Shooting The Breeze

Playoff Beard - The Conclusion

2008-06-05T10:47:00.002-04:00

With last night's victory over the Penguins at Mellon Arena, the Detroit Red Wings are the Stanley Cup Champions. Congratulations to them and to their fans. Thanks for a great series.Thanks also to the Pens themselves, who showed a lot of heart in battling to the final seconds. They deserved the cheers of the home faithful after the horn sounded last night. It's been a great season, and I

Playoff Beard #25 - Penguins vs. Red Wings, Game 6 Stanley Cup Finals

2008-06-04T19:47:00.003-04:00

No matter what happens tonight, the Penguins will take to the Mellon Arena ice for the final time this season.No matter what happens, they have played with heart, with grit, with determination, and with unity.No one can take away what this team has meant to its fans, to its city, and to the players themselves.Game 6--the first Game 6 the Pens have played in this postseason, and the last home game

Game 6 isn't until tomorrow...

2008-06-03T17:09:00.005-04:00

... but I just wanted to make note of the fact that the Pens remain alive in the Stanley Cup Finals after a cardiac-inducing, triple-overtime win on Detroit's home ice.The lessons from all of this?Never relent. Talbot scored with less than a minute remaining, even as the Cup was being polished backstage and someone was icing down the champagne in the Wings locker room.Petr Sykora can channel

Playoff Beard #24 - Penguins @ Red Wings, Game 5 Stanley Cup Finals

2008-06-02T12:04:00.003-04:00

Because you can find elsewhere all manner of recaps, insight, and other related writings about Saturday's Game 4, let me sum up my own feelings about that game thusly:If the team can't score on a 5-on-3--hell, if they can't carry the puck in on a 5-on-3--they can't expect to win. Game 5 is tonight in Detroit. If the Red Wings bring another three periods of stifling defense and puck possession,

Playoff Beard #23 - Penguins vs. Red Wings, Game 4 Stanley Cup Finals

2008-05-31T17:42:00.002-04:00

The Penguins pulled out a 3-2 victory in Game 3, the first of the Finals in front of the home crowd in the Igloo. At first, it lookd like a continuation of the first two contests, with the Pens on their heels, unable to get their offense going.That all changed when Sid Crosby took advantage of a bad clearing pass by the Wings, stole the puck in Detroit's end, and made a beeline with Marian Hossa

Playoff Beard #22 - Penguins vs. Red Wings, Game 3 Stanley Cup Finals

2008-05-28T16:49:00.004-04:00

Well, it's do-or-die time for the Penguins.Game 2 in Detroit went much like Game 1; the Pens were stifled when trying to move the puck, could barely register any shots on goal, didn't convert on power plays, and failed to score a single goal. New to the equation this time around--obvious frustration that manifested itself in scrums and roughing calls. And while I agree that it's less than

Playoff Beard #21 - Penguins @ Red Wings, Game 2 Stanley Cup Finals

2008-05-26T18:48:00.002-04:00

Game 1 saw the Penguins go down to the Red Wings 4-0 in what was initially a scoreless defensive struggle. Once the Wings broke the stalemate in the second period, though--on a wraparound goal that Fleury was very late getting to--the clampdown came. The Pens shot in the single digits in the second and third periods, and had trouble keeping the puck in the offensive zone.In the meantime, Michel

Playoff Beard #20 - Penguins @ Red Wings, Game 1 Stanley Cup Finals

2008-05-24T18:41:00.006-04:00

Having handily dispatched the Flyers with a 6-0 drubbing in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals, the Penguins go to Detroit to face the Western champs, the Red Wings, for the Stanley Cup.And now that it's been whittled down to these final two, there's even less need for me to go into any kind of detailed breakdown of the teams. The analysis is wader-deep out there by now, and I doubt I can

Playoff Beard #19 - Penguins vs. Flyers, Game 5 Eastern Conference Finals

2008-05-18T12:52:00.004-04:00

With a tip of the hat to Sean Leahy over at Going Five Hole, I'd like adopt his idea for a new Penguins slogan as they head into Game 5 today:Why Not Today?Why not...... show you've learned from your mistakes?... demonstrate what Penguins Hockey is all about?... give the fans in the Igloo yet another dazzling home victory?... dispel any notion of saviors coming to rescue the Flyers?Why not take

Like the Rangers before them...

2008-05-15T22:49:00.002-04:00

... it seems the Flyers would rather prolong their inevitable agony. Fine with me.

