"Laughably easy?"

I was on the Yahoo homepage a few minutes ago, and I found an article about Tyler Hansbrough's picture of him jumping into the pool. In this article, Eamonn Brennan said "Most college students don't get a full ride to play a sport. Most college students, unless they're journalism majors, don't take laughably easy courses designed to keep their GPAs high." I was shocked when I read this because first of all, it had nothing to do with the article, and second of all, every journalism program is different, and I definitely do not think that our courses are 'laughably easy,' or designed to keep my GPA high. If so, I would have a 4.0. I decided to post this because I thought it was something that you would find interesting.

Link: http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaab/blog/ncaab_experts/post/Tyler-Hansbrough-
should-probably-stop-leaping-fr?urn=ncaab,81189

(There's no spaces in the link, but this was the only way I could get the whole link to fit on the screen)

You Don't Have To Be #1 To Know How To Party

Although it is expected for most young adults to go out and party, the University at Albany is one of the schools that have been branded with the label “party school.” Since this, the university has been working hard to disprove its reputation of a party school. Although it may have lost its title of the number one party school, Albany students definitely still know how to have a good time.
After the events of Fountain Day 2004 received so much negative attention, the university took action to change the image of the school. The University Counseling Center implemented the Did You Know? Social Norms Campaign in the Fall 2006 semester. This campaign used statistics to prove that the majority of UAlbany students do not abuse alcohol, or engage in dangerous activities. The university took a small, random sample of students that answered anonymously, increasing the chances of more honest answers. They then took these statistics and posted posters all over campus to make the information more available to others. The Counseling Center website states that “Students will also be better able to make well-informed decisions about engaging in healthy behaviors now that they have accurate information.”
During the Fall 2007 semester, posters were displayed around the school stating “74% of UAlbany students drink alcohol twice a week, less often, or not at all.” This statistic was taken from a survey of 1,117 of the 12,748 undergraduates on campus. It is questionable how accurate this statistic is when less than nine percent of UAlbany students answered. A larger sample of the campus population would most likely reveal a different statistic. Shortly after this poster was displayed across campus, a student created a Facebook group called the “Elite 26%,” an opportunity to unite the 26% percent of UAlbany students that proudly drink three times a week or more. When the group was first created, there were a substantial amount of members. However, with the year ending, there are currently 81 members in the group.
Even though most students go out at least two times a week, the only nights that are considered unacceptable to go out in the city of Albany are Sunday and Monday. “Any night is popular to go out in Albany because the bars throw themed parties and other events to attract more people to them,” says freshman Carolyn Zimmer. At the popular student bars, Tuesday nights there is no cover, Wednesday nights there are beer pong tournament, and Thursday nights tend to have a theme, such as short-lived body shot contest at Michael’s. All of these theme nights feature drink specials that cater to the wallets of college students.
Unlike some other colleges, going to bars is just as popular, if not more popular, than going to a house party. Most students go to the bars in the mid-town area of Albany, such as Chubbie’s, Michael’s, and Bogies, because they are less strict about letting underage people in. When I asked a Chubbie’s bouncer how old I had to be to get into the bar, I was told “Your ID has to say you’re 21,” with emphasis on the word “ID.” Most bouncers refused to talk about the policies of their bars on the record.
Most of the students questioned reported having little or no trouble getting into these bars. “A lot of the bars are 18 and over, they just charge more as a cover if you are under 21.” Most bars in mid-town Albany charge $5 for students with chalked ID’s, and $10 for all other students. A college ID is normally required in addition to an ID. An anonymous source that did not want to reveal her underage drinking said, “Sometimes I don't even need my chalked ID, and they just let me in.” Every UAlbany student seems to have a bar of choice. When asked, the anonymous source said, “Michael's because it's cheap, but sometimes there's really sketchy guys or fights break out so then I go to Bogies.” Zimmer said, “There is one bar/club that my friends and I usually go to because the atmosphere is nice and a lot of people I know are there.” Freshman Olga Bykhovsky also chose Michael’s as her preferred bar.
Going out in Albany can add up quickly. The students that I asked admitted to spending $10 to $20 on a night of drinking. This sums up to a $5 cover, approximately three drinks at the bar, and a $3 cab ride back to campus. UAlbany students would spend even more money on a night out, but a lot of students decide to “pregame,” or drink before going out to the bars. “It saves a lot of money and it's fun to drink with your friends before you go out,” says the student that wished to remain anonymous. Bykhovsky also pregames because “You save money, and sometimes you have more fun.” Zimmer also participates in pregaming and said, “Sometimes my friends like to because it saves money rather than spending it all at the bar.” To gain a greater perspective on the drinking habits of UAlbany students, it is important to know how much students are drinking before they go out. The anonymous student admitted to consuming an average of 6 shots of alcohol before going out to the bars to consume up to three more drinks. Some students don’t measure at all, and just drink until they feel drunk, which can be a problem. Why drink so much? “Many students' goal is to get drunk, so pregaming intensifies their night. Also, like I said before, it saves money for a lot of college students to drink before the bar,” says Zimmer.
Binge drinking is an issue at most college campuses, and UAlbany is not an exception. Our culture sees binge drinking as something that is acceptable, and sometimes expected, for young people, especially college students to do. Another issue with pregaming is that it is illegal to consume or possess alcohol in the dorms if you are under 21, especially if you live on Indian Quad or State Quad, both of which are dry quads. Students are taking a serious risk when deciding to drink on campus, and many of them end up being caught. Bykhovsky says she and her friends have never been caught pregaming, “But I do know a lot of people who have gotten caught,” she says. UAlbany may no longer hold the title of one party school, but that doesn’t mean students can’t find a place in the city to party.

