From John Robinson's post about Greensboro City Council candidates' web presences (and absences), I had noticed that Jorge Cornell had among the most impressive online content available for citizens to check out. I wasn't the only one to notice this; Jeffrey Sykes and Ed Cone both shared their observations on their respective blogs.
Sue Polinsky asked some questions, some of which had already been answered by the News & Record, but from her questions, I started thinking about my own thoughts and questions related to Jorge Cornell. I hope Ed didn't mind the rather long comment(s) I ended up posting at his website. It made me realize that, except for one June post about "Driving Miss Daisy," I hadn't posted anything on my own blog in months. I didn't set out to go on as long as I did, and once I did, I probably should have just done as I'm going to do now and posted my comments here:
I've listened to a couple of the posted press conferences, and Jorge Cornell seems to feel that the organization he leads here in North Carolina, the Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation, and its local members have been unfairly targeted by anti-gang law enforcement. Apparently, the ALKQN has a very contradictory history that bounces between the extremes of murderous drug lords and sincerely interested community organizers. I guess the question is how sincere Cornell and his local Latin King followers are about focusing on the positive and turning their backs on any violent and drug-based temptations. I would like to see Cornell address these issues in great detail, particularly since a significant number of the organization's/gang's members (on the national level--I'm not sure about locally) have embraced horrible, indefensible acts against fellow human beings. I appreciated that Cornell attended and spoke out against domestic violence, sharing that he had witnessed this problem within his own family. (I don't think there was any posted video of his comments, which I would have liked to have watched.) The Troublemaker posted some questions and comments about Cornell in a July 1st post (July 1, 2008). (When you look up "Jorge Cornell" online, the link listed at the top takes you to the Troublemaker website.) If Cornell has made mistakes but has every intention of putting any negativity from his past behind him and moving in a positive direction, he deserves a chance to prove himself. Electing him onto the City Council right now may or may not be too early.
Wikipedia offers this: "But their "apparent contradictions", the Latin Kings may argue, can be better understood when viewed through the lens of their teachings. Once a member of the Almighty Latin King Nation, according to the "Latin King Manifesto", a member naturally passes through three stages of consciousness:
(1) the Primitive Stage, wherein the neophyte member is expected to be immature and to be involved in such activities as gang-banging and being a street warrior without the full consciousness of Kingism ;
(2) the Conservative or Mummy Stage, which is where a member tires of the street gang life but is still accepting of life as it has been taught to him by the existing system that exploits all people of color, dehumanizes them, and maintains them under the conditions and social yoke of slavery;
and (3) the New King Stage, where the member recognizes the need for a revolution of the "mind". According to the Manifesto, "The New King is the end product of complete awareness, perceiving three-hundred and sixty degrees of enlightenment; his observations are free and independent; his thoughts are not clouded by any form of prejudice...For him there are no horizons between races, sexes and senseless labels", including gang labels for recognition. The New King no longer views the rival warriors as the cause of his ills and seeks world unity for the sake of humanization and freedom for all the "Oppressed Third World Peoples".
Therefore, as appropriately expressed by their own teachings, a great majority of Latin Kings live a criminalistic lifestyle while a select few seek to better their communities and fight against social oppression and injustices."
Is Cornell in the New King Stage? Can he be a powerful voice in encouraging young people to bypass the Primitive Stage? If he can be a voice of positive inspiration for young people, I wish him the very best, and if his intentions and personal pursuits are honorable and positive, I wish him great all-around success. Perhaps Cornell can enlighten us about his perspective on all this.
Showing posts with label blogging. Show all posts
Showing posts with label blogging. Show all posts
Saturday, August 1, 2009
At Least Two Local Theatres Blogging Away
Two local theatres have blogs that highlight both current and upcoming productions: the Open Space Cafe Theatre Blog and the Triad Stage Blog.
Up next at the OSCT is "Dinah Was!: The Dinah Washington Musical," running from August 20-30, 2009.
Triad Stage is preparing for a "Picnic" that will be held between September 6th and September 27th.
If you've never visited these theatres before, I recommend both very highly. The only regrets I've ever experienced with these two theatres are the performances I haven't found/made time to attend. While very different from one another, what they share is the ability to bring highly entertaining, very provocative productions to life on their respective stages.
Knowing date ranges for each theatre's next productions, you seriously should consider making plans to attend these shows. Unless you make plans to do so, chances are high that you will end up missing great opportunities to see great entertainment practically in your own backyard.
Up next at the OSCT is "Dinah Was!: The Dinah Washington Musical," running from August 20-30, 2009.
Triad Stage is preparing for a "Picnic" that will be held between September 6th and September 27th.
If you've never visited these theatres before, I recommend both very highly. The only regrets I've ever experienced with these two theatres are the performances I haven't found/made time to attend. While very different from one another, what they share is the ability to bring highly entertaining, very provocative productions to life on their respective stages.
Knowing date ranges for each theatre's next productions, you seriously should consider making plans to attend these shows. Unless you make plans to do so, chances are high that you will end up missing great opportunities to see great entertainment practically in your own backyard.
Monday, September 24, 2007
Illegal to Reprint Poetry on the Internet
I had planned to reprint the words to Julia Alvarez's poem, "Love Portions," as a part of this post. When I used google to look up "Julia Alvarez," I discovered this website and spent some time learning a little more about the author. I also read this statement: "If you need to get in touch with me about setting up an appearance or an interview or to obtain permissions for reproducing my work, please contact my agent, Susan."
