Primpin' Ain't Easy

DirecPain

2011-08-09T16:12:00.003-04:00

I'm not at all embarrassed to say I've been a customer-service kiss-ass for years. In person or on the phone, I make sure to learn the person's name, say please and thank you, and just try to project an overall pleasant and positive demeanor. Most of the time. Two weeks ago it was Best Buy, and today I'm aiming my rifle at DirecTV. I understand a company's desire to maximize profits by keeping

This Just Happened

2011-08-05T18:15:00.002-04:00

I've never claimed to be the smartest man on the planet, nor would others make such a claim on my behalf.But I do feel like I've got a good handle on reason and logic, and I try to make sure I'm aware of people, places and things around me at all times.And if someone else's complete lack of awareness has a direct impact on my well-being, then I try to have a conversation and I'm usually not

My Letter To Best Buy

2011-07-29T16:59:00.001-04:00

Hi, thanks for replying to me via Twitter. I'm @wisejohnp and today I lobbed a whiny note about Best Buy's poor customer service.I just moved to South Florida from New York, where my friends and I were in practically unanimous agreement that despite Best Buy's many and convenient locations, great selection of products and frequent sales, the customer service has long been its Achilles heel.Anyway

NYC To West Palm Beach: Day 6

2011-06-09T15:41:00.010-04:00

After five years of living in New York City, I've taken a job in West Palm Beach, Fla. For the next week or so, this space will serve as a diary of my convoluted trip down south, which will include stops in Cleveland, Cincinnati, Louisville and maybe Atlanta and/or Savannah.So the above note says I was planning to hit Atlanta. Well, a friend there kind of flaked on me, so instead of heading due

Beer Tour

2011-06-09T15:04:00.004-04:00

I posted a silly note on Facebook on Wednesday night that I've had a beer in 91 different cities. Because my movers are three days late and I can't get much else done, I spent a little time reviewing my original report. I'm not sure how I came up with 91, but it's actually 83. Here's the complete list:AlbanyAtlantaBaliBaton RougeBirminghamBostonBronxBrooklynCape CodCharleston,

NYC To West Palm Beach: Day 5

2011-06-08T16:11:00.003-04:00

After five years of living in New York City, I've taken a job in West Palm Beach, Fla. For the next week or so, this space will serve as a diary of my convoluted trip down south, which will include stops in Cleveland, Cincinnati, Louisville and maybe Atlanta and/or Savannah.When I'm not on an official or formal schedule, I tend to be on John Wise time. Clocks often become irrelevant.If I say I

NYC To West Palm Beach: Day 4

2011-06-08T15:29:00.011-04:00

After five years of living in New York City, I've taken a job in West Palm Beach, Fla. For the next week or so, this space will serve as a diary of my convoluted trip down south, which will include stops in Cleveland, Cincinnati, Louisville and maybe Atlanta and/or Savannah.Saturday's wake-up came at about 9 a.m. and I was out of Jason's by 10:30 or so. I had one errand before getting on the

NYC To West Palm Beach: Day 3

2011-06-06T22:25:00.005-04:00

After five years of living in New York City, I've taken a job in West Palm Beach, Fla. For the next week or so, this space will serve as a diary of my convoluted trip down south, which will include stops in Cleveland, Cincinnati, Louisville and maybe Atlanta and/or Savannah.Friday was a pretty hectic day. Despite not falling asleep until 3 a.m. or so, I got up at about 7 a.m. What awaited was

NYC To West Palm Beach: Day 2

2011-06-06T22:21:00.002-04:00

After five years of living in New York City, I've taken a job in West Palm Beach, Fla. For the next week few days, this space will serve as a diary of my convoluted trip down south, which will include stops in Cleveland, Cincinnati, Louisville and maybe Atlanta and/or Savannah.Thursday, June 2, was perfect. I slept in until after 10 a.m. in the world's most comfortable bed, the guest room at my

NYC To West Palm Beach: Day 1

2011-06-02T13:09:00.004-04:00

After five years of living in New York City, I've taken a job in West Palm Beach, Fla. For the next week or so, this space will serve as a diary of my convoluted trip down south, which will include stops in Cleveland, Cincinnati, Louisville and maybe Atlanta and/or Savannah.After going to bed past 2 a.m. on Wednesday, all my alarms rang at 6 a.m. and I knew I had only three hours until the movers

Who Said Airports Can't Be Fun?

