July 2008 Archives

This week's All Access newsletter lets me get my frustration out of my system and attempts, in a most awkward manner, to relate it to doing a radio show:

We'll get to the radio part in a minute, but first, I have to vent.

Oh, right, the earthquake... we're fine, thank you for asking. It's always fun when your house turns into a theme park ride. Man, what a week: the quake, Internet troubles, mergers, buyouts, Manny Ramirez... can't wait to see what happens next.

When I'm busy and can't really post much content here, I like to recommend other sites of interest.

Try this one and its associated YouTube page. It's Classic Cleveland Television, and if you suffered through my occasional TV Guide scan runs, you'll immediately see why I love what this guy's doing.

Here's a clip from the WKYC-TV 50th anniversary special:

Hey, while we're at it, check this out, NBC's color announcement BEFORE the peacock!:

And an old WCBS-TV ID with a WInston sponsorship:

But, as I said, I'm busy.

Yeah, we felt it.

I was writing at my desk when it happened. The desk, the shelving unit attached to it, the computer, and the wall behind them began to shake, and I reacted... slowly. The first thought was "shouldn't I be, you know, moving? Quickly?" The second thought was "well, yeah, since the big desk thing in front of me is moving." The third thought was... "hey, cool." And then I got up and announced to Fran, who had already figured it out, that "THIS... is an earthquake."

And it was. You know that by now, since it was all over the news. By noon, the world knew that we'd had a little vibration incident here. By about 12:05 pm, there was no more news to be had from it. There was little damage, and other than a widespread phone and cellphone outage, everything snapped back to normal.

You wouldn't know that, however, from the TV coverage. The L.A. TV stations all have helicopters, and they're gonna use them, even if, in an earthquake with little visible damage, there's nothing to show. So we got repeated shots of a water main break somewhere off the 10 freeway, with water shallow enough not to stop traffic. We got majestic smog-shrouded vistas of downtown Los Angeles and skyscrapers which by then were definitely not moving. On the ground, we got interviews with people whose dogs were barking from the vibration and lingering shots of a few shampoo bottles that fell to the floor in a Pasadena drug store. And then we got more shots of the water main break, because that was the only thing the choppers could find.

I was ready. I had the camera all juiced up and ready to take pictures of the devastation. I was willing to volunteer to be the Official Eyewitness for any radio show that needed an Official Eyewitness. But... there was no devastation and, other than the desk wobbling and the cat jumping onto the living room couch, there was no action at all. It was over in 15 seconds. I thought about taking a few books, pushing them off the shelf, taking some video, and selling it to the networks, but that didn't feel right. So I just went back to work.

But check this alarmist headline from CNN:

Expert: L.A.'s 5.4 quake 'small sample' of one to come

Uh oh.

A magnitude-5.4 earthquake shook the Los Angeles metropolitan area Tuesday, leaving residents rattled but causing no serious damage or injuries. However, the temblor served as a warning to southern Californians who had not experienced an earthquake in some time: the "Big One" remains a possibility.

No, really? And Northridge was a reminder of what?

"This is a sample, a small sample," said Kate Hutton, a seismologist at the California Institute of Technology. "This is somewhere between small and moderate." She said there is a 5 percent chance the quake could be a precursor to a larger earthquake. After 24 hours, she said, that chance will drop to 1 percent.

There's a 95-99% chance that there won't be another larger quake. Pretty good odds. Can't we be positive here?

"Every earthquake relieves some stress," Hutton said. "It's usually only a drop in the ocean. In other words, the amount of stress released by this earthquake is minuscule compared to the amount that's built up and is building up for the Big One when it happens some day in the future."

And when will that be?

"From a geologist's point of view, the answer has to be soon," she said. "But geologists are used to thinking on millions of years and thousands of years time scale, so I don't think that gives any useful information for people, except be prepared at any time because it could happen at any time."

We're going to have a Big One sometime in the coming million years or so? Not so fast, optimists:

There is a 99 percent chance of California experiencing a quake of magnitude 6.7 or larger within the next 30 years, according to the Uniform California Earthquake Rupture Forecast, sponsored by the U.S. Geological Survey, the California Geological Survey and the Southern California Earthquake Center and published in Science Daily in April.

So we're prepared. We have our earthquake kits with slowly decomposing cans of non-perishables and water and toilet paper so that in a year or so we can throw it all out and replace it with more aging food and stuff. We have batteries and flashlights and gas-turner-offer tools and other items of necessity. We are Californians. The Big One is always looming, whether it's millions of years away or 30 years away or seconds away.

