online class metablogger (simplified)

Crazy rider.

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 13:02:29 -0700

Crazy rider.

Liquid nitrogen actin a fool last night at ICream. It’s...

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 17:14:57 -0700

Liquid nitrogen actin a fool last night at ICream. It’s sooo good!

He really wants to cut and paste …. and voice memos. You...

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 00:27:56 -0700

He really wants to cut and paste …. and voice memos. You let him down, Apple!

Courtesy Kimi Badger

Memory lane. Does anyone know the name of that Minute Maid fruit...

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 23:00:48 -0700

Memory lane. Does anyone know the name of that Minute Maid fruit punchy stuff?

I love being mentioned on people’s Facebook’s I...

Mon, 08 Jun 2009 21:20:03 -0700

I love being mentioned on people’s Facebook’s I really don’t know that well.

Back to baking. Orange pudding filled vanilla cupcakes topped...

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 13:49:00 -0700

Back to baking. Orange pudding filled vanilla cupcakes topped with orange buttercream frosting.

My little kitty cowboy lassoin’ it up!

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 13:48:18 -0700

My little kitty cowboy lassoin’ it up!

Bye bye paper towels.

Sun, 31 May 2009 13:38:09 -0700

Bye bye paper towels.

Word to the wise: Never tell a hipster he looks like Michael...

Sun, 31 May 2009 11:34:08 -0700

Word to the wise: Never tell a hipster he looks like Michael McDonald of “madTV” fame. Just to play it safe, probably don’t refer to them as a hipster, either!

Lesson learned. Scratches gained.

Malõrt Liqeur. Sick!

Fri, 29 May 2009 20:37:42 -0700

Malõrt Liqeur. Sick!

I had to get these after my jaw sunk to the floor in awe after...

Wed, 27 May 2009 15:35:48 -0700

I had to get these after my jaw sunk to the floor in awe after seeing the commercial. It’s like a dryer sheet only with detergent, softened and anti-static all in one little piece! No more giant detergent bottles!

Banana split cupcake at Pheobe’s in Lakeview with Mols and...

Tue, 26 May 2009 14:56:48 -0700

Banana split cupcake at Pheobe’s in Lakeview with Mols and MTron and lunch at Adesso. Yum.

Back to cooking. Fresh salad with lettuce, green peppers,...

Mon, 25 May 2009 14:17:42 -0700

Back to cooking. Fresh salad with lettuce, green peppers, carrots, Persian cucumbers and godess dressing and tricolored pasta with basil sauce, fried eggplant, and steamed zucchini.

"When you walked into the bar, I knew I had to come tell you that you look like a hybrid between Andy..."

Mon, 25 May 2009 10:36:10 -0700

“When you walked into the bar, I knew I had to come tell you that you look like a hybrid between Andy Warhol and Conor Oberst”

- Random dude at Estelles on Friday night

Hood love.

Mon, 25 May 2009 10:34:19 -0700

Since graduating from college a little more than a week ago, I’ve had plenty of time to sit around and pretty much do nothing at all. It’s left me at home with lots of free time, but also with lots of time to observe the happenings of my West Town ‘hood which I thought was pretty safe. But, it’s starting to get a little sketch….ier.

The other day on my way to hail a cab, a man pulled up in a Ford van, waves me over, points to his gas meter and asks, “Do you speak English?” I, of course, say, “Yes.” He then proceeds to ask me for gas money as he’s running on E. Once in my cab, I passed the van all the way up on Milwaukee. He obviously wasn’t hurting that bad.

Yesterday, leaving my apartment with a friend, a man comes up to us waving his sunglasses and ID in front of us asking for gas money. He points at a white van parked on the side of the street, says he’s form Wheaton and needs gas money to get home. We refuse and walk on. “Not even a cigarette?” he pleads, and makes some sort of disappointing sighing noise.

This morning, that same white van pulls away. He wasn’t the owner or driver.

Today. Who knows. But I’m sure something sketch will happen.

All the books I’ve been given that I’ve yet to read....

Wed, 20 May 2009 19:35:50 -0700

All the books I’ve been given that I’ve yet to read. That shall change soon!

The Cicago Cubs not the Chicago Cubs

Fri, 15 May 2009 11:03:04 -0700

I have lived behind Wrigley Field for more than a year. The bleacher sign that reads “Chicago Cubs” only reads “Cicago Cubs” at night when the lights are illuminated.This has been the case ever since I moved to the neighborhood in February 2008.

The Cubs and Wrigley Field bring in millions of dollars a year, but yet, they have been unable to pay someone to repair the disfunctional signage. I wonder why?

I know it is a small change, and no one probably notices it that often, but it does cause an eye sore to those who live in the area.

Would the building management please change your lights.

New Clues to how Art Evolved

Thu, 14 May 2009 13:29:51 -0700

New Clues to how Art Evolved

American Journalists Detained in N. Korea

Thu, 14 May 2009 12:23:53 -0700

American Journalists Detained in N. Korea

"Slumdog" Actor's Home Demolished.

Thu, 14 May 2009 12:23:53 -0700

"Slumdog" Actor's Home Demolished.

MULTIMEDIA!!!!

Wed, 13 May 2009 22:18:28 -0700

I never really realized how much I rely on media outlets to feed me news and information. I didn’t think I was all that into that sort of thing until recently. Suddenly I have noticed just how many videos I watch a day, how many sound clips I preview, how many websites I visit and pictures I scroll or flip through. Multimedia is everywhere, and I truly do feel lucky to be a part of a generation that is fully accustomed to it.

Really, there’s a video of everything! And google images? You can look at absolutely anything your heart desires.

All I need to do now is learn how to make all these things instead of just look at the ones other people created…:/

God vs. Medicine

Wed, 13 May 2009 21:36:00 -0700

http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2009/05/should-parents-who-call-god-instead-doctor-be-punished

When it comes to a topic such as this, I cannot help but be a little biased. I wouldn’t really call myself that religious however I understand how serious people take their religious beliefs. When people don’t seek a doctor for medical attention because of their beliefs, I personally think that is crazy…especially if your child is dying of a curable disease.

In the Kara Neumann case, had her diabetes been diagnosed she would probably still be alive since it could have been monitored. Her parents should be prosecuted for reckless endangerment for denying their child proper healthcare. When your child is too weak to walk or talk, there comes a point where you need to take him/her to the doctor. It’s common sense. I’ve come across people who choose not to take aspirin for headaches or any kind of over-the-counter drug for similar reasons, but when they’re seriously ill they do seek medical attention. I can only imagine how many unnecessary deaths of children are caused because their parents refuse them the right to proper treatment.

Of course this issue has been an on-going battle for quite some time now and there really is no stopping religious freedoms especially with how the laws are right now.

Happiest Countries in the World

Wed, 13 May 2009 20:03:49 -0700

Belgium was ranked the 10th happiest country in the world by Forbes.

Their criteria? Seventy six percent of Belgians are happy with their present life, and seventy five percent are content with the prospect of their future lives.

It’s funny, a while back Chicago was ranked one of the most miserable cities, and in a month I’ll be leaving here for a stay in Belgium. I’ll probably never want to come back.

Tot ziens!!!

Nearing the beginning

Wed, 13 May 2009 19:56:21 -0700

It’s actually pretty depressing when people all around me are saying that come this Sunday, it’ll be the end of an era. We’ll no longer be defined by the classes we’ve signed up for, whether or not we made the Dean’s List or how many nights were spent studying the AP Stylebook and copy editing symbols. After 15-some years, I’m no longer a student. Suddenly we’re (GASP) adults!!

For some reason, this idea freaks most people out, and graduation seems to be more dreary than celebratory. But really, it’s not an ending. It’s a time to start my life the way I’ve wanted it.

It’s the beginning.

(Was that too dramatic? That seemed dramatic.)

Gays Attempt Marriage in Moscow

Wed, 13 May 2009 19:21:11 -0700

Gays Attempt Marriage in Moscow

Hungry Anyone?

Wed, 13 May 2009 11:11:24 -0700

An AT&T building in San Jose had to be evacuated yesterday with seven employees hospitalized due to what? An unplugged refrigerator which resulted in a fridge full of moldy food. Yummy.

I haven’t experienced a fridge full of moldy food where I work…yet, however I’m convinced there IS mold elsewhere in the building. Because the company I work for

isn’t corporate, they aren’t required to test for mold…so do they? Nope. Common health effects of mold according to the CDC include throat irritation, nasal stuffiness, coughing, wheezing and eye irritation. One would think after having water seep through the ceiling tiles for months, it would prompt someone to test. That would make too much sense though.

When it comes to food mold though, one of my coworkers forgot about an orange she stashed away in her drawer until our whole area started to gag from the smell. Smelling that makes me never want to have an orange ever again. It was rancid. No one even knew what the smell was though until days later when she opened up the drawer again. As if I don’t suffer enough while I’m there WITHOUT worrying about breathing in some toxic fumes.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090513/ap_on_fe_st/odd_rotten_office_food_2

ADAM as told by...Adam.

Tue, 12 May 2009 22:01:00 -0700

Fashion designer Adam Lippes, 35, is one of the youngest creative directors taking the luxury fashion world by storm. Lippes’ line ADAM based in New York is where his creative muse inspired by mid-century American art comes together with luxurious basics to playful prints. With a genealogy consisting of doctors and lawyers, being a part of the fashion world seemed like an unreachable dream to Lippes until he moved to Paris for a year otherwise known as the Mecca of the fashion industry. Lippes crushed every stereotype I had about luxury fashion—-snooty, self-absorbed and moody.

Q&A

Em: When did you decide you wanted to set a career in fashion?

Adam: When I moved to Paris for a year, I got really involved with fashion there. Fashion and art. I decided that no matter what I was going to do I was going to live out this dream of being a fashion designer. So I really set my sights there my junior year of college. I came back to New York that summer and I worked at an investment bank as an intern and that really REALLY cemented in me what I wanted to do next.

Em: What year was that?

Adam: That was 1994.

Em: You said you didn’t know any designers or have any connections, so how did you really break through in the fashion industry?

Adam: You know I got a job at Ralph Lauren, that was my first job. I was the assistant to the store manager for the flagship store and within a year she left and went to Oscar de la Renta and she took me with her. I didn’t really have a role with Oscar when I first started but I got to know Mr. De la Renta very well. We started to work on a project together and I sort of grew up there, I sort of went to school at Oscar de la Renta. He’s really old school, he’s a gentleman. He allowed me to really learn on the job. He really taught me everything I know about fashion. I mean I really went to school there, I felt like I went to school there.

Em: How old were you when you were there?

Adam: I was about 22 when I started there and by the time I was 26 I was creative director there.

Em: What is it about fashion that really appeals to you the most?

Adam: You know I love so much about it. I love to create. I love the freshness and the newness. For me always being able to create new things is something I love and then I love what I can do with a new customer and making a customer happy. Seeing them try something on and look happy. We need clothing to wear, but it also brings a lot of happiness for people. It’s amazing to be able to give happiness to them and watch them smile and you know it’s the most amazing thing. To try on a dress and she looks amazing and she smiles and she’s so happy because she knows where she’s going to wear it and what she’s going to do in it. It’s sort of little bit of a dream you know?

Em: What would you say sets you apart from other designers?

Adam: You know, of my contemporaries, what I’m really trying to do is create a lifestyle brand that is sheik and elegant and wearable and approachable. We make really accessible designer collections so for me it’s not all about the time or the moment. I think trends are important, but I care more about creating clothing that a woman can wear, can be comfortable in and enjoy and can be herself in. It’s really important to me that the clothes don’t wear the woman you know, that the woman is able to play with the clothes. So I think that sets me apart from at least with my contemporaries.

Em: If you could describe your clothing line in three words what would they be?

Adam: Fresh, elegant and wearable.

Em: How has your line evolved over the years?

Adam: You know I started this line about two and a half years ago and it was only T-shirts. These really beautiful, these really wearable T-shirts, they weren’t long, they weren’t short, they weren’t ripped, they weren’t see-through, just great beautiful basic T-shirts. That’s all I did was T-shirts and then I slowly added fashion around it. I mean in this season we sold a whole fashion collection. So it’s changed a lot. It’s grown a lot. The T-shirts are still at its core but it’s grown a lot. I’m fortunate enough to be on the Oprah Winfrey show three years ago and she really helped to propel the brand. (2006)

Em: What demographic are you really trying to reach with your collection?

Adam: We reach women late 20’s on up, but we dress a lot of different ages. We’re seeing a lot of people coming into our store and see our brand as being a designer brand for them and other people who are designer shoppers who really can’t believe the quality and the value and the accessibility of our brand and the style of it so it’s really coming from both worlds.

Em: Going back to what you were saying about Oscar De La Renta and how you said you kind of went to school there, how would you describe your relationship with him?

Adam: He was and is a mentor for me. He helped me start my business. He was one of my original investors. I still talk to him on a regular basis. He is a mentor to me, he really is a wonderful man.

Em: Is there anything specific he taught you about the fashion industry?

Adam: He taught me a lot of things. He taught me a lot of specifics about color, about quality, about fit, but he also taught me…you know he’s such a famous fashion designer but he’s not at all about that; about the drama and the sort of image we have that is sort of true about a lot of what the fashion world is. He’s very charitable, so charitable; he’s such a Renaissance man if I can use that word. He taught me to be a generous, giving person.

Em: Where do you find your inspiration?

Adam: My inspiration for the whole brand always comes from the art world. I’m mostly interested in Mid-Century American art. The collections are always really based on that. I really find inspiration for styles really based on a feeling I’m having and what my friends are wearing and how they’re wearing it and what I feel looks and feels fresh. But it always starts with the art world. Always.

Em: Why did you change the name to Adam + Eve to just ADAM?

Adam: Well you know there is a really famous pornographic website called Adam and Eve. So as we grew it became a little too close for comfort and decided to change it.

Em: Could you kind of walk me through what a typical day is like for you?

Adam: Sure, a typical day begins around 10a.m. and ends at around 8 or 9. A day will involve I would say it’s about 75 percent design and 25 percent business and PR and that. We do about eight women’s collections a year and two men’s collections a year and so we’re always always working on a collection. It’s really rare when there’s just nothing to do. Every day involves looking at different fabrics, working with colors, working with styles. We fit a few times a week, obviously more so before a collection is due. So most of the day is fitting and design and then I travel an incredible amount. I was just in Chicago last week. I travel to Europe a lot. I travel to stores around the U.S. so a lot of my work is travel. But my favorite time of year is working in the design room.

Em: How often do you travel?

Adam: I would say that I travel…depends on the time but I would say on average about 5 days a month.

Em: How many boutiques do you have in the U.S. and in other countries?

Adam: We have two of our own stores now, we’re working on opening three more very shortly and then we sell in about 33 other stores in America and around the world.

Em: And your first boutique was in Manhattan’s meat packing district?

Adam: Yes, exactly.

Em: Is there any specific reason why you chose that location?

Adam: Well you know my office is here so I really love to spend so much time there. It’s very easy for me. But I chose it first of all because I think the meat packing area is weirdly pretty, it’s very open. The light is amazing. There’s a mix between high designer and fun, funky finds. I like that mix of the high and low and that was very important to me. I like the feeling of the meat packing. For the first store, the feeling was very important.

Em: When you put on a runway show, what all is involved in that?

Adam: Runway shows are INSANE. We start working on runway shows about three months before. First we pick the location. Then we work on everything from invitations to the set to everything that goes into the actual show itself and honestly we’re working on finishing the collections at the same time so it gets very hectic. About a month before we work about 6-7 days a week nonstop; really working on the collection, the collection, the collection. And the week before is when all the clothes are coming in, we’re styling with the stylists, we’re working on the music, we’re casting models, we’re working on hair and makeup, it becomes an insane time. It reminds me of studying for final exams. You’re working on a deadline and you’re going to work around the clock to do it and it happens twice a year. My team and I, we live here.

Em: How many people are working under you?

Adam: I work with 30 people in the company.

Em: As a designer, what are your goals with your line?

Adam: I’m really trying to build a lifestyle brand so it’s not only about the clothes but it’s about the environment. I look forward to launching accessories, launching home, I really want to create a brand where you can come in and enjoy an eclectic lifestyle. It’s more of an organic lifestyle that I want to create. I want to open up more stores and really make something interesting for people where they can come into the stores and be surprised and make a discovery whether it be a piece of clothing or a book, or an accessory; really give a sense of a lifestyle.

Em: Okay, so you want to explore the realm outside of a clothing line?

Adam: Yes, yes yes. I want to explore a whole lifestyle.

Em: Do you have anything you’re working on right now?

Adam: We’re working on opening up new stores which I’m really excited about especially in this economy. Like two or three stores, we’re looking at a bunch of different places. There will hopefully be another store in New York I hope, another store in California, and another store outside of Philadelphia with all the stores opening within this year. It’s a really tough economy but there’s a lot of positive stuff that’s happening here. Our business is quite strong. I feel it’s because of the value and the uniqueness we offer. I think you have to work extra hard and extra careful to make things that are extra special.

A video short involving two cats on a mission….

Tue, 12 May 2009 21:19:41 -0700

A video short involving two cats on a mission….

Milwaukee Brewers vs. Chicago Cubs Mother’s Day 2009.

Mon, 11 May 2009 20:45:17 -0700

Milwaukee Brewers vs. Chicago Cubs Mother’s Day 2009.

Censorship on Vanity Plates...

Sun, 10 May 2009 17:46:18 -0700

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-tofu10-2009may10,0,216272.story?track=rss

A poor Colorado vegan’s love for tofu was stifled because the vanity plate she wanted for her car could be interpreted for something else…wtf?

Apparently the Colorado Department of Revenue has the power to decide whether your license plates are sending the wrong message to other drivers. Other banned license plates include BADUSA, YUCK, GOLFSUX, YEAHBUT 4HEMP and OK2BGAY.

First Amendment anyone?….Anyone?

Happy Mother’s Day to this fabulous woman (1977 version).

Sun, 10 May 2009 10:05:40 -0700

Happy Mother’s Day to this fabulous woman (1977 version).

my city through my eyes. + birthday 2009. = these images

Thu, 07 May 2009 23:00:19 -0700

my city through my eyes. + birthday 2009. = these images:

Over the past year I’ve developed an interest in photography. Of course I am as amateur as they come, but that doesn’t stop me from breaking out my camera every time I see something worth capturing (with a view on the 32nd floor…these moments usually come as I look out my window at storms or sunsets.)

For my birthday I was given a Canon Rebel XS. I’m not quite positive what that all means yet, but I am eager to find out. In the linked images, I think you can undoubtedly decipher which images were taken with my tiny Nikon point-n-shoot and which images were taken on my first experimental walk-to-the-lake “photoshoot” with my brand spankin’ new DSLR.

The way I see it: upon graduation, I will have PLENTY of time to study and learn lighting and shutter speeds and all that juicy stuff. Once I get those basics out of the way, the fun will really start. Luckily for me, I live in the most beautiful city in the world. Finding subjects will be the easy part.

Two and a half weeks of web posting issues later, my review of...

Thu, 07 May 2009 05:57:00 -0700

Two and a half weeks of web posting issues later, my review of Zooey Deschanel’s new (and less-than-fabulous) indie flick, Gigantic, is finally up on venuszine.com.

Makes me feel young and alive.

Wed, 06 May 2009 23:14:00 -0700

Makes me fee l young and alive.

Now with less photos, by demand.

Wed, 06 May 2009 23:13:26 -0700

Now with less photos, by demand.

girl gets smacked with a book...?

Wed, 06 May 2009 22:23:47 -0700

girl gets smacked with a book...?:

Apparently it is up for debate whether this is a real or staged event. What do you think?

This is a video short of my best friend’s writing...

Wed, 06 May 2009 22:19:27 -0700

This is a video short of my best friend’s writing process…

In this video, he is working on a screenplay in which Bigfoot is the main character. I think it’s for his horror writing class. I’ve had the privilege of reading it and it is, in fact, horrifying. He may get mad that I disclose this, but there is a rather large portion that addresses the sex drive of Sasquatch in which he/it rips the legs off of a woman he tries to… you know. Let’s just say that when he finally makes his film, IF he ever makes this film, I will know when to look away.

**caution: profanity was used in the making of this video.

Her Twitter may be annoying as hell and her show may sometimes...

Wed, 06 May 2009 22:01:00 -0700

Her Twitter may be annoying as hell and her show may sometimes get downright embarrassing to watch, but nothing is stopping me from rushing home tomorrow night to tune into Oprah interviewing John and Elizabeth Edwards at their sprawling North Carolina abode.

Affair details? Illegitimate child? Yes, please.

As much as I love sinking my teeth into good political marital affiar scandal, I am always amazed at how much people reveal to Oprah during interviews, especially ones where so many personal questions are asked of the subject. I’d love to see just one interview where Oprah gets smacked for asking something too personal.

music to my ears

Wed, 06 May 2009 20:43:03 -0700

I want to learn French, and it is all because of this movie. It has the most beautifully spoken alphabet I have ever heard in my entire life.

I wish these were the ABC’s I learned. I think I am going to teach my children the French alphabet. If you haven’t seen The Diving Bell and the Butterfly then I highly reccomend it.

Mexicans Back to Work

Wed, 06 May 2009 20:16:50 -0700

Mexicans Back to Work

SIDEBAR

Wed, 06 May 2009 19:06:07 -0700

If any of you read this….can someone PLEASE help me make a sidebar for my blog? I am seriously HTML challenged. Maybe tomorrow during break or something…? Maybe…?

"Welcome to the unknown. Life starts here."

Wed, 06 May 2009 17:58:47 -0700

“Welcome to the unknown. Life starts here.”

Published.

Wed, 06 May 2009 17:56:38 -0700

Published.

Free Blackberry

Wed, 06 May 2009 17:21:04 -0700

Somehow I got a free Blackberry Storm.

Verizon called me and told me I could have it. So…I went in and got it. I have heard from friends and other people that just like when the iPhone first came out, this phone has some kinks to work out. But what happened when I visited the Verizon store? They “ooo-ed” and “ahhh-ed” its capabilities and raved about its striking and incredibly useful features. In short, I melted.

I have never had a phone that did more than text and make phone calls. My most recent phone before The Storm, the Chocolate III, could take pictures, but not very good ones. So when I had the opportunity to have a kick ass phone for zero dollars, I was all over that sweetness.

But now that I have it…IT SUCKS. Every time I try to take more than once picture at a time, it locks up. If I try to make a video, same deal. If I am excessively texting, the Storm just can’t handle it. OH! I forgot to mention that I text faster than it can register letters, so all the sudden I will look down and the message box will say “;ldkjf;aejw;gw” It also loves to take naps. AKA shut off for no apparent reason.

I have had the thing for 2 weeks and I have already taken the battery out and put it back in to get it working again about 50 times.

Supposedly there’s an application to fix all of these things coming out in the middle of April, I mean end of April, I mean beginning of May…I mean…who am I kidding? It’ won’t come out for another year when I have a new shitty cell phone.

oats

Wed, 06 May 2009 14:51:04 -0700

A juice chain that serves oatmeal all day every day..sounds like a dream, but it’s not! Yesterday I went to Jamba Juice on Lake and State and as I perused the menu for a fruity drink, I saw the new oatmeal addition to their menu.

I love oatmeal!! The problem with oatmeal is that it is only served till 11 a.m. at the latest at most restaurants or breakfast joints, and that’s if there is any left. Because the last thing I want to do in the morning is leave my apartment before eating breakfast and drinking two cups of coffee, I rarely ever enjoy the oatmeal Chicago has to offer.

If I do treat myself to oatmeal, usually my second breakfast of the day, then I definitely hit up Corner Bakery. The oatmeal is good, no complaints, but I pretty much order it because it comes with the sugary “SweetCrisps.” I break up these slices of raisin baked bread and drown them in my oatmeal. Add a little extra brown sugar in the oatmeal and I turn this some what healthy meal into a load of calories and sugar. I think Mr. Quaker would be proud.

RIP: Dom DeLuise

Tue, 05 May 2009 10:25:00 -0700

It seems to be the week of depressing posts, but actor Dom DeLuise passed away today at 75-years-old.

I knew his work mostly through Mel Brooks’ movies. He played memorable characters such as Buddy Bizarre in Blazing Saddles and Emperor Nero in History of the World Part 1. Even his voice acting like in Fivel’s American Tail and Spaceballs was a brilliance one only sees every lifetime.

The world lost an acting great and a comedic genius today. He will be missed.

RIP Mr. DeLuise.

Photo

Tue, 05 May 2009 10:24:59 -0700

It's Britney...Bitch.

Tue, 05 May 2009 10:19:00 -0700

I went to the Britney Spears concert last Wednesday, and let me just tell you…O M G. Yeah, I said it. OMG. OMG. OMFG. Outta this world. It doesn’t even matter if she didn’t really sing a single lyric that night. The visual stimulation was so incredible.

No matter WHAT Britney Spears does, the world will always be on her side. I don’t care what anyone says. She is the shit. She’s one of the most influential, if not the most influential female artist of our generation. Maybe just the most notable artist in general of our generation. Shaved head, lawsuits, custody issues, I don’t give a shit. She can still dance like a super all-star diva ANIMAL. WOW.

I think her and I could really have a good thing going.

BFF! hahahahaha.

Looking back

Mon, 04 May 2009 10:52:11 -0700

Looking back on the last seven years of my college experience one thing rings true: I always imagined having a job after graduation.

Currently, I work for an Irish pub as a server. I’ve worked in the serving industry for several years and it’s the reason why I got back in school.

I just find it ironic that I will still be doing this after graduation.

Sure it’s a steady job because people have to eat and drink, but it’s just not what I had imagined as I got ready to cross the stage, be handed a diploma and sent off into the real world.

Welcome to the real world, I’ll say to you condescendingly, as John Mayer would put it.

I don’t blame anyone for this, with the exception of maybe Ronald Reagan, but it’s not polite to speak ill of the dead.

Of course no one can take my degree away from me, but can it be used to help me?

Not at the moment, so it seems.

do you want my card?

Sun, 03 May 2009 19:28:12 -0700

Am I old???

Because I definitely bought business cards. I don’t know what I think about this. Part of me is excited to see my little name and contact info on a small curved-edge piece of white cardstock, but it is so weird.

You could say that only “grown-ups” have business cards, but I really had to grow up just to order them.

I made a new e-mail account, a gmail account to be specific. I thought that my AOL e-mail was a little out dated. Not only did I get a new e-mail address that nobody knows about, but I also bought my own domain name. I own the rights to evefuller.com. Nothing is on that page yet and soon I will have it linked up to my porftolio, but as of right now, I also own my own website. Right???

Somebody asked me if I put “journalist” or “student” on it. This never once crossed my mind. I only bought 50 cards so I can always add stuff and order more, but I don’t know if I am ready to declare, and I won’t say “pigeon hole,” myself to being a journalist. As of right now I am an antsy 22 year old who is graduating in two weeks and can’t wait for school to be over so I can relax and take a long nap.

I think buying business cards is the first step..

yay for being a journalist

Sun, 03 May 2009 18:51:00 -0700

This weekend I had to head out to SIR Spa to interview the manager for my Trade magazine Company Profile story. I had never been to Andersonville before and I thought it was just adorable.

The manager and client of SIR Spa that I interviewed were the most aesthtically perfect men I think I have ever seen. After showing me around the spa, they gave me a glass of chilled white wine and gave me a free manicure. They didn’t have any nail polish because it is a spa targeted towards men, but they still really cleaned up my nails and gave me a nice massage.

They turned the Cubs game off because it was so “bor-ing” and put on Real Housewives of New York City to bitch about. I loved it! This would never ever happen if I was at a women’s spa.

