JN134 - Photostory

Alec Shelton draws flowers on his hitchhiking sign before departing for Route 34 on Tuesday, June 6. Shelton has hitchhiked for a month, taking small trips to the Oregon Coast and Corvallis. Shelton, a general studies major at LBCC, hitchhikes in an effort to decide whether he wants to travel and go back to school later or continue pursuing an education now.

Shelton waits to be picked up near the intersection of Route 34 and the I-5. Shelton explains his feeling when hitchhiking, saying he "feels free and adventurous."

After only 10 minutes, Shelton is picked up by Rebecca, a married mother of two who works at Samaritan Health Services. Shelton says he's "rarely scared" when being picked up but that his reaction is heavily influenced by who the person is. Shelton expresses his intention to treat everyone nicely and learn what he can from them.

Shelton and Rebecca cross over the Willamette River into Corvallis. Shelton says his initial perception of hitchhiking was sitting somewhere for days in an attempt to get any rides but has been surprised by how quickly he gets picked up. Shelton said he never waits for longer than 30 minutes for a ride.

Shelton says goodbye to Rebecca and thanks her for the ride.

JN134 - Week 10 Blog Post

Topic 1: Your best photojournalism
1. I think the best photo I took was the overall from my feature/news set.

2. Although, probably not a conventional choice, I really like the angle and how much of the hall I got. I think there's a nice transition from light to dark and the darkness of the hallway gives way to the light of the open room. I also find it interesting that the people on the right are somewhat lined up, pointing your eyes towards the reader.

3. I used to just "take pictures," with no intent or really understanding of how to get a truly compelling photo. I used to think it was mostly luck, based on timing and circumstance. It still is a lot of luck, but you can do some great work by learning about composition.

4. My skills have improved a lot. I mean it's really day and night. I struggled to get anything resembling proper settings and focus. My photos from the Interzone poetry event are kind of embarassing at this point, I was too far, my settings were way off, I wasn't focusing properly.


Topic 2: Your Goals
I have a lot of goals for this class.
1. My largest goal is learning how to manipulate settings on a camera to really get great photos in different environments.
Response: I think I really improved on this skill. In fact: I know I did by looking back on the photos I took this term. Not only do I know how to use the settings, I can change them quickly and have a faint idea of what it will look like before I even take a picture.

2. I want to learn how to quickly get a good depth of field and learn how to alter the depth of field once I have one.
Response: I haven't improved quite as much as I would have liked to on this one, but I have gotten better. I at least know the settings that effect the depth of field but it still takes me a while to get them where I want.


3. I want to get at least one really good action shot at a baseball game, it seems very challenging and I think that would be a good benchmark for progress.
Response: Well, obviously this one didn't happen but my soccer action shots turned out pretty well and I think I could take good pictures at a baseball game. I actually hope to get credentials for the Iowa Cubs (Chicago Cubs AAA) next year and take some great pictures at that time.

JN-134 Action Photos

An extra ball sits beyond the goal during LBCC Soccer Class on Friday June 2.

A student races past midfielders with the ball on his way to the goal.

Students colliding as they vie for possession of the ball as teammates get into position.

JN134 - Environmental Portrait/Mug

LBCC GSA President Mattie Guilliams

Mattie Guilliams spends time in the DAC the day of the 2017 LBCC Drag Show taking place June 2.

JN134 - News/Feature Photos

The podium awaits the first reading at the MFA Emerging Writers event at Grass Roots Books and Music in Corvallis on June 2, 2017. 

OSU MFA Student and writing instructor Randy Magunson reads "This is How It Will Go," a story explaining to a child the experiences they may have when a foster child is welcomed into their home. 

Tavia Mendez, Eastern Oregon University MFA Graduate reads "When The Streets Were Flooded With White Mist," a short story exploring superstition, magic, marriage and infertility.

JN134 Week 9 - Book Report

In "It's What I Do" by Lynsey Addario, Addario discusses her personal history and time covering various conflicts overseas. I found that her description of her time in war zones is the most compelling portion of the story, which is no surprise. Although, I would say the portions of her description that I found the most interesting was not the tales of harrowing captures, or narrowly avoiding death, but her social life. I have read many stories about war correspondents and personal  accounts of terrifying experiences, but I rarely read about the relationships formed and lost, or the toll the job takes on their families. Addario discusses meeting her husband Paul de Bendern in Istanbul, the morning before leaving for Tehran. She wasn't crazy about him, and the story itself about how he grew on her wasn't particularly remarkable, but what was happening in their respective lives was incredible. I doubt anyone goes overseas to cover wars with the hope of meeting their spouse.

