Person Project

Shawn Morris is the President of the Albany Common Council. She was elected to her first term in 2005, and served 12 years as the representative for the 7th ward. She chaired the Finance and Budget Committee, the Land and Recreation Committee, and the Law, Building, and Code Enforcement Agency. She worked for the state Assembly before the Common Council and graduated from SUNY Albany in 1979 with a degree in communications. 

She is married to John Wellspeak, and has two children. One goes to SUNY Buffalo and the other goes to Albany High School.

They are members of St. James Parish and the Deleware Area Neighborhood Association.

Her address is 24 Marinello Terrace Albany NY 12209, and her phone number is 518 426 0530, and her email is Shawnmorris7@aol.com.

her house is worth, according to a tax assessment, $202,700.00. It has 3 baths, 5 bedrooms, 1.7 stories, and 2 kitchens. It is a two family house. It was built in 1949 and is a Cape Cod style residence. She and her husband own their house. 

Lucy Dalglish

"Be Matt Damon," was only one of the tips Lucy Dalglish, executive director of the Reporters Committe for Freedom of the Press, gave to a board room  packed with SUNY Albany Students, professors, and journalists during her discussion on media and the protections, or lack thereof, of journalists' anonymous sources. She spoke of past challenges journalists have had to confront when subpoenaed for their refusal to name a source, using as an example the fiasco regarding Toni Locy. Dalglish also mentioned the importance of a journalist protecting the secrecy of his or her sources. Altruistic in quality, the importance is embodied in the maintenance of independence, which shows to others that the journalist is not swayed by any one influence, as well as the maintenance of truth, which may become less available if sources lose the safety of anonymity. She also reminded students that if you don't at least put up a fight to keep a source secret, you will become the go to witness for dilemma which you could have information about. 

While Dalglish's speech was filled with real life incidents regarding protection of sources, shield laws, and national controversy, she was sure to give students a few tips regarding use of sources. She reminded them to be upfront and clear cut about the nature of the relationship between journalist and source, as well as "go back to the basics." Email and phone records are not a journalist's property, so a safer way of exchanging delicate information is to meet in person, or to have disposable cell phones, like Matt Damon in the Borne Ultimatum . She warned students that, if subpoenaed, they should not throw out or delete any information or notes they have, as that could become obstruction of justice. Also, journalists should retain a consistency; either throw notes out when finished, or save them, but don't do both.  Finally, a journalist must never break a promise of confidentiality as they could be sued. Dalglish's talk was both informative and practical. Her information was essential to the knowledge of any journalist working in today's world of governmental mistrust and constant scandal.

Editorial Cartoons

Tom Toles, the editorial cartoonist at the Washington Post, has drawn Pultizer Prize winning cartoons, so it's not surprising that his cartoons are both witty and intellectual. The topics vary from campaign issues to the environment and the economy. Basically anything news worthy is fair game. 

It seems his cartoon with a polar bear balancing on a ball  in a circus, with a man commenting that they should let him go, and then a split frame of the polar bear balancing on a piece of melting polar ice, is very entertaining. At the same time, it is also informative, and a bit satirical of the pandemic global warming crisis. 

Ted Rall is another cartoonist whose work should be acknowledged. His comics seem a bit more scandalous, in that they seem less conscious of who they could offend than Toles'. A cartoon of his landed him on the O'Reilly Factor, to be questioned weather he disrespected Pat Tillman, an American soldier and ex- NFL player who was killed. Rall stated that he was merely showing that the "people who volunteered to go fight in Iraq and Afghanistan were used, were mislead, and possibly even had ill intent in going over there to fight." His cartoons have alos been pulled from web sites as he did not meet the standards of taste, as in MCNBC's site. Personally, though it seems he does border and sometimes cross into offensive, it is great to see a journalist unafraid of displeasing the government, or making it uncomofortable.

Yet another cartoonist, Ben Sargent, is notable. His cartoons are a bit more straightforward than Toles' and not as offensive, yet equally provocative as Rall's. They question governmental policy and add a bit of humor to the usually dry political news. 

Editorial cartoons are a great way to get news, insight, and intellectual stimulation in just one picture.

