So … the future

I might have gone a little overboard on the blogs lately. I’ve got:

  • my.rtomedia.com
  • rtomedia.com/pro
  • MySpace
  • rtomedia.com/unity (or something)
  • TVGuide.com
  • norcalblogs.com
  • TextAmerica

Unfortunately, many of them are languishing from a lack of attention (that and TextAmerica has broken my heart). That’s something I probably should’ve known going in.

While there are some really cool ways to display a news feed that displays everything I write (from FeedBurner), it’s probably just easier in the long run to simplify — especially when I want to try new features like chicopedia.com.

That’s why I’m thinking about merging my personal and “pro” RTOmedia.com sites together. When I started the site in 2004, I was worried about keeping my personal “life” separate from my professional. To some extent, that’s still true, but I’ve realized that I should always act in a respectful and professional fashion.

It’s 2007. Many journalists with Web sites combine their personal and professional persuits. Employers look to a job candidate’s MySpace profile for information. Heck, newspapers have MySpace pages, for cryin’ out loud.

Regardless if it’s under my own domain or under MySpace, people will probably be able to find me and I should be prepared for that.

A merger has additional benefits. My professional work could still be profiled (and marked differently from non-pro stuff), but I can update it more quickly. Who would’ve known that my photos pages would have languished while I’ve expanded dramatically into the realm of video and audio?

I don’t know when the merger will take place. I’ve got a pretty wide open week after the craziness of preparing coverage of fairs, fires and summer pools. However, I may want to work on Chicopedia or create that überfeed I’ve been meaning to.

Nonetheless, the times are a-changin’.

Missing since March 12

Alan Johnston banner

Where is BBC journalist Alan Johnston? The Gaza-based reporter has been missing since March 12. Hopefully, he will be found safe and sound.

Test

Testing new stuff. I’m looking at different ways to combine multiple RSS feeds into one. Hopefully, there’s a simple and snazzy way to do it.

FeedBlendr is pretty easy to work with, but the feed I created was too big to work with on some other services I’m currently using (like FeedBurner. Yahoo! has a beta of a new service called Pipes, but it looks like it uses AJAX.

Oh well, I’ll figure it out in the morning, I’m sure.

On Pop Culture: Pledge break

We’ll rejoin the regular “On Pop Culture” column in a minute, but first we’d like to take a moment of your time to ask you to call in with your pledge of support for this publication.

As you may have heard, our publication faces a tightening budget due to advertisers deciding that newspapers aren’t going to be the new MySpace. I know we’re not MySpace — the newspapers are like CraigsList, but with news and classifieds you have to pay for.

Because of the cutbacks, we’re now turning to you — the reader — for your support. For the cost of a submarine sandwich a month, you can help keep this column going. We will take your generous donation and buy our columnists sub sandwiches.

Since the inception of the “On Pop Culture” column last year, the average age of our publication’s columnists has been lowered by about 20 years. Without it and the “Starving Student,” the average age of the columnists jumps back to 67.

That includes Wm. Jameson T. Cornballer, our 93-year-old phonograph reviewer who thinks that “McPheever” is a disease his young fiancee died from in the 1930s. Thanks to your ongoing support, we have a vaccination for the most fatal and virulent forms of McPheever.

I know “On Pop Culture” can’t be as timely as the entertainment blogs or even weekly TV programs. Instead of going for instantaneous gratification, every two weeks our column goes for timelessness.

Remember where you were when he tried to explain the culture significance of the phrase, “Time to make the doughnuts”? Recall the good times when we tried to discuss the impact of the Disney Channel phenomenon “High School Musical” without actually seeing the program.

Who else but an overweight, out-of-touch columnist can shed insight on the things that you can hear and see with your own ears and eyes?

Call now. As our way of saying thanks, with your pledge at the level of $75 a year, we’ll give you a special premium — the voice of columnist Ryan singing a TV theme song on your phone answering machine. I’m a fan of “Electric Company” and “Speed Racer,” but can just as well sing the themes to “Lost” or “Heroes.”

We’re going to rejoin our regular programming in a minute, but we just want to let you know that we’ve got a lot of great things lined up for the next few months. April Fool’s Day is around the corner. We’ve got more “Secret Shames,” including a look at local karaoke bars.

With your generous pledge of support, we can … Uh, one second.

We’ve just received word that no one has called in during the past five minutes it’s taken you to read this column. I’m hearing from my manager that this will be the end of “On Pop Culture.”

Thanks for your support. It’s been a blast these past four months. And, please, buy a newspaper once in a while. It’s good for you (and me).

Due to budget cutbacks, the size of the Enterprise-Record’s “Buzz” entertainment section was halved. “On Pop Culture” was among the items cut to save space.

This MySpace-only column is my reaction to the news. The Dude abides and I hope I do too.

Why Mom says I’m not as funny as I think

I try to be funny from time to time. It doesn’t always work (hence, why my mom says that). Some people laugh, but I’m always afraid it’s pity laughter.

Now you can judge for yourself. I’m reposting my twice-monthly “pop culture” column on my MySpace blog after it’s published in the newspaper (and on ChicoER.com).

Here’s my latest, skipping the usual moaning about Valentine’s Day and focusing on what comes next — marriage.

New service to give weddings an extra boost

Background

When I wasn’t dreaming of becoming a diplomat (like they were on “Star Trek”), one of childhood fantasies was to save “Saturday Night Live.” Given how bad some of the episodes were back in the day, I figured I help out and save the show.

Although SNL emerged from that slump and has mired itself in a new one, I’ve moved on from that dream and turned to news writing.

My new position as an online editor gives a chance to stretch my legs a bit. One direction is a twice-monthly “pop culture” column where I have fun looking at our society from different angles.

Instead of focusing on Britney Spears’ latest f-up, my column strives to be longer lasting than tabloid tissue.

So please feel free to poke around and let me know what you think. Do _you_ think I’m as funny as I think I am?

You have the right to remain silent

And look at the Enterprise-Record’s newish public safety section, featuring a map of where property crimes happen in Chico and the most wanted.

Major bummer

When I lived in Michigan, I felt like I was on a different planet — far away from a “big city.” Chicago was 10 hours away and it took 14 hours to drive through Michigan. It was pretty isolated.

Moving to Chico was a huge step up in some ways. San Francisco was three hours away. Sacramento was practically next door 90 minutes away.

I sort of felt that isolation last week. My spirits were raised when TV Guide announced that they had some passes to see “Battlestar Galactica” on the big screen. The theater company hosting the screening has theaters in San Francisco.

Much to my dismay, the passes were only going to be available in six cities, and San Francisco wasn’t going to be one of them. And TV Guide was only going to give away two sets of passes in each city.

Needless to say, my balloon was burst. Ultimately, it’s not a big deal, but it would’ve been nice to see Battlestar on the big screen.

No bets

Today is Election Day. I encourage anyone reading this to do their part and vote. Although there’s always a ton of speculation swirling around each election, I’ve braced myself to not make any predictions whatsoever about the outcome. Hopefully, if I don’t get my hopes up, I’ll be able to better absorb the impact of the results whatever they may be.