I sent Susan Bergholz an e-mail requesting permission to reprint the poem as part of my blog post and received a response indicating that permission could not be granted. She explained, "I am afraid we cannot grant it as we do not allow posting of author's original work on the internet; it interferes with our ability to license that work. If you have seen any of Julia's writing on the internet, it is without our permission and is therefore illegal."
I had provided a link to another website that reprinted the poem, but I have removed that link and provided this message in its place: "[It is illegal to reprint the words to Ms. Alvarez's poem on the internet, but those words are what I read at this point in my reading.]"
I discovered Ms. Alvarez's poem in a text called Love Poetry Out Loud (Chapel Hill: Algonquin Books, 2007).
I sent Susan Bergholz an e-mail requesting permission to reprint the poem as part of my blog post and received a response indicating that permission could not be granted. She explained, "I am afraid we cannot grant it as we do not allow posting of author's original work on the internet; it interferes with our ability to license that work. If you have seen any of Julia's writing on the internet, it is without our permission and is therefore illegal."
I had provided a link to another website that reprinted the poem, but I have removed that link and provided this message in its place: "[It is illegal to reprint the words to Ms. Alvarez's poem on the internet, but those words are what I read at this point in my reading.]"
I discovered Ms. Alvarez's poem in a text called Love Poetry Out Loud (Chapel Hill: Algonquin Books, 2007).
Monday, August 13, 2007
Paideia Blogging
John Robinson has set up a third strand centered around how to create a more civil, more inviting blogging atmosphere.
Unlike the first strand and the second strand on this topic, John's asking individuals who have already commented to stay on the sidelines and NOT to add any more comments.
John probably realizes that some of us feel tortured by such a bizarre request.
It's an experiment of sorts, one suggested by Mark Binker.
Mark: "I don't know if that would create a safe enough space for others to chime in, but it's a thought."
A thought worth considering.
I don't know if this experimental invitation will bring in new voices by itself.
But the idea that more new voices might enter the conversation if some of the old voices would occasionally keep quiet is worth considering.
The dynamics in cyberspace are different than the ones in which people come face to face, such as in a meeting or in a classroom.
But I'm sure most of us have been in meetings and classrooms in which the same core group of individuals do all or most of the talking.
The primary talkers usually think that the listeners just prefer to listen and don't have anything to say.
That's probably true sometimes.
But what talkers don't realize sometimes is that more of the listeners might jump in if ever given real opportunity.
The talkers tend to think that that such opportunities are abundant.
What they sometimes fail to realize is that they and the other dominant talkers are "stealing" every opening into the conversation, leaving no meaningfuly "wait-time" for others to join in.
The space that is filled with your voice takes away from the opportunity to hear someone else's voice.
In a meeting or classroom, a good leader tries to make sure everyone is given opportunities to speak and that the environment is comfortable enough for everyone.
Some people have a lot to say, arguably more than others.
Some of those people have a seemingly infinite supply of great ideas to share.
But it's arrogant for anyone to think that he has a monopoly on those great ideas.
It's also arrogant to assume that the voices that never speak up have nothing to say.
It's healthy for talkers to step back and give room for others to enter the conversation.
Paideia seminars, in which a common text is explored and discussed, offer the opportunity for people to learn better communication skills.
Ideally, seminars have participants seated in a circle.
Everyone is invited to jump into the conversation at any time.
Usually a facilitator gets things started by asking an opening question that everyone answers by going around the entire circle.
After going full-circle, the rest of the dialogue depends on individuals jumping in, preferably without any hand raising.
The facilitator's job is to make sure everyone behaves well and that new questions are asked when the conversation otherwise stops.
Since hand-raising isn't permitted, the facilitator shouldn't have to call on anyone.
There's a fine line between encouraging absolutely open dialogue and preventing ugly communication.
Some people will shut down, sometimes forever, if they're given reason to fear how others will respond.
One interesting strategy with paideia circles is to assign an inner circle and an outer circle.
Individuals in the inner circle are the out-loud participants, the ones who can express themselves freely.
Individuals in the outer circle are the full-time listeners, the ones who have to keep their thoughts entirely to themselves.
The "outsiders" are often instructed to take notes about what the "insiders" are saying.
The dynamics for paideia seminars do not translate perfectly into the world of blogging.
But it's worth thinking deeply about how we each participate in blogging and how our participation influences and affects others.
Unlike the first strand and the second strand on this topic, John's asking individuals who have already commented to stay on the sidelines and NOT to add any more comments.
John probably realizes that some of us feel tortured by such a bizarre request.
It's an experiment of sorts, one suggested by Mark Binker.
Mark: "I don't know if that would create a safe enough space for others to chime in, but it's a thought."
A thought worth considering.
I don't know if this experimental invitation will bring in new voices by itself.
But the idea that more new voices might enter the conversation if some of the old voices would occasionally keep quiet is worth considering.
The dynamics in cyberspace are different than the ones in which people come face to face, such as in a meeting or in a classroom.
But I'm sure most of us have been in meetings and classrooms in which the same core group of individuals do all or most of the talking.
The primary talkers usually think that the listeners just prefer to listen and don't have anything to say.
That's probably true sometimes.
But what talkers don't realize sometimes is that more of the listeners might jump in if ever given real opportunity.
The talkers tend to think that that such opportunities are abundant.
What they sometimes fail to realize is that they and the other dominant talkers are "stealing" every opening into the conversation, leaving no meaningfuly "wait-time" for others to join in.
The space that is filled with your voice takes away from the opportunity to hear someone else's voice.
