Brett Atwood, web editor at Linden Lab, recently unveiled Showcase, a new feature in the virtual world which will serve as a guide to the 3D Second Life environment.
“Showcase will allow users to find some of the highest quality places inside the virtual world,” Atwood said.
The Showcase feature categorizes high quality virtual locations of Second Life, a 3D virtual community where users are represented by avatars. Showcase categories include: arts and culture, education and non-profit, fashion, hot-spots, music, photos and machinima, and tutorials.
In a Linden Lab press release Atwood said the company believes Showcase will make it easier for users to find the best content and communities that may have been difficult to find until now.
There are approximately 20 million long-term downloads of the Second Life program, Atwood said. Although, 78,000 is the highest number of concurrent users recorded.
Showcase will feature the best user-created 3D videos, referred to as Machinima in the virtual world, and over 240 professional training videos in the Tutorial section.
The virtual world allows for the creation of a variety of virtual spaces including online museums, forums for press releases, night clubs, and virtual universities. Some professors are using Second Life to enhance online teaching and universities are creating virtual campuses to engage prospective students.
Second Life is growing in more than 100 countries and residents are continually creating new virtual spaces. Over 70 percent of users are outside the United States.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Feature Post
Whitman County has turned blue—a rare spectacle considering it is historically a conservative community. Glance at a state map that is coded with election results and you will see that Whitman County is the only speck of blue in Eastern Washington. So what or rather who has been responsible for this drastic change of color?
A key component in this change of political leaning is Washington State University student Alex N. McDonald. The Field Organizer of the Ninth Legislative District of Washington for the Obama Campaign for Change, McDonald organized Whitman County residents and college students.
“I had one day training in Seattle and from there I was expected to set up this operation in Pullman. I have been a very involved student, so I had a lot of connections in the community. I recruited volunteers and we began phone banking, canvassing, and registering voters,” McDonald said.
To be a WSU student is to know Alex McDonald. He has either stopped you on your way to class to ask you to register to vote or obtained your cell phone number and sent you repeated text messages reminding you to vote.
“I would describe Alex’s commitment to the campaign as extreme,” Jarmyn D. Kramlich, a volunteer for the Obama Campaign for Change, said.
McDonald originally became involved with the Obama campaign when he
co-founded WSU Students for Barack Obama in January 2008. He became an official employee of the Obama Campaign for Change in August 2008.
“Alex has been very successful. This is one of the few times Whitman County has gone blue and it had a lot to do with student voters. He organized and motivated students to vote,” Dan B. Wandschneider, a volunteer for the Obama Campaign for Change, said.
The operation McDonald set up in the downtown Pullman, Whitman County Democrats office is responsible for registering 1, 679 voters.
“The biggest successes of our operation was winning Whitman County and registering voters,” McDonald said.
The political environment of Whitman County seems an accurate microcosm to the overall trend in the 2008 election. The youth registered to vote and in spite of the skepticism that they would actually turn out, they chose their candidate and participated in democracy. In Whitman County the students have spoken.
McDonald said he was overcome with joy when Obama won and shed countless tears.
As for the challenges of the next four years McDonald said, “We, the American people have to use the resources the Obama Administration provides. Obama is opening a window, but we have to climb through it.”
A key component in this change of political leaning is Washington State University student Alex N. McDonald. The Field Organizer of the Ninth Legislative District of Washington for the Obama Campaign for Change, McDonald organized Whitman County residents and college students.
“I had one day training in Seattle and from there I was expected to set up this operation in Pullman. I have been a very involved student, so I had a lot of connections in the community. I recruited volunteers and we began phone banking, canvassing, and registering voters,” McDonald said.
To be a WSU student is to know Alex McDonald. He has either stopped you on your way to class to ask you to register to vote or obtained your cell phone number and sent you repeated text messages reminding you to vote.
“I would describe Alex’s commitment to the campaign as extreme,” Jarmyn D. Kramlich, a volunteer for the Obama Campaign for Change, said.
McDonald originally became involved with the Obama campaign when he
co-founded WSU Students for Barack Obama in January 2008. He became an official employee of the Obama Campaign for Change in August 2008.
“Alex has been very successful. This is one of the few times Whitman County has gone blue and it had a lot to do with student voters. He organized and motivated students to vote,” Dan B. Wandschneider, a volunteer for the Obama Campaign for Change, said.
