Looking at Sakina’s picture, I remembered how amazed I was the first days of class to getting to know people from so many different backgrounds and cultures, and I am sure that a lot of our learning during the year will come from our classmates as well as from our teachers. For me, it will certainly be a great opportunity, for in the country I come from, Uruguay, we are all so much alike we get used to it and lose perspective.
I was looking up some numbers in the Internet to illustrate my point: Uruguay’s main source of production is meat, with 12 million cows and 11 million sheep, whereas the total population of the country is of a mere 3.4 million habitants, and a million of them live in Montevideo, the capital city. There are towns in the rural area that are practically deserted, rural schools that only have two or three students that every morning go to class by horse (for every student there is a school, that is the government’s policy). The literacy rate is pretty high and because during the two world wars there was a massive immigration of Europeans, our cultural heritage comes mainly from Spaniards, Italians and at a smaller rate English and French. Until the 1950s Uruguay was regarded as the “Swiss of America”, which of course changed after successive economical crisis.
However, people still regard themselves as very cultured and open-minded. That isn’t always so. There is an essayist from Venezuela that writes for a Uruguayan paper, and she says the first thing she noticed when she moved to our country is that everyone kept asking her: “Why did you come here?” And no one was satisfied when she simply answered: “Because I felt like it.” She came to the conclusion that although Uruguayans are very proud of their country, they are also have an inferiority complex that makes them wonder why the hell would someone move there. It is a safe, nice place with beautiful beaches, but also pretty boring. The government has been discussing the same issues for the last 20 years and nothing ever changes. Everything is so bureaucratic that the country seems to be in a lethargic state.
Uruguayans are very concerned on how the foreigners see them, and if they like the country or find it slightly boring as well. And because of this inferiority complex, they suppose people from other countries usually don’t know where Uruguay is geographically located, or what it is like.
However, in school we learn very little about Africa, Asia or the Middle East. In our effort to be recognizable to the world, we make very little effort in knowing more about the rest of it, and become so narrow-minded that we end up learning very little about other cultures, even the North American one. I wanted to share this thought in this blog because I have met people in the class with a great deal of knowledge on foreign countries and a genuine interest in learning even more, and I hope I can achieve the same during the course of this year and the next.
Federica Narancio
Monday, August 27, 2007
Thursday, August 23, 2007
A Wedding Arranged
Hi everyone, this is Sakina, the Indian student this post is a taste of India… …It’s my personal experience, read on…
As one of our classmates plunged into wedlock this week, I think of my wedding to Salim last december. A marriage arranged in heaven, I still can't figure out why and how it happened, I am still finding the answers.
I was 25, and my parents were worried, I had a circle of friends (some of them boys) but nobody I wanted to say ‘I – do, do, do, to’. I am a Muslim by faith, and girls get married in my community at the age of 21- LATEST!
The pressure of my mother and her life raising four girls weighed heavily on me-
“You have two unmarried sisters after you Sakina, think about them, and get married.” There were many nice boyzzz to choose from in the community, my mom would tell me now and again, comparing me to my older sister Aiman, who has three kids at 30!
It was on the 2nd of May that Salim, his dad… his uncle and …his brother came to my house to see me. I was still trying to look presentable, with my short hair, clad in a traditional Indian outfit, I quite frankly looked silly. My mom managed to keep the guests busy with small conversation, sherbet and sweets.
It was not the first time; I was to handle such a situation. I was a pro at it, an expert. Having seen close to fifteen and up suitors, I was in a way tired of getting myself set up for a marriage. It just had not worked for me.
Salim had his own story which I got to know much later, a construction engineer working in DC, he had big brown eyes, I thought of them as X- ray quality eyes, which could look through a person and hid behind glasses. I walked into the room and I could feel them scanning me.
I sat down on a chair next to my mother, and the room dropped to pin drop silence.
I took my own time to look at him, his hands, his smile, his cleft on the chin, his feet (hahaha!)…that was all that was permissible. LOOK!
He was looking at me too, until our eyes met.
“Will you come to America with me?” He said breaking the silence.
He did not wait for a reply, Salim was nervous.
“May I take your daughter out tomorrow, aunty?” He asked my mother.
My mother looked at me, I looked at her, and I agreed.
Salim and I both are cosmopolitan youngsters from Mumbai, educated abroad and traveled extensively; both of us were put into this situation, that one would imagine happens only in rural India. Arranged marriages do exist and are a custom that will never die as traditions go through a revamp in now globalised, Mc Donalised India.
It was a Tuesday when we first met. The chronology of events that followed are still crystal clear to me;
On Wednesday I met Salim’s mother,
On Thursday he met my father,
On Friday he proposed to me,
On Sunday we were engaged
….and on Monday, Salim had to fly back to DC.
We got married after six months, in December.
Today after eight months of being married, it is very common for both of us to say to one another,
“I can’t believe, you’re the same guy/ girl I married.”
We argue everyday, we want to kill one another already, and then we remind ourselves…we are in love.
We have nothing in common! He’s not the sporty kind, I ‘m not the dancing kind. I like him with a beard; he likes me with long hair. He likes coffee, I love tea.
It seems we were mismatched from the start and when people ask me how I met Salim, I just tell them, “It was a miracle!”
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Bootcamp
Now that it's over, I wonder what I will do with myself for the next week. I remember being petrified the first day of boot camp, especially after the class introductions. I kept wondering if I could do this, and if it was worth it? I was so scared of the deadline reporting we had to do, and I felt my writing was elementary. I was so ready for failure that at times I wondered why I even bothered. Yet now, three weeks later, I am happy to say I survived boot camp, and learned a whole lot in the process. I got to interview random people off the street, that was hard for me, it still is, but I am coming out of my shell. I got to meet my congressman from North Carolina. I met people who are affected by the anti-illegal immigrant laws and got to see first hand how hard it is for them. I learned a lot about myself in the process, and I am looking forward to leaning so much more.
Good luck to everyone, have fun during your time off and get some rest. I am looking forward to seeing everyone next Friday and possibly everyday for the next year or so.