In a meeting or classroom, a good leader tries to make sure everyone is given opportunities to speak and that the environment is comfortable enough for everyone.
Some people have a lot to say, arguably more than others.
Some of those people have a seemingly infinite supply of great ideas to share.
But it's arrogant for anyone to think that he has a monopoly on those great ideas.
It's also arrogant to assume that the voices that never speak up have nothing to say.
It's healthy for talkers to step back and give room for others to enter the conversation.
Paideia seminars, in which a common text is explored and discussed, offer the opportunity for people to learn better communication skills.
Ideally, seminars have participants seated in a circle.
Everyone is invited to jump into the conversation at any time.
Usually a facilitator gets things started by asking an opening question that everyone answers by going around the entire circle.
After going full-circle, the rest of the dialogue depends on individuals jumping in, preferably without any hand raising.
The facilitator's job is to make sure everyone behaves well and that new questions are asked when the conversation otherwise stops.
Since hand-raising isn't permitted, the facilitator shouldn't have to call on anyone.
There's a fine line between encouraging absolutely open dialogue and preventing ugly communication.
Some people will shut down, sometimes forever, if they're given reason to fear how others will respond.
One interesting strategy with paideia circles is to assign an inner circle and an outer circle.
Individuals in the inner circle are the out-loud participants, the ones who can express themselves freely.
Individuals in the outer circle are the full-time listeners, the ones who have to keep their thoughts entirely to themselves.
The "outsiders" are often instructed to take notes about what the "insiders" are saying.
The dynamics for paideia seminars do not translate perfectly into the world of blogging.
But it's worth thinking deeply about how we each participate in blogging and how our participation influences and affects others.
Saturday, August 11, 2007
What's It Gonna Take To Get You To Blog?
A fifth (and for now, final) question raised in this post and this post is how more people can be brought into our blogging community.
I'm now not as gung-ho about suggesting that others should blog as I was when I previously (and relatively briefly) blogged.
It depends so much on personal tastes, as well as on how much valuable time a person can sacrifice to do it.
Negatively judging people for not blogging is as bad as negatively judging those who do. (Not just bad--also unnecessary.)
I do believe that the blogging community--like any community--can be made stronger and better by adding more voices.
But some people just aren't interested in their voices being permanently recorded.
Many people just have too many other responsibilities and interests.
All of those reasons for not blogging have to be respected.
Still, it's not a bad thing to keep trying to bring more people in by:
I'm now not as gung-ho about suggesting that others should blog as I was when I previously (and relatively briefly) blogged.
It depends so much on personal tastes, as well as on how much valuable time a person can sacrifice to do it.
Negatively judging people for not blogging is as bad as negatively judging those who do. (Not just bad--also unnecessary.)
I do believe that the blogging community--like any community--can be made stronger and better by adding more voices.
But some people just aren't interested in their voices being permanently recorded.
Many people just have too many other responsibilities and interests.
All of those reasons for not blogging have to be respected.
Still, it's not a bad thing to keep trying to bring more people in by:
- Educating people about the medium.
- Inviting people's participation.
- Focusing more on those who approach it positively than on those who insist on coming at it from a more negatively.
- Celebrating and publicizing its more creative efforts and greater successes.
Like all communities, blogging needs ambassadors, individuals who make newcomers and old-timers feel welcome to join and continue being a part of the discussion.
Just as in the bigger world, there needs to be genuine respect and appreciation for diverse views, topics, approaches, and voices.
How we each choose to express ourselves matters.
Just a few ideas to keep the ball rolling.
Why Are You Such An Ugly Blogger?
A fourth question raised in this post and this post centers around what can be done about all the ugliness in the blogosphere that likely turns off many potentially interested individuals.
One of the last times that I expressed myself over at the Chalkboard, I ended my post by suggesting that an individual focus on his/her arguments instead of attacking an entire community of people.
(I was not alone in noticing that this person had been engaging in this tactic for what has seemed like a blogging eternity.)
I tried to make my suggestion as inoffensively as possible without sacrificing the message that this person needed to consider a different approach.
At being inoffensive, I apparently failed miserably.
That person pretty much took my comments as an invitation to turn his/her venom on me a bit.
I started to respond a couple of times.
And I just decided it wasn't worth it.
What could be gained?
What could I possibly hope to prove?
That person has expressed the same ugly point so many times that any hope of regular readers being open-minded to his/her points is lost.
I actually think that person raises some issues that are worth discussing and considering. (A FEW)
But any chance for rational discussion with that person is lost in the chaos he/she stirs.
I wish everyone else who comments on the Chalkboard blog would just ignore every single comment made by that individual.
Sure, that person might continue to express disagreeable views disagreeably.
But without the back-and-forth interaction, I really think there would be the potential for that person to lose steam and either change his/her approach or stop commenting.
I didn't like some of what that person said about me, but I just decided that I didn't need to defend or explain myself and that I'd be wasting my time by getting into a discussion with that person, trying to make a point he/she would have resisted completely.
(One funny thing arose. Some parents who know me made comments in response to what that individual said to me. One person said he/she knew me and indicated that I was a black man. I figured that the person must have meant to type "white man" instead.)
Blogging did make me even more aware that there are some genuinely ugly people out there.
I didn't just wake up and realize this, but previously, I mainly knew that ugliness was out there from reading the news.
There are some beautiful people in the blogging community, but there are some ugly ones too.
Behind the cloak of not having to reveal their real names, these individuals seem more inspired to unleash their ugliness.