The operation McDonald set up in the downtown Pullman, Whitman County Democrats office is responsible for registering 1, 679 voters.
“The biggest successes of our operation was winning Whitman County and registering voters,” McDonald said.
The political environment of Whitman County seems an accurate microcosm to the overall trend in the 2008 election. The youth registered to vote and in spite of the skepticism that they would actually turn out, they chose their candidate and participated in democracy. In Whitman County the students have spoken.
McDonald said he was overcome with joy when Obama won and shed countless tears.
As for the challenges of the next four years McDonald said, “We, the American people have to use the resources the Obama Administration provides. Obama is opening a window, but we have to climb through it.”
Monday, November 10, 2008
Frontline Response:
Frontline exposes journalism trends, particularly in televelision and the internet news industry. Part 3 brings to light the deterioration of hard news on television programs and the move towards entertainment due to profit incentives. It also highlighted the growing popoularity or programs like Jon Stewart which satirizes and mocks today's news sources.Jon Stewart is targeting the youth of America and is presenting news in a creative and humourous manner.
Programs like 60 minutes whose audience continues to get older has partnered with Yahoo to put the program on-line. Many news programs also have on-line blogs from their main anchors such as Katie Courics' Journal segment on-line. There are also more informal and low budget news productions on-line that receive 400,000-1,000,000 visitors a day. These bloggers and citizen journalists operate without journalistic training which can be somewhat controversial, yet they are still presenting valuable news and are "hitting the pavement." Sometimes the determination of young journalists to uncover true news and considering that they are free of advertising pressures can make thier reporting refreshing.
Google and other major on-line news providers pick up stories that newspaper journalists have originally written, such as stories from the AP wire and then provide them to an internet audience. This is controversial because newspaper sales are down becuase the stories are on the internet but the stories are from newspaper journalists. Google has made the decision not to write thier own news, rather just present it to the public. This causes me to question whether google is paying for this news and buying it off the wire? Or merely recycling news. It only seems ethical that these journalists would be paid for the news they are uncovering and writing becuase they are doing the grunt work.
The newspaper industry's financial trajectory is gloomy, as highlighted by Frontline's feature of the LA Times. Newspaper stocks are down because journalistic trends are going more and more toward the internet medium. Advertisers and readers are moving toward the internet. Investors are also skeptical so stock prices are down. Even original news outlets on TV are being challenged by programs like Jon Stewart and Colbert report. The news trend is one of change, and the question is who can keep up and adapt?
Craiglist is also taking classified ad revenue from newspapers because it is free to post there. This has affected the economics of newspapers. Interestingly enough newspaper consumption has increased but newspaper sales are down. But newspapers are the content providers so if they are threatened google and these other newspaper providers will not have content.
Frontline exposes journalism trends, particularly in televelision and the internet news industry. Part 3 brings to light the deterioration of hard news on television programs and the move towards entertainment due to profit incentives. It also highlighted the growing popoularity or programs like Jon Stewart which satirizes and mocks today's news sources.Jon Stewart is targeting the youth of America and is presenting news in a creative and humourous manner.
Programs like 60 minutes whose audience continues to get older has partnered with Yahoo to put the program on-line. Many news programs also have on-line blogs from their main anchors such as Katie Courics' Journal segment on-line. There are also more informal and low budget news productions on-line that receive 400,000-1,000,000 visitors a day. These bloggers and citizen journalists operate without journalistic training which can be somewhat controversial, yet they are still presenting valuable news and are "hitting the pavement." Sometimes the determination of young journalists to uncover true news and considering that they are free of advertising pressures can make thier reporting refreshing.
Google and other major on-line news providers pick up stories that newspaper journalists have originally written, such as stories from the AP wire and then provide them to an internet audience. This is controversial because newspaper sales are down becuase the stories are on the internet but the stories are from newspaper journalists. Google has made the decision not to write thier own news, rather just present it to the public. This causes me to question whether google is paying for this news and buying it off the wire? Or merely recycling news. It only seems ethical that these journalists would be paid for the news they are uncovering and writing becuase they are doing the grunt work.
The newspaper industry's financial trajectory is gloomy, as highlighted by Frontline's feature of the LA Times. Newspaper stocks are down because journalistic trends are going more and more toward the internet medium. Advertisers and readers are moving toward the internet. Investors are also skeptical so stock prices are down. Even original news outlets on TV are being challenged by programs like Jon Stewart and Colbert report. The news trend is one of change, and the question is who can keep up and adapt?