Uzo Nnabuihe
Good luck to everyone, have fun during your time off and get some rest. I am looking forward to seeing everyone next Friday and possibly everyday for the next year or so.
Uzo Nnabuihe
Utah Miners
For almost two weeks we have followed the news on the six miners trapped in a Utah coal mine. It has been a hard story to follow, mostly because they are still trapped. On the news there are clips of the families hoping to hear some good news, volunteers standing by ready to do whatever they can, and news vans, hoping to capture the latest development. Most recently a cave-in killed three rescue workers and injured six of them. As a result, the search for the trapped miners was stopped. The mayor of the town was on GoodMorningAmerica on friday, and he talked about staying with the families of the trapped miners and trying to comfort them as best he could. The mayor also talked about losing his dad in a mining accident 50yrs ago, and how he knows what it is like to lose a loved one in such a horrible way; but that it does not make it any easier to say the right things to the grieving families.
A few of the miners said they didn't want to go back to work in that mine because it was unstable, this was right before the second cave-in that killed the three rescue workers.
In his article on the political affairs website, Joel wendland writes that the mine had 325 federal safety citations and that the mine was cited for not having a second escape passage in the same area where the miners got trapped in. http://www.politicalaffairs.net/article/articleview/5734/1/278/
Wendland also writes that the fines have not been paid and the problems have not been rectified. Now there are three men dead, six trapped and we have no idea how much longer they can survive.
I wonder what will happen to the mine and mine owners, what kind of punishment will they recieve, besides worthless fines, for their failure to provide a safe working environment for their employees? What about the families? what kind of provision will be made for them if this doesn't end well? It is disheartening to see such hard working people go through difficult situations like these, makes it seem like they can hardly catch a break. My heart goes out to all the wives and children of the miners involved. It is not an easy time for them, and no words can soften the pain they feel, but our prayers go out to them, and we hope for the best.
A few of the miners said they didn't want to go back to work in that mine because it was unstable, this was right before the second cave-in that killed the three rescue workers.
In his article on the political affairs website, Joel wendland writes that the mine had 325 federal safety citations and that the mine was cited for not having a second escape passage in the same area where the miners got trapped in. http://www.politicalaffairs.net/article/articleview/5734/1/278/
Wendland also writes that the fines have not been paid and the problems have not been rectified. Now there are three men dead, six trapped and we have no idea how much longer they can survive.
I wonder what will happen to the mine and mine owners, what kind of punishment will they recieve, besides worthless fines, for their failure to provide a safe working environment for their employees? What about the families? what kind of provision will be made for them if this doesn't end well? It is disheartening to see such hard working people go through difficult situations like these, makes it seem like they can hardly catch a break. My heart goes out to all the wives and children of the miners involved. It is not an easy time for them, and no words can soften the pain they feel, but our prayers go out to them, and we hope for the best.
My Helen Thomas experience
When I was Ten years old Elizabeth Nze,a well known newscaster,refused, while on air, to read the news. It might not seem like a big deal now, but in Nigeria, in 1992, it was. At that time the country was ruled by Maj. Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, a dictator to say the least. During his reign all media outlets were monitored by the government. Newspaper, t.v. and radio stations reported news that had been given the OK by those in charge. On that fateful evening, Nze got a copy of the news and skimmed through it, we didn't have teleprompters at the time, then she put it down and said "I am not reading this. These people know what is going on, I will not read this." After saying those words, she got up and left.
To this day, I always think about her and how hard it must have been for her stand her ground, both as a journalist and a woman. Living in a country like Nigeria, women were hardly ever in the forefront of the fight for social justice; that is why Nze's actions will always be a turning point in my life. After watching her on t.v. that evening, I decided I wanted to be a journalist like her; one who reports the truth, and not some trumped up story, or one sided news.
Listening to Helen Thomas brought back all those warm and fuzzy feelings I had when I was ten. She is an inspiration to say the least. It is inspiring to see someone stick to what they believe in, regardless of what they might lose as a result. Helen Thomas has called on journalists to wake up, this includes those of us who are about to join this elite group of news gatherers; we need to wake up.
For me a country that protects the rights of its journalists and gives them the freedom to write truthfully, is an opportunity too good to waste. I hope to learn as much as I can, and use what I have learned for the good of others, no matter how small my contribution may be, as long as it helps someone, I will be satisfied.
Uzo Nnabuihe
To this day, I always think about her and how hard it must have been for her stand her ground, both as a journalist and a woman. Living in a country like Nigeria, women were hardly ever in the forefront of the fight for social justice; that is why Nze's actions will always be a turning point in my life. After watching her on t.v. that evening, I decided I wanted to be a journalist like her; one who reports the truth, and not some trumped up story, or one sided news.
Listening to Helen Thomas brought back all those warm and fuzzy feelings I had when I was ten. She is an inspiration to say the least. It is inspiring to see someone stick to what they believe in, regardless of what they might lose as a result. Helen Thomas has called on journalists to wake up, this includes those of us who are about to join this elite group of news gatherers; we need to wake up.
For me a country that protects the rights of its journalists and gives them the freedom to write truthfully, is an opportunity too good to waste. I hope to learn as much as I can, and use what I have learned for the good of others, no matter how small my contribution may be, as long as it helps someone, I will be satisfied.
Uzo Nnabuihe
Friday, August 17, 2007
Why (some of) the Military Hate (some of) the Press
Photo Courtesy of Jarhead, the movie.
I interviewed a Marine the other day for my story. He was running a MySpace page in support of George Bush. It didn't relate to my story, but we got on the topic of the press and the military.
"I'm so sick of the news," he said. "All they say is all of the bad things that happen, why didn't they talk about the school I helped build? Or the sick kids I helped?"
This is one of many soldiers who I have heard complain about press coverage of the War in Iraq.
Contrary to soldiers' opinion, a lot of press regarding the war was fairly status quo. I did a thesis analyzing the first year of coverage of the War in Iraq, and found that most journalists (embedded or not) had a strong reliance on U.S. official sources. Now, I don't blame them--they were in a new country and didn't know the language and were being fired at--but that was the truth.
