Just Sayin': The 1950s, those were the days
Once, on a Northport street in 2007, kids were taught how to play stickball on Burr Avenue. Credit: NEWSDAY/ARI MINTZ
At 81, I wrote this poem about the games we played in the 1950s.
Growing up in Brooklyn was a wonderful treat,
With Spaldeens bouncing high in every single street.
We'd scoop them up when they dropped down in the sewer,
After wiping them off, they sparkled and looked newer.
We played stickball, handball, and also “off the wall,”
Always inventing more games with that Spaldeen ball.
Till moms called from windows in their beautiful tones,
"It’s dinner time, boys, it’s time for you to come home."
Johnny on the Pony and Ringolevio,
And folks on stoops with a transistor radio.
The Dodgers were our pride, our much-loved hometown team,
The Series won in ‘55 wasn’t just a dream.
Brooklyn in the '50s, life was simple, not a bore,
Egg creams and malteds at the corner candy store.
No fancy cars or streaming or iPhones way back then,
We always did our homework with a leaky fountain pen.
Brooklyn in the 50s, life was simple, not a worry,
Those days disappeared too fast, gone in such a hurry.
But memories remain, so fond and clear and true,
Of Brooklyn in the '50s, and all the fun we knew.
Martin Blumberg, Melville
Smartphones are dangerous to kids
In 1969, Congress passed a new law prohibiting cigarette advertising on television and radio. A warning label was required on all cigarettes that would say: “Warning: The Surgeon General Has Determined That Cigarette Smoking Is Dangerous to Your Health.” In 2019, the minimum age to purchase tobacco was raised from 18 to 21.
Kids’ smartphone addiction is now rampant in our society and dangerous to the health of children, according to reports.
It can cause severe depression and anxiety. Information overload can lead to increased stress and sleeping disorders. It can also lead to decreased physical activity and increased weight gain.
Smartphones can make kids feel uptight, lost and cause them to feel insecure because of the way they look. This can lead to suicidal thoughts and inner dislike of oneself and others.
These devices also can negatively affect parenting. Parents need to be careful when allowing their kids to have a smartphone.
— Michael A. Franza Sr., Hewlett
Motorcycles allowed to use HOV lanes
Drivers should be reminded that motorcycles, with or without a passenger, are legally allowed to use HOV lanes in all states [“Novel ideas to help Suffolk LIE traffic,” Just Sayin’, March 18].
By federal law, motorcycles are permitted to use HOV lanes because many cannot carry a passenger.
Moreover, it has been determined that it is safer for two-wheel vehicles if they are allowed to maintain movement rather than be stuck in stop-and-go traffic.
As a longtime motorcyclist, I can attest to the additional health benefits of “wind therapy.” It’s a great way to travel.
— Robert G. Lowery, Wading River
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