The virtual 3-D world, known as Second Life™, announced its release of Showcase today, a tool that guides users to the most exciting and unique virtual hot spots.
Showcase has been in development close to a year, allowing time for revisions based on user feedback. Showcase acts as a tool for users by directing them to the best resident-created areas, for arts and culture, music, fashion and nightlife. It will also guide users to education and nonprofit institutions, display the best Second Life™ films and provide users with over 240 tutorials that can help them understand how Second Life™ works.
Second Life™ residents are the sole creators of every virtual venues and other destination. In Second Life™, new areas are created daily and there is real-time voice-chat for user interaction. Users are depicted in Second Life™ by their avatar. Second Life™ has found that users find it important to personalize their avatar, as well as their avatars home and apparel. It is the first of its kind because now residents can profit from their virtual world businesses. While some avatars design clothing, others sell real estate and their profit is real. Linden™ dollars are the currency of Second Life™, equal about $270 to every $1 in real U.S. currency.
Patia Eaton
November 20, 2008
Page 2
Second Life™ has proven to serve as more than recreation and as a tool for a supplemental income; it is also a valuable resource for corporations. Businesses with distant offices can collaborate virtually. Teachers can hold virtual class sessions for distance learning programs and networking can take place in any venue with Second Life’s™ real-time voice-chat and text-chat. Tourism bureaus are also creating Second Life™ destinations for users, hoping their virtual experience will spark interest in pursuing a real life experience.
The possibilities in Second Life™ seem virtually endless. People from all walks of life, in any place in the world, can socialize on Second Life™. Brett D. Atwood, Web Editor for Linden Lab, said Second Life™ has “an amazing artistic film-making community.”
Second Life™ is a product of Linden Lab, based in San Francisco, California. A membership to Second Life™ is free, but there are fees for upgraded accounts that allow the ownership of land and other abilities.
Monday, December 1, 2008
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Feature Story
“Cougars Rockin’ the Vote,” a student involvement campaign put on by the Center of Civic Engagement (CCE), inspired many Washington State University (WSU) students this historical election year.
Michael J. Schwartz, a graduate student at WSU and the CCE’s statewide program coordinator, was one of four WSU graduate students who planned the new campaign and put it into action. Schwartz and his team members registered over six hundred students to vote during the “Cougars Rockin’ the Vote” campaign that ran from September 30th to November 4th. On “Election Countdown” Tuesdays information tables were set up in the Compton Union Building (CUB) informing students of how “Cougars Rockin’ the Vote” could inform them about the candidates, provide them with transportation to Pullman City Hall to vote as well as keep them updated on election results. The students were provided with food and entertainment in the CUB on election night, where they could stay updated on the election results. “It was really great to see all the students sitting in the CUB watching the election results live. I think it made them feel like the CUB is their building, as I think it should,” said Schwartz.
Patia Eaton
November 11, 2008
Page 2
WSU’s famous mascot, “Butch,” made several appearances during the campaign. “Butch” passed out voter registration forms on the Glenn Terrell Mall and helped get students engaged in the voting process and encouraged them to go to the polls. “Students were excited to vote. This election was electric,” Schwartz said. Students also had an opportunity to debate one another or watch other student debates during the “Under the Big Tent” events on October 2nd and October 30th. The debates were heated, but the passion behind the issues gave student the sense that voting is the ultimate demonstration of civic engagement, said Schwartz.
The goal of the “Cougars Rockin’ the Vote” campaign was to get students interested in the election process, registered to vote and to make sure any student who wanted to, had the opportunity to vote.
“Cougar’s Rockin’ the Vote” took approximately three months of planning and was originally the idea of Associated Students of WSU (ASWSU) Senator, Pete Semon. Schwartz estimated that $5,000 was spent on putting on the campaign. During any of the weekday events it took the CCE’s full staff, about 20 people, to help with the day’s activities.
On Election Day, as vans were pulling out of the parking lot taking students to city hall to fill out their ballots, more students would be running after the vans yelling “Stop! I need to vote!,” said Schwartz. Next year, Schwartz hopes WSU’s and ASWSU’s Presidents will attend. WSU faculty said to Schwartz, “that it was good to see a transformed sort of student activism.”
Patia Eaton
November 11, 2008
Page 3
The CCE’s mission is to “Promote civic responsibility, community knowledge, and self awareness of students through education and action,” as stated on the CCE website. The “Cougars Rockin’ the Vote” campaign made students feel passionately about their duty to vote. Schwartz said the campaign was so successful it will definitely become a tradition for CCE during upcoming election years.
Michael J. Schwartz, a graduate student at WSU and the CCE’s statewide program coordinator, was one of four WSU graduate students who planned the new campaign and put it into action. Schwartz and his team members registered over six hundred students to vote during the “Cougars Rockin’ the Vote” campaign that ran from September 30th to November 4th. On “Election Countdown” Tuesdays information tables were set up in the Compton Union Building (CUB) informing students of how “Cougars Rockin’ the Vote” could inform them about the candidates, provide them with transportation to Pullman City Hall to vote as well as keep them updated on election results. The students were provided with food and entertainment in the CUB on election night, where they could stay updated on the election results. “It was really great to see all the students sitting in the CUB watching the election results live. I think it made them feel like the CUB is their building, as I think it should,” said Schwartz.
Patia Eaton
November 11, 2008
Page 2
WSU’s famous mascot, “Butch,” made several appearances during the campaign. “Butch” passed out voter registration forms on the Glenn Terrell Mall and helped get students engaged in the voting process and encouraged them to go to the polls. “Students were excited to vote. This election was electric,” Schwartz said. Students also had an opportunity to debate one another or watch other student debates during the “Under the Big Tent” events on October 2nd and October 30th. The debates were heated, but the passion behind the issues gave student the sense that voting is the ultimate demonstration of civic engagement, said Schwartz.