But, no, we're not moving back east. We like it here. If that means dealing with a terrestrial Magic Fingers once in a while, so be it.

I've been screwing around with the templates in Movable Type to see if I could find a workaround so permalinks would take you directly to an entry instead of the top of the monthly archive page. Unfortunately, nothing worked, and now republishing the site gives me a 500 error message.

So I'm trying a test post. If you can read this, the site isn't totally borked. If you can't, then, um, you aren't seeing this anyway. Never mind.

(It isn't easy to be your own IT department)

We didn't go see "The Dark Knight" again. I know it's getting rather tedious to read every day how we didn't go see "The Dark Knight," but I keep getting asked about it and I'm developing some defensiveness about it. No, we didn't see "The Dark Knight." We aren't likely to see it this week, either. In fact, in light of how people are apparently going to see it for the second and third time now, I may never see it.

This would not be the first time I've reacted to sweeping public adoration of a movie by refusing to see it. It took me at least 15 years to see "Jaws." I have yet to see "Titanic." We did see "Spider-Man" but not "Spider-Man II." And I haven't seen a Batman movie since the Joel Schumacher debacle, which I saw on cable and was pleased not to have seen in a theater.

There are a few reasons we haven't gone:

1. Lack of time to see a 2 hour and 30 minute marathon (plus trailers and ads).
2. Lack of desire to spend that much time in a movie theater. It hasn't been hot enough to want to soak up the air conditioning.
3. Lack of the superhero gene. I'm not sure about this one. When I was six and "Batman" was the rage on TV, I watched it. I read the Superman and Batman and Spider-Man comics. But I outgrew them by about eight or so.
4. Lack of the action movie gene. I've been told that the action sequences in "The Dark Knight" are thrilling, but they do involve guys in capes or wacky makeup and imaginary cars and firepower and stuff. I'm all for action like in the "Bourne" movies - real-looking guys doing ridiculous feats in ordinary situations with ordinary guns and cars. And I'm okay with 007, too - there's a style that transcends pretty much everything in the movies. But guys who fly and have unusual weapons... you know, that didn't come out right, did it? You know what I'm saying here.

Will we see it next weekend? Dunno. Depends. But I'm feeling like I have to explain why I'm the last on my block to see it. And just because of that, I might just hold out until it shows up on HBO. Or longer.

Out all day. Didn't see "The Dark Knight." Went shopping instead. Didn't buy anything of note.

Anything else? Let me check... Nope.

This is getting too predictable.

I don't feel like writing anything right now unless someone pays me for it.

You paying?

No?

...

This week's All Access newsletter is about the sorry state of radio station websites and the industry's focus on things like HD Radio when it should be checking out those iPhones:

Here's one thing that frustrates me about the radio industry: We're rapidly entering a totally new technological age for radio and most stations can't even put up a decent website.

Next week, we'll bring it back to a more personal level. Maybe I'll even throw in a few more jokes. Changing the world gets a little too serious sometimes.

Just like that, the Phillies manage to once again wipe out the memory of an epic win. They couldn't do anything with John Maine, even though Maine didn't have it tonight. Myers was worse than the numbers will show. Madson just plain sucked tonight. The bats were quiet again. Another frustrating Phillies loss. The consolation is that the Mets are not demonstrably any better. Whoever wins this division will do it by attrition.

And now I have a headache. Letter tomorrow. 'Scuse me.

I am not naive enough to assume that the Phillies' victory in tonight's game is indicative of anything more than the Mets' shaky bullpen. Blanton was awful, Eaton-like... pretty much what I expected, to tell the truth. The bats were silent against Santana, and considering that he only threw 105 pitches, the Phillies got lucky that he didn't try to go the distance. It was the bottom of the order that rallied. I mean...

So Taguchi. So F'ing Taguchi. If that doesn't say a lot about how flukish tonight was, nothing does.

But I'll take it, awful Blanton, no Wagner, Santana pulled for the ninth, every minute of it. Maybe this will portend good things for the rest of...

...no. No, no, no. I can't do that. One day at a time. It's the Phillies. I am a Phillies fan, and the Phillies are guaranteed to break my heart. I can't lose sight of that.

We found out today that someone we know passed away this weekend. Too young. And it was that damn disease again.

