1. Pullman had 4 hate crimes in 2006, they were all relating to sexual orientation. This was a higher number than many other cities. Excluding the sexial orientation hate crimes, Pullman appears to be relatively safe.
In 2007 there were 5 incidents of hate crimes in Pullman- 4 relating to race and 1 relating to sexual orientation. The number of Race crimes was unusually high and the number of sexual orientation related crimes was fairly normal compared to other cities.
In 2008 there was one hate crime in Pullman- relating to religion. This was particularly low compared to other cities.
2. Terry R. Nealy received the most donations in 2010. Avista Corp. and Wal-Mart were the biggest donors, they both donated $1,600. Republicans had the most donations in Washington from the forest and forestry industry in 2008. Republicans also had the most donations from the lobbyists and public relations industry in Washington in 2008.
3.
http://www.google.com/patents/about?id=y6ofAAAAEBAJ&dq=%22virtual+reality%22
http://www.google.com/patents/about?id=nC0oAAAAEBAJ&dq=portable+personal+computer
http://www.google.com/patents/about?id=UNMoAAAAEBAJ&dq=%22cordless+telephone+handset%22
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Frontline video
I thought Frontline did a really good job putting together the "News War" piece. They began by showing clips of the Daily Show, which is the only show on cable that parodies the style of evening news. It was nice to get a background on how news got to that point- it was the invention of 60 Minutes and subsequent copies that came about when it was realized that this format could make money. There was a very quick cut of an interviewee saying something about how there is now an expectation for show profits to grow every year in order for a program to be considered a success. This idea is what poisons the craft of journalism but it's unfortunately common.
When I think about the Frontline story in its totally though i can't help but think this: the news is businesses, they are not a branch of the government that receives public funds...so if we have concrete expectations for them that do not have anything to do with money-making then maybe we need to have some other way of keeping them running that is independent of their ratings or advertising revenue potential (like being publicly owned). But even then, there is still a bajillion other sources of news that people will go to.
The ABC news producer interviewed at the beginning essentially said that the definition of news is now wider than ever because of the fact that their is more space to fill. I actually agree with this- 'news' is subjective...because not everyone has the same interests. Ultimately though, The more variety to chose from, the better off we all are.
When I think about the Frontline story in its totally though i can't help but think this: the news is businesses, they are not a branch of the government that receives public funds...so if we have concrete expectations for them that do not have anything to do with money-making then maybe we need to have some other way of keeping them running that is independent of their ratings or advertising revenue potential (like being publicly owned). But even then, there is still a bajillion other sources of news that people will go to.
The ABC news producer interviewed at the beginning essentially said that the definition of news is now wider than ever because of the fact that their is more space to fill. I actually agree with this- 'news' is subjective...because not everyone has the same interests. Ultimately though, The more variety to chose from, the better off we all are.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Feature Profile Story
“Oh my gosh I just saw a big hawk!” exclaims a fascinated Robin Rilette as she looks out the window of the third floor of the Murrow building at Washington State University. “I don’t see them on campus very often. How interesting. What if it was an owl?” She then picks up right where she left off, explaining one of her favorite parts about being music director for Northwest Public Radio (NWPR).
Rilette loves hosting concerts and other events around the Northwest. Last month she judged a master-class in Kennewick with world-renowned Broadway singer, Franc D'Ambrosio. “All these places with symphonies and chamber groups and things like that, a lot of them want someone to come and I’m the only classical music person really…It’s energizing and it also lets me meet people. They all know who I am, they feel like they know me. A lot of people say, ‘I feel like you’re my friend,’ but I don’t know them.” She describes the sensation of being at a party and feeling recognized by her voice, which is heard all around the Northwest, “People will start looking at me weird. Now I’ve kind of picked up on it. They try not to look at me but they are looking at me and if I see that at a party I’ll go up to them and say, ‘I don’t think we’ve met, I’m Robin.’ I can tell that they’re listening to me and wondering…which is a good thing.”
NWPR consists of 13 radio towers and 13 translators across Washington, Idaho and Oregon. “We’ve gone from being a small station to a geographical entity that’s covering most of the state of Washington,” explains Rilette. “We’re soon putting in a station on June 21, this is super-duper big news. We’re taking over a station that broadcasts into Tacoma and Olympia. So, in one station we are going to actually double the potential size of our audience.”