Playoff Beard #18 - Penguins @ Flyers, Game 4 Eastern Conference Finals

2008-05-15T16:39:00.021-04:00

At this point, this series seems barely worthy of complete sentences, let alone paragraphs. So here are random some thoughts, facts, and observations:Another game, another 4 goals racked up on the FlyersPhilly managed just 8(!) shots through the first two periods, and finished with 17 total(!)Daniel Briere has 1 point (and only a secondary assist, at that) through the 3 games of this seriesSteve

Playoff Beard #17 - Penguins @ Flyers, Game 3 Eastern Conference Finals*

2008-05-13T14:59:00.006-04:00

In Game 2, the Flyers tried their second approach in as many games to dealing with the Penguins. This time around, it was the physical game, which took the place of Game 1's run-and-gun style.The result in Game 2? Exactly like Game 1.The Pens win, 4-2.The bad news for the Flyers--the most recent bad news, anyway--was the loss of yet another top defenseman. Braydon Coburn took a deflected puck

Playoff Beard #16 - Penguins vs. Flyers, Game 2 Eastern Conference Finals

2008-05-11T14:01:00.006-04:00

In Game 1, the Pens did to the Flyers what they did in their first game against the Rangers--i.e., started slow, gave up a couple, then stormed back, scored in quick succession, and shut the opposition down with smothering defense to win (4-2 in this case). Flower came up big again, making key stops when he had to. And the Pens made another good netminder look bad--4 goals on 21 shots.Only

Playoff Beard #15 - Penguins vs. Flyers, Game 1 Eastern Conference Finals

2008-05-09T09:11:00.005-04:00

The Eastern Conference Finals are here, and are being billed as the "Pensylvania Cold War." The Penguins take the ice against the Philadelphia Flyers tonight at Mellon Arena. As I have before, I'll leave the in-depth previews and recaps to the media.I will say, though, that I'm amused to no end to see that the Flyers--with the help of some of the aforementioned media--are already crediting any

Playoff Beard #14 - Penguins vs. Rangers, Game 5 Eastern Conference Semifinals

2008-05-04T12:12:00.003-04:00

Well, as you may have heard, the Pens finally lost one in the playoffs. They dropped game 4 to the Rangers 3-0. Personally, I'm glad they lost so that the pressure to be perfect is off of them. I also like the fact that they can close out this series at home today.Game 5 at the Igloo, 2 pm today.And here's your playoff beard pic du jour:LET'S GO PENS!

What I've Learned Today #4

2008-05-01T14:48:00.002-04:00

Two hours of sleep is not enough. Not even close.

Playoff Beard #13 - Penguins @ Rangers, Game 4 Eastern Conference Semifinals

2008-05-01T10:02:00.008-04:00

The Penguins absorbed everything the Rangers could think to throw at them Tuesday night to win 5-3. Pittsburgh scored early, taking the MSG crowd out of the game about one minute in; the crowd never really rebounded. There was something of a ruckus when the Rangers pulled even at 3, but the Pens quickly scored what would be the game winner on a Malkin power-play goal (his first of two). There

Playoff Beard #12 - Penguins @ Rangers, Game 3 Eastern Conference Semifinals

2008-04-29T09:53:00.005-04:00

The Penguins are in the Big Apple tonight for Game 3, on the Rangers' home ice at Madison Square Garden. And due to the ongoing remodeling project, I may not even see this game tonight. I expect we'll see New York play with a backs-to-the-wall mentality, which probably means more BS out of Sean Avery (he slashed Crosby as #87 headed to the bench Sunday, and also took some whacks at Flower as

Playoff Beard #11 - Penguins vs. Rangers, Game 2 Eastern Conference Semifinals

2008-04-28T09:39:00.003-04:00

Yes, this is a day late. But I have such a good excuse.In the interest of keeping things brief, though, I'll just say that what began as a quick updating of the guest bathroom in our house ended up with only half a toilet and a tub left in the room, and the walls stripped down to the studs.Heck, I didn't even get to see the Pens game until nearly midnight last night (thanks God for DVR). But

Playoff Beard #10 - Penguins vs. Rangers, Game 1 Eastern Conference Semifinals

2008-04-25T10:12:00.002-04:00

So... as you know by now, the Penguins swept the Senators in four. It's been over week now since they've played, waiting for the other first-rounders to sort themselves out. Well, the sorting's done, and the Pens begin Round 2 tonight at home against the Rangers.I won't bother going on about the match-ups and such; there's plenty of that kind of thing available elsewhere (it is the playoffs,

What I've Learned Today #3

2008-04-16T16:48:00.002-04:00

I actually learned this yesterday, and it's merely being reinforced today... but I really miss my wife when she travels. It's so bizarre; I spent years living on my own, yet I have no idea now how I did it. I can't wait until she comes back.