Swift Boat

The Swift Boat Campaign, also referred to as Swift Boat Campaign Veterans for Truth (SBVT),  was led by a group of veterans who believed that John Kerry, who used his time in Vietnam to bolster his campaign, was being dishonest. They believed that he presented false war crimes charges and made it appear as though all of the Swift Boat Veterans ( Kerry himself was one) supported him. www.swiftvets.com states, "John Kerry misrepresented his record and ours in Vietnam and therefore exhibits serious flaws in character and lacks the potential to lead." The site stated that Kerry made exaggerated claims about his actions in Vietnam and did not portray the rest of the group in the correct light. As this group has historically been branded with a stigma of being "misfits, drug addicts, and baby killers," SBVT sought to make the "real" truth known. The campaign essentially said that Kerry was lying and should not be president as a result of that. They wanted to make the real truth available, regarding Kerry's time in Vietnam, his medals, and the actions of those around him. Kerry testified in court about these accusations of dishonesty. SBVT held conferences and signed affidavits regarding this.

Photojournalism

Even in the concrete fortress of SUNY Albany, the refreshing brilliance of Spring's new life rises up to greet students wearied from the long winter.

Photojournalism

Bruce Squiers, a photojournalist of 20 years experience, had a great deal to say about the art he calls his passion when he spoke to the Journalism 200z class this past Wednesday at Suny Albany. His points ranged from more more metaphysical ideas to mechanic and technical suggestions for a great shot. He spoke with great emphasis and an apparent dedication to his job.

The first concept he spoke of was visual literacy, something that he believes everyone has; it is the way one can conjure up an image in his or her mind when thinking of a certain event or place. It requires active watching and interpretation. Squiers also mentioned that in order to be a successful photojournalist and to enhance one's visual literacy, one must look at photos outside of one's interests. He challenged students to reach outside of their comfort zone, in order to achieve an elevated awareness of the essence of photographs. He instructed students use light carefully, and have a sense of composition when taking pictures; he instructed students to keep in mind form and perspective, and to get comfortable with their cameras and the people they photograph. Also, he believes that in order to take good pictures one must use active observation, he or she must take a variety of photos, and take many from a variety of angles. To Squiers, a great photograph is both unique, but universal enough to speak for itself. He reminded students that great pictures can happen anywhere, anytime, and that they must follow where opportunity leads them.

Perhaps the most appealing thought he shared was the idea sired by Henri Cartier Bressone, an photojournalist of years past. Bressone coined the term decisive moment, the exact second when all of the elements of a scene are in sync and the photographer must know to take the picture. And to do this, "the eye, the heart, and the mind must be aligned." Most of all the heart aspect of this makes for unique pictures, as no two people can take the same exact photo with the same emotions and thoughts in their soul. Similarly, Squiers stated another quote regarding this idea, " the eye and the brain and the soul of the photograph make the picture, the camera merely records." Such concepts certainly made Squiers talk incredibly enlightening, and showed a a spiritual association that he makes with his work. Such concepts show that taking a picture isn't so different from painting a picture or writing a story or poem; all of these things involve a spiritually and emotionally guided thought process, which result in a finished work of art. 

Putting in my Two Cents on my Grade? That's A-OK with Me!

          After thirteen years of schooling, it is quite evident that the mindset that grades matter more than long term retention of knowledge or the practical application of it, has permeated most every student body. The material learned no longer seems to hold presidence in the fact that it could be of use outside of the classroom; it seems it's only purpose for existence has boiled down to testing purposes or class work. Such is quite a shame; while yes, dedicated students retain the information, it seems they only retain it for fear of poor grades they could receive if they don't. Therefore, the chance for students to give their own input on what their grades should be seems a rare occurrence.

           In review of my work over the semester of Journalism 200z, a grade of at least an A minus seems appropriate to me. I completed all of the assignments to the best of my ability, while learning a few things in addition to direct class work, about organization, the caution necessary when using a thesaurus, and the consequences of procrastination. I learned that as a journalist, you can't throw your notes into the corner with the rest of your books and expect to find them and be able to write a story about them the night before a deadline. Doing so is only asking for trouble. It is thus that I learned the valuable lesson of organization and time management.  I learned to ask questions, even uncomfortable ones, to complete strangers, and how to find an interesting angle on a story idea. I learned how to find out almost anything with the information sources available to me.  In class, I also procured (just kidding, "procured" has nuances of unsavory behavior, and acquired fits better) more information by asking questions and participating in every discussion. This class has given me the materials necessary to become a journalist, and I have committed all of this information to memory. The skills provided are much easier to remember when I go out and apply them for homework. 

