National Tartan Day ...

"Hark where the night is falling
hark hear the pipes a calling
Loudly and proudly calling down thru the glen
There where the hills are sleeping
Now feel the blood a leaping
High as the spirits of the old highland men"

"Towering in gallant fame
Scotland my mountain hame
High may your proud standards gloriously wave
Land of my high endeavor
Land of the shining river
Land of my heart forever, Scotland the Brave"

"High in the misty mountains
Out by the purple highlands
Brave are the hearts that beat beneath Scottish skies
Wild are the winds to meet you
Staunch are the friends that greet you
Kind as the love that shines from fair maidens eyes"

**********

All MacWest-Texans wishing to mark National Tartan Day are invited to attend CeltFestTexas, Saturday and Sunday, April 8-9, at Odessa College.

Slings and Arrows, Pt. 3 ... et tu, Arch? ...

I promise, this is the last post I will make on this topic ... at least, for today ...

I've been thinking some more about something I posted last week, about "suffering the slings and arrows of outrageous (and undeserved) fortune" ...

In the first post, I was happy to chide Eric, at Fire Ant Gazette, for letting fly some underserved darts ... then, later, I took some of the "Day Without a Mexican/Latino/Immigrant/Whatever" protesters, for loosing some of their own ...

Anybody else?

Well, yeah ... how about ME ? ...

Did I take some unworthy, and undeserved shots at some new arrivals to West Texas' corner of the blogosphere?

Perhaps I have ... in re-reading that post, I realize that I might have chosen my words more carefully and, perhaps, have avoided the tone of hubris I percieved in some of their opening statements ... especially N2News' ...

I realize, in retrospect, that statements like, "I spend too many hours-a-day, too many days-a-week, working broadcast and online news, to come home and have somebody presume to tell me all about it ..." make me out to be no better thatn some of the self-appointed media experts out there ... those who say so much, but apparently know so little about the profession and its practitioners ...

mea culpa ...

And welcome ... and write well ... and write often ... you have already assuaged some of my fears that we were going to hear nothing but the same old rants about the media ... and posted thoughts and views about the rest of the world, too ... of which, the media (my beloved profession) is, really, just a small part ...

A Prayer for the Little Dog ...

It depends, I suppose, upon who you talk to, when trying to decide who might be the REAL star of the Fire Ant Gazette ...

Me, I think it's Eric, whose wit and wisdom, words and whimsy never cease to entertain and stimulate ...

My younger boy disagrees ... when he sees me stopping-in at the Gazette, the first words out of his mouth are, "ahhh, the many moods of Abbye!" We then take a moment to refresh the screen a few times, to see if some new additions have been made to the Abbye gallery ... Eric's photo tribute to his canine companion ...

As you can imagine, we were BOTH distressed to read, in one of Eric's recent posts, that Abbye's health has taken another, and more dramatic turn for the worse.

Although, statistics report, the cat has supplanted the dog as the #1 pet of choice, it's hard to imagine the dog ever relinquishing the title of 'Man's Best Friend.' The dog is our oldest friend, as well ... the first to cross over that intangible line and join us in the realm of domestication ... and the stories of devotion between human and canine are legion, ranging from "Ol' Yeller" and "Greyfriar's Bobby" to Ulysses' "Argus" and the residents of Clifford Simak's "City."

"The one absolutely unselfish friend that man can have in this selfish world, the one that never deserts him, the one that never proves ungrateful or treacherous is his dog," said George Vest, in 1855, speaking to a jury that was hearing a lawsuit brought by a man whose dog had been killed. "When all other friends desert, he remains. When riches take wings, and reputation falls to pieces, he is as constant in his love as the sun in its journey through the heavens. "

CLICK HERE to read the rest of Vest's closing argument to the jury ...

Then, take a moment to say a prayer for a little dog in the Tall City ...

Y'all Buttle Along, Now ...