Both of the men I spoke with had backgrounds in marketing and they were the most helpful interviewees. They answered all of my questions, reccomended websites to go to, articles I should read, and put me in contact with other people at the spa.

It is nice to learn two weeks before graduating that not all people are hard to get in touch with. Some people are actually willing to help me out, even if I am just a college kid writing a paper for class.

My lunch joint

Sun, 03 May 2009 18:35:06 -0700

I have discovered Salad Creations. I am very excited about this. I always bring a lunch when I am interning, but I tend to snack on most of it before I even take my lunch and I get hungry again. I also sit at a desk all day and I always want to get outside and have a change of scenery, and Salad Creations happens to be a short block (if that) away from my job.

At Salad Creations you can pick how you want your salad tossed (chopped or just normal) and then you can pick the ingredients you want with it, what dressing, or you can pick one of their “signature” salad creations. I have been picking the Vegetarian salad every time. I am not a vegetarian, but I like the ingredients that are in it like artichokes, peppers, and other good veggies. I have been asking them to hold back the chickpeas because they put way too many in. In place of the chickpeas they let me pick a new ingredient, and I usually go with sliced cucumbers.

The staff is very nice and extra chipper. I think this is because the manager always says things like, “Can I get a ‘thank you!’” to the rest of the staff working, so they are always loud and upbeat. The guy who checked me out the other day even roped me into some “deal” where I could also get a bag of chips and a soda. I love that. I bought it.

If you like salads..then go to Salad Creations!

Podcast from Cubs game 4/21/09

Sun, 03 May 2009 18:19:00 -0700

Podcast from Cubs game 4/21/09

Life through new lenses. This is for Beth.

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 11:21:09 -0700

Life through new lenses.

This is for Beth.

Nothing gets my juices flowing quite like seeing a strapping...

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 22:20:00 -0700

Nothing gets my juices flowing quite like seeing a strapping young gentlemen hack a giant lugge on the sidewalk. Almost every morning during my walk to the train, like clockwork, I will see a young man who is walking a good 20 feet ahead of me pause mid-Rico Suave stride and spit onto the adjacent pavement, leaving myself and a handful of other young women completely bewildered. And disgusted.

Seriously, why are there men who think this is an attractive or masculine thing to do? Please, STOP DOING THIS. You are becoming increasingly more hideous with each spit and each step.

I’ve been seeing these everywhere around school lately,...

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 22:10:42 -0700

I’ve been seeing these everywhere around school lately, and I can’t help but feel like I am in third grade again. I would say it’s kind of cute, except I’m in college and people have to be complete morons to not know that you can, in fact, spread influenza to your co-worker if you hack all over their keyboard while they’re gone during their lunch break. Whoops.

Looks like this B is the one spreading swine flu all over the Chicagoland area.

Tonight.

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 15:24:57 -0700

Tonight.

FLAGRANT.

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 15:22:43 -0700

FLAGRANT.

A Nightmare on Elm Street remake?

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 12:07:43 -0700

Supposedly, a remake of the film is going to be partially shot at Elk Grove High School, where I graduated from some four to five years ago. With the school having spent millions on a new (I believe to be olympic-sized) swimming pool — the year after I left — it’s the perfect candidate for the pool scene.

Some 200 students will have the opportunity to participate as extras in a few scenes taking place in and around the school, according to an article about it featured in the Daily Herald:

Here’s the lede from the article:

“Students at two Northwest suburban high schools will have the chance be in the remake of a classic horror movie, with filming to be done on both campuses, an official said Sunday.”

OooooOOooo, I hope I have ‘the chance be’ in a classic horror remake. It’d be neat if it were to be filmed there, but I hope they don’t butcher the original as much as the lead has been.

King of the Jungle

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 11:51:21 -0700

As an ever-evolving and aspiring motor sports driver, there are many professional racing drivers that I look up to for inspiration. But of them all, none other has the same outlandish character and all-out time attack style as the legendary, Eiji “Tarzan” Yamada. Having built a reputation as a great grip/drift driver in Japan, he has had numerous regular appearances on the popular Option and Best Motoring International videos. Yamada also maintained a successful career as a driver in both Japan Touring Car Championship, as well as the now defunct JGTC.

Currently, Tarzan is mostly known for his participation in, and judging US drift events, along with his seemingly undying passion for Time Attack. In the following, rather nicely shot/editted video he is seen doing what he does best; this time piloting a high-horsepower, yellow R32 Nissan Skyline around Silverstone Circuit at a recent event:

SILVERSTONE from Clashproduction on Vimeo.

I had the chance to meet Tarzan a few years back, at a local drift event. I can’t tell who’s more excited, or more insane looking here (note* - after a second look, it’s most definitely me, but to my disadvantage he had sunglasses, with lenses the same shade of orange as his hair, blocking his eyes):

I can only hope that one day our driving capabilities one day closely mimmick each other’s as much as our crazy faces.

-Nick

Paranoid or Cautious?

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 09:06:27 -0700

As we all know, the swine flu has swept through Mexico and into the United States. Scary for sure, but are US citizens now becoming paranoid? A friend who attends the University of Illinois told me that the health clinic was overloaded with students claiming to have the swine. The line not only crowded the waiting room, but leaked outside and wrapped around the sidewalk. Facebook statues, AIM away messages, and Twitter updates are showing the extent of how many people think they are infected. For the sake of the nation and their lives, I sure hope not.

But the question I am asking my friends who are obsessively washing their hands and popping zinc, is are you guys paranoid or do you legitimately think you’re sick? Diarrhea…it happens. Coughing…every now and then. Headaches…yeah, sure. These things happen to us all the time and we don’t think twice about it, but now that theres an epidemic sweeping through seven countries and claiming lives, the little things we usually ignore become a problem.

My advice, if you’re feeling weird, get it checked out. It could be nothing, but there’s still that chance it could be something. I really don’t want to start seeing Chicagoans wearing medical masks around. I also don’t want to become increasingly worried I’m going to catch this and die.

Things to look out for:

Fever

Diziness

Headache

Fatigue

Coughing

lump sum.

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 23:54:44 -0700

lump sum.:

I realize that this isn’t a new concept. We have a system such as this intact here at Columbia in case of emergencies. Heck, I get CNN breaking news updates sent to my phone.

What I didn’t realize is how accessible this form of communication is, that even little old me could send out massive messages of my own “breaking news” to people I know. I can only begin to imagine the possibilities…

Musicians, clubs/groups, family announcements, gossip queens…

News can travel so quickly. And, anyone can be the catalyst.

Full of reminders. Too many people to call this week!

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 19:08:37 -0700

Full of reminders. Too many people to call this week!

Video

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 06:38:58 -0700

Lollapalooza is quite possibly the only thing powerful enough to turn TUP into a music blog.

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 01:19:11 -0700

Lollapalooza is quite possibly the only thing powerful enough to turn TUP into a music blog.

Our other camera failed so a web cam was the best we could do.

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 01:15:36 -0700

Our other camera failed so a web cam was the best we could do.

A bit of footage I shot at a Murder by Death show/interview with...

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 00:54:18 -0700

A bit of footage I shot at a Murder by Death show/interview with Adam Turla and the attempted edit.

Wednesday

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 21:49:00 -0700

It was doomsday. An inevitable movement. A reality nobody cared to think about—until they absolutely had to.

Wednesday was an unusual morning for the fourth floor of the Chicago Tribune. This is where the features department is located, where I sit, surrounded by cubicles of busy reporters working on culture and entertainment stories. But on April 22, the Tribune Company had to make some tough decisions in the wake of last year’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy filings. Restructuring, redesign and repackaging stories seemed to be the new theme of the evolving paper, with layoffs becoming all too common.

“So today’s the day,” one entertainment writer, I’ll refer to as Jim said at 10 AM, “I just don’t want to be in the office as it unfolds.”

And that’s when his phone rang. It was a brief exchange but he knew exactly what it regarded. He exited to another room where the door closed behind him. The other writers in surrounding cubicles slowly stood up and glanced at each other, with their hands over their mouths.

Another phone call came a few cubicles away from Jim’s. Another writer, who I’ll call Ted—who ironically wrote a blog about surviving the recession—answered and hung up just as quickly. He walked off in the same direction Jim did.

At this point everyone noticeably stopped doing work and started looking at each other in an eerie anxiety. It was like a lottery, only there were no winners.

As Jim walked to his desk we all looked at his somber face; searching for any kind of revealing expression. But before anyone could ask what happened he started saying his goodbyes in what sounded more like epitaph in first-person. He said goodbye to not only his colleagues, but his friends of so many years. He was oddly calm, but in retrospect how would anyone expect him to react?

The writer that sits across from him, I’ll call Sarah, was speechless but stood staring at him like she had a mouthful to say. So, Jim spoke for her, reassuring her that he was going to be OK.

Just then Sarah’s phone rang. She jumped; saw the caller ID, then started crying after finding out the call was merely a friend.

One-by-one phones sporadically went off throughout the Chicago Tribune building, and one-by-one journalists were called into a conference room until noon when a mass email was shot to the remaining staff, informing them of the resulting aftermath—53 reporters. The day’s layoffs had officially ended.

I left soon after to help one of the remaining writers, I’ll call Mark, shoot video footage for a project he was working on.

The long drive to the location we were shooting left for much reflection. I couldn’t help but think of how helpful Jim had been since the first day I started my internship. As a current journalism instructor, Jim was extremely accommodating and supportive when he really didn’t have to be. He often went out of his way to make sure I was busy and getting a worthwhile learning experience when ever I came in.

Later that day, Jim and Mark were discussing the day’s events over the phone while we were driving back to the Tribune Tower.

“Is John with you?” I could hear Jim ask loudly to Mark from the phone’s speaker. “Tell him I said hey. And tell him that it’s gonna get better, it’s not always like this, hopefully by the time he graduates.”

“But is that really true?” Mark asked him, thinking I couldn’t hear the conversation.

To which Jim replied: “Then could you just lie to him for me?”

Eleventh Street Diner

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 20:24:06 -0700

I’ve been to this deli several times and it’s been pretty satisfying (but expensive). My parents came downtown to visit and my mom wanted to head over there and try it.

Well, I have to say, this experience didn’t belong with the rest. I’m not one to gush over food unless it’s head over heels, knee slapping delicious but that’s exactly what the Schwartsky beef brisket sandwich (or however the hell you spell it) was. It’s the kind of meal you feel bad taking additional bites of because you don’t want it to end. It was that good. The meat must’ve sat in the slow cooker for two weeks. The beef was seasoned just right and the bun - sort of a soft, warm pretzel roll - melted in my mouth. The sandwich needed nothing… no cheese, no condiments and no au jus - utter bliss.

If anyone is a fan of beef brisket and deli sandwiches - take a trip to the Eleventh street deli. (Wabash and Roosevelt-ish) Its pricey but completely worth it. Incase you’re wondering, the answer is yes. I am a spokesperson for the restaurant!

one month from now? yes, please.

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 20:23:23 -0700

one month from now? yes, please.

YouTube vs. Vimeo

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 19:59:16 -0700

At first, Vimeo looks like a poor man’s YouTube and after using the site for several minutes, it is. But its a better media hosting site because it’s stripped of all the distractions and advertising that YouTube is plagued with.

The only downfall is its lack of a user community but that’s normal for a fairly new site. I expect it to grow quite considerably in the next year or so. Although with popularity and publicity comes all the rather intrusive, annoying advertising but there’s not much you can do about that.

The only other complaint is the restriction on uploading space. If you are a heavy user then you are somewhat forced into signing up and paying for Vimeo PLUS. Oh well, Youtube could use competition… monopolistic empires are dangerous.

Here’s a glimpse at a typical day at The Chronicle, all...

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 16:06:52 -0700

Here’s a glimpse at a typical day at The Chronicle, all shot on my nifty little Canon PowerShoot!

Buttermilk Pancakes w/ Banana EarWax These were amazing! They...

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 14:24:04 -0700

Buttermilk Pancakes w/ Banana

EarWax

These were amazing! They were Fluffy and airy and didn’t make me feel uncomfortably full.

Important Importance.

Tue, 21 Apr 2009 19:55:00 -0700

Tonight a fellow artist tried to convince me that artists aren’t important.

After getting past the wave of feelings of offensiveness that nearly drowned me, I calmly asked “how so?”.

He went on to explain to me that artists are not important because anyone and everyone is and/or can be one. Lawyers, doctors, teachers, etc. are the only ones in our society that hold any importance…according to him.

The wave of feelings of offensiveness was quickly followed by another wave of anger and pity. Not for me, but for him. My mind soon became flooded with questions.

“why do you have no self-importance?”. “why are you even on this earth if you hold no important purpose?”. “why not train to be someone of ‘importance’ instead of an artist?”. “what do you even think ‘importance’ IS?”.

Importance. Importance. Importance. Importance. Importance.

What I hear is: Influence. Authority. Notability. Dominance. Worth.

He later explained to me that the ability to become extinct proves importance. At this point I realized, I was dealing with someone who had a very different train of thought.

Tonight I realized my importance. By merely having it challenged by someone who I thought was on “my side”, I was washed up onto a beach of pride.

I refuse to believe I am not an important contributor to my society. There is no way I would be on this earth if I weren’t important. Even if I’m not important to the masses, I am important to someone and that makes me important…period.

My run-in with the boy-with-no-soul, once I got past my anger and frustration, also got me thinking. Where is the support? If you can’t even depend on your peers, who do you turn to in moments of weakness?

Living the life of an artist, whether it be a writer, a painter, a musician, a photographer, an advertising executive, a film director, a model, an actor- it’s hard. Just as hard, if not harder, as being a lawyer or doctor. It just takes different skills, not less intelligent ones.

I have seen the medicine of doctors save lives and I have seen the art of artists save lives.

What I do is important. What you do is important. And I would personally like to thank you, for doing whatever it is you do.

Give it a rest.

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 22:17:44 -0700

I am overwhelmed with frustration as yet another person (let alone an “aspiring journalist”) bombards me with insults of the media. It is one thing to acknowledge a problem. It is another thing to bash an entire industry and have complete disregard for others who are trying to better it. Then, when politics get involved? Forget about it!

An angry student journalist, who happens to be extremely conservative, shared this link: http://www.glennbeck.com/content/articles/article/198/24124/

While the interview and the reporter’s manners did upset me a little, I certainly wasn’t about to quit the business or go on a tirade about how the liberal media is the epicenter of America’s problems. The funny part is, I’m sure I could find a million videos of a right-wing news outlet reporter acting similarly at another event.

The anger isn’t unique to “liberal media.” Statistics pop up everyday. Now it is estimated that 75% of all media in the U.S. is “liberal.” Ok, so? Newspapers were created way back when to allow a separate checks and balances system for our government when our country was just starting to mold itself. We are the watchdogs. Human emotion can cloud this, I know that. Viewers know that. Readers know that. Listeners know that.

I guess what I’m saying is: back off. Instead of attacking the media, why don’t we let them take a step off their defensive lines and march back onto the offense. There is a job to be done so let those of us who are willing to do it…do it.

P.S. If you hate journalism and think it’s horse crap and that you don’t have the power to help “fix” it, then stop studying it and be on your merry way. We’ve got a job to do here.

Blackhawks first game

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 11:42:00 -0700

Tonight NHL’s youngest team, our very own Chicago Blackhawks, sqaures off against Calgary in the first round of the NHL playoffs.

What I expect from the game:

1. Skating in circles trying to find the puck.

2. Spectacular saves from either Blackhawks goalie, probably not Huet though.

3. Calgary frustration mounting, fights galore, tooth flying action and the Flames going home iced down.

That’s the summary of tonights game and, with any luck, the Blackhawks will sweep the series.

Go Hawks!

Everyblock

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 11:35:33 -0700

It’s good to know my neighborhood is safe, except for April 7. For some reason, this day was Lakeview attempt to be a criminal day. There were attempted forcible burglaries, thefts, vandalism and assaults and batteries. For those of you who don’t know, assault is threatening negative action on a person and battery is doing it. The earliest crime before then was Jan. 11 and who can forget the serial rapist a couple years ago. Upperclass living leads to upperclass crimes. More people will talk about hurting you in my neighborhood than will actually hurt you and if they try to steal something, most ultimately fail. Yay for criminal intelligence.

This is amazing. By the way, Department of Eagles reminds me...

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 23:50:00 -0700

This is amazing.

By the way, Department of Eagles reminds me (Department of Eagles = Grizzly Bear = Pitchfork talk), I’m rather excited for Pitchfork’s ‘09 lineup. I was almost sold with Grizzly Bear’s appearance, completely sold with the announcement of Flaming Lips headlining and now I’m shitting myself (this is a good thing) after hearing that M83, Wavves, Black Lips and The Pains of Being Pure at Heart are performing as well. Woops, there goes $60!!!

The 60605

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 23:40:50 -0700

Yeah, so I live in the South Loop, suppp. It’s nothing to brag about really, and the excitement is at a minimum, despite the occasional Red Bull/taco seasoning theft at Jewel and crazy bitches getting their teeth knocked out after a screechtastic, deafening quarrel. There’s also this really odd homeless guy that I pass every morning on my way to class that manages to have a fresh Scooby Taylor-esque skat, of which is accompanied with a rather groovy hip swivel thing (he’s a dingy-ass dude, too).

So I EveryBlock’d it (new verb), I mean, who knows what’s going on in the 60605? Last year they found someone from the FBI’s Most Wanted a few blocks down from here. Unfortunately, there was less drama than I was hoping for, no cannibalism or anything of that sort. Instead, we’ve got illegal immigrants getting RE-arrested, “simple” domestic battery, several accounts of theft (at 6 a.m., no less) at the wonderful Jewel I frequent every week and daily pick-pocketing incidences right across from my apartment building. OMG, yay South Loop!!

Flight attendant rap.

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 23:26:59 -0700

Flight attendant rap.:

My mother is a flight attendant for United Airlines. Her “seniority” is currently topping off at 20 years. My mom’s sense of humor is dry and she is rarely offended but oftens offends. That is why I was surprised to her response to this video.

Johanna (Mom) says: ”I’m not amused. While those morons are practicing their musical “skills” over at Southwest, I’ll be practicing how to get myself and everyone on board the aircraft off safely in an emergency landing. I’ll meet that fool at the bottom of the emergency evac. slide…or probably not.”

I guess she wasn’t as amused as the (approximately) 1.2 million others who watched the video.

Everyblock: what you don't know...

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 23:18:00 -0700

Apparently I am a much firmer believe in “what you don’t know won’t hurt you” than I had previously thought.

My first reaction when I typed in “60605” and the Crimes section came pouring in was, “What?! I don’t want to know this!”

Although I have learned that there is a condo for sale right around the corner for over $600,000 I am still finding the information that Everyblock provides to be a bit daunting.

Crime statistics aside, I can see how this site could be utilized in a positive way and, not to mention, a very impressive way. The amount of information packed onto this one site is truly amazing to me. It weeds out all the other “stuff” from other areas that readers may deem irrelevant and gives us exactly what it is we think we need to know—the things that may, or may not, directly affect us.

One thing I did enjoy about the site was the Photos section. It was undoubtedly my favorite portion and probably the only reason I’d go back to the site. I guess stalking my neighborhood isn’t on the top of my priority list. I would much rather go out, take my chances and enjoy it firsthand.

http://chicago.everyblock.com/streets/michigan-ave/1100-1198s/

Despite the fact that Doug Martsch looks like he’s having...

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 22:25:16 -0700

Despite the fact that Doug Martsch looks like he’s having a seizure in this video, it still makes me very excited for P4K Fest.

I usually feel like the South Loop is about as safe as it comes in Chicago. I got my ipod headphones...

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 22:12:52 -0700

I usually feel like the South Loop is about as safe as it comes in Chicago. I got my ipod headphones jacked once when I got off the L at the library stop around 1 a.m., but that’s pretty much the only trouble I have run into in three years living in the neighborhood.

I’ll be interested to see how crime in the South Loop compares to other places in the city where kids in the this class live. Perhaps is the cime rate is greater than I thought.

According to EveryBlock, there have been five recent thefts, four batteries, and one assault.

Two of the thefts were reported at the Jewel, which doesn’t come as much surprise.

The most serious charge looks like a case of aggravated battery, which involved a “knife or cutting instrument”. That happened about 10 blocks south of where I am, though.

It's Illinoy. Not Illinoise.

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 20:22:27 -0700

If there’s one thing I just completely do not understand, it’s why people insist on mispronouncing the word Illinois. I know there’s an S on the end. I know. I also eat a lot of RasP-erries and see my P-sychiatrist weekly. Just so we’re all clear on this, some words have letters that aren’t pronounced. This would usually be referred to as a “silent letter.”

The only reason I bring this up is because I just heard it happen on national television, said by someone who’s entire career is based on making fun of other people. Oh yeah? Well you can’t even pronounce the name of a state correctly. Yes, Chelsea Handler, Host of Chelsea Lately and author of Are You There, Vodka? It’s Me, Chelsea, I’m talking to YOU. If you’re going to spend 5 minutes ragging on our ex-governor, you can at least show the state a little respect and not pronounce it like a 5-year-old.

For all of you who have the IllinoiS syndrome, I’m sorry. But being a native, I can’t help but be annoyed. I’ll try my best to show the same respects next time I go to Arkansauce.

Went to China-town last week and had a great time. Love the...

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 19:17:00 -0700

Went to China-town last week and had a great time. Love the culture! I went with another class and our job was to use the flip video and interview a few people about the Olympics coming to Chicago. Some people were for the publicity of the Olympics, while some were conserned with Chicago being over-crowded and with what the Olympics would leave behind.

What's going down near Columbia

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 18:56:00 -0700

Everyblock is actually a really interesting site; however, I kinda wish I was able to actually do my address instead of Columbia’s but what are ya gonna do when you live in the ‘burbs?

It’s amazing that by adding an address and zip code you are able to find out what’s happening near you so fast. building permits, licenses, crime and almost anything in between is readily available for FREE. I was a little discouraged with the amount of crime shown, but then again as I got used to the site, I realize that I would want to know what kinds of crime have haapened near Columbia so I can be more prepared and aware.

April 6, 2009 was not a good day: 1 assault, 1 domestic battery, theft of labor/services at CTA platform, theft from college/university grounds, and pocket-picking from small retail store.

On a lighter note, there were quite a few business reviews. I like to know how a business is doing (it shows Epic Burger with 4 out of 5 stars).

I also found the “Restaurant Inspections” section really interesting, and it’s updated daily. I like to know what goes on behind closed doors when it comes to preparing food. And if you click on the business that has failed, you get a detailed description of their violations.

Everyblock

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 17:13:00 -0700

Everyblock is actually pretty cool site. With nothing but my address and the click of a search button I am instantly in the KNOW of everything that’s going on in my neighborhood. From who’s getting their liquor license, to what gas station got held up at gunpoint, I’m covered. (However, it is a bit discouraging to read about thefts and violence 2 blocks away from my home, but at least I am being informed, right?)

I was surprised when I saw that there is a “Lost and Found” section. If it weren’t there, I wouldn’t have looked for it, but it’s a really awesome perk and comfort. Hopefully I’ll never have to add to that myself, but seriously, I lose phones and iPods like chap stick. I’m excited to keep on the look out for the black kitten and gray tabby I read about. I hope they’re still alive. As for the phones and wallets…I don’t think you’re ever going to be found.

2 new Starbucks are opening on W Division Street. HOO-RAH! There’s really never enough places to get 1000 calorie coffee drinks.

No more armed robberies! Hand guns are not cool.

Watching one dumbass interview another dumbass is something that...

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 17:06:59 -0700

Watching one dumbass interview another dumbass is something that vacillates between being really entertaining and incredibly uncomfortable. Last night, after Oxygen decided to cease rerun after rerun of The Bad Girls Club (the only show that ever seems to be on that channel), the Trya Show came on.

Anyone who knows me well is aware of my extreme dislike for this woman. In any other circumstance, I would have quickly turned the channel, but when her dramatic introduction revealed that she would be interviewing Bristol Palin’s baby daddy, I knew I had to watch.

Watching Levi Johnston speak is like waiting for Elmer’s glue on construction paper to dry. I couldn’t tell if he was really high (that may be entirely necessary when speaking to Tyra Banks), or if he was really just that stupid. Even more painful? Listening to Tyra try to break the awkward silences with some of the most ridiculous questions.

what's goin' down in 60657

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 16:49:12 -0700

I think it’s safe to say that I live in Chicago’s most boring neighborhood.

Today, I had the great pleasure of doing an Everyblock search on my lovely Lakeview zip code. I say “lovely” sarcastically, because the first several listings in my search results yielded a great number of bank robberies—one that just occured at 10:30 this morning on Diversey. Yuppies with their yorkies getting their money taken away…wah wah.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with Everyblock, it’s a pretty nifty little web gem. Select one of the major cities listed, type in your zip code and you are immediately greeted with a surprisingly comprehensive list of all the happenings in your ‘hood—crimes, business and restaurant reviews, new business openings, real estate listings, photos and updated business licenses. The site even goes as far as reporting crimes as miniscule as telephone threats.

Aside from the number of robberies and street thefts (which is typical for really any neighborhood in the city), nothing too exciting seems to be occuring in my zip code. I think this means I need to move soon—preferably to an area of town with a little bit more exciting criminal activity. Am I really that demented?

go Cubs go

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 11:32:32 -0700

Tomorrow I am going to my first Cubbies game ever!! I am really really excited! I have lived here for about a year and a half and I have always wanted to go to a game. Back in the dorms last year, a neighbor of mine woke up at like 6 in the morning to go buy season tickets. I always hassled him and tried to convince him to take me to a game. Then yesterday I ran into him on the El and he said his roomie couldn’t go and wanted to know if I would like to. Obviously I said “yes!”

I can’t wait to get a hot dog and a beer…but I will be limiting myself because I have a 3 hour history class at 6:30 p.m. that I will have to run to right after the game.

Back in high school my friend Jeremy always used to imitate Harry Caray’s voice. I always thought his imitation of this guy was funny, but I never actually knew who he was making fun of.

R.I.P. Harry Caray

My Block

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 10:55:00 -0700

After typing my 60610 zip code into the EveryBlock site, I didn’t find anything too interesting or suprising..which I guess is a good thing, right? What I did find interesting and funny was that at the the top of my page, the firs three items that were listed were reguarding the luxury and Queen scarf wearing clothing line, Hermes, has moved from 15 E. Oak Street to 150 E. Oak Street into the newly vacant Barney’s building. Oh SHIT!!!

In other news, the Cheese Cake Factory and the Walgreens have passed their recent inspection. As for crimes, the ones that happen around where I live are all some type of theft…almost all from homes that are “Over $300.” There were also some battery charges that happened at local Division bars at around 12:30 a.m. No surprise.

I have always felt like I live in a really safe area, and this site confirmed that as well. The streets by where I currently live that I feel are a little bit sketchy are also the ones where the crimes mostly took place.

It’s nice to know this site exists..

http://chicago.everyblock.com/streets/dearborn-pky/1101-1143n/

Tribune Letter to the Editor #2

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 08:17:59 -0700

Support, oppose

April 8, 2009

I find it amusing that the people who so valiantly supported President Barack Obama during his campaign are now the ones complaining about his actions as president. Some people are just never satisfied.

—Jennifer Nunez

Chicago

Podcast virgin

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 08:15:20 -0700

I have heard about these things, podcasts, as they are called, for the past year or so. I figured it was like a newscast; but I could listen to it at any time. Sounded pretty lame at the time. I never thought about it. I listened to a podcast this week. It was called the Rescue Me video podcast. It was pretty neat. I could watch something at whatever time I found conveinent just like DVR or something. Most podcasts are just audio, but the visual added in made it just that much better. Denis Leary is a funny guy, and I saw him at the Chicago Theater last weekend. I was happy to be able to hear some of the more funny moments on the podcast. It was like I was at the show all over again.

