Heidi's Blog

Bring on the Storm!

2009-03-30T21:05:00.000-04:00

I have waited two long years for a new phone, thanks to Verizon and their 'fantastic' upgrade policy, but I finally got a new cell phone, and not just any phone, but the BlackBerry Storm. Just the name makes you shiver. Anyhow, I'm already addicted to this thing. It does everything from text messaging, photos, videos, web surfing and more. I can actually edit my blog from virtually anywhere. I can check e-mail world-wide (not that I'm going anywhere). And I have to mention the great music player. It's like having a boombox in my back pocket!

The touch screen on this thing is pretty cool. I checked out a bunch of phones at my local Verizon store, but the Storm is different. You can scroll with your finger but there are no "accidental clicks." On the BlackBerry, you have to actually push the screen. So far it has worked pretty well. The only downside was that my other phone died when I went to the Verizon store so they couldn't move all of my numbers to my new phone. I had to go back the next day. I also didn't get a manual or the CDs with my purchase, so I have to go back AGAIN. Oh well, that's what we have the Internet for, right? Look up a problem on Google and bam, problem solved.

Another down side to this thing is you can't text as fast as any regular, non-PDA phone. Or maybe it's just because I'm not used to it yet. One major thing I don't like is that you have to close all applications once you are done using them. You cannot simply push the big red 'end' button. Once again, oh well, what can you do?

A giant plus on this phone is the amount of memory (8GB+). You can take and store Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents. It's really simple (drag and drop) and very easy to edit documents.

I heard from the Verizon techs that new Blackberry apps will be out next month. I can't wait. The whole system is supposed to be similar to the iPhone, but I've never used it so I can't really say.

If you really like technology and staying connected to the world, this phone is great. If you're looking for something cheap and easy, forget it.

Phelps sighting

2009-02-05T21:38:00.008-05:00

Michael Phelps was recently seen at 4:40 this afternoon at the Towson Walmart on Joppa Road in Towson, Maryland, just moments before giving his first on-camera interview to WBAL-TV 11 News following recent marijuana allegations. Phelps was allegedly caught on camera smoking marijuana last year at the University of South Carolina. Can Phelps get rid of this 'bad boy' image or is it too late?

The Michael Phelps fan page on Facebook says "Hey guys - thanks for your comments. I really appreciate you standing by me…this has been tough…I meant what I said, I made a mistake and I’m sorry. And for those who are mad at me or no longer support me, all I can say is I'm sorry."

2008-11-25T07:36:00.006-05:00

A different look at Christmas trees. :)

Obama Wins!

2008-11-05T07:12:00.002-05:00

President-elect Barack Obama makes history as he took the stage in Chicago last night announcing his win for the electoral vote for presidency. As the first African American president in history, Obama won 338 to 158 over senator John McCain. Congrats Obama, I can't wait to see what you've you got!

BGE Clearcutting

2008-10-29T19:36:00.002-04:00

BGE has recently started clearcutting again on Cromwell Bridge Road. This video clip will show just how many trees are being taken down on the "scenic byway."

TU and Effect on Community

2008-10-27T17:31:00.002-04:00

An anonymous source recently posted this question:

"Heidi, Very interesting. So what is your take on the effect Towson University is having on the surrounding communities?"

Well, I have a few opinions. As a student, I have seen firsthand how the community ostracized Towson University from building more dorms closer to the heart of Towson. However, I also can't blame them. After living on campus for three years, I know how Towson students can be-loud, obnoxious and down right awful. I've seen vandalism, drinking, and of course, there's the noise factor.
Now the problem; Towson University must grow. There's just no other option. Parking takes at least half an hour if you're lucky, only freshman are guaranteed living spaces and TU doesn't really have any more land to grow upon. Essentially, for the time being, we can only grow up and not outwards.

So, there has to be a solution, whether it is building more dorms throughout Towson and conducting some sort of noise regulation, or housing students further away from the heart of downtown and using shuttle buses to cart students back and forth.

I know the majority of the community has several discrepancies with TU, and I respect that, but we all need to put ourselves in the other person's shoes.

How would you feel if you weren't guaranteed housing your sophomore year of college and you lived 2,000 miles away? Or how would you feel if I lived next door and partied through the night blaring my stereo for the whole neighborhood to hear? Just a few things to think about. All comments welcome!

Examiner

2008-10-25T07:58:00.005-04:00

I am happy to announce that I have recently accepted an offer from Examiner.com. I will be an "Examiner" for them about Towson University and the surrounding community. My focus will be hard news, although I may venture off to food reviews, sports, photos, etc. I will be starting the blog in the next week or two and when I do I'll make sure to post the link.

Accident

2008-10-23T08:44:00.003-04:00

Last Wednesday I stumbled upon yet another accident scene. This one wasn't pretty. Two cars were involved in the crash on Glen Arm Road near Glen Meadows Retirement Community at 10:30 p.m.

As I pulled up to the scene, there was a stretch of police, fire and ambulance vehicles that blocked both sides of the street, about a quarter mile long. Firefighters were just putting flare sticks down and police had not yet begun their investigation. As I passed a few people standing on the street, I asked them what happened. Many didn't know and only one nurse stood idly by watching as fireman tried to free the trapped.

Two people were trapped in a small red car, which had flipped and landed on it's side. I was there, taking photos as the driver was freed from the car. A waiting ambulance crew took the individual into the ambulance to assess vitals. I could tell the person was conscious, but just barely.

Police soon asked me to back away from the scene as a Medivac prepared to land in a neighbors front yard. One officer threatened to take my camera, but after informing him of my rights, he decided otherwise. I then proceeded back to my car, not knowing if the second individual made it out alive.

Technology

2008-10-03T20:16:00.000-04:00

So why is it that society is now so dependant on technology? How did we ever survive without it? Can you remember the last time you used a typewriter or perhaps didn't have your cell phone in your pocket? I can't.

Isn't that sad? I don't know about everyone else, but I can't go a day without checking my e-mail, cell phone messages, texting or just surfing the web. I had a challenge for one of my classes last semester: Go one week without your favorite piece of technology, whether it was a laptop, cell phone, iPOD, etc. I couldn't do it. I had to use my computer for class because professors want everything typed. I use my cell phone every day to let my family know I'm alive. I probably could have gone without television, but then again, no.

What do you think? Could you go one week without your favorite technology item? What about one day? Go ahead, try it. I dare you.

Eagle Eye

2008-09-27T17:04:00.003-04:00

I am pleased to say I saw a great movie today, "Eagle Eye." As much as I don't want to do a movie review, I'll give you some of the good and bad points of this film.

Eagle Eye kept me on my toes the entire hour and 58 minutes. This movie, rated PG-13, was action packed and made you have second thoughts about what the goverment can and can't do in today's society.

