The Gauntlet of Employment
Unfortunately, we all know too many people that are unemployed or underemployed. Candidates are searching for employment in their areas of expertise. Companies are hiring. According to what your relatives say and mainstream media, these individuals need to try harder to land a position. Finding employment is different from obtaining positive employment. Let's meander down the potholed road to employment.
Read full storySupport the new South End Grocery store
I visited the new South End Grocery Store located in the South End section of Albany, New York. My friend and I were excited to visit and support an important new endeavor. Interest was high, purchases were made and a positive experience was had by both of us.
Read full storyTaking a breather from watching Billions
I took a break from filling my shopping cart on Amazon with all the great Black Friday deals and decided to check out Amazon Prime. I slogged through the website and stumbled across the show, Billions. It’s a series that originated on Showtime. Seasons 1–4 are available to stream.
Read full storyBuc-ee's is on my travel itinerary
Everyday we use convenience stores to purchase gas, food, air etc. Most are local to your geographic area and traverse the state where you reside. Other convenience stores are national chains with locations in forty-eight or all fifty states. I have local and national stores that I patronize and my new favorite is Buc-ee's!
Read full storyOpinion: a better life awaits you
A better life awaits you. It is right in front of you. Let us look back on what we have been through. We were stuck inside for over two years, but it actually feels like seven in dog years. Some humans felt trapped, unable to move without fear of illness or death. Unable to traverse the earth with air touching the skin on your face; learning to speak with volume and make eye contact that you avoided pre-pandemic. Working from home or in person in peril to keep the slowed economy moving. Warrior men and women who worked around the clock in various professions, to keep others educated and safe. Citizens that went from employed to unemployed for making individual sovereignty a personal choice from the collective. Medical, physical and emotional upheaval for a myriad of individuals, some who unfortunately by mandate died alone.
Read full storyFormer Governor Andrew Cuomo is now a podcaster
Quake Media is a monthly subscription podcasting company that was founded in 2019. It’s an amalgamation of the talk radio and podcasting format; if Sirius XM and YouTube had an offspring.
Read full storyOpinion: solutions for Glenville Bridge truck accidents
Another tractor trailer has hit the Glenridge Road Rail Bridge in Glenville, New York. The top of the trailer sheared off like an old school sardine can and looks like the folds in a paper fan. The trucks involved are semis and box trucks. The steel railroad bridge is 10 feet 11 inches high. There are newly installed yellow caution signs, lights and a side road for tall trucks to use prior to impact. Why does this accident keep happening? Locally, it’s a running joke, with the bridge having its own social media pages. It needs to be resolved because it is costing the owners, haulers, taxpayers, police, fire, EMT, insurance and towing companies to name a few; hundreds of manpower hours and at this point millions of dollars of destroyed property.
Read full storyEvan Blum and the Central Warehouse building
Central Warehouse located in Albany, New York is an immense concrete building that is owned by Mr. Evan Blum. The blight ridden building has recently been in the news because crumbling bits of concrete fell off of the south facing part of the building. This debris triggered a state of emergency by the City of Albany, since the building has inactive railroad tracks adjacent to active passenger rail. Due to this action, westbound Amtrak trains were canceled traveling to Albany until a structural engineering analysis and clean up was completed. The smokestack seen in the photo was removed.https://cbs6albany.com/news/local/central-warehouse-owner-responds-after-albany-declares-state-of-emergency-evan-blum.
Read full storyAlbany Skyway is an elevated park
Well, I wanted to see my tax dollars at work, so a friend and I walked her dog along the Albany Skyway. It's located off of Broadway and Clinton Avenue in Albany, New York. It used to be a road that cars traversed and now it is an elevated park. We went to the Skyway on Sunday in the early evening. There is the New York Excelsior seal at the beginning of the walkway. The former ramp has plenty of new concrete to admire while you walk the gentle grade. Keep to your right, in case of bicycles, scooters and skaters needing to whizz by you.
Read full storyBook review: The Gospel of Afronomics Theology a/k/a G.O.A.T. by Minister Zumbi Y. Shawala
It has been over a year since the book, TheGospel of Afronomics Theology also known as G.O.A.T. has been published by Minister Zumbi Y. Shawala, which is the audacious nom de plume by author Chris Johnson. The book was written for individuals and families toward changing their economic future. The reader will follow the principles in the book to change their financial circumstances. With over twenty-two years of research, Mr. Johnson's work has elements and principles from Malcolm X to Robert Kiyosaki.
Read full storyJoseph Pinion III candidate for United States Senator in New York
Mr. Joseph Pinion III is a convivial, insightful and forward thinking man. He is of Jamaican descent and was born and raised in Yonkers, the third largest city in New York. Pinion was a determined and focused student and athlete at Horace Mann High School. His studious nature and athletic prowess led to his recruitment to Colgate University where he excelled at football. He graduated with a degree in English. Pinion is an entrepreneur. He has founded or been at the helm of various nonprofit organizations throughout his career to assist and empower youth and adults on such topics as climate change and economic empowerment.
