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You are here: Home / 2007 / Archives for May 2007

Archives for May 2007

Pirates 3…good

May 25, 2007 by John Guilfoil

Despite Disney’s best efforts toward the contrary, “Pirates of the Caribbean, At World’s End,” was damn good.

The movie, which I saw at midnight, put forward some excellent plot twists, good fight scenes and (finally) some superb, epic naval warfare scenes as opposed to earlier, cartoonish attempts.

The movie opens nice and strangely with a scene of men, women and even a child who has to be propped up with a barrel, being hung for taking part in acts of piracy or associating with known pirates. No gruesome–just, you know, dozens of people being dropped through the trapdoors of the gallows.

The movie was 2 hours and 48 minutes long.

Last year, I said that two and a half hours was simply too much for a Disney movie about pirates.

That statement makes perfect sense, but somehow they made the third installment longer without making it seem so.

This movie flew by, and it was by far better than “Dead Man’s Chest,” although the second movie makes much more sense now.

What should not be overlooked at the performances of Geoffrey Rush and Stellan Skarsgård, two prototypical villain actors, who gave exceptional color to “At World’s End.”

Northeastern University wrong to dismiss professors

May 23, 2007 by John Guilfoil

I simply could have not worded it better than Nick Daniloff in regards to the Northeastern University school of journalism not renewing the contacts of two of their professors, Gladys and Lincoln McKie.

“This is unbelievably bad administrative management,” Daniloff told the News May 23. “I have to ask myself, ‘Do I want to work for such heartless and inept university management?’

This is indeed unbelievably bad administrative management.

As an alumnus, I have to ask myself:

Do I really want to be associated with such heartless and inept university management?

Do I really want to donate money to a university with such heartless and inept management?

At the end of my third year at Northeastern, I still had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. That was until I took a public relations course with Gladys McKie, on a whim.

By the end of the semester, I was so enamored with the media, so intrigued with it all, that I took on a double major in journalism, outside of my native College of Criminal Justice and put off what would have been an early graduation.

Professor Gladys McKie, who like most in journalism doesn’t like being called by the formal title, motivated me when no one else could. She is the reason I have come to find some meaning in my whole education.

Because of Gladys McKie’s teachings, personal motivation and the amount of time she dedicates to bettering her students, I came out of college and walked into a managerial role as online editor/coordinator at the Attleboro Sun Chronicle newspaper, one of the top newspapers in the state.

Hundreds of us in the school of journalism will be successful in out careers and in our lives because we found professors like the McKie’s who challenged and engaged us and forced us to realize our potential.

I don’t need a piece of paper hanging on a wall to be motivated. Indeed, the worst professor I ever had at Northeastern was a PhD fresh out of school.

I don’t follow degrees. I follow experience. I follow success. I follow gifted public relations practitioners. I follow journalists who were held captive as political prisoners in Soviet jails. I follow Emmy award-winning producers. I follow authors of definitive books on sports journalism. I follow one of Boston’s most read blogs.

The Northeastern University school of journalism currently has all that.

They should thank their lucky stars that they do.

We, the suffering students, get a pat on the back and a “there, there.” The administration tells us that it’s all going to be ok as they climb to the highest peak and shout “academic investment plan” (their plan to hire professors with advanced degrees) to all that can hear them.

Screw the academic investment plan.

Northeastern needs a student investment plan. It’s high time they started asking what the customers wanted.

Boston: #1 dog friendly city

May 23, 2007 by John Guilfoil

Another wonderful Top 10 list has come out.

DogFriendly.com has unveiled their list of dog-friendly destinations in the United States and Canada.

1. Boston — Take a boat or whale watching cruise. Walk the Freedom Trail, visit Salem and explore history at Minute Man Park. Your leashed dog is also welcome on the subway.

2. Vancouver — Walk the Capilano Suspension Bridge and park. Take a walking tour of Historic Gastown. Take the ferry and visit nearby Victoria and beautiful Butchart Gardens.

3. New York — Stay in luxury at many fine hotels. Walk the Brooklyn Bridge. Take a walking tour of lower Manhattan. Ride the carriages. Watch a morning show. Shop in famous stores.

4. San Francisco — Luxurious hotels, outdoor dining, the Golden Gate Bridge, Baker Beach and many off-leash areas. Ride the cable car to the Fisherman’s Wharf area and stroll with your dog.

5. Austin — Visit Zilker Botanical Gardens, catch a horse and carriage ride, dine in outdoor cafes. See the bats leave the Congress St. Bridge at dusk. Use the city’s many parks.

6. Portland — Enjoy over 20 off-leash areas, an amusement park and the famous Rose Gardens. Dine at the Lucky Lab. Visit the Saturday Outdoor Market and hike in the Colombia River Gorge.

7. Northern Virginia — Dine or enjoy happy hour in dog-friendly Alexandria. Take the Canine Cruise on the Potomac. Visit outdoor monuments in Washington and Virginia.

8. Orlando — Stay at resorts such as the Portofino Bay and Sheraton World. Take a boat cruise, shop Winter Park, and dine at Sam Snead’s where Jeb Bush signed the doggy dining law.

9. San Diego — Off-leash dog beaches. Stay at Loews Coronado Resort. Shop at dog-friendly Otay Ranch Shopping Center complete with a dog park. Dine outdoors. Visit nearby Julian.

10. Dallas/Fort Worth — Ride a carriage, visit Pioneer Plaza, take a walking tour. Visit Fort Woof dog park and the Stockyard in Fort Worth. Dine on Texas BBQ at outdoor restaurants.

Honorable Mentions: Chicago, Indianapolis, Philadelphia, Salt Lake, Seattle.

NEPA gives mention

May 21, 2007 by John Guilfoil

Special thanks to the New England Press Association for mentioning me in their current issue of their bulletin.

The bulletin reported on my recent hire at The Sun Chronicle.

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