Journalism Cynicism February 28, 2007
Posted by politicsranter in Media.1 comment so far
Eeek. It’s been a while, hasn’t it?
So even though I’m an aspiring journalist, I have occasional skepticism about the profession, as many people do. It dates back to when I was about six or so, and I signed a petition at the mall. It had something to do with a law about children’s safety. Someone from the Sun (Ottawa? Toronto? I can’t remember) wrote an article about the petition that I featured prominently in. It was overwrought and ridiculous, talking of “rosebud lips and flaxen hair.” Even at six I knew it was dumb and removed from reality. (Now that I’m older I realize not all journalism is like that – the problem was with the Sun).
Anyway, the lesson I learned recently was that if you want to find out how much journalism, both respected, old-guard newspaper form and blog form, is written from press releases, simply put a mistake in there that should be easily spotted, and maybe some wonky formatting. Then sit back and see how many times it’s reprinted.
Apple C, Apple V!
Cradle and All February 16, 2007
Posted by politicsranter in Economics, News.2 comments
the trico plant moved to mexico
left my uncle standing out in the cold
said here’s your last paycheck
have fun growing old
-Ani DiFranco, “Cradle and All”
Basically, my hometown is done for. The two major employers are closing within the next two years. There are going to be a lot of families with at least one person out of a job. With my parents’ best married couple friends, one works at Hershey and one at Rideau Regional, which is closing by 2009. They’ll both be out of jobs roughly around the same time.
Hershey is also the only reason anyone comes to Smiths Falls. Invariably, when I say I’m from Smiths Falls, people either say “Where is that?” or “Ohhhh, the chocolate place!” There’s really going to be nothing left.
Plus now they’re going to have to repaint the water tower, which says, “Chocolate Capital of Ontario.”
Thanks Bronwyn, for sending me the link.
Laurier alumnus, sadly February 14, 2007
Posted by politicsranter in Media, News.2 comments
As much as people joke about the shittiness of Laurier, I’ve never been ashamed to have come from there. Until now.
A couple of weeks ago, The Cord published an article about some Waterbuffaloes (a group dedicated to drinking, basically) dressing up for Winter Carnival as their idea of Jamaicans. And how did they do that? With blackface, empty chicken buckets on their heads, fake dreadlocks and fake joints. Way to go, idiots. The students union president came back with the lamest excuse ever, saying that “an apology would be [the Waterbuffaloes'] prerogative” because they’re not actually officially affiliated with the school or the union. Well, how about an apology for the fact that no one in the union had the sense to immediately tell them to go home when they showed up like that? For the fact that someone actually had to complain before you realized something was wrong with what they were doing?
The pictures made it onto YouTube, and the story made it into The Record. Now today, it’s in the Toronto Star and it’s one of the most read stories on the site. I hope the Waterbuffalo morons involved are thoroughly embarrassed.
The incident is actually mentioned as part of a bigger article on bullying at school, and the use of the internet for people to showcase the terrible things they do. Some kids posted a video of themselves harrassing a kid who is partially paralyzed due to a stroke. This distresses me in so many ways.
I know you can’t blame parents for their kids actions entirely, but did these kids’ parents at least not teach them about common decency? Why do kids think it’s ok to pick on people who already have it rough as it is?
The other question it raises is this: is the internet encouraging people to do stupid things so they can put it online and get their 15 seconds of infamy? Or, have people are have been this terrible and dumb all along, and now we just have the vehicle to showcase it? It’s troubling. And disheartening.
A terrible idea February 12, 2007
Posted by politicsranter in Feminism, Politics.2 comments
I’ll stop neglecting this site soon, I promise. Well, maybe. I think one of my blogs is going to have to go. Between work, trying to freelance, Torontoist and two personal blogs, it’s a bit much. Anyway, I just wanted to pop in and give my two cents on the Liberal plan for getting more women into office. (The plan is not letting men run to be the Liberal candidate in some ridings.)
It’s terrible. I can’t even begin to say how offensive it is.
This is not progressiveness. This is not fixing the problem. It’s dealing with the end result of a problem, and that problem is barriers for women in politics. Rather than ban men from running in some ridings, they should be working on why women don’t run in the first place. Figure that out, and then try and fix it. This is not saying “Women are great and we want more of them around.” This is saying, “Women aren’t good enough to win on their own merits if they’re running against men.”
Take your places, children February 6, 2007
Posted by politicsranter in News, Politics.3 comments
Wilbur frantically emailed me requesting a post on the following article:
http://www.thestar.com/News/article/178649
He must have read my mind, because I had just read it and already had a post planned. And all I have to say about it is this:
Thousands of elementary school children successfully have their class pictures taken every year.
Come on, people. The end of the article reads like a kindergarten, “He stole my seat!” “Well, he stole mine first!” kind of thing.
