Jazzbill,
In the great tradition of Godzilla... that clip doesn't pass the "smell test"
Bubbadersh,
Thank you for the explanation. In the area where I grew up in Metro Detroit (Birmingham, for those familiar with the area.) there was a large farm owned by Justin Bradway in the 1800's. In his will, he bequeathed (sp?) the land to his heirs and the city. To the city went the school that he built. It was stipulated that it could only be used as a school or as city offices. Otherwise the building and land reverted back to his heirs. That was my elementary school.
The other stipulation was that Jewish people had to live on the far corner of the farm on streets called Stuyvesant, Ardmoor, etc. Blacks? No way! They could work there, and that was it.
I had friends in school by the name of Katz, Tyner, and Aronoff (sounds like a law firm!
), among others like Fishman and some others that will eventually bubble to the top of my mind after 40+ years.
One of my earliest memories was driving to church at Christmas, through the neighborhood. All of a sudden, there are no more x-mas lights on the houses and I ask why. My older brother says "This is Hanukkah Heights!"
BTW. This was no Warsaw "ghetto"! They had indoor swimming pools, in their homes! I had a plastic wading pool!
The nicest and smartest women I ever worked with has the married name of Slatkin. Her husband is a developer and his relatives are Chevrolet dealers in metro Detroit.
Despite all that forced segregation of my youth, I lived with a black guy from Detroit in college, Norman. A 1/2 year in the dorms, and several years in various off-campus housing. I once asked him that if he was choking, how would I know? Since he couldn't turn red in the face... He said he would start slapping me silly. He never choked. Even after using up all the plates and eating off of pot lids!
Lord love him. Even though he sent me the notice of the chili recall for botulism 20 minutes after I ate 2 coney dogs a couple days ago!
I'll check out your links. Thanks!
James