List of Professional Goals

1.  Create a new section on the online site that will attract an audience

2.  Write at least 3 stories that will end up online or in print.

3.  Shoot, edit and produce at least 5 video news segments

4.  Create a blog on the online site that will attract an audience

5.  Follow one particular story or subject in depth for the summer

6.  Gain experience shooting and editing video on a tight schedule

7.  Obtain better interviewing skills

8.  Discover at least 1 story on my own and break it to the paper/public

PRIOR

Please talk with your supervisor about projects for portfolio and resume reel (broadcast, broadcast news students) during interview process. Ensure that your supervisor provides internship director with a list of your assigned duties, as requested when your registration form is submitted.

Research and provide a 2 page report on the organization. Include the history. (i.e. MTV started in 1980 and was bought out by… or mPRm Public Relations is an independent mid-size public relations, marketing and promotions agency founded in 1998 by PR professionals, Rachel McCallister and Mark Pogachefsky. Since then…). Which companies provide their biggest competition? What is your company’s motto/philosophy? What are the opportunities for advancement?

Outline the organization’s current leadership. (Who is your supervisor? Who does your supervisor answer to? Who does your supervisor’s boss answer to? And so on up to the CEO and owner.)

Provide weekly summer schedule, including work weeks and any vacation during internship. Add hours to ensure you meet required minimum hours for registered credits.

FIRST WEEK ON INTERNSHIP

Students will submit a final list of personal goals/learning objectives for internship. What do you want to accomplish? Also, please submit a list of professional goals that include proposed projects for portfolio and /or resume’ reel. These should be related to the duties you’ve been given at your internship site. For example: write 3 press releases, design and develop a brochure, or produce 3 news stories on multiple platforms. Deadline: June 5, or within 3 days of your arrival at internship.

TO INTERNSHIP START

b62

The place that I am doing my summer internship is the Burlington Times-News, located in Burlington, North Carolina.  The Times-News is a newspaper that is circulated daily, mainly throughout Alamance County.  It has an average circulation of around 27,000 people and continues to grow today thanks to new subscription methods and the development of the on-line site. 

The Times-News was founded in 1931 after the merger between the Burlington Daily Times and the Burlington News.  The Burlington News was originally formed in 1923  while the Burlington Daily Times dates back to 1887.  In 1978, the Burlington Times-News joined Freedom Communications Inc.  It is still owned by Freedom Communications today.  The paper has had a long history of journalistic development and has been accepting interns for a number of years.  It partners with many nearby universities such as Elon University and  Guilford College and works with the schools and their departments to improve journalism in the area.   The paper also features a popular “Here & Now” section that is written by high school students from the area.  The online site has also begun to incorporate weather segments involving students from local Elementary schools. 

 The paper focuses mainly on local news coverage around Alamance County.  It obtains most of its funding from subscription and advertising fees although declining readership has forced the paper to take new approaches from a business standpoint.  The paper has won numerous awards including several from Freedom Communications Inc. and from the state of North Carolina.  The Times-News has won several awards in the NNA’s Better Newspaper Contest for general excellence, best sports section, photography and writing.

Residents of Burlington speak about President-elect Barack Obama’s upcoming inaugural address

“The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt

“Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” – John F. Kennedy

“We can and will resolve the problems which now confront us.
And after all, why shouldn’t we believe that? We are Americans.”- Ronald Reagan

By Daniel Temple
Dec. 11, 2008-  These immortal words, spoken by past presidents during their inaugural addresses, demonstrate the importance and lasting power of the event.  For many, the inaugural address is the initial indication of how the next presidential term will be.
For others, it is a reassurance that the problems and issues of today can be dealt with and solved tomorrow.  On Jan. 20, 2009, President-elect Barack Obama will take the podium to address the nation for the first time as President of the United States.
It is an exciting time, as there are a number of pressing issues that need to be addressed.   Many people are wondering what Obama will choose to discuss during his speech and how he will approach some of these sensitive issues.

The Economy

“I think he needs to talk about the current economic situation,” says Bill Lashley, a former county commissioner for Alamance County.  “That seems to be the one thing that everyone wants to hear about.”

