Sometimes you don't know when you are lucky. Certainly I did not consider myself lucky when I left home at 17 and discovered the hard way that there was no great demand for a black teenage dropout with no experience and no skill. ...more

September 24, 2008

WELCOME HOME ROSCOE JENKINS What will be the worst Martin Lawrence movie of the year? The competition is always fierce and it's still early, but we may have a winner in "Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins." A groundbreaking achievement in blandness, the film has nothing other than a few ethnic references to distinguish it from the next lazy family comedy starring Steve Martin. ...more

February 7, 2008

OCALA - Over the past decade or two, the sprawling horse farms that once buffered downtown Ocala from the chaotic bustle of Interstate 75 have given way to progress. Now, out-of-town travelers seeking respite in the natural beauty of the Ocala National Forest or heading to meetings at downtown offices pass by scores of convenience stores, chain restaurants and strip malls. Despite the changes, Ocala has remained a truly Southern town. Like much of the South, Ocala faces continuing questions — from residents and outsiders — about race relations. ...more

January 11, 2008