Playoff Beard #9 - Penguins @ Senators, Game 4 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals

2008-04-16T16:30:00.003-04:00

The Penguins took everything the Senators could throw at them in Game 3--including an injured team captain and some guy dressed as an extra from 300--and went on to effectively crush the playoff hopes of the Ottawa crowd and its team with a 4-1 win.A recap, as always, is available via Igloo Dreams.Suffice it to say that the Pens are thinking about breaking out the brooms and sweeping the Sens at

Playoff Beard #8 - Penguins @ Senators, Game 3 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals

2008-04-14T10:36:00.006-04:00

Friday night saw the Penguins go up 3-0 on Ottawa, only to have the Sens come back to tie the score in the third period. With a little over a minute remaining, Pittsburgh's Ryan Malone scored the game winner on the power pla... and then went on ice the cake an empty-netter in the final seconds. Sergei Gonchar opened the Pens' scoring with a blistering shot from the point that Martin Gerber

What I've Learned Today #2

2008-04-13T23:26:00.002-04:00

As this Sunday draws to a close, I've learned that even if my To Do List is of some ungodly length, it's still better to start whacking away at what needs to be done. The list isn't likely to get much shorter no matter how much I do--but it certainly can get longer. And in the words of Jerry's friend Seth: "That's not going to be god for anybody."

Playoff Beard #7 - Senators @ Penguins, Game 2 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals

2008-04-11T14:32:00.002-04:00

Wednesday's result: Pittsburgh 4, Ottawa 0.Player of the Game: Gary RobertsIn only his second game since December, Scary Gary scores the first goal, the last goal, and ends the contest by calling out the entire Senators team.It doesn't get much better than that.I'll skip the recap right now (and maybe from now on), since there are plenty of other journalists and bloggers detailing that stuff.

What I've Learned Today #1

2008-04-11T07:04:00.004-04:00

It's early yet, but so far today I've learned that a dream involving a yacht, two speedboats, a seaplane, Customs & Immigration in the U.S. Virgin Islands, a kid resembling Gram Parsons, a woman dressed in a weird denim suit, and Chuck Berry's "Brown-Eyed Handsome Man" is both visually and sonically compelling... but doesn't make much sense.

Playoff Beard #6 - Senators @ Penguins, Game 1 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals

2008-04-09T10:28:00.009-04:00

So the Pens fell to the Flyers 2-1 Sunday, taking second place in the Eastern Conference standings and the #2 seed in the first round of the playoffs.Tonight begins Round 1 against the #7 seed--and last year's playoff nemesis--Ottawa Senators.Despite Ottawa coach Bryan Murray's rather juvenile assertion that the Pens tanked in Sunday's game to assure they'd face the injury-hobbled Sens in the

Playoff Beard #5 - Pens @ Flyers

2008-04-06T09:12:00.005-04:00

The Penguins can clinch the top seed in the Eastern Conference with a win today over the Flyers at Wachovia Center--and would mean a first-round series against their cross-state rivals.Though the Pens would finish tied with Montreal at 104 points, they would win the East's No. 1 seed and home-ice advantage until at least the Stanley Cup final due to a tiebreaking advantage in victories, 48 to 47.

Playoff Beard #4 - Pens vs. Flyers

2008-04-02T09:24:00.005-04:00

The Pens have two games remaining, both against the Flyers. A win in either of those final two , or a Devils loss in any of their final three games, will win Pittsburgh its first division title since 1997-98.If the Pens and Devils end up tied at the end of regular-season play, the Penguins would win the division and be guaranteed the higher seed due to their 4-3-1 record against the Devils

Playoff Beard #3 - Pens @ Rangers

2008-03-31T09:58:00.004-04:00

With a win tonight over the Rangers at Madison Square Garden, the Penguins can clinch the Atlantic Division title--and guarantee themselves at least the second seed in the Eastern Conference and home-ice through two rounds of the playoffs.And here's today's beard (such as it is) photo:LET'S GO PENS!

Playoff Beard #2 - Pens beat Rangers

2008-03-30T17:59:00.004-04:00

The Penguins defeated the Rangers today at Mellon Area, 3-1. They face New York again tomorrow, this time at Madison Square Garden. The victory gives Pittsburgh home-ice advantage for the first round of the playoffs, a six-point lead in the Atlantic Division, and a one-point lead on the Habs atop the Eastern Conference.The beard's little more than stubble at the moment, but there's a lot of

Playoff Beard #1

2008-03-29T11:24:00.003-04:00

So, without further ado, here is the inaugural Playoff Beard photo--namely, me with a clean-shaven face.I'm also sporting some Pens gear, just for added effect. LET'S GO PENS!

