The following is my final product from Prof. Leon Dash’s Immersion Journalism class. Prof. Dash is a two time Pulitzer Prize winner, author of Rosa Lee and a great professor. Immersion Journalism allows journalists to conduct extensive, personal, in-depth interviews with a single person over multiple weeks, months, or years.
Hey Urbanagora! My name is Rosie Powers, I’m a sophomore at U of I, and an aspiring journalist. I’m currently on staff with the Daily Illini, and I was linked into Urbanagora thanks to the deep intellectual insight of Billy Joe and Josh.
University of Chicago student starts “Men in Power” advocacy group
According to a recent [...]
I traveled to Italy from March 20th through April 4th. I was fortunate enough to be hosted by four great friends: Giovanni Fiore, Miriam Sciascia, Jake Pepper & Alisha Young Leverette. I would not have learned as much or enjoyed my days in Italy to the degree that I did without their friendship. Thank you. [...]
A new-found friend of mine created the videos below. Kate Hathaway is a local musician who has mastered the Peruvian charango. Kate and her brother create music under the band name Hathaways. The first video features Kate the musician and the second features Kate the documentarist.
The documentary is about Charles Joseph Smith. I have met and spoken to Charles before about his music, but I did not have the intuition to investigate his life and his thoughts. Kate did. Champaign-Urbana is teeming with unique, interesting, beautiful people and I am happy that she noticed one of them. I think a good writer or filmmaker could make a career out of attempting to understand and describe the people in Champaign-Urbana who live with spark.
Both pieces are thoughtful, intelligent and intimate. Both deserve at least one viewing.
The US House of Representatives held a moment of silence for Michael Jackson! There is so much wrong with this I just don’t know where to begin. A washed up, perverted, butthole surfing, child molester, 400 million in debt, main claim to fame is his ability to moon walk while holding his nuts and squealing Wheeee Heeeeee. Our congress is more out of touch that the worst loons the Roman Empire ever dreamed of at its most decadent and depraved! Did someone spike the drinking fountains on the Hill with LSD or something? What the hell is going on!?! Maybe I am looking at this from the wrong perspective. I always believe the challenge in life is to take a disadvantageous situation and turn it to my advantage. So maybe if we encourage this type of insanity these ass clowns will have so many “moments of silence” they will never say anything and possibly not do as much damage! Finally a way to shut them up!
The Chicago Tribune recently reported Obama’s stance on US involvement in Iran, where currently many innocent civilians are being beaten or even killed for protesting an obviously unfair election. Many have questioned the president’s stance, saying that he has taken too neutral of an approach in dealing with the conflict. This opposition includes many republicans, such as Sen. John McCain, who commented that “You can’t seriously negotiate with a country that’s beating and killing their citizens, and I don’t think the president quite understands that.” However, President Obama contends that “I made it clear that the United States respects the sovereignty of the Islamic Republic of Iran and is not interfering with Iran’s affairs,” and continued, “But only I’m the president of the United States, and I’ve got responsibilities in making certain that we are continually advancing our national security interests and that we are not used as a tool to be exploited by other countries.” Read more…
Recently, the New York Times wrote an article that discussed how many smaller news-gathering groups and freelancers are at a huge disadvantage covering events overseas in comparison to larger news corporations. The most recent example of this was the detainment of Laura Ling and Euna Lee in North Korea, who worked for Current TV, a small YouTube-style news organization. Current TV, one of many similar start-up groups, has begun sending its journalists overseas to cover hot-topic stories in an effort to stay competitive with larger, more well-known news organizations. According to the article, in an effort to gain a greater news audience, these start-up organizations have begun “vanguard journalism” as a “unit assembled to cover untold stories around the globe”. The article continues that many say these small news groups are the “consequence of the fragmented media landscape and the declines in international news coverage by traditional outlets”. Read more…
At the risk of inflaming the Rainbow Panther brigade, Brian Pierce should simmer down about Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, (”DADT”) at least for a little while. Even the most strident gay rights advocate should be able to see that the progressive cause is facing more pressing national priorities right now, like health care reform and the global economic crisis. Taking up DADT right now would be a distraction that would cost the Obama Administration too much political capital. Read more…
The Supreme Court today refused to hear a case challenging the Pentagon’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy. There’s been an enormous amount of frustration in the gay community over the White House dragging its feet on this issue, and it certainly doesn’t help that the Obama administration was urging SCOTUS not to hear this case, arguing that DADT is “rationally related to the government’s legitimate interest in military discipline and cohesion.”