It seems the purpose of this class was to teach future journalists how to do their job, how to report and find information, and how to ask questions. It turned already great writers into journalists, by showing them style and format associated with journalistic writing. I feel I have mastered all of these skills over the course of the semester, and as such, deserve at least an A-. 

Anonymous Sources

What is a name? While yes, when a name is not on paper, its a means of addressing someone, of giving their identity and being a word to call. But on paper, in an article where the person is not the main focus, but the  words they say contribute to the point being made, what does it matter? If something they say does in fact deem itself important enough to be attributed to a person by name, they by all means the journalist should use wise discretion and include the name; but if a quote just adds flavor to the story, and the speaker would rather not be named, then I see no harm in not including it. 

As for an editors demand for a source that will allow his or her name to be used, perhaps a speaker might not be as candid if he or she knows that their words will be attributed. Illegal activity or unsavory behavior is most certainly not something a person would want associated with their name. But if that information helps along a story, then it seems ridiculous to rule out useful information for the sole reason that the speaker does not want to be named. This is most especially true if the alternative is a nameable source with inferior comments. 

Even some of the most intriguing and influential stories have involved anonymity; does name Deep Throat ring a bell?

It seems quite evident that journalists must use their discretion when deciding if appropriate to include an anonymous source. While editors ultimately have control, it seems they should be willing to lose a "Bob" or "Sally" for decent information.

SUNY Albany's Historic Celebration

Most every student at the University of Albany has been to or at least heard of Fountain Day, the celebration where pretty much anything goes, and crowd control is a joke. With pent up energy from the treacherous winter, which has never seemed as brutal until braving the frigid winds of Albany, a majority of students are just bursting to dive into two feet of water while somewhat intoxicated; purely for the sake of U Albany spirit of course. With all of this celebration, and the blossoming Spring, however, it seems that it might be appropriate to uncover the origins of such a festive day. 

The tradition began in... well, that's actually a bit ambiguous. A melange of sources, mostly blogs or articles of students who have attended the festivities, state varying origins of the school sponsored free-for-all. Wikipedia, that search engine that has all of the answers to life's questions and is hated by professors, states yet another. According to this electronic sage, the year was 1979, and the Human Awareness Program dreamt up day as a way to unite all members of the university, and to welcome in the warm weather and conclusion of classes. But, Wikipedia can be slightly misled, right? Even the most wise of sages could be misled once in a while; so for now, this origin is under speculation.

A 2004 article, by SUNY Albany alumni Jennifer Falcetano, "Do students Really Know What All The Splash is About?" states that Fountain Day finds its origins about thirty years ago; "... because of the Vietnam War the fountains were unable to run all the time during suitable weather. The pumps that operated the fountain were turned on sparingly." It was thus that when the pumps were put to use it was in a more celebratory manner, and festivities were born out of this. Falcetano's article mentions the Human Awareness Program in 1979 and the evolution of the celebration into the Fountain day we know today. Yet another student writer, Chelsea Barraco, wrote that the tradition began in 1978 in an article she wrote in 2006 for an online U Albany magazine, ualbanyezine.com

 

With all of this possibility it seemed there were a few details to be straightened out. The university website offered no answers, but another student article appeared the most informed out of the many available online. 

Written in 2006, by U Albany alumni Erica Boms, from the same issue of the ualbanyezine  as Barraco's article, "The History of Fountain Day" was the answer to any uncertainty. It stated that the tradition began May 5th, 1978 under the title May Fest. Then, in 1979 it was renamed the Human Awareness Program in order to facilitate more than the celebration of Spring, but also the unity between faculty and students. It grew to earn the title Human Awareness Program Podium Beer Blast Friday, but was later changed to Fountain Day, for no university would be proud of sanctioning a school day of that title. The celebration was moved to the weekend after the infamous Fountain Day of 2004. 

As such, the mysterious past of Fountain Day was uncovered. However, for the most part students don't seem to be as interested in the history of the celebration, or any of the reasons for it, other than the clement weather and excuse to be intoxicated at a university function. It appears that the majority of the journalistic attention the day draws is focused more upon the chaos. With media coverage up the wazzoo, most every incident, some slightly horrifying, has been covered, much to the administrators' chagrin.

