Next Topic Crisis!

I may have an issue for my next story.

I was planning an interview with a couple of guys I know of that are starting up their own filming studio. They've even been working on a project to take to the Salem Film Festival.

Although it's the opinion of the individual on if they're successful, I feel they're doing a good job at one of the harder parts of the entertainment business; they get themselves noticed. There's apparently been mishaps and misunderstandings that make for some interesting side stories I might include.

However, my problem is that it may not happen for this week's story. It's all up to if they, or at least the director of the films, are able to schedule an interview with me this week on Tuesday or Wednesday.

Otherwise, I'm at a real stump as to what to do a story on. I think the other two types, other than a profile, I have to fill are a news and an election story. Both of which I could pull something, but I'd rather have had it in my mind-set and had more time to brainstorm. I start brainstorming around Wednesday for my next story. So I hope this all works out.

DAC

As some people on campus may have noticed, it is official, the Multicultural center is no longer, but now the Diversity Achievement Center (DAC).

I recently attended an open forum discussing the change, to find many were at a disagreement with many of the decisions. Most people are upset by the removal or relocating of the artifacts that were on display. I decided I wanted my next news story to be on this.

The intentions seem well meaning, broadening services, the sense of community and who makes up that community at LBCC. However, a lot of people, especially those who made some sort of use of the space, feel a bit of loss.

One person suggested that the space could have stayed the same, but simply tracked use and needs by those using the space, or the lack there of by those not, to expand the center as it was.

There were statements of some people or groups feeling they didn't belong in the center. That some groups had seemed to stake claim to the space and they didn't feel welcomed. But as many of the people I've asked about it have expressed, not everyone is going to feel comfortable everywhere they go, and if it had to do with a difference in culture or ethnicity in the center, then all the more reason to maintain it, and make sure those differences, that are growing on campus, continue to be represented.

That does seem to be the center of the problems people have. There seems to be some displacement of the culture and personal touch brought by the students. Some think to expand services other areas on campus already work to help with.

In the end I'm not sure what to think, seeing as its been explained that the center was always open for everyone, that the artifacts were to simply share and educate others about different cultures. I feel the main change is the removal of the artifacts and a renaming. Turning it almost into a center for aid, sholarships, and transfer options, with cultural education on the side.

Presidential Debate in Nashville

I, like quite a few I'm sure, watched the presidential debate last night.

Of course the first question out was the economy. I have to admit, this is a topic I'm stomped on a solution. I know whats not helping, but I'm not confident on what will help or fix it either. The only thing that strikes me as off is the fact that the topic of taxes seems like such a sensitive subject, and canidates step around it like glass.

I feel that when we hear one area, like education, getting it's funds cut, that that is because people aren't putting money into the government through taxes to cover it. The richest 1% of our population, with about 80%+ of the country's money, are constantly receiving tax cuts.

But in the first part of the debate I have linked, McCain still states he wants everyone to have lowered taxes. But I've only heard tax cuts applied to the upper class. Then the question is, where does the money for street repair, public schools, and other human services come from if we're constantly taking taxes out of the picture?

"Blindness" Makes Me Go "Hmm" and "Huh?" and "Ugh!"

This weekend I went to the theater and saw Blindness. I went in thinking the movie was going to show some great adaptation of human life after the population is suddenly overcome with blindness, and how many of those in power are determined to hide this development any way they find necessary.

Well, the second part was somewhat accurate. However, it was more about the corruption, panicked, and inhuman behaviors that develop after those that become blind are quarantined and left to care and fend for themselves. One of the first scenes we see a man that becomes blind while driving. People offer their assistance, and one even offers to drive him home. My first thought was that was a bad idea. This man was a complete stranger, and being left with a suddenly blinded man. In fact it does turn out to be a bad idea, as he eventually steals the blind man's car.

This is only the beginning. Throughout the entire movie people are being horribly treated, left vulnerable, killed, starved, and so on. All because of this mysterious, sweeping blindness. It became difficult to watch the screen several times. The only hope is the main character, a wife to a doctor, who pretends to be blind and ends up in quarantine with him and about a hundred others. But even she creates an overwhelming feeling of hopelessness, as she cares for all the rest.

There was a lot of unanswered questions, like why they became blind? There's a lot that just left me feeling horrible, even sick at times. But still, there were elements of the story that were touching and compelling.

This Story Business Can Be Tough

I don't really find writing that difficult. I've been told by some I even have a talent for it. But despite that, I over-analyze assignments, and probably make the choice of what to write more difficult.

I've been juggling around with several different ideas for stories. The roadblock I kept meeting, "what would my sources be?" Too many of my ideas were coming off more opinion based than something to gather actual facts on. I could go around, ask staff and students, but the only thing factual would be how they feel, and not in the "how do you feel about the campus" way, more so in the "how do you feel about this...?" and running into a roadblock for getting the other side of the story, or enough people with information of the other side. Maybe I'm starting off viewing our assignments wrong. But I want to keep things closer to the school and community as well.

I ended up rethinking things, looked over the school calendar and people I know or have met around campus, and things I think a. I think I actually have a good line-up of about 3-4 stories, and may struggle putting a good 5th together. But I do figure that this is an election year, which only comes around every 4, so I might as well have a story related to that, if I have no other ideas. I'm sure I'm not the only one.

My Return

I find it really hard to get myself situated this term. It's like my brain won't register that it's no longer summer and that a new term has begun. Looking back, I think my summer was so chaotic, filled with the most I think I've ever done in the past 20 summers of my life combined.

I'm slowly attempting to adjust, although I realize I need to be quicker about it. I do feel like an old, tired vet here on campus with a large group of fresh, confused, and anxious cadets. I overhear all these questions and concerns people have about their first year and their new experiences here on campus, and I find myself the seasoned student, knowing the campus almost top to bottom.

I was starting to think it was just from my time being here and getting to know how things functioned. However, spending some time with friends on campus, I realized it's not just that. Some have been here as long as I have, and are just now seeing certain things like the new Learning Center, or haven't learned the importance of getting their required text within the first week.

Something that seems to be continuous through courses this term is the fact that the subjects are things Ienjoy and have an interest in, but am not entirely confident in when a grade is applied. I look forward to this News Reporting and Writing course, as well as my other courses, and hope that I can perform to the best of my abilities, improve on some things, and be happy with the turnout.