First, there is that little sniffle, then a few sneezes, and finally a light little cough. DAMN! I'm sick. I held out as long as possible, but I guess going to school with over 24,000 people and working in retail where every little snot-nosed, oops, I mean, little darling angel, is running around sneezing and coughing without covering their noses and mouths. And their parents are worse. They don't cover their own mouth or nose when they cough or sneeze either. It was just a matter of time before I caught something from someone. And boy is it ever kicking my ass. I don't get sick often, but when I do, it's a doosy.
I had to miss Tuesday's English class, Math class and Psychology class, because I could barely muster up enough strength to write this blog (which i fell asleep 3 times doing), let alone walk to each of my classes. I want to apologize to my instructors for my absence from their classes today. I hope that if they get a chance to see my blog, then they will send me an email with information about what was covered in class today so that i will not fall behind.
I have taken my medicine, am drinking copious amounts of orange juice, and am wrapped in my favorite blanket with a box of Kleenex on my couch sneezing and cough my damn head off.
I should be well enough to return to class on Thursday, so unless this crud turns into the Venezuelan Morphing Pneumonia, I will be fine. See you all later.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
To Blog or Not To Blog
Recently, I attended a small scheduled event held by the Journalism department. The University of Memphis invited Thaddeus Matthews, a local radio personality and a blogger, to the campus to speak on the topic: "Is Blogging Journalism?"
I found this interesting because I originally thought blogging to be just the web version of a diary. Even with all that I have to blog for my English class, I didn't take much stock in it because it is not something I do on a daily basis (even though I am supposed to for a grade). Don't get me wrong, I love to write. I just don't have the internet or a computer attached to my hip like most people do. I know I need the computer and internet; I just wish we didn't need them so badly. Anyway, I'm getting away from the topic at hand.
Matthews recently posted official police documents in the murder case of soon-to-retire officer Vidulich on his blogsite. This angered Memphis City Police Chief Larry Godwin and Dist. Atty. Gen. Bill Gibbons, who sent two investigators ("Goons" as Matthews puts it) to the studio where Matthews puts on his radio talk show. Matthews refuses to reveal his sources from the police department that "leaked" the documents to him and claims that he is protected by Tennessee Shield Laws for journalism. If a case is brought against Matthews and he is found to not be covered by the journalist protection measure, he is prepared to go to jail to protect his sources.
So, the question(s) on the table: Does Matthews have the right to publish those documents on his blogsite? Are Bloggers Journalists? Should they have the same rights afforded to reporters for newspapers, magazines and TV news programs? Would you go to jail to protect your sources if you were a journalist?
I found this interesting because I originally thought blogging to be just the web version of a diary. Even with all that I have to blog for my English class, I didn't take much stock in it because it is not something I do on a daily basis (even though I am supposed to for a grade). Don't get me wrong, I love to write. I just don't have the internet or a computer attached to my hip like most people do. I know I need the computer and internet; I just wish we didn't need them so badly. Anyway, I'm getting away from the topic at hand.
Matthews recently posted official police documents in the murder case of soon-to-retire officer Vidulich on his blogsite. This angered Memphis City Police Chief Larry Godwin and Dist. Atty. Gen. Bill Gibbons, who sent two investigators ("Goons" as Matthews puts it) to the studio where Matthews puts on his radio talk show. Matthews refuses to reveal his sources from the police department that "leaked" the documents to him and claims that he is protected by Tennessee Shield Laws for journalism. If a case is brought against Matthews and he is found to not be covered by the journalist protection measure, he is prepared to go to jail to protect his sources.
So, the question(s) on the table: Does Matthews have the right to publish those documents on his blogsite? Are Bloggers Journalists? Should they have the same rights afforded to reporters for newspapers, magazines and TV news programs? Would you go to jail to protect your sources if you were a journalist?
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Sunday's Headline: Tigers Declawed!
I must admit that I am not a fan of basketball at all. And I am much less a fan of college hoops. However, you must be 100% emotionally deficient not to have felt the excitement around the campus, in the general area, and across the country for that matter. Tigers vs. Vols, kinda old news. But when you throw in the fact that we went into this game in the #1 position ahead of the Vols, it makes the loss even that much harder for the true fans to stomach. I've talked to quite a few fans in the last two days and they are all kind of depressed. So, I have the answer if classrooms are empty for the next few days.