The one journalist who stuck out was Anthony Shadid, a Lebanese reporter for the Washington Post. He had a tremendous amount of civilian sources, as well as officials from both sides, and, surprisingly, some of the lowest ranking army and marine sources (i.e. the Privates, a.k.a. 'grunts', rather than the Lieutenants).
I read another article the other day that reminded me of the type of reporting I saw from Shadid. It was in the Raleigh News Observer by a man named Jay Price. He has performed three tours of Afghanistan and he wrote a three part series highlighting two pilots who nearly died in a helicopter crash. He covered how they got along with their brigade, what happened, and what is occurring in their lives now. It was not episodic or overly official-based. It painted a picture of what it was like for them--the good and bad.
Thinking back to my conversation with Christopher, the Marine, I wonder what he would have thought of it. I'm sure it would have been different than the stories he had read. It showed knowledge of military life, an understanding of the structure and struggles. This is lost on a lot of journalists, who I think often see themselves as smarter or better than folks in the military.
Being from a military family (three grandparents served for longer than one war, one was a life member), I have a respect for the military that runs deep, and yet I know I don't understand what folks are going through. I would like to be a reporter that military families could read and trust. Someone who understood the culture and told the story that needed to be told, without patronizing the soldiers or their sacrifice.
-Katharine Jarmul
Live on the web
Hi all,
If you're like me, sometimes you feel like you're living online. Sometimes when I get home from school or work, all I want to do is zone out in front of the web. After a while, I need to close the computer and look at something that's not virtual.
Nonetheless, I can't help but tempt you all with some fun links I've discovered:
Here's a fun site that gives you a how-to on making interesting stencils
My lawyer says I am not advocating defacing public property!
An a great site on DIY silkscreening of T-shirts:
My lawyer says don't screen print anything on public property either!
An awesome site about ingenuity in Africa. Seriously, it's pretty rad:
My lawyer says Africans make kick-ass gadgets!
HINT: Check out William's Windmill, about 3/4 of the way down the page, and the wind-powered cell phone tower, right above it. Also, the knife-sharpening bicycle.
That's it for now.
Sarah
If you're like me, sometimes you feel like you're living online. Sometimes when I get home from school or work, all I want to do is zone out in front of the web. After a while, I need to close the computer and look at something that's not virtual.
Nonetheless, I can't help but tempt you all with some fun links I've discovered:
Here's a fun site that gives you a how-to on making interesting stencils
My lawyer says I am not advocating defacing public property!
An a great site on DIY silkscreening of T-shirts:
My lawyer says don't screen print anything on public property either!
An awesome site about ingenuity in Africa. Seriously, it's pretty rad:
My lawyer says Africans make kick-ass gadgets!
HINT: Check out William's Windmill, about 3/4 of the way down the page, and the wind-powered cell phone tower, right above it. Also, the knife-sharpening bicycle.
That's it for now.
Sarah
Fake trend stories
Anyone else out there notice these dubious "trend" stories?
You know, when you read there's been an alarming rise in teen sex or, I don't know, pick your favorite worry of the week, but the writer doesn't have great stats to demonstrate the trend? I feel like Time and Newsweek are especially guilty of this.
An article I read about a Newsweek story on slate.com got me thinking about this.
It gave me pause, because I think journalists can do a good public service by taking the time to look at how our society is changing. That includes getting the word out when there ARE troubling trends out there. But how do we avoid raising alarm bells when they aren't needed?
When we do that too much, we lose credibility and contribute to a culture of fear that prevents people from being able to see their world clearly.
For instance, people hold a lot of irrational fears that news stories can help to encourage. The example that's on the top of my head is a pretty famous one: car travel vs. air travel. Many more people die in car travel than in air travel, but not a lot of people have an irrational fear of cars. (I think Malcolm Gladwell might talk about that one in one of his books, Lisa? :) )
I know there are better examples of irrational fears that reporters play up because they make sensational headlines, but you get the point.
I can't say I have the answers on this issue, but I do know I'll be thinking about this a good deal when I write. I think it's really important for us as reporters to learn how to use statistics carefully and accurately, and not to blow a story out of proportion just to suck readers in. Journalism, as a reporter that talked to one of my classes once said, is an intensely ethical profession. Reporters frequently weigh the ethical implications of what they do, much more so than those in many other professions. When you're writing a story, you gotta consider more than how splashy a story is!
Just a thought...
Sarah
You know, when you read there's been an alarming rise in teen sex or, I don't know, pick your favorite worry of the week, but the writer doesn't have great stats to demonstrate the trend? I feel like Time and Newsweek are especially guilty of this.
An article I read about a Newsweek story on slate.com got me thinking about this.
It gave me pause, because I think journalists can do a good public service by taking the time to look at how our society is changing. That includes getting the word out when there ARE troubling trends out there. But how do we avoid raising alarm bells when they aren't needed?
When we do that too much, we lose credibility and contribute to a culture of fear that prevents people from being able to see their world clearly.
For instance, people hold a lot of irrational fears that news stories can help to encourage. The example that's on the top of my head is a pretty famous one: car travel vs. air travel. Many more people die in car travel than in air travel, but not a lot of people have an irrational fear of cars. (I think Malcolm Gladwell might talk about that one in one of his books, Lisa? :) )
I know there are better examples of irrational fears that reporters play up because they make sensational headlines, but you get the point.
I can't say I have the answers on this issue, but I do know I'll be thinking about this a good deal when I write. I think it's really important for us as reporters to learn how to use statistics carefully and accurately, and not to blow a story out of proportion just to suck readers in. Journalism, as a reporter that talked to one of my classes once said, is an intensely ethical profession. Reporters frequently weigh the ethical implications of what they do, much more so than those in many other professions. When you're writing a story, you gotta consider more than how splashy a story is!
Just a thought...