Journalists & First Amendment Rights

Last night's lecture in support of the First Amendment was very informative. Bob Port, senior editor at the Times Union newspaper, has been a journalist for 25 years. He claims that there are two things it takes to be a good journalist: skill and courage. He went on to say that journalism is a lonely profession, and "It takes a lot of courage," stated Port. Port also said that "Journalism these days is changing, and changing radically." This is referring to the new technology, and also the changing laws in our society.
Lucy Danglish, executive director of the Reporter's Committee for Freedom of the Press, presented a lot of information during her lecture. She spoke a lot about September 11th, and how this greatly impacted the rights of journalists to protect their sources. These events also led to the need of a Federal Shield Law. There are currently shield laws in many states, but journalists have no protection when dealing with the federal government. Protecting confidential sources is crucial to maintaining a relationship between journalists and sources. "If you make a promise to a source, you keep that promise," states Dalglish. During her lecture, she talked about Vanessa Leggett, a freelance wrtier and book author who was jailed for 168 days for not revealing her sources and refusing to turn over her research materials to the government. Journalist Toni Locy, got into a similar situation when she was subpoenaed in 2006 for not remembering her confidential sources. Locy was a journalist that periodically discarded all of her notes when she did not need them anymore, which is a problem not. Danglish then went on to give suggestions to prevent this from happening to other journalists. One of them was to go "back to basics," meaning keeping no electronic records of sources, and meeting sources in person to prevent being subpoenaed later. Danglish also suggested staying consistent with handling notes. Keeping all of your notes except for the ones dealing with a high profile case will look suspicious to the government and may lead to further problems.

Editorial Cartoonists

Tom Toles, editorial cartoonist for the Washington Post, creates a new cartoon for the paper everyday. His cartoons are humorous and address many of today's current issues. One of his cartoons that I liked was the one that was printed on April 25th:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/opinions/cartoonsandvideos/toles_main.html?name=Toles&date=04252008&type=c

Another editorial cartoonist, Terry Wise, has a sense of humor similar to Tom Toles. This is seen in his April 30th cartoon for the Ratland Ink Press:

(click here to view)

Terry Wise Ratland Ink Press Apr 30, 2008 EditorialCartoonists.com

I like the way that editorial cartoons are illustrated, and I also like how they can tell a big message in one small illustration with limited captioning.

What Is Swiftboating?

Swiftboating is a term that refers to any attempt to destroy a political candidate's reputation based on accusations that hold no real weight. This term was born during the 2004 presidential campaign when the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth accused senator John Kerry of being a liar. The Swift Boaters claimed that Kerry's story of rescuing Jim Rassmann during the Vietnam war was false. They accused him of being a coward, and fleeing the scene when it became too dangerous. The group was successful in making the public doubt Kerry and his credibility, however they could not successfully prove their accusation.