The synopsis: "Jerry Shaw (LaBeouf) and Rachel Holloman (Monaghan) are two strangers thrown together by a mysterious phone call from a woman they have never met. Threatening their lives and family, she pushes Jerry and Rachel into a series of increasingly dangerous situations, using the technology of everyday life to track and control their every move. As the situation escalates, these two ordinary people become the country's most wanted fugitives, who must work together to discover what is really happening-and more importantly, why." (Internet Movie Database)

The downside: The ending makes you wonder if there will be a second Eagle Eye. Other than that, there's nothing really bad to say about this movie. Although some aspects may be considered more science fiction, to some people this movie may be quite realistic.

I'll let you choose for yourself. Get your tickets here.

Suspect Maced

2008-09-19T20:41:00.001-04:00

As I left a Towson University football game on the evening of September sixth, I was passed once again by several cop cars. I attempted to follow the cars as they passed me one by one, however, traffic was very heavy and made it difficult to pass other cars. Eventually I lost sight of all of the cop cars. By this time I was up by Northern Parkway. I stopped for a few minutes and just sat and listened. I could hear more cop cars headed my way but they weren't passing me. I turned around and finally found them about a half mile back in the parking lot of a shopping center. By the time I got there a suspect was circled by cop cars and had already been doused with pepper spray and arrested. The ambulance pulled up about three minutes after I arrived.

Apparently the suspect had allegedly robbed a Giant food store on York Road and proceeded to flee. A good citizen happened to flag down a passing cop and the suspect was almost immediately apprehended.

According to a Fortunato's employee, the same suspect allegedly stole a tip jar from the Italian restaurant a week earlier. The suspect was transported to a nearby hospital and will most likely be charged with shoplifting.

Dumbarton Evacuates

2008-09-05T16:16:00.005-04:00

Once again, I happened to stumble upon a great news story. As I was driving back from Sociology class Wednesday evening, September 3, I stopped at a red light and watched three firetrucks, 3 cop cars and an ambulance pass me. Of course I had to turn and follow.

After catching up, I found that all of the commotion was coming from Dumbarton Middle School. Cops had already re-directed traffic and hundreds of people flooded the street. It just so happened that Dumbarton was having their back to school night when someone saw smoke inside the school. The smoke was reported to the principal, the school was quickly evacuated and the proper officials were called.

Now the fun part, all of this for a faulty light bulb. That's OK though, better safe than sorry, right? According to the Principal, Nancy Fink, approximately 750-900 people were evacuated. Some parents immediately went home while others waited for news.

Check it out...Towson Times article

Safe

2008-09-01T20:25:00.000-04:00

Well, I can't believe I'm saying this but, it seems as though the levees in New Orleans have held. Although Gustav has not completely moved out of the area, it is likely that the levees have conquered the worst. To my suprise, most of the levees in New Orleans just topped off, rather than fell down. One more day and I think we'll have an absolute answer. Now if we could just build the levees a little higher.

Will They Hold?

2008-09-01T09:37:00.000-04:00

According to the National Geographic magazine, Bob Bea, a professor in the Department of Civil and Enviromental Engineering at the University of California assessed the New Orleans levees two years after hurricane Katrina hit.

Joel K. Bourne, Jr., Senior Editor of the National Geographic wrote "Other weak spots in the system noted by Bea include decade-old gaps in the floodwalls lining the Orleans Avenue Canal and hurricane-damaged sections of the walls along the London Avenue and 17th Street Canals that have not been repaired or replaced. Bea also believes water could seep under the stout new floodwall erected along the Industrial Canal to protect the Lower Ninth Ward."

The Congressional Research Service (CRS) put out a report for Congress in September 2005, about one week after hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans. This report includes information on the levees and hurricane damage protection.

This report claims "Protecting New Orleans has been an increasingly difficult task. First, the city has become increasingly vulnerable. Land in the city has subsided; barrier islands and wetlands buffering coastal Louisiana have been disappearing; and sea levels have risen. These factors have contributed to speculation that the existing storm damage protection infrastructure was not providing Category 3 protection."

The report also added "Decisions on what type and level of hurricane protection to provide New Orleans and other coastal areas in the future, as well as factors contributing to Katrina’s damages (Category 3 infrastructure, and levee and floodwall construction, maintenance, and appropriations) likely will be the subject of congressional oversight."

So what does all this mean? Well, in simple terms, the levees in New Orleans were not built to withstand category three hurricanes and they still aren't. Although some of the levees on the East side of New Orleans were re-built, a few levees on the West side were left untouched, therefore leaving New Orleans susceptible to the wrath of hurricane Gustav.

Level Three

2008-09-01T07:12:00.000-04:00

Gustav, still a level three hurricane is now a little less than 100 miles off shore, South of New Orleans. Even though the eye has not yet made landfall, some tornadoes have already been spotted South of New Orleans and hurricane force winds are reported at 90 mph and gusts of 115 mph. At 6 a.m. the National Hurricane Center posted an update: Maximum sustained winds are 115 mph and sustained winds off shore are 73 mph.

Holes?

2008-08-31T08:37:00.004-04:00

Gustav, now a category four hurricane, has yet to reach the warmer waters of the Gulf Coast. As the hurricane passes through these warm waters, it will pick up in intensity and is currently expected to make landfall as a category four hurricane. Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama all have hurricane warnings and mandatory evacuations. Hurricane watches are in effect for portions of Texas and Florida.

In the mean time, mandatory evacuations have allowed New Orleans to create a contra-flow on all highways (all traffic flow goes in one direction) to get residents out. Mayor Nagin told CNN this morning that some of the levees in New Orleans were never completely fixed and those that were fixed have holes that were not plugged up.

Okay holes!? What were these people thinking? It's bad enough they tried to stop hurricane Katrina with sand bags, but now New Orleans has to face a possible category four hurricane with holes in their levees. Don't we live in America? We give billions of dollars in aid to other countires, but we can't afford to fix our own levees? Or is it that we didn't have enough time? Because I thought three years would have been plenty of time to fix the levees and even add more security measures. All we can do now is cross our fingers and pray.

Gustav Creeps Closer

2008-08-30T07:03:00.002-04:00

As hurricane Gustav pushes on towards New Orleans, updates are flooding in. Gustav is now predicted to reach landfall early Tuesday. Mayor Ray Nagin is already thikning about evacuating. Prisoners are currently being moved further inland, people are spreading the news of a possible evacuation by word of mouth, and buses and trains are standing by. This time there will be no 'safe haven' in New Orleans. If you don't get out now, you're all alone.

Gustav: Three Years Later

2008-08-29T23:10:00.000-04:00

After three long years of trying to rebuild, New Orleans is now faced with yet another hurricane, Gustav. As the seventh hurricane of the season quickly approaches New Orleans, Gustav is expected to reach the already battered city as a level three hurricane sometime Monday. Evacuations may be announced as early as 5 a.m. on Saturday, August 30 and buses and trains are already standing by. For more information on this particular hurricane, please visit the National Hurricane Center. Additional posts will be made as more information becomes available.