Podcasts aren’t as good as being there in person, but they bring people information and entertainment for free. And that, to me, is the best benifit.

Free Art!

Tue, 14 Apr 2009 17:39:00 -0700

Vibrant colors splash the stark, white canvas creating an abstract that recalls artist Jackson Pollack. Multiple colors of the sunset clash with ocean hues as shapes and streaks of color create a sense of symmetry and chaos. These acrylic paintings are the artwork of Patrick Skoff, an artist who wins the attention of many Chicagoans. Skoff, 30, releases his artistic muse in the confines of his makeshift studio located in his garage in Glen Ellen. Skoff has created a free art movement that exposes the streets of Chicago to his art and philosophy. He believes everyone should be able to hang a piece of art in their living room while recollecting the story of how that painting came to be.

The creation of each painting doesn’t always start in his studio to the beat of blaring music. On occasion he sets up shop occupying a lot of places in the Chicago area. He breaks out his heavy duty easel supporting his self-made canvases framed with 2x4s, along with a set of paints ready to fill the void of the blank canvas staring back at him.

While most paintings are abstract, portraits of President elect Barack Obama made their way into Skoff’s collection. Skoff appeared outside of the CBS 2 news studio on 22 W. Washington St. painting both presidential candidates in November. Behind the news anchors, was Skoff bundled up outside while he worked meticulously through the early onset of winter in support of the 2008 election. Before he could even finish the Obama painting, one of CBS’s own staff members bought it.

A dark, ominous rendition of Batman’s villain the Joker was painted in various spots in Chicago or Gotham City if you will. He was spotted in the Chicago Arts District in Pilsen painting the villain during the 2^nd Fridays Gallery Night. Passersby struck up conversation with Skoff admiring his talent as he continued to paint in the back of his truck used for his landscaping business. The close-up of the haunting face with the Joker’s notorious white face paint and what looks like smeared red lipstick, makes you recall the famous line, “why so serious?”

Skoff grew up in Franklin Park where he attended East Leyden High School; the place where his love for art turned from hobby to hopeful career. Skoff’s art teacher Steve Lappe acted as a mentor while attending high school. Lappe took a special interest in Skoff’s enthusiasm he brought to the class unlike the other students taking art classes for an easy credit. He was genuinely interested in fine art and wanted to mold his technique as an artist.

Skoff’s developed technique as a fine artist has grown into something more than just his art. Skoff exposes the process of his final product by videotaping himself painting and posting it on YouTube or his website, skoffpaintings.com. One painting was videotaped on the roof of an old factory downtown Chicago. Skoff hurled paint from the roof down to the foot of the factory where a previously painted blue canvas laid waiting to be reckoned with. The time-lapsed video zoomed in on the canvas several stories below only revealing the variety of colors splattering against it. The only method to his madness was what colors to use and how much paint to launch off the building.

“I want to make my art have more of a meaning than just being art. I think what’s going to set me apart is the background behind my work and not the actual work, and that’s a part of what I’m trying to show. I’m trying to give people a feeling of what goes into making an art and why; instead of just the final product” says Skoff.

Skoff’s philosophy on art is just as important as the paint he brushes on a canvas. Skoff believes that life is art and everybody should have access to a quality piece of artwork. He wants people to have a story to tell about how they found it or how it was painted. This belief has created the framework for his free art movement treating the streets of Chicago as his own personal art gallery. Skoff doesn’t want to showcase his art in high-priced galleries that dig deep into the pockets of not only the art lover but the artists themselves.

“An art gallery to me is a store, like a Wal-Mart; going around you pick up what you want and then you leave. I want to make the entire city my store. I want to make random locations where you can find my art. It almost kind of cheapens it that you put it in some fancy gallery and charge a ton of money to feel better about what you’re doing,” says Skoff.

Director, owner and artist Robin Rios of 4Art Inc. in Pilsen stresses the importance for an artist to be prepared to work hard not only as an artist but on the business end of things. Rios divulged that it’s harder now more than ever to get your art in a gallery because of the economy’s current condition. As an artist and art director, Rios emphasized that any exposure an emerging artist can get is essential whether it be in an art gallery or on the street.

Skoff’s free art occupies many locations in the city. Canvases have leaned up against buildings in River North, faced the lakefront and rested in the limbs of trees. Robert Danek, a commuter from Geneva to his office in the city, noticed one of Skoff’s paintings in a tree by the train station.

“I know the artist was attempting some sort of public art display, but I proceeded to work to check the website written on the back of the painting, says Danek. At work, I confirmed that he was giving away the art, so I rushed back to the painting to claim it. Thankfully, it was still there, so I lugged it back to the office.”

Many others like Danek have stumbled upon Skoff’s art in just the same way. They not only enjoy the painting they discovered but go on his website to search for more; like an “easter egg hunt” as Skoff describes. Locals check his website once the shout out is given to those on his contact list, gearing up with maps and the provided hints to the slew of paintings sprawled out all over the city.

He loads up his truck with five or six paintings ranging from big canvases to smaller pieces ready to be released and found by an avid Skoff fan, or an unsuspecting bystander. Skoff says that they are usually found within one or two days as he receives notices from people through e-mail. Others, Skoff says, could very well be thrown into the trash and that is its fate.

Skoff also makes miniature figurines called Little Things. The Little Things are carved out of wood with little embellishments complete with a painted body and no face for expression that are left out haphazardly just like the paintings. These figurines are a metaphor Skoff creates to show how the little things are what make life worth while.

“The Little Things I leave out could be everyday things that people do or common things like little life moments that make life better,” says Skoff.

Skoff also sells the Little Things on his website but are purposefully priced at an astronomical amount so no one would buy them, but rather find them for free instead.

Skoff’s art and message have spread and affected many Chicagoans that now have one of his paintings or a Little Thing.

“I have a lovely story to tell people of how I acquired the art, and a sense of excitement and joy were given me by the artist. You can’t paint that shit. These paintings aren’t just pictures on the wall, they are unique stories that have happened to people individually,” says Chicagoan Russell Walker.

Walker found Skoff’s website before he went on a wild goose hunt for one of his paintings. He happened to stumble upon one in his own neighborhood after having a frantic conversation with the artist not knowing if he was going to spot one of the pieces before they were all snatched up by other locals.

“I think any opportunity to show your work should be graciously welcomed. As the world changes, then so does the appreciation for art, says Rios. The most important thing as an artist is to stay visible.”

Skoff is feverishly working away on a massive project before his next art hunt scheduled before Christmas. A giant Obama painting consisting of 432 1ft x1ft slabs of cardboard will be made with each one painted as a different abstract. All of the cardboard pieces will make up a mosaic of Obama measured at 18ft x 24ft. However the final mosaic will not stay together in one piece. Skoff plans to include 99 of the cardboard abstracts on his art hunt and will sell the remaining 333 pieces.

“Rather than being a sell out I’m actually selling pieces of one painting and each person is now connected because they all own an original ‘Skoff’ painting that is a small part of something bigger,” says Skoff.

Many people who have found or bought his art off of his website have never been able to put a face to the art and he would like to keep it that way.

Still second class citizens in Illinois

Tue, 14 Apr 2009 16:43:00 -0700

A lot of buzz is generating behind same-sex marriage in Illinois, following measures passed in Vermont and our neighbors in Iowa.

As a Midwestern “heartland” state, it seems unlikely to pass however. Many of us in liberal Chicago seem to forget the conservative constituency in the rest of Illinois. Even viewers polled on an ABC Channel 7 news poll voted 70-30 against same-sex marriage, similar to the Chicago Tribune poll results from three weeks ago.

According to the Chicago Tribune, it may take Illinois time to warm voters up to the idea of gay “marriage,” while settling on civil unions for a few years, like Vermont (which is more like “a separate, but equal” approach). It seems scripture-armed conservatives and “family” groups care not for a committed gay or lesbian couple’s right to visit each other in the hospital or share assets.

While civil unions allow for many of the same rights as married couples, it’s rarely recognized outside state limits. But I guess it could be worse, states like Utah, Arkansas, Michigan and Oklahoma won’t even let gay couples adopt.

What I like about living in Chicago’s Lake View is how common it is to see a gay couples holding hands or pushing a stroller, but it’s definitely a socially progressive bubble confined to so few locations in our country.

Other rights denied to gay and lesbian community: Serving openly in the military without fear of discharge, nationwide hate crime protections, nationwide employment non-discrimination laws and the American Red Cross denies gay men from donating blood, to name a few beyond marriage and adoption equality.

Hearing about all the road blocks in equality legislation, I can’t help but wonder how I am supposed to be proud of a country that denies me so many rights?

I just saw myself in 10 years on the bus last week. At least I...

Tue, 14 Apr 2009 15:48:05 -0700

I just saw myself in 10 years on the bus last week. At least I hope it’s me, he’s wearing a nice suit, expensive coat and is reading the Wall Street Journal… It takes the edge off graduating into debt next month.

Everyblock search: Around Melrose St. & Broadway

Tue, 14 Apr 2009 15:42:38 -0700

The neighborhood I live in is Lake View, Boystown adjacent, right by the always open Melrose Diner, which I’ve only stumbled into after the 2 AM bars close. The neighborhood is surrounded by newly renovated apartments and condos, internet cafes, trendy restaurants, baby strollers and joggers.

There are tons of Asian restaurants around these blocks, with varying reviews on Yelp, such as Wakamono, Wangs, Joy’s Noodles and Rice, Ping Pong, New Tokyo, New Peaking, Sura Thai Bistro, Hatsu Hama, and Bamee Noodle Shop—many right across the street or next door to each other (all of which passed health inspections). A bunch of popular coffee shops are scattered in the area as well: The Coffee and Tea Exchange, Argo Tea, Intelligentsia Coffee and Tea, Caribou Coffee, and of course a Starbucks.

The most recent movie filmed here was “Public Enemies” with Johnny Depp. From what I remember, in March of last year, they parked 1920s buggies throughout the streets to shoot in the middle of the night.

The crime isn’t excessive, just a few domestic disputes and a recent shoplifter, kind of what you would expect from an adjacent suburb. Not much has happened in the news in this area, except for a review of the Lakeshore Theater by Broadway and Belmont.

Tim Bearden and Danny Shannon talk about “That’s...

Fri, 10 Apr 2009 11:28:23 -0700

Tim Bearden and Danny Shannon talk about “That’s super.” Tim can’t seem to get the name right.

Rivers Roast shines through comedy drought

Thu, 09 Apr 2009 09:21:00 -0700

Comedy Central just announced it’s latest roast victim, Joan Rivers.

Joan Rivers is an accomplished comedian with such credits to her resume as Spaceballs, the Academy Awards’ Red Carpet walk and The Last Supper. It’s probably the fact the plastic hasn’t melted her face off under the bright lights of the Oscars that made Comedy Central comfortable to do this roast.

The roast masters will most likely be Greg Giraldo, Lisa Lampenelli and God, in his first roast appearance. Anyone who basically isn’t that busy. Lampenelli is the only one with a fully operating career right now. As we can see from the wars erupting and Daniel Tosh getting his own show, God’s on vacation.

Comedy Central got it right, for a change, and is roasting someone worthy of it. Let’s just hope her robot parts don’t rust on the way to the studio.

This is also cross posted on my personal blog.

A mini-podcast-esque attempt.

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 23:31:06 -0700

A mini-podcast-esque attempt.

GIMME BACK THAT FILET ‘O FISH, BITCH. This one’s for...

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 23:28:00 -0700

GIMME BACK THAT FILET ‘O FISH, BITCH. This one’s for Trevor, who finds this song to be oddly addicting (wait, so do I).

Podcasts

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 22:54:36 -0700

I have to be honest here. I don’t listen to podcasts and it would be really hard for me to act like I do. They are hard for me to get into because I would rather watch people talk than listen. When you’re listening to a conversation you’re missing out on all the hand gestures and facial expressions that really help you understand a person’s character. I also get really bored when I have nothing to look at, which may or may not be kind of sad. I find that whenever I try to listen to a podcast I end up surfing the net and totally space out on what they’re discussing. 5 minutes will go by and I’ll ask myself, “wait, what are they talking about?” and then have to start the whole thing over.

But… there are 2 podcasts that I have tried out in the past week. One would be This American Life, and the other, Sound of Young America. Between the 2 I definitely like Sound of Young America more. Jesse Thorn has the kind of voice that’s easy to listen to, and his humor and enthusiasm help me gain some interest in the topic of discussion. He also always seems to get along with his guests really well, which makes the whole thing a seem all the more friendly and easy going.

Podcasts are something that I have been trying to get into for awhile, but it never seems to work out. Despite my urges to instead watch talk shows, I will continue to try podcasts until I find one that can fully have my attention. So the saga continues…

Do you really need proof?

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 20:46:08 -0700

Less than six weeks until graduation, and desperation has gotten the best of me.

1. My career aspirations are dunzo. There’s nothing quite like hearing that Cat Fancy Magazine is hiring for editorial positions to make me realize that the economy (and this beloved journalism industry) is in the shitter. While this most likely won’t be the case forever, I still can’t help but find myself wondering if I would be in this same position right now had I just settled on an entirely different career. I keep having nightmares that the peak of my career will be me as an editor of a church newsletter, or a copy editor for Woodworking Daily.

2. I am an emotional lunatic. Over the past few months, I have managed to call my mother roughly three times per week in tears. Depressing, yes. But even more than that, pathetic! Luckily, I have the kind of mother who has no problem telling me I am a lunatic for being so emotional. Thanks, mom. Always keeping it real.

3. My sighs have become more audible. Everyone I work with already knows this about me, but sometimes, for no apparent reason, I let out a loud sigh in the midst of a hushed newsroom just to have a handful of people gawk at me or ask me what’s wrong. While it is honestly an unintentional act 95% of the time, I will say that my sighs these days are just masking my need to open the window and scream onto Wabash Ave.

4. I have been able to fall asleep without the aid of Tylenol PM. I know most people would probably thing this is a great thing, especially since I have been a Tylenol PM advocate since high school, but this is a monumental occasion in my life. Lately, I’ve been feeling so exhausted, overworked and emotionally spent that I forget to pop my nightly meds, causing me to pass out on my couch with all the lights on.

Breakfast at...

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 20:15:48 -0700

If there is one thing that excites me, one thing I am passionate about, one thing that gets me up in the morning….well, that’s breakfast. I absolutely love breakfast. Some times I even indulge in a second breakfast, just like Sam from Lord of the Rings so desired. Eating breakfast when I wake up in the morning is maybe my most favorite time of the day. I wake up about two hours in the morning before I have to be some where just so I can drink my coffee, sit under my blanket, watch TV, and eat my breakfast.

This mandrin french toast topped with carmelized bananas was a breakfast I ate over spring break in a cute diner joint in West Marin, California. This was truly a treat, and I even had to take breaks to steal some of my brother’s country fried steak just to clean my pallete from all the sugar.

Some times I don’t know what is in my breakfast…

I ate this breakfast on the Saturday before St. Patrick’s at my favorite Atlantic Pub in Lincoln Square. Sweet beans sat next to hearty sausage and two pieces of ham hid under buttered toast. I still don’t know what the dollar sized meat concotions are, but..they were good. And there is nothing like a Miller Lite in a plastic cup to wash it down.

My breakfasts are much simpler. Toasted sprouted bread with crunchy peanut butter, scrambled eggs (1 egg/1 egg yolk), or Kashi wheat cereal with cut up bananas and whole milk. And on that note, I was raised on whole milk and don’t understand how people can drink 2% or all the other watered down ones. My bones are strong and I think I have whole milk to thank for that.

It is April 8th, 2009 and this is my first podcast. This sample...

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 19:15:11 -0700

It is April 8th, 2009 and this is my first podcast. This sample cut goes out to the Warriors, that real live bunch from Coney, and I do mean the Warriors..bahaha! I like podcasting but I think I need to download audacity or garage band. Sound quality is pretty bad.

Movin' On Up

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 19:03:00 -0700

Where I call home now won’t be much longer as I will be moving out of my parent’s house. I find it funny how I’ve been looking around for an apartment big enough for all of my stuff when I’ve managed to fit most of it in one room my whole life. I’ve been looking forward to this moment ever since I can remember…not saying I didn’t have a great life at home with the rest of the fam, but I’m a pretty independent person. However, I’m just starting to realize how much I’m really going to be responsible for. As my leasing agent put it, if someone decides to throw themselves off my balcony…I’m responsible for it. If my cat decides to bite someone’s ankle…I’m responsible for it. I’m really not worried about either of those situations actually happening but hey the world is full of surprises. Little Luigi has a good temperament I would say.

My boyfriend will be my roomie and who knows what he’ll bring to the table with his poker-playing, WOW obsessed friends. I’m quite excited knowing that I have my own personal office though where I can shut out any nonsense that might be going on. I’m not one to be bossy or anything but the second he said that he wanted to put the Master Chief Collector helmet in the main living area…a girl must draw the line somewhere…

It’s a whole new chapter in my life if you want to get all cliché about it. It’s crazy knowing that I have to pack up everything I’ve collected over the past 21 years of my life in seven days in the midst of school, my internship, freelancing and my regular job. Not to mention I haven’t seen the bottom of my closet in years…so that’s a whole venture in itself.

I figure I won’t have any time to decorate until summer rolls around…but when that time comes I can finally put all of that useless stored knowledge those home design shows have given me to good use.

Italy’s earthquake. Picture is from VOANews.com

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 18:38:43 -0700

Italy’s earthquake. Picture is from VOANews.com

Earthquake death toll rises

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 18:35:18 -0700

I’m sure we’ve all heard of the earthquake in central Italy on Monday. At first it was said that at least 90 people were dead with roughly 15,000 injured. Today, the number dead has increased to 272. This earthquake has left 28,000 people homelss. Many are living in tents and eating from field kitchens.

Funerals for the first set of victims were set for today and a mass state funeral is set for Friday.

One thing many people may not have heard is that pop star Madonna has pledged cash to help the village of Pacentro, the birthplace of two of her grandparents. I ask this: is this really necessary and newsworhty to put in the same article as the death toll?

After the mention of Madonna and her generosity, the article goes on to say that the U.S. scientists have measured the earthquake at magnitude 6.3. Honestly that information seems a little more important and relevant than Madonn’a money plege. Don’t get me wrong. I think it’s great that she is helping a village in need. In fact, I think more people should take the time and help out. However, it couold have been its own little story rather than add it to the new death toll number. Maybe they were trying to lighten the tradegy?

Podcast

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 18:08:00 -0700

I normally don’t listen to podcasts all that much; however, I did come across “The Soup” on E!. I watch that show as much as I can (I try to catch it every night, but that doesn’t always happen). I love the host Joel McHale. The podcast I listened to was dated 3/13/2009 entitled “Brit bares her bits” and with a title like that I had to listen. It was about Briteny Spears performing and not realizing her mic was still on after the song was done. She was caught saying something crude and perhaps a little offensive. Joel did a skit with a “kitty hanging around”, in relation to what Brit said. Hopefully you can all figure out what went wrong.

one of the reasons I like this podcast is it is weekly so if I do happen to miss it on E! I can just download the podcast and listen whenever. I recently got into “The Soup” a few months ago and I’m glad they have a podcast. I must say that I didn’t really know exactly what a podcast was or how it was different from listening to the AOL radio. i obviously realized there’s more to it and the benefits of podcasts- the ability to listen to practically anything, the cost (almost all are free and that’s always a good thing).

While searching for podcasts there were many others that caught my eye. now that I’m somewhat into this fad, I will have to check them out.

http://feeds.eonline.com/eonline/thesoup

On podcasting

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 15:52:11 -0700

ESPN’s Bill Simmons is main reason I wanted to write about sports for a living. Hell, the name of my blog is a reference to one of his more obscure columns. Simmons wrote (and still writes, though somewhat less effectively) about sports in a way no one before him did. Instead of waxing poetic on the beauty of the game, the ‘heart’ of the athletes, and the trouble with steroids, Simmons just made fun of it all. Because, when you think about it, is anything more absurd than sports and the undying love so many us have for people we’ll never meet? And if we ever did meet a favorite athlete or coach, you know, they probably wouldn’t be very cool.

Another thing I always admired about Simmons was his insistance to stick to writing. I’m sure he had plenty of opportunities to jump to television or radio (he spent a brief portion of his career writing jokes for Jimmy Kimmel’s late night show), but he always preferred to grind out 8,000 word columns instead.

About a year or two ago, Simmons started podcasting. I was familiar with podcasts before - nothing in the entire world is better than The Basketball Jones - but Simmons’ was probably the first I listen to with regularity.

Even though Simmons has lost a little heat on his fastball through the years, I still prefer the columns to the podcasts. But I do dig the podcasts most of the time. I can listen to the first one he ever did with Adam Carolla a million times and still die from laughing with each listen.

In the two-plus years that I’ve been writing TUP pretty...

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 14:30:00 -0700

In the two-plus years that I’ve been writing TUP pretty much every weekday, there have only been a handful of times when I really felt obligated to write meaningful/sort of good. Last Thursday, when the Bears traded for Jay Cutler, was one of those times. So here’s my column.

While you’re at it, check out today’s post (on Bama Bangs!) and the MLB preview podcast Matt Bradwell and I did this weekend. Becase we are losers.

"Do you drift?"

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 10:49:00 -0700

…asked my Advanced Magazine Writing professor while I was giving the latest news on an article revolving around a Chicago drift club that I’m writing for class. The answer was, and is to everyone that asks, no. I don’t. But only because I’ve never had the proper chassis, or even drivetrain layout for that matter, to get some seat time and start practicing.

But drifting is very alluring to me. I often dream of creating the perfect blend of power, finese in a street-drift car in conjunction with discovering my own personal style and ability to control angle, entry speed and depth. How could I not want to? Honestly though, with the automotive-related goals I have in mind, I don’t know if I’ll ever have a purpose-built drift machine. Grip running at the circuit and heart-dropping Kanjo and high-speed Wangan are how I see my future panning out. But drifting is very exciting to watch, or ride along with and the draw will always be there, even if only from a spectators’ standpoint.

I chose to share the following clip because it showcases some of the best drivers on a closed touge, running full-speed — something you don’t get to see very often. Not to mention that when they normally use this location it’s for grip and not drift, which is what makes this clip particularly nice. Orido in the pink Nissan S15 from Yashio Factory (which I would kill to drive on the street) and Kazama in the blue S13 from G-Corporation (and later the Toyota JZX90 sedan) attack the Gunsai touge. Tsuchiiya is piloting the Toyota AE86 behind them as the designated camera car. All are famous professional grip and drift drivers in Japan who have immaculate control over their vehicles. So much smoke billows out from the fenders in this video that at times it’s hard to see what’s going on. And keep in mind, this is all along a relatively thin mountain pass.

[Since I’m posting this for a class blog, those watching a “touge battle” for the first time, don’t be discouraged, the rules on this touge are simple. The two cars line up with one leading the other. If the lead car pulls away, or the following car spins, they win the round. If the following car passes, or stays close throughout, they win the round. There are two rounds, and possibility for more if it’s a close battle. And for reference, this is a completely sanctioned event/recording for a DVD. If anyone shows interest I’ll post up some street action.]

Check:

Tough break for Kazama, spins in the first battle for the loss and goes slightly off-line during the final round of the second battle and just can’t catch Orido in the S15.

And here’s a little bit of music featuring some Bosozoku guys who made it into the ‘Nothing to Worry About’ video, by Peter Bjorn and John. Almost makes you want to grow your hair out, and learn some…. Japanese country line dancing?

Check:

Maybe more on Boso-style later,

-Nick

Online Journalism

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 10:03:28 -0700

I really think this class could be split up into about 7 different classes. That kinda stinks, too, because everything we’re learning is going to be super beneficial in the long run, but it’s possible that I might not remember half of it. Like HTML code for example. I have always wanted to learn that and have been really interested in website development, but I would have to spend more than 3 hours working with it to understand it even just a little bit. This class moves so fast that by the time I actually start catching on to something, we’re moving on to something entirely new and my focus is gone like that. There’s a lot to think about and keep with, and at the same time I’m trying to incorporate these things into building my website when I barely know how.

Here are 4 separate classes I came up with:

1. Podcasts

2. HTML, RSS, CSS

3. Blogging (Creating, Posting, Creating Content)

4. Website Development

"Faith is the quality that enables you to eat blackberry jam on a picnic without looking to see..."

Sun, 05 Apr 2009 12:35:20 -0700

“Faith is the quality that enables you to eat blackberry jam on a picnic without looking to see whether the seeds move.”

- http://twitter.com/iheartquotes

Wake up call

Sun, 05 Apr 2009 12:29:00 -0700

As graduation nears, with all the Manifest and Commencement mailers pouring in, I can’t help but fear it’s coming too fast, with me unprepared.

I haven’t even applied for any jobs after I graduate, like many of my peers—although they’re all getting turned down left and right for anything “paid.” I keep getting told I may have to move to find work, anything available, which scares me the most.

I can’t imagine reinvesting in another city like Chicago. I moved here after high school five years ago, earnestly absorbing the culture of the city whenever possible. It took forever. From learning about all the theater groups and art galleries to making contacts at city departments, cultural hubs and community centers, it didn’t just happen over a few Google searches.

Pragmatically, I haven’t applied to my favorite magazines and newspapers in New York City and Los Angeles (which could be more pessimism than pragmatism), and I know I’ll probably be working retail for awhile as well. The reality is the next few years are going to be the toughest of my life without the safety net of college opportunities and internships.

And all I can think about is all the 30-somethings I’ve worked with over the years in shoe stores and coffee shops with ambitious degrees in art history, fashion design and theater, unapplied over the stress of paying off student loans. I can’t remember how many potential actors and lead singers for indie bands I’ve maintained sale racks with. I always assumed they just didn’t want it badly enough or failed in some way of fulfilling their aspirations. Not me though, no—I knew where I saw myself after graduation. I refuse to see myself in them but I’m certain they’ve dreaded the same fate. And now repayment letters from my bank are flooding in with the rest of the bills and I’m still an unpaid intern at a bankrupt newspaper.

Photos from Chicago, Paris and San Antonio in little Flickr...

Sun, 05 Apr 2009 12:28:44 -0700

Photos from Chicago, Paris and San Antonio in little Flickr badge form…

Podcastic

Sun, 05 Apr 2009 12:27:15 -0700

The only Podcast I ever really listen to regularly is NPR’s This American Life, which I know is going to be every budding journalist’s choice.

It offers a well documented snapshot into the everyday lives of interesting people and events while captivating listeners with inspiring—and sometimes chilling—interviews. I usually listen in to hear how they report on difficult issues to get tips on how to be more conversational in my writing.

One of my favorite shows was one they did here in Chicago at the Wiener Circle in Lincoln Park. It’s basically a 24 hour hot dog and hamburger stand where the obscenely rude “ladies” taking orders make cracks at the customers and cuss out people who take up too much of their time.

The angle This American Life took was more than just a profile of the popular business, but a look into how hurtful this snarky—and often racist—exchange of blows can be to the workers. It made me completely take a second look at a place I often avoided for their lack of professionalism. The writing for the show was captivating to say the least with unique coverage.

Technology update

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 21:12:22 -0700

The Twitter experiment for class seemed like a good idea at first, but I have to admit, I still didn’t get the point. Sure everyone uses Twitter, I can’t count how many times I’ve watched the news and heard the anchor say “Just Tweet us.” I still don’t see the fascination with telling people random (and I mean random) thoughts of about 140 chracters. It wasn’t something I was really into. I wasn’t rushing home to Twitter.

