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By now, news about the death of retired Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf Thursday in Tampa, Fla., is widespread. He was 78.

Known as “Stormin’ Norman” because of his explosive temper, he will be remembered for leading the international coalition that drove Saddam Hussein’s forces out of Kuwait in 1991.

I will always remember Schwarzkopf for this press briefing at the end of the first Gulf War, which has to be one of the best performances in the history of news conferences. A screen writer couldn’t have written a better character and scene for a movie.

And what I admire most about Schwarzkopf is that after he retired, he basically went home and spent the rest of his life with his family. He wrote an autobiography, It Doesn’t Take a Hero, published in 1992. And he served as a military analyst for NBC. But for the most part he donated his time in retirement to charities and community activities.

He was a classy guy and an American hero. No doubt about it.

More video: After my post Thursday about some interesting things I had heard on NPR, one of my more conservative friends and regular reader sent me an email with this link.

“Watch the first few minutes for the Parks & Recreation take on public radio,” he said.

This is not a program that I watch on a regular basis. But I  have to admit, this is a funny clip.

But I’ll still keep listening to NPR.

And finally: Keeping with the theme, I heard a rebroadcast Thursday of an interview on Iowa Public Radio’s Talk of Iowa with Charity Nebbe. She interviewed Janiva Magness.

I’m glad I heard this interview because it introduced me to someone who sings like this. It’s definitely worth a listen.

That’s all, folks: Running late. Have to get to work.