Former County Commissioner Bill Lashley talks about the economy

Certainly it would seem as if the economy is the current hot topic.  It seems one can’t turn on the news without hearing about government bailouts, the housing and mortgage crisis and the growing national debt.
“I really want to hear what he has to say about the economy and how he plans on fixing it,” says Tom Walters, a Burlington resident and Food Lion employee.  “Times are tough and I hope Obama has got the answers.”
Many citizens are frustrated that American jobs are being outsourced overseas and jobs within the United States are being distributed to immigrants and non-citizens.
“He (Obama) needs to discuss his plan for companies moving overseas and taking jobs that should be here,” says Lashley.  “It really hurts the economy when Americans can’t get jobs and make an income.”
During his campaign, Obama talked extensively about his plans to help improve the economy.  He proposed a number of measures to help stimulate the process, measures that many hope he doesn’t forget during his speech and subsequent term as president.
“Obama sounded like he had some good ideas to help fix things,” says Walters.  “I just hope he sticks to his plans and follows through.”

The War in Iraq

Another important issue that many want to see Obama discuss is the current war in Iraq.  They would like to see the newly elected President address his plan for the future of the war and whether or not a withdrawal of troops will actually begin to take place.
“For me the war in Iraq has got to be the biggest issue,” says Leigh Thompson, a warehouse supervisor in Burlington.  “My brother is still stationed overseas and so I want to know Obama’s plans for that situation.”
The war, which began March 20, 2003, has affected thousands of American families across the country.  Many feel as if the time to withdraw is now and that America has no business involving itself in a conflict in the Middle East.
“I just don’t think we need to be over there right now,” says Tammy Richards, a receptionist and Burlington resident.  “It seems like a pretty pointless war and there’s just too much going on here in America.”
Others however feel as though the inaugural address would be the perfect opportunity to make a stand and recommit the nation to the goal of establishing democracy in the Middle East.

“I would love to see Obama stand up and tell everyone that we’re going to continue to fight,” says Larry Pullman, a truck driver from Duluth, Minnesota.  “We just can’t back out now, there’s too much at stake.  And Obama needs to convince people that this is the right thing to do.”

Tammy Richards, a local Burlington Resident talks about what she hopes to see in Obama's inaugural address

The inaugural address is an important time because it often sets the tone for how the public views a president.  Former presidents such as John F. Kennedy and Franklin D. Roosevelt obtained legendary status after they delivered passionate and provocative speeches during their inauguration.
“I remember when Kennedy gave his famous speech all those years ago,” says Lashley.  “It was very inspirational, hopefully Obama can achieve the same kind of effect.”
“I would like to see Obama present himself the same way he campaigned,” says Pullman.  “He’ll do well if he can remain the same clean cut and smooth person he was a couple of months ago.”
Other would simply like Obama to “give it straight” during his address and just be honest with the people.  They would like to see a president who doesn’t sugarcoat the issues and isn’t afraid to tell the truth.
“Honest is something I think is very important in this address,” says Sarah Fredericks, a retired Burlington resident.  “Especially in light of the recent Illinois governor scandal.
“Its about time we had a president who told the truth and looked you in the eye,” says Richards.
Whatever Obama chooses to address, one thing is for certain.  The importance of this event cannot be understated and it marks a critical junction in our nation’s history.
“We’re at a crossroad right now I think,” says Lashley.  “We’ve committed ourselves to four years of the Obama administration and this address will help show if we made the right decision.”

Math Tools for Journalists- Chapters 9-12

By Daniel Temple

This chapter talks about area measurements and the ways in which you calculate and express measurements.  It begins by talking about how there are two ways in to explain measurements, through analogies such as “The casino is the size of a football field,” (Wickham, p. 133) and through simple, accurate numbers.  The chapter talks about how analogies are useful because they allow for the reader to visualize the size of something.  However analogies fail when exact measurements are essential.  In these cases, according to Wickham, it’s better to use numbers.  The chapter then provides a number of helpful formulas to calculate measurements. 