Craiglist is also taking classified ad revenue from newspapers because it is free to post there. This has affected the economics of newspapers. Interestingly enough newspaper consumption has increased but newspaper sales are down. But newspapers are the content providers so if they are threatened google and these other newspaper providers will not have content.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Al Jazeera:
1. I think that the internet will be a very effective medium to reach a U.S. audience. The United States has realized that we live in a time of globalization and the opinion of foreign countires does impact the United State. Al Jazeera provides a more neutral news source than media outlets within the United States because it is not owned by U.S. entities with special interests.
2. I personally think Al Jazeera should be allowed to be broadcast in the United States. It would open the minds of U.S. citizens and allow people to see the issue from the other side, increasing the knowledge of international affairs and relations. I spent several months in Africa and they receive thier news from Al Jazeera, after watching it for several months I can say it provides a more bipartisan and fair way of looking at the news. It is a refreshing news source and just becuase it has Arabic ties does not mean it has a connection to terrorism, that is ignorance and exposing people to Al Jazeera could reduce this misunderstanding and brutal stereotypes that exist between European American(caucasians) and people of Middle Eastern descent.
3. It takes a more global approach and tells the story from a neutral stance, whereas the U.S. reports news which will impact our nation. Al Jazeera is more focused on the international community. They do not allow advertisers to set their news agenda. Advertisers have incredible power in the U.S. media. Also diverse groups are represented, not just the majority. In the U.S. the white dominant culture is portrayed in a certain, often more positive light than minorities creating a cultural narrative and reinforcing negative stereotypes.
4. Al Jazeera lives up to its' Code of Ethics, it maintains a neutral viewpoint on news. It also presents diverse viewpoints, ackowledges human diversity through covering a range of issues that are occuring in the global community. Al Jazeera aims to achieve honest and truthful journalism which I believe they do more so than in the U.S. because they are not aiming to paint a specific nation or party in a certain light, rather are presenting the reality of the event or situation at hand.
1. I think that the internet will be a very effective medium to reach a U.S. audience. The United States has realized that we live in a time of globalization and the opinion of foreign countires does impact the United State. Al Jazeera provides a more neutral news source than media outlets within the United States because it is not owned by U.S. entities with special interests.
2. I personally think Al Jazeera should be allowed to be broadcast in the United States. It would open the minds of U.S. citizens and allow people to see the issue from the other side, increasing the knowledge of international affairs and relations. I spent several months in Africa and they receive thier news from Al Jazeera, after watching it for several months I can say it provides a more bipartisan and fair way of looking at the news. It is a refreshing news source and just becuase it has Arabic ties does not mean it has a connection to terrorism, that is ignorance and exposing people to Al Jazeera could reduce this misunderstanding and brutal stereotypes that exist between European American(caucasians) and people of Middle Eastern descent.
3. It takes a more global approach and tells the story from a neutral stance, whereas the U.S. reports news which will impact our nation. Al Jazeera is more focused on the international community. They do not allow advertisers to set their news agenda. Advertisers have incredible power in the U.S. media. Also diverse groups are represented, not just the majority. In the U.S. the white dominant culture is portrayed in a certain, often more positive light than minorities creating a cultural narrative and reinforcing negative stereotypes.
4. Al Jazeera lives up to its' Code of Ethics, it maintains a neutral viewpoint on news. It also presents diverse viewpoints, ackowledges human diversity through covering a range of issues that are occuring in the global community. Al Jazeera aims to achieve honest and truthful journalism which I believe they do more so than in the U.S. because they are not aiming to paint a specific nation or party in a certain light, rather are presenting the reality of the event or situation at hand.
Monday, November 3, 2008
Search Results
1. Hate Crimes:
Pullman has more hate crimes than other small communites in Washington. In quarter one of 2007 four hate crimes were reported and said to be racially based. In quarter three of 2007 one hate crime was reported and was related to the victim's sexual orientation. In 2006 Pullman reported 4 hate crimes, all based on the sexual orientation of the victim. Obviously discrimation based on sexual orientation is not a new problem in the Pullman community and is an ongoing issue that needs to be addressed.