The playoffs are at hand, let the beard begin

2008-03-28T11:08:00.003-04:00

Well... they're almost at hand. While the Penguins have clinched a playoff berth, and tickets for the first-round games have gone on sale at Mellon Arena, there are in fact four regular-season games left--home-and-home series versus the division-rival Rangers and Flyers. Nevertheless, with their playoff entry secure, it is time for me to begin my playoff beard. Beginning tomorrow, I will shave

For the record...

2008-03-19T11:10:00.008-04:00

Since the initial beard photo seemed to garner some attention, here's the official facial-hair progression.2/18: An experiment in winter beard growth.2/21: The experiment concludes due to a deal made with my wife.3/3: Making a comeback.3/17: Taking a more structured approach.3/19: A trimming incident has brought me to this.Of course, all of this goes back to square one once the Pens begin their

New forum where you can find me

2008-03-19T11:06:00.004-04:00

I set up a new blog, Annotation, as a place for my friends and me to hold discussions... without resorting to mass emails or bogging down someone's personal site. Right now, the topics are mainly political, but there are really no parameters.It's still in its infancy, but feel free to check it out.

A preview of things to come?

2008-02-28T16:38:00.005-05:00

This picture is a couple of weeks out of date, but I'm hoping there will be a reason for the beard's return beginning in April.Toward that end... LET'S GO PENS!

New Kid in Town

2008-01-16T14:48:00.000-05:00

Today we welcome our new dog, Trixie. She's a 5-year-old fox terrier we adopted from a local animal shelter.This is the photo of her we saw on the shelter's website:And her she is, snoozing in her new mama's office until she gets to come to her new home.

I went and done it.

2007-05-08T23:13:00.000-04:00

It's official. And here's the photo to prove it.Hopefully, I'll have a nicer shot soon, but this will have to do for now.

"This is how it looks."

2007-04-25T18:52:00.000-04:00

Film critic Roger Ebert has been undergoing treatment for cancer (much of harrowing, by the sound of it), but he isn't letting his condition--or vanity--get in the way of doing what he wants to do.In a column dated April 24, entitled "I ain't a pretty boy no more," Ebert speaks frankly (metaphorically, at least) about what has happened to him and how he's dealing with it: What happened was,

The beard's gone, but the blog lives on

2007-04-23T13:39:00.000-04:00

My playoff beard, though short-lived, got some recent recognition via "The Blog Show," a regional program on Comcast SportsNet in the Washington/Baltimore area:Thanks to Jamie Mottram, editor of The Fan House and host of "The Blog Show," for including little ol' me... and for giving me a heads-up about my brief brush with infamy.

My Playoff Beard - Eastern Conference Quarterfinals

2007-04-20T15:41:00.000-04:00

The Pittsburgh Penguins bowed out of the Stanley Cup playoffs last night with a 3-0 shutout to the Ottawa Senators. With that loss, the Pens' season is over--as is my bid to grow a playoff beard. Buh. Bye.

My Playoff Beard - Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, Game 5

2007-04-19T09:30:00.000-04:00

Well, it's all-the-marbles time for the Pittsburgh Penguins. Down 3-1 in their series with the Ottawa Senators after an exciting Game 4 at Mellon Arena, the Pens face playoff elimination tonight on the road if they fall to the Sens. Missing from Tuesday night's game was their slack play in the second period; indeed, they played a full 60 minutes of hockey for the first time in this series.

Save Internet Radio!

2007-04-18T14:35:00.000-04:00

As you may have gathered from my myriad posts (not to mention all of the banners) about my favorite web radio station, WOXY.com, I am a fan of Internet radio. Which is all the more reason to be alarmed about this (from SaveNetRadio.org):The future of Internet radio is in immediate danger. The Copyright Royalty Board in Washington, DC has more than tripled the royalty rates for webcasters and

The Orange and Maroon Effect

2007-04-18T08:45:00.000-04:00

This comes courtesy of my colleague, Danielle: Virginia Tech family members across the country have united to declare this Friday, April 20th, an "Orange and Maroon Effect" day to honor hose killed in the tragic events on campus Monday, and to show support for Virginia Tech students, faculty, administrators, staff, alumni, and friends. The "Orange and Maroon Effect" was born several years ago