 

Perimeter

 

Perimeter= (2 x length) + (2 x width)

 

Area of squares and rectangles

 

Area= width x length

 

Base of a triangle

 

Area= .5 base x height

 

Circumference

 

Circumference= 2Π x radius

 

Area of a circle

 

Area= Π x radius²

 

 

            The chapter also gives some helpful comparison rates

 

144 square inches = 1 square foot

9 square feet = 1 square yard

30 square yards = 1 square rod

160 square rods = 1 acre

1 acre = 43,560 square feet

640 acres = 1 square mile

 

Skill Drills

 

1. What is the perimeter of a football field 100 yards long with two end zones of 10 yards each and a width of 50 yards?  What is the area of that field?

A:  340 yards…6,000 yards

1. Tilman Vookles, a sportswriter with the Alpha Anchor, decided to write a first person account of participating in the Chicago marathon.  The marathon covered 26.2 miles.  If it took Vookles 4 hours and 34 minutes to complete the race, what was his speed?

A: 5 mph

1. Warren Korp, a consumer reporter for the Stillman Signal, decided to write a story about the growth of highway rental storage facilities.  At the Asmore Storage Facility the most popular rental was a storage unit that measured 6.5 feet by 10 feet by 8 feet.  How many cubic feet was the storage area? 

A: 520 feet

1. Tia Cooper, the food writer fro the Kenton Key, spent a week translating metric recipes from her immigrant grandmothers cookbook into the American system.  A 2.25 kg bag of flour weighs what in the American system?

A: 4.95 lbs

 

 

           

 

 

 

Skids: A local business that has stood the test of time with good fun, great food and a home style atmosphere

By Daniel Temple

One breakfast platter: $3.95.  A Skid’s Special Cheeseburger: $4.65.  A local family style restaurant with over 50 years of history?  Priceless. 

                As Alamance County continues to grow, new restaurants from popular franchises are springing up seemingly every other day.  The recently developed Alamance Crossing features new and hip places to dine such as Red Bowl Asian Bistro, Buffalo Wild Wings and Texas Roadhouse. 

                During the years, as new places have come and gone, Skid’s has continued to be a mainstay in the Alamance community, serving up home style food in a family environment since 1947. 

                “Things really haven’t changed much around here,” says George Katsoudas, owner of Skid’s at Elon.  “We still use the same ingredients, the same recipes and we make it the same old-fashioned way like we have for years.”

                The original Skid’s Drive-In, which was opened in 1947 on North Church Street, Burlington, North Carolina, continues to operate today. 

The original Skid’s drive-in on North Church Street, Burlington, North Carolina

 

In 1982, the Katsoudas family, who worked at the drive-In throughout the 1960s and 1970s, bought the restaurant.  They later branched out with Skid’s at Elon, which quickly became a local favorite of the Elon community. 

“I’ve been eating at Skid’s for a long time now,” says Gus Lewis, a retired salesman and Burlington citizen.  “It’s a place where you know you can get some good food with some good people.”

Customers enjoy a hot meal and morning coffee at Skid’s at Elon

George Katsoudas, whose family still owns and operates the original Skid’s, says that even though Alamance County has gone through some incredible changes over the years, people still remember Skid’s.

                “We’ll have people that have been gone for 20 to 25 years,” says Katsoudas.  “And when they eventually come back they’ll revisit Skid’s and be shocked but genuinely pleased that we’re still running.”

                The secret to Skid’s success, Katsoudas says is in the way they treat their customers. 

                “The people who run this place really care about the customers,” says Katsoudas.  “We love to see people come in here with their families and years down the road we’ll see them bring kids of their own.”  

                It is this kind of environment that makes Skid’s so attractive, not just for local citizens and residents, but for Elon University students and faculty as well.  Skid’s provides a number of services to the university including pre-game meals for Elon coaches and athletes. 

                “I love to eat at Skid’s,” says Steph Hicks, a junior and a cheerleader for Elon University.  “The servers are really friendly and I’m in love with their pancakes.”

                Many local restaurants survive these days by finding a niche customer group and relying on their continued service.  However Skid’s has proven that local businesses can continue to grow and attract new customers.      

                “The great thing about Skid’s is that you get to meet all sorts of people,” says Linda Robertson, manager of Skid’s at Elon.  “It’s not for the rich, the poor, the old, the young, it’s really for everyone.”