2. Money in Politics:
Dino Rossi received the most donations in the 2008 election. He received $7,587,579 compared to Gregoire's $7,408,120.
Following the Republican Party, health professionals donated the most to Rossi ($15,330).
Lawyers and lobbyists donated the most to Gregoire with $55,110, following the Democratic Party.
The Forestry and Forest Products donated $872,236 to the Republican Party and $374,137 to the Democratic Party.
The "lobbyists and public relations" industry donated $2,423,512 to the Republic Party and $1,917,987 to the Democratic Party.
3. FirstReference to:
Digital Video Recorder
http://www.google.com/patents?id=eEk2AAAAEBAJ&dq=%22Digital+Video+Recorder%22
Social Networking:
http://www.google.com/patents?id=fVsGAAAAEBAJ&dq=%22Social+Networking%22
Automobile:
http://www.google.com/patents?id=Kh9TAAAAEBAJ&dq=%22Automobile%22
Pullman has more hate crimes than other small communites in Washington. In quarter one of 2007 four hate crimes were reported and said to be racially based. In quarter three of 2007 one hate crime was reported and was related to the victim's sexual orientation. In 2006 Pullman reported 4 hate crimes, all based on the sexual orientation of the victim. Obviously discrimation based on sexual orientation is not a new problem in the Pullman community and is an ongoing issue that needs to be addressed.
2. Money in Politics:
Dino Rossi received the most donations in the 2008 election. He received $7,587,579 compared to Gregoire's $7,408,120.
Following the Republican Party, health professionals donated the most to Rossi ($15,330).
Lawyers and lobbyists donated the most to Gregoire with $55,110, following the Democratic Party.
The Forestry and Forest Products donated $872,236 to the Republican Party and $374,137 to the Democratic Party.
The "lobbyists and public relations" industry donated $2,423,512 to the Republic Party and $1,917,987 to the Democratic Party.
3. FirstReference to:
Digital Video Recorder
http://www.google.com/patents?id=eEk2AAAAEBAJ&dq=%22Digital+Video+Recorder%22
Social Networking:
http://www.google.com/patents?id=fVsGAAAAEBAJ&dq=%22Social+Networking%22
Automobile:
http://www.google.com/patents?id=Kh9TAAAAEBAJ&dq=%22Automobile%22
Monday, October 27, 2008
Special Lead Story
“I love journalism. I do. Real journalism is here to stay,” Lillian Dunlap said with enthusiasm, in the opening of her “(Un)Covering Race and Gender: Lessons from the 2008 U.S. Presidential Campaign” presentation.
Lillian Dunlap was the key speaker in this years’ Friel Lecture series. It was primarily sponsored by the Edward R. Murrow College of Communication.
“The Friel Lecture is a series we try to present every few years,” Dean and Professor of The Edward R. Murrow College of Communication, Erica W. Austin, said. “It is paid for by an endowment from the Friel family. They want to honor the memory of their daughter who was a trailblazer in broadcasting.”
The lecture was held in the CUB Auditorium on the evening of Oct. 16. “There was a miscommunication and the event happened on the same night as the forum for the University District so we had a small turnout,” Dean Austin said.
There were approximately 25 people in attendance, 15 appeared to be students.
“I was really surprised there weren’t more students there. I was really impressed by the lecture content and it’s an exciting topic,” Rachel A. McElwee, a junior at Washington State University, said.
Lillian Dunlap, who works as a professor in Leadership and Management at the Poynter Institute, also taught a workshop for WSU faculty titled “Teaching Diversity Across the Curriculum.” Approximately 15 faculty and staff attended the workshop.
“The workshop addressed how to naturally bring diversity into the classroom. She also discussed what makes excellent and ethical reporting,” Dean Austin said. “It received rave reviews.”
According to Dean Austin more people attended the last lecture series. She also said the event will be reviewed and it will be discussed what went well and what could be done differently in the future.
Lillian Dunlap was the key speaker in this years’ Friel Lecture series. It was primarily sponsored by the Edward R. Murrow College of Communication.
“The Friel Lecture is a series we try to present every few years,” Dean and Professor of The Edward R. Murrow College of Communication, Erica W. Austin, said. “It is paid for by an endowment from the Friel family. They want to honor the memory of their daughter who was a trailblazer in broadcasting.”
The lecture was held in the CUB Auditorium on the evening of Oct. 16. “There was a miscommunication and the event happened on the same night as the forum for the University District so we had a small turnout,” Dean Austin said.