I share the growing fear that the Obama administration has decided to distance itself as much as possible from gay rights issues, and that it has no plans to act on behalf of the gay community unless it is absolutely forced to. It’s hurtful and disappointing and, for a president who has been fairly gutsy on national security and foreign policy, genuinely surprising to me. Read more…
Recently, the Chicago Tribune featured an article questioning Judge Sonia Sotomayor’s objectivity in regards to minority issues. Sotomayor, president Obama’s nomination for the Supreme Court, has caused many Americans concern due to her previous conduct in relation to issues dealing with race; many believe she is too radical. When I first heard that Obama had nominated a Hispanic woman for the Supreme Court, I was excited. I was a huge fan of Sandra Day O’Connor, thus, I am excited (from a women’s point of view) to have more female presence on the court. And the diversity she would bring, I thought, would be quite beneficial. However, recent reports have released quotes from various speeches she has given throughout her career; some of these excerpts, it would seem, appear to be very one-sided.
So beloved leader is starting another Hate America tour, kissing the butts of our enemies and fair weather friends in the middle east while alienating our only true alliance. great! meanwhile, have you noticed gas is creeping back up, 2.70 per gallon in town today. And we have drilled exactly no new oil wells, broke ground on exactly no new refineries, developed exactly no coal shale technology, built exactly no new nuke plants, developed exactly no new natural gas fields, run exactly no new pipelines from Anwar, let’s see - what we have done is spend a butt ton of money, not sure on what —– Oh probably our new attack submarine fleet, oh no, maybe new fighter jets? no we are cutting back on those, probably our new satellite defense system, – no, well maybe it is on our revitalized space program, well no not that either. I don’t think we have even built new levies for those leeches in New Orleans who are too stupid to know better than to build their town below sea level! But we are ok if Iran develops nuclear technology as long as they cross-their-hearts-and-hope-to-die promise no to use it for weapons. How many Trillions, or Bazillions, (or gaggles or googles or whatever) have we spent? (no not on date night with Michele but on making America the greatest nation on earth?) Easy answer - exactly none
With the money we are spending we could build coast to coast high speed railroads, develop a fleet of natural gas cars and trucks, hell we could build a tunnel to Brittan! A new power transmission grid fed by new advanced nuclear reactors, all dangerous spent nuclear fuel should be safely buried a mile deep in solid bedrock below Nevada at Yucca Mountain. We should be completely energy independent from the nuts in the Middle East. Lets revitalize our steel industry. A nation that doesn’t make its own steel is in decline. Let’s measure this “great” administration’s success by how much they BUILD (lest Atlas shrugs and all the builders go away). Crap, I’d settle for a fleet of Zeppelins!
Today the Trib printed a damaging expose titled “clout goes to college” on the practice of trading on clout to admit unqualified students to the University of Illinois. I encourage anyone who loves the University of Illinois to read the story and take a look at the exhibits.
A Tribune investigation which included FOIA requests uncovered hard, damning evidence that the U of I is admitting unqualified students, while turning away qualified students. The Trib cites a clout list of over 160 students, but even one student getting special treatment is too many.
Leading a state university is a position of public trust. Administrators have a duty to use basic fairness and equality when admitting students. Richard Herman and B. Joe White are accountable to all the people of Illinois–to all taxpayers–not just the ones with clout. Imagine if they were outright selling admission to our competitive law school or business school–trading a seat in the class for an envelope of cash. In truth, trading for political influence isn’t altogether different. Especially when those they are catering to are the same people who set their over-inflated salaries.
While it’s true this practice predates the current administration, it doesn’t excuse our leaders from compromising their principle and tarnishing the integrity of the institution. Whether or not we traded clout for admission in the past, the practice is wrong and must stop. Whether or not other schools do it to, the practice is wrong and must stop.
If Richard Herman and B. Joe White were men of character they would acknowledge that they owe an apology and an explanation to all of the rejected students with credentials superior to the “Category I” admittees.
The Joy Pianist & The Charango Gal
You may be interested in Derek Paravicini -- a musical savant. He is severely learning disabled, blind, and autistic, ...
Segen | 10:05 am | More
Obama's stance on Iran
Good point; I would agree that it is very important to support the more progressive Iranians that, in the last ...
Rosie | 8:48 am | More
Obama's stance on Iran
Rosie,
I'm glad you posted this because Urbanagora has not said enough about the Iranian elections. It's a huge issue. I ...
Billy Joe Mills | 9:39 pm | More
The Black Nerd King
Allan,
Thanks for the compliments and criticism. I am conscious of my interjecting myself into the article. It is not unintentional. ...
Billy Joe Mills | 8:39 am | More
The Chicago Tribune recently 
Recently, the Chicago Tribune featured 