And just who is this audience? Rilette discussed public radio’s reputation as having a liberal slant. She cited a National Public Radio (NPR) survey that asked listeners if they were more conservative or liberal. According to Rilette, it was shown that in fact there is a fairly even split among listeners who consider themselves politically left leaning and those who consider themselves right leaning. Rilette noted, “If we get complaints they’re usually about 50/50, ‘You’re too liberal,’ 50% say, ‘You’re too conservative.’ So to me, that is a real indication that NPR is doing a pretty good job of staying as neutral as they can.”
Tim Meinig, a colleague of Rilette’s at NWPR describes her as an integral part of the station. She, along with Dan Maher provide the only shows produced locally and that gives NWPR a unique feel. “Her job as music director is something that nobody else can do,” he said.
Rilette remains humble however. She said she still has a hard time identifying classical composers even though she has been playing them for 20 years. “Someone like Vivaldi or Bach, they write hundreds and hundreds of pieces…I mean really. I think that’s why my listeners like me, because they’re kind of in the same boat as I am. I’m not some PhD in music, I don’t present myself as a know-it-all. I’m just somebody else who likes music, and here’s some interesting information that I came across.’”
As Rilette talks about her blog her eyes wander to the window overlooking the rolling Pullman hills and she interrupts herself, “Oh…you know what? There is that bird. It is a red tailed hawk! There he goes…that is just cool.”
Rilette loves hosting concerts and other events around the Northwest. Last month she judged a master-class in Kennewick with world-renowned Broadway singer, Franc D'Ambrosio. “All these places with symphonies and chamber groups and things like that, a lot of them want someone to come and I’m the only classical music person really…It’s energizing and it also lets me meet people. They all know who I am, they feel like they know me. A lot of people say, ‘I feel like you’re my friend,’ but I don’t know them.” She describes the sensation of being at a party and feeling recognized by her voice, which is heard all around the Northwest, “People will start looking at me weird. Now I’ve kind of picked up on it. They try not to look at me but they are looking at me and if I see that at a party I’ll go up to them and say, ‘I don’t think we’ve met, I’m Robin.’ I can tell that they’re listening to me and wondering…which is a good thing.”
NWPR consists of 13 radio towers and 13 translators across Washington, Idaho and Oregon. “We’ve gone from being a small station to a geographical entity that’s covering most of the state of Washington,” explains Rilette. “We’re soon putting in a station on June 21, this is super-duper big news. We’re taking over a station that broadcasts into Tacoma and Olympia. So, in one station we are going to actually double the potential size of our audience.”
And just who is this audience? Rilette discussed public radio’s reputation as having a liberal slant. She cited a National Public Radio (NPR) survey that asked listeners if they were more conservative or liberal. According to Rilette, it was shown that in fact there is a fairly even split among listeners who consider themselves politically left leaning and those who consider themselves right leaning. Rilette noted, “If we get complaints they’re usually about 50/50, ‘You’re too liberal,’ 50% say, ‘You’re too conservative.’ So to me, that is a real indication that NPR is doing a pretty good job of staying as neutral as they can.”
Tim Meinig, a colleague of Rilette’s at NWPR describes her as an integral part of the station. She, along with Dan Maher provide the only shows produced locally and that gives NWPR a unique feel. “Her job as music director is something that nobody else can do,” he said.
Rilette remains humble however. She said she still has a hard time identifying classical composers even though she has been playing them for 20 years. “Someone like Vivaldi or Bach, they write hundreds and hundreds of pieces…I mean really. I think that’s why my listeners like me, because they’re kind of in the same boat as I am. I’m not some PhD in music, I don’t present myself as a know-it-all. I’m just somebody else who likes music, and here’s some interesting information that I came across.’”
As Rilette talks about her blog her eyes wander to the window overlooking the rolling Pullman hills and she interrupts herself, “Oh…you know what? There is that bird. It is a red tailed hawk! There he goes…that is just cool.”
Monday, June 7, 2010
Media Hype Video
Altering images in news reporting is only ethical if it helps clarify the photo in some way. This could be highlighting a relevant part or making the image brighter or higher contrast-but only if it's done with the intention of improved visual legibility- never to change the fundamental character of something (like making OJ darker on the cover of TIME). Alterations should always be noted as well.
In an ideal world, people would naturally be interested in the things that most affected them. However, that's just not true. People do love hearing about shark attacks (and arguably this fact implies that it IS important to them at some level)...but when it causes irrational fear in the mass population, it has gone too far. The media should cover everything that needs to be covered in order for society to be properly informed about relevant issues that may affect their lives, but if this means that no one buys the paper or watches the news, and they consequentially fail as institutions- then perhaps a minimal amount of "shark attack" stories should be included. These stories are in fact part of the world and people do want to know about them and the media DOES need to pay the bills too. However, to put sensational, overblown, fear-based stories on the front cover and intentionally glamorize them for profit is just wrong. There needs to be a balance where the real news is the focus- but it shouldn't be so dry that no one wants to hear about it.