I found myself somewhere between impressed and stupefied throughout the book as I read about Addario's commitment to her work. After nearly dying of dehydration, being kidnapped twice, beaten, abused and detained, Addario kept going to work.

"It is the way we make a living, but it feels more like a responsibility, or a calling. It makes us happy, because it gives us a sense of purpose. We bear witness to history, and influence policy.” (p. 12)

 Addario did admit she was human, and scared at times.

"While covering wars, there were days when I had boundless courage and there were days, like these in Libya, when I was terrified from the moment I woke up." (p. 2)

I felt tremendous respect for her motivation to work. Addario wasn't an adrenaline junkie or someone out for fame and fortune, she felt it was her duty to document and report the reality of the conflicts and struggles she covered. Addario displayed a fearlessness in her coverage, getting extremely close to particularly dangerous situations.

Many of the photos in the book left me awestruck. The photo of Kurdish peshmerga firing rockets at Ansar al-Islam territory on page 118 was incredible. The landscape in which the photograph was taken was truly beautiful but military equipment, and a recently launched rocket drive home the absolute danger she is literally right next to. A photo on page 208 of U.S. forces pulling body bags through a smoke-filled field immediately got my attention. the composition of the photo is phenomenal and she took the photo in a dangerous battlefield. The fact she was able to take such technically proficient photos in such chaotic environments lends itself to her tremendous courage and skill.

U.S. Soldiers in Korengal Valley following an ambush in 2007. (p. 208)

I felt inspired by Addario to get closer to conflicts and fight my fear as much as possible to properly capture the story -- she also taught me to be extremely careful. I personally don't have the guts to put myself in the situations she did, but the lesson to be careful is still extremely valuable. There are certain events I think about covering and worry about my ability to keep my calm, reading "It's What I do" has shown me that staying calm is incredibly important and it's definitely a skill I need to work on.

I would recommend this book to anyone interested in photography, history or journalism. I found nearly every sentence to be compelling. The content and writing was phenomenal and informative. Addario pulls no punches about the injustice and questionable actions she watched take place, regardless of who was perpetrating it.

JN134 - My Hometown

Ray Smith sits in his 1994 Honda Passport, which does not start, in the parking lot of his apartment building on a Thursday afternoon. He calls it his "office."

A congregation of neighbors discuss their days in the parking lot they share prior to the sunset on June 1.

Reginald Jackson Jr. walks through the gate onto LBCC property from the apartment building he lives in.

JN217 - Feature Story #5: Writer's Choice

Headline: Toxic Water Gardens

Deck: Talking Water Gardens raises concerns with lack of public data

Parents, children and dogs happily made their way over pools of toxic wastewater while navigating narrow foot bridges -- a typical sunny afternoon at Talking Water Gardens.

For two years, a plant in Albany, Oregon, processed depleted uranium for the U.S. nuclear weapons program and Talking Water Gardens is just a stone’s throw from some of the plant’s facilities.

ATI Wah Chang has processed radioactive materials on the banks of the Willamette River for over 50 years, mainly zirconium. Although the area the plant occupies is now technically Millersburg, the plant operates to this day.

A 2008 recommendation by the Oregon Department of Human Services stated, “Contaminants in soil, surface water, and groundwater within the plant itself pose no public health hazard because the general public does not come into contact with it.”

Oregon Health Authority Media Officer Jonathan Modie had no comment to offer when asked about the 2008 Wah Chang PHA Summary Fact Sheet, which was removed from the DHS website shortly after the interview.

Modie said the Summary Fact Sheet was removed because it was outdated, and replaced with a document from 2009 that referenced fish tissue test results from 1991.

Talking Water Gardens was opened in 2011 as a result of a joint effort by ATI and the cities of Millersburg and Albany as a tourist attraction that serves a practical purpose. It's a water treatment facility for the plant and the municipalities' wastewater.

The same document also recommended that ATI Wah Chang “maintain perimeter fencing, monitoring programs and security measures that prevent public access to areas within the Wah Chang plant.”