2011-05-09T19:28:00.004-04:00

I think I'm a pretty nice guy and I try to keep my grudge-holding to a minimum. But almost all cases where I find myself amid even the mildest of confrontations are results of someone else's actions precipitating my reactions. I'm rarely the instigator.But I'm certainly far from perfect, and friends who've been on the receiving end of my self-righteousness would not contest this fact.Still it was

This Just Happened And I Am Pissed

2010-09-29T02:04:00.004-04:00

An unusually quiet evening on my block in the Fort Greene section of Brooklyn turned upside down when I heard the terrifying screams of the girl who lives one floor above me shortly after midnight. I hate to say it, but the first seemed like nothing more than one of those neighborhood sounds that blend in with the kids and cats and car alarms on a nightly basis. The tenants who were in for the

Take That, Banksy

2010-05-18T14:08:00.006-04:00

My boy Dave turned me onto well-known British graffiti artist Banksy this year. After I saw a book of some of Banksy's work at Dave's house, I bought it for my niece and another friend a short time later.Then last month there was some excitement about a scheduled Banksy visit to New York to help promote the opening of his new movie, "Exit Through The Gift Shop." But since he's an anonymous street

The L Word

2010-05-12T19:35:00.002-04:00

I came across my birth certificate today and ended a years-long mystery in my family.It turns out there is only one "L" in my middle name. On the rare occasion that I had to fill out a really important form that required the spelling -- not just the initial -- of the middle name, I used to either order a reprint of said birth certificate or call home to mom.It's funny, for some odd reason, mom

This Just Happened

2010-05-10T22:01:00.002-04:00

Not that my Fort Greene neighborhood that I've called home for 13 months is Brooklyn's answer to Gross Pointe, but I figured if I was going to encounter any unsavories on my journey home Monday night, it would have been closer to Bedford-Stuyvesant.Because the MTA is the most disorganized government-run agency in America, I never know if I should hop on an A train (typically express) after the

New Reality Show Idea: The Most Annoying Couple In America

2010-03-25T13:45:00.004-04:00

In case anyone is wondering who the most annoying couple in America is, he and she were seated in 11B and 11C on USAirways flight 657 from Philadelphia to San Francisco Wednesday morning. Shuffling a brand new deck of cards for two hours and discussing at length every single clue in the crossword puzzle for the next hour were just warmups. But then, in the fourth hour of the flight, as the woman

It's A Connected World

2010-02-12T01:17:00.002-05:00

I dislike most cliches. Life is short. No it's not. Time flies. No it doesn't. It's a small world.Are you kidding me? The world is huge.But the world is very connected, and I'm sure that's what folks mean when they say it's a small world. But then why not just say what you mean? Say, "It's A Connected World."To what do you owe my return to this forgotten URL, you may be asking? What event has

30 Thousand Helpers

2009-08-19T17:58:00.005-04:00

As you know, I launched a new Web site last month -- http://onegreatseason.com -- and you also might know, I'm going to drive around the country for the entire college football season. I leave in less than two weeks, and once I'm on the road, I'll update the site daily with words, still pictures and short video clips.The only obstacle remaining is funding, and if you want to help me out, I'm

I Got Fired

2009-08-12T18:11:00.002-04:00

What a terrible time it is these days to get laid off from your job, what with the sour economy and all.And getting fired isn’t much better.But that's what happened to me five weeks ago, and you can read all about it right here.

Metuchen Monster? Part II

2009-08-10T14:49:00.002-04:00

Being asked to house-sit came at a good time. I figured I'd go hang out in the suburbs for a few days and get some work done on http://onegreatseason.com in the comfort of a centrally air-conditioned home. Instead, I'm lamenting the absence of any ability to take care of an abandoned baby animal. Here's a mid-afternoon update on this fiasco:

Metuchen Monster?

2009-08-10T10:46:00.004-04:00

My old boss and good friend @jtmyfox asked me to watch his dogs for the week while his family is away on vacation. I arrived at about 9:30 a.m. today, and before the clock struck 10, his dogs and I stumbled upon a tiny little helpless newborn animal that was clinging to life and screeching for help.I got some warm water and poured it all over the mysterious creature, whose eyes aren't even open

Location Change: Friday Happy Hour

2009-07-30T11:54:00.004-04:00

BREAKING NEWS: Due to inclement weather in the forecast, Friday's happy hour has been moved from The Frying Pan to B Bar. Same time, same crowd, just different joint. Hope to see you at 5 pm Friday, July 31, at B Bar.

