Page one, double byline for Philadelphia Business Journal
I GOT A BIG THRILL on Friday.
I shared a byline with staff writer Peter Van Allen on the cover of the Philadelphia Business Journal. I didn’t realize it at first, but, indeed, it is the first time I have ever made it to Page One of any professional publication.
Pretty cool. I’ll see if I can get the entire story posted here as a clip, but, for now, I’ll link to to the story’s beginning, as PBJ is by subscription only.
The Pennsylvania primary that had Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama criss-crossing the state spotlighted Philadelphia in a rare way. Tourism officials sought to capitalize.
Whether it was the CNN truck parked in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art or the television satellite trucks lined up outside the National Constitution Center, Philadelphia was in the national eye. Both locals and visitors say the resulting free publicity will have a long-term benefit on the city and region.
Read more of Tourism measuring primary effects.
Former Inquirer columnist Steve Lopez in Philadelphia
EARLIER THIS WEEK Los Angeles Times columnist Steve Lopez was on NPR’s Fresh Air, hear it here. The former popular Philadelphia Inquirer columnist was interviewed by Dave Davies, the venerable political writer for the Philadelphia Daily News who fills in for Terry Gross on Fresh Air from time to time.
He was promoting his newest book, The Soloist, which is already under production by DreamWorks as a movie of the same name to debut in November.
Lopez’s book chronicles his interaction with Nathaniel Ayers (depicted above), a homeless, former musical prodigy who began living in the streets after suffering the effects of schizophrenia. In the end, Lopez became an “unlikely advocate and friend” to Ayers, as the Los Angeles Times put it Monday.
The film casts Robert Downey Jr. as Lopez and Jamie Foxx as Ayers.
Lopez is in town today speaking to media, and tomorrow, in a free event at 2 p.m., Lopez will be at the Free Library. I’ll be there, so should you.
His first novel was the well-received Third and Indiana, set in Philadelphia, and he has also written In the Clear, Sunday Macaroni Club and had his Inquirer columns anthologized in Land of Giants. The last and the first I have read, amazed by his words, but I have also followed his L.A. Times columns and, I’ll say, he sometimes seems to be lacking the color that I think is safe to say few places provide like Philadelphia.
Maybe I’ll ask him about that tomorrow.
Photo courtesy of Obsessed with Film.
Chet Zoltak: the human resources feel eight hours closer to home
As filed – without edits – for today’s edition of the Philadelphia Business Journal.
Chet Zoltak has taken on another time committment after the workday and still can’t believe he’s at his Philadelpia home so much.
Zoltak, minted as president of the Philadelphia Human Resources Planning Society in November, spent 2005 commuting to a job as global leader of learning and talent development for the Timken Co., a friction management and power transmission manufacturer in Canton, Ohio.
“Two weeks there, one week here,” he said. “Sometimes I’d jump on a plane. Sometimes I’d drive… 7 1/2 hours.”
He took the position in late 2004 after operating his own consulting firm in the region, after being contacted by a headhunter.
“It was an opportunity to build a new function, which is something I love to do,” he said.
But midway through 2005 the commuting drained him and he and his wife wouldn’t move. So, it came as no surprise when, in January 2006, he took the position of corporate director of organization development for the AmerisourceBergen Corp., a pharmaceutical company in Valley Forge.
“I am developing key leaders,” he said. “It’s talent acquisition and management.”
Continue reading Chet Zoltak: the human resources feel eight hours closer to home
Political endorsements don't mean 'jack'
Two days after Sen. Hillary Clinton completed an impressive victory over Sen. Barack Obama in the Pennsylvania Democratic presidential primary, and Gov. Ed Rendell’s endorsement of Clinton is seeming successful.
Of course, Rendell is one of the quickest to tell you political endorsements don’t matter, as he told the Colbert Nation during an interview on the Colbert Report last week, as he told Karen Tumulty of Time magazine earlier this month.
I don’t think any endorsement for President means jack.”
In the Time profile, Rendell’s influence was largely attributed to his ability to politically navigate for Clinton, including his former stomping grounds and bastion of Democratic votes, Philadelphia, not his endorsement of Clinton.
Lower profile candidates can earn attention by bringing out celebrities or well-known politics, unquestionably important, but for races that involve household names like “Clinton,” it’s less clear.
Fumo candidate beats out Johnny Doc, affecting the Republican
Clearly, I overestimated the influence of Johnny Dougherty and underestimated Vince Fumo-backed Larry Farnese.
In yesterday’s primary, not only did Hillary squeak with a victory, but Farnese beat Dougherty in what, I can admit, was a surprise to me and it seems others, too.
Fumo showed the love he has for Dougherty, as suggested by the story by the Daily News:
Fumo and City Councilman Frank DiCicco, who have feuded with Dougherty for years, led a small crowd of supporters chanting, “Doc is dead, Doc is dead,” at Farnese’s victory celebration at the Paradiso restaurant on Passyunk Avenue.
Dougherty “finally put himself on the line against someone who nobody knew and he got his ass kicked,” Fumo told a reporter. “What else can you ask for?”
Continue reading Fumo candidate beats out Johnny Doc, affecting the Republican
Hillary wins Pennsylvania primary
The April 22 Pennsylvania primary in Philadelphia
Oh, today is the much hyped Pennsylvania primary.
If you’re registered in Philadelphia and need to know where you’re voting, using the Committee of Seventy’s Citizen Access Center. Oh, and if you’re an Independent or Republican and feeling bummed out ’cause everyone is talking Obama/Hillary, fear not, in Philadelphia, there are also two ballot questions that mean a whole lot to some people. Want a real explanation of what to do?
Continue reading The April 22 Pennsylvania primary in Philadelphia
The unveiling of my Philadelphia Republican Party honors thesis Web site
I have been busy.
Because I didn’t have the grades to get into the honors school initially, in order to graduate with honors on May 22 – my day of commencement from Temple University – I have to complete an undergraduate thesis project.
I have been steadily working on my paper, due the first week of May, but, in addition to a public presentation and defense of my initial findings at a research forum held two weeks ago, I have nearly put all the final touches on the framework of a blog that chronicles my year-long research on Philadelphia’s Republican Party, the focus of my thesis.
Finally, a home for all of you dying to learn everything there was to know about partisan politics in Philadelphia.
The paper will eventually go up there too, all of my research and notes, as a means for giving the project a permanent, more visible home. For now, I am happy to have a place to organize all of my work, interviews and research.
Give it a look. I’ll keep you posted on its progress.
Ed Rendell + Barack Obama = Hillary Clinton
Tomorrow Pennsylvania may decide whether the Democratic candidate for President will be Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., or former Philadelphia mayor and current Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell’s choice, Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y.
Rendell has said he’ll support whoever the Democratic candidate is, but it is interesting to see how Rendell has supported Clinton, whose husband was a staunch ally of his during his mayoralty from 1992 to nearly 2000. This a Salon article from earlier this month:
Continue reading Ed Rendell + Barack Obama = Hillary Clinton