Fountain Day 2004, for example, was the most embarrassing for the university, and the most remembered; it even made the evening news. Nicole Way, who attended the celebration remembered, "Everyone was so gone. No one was thinking about what they were doing." Articles of students who attended recall that a couple of "artists" attempted to turn the water gold but instead turned it a radioactive green. It also later became apparent that the off color water bottles students were chugging were not juice or water. And the resultant injuries were cause for alarm; diving into two feet of water while heavily intoxicated proved not to be the best idea. Ambulances ran to and fro from the scene throughout the afternoon. The chaos called so much attention that local reporters struggled to be heard over the bedlam in the background. Disciplinary action was taken in the following days. The combination of beer helmets and pool floats would no longer be tolerated, and blatant disregard for civility was to be done away with. This more recent history of Fountain Day has proved to be of more interest to student writers.

In even more recent history of the celebration, the university took steps to repair its tarnished reputation by hosting the World's largest pillow fight in Collins Circle in 2005. Since then, it appears this effort to improve has led to annual celebrations with out irreparable damage. Though students today still attend the event quite hammered, alcohol consumption is not as obvious. According to a freshman who wishes to remain anonymous and had quite a bit to say since her brother attended last year's and she is eager for this year's celebration, " The Poland Spring bottles can't be like, Jack and Coke colored, they have to be somewhat believable." And it seems the rules for the day have taken on new meaning; a web page created by "The Rick" recalled that at the Fountain Day he attended, the university's motto for the day was, " we don't care if you drink, just try not to do it while standing in or in the immediate area surrounding the fountain if you could please thank you." 

The event has gained a place in SUNY Albany's legacy. It is a celebration that has evolved from a student unity function to a day of anarchy, to a happy medium somewhere in between the two. The event has led to the proliferation of numerous articles and prompted students to take more interest in their environment. It has brought a population so used to hibernating all winter into the brilliant light of Spring; it has promoted student and faculty bonds and promoted a more unified campus. Despite the dangers, the necessary discipline, and the aid the day gives to Albany's image as a party school (fifth in the nation!), Fountain Day proves to be welcome in a campus of cold concrete, serious faces, and dreary days.  

Coverage of Spitzer

The coverage of Spitzer's sex scandal has been all encompassing; most every angle has been covered. From the feelings of everyone remotely involved, the stoicism of Spitzer's wife, and the dreams of "Kristen", his call girl, to spoofs, and hard news of the scandal, no stone has not been overturned.

        Not only was it covered, but to some degree it was over covered. Entire news programs have been devoted to this. The tuned in world now knows the aspirations of "Kristen, " also known as Ashley Dupre. Apparently, thanks to myspace, she left a broken home for New York in pursuit of a music career. CNN actually had a link to view her page, and the number of visits for today, for instance, was 5,953,892, quite impressive. And while Spitzer is dealing with the consequences of his activities, the media is having a hay day making Spitzer wish he had never had wandering interests, or at least not made the call to his bank which raised a red flag and led to the discovery.

Overall the coverage of this story was......thorough, to say the least. But it seems that the media merely abided by the principle that sex and scandal sex newspapers. It seems that the papers have been so saturated by news of the war in Iraq, that any sort of distraction was welcomed whole heartedly. Now the time has come, however, to move on. Had this been a governor in Idaho or Nebraska, the press would most definitely not have given its undivided attention, and we most definitely would not be hearing about it every time we opened a paper or turned on the tv. 

The Bill of Rights

1. Freedom of speech

    Freedom of press

    Freedom of religion

    The right to peaceably assemble

    The right to address grievances about and to the government

2. The right to bear arms

3. No soldier, during peace time can be quartered in a house with out the consent of the owner, and laws must be followed if quartered during war time.

4. No person or his belongings or home may be searched with out a warrant

5. No person can be forced to answer anything in court, with a few exceptions (involving the military or in times of war), and a person cannot be subject to double jeopardy

6. "The right to a speedy and public trial," a person must be informed of the trial they are being accused of, and be provided a lawyer if not able to.

7. The right to a trial by jury

8. No cruel or unusual punishment is allowed for crimes,  and excessive bail or fines cannot be imposed.

9.The right to have rights; no one can take away another persons civil rights.

10. Powers not given to the federal level are given to the state level, or to the people.

http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0749825.html

Prince Harry

The idea that the press has the potential to be bought off for the secrecy of information seems a bit disheartening. Regardless of what exact information the press knew and intended to withhold, this concept of being so easily manipulated and so self centric that the media only cared for the glitz and glamour of procuring a story with all the glossy 8x10s handed to them. The press was essentially told, in the case of Prince Harry, that if it kept secret the prince's military status, it would be rewarded with pictures, information, interviews and anything else it desired. Personally, this seems sort of corrupt. It's understandable that Harry would be a target, if his presence was widely known, and as a result his company could perhaps be in danger as well. So this secrecy of his presence was rightly kept covert. 