The 'Ask Jeeves' search engine has ditched its cartoon butler and redesigned itself as ask.com. Gary Price, Editor of resourceshelf.com and Director of Online Information Resources at ask.com, offers this look at the butler's departure ... and at plenty of other features and services now available at ask.com ... "Something tells me fans of Jeeves and company won't lose a lot of sleep over the the day's news," one blogger observed, and he may be right.
*****
With thanks to Overlook Press at Elephant Walk for the heads-up ...

Really, I Just Blog for the Interviews ...

If nothing else, the Financial Times' Trevor Butterworth finds some out-of-the-ordinary - even titillating - metaphors to present his view of the practice of blogging, its advocates and its critics, its strengths and its weaknesses, its impact and its future ...

For example ... "Which brings us to the spectre haunting the blogosphere - tedium. If the pornography of opinion doesn't leave you longing for an eroticism of fact, the vast wasteland of verbiage produced by the relentless nature of blogging is the single greatest impediment to its seriousness as a medium."

Go, refill your coffee cup, settle down, and CLICK HERE for Butterworth's entire essay. Later, I'd like to know what you think of some of the points he makes.

*****
With thanks to James Marcus at House of Mirth for the heads-up ...

Marching Orders ...

Just this past weekend, the music at church included "Onward, Christian Soldiers," with vocals by the choir and the congregation, and music by First Prez' bluegrass group, "The Backsliders."

You might ask,"so, what's the big deal?" Well, actually, it WAS a big deal, at least for us.

You see, we're Presbyterian Church-USA ... and, that fine old song is no longer in our hymnal ...

Needless to say, the decision to delete "OCS" has not been a popular one outside the church ... www.biblebelievers.net, for example, lists our church under the category, Apostasy.

But, you know, it's not a universally-popular decision inside the church, either. I know I don't like it, and I was more than happy to stand up and make a joyful noise ... well ... at least, a noise, unto the Lord, singing "OCS." And I wasn't the only one in the sanctuary that did so, joyfully.

In my case - and I do not presume to speak for others, here - I've always thought that salvation comes with more than just an assurance of grace, it also comes with marching orders, of sorts ... and there are times when we must be Christian soldiers, recognizing the need, the obligation to act on what we believe, to practice what we preach ...

Ironically, following that service, during a Sunday School discussion of the 'enthronement' Psalms, we discussed the sometimes-militant imagery that occurs, time and time again, in the Word of God ...

Is it possible that some of us have allowed the more militant aspects of God to be shorn? There's more to being a Shepherd of the Flock, than just cuddling cute little lambs, for example ... one film buff in our class recalled a movie where a pastor, after allowing his congregation to hear a plea for recruits in the local militia, himself takes a gun and saddles his horse, saying, "a shepherd must tend his flock and, at times, fight off the wolves ..."

Granted, that was a bit of Hollywood fluff ... yet, in the real world, people of faith took up arms in defense of certain inalienable rights that could not be usurped by a crown ... and those people of faith included Presbyterians ... including, at least, twelve of those who signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776.

Onward, Christian soldiers ...

Baghdad Girl For Ever....

When one tunes in the news, and that news turns its attention to the Iraq War, the lion's share of space and time seems to go to the more extreme elements on either side of the issue ... if it's not the swaggering bluster by the war's proponents, it's the shrill denunciations by it's detractors ...

In the midst of all that sound and fury, is there a place for a 14-year-old girl, a weblog, and lots and LOTS of cats? ...

Maybe there is ... just ask Raghda Zaid, the Baghdad Girl ...

It's not an in-depth analysis of the problems in Iraq ... nor does it offer solutions ... it is, when all is said and done, a 14-year-old girl, a weblog, and lots and LOTS of cats ...

But maybe ... just maybe ... it's also a hint of the sense of normalcy that we all - proponents and detractors alike - must certainly hope and pray will someday return to that country ...

*****
With thanks to National Public Radio for the heads-up ...

Redemption on the Fields of Pellenor ...

Why have I taken so long to finally get around to writing about the film adaptation of "Lord of the Rings?" I guess I was just waiting for something to spur me ... and I got that during a brief exchange of comments with Jim at serotoninrain, in which I found out that he and I share a favorite moment, from a favorite film.