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A21239-2004Aug21.html

Albany Board of Zoning Appeals

Dozens of people gathered at Albany’s Common Council Chambers in City Hall yesterday evening for the Board of Zoning Appeals meeting. The board meets with the community twice a month to consider making changes to current zoning regulations, special use and parking permits. Yesterday’s meeting resulted in a victory for the Hariett Tubman Free School, and a further division between the Fort Orange Club and the citizens of Albany.
The first case dealt with Albany’s Fort Orange Club, an upscale, private, social club in the city for distinguished business, government, and social leaders. There are currently 600 members. John Allen made this presentation. The club wants permission to tear down two buildings on Washington Avenue to provide more parking for its members. Removing these two buildings will increase the available spots from 51 to 73. The Fort Orange Club also plans on putting up decorative fence and limestone, and also new lighting for the parking lot.
A few community members boldly spoke out against this proposal. Center Square Association President Paul Fowler was one of these people. Fowler believes that tearing down these two buildings will have an impact on pedestrians in the area. He also believes that the sounds and smell of Washington Avenue will pour into the Center Square community. Albany resident Lynn Jackson spoke about this issue on behalf of John Wolcott. Wolcott wrote a passionate letter expressing his opposition towards this proposal. Wolcott believes there is “No reason for this application other than to satisfy the self-centered Fort Orange Members. Why shouldn’t they walk or take the bus like the rest of us?” He also described the proposal as anti-urban and anti-environmental. Four Orange Club member Bill Croney believes that the project will be an “aesthetic improvement.” Richard Berkley of the Hudson Park Neighbors Association said “You can always tear down buildings and build more parking. You can’t recreate old buildings.”
The other case that received a lot of public outcry at the meeting was the case of the Harriet Tubman Free School. This is the school’s second year. The previous year it was held in a library, but it is now in it’s own building on 59 Elizabeth Street, where the community would like it to remain. A remarkable 15 people attended the meeting to speak out against this issue. Among these people were professors, school employees, parents, and the Harriet Tubman Free School’s own students. All of these people expressed the necessity and benefits of not moving the school. Dave Harrison said that the Free School is “bringing life to the community.” Since attending the school, student Joshua Fick said “I feel that I have changed as a person.” All 15 people that spoke on this issue were in agreement that the school is important to the community. Because of this outcry, the community won the appeal, and the Free School supporters left the Common Council Chamber celebrating.

Photojournalism

During Bruce Squiers’ presentation, I learned a lot about photojournalism. One of the first key points he mentioned was the term ‘visual literacy.” Squiers described this as the images that come to mind when one thinks of certain things. He also said that this is something that requires active watching and interpretation. The observer should ask the question, “What am I looking at, and why?” in order to improve visual literacy. Another way to improve visual literacy is by challenging one’s own limits, and elevating awareness of surroundings.
Another one of his key points was how to determine the “decisive moment,” the point in time in which all of the elements in the picture come together and everything is in sync. Henri Cartier Bresson further described this moment as the time where “The eye, the mind, and the heart must be aligned.”
Squiers then went on to define the four elements of photography. The first element is light, referring to control and use of light. Next, the photographer must have a sense of composition, meaning one must learn a detachment from his work and remain focused on the job. This element comes with experience. Form is the third element, which describes the certain balance that you notice when you look at a picture. The last element of photography is perspective, or wherever the photographer is when he is taking a picture. Squiers also emphasized that “You can be anywhere in the world and do great photography.” He also stated that good pictures speak for themselves, and do not require an explanation or caption to define it. I used these points to take the following picture:


UAlbany students enjoy lunch and the Springtime warmth outside at the univertsity's Campus Center Friday afternoon.

What Grade I Deserve In The Course

After taking a self-reflection, I feel that I deserve an A- in the course. I have never turned in an assignment late, and I have only missed one class during the entire semester, which was due to an emergency. I gave myself an A- because I feel like I could participate more in the class, but I do ask questions when it is necessary, or when I need further clarification. The one time I failed to do this was during the cold weather assignment. I should have asked for more details, but instead I did my interpretation, which turned out to be incorrect. I would have redone the assignment, however, that is the one assignment that is impossible to do since it is based on the weather. I feel that I deserve this grade because I use your comments to make my writing stronger. I have revised all of the graded assignments that we have had returned to us thus far. I also feel that I deserve an A- because this is an introductory course, and the purpose of it is to assess our current writing skills and build upon them in order to make us better writers. Because of this, I think that we should be graded based on the effort put into each assignment, and how we are improving through the course of the semester.