Sunrise, Sunset

2008-08-29T21:39:00.002-04:00

Salvia

2008-08-24T20:00:00.004-04:00

I've been working on a lot of nature photos recently. Here are a few flowers. Enjoy!

Trip

2008-07-17T22:02:00.002-04:00

Make this summer a good one. Take a trip somewhere, maybe to nowhere. Get away. Be by yourself or go with someone you like. Over time I've learned that stress plays a huge factor in everyday activities.

If you're overly stressed about an issue you might lose sleep, lose interest in hobbies or even lose your insanity. As the summer months fly by, I find myself working 12-15 hour days, wondering why I haven't taken time for myself.

Don't let the summer whisk you away without catching a glimpse of a sunset over the bay, fireworks at a ball game or riding the Ferris wheel at a carnival in the parking lot of a mall. Whatever you do, make it fun. You don't have to spend a ton of money to have fun either.

Here are a few suggestions:

Go bowling
Take a walk on the boardwalk
Watch a sunset/sunrise
Play a recreational sport with friends
Go to a free concert in your local park
Go fishing
Have a yard sale

Obviously there are lots of fun things to do in your area. Check out your state Web site for fun tips. Enjoy your summer while you can; it won't last long!

Helping Hand

2008-06-08T07:39:00.004-04:00

Last summer I worked at Camp Conowingo in Conowingo, Maryland. Here I had training in first aid, CPR, AED and lifeguarding. This all came in handy on June 7th when I came across an accident scene.

I started my weekend off early and left for Virginia to attend a D-Day survivors reunion. I left the reunion on Saturday with the intention to visit the D-Day memorial with my stepfather. It was 22 miles out of the way, but it was well worth the trip.

So about 15 miles into the journey, we came across an accident scene where a small vehicle had rear-ended the back of a mini-van. As we drove slowly by I noticed both vehicles were totalled and there were no ambulances or firetrucks on site. I told my stepdad we had to stop and help.

As I exited the car and began to survey the scene, I realized I was 'first on scene.' As I assessed the scene, I asked a few people if anyone had called 9-1-1 and they did. So I quickly began assessing who needed attention and who was okay. Just then an off duty EMT pulled up. He was very helpful as it was just the two of us for about 20 minutes.

There were four victims total. Two ladies and one gentleman in the smaller vehicle were injured. The man was bleeding from the nose and one older lady was bleeding from the mouth, but they were both okay. They could answer questions coherently and had no other pain. The other lady in the car was complaining of back, neck, shoulder and leg pain. Before I arrived, bystanders told me she had already walked herself to the median and then realized she was in pain. So we had her lay down and stay put. The EMT stayed with her while I went to check on the victims in the car that got rear-ended.

At this time firefighters had arrived, but they quickly went to work on the cars, unplugging batteries and such. Apparently they didn't have training in medical situations and couldn't help the sole EMT and I, so we continued without assistance.

The car that got rear-ended also had two ladies in it. They were part of a wedding party and others that were following came over and were standing around. It was hard to determine who was in the accident and who wasn't. So I asked everyone that was not involved to please back up. I quickly determined that only a mother and daughter had been in the car. They were both moving around and looking for a cell phone that had flown into the back seat. I tried to calm them down and had them both sit and breath so they wouldn't go into shock. The mother that was in this vehicle tried to stand up and felt sharp back pain and quickly sat back down. I instructed her to stay still while I tried to open the back door. I was going to put her in a C-Spine hold until paramedics arrived.

I couldn't open the back door. It was a sliding door that had been jammed on impact so I held the lady's head still from the front and told a relative to tell the EMT she had back pain. He did and the EMT came over as the paramedics finally arrived and took over the victim of the first car. It took the EMT a few hard pulls, but he finally got the rear door of the van open and he took over in holding her neck still.

It was at least 95 degrees that day and I was running back and forth from car to car in a pair of flip flops. I was relaying information to the paramedics about the other C-Spine victim and also trying to find out when the other ambulance would arrive. Until it did, the EMT was stuck holding this lady's neck in a very hot car.

After about 40 minutes on scene, the second ambulance finally arrived. Come to find out they had another accident not to far away. I directed them towards the older lady in the mini-van and went back to help the victim from the small car. The ambulance that was helping this woman was only carrying one paramedic and an intern. The paramedic sent the intern to help the other ambulance and now it was just him and I. We put a neck collar on the woman, gently rolled her, placed her on a backboard and strapped her in. The poor woman was sweating, and had the sun directly in her face, so I lent her my hat. The hardest part of all this was trying to strap her in. She was lying in the median with four inch tall grass underneath of her. Needless to say, we were out there for a while.

After we loaded everyone into the waiting ambulances, I thanked the paramedics and got back on the road, headed towards the D-Day memorial. It was a memorable day and I was glad I had the knowledge and training to help where I was needed. Thanks Camp Conowingo!

Lessons Learned

2008-05-06T22:37:00.000-04:00

Where do I start? I've learned a lot in my Writing for New Media class, but I've made plenty of mistakes along the way. Let's take it page by page, shall we?

My homepage is a little 'blah,' in the sense that I had no idea where to start when using Dreamweaver. This program was completely new to me and to be honest, I was a little intimidated.

I'm still putting the finishing touches on my intro, which I'm glad we saved for last. This is probably one of the more challenging pieces because I need it to be catchy, and colorful. It took a long time to put this together, so I'm hoping it was worth it. I'm still attempting to make the pictures a different color when you rollover them.

On the next page, my first text module, I can see where I went wrong. First of all, I should have added more quotes to this story. Secondly, as I was warned, it turned out to be more like a brochure, stating information about the company, rather than the interesting information. I also didn't take the time to read, re-read, and re-read again. If I had done so, I wouldn't have made so many AP errors. It always helps to have someone look over your work.

On my second text module, I made the mistake of confusing a news story and a feature story. I thought I was supposed to go for newsworthiness, and so I did. Unfortunately, that was a big mistake. This story was also a little on the short side. If I could do it over again, I'd add more quotes and more facts.

The FAQ. Oh boy did I mess that one up. I should have asked and answered more intriguing questions, and more of them. I had 10 questions when I probably could have had 20.

After re-doing my slideshow time and time again, I thought it turned out okay. I wish I had more time with it so I could have added more photos, but there's just not enough hours in a day. If I could, I would have also liked to turn in two versions of the slideshow. Maybe future students will get this option?

I added an extra page on my Web site with a Google gadget for visitors to get directions to TALMAR. I thought this was a neat application and it's so easy to use that everyone should have one on their site.