New Site Is Up

2009-07-20T13:32:00.004-04:00

My new college football Web site is up. Check it out here:http://onegreatseason.comAnd don't forget to follow on Twitter at: twitter.com/onegreatseason.If you're on Facebook, please SEARCH "One Great Season" and become a fan of the group today. There's no distinct URL for it just yet, but I'm working to set one up.Thanks for your support. Feel free to check the site out as often as possible,

Louisville Party This Saturday

2009-06-22T15:51:00.002-04:00

Just wanted to drop a line and invite my Kentucky and Ohio friends to what is going to be a large party on Saturday, June 27, in Louisville.I'm one of about 40 or 50 artists who will be displaying just a couple of pieces at "Dreams: A Journey Within," an event being put on by a new group of artists with big plans for future events like this one around the midwest.I was very flattered when Will

Mike Check

2009-06-12T12:09:00.002-04:00

You've probably read about my stepdad Mike on here a time or two. He's in a lot of pain. I saw him last weekend when I went home and this bully called cancer is really making things tough for him.Mike muscled through the radiation last year, but the post-treatment medicine brought with it some unpleasant side effects. The bone in his lower jaw, in fact, began dying months ago, and doctors had

Home

2009-06-08T14:05:00.008-04:00

Home is usually a great time, but this weekend was especially memorable.Last summer, I missed my 20-year-high school reunion, which I would have loved to have attended. But what went down in the great city of Cleveland on Friday could not have been topped.About 500 of us jammed into La Vera Party Center to raise some money for our old bud Brian Ganim. Our boy has been recovering from a stroke

Dreams

2009-05-21T11:20:00.006-04:00

It's been a long minute since I posted here. Sorry to both of you.But once again, I need your feedback. Please click here to see what I'm talking about.You can send me a direct email from the link that's on the page I'm linking to above. Or you can leave your comments right here. Either way, just let me know your thoughts. Thanks so much.

Is Past Truly Prologue?

2009-03-20T18:49:00.003-04:00

I've been saying for years how great it would be to get rid of all the clutter and take on more of a minimalist existence.I don't mean I'd get rid of everything; I'd certainly keep my clothes, my media and gadgetry and kitchen necessities.But I'd get rid of more than just paperwork. Do I really need to hold onto a small statue or a wall hanging so I can tell curious visitors I got it in Singapore

Mike Update

2009-03-04T10:57:00.003-05:00

I haven't really talked about Mike on here in a little while, so let's get caught up.You might remember, he learned about a year ago that he had squamous cell carcinoma. The initial reports were a little cloudy; I couldn't tell if it was skin cancer or throat cancer. Unfortunately for Mike, it was skin cancer near his throat.He's been fighting a good fight, not necessarily taking names but still

dinakaplan

2009-03-03T12:29:00.002-05:00

If I wanted to be happy, I'd try to live like dinakaplan. But then I'd be the biggest name-dropper of all time. Girl only seems to Tweet when she's getting on another international flight.

Busty Whores

2009-03-03T11:23:00.001-05:00

It's pretty funny how some women on Facebook use some sexy shot of themselves for their profile picture when their day job requires them to be a journalist. Please make up your minds; you can be a busty whore or a journalist, but probably not both. That is all.

This Just Happened

2009-02-26T12:26:00.000-05:00

A general newsroom phone was ringing, so I picked up with a general greeting: "Hello, (my TV station)."Caller: "Is this MSNBC?"Me: "No."Caller: "OK, I want you to get a message to Keith Olbermann."Me: "Did you not hear me when I said 'No'?"Caller: "Tell him to make a special comment about Rush Limbaugh on his show tonight. Limbaugh needs to quit saying nasty things about Obama."Me: "Did you want

38-Year-Old Roommate

2009-02-24T12:58:00.001-05:00

I put a little hint out there on Saturday, and got some snarky feedback. Now I'd like all of you to weigh in here, but first let me drop a disclaimer or two:I'm fully aware that being 38 and moving in with roommates isn't the coolest move of all-time. But things are done a little differently here in New York. Certainly if you're among my Ohio or Kentucky friends, the idea sounds absurd. Even some

Good Reading

2009-02-19T07:53:00.000-05:00

From brokedickdog.