The goal of the “Cougars Rockin’ the Vote” campaign was to get students interested in the election process, registered to vote and to make sure any student who wanted to, had the opportunity to vote.
“Cougar’s Rockin’ the Vote” took approximately three months of planning and was originally the idea of Associated Students of WSU (ASWSU) Senator, Pete Semon. Schwartz estimated that $5,000 was spent on putting on the campaign. During any of the weekday events it took the CCE’s full staff, about 20 people, to help with the day’s activities.
On Election Day, as vans were pulling out of the parking lot taking students to city hall to fill out their ballots, more students would be running after the vans yelling “Stop! I need to vote!,” said Schwartz. Next year, Schwartz hopes WSU’s and ASWSU’s Presidents will attend. WSU faculty said to Schwartz, “that it was good to see a transformed sort of student activism.”
Patia Eaton
November 11, 2008
Page 3
The CCE’s mission is to “Promote civic responsibility, community knowledge, and self awareness of students through education and action,” as stated on the CCE website. The “Cougars Rockin’ the Vote” campaign made students feel passionately about their duty to vote. Schwartz said the campaign was so successful it will definitely become a tradition for CCE during upcoming election years.
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Al Jazeera
1. How effective do you think the Internet will be for Al Jazeera as it attempts to reach a U.S. audience?
I think it will have minimal effects on a U.S. audience because it is my opinion that most people, even in the professional world, watch the same news stations day-after-day. Especially if big cable networks, like Time-Warner, refuse to carry this station. The popularity of getting daily news via the internet has increased, but I think with the war on terror people will be less willing to trust a station from a place they do not feel they can trust.
2. Based on your own observations, do you think that Al Jazeera English should be allowed to broadcast in the U.S.?
In my own experience watching this network (via livestation) I noticed no bias and no radical news stories. The news stories they were covering were almost all regarding current events on a global scale, especially the recent disaster in Haiti. If this was shown on TV I would have no problem watching it. I certainly see more obvious bias on stations like Fox News that Americans watch on a daily basis.
3. What, if anything, do you notice about Al Jazeera's approach to telling the news? How is it different than the U.S.-based TV news outlets that you have experienced?
U.S.-based news covers many more stories happening in the U.S.A. and I have never seen the U.S.-based news show a story about someone like Osama Bin Laden’s son’s wife with a sympathetic theme. I would also find it difficult to believe someone like this would agree to interview with a U.S. news station for fear of how they would be portrayed or targeted.
4. While on the Al Jazeera site, be sure to check out the network's published Code of Ethics. Based on your own observations, do you think they are adhering to them?
I feel that the Al Jazeera network stuck to their code of ethics. They interviewed random citizens on the street as well as political experts, etc. They also covered stories on a global scale and seemed in go about their interviews in an unbiased fashion. I did not get the sense they were pushing for the story to go one way or the other.
I think it will have minimal effects on a U.S. audience because it is my opinion that most people, even in the professional world, watch the same news stations day-after-day. Especially if big cable networks, like Time-Warner, refuse to carry this station. The popularity of getting daily news via the internet has increased, but I think with the war on terror people will be less willing to trust a station from a place they do not feel they can trust.
2. Based on your own observations, do you think that Al Jazeera English should be allowed to broadcast in the U.S.?
In my own experience watching this network (via livestation) I noticed no bias and no radical news stories. The news stories they were covering were almost all regarding current events on a global scale, especially the recent disaster in Haiti. If this was shown on TV I would have no problem watching it. I certainly see more obvious bias on stations like Fox News that Americans watch on a daily basis.
3. What, if anything, do you notice about Al Jazeera's approach to telling the news? How is it different than the U.S.-based TV news outlets that you have experienced?
U.S.-based news covers many more stories happening in the U.S.A. and I have never seen the U.S.-based news show a story about someone like Osama Bin Laden’s son’s wife with a sympathetic theme. I would also find it difficult to believe someone like this would agree to interview with a U.S. news station for fear of how they would be portrayed or targeted.
4. While on the Al Jazeera site, be sure to check out the network's published Code of Ethics. Based on your own observations, do you think they are adhering to them?
I feel that the Al Jazeera network stuck to their code of ethics. They interviewed random citizens on the street as well as political experts, etc. They also covered stories on a global scale and seemed in go about their interviews in an unbiased fashion. I did not get the sense they were pushing for the story to go one way or the other.
Monday, November 3, 2008
In-class Research Exercise
Uniform Crime Report:
The Uniform Crime Report shows four reported hate crimes in Pullman, during 2006. All of these four hate crimes fell under the motivation bias category of Sexual Orientation.
The only city with more hate crimes in this category during 2006, is Spokane, Washington. The statistics in this specific table showed the reports of 42 cities in Washington.
The categories of motivatoin bias are race, religion, sexual orientation, ethnicity and disability. The category of race had significantly higher numbers than each of the other categories, sexual orientation is second highest.
Pullman's popuation in 2006 was 25,696. Spokane's population in 2006 was 200,200.
http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/hc2006/table13wa.html
In 2007, Pullman reported only one of 39 reported hate crimes motivated by sexual orientation bias in 42 Washington cities. The 4 other hate crimes reported in Pullman in 2007 all fell under the bias motivation category of race.
Seattle reported the most hate crimes under the category of race bias motivation at fourteen and for sexual orientation bias motivation with eleven crimes of this nature in 2007.