In addition, I also added a Meet the Staff page to my Web site. I thought this would be a cool addition to the site and I had been looking forward to creating it for a few weeks. I took all of the staff members, gave them each a photo and a bio and created links to each of them. When I continue to work on my site, I'll fix the few spelling errors I have and give each staff member a podcast and slideshow.

My last page is the 'extra' page where my classmates and I had to put something extra on our Web site such as a map, graphic or chart. Professor Lieb suggested that I make a map of all of the places that TALMAR associates with. For some reason my background disappeared on this page. It's also a little boring becase there's nothing but a link. I guess I could add a few photos to it in the future.

Overall, the lessons I learned where these:
Work your butt off (If you think you've worked hard enough, think again)
Double check your work (Have someone proofread EVERYTHING)
Get more sources (There's always more, you just have to look for them)
Ask questions (It's okay to get confused and there's no such thing as a dumb questions, so they say)
Write as you speak (Don't try to be all fancy, it doesn't get you anywhere)

Although I've had a tough time keeping up in this class, it was well worth it. If I hadn't taken this class, I would have no clue what HMTL was or how to use it. I would have never made a podcast. I wouldn't have learned all that I know now.

The good thing about learning all of this stuff is that I have been hired to create TALMAR's new Web site. I am pleased to say that Cate Murphy, director of TALMAR, loves the new site I have created for her and she can't wait to display it. Yay me!

Podcast2

2008-05-05T09:03:00.001-04:00

boomp3.com

Podcast1

2008-05-05T09:01:00.001-04:00

boomp3.com

Last Hurrah

2008-04-29T19:39:00.000-04:00

So I'm finishing up a few last things for my Writing for New Media class and I have some advice for future students. First of all, the format will change next year. Writing for New Media will be split into two classes, so I'm not really sure which assignments go with which classes, but I can tell you this; it's a lot of work.

First of all, make sure you have time to complete all assignments and complete them well. Professor Lieb is an excellent professor, but when it comes to grading, he doesn't mess around. Also, have a clear idea of what you want to write about in mind. You will have to complete three written stories, a slideshow (with audio), two podcasts, an FAQ or primer, and some sort of addition to your Web site, such as a Google map.

Secondly, I would advise taking Digital Publishing before taking Writing for New Media. I believe this will be a requirement for next year and I've heard it makes New Media a lot easier. In addition to all of the above, students must also learn to master several programs like Adobe Photoshop, Dreamweaver, Audacity and some sort of slideshow maker like iMovie. It's not really difficult, but like I said before, it takes a lot of time. I spent about two weeks on my slideshow between figuring out how to use the program Sony Vegas and actually putting all of the components together.

Lastly, if you get the chance to pick a topic for your multimedia package, make sure it's something you're really passionate about. Also, make sure it's somewhere close by so you can travel to this place and spend all of your time there gathering facts, background noise, etc.

Now for what I would change about the class. If I had any say in what should be required of students next year, I would have only two text modules to accompany the rest of the multimedia package. I think three is overwhelming.

I also thought the syllabus was a little confusing with all of the module numbers. I accidentally confused a text module with my slideshow module at one point. Then again, maybe it was just me.

I did like the blog assignment. I had tried to create a blog a few times before, but failed because I couldn't keep it updated every day or even every week. I'm glad that I finally got the chance to keep my blog going. Hopefully it will be an asset to me in the future. The blog also helped keep me on track as to what I wanted to do for my next module. I kept my notes on this blog, who I wanted to interview next, etc.

In the end, I really learned a lot from this class. I learned HTML, I learned how to make a podcast, I learned how not to make an FAQ, and most importanly I learned the skills that are quickly becoming a part of my profession. Thank you professor Lieb, I hope I didn't disappoint!

Crazy

2008-04-25T23:42:00.000-04:00

Here are a few articles I've recently come across. Basically, enough said.

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/newyork/ny-bc-ny--policeshooting-op0425apr25,0,3993270.story

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/24/business/media/24tribune.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/04/25/twitter.buck/index.html

Are we there yet?

2008-04-23T00:24:00.000-04:00

It's amazing how much a story can change over the course of editing, especially when using photos and audio. I've been working on my slideshow now for about two and a half weeks and it seems to change every five minutes.

I started with the basic photos. I knew which photos I wanted to use in order to get my message across. The next addition to the slideshow was music. I got in touch with an old friend, Graham Summers (who by the way is a great singer/guitarist), and he told me I could add some of his music to my photos. It didn't stop there.

Then I added some audio. I started with a large amount of audio that I had to sift through in order to find what I wanted. After I found my 15 seconds or so of audio, I added it to the music. Easier said than done. You have to equalize (turn down) the volume on the music so you can hear the audio.

Next, I found out that I needed a longer audio clip in order to complete this slideshow. Also easier said than done. It seems that when you change one thing, you must change everything, unfortunately.

My next module will contain two podcasts. One interview will feature Karen Volz of Baltimore County Recreation and Parks. The second interview may feature a patron of TALMAR's. The second interview will be more difficult as most perspective patrons have mental or physical disabilities.

Writing for New Media

2008-04-16T11:38:00.000-04:00

So I finally finished this slideshow. I began by taking photos, listening and learning. I then took a few audio clips and found some music I could use from an old friend. Then I put it all together. This was a very difficult process since I do not own iMovie. I tried to download a trial version of iMovie, but it just wouldn't work, no matter what I tried. So I looked online for a similar PC version and found Sony Vegas. It's a really neat program and somewhat easy to use, but it wouldn't save my project as an MP3 file. I had to take the time to learn this program so I could figure out what I was doing. In addition, I used Audacity to edit my sound clip and music for the slideshow. It may not be as good of a slideshow as swimming with manatees, but I think it turned out great.

© 2008 Heidi Greenleaf

For my next module, I was thinking of using a map of TALMAR. I'm not too sure how I'll put it together yet, but I know that Google Gadgets (a.k.a. widgets) are excellent additions to a Web site. On the map, I could show TALAMR's location and the surrounding features like the Loch Raven Resevoir and hiking trails in Cromwell Valley Park.

National Geographic: The Human Heart

2008-04-08T20:01:00.000-04:00

For my multimedia package, I chose to critique the National Geographic’s Web site of “The Human Heart.” This site was put together by the National Geographic staff and most of the photos on this site were taken by Robert Clark.

The purpose of this package is to inform readers of the differences between a healthy heart, a non-healthy heart, and what causes a heart attack. The site has added a Heart Health Quiz to gain readers’ attention and allow them to make good or bad health decisions. The quiz is compiled of nine questions about food, exercise and heart anatomy.

When I first reviewed “The Human Heart” Web site, I thought it would take a long time to look over, however; I learned that the site only take about 15 minutes to navigate. The main page is broken up into three segments, Healthy Heart, Heart Attack and Heart Health Quiz.

