Jim Capozzola, 44, local blogger

"I SAW DEATH yesterday in a form I never before witnessed: a 10-year-old boy wearing little blue sneakers."

Writing for the Daily News in February 2004, Jim Capozzola struggled to find the words to express his shock and regret at the funeral of Faheem Thomas-Childs in a North Philadelphia church.

"You have not seen death until you have seen a murdered child laid out in an open casket for a public viewing," he wrote. "Wearing little blue sneakers."

His feelings about a murdered boy he did not know (Faheem had been killed by a stray bullet during a gang shootout) was an expression of the powerful social conscience of a man who usually reserved his comments for a popular blog he had authored since 2002.

In fact, Jim Capozzola was considered by those who follow the local blog scene as the "blogfather," and his death on July 2 left a gaping hole in the Philadelphia blogosphere. He was 44 and lived in Fishtown.

"The world is so much less scintillating without him in it," said longtime friend and fellow blogger Susie Madrak.

Jim started his blog, Rittenhouse Review, a couple of weeks before Duncan Black, who had a reputation as the original Philadelphia blogger, began his Eschaton blog (atrios.blogspot.com) in April 2002.

"He could be a pain in the ass, but in such an interesting way," Susie said.

"His reputation in the Philly progressive blogging community is legendary," said Richard Blair, writing in the blog All Spin Zone, "and I have long been in awe of his flair for writing and his keen eye for political detail.

"Deadpan is one word I could use. Intelligent to a fault. Angst-ridden. Passionate. Searching. Intense. Always reading something. Jimmy was a guy who had been through the worst that life could throw at him, but still maintained a finely-honed sense of humor.

"He operated with an economy of words like a world-class neurosurgeon wields a laser scalpel - carefully, with precision, and always displaying a genuine passion for the craft."

"Jim was extraordinarily generous," Madrak said. "A master networker, he insisted on introducing all of his friends to each other and they, in turn, became friends. 'See,' he'd say, 'I told you you'd hit it off.'

"In turn, I introduced him to the sweet-potato fries and the chocolate bread pudding at Silk City."

Jim received the 2002 Koufax Award for Best Post for his "Al Gore and the Alpha Girls," published in November 2002.

He also was nominated for two other Koufax Awards in 2002 and three in 2003. The Koufax Award honors left-of-center bloggers (Sandy Koufax was a left-handed pitcher; get it?)

James Martin Capozzola received a bachelor's degree in political science from the University at Albany of the State University of New York, and a master's in foreign affairs from the University of Virginia.

Over the years, he held a number of jobs, including financial journalism, securities analysis and investment research. He was also a freelance writer and editor. His most recent job was in public relations in Philadelphia.

"He was an impeccable dresser who used to work on Wall Street, and he absolutely adored Philadelphia, his adopted city," said Madrak.

"He made a mean marinara. And because he was the product of a mixed marriage [Irish and Italian], he was both romantic and brilliantly sarcastic," she added.

He had a passion for "The Sound of Music" and once sang the entire score while he and Susie were sitting outside Tangier, their favorite bar.

"Jim spoke God-knows-how- many languages," she said. "I once met him for lunch when he walked in wearing a Walkman. 'What are you listening to?' I asked him. 'I'm teaching myself Dutch,' he said almost apologetically."

Jim is survived by his pet bulldog, Mildred. *