The whole problem with this scenario is that is shows just how easily bought and manipulated the press can be.

The Paper

The Paper, a documentary by Aaron Matthews, is a film of great journalistic might; it puts lessons and philosophies learned only through experience as a journalist into cinematic form. This, in turn, makes such wisdom available to the future journalists of the world.  A new cult classic of journalism schools, this film follows the headaches, the progress, and the successes of one of the top student newspapers in the nation, "The Daily Collegiate" of Penn State. SUNY Albany held a viewing of this seventy-eight minute film last Wednesday. In the dim light of the theatre, mostly filled with journalism students, one could see that all eyes were transfixed on the glimpse into the future that many in the room would imminently be embarking upon. The film offered a look into the responsibilities of a newspaper staff, the ethical dilemmas they face, the restrictions, the concern for lagging readership, and the balance all journalists try to maintain between their profession and personal life.
           In this film, far-reaching axioms that all journalists, regardless of experience should keep close at hand, were presented through the experiences of the students at the newspaper. To start with, one must be on their toes, fully alert. Such was evident in the cry, "Who walks to a fire? It was a fire!" Apparently, due to sluggishness a reporter had missed out on some pressing news. Next, a journalist must be willing to go an extra step or even twenty or thirty. He or she must be able to relate a story to outside society; if reporting on sports, as in the documentary, or a particularly dry topic, like economics, he or she must be able to pull in a concept relevant to humanity across the board. Even if a particular topic is of no interest to a reader, the journalist must be able to pull that reader in for a different reason. 

       Also, journalists must remember that knowledge equals power. They must ask themselves, what do people want to read? They must remember that one must not make ethical decisions alone; and that they must consider diversity regarding the newsroom and stories. A journalist must realize that all of his or her story ideas will not be welcomed with open arms; some will be shot down. If at a loss for a story, a journalist could fall back on, "if it bleeds, it ledes."Journalists must realize that they create their own access, and for more complete access they must be willing to step on toes, or at least covertly step around them; and be willing to face the consequences of doing so. The worst thing a journalist can do is tell the truth poorly, but it happens. Journalists must consider what is important versus what is newsworthy when ruminating over a story idea. They must take into consideration who could be hurt by a story, or who could receive undue celebrity from it. They must prioritize their personal beliefs and objectivity, and decide on stories accordingly. Finally, journalists must keep in mind that if it comes down to it, sex sells papers.
        This last axiom is especially intriguing; why are people so drawn to reading about it? In an attempt to boost circulation, The Daily Collegiate introduced a dating and entertainment page. Despite the fact that it raised circulation, if only a little, there is extensive debate as to the appropriateness of its presence in newspapers. Many believe such gossip belongs in women's magazines or tabloids, but its d'ebute in newspapers is becoming more common.
      Other movies such as the Devil Wears Prada and How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days, though not by any means on the same cinematic level as The Paper, revolve around journalists who write about their love lives or are immersed in a world of shallow sensationalism or materialism; essentially the mindless babble that a majority of the world finds entertaining.
In the show Sex and The City, the protagonist, Carrie, is a well known sex collumnist for a newspaper in New York City. She finds fame writing about all those topics most people would talk to only their close friends about; the guy who stood her up, the lack of romance before more physical relationships, the stupidity of men, the list could go on forever. But through all this, Carrie ties in universal truths of human nature. She questions why we think the way we do.
      As such, it seems that perhaps, gossip and love do have their place in newspapers. Though most definitely not the front page, it seems that if people enjoy reading about such topics, and it will elicit them to pick up a paper, then it can't hurt.Thus, the staff of The Daily Collegian did no harm to introducing a page of romance and gossip. It drew in a new audience, and shared the stories of fellow college students and their views of the opposite sex. The page allowed for a bit of entertainment in a paper that was dehydrated by dry news stories of no interest.
        Thus, The Paper by Aaron Matthews will indeed survive through time as a glimpse into the real world of journalism. It has essentially outlined the concepts journalists should keep in mind through real life events. It has given insight into the amount of analysis and brain power journalists use on an everyday basis. Yet it has also shown all of the glory and triumph which can be attained through hard work and perseverance. Such a documentary has given the average person a look into the life of those who provide them with their news and information; and basically, journalists do the same for their living: they get to take a look at the lives of others, taking a look at the World through someone else's eyes. Through all of the setbacks and hardship, it seems that this sole ability is what makes journalism so appealing.