Actually what I’ve come to really like is Skype. My step-sister is studying in Italy now and I can talk to her anytime (within reason of course) FOR FREE. At forst she was thinking of getting a cell phone pay-as-you-go but that ended up being ridiculous. I get to talk to her on Skype about once or twice a week and there we have plenty of time to catch up. No worrying about jacking up your phone bill or waiting for an e-mail. She’s literally one click away and I can see her!

Get With the Program, Columbia.

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 17:27:36 -0700

The other day I was in Magazine class and we were all talking about how we need to work out more. Summer is coming up, and we were all freaking out about having those summer abs we know we won’t commit to obtaining.

In the midst of this conversation, it was somehow brought up that UIC (University of Illinois at Chicago) has a….drum roll please…LAZY RIVER. That’s right. a LAZY RIVER. Not only an olympic sized pool that’s big enough for 50 people to leisurely swim about, but a lazy river to float in after you’ve worked yourself out to the bone, or had a tough day of classes.

I, however, would use it just because I feel like being exactly what it promotes: lazy.

So, Columbia College Chicago whom I love so much, please make our gargantuan tuition a little more worth it. Add a lazy river to that tiny work out room you built last year. I need something to do while I wait for one of the 3 ellipticals to become available.

Warning labels recommended for Mich. team's burger

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 11:59:16 -0700

As if we don’t have enough news to cover in the US, the AP decided it was necessary to write about a discrepancy between a minor league baseball team and Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.

The two opponents do not appear to have any similarities but The West Michigan White Caps plan to promote a 4,800 calorie burger at their ball park. As a result, the Washington-based group urged the baseball club to stamp the behemoth with a warning label, calling it a “dietary disaster.”

Dare I ask the question: What constitutes a dietary disaster? Human beings are responsible for what they put in their bodies - no one forces anything down their throat. Is 4,800 calories the magic number? In my own opinion, a Big Mac is unhealthy for you, as is a Whopper, an extra large meat lover’s pizza from Domino’s… etc. This is nothing new, so why try and put a label on it?

I feel sorry for the poor sap from the AP, he had to cover this little mishap.

P.S. I’d eat the burger in a New York minute. Check out it’s stats…

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-mi-odd-bodaciousball,0,7436828.story

SB 09'

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 11:13:31 -0700

While nearly every status on facebook said “in Panama City”… My big adventure took place in Bloomington Normal, an equally impressive hotspot. (Not)

Since ISU had their springbreak one week prior to Columbia and U of Illinois, I decided to take the plunge and visit a few of my friends. Believe it or not, Bloomington is an oasis surrounded by a dozen tiny, eventless towns. (Dwight, Pontiac,Odell) So when the farmers are looking to play - Normal is their Vegas.

I must admit that after spending an alcohol saturated night in downtown Normal, they boast a pretty stellar variety of bars, including Six Strings, a country bar - where I wouldn’t dare venture unless forced to. I hate line dancing, country attire, and certainly country music but I ended up having a great time.

Besides the great variety, my evening was topped off with a man being tasered by the police in the middle of the street. You could almost smell his flesh burning - I know that sounds disgusting but the poor bastard was relentless. I guess that’s what beer muscles do to you…

Margot. Tomorrow. I’m going (and you should, too).

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 07:00:00 -0700

Margot. Tomorrow. I’m going (and you should, too).

The Internet and Me.

Sun, 29 Mar 2009 13:04:45 -0700

As a young adult, the Internet has provided me with a plethora of ways to stay connected to a plethora of people. Whether they are co-workers, family, friends, enemies… I can reach them with a click of a button (and maybe a clicking of a few keys as well.)

As a journalist, the Internet has provided me with a plethora of information and infinite ways of gathering that information. Even though my knowledge of the world before the Internet is limited, I do know that now it is easier than ever to literally have all the world’s information at your fingertips.

Today I have already checked my e-mail and Facebook about eight times. And, I have ironically spent about an hour using the Internet to post to this very blog. So, my love affair with the “Intarweb” continues day in and day out.

Multimedia saved my life

Sun, 29 Mar 2009 12:53:55 -0700

It’s true; multimedia saved my life. Afterall, I have heard that boredom kills.

The concept of having media directed to us in many different forms sincerely thrills me. If I had to sit down and get all of my news through reading the tiny newsprint that leaves my hands dirty day in and day out…I’d probably opt to be left out of “the loop.”

In all seriousness, I get my news (entertainment and otherwise) through many outlets. My main sources just happens to be the Internet. Why the Internet? Because I can interact. Interactive media, videos, pictures, graphics…when these accompany intellectual words and thoughts I feel educated; I get the whole picture.

Instead of being “bored to death,” I flip through my magazines and newspapers as well as surf the web and TV channels for my fix. Therefore, multimedia saved my life…and continues to every day.

Engaged and...Enraged?

Sun, 29 Mar 2009 12:39:24 -0700

To many people, the end of “singledom” officially hits when you get married. So, when the engagement is underway…it’s all downhill from there (or perhaps uphill, depending on whether or not you were at the top of the hill or the bottom to begin with.)

My best friend of eight years was proposed to by a lovely man she has been dating for almost two years. After getting a phone call from her while she was mid- sobbing, I could hear the shock in her voice. She knew it was coming, they talked about it, she damn-well near picked out her own ring… but he somehow still managed to catch her off guard.

My automatic comparison? “It’s like cancer and death,” I told my boyfriend. “They go hand in hand most of the time. And even when you know your loved one has cancer and will probably die, the minute they do you are still overwhelmed with feelings of sadness and shock.”

Then I realized that I had just compared getting married to having cancer. Hmm, I wonder if I’ll be getting married anytime soon! That’s a big fat “no.”

Single Moms: You Go Girl

Sun, 29 Mar 2009 12:34:56 -0700

Being single mom is no easy feat. It doesn’t matter how old your kids get, once you are their mom, you will always be your mom. Changing diapers, driving them to ballet class, wearing the traditionally ugly “mother of the bride” dress… it’s all part of the job.

So what happens when you get lonely? Kids can only fill so many “love voids,” as I like to call them. What would any normal woman do? Date.

With an exceedingly high divorce rate, motherhood among single women is at a near all-time high. Depressing as those stats may sound, let’s take a walk on the bright side, shall we?

Being a mom isn’t the most flexible of all jobs. Being a single woman…kind of is. So the balance of being a mom who only does what’s best for her kid(s) and being a single woman who only does what’s best for her… well, let’s just say it’s a hard balance to overcome and maintain. Perfecting it is like perfecting riding a unicycle in a matter of 20 minutes.

Over the course of 20 years, I know a woman who is just now beginning to grasp the concept and run with it: my mom. She is a mother of three young women ages 24, 21, and 12. She is also actively dating and working and generally being awesome.

I just wanted to recognize my mom, and women like her, who have not given up on romantic love after having it lost or taken away and being left only with her children to keep her warm at night.

At the risk of sounding like my “hip” 50-year-old mom, “you go girl.”

Multimedia

Thu, 19 Mar 2009 20:01:41 -0700

I never thought about having to learn how to work a photo camera or a video camera when I decided to become a journalist. I thought that writing was all I would have to learn how to do. I was so wrong. As a journalist I need to know how to take good, clear, and unique photos; and I have to know how to upload, edit, and post to the web. I also need to know how to work a video camera, hold it still, how to ask questions on camera, and how to edit clips into one cohesive unit that will engage viewers and inform them all the same.

It is exhausting just thinking about it. Journalism is no longer getting the dry facts and jotting notes down in a notebook; it is in dept interviews, and constant visual accompaniment. Today’s average person doesn’t have the attention span to read 2,500 word stories, they need pictures and video to help tell the story so that they don’t have to read so much. They are busy people on the go.

Scrabble and Mario Kart

Thu, 19 Mar 2009 10:31:00 -0700

The two greatest skills in my life derive from the two best games ever invented: Scrabble and Mario Kart (Nintendo 64 version OF COURSE). These two games bring more drama and intensity to my life than any argument or heavy situation. They make me happy when I’m sad, and make me angry when I’m content. They are great ideas when there’s nothing else to do, and you and your friends will be arguing about “who was cheating” or “who really deserved to win” for years on end.

SCRABBLE: Play this game when you’re bored out of your gourd, or getting a little loose with a few friends.

READ THE RULES. Or at least come up with house rules for that particular game session. I cannot even begin to tell you how many raging fights have erupted from battling ruling opinions. For example. THE BOARD MUST ALWAYS READ THE SAME WAY. If the words on the board are being laid from top to bottom, you can’t form a word from bottom to top. It messes up everything.

Keep close tabs on the “words” your friends are laying out. Beware of words like “brokened” or “groved.” These can often be laid without notice and that jerk ends up winning. “Brokened? That’s a great word, man. Good job.”

Have everyone keep their own scores individually. You don’t want any sneaky crooks adding in a non-existent triple word score.

Trust no one. Help no one. This game is fiercely competitive. If you’re not careful hearts could break and friendships could tear.

Mario Kart: Hands down BEST GAME EVER. It’s great because everyone has their own special character that they race with. They all have great signature “yip-pees” and “yahoos.” This makes for awesome disses on your friends even when you’re not playing. “No wonder you and peach make such a great couple. You’re both (insert insult here).”

Racing is fun, but battling can be INTENSE.

Don’t tell anyone about your secret moves. I did that once and I am no longer the best.

Bowser’s castle is TRICKY.

Sometimes you spin out for no reason and you start cussing uncontrollably. Totally normal.

Multimedia J

Thu, 19 Mar 2009 04:27:02 -0700

You tube, You tube, You tube… oh how wonderful you are. You’ve made it as easy as 1, 2, 3… to exploit ourselves, make fools of ourselves, sell ourselves… etc. Sure, it may look like a blessing in disguise but I feel like every time a terrible, useless video gets uploaded onto the site, it slaps You tube creators in the face. It was meant to share multimedia and it certainly does that, but where’s the censorship on these videos. Some of the stuff is unbelievably useful but sorely evened out by the crap that stinks up the site. It is a great concept on paper but there needs to be some type of regulation for it. I understand that likes/dislikes are highly perceptive but some of these videos are pretty straightforward junk.

As for journalism, it rocks. It’s extremely useful tool for budding journalists especially, to get their work out there. As far as network material being put up on this site, there tends to be a fair amount of copyright infringement. Oh well, they’ll fix that eventually. It’s a young technology.

I'm going going back back to Cali Cali

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 21:44:01 -0700

I get to go home to California on Friday and I am sooo excited! I haven’t seen my family or been home since Thanksgiving and I really miss it. Reasons I want to go home: To see my sister Rhonda. She is a rescue dog from Compton and is part lab/doverman with rott weiler fur. She has the attitude of Beyonce with the heart of Mother Theresa. I love her so much. To eat good food. Chicago has great food don’t get me wrong. I love pizza, but I have realized that I miss fresh food, and fresh food with flavor. I want fish like salmon or sol, with a nice mango chutney glazed over it and a glass of Ferrare Carrano to wash it down. Bahah! That is not a dish I would likely find in Chicago and is only somethinig my parents would make me. The truth is I love the food here, I am just not much of a steak and meat and potatos kind of person and thats what I think Chicago does best..I don’t have the money to buy things like that here. I am so excited to see land. It has been raining in California and so everything will be green and all the hills will make you think like you are living in Ireland. I am going to Napa, San Francisco, and my most favorite place in California—Santa Cruz. Santa Cruz is the ultimate bum/hippie city on the ocean. It also has UCSanta Cruz and I have good friends that go there. I want to drive down the 1. I want my parents to feed me and take care of me. I want to party with my brother. I want to nurse my best friends back to health when they return from Spring Break in Cabo. I want to go to the dentist, get my hair done, convince my Mom to buy me a manicure and pedicure. I want to eat In N’ Out Burger (a #1 animal style and a root beer, OR a neopolitan shake) I want to take a warm shower that is warm the whole time. I want to drive a car and have some power under my foot. There are many more things I want to do while I am home..but this is all I can think of right now. Why is Spring break so short?

Media Journo

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 20:52:27 -0700

Best media journalism source, I will go with the obvious ones like Facebook, Twitter, and Myspace. I have really not been interested in Twitter, but I did just use it for the first time to see if it would offer me any new up to date information I couldn’t get anywhere else. So, I had heard earlier that Natasha Richardson was in the hosiptal and had brain damage (yes, I am not afraid to admit that not only do I like “The Parent Trap,” but I even like the remake with Lindsay Lohan where Natasha Richardson plays the Mom). I had a feeling that the outcome of her accident was not going to be good. When I came back from yoga I opened my AOL mail (yes, I am also not afraid to admit that I still use AOL) and it said that Richardson had died. Like any nosey person I wanted to know what the final cause of death was or if anything else came out about it, so I checked to see what Mr. Twitter had to say. All that came up was The Sun Time’s and CNN quoting her publicist saying she had died. Twitter is a good social media tool because it can combine many different sources of media and news all in one spot….even if all these sources are saying the same thing. I think it is great that we can learn minute to minute information, constantly updated, it is really technology at its best, BUT, I don’t think I feel the need to know things right as they happen or get updates thoroughout the day. Just clicking on a newspapers website is still working for me….

Multimedia...or bust

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 20:11:30 -0700

When I first came to Columbia nearly four years ago in pursuit of a journalism degree, I was surprised (and still am at times) to realize how segregated the print and broadcast students were. One group seemed to really hone in on a storytelling intended for a physical piece of paper (be it newspaper or magazine), and another group focused on creating video packages that would tell pretty much the same story in less time.

Instead of working together, it felt as if the two groups rarely took the chance to learn all they could from one another.

Here we are four years later, in the midst of a shitty economic climate, where so many budding journalists are hungry for a unique skill set that will make them stand apart from their peers. And the more I stop and take a good look at what’s happening around me—it seems as if the trick is being able to go multimedia.

Multimedia Journalism

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 17:34:33 -0700

Facebook, Twitter and Youtube are the leaders in multimedia journalism in my opinion. However it’s important to retain a format that is unique to your site…this now seems to be an issue for Facebook. It looks exactly like Twitter…not good. If Facebook somehow feels threatened by the likes of Twitter, it doesn’t need to be. Facebook offers so much more than just a status update but now that’s all you really see on the homepage. WHY did developers feel the need to change it?! Now that my frustrations have been released about the new Facebook platform…

Something I’ve noticed about multimedia journalism are the ever increasing issues of copyright infringement. Sure I’m as guilty as the next posting videos on Facebook that I find humorous or posting pictures on my blog that I either comment on or like…but if it’s not attributed in any way…that my friend is copyright infringement. In my trade magazine writing class I covered the photography business and the issues of copyright infringement online. It’s something that is really turning their world upside down with bloggers using their images as they please without the slightest bit of attribution. It really made me more conscious with how I use photos and/or videos. There are so many technicalities behind what is really considered infringment but how would you like it if your hard work was being taken by random people and placed all over the Internet without any kind of retribution? Software like Picscout is being developed in order to hold the rights of copyright holders and track how photos specifically are being used online by a number of methods. For instance creating a digital fingerprint for each photo or group of photos. Overall, multimedia although entertaining and useful, can also put a damper on creators.

Multimedia journalism

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 14:54:03 -0700

Though I’m not a huge fan of Twitter, it definitely serves a purpose in journalism. At this point, that is probably abundantly clear. Every newspaper, TV news station, and “credible” blog is utlizing Twitter to send out links to their stories.

As Twitter continues to age, it’s ultimate purpose will come through. Perhaps it really could be a savior tool for jounalists, though I doubt it. I think Twitter is most effective for celebrities or athletes as a direct line of communication to fans. Even Shaq can handle 140 characters.

The concept of Twitter is cool - I’m glad it exists -, I’m just not sure about its long-term success.

Wrigley Field becomes even more profitable

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 14:06:50 -0700

http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/clout_st/2009/03/council-oks-three-concerts-at-wrigley-field-this-summer.html As if this historic landmark could use any more publicity, now, Wrigley field is scheduled to host three concerts this summer. (Billy Joel, Elton John, and Rascal Flatts) The stadium is no stranger to these types of event but according to the Tribune article, the Southport Neighbors Association opposed the idea. I, myself, attended the Jimmy Buffet concert a few years ago at Wrigley. It was complete madness and I mean that in a good way. But I understand where people are coming from - especially those residents living a stones throw away. Northsiders know its necessary to somewhat plan your life around a Cubs game. On game day, locals looking to travel somewhere in a car, usually leave an extra hour early to compensate for hurendous traffic conditions. It’s exciting to live so close to the action but it has its downside. Don’t get me wrong. I’ll probably be one of the thousands at the Rascal Flatts concert but I feel bad for residents - it can be a bit rough.

Fighting Fair

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 12:07:00 -0700

I always thought that being in a relationship, having a boyfriend or husband, would be like floating on a cloud; laughter, flowers, holding hands and stealing kisses when no one was watching: that was when I was single.

Now, don’t get me wrong; being in a relationship is wonderfully pleasing. The hand holding, the kisses, the flowers, it’s all there; and the laughter too. But a relationship is a lot harder to manage than I initially thought. People’s flaws wiggle through the woodwork eventually and sometimes those imperfections can eat away at your soul. And, if you don’t communicate and work things out, the very thing that attracted you to this person is now the thing that drives you down right out of your mind; in a bad way.

I am not an expert when it comes to relationships. I have dated here and there, but until recently I have never had a serious relationship. I am new to it, so I may not be the best. I may not know when to shut up and let something go. My nature is to be consistent until what I want happen happens, or I drill it to the ground and it blows up in my face. I may take things too seriously and jump to conclusions that don’t exist.

Fights happen, people get angry, and things are said out of frustration. The key to fighting fiar is to communicate and respect each other’s opinions and feelings. Otherwise, it’s just a bunch of yelling and screaming for no reason at all; and no one wants to wake up the next morning with a soar throat and dry eyes for nothing. Do it for a reason; work things out. The difference between a relationship that works and one that fails is the effort in communicating. That, along with love is the simple recipe for relationship success.

Voice of the People Responses March 9 2009

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 07:02:35 -0700

Sticking together through baseball season

I am writing in response to a letter to the editor by Jennifer Nunez (“Baseball widows, unite,” Voice of the People, Feb. 28). Nunez writes that the oncoming storm of the Cubs season marks an uninvited separation between men and their significant others. While the Cubs and their games do occupy a large strip of time, and stretch over a grueling six-month (or more) schedule, by no means should she call the other half “the widowed.”

For thousands of men, the Cubs hold such a strong grip on our lives that, yes, during that time, our daily life changes. Major League Baseball Gamecast shows up on our computer screens during work. Bank accounts feel the weight of inflated ticket prices. WGN has more people watching it.

But for the masses of Cubs fans, this does not upset the general flow of life.

Yes, 60 games in a season is on the excessive side. Season-ticket holders stretch their relationships thin. But for the other 90 percent of Cubs fans, the change in our lifestyle only sways with final scores, injuries and questionable coaching decisions. Relationships don’t always strain throughout the season. Only the foolish hopefuls who hang their hats on “believing” let the Cubbie Blue filter through their blood enough to create widows out of wives.

While I love the Cubs and baseball above everything, I have survived through relationships with this addiction. The answer comes to compromise. Compromising time spent in the stadium. Compromising night games for night dates. Compromise.

But that goes both ways. Instead of wincing at post-game interviews, our women should learn the tidbits of baseball that make us love the game. They should share something instead of letting something break us apart. They should embrace the passion, not bash the deepest thread in many of our lives.

Oh, and girls love the Cubs too.

—Chris Lazzerini, Chicago

Another widow

Thank you to Jennifer Nunez for her “Baseball widows, unite” letter to the editor. I have been married for more than 25 years to the eternal Cubs fan she described. Our life is like the movie “Fever Pitch”!

I tell my friends every year that I am a widow to the Cubs for six months, but they think I am crazy, probably because their husbands/significant others are not that into baseball.

I am sending Nunez’s letter to all of them so now they can understand I am not an over-reacting female.

—Mary Beth Wolcott, Highwood

True love

Poor Jennifer Nunez. The lady doesn’t really understand that true Cubs fans suffer 24/7, 365 days per year. They epitomize the concept that “life is hard.” Her whole argument is a “girly man” view of the real commitment to a vigil that is long on agony and short on ecstasy.

That is the real mantra of Cubs rooters.

So who cares if brides have to work through Cubs spring and summer game schedules to plan weddings? And, frankly, if their husbands, boyfriends and significant others only focus on the North Side ballclub from March through September, why should their female counterparts complain? For my wife that trial and tribulation is a year-round affair.

This understanding of my ongoing commitment to Cubs futility, along with her ability to make a good cup of coffee and iron my shirts, is what true love is all about.

—Dean Dranias, Chicago

I do not have much faith in this for some reason.

Tue, 17 Mar 2009 11:27:00 -0700

I do not have much faith in this for some reason.

April looks like concert month.

Sun, 15 Mar 2009 22:01:53 -0700

April looks like concert month.

Maybe the best Tourney blog.

Sun, 15 Mar 2009 21:56:43 -0700

Maybe the best Tourney blog.

N. Clark St. in Lincoln Park

Sun, 15 Mar 2009 16:40:27 -0700

N. Clark St. in Lincoln Park

Becoming an addict

Sun, 15 Mar 2009 16:36:00 -0700

Ok, so I’ve been updating my Twitter account quite often for the past few weeks with a range of musings and links, and find that I check my Facebook page a few times a day as well. Is this normal?

The Twitter thing I can’t help, it’s part of an assignment for this online journalism class, but Facebook has me fixated on uploading photos, links, updating my status and checking out everyone else’s content. It’s an obsession in defining the best traits of your identity, like rolling up to your class reunion in a Lexus and wearing an expensive suit.

I overheard people saying they were going to give up Facebook for Lent and I thought they were crazy. How will they know if someone tagged them in a photo at some party or added them in a chain letter note? How will their friends know if they’re having an exceptionally bad day that can only be described in a witty status? And more importantly, how will you know when a surge of friends have joined an anti-Willis-Tower group?

A multimedia arms race

Sun, 15 Mar 2009 16:16:21 -0700

There has definitely been a noticeable surge in multimedia journalism; in a way that has every online publication and news outlet feeling that they are racing each other for variant forms of reporting.

Lately, with newspapers letting go of reporters and editors left and right, I’m sure every online edition of popular publications are rushing to get new media in the form of photo-heavy chart-ticles, video packages and slideshows. This is evident with all the hype Twitter has been getting: newspapers are reporting on what they feel is the next form of delivering news, rushing to grab hold of any media trend possible.

Liberty Leading the People (La Liberté guidant le peuple) by...

Sun, 15 Mar 2009 12:09:00 -0700

Liberty Leading the People (La Liberté guidant le peuple) by Eugène Delacroix

Louvre, Paris

Whatchu talkin' bout, Willis?!

Thu, 12 Mar 2009 11:49:00 -0700

Whatchu talkin' bout, Willis?!:

This is truly a shame. Pure idiocracy. The size of some peoples’ heads is remarkable. I felt the exact same way when they (they being Macy’s) took away a slice of my childhood I hoped to share with my children someday.

I was a fashion major in my second year when I heard the news that Marshall Field’s was being bought and subsequently renamed and rerouted as a Macy’s tag. I decided immediately to boycott. I since, have not stepped foot in a Macy’s and refuse to do so, especially in the case of the famous State Street store where I spent so many of my childhood memories. Now this?!

Joseph J. Plumeri, chairman and CEO of Willis Group Holdings, said this in a statement he released: “Having our name associated with Chicago’s most iconic structure underscores our commitment to this great city, and recognizes Chicago’s importance as a major financial hub and international business center. We are delighted to be making this bold move and firmly establishing our leading presence in one of the nation’s biggest insurance markets, and it will be wonderful for all our associates to work under one roof.” … I’m thinking he needs to stay in London because he obviously has no clue that there is not a warm-hearted welcome wagon awaiting him and his “bold move” here.

Down with Willis Tower!… I mean, “Whatchu talkin’ bout, Willis?”

This is homework??

Thu, 12 Mar 2009 11:42:53 -0700

I received an assignment for my fashion journalism class to “write a short piece on an article of your clothing or body part and explain why you like or dislike it.”

“Seriously?” I thought to myself. ”Fine.” I continue now to brainstorm ideas of what I could possibly write about without psychologically mind-screwing myself too much (which I have a tendency to do.)

So, my automatic response was to think of something I disliked. When I realized how almost self-loathing that seemed, I made a conscious attempt to think of something positive. There must be something, right? Probably, but I don’t have the time to sit here and debate what it could be in my head.

Dislike. Clothes? That’s tricky, because I actually get to pick those. I don’t get to pick what my body parts look like for the most part. Therefore it says less about my character and tastes if I admit to disliking a part of my body rather than a part of my wardrobe.

Dislike. Body parts? Ankles/legs. That was simple. I am a pale girl. Sure, I probably tan if I could force myself to bake in the sun or harmful rays of a tanning bed, but I wish not to. After years of “Casper” and ghastly ghost puns, I have become quite acclimated to my “porcelain” (with a hue of blue) skintone. My veins are apparent everywhere you look, unless they lay shadowed by my carmel-colored freckles.

My blinding skin has kept me in pants, namely jeans, year round. Yes, even when it is 100 degrees out… Kate Spethmann will have on a pair of jeans. Every now and then, when summer hits, I will roll up the hem of my jeans just enough to let my ankles breathe. I prefer not to, but I will. Maybe it’s just my perception from looking down on them from all the way up here in the troposphere in which my head lives, but I see chunky ankles. Disproportionate to the “norm.” I’ve heard them called “Cankles” because your calf and ankle seem to be one entity. Perhaps they aren’t that bad, but I still hide them at all costs.

Over the years I’ve tried to create an illusion of separation between enormous foot, enormous ankle, and enormous calf in many ways. Ankle bracelets, drawing attention downward with a toe ring and brightly colored toenails…I even have placed a tattoo on the inner wall of my left ankle. It was not specifically inked into me so as to make my ankles look smaller, mind you. It was a meaningful piece of art I designed that was going to become part of my body in some place or another and I decided to let it keep my ankle company.

In conclusion, I would agree to a skin shade darker on my legs. Translucent just doesn’t scream “sexy summer legs” to me. It would also be amazingly entertaining to have three separate entities below my knees: calf, ankle and foot. Until they discover how to do seamless “leg transplants,” I guess I’ll continue to cope with being stuck with the ones I’ve got.

hmm, there it is. Homework: complete.

Seriously, listen. Best lyrics ever. It’s time for a seven...

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 21:15:39 -0700

Seriously, listen. Best lyrics ever.

It’s time for a seven season X-Files marathon (I leave out 8 and 9 due to Fox’s absence). My only current David fix is his ultra-depressing Pedigree commercials until naked Hank Moody comes back.

Hold me closer, Tony Danza. Seriously, does anyone else choose...

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 21:11:00 -0700

Hold me closer, Tony Danza.

Seriously, does anyone else choose to exchange Tiny Dancer for Tony Danza??

Pet Peeve

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 20:56:08 -0700

If there’s one thing that really pisses me off, it’s unpleasant employees. It’s like, I’m sorry you hate your minimum wage retail/fastfood/grocery store job but I am a customer and you better be nice to me, dammit. I don’t care if your boyfriend dumped you last night and your cat Fluffy is in the hospital. I am a paying customer and it’s a part of your job description to be friendly.

So the other day I was at Dunkin’ Donuts. I ordered 2 Dunkacinos, a boston cream, and a chocolate long john. I paid with my credit card and when the depressed looking cashier chick gave me my receipt there was a line telling me to put my signature on it. Well, since the cashier didn’t direct me to sign, I said:

“So….do I need to sign?”