The Healthy Heart section begins by telling you about the basics of a human heart. It explains how oxygen feeds through the body and the pumping action of the heart, which you can hear at different levels. This part of the site allows you to click on a virtual runner who will rest, walk or run. As the pace of the runner quickens, so does the heart beat. I particularly liked this part of the site because you can easily relate this to daily life. Now I know my approximate heart beat when I’m walking (or running) to class.

In the Heart Attack section of this site, there is a diagram that takes you through a heart attack, step-by-step. I thought this was an excellent feature to understand how a heart attack actually occurs. If someone in my family had suffered from a heart attack, I would most likely visit this site to better understand what had happened. The site even explains the treatment options someone has after suffering from a heart attack.

I think the printable section of this site was okay. It wasn’t anything spectacular as it had three print outs, but you couldn’t open the documents, only print them out. Also, after printing each diagram out, the picture of the heart was a little fuzzy. It seems like they took a small version of the heart picture and blew it up, causing it to become pixilated.

In addition to the three aspects of this Web site, there is also a link to Featured Articles on the main page. The three articles are “Mending Broken Hearts,” the “Heart Photo Gallery” and “Heart Health.” Before clicking on “Mending Broken Hearts,” be aware that there are many graphic photos on this site, to include a brief video/slideshow/flipbook put together and narrated by Clark.

The Heart Photo Gallery is another link to all of Clark’s photographs. Through this link, you can gain access to Clark’s field notes. It’s basically a Q & A type of page. You can also look at notes from the field reporter, Jennifer Kahn. If you click on Heart Health, it’s just another link to “Mending Broken Hearts.”

This site has many aspects to it, in terms of parts of the heart and accompanying text, photos and video, and given that only two individuals worked on this presentation; I feel they did an excellent job telling their story. However, I do believe there could have been more audio. For example, when you’re navigating your way through the Healthy Heart section, they could have had someone speaking instead of having to read the text. I like the pumping of the heart sound, but it was silent after that. On a lighter note, I thought the animation of the heart in this project was excellent. The diagram was created very well and displayed all of the features in an easy-to-understand format. Overall, I liked the site and found it very educational.

Slideshow Module

2008-04-08T19:35:00.000-04:00

Well I've started working on my slideshow and this is what I have so far. I'm going to add some audio and a few more photos, and I might even do the whole thing over.

I wanted the pictures to flip through quickly. First I have the people, then the property, pots, seeds and the final product, flowers. I know this isn't the finished product but I need some feedback. How does the music sound? Who do you want to hear from? Do the pictures flip too quickly?

NCAA

2008-04-06T02:26:00.000-04:00

For those of you who enjoy college basketball, the final two teams in the NCAA have been determined. Memphis and Kansas will battle it out on April 7th at 8:30 p.m. in San Antonio, TX.

The Memphis Tigers overtook the UCLA Bruins in the first game of the night with a score of 78-63. In the second game, the North Carolina Tar Heels took a beating of 82-63 by the Kansas City Jayhawks.

For more information, visit NCAA.com.

Slideshow

2008-04-04T00:09:00.000-04:00

Okay, here it is, my first blog post that includes a slideshow. It did have music, but I had to erase the music so I wouldn't be sued. So until I get permission rights, here it is. This is a slideshow about my two sisters.

Wahoo!

2008-04-03T01:17:00.000-04:00

Get this, I'm in my living room, typing on my blog which is on the INTERNET!!! I'm so excited, after two months, I finally have the Internet and it's all thanks to Brian from Comcast at extension 7372 and his supervisor John Plaster.

The Story:
I've been calling Comcast since Febuary 1st, 2008. I already have cable, all I needed to do was add the Internet. The first week wasn't so bad. I called Comcast and they sent someone out to do a "site survey." That's when all of the problems started. Apparetly the guy who came out to do the site survey told Comcast that my house was 'in servicable,' which means that they couldn't physically run a line to the house. HELLO!? Did I miss something because I thought I already had a cable line running to the house?

The Issue:
After repeatedly calling Comcast nearly every day, I finally realized what the issue was. Comcast was having what's called a "failure to communicate." One department wasn't talking to the other and so on. Eventually, about a month into this problem, I found out that tellers were putting in e-mail requests to the site and design team. Now get this; every time you put a new e-mail request in to site and design regarding the same account, it wipes out the previous e-mail, pushing your setup date further and further back. Can you believe it? Me neither. And they still haven't fixed this problem.

The solution:
I finally got so fed up with Comcast that I went out and bought a cable modem and a router. I was going to attempt to get the Internet signal from my employer, which is about 600 feet away from my house. It didn't work. From what Brian told me, the modem sends a signal to the router which doesn't let you connect to the Internet until you setup a Comcast account. So after calling Comcast at 8:30 p.m. and speaking to Brian until about 10:00 p.m., the problem is solved. It was as easy as 1, 2, 3. All Brian had to do was plug in my modem number and here I am typing on the Internet. Isn't life great? For those who live without the Internet, I'm so sorry.

Website

2008-04-02T21:06:00.000-04:00

Okay so I'm really excited that I just created my first Web site from scratch. I've taken articles and photos and added them to the site. And let me tell you, it's not as easy as it looks. It's taken me quite a few weeks, but I've finally got the hang of it (I hope). I'll wait to see what professor Lieb says and get back to you.

In the mean time, check out my site. In the next few weeks I will be adding more photos, a slideshow, some audio clips, and maybe even a video. That is-if I have time. And working without the Internet is still a challenge in itself. I still call Comcast every day, and still no response. You'd think if someone was trying to throw money in your face, you'd grab it as quick as possible. I guess not.

Anyhow, enjoy the site, let me know what you think, and don't hesitate to leave any feedback. The more help I can get, the better!

Review of Slideshows

2008-03-30T14:24:00.000-04:00

After viewing the Washington Post Camera Works slideshow, I got to see the beauty of Washington DC’s cherry blossoms. They made a story out of cherry blossom trees, but they also included people in the surrounding area. One photo, for instance, had a family walking underneath the beautiful trees. Another picture featured a man standing under the trees taking pictures. I’m a big nature photography fan, and besides spot news, nature is almost all of what I shoot. I’m pretty good at making slideshows, but I only use photos and music, so when it comes time to make my slideshow for Writing for New Media class, I think I’ll try something new. I don’t think I’ll have time for a flipbook, but I liked an idea someone from the Washington Post had. Use still images, audio, video, and music.