There were approximately 25 people in attendance, 15 appeared to be students.
“I was really surprised there weren’t more students there. I was really impressed by the lecture content and it’s an exciting topic,” Rachel A. McElwee, a junior at Washington State University, said.
Lillian Dunlap, who works as a professor in Leadership and Management at the Poynter Institute, also taught a workshop for WSU faculty titled “Teaching Diversity Across the Curriculum.” Approximately 15 faculty and staff attended the workshop.
“The workshop addressed how to naturally bring diversity into the classroom. She also discussed what makes excellent and ethical reporting,” Dean Austin said. “It received rave reviews.”
According to Dean Austin more people attended the last lecture series. She also said the event will be reviewed and it will be discussed what went well and what could be done differently in the future.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Frontline Response
1. Steven Smith felt it was important to differentiate between whether West had or had not engaged in these acts because he felt that it was the community's right to know if he was having relations with underage boys. Smith said if he was not engaging in activities with underage boys or abusing public office then there was no story.
2. Bill Morlin and The Spokesman-Review hired a consultant to post a profile on-line. They made the profile for an 18-year-old student and then started communicating with the mayor. Morlin felt it was not ethical for himself to engage in conversation with the mayor, but did feel it was appropriate to hire a consultant to do so.
3. The Spokesman-Review published so many articles on West's inproprieties because they broke the story and it was linked to past crimes. It centered on a public figure and affected the whole community. Also, the story developed over time so follow-up stories were important in continuing to keep the community informed.
4. I think West was hurt the most from the stories. The Spokesman-Review benefited by gaining notoriety for invesitgative journalism. This was a major story they broke that made national news. It also benefited the community because voters deserve to know that public officials are being held accountable and honoring public office. If public office is being abused it is the responsibility of the media to keep them honest.
5. I do not think there are ethical problems in reporting in the story. The newspaper is not making major accusations, rather raising suspicions and presenting facts. It is the media's responsbility to hold public officials accountable. If there were no facts to support the accusations then the paper would not print the story and the person accused would most likely not take unexpalined sick leave.
2. Bill Morlin and The Spokesman-Review hired a consultant to post a profile on-line. They made the profile for an 18-year-old student and then started communicating with the mayor. Morlin felt it was not ethical for himself to engage in conversation with the mayor, but did feel it was appropriate to hire a consultant to do so.
3. The Spokesman-Review published so many articles on West's inproprieties because they broke the story and it was linked to past crimes. It centered on a public figure and affected the whole community. Also, the story developed over time so follow-up stories were important in continuing to keep the community informed.
4. I think West was hurt the most from the stories. The Spokesman-Review benefited by gaining notoriety for invesitgative journalism. This was a major story they broke that made national news. It also benefited the community because voters deserve to know that public officials are being held accountable and honoring public office. If public office is being abused it is the responsibility of the media to keep them honest.
5. I do not think there are ethical problems in reporting in the story. The newspaper is not making major accusations, rather raising suspicions and presenting facts. It is the media's responsbility to hold public officials accountable. If there were no facts to support the accusations then the paper would not print the story and the person accused would most likely not take unexpalined sick leave.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Special Leads
Question Lead:
PRINCETON, New Jersey (CNN) -- There is a big question that hangs over this presidential campaign: Will a majority of voters give their support to the presidential candidate who is the intellectual in the contest?
http://http//www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/10/zelizer.intellectual/index.html
Narrative Lead:
Oprah has always said that mothers have the most difficult job on earth, and actress Jenny McCarthy is one mom who has never backed down from a challenge.
Jenny has been an outspoken advocate for parents of children with autism since her son was diagnosed with the disease two and a half years ago.
In her new book, "Mother Warriors," Jenny tells the story of other moms fighting for their special-needs kids.
So when Oprah heard about Monica, another mom fighting for her children, she thought Jenny would be just the person to get this mother warrior's story.
After going through a painful divorce, Monica met Tony when she least expected it. Monica already had a 9-year-old daughter, but soon after she and Tony got engaged, they were thrilled to be expecting another bundle of joy.
http://http//www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/10/10/o.warrior.mother.jenny.mccarthy/index.html
PRINCETON, New Jersey (CNN) -- There is a big question that hangs over this presidential campaign: Will a majority of voters give their support to the presidential candidate who is the intellectual in the contest?
http://http//www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/10/zelizer.intellectual/index.html
Narrative Lead:
Oprah has always said that mothers have the most difficult job on earth, and actress Jenny McCarthy is one mom who has never backed down from a challenge.
