"The Office" Gives iTunes a Pink Slip

If you're planning on tuning in to (in my opinion) the funniest comedy on television, "The Office," make sure you watch it on Thursday nights, or DVR it. Digital downloads will no longer be an option.

NBC has nixed its contract with Apple after the two media giants could not come to an agreement on pricing. Meaning your iTunes selections won't include "30 Rock" or "To Catch a Predator." WHAT! NO "To Catch a Predator" on my iPod?

NBC Universal Cable currently has loads of content on iTunes. Between CNBC, Bravo, MSNBC, USA Network, A&E and my all-time favorite, Telemundo, NBC's departure will wipe out quite a bit of video content on iTunes.

While this news might not be good for the iPod addict in the short term, it could pay off down the road. Many media companies are unhappy with Apple's control of pricing on its popular iTunes platform.

Just last week, Wal-Mart announced it would sell digital downloads free of copy protection in its website for 94 cents. Apple currently has limited "copy-free" content for $1.29 per song.

Now it seems as though competition over digital downloads has finally entered the marketplace. And while shows like "The Office" won't be available on iTunes, there will be other music and video sources waiting to snag the NBC Universal account and all the content is has to offer.

Driver Fee Legislation a Win-Win for Politicians

It seems as though the threat of having to take out a second mortgage to pay for driving reckless in VA seems to be slowing Virginians down. In today’s RTD, Tyler Whitley writes that the controversial driving-infraction fees seem to be working in the early stages of implementation. That’s great, but how could it not work?

For politicians that support the legislation, this is a complete win-win. There isn’t really a way to lose on this one.

If there are fewer reckless drivers on the road, then the roads are safe. If there are drivers speeding down the interstate, they’ll pay a steep fee and the roads are subsequently repaired with that money. So either way the roads will be safe, or in great condition.

There really is no way for politicians to lose on this controversial issue. And once out-of-state drivers have to pay the fees, it will be nothing more than a complaint for those that get caught by the radar gun.

It’s only time before we’ll see: Lead Foot Drivers Contribute to Transportation Coffers. You just can’t lose.

RIC Enjoying Success with Low Cost Carriers

The web address is flyrichmond.com, and from the looks of it, the people of the Commonwealth have gotten the message. When Virginians are flying, they aren’t traveling far in the car to get to the airport. carriers

The skies and parking lots at Richmond International Airport continue to stay busy, and that’s exactly what the Capital Region Airport Commission has been hoping for.

It was reported yesterday in the RTD that over 337,000 passengers used RIC in July. This is an increase of 11.7 percent compared with the same month a year ago. And it was only two or three years ago when local travelers went to Newport News, Norfolk, or DC to catch a cheap flight out of town.

Now, with low-cost carriers arriving at the gates at RIC, these same high-flyers are staying put. Even the most recent addition to RIC, Skybus, has received over 2% of the passengers. Not to bad considering the carrier only flies to Columbus, OH right now. The $10 seat incentive must be working.

RIC has now seen record passengers for the third consecutive month and has seen passenger traffic rise for 26 consecutive months. The newly renovated airport has also added more flights. Last week it was announced that JetBlue Airlines would be offering non-stop service to Ft. Lauderdale, FL. The Richmond service is set to begin on November 1, 2007.

Callao, Virginia

There’s isn’t a whole lot in Callao, Virginia. I found that out this weekend. The sleepy town located on Route 360 boasts a couple gas stations, a bank or two, a supermarket, and a Dairy Freeze. Heck, all you have to do is look at the Wikipedia entry – two lines long.

I would imagine most people probably reside in Callao because of its greatest selling point; it’s proximity to the Potomac River. I spent a portion of my Saturday and Sunday along the Potomac in Callao at a friend’s river (or is it rivah) cottage.

There were a few stinging nettles (or is it jellyfish) in the salty water of the Potomac, but not enough to keep you from getting in. But it’s a six mile swim to neighboring Maryland, so I wouldn’t go too far.

A view a nearby pier that was in disarray, made it evident that even one-stoplight towns like Callao, somewhat protected from the initial hit of a storm, are vulnerable to the wrath of Mother Nature a the blast from the past, Gaston. In fact, the cottage only received minimal damage during that storm, but the shoreline wasn’t so fortunate. Twenty tons of dirt had to be hauled in to replace the damaged sea wall. (That would definitely take funds away from my Dairy Freeze budget.)

But in Callao, the locals know the river, when it’s a friend and a foe. Just like their friends in nearby Warsaw and Tappahannock. River life is a way of life.

It was nice to get away from life in the burbs, and make the 1 ½ hr drive to the place they call the Northern Neck (great ginger ale). The town of Callao might not have too much to offer, but the opportunity to relax on the Potomac was well worth it.

Repaving Richmond: I-295

If you’ve driven around the Metro Richmond area during the month of August, chances are you’ve seen the bright orange “Uneven Pavement Ahead” signs. August must be the month for pavement resurfacing.