Lining the entrances and paths around Talking Water Gardens are signs warning visitors not to come into contact with or consume any of the water present.

Treatment Plant Supervisor Scott LaRoque said Talking Water Gardens routinely processes over 6 million gallons of wastewater a day, including 2 million gallons from Wah Chang.

LaRoque said the effluent into the river is routinely tested for pH, chlorine, temperature, biochemical oxygen demand, and total suspended solids. LaRoque said he was “not sure” if the water is tested for zirconium or other radioactive materials before pouring into the Willamette River.

Kristen Preston, the city of Albany’s wastewater superintendent, who has knowledge of testing at Talking Water Gardens, spoke in reference to testing at Talking Water Gardens.

“As far as radiation, I don’t think we’ve ever tested for it as far as I know,” said Preston.

LaRoque was unsure of whether the public is allowed to see any test results.

“It’s not a typical request and we’re not necessarily willing to release them,” said LaRoque.

In 2008, Oregon DHS also recommended testing be done on Second Lake and warnings be given near ATI Wah Chang and the eventual site of Talking Water Gardens. Fish from Second Lake had previously tested positive for radioactive contaminants.

“As far as I know, we haven’t done any radiation testing on Second Lake or anything like that,” said Preston.

LaRoque said he was “not sure” of the last time Second Lake was tested but believed it to be around the time Talking Water Gardens was completed.

“I don’t believe we’re doing any more testing on it,” said LaRoque.

Tom Sauter, U.S. Army veteran and former surveyor, has been a resident of Albany for 25 years and regularly walks his dogs at Talking Water Gardens. Sauter described himself as “very” concerned with what might be in the water at Talking Water Gardens.

“I see people letting their dogs drink out of it and then I don’t see their dogs a couple years later,” said Sauter.

At-A-Glance:

Talking Water Gardens Website: https://www.cityofalbany.net/departments/public-works/wastewater/twg/

Teledyne Wah Chang Superfund: https://yosemite.epa.gov/r10/cleanup.nsf/9f3c21896330b4898825687b007a0f33/0558cc5558c6316b8825651c006ca7b0!OpenDocument

Oregon Superfund Sites: https://yosemite.epa.gov/r10/cleanup.nsf/webpage/Oregon+Cleanup+Sites

JN217 - Feature Story #4: Column

Title: Grandpa Killed Nazis

Deck: The current rise in fascism must be dealt with swiftly

“Was grandpa a Nazi?” I asked in a state of panic.

Several bayonets bearing swastikas sat on the dinner table in my Uncle’s house.

“No -- These are his trophies,” my uncle explained.

I was six years old when my grandfather passed away. I knew he was a WWII veteran, as nearly everyone in my family was if they lived during WWII. My relatives were all over Europe, witnessing the horrific results of fascism.

I was taught that fascists were pitiful, violent, ignorant people who have no consideration for anyone outside of their group. I was taught that fascism can never be tolerated.

“Give them an inch, they’ll take a foot,” my father says.

I was taught that there was a difference between an opposing political opinion and someone who truly believes I am subhuman because I am not Aryan. I was taught that there is a difference between a conservative and someone who believes the attempted genocide of my indigenous ancestors was justified.

Freedom of speech and expression are part of my core values which is precisely why I cannot tolerate fascism. There is something inherently dangerous about affording those rights, going out of our way to ensure those rights, as a society, to those who wish for nothing more than to destroy them.

Those on the right must refuse to align themselves with alt-right leader and white supremacist Richard Spencer. Those on the left must resist lumping conservatives like Ann Coulter, despite her virulent racism, which must be addressed, with fascists. Republicans and Democrats have a much larger enemy than each other. The only way to defeat fascism is to unite against it.

The liberals, in their idealistic pacifism, combined with the conservatives’ reluctant tolerance for sake of larger numbers and increased political clout creates a dangerous environment in which such an insidious ideal as fascism can flourish. One doesn't need to open the door for fascism, only refuse to slam it shut.

At no time in history have fascists simply gotten tired and gone home. Fascists have never been embarrassed by snide remarks on Facebook and changed their ways. Fascist groups have only been stopped by confrontation.

Confrontation carries such a harsh tone in a society that seems increasingly concerned with everyone’s feelings, regardless of whether the concern is mutual. But the idea that fascists will begin feeling remorse for the social and physical violence they promulgate is quite literally lethal.