Sarah
This just in
Hi guys,
For all you Stewart & Colbert fans out there, I thought I'd post an interesting out-of-character interview Stephen Colbert did with Charlie Rose:
If I may say so, it only makes him cuter.
-Sarah
PS: After the clip ends, there'll be links to the next few minutes of the interview.
PPS: If you don't mind having this song stuck in your head for the next week, check out this funny song by an independent singer/songwriter from NYC:
Re: Your Brains
For all you Stewart & Colbert fans out there, I thought I'd post an interesting out-of-character interview Stephen Colbert did with Charlie Rose:
Stephen Colbert is really smart!
If I may say so, it only makes him cuter.
-Sarah
PS: After the clip ends, there'll be links to the next few minutes of the interview.
PPS: If you don't mind having this song stuck in your head for the next week, check out this funny song by an independent singer/songwriter from NYC:
Re: Your Brains
Final thoughts
My final really-last-minute shameless post, by Lisa Chiu. Here are some bullet-pointed final thoughts about boot camp.
* Everyone should join facebook. It's very addictive. We can create a group called "Bootcamp 07' -- way better than Bootcamp 06'."
Lisa
* Everyone should join facebook. It's very addictive. We can create a group called "Bootcamp 07' -- way better than Bootcamp 06'."
http://eavesdropdc.blogspot.com/
* Has anyone else noticed how the Tenlytown escalators play music? I'm not certain but I think it's the Gershwin brothers' "Summertime." I wish I had a recorder to record it. I swear it's saying "Suuuummmmmertime and theeee liiiving is eeaaasy...."
* Finally, whatever you do, don't mistake our website for http://bootcamp2007.blogspot.com/
I think it's an actual bootcamp.
Have a great week off!Lisa
Malcolm Gladwell: The best metro reading
Good morning,
I wanted to share two books I’ve devoured this summer. They’re both by New Yorker writer Malcolm Gladwell: “The Tipping Point” and “Blink.” I finished both in about a week each, and it made waiting for and riding the metro so much faster because he writes so well. He used to be a science writer for the Washington Post, so he’s able to explain complex things really easily.
In “The Tipping Point” Gladwell explores the idea that little things really do make a big difference. They can literally “tip” – creating dramatic change. He followed trends that exploded because of the smallest of things.
Crime on New York City’s subways was once horrendous. City officials tried to fight it by hiring more police to prevent the violent crime that was taking place, but it was changing the little things like fighting fare jumpers and painting over graffiti that really made a difference. The idea is that graffiti and a relaxed view of fare jumpers led people to think that no one is watching the subway and everyone who rides it gets a greater feeling of lawlessness -- which allowed violent crime to flourish.
Gladwell also followed how hush puppies made a major comeback from near-bankruptcy to the hottest fashion item, simply because some club kids in New York started wearing them, and suddenly fashion designer took notice.
In “Blink” he follows another great concept – how we as members of the animal kingdom are able to determine things about other people in a matter of seconds. He cited a study of hundreds of married couples who were filmed talking about something that was a bone of contention between the two of them. He set up cameras that tracked each person’s face, their blood pressure and tone of voice for ever millisecond of the conversation.
What he found was that based on each person’s millisecond reaction to the debate, he could determine with great accuracy, whether or not that marriage would survive. These miliseconds were indicative of their entire relationship. The couple may have looked like they were just chatting about something innocuous – like a smelly pet – but in fact there were clear signs that the issue revealed a greater decisivenesses in the relationship.
He studied how a huge percentage of CEOs are about six feet tall. While it might not be okay to have bias in the U.S. on gender and race, humans seem perfectly wiling to have biases against height. Gladwell argues that humans quickly look at someone and assume that they are “leaders” often based on how tall they are. (By the way Clinton was 6’2” and Bush Jr. is 6’. While Hillary Clinton, is 5’8”) It’s totally changed the way I think about height.
Warren Harding, was apparently so good looking and tall that political insiders made a push to make him president and he turned out to be what many historians characterize as one of the worst presidents in American history.
He also followed face-reading experts who mapped out the hundreds of human facial expressions that exist. The experts were so good that they could tell by looking whether someone was lying and wanted to be caught and loved for their indiscretions (Clinton, during the Lewinsky scandal) “Clinton’s got a way of rolling his eyes, along with a certain expression and what it conveys is: ‘I’m a bad boy.”
They also studied the O.J. Simpson trial and found that Kato Kaelin, though trying to look aloof, had a look of contempt for Marcia Cross that resembled “a snarling dog.”
These facial expressions are involuntary and universal, no matter what culture someone grew up in. I would love to learn this skill – imagine being able to spot a liar in seconds?
What I love about Gladwell and what I think we can learn from his writing is how he translates difficult concepts into something fascinating. I’m also so jealous of his job, he literally writes about human emotions and cognition. How cool is that?
Lisa Chiu
I wanted to share two books I’ve devoured this summer. They’re both by New Yorker writer Malcolm Gladwell: “The Tipping Point” and “Blink.” I finished both in about a week each, and it made waiting for and riding the metro so much faster because he writes so well. He used to be a science writer for the Washington Post, so he’s able to explain complex things really easily.
In “The Tipping Point” Gladwell explores the idea that little things really do make a big difference. They can literally “tip” – creating dramatic change. He followed trends that exploded because of the smallest of things.
Crime on New York City’s subways was once horrendous. City officials tried to fight it by hiring more police to prevent the violent crime that was taking place, but it was changing the little things like fighting fare jumpers and painting over graffiti that really made a difference. The idea is that graffiti and a relaxed view of fare jumpers led people to think that no one is watching the subway and everyone who rides it gets a greater feeling of lawlessness -- which allowed violent crime to flourish.
Gladwell also followed how hush puppies made a major comeback from near-bankruptcy to the hottest fashion item, simply because some club kids in New York started wearing them, and suddenly fashion designer took notice.
In “Blink” he follows another great concept – how we as members of the animal kingdom are able to determine things about other people in a matter of seconds. He cited a study of hundreds of married couples who were filmed talking about something that was a bone of contention between the two of them. He set up cameras that tracked each person’s face, their blood pressure and tone of voice for ever millisecond of the conversation.
