The idea was a grand one. It’s rare these days to be in on a grand idea, an idea that for a short time is so free of the daily round of human nonsense that you are almost short of breath. The idea was that a crew of mostly ex-newspaper writers could remake American Journalism […]
Of Civil Unions and Civil Rights: Gay Fathers Testify in Annapolis
A cold wind whips through Annapolis on a Monday night, but the crowd is untouched. Several hundred people gather next to the Governor’s Mansion for a demonstration. Every ten feet or so someone holds up a sign with a district number. Police orbit the crowd waiting for trouble, but mostly giving directions. It looks like […]
Saying Goodbye to the Year of the Pig
2007, year of the pig. Lest we forget, in this time of times, these things that may well be forgotten, and in no particular order: 1. America woke up and noticed that its infrastructure was collapsing – in July during a New York City steam explosion and then again in August when a highway bridge […]
Camera Obscura: A Smalltown Photographer’s Guide to Covering International Politics
I am a photojournalist for a smallish daily newspaper in the Baltimore/DC area. NO, NOT that one. To apply for credentials to cover the Annapolis Peace Conference, hereby known as the APC, because I’m so tired of typing the word ‘conference,’ required filling out an application with the standard personal info and numbers over a […]
Smashing Pumpkins, Blowing Chunks
Early nineties. Late teens. The time in life where you’re just starting to figure out that you can go places and do things; that you have limitless options. The idea both terrified and exhilarated you. And, you’re a punk. One of your bands was playing in DC. The Red Hot Chili Peppers. You got tickets […]
I is for International Imbroglio
Starting this is hard. I promised to have this done by Sunday night, and here it is Saturday night and 20 words down. I needed a deadline to actually produce, so I told Matt Sunday night. So here I am, the wife and baby asleep, trying to produce.Matt asked me what I was going to […]