My Playoff Beard - Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, Game 4

2007-04-17T12:18:00.000-04:00

After what can only be described as a poor outing in Sunday's Game 3, which the Penguins lost 4-2 to the Ottawa Senators at Mellon Arena, I don't think I can improve on the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's headline for today's piece on the Pens:Penguins in 'a desperate situation' for Game 4 tonightAware that they can't afford to fall behind 3-1 in series, tonight's game is almost a must-winBefitting the

My Playoff Beard - Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, Game 3

2007-04-15T13:32:00.000-04:00

The Pens and the Sens are now even at a game apiece in the series after Pittsburgh bested Ottawa 4-3 in yesterday's Game 2. Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury seems to have shaken off the jitters he had in Game 1; he looked very good as he proceeded to rack up 34 saves in the contest. In fact, aside from a few slack shifts in the second period, I would say Pittsburgh overall looks good; they upped

My Playoff Beard - Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, Game 2

2007-04-14T13:04:00.000-04:00

Two hours from now, Game 2 of the Pens/Sens series begins. The Penguins looked more than a little flat in the first game, giving up six goals in the decidedly one-sided contest. Nevertheless, the young guns on the Pens' roster have now broken the postseason cherry, so to speak; they have a much better idea of the intensity level they're facing. In addition, they've had a few days to think

Playoff Beards, continued

2007-04-13T10:10:00.000-04:00

Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals between Pittsburgh and Ottawa is tomorrow afternoon, and in this lull between games, I'd like to expand on the current theme of the playoff beard by sharing with you this verse, from the blog Daily Sports Haiku:Shelve your razors, men!Sixteen teams for sixteen winsgo scruffy tonight

My Playoff Beard - Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, Game 1

2007-04-11T10:46:00.000-04:00

For the first time since the 2000-2001 season (i.e., the year Super Mario came out of retirement), the Pittsburgh Penguins are in the Stanley Cup playoffs. In honor of this feat, I am initiating a playoff beard-- meaning that I plan not to shave so long as the Pens remain in the hunt for Lord Stanley's Cup. If all goes well, they will win the Cup in mid-June.So, without further ado, here is the

"Value is value"

2007-03-30T14:30:00.000-04:00

My friend and former colleague, Jim Kukral, has an excellent post today on what it means to be an "expert" at something:Being an expert is all about value, it has NOTHING to do with how long you’ve been smart at something. You either can, or your [sic] can’t provide value that someone else doesn’t have the skills to do. If you can, you’re an expert.This is a great point, and one I think I've

WOXY's got blog!

2007-03-28T14:06:00.000-04:00

The Future of Rock & Roll now has its very own music blog. To check out "The Futurist," simply follow this handy link!

Obama in 08

2007-02-14T13:06:00.000-05:00

My friend Teddy over at Adventures In My Mind has gotten on board with Barack Obama's presidential campaign. Toward that end, he's established a goal of raising $500 for the campaign.So if you're of a political bent and would like to support the Senator from Illinois--and help Teddy achieve his goal--please visit TeddyCarroll.com, or go directly to Teddy's fundraising page. I'm proud to say that

"Some flag-draped coffins are more special than others"

2007-01-04T09:01:00.000-05:00

As my good friend Teddy at Adventures In My Mind points out, it's rather odd that the news media--who are wont to show any of the more than 3,000 flag-draped coffins arrving from Iraq --could not seem to find enough airtime or colmun inches to dedicate to Gerald Ford's funeral.Yes, the man was President and as such is due a certain amount of respect, but the breathless, minute-by-minute coverage

Happy New Year!

2007-01-02T10:31:00.000-05:00

Another holiday, and another trip to Pittsburgh.This time around it was more about experiencing the Burgh as we have other cities (e.g., Chicago, L.A.) by staying downtown and essentially playing "tourist." (Sorry Mom & Dad for not telling you I was in town.) The highlights are as follows:We (i.e., Carla, Rob, and myself) flew in Friday and took a limo from the airport to the Westin, our hotel

Merry Christmas!

2006-12-20T13:52:00.000-05:00

In keeping with a Christmas tradition I have--yet not wanting to take up a couple of hours of your time--I hereby offer, for your holiday viewing pleasure, a 30-second, bunny-centric version of It's A Wonderful Life.Enjoy, and Happy Holidays to all!