Finding yourself aggressively attacked by an annonymous commenter can leave you a little uneasy, more so than when you at least know the identity of the person confronting you.
Some have thicker skin for that kind of thing than others.
I do strongly believe in free speech.
But I also hate how ugly speech can silence some/many voices.
A student (or teacher) blurting out an ugly comment can have a similar effect on other students' comfort levels as an ugly comment on a blog often has on that community's potential commenters.
As a teacher, you respond to a student's ugly comment, but once the comment has been released for everyone to hear, at least some damage is pretty much ensured.
Same thing in a blogging community.
When I gave up blogging and didn't return for quite some time, the biggest consideration was time, not being turned off by ugly commenters.
But even two years ago, when I first ventured into the "universe of the narcissistic," I found some of the communication distasteful, even a turn-off.
One of the last times that I expressed myself over at the Chalkboard, I ended my post by suggesting that an individual focus on his/her arguments instead of attacking an entire community of people.
(I was not alone in noticing that this person had been engaging in this tactic for what has seemed like a blogging eternity.)
I tried to make my suggestion as inoffensively as possible without sacrificing the message that this person needed to consider a different approach.
At being inoffensive, I apparently failed miserably.
That person pretty much took my comments as an invitation to turn his/her venom on me a bit.
I started to respond a couple of times.
And I just decided it wasn't worth it.
What could be gained?
What could I possibly hope to prove?
That person has expressed the same ugly point so many times that any hope of regular readers being open-minded to his/her points is lost.
I actually think that person raises some issues that are worth discussing and considering. (A FEW)
But any chance for rational discussion with that person is lost in the chaos he/she stirs.
I wish everyone else who comments on the Chalkboard blog would just ignore every single comment made by that individual.
Sure, that person might continue to express disagreeable views disagreeably.
But without the back-and-forth interaction, I really think there would be the potential for that person to lose steam and either change his/her approach or stop commenting.
I didn't like some of what that person said about me, but I just decided that I didn't need to defend or explain myself and that I'd be wasting my time by getting into a discussion with that person, trying to make a point he/she would have resisted completely.
(One funny thing arose. Some parents who know me made comments in response to what that individual said to me. One person said he/she knew me and indicated that I was a black man. I figured that the person must have meant to type "white man" instead.)
Blogging did make me even more aware that there are some genuinely ugly people out there.
I didn't just wake up and realize this, but previously, I mainly knew that ugliness was out there from reading the news.
There are some beautiful people in the blogging community, but there are some ugly ones too.
Behind the cloak of not having to reveal their real names, these individuals seem more inspired to unleash their ugliness.
Finding yourself aggressively attacked by an annonymous commenter can leave you a little uneasy, more so than when you at least know the identity of the person confronting you.
Some have thicker skin for that kind of thing than others.
I do strongly believe in free speech.
But I also hate how ugly speech can silence some/many voices.
A student (or teacher) blurting out an ugly comment can have a similar effect on other students' comfort levels as an ugly comment on a blog often has on that community's potential commenters.
As a teacher, you respond to a student's ugly comment, but once the comment has been released for everyone to hear, at least some damage is pretty much ensured.
Same thing in a blogging community.
When I gave up blogging and didn't return for quite some time, the biggest consideration was time, not being turned off by ugly commenters.
But even two years ago, when I first ventured into the "universe of the narcissistic," I found some of the communication distasteful, even a turn-off.
Why Are Bloggers Like So Totally Narcissistic?
A third question raised in this post and this post is why anyone would choose to join the "universe of the narcissistic."
That universe includes pretty much our entire community of bloggers.
At least according to Marcus Kindley.
Is Kindley right?
Are most bloggers narcissistic?
Absolutely.
It's present in probably each and every individual who writes for any audience larger than one's self.
It's also present in anyone who thinks he or she is more qualified than others to lead an organization or a business.
Politics itself creates its own special breed of narcissists.
Each sport produces one or two narcissists a year.
But, is narcissism always a bad thing?
Is it always excessive?
I don't think so.
It depends on how individuals express themselves and how they treat others.
It depends on how it balances itself in a person's personality and in his/her words and actions.
Not to be unkind, but in response to the narcissistic challenge posed by Kindley, these things stuck out about his post:
1. "Reading this makes me pat myself on the back for ending my blog." (Isn't patting oneself on the back one symptom of narcissism?)
2. "Proudly signed"? (No comment.)
Like John Robinson, I think Kindley raises some legitimate points.
But there's also a bit of unnecessary baggage with those points.
You can do better and be better, Mr. Chairman.
So can I.
Maybe that's the best point for all of us to walk away from this with.
That universe includes pretty much our entire community of bloggers.
At least according to Marcus Kindley.
Is Kindley right?
Are most bloggers narcissistic?
Absolutely.
It's present in probably each and every individual who writes for any audience larger than one's self.
It's also present in anyone who thinks he or she is more qualified than others to lead an organization or a business.
Politics itself creates its own special breed of narcissists.
Each sport produces one or two narcissists a year.
But, is narcissism always a bad thing?
Is it always excessive?
I don't think so.
It depends on how individuals express themselves and how they treat others.
It depends on how it balances itself in a person's personality and in his/her words and actions.
Not to be unkind, but in response to the narcissistic challenge posed by Kindley, these things stuck out about his post:
1. "Reading this makes me pat myself on the back for ending my blog." (Isn't patting oneself on the back one symptom of narcissism?)
2. "Proudly signed"? (No comment.)