Please:

Friends of Linden Animal Shelter, in memory of Deborah Lanning. That would be nice.

And if you want to help get breast cancer cured once and for all, there's Susan G. Komen For the Cure. And there's Revlon/UCLA Breast Center, Dr. Chang's fund. There's the Revlon Run/Walk link on the home page here -- I don't know if the links work, but there should be an address to give. I don't think they'll turn you down.

Thanks.

I could sit here and write something, or I could go back and take another nap, which I've been doing all day when I haven't been working.

Nap wins. Pardon me.

A coupla things from the living-room sofa on a lazy Saturday:

1. I take no joy in Schadenfreude. I'm being sincere when I say that I try not to hold grudges. Forgive but don't forget, that's kind of the rule for me, and it's served me well. But sometimes, the temptation is strong.

Take today. See, there's a talk radio host out there who, years ago, I asked to do an interview. I can tell you that I am rarely turned down, and the few who have said no have done it politely, apologetically, and with good reasons offered. The gentleman in question, a reasonable (but not massive) success in a large market, first demanded to see the questions in advance, then sent a terse e-mail saying "I don't think so.". It struck me as assholish behavior, but, hey, whatever.

Friday, he got arrested for assault. (Initially, rumors had it as a domestic assault; later, the news trickled out that it happened at a retail store) I don't know if he's guilty, and I do not take pleasure in either his predicament or any case of violence. But, just for a second, the thought crossed my mind: Yeah, it figures. See? Act like an asshole to me, pay the price.

But, of course, it has nothing to do with me. And, really, I hope for everyone's sake that it's not true or just a misunderstanding. Still, that's one interview I don't mind not getting.

2. After playing around with the new iPhone/iPod Touch software... wow. And that's just regarding the AOL Radio and Pandora programs. I can get streaming audio on my Treo, but the iPhone/iPod Touch streaming is unbelievable- easy to use, shows song titles, artists, and album artwork, and makes satellite radio seem like old technology. I still can't get an iPhone- no AT&T service yet in my neighborhood- but iPod Touch plus dock equals a very cool Internet radio, assuming that everyone follows AOL and CBS in doing this kind of application.

I wasn't aware that this was posted, but Patterico had it, and, well, it's not every day that a major TV show does a segment literally up the street from my house, so here's "The Colbert Report" on the Trump Golf Course flagpole dispute:

At least the town looks good. But, no, that isn't my infinity pool.

The All Access newsletter returns after a week's hiatus, and I'm irritated. Again:

Tell me why I should listen to your show.

I said a few things while talking about imaging and marketing your stations and shows that reminded me about something else I want to talk about, but I'm gonna hold that until next week. I've done enough scolding for now. Gotta pace myself, you know.

In today's What's Left Of The Los Angeles Times, Steve Lopez' column is headlined "Why your 50 cents for The Times is the best bargain in the world."

Okay, I'm game, but I've been wondering why I'm paying for a subscription to the thing. The news is stale by the time I pluck it off the driveway, and the content's all on line for free. If I had to fill a column with that headline, I'd have this:

1. It's easy to read on the toilet.

2. Coupons on Sunday.

And... that's it.

So, what's Lopez' argument? Why is the Incredible Shrinking Times worth fifty cents?

On a recent Saturday night, I toured L.A. with the Rev. Jeff Carr, director of the city's gang reduction and youth development programs, listening as he spoke unwaveringly about his mission to keep kids out of cemeteries and prisons.

On Thursday, I said hello to Vin Scully and watched Tommy Lasorda eat enough food to kill a rhinoceros as he sang the praises of longtime Dodger Stadium chef Dave Pearson.

On Sunday morning, I sat on a porch in Lincoln Heights, talking to a terminally ill woman about the evolving history of the neighborhood, the things she needs to do before she dies and the heartache she feels for the beloved husband she recently took to a home in Rosemead because of his dementia.

On Monday I went to the Bastille Day "Take Back L.A." rally at City Hall, where Dan and Bridget Shycoff of Studio City wondered why they pay more now for fewer services, and why City Controller Laura Chick's exposés of municipal waste and dunderheadedness don't always lead to changes, pink slips and floggings in the public square.

"I ask that same question," Chick said when I introduced her to the Shycoffs.

