The article I analyzed for this week is called “The Sweet Life of Chef Todd”, which is a play on words due to the fact that his last name is, in fact, Sweet, written by Isabel Dreher. The piece as a whole is a profile on the senior executive chef of UNH Dining. It starts off with an introduction to Todd Sweet, and why he’s in hospitality, seeing it as “god’s work”. It paints him as a cheerful, devoted man who loves to help others, and pretty much instantly draws the reader in with Todd’s innate charm and sincerity. Apparently, Todd is currently putting together an application for the NACUFS (The National Association of College and University Food Services) award. The article does a good job of giving a short, sweet synopsis on what NACUFS is as well, without taking away from the spotlight on Todd. Apparently, UNH has already won some awards for their dining, largely involving “the dining halls’ allergy-friendly food options and the special event meals” (The Sweet Life of Chef Todd, Isabel Draher) they hold. The article does a phenomenal job of articulating how much care and passion is put into the food production on the UNH campus by Chef Todd and his associates, from the scaling up of recipes, to the treatment of staff and students, as well as a wide range of options for students to pick from with regards to food. The article as a whole is incredibly wholesome and informational, and I appreciate the writing done to do Chef Todd justice with regards to his compassion and passion for his craft.
The first article I chose to read this week was “Tuition increases weigh on students’ minds” by Alexis Crochiere (https://thesuffolkjournal.com/43036/news/tuition-increases-weigh-on-students-minds/). The article is about Suffolk’s annual tuition increase, and the students who are beginning to look more deeply into it. Crochiere interviews numerous students, each of whom share the same sentiments about the university’s repetitive tuition increases. Each of the students shares that they wonder where the additional funding is going, and that they do not believe it is being put to good use at the school. Crochiere also shares some shocking statistics about the bigger picture of Suffolk’s high tuition, stating that the small increases in tuition have totaled to over $10,000 since 2013. Overall, the article is well written and informative, and made me feel for the students at Suffolk going through this.
The second article I chose to read is titled “‘Oppenheimer’ steals the show at 2024 BAFTAs” by Keely Menyhart (https://thesuffolkjournal.com/42949/ac/film/oppenheimer-steals-the-show-at-2024-baftas/). This article summarizes the events of this years’ British Academy Film Awards. Oppenheimer, a film released in 2023, reportedly dominated this year, taking home 7 awards. Menyhart summarizes each category, giving the reader a look into the award show. The quotes used by Menyhart are valuable and give good insight into the energy of this award show. Overall, this article did everything it promised, providing an informative run down of the BAFTAs this year. The most important categories were summarized, as well as those with emotional moments and quotes.
An article from this week highlighted the small student-run farm just ten minutes off campus that focuses on soil health and conservation while also growing seasonal crops. The main thing I found intriguing about this farm is its opportunities to practice regenerative agriculture and organic farming techniques. The College of the Environment first formed this agricultural area to put their skills into practice back in 2005 for faculty, students, alumni, and community volunteers. The farm is located on the lands of Coast Salish peoples, as is the rest of the campus. Siffre Tooth, an AmeriCorps volunteer and the food security lead for the farm was interviewed for this feature to discuss the engagement opportunities the farm provides while maintaining the well-being of the soil quality and the people who utilize it, as they go hand-in-hand.
In addition to testing regenerative agriculture, the farm implements a vermicomposting plot, which means the worms in the soil eat the waste while providing nutrients to the soil. Farm operators also employ cover cropping, a legume whose roots capture atmospheric nitrogen and circulate it through nitrogen fixation, creating more nutrients.
In this particular article, I would have liked to hear from one of the other students running the farm or participating in its research for further perspectives and credibility. While Tooth was a great contact, they mainly focused on leading volunteer groups and coordinating volunteer work and academic engagements, without discussing much about the actual farm in their quotes.
For our fifth week of Blog Proj, I read “Mixed Messages: How facilitated communication persists at SU”, an article written by The Daily Orange’s Kyle Chouinard. This piece speaks out about Syracuse University’s continued use of a pseudoscientific communication style, aimed at broadening accessibility for disables people, known as facilitated communication. The article interviews many people who are well versed in the world of accessibility, especially for communication, in order to further support claims against FC as a science. When asked for comment by students and faculty, SU declined to comment, with their ICI responding to criticism with a diversity and inclusion initiative. Despite these responses, experts and professionals still strongly advise against the use of FC, emphasizing the dangers associated with it.
