Commentary Voter suppression then, voter suppression now; will we ever learn? In a recent Around the Block, I suggested that every once in a while I’d take a look back at archived columns that might still have some relevance today. As I said, “I’ve been writing Around the Block on and off since 2012. A lot hasContinue reading “Around the Block looks back: Florida’s 2012 voter registration law”
Category Archives: Nostalgia
The late Jewish comic, Jacob Rodney Cohen’s (aka Rodney Dangerfield*) most famous catchphrase, “I don’t get no respect,” is, for South Florida, truer than ever.
(*What, you thought his name was really ‘Dangerfield?) Commentary Rise up, South Florida’s Jewish community – a traveling exhibition celebrating Jewish delicatessens is landing in Houston and Chicago…but not here! Many years ago, when I first started writing Around the Block, I introduced my stories with a line I shamelessly lifted from Chris Hayes ofContinue reading “The late Jewish comic, Jacob Rodney Cohen’s (aka Rodney Dangerfield*) most famous catchphrase, “I don’t get no respect,” is, for South Florida, truer than ever.”
Around the Block is back! Did you know it was gone?
Commentary As the SF 49ers play their last regular season game/first pre-post-season game, are they back too? Around the Block has been pretty quiet the last few weeks. Perhaps it’s because of the holidays. More likely it’s due to self-inflicted trauma after realizing, and writing about the fact “we’re not in danger of losing ourContinue reading “Around the Block is back! Did you know it was gone?”
‘The Many Saints of Newark’ airs tomorrow
Commentary For ‘Sopranos’ fans, this prequel is “must see TV” even if the reviews are mixed I’m not sure about you, but as I write this on September 30, I have only one thing on my mind. No, not my usual blathering about Ron DeSantis or Marco Rubio. Or immigration. Or our dysfunctional political system.Continue reading “‘The Many Saints of Newark’ airs tomorrow”
Deadlines, newspapers and the way it was
One of the advantages of self-publishing is that there are no deadlines and no editors. Having said that, among the many (too many, perhaps) writing projects I work on is a column for my community’s monthly magazine, The Breezes, for which I have both an editor and a deadline. I thought I’d share my latest.
The revelations of a road trip
Commentary How a drive in Florida reminded me of what I learned and didn’t learn in school. Around the Block has been quiet for a while. It’s not because I haven’t had any things I’ve wanted to say; there’s plenty to say: Trump is back; “Trumpism” never went away; Pence is still acting the toady;Continue reading “The revelations of a road trip”
“Everything Old is New Again”
Commentary But there’s “good” old and “bad” old – which will it be in 2021? (A version of this story will appear in the March 2021 issue of the Valencia Palms monthly magazine, “The Breezes.”) As many readers know, I’m also a regular contributor to my community’s monthly magazine, The Breezes. Each month, contributing writersContinue reading ““Everything Old is New Again””
“Raid the Mailboxes” and other street games we played
It’s probably hard to believe that a Trump presser in the Oval Office in which he railed about absentee ballots and voter fraud would remind me of growing up in Brooklyn. But it did…with a little “Around the Block – News with a Twist” imagination thrown in.
Can Coney Island Survive This?
Lauren Vespoli’s NY Times article, “Can Coney Island Survive This?” reminds me of my own relationship with Coney Island; a relationship I first wrote about in 2012.
Why? Because Coney Island, is the magical place where my grandparents lived for many years and I lived the first year of my life.
Lauren Vespoli’s NY Times article, “Can Coney Island Survive This?” reminds me of my own relationship with Coney Island; a relationship I first wrote about in 2012.
Why? Because Coney Island is the magical place where my grandparents lived for many years and where I lived for the first year of my life. Frequent visits to my grandparents gave me the opportunity to get to know the mid–‘50’s Coney Island.
J.C. Penney declared bankruptcy today – Why I care
J.C. Penney’s bankruptcy declaration had a special meaning for me. Not because I was a loyal customer but because of the special relationship my family, and specifically my father, had with the company.
This sad day for Penney shoppers, moved me to share a bit of that history.
Around the Block 