I remember, it started as a buzz when word first circulated that Peter Jackson was going to bring J.R.R. Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" to the big screen, in a three-film adaptation that promised to be every bit as epic in its scope as Tolkien's original trilogy of books.

As the film went into production, that buzz became a rumble, and a source of growing debate around the world, from a variety of viewpoints, and in a variety of languages ... including Elvish.

All I knew, from watching the trailers was that, whatever Jackson may have done to the rest of the film, when it came to set and scenic design, costuming and props ... he NAILED it ... at least, in my humble opinion. I didn't have to wonder, "What's that supposed to be?" I knew, just in watching those snippets in the trailers, that that was Rivendell, that was Minas Tirith, that was Lorien, etc.

The feature-length films bore out my first impressions from the trailers, and I have seen all three installments a few times, in the theaters and on DVD.

Does that mean that Jackson has produced a literal adaptation of Tolkien in every aspect of his films? Well, no, he doesn't. Though they haven't stopped me from enjoying his films, I have had some problems with the direction his story takes, and with his general treatments of characters. Jackson, I believe, does not allow for so broad, or rich a variety of characters - motives and values, thoughts and beliefs - as Tolkien did.

You see, for all the perception some have of Tolkien as some kind cloistered intellectual of the 'ivory tower' variety, he was actually very much a man of the world ... and he encountered a great variety of people ... saw them at their best, and their worst ... and all of that is reflected in his writings. True, they are set in a fantasy world, but it's one populated by real world characters.

In Tolkien's world, some women were warrior princesses, while others stayed home and sewed. He saw it first-hand as everyone in Britain did something to support the war effort (WWI). In Jackson's (Hollywood's) world, women do NOT stay home and sew, especially if they are given a role in the film way out of proportion to their role in the book ... Arwen Evenstar, daughter of Elrond and beloved of Aragorn.

In Tolkien's world, there are many kind of heroes ... the unlikely hero, the ironic hero, the anti-hero, and the true hero ... not so in Jackson's world, where Aragorn shuns his heritage, flees from it, denies it until it finally thrust upon him ... a far cry from the character in the book who, at times, was the lone light in the darkness, the remnant of the glory of man, and the last prophet of the Return of the King.

But, in the scheme of things, this seemed like quibbling, and I have enjoyed the films again and again ... all the time looking forward to the third installment, when my own, personal favorite character, Rohan's King Theoden, would answer one last call to glory in my own, personal favorite moment of the story.

It's a moment that Mr. Jackson, once again, NAILED ...

It is that moment when, at the head of his massed waves of horsemen, he sees the hosts of Mordor filling the fields of Pellenor, and breaking through the great gate of Minas Tirith ... instead of riding off, "skulking in the hills," he instead leads his men (and one woman, and one hobbit), on a wild charge into the very heart of Sauron's forces ... "a sword day, a red day, 'ere the sun rises."

All too red ... Theoden finds his death on the Fields of Pellenor ... but he also finds his redemption ... he has long since acknowledged his failings, his shortcomings, his sins as a king ... and he now trods, almost eagerly (though still short of a berserker's mindlessness), the road to salvation that lies before him ... he goes to join his fathers, in whose company he shall not now be ashamed ...

Much has been made of the Christian themes one finds in the "Chronicles of Narnia," written by Tolkien's good friend and fellow Inskspot, C.S. Lewis ... yet many of those same themes can be found in LOTR, as well ... and that includes the idea of redemption ... sometimes obtained at great cost, as Thorin Oakenshield learned in the foothills of the Lonely Mountain, as Boromir learned on the banks of the River Anduin, and as Theoden learned on the Fields of Pellenor ...

An Actual Lunch with a Virtual Acquaintance ...

Will Webb and I have exchanged thousands of words and dozens of photos over the past year, we've cooperated in a news venture that brought first-hand reports from the Iraq War to thousands of Web readers, and we've shared - just between us - some personal thoughts, feelings and prayers, on where we are and what we're doing in this world ...

And we never actually met ...

At least until this week, when Sgt. Will Webb, 56th Brigade Combat Team, Texas National Guard, freshly-returned from a tour of duty in the Iraq War, paid a visit to the Tall City.

