Hochenauer for an hour

Kurt Hochenauer spoke to our class Tuesday. He, being the author of a blog of his own had some great insights. He also had some great optimism... for some reason. He said this was a very exciting time for journalism and to be a journalism major. This kinda confused me as everyone including ALL my proferssors have been telling me the exact opposite for the last few years. However, Hochenauer explained that he realized of course that things were changing and that journalism was going to be very different in the future.

Anyway, Hochenauer had alot more to say about subjects outside of blogging and journalism. He told us he was against bringing guns on campus and thought that Brad Henry would make a good University President. We had some good discussion about these subjects and fortunatly Hochenauer too laments the fact that academics are no longer University Presidents. He also repeatedly did an impression of an old man which got progressively funnier even though he did it exactly the same way every time.

About halfway through the class I started thinking about airports and found it difficult to pay attention to the rest of what he was saying.

My Valentine's Day Experience (In Comic Form)

Nobody is blogging about their V-Day experience?? Whether you love it, hate it, or really hate it, we all go through it together. So in the interest of empathy for all my blogging brothers and sisters I present to you my Valentine's Day. I don't think words can sufficiently explain my Valentine's Day so I opted to make a rage comic instead. Enjoy.

Huffington Post and Guest Speaker

Yvette Walker came to talk to our blogging class. I mean, it was ages ago but her words have stayed with me, especially the quote from Mark Ambinder about journalism, blogging, and ego. I hope that her optimism about blogging in conjunction with regular news isn't misplaced. Professional news people keeping blogs apart from the actual news product could be a good thing, it could also be a disaster. Surely, time will tell us if a balance can be found.

Ms. Walker also talked briefly about AOL's acquisition of The Huffington Post. This is a big story mostly due to the exorbitant sum AOL paid. It makes me wonder about what the news media is coming to. As if I wasn't already. Maybe blogging is the new wave. It is certainly a viable occupation for those who can do it well enough. The question is whether or not this is good for us.

While We Weren't Paying Attention

If my blog had a head capable of shaking itself in a disapproving fashion thats what would be happening now.

And now for something completely different. Last semester during Vlad the Professor's Media Law class I remember Ms. Rathgeber mentioning that the Chernobyl area and Pripyat were opening up for tourism soon. I happened across this today. Looks amazing. Players of COD4 will recognize a suprising number of these locations. Just thought i would share this.