blog.deanland.com

1460 and Counting

Today marks the beginning of the end. The end of having a Rhodes scholar in the White House. The end of the two-term Clinton-Gore stewardship of the White House.

Actually, maybe yesterday was the beginning of the end, and today is the beginning of the horror. Another Bush at the helm. And Cheney, right behind him.

This'n'That

I received a suggestion regarding some content on the blog. A reader, who requested (and that's putting it mildly) anonymity ("don't use my name, don't link to me, don't put in my e-mail address!"), felt I'd made a faux pas in the layout of yesterday's blogpost.

The bottom of the post, the reader felt, should have been a story or news item in and of itself. So be it. It seemed like a good suggestion, for two reasons.

1.

THIS TIME I KEPT MY SCARF

Just about a year ago this time I had a business meeting in Manhattan. My friend and business associate Oscar asked me to spend some time with him at The Roosevelt Hotel in Midtown Manhattan. He was staying there, and wanted to meet in the lobby bar area.

If that sounds strange to you, please understand that in Manhattan there are countless meetings at sitting areas in hotel lobbies, often in little bars within the confines of the lobby area.

We enjoy certain freedoms. In many places these freedoms are not to be found. Freedom of religion, of political status, freedom to choose where to live, freedom of choice in occupation, schooling, all sorts of things.

Here in the US we proudly claim a separation of church and state. One of those important issues to the Founding Fathers, those guys the politicians love to quote, cite, and do all that can to give the impression that they are connected with them, on some common spiritual, emotional, attitudinal plane.

MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY

When I was in the Radio Business the majority effort, the concentration of most of the work for our clients, was in Black/Urban Radio. Today is a great day for Black radio. Stations across the country are playing Stevie Wonder's "Happy Birthday, Dr. King" tune. Many will air the famous I Have A Dream speech.

With great fondness I recall the pride, the joy, the ambience around the stations on this holiday. It was a special day.

My son Elias started his own weblog! My blog is called DeanLand. What's his called? You guessed it: EliasLand. Check it out: http://EliasLand.weblogs.com

Anyone who knows me knows baseball is close to my heart. And that I am a fervent Yankees fan. Through thick and thin, even those horrid years in the mid and late 1960's, I was there, cheering them on. Recently it has become wonderful, what with all the Championships.

THIS IS A CONTINUATION OF YESTERDAY'S ESSAY
(make sure you've read that before you read this!)

"OFFICIAL RECORDS."
If you own a car, you have title to it, and the registration. If you drive, you have a license to drive. When you have children, there is a Birth Certificate. When people die, there is a Death Certificate. To get married, one gets a license, and then a certificate of marriage.

No unborn child has a "kid on the way" certificate. What exists is a woman carrying a baby-to-be.

AGREE. AGREE TO DISAGREE. AGREE/DISAGREE ON VARIOUS.

We enjoy certain freedoms. In many places these freedoms are not to be found. Freedom of religion, of political status, freedom to choose where to live, freedom of choice in occupation, schooling, all sorts of things.

Here in the US we proudly claim a separation of church and state. One of those important issues to the Founding Fathers, those guys the politicians love to quote, cite, and do all that can to give the impression that they are connected with them, on some common spiritual, emotional, attitudinal plane.

A disclaimer before I begin. In no way shape or form is this intended to become a whining, new age, self-pitying rallying point for divorced Dads. Nor is it meant to represent some angry, militant, hateful point of view.

There is a point. A bottom line, of sorts:

It really sucks to be the non-custodial parent, and to live far away from one's children.

My son's Bar Mitzvah was last weekend, written about herein (see below or hop on over via a click to this link). This is a big deal.

Obviously I haven't gotten this weblog editing thing down yet.

I wrote the hanging chad piece (see directly below)intending for it to be posted with today's date, and the Sunday piece to remain in place. Somehow or another it replaced the Sunday piece, and nothing appeared in this space. Until now, of course, as I edit this page, which was supposed to be that page.

Try to follow this: The Sunday piece is Wednesday's piece. The Friday piece is actually the Sunday and the Friday pieces.

Got it?