Will and his actual family (his wife and baby daughter) were greeted by members of his virtual family - Eric Siegmund of the Fire Ant Gazette, and myself, and our wives - at Venezia's for lunch.

It was a wonderful time ... good food, great company, making faces at the baby, some discussion of the past, and plenty of talk about the future ...

That last is especially important to me ...

That's because I believe that nothing befits a war better than its ending ... and we must all live and work for that day when our men and women can come home, with heads held high, hang their swords over the mantelpiece, and give some thought to the future ... a future they have helped create and maintain ...

Virtual Will and Virtual Jeff were good correspondents ... I'm hoping that Actual Will and Actual Jeff can be good friends ...

Something I've Heard ...

Those of you who hold some level of disdain for the media in general (and National Public Radio, in particular) missed out on a real treat this week ...

I'm referring to "Talk of the Nation," NPR's midday news-talk show, where host Neal Conan leads what's been described as "a productive exchange of ideas and opinions on the issues that dominate the news landscape. From politics and public service to education, religion, music and healthcare." One of the perk's of listening to the program is that Conan seems content to sit back and devote the lion's share of mic time to caller, e-mail writers and his studio guests ... especially those guests ...

On Monday, those guests were Donatella Lorch, who covered the war in Afghanistan for Newsweek, and the Gulf War for the New York Times; David Turnley, a Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer for the Detroit Free Press who's covered war and revolution in just about every part of the world ...

And then, sort of the 'senior correspondent' in the room, was Joe Galloway, who served three tours in Vietnam for the old UPI organization (during which time he earned the Bronze Star ... a first for a civilian). If you'd like to learn more about his experiences back then, you could read his book, "We Were Soldiers Once ... and Young," or see the movie based on that book. Or, you could ask Wallace, over at Streams, who has corresponded on a number of occasions with Galloway (and who, by the way, can tell you a thing or two about 'Nam, himself).

The topic of Monday's program was "The Risks and Rewards of War Reporting," and it was a great look at what is expected of journalists who choose to cover war and rumors of war in far and sometimes forgotten corners of the world ... it's not a job to which all journalists aspire ... and, frankly, it's not a job for which all journalists are qualified ...

So, why do they do it? ... and how? ... and have the why's and how's changed from one era to the next, from one war to the next? ... Give a listen to the program, and find out for yourself, from a distinguished panel of guests well-suited to answering those questions, and more ...

A Day In the Life of Web Masters ...

Hardly a day goes by that someone doesn't ask me what it's like, editing NewsWest 9's website. It's like most things, I tell them ... only more so ...

I still get a kick out of the looks on their faces when they learn that Jeff McDonald, mild-mannered editor for a major metropolitan news website, is none other than "Web Masters ... Journalist for the 21st Century!"

Don't believe me? Just ask the folks at CNNnewsource.com who captured this image of me that you see here ... taken just after I've dropped the boys off at school, and I'm heading out to the office ... really ...

A Tale of Two Running Backs ...

In the wake of Super Bowl XL, there are many of us - at least among those with more than passing fancy for the Pittsburgh Steelers - that are sharing their own, unique perspective on "The Game" and "What It Meant" ...

Why should I be any different? ...

Mine is "A Tale of Two Running Backs" ... and it's about two men whose glory days were spent running the ball for the Pittsburgh Steelers ... and who ended their careers in a field surrounded by Seahawks ... though in VERY DIFFERENT ways ...

I watched the first of them, Franco Harris, when I was a teenager in Pennsylvania, back in the 70s ... Harris was part of what was - to me, at least - the greatest team in the history of American football ... he was one of many, MANY great players and future Hall-of-Famers playing for the Steelers at the time, and was part of one of the most awesome running back duos in the league (the other was Rocky Bleier ... a personal hero of mine, to this day) ...

In one respect, we've never seen another team quite like those Steelers, and never will again ... it was the last team to win a Super Bowl with what was completely home-grown talent, with a starting lineup made up entirely from its own draft ... the times, they were a-changin' back then, and one of those changes involved free agency ...

