Author Archives: Ralph Hanson

Twitter Responses are the New Autograph (All media are social)

Posted on September 21, 2017 by Ralph Hanson

Updated 10/9/17 We all have our moments that David Letterman called a “brush with greatness,” moments where our lives intersect with someone famous. In the past, when you met a movie star, musician or famous author, you might ask for … Continue reading →

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Questions Worth Asking (Maybe)

Posted on September 15, 2017 by Ralph Hanson

What do Americans know about their constitution? Not much, according to a new survey by the Annenberg Public Policy Center. Good story from CNN’s Chis Cillizza. (Also, good analysis from the libertarian Volokh Conspiracy) 37% couldn’t name a single right … Continue reading →

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Looking back 10 years to the original iPhone’s introduction

Posted on September 12, 2017 by Ralph Hanson

Today Apple is introducing their 10th anniversary iPhone along with other new products and upgrades. Here’s what I had to say ten years ago when Apple announced the iPhone.  How’s it hold up?  (For the record, it took me almost 5 years … Continue reading →

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Images of the Twin Towers in Cinema

Posted on September 11, 2017 by Ralph Hanson

Reposted from Sept. 11, 2011. Before 9/11, the silhouette of the twin towers of the World Trade Center were one of the quickest ways movie makers had of establishing that we were looking at the NYC skyline.  Here’s a beautiful … Continue reading →

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A Motorcycle Ride to the United 93 Memorial on a Rainy Summer Day

Posted on September 11, 2017 by Ralph Hanson

This has nothing to do with the media. It’s a brief story about a ride I took on my motorcycle to the United 93 Memorial on a rainy June day back in 2004. It was written shortly after I had … Continue reading →

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UPDATED – Media Stories From Hurricane Harvey

Posted on August 31, 2017 by Ralph Hanson

Getting news out from Hurricane is a massive effort.  Here are a few stories about those struggles: UPDATE – How Houston Chronicle is covering home-town flooding / Why Local News Matters This Facebook status from a @HoustonChron reporter says everything you need to … Continue reading →

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“Let Freedom Ring…” ‘I have a dream’ speech was 54 years ago today

Posted on August 28, 2017 by Ralph Hanson

“And if America is to be a great nation this must become true. So let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the heightening … Continue reading →

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It’s not a surprise when Trump reverts to form (or any politician for that matter)

Posted on August 23, 2017 by Ralph Hanson

A tweetstorm I sent out this morning in reaction to an NPR podcast. Please note that this is a rant on how we cover politicians, not about the president in particular. Generally a fan of NPR’s @UpFirst podcast. Listen to … Continue reading →

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When Nature Puts On The Really Big Show – Total Eclipse on the Prairie

Posted on August 21, 2017 by Ralph Hanson

The total eclipse of the sun in Kearney, Nebraska this afternoon was absolutely stunning. You didn’t need any fancy equipment to see the images. Just look down and see the pinhole images provided by the trees. Lots of high school … Continue reading →

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The story of stolpersteine lives on

Posted on August 17, 2017 by Ralph Hanson

Last week I finally got to writing a blog post I got the idea for back in January from a series of e-mails I exchanged with my archaeology professor Dr. David Gradwohl.  The post looked at the ongoing story about … Continue reading →

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