Seattle's population in 2007 was 585,118. Pullman's popuation in 2007 was 25,408.
http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/hc2007/table_13wa.htm
Follow the Money:
In 2008 Governor candidates Christine Gregoire and Dino Rossi each received over seven million dollars in donations. Republican candidate Dino Rossi topped the list at $7,587,579 and Democratic candidate Christine Gregoire was a close second at $7,408,120.
The largest contributing industry to Dino Rossi's campaign is healthcare professionals, which gave a total of $15,330. The largest contributing industry to Christine Gregoire's campaign is lawyers and lobbyists, who gave a total of $55,110. Gregoire also received significantly more than Rossi from healthcare professionals who donated a total of $36,055 to her campaign.
In 2008 the democratic party received $374,137 from the Forestry & Forest Products industry. The republican party received $872,236 from the Forestry & Forest Products industry in 2008.
The republican party received the most donations from the lobbyists and public relations industry in 2008 at $2,423,512.
http://www.followthemoney.org/
Google's Patent Search:
Digital Video Recorder
http://www.google.com/patents?id=N7h1AAAAEBAJ&dq=%22digital+video+recorder%22+application
Social Networking
http://www.google.com/patents?id=VXyPAAAAEBAJ&dq=%22Social+Networking%22+application
Automobile
http://www.google.com/patents?id=Kh9TAAAAEBAJ&dq=%22automobile%22+application
The Uniform Crime Report shows four reported hate crimes in Pullman, during 2006. All of these four hate crimes fell under the motivation bias category of Sexual Orientation.
The only city with more hate crimes in this category during 2006, is Spokane, Washington. The statistics in this specific table showed the reports of 42 cities in Washington.
The categories of motivatoin bias are race, religion, sexual orientation, ethnicity and disability. The category of race had significantly higher numbers than each of the other categories, sexual orientation is second highest.
Pullman's popuation in 2006 was 25,696. Spokane's population in 2006 was 200,200.
http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/hc2006/table13wa.html
In 2007, Pullman reported only one of 39 reported hate crimes motivated by sexual orientation bias in 42 Washington cities. The 4 other hate crimes reported in Pullman in 2007 all fell under the bias motivation category of race.
Seattle reported the most hate crimes under the category of race bias motivation at fourteen and for sexual orientation bias motivation with eleven crimes of this nature in 2007.
Seattle's population in 2007 was 585,118. Pullman's popuation in 2007 was 25,408.
http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/hc2007/table_13wa.htm
Follow the Money:
In 2008 Governor candidates Christine Gregoire and Dino Rossi each received over seven million dollars in donations. Republican candidate Dino Rossi topped the list at $7,587,579 and Democratic candidate Christine Gregoire was a close second at $7,408,120.
The largest contributing industry to Dino Rossi's campaign is healthcare professionals, which gave a total of $15,330. The largest contributing industry to Christine Gregoire's campaign is lawyers and lobbyists, who gave a total of $55,110. Gregoire also received significantly more than Rossi from healthcare professionals who donated a total of $36,055 to her campaign.
In 2008 the democratic party received $374,137 from the Forestry & Forest Products industry. The republican party received $872,236 from the Forestry & Forest Products industry in 2008.
The republican party received the most donations from the lobbyists and public relations industry in 2008 at $2,423,512.
http://www.followthemoney.org/
Google's Patent Search:
Digital Video Recorder
http://www.google.com/patents?id=N7h1AAAAEBAJ&dq=%22digital+video+recorder%22+application
Social Networking
http://www.google.com/patents?id=VXyPAAAAEBAJ&dq=%22Social+Networking%22+application
Automobile
http://www.google.com/patents?id=Kh9TAAAAEBAJ&dq=%22automobile%22+application
Monday, October 27, 2008
Article 2
Fan Parking
You resisted the urge to press the snooze-button, drove to school right on time, only to find your usual parking lot filled with Recreational Vehicles (RV).
During Cougar football season, this is an all-to-common reality for university students. Any time there is a Friday home game; parking spaces students have paid for are rented out to enthusiastic tailgaters. Washington State University’s (WSU) Parking and Transportation Services (PTS) rent the parking spaces to RV owners for $40 per weekend. The parking lot most affected by this situation, is the yellow lot on Stadium Way, east of WSU’s indoor practice facility.
Students who have purchased parking passes that allow them to park in the same lot, paid $240.97 for the 2008-2009 academic year. In some instances, the RV owners place cones in parking spaces, close to theirs, to save room for friends arriving in other RVs. This is not allowed by WSU’s PTS, but there are no security officers or PTS employees regulating this activity. On at least one occasion, this resulted in a verbal altercation between a student and an RV owner when the student removed the cones from an otherwise empty parking space.
PTS notifies students, who are yellow permit holders, of upcoming RV parking through the MyWSU portal notice system. PTS Field Operations and Transportation Manager, Bridgette Johnson, said students who complain about parking shortages are given temporary access to another parking lot, but for students like sophomore Kaitlin A. Vervoort this solution is inadequate.
Vervoort, who lives at her family’s home in Pullman, said on home game Fridays, she has to park much farther from her classes, adding “valuable time” to her daily commute. “I worry about drunken football fans damaging my car if I park in the same lot, but that parking lot is by far the closest to my classes,” Vervoort said.
Johnson recognizes issues for students like Vervoort, but said WSU has no plans to expand parking in the near future. There is currently an excess of parking, though some of the available lots are farther from campus. Johnson added that the crimson and gray lots, closest to the center of campus, are reserved for student parking-pass-holders living in the residence halls. These lots are not affected by the RV parking. So although the students affected are placed in other parking lots, they are significantly farther from campus causing timing issues for working students like Vervoort.