A Democracy of Bloggers

2006-12-14T15:55:00.000-05:00

Dave Johnson, in today's Huffington Post, hits the nail on the head when it comes to Beltway insiders bemoaning the bloggers:A quick comment on all the big-name pundits and Washington insiders who criticize "the bloggers" and question their legitimacy: Anyone can start a blog. (pause) Here is what I am saying. When you criticize "the bloggers" and question the legitimacy of what they are saying

Back from the frozen tundra

2006-11-29T16:34:00.000-05:00

Well, that's not 100 percent true. I am back, but it wasn't exactly frozen tundra in Pennsylvania and Ohio during our visit last week. A little frost on the car some mornings, but no snow to speak of. Which was both good and bad--good because we had a lot of driving to do; bad because snow is a rare sight for me these days.Of course, the important part wasn't the weather. We had nice visits

Happy Thanksgiving!

2006-11-20T16:08:00.000-05:00

Well, this is may last day at work until the 28th, as Carla and I ready ourselves to journey to the Great White North (a.k.a. Pennsylvania and Ohio) to spend turkey Day with our folks.So let me take this opportunity to wish everyone a safe and happy Thanksgiving. Blog you soon!

Christmas music

2006-11-15T17:16:00.000-05:00

I'll preface all of this by saying that Christmas music was a big deal in my house when I was a kid--my dad could barely wait until the Thanksgiving turkey was off the table before busting out his classic Christmas LPs. It's from that experience that I have developed my love for, as I term it, "old-school" Christmas tunes.What's funny is that, for their time, most if not all of these folks were

Random thoughts a few days out from the election

2006-11-10T09:13:00.000-05:00

Some things I have thought and wondered, in no particular order:Election Day was gray and ugly here, and in the late afternoon a big band of storms rolled through the area. A small tornado touched down a few miles from my home--I, of course, knew nothing about this until after the fact because I was glued to the election coverage on TV. Wednesday, however, dawned clear, warm, and sunny. I can't

Art club encourages art in every medium

2006-11-09T10:59:00.000-05:00

This is a story I wrote for Propeller, the student web portal at Full Sail. Student Art League members gather for a sand sculpture day out at the beach. "A relaxed, process-oriented environment where you can meet, talk, play, paint, draw, sculpt, and listen to music is the perfect place to hone and develop your

"A voter rebuke for Bush, the war, and the right"

2006-11-08T09:32:00.000-05:00

That's the page-one headline of today's Washington Post:The political pendulum in American politics swung away from the right yesterday, putting an end to the 12-year Republican Revolution on Capitol Hill and delivering a sharp rebuke of President Bush and the Iraq war.

Two great tastes that taste great together?

2006-11-07T15:06:00.000-05:00

"'My faith, shaken from time to time, never failed' — isn't that how people are supposed to talk about their belief in their God and their religious beliefs, not their political leader and their political beliefs? But to many Bush followers (and to the President), those two things are one and the same — they are guided by faith in their conviction that they are Good and Right and destined to

Not that you need to be told, but I'm telling you anyway

2006-11-07T13:51:00.000-05:00

The war isn't selling anymore

2006-11-06T12:02:00.000-05:00

"This assault on the Republicans that's taking place in the national media right now is partially a reflection of national attitudes, but mostly a matter of internal housecleaning. The members of the Bush administration have proven to be incompetent managers of the American system, and so they are being removed. It's that simple. They screwed up a war that all of these people wanted, turned

Pens' Malkin the first to go 6-for-6 in 89 years

2006-11-02T16:18:00.000-05:00

Pittsburgh Penguins rookie sensation Evgeny Malkin last night became the first NHL player since the 1917-18 season to score a goal in each of his first six games. According to the ESPN.com write-up on this, "The 20-year-old Russian joined Joe Malone, Newsy Lalonde and Cy Denneny, who each scored in their first six games during the NHL's inaugural season in 1917-18."Other interesting tidbits from

What not to do

2006-11-02T15:20:00.000-05:00

I thought I'd lighten things up a bit with some humorous commercials made at Full Sail to promote the film program. Below is one example, entitled "Craft Services." The whole series can be viewd by clicking the above link.AdblockThe star of these spots, A.J., is a friend and colleague--and not nearly the klutz he portrays so well.

