“Your rights in Philadelphia as it pertains to anti-discrimination in your employment are solid”

Posted on by Lenny Cohen

Really? There’s something about catching up on a newspaper or magazine when you’ve fallen behind in your reading. This past weekend, I read both last week’s and this week’s editions of PGN, Philadelphia Gay News. (Yes, it’s the same paper I freelanced for in the beginning of this year.) http://www.epgn.com/news/local/15312-city-raises-more-color-more-pride-flag-to-kick-off-outfest In the Oct. 18-24 edition, … Continue reading “Your rights in Philadelphia as it pertains to anti-discrimination in your employment are solid”

Martin Luther King Day, a victim of the (official) Women’s March

Posted on by Lenny Cohen

First off, yes, I may be a day late, but this is definitely not a dollar short! I wanted to make sure this post was as perfect as I could make it, like I do with all others. Of course, it’s just a coincidence that Martin Luther King Day, which commemorates the birthday of the … Continue reading Martin Luther King Day, a victim of the (official) Women’s March

Odds, ends and new beginnings

Posted on by Lenny Cohen

It’s always good to be remembered, and hopefully being your last new year’s message of the year will keep some of my thoughts on your minds. (I’d be embarrassed to post something like this more than a week late, even by a few minutes!) Let me start with the most important: that I became an … Continue reading Odds, ends and new beginnings

Banned from Facebook pages twice in 2 days!

Posted on by Lenny Cohen

Sometimes, interesting things happen when you read friends’ Facebook pages. I’m not talking about going to look on purpose, which I’ve done before. I’m just referring to seeing something on your news feed and clicking on it. That got me, as the title clearly says, banned from Facebook pages twice in 2 days! The one … Continue reading Banned from Facebook pages twice in 2 days!

Exposing hate, close to home (as if acceptable anywhere)

Posted on by Lenny Cohen

My interest started when I was looking at my Facebook feed over the weekend and saw this post from a former coworker. Obviously, we’re Facebook friends. Otherwise, his post wouldn't have come up. He’s a former Marine. We’d always worked well together and even though he is the most right-wing person I know, he’d never … Continue reading Exposing hate, close to home (as if acceptable anywhere)

Level-headed moderation needed now in The Birthplace of America

Posted on by Lenny Cohen

Philadelphia is a great place to live. It has so much, so close-by: history, museums, sports. It’s walkable, livable, has green space. No, it didn’t get Amazon’s HQ2 and yes, it’s often overshadowed by New York and Washington. Too bad it has people in charge who don’t care about serving the public. This goes along … Continue reading Level-headed moderation needed now in The Birthplace of America

Difficult week, from anger to sadness, as election approaches

Posted on by Lenny Cohen

I don’t remember a seven-day period like the time since last Saturday. That’s when I woke up, turned on the TV, and saw what was happening in Pittsburgh. I got very angry and couldn’t stand to hear anything about it after two hours. It took until Wednesday for the anger to turn to sadness. I … Continue reading Difficult week, from anger to sadness, as election approaches

Thinking about teacher’s child porn trouble and my old school’s website

Posted on by Lenny Cohen

Today, I found out some news about someone who went to school with me, pretty much since kindergarten. In fact, I think he lived two blocks away. I probably haven’t seen him since junior high, which is what we called middle school in those days. He was very smart and probably could’ve done anything. Eventually, … Continue reading Thinking about teacher’s child porn trouble and my old school’s website

Political pondering, 3 weeks before Election Day

Posted on by Lenny Cohen

The “game” of politics is no fun anymore. Discussing anything having to do with it used to be educating and entertaining, and sometimes enlightening, among friends and on social media. Not anymore. These days, it’s all for the kill. Saturday, NBC Nightly News showed skirmishes in New York and Portland, Oregon. As correspondent Matt Bradley … Continue reading Political pondering, 3 weeks before Election Day

Stupid, stupid, stupid!

Posted on by Lenny Cohen

Sometimes I see or hear something so stupid, I lose control and have to call it out right away. That’s especially true when it comes from somebody who makes herself seem like some sort of expert on a topic. Unfortunately, this is one of those times. I woke up to a lot of emails, as … Continue reading Stupid, stupid, stupid!

Clarence Thomas, Brett Kavanaugh, justice and becoming a Justice

Posted on by Lenny Cohen

President Trump's Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh will be giving the Senate Judiciary Committee calendars from 1982 to back up his continued denial of sexually assaulting Christine Blasey Ford. That’s according to The New York Times, late Sunday afternoon. The year 1982 was 36 years ago. Do you have your calendar from back then? Heck, … Continue reading Clarence Thomas, Brett Kavanaugh, justice and becoming a Justice

Eric Trump and his shekels

Posted on by Lenny Cohen

I try not to go more than a week without posting something. Unfortunately, it has been 11 days dues to holidays that won’t be letting up anytime soon, and also my IT support specialist classes. (Last night, I finished Course 2, Week 1, out of 5 courses.) I just don’t like blogs that give a … Continue reading Eric Trump and his shekels

Cher’s surprise: Stopping by The Cher Show while it gets ready for Broadway

Posted on by Todd Sussman

Hi! This is Lenny with the first of what I’m hoping will be regular guest columns. Just use the contact form to let me know if you write up something you’d like to share here. I’ll be happy to post it if the work is all yours and may appeal to the audience. Then, you’ll … Continue reading Cher’s surprise: Stopping by The Cher Show while it gets ready for Broadway

Big merger, big problem, big surprise!