Like John Robinson, I think Kindley raises some legitimate points.
But there's also a bit of unnecessary baggage with those points.
You can do better and be better, Mr. Chairman.
So can I.
Maybe that's the best point for all of us to walk away from this with.
Why Haven't You Joined Us At The Blogging Table?
A second question raised in this post and this post is why more members of our community have not joined us at the blogging table.
In real life, there's usually a smaller community of individuals within the larger community who choose to be more engaged.
Voting in America demonstrates that point.
Within a school, the same group of students fills positions in a variety of activities (clubs, sports, etc.).
In workplaces, the same group of individuals volunteers to go above-and-beyond-the-call-of-duty.
Local government operates the same.
(Sandy Carmany said she had a hard time getting enough people from her district to volunteer to serve on boards. Usually, there are only a handful of candidates; in the past, some politicians have gotten free passes because no one's stepped up to run against them.)
You might want to label it elitism, but even when other people are invited to join the more engaged, a good many simply choose not to do so.
In many cases, it's a matter of competing interests.
Family.
Friends
Work.
Other real-life responsibilities.
Other interests and hobbies.
Do-nothing-but-relax-and-enjoy time.
So if you choose to do one thing, something else gets sacrificed.
If you choose to spend time blogging, what else could you be doing during that time?
I'm sure that's how many people look at it.
Even if there's some interest, there might not be enough to override other interests and commitments.
Some people simply choose to be interested in other things than we're interested in.
Maybe we ultimately just need to be happy with who is here and not worry so much about who's not.
In real life, there's usually a smaller community of individuals within the larger community who choose to be more engaged.
Voting in America demonstrates that point.
Within a school, the same group of students fills positions in a variety of activities (clubs, sports, etc.).
In workplaces, the same group of individuals volunteers to go above-and-beyond-the-call-of-duty.
Local government operates the same.
(Sandy Carmany said she had a hard time getting enough people from her district to volunteer to serve on boards. Usually, there are only a handful of candidates; in the past, some politicians have gotten free passes because no one's stepped up to run against them.)
You might want to label it elitism, but even when other people are invited to join the more engaged, a good many simply choose not to do so.
In many cases, it's a matter of competing interests.
Family.
Friends
Work.
Other real-life responsibilities.
Other interests and hobbies.
Do-nothing-but-relax-and-enjoy time.
So if you choose to do one thing, something else gets sacrificed.
If you choose to spend time blogging, what else could you be doing during that time?
I'm sure that's how many people look at it.
Even if there's some interest, there might not be enough to override other interests and commitments.
Some people simply choose to be interested in other things than we're interested in.
Maybe we ultimately just need to be happy with who is here and not worry so much about who's not.
Can Blogging Influence Our Community?
One question raised in this post and this post is whether blogging really has much influence in our community.
These are some old-school (*) examples I thought of:
1. I have no way of evaluating its impact, but on my previous blog (2005), I supported Guilford County Commissioner Skip Alston's opponent during Alston's attempt at re-election as the president of the NC NAACP.
Curmilus Dancy II (The Political Agitator), from the Rocky Mount area, discovered and linked to several of my posts against Alston's re-election and supporting his opponent, the Rev. Dr. William J. Barber. (Curmilius is still blogging away.)
Alston lost, which he had not previously.
I don't know if blogging contributed to that result or not.
But I do know that about that time, I was thinking that Alston was probably unbeatable and that efforts against him were probably futile.
I was wrong.
For the right price, I'd be willing to blog against Alston in 2008, should he choose to run for re-election as a Guilford County Commissioner.
Anyone who's thinking about running against Alston should just keep these two things in mind: a) Alston's now beatable and b) if blogging might have had an influence before, it might have an influence again.
2. Very shortly after first meeting some of our local bloggers, a group of us organized a candidates' forum.
It wasn't as well attended as I would have liked, but it did attract some attention, and each of the 8 at-large candidates for the Greensboro City Council attended.
3. I also blogged about supporting this museum. (I hadn't visited the still-unopened museum's website in quite some time; I do like the provocative nature of its current homepage.)
My efforts there must have not made too much of a difference; the museum's STILL not open!
* Two years ago is REAL OLD-SCHOOL when measured in blogging time!
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
Looking Down on the Great Barrier Reef
The last time I visited the Great Barrier Reef, I snorkeled for the first time.
It's one of the most amazing experiences I've ever had.
This time, I added a helicopter ride over the Reef.
It was my first time flying in a helicopter, which was pretty thrilling by itself.
(You feel the need to duck as you approach the helicoptor, even though the rapidly spinning blades aren't low enough to hit you.)
The view from above is incredible also:
It's one of the most amazing experiences I've ever had.
This time, I added a helicopter ride over the Reef.
It was my first time flying in a helicopter, which was pretty thrilling by itself.
(You feel the need to duck as you approach the helicoptor, even though the rapidly spinning blades aren't low enough to hit you.)
The view from above is incredible also:
Beautiful Lake McKenzie
(Scroll down to see an absolutely beautiful photograph!)
Justin Horne and I traveled to Australia for two weeks earlier this summer.
Through People to People's Student Ambassador program, it was my third trip to Australia and Justin's first.
We had an amazing time!
We traveled with Barbara Brinegar, another North Carolina leader, as well as Trina Scanlan, a leader from Minnesota.
And whom did we lead?
Forty-one fifth- and sixth-grade students--30 from North Carolina and 11 from Wisconsin.
Justin's pictured below in front of Lake McKenzie. (Look carefully, and you can see my shadow holding the camera!)
