophical sentiments.

I do not pretend to know the answers to the complexities arising from the process. However, as a longtime NYC resident and average Joe who loves the Big Apple in its entirety - all five boroughs - I am concerned about how best to make every borough, every corner, every neighborhood of NYC a viable, livable place to be.

When neighborhoods decay through drugs, crime, poor and inadequate housing, lack of social services, we all suffer collectively. One can't stick one's head in the sand and say, "It doesn't affect me, I don't live in that part of town anyway." Whatever happens in Bedford Stuyvesant, Crown Heights, South Jamaica, Mott Haven, Harlem affects us all. Decay tends to spread to other parts of town via spillover of criminals, lack of tax revenue, disgruntled citizenry, etc.

So here are some questions to ponder:

1. Do we gentrify neighborhoods by giving a green light to any developer who risks his/her capital and moves in to revitalize the community?

2. How do we deal with the issues of existing residents when the smoke clears, the dust settles, and we now have an abundance of hi-risers, businesses, good quality restaurants, movie theaters, entertainment and social infrastructure? Who picks up the tab? Should we expect older residents to pay more to enjoy the increased level of services and accoutrements? How much more? Market rates? What about if they can't afford market? Subsidies? Or should longtime residents fall victim to the unbridled workings of free enterprise and be required to pick up and leave town? Where do they head out?

3. Does NYC in general have a moral responsibility to have as its residents all segments of society or should it be first come with the big bucks, first served? If market rate should be the new status quo, do we dismantle public housing, Section 8, rent control, rent stabilization? Is it okay for NYC to be the playground of the wealthy from within the state and country and from overseas - many of whom can afford pied-a-terres here - while others struggle to afford a roof over their heads in the place of their birth or where they've spent most of their lives?

4. Does morality or being my brother's keeper belong in the discussion anyway? Shouldn't housing and the right to housing be like with any other product on the market where demand and supply interact to determine price?

These questions are raised because I myself do not know all the answers. I struggle to come to terms with the grim reality of housing in NYC and sometimes there's a conflict between my innate beliefs premised on ethical considerations and the concept of free enterprise and economic betterment. The whole theory behind our economic system is that the workings of the market result in the greatest good for the greatest number of individuals. Somehow, my conscience tells me that the basic needs of people for food, clothing, shelter cannot be left entirely to market forces.

A Perspective On Living In Florida - By A Non-Resident

2009-05-07T14:29:00.000-04:00

Visit any Florida online forum and one can easily find a lot of negativity about the state. To be sure, that's not peculiar to Florida. As a New Yorker, I've heard tons of negative comments even about NYC - ostensibly the place that everyone in the world would die to live in.

I've lived in Manhattan for a lengthy period in my life and it's been good. It helped a lot with the commute to college and grad school and to post-college jobs; I've enjoyed the museums, a few plays, concerts, Central Park, cultural exposure. But guess what, I can't wait to get out and move to Queens - another part of NYC but still with different experiences and lifestyle choices.

So where you live in Florida can make a difference; also at what stage in your life's journey you're at presently can alter your perception. I'll tell you one thing - people would die to live in Florida during the winter months. Here in NYC we have months of bitter winter weather, and in the summer, weeks of unbearable heat and humidity. No place is perfect.

Also remember that beauty is in the eye of the beholder - if one is going through personal unpleasant experiences, one tends to blame one's immediate physical environment and to seek escape from it. Sometimes such escape indeed helps, at other times the baggage goes with one.

Florida is not intrinsically bad - it's a beautiful state but only for those who like tropical weather, beaches, interesting flora and fauna, palm trees, sun all year, no coats, hat, gloves, ear muffs, slush, sleet, and snow - yes indeed some of us just tolerate snow; we'd rather watch it on TV than sit through months of it.

But living in Florida comes at a price too. It's not perfect. There are serious issues pertaining to heat, humidity, hurricanes, bugs, low paying jobs and limited job prospects, homeowners insurance, property taxes, criminals able to exploit year round warm weather to perpetrate their villainy, traffic nightmares,and the list goes on.

So here's the question of the year - which combination of pluses and minuses do you want? Only you can know.

For me personally, my dream is to take Queens and hopefully Florida part year. That combination of Queens and Florida is worth one of Manhattan to me. But to others, they'd take Manhattan only any day.

Who's right? Who's wrong. Only you can determine what's best in life for you. But in my humble opinion, no entire state in the blessed USA is intrinsically awful, as some would portray Florida to be.

A Wandering Dreamer

2009-05-07T10:55:00.000-04:00

A rugged terrain
My lonely feet do trod
Passing by a million faces
That I'll never see again

A load upon my shoulder
This weight upon my soul
Sweat dripping
From my dusty skin
Yet to my destiny
I must proceed
From this
I cannot ever recede

Yonder young couple
Their love blossoms
Beneath the sprawling tree
Oh, it reminds me
That I am free!