“Um. No. Did I say you needed to sign?

“Well, no…but…”

“B-b-but then you don’t have to.”

Like seriously. What was the point of her rudeness? If anything I was doing her a favor by asking because at the end of the day when her manager sees an unsigned cred card receipt she’s going to be the one getting fired from Dunkin’ Donuts. Not me.

Man. I am always SO nice when I’m at work. You know what? It makes me HAPPY to help someone find the perfect college T-shirt or their favorite player’s jersey. You wanna know why? Because I work at Campus Colors and it’s my job.

This is a compilation of horrible female drivers. Although...

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 20:15:00 -0700

This is a compilation of horrible female drivers. Although I’m also a female driver, I couldn’t help but laugh myself senseless while watching this.

This is quite possibly the cutest child ever. Here is little...

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 19:40:00 -0700

This is quite possibly the cutest child ever. Here is little David, doped up after a visit to the dentist.

“Is this real life?” Love him.

Flashback: Am I in highschool?...

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 18:53:37 -0700

I’ve been interviewing students for a story I’m currently writing about the sensibility of having a major in liberal arts. Of course that’s it in a nutshell…but I felt like I must vent about something that came up in almost all the interviews I had with Columbia students which is the quality of the education they’re getting. The general education classes (for the most part) were described as dull, not challenging in the slightest and are an insult to most student’s intelligence.

I would have to say I agree with such statements. When I took an Introduction to Literature class to get a gen. ed. out of the way… at best I thought I was in my sophomore year of high school again. We went over how to write a theme paper for crying out loud! I also can’t tell you how many times I’ve analyzed Romeo and Juliet…I realize it’s an intro class but I expected it to be at least at a college level…we even went around the room like it was story time reading poems and short stories aloud to pass the time. It was like kindergarten minus snack and nap time. Turning things in on time was optional too. Although this seems like a great class to take for an easy A, I don’t want to have to suffer through the semester knowing that I actually paid to take a course that could have possibly made me lose some valuable brain cells.

Rihanna and Chris Brown...working together?

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 09:10:33 -0700

I’m sure we’ve all heard of the incident back in the beginning of February. For those of you who have been under a rock (or just don’t pay attention) chris Brown allegedly assaulted Rihanna, biting and hitting her. He turned himself in and said that he is seeking counseling and the help he needs.

So why are they working together on an album? Who knows. When I read the article, I rolled my eyes and thought “Well, here we go again.” if I were Rihanna I wouldn’t want to work wtih him for a long long time. Let him get all the help he needs. Give it some time.

I know I don’t have a say of what Rihanna is thinking. She’s a talented young woman. She has her own reasons. I just hope it doesn’t turn out like another Mike Tyson fiasco.

"Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes."

Sat, 07 Mar 2009 22:23:37 -0800

““Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes.””

- Oscar Wilde

My last semester at college and I never got to play beer pong

Sat, 07 Mar 2009 22:07:00 -0800

Typically when I do watch TV I’m kind of a news junkie. But, the other day while flipping though channels I stopped on some MTV faction as a video for this dude Asher Roth came on called, “I Love College.” I thought: Whoa, douche-bag-central, but couldn’t take my eyes off the screen.

This Eminem-reject-looking “bro” comes on with this pseudo-rap, “drink my beer and smoke my weed, but my good friends is all I need,” high-fiving his drunk-ass friends at this over-the-top frat party. No joke, the bridge to this song is: “man I love college, and I love drinkin, I love women, I love college.” Not to sound prude but it makes me want to throw-up in my mouth a bit, (not unlike the skank in the video hugging a toilet). “Time isn’t wasted when you’re getting wasted,” I guess wasn’t one of the lessons I learned these past few years.

It may be I’m a little jealous for spending too much time obsessing over classes, internships and papers. I can’t remember how many ‘drink-my-personality’-parties or outings I’ve turned down during a deadline at the Chronicle last semester.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not usually judging people for having a good time—unless they’re blatantly looking for attention or can’t control themselves (in that case they deserve to be written on with a Sharpie marker). But this video made me really think. I have a few months left in college and I haven’t done a lot of things I assumed I would by this time (at least to MTV video standards).

But it’s not one of those “If I could go back in time moments.” No. I’m pretty satisfied with what I’ve accomplished while not getting high or drinking my weight in alcohol and missing out on a Greek life setting at a private arts college. I hope.

The only part in the video that took the distain off my face was the cheesy ending where Roth says, “Do I really have to graduate, or can I just stay here for the rest of my life.” I can’t tell if I pity that idea or question it myself—And yeah, that scares the shit out of me.

“Time isn’t wasted when you’re getting wasted” -...

Sat, 07 Mar 2009 22:06:52 -0800

“Time isn’t wasted when you’re getting wasted” - Asher Roth

VP debates in St. Louis

Sat, 07 Mar 2009 17:13:00 -0800

For a Columbia class last semester, Covering the Election 2008, I went to St. Louis to cover the Vice-Presidential debates on a class trip.

While we were in the media center (or the Spin Room) with hundreds of other journalists—from the Fox News Channel to the Daily Show with Jon Stewart—Gov. Sarah Palin and Sen. Joe Biden were in the adjacent auditorium on the Washington University campus. Everyone in the class had a particular topic to cover, mine was on where the two candidates differ on environmental concerns.

When we got to the Washington University quad there were dozens of booths set up from various interest groups and a interactive media trailer set up by CNN. The first thing I noticed was how they placed the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity booth next to the giant-cardboard-wind-mill laden Energy Action Coalition booth. Both supporters would bad mouth the other which was perfect for the story I was working on.

During the debates themselves, we all sat in a huge gym filled with flat-screen plasma TVs piping in the debate. After a while, whenever Gov.-‘say-it-ain’t-so-Joe’-Palin would say something—anything—everyone would laugh in unison or look around thinking, “did she really just say that?” Especially when she “straight up” said she was “nothing but tolerant ” of the gays, for basically “choosing” that lifestyle. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7k69LLVmqI I just remember my jaw dropping with almost every word that came out of her “tolerant” mouth after that.

Afterwards, famous spokespeople from both parties were present in the Spin Room to “answer” any follow up questions. It was too difficult to get to any of them (over the big media reporters) but we did get to see Rudy Giuliani, Joe Lieberman, David Axelrod and Bill Richardson (all of which looked like they had too much make up on).

No matter what kind of day I’m having, watching this video...

Thu, 05 Mar 2009 22:18:35 -0800

No matter what kind of day I’m having, watching this video repeatedly truly makes me feel like I am walking on sunshine. But seriously, COMPUTER CLEANER?! What an inventive addict!

Can you explain that in six words, please?

Thu, 05 Mar 2009 12:14:09 -0800

As much as I love a book rich with compelling descriptions, vivid scenes and witty anecdotes, there’s something powerful about being completely succinct. One memoir which embraces this philosophy wholeheartedly is a book I had the opportunity to browse through on a lazy Sunday afternoon at Borders recently— Six Word Memoirs on Love and Heartbreak.

It might be a seemingly impossible task to sum up tales of love and heartbreak in six words (I’ve tried, and it’s way harder than I thought), but the contributors of this book have artfully mastered the skill of reducing the most horrible relationship experiences to their most simplified forms, a feat that I’m sure took a few nights staring at the ceiling, a couple whiskey & cokes and one hell of a thick skin. Because, in the end, when you cut out all of the hidden meanings, the arguments, the hurt and the blame, all you really have is what happened.

"Disobedience, in the eyes of any one who has read history, is man’s original virtue. It is..."

Thu, 05 Mar 2009 09:07:32 -0800

““Disobedience, in the eyes of any one who has read history, is man’s original virtue. It is through disobedience that progress has been made, through disobedience and through rebellion.””

- Oscar Wilde

Internet Impact

Thu, 05 Mar 2009 09:06:00 -0800

The Internet has made it so easy for me to stay in touch with family and friends out-of-town. I have an uncle who travels a lot and I get weekly or monthly updates from him via e-mail. My little cousin sent me an e-mail the other day and she’s 5.

I was on Facebook the other day and noticed I had about 5 friend requests, all from aunts and older relatives. That was a shock for me. When I first started Facebook, only my friends and some cousins had it. Now my older sister is on while she’s supposed to be teaching (lol).

Socially acceptable

Thu, 05 Mar 2009 08:53:57 -0800

I like many people have fallen under the Facebook spell. I don’t check every week because I don’t really care who threw a snowball or Superpoked me or invited me to their Knighthood. I use it mostly to check messages and see what friends are doing. I don’t care for the silly applications.

I also like to use it to contact classmates and figuring out assignments.

I do have a Myspace, but that to me sems more corrupt and juvinial.

Just CALL

Thu, 05 Mar 2009 07:18:37 -0800

I don’t get why people rely solely on communication via e-mail.

Suddenly I will have a friend or family member pissed at me for no reason. When I confront them about it they’re all like “well I e-mailed you like 2 days agoooo.” Wow. Good job. You E-MAILED me. If you really want to get the message across why don’t you just send me a letter in the mail mail. You know. The one that ISN’T electronic.

No, but really. If you need to get ahold of me, why don’t you just pick up that thing we call the PHONE and CALL me. A direct connection between the two of us can get things done a lot quicker. I am sick of people trying to tell me that I’m out of touch with them or I don’t get back to them quick enough. That’s not my fault. It’s yours for being inconsiderate of what I might be doing. I am no obsessed with e-mail. I only use it to communicate with my professors and receive Chicago Tribune updates. If you e-mail me on Monday there’s a good chance you won’t be hearing back from me until Friday.

Start calling me, or deal with that.

enfermo

Thu, 05 Mar 2009 07:15:00 -0800

I am getting sick and I hate it. I don’t have time to get sick. People were sick at my work, people were sick in some of my classes, and I even think my roommate was sick. So I guess it was inevitable that I got sick.

Last night I took two Tylenol PM and went to bed at 9.I think that is the earliest I have gone to bed in a very very long time. It felt great. I wish there were more hours in the day, or more days in the week. I just want to take a long nap. I am going to work on trying to make that happen.

Social Web Tools

Thu, 05 Mar 2009 07:11:52 -0800

When you say the “social web” I am guessing you are referring to things like facebook and myspace. My experience has been pretty good with both of them. I got a myspace about two summers ago when I was working at a camp for the summer in Yosemite. My friends had been trying to make me get a myspace forever and I always refused. But that summer I didn’t have a phone or anything, so having a myspace was really the only way I could talk to people.

I got a facebook about a year ago. I really didn’t want one, but I think I got drunk one night at home and I told my friend to make one for me : )

I actually like facebook and am happy that I have one. I suck at calling people, so I love that facebook is really a lazy way of keeping in touch with people.

The one thing I don’t like about facebook, or twitter, or a blog, is that I am kind of a private person…so I don’t want to put up a status so that people can know what I am doing, or putting up pictures. I don’t really understand why people would even care about what I am doing.

I know, I am weird.

The Social Web

Thu, 05 Mar 2009 04:53:21 -0800

It’s a love/hate relationship. I hate to love it and love to hate it. There are times when I logon and literally feel guilty after staying on for more than a few minutes. Specifically, I am talking about Facebook. When I joined it a few years ago, I appreciated its novelty but now everyone, and I mean everyone can join - perverts, rapists, the whole shabang. Any Joe schmo can acquire their own e-mail address, it’s becoming more like MySpace every day. I try to go on as seldom as possible, only to network with classmates from time to time.

It was a cleaner more enjoyable experience when you needed a college e-mail address to sign up. Now everybody and their mother (I’m not joking, my mother just made one and she has absolutely no idea how to use it.) can have a page. I hate to be a negative nancy but most things go to shit with time and Facebook is no exception.

Although I must say, stripped away from all it’s newly acquired glitz and glamour, it CAN BE a proper networking tool.

Italians give up iPods for Lent

Thu, 05 Mar 2009 04:45:51 -0800

This year for Lent the Catholic Church is advising Italians to put aside their high-tech lives and become more intuned with themselves and others. The bishop of Modena says that young people need to “get back in touch with themselves.” While the church is merely suggesting to cut down on iPods, texting and even computer games, they are not banning the usage of high-tech gear.

Our world is so fast-paced that one can order take-out from the El and have it ready by the time they get home from school or work. We always seem to be on the go all the time. Maybe taking a break from checking Facebook for the latest Superpoke from you friends isn’t such a bad thing after all. I think we could all use a little more “people” time- getting together for lunch with friends and sitting down for dinner with family.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/italy/4933916/Italians-told-to-give-up-texting-for-Lent.html

Bombardment Advertising

Thu, 05 Mar 2009 04:40:05 -0800

Theres a new form of selling products/entertainment these days. It’s called Bombardment advertising. Take for example, Watchmen. If you have a television then you’ve almost certainly seen a preview for it - probably a couple hundred or so. The definition of this type of advertising is as follows: blantantly play a commercial campaign over and over until the viewer either gets nauseous (and pukes) or takes a slight interest in the idea/object being marketed.

No joke, I had the tv on in the background for two hours last night and I saw a preview for Watchmen a minimum of 12 times. Now come on, that’s a bit ridiculous. Probably even more so, the Hyundai Genesis commercial played during the superbowl (Before/After as well) atleast two dozen times. This new form of advertising is annoying and detrimental to our health but I think it works. How sad… I’m going to pull up to Loews Theater tomorrow night (In my Hyundai Genesis, that I surely can’t afford.), pumped to see Watchmen. I’ll feel cheap, dirty and used because i’ll know I was the victim of a one night stand, coutesy of mass media advertising.

Social Web

Wed, 04 Mar 2009 21:16:41 -0800

The experiences I’ve had on the social web have definitely increased over the years as sites like Myspace and Facebook have become more and more prominent. It’s actually funny how reliable of an outlet facebook is to get into contact with someone. My friends go on Facebook I want to estimate…about one or twice every couple hours.

A new kind of development has been occurring though with parents getting Facebooks. (At least this is what I’ve been hearing) Parents have been adding their kids as friends and this seems to urk quite a few people for obvious reasons. This is where the wonderful features of Facebook come into play with the ability to choose who sees what.

My experience with Twitter however is only beginning. There have been numerous seminars at the Tribune about how Twitter can be very useful for journalists…but eh I don’t know. I just think if you have a Facebook…then why Tweet? I guess it will just have to act as another social networking tool to become addicted to.

My experience with social networking tools though has really enabled me to network as a freelancer and to keep in touch with friends at different schools. It’s amazing how one site can bring millions of people together.

Matt and I are running through our MLB fantasy previews at a...

Wed, 04 Mar 2009 20:19:00 -0800

Matt and I are running through our MLB fantasy previews at a record pace right now. Check it.

Social Web

Wed, 04 Mar 2009 20:16:31 -0800

Though I’m a bit of an Interweb nerd (with all the blog nonsense and whatnot), I’ve never been a huge fan of social media. I think it’s cool, and definitely impressive, but I don’t use it as much as some people.

I’ve never had a MySpace page, and didn’t use Twitter before our class exercise. I do have a Facebook account, but even held off on that longer than most. Lots of people love Facebook - my roommate often refers to himself as a “Facebook Legend” because he uses it so frequently - but I usually only check it when my email tells me someone wrote on my wall or invited me to an event or something.

One thing I think is cool about Facebook is that you can post links. I’ve noticed a bit of a hit increase on my various sites when I link to it on Facebook.

Office Space

Wed, 04 Mar 2009 20:07:00 -0800

I freelance for a magazine and intern at the Tribune but to keep a steady flow of income I must suffer day in and day out at a job that chips away at my creative muse by the minute. Working in the accounts receivable department at that will just remain nameless is mind-numbing.

You’re stuck in a grey cube all day with personal décor that just might cheer you up but as you slowly drift off into a stupor, your boss comes by and makes a horrible joke reminding you of where you really are. I really shouldn’t be complaining as much considering the economy is horrible and I’m lucky to have a job period. However…my lazy, good-for-nothing boss makes it very difficult to appreciate my time being there.

My fellow co-workers don’t make things any more enjoyable either. I keep my complaints to myself however others choose to spread the misery around.

Top 5 Reasons Why I Hate My Job

1.) It’s a food trap. If you walk in and wonder why more than half of the employees are on Weight Watchers…just look over at the table near the printer at 7a.m. and you will find an array of cookies and a cake for someone’s birthday.

2.) My boss calls me “kid”. Yes, I’m the youngest one there by at least a good 10-15 years but come on…I have a name…

3.) Hundreds of credit files magically appear on my desk to file because my boss is too lazy to do it himself. I’d be surprised if he actually knew where the filing room was.

4.) In the morning you hear the same story at least five times when one person is making the rounds and talking to everyone in the department about their eventful night of watching Survivor or American Idol.

5.) Hearing one particular co-worker yell at her daughters over the phone…until they soundproof cubicle walls, this needs to stop.

Robin Williams' medical issues

Wed, 04 Mar 2009 19:53:00 -0800

Robin Williams, who is scheduled to be in Chicago for his first performance in late March, had to postpone four stops of his “Weapons of Self-Destruction” tour due to health issues.

According to the press release, Williams is being evaluated by doctors and was suggested to take a week of rest. He was reported having “shortness of breath.”

Williams probably replied “God was under twice as much stress and he only rested one day. Bite me.”

Then again, the 57-year-old comic probably is at the stage of his life that he’ll still listen to doctors despite being annoyed.

It comes as no surprise Williams is experiencing shortness of breath, especially with his style of comedy. His high energy, A.D.D. routines would cause even the most adept meth addict a heart attack.

The energy Williams performs with is higher than I have seen with any reputable comedian. His comedic allure has always been the off-the-wall, Tazmanian Devil approach to material.

It still makes you wonder, if this great will fall soon too.

In the past year we’ve had two comedians die from “health complications,” the late George Carlin and Bernie Mac. As everyone knows bad things happens in threes. This would be contemporary comedy’s third.

Not that I’m wishing any ill-will toward Williams. In fact, quite the opposite. I hope for a speedy recovery followed by a long life of performance. I love his comedy and appreciate his passion and ability to perform with such high energy.

This is why he is one of comedy’s greats. I wish him well and want Williams to know Dog is watching over him.

This is also cross-posted on my personal blog.

Moving with the times.

Wed, 04 Mar 2009 15:56:34 -0800

As much as I doubt the social web at times, there are some aspects that never cease to amaze me. Just recently, I discovered an absolute gem of a stalking website: pipl.com.

Plug in your name and city, and you will be amazed at all of the connections that pop up. For instance, my name turned up data like my address and phone number, every website I’ve registered with my e-mail (you can also search for yourself by e-mail) and articles I’ve written. Think: a more condensed Google search for yourself. But what’s even more wonderful about Pipl than looking up yourself is that it gives you a prime opportunity to find a little bit more dirt on other people, which I am a huge fan of.

I think too many people are afraid to admit their love for the social web, or realize that they depend on it so much. Think about your life if all of it was taken away (Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, etc.). At the risk of sounding totally consumerist, life would be incredibly dull without these mediums. Sure, we’ve existed without all of these tools before, but we are a different planet now. Like it or not, the world and the way we communicate with one another is a rapidly changing beast. Stop complaining. Get on board the stalking train.

I love you, but...

Wed, 04 Mar 2009 15:54:43 -0800

This is almost worth spending two minutes on:

http://loveyoubut.com

Social Life-Web Style

Wed, 04 Mar 2009 13:58:00 -0800

About 10 years ago, going to the local bars or catching a movie was considered hanging with your friends. Today, exchanging text messages via facebook or twitter, could be considered spending time with people. The social world has flipped upsidown. People date via facebook and myspace accounts and see eachother through photo updates and blog posts.

They also break-up via these social sites. There was a news story last year about a girl who broke-up with her boyfriend at a concert by changing her status on facebook to “single” from “in a relationship.”

People don’t even have the courtesy to talk to someone when they are right in front of them—although, I’d have to admit, that was kinda clever. Sounds like something I would do.

Social networking Web sites have created suspicions of cheating in a relationship. I admit that I check my boyfriends’ comments on myspace and facebook regularly—well not so much now than in the beginning. I even hacked into the email accounts to check those— I know I’m bad for doing it, but these sites create serious paranoia.

I’m not the only one though, I’ve heard of other women checking and visa versa. The internet, moreover, social sites, have created a whole new realm to cheat. It’s more secure than a phone, but less secure with openess to post comments viewable to anyone.

Social sites have also enabled me to connect with old friends from high school. I added at least five new “friends” to my list from school. It is great to get in contact with these people. Social sites have forever changed the way we communicate for the better and worse.

Is it May 26th yet? I don’t think I can wait much longer.

Mon, 02 Mar 2009 17:54:09 -0800

Is it May 26th yet? I don’t think I can wait much longer.

TOKYO!

Sun, 01 Mar 2009 20:45:10 -0800

I thought this movie looked rather interesting.

Check out http://tokyothemovie.com/ for more info.

-Nick

Deerhunter @ Noise Pop 2009

Sun, 01 Mar 2009 19:51:24 -0800

Deerhunter @ Noise Pop 2009

last time I was home in San Antonio

Sun, 01 Mar 2009 16:28:22 -0800

last time I was home in San Antonio

My best friend, the conservative

Sun, 01 Mar 2009 16:19:00 -0800

I have a really good friend back home in San Antonio, TX that went to college in the Chicago area as well. While I went to Columbia, the largest private liberal arts college in the country, Ben went to Wheaton College, which is what some describe as nurturing the future evangelicals of America. His school motto is “For Christ and His Kingdom,” mine is “Create Change” or how one of my conservative friends joked that it should be: “High Taxes and Abortions for All.”

There is a point where we both realized how much we’ve grown apart since going off to college: our ideals, our politics, how we would describe “a good Christian,” for example. But somehow, we’ve only become closer as friends amid our divergent arguments over equal rights, socioeconomics and “national defense.” We could get into a heated argument about why he doesn’t think gays should serve in leadership roles in Christian churches one second, then we’ll be hugging it out over a beer the next.

“I just don’t want you to feel you can’t have a relationship with God,” he’ll say. Or, “When was the last time you opened up your Bible.”

The thing is, while he can come off as narrow-minded and bullheaded to me (accidentally saying a homophobic remark sporadically) I’m sure I come off the same to him (accidentally denouncing Christ or something). And at the end of the day we always respectfully disagree knowing we have—or believe we have—the best interests in mind for each other.

Social webbing

Sun, 01 Mar 2009 15:40:07 -0800

I remember first signing up for Facebook, back when Facebook was only for students with certified college email addresses—which means when I went to community college for two years I could only hear how awesome this new system was without being able to join. So, going to Columbia, I felt like a legit college student because I could have my very own Facebook page (only to have it open to everyone a year later anyway).

I check and update Facebook, probably every day, its addictive talking about what you’re doing, uploading photos, commenting on friend’s pages and sharing websites (all the great indulgences of Facebook). It honestly helps me cultivate friendships with people I would otherwise be too busy to by any other correspondence.

Facebook for blackberry is like any typical addiction, getting better with every fix. Every time someone even comments on a photo I was tagged in, my cell phone lets me know. Like Twitter, the status updates lets everyone comment on what they’re doing, no matter how mundane—which is the most addictive trait of the whole program. The actual Twitter program itself is still too difficult to understand its real function.

But when it gets streamlined I’m sure I’ll be on that bandwagon too.

Baseball Widow

Sat, 28 Feb 2009 19:08:00 -0800

With the Cubs making it to the playoffs in 2007 and 2008, fans in Chicago are gearing up for a hopeful Cubs baseball season in 2009. Most would see this as an exciting time of hope and joy for those dedicated North Siders; however, to me it means another six months of desolation, another six months of always coming second to a baseball team and another six months of being invisible to my boyfriend.

Last fall the Tribune printed a handful of stories about brides postponing weddings and couples postponing vacations, all to enable their grooms and husbands and boyfriends to watch the Cubs’ assent into the holy grail of baseball, the World Series. Unfortunately for the Cubs and these women, the team exited the playoffs after losing three consecutive games—just as it did in 2007.

I feel for these poor women who have to rearrange their lives in order to accommodate for their fiancés’ and husbands’ obsession.

Why? Because I am one of them.

I am merely one of thousands of girlfriends and wives who lose our significant others six months out of the year (seven if they go into post-season play) due to Major League Baseball’s wild enchantment on our men.

We are the baseball widows of America.

Some of us accept our significant others’ outlandish passion for the Cubs; others fight the war over and over, battle after battle, only to lose in the end or be forced to raise the white flag and surrender.

These overly dedicated fans can never get enough of the Cubs no matter how they try. They sleep, eat, breathe and dream the Cubs. The legendary history of the club and more than 100 years of pain keep fans entertained and forever loyal.

My boyfriend went to more than 60 Cubs games last season—two of which were in Milwaukee, two in New York City, two in Los Angeles, one in San Diego and one in Cincinnati. Even our vacations were planned according to the Cubs’ schedule.

San Diego was nice, for the four hours I had to enjoy the city between games and travel time.

Los Angeles was exciting, for the one day out of four I was allotted to peruse Hollywood (although we had to be back at the hotel by 6 p.m. to catch the game on TV, of course).

When my boyfriend gets home from a game, he catches the post-game interviews and recaps on TV and radio, and then is sure to watch the news for more highlights, then switches to “Baseball Tonight” and finally “Sports Center.” If WGN replays a good game later that night, he is sure to catch it, if not tape it for future viewing.

But didn’t he just see the game live at Wrigley? Didn’t he see firsthand all of the hits and catches by his beloved Cubs? Why watch the same plays over and over?

Someone once told me that “your love for your favorite sports team will always come before a significant other because they have been there the longest.” What kind of ignorant idea is that?

Some of us have never been married, and yet we are widows. Our men have been seduced by the most dangerous vixen of all: baseball.

When everyone is dressed in Cubbie blue this spring, I will be wearing black, mourning the temporary death of my relationship with my significant other, like so many other baseball widows out there.

The man’s fashion advice

Thu, 26 Feb 2009 11:25:00 -0800

The other day, while reading the newspaper in Panera Bread, I overheard a group of three men discuss their girlfriends’ purse style. One man described a large overpowering bag of sorts. “She keeps her books in there, makeup, I just don’t get it.” The other retorted that his girl carried around a tiny wristlet with lip gloss, a camera and ID one night while out. He complained that he had to hold on to it the whole night, safely tucked in his pocket, of course. “I don’t get why she had to bring make up to the bar; she already put on a pound of that stuff before we left.”

Oh, men; how you will never understand the needs of a woman on the go!

Who said three minds are better than one?

Thu, 26 Feb 2009 11:23:00 -0800

To be honest, I cannot remember any of my previous group experiences. I suppose that I have just hidden those bad memories in the back of my mind. I mean, who wants to recollect on frustrating times? Remember the good times and forget the bad I suppose. I do know that I have learned to despise group projects from past experiences; not that I can remember specific projects or what the capacity of the project was. I do know that there is always a leader that progresses quickly and some may like the idea of this person being the leader because it takes the pressure off them, or they hate it because this person is supposedly out to dismiss every idea you have.

Groups are specifically hard to deal with when in high school or college. Sure, when you are 7-years-old you have all the time in the world. You have hours after school before you have to be home for super or weekends are always open. How far can you go with your bike anyway? In high school people have after school and weekend jobs, and college people are either taking on seven classes a semester or have part-time, possibly full-time jobs.

Groups at this age are difficult because people have refined opinions and hard schedules; nothing ever gets done smoothly.

ECHOing disaster.

Thu, 26 Feb 2009 10:00:00 -0800

Group work in school often goes pretty well for me. In most cases, people are seemingly more than willing to do their share, work together in effort of thoroughly completeing the task at hand and getting a good grade in the process.