The article that interested me this week was titled Bella Scutti: a diamond in the dugout By Clay Hale. Published on March 1st 2024. This article is a personal feature of Bella Scutti, a senior at the University of Mississippi and she is a “diamond girl”, so her job at baseball games is find foul balls and give players bats and such. Which is interesting to me because it’s like a sports piece but it is covering the behind the scenes of like running a baseball game and how that works. Because there is a committee of “diamond girls” of like forty-five people who run it. How Scutti really wanted to be one and then didn’t get it in the first interview but did the second time her sophomore year. As well as she heard about it from her mom who was one when she attended the university. As well as her mother still being friends with the other women and people she worked with when she was a “diamond girl”. So it’s an interesting form of net working to and to get involved on their campus.
This article discusses the lecture held on Feb. 12th by Pamela Nadell, director of the Jewish Studies program at American University, held at the Schwarzman College of Computing. This panel was called “Understanding Antisemitism: Enduring Hatred”, and was organized by the Institute called Dialogues Across Differences. Her talk encompassed many topics of historical and contemporary antisemitism, and recognized that there are many different ways to define what antisemitism is, although recognized the Michigan State University’s guide for understanding antisemitism as an accurate description. She then went on to make mention of how the war in the Gaza Strip has affected the levels of antisemitism in America. She also spoke about the lack of Holocaust education in America, which she believes could be expanded. She added that antisemitism has risen in part due to social media, which she described as one of the most effective avenues for anti semitic messages to be spread and more widely seen. The rest of the article then describes more upcoming talks from the same institute that hosted her talk.
This article discusses the recent Quality of Life survey conducted by MIT, and it’s possible effects. The survey is held every other year, and sent out to the students via email. Sally Kornbluth, the President of the Institute, encouraged students to participate in the survey. She then went on to describe the survey as being a tool used to inform the administration on a variety of topics related to residential life at the Institute, such as academic workloads, living conditions, food, and student wellbeing. She also described the survey as vital to fostering community and mutual understanding and respect on the campus. The survey allows students to rate the campus climate, and respond to questions about any sort of discriminatory experiences they faced on campus, such as antisemitism, Islamophobia, and other forms of racism or discrimination. The article ends with a description of the different prizes given out randomly to participants, which are ranging from $500 to $25.
For week 5, I looked into this article on BC’s Global Divestment Day Event. One thing that I noticed right away was how Freeman opened with her lede, “At least 1,600 institutions have divested from fossil fuels as part of the global divestment movement, according to Juliet Schor, professor of sociology.” I found it interesting how she immediately jumped into data and set up her critique of how BC is not among them – it is a well-crafted move. The people interviewed were both members of UGBC, the Undergraduate Government of Boston College, and a professor of sociology. In addition to giving context as to the Climate Justice at BC’s (CJBC) history of devoting a day to discuss and symbolize BC’s efforts and passion to move toward fossil fuel divestment, the story also opens up the much broader socioeconomic impacts of fossil fuel consequences. Professor of sociology Schor makes a point about the Global South and how disproportionately those living in that region will face the brunt of climate change – also connecting to indigenous populations, lower class, and people of color. Another interesting side of this article is that it references a member of a local catholic organization member, Strad Engler, and notes the recent work of the Pope in addressing the climate crisis. I also found the end to have a well-crafted angle in not being too hard on the university by making the point that while they have not officially divested and some of their projects fell through, it will get easier with time.
Story 2: “The Onion’ Staff Writers Discuss Creative Process at CAB Event” By Ashna Potluri
I was drawn to this article by Ashna Potluri as we have mentioned the Onion in class, and it might be interesting to see the work Potluri does as a journalist in writing about another very well-established satirical news organization. The article focuses on staff writers from The Onion, Nick Mehendale and Hannah Wolansky, who spoke at BC’s creative writing event. Opening the curtain behind those punchy headlines and articles, Mehendale and Wolansky discussed the craft of the writing process that goes on and how essential pitch sessions are. I found this to be super interesting as we as a class are in the middle of peer review workshops where we are seriously practicing the type of newsroom discussions around our headlines, what works, how it reads, etc. The guest speakers mention in the article how, after around 500 pitched headlines a week, they have to proceed to the next step of writing the pieces. This emphasis on writing as such a collaborative process comes throughout the whole article as Potluri lets the two writers take the central focus of the article discussing the “egoless” environment necessary for the Onion to produce work. Another more lighthearted angle to this article is the example of Onion stories, which caused some uproar surrounding political figures like Donald Trump and Paul Ryan – making note of the feedback the Onion gets for its devotion to satirical perspectives on actual momentous events. I also thought that this article did a great job of ending the piece with a statement from Megendale that says, “We want to ‘punch up,’ you know? Comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable sort of thing.” – it really makes you think about the art of journalism and its ability to impact society.