Of course, people do change their views and who they associate with, but it is ill-advised to rely on the conscience of select reformed fascists to shift the paradigm of thousands of violent bigots.

Confrontation doesn't require violence to be described as such, but self-defense is a human right. I ask anyone reading this to consider how they would feel if their loved ones were literally being described as sub-human and a pest to be eradicated, because they are labeled as such, and some of us are painfully aware of this.

Hate speech, in it’s very essence, is the political embodiment of violence, and has little place in a healthy society. I am not advocating locking people up for espousing fascist beliefs, but 130,000 Americans alone died during WWII. The fascists are still our enemies and should be treated as such.

Anyone who is an American, anyone who identifies as a patriot, should see no greater adversary than that of someone who wishes to strip an entire civilization of any freedoms it may possess.



At-A-Glance:

SPLC Sees Rise in Hate Crimes and Domestic Terrorism: http://www.npr.org/2017/05/27/530393081/splc-has-seen-rise-in-hate-crime-domestic-terrorism-attacks

SPLC Classifies Alt-Right as Hate Group: https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/extremist-files/ideology/alternative-right

JN217 - Feature Story #3: Profile

Title: GSA is Here to Stay

Deck: Mattie Guilliams strives to revitalize LB’s Gender and Sexuality Alliance

Mattie Guilliams brought the meeting to order with a self-introduction and her pronouns. The dispersed conversations ceased and the attendees began mimicking Guilliams' introduction.

Guilliams’ quiet leadership permeated the Gender and Sexuality Alliance meeting -- as quiet as it could be for someone with such a vibrant personality.

Dharma Mirza is a former leader at the GSA and is close friends with Guilliams, the current GSA president.

“Mattie is fun loving, comedic, and very real, but she also can be there for the tougher subjects and has helped me personally in my own struggles and getting my life on track,” said Mirza.

GSA faculty advisor Tim Black is another on the long list of those she works with that appreciates her personality.

“I do know that I see her walking onto campus often, and she's generally in a great mood,” said Black.

Guilliams was born and raised in Jacksonville, North Carolina, about two hours southwest of Raleigh, North Carolina. She comes from a long line of Marines and she herself served in the Air Force.

“I did six years as an aircraft radar mechanic in the Air Force… I got out in 2014 due to my knee being wrecked from being a mechanic and also to get out from under 'don’t ask, don’t tell' so that I could transition,” said Guilliams.

She spends time caring for her mother, whom she lives with in Albany.

“I have been taking care of my mom since about roughly 2010, due to her being physically disabled, very physically disabled, and her losing her house to foreclosure,” said Guilliams.

Guilliams explained her long road to transition.

“I started HRT (hormone replacement therapy), I started transitioning in approximately October of [2014]. I am a transgender woman, my pronouns are she/her and I originally went up to Washington state as soon as I got out of the military.”

Guilliams described her initial involvement at LBCC and the GSA, which she has been a member of for over a year.

“I was looking for a sense of community. Even in Washington state, I felt like I was the lone trans woman. Seriously, as prideful as Washington state was, I was very isolated, for lack of a better word,” said Guilliams.

Only a few weeks ago, Guilliams took over as the GSA president, although she hadn’t planned on stepping into a leadership role.

“The GSA always had a kind of rocky structure system, and was reliant mostly on Ceph [Poklemba] and Dharma to do things and they graduated-slash-moved on from LB,” said Guilliams. “Nobody stepped up to take the leadership and I saw that as a grave injustice to the queer community here on campus.”

Guilliams clearly indicated her belief in the importance of the GSA as a motivating factor in her decision to volunteer as a leader.

“I’m going to throw myself into trying and revitalize the GSA because it’s a community that needs to be here,” said Guilliams.

Guilliams' work ethic is well known throughout the GSA and queer community on campus.

“I've known Mattie for about two years. Her work ethic is great, and she's very committed to rebuilding the GSA,” said Black.

Those around Guilliams are inspired by her ability to communicate and translate her experiences into valuable counsel.

“Mattie is a positive force for social progress at LBCC and beyond. She not only works hard to educate herself and others, she does so in a very inclusive non-intimidating manner,” said Mirza. “Mattie has overcome so much stigma and discrimination and I feel it's just made her a determined, passionate, burgeoning leader on campus and beyond.”