Jenny has been an outspoken advocate for parents of children with autism since her son was diagnosed with the disease two and a half years ago.
In her new book, "Mother Warriors," Jenny tells the story of other moms fighting for their special-needs kids.
So when Oprah heard about Monica, another mom fighting for her children, she thought Jenny would be just the person to get this mother warrior's story.
After going through a painful divorce, Monica met Tony when she least expected it. Monica already had a 9-year-old daughter, but soon after she and Tony got engaged, they were thrilled to be expecting another bundle of joy.
http://http//www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/10/10/o.warrior.mother.jenny.mccarthy/index.html
Monday, October 6, 2008
In spite of police efforts, the where-abouts of the 4-year old girl who went missing from her crib on Saturday evening remains unknown.
Maria L. Norton, mother of the missing Angela Melissa Norton, made a public plea urging anyone with information in regards to the location or abuduction of her child to come forward.
Police have knocked on every door within a six-block radius of the child's home. They have also began questioning the babysitter and the parents.
Maria L. Norton, mother of the missing Angela Melissa Norton, made a public plea urging anyone with information in regards to the location or abuduction of her child to come forward.
Police have knocked on every door within a six-block radius of the child's home. They have also began questioning the babysitter and the parents.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Palouse Ridge Golf Club: Success or Failure?
The Palouse Ridge Golf Club was booked to full capacity for the Washington State University Homecoming weekend.
Due to a harsh winter the course opened Aug. 29, approximately a month after the desired start date.
“The course gets about 100 players a day which is right at our expectations and our sales merchandise is doing better than expected,” the general manager of the Palouse Ridge Golf Club, Bruce Perisho said.
The club has hosted few events which Perisho said is due to a lack of aggressive marketing. However, the Palouse Ridge Golf Club will be hosting next year’s Washington State Amateur Championship.
Tammy Lewis, the executive director of the Pullman Chamber of Commerce said that the golf course will be excellent for Pullman’s growing tourism industry.
According to a study conducted by Dean Runyan Associates, Whitman County’s tourism revenue has increased from $22.8 million in 1991 to $50.8 million in 2006.
“Forty-percent of the golfers are from out of town,” Perisho said.
Lewis said the golf course can be used in a vacation package with other courses in Eastern Washington. “I am excited because the golf course will bring business to town in the summer months when Pullman is much slower because school is out of session,” Lewis said.
According to Lewis Pullman has not yet seen an increase in business or a noticeable difference in local hotel occupancy.
“Because of the late opening of the course we missed out on primary vacation months so hopefully next year the Pullman economy will get a bigger boost from the course,” Lewis said.
Aside from bringing tourists to the area Perisho said the course will attract better Pullman faculty, more businesses, and retain employees in the area.
The Palouse Ridge Golf Club employs approximately 60 Washington State University students, Perisho said. The employment is entirely seasonal and only a few permanent employees will be kept on staff through the winter months.
Although the golf course is owned by WSU it is managed by CourseCo Inc., a private company based out of California. The company manages 16 golf courses in the United States. The $12.3 million course was built from unrestricted donations Perisho said.
“Most of the Pullman community has a positive attitude about the golf course, but there are those that were not in favor of it,” Lewis said.
The expansion of the golf course has been a long process, it has been in the works for 20 to 30 years, Perisho said.
Due to a harsh winter the course opened Aug. 29, approximately a month after the desired start date.
“The course gets about 100 players a day which is right at our expectations and our sales merchandise is doing better than expected,” the general manager of the Palouse Ridge Golf Club, Bruce Perisho said.
The club has hosted few events which Perisho said is due to a lack of aggressive marketing. However, the Palouse Ridge Golf Club will be hosting next year’s Washington State Amateur Championship.
Tammy Lewis, the executive director of the Pullman Chamber of Commerce said that the golf course will be excellent for Pullman’s growing tourism industry.
According to a study conducted by Dean Runyan Associates, Whitman County’s tourism revenue has increased from $22.8 million in 1991 to $50.8 million in 2006.
“Forty-percent of the golfers are from out of town,” Perisho said.