What he found was that based on each person’s millisecond reaction to the debate, he could determine with great accuracy, whether or not that marriage would survive. These miliseconds were indicative of their entire relationship. The couple may have looked like they were just chatting about something innocuous – like a smelly pet – but in fact there were clear signs that the issue revealed a greater decisivenesses in the relationship.
He studied how a huge percentage of CEOs are about six feet tall. While it might not be okay to have bias in the U.S. on gender and race, humans seem perfectly wiling to have biases against height. Gladwell argues that humans quickly look at someone and assume that they are “leaders” often based on how tall they are. (By the way Clinton was 6’2” and Bush Jr. is 6’. While Hillary Clinton, is 5’8”) It’s totally changed the way I think about height.
Warren Harding, was apparently so good looking and tall that political insiders made a push to make him president and he turned out to be what many historians characterize as one of the worst presidents in American history.
He also followed face-reading experts who mapped out the hundreds of human facial expressions that exist. The experts were so good that they could tell by looking whether someone was lying and wanted to be caught and loved for their indiscretions (Clinton, during the Lewinsky scandal) “Clinton’s got a way of rolling his eyes, along with a certain expression and what it conveys is: ‘I’m a bad boy.”
They also studied the O.J. Simpson trial and found that Kato Kaelin, though trying to look aloof, had a look of contempt for Marcia Cross that resembled “a snarling dog.”
These facial expressions are involuntary and universal, no matter what culture someone grew up in. I would love to learn this skill – imagine being able to spot a liar in seconds?
What I love about Gladwell and what I think we can learn from his writing is how he translates difficult concepts into something fascinating. I’m also so jealous of his job, he literally writes about human emotions and cognition. How cool is that?
Lisa Chiu
A Virginia Commuter Finds Hope and Optimism After Visiting the Hill
"We can't take I-66 home today," my mom said. "The traffic is terrible. The weather is so nice and so many people are on the road."
As I open the vent to let the air conditioner breathe fresh air on me, I listen to my mother. I reminisce about my Capitol Hill experience today and my discussion with Dan Scandling, the chief of staff and press secretary in The Office of Congressman Frank R. Wolf (R-10th) of Virginia.
I feel a sense of release. I am so glad that funding was approved for the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) on I-66. I was elated to discover that Congressman Wolf is working for people in the Shenandoah Valley.
After reading a press release from Congressman Wolf’s office, I learned that BRT is a train car on wheels, uses dedicated lanes, enhances fare collection, platform loading and other elements of rail systems to provide faster transit service but at a lower cost.
"Wow, that is good," my mom says, referring to the bus transit. "You can ride that in the mornings."
"Mom, the money was just approved," I said. "It will not go into effect until the next couple of years."
I hear Scandling's voice in the back of my mind.
"Transportation is the number one priority in this office right now," Scandling said. "It's taking 10 years, and they still have not started construction. It's just getting going. It's expensive, [and] it is going to require money and creativity."
As we find another route home, I close my eyes. We are sitting in bumper to bumper traffic. I have a flashback.
"Over the past 25 years [Congressman Wolf] has been involved in transportation [issues]," Scandling said. "From 1995-2000, he served as the chairman of the Transportation Appropriations subcomitee. The people are coming [to Virginia], and you have to provide them with transportation."
In the end, I think about my long commute down I-66 in the mornings and evenings. Tiring, I think to myself. On the other hand, I feel a sense of relief. It's an honor to know that our Congressman cares about us Virginians just outside the beltway—in Middletown, Va.
"Well done Congressman Wolf," I whisper.
--Janelle L. Plummer
As I open the vent to let the air conditioner breathe fresh air on me, I listen to my mother. I reminisce about my Capitol Hill experience today and my discussion with Dan Scandling, the chief of staff and press secretary in The Office of Congressman Frank R. Wolf (R-10th) of Virginia.
I feel a sense of release. I am so glad that funding was approved for the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) on I-66. I was elated to discover that Congressman Wolf is working for people in the Shenandoah Valley.
After reading a press release from Congressman Wolf’s office, I learned that BRT is a train car on wheels, uses dedicated lanes, enhances fare collection, platform loading and other elements of rail systems to provide faster transit service but at a lower cost.
"Wow, that is good," my mom says, referring to the bus transit. "You can ride that in the mornings."
"Mom, the money was just approved," I said. "It will not go into effect until the next couple of years."
I hear Scandling's voice in the back of my mind.
"Transportation is the number one priority in this office right now," Scandling said. "It's taking 10 years, and they still have not started construction. It's just getting going. It's expensive, [and] it is going to require money and creativity."
As we find another route home, I close my eyes. We are sitting in bumper to bumper traffic. I have a flashback.
"Over the past 25 years [Congressman Wolf] has been involved in transportation [issues]," Scandling said. "From 1995-2000, he served as the chairman of the Transportation Appropriations subcomitee. The people are coming [to Virginia], and you have to provide them with transportation."
In the end, I think about my long commute down I-66 in the mornings and evenings. Tiring, I think to myself. On the other hand, I feel a sense of relief. It's an honor to know that our Congressman cares about us Virginians just outside the beltway—in Middletown, Va.
"Well done Congressman Wolf," I whisper.
--Janelle L. Plummer
The Rise of Citizen Journalism
As the world evolves, and we live in a technological society, the rise of citizen journalism is remarkable. From capturing pictures on camera phones to telling the story, everyday people are able to create the news.
According to the Missouri Group, "citizen journalism or participatory journalism is a form of media in which citizens actively participate in gathering and writing information, often in the form of news."
So, what will become of the world of journalism in years to come if we welcome everyday people into our world, our career and our profession? Can anyone really become a journalist? I’ve never heard of citizen doctors, citizen lawyers or even citizen nurses, right?