Ouch

2009-02-09T16:33:00.003-05:00

Facebook is the great uniter, of course, but that doesn't mean getting in touch with old friends is always delightful.A former crush from college days -- yes, many years ago -- tracked me down and as we played the fun game of "How did we meet?" she dropped this nugget on me:"Another fun memory I have of you my friend (since you do enjoy memory lane) was...I think I was on a CWEST treasure hunt/

Facebook 25

2009-02-06T17:08:00.004-05:00

Everyone else is doing it, so I took the plunge. Except this list is a little bit different:My 25 ... Annoying Things About Facebook:Unfunny people.Virtual snowballs.Flair.Spam.Define me requests.Cause invitations. I'm not at all charitable.Christmas ornament requests. Fuck the holidays.Green patches.Your birthday.Anything to do with Star Wars.Or mob wars.Bumper stickers.Unfunny people.Hottie

Happy Birthday, Dad!

2009-02-04T22:35:00.001-05:00

Pops would have turned 78 today. Happy Birthday, Dad!

Two Days In A Row

2009-01-29T14:46:00.002-05:00

" target="=new">From brokedickdog:

First Post In A While

2009-01-28T12:47:00.004-05:00

Sorry it's been so long since I last updated. New job is fairly demanding and long days are the norm. I hope both of you can understand.But just wanted to ask if you think this grizzly bear took a picture of his own foot.

My Year In Review, Part II

2008-12-29T23:03:00.006-05:00

(In case you missed Part I)Are you like me? Do you let email pile up? Be it your work or personal inbox, do you do a poor job of filing, saving and deleting? I do. And with about six weeks left in my job at FOX, I found myself staring at an inbox that had 7,800 emails in it. I had to do something.And what did I do?I thought of you. Yeah, that's right. I thought of you.I went through all of those

My Year In Review, Part I

2008-12-28T15:16:00.008-05:00

Tiresome are the lists re-capping the best sports stories of the year or the most bizarre photos. Every single news site has every single list imaginable, but one thing I don't necessarily see too often is bloggers posting their own personal year-enders. I suppose that's mostly because no one cares. But I've been away for too long, as the new job is a great challenge and leaves me exhausted at

Content vs. Competition

2008-12-09T14:59:00.005-05:00

I'll never claim to be a pioneer in online news, but I have been at it for nearly a decade and I've been progressive enough that I'd like to think I'm near the leading edge.The thing that frequently turns me off about the news business in general is this long-holding take that we're not allowed to openly acknowledge the competition. If only our viewers could see us!It's always been the norm in a

Felton Spencer

2008-12-07T20:36:00.003-05:00

I've told this story a couple times lately, so here it is in blog format for both of you.Felton Spencer was a star (read: tall) basketball player at Louisville back in the day, and played in the NBA for more than a decade.Shortly before I left Louisville before New York, I saw him at a bar. I hadn't quite been overserved at this point, but I definitely was juiced enough to feel courageous to say

eVite Gets An F

2008-12-04T21:46:00.002-05:00

Sorry to those of you who got a bunch of eVite reminders today. It's definitely a problem on their end.I sent a reminder on Monday and was planning on sending another one on Friday. I don't know what I'll do.Anyway, for those not in the know -- my mail lists are in disarray -- we're gathering at 9:30 p.m. Saturday at Swift Hibernian Lounge.

LIVE TWEET: My Last Day At Work

2008-11-28T07:55:00.003-05:00

Today is my last day at work.I have a million emails to pare down in that crowded inbox. I have a desk to clean out. Perhaps say a few goodbyes.And oh yeah, I have some work to do. Follow along below: Tweeting Follow Me On Twitter

Two Announcements

2008-11-25T13:58:00.002-05:00

I have two things for you today:1) Some of you know I'm changing jobs next week. So please use jpwise3@hotmail.com for email until further notice.B) You can buy some winter/holiday greeting cards on johnpwise.com today. Everybody wins.

