Mike Pilewski writes about life, politics and culture in the United States
One of the highlights of my USA ’08 Special Report for Spotlight Online was a review of all the different music videos that expressed the election campaign in song. Will.i.am’s “Yes, We Can” video, along with Barelypolitical’s Obama Girl series, started an avalanche of user-made songs and parodies about all the candidates that kept us entertained for a year. There … >>
Back when I was a newsreader for my college radio station, I was shown one of the thickest books I’d ever seen: a binder containing, I guess, about 500 pages. Those were all the rules an American radio station had to follow, as laid down by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). While I found the book daunting, my contemporaries found … >>
Every revolution needs a poet. The civil-rights movement was won not by people marching in the streets or setting fire to their neighborhoods, but by the eloquence of their leaders, who opened the ears and minds of the establishment. Martin Luther King talked about the problems in his neighborhood, but his dream was a dream for everyone. He made civil … >>
I have to say the news hasn’t been good lately. In fact, it’s been so bad that only one thing can help. That thing is Auto-Tune. Auto-Tune is software that can correct anyone’s singing voice to give it perfect pitch. Music producers use it on a large percentage of pop and especially R&B singers, many of whom would seem rather … >>
From time to time, we need to take a moment to recognize the unsung heroes who keep our society functioning the way it should. They work with untiring dedication. They are willing to put the greater good ahead of their own well-being. Without them, everything would collapse. I’m talking, of course, about those who teach, and fight for, proper punctuation, … >>
Haufenwolke, a reader of this column, says I don’t deserve to be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. So I’ve decided to step up my efforts. Like most people, I wish for peace on Earth on December 24. But wishing alone won’t stop the inconsiderate behavior of others. Actions must follow. So here are 20 simple suggestions that could be … >>
Do you remember what you were doing back in July? I do. I was glued to the TV, watching all the documentaries about the first moon landing 40 years ago in 1969. It was the greatest technical achievement in human history. Watching recent interviews with the former Apollo astronauts — Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin in particular — helped to reawaken some … >>
This past Monday saw the return of a yearly event in my home state of Pennsylvania: Groundhog Day. Groundhogs are large rodents that live underground. The saying is that if one of these animals sees his shadow on this day, six more weeks of winter will follow. If he doesn’t, then spring will come early. The tradition was brought over … >>