Posted on by Lenny Cohen

This was starting to get a little hard to keep track of, and I wrote most of this last night. Good thing I waited to publish, because I had to really rewrite today! It’s looking like the big media merger I’ve been writing about so frequently may not happen! Even better, it looks like one … Continue reading Big merger, big problem, big surprise!

More moderation in politics, not so in casting calls

Posted on by Lenny Cohen

I’ve had a lot on my mind lately. There’s too much going on, between job stuff, the news and that last blog post I wrote. It was about being attacked on Facebook by someone who was angry I don't think Barack Obama is my favorite president and made nasty knee-jerk comments when I simply asked … Continue reading More moderation in politics, not so in casting calls

Follow-Up Friday, plus David Hogg defeats Publix

Posted on by Lenny Cohen

First, I want to thank you for all your reading. This is my 99th blog and so far there have been more than 14,100 page views. Dozens of you are reading and clicking more than once, even when I don't post anything, and the numbers have really been going up. Reading above what's above would good … Continue reading Follow-Up Friday, plus David Hogg defeats Publix

The Big Bang Theory’s wedding episode succeeded where Publix failed

Posted on by Lenny Cohen

Most of us strive for perfection. Some of us do it too hard, and it can affect our well-being. On the other hand, there are people who just don’t know any better, or worse, don’t care. I don’t watch TV nearly as much as I used to, especially newer shows, shows not on network TV, … Continue reading The Big Bang Theory’s wedding episode succeeded where Publix failed

Paying for news, one candidate’s free airtime and asking for your comments

Posted on by Lenny Cohen

I hope you’ve had a terrific Tuesday! I have a few thoughts (just a few) I figured I’d get out today. This morning, Axios reported several news websites “launched new paywalls within the past year.” Sorry! (But not this one.) It named Bloomberg, Vanity Fair, Wired, Business Insider and The Atlantic, and added, “Legacy institutions like The New York Times, The Wall … Continue reading Paying for news, one candidate’s free airtime and asking for your comments

Media mega-merger may be moving closer, impacting Miami

Posted on by Lenny Cohen

I've avoided writing much about Sinclair Broadcast Group trying to buy Tribune Media because I’ve been busy and I don't want to jinx any possibility the merger will fall through. But there has been some news, and the biggest for a local TV market could be Miami/Fort Lauderdale (of course!). You’ll remember, one of the … Continue reading Media mega-merger may be moving closer, impacting Miami

In defense of Emma González, not that she needs it but deserves it

Posted on by Lenny Cohen

I have a lot more on Marjory Stoneman Douglas hero Emma González, not a hero for surviving but for her activism after. She has probably suffered more than her surviving schoolmates after February’s shooting massacre. In late March, USA Today reported Iowa Republican Rep. Steve King drew criticism when someone from his campaign team mocked González’s ‘look’ … Continue reading In defense of Emma González, not that she needs it but deserves it

Who says everything I write is negative (but correct)?

Posted on by Lenny Cohen

This is my 90th blog post and like most journalists, I identify mistakes all over and somehow -- often through publicity -- try to get them fixed. But not on this milestone. There's too much good to write about. I also want to point out the page CohenConnect Headlines Sitemap has a list of all the blog … Continue reading Who says everything I write is negative (but correct)?

Comey comes alive with tough talk against Trump

Posted on by Lenny Cohen

I didn’t know much about James Comey until about two years ago. Since then, I thought pretty highly of the guy and that really hasn’t changed. Arguably, Comey was the big political story of the week – so far. Today, his new book A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies, and Leadership was officially released and Sunday, … Continue reading Comey comes alive with tough talk against Trump

My urge: Follow your conscience, despite the cost

Posted on by Lenny Cohen

Listen to this. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJbGCZuB0rM&feature=youtu.be Ever heard anything so absurd? It’s not “Follow the Leader” because there is no leader. There are local TV news anchors. I don’t think one of them wants to be on the air reciting the crap their corporate bosses ordered them to do. Not even their managers on the job site. … Continue reading My urge: Follow your conscience, despite the cost

Who Trump hates more, Facebook or Amazon? Oh, and Stormy Daniels’ motion to make him speak!

Posted on by Lenny Cohen

OK. Let’s get this right. Lawmakers and many Americans are angry about Facebook and how it handled 50 million users’ people’s data, but President Trump really hates Amazon. First, it’s owned by Jeff Bezos, who also owns The Washington Post, which Trump also hates. Second, sources told Axios Trump has talked about changing Amazon’s tax … Continue reading Who Trump hates more, Facebook or Amazon? Oh, and Stormy Daniels’ motion to make him speak!