The renaissance of early 2000s music by Lavayna Menon was the article that stuck out to me for this week’s blog project. I chose this article because I found it to have multiple topics that I am interested in and to be very relevant to today’s culture. Ranging from current fashion trends and today’s celebrities. An interesting debate that I have heard before was the idea of older styles from the 2000s being compared to the styles of today. Through Menons analysis and through being exposed to a number of different sources of what’s trending I think this a very accurate comparison to make. In another sense I also think from another perspective this kind of revival of certain styles and trends would be really cool to watch.
This story from LSU’s the Reville is covering the upcoming spring footbal season for the LSU Tigers and they are good profiles on these players that we should be watching. This article is in a list format and shows the athletes name, position, and what they expect from the athlete that season. The article was titled “10 players to watch during LSU football spring practice” Something that is also under some scrutiny is the changes to the staff as Head Coach Brian kelly is on his third year and this is the first time that the new defensive scheme is to be installed in practice plans under new Defensive Coordinator Blake Baker. The author Peter Rauterkus gives the reader something regarding the players story or their potantial as well as reintroducing “already known” knowledge on these players performance.
This article is taking about the impressive win for Duke against Virginia with the headline calling it a home clash of the season. This story starts at the end of the game with a play by Kyle Fillpowski that sealed the deal for Duke to get a 73-48 victory. The article then goes into some key moments of the game as well as some quotes post game. The quotes both come from the head- coach as well as some players including Fillpowski. The article then takes a deep dive into the game and how the whole game went for both teams. After taking about the game the article shifts the focus back on the players and how this game meant for them. Looking at multiple players in the game as well as how they played gave light to all players and who they are. The article ended with a look into the future of the season for Duke. https://www.dukechronicle.com/article/2024/03/duke-mens-basketball-uva-virginia-kyle-filipowski-tyrese-proctor-jeremy-roach-mark-mitchell
This article focuses on Duke students taking about the teaching in Durham’s public schools. The author, Karen Xu, starts with talking about how the recent pay dispute in Durham Public schools has affected many people with her pinpointing on the students at the University of Duke. Xu takes a deep dive into the students’ thoughts as well as there say in the matter. She first goes into talking about the students’ inner workings with the government and organizations. Xu provided a lot of stats which added a factual idea to the problem Duke students are facing. After presenting stats she goes into quotes from the students as well as thoughts multiple students have in the matter. Xu helps to display this focusing on one student, Miranda Straubel, who wants to be a high school teacher when she graduates and present a lot of value information on her thoughts. The article then ends with another important stats and thought about how many positions in schools are open and student, Samantha Bernier, stating some great quotes. https://www.dukechronicle.com/article/2024/03/duke-university-education-students-reflect-teaching-durham-public-schools-dps-amid-recent-upheaval-teachers-classified-staff-salary-controversy
The article that I chose to look into this week when covering “The Lantern” was an article titled “OHIO STATE RESEARCHERS CREATE STRATEGIES FOR CAREGIVERS TO HELP FEED PEOPLE WITH DEMENTIA”. The reason I picked this article was because it was something different. With a school like Ohio State obviously the people that like the school and go there have a heavy emphasis on the sports that are going on there and typically the lantern is flooded with sorts of updates as it is a busy time in the world of college sports so seeing that there was something else being covered this week piqued my interest. The article is about Ohio State researchers learning from health professionals about people with dementia and how they can work to better help people with dementia and their mealtimes. The article discusses different strategies and the worries that come with working with people who have lost their cognitive people and trying to keep them safe when it comes to mealtimes. The reason I liked this article was because it shows the small acts that big schools take to advance research and the things they do to better people in the community as well. It was nice to see something different from the usual round robin coverage of sports that they give, and I think more articles like this could be beneficial for the lantern.
