Bela and the Rats Ages ago, in 1966, I abandoned my first marriage And moved downtown to a rat-infested loft In lower Manhattan, on Broome Street. Rent was cheap. The ruthless developer Robert Moses Wanted to ram an expressway through the heart Of the historic cast iron district later known as SoHo. Living in… [Read More]
Boring in black: the me too movement and the Golden Globes
I wrote this opinion piece soon after the Golden Globes and sent it to the Albany Times Union, but since they haven’t published it, I decided to share it here. Reading it now, nearly a month later, I stand by what I said then. Awards shows are one of my guilty pleasures, and the Golden… [Read More]
Everybody look what’s going down – Stills song still rings true
Last night I ushered for Stephen Stills and Judy Collins at The Egg, and I’m planning to blog about it, along with some ruminations about aging rockers and those who have left us recently. But just now I happened upon this post from six years ago, and I decided to republish it today. Last night “For… [Read More]
Walmart’s Big Bottle Blowup
Bright and early on Black Friday, I was outside the Walmart in East Greenbush soaking up sunshine, but I wasn’t there to shop. No, I was at a rally in support of Thomas Smith, who lost his job for turning in empty soda bottles for refunds. The Times Union’s Paul Grondahl broke the story on… [Read More]
Nursing home placement – another form of elder abuse?
Elder abuse takes many forms. Nursing home placement may be a humane solution, but to many elders it feels like involuntary confinement. I was moved by Jean Henry Mead’s comment on my last post, about the 98-year-old woman who jumped to her death from a nursing home window. My own father experienced a similar sense… [Read More]
World Elder Abuse Day – a cause near to my heart
Reading Dear Abby this morning, I learned that today, June 15, is World Elder Abuse Day. It’s a subject close to my heart. As President of my own licensed home care services agency, ElderSource, Inc., I witnessed the extreme pressures that can lead to potentially abusive situations, even among loving families who are doing their… [Read More]