Lewis said the golf course can be used in a vacation package with other courses in Eastern Washington. “I am excited because the golf course will bring business to town in the summer months when Pullman is much slower because school is out of session,” Lewis said.
According to Lewis Pullman has not yet seen an increase in business or a noticeable difference in local hotel occupancy.
“Because of the late opening of the course we missed out on primary vacation months so hopefully next year the Pullman economy will get a bigger boost from the course,” Lewis said.
Aside from bringing tourists to the area Perisho said the course will attract better Pullman faculty, more businesses, and retain employees in the area.
The Palouse Ridge Golf Club employs approximately 60 Washington State University students, Perisho said. The employment is entirely seasonal and only a few permanent employees will be kept on staff through the winter months.
Although the golf course is owned by WSU it is managed by CourseCo Inc., a private company based out of California. The company manages 16 golf courses in the United States. The $12.3 million course was built from unrestricted donations Perisho said.
“Most of the Pullman community has a positive attitude about the golf course, but there are those that were not in favor of it,” Lewis said.
The expansion of the golf course has been a long process, it has been in the works for 20 to 30 years, Perisho said.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
"Feeding the Beast" 10/1/08
1. The "beast" is the news cycle. By deciding what stories you will run you are deciding what will dominate the news and what the general public will see.
2. The news outlet such as a tv production or newspaper needs to feed the news cycle so that audience remains sastisfied. If one news source is not providing juicy and captivating stories than the audience will in fact change where they get their news.
3. The news can be compromised when operating in the 24-hour news cycle. There is a quick turn around so the reporter may not have the time to get adequate sources. Also the story may not be completely developed, as in the case of the two dead babies. Authorities still did not have all the details and the journalist was trying to form a story because news source wanted to be the first to break the news.
2. The news outlet such as a tv production or newspaper needs to feed the news cycle so that audience remains sastisfied. If one news source is not providing juicy and captivating stories than the audience will in fact change where they get their news.
3. The news can be compromised when operating in the 24-hour news cycle. There is a quick turn around so the reporter may not have the time to get adequate sources. Also the story may not be completely developed, as in the case of the two dead babies. Authorities still did not have all the details and the journalist was trying to form a story because news source wanted to be the first to break the news.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Pitch 1:
What are Young Democrats and Young Republicans doing on campus to register voters? Who has registered more voters and what events will the two groups be doing during election season to help their party?
I will investigate what activities the two groups are partaking in and with what level of success they have been able to ignite a political spirit in the WSU community.
Sources to be interviewed:
President of Young Democrats, President of Young Republicans
This story would be good in the Evergreen or a student publication because the issue impacts students.
Pitch 2:
A follow up to the success/failure of the Palouse Ridge Golf Club and Banyan's Restaurant. Is the golf course and restaurant making a good financial return on the university's investment? How many people are playing a day? I could compare student to resident use. Are the water issues that initially surrounded the golf course still an issue? And if so what is the status on water use for the golf course?
I will be looking at whether the golf course has been a lucrative investment. I could also explore the community attitude towards the golf course at this time.
Possible Sources to be Interviewed:
Employee at Pullman Facilities Operation
General Manager of the course
Manager of Banyan's Restaurant
Enviromental Science Experts (water rights specialists)
Local Politician
This news story would be best in a campus news letter or in newspapers throughout the region because taxpayers will want to know whether this controversial investment is panning out.
Pitch 3:
A level three sex offender is currently residing in Pullman. I would explore what the Whitman Country Sheriff's Office is doing to prevent another offense from taking place. I could also examine what students can do to best protect themselves. It would also be interesting to get the opinion of on campus security and see if precautionary measures are being taken.
Possible Sources to be Interviewed:
Employee of Whitman County Sheriff's Office
Campus Security
Student Opinion
This story would be best in the Daily Evergreen and the Pullman Daily newspaper because it impacts students and residents.
What are Young Democrats and Young Republicans doing on campus to register voters? Who has registered more voters and what events will the two groups be doing during election season to help their party?
I will investigate what activities the two groups are partaking in and with what level of success they have been able to ignite a political spirit in the WSU community.
Sources to be interviewed:
President of Young Democrats, President of Young Republicans
This story would be good in the Evergreen or a student publication because the issue impacts students.