Why doesn’t this situation ever seem to transcend into the workplace? How many times have you noticed/caught/been fed-up with co-workers for not contributing their fair share. Students must care more because it’s their education at hand, or perhaps because they’re paying for it. Or maybe, as my worst group experience finally comes to mind, not.

Okay, this post was going to be on co-workers dropping the ball rather than students, but it just occured to me that it’s actually something more closely related to actual the actual student presence in the workplace being the cause of it all.

Example: Echo magazine, the Columbia College Chicago student publication. So, here I am at late registration in August of ‘07, where it all started and I first met Sharon, the head of the magazine dept. at Columbia. As a transfering journalism student, my pre-reqs. were all done, and I couldn’t possibly sign up for all J-classes without taking a few basic ones first. Talking to Sharon, I expressed a love for photography and a desire to include it with my studies. That’s when she informed me of an open position as Photography/Illustration Editor for Echo that semester. Seeing as how I had already put together a full schedule, I applied for and eventually took the position as a (under)paid part of the staff.

As Photography/Illustration Editor I had many responsibilities regarding visuals within the issue, one of which included the task of assigning each of the image concepts — for the respective stories/sections of the magazine — to be produced by Columbia students studying said field.

Working with the writers and editorial/faculty staff creating the ideas for each story was always an enjoyable and productive creative brainstorming endeavor. Finding people that showed interest in creating these photos/illustrations was challenging in it’s own right, but I normally had a good initial response from those considering. I mean, you’d get your own work, in the field that you’re currently studying and trying to make a name for yourself in, published, for free and 30,000 copies are to be distributed throughout the Loop to — in essence — get your name out there. Potentially for the first time, depending on experience/past work. So, why not, right?

A lot of people jumped at the opportunity. In some cases two or three people at the same storie’s visual concept. But when it came down to actually doing the work assigned and turning it in, I came to be astonished at the number of people that “never got around to it” or “couldn’t make the time to complete the task.” More often than not, this was occurring within my pool of freelancers; over and over again as the semester went by. I even randomly ran into one of them on the sidewalk who had been ignoring my calls and not responding to my emails, even though he had expressed a decent amount of interest in helping out. I offered to reassign this person — including others who were either struggling or losing interest — in effort of finding something they’d be more interested in working on for the issue. I truly wanted to help all of them get involved, and namely gain exposure. So, I talked with this person for awhile about personal style and interests, and we came to agree on another assignment, which eventually was unfortunately added to the long list of those that would remain incompleted and not turned in.

Semesters’ may have been busy, or potentially more important homework took the cake for most. Regardless, working with a group of unreliable student freelancers was extremely frustrating and forcefully put me in the position of creating multiple images in a very short and hurried period of time. *Note, not all of the freelancers fit this mold, but it was a majority of my original list of those who’d qualify for contributing. And it was rather hectic, to say the least, during the last few weeks leading up to turning in all the media-related files for that semester’s issue.

I can only hope that people within the working industry — whom I’d assume (although you never should) would care more about their work — will be much more reliable than my past experiences, but I’m not going to get my hopes up by any means.

-Nick

(Sidenote - I went to the Columbia website to find photos of the issue I worked on [Fall 2007] to use for this post, and although I couldn’t find a photo of the cover, I did discover a bunch of the stories I shot for that issue now online accompanied by my photos. BUT THERE’S NO ATTRIBUTION TO THE PHOTOGRAPHER(S), ONLY THE WRITER(S)! What the !?)

Group Work

Thu, 26 Feb 2009 06:57:00 -0800

Unfortunately I’ve had many bad experiences with working in a group so I’ve developed a kind of phobia against the idea. I cringe whenever group work is mentioned just because your grade depends on the people in your group. Some instructors have paid more attention to the fact that not everyone contributes equally and grades each person individually but in high school that wasn’t taken into account…

I would have to say that my worst experience working in a group would be in high school. It was in my AP World Literature class so one would think that everyone in there put in SOME kind of effort right? Not so much…the project was also our final which was 25 percent of our overall grade. We were all put into groups and already I was kind of weary. Every time I attempted to discuss the project two people in the group would be talking about the football game on Friday and the other one would be texting her friends. It took some time but everyone got it together and we assigned things for each of us to do for the project. The project was an analysis on the book we were planning on reading and ours was A Clockwork Orange. We basically had all semester to work on it and I was under the impression that things were going well. Each of us were assigned to explain themes and other literary elements during the presentation and write it all out to turn in…a week before our presentation I heard that two people in our group didn’t even read the book and was planning on just watching the movie….we got together a few days before presentations and the two who didn’t read the book did a sad looking poster and had some notes scribbled in their notebooks. The other girl and I let them know what the book was about and what they needed to say since they had nothing prepared. Come presentation day they decided to explain what went on in the movie which is completely different than the book…the ending is even different! The other girl ended up interrupting and finishing their piece and they just stood by as we finished up the presentation. We got an ok grade but the process was definitely frustrating and they shouldn’t have gotten any credit for it. I guess the worst part was that the instructor was informed that these two weren’t doing any work and she didn’t do much about it. It was definitely an experience I hope not to relive…

Sonic stress

Thu, 26 Feb 2009 06:38:04 -0800

Last Christmas I had the pleasure of sinking my teeth into a bacon topped 1/4 pound piece of heaven. It was late, I was curious and my stomach was in the hunt for something grossly unhealthy. Since I rarely travel down south, I haven’t had the chance of trying Sonic fast food but they still tease the hell out of Chicagoans by plastering the television with their low budget commercials.

I don’t know if anyone else noticed that but their isn’t a location within 200 miles of Chicago.

Anyways, back to last Christmas, my family headed to a retirement community in South Florida to visit my grandma and grandpa for a few days. (Which turned out to be a senior citizen college campus plagued by golf carts and I’m sure just as much promiscuity) On Christmas eve, we passed by one their locations and I was completely caught off guard by the hidden gem. So one thing led to another and we stopped. Let me tell you, their limeades are delicious, their cheeseburger is tasty with or without condiments, and their tots (tatertots) were crispy. It was late night fastfood heaven. I recommend the 200 mile drive to anyone in the Chicagoland area.

Me vs. Group

Thu, 26 Feb 2009 06:17:14 -0800

Convinced of failure, I came up with a flurry of excuses, each one more ridiculous than the next. It was 2001 and Jr. Highschool graduation was right around the corner. It was time to make that transition from big man on campus to “Dazed in Confused-esque” freshman. The only good news was Ben Affleck wouldn’t be there ruining cinema.

But before I could make that transition, Mr.Safranski, my sterioid enraged U.S. history teacher (Who I now recall, dated and most likely slept with the majority of female teachers - picture a buff Ned Flanders without the mustache.) decided to let us pick who we wanted in our group for the final project. So naturally, I picked two of my best friends, Brian Kohout and Jimmy Stark. Sound great right? Working with your best buds but it wasn’t.

There was absolutely zero work ethic, even for a fourteen year old. If we ever did meet up we’d work on the project a mere ten minutes then get side tracked riding bikes. A biography of JFK accompanied by a short visual aid presentation was progressing slower than the resurfacing of a Chicago highway. We ended up having to spend the night at Brian’s house, pleading for his parents to help us whip up an impromptu presentation. I know this example of group work failure doesn’t sound significant but it can be applied to real life. Don’t mix business with pleasure!

Tramontana R

Thu, 26 Feb 2009 02:29:00 -0800

http://www.autoblog.com/2009/02/2…in-turbocharged-v12-tramontana-r/

A quick snippet from the AutoBlog article on this recently released crossbreed between Maverick’s Top Gun and Christian Bale Batman’s Tumbler; the new fiercer looking, and performing, Tramontana R:

“The R is an evolved version of the standard open-wheel two-seater, packing a Mercedes-sourced 5.5-liter V12 available in either naturally aspirated, 550 hp guise or a twin-turbocharged 760 hp version that dolls out an astonishing 811 lb-ft of torque. The Group claims a 0-100 time of 3.6 seconds and a 10.15-second run to 200 mph.”

More specs/info/photos after the jump, but whatya say? Clear to buzz the tower, Goose?

Yay or nay, this is one radical auto, kind of ridiculous actually.

Update: Video!

-Nick

2009 CAS (coverage/comments)

Thu, 26 Feb 2009 02:09:00 -0800

The following are some photos that I took at the 2009 Chicago Auto Show last week:

It was spacious inside this year — with not nearly as many vehicles as usual, there were random large empty spaces in some places with groups of tables for visitors to use.

The Hyundai Genesis R coupe from Rhys Millen Racing (RMR) was one of the first displays inside. From the sponsors, for the sponsors; if you catch my (Formula D)rift. Although, I do like the aggressive aero up front.

A new Saab concept car that caught my eye, even though it’s one of the many car-makes being cut back severely, if not completely, in the next few years.

Chevy Volt, not a bad looking car until you look closer at this one.

I’ve heard of ‘stretch and poke’ before, but these tires don’t even look like they’ve actually been mounted. And look at those brakes, or, cardboard-slotted-rotors? Hmm, perhaps they’re on to something revolutionary in light-weight braking components over there at GM.

The Bat-mobile, err, Stingray concept. My mother owned a ‘71 Stingray at one point along the line. It was black on black leather, with chrome-lathered-accents all over. This car is far from that version, but it’s not necessarily a bad thing. I’m attracted to the aggressive curves and lines of this car, but I don’t think it’s seen here in it’s best color. Maybe the equivalent chrome hue/color mix of black will give it that sinister look it needs. We’ll have to wait and see where this one goes, it could look good in Gotham.

This one actually stood out to me, I really like the idea of this as a efficient daily driver. I’d like to see one sitting a little lower (slammed-out, who am I kidding), and the price tag (if it ever makes it on the market). Way to go, a valid attempt at a new focus on car making.

Cadillacs are always going to be really nice cars. Converj, a concept — with a lack-luster name — as far as I know, is a stunning looking coupe. I wouldn’t mind one of these with the 550hp motor from the Cadillac CTS-V. But, if I’m going to be spending that much money, and I’m looking for a coupe and performance, do I really want to buy a Cadillac? That’s all I’m saying.

The future. Well, the Toyota Prius is semi-sorta old news, but the new version features many small upgrades over the latter. And this year at their display, they had a middle-aged man telling you all about them. I’m pretty sure it’s a ploy to gain interest from a different age-demographic. “Hey, that guy looks like me, but is standing by the Japanese car. Maybe, I, too, should care about fuel-efficiency.” Maybe it’ll work, hopefully it’ll work. The replacement for displacement. (And, just maybe this nicely cropped photo will help, too).

Ford’s attempt at an American-sized Scion Xb for American-sized people?

Nissan GT-R, R35, was released and shown at last yeas CAS, but this year it can be seen on the street at the same time. Still lots of people around this car, and why not? It’s one of the fastest production cars available right now, and at a fraction of most of it’s competitors prices.

From the GT-R, to the Dodge Circuit — an early attempt at an electric sports car. Half Toyota MR2, half Dodge Viper, half Acura RSX. Wait, three halves? Yes, because there is too much going on on this small electric go-kart. The body lines are all over the place.

Fatlace (the guys who’ve featured a bunch of my close friends’ cars on their west coast-based site, HellaFlush)? At the Chicago Auto Show? I didn’t expect/believe it, but randomly in the Scion booth I noticed the window banner on this Scion TC designed by Fatlace’s own, Mark Arsenal.

As fuel-efficiency was a big topic/aspect to this years show, so was luxury. We’ll get to more examples shortly, but I had to snap a shot of the F-sport brakes that come as a factory option on most of the new Lexus sedans; including the GS pictured above.

As Jalopnik reported, it was the Miata’s 20th birthday bash. I wasn’t particularly expecting anything over the top, but was pleasantly surprised when I came across this pristine original. Such successful simple and subtle body styling from Mazda.

Smart Car, stupid people. While at the Chicago Auto Show, it’s not uncommon to hear a lot of ignorantly false information being uttered by the other by-standers within McCormick Place. Most times I can ignore it, just phase it out and easily not feel the urge to respond/correct those who are mistaken factually. But at the Smart display, oh my. I heard people saying some of the most ridiculous things — one person even exclaimed that the frame was made of plastic. After sitting in one, noticing that they’re actually quite roomy within and biting my tongue firmly to ignore the masses, I walked quickly away. As I stood back and quickly snapped these photos, I couldn’t help but feel bad for the people behind the Smart desk who probably had to deal with that all week.

This newer VW sedan was another that stood out and begged for a couple of photos. Normally I don’t go for the VWs, — except for maybe the R32, but still rather pricey — but I like the aggressive front fascia and lip on this car.

Mercedes Benz will always shock and awe; always. Till the end of the planet, they will be producing high quality luxury auto(until the next technological innovation)mobiles.

A few more examples from MB.

This is my brother taking a photo of me taking a photo of him taking a photo of me. I’ve got the reverse side to this, and another he took of me taking photos of the white coupe above, in an email. I’ll post them here soon.

The closest thing to anything potentially Crazu-related, the RealTime Racing TSX time attack car. From what I know, RealTime Racing is serious business only; it’d be much more entertaining to watch this car in action, listening to the high-revving motor run through the gears. (Maybe this will lead to a follow-up post).

And what Chicago Auto Show would be complete without some exotics? Lamborghini is always a crowd favorite, and these specimens are no different. Twin satin/matte purple Gallardos, and a white Murcielago. Yum.

You’ve got to love Spyker. I can’t remember their presence at CAS in past years, but definitely diggin’. Beautiful cars, but what’s up with the fuselage in the background?

The F430, one of my favorite Ferraris. Kind of almost dull seen here; but only compared to seeing one in black ripping threw third down Congress Parkway during rush hour last semester.

This last one is of my father and brother taking a break from walking around to look out from McCormick Place at the city. We’ve been going to this show annually as a group for just over 15 years; and the 2009 Chicago Auto Show wasn’t as much of a let down as I was expecting. It wasn’t a crazy year for debuts in the market, outlandish concepts were (and should be) at a lull, especially at a time when the automotive industry is in such a big hole — not just in North America. However, even though there were a lot of innovative, ‘Eco-friendly’ concepts and ideas brought to this year’s show, I think the truly monumental changes we have still yet to see. Soon though, hopefully.

-Nick.

PASSION PITTTT.

Wed, 25 Feb 2009 21:54:05 -0800

PASSION PITTTT.

This has to be the first time in TUP history that a comment was...

Wed, 25 Feb 2009 21:50:01 -0800

This has to be the first time in TUP history that a comment was longer than the actual post.

Worst group/team experiance

Wed, 25 Feb 2009 21:46:16 -0800

You’ll have to forgive me, but I can’t really ever recall a truly horrible group experiance. I’m sure there were some in grade school or high school, but with my memory deteriorating more each day, I can’t say I can actually recall one. Anytime I’ve had to work on a group project at Columbia, I feel like it’s been an alright time.

Though this may not count, I have definitely played on some pretty awful sports teams. My all-time favorite would have to be our grade school basketball team, which played roughly roughly 30 each year and never won more than four. Fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth grade….never more than four wins. It was cool though - you can’t expect too much from a junior high basketball team comprised only of white kids no taller than 5’4 - we all had a good time, and I remain close friends with a lot of those kids even today.

Music Snobbery

Wed, 25 Feb 2009 21:25:00 -0800

From the moment I smeared roll-on glitter onto the apples of my cheeks and pulled on my homemade puffy paint *NSYNC tank top, I knew I was hooked—I’m a junkie for live shows.

It was during my pre-teen years—before I had the ability to distinguish real music from complete crap—when I discovered that first rush of adrenaline as the lights dimmed and five men (including a then presumably straight Lance Bass) came out thrusting their sweaty bodies and crotches in my general direction. My dad was with me at the time, and as I started crying and screaming hysterically when I thought J.C. Chasez had looked at me, he just glanced down at me shaking his head, “What is wrong with you?”

And so began my greatest addiction and greatest pitfall when it comes to blowing money. Thankfully my music taste has evolved, going from *NSYNC to the dreadful Dave Matthews Band era (with my own dreads included) to now. And out of the many shows I’ve been to, I’ve always been asked which shows were the best. So here’s the rundown.

Do Make Say Think: When this Canadian instrumental post-rock band came onstage at Metro—all 10 of them— to play their jazzy, electronic songs, I was left dumbstruck. Their 20-minute arrangement of “Goodybye Enemy Airship” had me sold; I have never seen anyone play with the same amount of intensity that DMST had—this was the best show. Ever.

Battles: I’ll admit, I’ve seen this band three times. Between Pitchfork two years ago and Lollapalooza last year, their show at Metro was especially awesome. After an introduction by White Williams, Born Ruffians and Caribou, midnight rolled in and Battles finally made their appearance, opening with “Atlas.” It was one hot, sweaty night of dancing and accidentally groping other people. Who knew laptop generated math-rock music could get people so hot and bothered.

Bob Dylan: Actually, no. This show was the worst thing I’ve ever seen. If it wasn’t for Eric Clapton making a surprise appearance, this would be the biggest waste of $60 ever. I couldn’t understand a single word he was saying and the show was at a county fair that smelled like cow shit. But still, I feel obligated to mention it just because it’s Bob Dylan.

Fleet Foxes: Combining folk music, flannel-wearing mountain men and glorious BEARDS is always a guarantee for a most excellent time. Soooo good.

Radiohead: Oh, Thom. I love your spastic ways. When they played my favorite Radiohead song of all time, “Pyramid Song,” I just about died. And I have to mention Lollapalooza when the fireworks went off during “Everything in its Right Place.”

Grizzly Bear: “The Knife.” Sweet tidy bowl Jesus skipping on blue toilet water.

The Black Keys: Only in Akron, OH, of course. Though this included being smashed up against a sweaty dude with back hair—it’s also important to note his salami cologne.

Autechre: Again, two straight hours of pumping baselines and sweaty dancing.

Cheers to Hosea..I guess

Wed, 25 Feb 2009 20:34:53 -0800

I don’t think Hosea should have won Top Chef, but I don’t know if I wanted Stefan to. As a young woman myself, I had to root for goofy Carla, but she just blew it in the last challenge. Stefan was just too good for Top Chef. I had a roller coaster relationship with him. In the beginning of the season, I really didn’t care for him at all. By the middle of the season, I found myself oddly attracted to him. Tonight in the season finale, I just thought he was too cocky. The judges not only have to think you are the best chef, but they also have to like your personality, and that is why Stefan didn’t win..and that is also why I could be a judge on Top Chef. Does anybody know when Project Runway starts??

Worst Group Experience

Wed, 25 Feb 2009 20:28:23 -0800

I can’t really think of horrible group experience I have had, I think I try and block them from my educational memories. At the last college I went to, California State Univeristy Channel Islands (holla), I was in a group with two other girls in my English class. The college I went to used to be the California State Mental Institute where all these crazy people went, and my school was supposobly haunted. Anywho, in my English group we had to write a paper on the history of the mental institute. Me and one of the girls in the group got along really well and did a ton of research, but the other girl was just a lost cause. She kept writing stuff that was just really bad. How do you tell someone that their ideas suck and you want to include them in the paper?? I think I got a C on the paper, which I blame on her, but I guess that is my worst group experience. Pretty lame, huh?? Maybe I am the person that other people would name if they had to answer the question, “What is your worst group moment?”

Taking one for the team.

Tue, 24 Feb 2009 21:51:00 -0800

Ah, the group project. A hellish nightmare for the overachiever, a perpetual state of bliss for the slacker.

It is in my experience that these situations tend to go awry when the actual group is comprised of more people than necessary, leaving one student as the awkward innocent bystander who doesn’t have much more to contribute than a few amicable head nods and, voila—their name is printed alongside the names of the other group members who lost large sums of sleep and sanity.

Truthfully, I’ve been on both ends of this spectrum. I can remember my high school physics class when my lazy teacher stupidly put me, a student who pulled straight C’s in his class, with three of the class know-it-alls for our final project. Since there was no writing component for me to dazzle my group with my artistry for bullshitting, I was left watching them put together a pendulum as I filed my nails. It was like I didn’t even exist. We got an A on the project, bringing my C average to a steady B. Despite my lack of involvement, I couldn’t help but praise the heavens for the “group project.” I’m embarrassed to admit this situation ever occurred, but I challenge anyone if they say they’ve never been relieved to be in a group their team members know exponentially more than they do.

I guess karma is a bitch, because almost every group project situation after that, I was on the other side, slaving away until two in the morning doing research, writing papers or making pretty poster boards.

After 21 years of justifying my life as satisfactory without...

Tue, 24 Feb 2009 21:32:00 -0800

After 21 years of justifying my life as satisfactory without holes in my hears, I’m happy to report that I finally broke down and headed to my local Claire’s Boutique to pierce my ears this weekend. Pictured above is a gift bag I received to commemorate my monumental leap into womanhood.

Aside from the less than enthusiastic sales associate, I’m pretty sure I was the only individual in the store over the age of 13, give or take a suburban mom or two with bad highlights.

I don’t know why I waited this long to do something most girls have done before they’re 10. It’s not like my parents were against it. I remember on several occasions, between the ages of 5 and 20, my mom trying her hardest to convince me the benefits my life would see if I just got it over with. In fact, I can’t believe it never crossed my mind as a little awkward that Justin Timberlake, whom I idolized from 1997-2000, had giant hoops in his ears when I was still sporting stick-on earrings or parading around in my grandma’s clip-ons.

As happy as I am to retire my clip-on collection and venture into the infinite abyss of womanhood, I hope I served as some sort of inspiration to the five-year-olds clutching their teddy bears as the sales woman counted to three before the big pinch.

Never wait until the age of 21 to get your ears pierced. I can’t imagine how much more fulfilling my childhood and early teen years would be if I got to parade around in pink sparkly studs like all the other girls in my class. Your social life and your wardrobe will thank you.

Audio

Thu, 19 Feb 2009 21:36:25 -0800

Loss of time

Thu, 19 Feb 2009 03:07:07 -0800

The internet to me is just a time waster.

It’s a useful tool if you’re researching paper or trying to become more informed on various issues, but with so much content it’s hard to stay focused.

Arguably, it can guide you into a world you’ve never seen, but for workers who rely on computers and the World Wide Web as part their job, that’s not such a useful feature.

Games, news stories, web clips and the ever popular celebrity blogs sidetrack the average user causing them to be less productive.

It’s not that I don’t enjoy the internet, because I do. It’s interesting to see anything you’d ever want with a few keystrokes and a couple clicks of the mouse. It provides doors to opportunity and windows to other people’s lives.

But mostly it’s just updating your friends on Facebook, posting photos of last night’s bar escapades and seeing how much trouble the rising child star has caused for themselves.

At least the tabloids will soon be out of my supermarket aisle.

Oxymoron: Popular "Cable Guy"

Thu, 19 Feb 2009 02:49:02 -0800

Comedy Central recently announced the roasters for Larry the Cable Guy.

Well funny be damned, even a hack comedian gets a roast. Jeff Foxworthy did too, so it’s only fair, right? What’s next, Dane Cook?

Execs at the Viacom owned network right now are probably saying, “Oooo! We never thought of him.”

Among the roasters are Nick DiPaolo, Jeffrey Ross, Greg Giraldo and Lisa Lampanelli. Who hasn’t seen their smiling faces enough during a CC roast? It’s like the network has them on contract as professional roasters too, which can’t be such a bad thing. Between the four of them, Lisa Lampanelli is the only person with a career.

If anyone can make such a stupid event funny, it would be Lampanelli. Who else could we lean against? Dan Marino, the hall of fame quarterback from the Miami Dolphins. His comedy experience doesn’t reach past Ace Ventura, and that’s stretching it. Next.

Toby Keith, the country music sensation. OK, he falls into the “from the south” category. His music videos are pretty humorous. But his comedy would have to be prewritten and come in the form of a song. Try again.

The only other salvation so far is Drew Carey, who must not be earning enough on “The Price is Right” to sign up for this B-List gig.

A roast is generally celebrating the achievements of one person. Denis Leary was roasted, Bob Sagat was roasted and well, that’s the end of the worthy comedy roasts. It is agreed that Pamela Anderson and William Shatner were not comedy roasts, but they do have a long career of achievements—sort of.

What about Steve Martin, Eddie Murphy, Dave Barry, Bill Cosby, Robin Williams, Dave Chappelle, Chris Rock, Jim Carey (getting iffy), etc. The list goes on.

The Blue Collar Comedy Tour has made Comedy Central a lot of money with Blue Collar TV and the tour being replayed at least twice a week.

For a network that has a monopoly on the comedy scene it’s not about the quality, it’s about the money.

“Git r dun” Comedy Central because it’s shameless not to capitalize on gimmick comedy.

Television.

Wed, 18 Feb 2009 22:41:00 -0800

I was introduced to the Internet at a young age, when 28.8k was considerably fast and the movie “Hackers” didn’t seem too far fetched.

I had a LiveJournal throughout high school, and caught the first wave of Xanga, Friendster and Myspace. I played the original CounterStrike on 56k without any lag. I caught the initial music sharing revolution with Napster, and watched it happen over and over again with Kazaa, Morpheus and Limewire (I didn’t use them though, ofcourse; I have good morals). I joined various automotive forums, even became a moderator for one. I’ve met countless other motorists with similar, or contrasting interests, many of whom I’m still friends with, or argue with, till this day.

And then along came YouTube, probably one of the most powerful Internet forces to date — next to it’s parent company Google most likely. But, not until recently (late last summer I’d say), has YouTube affected me so much. I (one who doesn’t enjoy the amenities of, how do you say, cable/dish/Comcast/etc in my home) have stopped watching television almost completely. Average, run of the mill, network television is awful. Maury? Court shows? Cheaters? Soup Operas? No, thanks.

Although, even the shows during prime time don’t grab my attention, I found that some YouTube user channels do pique my interest. And I came to realize that I’m not the only one. For example: The Phillip DeFranco Show, YouTube channel ‘sxephil’ (or http://www.youtube.com/user/sxephil). The Phillip DeFranco Show, is updated/uploaded five days a week on YouTube where the 23-year-old host, DeFranco, presents his opinion on recent news/pop culture (links to each story can be find in each video’s sidebar), complete with a ‘deuschebag of the day’ award in every episode.

In a recent episode he talks a bit about his show being studied in a media-related class, not his best by any means, but fairly good. Enjoy, maybe:

At first, watching a show created and uploaded daily by one person, five days a week, seems a bit odd. But with over 300,000 channel subscribers and most episodes reaching over 500,000 views a few days after being uploaded, something must be going right. And it is, I’m hooked; it must be something about the quick radio-style audio edit, the thick sarcasm, the commentary news-related aspect to it, or potentially it’s just the style in which he meshes it all together. I don’t know, watch a few episodes a make your own decision.

Like this post, often the web can lead you down random tangents that will eventually bring you somewhere entirely new, and often unexpected In short: The Internet, it amazes me. I’m addicted to my daily fix.

-Nick

A beautiful day in the neighborhood.

Wed, 18 Feb 2009 22:31:00 -0800

It didn’t take a long time of living in Chicago for me to realize what a wretched place Wrigleyville is. I’m not saying this because I detest the Cubs, even though I probably should because Cardinal baseball was (and still is) practically a religion in my house growing up.

I don’t live far from Wrigley now. I’m a Lakeview resident, and I can practically smell the Axe deodorant and Dave Matthews tunes blasting from the windows of twentysomethings trying to relive their fraternity glory days. Disgusting.

The point is, I still find it amazing that people, namely Chicagoans, have the ability to detect what neighborhood a person lives in solely based on their dress code or general demeanor. While I find this a bit upsetting at times, I have absolutely no problem negatively stereotyping a good majority of Wrigleyville residents, especially when 85% of them look and act like the strapping young gentleman pictured below:

“YO, BRAH. LET’S CHILL AND LISTEN TO SOME MARLEY AND PLAY BEER PONG.”