Fountain Day 2008

With temperatures starting to rise, many students celebrate the end of a cold, Albany winter and the anticipated arrival of spring. The university unites students in this celebration by hosting its annual Fountain Day. Fountain Day is a time for students to emerge from winter hibernation and relax with friends before having to worry about final exams. This year marks the 30th anniversary of Fountain Day, and thousands of UAlbany students will come out on April 27th to keep the tradition alive.
Although this event is popular among the UAlbany community, many students are unaware of the how the tradition began. One UAlbany student, Willow Burns, defined the holiday as this: “Fountain Day is intended to give students a day to celebrate the school year; it's a way for them to relax and have fun. That way, students won't go psycho during finals week and drop out." When freshman Farah Bernadin was asked about Fountain Day, she said “The whole entire school goes into the fountain. People play, hang out, stuff like that. I guess it’s a school tradition.”
Fountain Day, originally known as “May Fest,” began on May 5th, 1978. The day was traditionally held during the week, where students and staff spent the day outside enjoying the weather and celebrating the return of the fountain. Over the years, the campus became crowded with UAlbany students and their friends. Also, the university celebration began to center itself around alcohol, and Fountain Day began to look more like a crazy house party instead of a university sanctioned event.
Fountain Day chaos peaked after the 2004 celebration. The high level of student intoxication and injuries made headlines everywhere, making many question the credibility of the university. Since Fountain Day 2004, the university took many steps to make Fountain Day a safe and sober event, while still maintaining the fun and excitement that UAlbany students wait all year for. The changes that the university made are still in effect today. One of the changes is a no-guest policy. This change upset many students that looked forward to their friends experience the unique event. Another policy that was implemented was that all students were required to register prior to the event. Registering for the event was also an agreement to keep Fountain Day a safe event. To further ensure safety, bags or containers of any kind were prohibited from being brought into the fountain area. In order to keep student interest in Fountain Day, the university planned fun activities for UAlbany students to participate in during Fountain Day 2005. One of these events included a pillow fight in Collins Circle, in an attempt to beat the world record for the largest pillow fight.
This year’s Fountain Day is full of fun activities for UAlbany students. In addition to the free food and music, students may participate in various contests such as a scavenger hunt, and an obstacle course. Festivities began at noon, with the return of the fountains at 3 PM. Students will have an hour to enjoy the fountains before the celebration ends at four. Like years in the past, Fountain Day 2008 will unite the UAlbany community as many gather to celebrate the arrival of Spring.

Sources:
http://media.www.ualbanyezine.com/media/storage/paper685/news/2006/05/03/FountainDay/Ualbany.Staff.Forces.Fountain.Day.Changes-1900140.shtml

http://www.albany.edu/news/campus_news/2005/apr2005/reclaim_fountainday.htm

http://www.albany.edu/fountainday/schedule.shtml

Kazan State University Professor Meets With UAlbany Students

Meeting someone from a different culture can alter one’s outlook on life. Some UAlbany students got the opportunity to do that this past Wednesday. Dr. Julia Ziyatdinova of Kazan State University gave a presentation to students, followed by a question and answer session. Kazan is located in the republic of Tatarstan in the central European part of Russia. This is her first time in America, and she will be in the country for about a month visiting various universities in the state.
Ziyatdinova’s presentation gave students a short presentation about the Tatar Republic, a place that many Americans know little about. Ziyatdinova gave a brief introduction to the history and culture of the Tatar Republic, and how it became Tatarstan. Today, the country’s population consists of a fairly even mix of Tatars and Russians.
After the presentation, UAlbany journalism students had the opportunity to ask Ziyatdinova more personal questions, and to learn more about her culture. Ziyatdinova is a 31 year old English professor at Kazan State Univeristy in Russia. She chose to be an English professor after studying the English language. Ziyatdinova is fluent in four languages: Russian, Tatar, Turkish, and English. This was her first time in an English speaking environment, although it was difficult to tell just by speaking with her.
Ziyatdinova spoke a lot about the cultural differences she’s noticed between Tatarstan and America. One difference was the abundance of fast food in our country. People in Kazan tend to eat lots of soups, vegetables, chicken, and potatoes. Also, there are not many Chinese restaurants in Kazan while there are several in most American cities. One shocking cultural difference is the way divorce is handled. Although it is becoming more common in Kazan, divorce is still a topic that is not openly discussed in their culture. Another cultural difference is that it is considered impolite to consume a beverage in public, something that millions of Americans do on a daily basis.
When asked about Kazan students, Ziyatdinova replied “I think students are the same.” One difference she did point out was the way that students dress for class. Students in Kazan would never come to class in pajamas, while that is not out of the ordinary for American students. Another thing Ziyatdinova noticed about our culture is the number of people that smile. “That is an American tradition,” she believes. Ziyatdinova also commented on America’s reliance on the automobile. She stated that “there is no way for pedestrians to walk.” This is different from Kazan’s culture, which is more accepting of pedestrians. Ziyatdinova said that there is a lot more diversity in America than there is in Kazan. “It’s good that people show their culture here,” said Ziyatdinova. She has learned a lot about American culture during the first few days of her visit, and hopes to experience more throughout her visit. “I learned things here that no textbook can teach me.”