So it's worth fifty cents because Steve Lopez gets to do what he considers cool and interesting things? We should buy the paper to fund Steve Lopez' Excellent Adventure? He explains:

Every day of the year, hundreds of my colleagues do similar things in Los Angeles, across the country and around the world. They go places, ask questions and hold people accountable. Some of them risk their lives because they believe in the role of a free press in a troubled world and because they believe a photograph or a story is that important to you.

It's all yours for 50 cents -- a small, plain cup of Starbucks coffee costs three times as much -- or for free on the website.

Yeah, well, see, there's the problem: If you really want to read about what Steve and his pals are doing every day, you can get it for free. And that's assuming you care what Steve and his pals are doing. Frankly, I doubt he risked his life and held anyone accountable when he got the Exclusive! story of Dave in the press cafeteria at Dodger Stadium. I know Dave, I've eaten his food many times, his story's interesting, and it was available right here on the Net for free.

...those two quarters still buy you the biggest, best, most ambitious news-gathering operation west of the Hudson River. It's also the most objective, despite competing claims from the chatter-happy fringes that the paper is either too liberal or too conservative.

Someone thinks it's too conservative? Oh, right, Robert Scheer probably still takes the paper. The Times has a serious and ongoing problem of allowing opinion to color the news coverage. I'll leave that beat to Patterico.

But Lopez, while lamenting the firing of a lot of the staff lately, does think that people are coming back every day for the finest in reporting and opinion:

They come back for Plaschke, Simers and Streeter.

Plaschke writes the same column every time -- obvious, and divided neatly into one-sentence paragraphs. See, it's his "style." It's also close to unreadable. Simers is on auto-pilot now, less a must-read than ever; even his very occasional tours of the local clubhouses to get the hotheads to react to him are tired and non-confrontational. Maybe the move of the Grocery Bagger family and the grandkids took some fire out of him. Streeter is the designated everything-in-sports-is-racial columnist, and that act got tired as early as the UCLA Dorrell controversy he created.

For Morrison, Skelton and Banks.

Patt the Hatt is predictable and boring but at least she's intensely local. George Skelton has been writing the same column over and over for years: you need to pay more in taxes, you're undertaxed, the state should take more of your money, why won't you just submit?!? Sandy Banks was a terrible editorial writer and a terrible reporter, and may be one of the worst columnists in any major paper; you're expected to be as fascinated as she is by her family life, and, well, we're not. I'm not sure she cares much, either.

For Turan, Goldstein and Swed.

I don't think I disagree more with a movie critic than I do with Kenny T... well, maybe Earl Dittman. Patrick Goldstein is sometimes interesting, but they've consigned him mostly to a blog and the most interesting thing about him is the occasional shot Nikki Finke takes at him. Swed? The classical music critic? That wouldn't get my fifty cents, but I'm sure there are classical fans who read him.

For Lazarus, Petruno and Neil.

Petruno and Neil? Sure. Lazarus? He and Skelton have a lot in common.

For Blankstein, Winton and Leovy.

Local reporters. Well, yeah, we need local coverage. And I'll give Leovy credit for the Homicide Report, which was a) a great idea, b) well executed, and c) not in the paper -- it was online. So your fifty cents didn't get you that.

For reporters and photographers on the hunt in Washington, Iraq, Afghanistan, Asia and Latin America.

And here's one of the big problems with the Times: For the last several years, 90% of the A section, and most of the front page, is dedicated to news that isn't in Los Angeles or Southern California. This is a paper that consigned local news to the Metro B section, then decided that Metro was too confining, so it made the B section "California." Oh, and it reduced the amout of actual news, local or statewide, to roughly three pages of news hole. I have never seen a paper more ashamed of its home area than the L.A. Times. Remember, this is a paper that thought it was a good idea to carry a regular weekly column breathlessly covering the mundane daily life of Manhattanites. Not Manhattan Beach, Manhattan as in between-the-Hudson-and-East-Rivers Manhattan. They were telling us that Los Angeles, and the South Bay, and the Valley, and the San Gabriel Valley, and Orange County, well, we're just not as important. No South Bay columnist, but they had a New York columnist.

All of this goes back to the premise of Lopez' column, and where he failed. He never quite tells us why we NEED the Times. He never says what in the Times can't be gotten elsewhere. I think there IS an answer to that, but the Times has abandoned what it can do best and embraced the things that aren't worth my fifty cents. Yet I still subscribe, and I still subscribe to the even more shrunken, compromised Dean Singleton Daily BreezeNewsPressTelegramStarNews. Why?

