I got a call from a lawyer the other day. “How are you?” I said. “Better than you will be,” she replied. Turns out she was calling on behalf of Ode Magazine to tell me they could not afford to pay their bills and I would not be getting compensated for my contribution to their magazine. They wanted to be up front with me and with … Continue reading Ode to Ode Magazine
Dave Dahl sits in the living room playing guitar and singing songs about justice and the lack of it. He was in the slammer off and on for 15 years for dealing meth and assorted other felonies. Now he is working and relishing his second chance. Four years ago, Dave Dahl returned to the family bakery in Portland, Oregon and is the face and story … Continue reading Cons Cashing In
I don’t like flying in the middle seat on airplanes. I feel cramped. But on a recent United Airlines flight from Chicago to Portland, Oregon I sat between two men and had the most fascinating trip. Joe sat on the aisle. He is a 70 year old college professor and psychiatrist. He and his wife were returning home after visiting family in New York. He was reading … Continue reading Flying in the Middle
I was particularly moved by Denver Post reporter Karen Auge’s story about the death of one homeless man and the efforts to uncover his backstory. What probably made people notice this death is the photo of a trio of maintenence workers on the 16th Street Mall who were trying to revive him. To the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless each of these lives matter but how often … Continue reading A Denver Death Examined
During the Clinton Administration there was a move to green up the national parks. One of the mandates was to source food locally. Today one of the most successful examples of this is Yosemite National Park. All the concessions are run by Delaware North and it has chosen not to go with commodities but rather to buy the produce, meats, eggs and dairy from local … Continue reading Yosemite: From Farm to Table
In the Middle East, water is a source of conflict and an opportunity for peace. From the Sea of Galilee to the Dead Sea and all along the River Jordan there is a need for cooperation over water. In the mountain aquifer under West Bank settlements there is conflict over its allocation. In fact, the World Bank just issued a report finding huge disparities in … Continue reading River Jordan: Conflict and Cooperation
The plight of homeless children was the focus of two articles in the 5/18 edition of USA Today. One is about 11 year old Zach Bonner who is walking from Atlanta, Georgia to Washington, D.C. to raise money and awareness for homeless youngsters. He hopes to meet with President Obama when he arrives in July. http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2009-05-17-wagon-boy_N.htm?csp=34 The other is by CBS anchor, Katie Couric, who … Continue reading Homeless Children
My friend, sportscaster Len Berman, got the news this past week that he was being let go from WNBC. Len is one of the most talented personalities I know. He’s been a fixture in New York sports for decades. He is witty and well respected. I actually stop what I’m doing when his “Spanning the World” segment comes on during the Today Show. Len is another casualty in broadcasting’s … Continue reading Do The Right Thing
As a young television producer working at KRON TV in San Francisco I had the opportunity to attend a weeklong seminar at the Poynter Institute in St. Petersburg, Florida. It was one of the first times I was able to explore my craft with other like minded professionals and learn from some of the best in the business. Among them was Rod Prince, one of … Continue reading Points from Poynter
As the conflict between the Israelis and Palestinians rages on, a small company is presenting a model for peace and productivity. Global Hosted Operating System or G.ho.st is one of the few companies that is a partnership between Israelis and Palestinians. But running the West Bank company is tricky. Imagine being the CEO of a successful company and not being able to visit the headquarters … Continue reading Pathway to Peace?
Vicky Collins Online 