Spitzer Scandal

Two days after apologizing at a press conference for making undisclosed poor decisions, Governor Eliot Spitzer announced his resignation today. "I cannot allow my private failings to disrupt the people's work," said Spitzer. This resignation does not come as a shock to many, considering the strong response from the public after the information was released. Talks of possible impeachment is probably what led Spitzer to make the final decision to resign. It will be interesting to see if Washington D.C. will prosecute Spitzer for prostitution, which is a crime there, as it is in many states. He will be replaced by Lieutenant Governor David Paterson on Monday. Paterson will make history by being the state's first black governor who is also legally blind. He will be the second disabled governor since Franklin D. Roosevelt. Scandals like these make me wonder what the politicians are thinking when they make poor decisions. They rarely don't get caught, so why take the risk?

The Bill of Rights

The first amendment of the Bill of Rights protects Americans from five things. The first amendment gives citizens the freedom of speech, religion, and press. It also gives Americans the right to assembly, and the right to petition for the passage of laws. The other nine amendments are as follows:
2nd- right to bear arms, and the right to a milita
3rd- soldier's right to stay at any citizen's house during time of war
4th- Supreme Court has power of judicial review
5th- right to not self-incriminate
6th- right to a speedy and public trial
7th- right to a trial by jury
8th- bail, fines, and punishments must be reasonable
9th- rights shall not be construed to deny certain people
10th- any powers not delegated to the federal government or prohibited to the states rely in the hands of the people

Site: http://www.cyberlearning-world.com/nhhs/compapps/workshop/billofrights/explain.htm

Prince Harry and The Media

I believe that the British Press was right for keeping Prince Harry's military enrollment a secret. Keeping this a secret protected him from the danger he would be in if people knew that he was serving in Afghanistan. If the British Press withheld this information from the public for other reasons, like Prince Harry's self-gain, then I do not agree with their decision. The role of the press is to inform the public, no matter what. After a story like this is uncovered, people begin to wonder what other things the media is choosing not to tell them, breaking down the trust between the public and the media. This can cause many problems in the future.

Budgets

Like most college students, Kristan spends a majority of her money on partying and buying clothes. Going out two nights a week costs her about $200 a month. She spends another $200 on clothes, mainly from the store she works at, Rhuel. Most of her revenue comes from her parents, who give her about $1280 a month. This money goes to various things like paying for her Toyota 4-Runner, and an $80 cell phone bill.
The rest of the money spent goes to miscellaneous things, like partying, taxis, cosmetics, and clothes. She also charges some purchases on her credit card. Some of Kristan's revenue comes from her summer jobs, one at Rhuel, and another job waitressing. After seeing Kristan's budget, it is quite apparent what is important to her: living the college life.

UAlbany Students Get Behind The Scenes Look At A Newsroom

Hundreds of Journalism students gathered in the PAC’s Recital Hall last Wednesday afternoon for a showing of Aaron Matthew’s “The Paper.” “The Paper” is a documentary about The Daily Collegian, Penn State University’s newspaper during the 2004-2005 school year. Matthew’s documentary gives the audience insight into what it is like to work in a college newsroom.
“The Paper” follows the lives of student journalists Laura Baker, Kayur Patel, Bridget Smith, Jenny Vrentas, and James Young. The group faces many problems during this year, including a few controversies and a lack of circulation. The Daily Collegian previously had a circulation of around 20,000 copies, but only had a circulation between 14,000 and 15,000 at the time the documentary was filmed. At the beginning of “The Paper,” the journalists struggled to raise interest and circulation of The Daily Collegian.
Rookie journalist Kayur Patel faced a lot of difficulty with his first beat. He had a hard time meeting deadlines, and balancing his newspaper responsibilities with his schoolwork. Student journalist Jenny Ventras faced a lot of discrimination for being a female in sports journalism. She received limited access to the athletes from the coaches, making it hard to cover the stories that she wanted. Eventually, she went around the coaches to interview the players, and finally got the story she wanted. Ventras was reprimanded for her actions, but that did not stop her from covering her beat.
The Daily Collegian faced a lot of criticism from its peers. One of its ongoing complaints was the lack of black representation in The Daily Collegian. Black students were expressing the invisibility they felt at Penn State University on a daily basis. Members of the Black Caucus met with editor James Young numerous times to discuss the limited coverage of issues that affected black students. The Black Caucus held a press conference on campus to address this issue, and became highly upset when The Daily Collegian identified it as a rally.
Another issue that caused major controversy was a letter to the editor that The Daily Collegian decided to publish. The newspaper wrote a front page article that featured two homosexual couples kissing. One displeased student wrote a letter calling homosexuals as queer, and not considered real people. Despite the disagreements of some of the editors, the letter was published in the newspaper. The Penn State student community was outraged, and The Daily Collegian became swamped with letters of disgust. Surprisingly, this caused a sudden jump in circulation, which is what The Daily Collegian aimed to do. By the end of the movie, the editors learned what sells newspapers.
After the showing of the movie, there was a question and answer session with filmmaker Aaron Matthews. Students had the opportunity to ask Matthews various questions to learn more about his film making process. “The Paper” is not Matthew’s first documentary, he has done a few in the past about diverse subjects. Matthews became interested in media columns after September 11th, leading to his interest in The Daily Collegian. When asked why he chose Penn State, his answer was simple: “I live there.” Matthew’s wife works at the university, and it was close enough that he could walk there. The filmmaking process is complicated, and Matthews put in a great deal of time and effort into making “The Paper.” ITBS.org and the Sundance Institute gave him $235,000 to make the documentary. Matthews was also paid a $100,000 salary over a two and a half year period. There is no profit made from documentaries. Matthews recorded about 350 hours of footage, 75 percent of which taken Matthews took by himself. He then spent the next four months reviewing it. The editing process was difficult, since it was impossible to use all of the footage he recorded. When asked if he questioned showing certain material, Matthews claimed that everything he thought was important was in the film. He also stated that one of the students asked that a tragic personal story be left out of the documentary. Matthews ‘presence in the newsroom was not hindering to the students, but hindering to his typical filmmaking process. Matthews does not like taking the fly-on-the-wall approach. Instead he would rather talk and interact with his subjects. Although this was a long and intricate process, Matthews enjoyed the time he spent at The Daily Collegian. “Overall, I was amazed with the activity and business of the newsroom,” stated Matthews.

