Somewhere between the 1936 “Reefer Madness” film that demonized marijuana and today’s popular notion that weed is a solution to all our problems, economic, social and otherwise, lies reality. Now that state lawmakers have legalized possession, use and sale of the drug, advocates on both sides of the issue need to work together to ensure […]
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No More High Crimes and Misdemeanors?
While fired cop Derek Chauvin was convicted on charges for murdering George Floyd, several other shootings of unarmed black folks by cops has driven protestors back into the streets, and the systemic problems plaguing our nation’s criminal justice system are once again laid bare. A steady stream of police body cam footage and amateur videos […]
Marijuana is Legal in New York: What Now?
Now that state lawmakers in Albany have legalized recreational marijuana, it’s time to ensure that public safety, public health and quality of life concerns are addressed as part of the rollout process. The stakes are high. If implementation is hurried or goes awry, the dreams of those who pushed for legal weed will go up in smoke and […]
We Need to Weed Out Stoned Drivers
The scent of marijuana has become common on Long Island’s highways and as lawmakers in Albany finalize plans to legalize adult recreational use of the drug, that should concern all of us, especially given our suburban reliance on cars. Suffolk County already leads New York State in fatal automobile crashes, including those involving alcohol and […]
Did We Miss Our Shot At Saving Even More Lives?
The handwritten sticky note said “2:19 p.m.,” but could have passed for “2:14,” so by 2:13 I began calculating how many seconds it would take to get from my socially distanced chair to the check-out desk. Realizing that someone might figure out I was leaving before others in the observation area with earlier appointments, I waited […]
When We Can’t Go Back to Normal, Go Back To Business Basics
In their book Beyond Entrepreneurship 2.0 – updated and re-released in December 2020, Jim Collins and Bill Lazier quote history professor Edward T. O’Donnell, who said “History is the study of surprises,” before opining themselves that “If the first two decades of the 21st century have taught us anything, it’s that uncertainty is chronic; instability is permanent; […]
Is New York State Gambling With Our Lives?
Faced with a $15 billion budget gap, New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo has proposed the legalization of mobile sports gambling in his 2021/22 budget proposals, an idea budget officials estimate could bring in $500 million in annual tax revenues. “The question is really not whether or not we do mobile sports betting,” Cuomo declared […]
Today – January 19th – is Quitter’s Day!
What’s Quitter’s Day? It’s the day, according to the folks who run the fitness app Strava, that people are most likely to ditch their New Year’s resolutions. To pinpoint January 19th as Quitter’s Day, Strava analyzed data from 98.3 million uploaded running, cycling and other exercise activities. Today is the day exercise drops off, gyms […]