Ha! free I say?
It would be better
I am sure
Were I too a captive
Of someone's warm embrace

Alas! This tortured mind of mine
Dreaming and aspiring!
To lofty heights it soars
Oblivious for a while
That I am just
Plain and lonely me

'Tis dark again
I should be glad
My weary back to rest
Yet this recurring gloom
For foolish dreams
Once more
Will haunt me
In my imaginary room

We'll travel
Over hills and peaks
The stars our only witness
Our lips will meet
In that sweet and fond caress
But come dawn
Like yesterday, once more
You'll be gone

Someday soon
I hope and pray
When I turn another bend
This journey will be
At its lonely, long-awaited end.

Queens, NY - A Great Place To Be!

2009-05-05T14:35:00.000-04:00

Assuredly, this is not a bash any other borough post as I absolutely LOVE all five boroughs, all of NYC! But I've got to say that I absolutely feel very, very happy when I'm in Queens. I presently live on the UWS and have lived in Brooklyn in the past.

I love it when I exit a subway or car in Queens and can actually look up and see the sky. I love when I'm sitting in a relative's backyard in the summer enjoying a barbecue. I love the variety of housing - detached houses, condos, co-ops, apartment buildings, townhouses. And I absolutely love the variety of people, age groups, dining options. I love the feel that while I know that I am definitely still in the city, I can experience a suburban ambiance in Queens.

There's so much going for the most ethnically diverse county in the USA. There are two major airports, the venue for the US Open Tennis Tournament, a major league baseball stadium, sprawling parks, golf courses, a wide array of transportation options taking one to an equally wide array of destinations. The LIRR, local and express buses, several subway lines, taxis, and private vehicles provide access to Manhattan, Long Island and the other boroughs.

The borough offers parts that are quite suburban and other areas that are not unlike Manhattan in that one can survive without owning a car. Western and Central Queens in particular generally provide easy access by foot to stores, restaurants, banks, and other commercial establishments.

Does this mean that Queens is the best borough for all New Yorkers? Absolutely NOT! We all have our favorite ones as we are all different individuals. It's all good to go!

For me, Queens is the top choice for residing and Manhattan's the best for work, entertainment, etc.

A New York Minute On Dating/Romance In The Big Apple

2009-05-04T22:03:00.000-04:00

We are a city on the move. We are all androids rapidly moving around seeking the fastest, quickest, most sensually gratifying way to satisfy our appetites even as we strive to squeeze out every last bit from an imagined or real path to achieving the pinnacle of material success in this the most glorified and celebrated of cities. We're constantly on the go, chasing that work deadline, grabbing that quick sandwich and coffee from the street vendor for lunch and dinner, rushing back to our desks, working long hours.

Then there's the frenzied rush home to run errands, pay bills, speed dial a relative to say a quick hello, perhaps fast forward a digitally recorded program on How To Make A Fast Buck in Real Estate With No Money Down...then we ready ourselves for another early rise for another carbon copy day like yesterday and the day before.

We can afford ourselves only so little of a breather socially so we must cut corners and find the easiest and most direct route of going from Point A to B. Sometimes that movement is to satisfy our primal urges and we do not have time to romanticize, to romance, to whisper all the ahs and sweet nothings that would normally sustain long-lasting relationships. It's like slam bang - a movie, to bed, see ya later. And sometimes that later never materializes and we're back at work or at home pouring over our financial documents, seeking ways to make that extra buck before another hair turns gray or another love handle unexpectedly shows up on out tired bodies and fatigued souls.

To be sure, the frenetic pace is but one significant factor that sets the backdrop for slam bang relationships here. The high density nature of life and living, the anonymity - sometimes by choice, other times forced upon us - the fear, suspicion, and mistrust of encountering and interacting deeply with strangers all pull together to sometimes create the setting for quickie, disposable dating.

Oh, NYC is fantastic for its breathtaking pace, its opportunities to educate, be educated, to advance professionally, to enlarge one's coffers.

Too often, however, we find ourselves alone wishing for the world to stop spinning so fast for just one moment so that we can take it all in, step back, meet someone for more than a one-night stand - and build a future that involves more than adding one more widget to the company output or one more dollar to our bank account.

Note: The writer uses first person plural to depict his observation of the dating scene in NYC. The settings described above do not reflect his present personal experiences/life situation but are a writer's vicarious representation of what he perceives as the status quo in NYC in this regard.

Living In Manhattan vs. The Other Boroughs

2009-05-03T20:47:00.000-04:00

There's usually a lot of discussion about the pros and cons of living in Manhattan vs. doing so in Staten Island, Queens, the Bronx, and Brooklyn. For those moving in to NYC and trying to decide, this is for you.

Listed below is my take, as a longtime NYC resident, on the pros and cons of Manhattan vs. the other boroughs:

Pros of Manhattan:

1. Easy commute to work in Manhattan.

2. Absolutely no necessity to own car - save money.

3. Access via subway, bus, foot to hundreds of museums, parks, movie theaters, Broadway, off-Broadway plays.

4. Variety of dining options - upscale, medium scale, low scale, mediocre.

5. For the superficial who are often disappointed that Manhattan is not the TV, tabloid sensation they envisioned, they still get to look down on the bridge and tunnel crowd at office festivities, sipping their cocktails and saying to a co-worker, "Sorry I can't come to your birthday party in Astoria as I don't drive."