Acrobats Tumble in Memorial Chapel https://concordiensis.com/5430/news/acrobats-tumble-in-memorial-chapel/
This article highlights the campus cultural celebration for Black History Month. The school hosts Zuzu African Acrobats and celebrates their culture to kick start the month. The Acrobats are a traveling group that tours throughout the U.S but stay true to their culture. The group bases its performance on 2,000-year-old Bantu culture of East Africa. Each member is trained by elder coaches and well-versed in the ancient tradition. The African Student Association (ASA) commented on the performance saying “It represents some of the different cultures that we have in Africa”. ASA does activities like dances and artwork that’s derived from Africa so seeing the performers represent ASA member’s African culture is familiar. The article also quotes the Acrobats commenting on how their time over the years has brought them together and also benefited them individually. Overall, the performance was one of many others throughout the month.
Freshman vs First Year: Why the Difference Matters https://concordiensis.com/3546/opinions/freshman-vs-first-year-why-the-difference-matters/
This opinion article covers the topic of whether it matters if we refer to first-years as freshmen. Communication is the foundation of society, and it determines a lot about us. In recent years, many colleges have shifted this verbiage like Yale in 2017 for a more gender-neutral label. The school received complaints in the past from parents and students wanting the language to change for inclusivity. Other schools such as the University of South Carolina changed from freshman to first-year because of the root meaning. Freshman means novice and refers to many students coming straight from high school. However, this is not the case for all people starting their college experience. The article quotes a student from Union stating the change shows all students are valued through the language we use. The article closes by stating that while the change is positive it’s ultimately meaningless. People may still choose to use freshman in small conversations but the effort is there. It’s important that the people who are affected by gendered words matter.
This week on Coastal Carolinas’ The Chanticleer, my focus is on the article titled “Horry County Council Defers Local Zoning Project: Citizens Express Concerns Over Proposed New Conway.” What caught my attention about this piece was its departure from the usual topics. Typically, discussions around Horry County might center on familiar subjects like development projects or local governance issues. However, the decision by the County Council to defer a zoning project in Conway sparked my curiosity. The article delves into the concerns voiced by citizens regarding the proposed zoning changes in Conway. It sheds light on the intricacies of local governance and the importance of community engagement in decision-making processes. The voices of the citizens expressing their worries reflect a shared commitment to preserving the character and integrity of their neighborhood. What resonated with me about this article is the demonstration of civic participation and the impact it can have on shaping local policies and the effect on local support groups. It underscores the significance of community involvement in shaping the future of our neighborhoods. In a landscape often dominated by discussions of larger-scale issues, it’s refreshing to see attention given to the concerns of everyday citizens. This article serves as a reminder of the vital role that local government plays in addressing the needs and concerns of its residents. It highlights the importance of transparency and dialogue in the decision-making process. Moving forward, more coverage of grassroots movements and community initiatives could provide valuable insights into the dynamics of local governance.
For week five of the blog proj I read an article titled, “Israel-Hamas war: campus developments” the article was published on February 19th 2024, and written by Andrew Gould, an news editor for the cynic. This article served as a collection of reactions and actions that were taken by the campus after the outbreak of the conflict between Israel and Palestine. There were two vigils held one for Israel and one for Palestine, the campus canceled a talk with a Palestinian writer, and someone on campus held an explanation talk on the narratives of the Israel Palestine conflict and their history. This article was really well done as it served more as a nexus point for other more full stories, and in doing so it was very unbiased in the information given and tried to represent all topics covered fairly and equally, while reading I didn’t detect any bias for one side or the other, which i find very impressive especially given the state of large news sources during the time of the start of the war.