“Citizen journalism at its best extends the eyes and ears of the reporter. In effect, anyone can become a journalist, reporting on what he or she sees. […] As the Internet evolved, that began to change. One reason it changed is that citizen journalism, journalism produced by non-journalists, began to flourish, challenging the dominance of traditional media in the process of disseminating news. Anyone, it seemed, could become a journalist or even a publisher,” (Missouri Group, 289-290).
Rem Rieder, editor and senior vice president of American Journalism Review at the University of Maryland in College Park, Md., in an interview said that citizen journalists are untrained substitutes.
"I think it is important to keep in mind what citizen journalism is and what it isn't," Rieder said. "It's a substitute for what journalists do. It's valuable for on the scene reporting. Citizen journalism is a nice addition to the mix as long as it is used properly."
On the other hand, Paul McLeary, staff writer at the Columbia Journalism Review at Columbia University in New York in an interview, said that in the future citizen journalists will need the resources if they want to venture into the world of journalism.
"It never really hurts to extend the field," said McLeary. "They can start blogs and Web sites, if the product is good. In the end, it's going to take someone who can do it full-time, someone who can move the story and break the story.”
To be sure, citizen journalists have been there for breaking news stories, for example, when the Minneapolis bridge collapsed and during other major events or tragedies when professional journalists had not arrived on the scene. OK, so we give them some credit where credit is due.
In the end, let’s watch and be on the look out for those non-journalists entering or field. I do agree, in the end it is going to take professional and trained journalists, someone who has the knowledge and skills to cover a major news story.
And leave non-journalists behind because they are amateurs, part-time and substitutes. Our profession.
--Janelle L. Plummer
According to the Missouri Group, "citizen journalism or participatory journalism is a form of media in which citizens actively participate in gathering and writing information, often in the form of news."
So, what will become of the world of journalism in years to come if we welcome everyday people into our world, our career and our profession? Can anyone really become a journalist? I’ve never heard of citizen doctors, citizen lawyers or even citizen nurses, right?
“Citizen journalism at its best extends the eyes and ears of the reporter. In effect, anyone can become a journalist, reporting on what he or she sees. […] As the Internet evolved, that began to change. One reason it changed is that citizen journalism, journalism produced by non-journalists, began to flourish, challenging the dominance of traditional media in the process of disseminating news. Anyone, it seemed, could become a journalist or even a publisher,” (Missouri Group, 289-290).
Rem Rieder, editor and senior vice president of American Journalism Review at the University of Maryland in College Park, Md., in an interview said that citizen journalists are untrained substitutes.
"I think it is important to keep in mind what citizen journalism is and what it isn't," Rieder said. "It's a substitute for what journalists do. It's valuable for on the scene reporting. Citizen journalism is a nice addition to the mix as long as it is used properly."
On the other hand, Paul McLeary, staff writer at the Columbia Journalism Review at Columbia University in New York in an interview, said that in the future citizen journalists will need the resources if they want to venture into the world of journalism.
"It never really hurts to extend the field," said McLeary. "They can start blogs and Web sites, if the product is good. In the end, it's going to take someone who can do it full-time, someone who can move the story and break the story.”
To be sure, citizen journalists have been there for breaking news stories, for example, when the Minneapolis bridge collapsed and during other major events or tragedies when professional journalists had not arrived on the scene. OK, so we give them some credit where credit is due.
In the end, let’s watch and be on the look out for those non-journalists entering or field. I do agree, in the end it is going to take professional and trained journalists, someone who has the knowledge and skills to cover a major news story.
And leave non-journalists behind because they are amateurs, part-time and substitutes. Our profession.
--Janelle L. Plummer
MC Rove
I've never been a real big fan of Karl Rove, so now that he's stepping down, it's really interesting to read all of the coverage and in-depth reporting that has appeared regarding his personality and working style since his announcement.
This month's Atlantic Monthly has a really good piece about him and his failed plan for Bush and the Republican party. The Washington Post also had a nice piece about the "Architect."
In some of the Post's coverage, they talked about many of Rove's failures: The War in Iraq, the Valerie Plame issue, immigration problems and the 2006 elections. They turned the corner on this and Post reporter Peter Baker asked Rove what he regretted most about his time as the president's advisor. Rove's response?
"I regret accepting that invitation from CNN and going to that stupid dinner and getting turned into MC Rove."
Seriously? Considering the mistakes he's made and the shape the Bush administration is in, I'd say Rove is a little too concerned about his image. I just thought it was interesting that the thing he regrets most isn't letting down his pal Bush, but rather his becoming an Internet celebrity with his ridiculous video.
If you haven't seen it, please take a look:
- Jodi Westrick
Thursday, August 16, 2007
I was quite impressed with John Watson's presentation on journalism ethics, particularly his heretic notion of licensing journalists. I have to admit I'd never considered the idea of a government body issuing journalism standards. But though it would be exciting to have the status of doctors and lawyers, I disagree with the idea of licensing of journalists.
The official recognition of the practice of journalism would likely bring higher standards and legitimacy to the journalism across the board. Under the government's wing, journalists might get greater protection as well, like a federal shield law. But this would all come at the expensive of a violation of church and state (i.e. government and media).
Even if a balance could be struck where the government enforces standards for journalism that don't impede its impartiality or depth, the media is really best at criticizing the media. If, after the media is done cannabalizing itself, some aspect we find distasteful persists, then it's because that form of expression is profitable. There's nothing we can do about that but take comfort in the idea that high-brow journalism will also remain profitable. To say that what so many people are clamoring for, even if it's Paris Hilton news, is unnecessary or low is to become elistist and lose touch with our own audience.
Besides, the idea of sanctioning who is and isn't a journalist runs completely contrary to the most exciting trends in journalism right now. For example, blogs utilize writing and reporting styles that simply wouldn't fly in a legitimate news room, but by adding perspective and interactivity to the news, the overall effect is an improvement in the quality of public discourse. And blogs finally answer the question of who will watch those who watch over democracy. Freelancing and self-publishing both should recieve a boost from new techologies as well, as falling production costs for quality content lower the price threshold for becoming a journalist.