Freebies and junkets are particularly troublesome when it comes to journalists doing product reviews. It's easy to imagine that if the publication supports buying a product, it will do better in the market-a better market will serve the publication because their will be more advertising dollars coming back to them. When there is such a direct correlation between content and revenue the journalist is put in a position of a lot of responsibility. Maintaining integrity despite the free trips and special treatment becomes more difficult- the unbalanced reporting that may arise is ultimately a real disservice to to the consumers.
I think the Fat Squad and the other stories created by Joey Skaggs are so widely believed because of how the media works- they are on autopilot. They get news releases and follow them up and print what they find. There is really no one else pulling these kinds of pranks so the media's guard is down. Also, they WANT to believe these stories, this is stuff that is totally entertaining, instant ratings. A diligent pursuit for the truth falls wayside to mere laziness and desire to entertain. I think internet reporters may be less susceptible to these kinds of things because of how much garbage is one the internet already. They are used to having to be a little more discerning in their coverage so i think they would see through it. Also, they seem to be more in touch with readers and i think this keeps them in check. With more direct feedback they are scrutinized more and made more aware of their own fragile credibility. I also don't think internet news outlets are as dependent upon high ratings as TV...a lot of times they are just individuals (who often act much more sensibly than group entities) and they are not even really trying to make money so they're not so eager for sensational stories to fuel ratings and readership.
In an ideal world, people would naturally be interested in the things that most affected them. However, that's just not true. People do love hearing about shark attacks (and arguably this fact implies that it IS important to them at some level)...but when it causes irrational fear in the mass population, it has gone too far. The media should cover everything that needs to be covered in order for society to be properly informed about relevant issues that may affect their lives, but if this means that no one buys the paper or watches the news, and they consequentially fail as institutions- then perhaps a minimal amount of "shark attack" stories should be included. These stories are in fact part of the world and people do want to know about them and the media DOES need to pay the bills too. However, to put sensational, overblown, fear-based stories on the front cover and intentionally glamorize them for profit is just wrong. There needs to be a balance where the real news is the focus- but it shouldn't be so dry that no one wants to hear about it.
Freebies and junkets are particularly troublesome when it comes to journalists doing product reviews. It's easy to imagine that if the publication supports buying a product, it will do better in the market-a better market will serve the publication because their will be more advertising dollars coming back to them. When there is such a direct correlation between content and revenue the journalist is put in a position of a lot of responsibility. Maintaining integrity despite the free trips and special treatment becomes more difficult- the unbalanced reporting that may arise is ultimately a real disservice to to the consumers.
I think the Fat Squad and the other stories created by Joey Skaggs are so widely believed because of how the media works- they are on autopilot. They get news releases and follow them up and print what they find. There is really no one else pulling these kinds of pranks so the media's guard is down. Also, they WANT to believe these stories, this is stuff that is totally entertaining, instant ratings. A diligent pursuit for the truth falls wayside to mere laziness and desire to entertain. I think internet reporters may be less susceptible to these kinds of things because of how much garbage is one the internet already. They are used to having to be a little more discerning in their coverage so i think they would see through it. Also, they seem to be more in touch with readers and i think this keeps them in check. With more direct feedback they are scrutinized more and made more aware of their own fragile credibility. I also don't think internet news outlets are as dependent upon high ratings as TV...a lot of times they are just individuals (who often act much more sensibly than group entities) and they are not even really trying to make money so they're not so eager for sensational stories to fuel ratings and readership.
Feature Profile Idea
Robin Rilette- Music Director for Northwest Public Radio, 91.7. I spend a lot of time listening to NPR and her classical music radio show on weekday mornings. I'd like to know more about what she does at work, whether she gets recognized a lot outside of work, if she listens to other radio stations, how she got into radio...She has her own blog on blogger too- maybe I could ask her about that.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Special Lead Story
Watery eyes. A sniffley nose. A scratchy throat. These are the common symptoms of seasonal allergies that will effect an estimated 35 million Americans this year, according to the Washington State University College of Nursing website.
As pollen fills the Pullman air, the allergy season is upon us. According to the website Pollen.com, Pullman is home to a variety of grasses, nettle and alder that can cause allergic reactions for many people.