I have also reviewed Why Photojournalists Should Gather Audio. Brian Storm, the author of this column and president of MediaStorm, says photojournalists should gather audio to further enhance slideshows. In our day and age of technology, you have to be on the tip of your toes, ready to grab any information that heads your way. Some information is better viewed through pictures, while other information is best heard straight from the horse’s mouth, so to speak. I also believe that there is a difference in a photo slideshow with audio and a video. The difference is this: still photos. Like I said earlier, I love the slideshow someone at The Post put together. It used all black and white images and a combination of still images and short clips of video. Personally, I also like black and white photos, but there’s a limit to how much you can shoot in black and white. If I’m shooting cherry blossoms for example, I probably won’t go with black and white.

Lunch 'n' Listen

2008-03-29T22:51:00.000-04:00

This weekend was full of adventure. For those who didn’t attend this year’s SPJ Lunch ‘n’ Listen event, you really should have. We had guest speakers:

Erica Kritt: Carroll County Times
Tiffany Black: InStyle.com/SportsIllustrated.com
Anna Ditkoff: Baltimore City Paper
Brian Stelter: The New York Times
Christina Bellantoni: The Washington Times
Sarah Breitenbach: Frederick News Post
Sharon Leff: The Towerlight
Jenny Atwater: Towson University
John Anglim: WMAR
Jeff Newman: Intern at The Baltimore Sun
Glenda Henkel: Towson University
Melissa Harris: The Baltimore Sun
Mike Cody: North County News
Travis Pratt: Freelance Photographer

And myself from the Towson 501. This year’s event turned out great. This was a huge networking opportunity (as you can tell from the names listed above). We had round table discussions, resume critiques, free handouts, and of course, free food. So if you missed out and you’re not graduating this semester, think about next year’s Lunch ‘n’ Listen. It’s going to be just as good and just as free.

Washington Post Field Trip

2008-03-29T22:41:00.000-04:00

For about the past year and a half Towson University professor, Thom Lieb, has been planning a class trip to The Washington Post newsroom and Washingtonpost.com. If you missed it, too bad for you. Yesterday was the most amazing field trip I’ve ever been on. Can you tell I’m a news junkie?

We started our day by hopping on a Towson charter bus (Thank you Dr. Flippen) and our talented driver took us to Washington, D.C., where we wet met our host, Rob Curley. We were taken to the twelfth floor and had a fantastic lunch courtesy of The Post. Curley then gave a three-and-a-half hour long presentation, and I loved every minute of it. I learned so much by the end of the presentation that my head was spinning with ideas and confusion. I now realize the significance of online journalism and the role it will play in the future of newspapers. Not only do I have to know how to write, take photos, blog, edit audio and video, but I also have to put all of these ideas together to create a multimedia package for whatever I’m writing about.

Before heading to D.C., I did a little research about Curley. He likes penguins, he has a wife, he’s won a ton of journalism awards, he loves the Jayhawks and he’s probably the biggest name in online journalism and new media. Now I know why. Curley shared some of his amazing work with us yesterday. He’s done things with journalism that I never would have imagined in 100 years, like creating Studio 55 for example. Studio 55 is basically a broadcast news station for a newspaper. It was available online and On Demand on television thanks to a deal Curley struck with Comcast.

After Curley’s 100-something-page PowerPoint presentation, we continued our tour of The Washington Post. We saw the newsroom (which looks exactly like the scene in All the President’s Men) and all other departments, including the photo department. I was really excited to see that. Maybe I’ll end up working there one day, who knows? In addition to all of the departments, our group got to see the ‘Nixon Resigns’ printing plate hanging in a conference room and Bob Woodward’s old office. If you don’t know about Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein and Ben Bradlee, look it up; it’s called Watergate.

Our tour came to an end at the Washingtonpost.com headquarters in Arlington, Va. The layout is very different from The Post newsroom where the desks are tightly crowded together and the florescent lights brighten the space. The Washingtonpost.com building features dark rooms, quiet spaces and what I think is a more open layout. The ‘offices’ are a tad bit larger. My favorite part of the tour was the nap room. I wish I had a newsroom with a nap room, oh wait, I do. It’s called my living room.

Anyhow, I thoroughly enjoyed this field trip and I would highly recommend visiting The Post to anyone who gets the chance. Also, if you get the chance to hear Curley speak in person, do so. This guy knows what he’s talking about.

© 2008 Heidi Greenleaf

Modules 2&3

2008-03-24T17:11:00.000-04:00

For my second module, I will be researching what makes TALMAR so successful. You already had the chance to read the background story of how TALMAR came to be, and now you need to know what programs they offer, where their money comes from and how they gain clients. It's a tedious task for one woman, but Director Cate Murphy thinks it's worth it. For this particular module I will interview Karen Voltz, who works at the Baltimore County Parks and Recreation center. I will also interview Dory, Emma and George, who are all employees of TALMAR.

© 2008 Heidi Greenleaf

In my third module, I will cover the Towson Outreach program. Here you will get to meet the students that volunteer at TALMAR through Towson University. These individuals are mentally disabled, but they are not hindered in any way by working at TALMAR. In fact, TALMAR provides vocational training for such individuals. This story will use multimedia. Perhaps a video? Wait and see! This module will feature interviews with John, Clara, Cindy and Sierra, all students at Towson University and volunteers at TALMAR. Dale Cassady, who works with the Towson Outreach program will also be interviewed. In addition, I will also interview Terrell who is from another Baltimore County school. All of the interviews combined should make a great feature on the website.

© 2008 Heidi Greenleaf

http://www.talmar.org/

Thanks

2008-03-15T12:22:00.000-04:00

Thank you everyone for the birthday wishes!

Reaction to My Last Mile

2008-03-12T16:34:00.000-04:00

I reviewed soundportraits.org and listened to My Last Mile. I wanted to listen to Ghetto Life 101 but it required Real Player which I don't have. In My Last Mile, the reporter speaks about what happens when he interviews this particular person for a podcast. There are background noises, talking, singing, reporting, etc. I like the overlapping where they go from singing back to talking, but there’s just a second or so of transition when they overlap. It leads nicely into the next segment. The effect of audio is great because you can hear actual people and what they think. You can hear their accents, expressions, and even passion. I think audio can have a great impact on any story and I definitely look forward to using it in one of my modules.

http://soundportraits.org/on-air/last_mile/

Module1-TALMAR and how it came to be

2008-03-12T16:13:00.000-04:00

TALMAR, a non-profit organization that assists disabled individuals, began as a hope and a dream when Cate Murphy, director of TALMAR, quit her full time job as a school teacher and immediately started work in horticultural therapy. TALMAR was established in Harford County in 1998. Offices for TALMAR were located in both Havre de Grace and Baltimore County, Maryland. TALMAR is a reputable 501C non-profit group and is also recognized as a Maryland Charitable Organization.

According to talmar.org, “TALMAR (Therapeutic Alternatives of Maryland) is a non-profit organization that provides programs and services to all people of all ages and all abilities. Educational, recreational, therapeutic and vocational training is offered. A greenhouse and cutting gardens with annual and perennial flowers, bulbs and herbs provide an environment that enhances self-esteem and allows for the development of practical and marketable work skills.”