-Casey
The official recognition of the practice of journalism would likely bring higher standards and legitimacy to the journalism across the board. Under the government's wing, journalists might get greater protection as well, like a federal shield law. But this would all come at the expensive of a violation of church and state (i.e. government and media).
Even if a balance could be struck where the government enforces standards for journalism that don't impede its impartiality or depth, the media is really best at criticizing the media. If, after the media is done cannabalizing itself, some aspect we find distasteful persists, then it's because that form of expression is profitable. There's nothing we can do about that but take comfort in the idea that high-brow journalism will also remain profitable. To say that what so many people are clamoring for, even if it's Paris Hilton news, is unnecessary or low is to become elistist and lose touch with our own audience.
Besides, the idea of sanctioning who is and isn't a journalist runs completely contrary to the most exciting trends in journalism right now. For example, blogs utilize writing and reporting styles that simply wouldn't fly in a legitimate news room, but by adding perspective and interactivity to the news, the overall effect is an improvement in the quality of public discourse. And blogs finally answer the question of who will watch those who watch over democracy. Freelancing and self-publishing both should recieve a boost from new techologies as well, as falling production costs for quality content lower the price threshold for becoming a journalist.
-Casey
Are journalists avoiding the truth because it easier that way?
I have been listening to what seems to be the same story on a loop on news channels for a few weeks. The story is about our plummeting stock market and how the sub-prime loan market has added to this downward spiral. Before I started this class i thought something was missing from the story. Now I'm sure. I have not heard an interview from a single person who signed someone up for a "sub-prime" loan, nor have I heard an interview from someone with a "sub-prime" loan. This whole mortgage industry crap is scummy and that is a given. Journalists covering the issue should work to expose all of the elements that went into this inevitable bursting bubble. They should not add to the idea that the people who got those awful loans are not worthy of loaning money too without exploring who those people are and asking them what they understood the loans to be when they signed up for them. There is a whole side of this story that embarks on a new age and a new language of discrimination that I have not heard anyone address. People should be aware of what they are up against; the government, crime, and the banks. Journalist can tell people what the dangers are in life and they should. This whole mortgage loan thing is a danger that is turned around on the people like they are the dangerous ones. Where is Chris Hansen when you need him???
Photo Essays
Lately I’ve been thinking about journalists/citizens/everybody with a camera’s responsibility to take pictures. There are moments and frames that just have to be captured.
Maybe professor Olmsted’s slide show (the one with the cute fuzzy animals) had some impact on me, I don’t know, but it made me think about photo essays.
I consider the black-and-white photo essays very powerful. The pictures, carefully organized, just demand your attention. They are one of the few things that look better printed on paper than posted on a screen.
TIME magazine had one in its latest August issue. I think this one is interesting too:
http://www.efn.org/~hkrieger/mural1.htm
Radina
Maybe professor Olmsted’s slide show (the one with the cute fuzzy animals) had some impact on me, I don’t know, but it made me think about photo essays.
I consider the black-and-white photo essays very powerful. The pictures, carefully organized, just demand your attention. They are one of the few things that look better printed on paper than posted on a screen.
TIME magazine had one in its latest August issue. I think this one is interesting too:
http://www.efn.org/~hkrieger/mural1.htm
Radina
Eat the Rich
I've only been living around Georgetown for a couple weeks and already I was invited to a wine tasting. This is the kind of person I have become: from grizzled, scarred son of a mechanic from the great northern parts to a guy who gets invites to wine tastings and watches passing Vespas enviously.
It's important to note that I live in Glover park and not Georgetown proper. As such, I find myself surrounded by rich kids while living in debt myself. For the moment, I fake it--although probably not as hard as some of these Georgetown kids do, come to think of it.
"A wine tasting," I reply slowly. "What a great way to educate my palate."
"I guess you could do that," says Erik, my host. "I'm really just trying to pick up chicks here."
The party is packed with Georgetown guys, flanked by their vacuous dates and their own upturned collars.
Erik greets me and immediately asks what I think of his new glasses. They are phase 2 in the plan to get chicks, says Erik, who has perfect vision.
"Yeah, I picked these up for 8 bucks," said Erik, offering the flat plastic lens for me to try. If they work, it's on to a nice pair of $500 Versaces, he says.
Coincidently, 8 bucks is about what I paid for the wine I brought. It is doled out chilled, without anyone knowing what the brand is. Everyone loves it.
Eventually, Erik is drawn into a prolonged pose-off with another thick-rimmed yuppie about bicycling through regions of France. At this point it must seem like I'm obviously making this all up, but no--bicycling through France, for real.
Later, I'm playing pool with one of Erik's roommates (they have their own pool table). He says he's in the market for a new sports car and asks if he should get a Corvette or a Lotus Elise.
"Well, the Lotus Elise is so small, it would be a great city car," I muse. "Besides, high horsepower is for chuckleheads, low weight is where it's at. Ain't no acceleration limit."
"Yeah, I was kinda thinking that. I thought maybe get it in silver."
"Well, I remember when I bought my first Lotus, and this was in the game Gran Turismo 3, I went for light green."
He nods. Later on, he would meet his girlfriend, a Redskins cheerleader, for more drinks.
Ugh. I'm still not making this stuff up.
-Casey
It's important to note that I live in Glover park and not Georgetown proper. As such, I find myself surrounded by rich kids while living in debt myself. For the moment, I fake it--although probably not as hard as some of these Georgetown kids do, come to think of it.
"A wine tasting," I reply slowly. "What a great way to educate my palate."
"I guess you could do that," says Erik, my host. "I'm really just trying to pick up chicks here."
The party is packed with Georgetown guys, flanked by their vacuous dates and their own upturned collars.
Erik greets me and immediately asks what I think of his new glasses. They are phase 2 in the plan to get chicks, says Erik, who has perfect vision.
"Yeah, I picked these up for 8 bucks," said Erik, offering the flat plastic lens for me to try. If they work, it's on to a nice pair of $500 Versaces, he says.