Pollen levels in Pullman as measured by Pollen.com are predicted to be 5.8 on Saturday. On a twelve-point rating system, this is in the scale’s “medium” range. Fortunately for allergy sufferers, the month of May was the peak of pollen season with a high point of 9.1 on May 9.
Alders are the primary reason people suffer from seasonal allergies. They’re described by Pollen.com as deciduous trees or large shrubs with a flower that blooms around April. The wind then blows the flowers into the air and this is what creates a majority of the pollen that causes allergic reactions.
There are a variety of actions one can take to reduce allergic reactions. WSU Environmental allergies expert, Debra Franck recommends over-the-counter non-drowsy allergy medication for people who may be afflicted. Another website, Healthvideo.com recommends the use of pollen masks when doing work around the yard, changing air filters in the home and keeping allergens out of the house by keeping doors and windows shut. The WSU College of Nursing website suggests washing bedding frequently, vacuuming the house often and washing runny noses out with a distilled water, salt and baking soda mixture.
One source, from the WSU College of Nursing website claims that chocolate, corn, dairy, sugar and wheat can overload the immune system and make one more sensitive to other allergens. They recommend reducing these foods in the diet. However, Franck negated this assertion and maintains that those foods do not in fact have a direct effect on allergies.
In a study from Texas Tech published last May, allergies were depicted as a good thing. According to Newser.com, allergy sufferers have a significantly lower risk of developing many types of cancer. The study, originally taken from the New York Post, proposes that allergies are the result of an advanced immune system that prevents cancer-causing toxins to enter the body in the first place. Dr. Zuber Mulla, who led the study said, "More work is still needed, but the numbers show allergy is a statistically significant protective factor."
Here in Pullman, long-time resident Jessica Cofler recalled particularly difficult experiences with allergies, “When I was a teenager I was sometimes unable to start the day because it was just so crazy. I was always sneezing…it was very miserably affecting my life. I would sneeze and sneeze and sneeze and I just could not help it, sneezing 20 times in a row.” Since then, she said, she has gone to an allergy specialist who reduced her allergic reactions with a series of shots. The WSU College of Nursing recommends such visits to receive the appropriate medicinal help.
As pollen fills the Pullman air, the allergy season is upon us. According to the website Pollen.com, Pullman is home to a variety of grasses, nettle and alder that can cause allergic reactions for many people.
Pollen levels in Pullman as measured by Pollen.com are predicted to be 5.8 on Saturday. On a twelve-point rating system, this is in the scale’s “medium” range. Fortunately for allergy sufferers, the month of May was the peak of pollen season with a high point of 9.1 on May 9.
Alders are the primary reason people suffer from seasonal allergies. They’re described by Pollen.com as deciduous trees or large shrubs with a flower that blooms around April. The wind then blows the flowers into the air and this is what creates a majority of the pollen that causes allergic reactions.
There are a variety of actions one can take to reduce allergic reactions. WSU Environmental allergies expert, Debra Franck recommends over-the-counter non-drowsy allergy medication for people who may be afflicted. Another website, Healthvideo.com recommends the use of pollen masks when doing work around the yard, changing air filters in the home and keeping allergens out of the house by keeping doors and windows shut. The WSU College of Nursing website suggests washing bedding frequently, vacuuming the house often and washing runny noses out with a distilled water, salt and baking soda mixture.
One source, from the WSU College of Nursing website claims that chocolate, corn, dairy, sugar and wheat can overload the immune system and make one more sensitive to other allergens. They recommend reducing these foods in the diet. However, Franck negated this assertion and maintains that those foods do not in fact have a direct effect on allergies.
In a study from Texas Tech published last May, allergies were depicted as a good thing. According to Newser.com, allergy sufferers have a significantly lower risk of developing many types of cancer. The study, originally taken from the New York Post, proposes that allergies are the result of an advanced immune system that prevents cancer-causing toxins to enter the body in the first place. Dr. Zuber Mulla, who led the study said, "More work is still needed, but the numbers show allergy is a statistically significant protective factor."
Here in Pullman, long-time resident Jessica Cofler recalled particularly difficult experiences with allergies, “When I was a teenager I was sometimes unable to start the day because it was just so crazy. I was always sneezing…it was very miserably affecting my life. I would sneeze and sneeze and sneeze and I just could not help it, sneezing 20 times in a row.” Since then, she said, she has gone to an allergy specialist who reduced her allergic reactions with a series of shots. The WSU College of Nursing recommends such visits to receive the appropriate medicinal help.
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