Time To Say Goodbye

In one of the best scenes in the movie Heat, Robert DeNiro tells Al Pacino: “Don’t let yourself get attached to anything you are not willing to walk out on in 30 seconds flat if you feel the heat around the corner.” And while the “heat” isn’t exactly on, I have come to the decision that it is time that I fold this little experiment in social and political punditry, at least temporarily.

That fact of the matter is that while initially a fun and intellectually stimulating hobby, Postcards has become a tremendous draw on my time. I find increasingly that I come home from 10 hour days of staring at a 17-inch computer monitor at an office only to trade it for another two or three hours at night and early the next morning staring at a 13-inch laptop.

Please don’t misunderstand me, it has been a labor of love, but it is a labor nonetheless. I’ve just come to the conclusion that these hours could be better spent elsewhere – exercise, for one, Mrs. Goldwater and the children for another. To use a tired cliché, I guess you could say I’m stepping down to spend more time with my family.

To all forty or so of you who have taken the time to stop by and comment over the past five months, you have my undying gratitude. Your input and comments have been truly inspiring.

But for now at least, it is time to say goodbye…

A Geek's Dream

If George Lucas had only written this into Episode I instead of Jar-Jar Binks:



ht: TigerHawk

Enough Already - Declare Franken Winner

Look, I'm not any more ecstatic about the prospect of a Senator Al Franken any more than most of the folks who peruse this site are. But the fact of the matter is that after all of the legal remedies were exhausted, Franken won. He won by the slimmest of margins, but he won nonetheless.

It is time for Norm Coleman to accept the hand dealt him, acknowledge his disastrous campaign, and move on.

The citizens of Minnesota deserve it. Boy, do they deserve it.

US Ready To Ease Preconditions On Iran

The US is set to drop a key precondition for continued nuclear negotiations with Iran, Obama Administration officials are hinting. The US has long insisted that it will not conduct diplomatic discussions with Iran unless Tehran shuts down its nuclear facilities during the early stages of discussions.

With Tehran recently announcing that it has installed 7,000 centrifuges in its Natanz uranium enrichment facility, the precondition would appear to be without teeth anyway.

As the Administration debuts its new-sheriff-in-town routine with Western Europe and Turkey, Tehran and Pyongyang continue work on their nuclear ambitions unimpressed. As years of useless UN sanctions and resolutions will attest, carrot-and-stick diplomacy won’t go very far. And if we are not willing or unable to go on the offensive, we may at least want to reconsider our position on the defensive…

Jailhouse Rock

Not the kind of publicity I think the President is going for. Perhaps he's looking for one of them there presidential pardons...

A Candle In The Wind…

OK, I probably should have ended my posting for the day with the Harry Kalas obit, but news today of the passing of another legend of sorts – adult film star Marilyn Chambers.

If there was ever a starlet to capture the euphoric highs and monotonous lows of pornogra…oh forget it, just read the news here.

Heeeeeeeeeeeee’s Outta Here!

There. I said it. I couldn’t think of a more appropriate lead-in than that. Harry Kalas, a legend in Philadelphia sports broadcasting for over four decades, has died today at the age of 73. Reports are that Kalas collapsed in the broadcast booth before the start of the Phillies game in Washington, DC earlier this afternoon.

If there was ever a voice to capture the euphoric highs and monotonous lows of the game of baseball, Harry Kalas’ baritone was it. Together with former Phillie Richie Ashburn, the pair called Phillies games for both radio and television broadcasts throughout the 70’s, 80s, and most of the 90s, ending only with Ashburn’s death in 1997. Kalas continued to broadcast with other commentators following Ashburn’s death, culminating with his dramatic call of the Phillies World Championship in October of last year. I’m glad he got to see his beloved team reach that pinnacle, and share in the city’s pride during the ensuing celebration.

For many, including me, Harry Kalas was Philadelphia baseball, but he was so much more. The sound of his voice year after year was a soothing reminder of the hope and promise the start of each season brought after a cold and dreary Philadelphia winter.

Now his absence will only remind me of the passage of time.