And that's what got Franco ... On September 6, 1984, unable to come to an agreement with the Steelers in what some suggested might be his last season, he signed with the Seattle Seahawks ... it was a chance at bigger bucks, but not much else ... by the end of October, he was released by the Seahawks ...

The last photo I saw of Franco suited-up was in the uniform of the Seahawks ... and that hurt ... after all, this was the man who had gave us all the Immaculate Reception, which remains one of the greatest images of Steeler glory, and a preview of the greatness that lay ahead for them ... it was enough to make one want to rip off your armband that identified you as a member of Franco's Italian Army ... but you didn't ... he was still Franco, and we still loved him and waited for him to, someday, come home ...

More than twenty years later, along comes Jerome Bettis ... another running back for the Steelers, another great rusher coming to the end of a great career, another half (with Willie Parker) of a dynamic duo of running backs, and another member of a talented ensemble of athletes destined for glory ...

Last night, that glory was achieved, and the running back's career came to an end ... and it happened, once again, in a field full of Seahawks ...

But, oh, the difference ...

A Good PIO ... And a Steelers Fan, Too ...

More than once, here, in my little corner of the blogosphere, I've made some passing remark about Public Information Officers, or PIO's ... and the remarks haven't always been complimentary ...

Today, though, they are ...

Many of the people who are PIO's in the West Texas region were, at one time, journalists ... working the other side of the microphone, as it were ... and the same is true of one of the newer PIO's in West Texas ... Mike Adkins, spokesman for the Ector County Independent School District and former Sports Director at the station where I work ... KWES-TV, NewsWest 9 ...

I mention Mike because he has, over the last few weeks, had a particularly tough job to do ... and I think he's done pretty well at it.

It would be one of the easiest jobs in the world, if all you had to do was highlight positive and outstanding achievements by students, teachers, administrators, volunteers and so on and so forth ...

But that's only part of the news one comes across when covering a large and diverse school district such as Odessa's ... there are the other stories, too - every bit as outstanding, but not-at-all positive - that a good PIO should be ready, willing and able to address, fully and frankly ...

... like fears that a Bible-based curriculum that has attracted plenty of attention and debate, may also attract some lawsuits ...

... like a top school district police official who finds himself the subject of an investigation ...

... like allegations that changes to a health/sex-ed curriculum, that would encourage an improved physical and moral climate, may also place some students at-risk ...

Mike has addressed all of this and more, and he's done it in a manner that encourages questions-and-answers, discussion of the issues, and solutions to problems. I experienced this, first-hand, when I called him about viewers' allegations that an ECISD school board member presumed to run Odessa's public school system, while the board member's children attended private school in another community ... as it turned out, no story emerged from those allegations ... but, that didn't lessen my appreciation for the thoroughness and openness with which Mike answered my questions ...

And, I'd like to point out that a good PIO not only makes my job easier ... a good PIO also makes our community better, more open ... making us more informed and more inclined to participate ...

And if that weren't enough ... Mike's also a fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers !!!!!

Take a Deep Breath ...

Sometimes, the impact of medical advances isn't brought home to a person so much by the headlines of revolutionary new vaccines and surgical procedures, as much as it is by small, personal observations ...

That happened to me, this week ...

Some of you may be old enough to remember a kid in school with asthma ... someone who had to sit out phys-ed, sitting in the bleachers and doing homework or reading a book, while the rest of ran up and down the field or the gym floor ...

The times, they are a-changin' ...

Earlier today, my older boy, Andrew, and I watched Jerome Bettis running over, around and through the Indianapolis Colts as he helped the Pittsburgh Steelers earn a place in the American Football Conference championship game, next week in Denver. Bettis is an asthmatic, and follows a strict, daily regimen to keep his condition under control as he pursues one of the more remarkable careers in pro football ...

In the past, Bettis has also spoken publicly about that condition, and has encouraged others to develop what he calls an "asthma game plan" in order to pursue an active lifestyle.

One of those touched by Bettis' outreach is Andrew, who has had to cope with asthma since early childhood. Last night, he played a full half of indoor soccer as goalie (shutting out the other team), then switched jerseys and played striker in the second half ... and scored a hat trick.