Bourdain Tells of Beirutis' Shattered Hope and Competency of Military in Time of Chaos

Popular travel channel host, Anthony Bourdain, spent a week in Beruit; and while his first two days were "paradise," the rest of the week he spent there was permeated by chaotic violence. While standing with his Sunni, Shiite, and Christian companions, gunfire erupted while Hezbolla supporters displayed their support of the kidnapping of Israeli soldiers. From that point on, Bourdain witnessed events we could all hope but never be witness. As such, Larry King of the Larry King Live Show interviewed him on his experiences.

While Bourdain offered insightful and inspiring answers to the questions he was asked, King's disposition was of a simplistic interrogative manner. His questions were short and to the point, leaving Bourdain unlimited expansion in his answers. Perhaps the most pressing question he asked was, "would you go back, Tony?" This question seemed to drive home the points Bourdain had been making up until then; he had explained how hopeful and welcoming the Beruitis had been, how there was a sort of refreshing feel to the place as though it were, "kind of a dream version of what we hope the Middle East to be some day." The people were "sophisticated, largely English speaking, food centric, and friendly." This of course was in reference to the city before the subsequent bombings and violence. He applauded the military's competency in the matter and questioned the disorderly actions of the embassy. Despite all of the trauma and grief he had documented during the week he was there, Bourdain said, "I would love to go back. I- I will- it is great unfinished business with me that I have yet to be able to show the world what was possible in Beirut, how good the food, how nice the people I met, how hopeful a situation I saw for only two brief days."

It seems this near perfect interview lacked only the mistake that King did not ask Bourdain  how close he had been. Had he ever feared for his life while completely encapsuled by such danger? While this question could edge on a sort of  gutsy sensationalism, it seems a more candid choice of question, one I might have asked, though perhaps not on television. The only other mistake seemed to be that more time had not be allocated for the guest to share his experiences in the eloquent way he does on his show Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations. 

The Future of Journalism

The atrocities committed upon journalism by John Levine and Nicholas Lemann, the deans of the top two journalism schools in the nation, have revealed a sort of mutiny by the fosters of the journalism profession. If they, the few who are at the top of their field, who are teaching a new generation an art they have practiced for years, have a dreary look at the future of journalism, or have in fact become a part of the scandalous acts which could destroy the profession, then what is the point of stepping onto a sinking ship? As a journalism student, should I remain dedicated to the art if it is being ruined by its dedicated forerunners through poor esteem and unsavory action? Let us hope that perhaps those who will become the wise and travelled of this profession retain their standards for the sake of future journalists.

       A provost is, according to dictionary.com, is an administrative official at a college or university. A provost was also once considered a prison warden, though this term is now obsolete. (Perhaps college and prison have more in common than the obvious horrible food.) A provost is the chief academic officer who is responsible to the chancellor, or president of the college or university. The dean reports to the provost.  The common areas of academia which the provost oversees are the libraries, admissions, student services, information technology, and academic facilities.

Six Word Biography

Indecisive; but I might not be.

Albany Relocates to Arctic Region For Few Days

Only those who had no choice faced the bitter cold at Suny Albany this past Wednesday as the campus morphed into an icy concrete fortress of academia. Due to an overnight snowstorm which brought ice, rain, wind, and of course, snow, the few brave souls who didn't use the tunnels slipped and slid their whole way to class.

"It's nice, if you find death pretty," joked Joseph Stepansky, a student at the University. He was dressed in at least three or four layers, with his coat zippered only partially. He had no hat, but it was obvious he was cold by the redness of his ears and the way he shivered as a gust of wind easily found its way to our already chilled bones. Behind him, the trees wore coats of an ethereal looking whiteness; every branch, every twig was encapsuled in all of winter's icy glory. The concrete walkways of the podium were solid sheets of ice, all but a few paths which had been furiously salted and plowed. 

There was a sort of serene silence about the campus, as though the storm had brought a clean, revived energy to the area. The dirty concrete was now covered in a new coat of white, and even in the dull gray light of day, the campus shone with a bright glow. The thick blanket of snow muffed any sort of shouts or noise, thus one was left to cacophony of their mind's rambling. 