Still, the game was hyped, the tickets were insanely expensive, and the Tigers were denied. Last night, coming home from work, I am sitting a red light and some jackoff from UT pulls up next to me and other cars and screams out the window, "Rocky Top, Rocky Top Tennessee, baby!!" I brush that off and then i am going to a bar where a friend of mine works to say hi when I pass Gill's on Highland. I was taken aback for a moment. Outside, this guy, this big, burly he-man of a dude, was sitting alone at a table and he was weeping. Not a tear, TEARS, lots of them. I asked him if he was ok and all he could muster was "Memphis lost man." WOW! Either he had a LOT of money riding on that game, or he is the biggest fan of the Tigers. For those who missed the game, the final score:
#2
TENN (25-2)
66
#1
MEM (26-1)
62
To be perfectly honest, when I heard that we lost by two lousy baskets, I was just a little disappointed. Not as much as weeping willow boy, but still disappointed.
Still, the game was hyped, the tickets were insanely expensive, and the Tigers were denied. Last night, coming home from work, I am sitting a red light and some jackoff from UT pulls up next to me and other cars and screams out the window, "Rocky Top, Rocky Top Tennessee, baby!!" I brush that off and then i am going to a bar where a friend of mine works to say hi when I pass Gill's on Highland. I was taken aback for a moment. Outside, this guy, this big, burly he-man of a dude, was sitting alone at a table and he was weeping. Not a tear, TEARS, lots of them. I asked him if he was ok and all he could muster was "Memphis lost man." WOW! Either he had a LOT of money riding on that game, or he is the biggest fan of the Tigers. For those who missed the game, the final score:
#2
TENN (25-2)
66
#1
MEM (26-1)
62
To be perfectly honest, when I heard that we lost by two lousy baskets, I was just a little disappointed. Not as much as weeping willow boy, but still disappointed.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
A Not-So-Funny Thing Happened On Aisle Three @ Kroger.
I am usually a very happy go lucky and carefree person. Sure some of my blogs of a political or religious nature tend to be a little cynical and jaded, but for the most part, I am an even-tempered, mellow kind of guy. And I don't usually ever go around screaming that I'm not a racist. My opinion is that if you have to say it every 5 minutes, then you probably are a racist. But in this case, I will make an exception. I AM NOT A RACIST!! Now, why, may you ask, would I feel that I have to strongly declare this?
Answer: I went to Kroger this evening and was doing a little shopping for the weekend (once I am in on the weekend, I don't like to go out unless I absolutely have to). I bumped shopping carts with this young woman who is black and as I am prone to do, I said, "Excuse me." She gave me the 'evil eye' and said rather loudly for grocery store volume level, "Uh Huh!" It really wasn't what she said, so much as how she said it. I picked up on a trace of an attitude and excused myself from the aisle. Fast forward to frozen foods. I was on the aisle and was intently looking at a few items in the case and didn't see this young lady coming down the aisle. I made a u-turn with my basket and accidentally bumped her shopping cart again, purely be accident I assure you.
This time the 'evil eye' got more intense if that's possible and instead of her initial "uh huh," I received obscenities and racial slurs. I believe her exact words were, "Watch where the fuck you're going you cracker-ass son-of-a-bitch! You are intentionally fuckin with me because I'm black!" All I could say was that i was sorry and moved my cart out of her way. I wasn't really offended at first until I was over by the dairy products and it hit me. Don't get me wrong. I heard what she said and understood the words that were coming out of her mouth. It didn't affect me until I had a minute to think about it. I became angry and then emotionally upset a little bit. This woman didn't know me! And she certainly had no right to say what she said. It was rude, it was mean, and the words she said were WAY off base. One of my ex-boyfriends is black and another is hispanic. I just believe that the racial tension is still alive in this city. And in some people it is boiling over.
Answer: I went to Kroger this evening and was doing a little shopping for the weekend (once I am in on the weekend, I don't like to go out unless I absolutely have to). I bumped shopping carts with this young woman who is black and as I am prone to do, I said, "Excuse me." She gave me the 'evil eye' and said rather loudly for grocery store volume level, "Uh Huh!" It really wasn't what she said, so much as how she said it. I picked up on a trace of an attitude and excused myself from the aisle. Fast forward to frozen foods. I was on the aisle and was intently looking at a few items in the case and didn't see this young lady coming down the aisle. I made a u-turn with my basket and accidentally bumped her shopping cart again, purely be accident I assure you.