Sorry

2008-11-22T09:34:00.000-05:00

Google Maps

2008-11-21T07:08:00.000-05:00

I've used Google Maps many times, typically for the same, easy purpose. But Wednesday, the tool was useful in a very new but important way.I had an appointment to meet an HR gal at my new employer at 3 p.m. with some formal paperwork filled out and signed, etc.I took the forms to work Wednesday morning, hoping to complete them on my lunch break, which, as usual, didn't really materialize. So I

Shooting With Meg

2008-11-18T22:18:00.011-05:00

Meg is a beautiful southern gal who just got into modeling this year here in New York. After we met, I told her I'd love to shoot her for practice, and I reminded her countless times before we actually shot that I'm a complete rookie with portraits and indoor/studio lighting. But she needed some free pictures anyway, so we're kind of doing each other a favor. What you see below is from our first

Career News

2008-11-18T09:01:00.001-05:00

I recently accepted a new job and have turned my notice into FOX.I will be a platform manager for the New York NBC affiliate's newly re-launched Web site, nbcnewyork.com. WNBC is the nation's oldest and among the most well-known stations in the country.I'll basically be managing the site, but could be asked to jump in in other areas, which explains the broader title.My last day on the FOX

Man Of Troy

2008-11-15T12:39:00.003-05:00

Old dude Troy came all the way into the city for a few beers, Ohio State football and my sausage chowder. That's soup, btw.Anyway, Troy offered up some fairly profound insight on today's OSU game at Illinois."I'm looking at two matchups in particular," he said. "Ohio State's offense against Illinois' defense, and Illinois' offense against Ohio State's defense. If either one of those teams can

P-O-R-N

2008-11-14T07:06:00.001-05:00

After watching my New York Jets wrap up an exciting overtime defeat of New England late last night, I flipped the channels around for a minute before I saw that HBO had on some special called "Thinking XXX."There were less than five minutes left, and the close of the show included short soundbites from some of the more well-known actors in the genre. They were in various levels of undress as they

Favre From True

2008-11-14T06:55:00.003-05:00

I'm a big fan of tradition. My sports heroes are guys who stay loyal to one team, work hard and stay out of trouble off the field.The retirement/Packers/trade fiasco notwithstanding, Brett Favre remained near the top of my short list of guys who I think get the wins the right way.But I have a hard time believing him when he's said, after a win a few weeks ago, and again last night, that those

Workplace Men's Room Soft-Core Vandalism

2008-11-13T06:24:00.000-05:00

Big news at work recently. We got a new paper-towel dispenser in the second-floor men's room.I came into work this morning and noticed it was broken, the front casing hanging toward the floor, exposing the intricate inner workings of an electronic paper-towel dispenser. And on the stretch of paper towel hanging from the machine was this message scribbled with a black Sharpie: "What a piece of

Charges Dropped

2008-11-12T06:05:00.003-05:00

Monday I received in the mail a letter from the St. Paul City Attorney, a single-spaced correspondence that extended all the way to the very bottom of the page.Despite lots of tedious legalese, I'm pretty sure the point was that the unlawful assembly charge from my arrest there in September during the Republican National Convention has been formally dropped.My attorney told me more than a month

The Amazing Interview

2008-11-07T09:39:00.003-05:00

Glad election season is over. Time to get back to some harder-hitting journalism.The Amazing Kreskin was in the neighborhood Thursday.

Calling Vince King

2008-11-05T19:48:00.002-05:00

I'll never forget a guy named Vince King. We were buds as kids in the late 1970s when I lived in a nice suburb of Cleveland called Beachwood. It was the only time in my life, prior to New York, where I lived somewhere where the folks weren't all Christian whitebreads like me.Beachwood is largely Jewish and black. Lots of money there. Vince was black. I imagine he still is.Anyway, my family moved

Election Day (Or, The Most Boring Post Ever)

2008-11-04T09:49:00.003-05:00

As a local editor, election day always was tedious. But my first presidential election working a national desk has me pretty excited.I feel like I'm searching out better content in this case today. When I worked in Louisville and Cincinnati, I had to monitor automated feeds and it was overall a more technical experience. Such a tool certainly made things more convenient when it worked, but there

Who Could Do Your Job Better?

2008-11-02T16:57:00.005-05:00

In light of Joe The Plumber's recent rush to fame, MyFox editors took to the streets asking average joes two easy questions: What do you do for a living? And who could do your job better: McCain or Obama?This is what we found. And be sure to watch some of the video clips at the bottom of the story.