Where would I be?

Wed, 18 Feb 2009 22:20:00 -0800

I could not imagine going through high school or college without the accompaniment of the world wide web.

The internet has changed how everyone lives their lives. Even thoose who refuse to use it, are some how forced to learn. My grandfather, in his 70s, refuses to get a cellular phone, use the internet, or even get a cordless home phone. Last year he was forced to use the internet to buy a car. He worked for Chrysler and now receives discounts only available if you use the online purchase tool. Too bad Grandpa, you gotta get with the new technology.

The internet has made me impatient and obsessive compulsive regularly. I have to check my email, facebook and craigslist for job posts every five minutes or I feel like I have missed something major. If I don’t have a computer near, a cell phone will do.

Anything I do is somehow connected to the web. I have to make a doctors appointment, I request it on the web. I need the number to a store I am going to, I go to the web, not the yellowbook. Why does yellowbook even publish anymore? I can get my news, research, phone numbers, addresses, go shopping and trade portfolios. I can even open a checking account. Anything I do, it is somehow connected to the internet.

That reminds me, I have to buy train tickets to visit my parents; gotta go to amtrak.com

Food Porn: Where dreams become heart attacks

Wed, 18 Feb 2009 20:47:00 -0800

I stumbled upon this website at 2 a.m. last night after a skipped dinner, and its effects were distasteful in a totally delicious way, to say the very least.

http://thisiswhyyourefat.com/

This is Why You’re Fat, the ultimate in all things food porn-related, had me scrolling through page after page of sinful food (with the main ingredient being cellulite, of course). And as the images of deep-fried ‘smores, burgers smashed between two glazed Krispy Kreme donuts and candied bacon icecream streamed across my screen, I became all too aware of how hungry I actually was.

In a crazed rage I ran to my kitchen with eyes glazed over and began plummaging through my refridgerator looking for anything that might even slightly resemble the decadent deep-fried Tootsie roll plastered on the site’s homepage.

My results were disappointing. All I managed to scrounge up were pitted cherries from Whole Foods, applesauce and moldy cinnamon raisin bread. In my anger, I threw the cherries to the ground (also slightly moldy) and screamed to my unassumming neighbor, “I want my goddamn McNuggetini!”

I’ll take cellulite and elastic waistband pants anyday.

Behold the McNuggetini: A McDonald’s chocolate milkshake with vanilla vodka and garnished with a chicken McNugget. Sweet baby Jesus.

A/S/L??

Wed, 18 Feb 2009 20:22:00 -0800

Much of 1997 (and many of the years to follow) was spent confined to a glowing 13” box. Its humming became rudimentary, and the sounds of a door opening or closing (courtsy AIM) became a grand spectacle as I minimized all 15 of my windows to see who signed online. At ten years old, I had officially reached the status of a mega computer geek under the alias of ScullyGrl13—and I suppose things haven’t really changed 11 years later.

1997 is forever benchmarked as the year of tacky Geocities websites (ex. a David Duchovny website that let you plant a virtual cherry red kiss, more formally called “Mulder Mauve,” on his pixelly forhead) and realizing that certain web addresses aren’t what they seem (whitehouse.com).

Fortunately, I’ve broadened my horizons these days. I’ve realized that websites like Tubgirl and Meatspin can be used as cruel jokes on your parents (I set my dad’s laptop homepage to Meatspin.com) and that the internet can open your eyes to a new world of unique cultures and art.

And I suppose that’s why I’m addicted to it. Not because of the weird fetish porn and David Duchovny sites (and how these two are oddly related as I eventually found: Google: David Duchovny + teacup), but because of its vast and (almost) limitless possibilities … and for keeping me out of jail for cowtipping, or something else of the sort that I would have otherwise gotten into if I wasn’t holed up in a dark computer room 24/7.

The Impact of the Internet

Wed, 18 Feb 2009 20:04:23 -0800

I would say the Internet has made my life A LOT easier over the years. It’s a gateway to basically everything you can think of.

Instead of slaving away at the library and spending hours finding a variety of books for a paper or article, everything I need is at my fingertips. I owe many thanks to the Internet as I have saved so much time and effort doing assignments with such a great tool. Have a question that needs an immediate answer? The average person would most likely say “Google it” and poof…your question will be answered with an array of results.

However there IS a downfall to the Internet. While it has saved a lot of time, it has also sucked up a lot of it as well. For instance, Youtube is a blackhole that easily sucks you in to hours of entertainment and of course Facebook. I don’t think I ever go on the Internet without checking it at least once.

Reflecting on my life and using the Internet so much…I kind of wonder how I would function without it. It’s made my attention span shorter over time and has made me borderline impatient. I’m not too sure that’s such a good thing…but the Internet has definitely impacted my life in a very positive light overall. Sure it there’s a lot of crap out there but if you know how to use the web to your advantage it will serve you well. Anything that saves me time to do something else that I need to do is well appreciated.

Thank you for existing Internet.

Deadspin links pay the bills. This was a true team effort...

Wed, 18 Feb 2009 19:50:00 -0800

Deadspin links pay the bills.

This was a true team effort though, so “mad props” go out to Bradlyx for all the help.

Terror at the Tribune...

Wed, 18 Feb 2009 19:33:00 -0800

So my first day at the Chicago Tribune was on Thursday and it was quite a somber day for many. Apparently it was another lay-off day and everyone was on edge about whether they were going to be next to get the axe. The newsroom was absolutely silent minus the few on the phones talking about how stupid it was to get rid of a few international reporters that were currently overseas. Many expletives were used during those conversations. Even the editor who interviewed me back in October was leaving when she’s been there for over 10 years!

It was interesting seeing how everyone really felt and witnessing how the situation really was there. Everyone knows the ridiculous amount of lay-offs there have been, but seeing it first-hand with people packing up their things in boxes and clearing off their desks was intense. No one is safe no matter how long they’ve been there and they realize that which scares them even more. A Columbia adjunct faculty member was let go that day too I found out…. so much for an uplifting post!

Besides the job situation, I have the pleasure of sitting by “an old Italian man that gets obnoxiously loud on the phone” as he described himself to me. I was also amused at all the reporter’s desks….I’m surprised at how they can function and work at the tiny space that isn’t cluttered with newspapers, magazines and random action figures. My favorite thing I noticed today was the random New Kid’s on the Block poster pinned to the side of a reporter’s desk with signed autographs from the 80’s.

My first byline for the Tribune ran on Saturday too which was exciting. The event I covered lasted from 7p.m.-10p.m. with my deadline being 9a.m. the following morning. Now I know why I’m concentrating in magazine…

The year 1998 was quite the monumental year in my life. It was...

Wed, 18 Feb 2009 17:57:03 -0800

The year 1998 was quite the monumental year in my life. It was the year I got braces, the year I decided to flat iron my hair for the first time (conveniently the same day my school yearbook pictures were being taken) and the period in my life I decided to experiement with powder blue BonneBell eyeshadow.

Aside from the countless social flubs I was making with my fashion choices, there was one thing I knew would initiate me into the cool brigade: becoming an active user of the World Wide Web. Since the dawn of AOL 4.0 and that magical jingling sound every time I’d receive an Instant Message, I was unaware of how much my life would change as a result of the everchanging Internet.

As pathetic as it sounds, I can’t imagine my life without the Internet. It is the primary way I communicate and keep tabs on people in my life. It allows me to stalk people I went to high school with, and also people I barely even know. Most importantly, the Internet is the direction where our industry is heading (yes, I’m echoing what every modern journalist is saying).

So, here’s to you, internet. You’ve done me proud and made me the best stalker I can possibly be.

Me vs. Internet

Wed, 18 Feb 2009 12:54:29 -0800

What can I say? It was love at first sight, ten years ago. I couldn’t get enough of the dial-up connection, the pokey looking webpages, and the temptation for AOL chatrooms. It was new, it was buggy but it was something completely revolutionary to my eyes. I was in fourth grade, what did you expect? Although somehow I believe this was the same reaction that many people had, regardless of age, when it made its debut decades ago. It had the enormous potential to succeed and the enormous potential to “crash and burn.” As we can see, crashing and burning was not the case. It has opened up a vast resource for communication, data transfer, and entertainment. What scares me is its effect on our livelihood - especially in the Journalism world. I am adhering to the change but what about the old timers? They are deeply rooted in THEIR WAY of going about business. I foresee equal tragedy and success in the future. All we can really do is embrace this new technology. No matter how unfamiliar or lucrative it may be. I hope for the best.

The Big Easy

Wed, 18 Feb 2009 06:43:55 -0800

I am about to leave to go to New Orleans for 5 days! I have never been there before and my best friend Nina from California goes to Tulane University in Louisiana. Not only am I going to get to see my bff that I haven’t seen since August, but it is also Mardi Gras.

Things I need to acheieve in N’alins:

Eat jumbalaya, meet Emeril, eat red beans and rice, go to Magazine Street, ride that trolley thing, look at all the old houses in the quarters, see the Mississippi River, drink a lot of Hurricane’s, get a lot of beads, eat a muffuletta sandwich, dance, sing, and try not to make too much of a fool out of myself.

Hopefully I will be able to accomplish all of this. Mostly what I will be doing is having intense and long conversations with my best friend about anything and everything. Whenever we see each other it is always too short and we never have enough time to fit in everything we want to say and do…I don’t think this trip will be any different.

Adios

Ode to the Internet

Mon, 16 Feb 2009 20:11:14 -0800

I know that the internet has impacted my life, but today I really realized how much it has. My power went out for two hours in my building and after realizing that it meant I couldn’t watch tv or use the elevator, I also realized that it meant I couldn’t use the internet. Without the internet I honestly could not do any of my homework besides some reading, I couldn’t look up how to spell a sources company name, and I couldn’t use google to keep me occupied.

The inernet has impacted my life by making it easier. If it wasn’t for the internet I would honestly have no idea how to get around the city. I use the internet to not only look at maps, but to do ALL research for classes and papers, and to communicate with my friends. I set up interviews for stories through e-mailing back and forth, and I share photos with friends and use facebook as a lazy way to see what my friends are up to and what their lives are like. I am the most un-computer savvy person I know, but I still know how to use the internet and I use it constantly.

If it wasn’t for the internet I wouldn’t read the newspaper or have any real idea of what is going on in the world. I check the Chicago Tribune website multiple times a day to see what the headlines are and what the weather is. I wish I could say that if I didn’t have the internet I would go buy a newspaper to see what is going on, but I know I wouldn’t.

Thank you internet.

CSS (I'm lovin' it)...Sarcasm.

Mon, 16 Feb 2009 13:50:23 -0800

I am having quite the experience, in a negative way. I am like a fish out of water, a dog wearing clothes, Bush without Camp David.

HOWEVER! I am learning at a snails pace through “trial by error.” In my experience, when things don’t work, it most likely has to do with the tiniest of errors. (Colon, Semi-Colon, Parenthesis…)

Whatever the case may be, I do look forward to the development and maintainence of our websites. The knowledge will certainly be helpful in the long run.

Starbucks knowingly turns away profit

Sun, 15 Feb 2009 10:19:00 -0800

Major coffee conglomerate, Starbucks, is offering up ways on how to save money on customers’ coffee addiction by recommending they buy the coffee from them and brew at home; a much cheaper way to enjoy your cup of joe. They will even go as far as to grind it for you; saving customers even more money by not having to purchase an at-home grinder. So when did the most expensive and lavish coffee shop decide to ask customers to stop coming in and spending money on their flavorful concoctions?

I found this out while stopping into the Starbucks on Lincoln Ave. and Irving Park for my ritual venti passion shaken iced tea. As I stood there in a line of nine customers waiting for my tea to be shaken I saw a sign drawn in colorful eye-catching chalk behind all of the smiley-faced baristas. It said, “Economize. Brew at home. Buy the beans from us and we’ll grind it for you!” I get that starbucks would want to push their coffee-for-home sales, but as an alternative to coming in and spending much more on a prepared cup? Are they trying to drive sales down and go out of business?

I do appreciate the thought. I can’t believe they are thinking about the struggling people of this city; of the world. Maybe that is what they are going for, showing that they care about their customers in order to win them over for the long-run. I mean, aren’t they in direct competition with McDonalds?

Genius rebuttal: Chicago is NOT miserable

Thu, 12 Feb 2009 06:40:09 -0800

Forbes has kindly tagged Chicago as being third on the list of most miserable cities in the United States. Neil Steinberg has kindly disputed that claim.

In his own witty way, Steinberg makes enough of a valid point to warrant a rather large mentioning on the front page of yesterday’s Sun-Times. According to Steinberg:

“What the Forbes study overlooks is that Chicago is not populated by Manhattan scribes nor Boulder mountain climbers, but Chicagoans. We are a hearty tribe, made of stronger stuff, and delight in challenges that only seem miserable to those who don’t know any better. Calling our city miserable is like an agoraphobic calling baseball awful because it takes place outside. It says a lot more about the complainer than the thing being complained about. We love it here, and pity those whose appreciation of life is so constricted that they fail to see why.”

The final decisions on our ranking as a city fell into place after considering our weather, high taxes, corruption, unemployment and even traffic.

I must say I whole-heartedly agree with Mr. Steinberg and I look forward to proving anyone who sides with the writers of the Forbes list and all of their “scientific” research wrong.

Lesson #1: money management

Thu, 12 Feb 2009 06:30:03 -0800

When I was five years old my dad took my sister and me to the bank. I gave the teller $15 and a smile and the teller gave me my first savings account. Little did I know this was the beginning of a 15-year love/hate relationship with my dad and money.

My childhood was spent saving money. Of course at age five I had little to no idea what I was saving it for. But, I knew it was important because Dad said so. Five years later I was in the double digits. That meant double responsibility according to Dad.

Throughout adolescence I became annoyed with my dad and his constant nagging about money and saving. Instead of going out shopping and having fun with my friends, I was sitting at home in an hour long “financial planning session” with my father creating that month’s budget on an Excel spreadsheet.

Now, at age 21, the grudge I’ve held against my dad as my financial adviser, is slowly being lifted as I realize all the good he did me. People have asked me why I have a 401k at such a young age. I tell them it’s because I’m smart.

My dad taught me planning for the future should be constant. Money will always be an issue, whether you have it or not. By the time I have lived and worked a full life, there will be no social security money for me unless the necessary $600 billion Social Security reform gets approved. It is now up to me to take care of myself for the rest of my life and thankfully I have a clue as to how to do it.

Our economy is struggling, to say the least. People underestimate the importance of being knowledgeable about things like this. Some people will choose to leave investment decisions up to the financial planner they hire. These people also may go through their life not knowing where their money is or why it is or isn’t beneficial for it to be there. I don’t why anyone wouldn’t want complete control over the money they worked so hard for. Being able to understand the “dollars and sense” when I watch stocks go up and down is empowering. Being able to know when, if and how to invest, especially in times like these, could help both the economy and me.

As a student, even with 13 years of saving money, I had to take out a few student loans. Knowing what interest rates, consolidation options and payback plans would be manageable for me was a huge advantage. I watch my classmates struggle to pay tuition and rent. I see my friends with empty refrigerators and gas tanks. If only they could have had a dad like mine to teach them the life skills they need to survive.

Our society is driven by money whether we like it or not. Everything costs money. Want to eat and drink while sitting in your home with the air-conditioning on? That’s going to cost big bucks. Want a college degree? You’re going to have to pay a lot for it. Parents should teach their children to prioritize their needs and wants at a young age. The most crucial job a parent has is to raise independent and critical thinkers, especially when it comes to finances. My father chose not to take the subtle approach and forced me into money management at a young age. Now, I couldn’t be more grateful.

Bombing Hills.

Thu, 12 Feb 2009 05:40:00 -0800

Often when people think of longboarding, they think of some guy they might’ve seen on a college campus, cruising through the ‘quad’ on the way to class. Flat land travel, although relaxing and entertaining to do in groups, was the least of my interests.

That was up until last summer, when I had unfortunate circumstances that left me without a car for slightly over two months. In the city this wouldn’t have been such a big deal, but in the suburbs — where things are further apart — I travelled longer distances than I had ever considered doing before. While I was sweating my ass off during a traditionally humid mid-August in Chicagoland, I started to grow attached to my board. While I was travelling lengthy distances during the day, hunting for hills ever larger and faster became an every-other-nightly endeavor amongst friends. It got to the point where the speed going downhill was often so great that the wind would cause tears to streak horizontally from the corners of my eyes, and back into my hair. Having the concious thought that, “I couldn’t possibly run this fast if I needed to jump off/bail right now,” was fairly common and the possibility for disaster was high. That being said, safety gear and some slide gloves are definitely in order for next season.

Regardless, here are a couple videos of inspiration and to help me get through the winter. They’re both shot very well and feature a different take on the downhill/hill bombing aspect of the sport. Not to mention that they are probably my two favorite videos I’ve come across on longboarding, perhaps you too will enjoy them.

These first two guys are potentially insane; the first time I saw this video my verbal reaction was, literally, “And I thought I was a bad ass.” The speed at which they are traveling at is truly astonishing, let alone the way they film the excursion:

Adam Kimmel presents: Claremont HD from adam kimmel on Vimeo.

The following is a group of sponsored longboarders doing a few canyon runs together; lots of style in the way these guys move that make them stand out from the rest:

I almost feel like I should include a “don’t try this at home” type message. So just don’t, or feel free, but be sure to take the time to practice first,

-Nick

2009 Chicago Auto Show

Thu, 12 Feb 2009 00:40:00 -0800

So, 2009 CAS is in town this upcoming weekend, but the gates have already been open to members of the media for early debuts and new releases. Jalopnik was one of the websites featuring advanced coverage with an article published on Wednesday of highlights from day one, but of what?

8) 2010 Acura TSX

7) Modified Suzuki Equators

6) 2010 Kia Forte

5) Mazda Miata’s 20th Birthday Bash

4) 2009 Hyundai Genesis Coupe R-Spec

3) How To Build Bumblebee

2) 2010 Ford Taurus SHO

1) Corvette Stingray Concept

I’ve been attending the Chicago Auto Show annually for quite some time now, since the age of seven if memory serves me right, but if this is all there is to look forward to, then pish-posh. I’d rather not waste my time on:

8) A car that will likely be driven by average businessmen with less than average driving skills. And it will show.

7) Modified trucks from a company that was failing to stay afloat well before the US automotive industry’s inefficiency was exposed in light of the downward spiraling economy. No thanks.

6) Kia’s take on the Ford Focus?

5) I actually like the Mazda Miata, but normally only after about $5,000 spent on upgraded suspension, lighter/wider wheels, R-compound tires for some serious grip and potentially some go power blasting out of a set of sharp turns in second gear. In factory form, no “20th Birthday Bash” necessary.

4) Yes it’s RWD, turbo-charged and relatively cheap. The folks over at Hyundai must have one hell of a PR campaign management team over there, because the new Genesis Coupe has got to be the most over-hyped new model release as of late. However, I am interested in how it stacks up to the cars it’s attempting to target, which seems to be the Japanese RWD/turbo makes/models that were revoked from the US-market in the mid-90s.

3) Instructions on how to make a Michael Bay film; blow shit up, but blow it up bigger than originally pre-conceived. Then add in some American cars as one last sure to fail effort in saving General Motors. Done. Hopefully Transformers, and the demise of the industry, will be entertaining to watch at least.

2) But how’s Ford going to fail at saving itself? With the revival of the SHO? Seriously, why? Inefficient pieces of garbage. Sorry, it just doesn’t add up.

1) Ah yes, a return to Michael Bay, but with a glimpse of a dying breed; the American super car/exotic. My mother once owned a 71 Stingray, it was black on black leather, with chrome accents all over and a set of t-tops for nice days. Somehow I don’t think the Stingray of today will ever be as cool and something tells me it has to do with the fact that Corvettes are everywhere on the road. They’re not a rarity by any stretch of the imagination, and it kind of takes away from it’s ability to leave other motorists in awe.

The line-up from day one is rather bleak, and has left me feeling the least anxious to go to this year’s show I’ve ever been. Hopefully day two, and the rest of them once the show is open to the public, has something better to offer. For the sake of the American automotive industry, please have something better to offer on day two.

-Nick

Jesse & The Rippers 4 EVR

Wed, 11 Feb 2009 22:10:00 -0800

I get a certain amount of satisfaction when I brag about my 40 GB collection of music on iTunes (comprised of bands like Grizzly Bear, Sigur Ros, Hot Chip, Battles, Silver Jews, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Deerhunter and M83, etc., etc., blah, blah, blah).

What can I say? I’m a music snob.

But the real truth of the matter is, I have a hidden playlist tucked away in my iTunes folder that only I can find. A playlist too embarrassing and too awesomely bad (or in most cases, just plain bad) to listen to when I know anyone is around.

I guess the time eventually comes though when you have to man up to your weird fetishes and indulgences.

I listen to Celine Dion and I am not ashamed.

Here’s a few of the best:

“David Duchovny” by Bree Sharp. I’m not the only one that has an unhealthy obsession with the ex-Fox Mulder. When she sings, “David Duchovny, why won’t you love me? I’m gonna kill Scully,” I just want to tear off all my clothes and bust out my Fox Mulder Barbie doll (They really do exist, FYI: http://www.amazon.com/The-X-Files-Barbie-Ken-Giftset/dp/B000BK7QFQ)

“Bangin’ on a Trash Can” by Doug Funnie. What can I say, it’s catchy. The Beets aren’t too bad either (“I Need More Allowance” is sooo good).

“Forever” by Uncle Jesse. If you’re an avid Full House watcher like me, you’ll know what I’m talking about.

Theme song to Morrowind … one of the best video games EVER. I can’t believe I’m admitting this.

The list goes on and on: Pocahontas, songs from A Goofy Movie, NSYNC (always and forever), that Will Smith “Men in Black” song…I’ll stop while I have a bit of dignity left.

Here’s a bit of Jesse Katsopolis:

JESSE AND THE RIPPERZZZZ.

Bla-go. No, really...go.

Wed, 11 Feb 2009 21:48:33 -0800

Just when I think coverage of corrupt Chicago politics will subside for a day, it seems that our former governor made an earth-shattering discovery, as revealed in a Feb. 11 Sun-Times article: Politicians drink too much and cheat on their spouses.

Clearly, a claim like this only suggests one thing: Blago wasn’t meant for a career in politics, but perhaps one in neuroscience.

Blago made a visit to WLS-AM’s “Don Wade and Roma Show” this morning, accusing the same lawmakers that yanked him out of office of acting “holier than thou on their soapboxes” as they engage in extramarital affairs.

“Cheating on your wife with your secretary, that’s the wrong thing to do,” Blagojevich said.

Do you honestly think that saying something like this will change your credibility overnight?

I think Toby Trimmer, spokesman for Senate President John Cullterton (D-Chicago), might have put it best: “President Cullerton’s desire right now is not to engage in any public battle between Rod Blagojevich and himself.”

Burn. Now…really, Blago. Go.

Welcome Home??

Wed, 11 Feb 2009 21:19:00 -0800

Just like clockwork, every morning I’ll roll out of bed, brew a cup of hazelnut coffee and flip open my black MacBook to check out the day’s biggest news and events. February 6 was just as any other day, except for the weather—the sky was ACTUALLY blue and the sun was shining bright through my westward facing windows. I had every reason to be optimistic.

That was, of course, until an obnoxiously large Helvetica typeface exclaimed that I was living in America’s third most miserable city.

http://www.forbes.com/2009/02/06/most-miserable-cities-business-washington_0206_miserable_cities.html

Awesome. Just awesome. That’s exactly the kind of news I like to wake up to. We have Chicago’s wretched weather, rising unemployment rates and the highest sales tax rate in the country to thank for that dishonorable ranking.

Yay, Chicago!

Maybe I’ll reconsider renewing my lease in May.

Pictured above is a baby/child thing that is clearly upset due to the fact that she lives in America’s third most miserable city.

Yogi Love

Wed, 11 Feb 2009 18:51:25 -0800

My favorite times of the week are Monday’s and Wednesday’s from 6:30-7:50 p.m. That is when I have yoga. I love yoga! I don’t want to say it is my favorite class because I am a journalism major and I should say that my favorite class has something to do with writing and interview people, so my Yoga class is my second favorite. Yoga is not only really challenging, but I feel so relaxed after class and like I am light as a feather. I also feel like I am much more flexible and that I can move with so much ease. I definitely want to continue taking yoga after this semester is over.

A-Roid or A-Star?

Wed, 11 Feb 2009 16:57:00 -0800

The press has been all over this A-Rod steriod use story lately; and rightfully so. It is big news, not only for sports enthusiasts but for the general public too; everyone is giving their opinions on it. Some people believe that Alex Rodriguez is the best baseball player who ever lived; he has the paycheck to prove it too, being the highest paid plater in baseball history.

A-Rod recently was outted for steriod use in 2001-2003, before the ban on the drug was put in place by Major League Baseball. Authorities in the baseball world are determining if he should suffer consequences for his actions before the rule was mandated. Fans have mixed issues on the subject. Some are disappointed, others aren’t jilted by this accusation.

A-Rod is not only being held accountable for his steriod use, but for his denaial of steriod use. He first denied that he ever took the drug, then denied knowing what drugs he was taking, only that they were bad. Apparently A-Rod doesn’t pay attention what pills he pops now a days. He now

says that the stress of being the highest paid plater is what drove him to steriod use. Get the story straight A-Rod.

Hard-core fans say that his use of the performance enhancing drug had no effect on his talent on the field and on the plate over the years; they say his outstanding statistics are all thanks to good conditioning and training. Many fans of platers like A-Rod and Barry Bonds hold true to the belief that they player is what makes the plays, not the drug. But where would these men be without steriods? Would they still have these unbeatable stats? I think not. Is A-Rod a fraud or a true star? You decide.

PETA vs. Westminster Dog Show

Wed, 11 Feb 2009 16:39:40 -0800

http://current.com/items/89805881/peta_dresses_up_in_kkk_robes_outside_the_westminster_dog_show.htm

Now I’m all for treating puppies and kittens with all the love and care in the world…but (sorry if I offend anyone while saying) that PETA is a little bit extreme….dressing in KKK robes to compare the ideologies of the KKK with the American Kennel Club? The group definitely got some attention for this stunt outside the Westminster Dog Show at Madison Square Garden. I’ve witnessed them douse red paint on people for wearing fur coats…but really? KKK robes? I was really at a loss for words while reading about this protest. I’m also surprised that they made it through the protest alive and unscathed.

PETA also decided to put on an interesting show in front of the Giorgio Armani boutique connected to the Park Hyatt Regency today…apparently they were a bit irked that the designer broke his pledge to be “fur free” when he started putting rabbit fur on skirts and other clothing items. I must say I was amused watching them dance around like cave men with signs saying “Only Cavepeople wear fur”. I would say that’s degrading “cave people” on their part.

Current Event

Wed, 11 Feb 2009 10:17:21 -0800

Congratulations to Stump! He won Best In Show at the 133rd annual Westminster Dog Show at Madison Square Garden. Stump is a Sussex Spaniel, and I feel like I have never seen a dog like him before. As a dog lover myself, I am going to just be honest and say that I think last years winner Uno was a lot cuter. I am not the biggest fan of small dogs, I like rottweilers and labs, so maybe I am just discriminating against Stump’s size. All in all, congrats to Stump and his owner! And if you have never seen the movie “Best in Show” then go see it!