This President must apologize

2006-11-02T09:49:00.000-05:00

I encourage you to read the entire transcript of this commentary—or better yet, watch the video."So now John Kerry has apologized to the troops; apologized for the Republicans' deliberate distortions.Thus the President will now begin the apologies he owes our troops, right?This President must apologize to the troops — for having suggested, six weeks ago, that the chaos in Iraq, the death and the

...And starring George W. Bush as Captain Joseph Hazelwood

2006-11-02T08:59:00.000-05:00

"I wonder how long it will take America to recover from George Bush's uniquely blinkered and self-righteous brand of ineptitude? In the past five years he's demonstrated to the world that we don't know how to win a modern guerrilla war. He's demonstrated that we don't understand even the basics of waging a propaganda war. He's demonstrated that other countries don't need to pay any attention to

A curious lack of curiosity

2006-11-01T10:56:00.000-05:00

"Congress, which once spent an entire year investigating a married man's attempt to cover up an illicit act of oral sex, has shown no curiosity whatsoever about a war that the administration elected to wage that has killed and maimed hundreds of thousands and led our own people to commit war crimes and squandered hundreds of billions of dollars and degenerated into civil war. The contrast is

On calling it what it is

2006-10-30T12:01:00.000-05:00

"A surreal and ultimately disgusting facet of the Iraq fiasco is the lag between when a fact becomes obvious and when the fiasco's architects acknowledge that fact. Iraq's civil war has been raging for more than a year; so has the Washington debate about whether it is what it is."-- George F. Will, in his Newsweek column, "Togetherness in Baghdad"

Getting it right

2006-10-28T23:36:00.000-04:00

"America needs to stop bragging that it's the greatest country in the world--and start acting like it."-- Bill Maher, on HBO's Real Time with Bill Maher

Dave's not here

2006-10-27T16:19:00.000-04:00

"There's nothing like a personal endorsement from the president to give your campaign a boost, so the Republican candidate running in Iowa's 3rd Congressional District must have been thrilled to share a stage with George W. Bush Thursday. 'No doubt in my mind, with your help, Dave Lamberti will be the next United States congressman,' Bush said at a Lamberti for Congress event in Des Moines. 'Dave

How Harold should hit back

2006-10-27T10:36:00.000-04:00

"Harold Ford should film a response to the GOP’s racist attack ad. He should look into the camera and say this: The Republicans have accused me of being a heterosexual man. They’re implying that I have an interest in women. It would seem that today’s Republican Party is more comfortable with elected officials—male elected officials—who take an interest in teenage boys. Mark Foley is acceptable

Did someone say flip-flop?

2006-10-26T14:55:00.000-04:00

"[T]he White House is cutting and running from 'stay the course.' A phrase meant to connote steely resolve instead has become a symbol for being out of touch and rigid in the face of a war that seems to grow worse by the week, Republican strategists say. Democrats have now turned 'stay the course' into an attack line in campaign commercials, and the Bush team is busy explaining that 'stay the

Worst. Congress. Ever.

2006-10-26T07:39:00.000-04:00

"[T]he 109th Congress is no mild departure from the norm, no slight deviation in an already-underwhelming history. No, this is nothing less than a historic shift in how our democracy is run. The Republicans who control this Congress are revolutionaries, and they have brought their revolutionary vision for the House and Senate quite unpleasantly to fruition. In the past six years they have

America as a "Christian nation"

2006-10-25T16:40:00.000-04:00

"Not since the medieval church baptized, as it were, Aristotle as some sort of early — very early — church father has there been an intellectual hijacking as audacious as the attempt to present America’s principal founders as devout Christians. Such an attempt is now in high gear among people who argue that the founders were kindred spirits with today’s evangelicals, and that they founded a '

Are we safer?

2006-10-24T10:50:00.000-04:00

"Yet last week, construction workers repairing a subway line in New York City were cleaning out an abandoned manhole on the edge of the WTC site, when they stumbled on the horrific and impossible: human remains from 9/11. Bones and fragments, eighty of them. Some as much as a foot long. The victims had been lying literally in the gutter for five years and five weeks. The families and friends

In a soldier's words

2006-10-20T13:10:00.000-04:00

From Truthdig.com:After Pat’s Birthday Posted on Oct 19, 2006By Kevin Tillman Editor’s note: Kevin Tillman joined the Army with his brother Pat in 2002, and they served together in Iraq and Afghanistan. Pat was killed in Afghanistan on April 22, 2004. Kevin, who was discharged in 2005, has written a powerful, must-read document. It is Pat’s birthday on November 6, and elections

On being understood

2006-10-19T16:20:00.000-04:00

"I was misunderstood growing up and have often been misunderstood since, but then so is everyone else. People are busy, and you can't expect them to drop everything and try to understand you. If you want to be understood, practice kindness and mercy. Kindness is seldom mistaken for anything else."-- Garrison Keillor, in his column in Salon.com.

One god further

2006-10-13T10:04:00.000-04:00

"Well, technically, you cannot be any more than an agnostic. But I am as agnostic about God as I am about fairies and the Flying Spaghetti Monster. You cannot actually disprove the existence of God. Therefore, to be a positive atheist is not technically possible. But you can be as atheist about God as you can be atheist about Thor or Apollo. Everybody nowadays is an atheist about Thor and Apollo.