In November of 2005 Murphy and her crew, Brian Lovell, (the only full time employee) picked up their plants and headed to Baltimore County where they were granted ten acres of land to plough and use for flower farming.

As the months flew by, Murphy continued to ask for more grants from Baltimore County and Cromwell Valley Park to install a greenhouse. Their wish became true when they received a $50,000 grant from the Baltimore County Local Management Board and another $75,000 from the county. The 40x60 greenhouse was constructed and clients flooded in.Four and a half acres are currently ploughed and being used for the flower farm, where the rest of the property is designated to an intern house, a drying barn, tool shed, and recently a chicken coop to sell farm fresh eggs.

TALMAR currently sells flowers to the general public, but they also do weddings and they have a growing client list, adding Wegmen’s and Atwater’s grocery stores just this year. TALMAR provides these companies with fresh cut flowers, salubrious herbs and vegetables straight from their garden. This year TALMAR is growing spinach, chives, onions, fennel, and tomatoes, just to name a few.

To date, TALMAR has received many awards to include a citation in 2007 from Baltimore County Executive, Jim Smith, for providing “valuable and dedicated service to disabled individuals throughout Baltimore County.”

TALMAR is tucked away in the back woods of Cromwell Valley Park, located on Cromwell Bridge Road in Towson. TALMAR has drastically expanded their programs in the past few years. They have acquired an additional ten acres of land, added a chicken coop and an office/classroom trailer with handicapped accessible decking.

TALMAR offers numerous activities to the surrounding community, to include summer camps, field trips, after school programs, internships, workshops (i.e. decorating for the season, planning your garden, soap making with herbs), outreach programs, vocational training, horticultural therapy, and college courses sponsored by the Community College of Baltimore County.

“The overarching goal of TALMAR’s vocational training program is to provide consumers with individualized training utilizing meaningful work experiences,” Murphy. She added “This work provides consumers with valuable learning experiences: work ethics, methods and discipline as well as a range of social skills and personal attributes that will prepare them for whatever jobs they may have later in life.”

TALMAR3

2008-03-05T12:46:00.000-05:00

TALMAR (Therapeutic Alternatives of Maryland) is a non-profit organization that provides programs and services to all people of all ages and all abilities. Educational, recreational, therapeutic and vocational training is offered. A greenhouse and cutting gardens with annual and perennial flowers, bulbs and herbs provide an environment that enhances self-esteem and allows for the development of practical and marketable work skills. Programs include horticultural therapy and on-the-job training which enables participants to earn certificates in greenhouse management, gardening and landscaping.

TALMAR has drastically expanded their programs in the past few years. They have acquired over ten acres of land, added a greenhouse and an office/classroom trailer with handicapped accessible decking.

TALMAR offers numerous activities to the surrounding community, to include, but not limited to, vocational training and horticultural therapy to youth and adults of all abilities, summer camps, field trips, after school programs, internships, workshops (i.e. decorating for the season, planning your garden, soap making with herbs), and college courses sponsored by the Community College of Baltimore County.

TALMAR has also grown its client list, adding Wegmen’s and Atwater’s just this year. TALMAR provides companies with fresh cut flowers and salubrious herbs, straight from their garden.

Contact info:

Cate Murphy, director

410.825.2020

talmarinc@msn.com

How I survive without the Internet

2008-03-05T12:29:00.000-05:00

The Situation:
So I’ve been without the Internet for four weeks straight now. I know, pretty unbelievable right? In today’s society, we need the Internet to function. Personally, I don’t know how I’ve gone so long without it. I mean sure, I get the Internet at work and school, but it’s nice to have it at home too. I have to make special trips to the library or stay late at work just to do my homework for the next day.

The Problem:
I moved off campus last semester and the house where I moved to never had an account with Comcast, Verizon, etc. Or so they say. According to Comcast representatives, my house is “in serviceable.” What exactly does that mean? They told me they couldn’t physically run a cable line to the house. But wait. I already have cable television in the house. Free cable television. Anyone see a problem here? So I told Comcast time and time again, I’m getting free cable, but all I need is the Internet. So they contacted the Site and Design Team to try and figure this whole mess out. Needless to say, I’m still without Internet. I gave them until the end of this week to fix the problem or I’ll switch to Verizon.

The Solution:
I have yet to come up with one. I have called every day for four weeks straight and today I plan on talking with a supervisor. Wish me luck!

Sixth Sense

2008-02-28T19:27:00.000-05:00

So I seem to have this "sixth sense" sort of thing. No matter where I am or what I'm doing, if an alarm goes off or a siren passes by, I always hear it. And then of course comes the fun part when I chase it. I haven't heard too many alarms go off (besides in my own house a few times) but living around Towson, there are plenty of sirens. Ambulances. Cops. Firetrucks. Take your pick. I've been on so many accident/crime scenes that I can't even count them all. I've seen everything from car and house fires to stolen vehicles and bus fights. I've seen resisting arrest, and I've almost been arrested. Why do I put myself through all of this? It's what I live for.

© 2008 Heidi Greenleaf

TALMAR2

2008-02-27T06:23:00.000-05:00

I have acquired a significant amount of information from TALMAR. I have put together a slide show and hopefully I can post it soon. Thank you for your patience.

TALMAR

2008-02-20T06:32:00.000-05:00

Here is some background information on my semester project.

http://talmar.org/

TALMAR gardens is a non-profit organzation that helps individuals with disabilites gain life skills for job placement in their future. TALMAR is currently working on several of their own projects. In the next few months, they will be starting a summer camp, selling farm fresh eggs to local grocers, and they will also sell cut flowers exclusively to Wegmans. Director, Cate Murphy, left a steady, well-paid job to start this organization from scratch. TALMAR originated in Havre de Grace, Maryland, and then moved to Baltimore County at 1994 Crowell Bridge Road in Towson, Maryland.

TALMAR also offers vocational training to individuals with disabilties. Students from an outreach program at Towson University come to TALMAR at least twice a week to help plant seeds for the upcoming spring. In the past, TALMAR has had fundraisers, including a 5-K run through Crowell Valley Park. I have plenty of more information on TALMAR that will help me with this project down the road.

Untold Stories

2008-02-18T20:57:00.000-05:00

Like Ira Glass said in my previous blog, some stories just aren't meant to be. You go out, get the information, snap a few photos, and then the story gets killed. Well I have to say this happens to me a lot. The other night I ended up at the scene of a nursing home fire on Cromwell Bridge Road in Towson. This would make for a good story if there had been a huge fire or an evacuation or something. But there wasn't. So what was I stuck with? A cold night, seven fire trucks, a few cops, and of course, a dryer fire. They had ambulances standing by, fire trucks roaring down the road with sirens blaring, and all I had to show were a few pics of firefighters standing around. They did have to check for smoke damage throughout the building, but it wasn't anything major. I also could have made this into a story. I could write about how fast the first responders got there. But really, who cares? Not me. If they had been really slow in getting there, I might show concern, but this was just one of those stories that didn't make it through.