1. It's easy to read on the toilet.

2. Coupons on Sunday.

Maybe that's reason enough.

The NAB Radio Show isn't until September, but it was time to book the travel today, so I did that, and I checked out the agenda while I was at it.

Oy.

There's a lot of double-dipping going on this year, with folks appearing on multiple panels. I'm not sure why, unless they asked a LOT of people and got turned down. (Nobody asked me to be on any panel, but that just leaves me more free time, so I'm okay with that) I did the once-over through the schedule, and tried to figure out what I'll be covering and what I can safely skip. Skip outnumbered cover.

On the bright side, it IS in Austin, meaning that free time will involve beer and BBQ and music. But I'm not optimistic that there's going to be a lot going on at this thing. If you're going, let me know. Maybe we should hold an alternate "convention," preferably someplace where the beer is cold, the 'cue and burgers are hot, and the music is loud.

I didn't watch the Home Run Derby. I was working. But, to be honest with you, it didn't matter. I actually attended a Home Run Derby (in Atlanta several years back), and it was okay, but these days, it's hard to care, especially with the leading NL home run hitter not even involved (Ryan Howard didn't make the All Star squad thanks to a terrible start and all those strikeouts). I didn't even care that one of my team's players was in it (Utley finished dead last) or that Josh Hamilton set a record in the first round (and managed to lose anyway -- great system).

I thought that it was because I don't care about the long ball, but I do -- I AM a Phillies fan, after all, and the home run looms large in the team's offensive plan. It's because I don't care about the All-Star Game. I don't care about a game most of the players don't care about, I don't care that MLB decided in its infinite lack of wisdom to make World Series home field advantage hinge on the game's outcome, I don't care when they're rotating everyone in just because they want everyone to get face time. I wouldn't watch a Little League game when the scrubs get rotated in so they can get a shot at bat -- I WAS a scrub in Little League and I wouldn't have watched ME play. That's how the All-Star Game is conducted. Carlos Marmol not only made the team (late) but will probably play. That's.. wrong.

I prefer to take this the way most players take it -- it's a convenient three-day break from baseball. It's three days of a break from worrying about whether the Phils will manage to hold off the Mets and Marlins. It's three days off from stadings and stats and cursing out MLB.tv for crappy streaming and Silverlight and the inability to keep the window on top of the computer desktop. I'm enjoying the break.

They'll be back soon enough.

OK, so, how was Ricky Gervais last night in Hollywood? Very funny, actually. Un-P.C. humor covering everything from autism to sharks, Nazis, AIDS, and obesity, all in Gervais' basic oblivious David Brent bluster. I laughed a lot. You'll be able to see the basic show on an HBO special taped at his New York shows later this year. Recommended, with the caveat that the easily offended probably will want to stick to the Disney Channel.

We only had one celebrity sighting, although there were probably a lot of celebs there and we had great seats on the aisle in the front section of the orchestra: Vince Vaughn. This kinda sucked, because we'd already seen Vince Vaughn before. And he's Vince Vaughn.

The show was at the Kodak Theatre -- home o' the Oscars! -- which is a very nice venue where I would hate to be in the top balcony, which appears to be above any weather system that might affect those of us on Earth. The show was funny enough, and the venue nice enough, that I didn't even mind the TSA-like security frisk at the door. They were, I think, looking for cameras or contraband food. It's a comedy show, not a flight to JFK. The major problem is that the theater is surrounded by Hollywood and Highland, a shopping-dining-"entertainment" complex aimed squarely at tourists in ill-fitting novelty t-shirts, cargo shorts, and fanny packs, all of which were in abundance. Parking wasn't too difficult -- it took a long trek in traffic to the 5th subterrenean level, but there was plenty of parking -- but maneuvering around the place was a chore because of the mass of humanity. Everybody in L.A. should go to H&H at least once to see what tourists see of our town. It isn't pretty.

We had a very nice dinner at Trastevere before the show, enjoyed the comedy, then battled a sea of sweaty people down to the car, where someone had parked -- I swear -- two inches from my passenger door. It's not like there weren't other available spots, either. But I managed to pull the car out without scraping anything, Fran got in, we circled the lot up to the cashier, and then spent several minutes idling on about the steepest ramp in parking garage history, using the gas pedal to not slam backwards into the car behind us, burning gallons of fuel waiting for the chance to pull out onto Orange and get on the road back home. Aggravating, unpleasant, endless. Next time, limo. It would be worth the price not to have to sit on that ramp ever again.