                The restaurant, which goes through about 17,000 lbs of food per year, is run with the philosophy that fresh food and preparation is instrumental in the quality of the meal.  With so many tantalizing options, the hardest decision is often what not to order. 

                “My favorite item has got to be the pancakes,” says Hicks.  “I could practically live off of their pancakes.”

                “Most people who have never come in before will order a burger or some kind of sandwich,” says Katsoudas.  “Once they start coming back, they love to try new items like the meat loaf or the chicken and dumplings.”

          

Katsoudas (on left) talks to customers as they enjoy an old-fashioned, home style meal

                 One thing that Skid’s prides itself on, according to Katsoudas, is the way people who work there give back to the community.  This is achieved by pleasant conversations, in which the Skid’s employees not only ask, but listen to their customers.

                “We get people coming in here and we don’t hesitate to ask how they’re doing or see how they’re going,” says Katsoudas.  “It’s in this way that we get to know people and start to build relationships with them.”

                “Skid’s really has a good sense of community,” says Hicks.  “I’ll go in there and they already know my order, which is something you don’t see every day.”

  At a time when economic woes seem to be troubling everyone, places like Skid’s show that there are some things that are just more important than the almighty dollar. 

“Business-wise you know you want to provide a good service and be successful,” says Katsoudas.  “But what we really want to do is give back from the heart.” 

As for the future of Skid’s, Katsoudas is confident that freshly prepared, old-fashioned food and service will be around for many years.  He estimates that he has several more years of hard work ahead of him and when the time comes to pass on the Skid’s legacy, he’ll make sure that whoever buys the place understands the value and meaning of community.

“I’d say I still have about 20 to 25 years in which I’ll run this place, and I’ll do it with the same hard work and care that I’ve always had,” says Katsoudas.  “And when I finally sell Skid’s, I’ll be looking very carefully to ensure that the next owner will commit the time and energy necessary to make Skid’s what’s its always been.” 

 

 

Morning News Blog

Tolerance Level

A look at the recent alcohol related policies and how they’re affecting the Elon community

 

By Daniel Temple

The cold night air penetrates through my multiple layers of clothing, as I stand shivering outside the Elon Police Department.  It’s Friday night, and I’m about to spend the next 3 hours riding along with a member of the Elon police department in order to witness first hand the enforcement that affects so many students at Elon. 

Although the town of Elon doesn’t interfere with school judicial policies, the two sides work with one another in an effort to cut back on underage and high risk drinking amongst students.  It is often through the town of Elon Police that students are reported to the University’s judicial affairs. 

The police car drives up and officer B.K Roof comes out to greet me.  After I briefly explain the purpose of my article, we get in the car, buckle up, and head out to patrol the area. 

The issue of alcohol

            In January of 2007, Elon President Leo Lambert appointed a task force to address the issue of student drinking.  As a result, a number of policies were implemented and revised in order to reflect Elon’s updated stance on the issue alcohol. 

            While school officials maintain that the student’s best interests were in mind with the recent policies, a number of students can’t help but feel frustrated.  They claim that Elon’s new position on alcohol is overly aggressive, and that the school is making serious encroachments into their social life. 

            The school on the other hand feels that it is imperative that they take a sincere approach to the issue, in order to ensure the safety of the students, as well as to maintain a certain level of academic and social integrity. 

            Still however, the debate rages on.

The student’s response

 

            One of the biggest complaints from students is that the school has become too involved in the private lives of its students. 

            “These new policies are ridiculous,” said Ryan Davis, a junior at Elon.  “The school is basically trying to control how we party, which they shouldn’t have the power to do.”

            Drinking has always been a visible part of the Elon community.  In fact, the most recent CORE data (2007) shows that Elon students drink almost twice the amount of alcohol per week as students nationally (10.4 vs. 5.4 drinks). 

            “It’s kind of hard not to drink here at Elon,” said Lindsay Collins, a freshman from Boston, Massachusetts.  “It seems like nearly everyone is drinking at the bar, parties or tail gate events.” 