(There must have been some pocket change laying around the VDOT offices.)

I’ve noticed portions of West Broad Street, Patterson Avenue, and Hungary Road, all with a fresh coat of smooth asphalt.

But these three roads can’t hold a hard hat to one major Richmond artery that is finally getting repaired, I-295.

VDOT says 11 miles of the thoroughfare that connects to I-95 both North and South of Richmond is being resurfaced between Pole Green Road in Hanover County and Route 33 in Henrico County.

And according to the website, VDOT “is moving forward to secure funding to repave I-295 north between Rt. 33 and Nuckols Rd. on the west end with work expected to begin in summer 2008.” (Best of luck with the funding issue.)

The facelift to the northwest section of I-295 is a welcome sign for approximately 9,000 cars that travel this stretch of the road on a daily basis. The same cars and trucks that must dodge potholes the size of moon craters, along with dump trucks coming and going from the Henrico County Landfill and a nearby rock quarry.

Once the flyover project connecting I-295 and I-64 is completed (Spring 2009), the interstate will once again have all the buzz it did when it opened in the 1980’s. Oh, and a few more cars.

Richmond Area Comcast GM to Step Down

If you're one of the 250,000 Richmond area Comcast subscribers that hates their digital cable service with a passion like me, the decision made by Comcast Metro Richmond's area vice president and general manager Kirby Brooks to step down is a crowd pleaser. (And before you say get Verizon FiOS, it's not available in my area yet.)

Comcast is nothing but a big headache. Whether it's a box that doesn't work (raise your hand if your DVR box freezes,) or being charged wrong, there's nothing good about it. Add in horrible customer service, and you have a recipe for disaster. I'd rather spend the day at the DMV.

Seriously, Comcast service is awful. Is getting a dish the answer? Well, I did have power during all three mega-storms over the past week. I would assume most dish customers were searching for a signal.

According to the RTD, Brooks oversaw 725 employees in the Richmond area and has decided to "pursue other opportunities."

Let's hope those opportunities don't include Verizon.

VA Pilot - Vick to Accept Plea Deal

Looks like Michael Vick will be wearing orange (and not for the Cleveland Browns) sooner rather than later. Reports from the VA Pilot says he will accept a plea deal.

Click here to read more.

It’s Worth Rep(eating)

Comfort Restaurant is delicious! It is up there as one of my favorite restaurants in the cap city. We went there on Saturday night, somewhat on a whim. Parking wasn’t the easiest, but we were greeted with NO LINE at 6:30ish at the 200 W. Broad Street establishment.

We couldn’t believe there wasn’t a wait for a table. Then I started to think about nice the day had been, 70’s and 80’s in August, no need to rush to dinner.

After polishing off a Legend Brown Ale, it was time to dig in. I ordered the pulled BBQ. Being a big BBQ aficionado, I’m fairly critical when it comes to eatin' pig. I prefer the sauce-based VA stuff over the vinegar style from North Carolina. (After all, I’m a native of the Old Dominion.)

Comfort’s pulled BBQ seemed to be a mixture of both with some onions thrown in. And needless to say, the plate was clean when the waitress came by.

Add sides of green beans and cheese grits and life couldn’t get much better for a few hours on Saturday night. Hopefully Comfort won’t be going anywhere anytime soon. My stomach has found its happy place.

Pop in a CD. Today it Turns 25

Happy birthday to the compact disc. On this day in 1982, the first CD was released commercially in Hannover, Germany. It contained music from the Alpine symphony by Strauss.

Almost all forms of technology go obsolete at some point, but the CD has held strong to reach its 25th birthday. It’s only been in the past 6-7 years that the MP3 has made its mark on the music world.

One reason the CD has stayed around is the capability to “rip” or “burn” music onto blank discs. Those horrible 80’s mixes that once were relegated to the ancient cassette could now be stored much easier, and last longer as well. Storage of data a music is also a plus. But the CD’s cohort, the DVD takes the cake on that one.

Today, most cars have gotten rid of the tape deck and now only have a CD player. Some newer models even have iPod hook ups.

Some say the CD is ready for retirement. I’m not so sure myself. If it’s been around for 25 years, 35 might not be a reach.

Vick Reportedly in Plea Talks

From the Atlanta Journal Constitution:

Michael Vick's attorneys are engaged in plea negotiations with federal prosecutors and the Falcons quarterback could reach an agreement before new dogfighting charges are handed down next week, according to a person with knowledge of the negotiations.

The negotiations follow news that two more of Vick's three co-defendants are scheduled to enter guilty pleas later this week as part of a deal with prosecutors.
Associated Press

If prosecutors accept a plea agreement from Michael Vick, the Falcons QB will likely serve some prison time, according to federal sentencing guidelines.

Collins Spencer, a spokesman for Vick's lawyers, declined to comment Tuesday on any possible negotiations.