Why, yes, I do realize that I wrote a lot more on the parking garage aggravation than the actual show. You'll be able to see the show yourself on TV in a few months. You won't see the garage. Consider yourself lucky.

Aybody reading today? No? Good, because I'm busy. Heading up to the Kodak Theatre for the Ricky Gervais show. Then it'll be partying all night as... nah, probably sleep. Then more work. Maybe a review of the show tomorrow. Talk to you later.

The week off came pretty much to its conclusion this evening, but I ended up working part of the day, victim to the sad fact that a lot of needy folks in talk radio do not take "I'm on vacation" as an excuse when they want their plugs and other favors. But that's my fault, too. I should stop responding. I should say no.

Can't do that. I'm hopeless. I can't resist the lure of the computer, the cell phone, the (as yet still awaiting an update) iPod Touch. Can't stay away. Can't say no. My own damn fault.

So I'm going to go watch another movie now and try not to think about going back to the 3:45 am wake-up calls. Imagine how much I'd be whining if I didn't like what I do for a living.

With the week off rapidly dwindling to a precious few days, I'm sitting on the sofa watching movies. This passes as "trying to relax." I'm way beyond relaxation, I'm afraid. I did sleep a little more than usual today, in stages- a few hours, feed the cat, another hour, a little writing, a run, a shower, another hour of sleep, lunch, writing, errands, writing, dinner, and now this. "In Bruges" is on now, and we have "The Savages" and "Persepolis" on deck. And there's always "Guitar Hero III" as well.

And while Colin Farrell is cursing and grumbling his way through Belgium on TV, I'm going to try and unwind from a less-than-challenging day. I could use more days kinda like this.

Oh, yeah, in my Semi-Leisure Week I almost forgot to post pictures of my Highly Patriotic 4th of July Celebration, this year including a visit to the Palos Verdes Estates Independence Day event at which we heard Stan Lee tell the gathering that he wasn't aware that he was supposed to give a speech.

Here's a dog peeing in front of me:

And some geeks from a Gardena comics store who showed up in costume:

And a celebrity sighting:

Stan Lee? It was too hot; we found some shade several hundred yards across the elementary school field and just listened. For all we knew, it was a Stan Lee impersonator. But McGruff the Crime Dog? Real. As real as it gets.

My computer has mostly been off. I've been trying to have some real time off, not a pseudo-vacation where I'm still constantly checking e-mail. And after getting an avalanche of mail yesterday and early today needing immediate attention because God forbid I should take a few hours off work or something crazy like that.

I ended up writing a bunch of items for All Access, but that's it. I'm off now. Next time, I go away and leave the laptop at home.

Vacation update: Did very little. Good thing.

Um, that's all I got.

My time off from work continued today with more of nothing.

We ate, we played more "Guitar Hero III." We watched a strange Korean TV show in which "VJs" (video journalists) scream "wacky" commentary while people eat live octopus. I read the Sunday papers -- the L.A. Times, the Daily Breeze, even the New York Times -- but true to my intentions, I failed to retain even a little of what's happening. I've disengaged, temporarily. It feels... good. Decadent, but good.

Tomorrow? If I'm lucky, more of the same. Okay, maybe with a Phillies win thrown in this time.

Today was my birthday. I spent it with Fran and my sister Joan having a lovely dinner and then playing hours of Guitar Hero III.

Best. Birthday. Ever.

Day off for obvious reasons. I decided not to turn on the computer for once. And I left it off all day. It's still off. (What about this? iPod Touch)

Tomorrow: Birthday.

This week's All Access newsletter keeps it bite-sized while everyone's mind goes a-wanderin':

The secret to doing great radio is...

If you're in the U.S., have a happy, safe 4th of July. If you're in Canada, happy belated Canada Day. If you're anywhere else, um, happy whatever it is where you are.

The last days before time off from work feel a lot like... um, like you're already off the clock. At least, that's what I'm feeling right now. But I still have work to do and one less day to do it, so...

Excuse me while I try to work off the last few minutes before freedom beckons.

Some leftover Minneapolis pictures from my crappy Treo phone camera:

The landmark Grain Belt Beer sign at the Hennepin Avenue Bridge:

St. Anthony Falls:

Looking the other way, and if you can make it out through the graininess, the I-35W Bridge, a big gap still in evidence:

The enormity of what happened there last year really hits hard when you're staring right at it live.