            It’s this kind of atmosphere that Elon is trying to cut down on.  However, the increased sanctions for alcohol violations, along with a greater enforcement presence have certainly caught the attention of the student body. 

            “Elon has just taken this whole alcohol thing and gone over-the-top,” said Davis.  “They’ve really gotten out of control.” 

            Many students come to Elon and hear stories about how the school used to turn a blind eye to such behavior.  A few graduates recalled the social atmosphere when they came to Elon as freshman.

 

            “When I first came to school, you didn’t see as many people being written up like you do now,” said Justin Ellis, a 2007 graduate.  “Alcohol had a much bigger presence back then, and the school was definitely a lot more lenient.”

            Many students and graduates agree that the school has changed, not just in its policies, but in the way students are partying.  They feel as if the policies have taken away some of the fun at Elon, as current students are hesitant to engage in drinking and risk possible sanctions. 

            “These new policies have certainly detracted from the overall social atmosphere at Elon,” said Bill Campbell, a 2004 graduate.  “Everyone is just too wound up over an issue that really isn’t that big of a deal.”

The school’s officials speak out

            While many students feel as if the school is intruding on their personal freedoms, Elon officials say that the revised policies and position was done to protect the students, rather than limit their social activities. 

            “The ultimate goal for the new policies here at Elon is to clarify our position on alcohol, as well as to educate students on the dangers of high risk drinking,” said Jeff Clark, a math professor and faculty co-chair on the task force on alcohol.  “We want students to know that this sort of behavior is detrimental to themselves and to the university, and must be dealt with accordingly.”

            Clark said that he believes the changes that have been made are good ones.  He wants students to excel, and doesn’t want to see students handicap themselves by participating in dangerous, high risk drinking. 

            “We really tried to approach this issue from all angles,” said Clark.  “We certainly didn’t want to lead a witch hunt, but it was imperative that we got the message across to the students.” 

            Interestingly enough, since the inception of the new policies, although the number of judicial reports concerning alcohol violations have increased, the number of violations has actually gone down. 

From June 2006 to June 2007 there were a total of 1118 reported incidents with 623 violations.  From June 2007 to June 2008 there were 1204 reported incidents with only 554 violations. 

Essentially this means that the school is taking a more aggressive approach by reporting every incident, but is still exercising discretion in how the situation is dealt with. 

            “I think that our whole attitude reflects a nationwide sentiment,” said Whitney Pack-Gregory, assistant director of judicial affairs.  “We can no longer just turn away, we must respond, but at the same time we’re going to look at every incident carefully with a certain level of sensitivity.”

            Both Jeff Clark and Whitney Pack-Gregory believe that Elon is more or less on the same level as other schools regarding its policies toward alcohol and drinking.  Each said that a number of other schools were looked at when revisions were being made, particularly those that share similarities with Elon as an institution. 

            “We spent a lot of time looking at how other schools such as Duke, handled their own issues with student drinking,” said Clark. 

            “We feel that our policies are essentially the same as other schools,” said Pack-Gregory.  “The differences come from how much enforcement is being utilized.”

The Enforcers, perspective from the Elon Police

            It’s a cold night outside, but the heat inside the police car makes it seem almost cozy.  As Officer Roof begins making his rounds, it’s interesting to see how expansive the town of Elon actually is.

            “Most students don’t actually realize this but the town of Elon itself is actually around 5 square miles,” says Roof.  “We actually deal with a lot more than just the school and its students.”

            In fact, as we circle around and patrol the area, much of the time is spent driving through neighborhoods and back roads, and not through the campus. 

            “Some students think that we focus primarily on their behavior,” says Roof.  “But we treat them just like we would every other citizen of the town.”

Roof has been working in the Elon area since 1998, and so he has a lot of experience of dealing with students and drinking.  He talked about the kinds of things he looked for when dealing with students and illegal drinking.  

“A lot of the time I’ll notice non verbal cues that indicate that the student is doing something wrong,” says Roof.  “Location also factors into the equation, it’s known that there are certain places around Elon where drinking is most likely to occur.” 

Roof agrees that over the last 10 years, as the town and school have begun to crack down on drinking, students have in turn become more conscientious of their behavior.