14 thoughts on “BLOG-PROG # 5”
The Sweet Life of Chef Todd
by Isabel Dreher
The article I analyzed for this week is called “The Sweet Life of Chef Todd”, which is a play on words due to the fact that his last name is, in fact, Sweet, written by Isabel Dreher. The piece as a whole is a profile on the senior executive chef of UNH Dining. It starts off with an introduction to Todd Sweet, and why he’s in hospitality, seeing it as “god’s work”. It paints him as a cheerful, devoted man who loves to help others, and pretty much instantly draws the reader in with Todd’s innate charm and sincerity. Apparently, Todd is currently putting together an application for the NACUFS (The National Association of College and University Food Services) award. The article does a good job of giving a short, sweet synopsis on what NACUFS is as well, without taking away from the spotlight on Todd. Apparently, UNH has already won some awards for their dining, largely involving “the dining halls’ allergy-friendly food options and the special event meals” (The Sweet Life of Chef Todd, Isabel Draher) they hold. The article does a phenomenal job of articulating how much care and passion is put into the food production on the UNH campus by Chef Todd and his associates, from the scaling up of recipes, to the treatment of staff and students, as well as a wide range of options for students to pick from with regards to food. The article as a whole is incredibly wholesome and informational, and I appreciate the writing done to do Chef Todd justice with regards to his compassion and passion for his craft.
The first article I chose to read this week was “Tuition increases weigh on students’ minds” by Alexis Crochiere (https://thesuffolkjournal.com/43036/news/tuition-increases-weigh-on-students-minds/). The article is about Suffolk’s annual tuition increase, and the students who are beginning to look more deeply into it. Crochiere interviews numerous students, each of whom share the same sentiments about the university’s repetitive tuition increases. Each of the students shares that they wonder where the additional funding is going, and that they do not believe it is being put to good use at the school. Crochiere also shares some shocking statistics about the bigger picture of Suffolk’s high tuition, stating that the small increases in tuition have totaled to over $10,000 since 2013. Overall, the article is well written and informative, and made me feel for the students at Suffolk going through this.
The second article I chose to read is titled “‘Oppenheimer’ steals the show at 2024 BAFTAs” by Keely Menyhart (https://thesuffolkjournal.com/42949/ac/film/oppenheimer-steals-the-show-at-2024-baftas/). This article summarizes the events of this years’ British Academy Film Awards. Oppenheimer, a film released in 2023, reportedly dominated this year, taking home 7 awards. Menyhart summarizes each category, giving the reader a look into the award show. The quotes used by Menyhart are valuable and give good insight into the energy of this award show. Overall, this article did everything it promised, providing an informative run down of the BAFTAs this year. The most important categories were summarized, as well as those with emotional moments and quotes.
The UW Farm: Working towards resilient communities, growth, and food security
By Annika Hauer
https://www.dailyuw.com/arts_and_culture/community/the-uw-farm-working-towards-resilient-communities-growth-and-food-security/article_a26c3342-d77c-11ee-8b6d-f38d5bc3c56b.html
An article from this week highlighted the small student-run farm just ten minutes off campus that focuses on soil health and conservation while also growing seasonal crops. The main thing I found intriguing about this farm is its opportunities to practice regenerative agriculture and organic farming techniques. The College of the Environment first formed this agricultural area to put their skills into practice back in 2005 for faculty, students, alumni, and community volunteers. The farm is located on the lands of Coast Salish peoples, as is the rest of the campus. Siffre Tooth, an AmeriCorps volunteer and the food security lead for the farm was interviewed for this feature to discuss the engagement opportunities the farm provides while maintaining the well-being of the soil quality and the people who utilize it, as they go hand-in-hand.
In addition to testing regenerative agriculture, the farm implements a vermicomposting plot, which means the worms in the soil eat the waste while providing nutrients to the soil. Farm operators also employ cover cropping, a legume whose roots capture atmospheric nitrogen and circulate it through nitrogen fixation, creating more nutrients.
In this particular article, I would have liked to hear from one of the other students running the farm or participating in its research for further perspectives and credibility. While Tooth was a great contact, they mainly focused on leading volunteer groups and coordinating volunteer work and academic engagements, without discussing much about the actual farm in their quotes.
For our fifth week of Blog Proj, I read “Mixed Messages: How facilitated communication persists at SU”, an article written by The Daily Orange’s Kyle Chouinard. This piece speaks out about Syracuse University’s continued use of a pseudoscientific communication style, aimed at broadening accessibility for disables people, known as facilitated communication. The article interviews many people who are well versed in the world of accessibility, especially for communication, in order to further support claims against FC as a science. When asked for comment by students and faculty, SU declined to comment, with their ICI responding to criticism with a diversity and inclusion initiative. Despite these responses, experts and professionals still strongly advise against the use of FC, emphasizing the dangers associated with it.
