Graduation speech column for The Temple News that never ran

At my desk in the newsroom of The Temple News after graduating and cleaned out May 21, 2008.
At my desk in the newsroom of The Temple News after graduating and cleaned out May 21, 2008.

In April I wrote a piece to run in the commentary section of The Temple News but never ran it. My last column was an open letter to the university’s President Ann Weaver Hart. Since last week I shared video of my commencement address, on which this column focuses, I thought I would share the column that never was.

By Christopher Wink | April 18, 2008 | The Temple News (never ran)

I am your commencement speaker.

A committee of professors and administrators have decided that I am serviceable enough to represent my 4,000 fellow graduates on Temple University May 22 commencement ceremony. I will speak to you, our families and our friends, more than 8,000 people in the Liacouras Center.

But, I, too, have sat through graduation speeches of little note and boring memory. I want this to be yours as well.

Continue reading Graduation speech column for The Temple News that never ran

To Europe: I am gone for at least a month

Today, my good friend Sean Blanda and I are departing for London. I mentioned this trip last month.

He and I are beginning an open-ended European backpacking adventure. We have no return ticket, no definite plans or destinations: just a month long, 10-stop itinerary on the way to Hungary and vague plans of reassesing our funds to get down to Greece and circling all the way back to Spain.

We’ll be blogging and video podcasting the trip together, but more on that next week when the official rollout comes.

Stay posted for that, but don’t worry, ChristopherWink.com will remain fresh and posted – I know you’re concerned.

God bless America and wish us luck. Lots of exciting news to come next week.

Harrisburg, Pa. the city: Statistics and such

I finished a post-graduate internship in Harrisburg, Pa. at the end of last month.

I learned a great deal working for the Pennsylvania Legislative Correspondents’ Association, including much far outside the world of journalism and even the capitol: Harrisburg the city.

Like many state capitals – particularly one of states as large as Pennsylvania – Harrisburg might be best described as Washington D.C. lite. It a city with a large business class of professionals – all of whom are there for government and most of whom do not live in the city of 47,000.

Continue reading Harrisburg, Pa. the city: Statistics and such

10 books Philadelphians should have to read: The best Philly books

Updated: I have a longer list of books about Philadelphia with a good reputation here.

There is a lot of reading to be done about Philadelphia.

Let me show you the 10 books you have to read if you’re from, living in or going to the Philadelphia region, including a handful of which you should read regardless of geography.

Continue reading 10 books Philadelphians should have to read: The best Philly books

Squidoo: What the hell is it and why am I on it

I don’t know.

It seems a bit like Associated Content, using lenses to create niche content on specific issues for free, promising traffic, noteriety and even potential advertising cash to users.

For the time being, I am subscribing to the same pathology that brought me to MySpace and other social media. Brand my name. So, Chris Wink has a Squidoo page now.

Continue reading Squidoo: What the hell is it and why am I on it

My Temple University commencement speech

Four months ago I graduated from Temple University in Philadelphia.

I was honored enough to be named student commencement speaker. Read text of the speech here.

Only now have I gotten video of my speech online. Have a watch below.

Continue reading My Temple University commencement speech

The Wire: Should I learn something from Season 5

I’ve been told relentlessly that The Wire is the best show that has been on TV in years. Aside from Slate magazine, I got that message no less than a dozen times from friend and journalist Chris Reber.

I watched the first episode for the first time yesterday and, instead, got caught up in reading about the background from creator and writer David Simon, a former reporter for the Baltimore Sun. He wrote a fascinating piece in a February issue of Esquire, focusing on his time and learning with the Sun – whose then editor, Bill Marrimow, now leads the ship at the Inquirer – to whom I recently offered advice.

Continue reading The Wire: Should I learn something from Season 5

Patriot-News: Pennsylvania Cable Network breakout box

I had a story on the Pennsylvnia Cable Network (PCN) in the Patriot-News two weeks ago. Here is some extra information that didn’t make it into the Sunday story.

  • More than 10 million Pennsylvanians in 3.3. million homes on 150 cable systems can watch PCN.
  • PCN has a $4.5 million operating budget and a 34-person staff.
  • PCN is funded entirely by the participating Pennsylvania cable TV companies, private underwriting and a small sales operation. PCN receives no state or federal funds.
  • In February 2004, PCN opened its renovated and drastically enlarged Camp Hill headquarters – a 21,000-square-foot office, studio and technical facility that works in partnership with single-person bureaus in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh to cover the entire Commonwealth.
    Continue reading Patriot-News: Pennsylvania Cable Network breakout box