Vervoort says she also has difficulty parking at the Student Recreation Center (SRC) because the RVs sometimes overflow into those parking lots. “It’s unfortunate that after all of the money I had to spend on the parking pass, I am forced to park on the other side of campus,” Vervoort said. Vervoort lives too far from campus to walk and her house is not close to a bus route.
RVs are allowed to park anytime after 5:00 p.m. on the Thursday before the home game, why the PTS says this is not detrimental to students commuting to class. The RV parking passes rented out, for any yellow lot, are only available to Cougar Football season ticket holders.
You resisted the urge to press the snooze-button, drove to school right on time, only to find your usual parking lot filled with Recreational Vehicles (RV).
During Cougar football season, this is an all-to-common reality for university students. Any time there is a Friday home game; parking spaces students have paid for are rented out to enthusiastic tailgaters. Washington State University’s (WSU) Parking and Transportation Services (PTS) rent the parking spaces to RV owners for $40 per weekend. The parking lot most affected by this situation, is the yellow lot on Stadium Way, east of WSU’s indoor practice facility.
Students who have purchased parking passes that allow them to park in the same lot, paid $240.97 for the 2008-2009 academic year. In some instances, the RV owners place cones in parking spaces, close to theirs, to save room for friends arriving in other RVs. This is not allowed by WSU’s PTS, but there are no security officers or PTS employees regulating this activity. On at least one occasion, this resulted in a verbal altercation between a student and an RV owner when the student removed the cones from an otherwise empty parking space.
PTS notifies students, who are yellow permit holders, of upcoming RV parking through the MyWSU portal notice system. PTS Field Operations and Transportation Manager, Bridgette Johnson, said students who complain about parking shortages are given temporary access to another parking lot, but for students like sophomore Kaitlin A. Vervoort this solution is inadequate.
Vervoort, who lives at her family’s home in Pullman, said on home game Fridays, she has to park much farther from her classes, adding “valuable time” to her daily commute. “I worry about drunken football fans damaging my car if I park in the same lot, but that parking lot is by far the closest to my classes,” Vervoort said.
Johnson recognizes issues for students like Vervoort, but said WSU has no plans to expand parking in the near future. There is currently an excess of parking, though some of the available lots are farther from campus. Johnson added that the crimson and gray lots, closest to the center of campus, are reserved for student parking-pass-holders living in the residence halls. These lots are not affected by the RV parking. So although the students affected are placed in other parking lots, they are significantly farther from campus causing timing issues for working students like Vervoort.
Vervoort says she also has difficulty parking at the Student Recreation Center (SRC) because the RVs sometimes overflow into those parking lots. “It’s unfortunate that after all of the money I had to spend on the parking pass, I am forced to park on the other side of campus,” Vervoort said. Vervoort lives too far from campus to walk and her house is not close to a bus route.
RVs are allowed to park anytime after 5:00 p.m. on the Thursday before the home game, why the PTS says this is not detrimental to students commuting to class. The RV parking passes rented out, for any yellow lot, are only available to Cougar Football season ticket holders.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Ethics Assignment
1. When referring to the allegation that Mayor Jim West was pursuing underage boysonline, why do you think editor Steven Smith differentiated between a legitimate newsstory and one that is not legitimate when he said, "If he's [Mayor Jim West] engaged in this activity … we need to know that. If he's not -- there's no story"?
Editor Steven Smith said this because while the public may not be as heavily effected by exageration of celebrity behavior, a local politician can be seen as a reflection of that community. Also, if the Spokesman Review printed a story that ruined the Mayor's reputation, then found out his actions could not be proven, it would inevitably ruin their relationship with the Mayor and likely other associated local politicians. This is why they confirmed the Mayor's online identity.
2. How did reporter Bill Morlin justify the use of a concealed identity on Gay.com as partof The Spokesman-Review's and the FBI's "sting operation"? Why didn't Morlin himselfcreate the assumed identity to engage Mayor West online?
Bill Morlin justified the use of a concealed identity on Gay.com because they it could be legally proven. The newspaper's code of ethics was also a factor preventing them from creating their own fake identity. The online identity's age was controversial because the source who originally came to the newspaper was of age.
3. Why do you think The Spokesman-Review ultimately published so many articles on Mayor West's alleged improprieties?
The editor said the story was not about the Mayor being gay, but the Mayor's abuse of his position. The beginning of the video also said that Spokane residents are not accepting of their gay community, so clearly this story would be disturbing and scandolous (and therefore heavily followed) by the Spokesman Review readers.
4. In the final analysis, who benefited from The Spokesman-Review's decision to expose Mayor West and his alleged improprieties? Who was hurt? Do you think the outcome was worth it? Explain your reasoning.
The newspaper benefited much more than the community because there were no confirmed cases of him molesting children. This may be more of an opinion, but someone living a gay lifestyle does not effect the entire community. He did, however, abuse his powers. This abuse of power by offering the young man (online) an internship should be public information because he is an elected official. The outcome was worth it because if had abused young children, the public outcry would have led to investigations confirming this behavior.
5. The Spokesman-Review has been criticized as conducting a "witch hunt" in its reporting on the private lives of some city officials. Below is a link to another recent article on Spokane Deputy Mayor Jack Lynch. Do you think that there are any ethical problems in the reporting in this story? Why or why not?
I think that reporting on the private lives of public officials is fair game. This is due to the fact that their salaries are funded by public money and that they make the decisions that effect their community. Their behavior outside of work, while seemingly not related to their duties in-office, are unfortuantely the business of the public they are representing.