Memory Lane

2008-10-29T15:01:00.004-04:00

I often get nostalgic this time of year, what with the holidays around the corner, and the Ohio high school football playoffs set to begin this weekend.It seems not long ago that Dad was taking me to see Hiawatha Francisco lead nationally feared Cincinnati Moeller when the Crusaders came up to Cleveland to take on annual power St. Edward, led by the elusive Chris Mobley.Pops pulled a string or

All Growns Up

2008-10-28T07:40:00.003-04:00

I figure if I've been in New York for almost 30 months, it makes sense to act like I actually live here.So after jumping through many hoops, I now have a New York driver's license, and I finally just got my voter registration card last week.Also, on the techno-modern front, I now have my first iPod and am wireless in my apartment, so I can use my laptop in even the most far-reaching corners of my

Fey, Palin and Mom

2008-10-23T21:47:00.000-04:00

Tina Fey and her like-minded creative lefties, in their humorous efforts to rail on the right, I think are now overdoing it to the point that Sarah Palin has become a somewhat sympathetic figure.Fey no doubt does a great Palin impersonation, but that it's repeated as often as it is might be what's behind a recent -- albeit slight -- increase in the VP candidate's popularity. I did read about one

Review: Comedy Night

2008-10-17T22:32:00.000-04:00

My charming friend Meggie was kind enough to accept my invitation to see two of my friends perform stand-up at Gotham Comedy Club Thursday night.I've seen buds Dave Balutanski and Brian Sloan perform there once before, and was looking forward to this occasion because Dave's email blast promised familar jokes and even some new shit.Dave has a great bit where he's verbally accosted by some Chelsea

Survey Says

2008-10-15T10:08:00.001-04:00

A new study out Wednesday shows that CEOs prefer John McCain over Barack Obama by a rate of 4 to 1. Is that a horn that the right should want to toot these days?

Current Nike Ad

2008-10-14T07:35:00.002-04:00

I first saw this commercial a couple weeks ago, but saw it many times over the weekend as I sat on my firm ass and watched large quantities of football in my luxury apartment. Go Browns!Nike has long been a leading creative force in the advertising world, and while I'm not an industry expert, I do follow it more than the average moron. Portland, Oregon-based Wieden+Kennedy used to do Nike's ads

Weekend Recap: Cincinnati/Louisville Visit

2008-10-10T07:37:00.005-04:00

Sorry I've been MIA. I know both of you were hoping to read about my trip last week. It was my fourth trip in six weeks, so I was finally a little wiped out and I've been sick a few days now. But I'm feeling better now, thank you very much, so here are some details:Thursday, Oct. 2 -- Landed in Dayton and once again my midsize car-rental reservation was "upgraded" to a Jeep Liberty. I felt like a

Cincinnati/Louisville Visit

2008-10-01T13:22:00.010-04:00

Here's some late notice, but I'm going to be in Cincinnati and Louisville this weekend. I'd love to see as many of you as possible. Here's where I'll be:+ Thursday, Oct. 2: I'll be speaking about my RNC arrest, covering a political convention, my Karl Rove run-ins and new media. This all goes down at 6 pm at the UC Center for Community Engagement, 2639 Stratford Avenue. (Click Here for more

Memorial: Paul Newman

2008-10-01T09:37:00.004-04:00

Maybe a couple days tardy, but here's a great piece on the late Paul Newman by Maureen Dowd.

Terrell Owens/Celebrity Plane Crash

2008-09-29T19:49:00.004-04:00

Just a week after Terrell Owens earned heavy praise for a team-first performance at Green Bay, he's resorted to being, well, himself.He threw some blocks, sprinted downfield to throw a key block during a teammate's long touchdown run and also hustled across the field to make the tackle on an interception return. That was in a key road win on primetime television at fellow NFC power Green Bay.

Catching Up: College Football

2008-09-28T17:10:00.003-04:00

I started to write this post on Friday, but ended up getting pretty busy and couldn't finish it. My point, however, that USC will still play in the national championship game was only enforced further with what happened in college football over the weekend.It's funny that so many writers and experts spent Friday saying USC just played its way out of a national title shot.How quickly we've

Clay Aiken Shocker

2008-09-25T08:25:00.002-04:00

Clay Aiken announced this week that he's gay.In other news, 2+2=4.

Dickish And Douchey

2008-09-24T07:58:00.007-04:00

I meant to put this up last week . . . I used to watch "The Daily Show" religiously, back when Steve Carrell, Stephen Colbert, Ed Helms and Rob Corddry were cutting their teeth. That was seriously one of the most talented casts in television history, comparable to some of those 1970s and 1980s SNL lineups.Anyway, here's a funny story on Helms in last week's New York Magazine.