Though slightly chilly, most of us went swimming here.
Lake McKenzie was only one of our wonderful experiences on Fraser Island.
Justin Horne and I traveled to Australia for two weeks earlier this summer.
Through People to People's Student Ambassador program, it was my third trip to Australia and Justin's first.
We had an amazing time!
We traveled with Barbara Brinegar, another North Carolina leader, as well as Trina Scanlan, a leader from Minnesota.
And whom did we lead?
Forty-one fifth- and sixth-grade students--30 from North Carolina and 11 from Wisconsin.
Justin's pictured below in front of Lake McKenzie. (Look carefully, and you can see my shadow holding the camera!)
Though slightly chilly, most of us went swimming here.
Lake McKenzie was only one of our wonderful experiences on Fraser Island.
Monday, August 6, 2007
N & R Mayoral Coverage Begins This Week!
According to this post, the News & Record will "begin a series of editorials about Greensboro's mayoral race."
The overall plans?
"We'll start with vision statements by Yvonne Johnson and Milton Kern."
Then: "We'll follow up with a new topic each week or so throughout the campaign."
Now, that's what we've been talking about.
Looking forward to more coverage by this person also.
The gap between what many of us would like and what the News & Record plans to deliver is probably not nearly as great as the discussion has sometimes made it seem.
Peer pressure's not always a bad thing.
Not when it helps "Bring out your best!" (I'm borrowing the slogan; I'm not trying to advertise this product.)
The overall plans?
"We'll start with vision statements by Yvonne Johnson and Milton Kern."
Then: "We'll follow up with a new topic each week or so throughout the campaign."
Now, that's what we've been talking about.
Looking forward to more coverage by this person also.
The gap between what many of us would like and what the News & Record plans to deliver is probably not nearly as great as the discussion has sometimes made it seem.
Peer pressure's not always a bad thing.
Not when it helps "Bring out your best!" (I'm borrowing the slogan; I'm not trying to advertise this product.)
Reading N & R Editorial Wizards' Minds
Some readers have claimed for years that they could read the minds of the News & Record's editorial writers.
Increasingly, there's probably some validity to that claim.
The editorial board's Old-School Philosophy was: "Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain."
The board's New-Age Philosophy involves ripping down that curtain.
How?
Well, one editorial writer has been sharing his thoughts out loud.
Another's been sharing his off the record.
More recently, we've even been invited to pull up a chair to the Editorial Board's Table:
"The purpose of this blog is to give you a look at how we work, let you know what we're working on, and ask for your input. We'll give you a chance to comment on our editorials before we write them -- which means your views can influence our final product."
It's been interesting so far, finding out what subjects are being considered and then being able to read the board's final written thoughts on those subjects.
To date, only a few comments have been posted on the "Your Voice at the Table" blog.
As awareness increases, hopefully more people will choose to show up at the table and make their views known.
After some recent discussion of this topic, I appreciated finding out that the editorial board plans to begin writing this week about Greensboro's mayoral race.
1) Add the "Your Voice at the Table" blog to We101. That'll help with advertising. And it will let We101 visitors know when new posts have been made.
2) Describe the legwork that goes into writing an editorial. It'd be interesting to read an occasional step-by-step glimpse at the entire editorial-writing process.
In no particular order, these are some questions I'd be curious to have addressed in the future:
4) Keep posting! (Thanks for adding this blog. It was a great idea to do so!)
Increasingly, there's probably some validity to that claim.
The editorial board's Old-School Philosophy was: "Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain."
The board's New-Age Philosophy involves ripping down that curtain.
How?
Well, one editorial writer has been sharing his thoughts out loud.
Another's been sharing his off the record.
More recently, we've even been invited to pull up a chair to the Editorial Board's Table:
"The purpose of this blog is to give you a look at how we work, let you know what we're working on, and ask for your input. We'll give you a chance to comment on our editorials before we write them -- which means your views can influence our final product."
It's been interesting so far, finding out what subjects are being considered and then being able to read the board's final written thoughts on those subjects.
To date, only a few comments have been posted on the "Your Voice at the Table" blog.
As awareness increases, hopefully more people will choose to show up at the table and make their views known.
After some recent discussion of this topic, I appreciated finding out that the editorial board plans to begin writing this week about Greensboro's mayoral race.
A few suggestions for the editorial board's new blog:
1) Add the "Your Voice at the Table" blog to We101. That'll help with advertising. And it will let We101 visitors know when new posts have been made.
2) Describe the legwork that goes into writing an editorial. It'd be interesting to read an occasional step-by-step glimpse at the entire editorial-writing process.
In no particular order, these are some questions I'd be curious to have addressed in the future:
- Who does the editorial writer contact (or try to contact) for more information about the subject?
- How much do interviews help in developing editorials?
- What other research tools are used to develop an editorial?
- What new information is learned, and how does that affect the final editorial on the subject?
- What questions do board members ask one another?
- Are minds ever changed?
- Do board members take turns as devil's advocates?
- Does only one individual ultimately write each editorial, or are there ever any joint ventures?
- Once a writer is assigned to write an editorial, are other writers involved with researching or writing an editorial?
- Once an editorial is written, do other board members help proof and edit?
- Does research ever lead to a changed editorial stance, mid-way through the process?
- What determines who will write each editorial?
Not everyone will be interested in all of these issues, but some people will be.
Some details about what goes on behind the Wizard's curtain have already been revealed on this blog.
