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Spring 2013

By on April 2, 2013 in Announcements

This is just a quick update. I’m behind on my site newsletter, so if you’ve signed up, please bear with me. I am busy writing, editing, tending to business concerns and working on stories in progress. Everything takes longer than anticipated and, while some stories fall through, others make progress, some faster than others. This is in addition to my professional reporting, blogging and consulting or managing social media for business.

Chicagoland’s North Shore Weekend, for whom I am a contributing writer, recently ran my series of Sheridan Road-themed political articles, including an exclusive interview with activist Kathryn Cameron Porter, and I’ve been assigned to write about some of suburban Chicago’s worst crimes including the unsolved 1966 murder of Valerie Percy in Kenilworth and Laurie Dann’s murderous rampage in 1988 (so let me know if you know – or remember – anything about those or other north suburban Chicago crimes) and I may also develop certain Chicago-area stories as well. Occasionally, I write an op-ed and I’m happy to say that my argument against ObamaCare, which originated as an assignment for a course I was taking, was published in the Washington Times on the eve of the dictate’s third birthday.

Speaking of dates, this week marks the first anniversary of my redeveloped Web site, which exists to showcase my writing. As always, thank you for reading.

 

Summer 2012

By on July 18, 2012 in Announcements, Education

This month, I’ve been busy with new projects and wrapping up existing works. I finished my studies at the Objectivist Academic Center (OAC) and gave a couple of workshops on media and marketing at CareerCamp. Earlier in the month, I attended the annual Objectivist Conference (OCON) in San Diego, where I saw author and professor C. Bradley Thompson, who teaches political science at Clemson University, give a scathing account of today’s government-controlled education. Dr. Thompson is executive director of the Clemson Institute for the Study of Capitalism and his general lecture received a well-deserved standing ovation. Given today’s rotten “public education” system, as evidenced by the cesspool Penn State and countless other facts, scandals and millions of functionally illiterate graduates, and his case for capitalism and call to action, I was glad to be first on my feet. He also gave a moving tribute to our mutual friend, the late John Lewis, during The Ayn Rand Institute’s memorial service at OCON, which was sorrowful and inspiring. Dr. Lewis granted an interview to me before he died and this month I submitted the interview for consideration of the Reason Foundation’s Bastiat Prize for Journalism (the interview is posted here). My projects are variously on pause or moving ahead surely and steadily, as I learned from John Lewis, who recommended me to the OAC, nothing if not to press on in making progress step by step, with the committment – in the everlasting words of Winston Churchill evoked at the memorial by Trevor Conn, Dr. Lewis’s stepson – to never surrender. I’ll try to post a review of this weekend’s movie The Dark Knight Rises – the most anticipated motion picture this year – in the coming weeks. In the meantime, read my 2005 interview with its creator (and, contrary to what the president says, a creator creates his own work and deserves the credit) Christopher Nolan (we talked about his first caped crusader series installment, Batman Begins) here.

 

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Site Changes 2012

By on April 1, 2012 in Announcements

Watch for Web site changes in the near future. After five years of a successful look, which was expertly implemented and maintained by Webmaster Alan Germani, I am migrating to a new design which makes the site easier to use. Pardon the dust, so to speak, while the new design is executed. The blog and site, which exist primarily to showcase my work, will remain free with no advertising (feel free to make a safe, secure donation). I am looking forward to going ‘live’ and I hope you like the changes. [April 9, 2012 update: the re-designed site went 'live' this week.]

Besides my stories in progress, my post about President Kennedy ran as an op-ed in the Providence Journal and, on the first day of Supreme Court arguments for and against ObamaCare, the Philadelphia Inquirer published my argument as the dissenting opinion to their editorial in favor of the law. My essay about the late Whitney Houston, “Remember Whitney for Her Ability,” is currently featured on Capitalism Magazine. I’ve finished my writing and philosophy studies at the Objectivist Academic Center in Orange County, California – I am grateful for everyone’s encouragement and support during these past four years – so I am fully focused on new and current projects, including the site upgrade. As always, feel free to let me know your thoughts.

JFK Post on Capitalism Magazine

By on March 8, 2012 in Announcements, Politics

For generations, we’ve been told that President Kennedy, in contrast to the caricatured President Nixon, was an idealistic martyr whose greatest goals were cut short. This typically comes from those who attack businessmen as powerful white men who take advantage of innocents. But in a recent blog post I argue that, the more we learn, the more we see it was Kennedy – more than Nixon – who was shifty and sneaky and, above all, Kennedy who lusted for power at the expense of innocents, enacting bad ideas that harmed and ultimately killed millions of people. My post was recently featured on Capitalism Magazine, where it is currently the most liked, shared and Tweeted commentary.

What’s Up

By on February 18, 2012 in Announcements

Here’s a progress report about some of my work, which I generally don’t like to discuss before it’s finished. Much of what I am writing takes time to develop, and one of my projects – a war story intended for movies – is gaining feedback. As with much of what I’m writing, it is taking longer than anticipated, though I have a patient and understanding partner. Another story is in the early stage. I have a development meeting tomorrow to further advance what at its core is an inspiring tale of a self-made man. Other projects are making progress, too, including my goal to make more archival material available in new formats and create new commentary and content about foreign affairs, health care, music, film and history. This week, I helped a couple market their start-up business and I made a breakthrough on a project about an exceptional person whom I’ve been asked to write about.

Some projects do not work out as planned due to factors beyond my control. I had been asked to write memoirs for someone of some renown and I was unable to do so as anticipated because, unfortunately, it turned out that the person was diagnosed with dementia and we were unable to develop the manuscript. It is frustrating when that happens. That’s partly why I’m glad I was able to interview and write about actor Peter Breck before he died, and I am planning to produce a series about his late Big Valley co-star, the legendary Barbara Stanwyck, including reviewing a new biography about the movie star.

I know that good writing requires an ongoing commitment to excellence, so I am taking writing and communications classes while finishing the fourth and final year of my studies at the Objectivist Academic Center (OAC) and I am still working on an idea for objective communication, as I mentioned here. It has been over three years since I sold Box Office Mojo with my partners to one of the world’s largest companies and it’s been exactly six years since I wrote this review of an unforgettable winter movie about dogs, which was part of the reason I said Yes to one of my current works in progress. Much has happened (and not happened) in those years and I am positively excited about what I’m working on – including uncredited work for others – so I wanted to share some of what I’m doing, some of what’s up, with my faithful readers. That means you. Thank you for your support.