Busy Day

2008-09-22T23:32:00.004-04:00

What a busy day, yet I don't feel like I've done anything. Here's the recap:+ Learned the reasoning behind some journalists being arrested and others not arrested at the RNC: St. Paul Assistant Police Chief said, "There was a gap in communication." Nice. Thanks for the update, @schmadigan.+ Finalized a $440 order to have eight matted enlargements framed. This dude at a frame shop cut me an

LA Trip, September 2008

2008-09-21T18:29:00.002-04:00

I found a new free slideshow tool, so just wanted to show a few pictures of my LA trip last week. We've got the Santa Monica bubbles, Kim Kardashian, my sister Missy, Malibu and the Walt Disney Concert Hall. Enjoy: View Photo Slideshow Make a Free Flash Slideshow

Everyone Loves Bubbles

2008-09-18T23:47:00.002-04:00

In Santa Monica last weekend, I met a man who is a part-time bubbler. Yup.

Last Call: Summer Photography Sale

2008-09-15T23:20:00.004-04:00

This is your final chance to contribute to the Summer Photography Sale. Click here for details on this oustanding offer that ends Friday.

Kim And Me

2008-09-15T17:07:00.007-04:00

I'm not a celeb-stalker; but I played one in Los Angeles on Sunday.I won't say I'm above stargazing, but I don't seek it out. Big sis Missy came down from San Francisco to hang for the day yesterday, and after some beach time in Malibu, we made a trade. She wanted to do some celeb-watching in exchange for driving me downtown so I could shoot the Walt Disney Concert Hall.We hadn't even parked the

Green and Clean

2008-09-13T12:02:00.001-04:00

I like hotels that do their part to protect the environment. Here at The Custom, there's a note in the bathroom asking me to hang my towel on a specific hook to indicate I don't need new towels. I did so, after I took a 20-minute shower.

Review: My LA Trip

2008-09-13T11:59:00.002-04:00

I arrived at LAX Thursday night and immediately the visit got off to a bad start.Here's a little background:Two weeks ago in Denver I realized that my Kentucky driver's license was going to expire on Aug. 30. I wasn't able to get to the License Bureau to get a New York license until just a few days ago. And when I got there I was told I'd need either a birth certificate or a passport.I don't

The Night I Got Arrested

2008-09-08T13:08:00.002-04:00

Many of you might have spent Thursday night watching John McCain formally accept his nomination for GOP presidential candidate at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minn.As it was happening, I was sitting on a bridge, waiting to be handcuffed, arrested, transported and fingerprinted, then booked on a charge of unlawful assembly.>> Read More (Video included)

Arrest Update

2008-09-05T13:16:00.008-04:00

I don't think I seek out attention too terribly, but I have no problem admitting that I enjoy it when it comes my way.What's happened in the last 12 hours, however, is nothing that I would ever hope for.Many of you know now that I was arrested Thursday night while shooting a protest in St. Paul, site of this week's Republican National Convention. I know that because as I sat at the airport

I Got Arrested

2008-09-05T02:56:00.001-04:00

Read all about it.

RNC Update

2008-09-03T13:44:00.001-04:00

Hello from St. Paul. So far the highlight has been being in the thick of Monday's protests that led to violence, shattered storefront windows, pepper spray and arrests.I have a bunch of still shots and some video of that day and much more. I also added three updates to my blog today, including another Karl Rove entry. Here you go:+ RNC section+ My Convention blog

DNC Review

2008-08-30T09:31:00.003-04:00

Here's a slideshow recap of my week in Denver:Click here to see my photos.And of course, my politics blog has some final reflections.I got back to New York late Friday afternoon, but my bag didn't make it. It was just delivered as I was updating this blog here Saturday morning, so time to do some laundry and pack the bag back up. I'm off to the RNC in St. Paul tomorrow morning.

My Karl Rove (Non-)Story

2008-08-26T14:50:00.002-04:00

A man with thin, gray hair and glasses was making a joke to no one in particular about the men's room two-way mirror as I was walking in, and I replied with something fairly sarcastic.Then, when I got in front of the sink, I asked myself, "Did I just make Karl Rove laugh?">> Read More

Convention Coverage

2008-08-25T11:47:00.005-04:00

Here's a recap of what's going on with me in Denver:+ The MyFox Convention section. This is where all of our network's coverage is, including videos and images I'm shooting. The video is located in the VIDEO RODEO | RAW AND READY section (mine are the 30-second protests), and the CONVENTION PHOTO GALLERY is two sections below it.+ Our CoverItLive blog. Anyone can live blog, but that technology