Bear with me

2006-10-12T15:43:00.000-04:00

I've switched over to Blogger.com's new beta version, so please bear with me if the page looks a bit funky the next few times out.

Think it can't happen to you? Think again.

2006-10-11T16:00:00.000-04:00

From the Daily Dish:Torturing an American11 Oct 2006 02:38 pm The U.S. Congress has approved this president's extraordinary powers to detain any one at will, without charges, keep them indefinitely, and torture them if the president wants to. Some have argued that this can only happen to non-citizens. That is untrue. Glenn Greenwald has

WOXY's return grabs media attention

2006-10-10T11:46:00.000-04:00

In their Longworth Hall studio are WOXY.com program director Mike Taylor (left); music director Matt Shiv and general manager Bryan Jay Miller. Online broadcasts resume today at 10:10 a.m.People are evidently paying attention to the fact that WOXY's back. Some highlights thus far:ABC News: Lala Resurrects WOXY, Launches User ChannelsCNET: LaLa.com revives WOXYCincinnati Enquirer: WOXY.com will

UPDATE: Comin' Atcha!

2006-10-10T10:11:00.000-04:00

From WOXY.com's homepage: Tell a friend that WOXY is back!We're back!And it feels fan-freakin-tastic. It was way too quiet around here for too long. To kick things off right, we have a ton of Lounge Act sessions lined up for the next few weeks and beyond. So what's changing? Not a lot right away. All the good stuff you've come to expect is all right here... Mike and Shiv

Countdown to WOXY's return has begun!

2006-10-10T06:52:00.000-04:00

Today is the day of WOXY's triumphant return!From the WOXY.com home page:10:10 AM EDT - 10/10/06 It's been way too damn quiet around here. The Future of Rock and Roll returns at 10:10am EDT on 10/10/2006... - Mike, Shiv and Bryan Jay There's also this , in the "What's New" forum on lala.com: Lala Radio featuring WOXY (Tune in at 10:10AM EDT - 10/10/06)

And the hits just keep on coming...

2006-09-29T17:03:00.000-04:00

From the WOXY.com message boards:From: Bill Nguyen -------------------Update-------------------We've worked through most of the small details and I'm hoping for some additional good news. I spoke with both Doug and Linda (founders of 97x) and hope they'll be a big part of WOXY moving forward. During our

Like a Phoenix rising... from Cincinnati!

2006-09-28T15:22:00.000-04:00

Yes, it's a paraphrase of Frank Costanza, but nevertheless, it's good news. As I sit on my patio, with beer and smoke in hand and type this using my very gracious girlfriend's laptop, listening to my ultimate get-fired-up tune--Public Enemy's "Bring the Noise"--this is the latest from WOXy.com: WOXY.com lives...Could it be true? Does lightning strike the same place twice?

Lazarus comes forth. From Cincinnati.

2006-09-26T15:01:00.000-04:00

As you may have noticed from the ads on this page, I am a fan of WOXY.com, an independent radio station out of Cincinnati, Ohio. I began listening a few years ago at the suggestion of my buddy Jay, and I was soon hooked. I listened everyday at work, and soon introduced to a host of new and interesting music I might not have found anywhere else. I also found a thriving, vibrant online

The Better Half...

2006-09-23T10:15:00.001-04:00

... ia also in the blogging game now. Check her out here.

This Hole In The Ground

2006-09-12T09:30:00.000-04:00

Five years after 9/11, where are we as a nation? Keith Olbermann says it better than I ever could.Half a lifetime ago, I worked in this now-empty space. And for 40 days after the attacks, I worked here again, trying to make sense of what happened, and was yet to happen, as a reporter.All the time, I knew that the very air I breathed contained the remains of thousands of people, including four

I got my name in the paper!

2006-08-23T16:39:00.000-04:00

The Orlando Sentinel was kind enough to publish a letter of mine regarding how the military's asinine Don't Ask/Don't Tell policy is actually making the country less safe.

A Place of Our Own

2006-02-28T10:42:00.000-05:00

Well, it took only a few days, a few reams of paperwork, a little online footwork, and a lot of nerves, but Carla and I managed to buy ourselves a house.In brief, it has three bedrooms, a garage, is in a nice, quiet neighborhood, and is closer to both of our places of work than our current abode--within walking distance of my office, in fact.Perhaps best of all, it has a large, state-of-the-art,