At-A-Glance:
Mattie Guilliams
-Newly-appointed GSA President
-U.S. Air-Force Veteran
-Engineering major
-Community Activist
-Video game enthusiast

JN 217 - Feature Story #1: EPA Cuts

Headline: EPA Cuts Hits Close to Home

Deck: Toxic sites in Linn/Benton Counties depend on EPA

A 7000-volt electrified fence, marked with bright yellow warning signs, formed the barrier between the ATI Wah Chang and the Cox Creek.

ATI Wah Chang in Millersburg, Oregon in Linn County, formerly known as Teledyne Wah Chang, is listed as one of the “nation’s most contaminated hazardous waste sites.” The EPA describes the site as “contaminated by wastes from a metals production plant, including radionuclides and volatile organic compounds. These contaminants impacted site groundwater, sediments, and soils”

President Trump recently proposed a budget that would cut 31 percent of the funding for the EPA. The Environmental Protection Agency is tasked with enforcing environmental standards and regulations but a lesser-known function of the EPA is toxic cleanups and monitoring.

While the EPA is a federal agency, 29 toxic cleanup and monitoring projects in the state of Oregon are operated by the EPA, with over $1 billion allocated to their efforts on the Portland Harbor alone. Among the abandoned mines, factories, and grain facilities are 18 sites listed on the National Priorities List (NPL) described by the EPA as a “list of national priorities among the known releases or threatened releases of hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants throughout the United States and its territories.”

$32.6 million has already been paid in compensation by ATI Wah Chang, including $2.3 million in medical costs alone.

Testing of watersheds surrounding ATI Wah Chang showed a consistent presence of contamination in fish in 1991. A recommendation was made by the Oregon DHS to retest in 2008, although it remains unclear if a second study was ever completed.  

Although work was done in the 1990’s to excavate the contaminated soils and remove groundwater, the site is still currently monitored by the EPA and a report in 2013 recommended the use of additional technology, as the previous remedy had proven unsuccessful for containing contamination.

With the proposed cuts at the EPA, funding for the projects may very well be in jeopardy. EPA Media Contact Mark Macintyre described the budget as a “particularly thorny subject.” Macintyre declined to comment while awaiting approval from the D.C. office.

“As a policy, we don’t speculate on budget issues,” said Macintyre.

One site on the NPL is the former locale of Universal Chrome Products, Inc. in Corvallis, Oregon. Pollutants from the chrome plating facility leaked into the 2.5 acres it operated on from 1956 to 1985. The ground was contaminated with chromium, which causes rupturing of the blood cells, liver failure, cancer, and allergic reactions.   

The EPA removed the chromium-contaminated liquids in 1985, but it was not until 2000 that the City of Corvallis began removing contaminated soil. Groundwater extraction ended in 2004, but according to the EPA, an isolated portion of the site’s groundwater is still contaminated.

Eva DeMarie, an EPA project manager at the United Chrome site for the past year, declined to comment without first speaking to a PR person at the EPA. Before DeMarie declared herself unable to comment, she stated that the City of Corvallis pays for monitoring but the EPA pays her and other project manager’s salaries with federal money. DeMarie chose not to speculate on the possible outcomes of no longer having EPA funding to monitor the site, but did confirm that there is still contamination present.




At-A-Glance:

EPA: https://www.epa.gov/

Teledyne Wah Chang Superfund: https://yosemite.epa.gov/r10/cleanup.nsf/9f3c21896330b4898825687b007a0f33/0558cc5558c6316b8825651c006ca7b0!OpenDocument

Oregon Superfund Sites: https://yosemite.epa.gov/r10/cleanup.nsf/webpage/Oregon+Cleanup+Sites

JN217 Week 7 Blog

I've sent Mattie several emails about this and photos of her. She has canceled two meetings we arranged but I'm still trying to make it work.

TOPIC 1: PROFILE FACT CHECK -- Contact the subject of your PROFILE. You can call, send an e-mail or check in with them face-to-face. Then answer these questions:

1. What did he/she think of the story?
2. Did you need to correct any errors? If so, what were they?
3. What revisions should be made on the story?
4. What will you do different the next time you are assigned to write a profile?

TOPIC 2: "ON WRITING” -- Now that you've had a chance to savor Stephen King's combination memoir/guide to writing ...