Interview Analysis

The interview I chose to watch was an ABC News interview done a couple of months ago. Alisha Davis interviewed recording artist Will. I. Am and director Jesse Dylan about a music video the two made based off of Barack Obama's "Yes We Can" speech made in January 2008. I think the best question that Davis asked was "What inspired you guys to make 'Yes We Can'?" This question led to a very detailed, personal answer that gave insight to Will.I.Am's personality and his intentions for making the song and music video. Another important question that was asked was "Are you apart of the campaign?" This is an important question because many people would assume that Will. I. Am and Jesse Dylan made this video because they are apart of the campaign, or that they had some ulterior motive behind making the song and video. Alisha Davis seemed enthusiastic about the interview. However, she asked a lot of questions about their inspiration and involvement in the campaign, making me wonder if she or ABC News assumed that they were making the video for other reasons. Both Will. I. Am and Jesse Dylan seemed calm throughout the interview and provided personal, in-depth answers to the questions. I did not witness any errors in this interview, I think that Davis got the answers she wanted out of her interview, and all of the questions the general public would want answered were answered.

Interview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBn7FEtn0E8

What is a provost?

A provost is the top academic officer at a university. Not only does this person have academic responsibilities, he also handles budgetary affairs. The provost works with the university's president to determine academic priorities, and provides the funds to implement these ideas. There are many people that work under the provost. Some of these people include the dean, and all other kinds of provosts. The provost at the University at Albany is Susan Herbst. At a univeristy, the president still holds the highest amount of power.


http://www.provost.umich.edu/about/what.html

Questions answered in "Albany mosque has new imam"

Marc Parry's article in the Times Union answered a lot of questions about the mosque on Central Ave in Albany. Since I do not know much about mosques, I learned a lot of information. First of all, I did not know what a chaplain was or that they even existed in prisons. One of the questions the article answered was what happened to the previous imam at the Masjid As-Salam mosque. The previous leader is currently in prison for his support of a fake terrorist plot. This happened two years ago, and the mosque has not had an official imam since. Elmi is a part-time imam, meaning that the mosque still needs a permanent replacement. Through this article, I also learned some of the types of people that worship at this mosque. The Masjid As-Salam has members that were once inmates, making Elmi a helpful tool to transition back into society. The article also did a good job at explaining Elmi's background and life previous to accepting the job as a part-time imam. I thought it was interesting that he has a degree in agriculture yet became a prison chaplain. I also thought it was selfless how he taught Islam for free at mosques that lacked teachers. Another question that the article answered were Elmi's plans for the mosque now that he is the new imam. He plans to furnish the mosque, hire teachers, and make it possible for women to view the services. I thought it was an interesting article that gave the reader the ability to learn a lot about a little known subject in our culture.

New Six Word Bio

I conceal my thoughts with sarcasm.

Interview With Someone "Different"

For my interview with someone different, I decided to interview M Keith Peifer, a freshman football player here at UAlbany. Since I am not and never will be a Division I athlete, I decided to learn a little more about one of the athletic programs that I pay $399 a year for.

