Vitals

I am 73(glad to be here), and I am a widower after being happily married to my college sweetheart for forty-five years. Two wonderful adult children and two great brothers, one of which is deceased. Quoting Sly of Family Stone fame, "I'm Everyday people."  I try to live my life as a regular/ordinary guy.  I am an unapologetic news junkie, lifelong student, and crazy book lover.  I am a die-hard New Jersey Guy; I love the Garden State.  My preferred dress is blue jeans, a golf shirt, and sneakers.   My personal philosophy: Try to learn something new every day, do some good, do no harm, and don’t take any crap off anybody.

Occupation

I am, first and foremost, a Criminologist.  My passion is the study of crime, criminals, and the people who chase criminals.  I am obsessed with crime prevention strategies.  I have owned a successful security and emergency management consulting firm for 35 years. I held several leadership roles in public law enforcement and private industry, taught baccalaureate-level criminal justice courses, and conducted professional development courses nationally for over 30 years.

Favorite Books

Photography BookS

James Baldwin, anything by him

The Color of Water--James McBride

Heavens Grocery Store-James McBride

The Warmth of Other Suns- Isabel Wilkerson 

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings -Toni Morrison

Favorite TV Shows/Movies

TV: The West Wing, The Wire, Law & Order, Mash, Dr. Pol (Animal Vet)

Movies: Animal House, Wall Street, To Kill a Mockingbird, Training Day, etc.

Art & Musical Tastes

Jazz, Motown, Classical, and Opera. My favorite Artists are Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Nancy Wilson, Sarah Vaughn, and Marvin Gaye.

Favorite Places to Eat

I’m a Jersey Guy and love diners, good pizzerias, hot dog trucks, and hot dog stands.

Favorite Foods & Drinks

I love hot dogs with chili, onions, and submarines (“Subs not Hoagies”), and I can’t leave Atlantic City without stopping at White House Subs. I love Pizza from New Jersey or New York City. I am a connoisseur of crab cakes and love a good bagel with cream cheese.  An apple pie over cake any day of the week. Taylor ham, egg, and cheese on a hard roll (It’s a Jersey thing).

I am a coffee snob who drinks only black coffee and no sugar. My adult beverage is an Absolute Vodka Martini, which is very dry, straight up, stirred, not shaken, and has three olives. Never a dirty martini.

I consider myself to be a damn good cook.

Accomplishments

Yesterday’s news, who cares?

Sports Teams

 L A Lakers, NY Giants & Jets, NY Yankees, Penn State Football.

Favorite Quotes

“This is the true joy in life, being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one. Being a force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and grievances, complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy. I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community and as long as I live, it is my privilege to do for it what I can. I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work, the more I live. I rejoice in life for its own sake. Life is no brief candle to me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got to  hold of for the moment and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations.”

― George Bernard Shaw

"If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well."  Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King.

“I firmly believe that any man's finest hour, the greatest fulfillment of all that he holds dear, is that moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle - victorious.”

Vince Lombardi

“If you want to make more interesting pictures, become a more interesting person.”— Jay Maisel

 “I saw that the camera could be a weapon against poverty, racism, and all sorts of social wrongs. At that point, I knew I had to have a camera.”Gordon Parks

“I love America more than any other country in the world, and, exactly for this reason, I insist on the right to criticize her perpetually.”  James Baldwin

“Talent is insignificant. I know a lot of talented ruins. Beyond talent lie all the usual words: discipline, love, luck, but, most of all, endurance.” James Baldwin

That’s All Folks!