Train Etiquette

Tue, 10 Feb 2009 21:06:00 -0800

I have been making quite a lengthy commute from the Northwest suburbs to Columbia for three years now. Many wonder how I like commuting via Metra? My answer is simple. If my fellow commuters have proper train etiquette I quite like the commute. It gives me time to unwind and forget about my chaotic life for a whole hour and half each way. Train etiquette is a kind of unspoken set of rules or manners if you will that regular train commuters tend to follow….most of the time.

It really just astounds me on how some people will have the most personal conversation on the train while within earshot of at least 10 different people. For instance, a woman decided to call her friend about how she was having an affair with her husband’s golf buddy. As entertaining (although horrible) as stories like this may seem, it eventually gets to an uncomfortable level. I don’t need to hear about their sexcapades. I would much rather be sleeping or trying to finish homework that’s due that day. I don’t need such distractions. Talking on the phone in a reasonable tone of voice is fine by me but when you’re talking quite loudly about how you should’ve gotten a divorce 15 years ago…keep it down.

Treating a seat on the train like your own personal desk space is also an issue if the train you’re on is filled to capacity. Sure I’ve been guilty of this once or twice but only if there plenty of available seats around me. A couple days ago I had to politely ask a guy to move his stuff so I could sit. There was nowhere else to sit and he continued to scoff at me and move his stuff like I asked him to reverse the rotation of the earth. I wanted to laugh at how much of a task this was for him.

I could go on and on about the people I’ve come across on the train and their habits, but perhaps I’ll leave that for another blog post.

On Life and Death

Tue, 10 Feb 2009 17:21:00 -0800

So I have this fear of death. Not that I am going to die soon or in some horrific way, but that I am going to die at all. I mean, we all know that one day, one way or another, we are going to die. Whether it’s by a horrific accident, a life threatening disease or from basic old age; we die.

My fear lies beneath the unknown; what happens after you die. This is a religious topic. Some believe that you simply don’t exist anymore. Others believe that you are reincarnated and come to be in another life. Ascending to heaven and spending eternity with the Lord is the more favored scenario. Me, avoiding death alltogether sounds like the plan I would like to sign up for. Unfortunately for me I have no say.

So what really happens when you die? I am talking more than just funerals, burrials and spending eternity 6 ft. under. Do we keep our memories from earth? I’d like to hope so. What is the whole point of spending 70+ years on earth if we cannot keep our memories of what we did while we were here. Can we communicate with other souls? That would be fantastic. I would love to talk to everyone I knew from my past in heaven. It would be like a fantastic party that never ended. But what would there be to talk about after you have talk to everyone and reminisced about all of the past?

I heard someone say once that after living for 80 years or so you will just be tired of living and want to die and move on. I don’t see how that can happen. I cannot imagine not wanting to live. Isn’t that why suicide is seen as wrong? I want to live. I want to have a fantastic life and I want there to be an afterlife. Death, don’t you dare come for me!

Subaru: From ritches to rags

Fri, 06 Feb 2009 14:14:27 -0800

I know Subaru’s performance cars boast “a face only a mother could love” but as most enthusiasts know, it was never about that. They were meant to be fairly priced, reliable, AWD sport sedans. What in gods name happened to that philosophy?

Take for example the 2008-09 Subaru WRX STi, year after year, the model inches further away from the rally car inspired version of itself. The new model is heavier, UGLIER ( I know that contradicts what I said in the first line but it’s terrible, just terrible!), and making very little head-way towards performance superiority.

They added an extra couple of horsepower to the new model - so what? It replicates acceleration and lap times of the former models. History proves that it’s handling always finished second to the Mistubishi Evo and history is certainly repeating itself with the 2008-09 model.

If Subaru is trying to break into the near-luxury automobile market (With its sound deadening material and GPS navigation system) and widen its audience, I suggest discontinuing their STi. They are losing sight of what made the car attractive in the first place.

Things can only get worse with the introduction of the 2009 Subaru WRX. Many of the parts were borrowed from the STi model, including some styling features. I must say that the ‘09 model does gain 40 or so horsepower due to a larger turbo and increase in boost. But why? Why close the gap between the two cars? Nick what do you think?!

Youth and Suicide

Thu, 05 Feb 2009 10:45:00 -0800

http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2009/02/boy-found-unresponsive-at-evanston-school-dies.html

From what I understand, our suicide rate is on the rise. Surely, there can be a number of reasons for this increase but when a 5th grade student takes their life, it really makes me scratch my head.

An article posted on the Chicago Tribune website yesterday spoke about a 10-year-old who supposedly hanged himself in an Evanston middle school bathroom. Teachers found him hanging from his shirt collar on a hook early Wednesday morning.

I can’t help but ponder what that 10-year-old was thinking prior to his suicide. Common tragedy stories deal with teens and the middle aged - not the adolescent. Something just doesn’t add up here.

Apparently he did make threats to kill himself the day before and was scolded for it but I do believe there was some type of foul play involved.

Fifth graders don’t off themselves because they failed a spelling test. If not foul play, then perhaps something psychological. I’m curious to see what will transpire.

Organization is key

Thu, 05 Feb 2009 05:33:53 -0800

I am currently in the midst of an organizational break down. It’s only week 2 and papers have already begun to fall out, notebook covers ripped off. I’m working with one folder for all 6 classes.

Friday afternoon will consist of buying real school supplies and getting the remainder of my textbooks. I’ve become the worst kind of lazy in my final semester at Columbia and it’s showing. (For example, I’m posting my homework the morning of class ;))

Ever-changing Journalism

Thu, 05 Feb 2009 05:27:23 -0800

I can honestly say professors do a wonderful job of highlighting the current crisis both current and budding journalists face. I have to admit, I was pretty taken back by the whole idea in the beginning but now I realize it’s my chance to create new opportunities.

I understand that I am in a better place than the 20 or 30 year Chicago Tribune or Suntimes reporter right now. More of them are set in their ways, while I am completely willing to adapt to the situation - like most students. I feel extremely grateful for the online opportunities that Columbia offers. This class will prove to invaluable in the future.

Prosecuting Phleps

Thu, 05 Feb 2009 05:09:44 -0800

This post can also be found on my personal blog Michael Phelps, say it ain’t so! You apologized? Really? You’re a gold medal Olympian, who was caught relaxing after a tough two years of training and you apologized for having a little “me and Mary Jane time?” In my eyes, you had nothing to apologize for. More than half the country has at least tried pot once. You’re not a headline, you’re a statistic. But now you must make another apology Phelps. You must apologize to 97 percent of the 26,000 CNBC viewers who are in favor of more lenient marijuana laws. You have to apologize to the folks at High Times for losing a potential spokesperson. You can only print so many copies with Snoop Dogg on the cover ya know. You may have been a cover story if you would have taken the Obama route and said, “Of course I inhaled, that’s the point isn’t it?” Then you would have been a reefer hero. But no, you had to make your corporate sponsors happy. Otherwise how would you know what time it is without Omega? You may even wind up swimming naked courtesy Speedo. So, there’s another apology. What about all the women who wanted to see your toned package? Where’s the remorse for them? You’ve forgotton about this nation’s progressive agenda, you have no respect for struggling publications and you’ve alienated at least half of the world. In saving you’re behind, you’ve forgotton the big picture of the little guy.

Journalism: A digital revolution

Thu, 05 Feb 2009 05:07:27 -0800

It seems like overnight the online world changed and fused with the world outside of the internet. Blogs suddenly became more for information and not about whether Jimmy and Sally slipped off into the locker room during gym class. As the video in Online Journalism showed, the industry had a hunch in 1981 the internet was the wave of the digital future. Papers would soon be putting its content on computers. But I don’t think they ever dreamed they would be competing with the local high school nerd who spends his or her Friday nights recounting the day’s events at the White House. Newspapers aren’t failing because of some 16-year-old in his or her parent’s basement though. Steve Rhodes, founder of the Beachwood Reporter, once told me papers weren’t losing readership, they just couldn’t gain new readers. He was at least half right. As more and more people are connected to the internet, papers aren’t flying off the stands like they used to. Subscriptions are nearly non-existent, advertising revenues are flailing and some publications are just forgetting about hard copies all-together. Major media conglomerates are filing for bankruptcy, or at least bankruptcy protection, at least once a week. The profession is in a world of turmoil and the current economic climate is only speeding up the transition, which is making it hard for the news industry to keep up. In all the commotion, new digital media is beginning to take shape. It’s a digital revolution and a new world for journalists. So, it’s now up to us to bring traditional news values and implement them during the new digital age.

Censoring in Egypt

Thu, 05 Feb 2009 04:18:29 -0800

So I’m taking Global Blogging this year and I came across a CNN report on Wael Abbas, an Egyptian blogger. He had some videos posted on YouTube and then one day his account “wasn’t working.” Just thought you might want to read about this article.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/11/29/youtube.activist/index.html

The face of journalism

Thu, 05 Feb 2009 03:28:32 -0800

As I find myself nearing the end of my college education, I realize I am scared. Scared that I won’t find a job in magazine. Scared that I’ll be stuck at Jewel’s floral department (which I have been for the last 5 years). Scared that the only way to get in the door is as an unpaid intern. I, like many many other students, have loans piling up. Let’s face it, Columbia isn’t cheap, even though they claim to be the cheapest private school. While that may all be true, it’s still expensive.

With the economy being what it is now- lay-offs and pay cuts are what’s happening- how can I expect to find a job? Well when I talked to my dad about my dilemma, he simply said, “You can do it. Don’t worry.” So how can I be a little optomistic? With technology of course! People are still going to need their news and entertainment. They’re just looking for a more effecient way of reaching it. That’s why more people are relying on the Internet for their daily doses of news, gossip and what-have-yous. Even though magazines and newspapers seem a thing in the past, we have the Internet. Things that were hard now seem easier because of the Internet. People can access it whereever they are. Cell phones are pratically attached to everyone’s hip. Even kinds have ccell phones (don’t get me started on eeing little Johnny whose 4 with a cell).

Though I’m still scared and a little nervous come graduation time, I know that with everything going digital, things will pan themselves out somehow. After all, we are all digital natives, right?

journalism and its changing face.

Wed, 04 Feb 2009 23:59:00 -0800

As I near the end of a four year stint at Columbia College, I find myself, like everyone else, wondering what the next move is. What on earth will I do with a specialty in magazine journalism? My mom says, “Whatever the hell you want! People will read it no matter what.” While I love her optimism, I can’t help but wonder how realistic she’s being.

Bankruptcy, unemployment, pay cuts… the stats of the industry don’t sound extremely promising. But, I remain optimistic for one reason: technology. It has come so far and will continue to go even farther. New types of journalism are popping up left and right as we discover not only new ways of writing, but new ways of reaching new audiences. Everything is new, which admittedly can have it’s up sides and down sides, but what doesn’t?

Optimism is something I am holding onto as I plan to step off that stage at the UIC pavilion in May and into the real world. I will walk into interviews with confidence in my ability to offer something some others cannot. I am a “digital native” after all. As part of a new and strange generation who grew up with such technology, I now have the upper hand.

Facebook: Drug of Choice

Wed, 04 Feb 2009 22:07:39 -0800

I was on the train this morning making my grueling commute to class when I noticed something quite phenomenal. From where I was sitting I could see six people viewing their Facebooks from their cell phones. Might I add these people weren’t your typical Facebook enthusiast. They were businessmen and women eagerly finding out whether they’ve been Superpoked or have anything new written on their wall. This humored me quite a bit I must say. The fact that Facebook has grown from a bunch of college kids posting pictures of themselves passed out on the bathroom floor into somewhat of a professional way to network…is quite an evolution.

Just the other day one of my coworkers decided to “Facebook me” and request me as a friend…now this is a problem. I like to separate my horrid job with my social life as much as possible. For those of you who are familiar with Seinfeld, it’s like melding independent George with relationship George. It doesn’t work. I have nothing to hide but when one of my coworkers inquiries about my status everyday (courtesy of the Facebook stalker news feed) the line has crossed. Independent George is crushed.

Interestingly enough employers are even looking at their prospective employee’s Facebook page to get an inside look to know what exactly they are hiring. (Word of the wise, disable tagging.) For those who aren’t aware of this, which I’m sure many are…maybe second guessing posting that photo of you doing a keg stand wouldn’t be such a bad idea.

The Cult of Snuggie

Wed, 04 Feb 2009 21:19:00 -0800

Oh, the everyday plight of humans. The temperatures have dipped to an unbearable subzero degrees and all you want to do is stay warm while trying to play a hearty game of backgammon. If only your blanket had armholes so you could have the ultimate maneuverability and warmth at the same time!

So, I’m sure everyone at this point knows what two simple armholes can do for a few feet of fleece. But more obnoxious than the infomercial itself, is all the hype the Snuggie has gotten. Honestly, it’s not all that innovative and you look like an idiot.

Even Matt Laurer is in on it. On Feb. 4, Laurer and the rest of the Today Show gang donned their very own Snuggies, and suddenly the rest of the world caught the fever and felt the need to look like a dumbass.

His reasoning? “It’s cold out here. We need our Snuggies.”

http://allday.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2009/02/04/1780135.aspx

And then, absurd images like this were born:

So, a Honda-related website you say?

Wed, 04 Feb 2009 11:28:00 -0800

Yes. I do say. And, I do run/update it at the very least once a week.

www.CrazuKnights.com

The short story: I started the website during the summer of ‘08 as a blog to represent a group of drivers from Chicago-land who all drive FF (front engine, front-wheel-drive [as opposed to FR - front engine, rear-wheel-drive or MR mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive]) Hondas. The blog was started as a way for me as a writer to have a place where I could informally showcase my automotive-based photography (nicospon.blogspot.com, another blog I created was to be for all non-automotive related photography, but hasn’t been kept up as religiously). At the same time, it gave way to a great medium for us to represent ourselves, our cars, track days at Gingerman Raceway, BBQs held at friends’ shops and homes, random meet-ups/drives, and our inspirations. It eventually evolved and I started to show more specific forms of inspiration from Honda drivers and crews around the United States and a few places around Europe.

What has been the most influential though, is what I started doing only a few months back. I started scouring Japanese-only speaking blogs for content no one was covering because no one could understand it past the pictures, but with the help of online translators, and my basic understanding of the Japanese alphabets, Katakana and Hiragana (not Kanji, because it feels nearly impossible to learn all 50,000, or any for that matter), I was able. I began to put together short-length, mini-features on the inspirational Honda-dedicated drivers and tuning shops out of Japan that I started to come across, some of which not many people have heard of.

The website has gained a decent amount of traffic since I started it, and it increases monthly. Last month I had just under 7,000 hits from places literally all around the globe (6,909 to be exact). It’s been featured on websites across the United States (FatLace, JMDEGO, and a multitude of other privateer blogs) and the United Kingdom (JT-Culture), and has been discussed in multiple automotive-based forums around the US, Europe, and Asia.

The back story. Please continue on if you’re at all intrigued:

The name CrazuKnights has a history dating back to around 2001 and was the name of a group of drivers that originally comprised of a few different Japanese car-makes. Half of the name was whimsically created, Crazu (pronounced kray-zoo). What does that mean? It means a few things, but mainly exists in the tuning ideals of the members who comprise the group. The most basic being, recognizing safety as paramount while using proper aggressive driving techniques at speed. “Knights” is mainly an ode to an inspiration of mine and many; the Sexy Knights, a famous group of drivers based in Japan who have been featured in Option and Grip DVDs. Though, after approximately two years of existence the original CrazuKnights group slowly lost interest and informally disbanded.

In 2003/2004, when I would go out at night during the summer to the various meet up/street spots that local enthusiasts would attend, I slowly started to hang out with a select group of old and new friends who were either seriously devoted to Honda’s as project cars for circuit/road racing/auto cross use, or had previously owned one that I had admired in the past. This is where many of us found our niche in the Chicago-land scene. Through these bonds that would form over a couple years of driving together, trading ideas on how cars should be built properly, and the many experiences of just being friends, the idea of the return of CrazuKnights as a FF Honda-dedicated group came to about late during the summer of 2006.

In 2007, I co-started an automotive forum called ChicagoC1, with the idea that only the best drivers of the Chicago street-scene would be invited to join; a place where we could freely trade ideas on a number of topics, and share information and contacts. This site ended up being a prototype for a forum that others in this vast group of friends would start, called Chicago Wangan. Although Chicago Wangan came along after ChicagoC1, it was based around the similar idea of bringing everyone in the local scene who was hardcore about their shit, actually knew what they were doing to their cars and how to drive them, together. These people weren’t/aren’t the stereotypical sport compact related people, these are the people making modifications to their cars to make them perform better in all different aspects of driving, from increased handling performance to producing power to lightening chassis and everything in between. And doing it all with undeniable sleek yet aggressive and unique street style.

From the members of Chicago Wangan in early 2008, emerged a group of drivers, known as Risky Devil, dedicated solely to drift motorsports (the website www.RiskyDevil.com showcases them nicely). The thing is, drifting is and never should be associated with FF Hondas. These cars aren’t capable of many of the mechanics, and driving techniques involved with drifting in a FR (rear-wheel-drive) car, solely based on the FF platform. Quite simply, it’s just not meant to be. With the start of the Risky Devil blog in early ‘08, as a way for the web-site’s creator/Risky Devil member Dave Lee to represent them as a group and showcase his inspirations, the concept of a full-fledged return through the creation of the CrazuKnights blog was undeniable. And in July of ‘08 it was official.

Insert the Chicago-based automotive scene blogging network that would seemingly ensue. Many people started their own blogs, many of which you can find in the blogroll on my site or the Risky Devil site. But you have to understand, this type of thing wasn’t common in the United States yet (and still isn’t), but over in Japan — where a lot of the inspiration is already stemming from — many privateers, automotive groups, tuning shops, and real race teams have blogs, and have had them for years. As a result, what was happening this past summer in Chicago became the focus of a lot of online attention in the import car culture community, whose base is mainly on the west coast. Content from the Risky Devil blog and the CrazuKnights blog started getting featured on larger websites/blogs out of LA (HellaFlush/FatLace & JDMEGO), one of the first of which included photos from a BBQ held to welcome a friend back to the Chicago-land tuning scene. Photos of which I took. The blogs/drivers/cars also got featured or mentioned on the international motor sports coverage website, SpeedHunters.

As a result of all the hype around the Chicago tuning scene in ‘08, I’ve heard through the grapevine that multiple magazine features are either in the works or already on the stand to represent the crews of drivers and cars that have came to be. As lame as it may come across, it’s actually rather exciting to be a part of it all and with a fresh motor and plenty of street/track time scheduled this Spring, I’m genuinely looking forward to the upcoming motor sports season.

-Nick

**Note, I plan to re-edit this post in the near future to add photos and live links related to the material discussed.

PS - I’ve never attempted to write out the history behind the website/name/brand of CrazuKnights. In a way this post acts partially as a long-form introduction, while also as a way for me to cipher through a decent amount of back story for an “about us” type page I have yet to create on the site.

Fears as a journalism student

Wed, 04 Feb 2009 09:30:00 -0800

First of all I would like to say that I am not a fan of this tumblr.com blog site anymore. I just typed up an entire blog post and out of nowhere it dissappeared on me. I no longer have the patience to write what I previously wrote. Which was a well constructed piece on how the journalism field has changed and how it effects journalists and how it makes me feel about my future. Well then, just forget it because I don’t have the patience to re-think and re-write that garbage.

Basically I am scared about finding a job this spring after graduation. I am scared that I haven’t been taught enough in school to prepare me for the real thing. I am affraid that this job market sucks and that I am going to continue to work at the boring bank I have worked for the past five years. If I have to try selling someone a checking account they don’t need just to pay the rent and gas bill, while still having to put groceries on credit, I think I may just go live in my parent’s basement. I feel that there is no way to get a job as a writer nowadays. Any job worth quitting the bank for requires previous proffessional experience. If I want to get in the door I have to work as a unpaid intern. Well, If I am having trouble paying bills now, how do you figure that will pan out with no income and 75K in student loans to pay back? So how is it that a journalist gets their start?

Beside the horrible economy which offers no job security or job options, the field of news is changing. Random people with a cell phone walking along the street have already taken my job. Calling in breaking news, taking pictures with their HD camera phone; what do you need me for? I mean, it is obvious that the public does not require well written contect; take a look at your daily newspaper and try not to find at least five errors in that issue. Why pay me when you can get your news free from twitter. People can get updates instantly from anyone with a phone with internet connection.

Changing Face

Wed, 04 Feb 2009 01:54:00 -0800

Well, I suppose you could say at this point in the game it’s an unsettling feeling to be about to graduate with a degree in print journalism. You could most definitely say that, and with people in the field losing jobs and publications shutting down left and right, you’d be right on the nose.

I’m not going to say I’m not a little worried about it, but even though, I am still anxious to get going. But as an aspiring automotive journalist, with a focus in the sport compact / auto style / motor sports niche, one of those small worries caters to recent news I had heard through word of mouth. Instead of using the actual name of the company that owns over 75 percent of the publications devoted to car culture in the US, I’ll just say that this particularly large umbrella publishing company laid-off roughly 100 employees as of last November. In addition to letting people go, they’ve already stopped production of two of their magazines, Turbo and Sport Compact Car, both of which were staples in the industry and had been around for more than a decade each. That is a bit of a shock/scare.

At the same time, in the world of automotive journalism, as with most publications, there is a mass movement toward the web and web-exclusive content. Not only are most publications starting to release more online-only material and start their own respective blogs, websites such as the motor sport junkie’s www.SpeedHunters.com, or the everyday driver’s www.Jalopnik.com, are prime examples of how successful automotive online-only publications can and already exist.

I’ve also noticed there is a huge movement currently toward the blogosphere for the latest content concerning style trends, motorsport event results, feature cars and show coverage; the fact is that when it’s timly information, a person who follows the blogs has the information/news the day it happens, while the everyday reader/fan waits days, weeks, if not months to see/read it in print. And when it comes to anything automotive, visuals are a must and we (the readers/consumers) want it now, now, now!

For example: A recent post on my Honda-related website regarding the Mugen Civic RR Advanced Concept that appeared last month at the 2009 Tokyo Auto Salon, triggered a noticeably sizable increase in traffic. Hits linking directly to that post came in from countries all over Europe, within the United States, and even Malaysia and Australia. Why? Because I had sourced the photos from a number of Japanese-speaking automotive bloggers who had actually been there and posted up photos from the show that very same day. I was the first English website/blog to feature any [not to mention the excessively large amount of] photos of the car, and included a fair amount of information, specs and links to where more related coverage could be found. The whole connection all made completely possible solely because of blogs. But does my ability to report it first hurt a magazine that might’ve planned to do so in an upcoming issue, or in a recent online content update? That I still do not know, and don’t feel I can honestly, truthfully determine. It’s still just one of those gray-area maybes, a most likely at best. A most likely is almost gut wrenching though. If that were the case, why would I continue on blogging? Wouldn’t it be detrimental to my future position in the field? Or, does it not matter? Because if I stop then what I’d be reporting on my blog, might not ever get covered at all anyways. It’s an uncomfortable uncertainty at best, how about that?

I guess you could say I simply wish this whole convergence process between print and online would hurry along so that written word-based media may have the ability to operate sustainably again, together or seperately. Though, the unfortunate realization I most likely should come to is that it might be awhile before the kinks are worked out, and solid jobs/staff positions form (if ever). I’m maleable to the prospect of becoming a staffer able to, willing to work as a writer, editor, photographer, and potentially most important, online journalism guru of sorts, at any of the niche automotive publications that exist. As someone with a decent amount of experience and knowledge of what’s currently out there, I feel that I’d be an asset to a publication as someone who can span across all types of media. Especially since I’d most likely be willing to do all of it, and for most likely less compensation than someone who has been responsible for less, for longer. The most important thing to me is that I believe in the work I’m producing and ideals of the publication I end up working for.

But, in the meantime, I’ll continue working towards being capable of producing even higher quality versions of both online and print media until I graduate.

-Nick

The "Changing Face" of Journalism

Tue, 03 Feb 2009 22:26:00 -0800

Being a journalism student at a time like this doesn’t exactly frighten me. I think this is the best time to be a student actually since we can learn how to better adapt and mold ourselves into something that is indispensable in the world of journalism. As a student I constantly ask myself, how can I make myself stand out as a journalist? Throughout the years I’ve come to the conclusion that my knowledge working with the Internet has gotten me further and further into the field a lot more quickly than I had expected. I landed my third internship yesterday at the Chicago Tribune and they paid particular attention to my experience with writing content for an online audience. One of the editors who interviewed me even admitted that she sees no future for print journalism anymore. I figure the “face of journalism” is changing while I’m young enough to adapt to it and already have in a way so I’m optimistic. It’s definitely an unfortunate time for those who are resistant to change or lack the resources to educate themselves.

I don’t think print will cease to exist…Until wireless is absolutely everywhere and free of charge, people will continue to read their newspapers. I personally enjoy the smeared, black ink on my fingers by the time I’m through with reading it…not exactly. I like the fact that I can go online and read multiple newspapers on a whim. Not to mention that they’re constantly updated and are….free!

My editor from the magazine I work for embraces the changes in journalism. Having an online presence has (in my opinion) become a very important asset to the publication since it’s bimonthly. Content is constantly being produced and a lot more of it. For any publication there is a constant struggle with advertisements and content. Obviously if there is not enough room for an ad then the content is the first thing to be cut. It definitely pulls at the heartstrings of any journalist if that’s your article being compromised for a half-page ad for a Macys sale.

BLING BEYOND THE BUCK

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 18:55:00 -0800

Every woman, from the time she was a little girl dressing in princess costumes and sneaking her mother’s red lipstick, dreams of that special day when the man of her dreams bends down on one kneee, profesess his love to her and opens a tiny black, or blue for those Tiffany’s afficianados, box and the the glimmer and gleam of that diamond ring burns an everlasting twinkle in her eye.

However, by the next morning when the rush of excitement has decended, the new bride-to-be begins showing off her love rock to all her friends and family; where vigorous examination will continue until the four “Cs” have been determined. Color, cut, clarity and carat size. Women have become experts at deeming a ring acceptable, or something they would have thought came from a penny machine at the local drug store. If the ring does not meet the expected 4-C standards, she is left dissappointed.

What happened to the days when a simple band of gold woud be sufficient? The ring is a symbol of a commitment from a man to a women, between them both, that they plan to stand by each ther and love each other unconditionally until death. When did the ring become the focus over what it symbolizes? Do people get married to share their lives together, or to acquire signifiant goods and status?

I admit it, I am one of these women who dream of that perfect flawless diamond ring being slid on my finger one day. It’s the grown-up-girl’s castle in the sky fantasy. Not more than three years ago my standard sat somewhere between $5,oo0 and $7,000. Since then, and since I have engaged in a long-term relationship, my standards have not lowered, but rather come to a realistic and reasonable level. Just $1,199 will give me my dream ring. But when it comes down to what the ring symbolizes, you may as well give me a yellow wire bread tie wrapped around my finger, if it meant that I knew my significant other and I would be married and commited to each other forever.

So far so bad

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 07:16:36 -0800

Unfortunately tumblr didn’t want to use my original name ChatCorner which means this site is already on my bad side.

First Tumble...

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 07:15:54 -0800

So Online Journalism…shall be an interesting class.

Just a thought

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 07:13:19 -0800

Hey everyone! I’m Jennie and this is my first post for Online Journalism. I was in Fashion Blogging over the J-term where we used Vox (grrrr). I wasn’t a fan of Vox. I always had problems loading photos. So hopefully I won’t have too much trouble.

That one.

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 07:12:00 -0800

“This one isn’t for the ages, this is more for getting a feel of actually posting.”

-Dan Stiner

More to come, guaranteed.

Nicolas

First Post

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 07:12:00 -0800

Testing, testing…1,2,3…

I think it works.