Blog Proj 5
The article that interested me this week was titled Bella Scutti: a diamond in the dugout By Clay Hale. Published on March 1st 2024. This article is a personal feature of Bella Scutti, a senior at the University of Mississippi and she is a “diamond girl”, so her job at baseball games is find foul balls and give players bats and such. Which is interesting to me because it’s like a sports piece but it is covering the behind the scenes of like running a baseball game and how that works. Because there is a committee of “diamond girls” of like forty-five people who run it. How Scutti really wanted to be one and then didn’t get it in the first interview but did the second time her sophomore year. As well as she heard about it from her mom who was one when she attended the university. As well as her mother still being friends with the other women and people she worked with when she was a “diamond girl”. So it’s an interesting form of net working to and to get involved on their campus.
Dialogues Across Differences: Pamela Nadell hosts panel on understanding antisemitism
https://thetech.com/2024/02/22/pamela-nadell-stah
This article discusses the lecture held on Feb. 12th by Pamela Nadell, director of the Jewish Studies program at American University, held at the Schwarzman College of Computing. This panel was called “Understanding Antisemitism: Enduring Hatred”, and was organized by the Institute called Dialogues Across Differences. Her talk encompassed many topics of historical and contemporary antisemitism, and recognized that there are many different ways to define what antisemitism is, although recognized the Michigan State University’s guide for understanding antisemitism as an accurate description. She then went on to make mention of how the war in the Gaza Strip has affected the levels of antisemitism in America. She also spoke about the lack of Holocaust education in America, which she believes could be expanded. She added that antisemitism has risen in part due to social media, which she described as one of the most effective avenues for anti semitic messages to be spread and more widely seen. The rest of the article then describes more upcoming talks from the same institute that hosted her talk.
MIT releases 2024 Quality of Life Survey
https://thetech.com/2024/02/22/2024-qol-survey
This article discusses the recent Quality of Life survey conducted by MIT, and it’s possible effects. The survey is held every other year, and sent out to the students via email. Sally Kornbluth, the President of the Institute, encouraged students to participate in the survey. She then went on to describe the survey as being a tool used to inform the administration on a variety of topics related to residential life at the Institute, such as academic workloads, living conditions, food, and student wellbeing. She also described the survey as vital to fostering community and mutual understanding and respect on the campus. The survey allows students to rate the campus climate, and respond to questions about any sort of discriminatory experiences they faced on campus, such as antisemitism, Islamophobia, and other forms of racism or discrimination. The article ends with a description of the different prizes given out randomly to participants, which are ranging from $500 to $25.
Story 1: “CJBC, UGBC Call for BC to Divest From Fossil Fuels at Global Divestment Day Event” By Lucy Freeman
https://www.bcheights.com/2024/02/25/cjbc-ugbc-call-for-bc-to-divest-from-fossil-fuels-at-global-divestment-day-event/
For week 5, I looked into this article on BC’s Global Divestment Day Event. One thing that I noticed right away was how Freeman opened with her lede, “At least 1,600 institutions have divested from fossil fuels as part of the global divestment movement, according to Juliet Schor, professor of sociology.” I found it interesting how she immediately jumped into data and set up her critique of how BC is not among them – it is a well-crafted move. The people interviewed were both members of UGBC, the Undergraduate Government of Boston College, and a professor of sociology. In addition to giving context as to the Climate Justice at BC’s (CJBC) history of devoting a day to discuss and symbolize BC’s efforts and passion to move toward fossil fuel divestment, the story also opens up the much broader socioeconomic impacts of fossil fuel consequences. Professor of sociology Schor makes a point about the Global South and how disproportionately those living in that region will face the brunt of climate change – also connecting to indigenous populations, lower class, and people of color. Another interesting side of this article is that it references a member of a local catholic organization member, Strad Engler, and notes the recent work of the Pope in addressing the climate crisis. I also found the end to have a well-crafted angle in not being too hard on the university by making the point that while they have not officially divested and some of their projects fell through, it will get easier with time.