3) During this early period, continue using "Thinking Out Loud" and "Off the Record" some to draw those blogs' readers to "Your Voice at the Table."4) Keep posting! (Thanks for adding this blog. It was a great idea to do so!)
Denying Responsibility
I deny involvement in any activity that might have led to this.
(Margaret: what really happened? Hope you're OK!)
(Margaret: what really happened? Hope you're OK!)
Friday, August 3, 2007
Candidates Pursue Earlier, More Equal Coverage
At-large Greensboro City Council candidate Greg Woodard seconds Joel Landau's letter to the editor.
You can already visit Greg and Joel on the web.
Both used their letters to let readers know where.
Having run before, Greg and Joel are already off to faster starts than most of the other candidates.
It's not too early for the campaigning to begin, and these two candidates realize that.
The pressure builds for earlier, more equal media coverage.
District 5 race already has received Yes! Weekly coverage.
Angela Carmichael again sounds like she's mainly interested in having her name on the ballot.
That all but guarantees a run-off between Sandy Carmany and Trudy Wade.
You can already visit Greg and Joel on the web.
Both used their letters to let readers know where.
Having run before, Greg and Joel are already off to faster starts than most of the other candidates.
It's not too early for the campaigning to begin, and these two candidates realize that.
The pressure builds for earlier, more equal media coverage.
District 5 race already has received Yes! Weekly coverage.
Angela Carmichael again sounds like she's mainly interested in having her name on the ballot.
That all but guarantees a run-off between Sandy Carmany and Trudy Wade.
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Can Newcomer Candidates Overcome Greensboro's Good Ol' Network ?
Donna Riechmann, one of 13 at-large candidates for the Greensboro City Council, asked Allen Johnson about something I too had noticed about the News & Record's initial campaign coverage:
"I am wondering why you mention only three names in the at-large race. (Similarly, the July 22 front page article only mentioned 7 of the 13 contenders.) This gives the impression that "newcomers" are not newsworthy. How about equal press for all?" (fifth comment from the top)
Without using such terminology, Reichmann's calling the News & Record out for providing greater coverage to Greensboro's "Good Ol' Boy Network" than it's providing to candidates outside that circle.
Joel Landau, another at-large candidate, makes the same point.
Allen's response: "That was purely a space issue. We plan plenty of coverage of all of the candidates in the weeks to come, in the printed paper and on our Web site."
I believe Allen, and his point about space makes sense.
But intentionally or not, what's already happening is that presumed favorites are receiving preferential treatment.
Historically, the Good Ol' Boy Network is associated with white Southern men or WASPs (White Anglo-Saxon Protestants).
But times are changing.
Look at the three candidates that Allen mentioned:
Sandra Anderson-Groat (incumbent at-large council member), Robbie Perkins (former District 3 council member), and Mary Rakestraw (former Guilford County Commissioner).
Women are almost as likely (and sometimes more likely) to be a part of the new Good Ol' Network as men.
Though black elected officials in Greensboro/Guilford County are still more likely to be elected from districts, Yvonne Johnson has demonstrated that blacks can secure (and maintain) broader community support, earning herself a place in the Good Ol' Network.
Even officials elected by only a geographical segment of our community enjoy Good Ol' Network benefits.
While some of them might not be able to earn enough votes to be elected city- or county-wide, these officials tend to maintain an advantage as long as they run for re-election within their districts.
This much hasn't changed: it's easier to remain a member of the Good Ol' Network than to become a new member.
And while you might complain about the Network as an outsider, once you're in, you're probably not going to continue complaining about it.
I don't expect Anderson-Groat, Perkins, or Rakestraw to complain that other at-large candidates aren't receiving as much attention or coverage.
I am hoping that the News & Record and other local media bend over backwards to provide as much coverage as possible for all serious candidates among the 33 who filed.
Waiting for such coverage might not be in candidates' best interests, however, if they sincerely hope to be elected.
Automatically working against the odds, candidates who don't already belong to the Good Ol' Network ought to be investigating and pursuing all possible means of leveling the playing field.
Having lots of money to spend on publicity is one way to improve one's chances of being elected.
Short of spending lots of money, candidates really ought to consider setting up and using their own blogs to get their names, images, personalities, and messages out.
I'm still waiting and wondering if it's possible for someone outside the Network to use a blog to generate enough attention and interest to win an election.
Unless some of the "newcomer" candidates find and use special campaign tools, it won't be too hard to predict which individuals will find themselves sitting on the city council for the next two years.
"I am wondering why you mention only three names in the at-large race. (Similarly, the July 22 front page article only mentioned 7 of the 13 contenders.) This gives the impression that "newcomers" are not newsworthy. How about equal press for all?" (fifth comment from the top)
Without using such terminology, Reichmann's calling the News & Record out for providing greater coverage to Greensboro's "Good Ol' Boy Network" than it's providing to candidates outside that circle.
Joel Landau, another at-large candidate, makes the same point.
Allen's response: "That was purely a space issue. We plan plenty of coverage of all of the candidates in the weeks to come, in the printed paper and on our Web site."
I believe Allen, and his point about space makes sense.
But intentionally or not, what's already happening is that presumed favorites are receiving preferential treatment.
Historically, the Good Ol' Boy Network is associated with white Southern men or WASPs (White Anglo-Saxon Protestants).
But times are changing.
Look at the three candidates that Allen mentioned:
Sandra Anderson-Groat (incumbent at-large council member), Robbie Perkins (former District 3 council member), and Mary Rakestraw (former Guilford County Commissioner).