Glass on Storytelling

2008-02-16T13:07:00.000-05:00

Ira Glass has a four part video on YouTube. He talks about what makes a good story.

In the first video, Glass explains that the most boring story can become a great story. "It's a sequence of events." He says it's like you're on a train with a destination. You have to give people a reason to read your story. A big tool is a moment of reflection. Give them a reason for why you're wasting their time.

It's hard to find good stories. During the second video, Glass says you have to set aside as much time as you do to write to actually find a story. If we were talking about hard news, I would disagree with him in a heartbeat. News is everywhere. Everything we do is news. But we're talking about storytelling. It is hard to find a good story. We all know they're out there, but they're also hidden. We have to talk to people, find out what's going on 'behind the scenes,' and find a decent story. Glass says about half of his stories are shot, the story is told, and then they kill the piece. It happens. Some stories just aren't as good as we think they are.

"Failure is a big part of success...If you're not failing all the time, you're not creating a situation where you can get super lucky."

The third video of this four part series talks more about broadcasting. Glass says do a huge amount of work. You shouldn't sit around and wait for work. Even if you're not getting paid, go out and tell stories.

A few tips from Glass:
Write well
Don't emphasis every third word
Talk like people normally talk
It takes a while
"Be fierce, be a warrior."

In the fourth video, Glass says the more you act like yourself, the better off you are. You should be interested in other people and the world. "Even if it's a first person story, documenting your life, what's interesting isn't just your take on things, it's seeing you interact with other people, and seeing people through your eyes and seeing other people you have to deal with. Otherwise there's no drama." And what would television be without drama?

I think Glass has a lot of good points. I agree withwhat he said about faililng. We all fall on our face at one point or another, but it's those who get up and keep writing that succeed in life.

Towson 501

2008-02-10T00:41:00.000-05:00

So if you haven't already heard, there's a new newspaper in town. And guess what? It's directly related to what we're learning in our New Media class. You can't hold it in your hand and you won't find it on newspaper racks, but you can see it updated EVERY DAY online. Yes indeed, it's the Towson 501.

A few students (Ryan Reed, Katrina Fleming, Craig Oppenheimer, and myself) have all created a medium where students are free to express themselves in ways they couldn't before. Sure you can write or take photos for other papers, but which one of those papers really allows you to choose your own subject matter?

So do you think you can handle the 501? Check it out (www.towson501.com). If you feel like writing for the 501, send me an e-mail at hgreen@towson501.com. You will have the opportunity to write, photograph, shoot videos, or record audio on any subject you can think of. Want to write about parking issues? Go ahead. How about food service in dining halls? Feel free.

And don't forget to check us out on Facebook too.

Three Choices

2008-02-06T15:55:00.000-05:00

Here are my top three choices of articles that we must review for class.

Ground Zero Timeline-
http://www.newsweek.com/id/43252

Inside the Toughman-http://web.knoxnews.com/special/0524toughman/high_bandwidth/toughman_content.html

Supervolcano-
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sn/tvradio/programmes/supervolcano/index.shtml

Baltimore Sun Comparison

2008-02-06T02:15:00.000-05:00

I read the Baltimore Sun German Bakery article and compared it to the Baltimore Sun German Bakery slideshow. The story was good, it was well written, and specific in detail, but the slideshow gives a face to the name, a color to the food, and happiness to the customers.

Words, photos, videos, and audio all make a journalist’s story come alive, but when we package them all together, such as in the Baltimore Sun German Bakery slideshow, people come to better understand what the concept is.

The slideshow featured the bakery, the people that associate with the bakery, including employees, customers and people just passing by. It also featured the “band” or the man playing an accordion. These were visual aspects included in the slideshow, but what couldn’t be described in the article that was shown in the slideshow was the enjoyment on people’s faces. There was a sense of togetherness in the bakery. No matter how hard a reporter tries, you can only describe people and their expressions so much in an article.

Spot News

2008-02-05T20:15:00.000-05:00

Spot news can be very difficult to cover. You sort of have to be in the right place at the right time. However, you can capture spot news quite easily if you follow these simple steps:

1) Buy a scanner. It doesn't have to be all fancy, but you also don't want to go real cheap on it either. Personally, I like Uniden, but there are many other brands out there that are just as good.

2) Make connections. In order to get good photos and spot news stories, you have to make friends with cops, classmates, professors, etc. Anyone you know can lead you to a story. Click here for interview tips.

3) Post spot news as quickly as possible. The object of the game is to get the story faster than your opponent. Also, be aware of your surroundings. Much of the spot news I come across is simply by chance.

*Please remember that when police, firefighters, or any other officials are on the scene, you need to show them respect. The police DO have the right to tell you to back up and you do not want to hinder a rescue, investigation, etc. With that in mind, happy reporting!

SPJ

2008-02-02T00:00:00.000-05:00

Okay so if you haven't heard of it already, check out the Society of Professional Journalists. It's a great organization to join, and like the Online News Association, it has many benefits for both students and professionals. SPJ gives students information for job hunting, internships, how-to articles, awards, and even discounts on things like Hertz rental cars. The photo above is the former SPJ president, Christine Tatum and Ben Bradlee, former editor of The Washington Post. If you would like to better yourself as a journalist, the Towson SPJ group meets every Monday in the Media Center, room 203 at 6:30 p.m. We will discuss how to network, have resume critiques, and guest speakers are invited to speak to interested students. For more information, please feel free to e-mail me at towsonspj@yahoo.com.

Photoshop

2008-02-01T01:01:00.000-05:00

© 2008 Heidi Greenleaf

I love Photoshop! If you don't already have it, Photoshop is a great tool to edit photos. You can download a free trial here.

MCOM 407

2008-01-30T20:50:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone. As I said in class, in my spare time, I am the News Editor for Towson 501 (http://www.towson501.com/). If you're interested in working for the 501, please e-mail me. My e-mail is listed on the course syllabus. I also work for Talmar, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping individuals with disabilities learn how to work with others, self-confidence, and other skills they need to succeed in life. In my not-so-spare time I also love to photograph nature, travel, and spend time with family and friends. I look forward to working with you all in class.

© 2008 Heidi Greenleaf

P.S.-For all those who are interested in journalism, (from left) Ben Bradlee, Carl Bernstein, and Bob Woodward are big name journalists who exposed president Nixon during the watergate scandal. I think every aspiring journalist should know about Watergate, so if you don't, feel free to click on the link.