It was an exciting game that left ME more breathless than he was at the final buzzer!

Working the Obit Desk ...

Jimmy Patterson over at "Sticky Doorknobs" has drawn a tough assignment ... for a brief while, he's been working the Obit Desk.

Regular visitor's to Jim's blog have been following the ongoing story of his Mom, and how she and the family were preparing for the end. Earlier today, we learned that "Betty Jo Patterson, beloved wife, cherished mother, and adored grandmother and great-grandmother, died Friday at an Irving, Texas, hospital following a lengthy illness. She was 79."

Obituaries are a challenge. There is so much riding on them ... so much more than can be achieved by simply stating the facts. Granted, you do want to get some facts in there ... they provide the framework upon which a life story is built. But, you don't want those facts to overwhelm the story ... the life you are recalling was so much more than a catalog of names, dates and places.

In some ways, the job is harder, when it is someone close to you ... and, in other ways, it can be easier. To this day, I think some of the best pieces I ever wrote were my columns in the Fort Stockton Pioneer that I composed as memorials to my father and, later, to my brother.

You'll feel a range of emotions that don't often accompany your other assignments ... sadness, grief, even anger. Go with your feelings, express them. They are the colors and textures that bring life to what might otherwise have been a dry recitation. And don't forget joy ... remember the promise that we shall be together again, someday ... that, through God's grace, we "shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever."

All in all, I think Jimmy has done an outstanding job with his assignment. See for yourself, and don't hesitate to offer your comments, your thoughts and your prayers.

Something I Heard ...

Do you have a few minutes to truly listen to someone who truly has something to say?

Then you may want to tune-in 'This I Believe,' a series of radio essays that can be heard on NPR every Monday morning (on "Morning Edition") and afternoon (on "All Things Considered").

The series is a provocative and profound response to those who have stated time and time again that, "they just don't make radio and television programs like they used to." In fact, it is based on a 1950s radio program of the same name, hosted by acclaimed journalist Edward R. Murrow. In creating 'This I Believe,' Murrow said the program sought "to point to the common meeting grounds of beliefs, which is the essence of brotherhood and the floor of our civilization."

So what does that mean? A glance at the presentations of the last few months gives some answers ... former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell speaks of a country based on openness, freedom and democracy for its citizens and visitors ... jazz pianist Dave Brubeck tells how he is sustained by his belief that faith in God and love will win over conflict and destruction ... former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich considers the the collapse of thriving civilizations, and how strong leadership can protect America from a similar fate ... and Microsoft founder Bill Gates shares his belief that technology, creativity and intelligence can change the world.

There are many, many more. Not all of them are well-known names ... but each has something of value to say, something worth our hearing and - if not our acceptance - at least our consideration

Also presented, from time to time, are essays from the archives of the original series ... by President Harry Truman, Helen Hayes, Jackie Robinson, Helen Keller and Justice William O. Douglas, to name a few.

I know, you're going to point out that there's an abundance of talk radio on the airwaves today ... but this is different. These are people from all walks of life talking to you, not some professional mouth talking (or yelling) at you. These are people who would appeal to your reason and your beliefs, to your mind and your soul, not your gut. These are discussions from people who believe that ideas - not volume or invectives - are the foundation of a discussion.

If you've missed hearing the series on air, you can visit their archives online. Here you can read the words written by this remarkable assembly of contributors, or you can listen to them in the writers' own voices.

We happy few, we band of brothers ... we dang Yankees from 'back east ...

Hardly a day goes by that the impact of the internet in general, and the blogosphere in particular, upon our sense of 'community' is not demonstrated.

For me, one such demonstration came from the contacts I have made with two new, virtual friends in Pennsylvania - entirely through weblogs.

One is Frank Wilson, the Philadelphia Inquirer's Book Review Editor. He writes an "Editor's Choice" column each Sunday in the 'Books' section, and posts daily at BOOKS, INQ.