Story 2: “The Onion’ Staff Writers Discuss Creative Process at CAB Event” By Ashna Potluri
https://www.bcheights.com/2024/02/28/the-onion-staff-writers-discuss-creative-process-at-cab-event/
I was drawn to this article by Ashna Potluri as we have mentioned the Onion in class, and it might be interesting to see the work Potluri does as a journalist in writing about another very well-established satirical news organization. The article focuses on staff writers from The Onion, Nick Mehendale and Hannah Wolansky, who spoke at BC’s creative writing event. Opening the curtain behind those punchy headlines and articles, Mehendale and Wolansky discussed the craft of the writing process that goes on and how essential pitch sessions are. I found this to be super interesting as we as a class are in the middle of peer review workshops where we are seriously practicing the type of newsroom discussions around our headlines, what works, how it reads, etc. The guest speakers mention in the article how, after around 500 pitched headlines a week, they have to proceed to the next step of writing the pieces. This emphasis on writing as such a collaborative process comes throughout the whole article as Potluri lets the two writers take the central focus of the article discussing the “egoless” environment necessary for the Onion to produce work. Another more lighthearted angle to this article is the example of Onion stories, which caused some uproar surrounding political figures like Donald Trump and Paul Ryan – making note of the feedback the Onion gets for its devotion to satirical perspectives on actual momentous events. I also thought that this article did a great job of ending the piece with a statement from Megendale that says, “We want to ‘punch up,’ you know? Comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable sort of thing.” – it really makes you think about the art of journalism and its ability to impact society.
The renaissance of early 2000s music by Lavayna Menon was the article that stuck out to me for this week’s blog project. I chose this article because I found it to have multiple topics that I am interested in and to be very relevant to today’s culture. Ranging from current fashion trends and today’s celebrities. An interesting debate that I have heard before was the idea of older styles from the 2000s being compared to the styles of today. Through Menons analysis and through being exposed to a number of different sources of what’s trending I think this a very accurate comparison to make. In another sense I also think from another perspective this kind of revival of certain styles and trends would be really cool to watch.
This story from LSU’s the Reville is covering the upcoming spring footbal season for the LSU Tigers and they are good profiles on these players that we should be watching. This article is in a list format and shows the athletes name, position, and what they expect from the athlete that season. The article was titled “10 players to watch during LSU football spring practice” Something that is also under some scrutiny is the changes to the staff as Head Coach Brian kelly is on his third year and this is the first time that the new defensive scheme is to be installed in practice plans under new Defensive Coordinator Blake Baker. The author Peter Rauterkus gives the reader something regarding the players story or their potantial as well as reintroducing “already known” knowledge on these players performance.
This article is taking about the impressive win for Duke against Virginia with the headline calling it a home clash of the season. This story starts at the end of the game with a play by Kyle Fillpowski that sealed the deal for Duke to get a 73-48 victory. The article then goes into some key moments of the game as well as some quotes post game. The quotes both come from the head- coach as well as some players including Fillpowski. The article then takes a deep dive into the game and how the whole game went for both teams. After taking about the game the article shifts the focus back on the players and how this game meant for them. Looking at multiple players in the game as well as how they played gave light to all players and who they are. The article ended with a look into the future of the season for Duke.
https://www.dukechronicle.com/article/2024/03/duke-mens-basketball-uva-virginia-kyle-filipowski-tyrese-proctor-jeremy-roach-mark-mitchell
This article focuses on Duke students taking about the teaching in Durham’s public schools. The author, Karen Xu, starts with talking about how the recent pay dispute in Durham Public schools has affected many people with her pinpointing on the students at the University of Duke. Xu takes a deep dive into the students’ thoughts as well as there say in the matter. She first goes into talking about the students’ inner workings with the government and organizations. Xu provided a lot of stats which added a factual idea to the problem Duke students are facing. After presenting stats she goes into quotes from the students as well as thoughts multiple students have in the matter. Xu helps to display this focusing on one student, Miranda Straubel, who wants to be a high school teacher when she graduates and present a lot of value information on her thoughts. The article then ends with another important stats and thought about how many positions in schools are open and student, Samantha Bernier, stating some great quotes.