As Joseph stood, obviously longing for the warmth of the indoors, he offered one last thought, "winter has a good way of sticking around longer than you want."  It cares not for how far you must walk to class, nor how much it cramps your social life; winter must be here to stay for at least a while. And in Albany, it will most definitely be a good deal of time before the campus begins to shed its icy layering.

Compound Interest

While keeping your savings underneath you mattress may seem a secure location, your money is not living up to its full potential; when it's resting safely in the hands of the bank, compound interest may be applied to it. 

This interest is money you are given for allowing your money to be loaned out in the bank; this compound interest also works the other way, in that when you borrow money, you must pay the bank a fee for using it. Back to savings: in reality, your money does not just sit in a drawer in the bank, but it is loaned out to other bank patrons. For allowing this transaction, the bank awards a certain amount of interest. Let's say for example, you deposit one hundred dollars into a bank account, with a compound interest rate of 10% applied annually. If you were to leave it untouched for three years, your new balance would be $133.10, according to www.moneychimp.com; for just simply allowing your money to sit, you earned $33.10, not bad for not doing any work. 

However, the simple idea of not spending any of that $100 dollars could be a challenge for many. Yet, if the initial deposit were a bit more, perhaps that urge would be quelled; imagine what $20,000 could do!

Lawmaking in New York

Getting  a law passed in New York appears to be quite impossible to the average man, and unsurprisingly it actually is; with bureaucratic red tape wound so tightly around legislation of laws, it is virtually impossible for anyone other than those sitting the the state offices worrying about their high cholesterol to make any great idea into a law. Sure here and there a few upright, progressive people made it into the legislative branch, but I pessimistically believe they are few and far between. And while lobbying can bring the common man's needs into the light, it can only go so far. Lawmakers will only pass what they see fit, or what helps their personal agenda.

In order for an idea to become a law, it must be first be proposed as a bill; then, its next step toward becoming a law is in the hands of the Governor, Head of Senate, and Head of the State Assembly; these three decide whether the bill will live or die, in a private meeting, not accessible even through the Open Meeting Law. This seems a bit odd, since the public should be aware which potential lawsare being tossed out  with the half eaten lunches of these bureaucrats. If the bill makes it through  this meeting, it next heads to the assembly, which has a party caucus , yet another private meeting to which the press is not allowed. While I can sympathize with the idea that politicians don't want a crowd of journalists barging in and demanding facts, this caucus seems like it should be accessible; at least the assembly could have some sort of press release about it. After the bill passes through this, it must be approved by the Senate and Assembly. And eventually, with enough luck it will become a law.

On a Federal level, and in an attempt to make this red tape a bit easier to understand, laws are made through a system in which the Senate and House of representatives propose a bill (usually an idea of a politician, perhaps promised during his or her election campaign); only Congress has this power of proposition. The bill is then passed on to the appropriate committee for editing and analysis; this committee can choose to change the language of the bill, refer the bill to another committee, or report back to Congress. The committee's analysis is then sent back to be voted upon. The next bill must then pass in the Senate and House, after which it must be signed or vetoed by the president. If it is successfully signed, the bill becomes a law; if not, the bill is then sent back to Congress and a veto-override could be a result, in which case the bill becomes a law.

While the First Amendment guarantees the freedom of speech and assembly, it does  not guarantee that lawmakers will listen. So this brings us to the question, what is one to do about this? You can't do much other than lobby and petition your heart out! Make yourself heard, and perhaps those few who will honestly listen to the public without holding their own interests first will facilitate the changes you seek.

(Rereading this, it sounds a bit charged and pessimistic, but actually my beliefs are not this heated on the subject....)

Muckraking in the Twenty-First Century

If one were to call to mind the story Gene Weingarten, of the Washington Post Magazine, wrote regarding the indifference of subway patrons, he or she might not instantly compare him to Ida Tarbell or Upton Sinclair; but at a closer examination, Weingarten is revealing truths and short comings  of humanity just as they did. Admittedly, indifference of passer-byes to street performers does not do such ostensibly irreparable harm to society as say, dangerous and unsanitary factory conditions, but still, it does reveal a facet of society which may be in need of an examination.

Has society become so numb to anything but the destination, that there's no time to stop to enjoy the journey? Would it really take that long to stop, and listen to a song, an expression of one's soul, a look into a fellow man's (or woman's) mind? Could that two minutes really make a difference in the grand scheme of things, beside preventing you from being the by a car that you might have been hit by had you been two minutes ahead of yourself? 