Editor Steven Smith said this because while the public may not be as heavily effected by exageration of celebrity behavior, a local politician can be seen as a reflection of that community. Also, if the Spokesman Review printed a story that ruined the Mayor's reputation, then found out his actions could not be proven, it would inevitably ruin their relationship with the Mayor and likely other associated local politicians. This is why they confirmed the Mayor's online identity.
2. How did reporter Bill Morlin justify the use of a concealed identity on Gay.com as partof The Spokesman-Review's and the FBI's "sting operation"? Why didn't Morlin himselfcreate the assumed identity to engage Mayor West online?
Bill Morlin justified the use of a concealed identity on Gay.com because they it could be legally proven. The newspaper's code of ethics was also a factor preventing them from creating their own fake identity. The online identity's age was controversial because the source who originally came to the newspaper was of age.
3. Why do you think The Spokesman-Review ultimately published so many articles on Mayor West's alleged improprieties?
The editor said the story was not about the Mayor being gay, but the Mayor's abuse of his position. The beginning of the video also said that Spokane residents are not accepting of their gay community, so clearly this story would be disturbing and scandolous (and therefore heavily followed) by the Spokesman Review readers.
4. In the final analysis, who benefited from The Spokesman-Review's decision to expose Mayor West and his alleged improprieties? Who was hurt? Do you think the outcome was worth it? Explain your reasoning.
The newspaper benefited much more than the community because there were no confirmed cases of him molesting children. This may be more of an opinion, but someone living a gay lifestyle does not effect the entire community. He did, however, abuse his powers. This abuse of power by offering the young man (online) an internship should be public information because he is an elected official. The outcome was worth it because if had abused young children, the public outcry would have led to investigations confirming this behavior.
5. The Spokesman-Review has been criticized as conducting a "witch hunt" in its reporting on the private lives of some city officials. Below is a link to another recent article on Spokane Deputy Mayor Jack Lynch. Do you think that there are any ethical problems in the reporting in this story? Why or why not?
I think that reporting on the private lives of public officials is fair game. This is due to the fact that their salaries are funded by public money and that they make the decisions that effect their community. Their behavior outside of work, while seemingly not related to their duties in-office, are unfortuantely the business of the public they are representing.
Monday, October 13, 2008
In-class assignment: Identify two special leads
Narrative lead example:
Tony Miller spends his days in a towel-draped chair, heavily medicated and sweating profusely as prostate cancer spreads through his body. Over and over again, he changes out of drenched T-shirts and shorts, puts them on a hanger to dry and then goes back to his chair to sweat some more.
After a lifetime of international travel as a journalist, the 65-year-old Miller has made this one-room apartment in Portland his final home.
Miller was drawn here by an only-in-Oregon-law that enables terminally ill patients to obtain lethal prescriptions once their life expectancy falls below six months.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008259886_oregonlaw13m0.html
Quote lead example:
Tim Robbins is known in Hollywood as an Academy Award-winning actor, director, activist and hockey fanatic. On Friday, he added comedian to his repertoire while getting a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
"I used to take the bus from here to Burbank to go to work," he recalled. "When the bus was late, I would walk up and down and throw my cigarettes down. Now I have the honor of having this done to my star."
Guests at the ceremony included Robbins' longtime partner, Susan Sarandon, as well as relatively diminutive actor Jack Black, who said he has known the tall, lanky Robbins for 25 years.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/10/13/tim.robbins.walk.fame.ap/index.html
Tony Miller spends his days in a towel-draped chair, heavily medicated and sweating profusely as prostate cancer spreads through his body. Over and over again, he changes out of drenched T-shirts and shorts, puts them on a hanger to dry and then goes back to his chair to sweat some more.
After a lifetime of international travel as a journalist, the 65-year-old Miller has made this one-room apartment in Portland his final home.
Miller was drawn here by an only-in-Oregon-law that enables terminally ill patients to obtain lethal prescriptions once their life expectancy falls below six months.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008259886_oregonlaw13m0.html
Quote lead example:
Tim Robbins is known in Hollywood as an Academy Award-winning actor, director, activist and hockey fanatic. On Friday, he added comedian to his repertoire while getting a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
"I used to take the bus from here to Burbank to go to work," he recalled. "When the bus was late, I would walk up and down and throw my cigarettes down. Now I have the honor of having this done to my star."
Guests at the ceremony included Robbins' longtime partner, Susan Sarandon, as well as relatively diminutive actor Jack Black, who said he has known the tall, lanky Robbins for 25 years.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/10/13/tim.robbins.walk.fame.ap/index.html
Monday, October 6, 2008
In-class Assignment: "Second-day Lead"
The parents of missing 4-year-old, Angela Melissa Norton, issued a statement today as police continue to search for their daughter who went missing last Saturday. Samuel and Maria Norton are urging anyone with information on their daughter's disappearance to come forward immediately.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
In-class Assignment Questions
What is the "beast?"
The "beast" is the news cycle or news outlet.
What does it need to be fed?
The "beast" needs to be fed a constant stream of stories that will make people read.
What compromises (if any) might occur in trying to feed the 24-hour news cycle in print, TV and the internet?
The truth could be compromised if the pressure for stories is great enough. The stiff competition between news outlets results in a rush to get the story out first. In doing so, their may not be time to ensure all sources are truly credible. In one instance shown in the video, a reporter writes a story based on someone elses research and thereby takes that writer's credit by using their information to write a story without speaking to them. Reporters also have a team working behind them and many times find out what they will be reporting when they walk into work.
A responsible reporter will not report something when he or she is unsure of the credibility of the source or research.
The "beast" is the news cycle or news outlet.
What does it need to be fed?
The "beast" needs to be fed a constant stream of stories that will make people read.
What compromises (if any) might occur in trying to feed the 24-hour news cycle in print, TV and the internet?