Read full storyOpinion: Thank you Gregg Marcel Dixon
Mr. Gregg Marcel Dixon, a resident and teacher in Jasper County, South Carolina decided to launch a political campaign in the sixth Congressional district. He decided to primary an incumbent and challenger. The Democratic sixth district incumbent is Mr. Jim Clyburn. Jim Clyburn has helmed this predominantly black district for over thirty years. Mr. Dixon, nicknamed Marcel and his campaign was vibrant and informative. Marcel's presence on social media platforms, such as Twitter and YouTube was consistent and energetic. His campaign slogan, "Repair Black America to fix America" is curious and meaningful. It challenged the reader to research who Marcel is and what are the focal points of his campaign.
Read full storyCamp Logan on Capital Rep main stage, produced by Black Theatre Troupe of Upstate New York
Camp Logan, a wonderful play by Celeste Bedford Walker starts performances this week on the main stage at TheRep (Capital Repertory Theater). The play is inspired by actual events that occurred in Houston, Texas in 1917. The all black regiment in the United States Army was thrown into turmoil due to racial tension and unrest. Ms. Bedford Walker's play captures the essence of what these soldiers experienced as individuals and as a unit with insightful and humorous dialogue during this timeframe in World War I.
Read full storyOpinion: Memorial day weekend
Memorial day weekend is upon us. It seems that the month of May is the speediest month of the year. The tulips, lilacs and lilies of the valley are in bloom. The hum of lawn mowers whizzing on lawns in the neighborhood and the many trips to your favorite gardening spot for flowers signals that the weekend is here. Spring is nearing its end and summer is sprinting towards us.
Read full storyMeghan Marohn is missing (update)
If you are a Baby Boomer or Generation X individual, you probably remember sitting down with a bowl of your favorite cereal, staring at the milk carton with the face of a missing child staring back at you. A black and white picture with the vital statistics of the missing person. Your parents worried and mentioned to you to remain alert; stay mindful and watch out for your siblings and friends before you left the house. These days, missing persons alerts appear on social media platforms and I reshare the posts. My friend, Meghan Marohn is now a missing person.
Read full storyMedia outlets are owned by these large companies
There are a myriad of opportunities to receive information and the news. If you are driving in your car, you can listen to traditional radio stations, such as NPR or Fox. In a newer car, you can plug in your smartphone and listen to your playlist via bluetooth or listen to built-in amenities channels, such as SiriusXM or Pandora. If you are carrying a laptop or Ipad, you can tune into legacy television channels, such as CBS or NBC, watch paid channels, such as ESPN or Netflix or hone into social media platforms, such as Facebook, TikTok or Twitter. Information is being delivered to you whether you are moving or stationary. But who owns these media companies? Who is piloting and directing the news to you and me? The answers were found at Harvard University via The Future of Media: Truth, Privacy, and Power project hosted by the Institute of Quantitative Social Science (IQSS), also at Harvard.
Read full storyThe month that celebrates poets and poetry is April
Most people say no or look at you with a blank stare or a shrug. A poem speaks overtly or covertly to you with words and their meaning. The sound in each sentence with its ebb and flow can produce shock and awe or loud guffaws. April is National Poetry Month. The acronym for this month is #NaPoWriMo. There is also a global poetry effort called #GloPoWriMo. Both encourage people to write poetry every day in April. Prompts are distributed on many sites to give you a catalyst to create new work.
Read full storyIf you decide to skip watching the 2022 Grammy awards, here are some alternatives
The Grammys are scheduled on Sunday April 3 at 8:00pm on the East Coast. Do you care? Although you may think a slap might be around the corner at this award show; I'm sure security will actually exist and be active. Plus I don't really think that is a good reason to watch the show. If you want to lay eyes and get familiar with some of the musicians that your children listen to, then watch the show with them. All of your questions will annoy them which might make that a fun time for you. Otherwise, listed below are some fun alternatives for you to accomplish with your friends and family members.
Read full storyOpinion: Sanction Will Smith and let him keep the award
Well, I am sure you all have witnessed or reviewed the slap heard around the world at the recent Academy Awards® show. I did not watch it live, I have watched the clips. In case you missed it, Chris Rock delivered an ill conceived joke about Jada Pinkett-Smith. She squirmed, rolled her eyes and looked at her husband. Will Smith left his seat next to his wife in the audience, entered the stage and slapped comedian Chris Rock, left the stage and yelled pejoratives. After this agitated and supreme lack of judgment, Will Smith subsequently won the Best Actor award for the movie, King Richard. Will Smith gave a teary eyed acceptance speech about his performance in the film.
Read full storyOpinion: Spring brings ATV's, dirt bikes, tip line and motorcycles
Happy Spring! Hopefully the edict from the groundhog is over and I can trade my snow shovel for a garden trowel. In addition to daylight savings time and the rockin' robins, cars will be sharing the road with legal motorcycle riders and illegal all terrain vehicles (ATV) and dirtbikes. There are rules of the road and wearing a helmet in New York is the law. Albany, New York has been besieged with illegal operation of ATVs and dirt bikes on the city streets. They are weaving in and out of traffic and increasing the noise pollution with modified engines and mufflers. This is obviously dangerous and upsetting. These droves of illegal riders were taunting one of the local fire departments in the Arbor Hill neighborhood. These riders are mostly under the age of 16 and as an operator of a dirt bike or ATV are not required to have a driver's license.https://dmv.ny.gov/brochure/atvs-information-owners-and-operators There is now a tip line in the City of Albany (518) 462-1818 to report this illegal activity.
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