Be nicer to Mike Jerrick, and other thoughts on what’s making news

Posted on by Lenny Cohen

People who know me can never, ever say I’m not loyal to people I like and respect. You’ll see that in a moment, along with an example of the opposite. (Is your mouth watering yet?) Yesterday, one of Philadelphia’s daily newspapers published an article called “Is the morning news format that fuels Mike Jerrick's 'weird … Continue reading Be nicer to Mike Jerrick, and other thoughts on what’s making news

Fox News: Really ‘Real News. Real Honest Opinion’?

Posted on by Lenny Cohen

They haven’t been “Fair and Balanced” in a while but stating Monday, Fox News will be marketing itself as “Real News. Real Honest Opinion.” Yesterday, Ad Age magazine made the announcement. It’ll start with Fox’s own properties and then perhaps go elsewhere. The change follows the huge “revelation of sexual harassment allegations” that got Fox … Continue reading Fox News: Really ‘Real News. Real Honest Opinion’?

Parkland now, but North Miami Beach proud!

Posted on by Lenny Cohen

Did I just write that headline? There's lots on my mind (too often, and that's between me and my medical professional, and I'll get to the rest another time), but I'm going to limit myself to what just happened in southern and northern Florida over the past few days, since last week's massacre at Marjory Stoneman … Continue reading Parkland now, but North Miami Beach proud!

Don’t post your content on Facebook if you don’t want readers getting it for free!

Posted on by Lenny Cohen

Time for the obvious, yet again.   News organizations post their news on Facebook and other social media sites. Those articles, videos, slideshows, etc. also get picked up on search sites like Google, Yahoo and Bing (Microsoft). If they use the correct SEOs (Search Engine Optimization words) and have a little luck (or pay a … Continue reading Don’t post your content on Facebook if you don’t want readers getting it for free!

Sad stereotypes too strong to silence (for now)

Posted on by Lenny Cohen

Last night, I did something I rarely do: open a Facebook post to the public, rather than just friends. Today, I'm blogging about the online battle that followed, something I hadn't planned to do. The story was about one of the hosts of a show on the DIY Network -- part of Scripps Networks Interactive … Continue reading Sad stereotypes too strong to silence (for now)

The rights of TV station owners vs. the public

Posted on by Lenny Cohen

By now, I'm sure you realize I'm a fan of the underdog. Fly, Philadelphia Eagles, fly! I also strongly believe in holding people in high positions accountable for their acts, even off the clock. Can’t deny that after the recent string of sexual harassment allegations and confessions from some of the smartest and most talented people in … Continue reading The rights of TV station owners vs. the public

More details on Israel after the gay paper

Posted on by Lenny Cohen

I got up extremely early this morning to take Pedro to work, since he didn’t get the holiday off. Soon after getting home, I noticed my Facebook friend Mark Segal -- founder, owner and publisher of the renowned Philadelphia Gay News -- had posted his column from last week. I'm two weeks behind in reading. … Continue reading More details on Israel after the gay paper

Follow-up, fewer watching TV news, future president?

Posted on by Lenny Cohen

First, I have to thank everybody who looked at Monday's blog post. The analytics were incredible, the best ever (and that's all that counts, right? :)). If you haven't seen it yet, it gives a brief overview of the place I worked for 15 months until August. Feel free to comment below it, or on my Twitter … Continue reading Follow-up, fewer watching TV news, future president?

Hey, you accused! Would Mom say, wait until your father gets home?

Posted on by Lenny Cohen

Today, it was Matt Lauer. Some of you want the newest, shocking details. The Miami Herald called the accusations against him “crude misconduct.” Less known, it was a two-fer. Well-known Minnesota Public Radio host Garrison Keillor won’t be showing up for work anymore. Last week, Charlie Rose went down, fired for alleged sexual harassment over … Continue reading Hey, you accused! Would Mom say, wait until your father gets home?

What is conscience? Elusive in the media, unfortunately

Posted on by Lenny Cohen

It seems every day in the news, I read about another powerful man resigning, taking time off from a high-profile job, or under police investigation for inappropriate sexual conduct. The stories just keep coming, or the allegations against the men simply increase. CNN offered a list of recent cases more than a week ago, on … Continue reading What is conscience? Elusive in the media, unfortunately

Lots of updates in a few short months

Posted on by Lenny Cohen

This is my 22nd blog. I hope you’ve enjoyed them as much as I’ve enjoyed writing them. I didn’t think I could come up with so much material. I was thinking last week’s edition would’ve been a review, an update, because I had 20 previous under my belt and so much has changed since I … Continue reading Lots of updates in a few short months

Who cares what Bruce Jenner is doing?

Posted on by Lenny Cohen

I'm so glad I haven't had to cover this story. Apparently, Bruce Jenner has been looking more and more like a woman, with longer hair, manicured nails, and makeup. The tabloids and some people (not me) have been talking about it for months. But yesterday, it was reported the former Olympic star is transitioning into … Continue reading Who cares what Bruce Jenner is doing?