Archive for August, 2010


Magazines Not Bouncing Back

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August 11, 2010

With the advent of the Internet, newspapers (like the one I work for) and magazines have really taken it on the chin. In times past, I couldn’t wait for full-color, slick-paper magazines to arrive at my home so I could read them from cover to cover.

Now, with the Web, it is tough to keep printing a publication. The cost is becoming prohibitive. Add to that the fact that the moment a publication is printed, it is out of date. The Web is instantaneous, so one can always update a Web page as soon as something happens.

There was some speculation that magazines would bounce back after the initial hit, but that doesn’t seem to be happening, according to this article from The Financial Times website:

>>Magazine circulation fails to rebound despite rise in ads

By Kenneth Li in New York

Published: August 9 2010 21:24 | Last updated: August 9 2010 21:24

The two-year slide in U.S. magazine circulation accelerated in the first six months of 2010, in spite of a gradual recovery in advertising spending.

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Entry #100: Diversity

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August 10, 2010

I want to thank everyone who has taken the time to explore my little corner of the blogosphere! I was never sure I’d post 100 entries, but here we are! The entries with the highest number of views were about my Mom (on Mother’s Day) and Dad (on Father’s Day). I can understand that–I let my emotions out more than usual on those two days.

I’ve been thinking about what to discuss this time, and I want to talk about something near and dear to my heart–diversity. The dictionary describes “diversity” as “the state or fact of being diverse, difference, unlikeness, variety, multiformity (whatever that means), and a point of difference.”

What intrigues me about the word is that it means things that aren’t the same. And yet, when we use the word today, we seem to mean a certain type or area is valued above others.

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Entry #99: Our Personalities Set By First Grade?

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August 9, 2010

One of the discussions educators have been having for years is: What is more important–environment or heredity?

Well, it might be that our early years with our families are more important than we previously thought.

Check out this article from livescience.com:

>>Personality Set for Life By 1st Grade, Study Suggests

Our personalities stay pretty much the same throughout our lives, from our early childhood years to after we’re over the hill, according to a new study.

The results show personality traits observed in children as young as first graders are a strong predictor of adult behavior.

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Entry #98: What In The World Was This All About?

Filed Under: Beliefs, Stupid Criminals, What-everrr! by Wayne Hall — Leave a comment
August 8, 2010

I have wondered aloud in this blog if we were ever going to get along. Every day, I seem to read something that adds doubt that it will ever truly happen.

Take, for instance, what happened on late Friday night/early Saturday morning on the Washington, DC, Metro (subway system). Apparently a huge fight broke out, although no one seems to be reporting why it happened. Here’s the story from the Washington Post:

>>Injuries, arrests after massive 70-person Metro brawl

By Martin Weil

Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, August 7, 2010; 12:46 AM

At least four people were injured and three arrested late Friday night after a brawl in the Metro system involving as many as 70 people, a Metro spokeswoman said.

The brawl apparently began about 11 p.m. at the Gallery Place station and then continued in the L’Enfant Plaza station, according to Metro spokeswoman Cathy Asato.

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Entry #97: What’s Next For Local TV News?

Filed Under: Beliefs, Television/Movies by Wayne Hall — Leave a comment
August 7, 2010

As someone who works for a newspaper, I can easily say that “change” is something that the media is facing on an almost daily basis.

However, I wasn’t aware that such major upheaval was in the offing!

Here’s an article about a revolutionary idea one local television station has in mind, from The Daily News:

>>Word that a Houston station is considering anchorless news has folks wondering whether this is the next wave of TV news or just a stunt to draw attention by a station with low ratings.

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Entry #96: Can The Post Office Survive?

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August 6, 2010

As I count down to entry #100, I came across this important bit of new about the U.S. Postal Service.

I remember when I was growing up, how I couldn’t wait to see what had been delivered at our home after the mail had arrived! But now, with e-mail and FTP sites and the like, most mail is an annoyance, including bills and flyers and things I never asked for. So it doesn’t surprise me that the Post Office is struggling financially.

Below is an article from Reuters on this very subject:

>>WASHINGTON, Aug 5 (Reuters) – The U.S. Postal Service reported a quarterly net loss of $3.5 billion on Thursday and said it will likely have a cash shortfall going into 2011.

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Man Killed At Anti-Violence Event

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August 5, 2010

You can’t make this stuff up.

During an anti-violence rally, a man was shot and killed in Paterson, New Jersey, recently. Irony, anyone?

Here’s the story from myfoxny.com:

>>A man attending a block party as part of the National Night Out anti-crime initiative was shot and killed in Paterson, N.J.

Police say 39-year-old Robert Godfrey was shot in the head while arguing with another man Tuesday.

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Superman Saves Family’s Home

Filed Under: Comics by Wayne Hall — Leave a comment
August 4, 2010

I knew there was a good reason to buy (and not throw out) comics!

Here’s a story from ABC news that explains how The Man Of Steel saved one family from foreclosure:

>>A struggling family facing foreclosure has stumbled upon what is considered to be the Holy Grail of comic books in their basement–a fortuitous find that could fetch upwards of a quarter million dollars at auction.

A copy of Action Comics No. 1, the first in which Superman ever appeared, was discovered as they went about the painful task of packing up a home that had been in the family since at least the 1950s. The couple, who live in the South with their children, asked to remain anonymous.

“The bank was about ready to foreclose,” said Vincent Zurzolo, co-owner of ComicConnect.com and Metropolis Comics and Collectibles in New York. “Literally, this family was in tears. The family home was going to be lost and they’re devastated. They can’t figure out a way out of this. They start packing things up. They go into the basement and start sifting through boxes–trying to find packing boxes–and they stumble on eight or nine comic books.”

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Another City Police Force Drastically Reduced

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August 3, 2010

Recently I talked about a small town’s squad of police being seriously cut back. Now, it is time for East St. Louis to do the same.

Here’s the story from stltoday.com:

>>Layoffs to gut East St. Louis police force

BY NICHOLAS J.C. PISTOR

EAST ST. LOUIS • The Rev. Joseph Tracy said he’s tired of going to funerals. And now, he suspects he’ll be going to more of them.

“It’s open field day now,” said Tracy, the pastor of Straightway Baptist Church here. “The criminals are going to run wild.”

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Enjoy The Great Music! – 3

Filed Under: Music by Wayne Hall — Leave a comment
August 2, 2010

Today I wanted to continue to share great music as well as the the great musicians who make it.

Paul Cardall has an inspiring story to tell. He’s written a book about it, but he also makes some truly lovely and inspiring music as well. Check out this video about his book:

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