M Keith Peifer is a Offensive Tackler for the UAlbany football team. He is from Lewisberry, Pennsylvania, a town outside of Harrisburg. He has been playing football since he was in 4th grade. He took a year off in 8th grade, and had no intentions of playing the following year until his high school coach approached him. His eight years of playing football led him to be one of UAlbany's recruits. When asked why he chose UAlbany, Peifer said "I liked the coaches, I liked the university itself, and I got a nice little scholarship." He is glad he made this decision and plans to stay at the university for his entire football career. Peifer did not get playing time this past season because he made the decision to be a Red-Shirted Freshman. This means that the freshman sits out his first academic year, but it does not count towards the NCAA four-year eligibility that an athlete has. Peifer believes that people do this "to get more confidence, to develop as a player."

Being a Division I football player is not an easy job. The members of the team have to lift weights four times a week for an hour and a half to two hours each time. Two mornings a week, the players complete a team run which lasts about an hour. On Wednesday's the freshman football players are required to do yoga. There are also academic requirements that the athletes must meet. Each freshman must attend Study Hours for at least six hours the first semester. After the first semester, required time may range from four to eight hours, depending on the player's GPA. If the athlete earns a GPA higher than a 3.3, then he is exempt from Study Hours. The GPA requirement for Study Hours exemption drops drastically sophomore year to a 2.5. During what's left of his free time, Peifer usually takes naps, plays video games, and studies. Many people think that student athletes receive a lot of privileges, but Peifer disagrees. "Maybe early registration, so we can schedule around our practices, but that's it." When asked what the best part of UAlbany football was, Peifer didn't hesitate to say his fellow teammates. "There's some good guys on the team," stated Peifer with a look of assurance.

On-campus Interview (2/13/08)

I'm not sure what we are supposed to do with this yet, but for my on-campus assignment, I interviewed a young woman named Willow Burns. These are the questions I asked and the responses I received:

Veronica: What year are you?

Willow: I'm a Freshman.

V: Do you like it here?

W: I love it.

V: So, where are you coming from?

W: Statistics.

V: How was it?

W: I just had a test, so it wasn't bad.

V: How do you think you did?

W: Pretty well.

V: Do you have a lot of classes in the Lecture Center?

W: Yeah, four of them.

V: Was it hard to get out of bed to go to class today?

W: Ha. Yeah, especially with the weather.

V: Where are you from?

W: Saratoga Springs, NY

V: Oh, so you must be used to the Albany weather then.

W: Yeah, but I have to walk around a lot more than usual since I don't have my car.

V: So what are you going to do when you get back to your room?

W: I'm probably gonna go check my Facebook and then go to dinner. (laughs)

Lelac Skellie

Every person you interact with has an interesting story that you can relate to in some way. This person could be your boss, your best friend, or the person sitting next to you in class. Lelac Skellie is no exception to this. Skellie is a twenty-one year old transfer student from Adirondack Community College. This is her second semester at SUNY Albany. She is a Journalism major who is also minoring in Music. She is originally from Fordan, NY, but currently lives in an apartment in downtown Albany with her two roommates Blaise and Greg. Although she lives with two guys, she swears that they are "fairly clean." When she's not in class or working at Hollywood Video, Skellie enjoys singing, and writing poetry or short stories. Her hidden secret is her fascination with celebrity magazines like People. Like most young women, Skellie is a self-claimed "text messaging freak," and enjoys shopping at stories like Forever 21. After receiving her journalism degree, she plans to move to Boston or New York City to pursue her desire of becoming an environmental journalist.

What Is Compound Interest?

Compound interest is a type of interest which is calculated by the principal, or initial investment, and also by the accrued interest, the amount of interest earned since the last interest payment. This is a different concept from simple interest, where the interest is only based upon the initial principal. This results in the investor having more money in the end.

To test out this concept, try this sample problem:

If Bob has $100 in his savings account, which will be compounded at an interest rate of 10% a year, how much money will he have in his account by the third year?

There is an equation to help figure this out, but since many people do not know it off-hand, there are many websites that will do the work for you. Putting this information into an online Compound Interest calculator like the one at moneychimp.com will give you the correct answer of $133.10, making it much easier to figure out how much compound interest your investment will earn.

Sources: http://www.investorwords.com/1013/compound_interest.html
http://www.moneychimp.com/calculator/compound_interest_calculator.htm
http://dictionary.bnet.com/definition/accrued+interest.html

How Does An Idea Become A Law?