Coincidently, 8 bucks is about what I paid for the wine I brought. It is doled out chilled, without anyone knowing what the brand is. Everyone loves it.
Eventually, Erik is drawn into a prolonged pose-off with another thick-rimmed yuppie about bicycling through regions of France. At this point it must seem like I'm obviously making this all up, but no--bicycling through France, for real.
Later, I'm playing pool with one of Erik's roommates (they have their own pool table). He says he's in the market for a new sports car and asks if he should get a Corvette or a Lotus Elise.
"Well, the Lotus Elise is so small, it would be a great city car," I muse. "Besides, high horsepower is for chuckleheads, low weight is where it's at. Ain't no acceleration limit."
"Yeah, I was kinda thinking that. I thought maybe get it in silver."
"Well, I remember when I bought my first Lotus, and this was in the game Gran Turismo 3, I went for light green."
He nods. Later on, he would meet his girlfriend, a Redskins cheerleader, for more drinks.
Ugh. I'm still not making this stuff up.
-Casey
Do TV personalities have to share their personal lives?
Seven years have passed since Kathie Lee Gifford left her post at the famous morning show “Live With Regis & Kathie Lee,” and she just revealed her real reason for leaving yesterday in the New York Post.
She said that she left to spend time with her father Aaron Leon Epstein who was dying from a brain disease similar to Alzheimer’s called Lewy Body Dementia.
"My daddy was dying, and I was not comfortable making it public," Gifford reportedly said.
She said that she wanted to deal with the painful family experience without having cameras in her face.
I think this is really interesting because, first, I watch “Live” all the time, even though I should be on my way to work when it comes on. But I watch “Good Morning America” religiously, which comes on before “Live” in my neighborhood.
If you’ve been paying attention, GMA co-host Robin Roberts revealed that she had breast cancer about two weeks ago and announced that she’d be having surgery. in a week.
She said she struggled with the decision to share the news, but decided it could do more good to share. She said that she kept hearing the voice of Joel Siegal, GMA’s movie critic who recently died from cancer, urging people to go to the doctor if they felt anything strange.
Joel’s public battle with cancer inspired Robin to share her very personal battle with breast cancer and at a very scary time. I remember watching and when she announced it and feeling so sad. She had just found out and was unsure about what would happen next.
It was too soon to share in my opinion.
These days, Robin and her doctor do cancer-related segments all the time. (She came back to work a week after surgery.)
Here’s my point, it’s bothers me that TV talent now feel like they owe viewers their lives. I think it’s a sign that our obsession with celebrity in the United States may be going too far.
I don’t blame Kathie Lee for leaving, but it’s a shame that she felt that she had to leave or talk about her personal issues on air.
Robin Roberts is a real journalist, not an actress turned TV host. I’m sure that she never thought her career would force her to share her most personal and terrifying life experiences on the air.
By Sabrina M. Parker
She said that she left to spend time with her father Aaron Leon Epstein who was dying from a brain disease similar to Alzheimer’s called Lewy Body Dementia.
"My daddy was dying, and I was not comfortable making it public," Gifford reportedly said.
She said that she wanted to deal with the painful family experience without having cameras in her face.
I think this is really interesting because, first, I watch “Live” all the time, even though I should be on my way to work when it comes on. But I watch “Good Morning America” religiously, which comes on before “Live” in my neighborhood.
If you’ve been paying attention, GMA co-host Robin Roberts revealed that she had breast cancer about two weeks ago and announced that she’d be having surgery. in a week.
She said she struggled with the decision to share the news, but decided it could do more good to share. She said that she kept hearing the voice of Joel Siegal, GMA’s movie critic who recently died from cancer, urging people to go to the doctor if they felt anything strange.
Joel’s public battle with cancer inspired Robin to share her very personal battle with breast cancer and at a very scary time. I remember watching and when she announced it and feeling so sad. She had just found out and was unsure about what would happen next.
It was too soon to share in my opinion.
These days, Robin and her doctor do cancer-related segments all the time. (She came back to work a week after surgery.)
Here’s my point, it’s bothers me that TV talent now feel like they owe viewers their lives. I think it’s a sign that our obsession with celebrity in the United States may be going too far.
I don’t blame Kathie Lee for leaving, but it’s a shame that she felt that she had to leave or talk about her personal issues on air.
Robin Roberts is a real journalist, not an actress turned TV host. I’m sure that she never thought her career would force her to share her most personal and terrifying life experiences on the air.
By Sabrina M. Parker
Bouldering
Sorry for all of you that might have to read this and don't care for climbing.
So here I am, bouldering in Colorado!
Man, I miss it so much. My lovely mountains, the Boulder Creek and the Farmer's Market...If you have never been to Hippie Town you should take a trip there. Just prepare to catch your breath every once in a while, B-town is actually over 5,000 feet high.
Anyhow, what I miss the most is having 1,500 bolted routes just outside in my back yard. There is something about gripping that rock that makes me feel at ease with nature.
I am suck a punk, I know, I get that a lot, but there is no better feeling that the one of finishing a boulder problem or a climbing route. It is just like when you finish your first triathlon or marathon...You feel satisfied and tired at the same time, yet almost emotional, because all your sufferings paid off...Little bit like I felt today, the end of Bootcamp is only one day away and I am fulfilled and exausted!
I came in with no background, shaking in my boots and now I feel more confident about my untraditional, italian jargon~ (THANKS prof. MORRISON)
Anyhow, enough SAID....I dont want to bore you all.
I just wanted to throw an invitation to all of you who might be iterested in going to check out Church Falls at some point this year?
Ms.Olson I know you have already express an interest in climbing and I will definatley like to take you along, but you can come only if accompanied by your husband-to-be.
Lagan and Sarah we will definately go, but it will be great to have some more people and maybe just hike around, if we have time, of course! Writing comes first.
Anyway, as boring as it might sounds, I wanted to say THANKS for the fun times, the great quotes and the challenging hours spent in the labs pulling through dead lines together.
See you tomorrow for some mexican extravaganza.
Last one from the Italian Fede~
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