Ten years ago, in a spare bedroom, a team of … er, well, myself and Chris Hebert (with the help of the elusive Travis Good), started a little site called Firehouse.com. Since then, it’s become the largest Web portal for the fire service.
Two years later, Paul Andrews joined us and helped us turn our ideas into revenue as our sales ace. We covered the fire service from every perspective, through Worcester and 9/11, the launch of the Fire ACT grants program, Ladder 49 and more. We also acquired and grew portals in law enforcement and EMS.
In the last few years, we’ve all gone our separate ways. Chris has stayed at Cygnus to lead the online efforts… Continue Reading This Post ...
No matter how well John McCain does (or doesn’t) do in debates, no matter what level of intelligence (or not) his running mate has, no matter how much respect you can show to a true War hero who gave it all for his country and then some. No matter what his position on the issues, the economy and education. One singular incident will prevent me from voting for John McCain.
It was in 2007, on the escalator at the Capital Hilton (actual escalator NOT pictured, right), that changed my view on Senator John McCain.
As some background, I’ve seen McCain many times over the years including several speeches at the annual Congressional Fire Services dinner in Washington, I knew his personal… Continue Reading This Post ...
I enjoyed the 10 minute opener of Saturday Night Live a lot better than I enjoyed the 90 minute debate. Check it out below if you’re not a late night eagle like myself.
On the actual debate itself, what the heck is up with CNN and this ridiculous real-time opinion meter?
Why the heck do we care what a few dozen undecided in Ohio think during the debate? The thing took up like 20% of the screen and can’t we have our own opinion as we watch without having to “think” about what others are thinking at the same time we think what we’re thinking is the right thing to think? Continue Reading This Post ...
Just announced live, O.J. Simpson and his co-conspirator were found guilty on all charges in connection to the sports memorabilia ‘take back’ incident in Las Vegas. His smiles of joy after being found not guilty 13 years earlier (literally) quickly turned to tears.
There are an intriguing number of ironies here surrounding the number 13.
Tonight’s verdict was on October 3rd (Pacific Time). Exactly 13 years to the day of the Not Guilty verdict in Los Angeles in the deaths of Ron Goldman and Nicole Brown Simpson.
October 3rd is 10/3. 10+3=13
CNN reports that the jury deliberated for 13 hours
In the 1995 case, the verdict was read at about 10 a.m. after three hours of deliberating. 13.
A few weeks ago, our bud Matt Kovalakides (aka Matt Koval on YouTube) did an online short entitled “The Baloney Train” (also embedded below) about a trip he took several years ago cross country on Amtrak. His friends told him that all these hot European women would be on the train, ya know … because everyone travels by train in Europe. Sadly, this is America and well, watch the video and you’ll hear Matt’s sad tale of 3,000 miles in Amtrak coach.
So it just so happened I was coordinating Matt’s travel to come do some video work at the 2008 FOLIO: Show in Chicago, which takes place this week from Monday through Wednesday. (For the record, It’s the cool hip conference for magazine and publishing industry professionals who want to learn, share and be inspired). Needless to say Matt wasn’t about to take the train a second time. His flight arrives Sunday night.
At the same time, I was preparing my own travel plans to the show. After years of flying somewhere on at times a weekly basis it seemed, the last year and a half has been a pleasure. I’ve managed to have to fly only twice as all of my travel to Red 7 Media’s offices has been via Amtrak. BWI to Stamford. A relaxed ride, internet the entire way … uber productive. And I’m earning some serious rail miles.
So I figured, what the heck. I’ll take the train to Chicago. That’s right. The train. Washington, D.C. to Chicago on the Capital Limited. A journey through the scenery of Pennsylvania, Ohio and on into Illinois. Granted, most of that travel will be in utter darkness since departure is at 4 p.m. Sunday and arrival sometime around 8 a.m Monday.
Why would I do such a thing you may ask? Read On …
When I was a wee bit lad of 11 or so, I started tuning in to what was exceptionally poor reception on Channel 24 in Baltimore. There was this awesome show called Emergency! It was all about firefighters and paramedics. Basically, it rocked (for an 11-year-old). I can’t even remember what other TV Shows I watched around that time, probably the cool hip shows of the era like the A-Team and Knight Rider. But the reruns of Emergency! were the most festive.
I think I wanted to be Fireman/Paramedic Johnny Gage, but probably over the course of watching those reruns I imagined myself as Chet Kelly, the prankster, or the hard ass but honest Dr. Kelly Brackett. I wanted… Continue Reading This Post ...
So I always get Carrie Fisher (Star Wars) and Margot Kidder (Superman) confused for some reason. Not that they really look alike but they are both babes from movies in my early childhood so perhaps I’ve just got some memory issues.
Apparently, so does Carrie Fisher.
She starts her one woman show, Wishful Drinking, by mentioning that she just completed some sessions of ECT in July. ECT doesn’t have anything to do with Star Wars, its short for Electroconvulsive therapy. So, needless to say, she has had some issues.
Of course the very next thing out of her mouth is to make sure everyone knows that she once woke up next to a dead man, gay Republican Party operative… Continue Reading This Post ...
Two years later, Paul Andrews joined us and helped us turn our ideas into revenue as our sales ace. We covered the fire service from every perspective, through Worcester and 9/11, the launch of the Fire ACT grants program, Ladder 49 and more. We also acquired and grew portals in law enforcement and EMS.
It was in 2007, on the escalator at the Capital Hilton (actual escalator NOT pictured, right), that changed my view on Senator John McCain.
Why the heck do we care what a few dozen undecided in Ohio think during the debate? The thing took up like 20% of the screen and can’t we have our own opinion as we watch without having to “think” about what others are thinking at the same time we think what we’re thinking is the right thing to think? 
There are an intriguing number of ironies here surrounding the number 13.
One TV show changed my life.
So I always get 