He says that the progression has been a steady one, and while parties still occur, they are more structured and controlled than in the past.

“Of course you still have parties that go on, we know that it’s difficult to stop that in a college town,” says Roof.  “However it appears to me that the parties have gradually become less rowdy and students are becoming safer and more aware.”

Roof says that while underage and high risk drinking should be taken seriously, it can’t be the primary focus of the town’s enforcement. 

“When that happens, you lose sight of some really serious issues such as assaults and burglaries,” says Roof.  “It’s all about balance and discretion.”  

Town of Elon Police Car (Photo courtesy of www.usacops.com)

Discretion, according to Roof, is perhaps the most important tool and officer can have.  On a given night, Roof says that he’ll receive a variety of calls, and so it’s extremely important to exercise discretion

“Discretion is so important in police work, whether you’re dealing with a couple different situations or just one in particular,” says Roof. “You have to be able to asses the scene and act in a corresponding manner.” 

On this particular Friday night, Officer Roof isn’t called to shut down any parties nor does he issue any citations.  About the only trouble is a wild deer that was hit by a car, hardly a criminal matter. 

“As a member of the Elon police, I’m not trying to zero in or focus solely on student drinking,” says Roof.  “However at the same time it’s still the law and I am required to enforce it.”

Working together for the future

            Although the initial period following the policies was met with a bit of friction, it appears that students are slowly beginning to accept the new environment.

            “I think that right now we’re still in kind of in an awkward adolescence stage with these policies,” said Pack-Gregory.  “But with time, we’ll be able to see what works and what doesn’t, and in the mean time students will become used to way things are.”

            “It’s still too early to tell how effective these policies are,” said Clark.  “But initial results indicate that the system is working, and of course we’re always open to student input regarding the situation.”

The school demonstrated this willingness to cooperate with students after they acquired Lighthouse Bar earlier this year. Officials decided to maintain the building as a bar, in order to provide a university run place where students of legal age can drink responsibly. 

            “I mean it’s not perfect,” said Collins.  “But it shows the school is willing to work with students on the issue, and that they’re not completely against drinking.”

           

           

 

Math Tools for Journalists Chapters 5-8

Chapters 5-8

 

 

            This chapter deals with business and some of the numbers one might see when dealing with business reporting.  Some of the kinds of business reporting that you usually see include; press releases, quarterly earnings reports and annual reports.

            6.1- Financial Statements

            Financial statements, as defined by Wickham, are formal documents available to shareholders, regulatory agencies, and other stakeholders interested in a company’s performance.  They come in many different forms but they generally include a profit and loss report and a balance sheet. 

            6.2- Profit and Loss

            A profit and loss statement basically shows whether or not the company is making money.  Different businesses present the information with different methods.  Some important terms to know about profit and loss include “cost of goods sold” which is the direct expense a company incurs in making or buying its products (Wickham) and “overhead” which is the expenses not directly related to the product being made (Wickham).  An important term to know is EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, Amortization)  which figures out how much cash a company is earning without regard to items unrelated to current business (interest payments, taxes, depreciation, and amortization need to be accounted for no matter how a company is doing). 

 

Formulas

 

• Gross Margin= Selling Price – Cost of Goods Sold
• Gross Profit= Gross Margin x Number of Item Sold
• Net Profit= Gross Margin – Overhead
• Assets= Liabilities + Equity

 

6.4 Ratio Analysis

Ratios are important because the give the company a better idea of where they stand in their respective field.  They examine trends in a company’s life and are often used to compare companies in the same field (Wickham). 

 

Formulas

 

• Current Ratio= Current Assets / Current Liabilities
• Quick Ratio= Cash / Current Liabilities
• Debt-to-Asset Ratio= Total Debt / Total Assets
• Debt-to-Equity= Total Debt / Equity
• Return on Assets= Net Income / Total Assets
• Return on Equity= Net Income / Equity
• Price Earnings= Market Price/Share   /   Earnings/Share

 

 

Practice Questions

 

1. Q:  You own pie stand in a carnival and you sell pies for $3 per pie.  Each pie cost $1 to make.  What is the overall gross margin?

