Archive for December, 2010

It’s Been One of Those Semesters

Friday, December 31st, 2010

What’s left to say? The consequences of using a cell phone in my classes were clearly stated this semester. Students were advised. Enlightened. Warned. Caveats to the left, caveats to the right, caveats right down the center of the class in Room 504 Hunter North, where Journalism Ethics and News Responsibility was taught. Started with about 35 students, eventually whittled to 24.

All advisements and enlightenments and warnings and caveats delivered with deliberation: F for the class after an initial warning. Yet, when it came time for the big F, I chickened out and, instead, took off one grade of the final grade. Two students this semester.

Both, of course, provided cheesy excuses, like the one below: 6:48-6:50? Not my recollection. More like smirking and gee whiz and all shucks. A mid 20s student.

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2010: The Year in Pictures – New York Times

Sunday, December 26th, 2010

Haunting similarities between the images of earthquake ravaged Haiti and Katrina ravaged New Orleans. Click here for Times link.

“Gov. Paterson Regrets Not Telling Daniel Cicciaro Jr.’s Family Before Pardoning John Harris White” – New York Daily News

Friday, December 24th, 2010

The pardon was well within the purview of a sitting Governor, lame or otherwise, especially for an inmate – a law biding citizen who had never been in trouble with the law – who,  ambushed by fate, erred in a fatal decision and ended up serving a 2-to-4 year term for manslaughter and weapons possession. Nothing wrong here.

But one has to wonder how no one on Patterson’s staff thought of contacting the Cicciaros.

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It’s Been One of Those Semesters

Monday, December 20th, 2010

Bedlam at the November 10 D:F/M Faculty Meeting


Above: The Hunter College Chapter Chair of the Professional Staff Congress


Will the truth set her free?

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Suspicious Package at Herald Square

Monday, December 20th, 2010

Looking South on Sixth Avenue, Herald Square.

After arriving at the Herald Square area about 1:30 p.m. from a doctor’s appointment – I biked in from Second Avenue and East 36th Street – and planning to hop the PATH back to Jersey City, and then seeing all the NYPDs coming into the area and POs roping off corners, and wondering what catastrophe was in the works until I heard a PO bark at a bunch of people to “move back” and maybe hearing something like, QMfE, “You don’t want to be near here … bomb,” or something like that, I started scurrying for a good shot.

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I Really Hate It …

Sunday, December 19th, 2010

… When They Wrap Themselves Around the Pole


And many of my students wouldn’t even “see” this scene.

Bad News!

Tuesday, December 14th, 2010

Ed Kent is a former Brooklyn College philosophy professor who seems to read everything and then disseminates the information. I sort through his choice tidbits for material to post on the WORD Blog.

One of his latest:

I feel some sympathy for Obama trying to figure how to cope what almost seems to be a new major problem each day.

To run down the list:

The rest is here.

The DREAM Act Could Go Before Congress Today

Wednesday, December 8th, 2010

By Sandy Close Executive
Director New America Media

Over 60 million adults access ethnic media. Their voices should be heard by lawmakers considering this important piece of immigration legislation. Let your voices ring out.

Support the Dream Act THIS WEEK! – America Needs It!

Tuesday, December 7th, 2010

New America Media says: Over 60 million adults access ethnic media. Their voices should be heard by lawmakers considering this important piece of immigration legislation this week. If ethnic media across the country carry this button on their websites this week, it will send a powerful message to lawmakers about the civic engagement of our communities. —By Sandy Close, Executive Director, New America Media.













Read more here:
The WORD
Harry Potter is a DREAM Act Kid

It’s Been One of Those Semesters – 3

Monday, December 6th, 2010

Part 3 of 4: The Response to the Envoy’s Response

Jesse Lent’s comments are in bold.

Date: Sat Oct 16 08:41:13 EDT 2010
From: Gregg Morris
Subject: Re: Attention Envoy Editor-in-Chief Ming Fearon (Short Version)
To: “Jesse Lent, Envoy News”

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