An idea can become a law at any time. One's idea becomes a law through a series of steps, which could take a long time to complete. After one comes up with an idea, he must contact his local congressman who will then write the bill and propose it to Congress. This person is known as the bill's sponsor. Only members of Congress can sponsor a bill. Bills are introduced differently depending on if they are introduced in the House or in Senate. If introduced in the House, the bills are placed in a box called a "hopper." Bills introduced to the Senate are presented on the Senate Floor or on an officer's desk. After, the bill is sent to a committee for discussion, and the bill is put into electronic form for the Library of Congress and placed on a public website.

The bill then gets referred to either a House committee or a Senate committee. Each has its own set of public policies that they specifically deal with. They then choose a date to discuss the proposed bill and make any needed changes to it. If the committee members decide to make numerous changes, they can make a "clean bill," a bill with a new number. The committee then votes on the bill and decides if it is necessary or not. If it is found unnecessary, the bill is then "tabled," or stopped. If this does not happen, the bill is then sent to a subcommittee for further review, or it is reported back to the House floor for consideration. House bills are normally considered through a tool called a Committee of the Whole, which speeds up the process. The members debate, and the bill is read a total of three times. After the third time, the members then vote on the bill using the electronic voting system in the House Chamber. If a majority of the House passes the bill, it is then sent to the Senate for a second vote. Both houses of Congress must pass a bill before moving on to the next step. The Senate also has the right to make amendments to the bill, and both houses must come to an agreement on the revisions. When the House and Senate both pass a bill, it is "enrolled," and then passed on to the president to sign. If the president takes no action for ten days, and Congress is currently in session, then the bill automatically becomes a law. If the president takes no action, and Congress has adjourned its session, then the bill dies and is not made into a law. However, if the president does take action and sign the bill, then it becomes a law. The president also has the right to veto the bill and send it back to Congress with an official statement of objections. Congress then reads the president's objections and decides whether they agree or disagree. If enough people in Congress disagree, they take a vote to override the veto, and it is then made into a law if two-thirds of the House and Senate vote in favor of the bill. This long process of checks and balances is how one simple idea can become a law.

Sources: http://clerkkids.house.gov/laws/index.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEJL2Uuv-oQ (Schoolhouse Rock: How A Bill Becomes A Law)

Final Project Ideas

One of my ideas for my final paper would be to do an article on "hooking up" in college, and interviewing fellow college students. Another idea would be to do an article on college nightlife and interview students who party in college.

The John Merrill Debate

After reading the article "The John Merrill Debate: As journalists and educators, this much we know for certain," I believe that Merrill's plagiarism was unintentional, and not done as an attempt to steal someone's work. However, what he did was wrong, and a proper journalist would have cited the source of the quotes. I think that the publication was looking for a reason to end his column, and that is why they handled the situation the way they did.

Election 2008

As many know, today is Super Tuesday. Today, 22 states host their primaries, ultimately determining who the final two candidates will be. The polls haven't closed yet, however there have already been many key wins on both the Republican and Democratic sides. McCain has had victories in states like New Jersey, and Delaware. The race between Obama and Clinton remains a close one. Clinton has had key wins in New York and Oklahoma, while Obama swept away Georgia and Illinois. It will be exciting to see who the projected winners are at the end of the night.

I was just reading an article on Yahoo.com entitiled "Obama wins Ga. with strong black support," and it made me think of how the media is attempting to make race a major issue in this election. Most of Obama's wins during the primaries, the media has tried to justify it by saying he has a lot of support in the black community. Although this may be true, I don't believe that African-Americans are the only people that are voting for him. Obama has received strong support from people of all backgrounds, including a significant amount of support for young people. I do not think it is fair of the media to accredit his success only to the black voters. Besides race, there are many issues and beliefs that separate Clinton and Obama, and the media should take more time to focus on the issues rather than the superficial. Race did not have to become one of the main issues in this election, and I think it is disappointing that the media chose to perpetuate this idea.

What is the Electoral College?

The Electoral College is a group of 538 electors that meet every four years to help influence who will become America's next president. They are chosen by the citizens who trust them to make the right decision and best represent the popular vote. This process began in the Constitution and was slightly altered by the 12th amendment. The purpose of the electoral college is to balance the popular vote with the votes of Congress. The number of electors for each state is determined by the population of the state. The state of California leads with 55 electoral votes, while less populated states like Vermont and North Dakota only have three electoral votes. In order to win a presidential election, the candidate must receive 270 electoral votes. If no majority is reached, then the House of Representatives determines the next president. This has happened only twice in history. This has faced much criticism due to the uncertainty of whether the popular vote is important in determining who wins a presidential election. Some argue that the popular vote is being compromised, while others believe that it maintains a separation of power in our government.