The other is Jim, a "Professional Institutional Christian Cog." He comes to us "almost live from scenic Pottstown, PA," his "semi-stimulating corner of the bloggiverse" at serotoninrain

This part of my virtual community was developed in much the same way we develop our actual community. I met Frank by chance, stumbling across his blog while 'exploring,' clicking on that 'Next Blog' button in the upper-right-hand corner of Blogger sites, and seeing where it takes me. Jim, on the other hand, I have met through an introduction of sorts, through a mutual friend we share ... Eric Siegmund, over at The Fire Ant Gazette

Their being Pennsylvanians, and I being an expatriate from the Keystone State, our conversations have more than once touched upon something of special significance to that part of the world. For example, in the wake of Hurricane Katrina smashing into the American Gulf Coast states, Frank's blog offered a forum where some of us could share our memories of Tropical Storm Agnes, and the devastation that storm wreaked upon the Susquehanna River Valley. On a lighter note, anticipating a trip I'll be taking to Pennsylvania, Jim has recommended that I visit "the best little coffee/pastry shop north of the Schuylkill River" (I will, and I hope he'll be my guest, there, for coffee and pastry when I do).

There is, of course, a lot more to be said about the concept of community on the blogosphere, its practice and its impact. And I suspect I shall be touching upon it again, in the future.

For now, though, I have a virtual community of my own to explore and develop, and some changes to make to the 'Blogs of Note' feature on my site. And, if there's any improvement to be made to these friendships I have made online, it may come on that day that I actually meet these virtual friends, these happy few, these dang Yankees from back east.

Things To Do ...

Please add the following to your list of "Things to Do" ... today, and in the days to follow ...

1. Visit Jimmy Patterson's blog ... if you haven't dropped in lately, plan to spend a little time, reading his posts of the last week-and-a-half ...

2. Push back from the computer, and say a prayer for Jimmy, for his parents, and all who know them, love them and cherish them ... add them to your church's prayer list ...

3. Take a look at your own life - not the virtual one ... the actual one, in the real world - and think of someone who has touched that life ... someone about whom you've been saying, over and over again, 'one of these days ..." and give them a call, write them a letter or - if they're close to hand - go and see them ...

New Look For OA Online ...

The Odessa American has always had a good website in terms of content - good, comprehensive and in-depth coverage of its home community, as well as some coverage of headline stories from around the region ... and refreshed each day.

BUT, it was also one of the blandest websites in West Texas ... well, not anymore. Since late last year, the OA's online content has been presented in a new setting, with a MUCH-improved look. Check it out.

Perils of Print ...

Today, out there - in the real world, away from the computer keyboard - there has been almost as much talk about coverage of a particular news story, as there has been about the story itself.

I'm talking, of course, about the coal mine tragedy in West Virginia. The story, in and of itself, is heart-wrenching, especially for those of us who have lived part of our lives in the rugged coal-mining country of the northeastern United States, and have experienced first-hand the prolonged agony of 'the watch,' the vigil that follows an accident in the mines.

Adding to it, is the furor over official announcements that most of the trapped miners had been found alive, prompting almost three hours of joyful celebration among families and friends ... only to be dashed when news came that all the miners but one were, actually, dead.

A chunk of the day's discussion was over the headlines and stories that appeared - not only in both of Midland-Odessa's daily newspapers, but in newspapers across the country - on the front page, sharing with their readers the good news of the first announcement. My own experience of that discussion was that the more derogatory comments tended to come from those who have never spent a day in a newsroom ... print, radio, television, whatever. Them's that know the least, as the old saying goes, tend to say the most.

Me, I just nod my head in understanding and sympathy. A mistake such as this is not unknown to any of us who have worked in the print medium ... but, on the other hand, it's not as common as some media critics would have you believe. In the old days, all a newspaper could do was take its licks and print a clarification in the next day's (or, in my case, at the Fort Stockton Pioneer, the next week's) edition.

But, now, there is the online component of the print medium - a means to address, immediately and in detail, something that has appeared in print.

How?

We had one outstanding example here, in West Texas. And, even though the Midland Reporter-Telegram has demanded that I not discuss their website in my blog ... I'm going to, anyway, and urge you to read Jimmy Patterson's coverage of a story about 'the coverage of a story.'