Cons of Manhattan:

1. Much more congested, crowded than other boroughs.

2. Much more expensive to rent or buy a home.

3. Housing options not as varied as other boroughs, the latter including co-ops, condos, rental apartment buildings, townhouses, and single-family detached and attached houses with yards, even if small.

4. Harder to own a car. A plus but sometimes a con. A con when you're at that stage in life where you'd like to drive out regularly to visit family, friends, loved ones all over the tristate area; when you have kids that you'd prefer to drop off to school, playdates, doctors, babsitters via car than by struggling with strollers in crowded subways.

5. Dog poop more plentiful on Manhattan sidewalks as that's the only bathroom available and the scoop up after your dog rules are constanly violated by incondsiderate yuppies and bigwigs.

6. In Manhattan, you get to look down on the less fortunate souls "out there." In the other boroughs they laugh all the way to the bank with the extra savings accumulating for later years.

Bottom Line:

Like everything in life, where you live has pluses and minuses. Know them beforehand, evaluate your finances, goals, personal demographics, stage in life. Live within your means. If you can afford Manhattan, more power to you. If you feel that the cons outweigh the pros at this stage in your life, hang your hat where you can reach it. The other boroughs have a vibrancy of their own and their own levels of excitement.

Remember too that you still have access to Manhattan's cultural, recreational, job opportunities - albeit with a liitle longer commute - if you can't live there or won't because you prefer another borough. And not everyone with big bucks prefers Manhattan. Many wealthy individuals also live in the other boroughs.

And being stigmatized with money in your pocket is probably better for many than to be a Village Gal with not a penny in the bank. After all, there are no more penniless artists in the Village to commiserate with. They've packed up and moved on to Brooklyn.

Allowing Cuban-Americans To Travel To Cuba

2009-05-01T16:12:00.000-04:00

The world needed to take some action when Fidel and his gang took over, shouted threats to everyone within earshot and beyond, set up kangaroo courts which made a mockery of due process, curtailed freedoms of citizens, and implemented measures that were destructive of the free flow of ideas and enterprise. Similar measures are often taken today by world bodies like the UN and sometimes by the USA alone against rogue countries and leaders for violation of international norms of behavior.

However with the passage of time, one needs to re-evaluate the strategies in light of the contemporary and historical trail of events, the current geopolitical environment, the success or failure of past strategies, and what serves the best interests today of both Cubans on the island and America as a country.

I am in no way a "let's bash Fidel for all the woes of Cuba" ideologue for I fully recognize that the road to hell is sometimes paved with good intentions. The legacy of Batista and the pre-Castro perspective of Cuba as a playground for the wealthy, gamblers, the Mafia, and assorted unsavory characters who treated Cuba as a place to cavort with native women and engage in illicit activities then return home to their countries are nothing to be proud of.

Castro did try to create universal medical care and educational opportunities for the island's citizens regardless of income level. Noble ideals but as has been proven before and after, communism only gets people there half way and with a tremendous cost to freedom and individual rights.

The status quo in America-Cuba relations is no longer effective, and arguably, is even detrimental to Cubans at home and abroad. Change and a fresher approach should be both welcome and liberating. Allowing unlimited travel back to their homeland for Cuban-Americans is another step in the right direction in reshaping our policies on Cuba.

Reality Check Needed For NYC Housing Market

2009-04-29T09:31:00.001-04:00

It seems that many segments in the NYC residential real estate market need to recover from the heyday of the past five to ten years. Too many brokers, investors, owners, and others still seem incapable of accepting the realities of the circumstances which brought about the economic malaise that we are all experiencing across the spectrum in housing, credit, employment, etc.

Listings in at least four of the five boroughs (Staten Island excepted) indicate that these parties continue to bury their heads in the sand and expect lofty and unrealistic prices for homes - co-ops, condos, houses - that are no longer viable, given people's incomes and borrowing capabilities under revised credit and renewed traditional lending guidelines.

It's time to shove aside the greed, the ignorance, the champagne and caviar mentality of the past and accept the new realities if NYC housing is to follow the rest of the country and have the much needed correction in the housing market so that we can all eventually move back to a state of normalcy. To do otherwise is to live in a fool's paradise, to hurt oneself and potential buyers, and to further delay the inevitable.

We all come out losers under this scenario.

Commencing A Writing Career

2009-04-28T22:46:00.000-04:00

Hello all...and I welcome you to my blog which will be used to write on any topic, A-Z, that covers any aspect of living, life, or occasionally, even death and the hereafter. To be sure, I believe that as a writer one can enjoy the wonderful opportunity to blog, post, write, share thoughts without boundaries - other than those arising from lack of opinion, concern, facts, or research.

Wish me good luck as I embark today on what I hope will become a professional writing career. The posts I make on this blog are a sincere reflection of my heart and my deepest thoughts and emotions. They will be written for the reader's benefit as well as mine. Via these posts, I intend to both express my thoughts and express myself profusely. The hope is that this blog and the myriad posts to follow will be beneficial to you, the reader, and at the same time help me along the arduous road to becoming a truly successful writer.

Best to us both - reader and writer!