The truth could be compromised if the pressure for stories is great enough. The stiff competition between news outlets results in a rush to get the story out first. In doing so, their may not be time to ensure all sources are truly credible. In one instance shown in the video, a reporter writes a story based on someone elses research and thereby takes that writer's credit by using their information to write a story without speaking to them. Reporters also have a team working behind them and many times find out what they will be reporting when they walk into work.
A responsible reporter will not report something when he or she is unsure of the credibility of the source or research.
Finances threaten local horse rescue
MOSCOW, Idaho. — Orphan Acres Horse Rescue (OAHR) is struggling to stay in business after defending itself from multiple costly complaints from Latah County citizens.
Brent M.F. Glover, owner of OAHR and primary caretaker of the rescue’s 64 horses says unwarranted formal complaints filed through Idaho’s Department of Agriculture’s Division of Animal Industries are making the rescue difficult to continue.
There have been more than 20 formal complaints filed against the rescue since 2004. An OAHR volunteer filed a complaint alleging that there was a starving horse on the property. “The horse was starving because I had just taken her in, I’d had her for three days, you can’t starve a horse in three days,” said Glover.
To defend himself, Glover was required to spend close to 40,000 dollars on veterinary exams and health certificates for each horse, as well as attorney fees. The accusations were dropped when his horses passed veterinary exams, but Glover was not reimbursed for any of the money he spent defending himself.
Glover admittedly cannot afford to vaccinate all of his horses; his horses are not vaccinated with the West-Nile Virus vaccine that can prevent a deadly mosquito carrying
disease. “I have just enough money for routine worming, but anything leftover I have to use sparingly,” said Glover.
Hay cost Glover over 80,000 this year; making ends meet has been difficult even without his legal expenses. A supporter of OAHR and Idaho resident, Debbie Richards said in an email to the Division of Animal Industries, “I believe it better serves the best interests of the animals, and the community, to contribute rather than condemn an individual who has done so much for so long.”
Idaho’s State Veterinarian, Scott Barnes works with Livestock Investigator, Amity Larsen to investigate the formal complaints against OAHR. Barnes has ordered mandatory veterinary exams to multiple horses on Glover’s property after observing wounded animals and unsanitary living conditions. Glover says Larsen has been trying to put him out of business for years. “I make her look bad,” Glover said, “the court has to call me in to save the livestock she didn’t.”
On the contrary, however, Larsen and Barnes’ investigative remarks often suggested after reviewing the formal complaints against Glover, that most did not warrant any further investigation. Neither Barnes nor Larsen could be reached for an interview.
The complaints ranged from accusations of manure-filled stall bedding, moldy hay, to starvation and neglect.
Glover depends on donations to care for his horses, but says not all donations come from goodwill. They drop off anything they can’t use anymore, Glover said, even if it is of no use to me, just because they don’t want to pay to take it to the dump. Glover then must use his own money to dispose of the unusable donations.
Glover’s rescue horses come from humane societies, state agencies, court orders, and individuals who can no longer provide proper care for their horses. Glover says he has placed over 1,600 horses in new homes through his rescue.
Brent M.F. Glover, owner of OAHR and primary caretaker of the rescue’s 64 horses says unwarranted formal complaints filed through Idaho’s Department of Agriculture’s Division of Animal Industries are making the rescue difficult to continue.
There have been more than 20 formal complaints filed against the rescue since 2004. An OAHR volunteer filed a complaint alleging that there was a starving horse on the property. “The horse was starving because I had just taken her in, I’d had her for three days, you can’t starve a horse in three days,” said Glover.
To defend himself, Glover was required to spend close to 40,000 dollars on veterinary exams and health certificates for each horse, as well as attorney fees. The accusations were dropped when his horses passed veterinary exams, but Glover was not reimbursed for any of the money he spent defending himself.
Glover admittedly cannot afford to vaccinate all of his horses; his horses are not vaccinated with the West-Nile Virus vaccine that can prevent a deadly mosquito carrying
disease. “I have just enough money for routine worming, but anything leftover I have to use sparingly,” said Glover.
Hay cost Glover over 80,000 this year; making ends meet has been difficult even without his legal expenses. A supporter of OAHR and Idaho resident, Debbie Richards said in an email to the Division of Animal Industries, “I believe it better serves the best interests of the animals, and the community, to contribute rather than condemn an individual who has done so much for so long.”
Idaho’s State Veterinarian, Scott Barnes works with Livestock Investigator, Amity Larsen to investigate the formal complaints against OAHR. Barnes has ordered mandatory veterinary exams to multiple horses on Glover’s property after observing wounded animals and unsanitary living conditions. Glover says Larsen has been trying to put him out of business for years. “I make her look bad,” Glover said, “the court has to call me in to save the livestock she didn’t.”
On the contrary, however, Larsen and Barnes’ investigative remarks often suggested after reviewing the formal complaints against Glover, that most did not warrant any further investigation. Neither Barnes nor Larsen could be reached for an interview.
The complaints ranged from accusations of manure-filled stall bedding, moldy hay, to starvation and neglect.
Glover depends on donations to care for his horses, but says not all donations come from goodwill. They drop off anything they can’t use anymore, Glover said, even if it is of no use to me, just because they don’t want to pay to take it to the dump. Glover then must use his own money to dispose of the unusable donations.
Glover’s rescue horses come from humane societies, state agencies, court orders, and individuals who can no longer provide proper care for their horses. Glover says he has placed over 1,600 horses in new homes through his rescue.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Summary Lead: In class assignment
A driver speeding by over 20 miles an hour died instantly when his car smashed into a utility pole along Broad Street, in Moscow yesterday.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Summary News Lead Example
China official ousted in milk scandal
By Seattle Times news services
BEIJING — China's chief quality supervisor was forced to resign Monday in the government's latest response to the tainted-milk scandal that has killed four infants, sickened nearly 53,000 children and implicated the country's biggest dairy producers.