Women are almost as likely (and sometimes more likely) to be a part of the new Good Ol' Network as men.
Though black elected officials in Greensboro/Guilford County are still more likely to be elected from districts, Yvonne Johnson has demonstrated that blacks can secure (and maintain) broader community support, earning herself a place in the Good Ol' Network.
Even officials elected by only a geographical segment of our community enjoy Good Ol' Network benefits.
While some of them might not be able to earn enough votes to be elected city- or county-wide, these officials tend to maintain an advantage as long as they run for re-election within their districts.
This much hasn't changed: it's easier to remain a member of the Good Ol' Network than to become a new member.
And while you might complain about the Network as an outsider, once you're in, you're probably not going to continue complaining about it.
I don't expect Anderson-Groat, Perkins, or Rakestraw to complain that other at-large candidates aren't receiving as much attention or coverage.
I am hoping that the News & Record and other local media bend over backwards to provide as much coverage as possible for all serious candidates among the 33 who filed.
Waiting for such coverage might not be in candidates' best interests, however, if they sincerely hope to be elected.
Automatically working against the odds, candidates who don't already belong to the Good Ol' Network ought to be investigating and pursuing all possible means of leveling the playing field.
Having lots of money to spend on publicity is one way to improve one's chances of being elected.
Short of spending lots of money, candidates really ought to consider setting up and using their own blogs to get their names, images, personalities, and messages out.
I'm still waiting and wondering if it's possible for someone outside the Network to use a blog to generate enough attention and interest to win an election.
Unless some of the "newcomer" candidates find and use special campaign tools, it won't be too hard to predict which individuals will find themselves sitting on the city council for the next two years.
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Seymour's Purple Mind II: The Sequel Begins
Since I wrote my first letter to the editor as a high school student, the News & Record has served as a catalyst for much of my thinking about the world around me.
Knowing that not everyone is a fan of my hometown newspaper, I realize that some people will read that statement and feel sorry for me.
But from my perspective, I am thankful for and appreciative of all the information and ideas that I've gained from reading my local newspaper.
And understand that even though I agree with and support much of what is printed in the News & Record, I still regard myself as an independent, critical thinker.
I've already written too lengthy an introduction to my main point: I want to blame and thank both the News & Record and letter-to-the-editor writer Edward Carmichael of High Point for inspiring me to post a response, which has indirectly lead to me starting this sequel of a blog.
In trying to post my response, I almost lost it. ("It" referring to both my response and my cool.)
Very few things are as frustrating as taking the time to compose your thoughts and ideas, only to have them disappear.
I had successfully written some thoughts that had been swirling in my mind, and I felt that I had done a respectable job with the wording.
I wanted to publish my comments, but once I typed the key to post them on the News & Record's Letters to the Editor Blog, the comments seemed to disappear forever without successfully being posted.
I frantically went back, trying to retrieve the comments.
At first, I wasn't successful.
Finally, I found them.
I saved the comments elsewhere, and then tried to post again.
I still wasn't succesful.
Later, I used another computer, retrieved the saved comments, and then was able to post successfully.
The time I had taken to respond to Edward Carmichael's letter reminded me of what I liked about blogging when I first discovered the process: that I used blogging as motivation to read, think, and write more than usual.
And that I was able to record my thoughts, perhaps permanently (for better or worse, I know).
As I'm typing this, I've noticed a new blogger function. A quote bubble appears above the "SAVE NOW" button, and it reads: "Now Blogger saves your drafts automatically!"
Beside that same "SAVE NOW" button appears this notice: "Draft autosaved at 5:49 PM."
Certainly, a "new and improved" function, one custom-made for dummies who allow themselves to forget to save often as they type.
Knowing that not everyone is a fan of my hometown newspaper, I realize that some people will read that statement and feel sorry for me.
But from my perspective, I am thankful for and appreciative of all the information and ideas that I've gained from reading my local newspaper.
And understand that even though I agree with and support much of what is printed in the News & Record, I still regard myself as an independent, critical thinker.
I've already written too lengthy an introduction to my main point: I want to blame and thank both the News & Record and letter-to-the-editor writer Edward Carmichael of High Point for inspiring me to post a response, which has indirectly lead to me starting this sequel of a blog.
In trying to post my response, I almost lost it. ("It" referring to both my response and my cool.)
Very few things are as frustrating as taking the time to compose your thoughts and ideas, only to have them disappear.
I had successfully written some thoughts that had been swirling in my mind, and I felt that I had done a respectable job with the wording.
I wanted to publish my comments, but once I typed the key to post them on the News & Record's Letters to the Editor Blog, the comments seemed to disappear forever without successfully being posted.
I frantically went back, trying to retrieve the comments.
At first, I wasn't successful.
Finally, I found them.
I saved the comments elsewhere, and then tried to post again.
I still wasn't succesful.
Later, I used another computer, retrieved the saved comments, and then was able to post successfully.
The time I had taken to respond to Edward Carmichael's letter reminded me of what I liked about blogging when I first discovered the process: that I used blogging as motivation to read, think, and write more than usual.
And that I was able to record my thoughts, perhaps permanently (for better or worse, I know).
As I'm typing this, I've noticed a new blogger function. A quote bubble appears above the "SAVE NOW" button, and it reads: "Now Blogger saves your drafts automatically!"
Beside that same "SAVE NOW" button appears this notice: "Draft autosaved at 5:49 PM."
Certainly, a "new and improved" function, one custom-made for dummies who allow themselves to forget to save often as they type.
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