He added that Vick did not meet with his attorneys last night but said they will have a conference call with Vick this morning and may have an announcement this afternoon. Spencer did not indicate what the announcement would be.

On Monday Spencer said the legal team was "very surprised" by the pleas from Purnell Peace and Quanis Phillips and said they would not affect plans to move forward toward a Nov. 26 trial.

Read the entire article here.

Time & Technology not on Miners Side

The situation of the trapped miners in Utah has been intriguing me for what, 6-7 days now. Unfortunately, the current circumstances look pretty grim, since there hasn’t been any contact with the six miners since LAST Monday. Two holes drilled. A camera and microphone inserted. No response.

Now, according to the AP, a third hole, 1414-feet-deep, could take six days to finish drilling. By then, it will become a recovery mission instead of rescue.

Then I started thinking. It’s 2007. The best technology we have to save these brave men, is to drill painstaking holes in the earth and trying to locate them?

As one correspondent on CNN put it, (why I’m watching Chicken Noodle News, I don’t know) “I can wake up, log onto my computer and view current photos of the surface of Mars, yet the rescuers can’t seem to find the miners.”

You can't sugarcoat this situation with the fact that there is a "survivable area" and potable water in the mine. If the capabilities of reaching the trapped miners are hindered, eventually that will be a moot point.

It seems pretty ridiculous in this day in age that better technology and safety measures aren’t in place for one of the deadliest jobs in the U.S.

An Oliver Hill Statue on Monument Avenue

It was only a matter of time before the discussion revved up once again about placing a statue of a Richmond hero on Monument Avenue. In today’s RTD, columnist Ray McAllister tackles the issue that might cause gridlock over an avenue with almost as many Confederate war heroes as stop lights.

The issue at hand: Should the late civil rights leader Oliver Hill, a black man, have a statue on the city’s most-famed avenue?

To answer that question, you have to take a trip back to 1996.

It was 11 years ago when Monument Avenue made national headlines. The Arthur Ashe statue was placed on the street, causing uproar. Both the Sons of Confederate Veterans and Ashe’s widow denounced the placement of the statue on Monument. But nonetheless, the dwarfed statue of the tennis champion and philanthropist still stands in the medium of Monument and Roseneath today.

When I show out-of-towners Monument Avenue, they always seem puzzled when the first statue they see is of Ashe. The question I always get is, isn’t this street full of Confederate generals?

Well, it was.

Is Hill, the man that many historians credit for starting Brown v. Board of Education, deserving of a statue? Most certainly. Should he be included on a thoroughfare with the likes of Gen. Robert E. Lee, Jefferson Davis, and J.E.B. Stuart? I’m not so sure.

I have no qualms with a statue of Hill on Monument Avenue. It will just seem as out of place as Ashe’s statue. Many thought Ashe’s statue should have been near Byrd Park or closer to Ashe’s home.

Hill’s presence can still be seen in the metro area. Two bronze busts of Hill that have already been placed in Richmond - one near Hill's old law office and the other in the Virginia Historical Society. Additionally, Hill will be honored along with 17 other figures on a planned civil-rights statue in Capitol Square.

While Ashe was a great Richmonder, Hill was even greater. He worked hard to end the doctrine of "separate but equal" and to allow everyone to receive an education.

Hill definitely deserves a tribute in the form of a free-standing statue, but it might be a good idea to put a foot on the brake before finding a spot on Monument Avenue.

Hey Barry! Hit the Damn Thing Already!

Another game for Barry Bonds. Another night to wait for 755. MLB Commissioner Bud Selig has to be getting tired of looking down from his luxury box and watching Barroids disassemble his body armor and jog down to first base.

Hammerin’ Hank Aaron is just as weary. Aaron said he’d be playing golf in Florida while Bonds chased his home run record*. This just in, Aaron has laid up on the 17th fairway for the 43rd time in the past week.

Since moving within one of Aaron's record on Friday night in San Fran, Bonds is 1-for-12 with eight walks. Last night his Giants fell to the rival Dodgers 6-4.

Let’s face it; except for the Latte drinkers at AT&T Park, no one wants Barry to hit 755 at home. If he’s going to break the record, he deserves all the flax(seed) he’ll get in return in a visitors ballpark. And what better place to do it than Dodger Stadium.

Dodger fans might not openly admit it, but if Bonds is not gonna get k’d, they want him to hit 755 there. The millions of flash bulbs that have been popping all over Chavez Ravine, like a red carpet premiere in Hollywood, is a perfect example of that.

Bonds better hit 755 and 756 soon. He allegedly used “The Clear”, but once he breaks Aaron’s record, he’ll be far from being in it. There’s a guy named Rodriguez that wants the record.

*Steroid-Free

An Interview with Bill Walsh

Last year Curt Menefee of Fox Sports sat down for a rare interview with former president, general manager and head coach of the San Francisco 49ers, Bill Walsh.

In the words of Jim Rome, an epic interview.