https://www.dukechronicle.com/article/2024/03/duke-university-education-students-reflect-teaching-durham-public-schools-dps-amid-recent-upheaval-teachers-classified-staff-salary-controversy
The article that I chose to look into this week when covering “The Lantern” was an article titled “OHIO STATE RESEARCHERS CREATE STRATEGIES FOR CAREGIVERS TO HELP FEED PEOPLE WITH DEMENTIA”. The reason I picked this article was because it was something different. With a school like Ohio State obviously the people that like the school and go there have a heavy emphasis on the sports that are going on there and typically the lantern is flooded with sorts of updates as it is a busy time in the world of college sports so seeing that there was something else being covered this week piqued my interest. The article is about Ohio State researchers learning from health professionals about people with dementia and how they can work to better help people with dementia and their mealtimes. The article discusses different strategies and the worries that come with working with people who have lost their cognitive people and trying to keep them safe when it comes to mealtimes. The reason I liked this article was because it shows the small acts that big schools take to advance research and the things they do to better people in the community as well. It was nice to see something different from the usual round robin coverage of sports that they give, and I think more articles like this could be beneficial for the lantern.
Acrobats Tumble in Memorial Chapel
https://concordiensis.com/5430/news/acrobats-tumble-in-memorial-chapel/
This article highlights the campus cultural celebration for Black History Month. The school hosts Zuzu African Acrobats and celebrates their culture to kick start the month. The Acrobats are a traveling group that tours throughout the U.S but stay true to their culture. The group bases its performance on 2,000-year-old Bantu culture of East Africa. Each member is trained by elder coaches and well-versed in the ancient tradition. The African Student Association (ASA) commented on the performance saying “It represents some of the different cultures that we have in Africa”. ASA does activities like dances and artwork that’s derived from Africa so seeing the performers represent ASA member’s African culture is familiar. The article also quotes the Acrobats commenting on how their time over the years has brought them together and also benefited them individually. Overall, the performance was one of many others throughout the month.
Freshman vs First Year: Why the Difference Matters
https://concordiensis.com/3546/opinions/freshman-vs-first-year-why-the-difference-matters/
This opinion article covers the topic of whether it matters if we refer to first-years as freshmen. Communication is the foundation of society, and it determines a lot about us. In recent years, many colleges have shifted this verbiage like Yale in 2017 for a more gender-neutral label. The school received complaints in the past from parents and students wanting the language to change for inclusivity. Other schools such as the University of South Carolina changed from freshman to first-year because of the root meaning. Freshman means novice and refers to many students coming straight from high school. However, this is not the case for all people starting their college experience. The article quotes a student from Union stating the change shows all students are valued through the language we use. The article closes by stating that while the change is positive it’s ultimately meaningless. People may still choose to use freshman in small conversations but the effort is there. It’s important that the people who are affected by gendered words matter.
This week on Coastal Carolinas’ The Chanticleer, my focus is on the article titled “Horry County Council Defers Local Zoning Project: Citizens Express Concerns Over Proposed New Conway.” What caught my attention about this piece was its departure from the usual topics. Typically, discussions around Horry County might center on familiar subjects like development projects or local governance issues. However, the decision by the County Council to defer a zoning project in Conway sparked my curiosity. The article delves into the concerns voiced by citizens regarding the proposed zoning changes in Conway. It sheds light on the intricacies of local governance and the importance of community engagement in decision-making processes. The voices of the citizens expressing their worries reflect a shared commitment to preserving the character and integrity of their neighborhood. What resonated with me about this article is the demonstration of civic participation and the impact it can have on shaping local policies and the effect on local support groups. It underscores the significance of community involvement in shaping the future of our neighborhoods. In a landscape often dominated by discussions of larger-scale issues, it’s refreshing to see attention given to the concerns of everyday citizens. This article serves as a reminder of the vital role that local government plays in addressing the needs and concerns of its residents. It highlights the importance of transparency and dialogue in the decision-making process. Moving forward, more coverage of grassroots movements and community initiatives could provide valuable insights into the dynamics of local governance.
For week five of the blog proj I read an article titled, “Israel-Hamas war: campus developments” the article was published on February 19th 2024, and written by Andrew Gould, an news editor for the cynic. This article served as a collection of reactions and actions that were taken by the campus after the outbreak of the conflict between Israel and Palestine. There were two vigils held one for Israel and one for Palestine, the campus canceled a talk with a Palestinian writer, and someone on campus held an explanation talk on the narratives of the Israel Palestine conflict and their history. This article was really well done as it served more as a nexus point for other more full stories, and in doing so it was very unbiased in the information given and tried to represent all topics covered fairly and equally, while reading I didn’t detect any bias for one side or the other, which i find very impressive especially given the state of large news sources during the time of the start of the war.