1. Write about (don't just list...) the TWO most important things you learned about writing from the author, being sure to include some examples AND ways you've applied what he suggested.

King's representation of where ideas and inspiration come from has stuck with me and really changed how I view my creative process. The way he discusses how Carrie was created as a character makes it seem like this character and story idea probably developed and morphed over years but it felt like the idea just hit him one day. He acknowledges that great ideas come from nowhere, but are really a connection of old ideas that seemed unrelated. I can relate to the feeling that sometimes, the ideas just click, they fall into place and it's often one singular event or sentence that propelled them into relevance and cohesion. I often feel a lack of creativity because many writers portray their ideas as coming from this mystical place in their minds that they have to ability to access with ease. Reading various passages by King actually made me feel better about the seeming lack of intent I feel when coming up a good idea, and the frustration I feel when I have intent and all I can write is ill-contrived drivel steeped in inorganic symbolism and forced elements of an ethos.

"There is no Idea Dump, not Story Central, no Island of the Buried Bestsellers; good story ideas seem to come quite literally from nowhere, sailing at you right out of the empty sky: two previously unrelated ideas come together and make something new under the sun. Your job isn't to find these ideas but to recognize them when they show up."

The other most impacting lesson I think I got from King, is an old and often heard piece of advice: don't give up. King wasn't as kind as Dan Gutman was when I met him as a kid, who told me something to the effect of 'never let anyone tell you that you can't be a writer.' (I was a huge fan of his series about a kid who could time travel using baseball cards.) I appreciate King's brutal honesty.

"I can't lie and say there are no bad writers. Sorry, but there are lots of bad writers."

King does make the point that everyone, no matter their talent and quality of work, will have their work put down and trashed. One must have the confidence that a single rejection letter -- or a stack of them -- does not necessarily spell doom for an aspiring author.

"By the time I was fourteen (and shaving twice a week whether I needed to or not) the nail in my wall would no longer support the weight of the rejection slips impaled upon it. I replaced the nail with a spike and went on writing."

My favorite quote from the book is actually an entire paragraph.

"If I were a Henry James or Jane Austen sort of guy, writing only about toffs or smart college folks, I’d hardly ever have to use a dirty word or a profane phrase; I might never have had a book banned from America’s school libraries or gotten a letter from some helpful fundamentalist fellow who wants me to know that I’m going to burn in hell, where all my millions of dollars won’t buy me so much as a single drink of water. I did not, however, grow up among folks of that sort. I grew up as apart of America’s lower middle class, and they’re the people I can write about with the most honesty and knowledge. It means that they say shit more often than sugar when they bang their thumbs, but I’ve made my peace with that. Was never much at war with it in the first place, as a matter of fact."

This paragraph resonated with me on so many levels. First of all, I thought it was hilarious and really displayed King's sharp sense of humor. However, the main reason I like this quote so much is because of how relatable I feel it is. I've never felt particularly awe-struck by the romanticized, over-represented depictions of the wealthy upper class. I don't read those stories in a constant state of envy and fascination as many seem to. I feel bored, unable to relate, and attempting to digest a story I feel as though I've read a million times. Granted with people like Austen, the writing is incredible, but I feel the stories are not. I relate to this quote because I have no desire to be "proper" in my writing or cater to "helpful fundamentalists." I like a certain sense of defiance in anyone's writing, I often can't accept mine without it.

JN217 Week 6 Blog Post

Topic 1: Column Concept
-Subject: A personal rejection of Nazi sympathy based on lessons learned from my elders.

-Nut graf: "I was six-years-old when my grandfather passed away. I knew he was a WWII veteran, as nearly everyone in my family was if they lived during WWII. My relatives were all over Europe, witnessing the horrific results of fascism. The lessons were handed through the generations.

I was taught that fascists were pitiful, violent, ignorant people who have no consideration for anyone outside of their group. I was taught that fascism can never be tolerated.

“Give them an inch, they’ll take a foot,” my father says."

-Sources: Harry Leslie Smith - RAF Veteran from WWII, My dad, Myself.