Perhaps this speaks more to the idea of human perception. While Weingarten persuaded a world class musician, Joshua Bell, to perform on the street for his experiment into public norms, only a small fraction stopped to make a donation, or at least even take a listen. This seems a bit insane, since as a professional musician, patrons pay a large sum to listen to him, but when able to listen for free, they essentially ignored his presence. I can only relate this to the idea of the generic brand and name brand; even though the less expensive brand may be of the same quality, many will go for the name brand because it feels more acceptable. Or perhaps, they ignored him because of the setting. Who would expect to find a man of his talent playing incognito in the street? This might even further bring one to ponder whether Bell is only held in such high esteem because he performs in such affluent surroundings. (Absolutely no offense should be taken toward Bell's talent! Any famous musician X could be inserted into this scenario.) Could it be that people only gave him a chance, or even the time of day, because they were told he was an important musician who could only be enjoyed under the lights of a theatre, and thus paid $100 plus for a ticket to see him? What if society gave every performer, those on the street included, the same benefit of the doubt as they do an established musician? Perhaps new and talented musicians would be discovered and brought to fame, rather than thrown money at in the street while the world hastily runs to its next meeting.

Thus, the human condition of perception is a concept we must each individually examine. We must not feed into the haste and status quo of society; we must live for ourselves, and if that means stopping to watch a man play a harmonica on the street instead of stopping for coffee then so be it. And yes, there is not much we can do to change our innate beliefs, but it might be worthwhile to work at changing the perception that only worth while art can be viewed or listened in a purchased setting. Here's an idea, stop and look at some graffiti next time you see some; look at the blend of colors, the message it's trying to convey. You may be surprised by what you see. 

On a larger scale, perhaps perception should be geared toward a more laid back, open minded lifestyle, where we have the time to stop and glance at he world around us, the fruits of life, not rush past them because we have more important, might I add, more boring, things to do.

John Merrill: Plagiarizer or Not?

It's debatable whether John Merrill was merely borrowing a few quotes from senior staff writer, Anna Koeppel, or whether he was lifting her hard work and journalistic ability for his own. While Koeppel wrote a news article explaining a new department at MU, Merrill wrote a column regarding the nascent of the department. He used the same quotes as she did; however, he added a bit of his own spin and wit into the story. HE could totally have avoided the accusation of plagiarism had he simply given Koeppel credit for her quotes. It seems that his punishment for the aleged plagiarism was a bit harsh, as he was fired from The Missourian the next day. Had he been a bit less careless, this unfortunate occurrence would not have been. As an alternative, a more reasonable punishment would have been suspension form the paper and a formal apology. Instead he was dealt a hand of shame and a damaged reputation. It doesn't seem to me that he plagiarized; he was just too lazy and caught up in his own work to realize that it is essential to give credit where credit is deserved.

The Electoral College

It seems there is a great divide between those who condone the use of, and those who despise the existence of the Electoral College.This body of electors, whose quantity is equivalent to the number of senators and representatives for each state, meet every four years to vote for the president and vice president. The problem many find with this system is that they are not directly voting for their nation's leaders. However, in reality, the Electoral College makes representation more equal. For instance, the East Coast, is a densely populated, most urban area; and as a result, many of its inhabitants have similar views on what the nation needs. In, let's say, Iowa, for example, the land is more sparsely populated and of a more agricultural nature. Thus, it is obvious that the people who live in such drastically different areas have different needs and beliefs. If we were all to vote directly, these people living in less populated regions would hardly ever have their needs met; for if they cant vote for the leader who could help them, the leader who more urban people voted for, then the Iowan farmers would be forever overshadowed by petitions for safer subways and taller buildings. 

What Exactly is News?

Most people have a good idea of what news is; its the filler in the newspapers, the stuff the news casters rant about in a professional way. In today's world, you would have to be living under a rock to not have even the faintest idea of what is happening in the world; and even there, it's likely a newspaper would find its way under with you.

However, even if people have a basic understanding of it, there exists some deviation in what exactly people consider worthy of being called news. Personally, it seems that pretty much anything that could help to inform people or hold relevance in their lives could be considered worthy of the title; from the smallest story about a farmer who lost his dog, to coverage of the presidential race. Even if you personally could care less about a certain story, someone, somewhere was touched, or intrigued, or informed by the story, and that is what journalism boils down to; with all of the seasonings of writing ability and a plethora of knowledge, the fact is, that if you, or I, or any journalist influenced the life of someone else, or even the World, we have done our job.