Ear Candy

2008-08-19T10:58:00.002-04:00

Old bud Troy and I don't talk all that often, but we got in touch via email yesterday. I didn't know that he and Jeff met in Pittsburgh to take in a ballgame over the weekend. I thought it was Pirates-Mets, but Troy corrected me about the visiting team, then offered another interesting tidbit about the short trip:"Actually Reds vs. Pirates. It was actually quite a bit of fun. Pittsburgh is a

Valet Jobs Open Doors For All-Girl Staffs

2008-08-15T14:02:00.003-04:00

Exploitation, objectification or innovation?That's the obvious question when debating the merits of all-female valet parking staffs.That is, if such a debate were to take place. >> Read More

Celebrity Plane Crash

2008-08-15T07:27:00.004-04:00

I'm sorry to do this, but can we please add Jennifer Aniston to the Celebrity Plane Crash? I know she seems sweet and funny and likable, but I'm so tired of hearing about her failed relationships.Who would you add?

Leave Spitz Alone

2008-08-14T10:12:00.002-04:00

Some newspeople are quick to forget that the reason they have other people's quotations to critique is because their colleagues go ask those people questions. Most of the time, the reaction that's being dissected is exactly that -- a reaction to tiresome questions by pesky media types. Mark Spitz was not seeking out the microphones; they came to him.I was getting along just fine in the world, not

Obama The Team-Builder

2008-08-13T07:16:00.001-04:00

Let me clarify any possibly misleading statements I may have made in a recent post. I'm fully aware that one's public-speaking skills don't win presidential elections. Nor do they lose them. Ten seconds of any George W. Bush press conference proves that.>> Read More . . .

Top Conventions In U.S. History

2008-08-11T10:17:00.003-04:00

My dad died 16 years ago today, and one thing I thought about at such a young age when he died was that he'll never see me do any of the great things for which I had high hopes.Today is one of those occasions. It's a project I've been working on for two months. We launched a study that I don't think has ever been done anywhere else, and we incorporated a very cool interactive element that I hope

Michael Phelps: 2 For 2

2008-08-11T07:17:00.002-04:00

Michael Phelps swam the opening leg of the men's 4-by-100 meter freestyle relay, and teammate Jason Lezak closed with an improbable anchor effort and the USA beat a confident French foursome in Beijing Monday.Phelps remains on course for a record-setting gold collection now with this second first-place finish in two tries.Please watch this video of the race.

Broadway Brett

2008-08-07T22:50:00.005-04:00

I spent an hour this morning annoying Central Park visitors with questions about the Jets' acquisition of future Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre, also known as the guy from "There's Something About Mary." Responses ranged from "It's great for the team" to "I didn't say you could take my picture." I shot the video, wrote the story and made the poster image. >> Read More Here

Summer Photography Sale

2008-08-05T07:18:00.000-04:00

My last call to the printer for this summer will take place this week. Get my original photography/photostrations while you can:My Summer Photography Sale

Music At Work

2008-08-05T07:17:00.000-04:00

Here's what I listened to at work this morning:+ "Snow," Red Hot Chili Peppers+ "Sewn," The Feeling+ "Set The Fire To The Third Bar," Snow Patrol

War Of Words Heats Up

2008-07-31T14:29:00.001-04:00

I've often felt that just about everyone likes to be dramatic. Those whom we consider drama queens or drama addicts are the ones who just take things to a ridiculous degree, but few people are sincerely and wholeheartedly against the drama.>> Read more . . .

Blog Appraisal

2008-07-28T07:35:00.004-04:00

Occasional commenter Wall found a site that will compute the worth of any Web site. It turns out if I'm desperate for eleven hundred bucks, I could sell this tiresome thing: My site is worth $1175.3.How much is yours worth? While I'm at it, my photography site is also available for purchase: My site is worth $876.How much is yours worth?

Review: SlyDial.com

2008-07-24T23:44:00.005-04:00

For work Thursday, I had to review SlyDial.com, a tool that lets you call friends without really calling them. Confused? Then check this out.

Awful Commercial

2008-07-23T14:07:00.001-04:00

I wish television commercials did a better job of depicting reality. I mean, some sentences have just never been spoken.One commercial that has been making the rounds has a suburban mom pulling up to her house, rounding up her kids and telling them, "Come on; let's go for a ride in the new Dodge Caravan."