Category: Uncategorized

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.
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The new Facebook bumbles on

From EverybodySucksButUs.com

Even if I am just a couple months into my Facebook life, I believe it is fair to say there is lots of complaint against its new version – beyond just common resistance to change. I’ve jumped into things with Facebook – and MySpace for that matter – so I think I’ve got a sense of how obsessively people take their social networking.

Recently I posted a collection of the most widespread and best articulated rails against the new form. That post on why the new Facebook sucks is just a small matter.

After that post, I was invited to join a Facebook group called People agains the New Facebook System – with more than 100,000 members. There are others here, here, here, and here – I’m sure there are more.

I got a comment on my post mentioning one could revert back to the old version – which I did. There was a delay in the rollout, but now – there’s no going back, the new version is the only version.

Does any of that actually matter? Any thoughts?

Someone who doesn't know me actually used my reporting

Ostensibly, journalists write for others.

So I get really excited when readers respond to what I write. That can go further when someone uses my reporting for broader purposes. A common rag on newspapers and most media is that their reporting isn’t in-depth enough. Of course, the response is that one can’t track trends without daily coverage.

It feels great to be reminded that that isn’t a lie.

Continue reading Someone who doesn't know me actually used my reporting

Suggestions for the Philadelphia Inquirer

I finished a two-week rotation in the Harrisburg bureau of the Philadelphia Inquirer last month, as part of my internship with the Pennsylvania Legislative Correspondents’ Association. I’ve since moved on, but because I am in Philadelphia, I thought I would share some thoughts that came to mind about improving the third oldest daily newspaper in the country.

In Spring 2006, as a sophomore, I had a transcendent internship with the paper’s city desk. I will always remember that as a seminal moment in my life. It was the first time I understood the power, the problems and the potential of one of the largest, oldest and most respected newspapers in the world.

After my second, briefer stint, some thoughts came to mind.

Continue reading Suggestions for the Philadelphia Inquirer

The 2008 presidential debate locations suck

TV shot of 1960 presidential debate between John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon.

I was reading about the locations of the debates this election cycle and decided they were lame.

First presidential debate:
Friday, September 26
University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS

Vice presidential debate:
Thursday, October 2
Washington University in St. Louis, MO

Second presidential debate:
Tuesday, October 7
Belmont University, Nashville, TN

Third presidential debate:
Wednesday, October 15
Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY

Continue reading The 2008 presidential debate locations suck

Patriot-News: The state legislature on TV

This ran for the Patriot-News of Harrisburg on Sept. 7

Next year, retiring state Rep. Jerry Nailor won’t have to listen live to the drum of the Pennsylvania General Assembly’s debate, which is lengthened by camera hogs, he said.

“There are a handful of legislators who say, ‘I am for motherhood and apple pie, and let me tell you why, and I will tell you why for the next 20 minutes,'” said Nailor, R-Mechanicsburg. “Because the camera is on.”

The Legislature’s floor debate has been broadcast on the Pennsylvania Cable Network for more than a decade. Its proponents say the channel makes government more transparent. But with viewership growing, some lawmakers said others in the Legislature abuse the free TV time. More.

See it on PennLive.com.

Geronimo surrenders on this day, go jump in a pool

Two hundred twenty-two years ago today, famed Apache chief Geronimo surrendered to U.S. and Mexican forces after 25 years of fighting. Now in mainstream culture his legend is reduced to jumping into pools or otherwise inanely leaping.

Do you want to make up for the brutal repression of a people and hundreds of years of neglect by learning why Geronimo is such an important historical and revolutionary – albeit ultimately unsuccessful – figure? Of course you do.

Oh, I’m sorry, did you say quote Wikipedia at length? Alright:

Continue reading Geronimo surrenders on this day, go jump in a pool

My Commencement Address (Temple University: 5/22/08)

By Christopher Wink | May 22, 2008 | Temple University Commencement Address

Seventeen hours ago I got off a plane from South Dakota, having spent my last week as a Temple student working with members of the Lakota Nation. It was another lesson in community.

Temple University’s graduating Class of 2008, today, we are graduating together from a long series of such lessons. Indeed, we are not just graduating from a university, but an entire community, something I have learned with a wonderful intimacy through my tenure here.

As I have learned about community, I have learned of the true expansiveness of Temple. See, the neighborhoods of Philadelphia, too numerous for me to know in entirety, have taken on a richness and a vibrancy like I never before realized they could.

Continue reading My Commencement Address (Temple University: 5/22/08)

What is Labor Day?

Enjoying your day off and the end of summer but have no idea why?

Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country. [Source].

Continue reading What is Labor Day?

My Pennsylvania State Capital To-do List: what you have to do in Harrisburg

Today is my last day in Harrisburg.

A buddy and I are packing up my life from a summer-long post-graduate internship covering state government in Pennsylvania’s capitol. After visiting the 30th annual Pennsylvania Chili cook off here in Harrisburg who knows when I’ll be back.

So, here’s my Harrisburg to-do list and how I fared this summer.

Continue reading My Pennsylvania State Capital To-do List: what you have to do in Harrisburg