Li Changjiang, director of the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, stepped down and was replaced by Wang Yong, according to the state-run New China News Agency.
Li and his agency have been under fire since reports surfaced two weeks ago that milk powder made by the Sanlu Group was contaminated with the industrial chemical melamine. Since then, tests by the watchdog agency showed formula from 22 dairy producers was tainted with the substance, which also was found in pet foods that killed U.S. dogs and cats last year.
Four babies have died, and China's Health Ministry said 12,892 infants were hospitalized with kidney problems.
Officials said tests also have turned up melamine in liquid milk. At least 18 people have been arrested, including some who are suspected of deliberately adding melamine to milk to artificially inflate protein levels.
Melamine is poisonous when ingested and banned from food production.
Li's resignation was unlikely to placate the general public, which is angry about reports that seem to indicate officials were more concerned about negative publicity than protecting children's health. Outrage has also been fueled by an apparent double standard, especially on the heels of the Olympic Games, during which officials took extraordinary steps to reassure foreign visitors that China's food supply was safe.
"It's just changing the water without changing the herbs," said Bao Zhangyan, of Beijing, referring to a Chinese saying about herbal medicine in which the important ingredient is not removed. "This scandal is caused by the whole system so it's no use just replacing a single official."
Sanlu Group, China's biggest producer of powdered milk, and other major suppliers were exempt from inspections by the watchdog organization headed by Li. On Monday, state broadcaster China Central Television reported that Sanlu knew about complaints about its baby formula as early as December 2007, citing a State Council investigation.
Sanlu finally recalled 700 tons of the formula Sept. 11. Government testing then turned up tainted samples of powdered formula at 21 other companies, and the scandal exploded.
Millions of gallons of dairy products have been recalled in Hong Kong, elsewhere in China, and in Taiwan, Singapore and other countries. China's dairy products are not approved for export to the U.S.
The government fired the head of one large dairy company, and on Monday, fired the Communist Party chief in the city of Shijiazhuang, home of one of the dairy companies at the center of the scandal.
By Seattle Times news services
BEIJING — China's chief quality supervisor was forced to resign Monday in the government's latest response to the tainted-milk scandal that has killed four infants, sickened nearly 53,000 children and implicated the country's biggest dairy producers.
Li Changjiang, director of the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, stepped down and was replaced by Wang Yong, according to the state-run New China News Agency.
Li and his agency have been under fire since reports surfaced two weeks ago that milk powder made by the Sanlu Group was contaminated with the industrial chemical melamine. Since then, tests by the watchdog agency showed formula from 22 dairy producers was tainted with the substance, which also was found in pet foods that killed U.S. dogs and cats last year.
Four babies have died, and China's Health Ministry said 12,892 infants were hospitalized with kidney problems.
Officials said tests also have turned up melamine in liquid milk. At least 18 people have been arrested, including some who are suspected of deliberately adding melamine to milk to artificially inflate protein levels.
Melamine is poisonous when ingested and banned from food production.
Li's resignation was unlikely to placate the general public, which is angry about reports that seem to indicate officials were more concerned about negative publicity than protecting children's health. Outrage has also been fueled by an apparent double standard, especially on the heels of the Olympic Games, during which officials took extraordinary steps to reassure foreign visitors that China's food supply was safe.
"It's just changing the water without changing the herbs," said Bao Zhangyan, of Beijing, referring to a Chinese saying about herbal medicine in which the important ingredient is not removed. "This scandal is caused by the whole system so it's no use just replacing a single official."
Sanlu Group, China's biggest producer of powdered milk, and other major suppliers were exempt from inspections by the watchdog organization headed by Li. On Monday, state broadcaster China Central Television reported that Sanlu knew about complaints about its baby formula as early as December 2007, citing a State Council investigation.
Sanlu finally recalled 700 tons of the formula Sept. 11. Government testing then turned up tainted samples of powdered formula at 21 other companies, and the scandal exploded.
Millions of gallons of dairy products have been recalled in Hong Kong, elsewhere in China, and in Taiwan, Singapore and other countries. China's dairy products are not approved for export to the U.S.
The government fired the head of one large dairy company, and on Monday, fired the Communist Party chief in the city of Shijiazhuang, home of one of the dairy companies at the center of the scandal.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Potential Article Topics
1. The grand-opening of Animal Haven for the Whitman County Humane Society will take place on October 4th. Animal Haven will serve as the adoption center for the Whitman County Humane Society. It is double the size of the current Pullman shelter and was made possible donations.
Animal Haven will have natural living spaces for up to 50 dogs and 50 cats, large animal facilities, its own surgery unit, space for training and education programs, administrative offices, and a space where new owners can get to know their next pet.
The previous shelter could not sustain as many animals nor provide them with the same level of living conditions.
This is a local story and this new facility can provide anyone with pet-ownership education, a new pet, or an adoption service for a pet they can no longer care for.
Contact Information:
Connie at the Whitman County Administration Office:
(509) 332-2246
Board Members for the new Animal Haven facility:
Susan Hardy-Gormsen at (509) 332-8768
2. The Orphan Acres Horse Rescue, in Viola, Idaho takes in horses that owners can no longer pay to keep or provide proper care for, but some question the ability of Orphan Acres to provide the horses with decent care.
With the downfall in our nation’s economy, luxury expenses, like horses are often the first to go when families reevaluate their budget. Hay prices are at an all-time high and many people can no longer afford to keep their horses, so they turn them over to the rescue.