A: $2

 

1.  Q:  With that same example, today your pie stand sold 25 blueberry pies, 35 apple pies and 5 pumpkin pies.  Calculate the overall gross margin.

A: $130

 

1. Q: Unfortunately, in order to run the pie stand, the carnival charges vendors a daily fee of $15.  What is the net profit after overhead?

A: $115

 

1. Q: After a week’s worth of selling, your pie stand has made $800.  However a local baker offers you $1,200 for the use and rights of your pie stand.  However you still owe the carnival for 6 days use.  Calculate your assets.

A: $490

 

 

 

Skill Drill Answers

 

1. $990
2. $229
3. a.  610,766…614,908…877,370…673,514
   1. 1999…2000
   2. 19%…24%…
   3. Property, the same is true in 2000. 
4. a.  about 10%
   1. Newspapers
   2. 22%
   3. 228,287 in 1999 and 275,550 in 2000
   4. Not really, even though they made a good amount of money they also spent a lot so their net income wasn’t that high.  In 1999 they had a smaller parentage of loss. 

Micro-blogging, the Internet’s newest craze, doesn’t leave everyone a-Twitter

By Daniel Temple

 

            11/21/08- It seems these days we just can’t get things fast enough.  Five minutes for fast food?  Too slow.  Six minutes to write an email? Gotta be faster than that.  Seven minutes to connect to the web and read the news? Pshh, please. 

            That’s where micro-blogging and Twitter come into the picture.  Founded in 2006 by Jack Dorsey, Biz Stone and Evan Williams, Twitter is a free social-networking service that allows users to micro-blog up to 140 characters. 

            It would seem that Twitter is a great resource for news on the go.  People can instantly “tweet” and respond to others all across the world.  Information is now attainable in a matter of seconds, condensed down and filtered so that it contains only the 5 W’s: who, what, when where and why. 

            But is Twitter really worth all the hype?  I recently joined the Twitter network and I must say, I think it leaves a lot to be desired. 

              First off, the site makes it extremely difficult to connect to other people you already know.  You can search for people through your email but only if you use Hotmail, Yahoo, AOL, MSN or Gmail.  There is a search option where you can look for  screen names, but it’s located at the bottom of the home page and there are no directions that would lead you to do this. 

            It also took me a while to figure out how to reply to people once I had begun to “follow” them.  It seems that the site could do with some organizing so that new users, especially those that aren’t tech proficient, can navigate around with ease. 

            It’s also the idea of micro-blogging that’s a bit worrisome.  While some Twitter updates are helpful and informational, it seems as if the majority of Twitter updates are pointless insights into the lives of people that have no influence whatsoever on the public sphere. 

            I can certainly see if there was a major event how something like Twitter could be useful, but if it’s just an ordinary day then I really could care less if Summerdaydreams- “Found a graduation dress and shoes!” or if Keshaun- “Really wants to go sledding, skiing or snowboarding.” 

            Unfortunately this seems to be a trend in our current society.  Just because everyone has the resources, doesn’t mean that they are able to do the job.  I’m sorry but I still view journalism as a field that requires years of study and practice.  You have to know how to process information and then relay that in a manner that is interesting, accessible and comprehensible. 

            I really don’t like this shift where we as a society are emphasizing the me in media.  I appreciate that people have things to say and want to be heard, that’s perfectly understandable.  But when actual news organizations with trained professionals are downsizing in part because people are turning to places like Twitter, then something is definitely wrong. 

            And if regular blogging wasn’t bad enough, Twitter uses the concept of micro-blogging, essentially limiting the user to 140 characters or less.  This is fine for weather updates or to perhaps break a story, but when people want to know what exactly is going on, 140 characters is just not going to do the trick.

            So maybe I like waiting 5 minutes for a couple of hamburgers.  Perhaps it’s better to spend some time drafting an email, or (god forbid) a hand written note.  And even though news blogs and micro-blogging becomes more and more popular everyday, I think I’ll just stick to my regular, staff written, edited, content driven, time consuming, average, every day news.  Sure beats reading Citywoof- “Got a date tonight with a cutie. Delts hurt from shoulder.”  Wow, stop the presses on that one.