Pitch 2:
A follow up to the success/failure of the Palouse Ridge Golf Club and Banyan's Restaurant. Is the golf course and restaurant making a good financial return on the university's investment? How many people are playing a day? I could compare student to resident use. Are the water issues that initially surrounded the golf course still an issue? And if so what is the status on water use for the golf course?
I will be looking at whether the golf course has been a lucrative investment. I could also explore the community attitude towards the golf course at this time.
Possible Sources to be Interviewed:
Employee at Pullman Facilities Operation
General Manager of the course
Manager of Banyan's Restaurant
Enviromental Science Experts (water rights specialists)
Local Politician
This news story would be best in a campus news letter or in newspapers throughout the region because taxpayers will want to know whether this controversial investment is panning out.
Pitch 3:
A level three sex offender is currently residing in Pullman. I would explore what the Whitman Country Sheriff's Office is doing to prevent another offense from taking place. I could also examine what students can do to best protect themselves. It would also be interesting to get the opinion of on campus security and see if precautionary measures are being taken.
Possible Sources to be Interviewed:
Employee of Whitman County Sheriff's Office
Campus Security
Student Opinion
This story would be best in the Daily Evergreen and the Pullman Daily newspaper because it impacts students and residents.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Comparing cnn.com, msn.com, and foxnews.com on the night Bill Clinton spoke at the Democratic National Convention made it easy to juxtapose the news sources. MSN and CNN were running the headline "Clinton: 'Barack Obama Ready to Lead'", Fox's headline read "Clinton: Obama is 'the man for this job'". All of these headlines were accompanied by a large photo of Bill Clinton, but upon further review these eye catching and seemingly unbiased titles took upon an opinionated undertone.
In the case of Fox News the byline read: "Former President Bill Clinton declares Obama ready for the White House before a rowdy Denver convention center.•What Next? Bill Skipping Obama Show", while MSN describes Clinton as "enthusiastic" and CNN mentions Bill's endorsement in conjuction with Hillary's. These three prominent news sources are presenting the same story, all in a manner that caters to their audience. For the conservatives reading Fox News, the condemnation of the Clinton-Obama alliance is to be expected and for the fluffy web layout of MSN it is no wonder the former president is portrayed in a light and favorable manner. CNN is a more hard-hitting news source than MSN, and incorporates Hillary Clinton into the story, creating a more complex and intertwining piece.
The formatting of CNN.com and foxnews.com is nearly as polarizing as their political leanings, with CNN's looking like a simple press-wire with headlines accompanied by bullet points,while foxnews uses more graphics and a wider variety of fonts. MSN.com is the type of site a reader short on time can visit and get the highlights of both world news, entertainment and human interest pieces. The audience attracted to MSN.com would likely be looking for a clear format where they can pick and choose thier stories. The site has created an easy to navigate landscape as the sections are clearly boxed: sports, entertainment etc. CNN requires more attentive reading, the headlines do not always tell the story and are not as often accompanied with photos. http://www.foxnews.com/ http://www.msn.com/ http://www.cnn.com/
In the case of Fox News the byline read: "Former President Bill Clinton declares Obama ready for the White House before a rowdy Denver convention center.•What Next? Bill Skipping Obama Show", while MSN describes Clinton as "enthusiastic" and CNN mentions Bill's endorsement in conjuction with Hillary's. These three prominent news sources are presenting the same story, all in a manner that caters to their audience. For the conservatives reading Fox News, the condemnation of the Clinton-Obama alliance is to be expected and for the fluffy web layout of MSN it is no wonder the former president is portrayed in a light and favorable manner. CNN is a more hard-hitting news source than MSN, and incorporates Hillary Clinton into the story, creating a more complex and intertwining piece.
The formatting of CNN.com and foxnews.com is nearly as polarizing as their political leanings, with CNN's looking like a simple press-wire with headlines accompanied by bullet points,while foxnews uses more graphics and a wider variety of fonts. MSN.com is the type of site a reader short on time can visit and get the highlights of both world news, entertainment and human interest pieces. The audience attracted to MSN.com would likely be looking for a clear format where they can pick and choose thier stories. The site has created an easy to navigate landscape as the sections are clearly boxed: sports, entertainment etc. CNN requires more attentive reading, the headlines do not always tell the story and are not as often accompanied with photos. http://www.foxnews.com/ http://www.msn.com/ http://www.cnn.com/
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