This time the 'evil eye' got more intense if that's possible and instead of her initial "uh huh," I received obscenities and racial slurs. I believe her exact words were, "Watch where the fuck you're going you cracker-ass son-of-a-bitch! You are intentionally fuckin with me because I'm black!" All I could say was that i was sorry and moved my cart out of her way. I wasn't really offended at first until I was over by the dairy products and it hit me. Don't get me wrong. I heard what she said and understood the words that were coming out of her mouth. It didn't affect me until I had a minute to think about it. I became angry and then emotionally upset a little bit. This woman didn't know me! And she certainly had no right to say what she said. It was rude, it was mean, and the words she said were WAY off base. One of my ex-boyfriends is black and another is hispanic. I just believe that the racial tension is still alive in this city. And in some people it is boiling over.
Aaron's Story (Part 5)
Ok, so as a couple we did a lot of the cute little couple things. We practically went everywhere together, did everything together. It was a while after we dated that we decided to consolidate two house into one. He sublet his apartment for the remaining 6 months that he had on his lease and signed a letter vouching for the people who rented from him so that they could get on the lease and not have to move out when the lease expired. He was a nice guy like that. And that raw compassion for others was one of the things that I loved about him the most. That and he was an excellent kisser. (Muy caliente).
I want to skip ahead a bit because I don't think I am going to be in college long enough to blog every single detail of this relationship. Plus I figure some of you would appreciate my not delving that deep. Anyway, I fast forward to the holiday season 5 years ago. It was Thanksgiving, 2002 and we had made plans to go to Aaron's parents home for Thanksgiving. Very last minute, my job called me and begged me to stay and bribed me with a week's worth of paid vacation if I would stay and work. I didn't want to, but Aaron was the one that convinced me to stay. So, I did. We changed our plans and Aaron went to see his parents without me. We decided that we would use the week's paid vacation that I was bribed with and go up to Pennsylvania then. Still, he wanted to go see his folks on Turkey Day and would come back home to me the very next day . To Be Continued...(it's about to get sad)
I want to skip ahead a bit because I don't think I am going to be in college long enough to blog every single detail of this relationship. Plus I figure some of you would appreciate my not delving that deep. Anyway, I fast forward to the holiday season 5 years ago. It was Thanksgiving, 2002 and we had made plans to go to Aaron's parents home for Thanksgiving. Very last minute, my job called me and begged me to stay and bribed me with a week's worth of paid vacation if I would stay and work. I didn't want to, but Aaron was the one that convinced me to stay. So, I did. We changed our plans and Aaron went to see his parents without me. We decided that we would use the week's paid vacation that I was bribed with and go up to Pennsylvania then. Still, he wanted to go see his folks on Turkey Day and would come back home to me the very next day . To Be Continued...(it's about to get sad)
Just What I Needed
So, I'm on the internet, just a lookin for articles and cites that will help me with the history of health care in this city. I was having no luck when i remembered Wendy told us that we had resources right under our noses. I logged into the class blogsite and navigated just below the class blogs and what should i find but some tasty tidbits of intellectual goodness.
I was saddened by the infant death epidemic article. And the Memphis's Medical Graceland article didn't make me feel much better. I will examine these more closely over the weekend so that i may write and submit my contribution to the Big Paper, part 2. I hope you enjoy my book review.
I have just one question...What is the cutoff year for what you consider "historical?" It is tough finding anymore Memphis-specific historical info online. I suppose that I could look up old old Commercial Appeal articles if they are archived anywhere on campus. Just out of curiosity, if i needed an extension on the second part of the paper, would you grant me one? I have every intention of getting the paper turned in on time and I have never asked for a deadline extension before, ever. But should some unforeseen circumstances crop up, would you consider giving me an extension ? Anyway, 2 more blogs to go for this week.
I was saddened by the infant death epidemic article. And the Memphis's Medical Graceland article didn't make me feel much better. I will examine these more closely over the weekend so that i may write and submit my contribution to the Big Paper, part 2. I hope you enjoy my book review.
I have just one question...What is the cutoff year for what you consider "historical?" It is tough finding anymore Memphis-specific historical info online. I suppose that I could look up old old Commercial Appeal articles if they are archived anywhere on campus. Just out of curiosity, if i needed an extension on the second part of the paper, would you grant me one? I have every intention of getting the paper turned in on time and I have never asked for a deadline extension before, ever. But should some unforeseen circumstances crop up, would you consider giving me an extension ? Anyway, 2 more blogs to go for this week.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