Orphan Acres is run by volunteers and its owners. With over 50 horses to care for, the rescue cannot afford to provide each horse with proper care. It is a no-kill facility, but some of the horses have unattended and infected wounds making them nearly immobile, some suffer from blindness and during the winter months not all horses have shelter forcing them to stand in knee-deep mud.
It would be interesting to hear the opinion of Latah County’s livestock investigator regarding the rescue. This story is also somewhat local and in a close enough vicinity that it would be easy for members of the community to get involved.
Contact Information:
Orphan Acres Horse Rescue:
(208) 882-9293
Idaho Livestock Investigator, Amity Larsen:
(208) 799-503
3. Washington State University’s annual Street Fair is happening September 26, 2008. It is an event put on by the Student Entertainment Board (SEB) during which all varsity sports set up tables on the mall. The main goal is to raise student awareness about these varsity sports and hopefully student involvement.
The event happens every year on the Friday before homecoming weekend and it caters to homecoming by getting students excited about campus life and the coming weekend.
Since this year the President Election is happening, there will be voter registration. There will also be a DJ and free Coke products.
Sources:
Renae Dahlquist (509) 335-3503
SEB (509) 335-9444
1. The grand-opening of Animal Haven for the Whitman County Humane Society will take place on October 4th. Animal Haven will serve as the adoption center for the Whitman County Humane Society. It is double the size of the current Pullman shelter and was made possible donations.
Animal Haven will have natural living spaces for up to 50 dogs and 50 cats, large animal facilities, its own surgery unit, space for training and education programs, administrative offices, and a space where new owners can get to know their next pet.
The previous shelter could not sustain as many animals nor provide them with the same level of living conditions.
This is a local story and this new facility can provide anyone with pet-ownership education, a new pet, or an adoption service for a pet they can no longer care for.
Contact Information:
Connie at the Whitman County Administration Office:
(509) 332-2246
Board Members for the new Animal Haven facility:
Susan Hardy-Gormsen at (509) 332-8768
2. The Orphan Acres Horse Rescue, in Viola, Idaho takes in horses that owners can no longer pay to keep or provide proper care for, but some question the ability of Orphan Acres to provide the horses with decent care.
With the downfall in our nation’s economy, luxury expenses, like horses are often the first to go when families reevaluate their budget. Hay prices are at an all-time high and many people can no longer afford to keep their horses, so they turn them over to the rescue.
Orphan Acres is run by volunteers and its owners. With over 50 horses to care for, the rescue cannot afford to provide each horse with proper care. It is a no-kill facility, but some of the horses have unattended and infected wounds making them nearly immobile, some suffer from blindness and during the winter months not all horses have shelter forcing them to stand in knee-deep mud.
It would be interesting to hear the opinion of Latah County’s livestock investigator regarding the rescue. This story is also somewhat local and in a close enough vicinity that it would be easy for members of the community to get involved.
Contact Information:
Orphan Acres Horse Rescue:
(208) 882-9293
Idaho Livestock Investigator, Amity Larsen:
(208) 799-503
3. Washington State University’s annual Street Fair is happening September 26, 2008. It is an event put on by the Student Entertainment Board (SEB) during which all varsity sports set up tables on the mall. The main goal is to raise student awareness about these varsity sports and hopefully student involvement.
The event happens every year on the Friday before homecoming weekend and it caters to homecoming by getting students excited about campus life and the coming weekend.
Since this year the President Election is happening, there will be voter registration. There will also be a DJ and free Coke products.
Sources:
Renae Dahlquist (509) 335-3503
SEB (509) 335-9444
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
News Site Comparison
With the upcoming election on the forefront of most news media right now, I was not surprised to find this subject in the headlining article for both The Drudge Report and The Huffington Post. In fact, both of those sites showed little else outside of the two presidential candidates and McCains unexpected running mate. Although I have not yet used either of these sites regularly, I already prefer The Huffington Post for its more organized layout. Both of these news sites put the most shocking article at the top of the page, undoubtedly to grab the reader's attention.
I do not think that either of these news sites adhere to the "Murrow Standard" of being fair and balanced. The Drudge Report makes no effort to mask its outrageously conservative bias and likewise for The Huffington Posts bias toward the Democratic party. This is apparent in headlines from The Drudge Report, like "Thompson Speech to Defend Palin, Rip "Panic" Among Dem-friendly Media...", or "Sarah Palin has Chosen to Exploit Her Own Daughters Pregnancy!" from The Huffington Post.
Currently, when I read news sites I go to CNN. While I don't doubt that any journalist cannot always right a completley unbiased story, on a more largely used news site like CNN such bias would not be so tolerated. I think news sites like The Drudge Report or The Huffington Post are just fine if you want to read articles written by those with a like opinion, but it not the most reliable source for fair or balanced day-to-day news.
I do not think that either of these news sites adhere to the "Murrow Standard" of being fair and balanced. The Drudge Report makes no effort to mask its outrageously conservative bias and likewise for The Huffington Posts bias toward the Democratic party. This is apparent in headlines from The Drudge Report, like "Thompson Speech to Defend Palin, Rip "Panic" Among Dem-friendly Media...", or "Sarah Palin has Chosen to Exploit Her Own Daughters Pregnancy!" from The Huffington Post.
Currently, when I read news sites I go to CNN. While I don't doubt that any journalist cannot always right a completley unbiased story, on a more largely used news site like CNN such bias would not be so tolerated. I think news sites like The Drudge Report or The Huffington Post are just fine if you want to read articles written by those with a like opinion, but it not the most reliable source for fair or balanced day-to-day news.
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