-Links: https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/extremist-files/ideology/alternative-right
https://www.splcenter.org/hate-map
https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/extremist-files/individual/richard-bertrand-spencer-0
http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/a-b387-BBC-slammed-for-putting-on-fascist#.WRYcmiQwAUY

Topic 2: Jennifer Moody
1. "Albany boy wins eighth racing championship" http://democratherald.com/news/local/albany-boy-wins-eighth-racing-championship/article_28ebc73e-b420-5375-ab1b-74a09de155e0.html
2. Eric Scofield, 14, had won his eighth Cage Kart championship. The story was partially focused on his victory as the track champion in the Open Class Cage Kart division at Willamette Speedway, a division intended for drivers over the age of 16. Being a profile, the story interviewed his father and an official at the raceway, establishing his passion and high skill level. Also explained was his father's level of involvement, like building and maintaining the younger Scofield's kart, and opening a shop that sells parts for Karts. The piece then went on to explain different possibilities for Scofield moving forward, such as NASCAR and Sprint Cars.
3. I always enjoy reading positive stories of community or family involvement. I also thought it was cool that someone so young had already won eight championships and had even won one beyond his age group. Jennifer did a great job of humanizing the profile subject by including quotes from him and other interests such as his love of basketball. Jennifer also included details that really added context to how well Eric was performing in Cage Karts, pointing out that he's not only racing in age groups above him, but winning, and had eight championships.
4. How do you know what angle to take? Is it just what piques your interest, or do you have specific criteria?
What is the ratio of stories you are assigned that you're interested in versus ones that you're not? How do you approach stories you're completely disinterested in?

JN217 Week 5 Blog Post

TOPIC: DESCRIBE YOUR PROFILE SUBJECT

Locks of light green hair caressed shoulders contrasted against the maroon tapestry behind her. A constant smile populated Mattie Guilliams' face as she offered direction to the GSA meeting attendees. Guiding the meeting, Guilliam's eyes flickered as she nodded, validating experiences of those who spoke. Guilliam's excitement permeated throughout the room while she discussed the upcoming LBCC Drag Show she assisted in planning. Guilliams had no papers, no notebook, and ran the entire meeting from memory, leaned back in her chair.

JN217 Week 3 Blog Forum

Topic 1: Fact Check
1. I reached out to Anne Magratten, Michael Bosch, Rebecca Fewless, and Jeff Davis. They were all sourced in my article.
2. Thus far, only Anne Magratten has read the article and responded, although I have now sent three total emails to the other sources and hope to hear back from at least another.
3. Anne Magratten was very happy about the article. "I thought the article was fantastic!" Anne also thanked me for covering the event. "Thank you for your commitment to covering art events on campus!"
4. Being that Anne was the only source that responded, I may have a minor correction to make, but she was an organizer of the event so she likely has a pretty good handle on the details. " I do not recall any inaccuracies," said Magratten.
5. I think I could have improved the story by knowing about it sooner and including more of the process leading up to the event. I think one of the most interesting aspects of the show was the collaborative process

Topic 2: Review
1. "There's Really a Wolf" by Russ, Released May 5, 2017
2. The sources I plan to use are myself, Russ and Preezy (who reviewed the album in XXL magazine).
3.  "There's Really a Wolf" is Russ' critically-acclaimed full-length studio album debut, but he's no rookie. Russ has released nine previous mixtapes dating back six years, and gained widespread popularity in underground hip-hop circles in the process.

JN134 Week 7 Blog

Topic 1: Shooting Sports
1. The first tip that really stood our for me from Scobel was about having some great zoom lenses. Thrown into those tips was to never let your lens just take in sunlight because it will damage them. However, the main point, by her having a really good zoom lens, her photos make her seem really close to the action. She was able to get some incredible closeups while still being 30-40 yards away.
2. The second tip that will stick with me was related to how to interact with other photographers on the sideline. I kind of figured that presenting yourself as extremely confident and self-assured would deter people from trying to push you around. Scobel was explaining that by presenting yourself as very friendly and asking questions about whether or not you're interfering with their shots, people are more likely to reciprocate that treatment.

TOPIC 2: ACTION/SPORTS PHOTOS -- Now that you've got some tips on how to shoot action ...

My sports subject will be a soccer class at LBCC Albany campus in the field by the track, that takes place on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

1. OVERALL -- I will photograph the students stretching out and warming up for the soccer game.
2. MEDIUM -- I will photograph two or three players trying to get the ball away from eachother
3. CLOSEUP/DETAIL -- I want to get a closeup of a foot hitting the soccer ball and hopefully get the ball flexing with the foot making contact.