A Grad's Eye View

2006-04-10T18:12:00.000-04:00

One of the Grad's Eye View bloggers has split from the group, which has disbanded since the course's completion in December 2005. Jameson Bull has begun blogging at www.jamesonbull.blogspot.com.

You can also check out his site at www.jamesonbull.com or check out his blog here.

Enjoy

2005-12-06T11:15:00.000-05:00

In the November 14 issue of Time Magazine, Daniel Eisenberg wrote an article titled "Ambition and Kids: How to help them succeed." The article argues that although children are usually born with a healthy amount of ambition, that natural drive to succeed fades for many during middle and junior high school. The students who fall victim to this lack of motivation end up joining the ranks of many underachievers in society today. Given that we PR master's students would not be where we are today if the ambitious flame had dwindled during those hard middle school years, the article begs questioning. Can ambition be taught like any other subject in school? Are we just the lucky ones born with this natural ambitious gift that Eisenberg speaks of or did our previous education entertain and foster our ambitious drive to succeed?

I don't think ambition is something that can be taught. Ambition is a quality you are either born with or develop during early childhood. It is clear that our parents had a lot to do with the ambition we all take for granted. Oftentimes, people who grow up in an enviornment that does not value ambition, these people find themselves at the bottom of the totem pole even before their middle school years. This is a harsh reality for many in society today, but I do feel that a person's drive to succeed comes from within and careful monitoring by strong parental figures.
Hill

In a sense, I think we are the lucky ones. Speaking for myself, and I know many others, my "ambitious flame" was fanned by supportive parents, mentors and teachers all my lives. I don't think that ambition can be taught like any other subject. Some children exhibit signs of it earlier on than others, almost as if it is inborn. But I do believe that ambition can modeled and supported in school for all children. Ambition is something that, at whatever level one poses it, is maintained and grown by support and a clear definition of success. In the earliest years when one begins to define ambition, that definition is shaped by the referencing of examples of what can be when you set your goals high and work hard---that is something that can be done in the classroom. Being aware of the need to help children look within themselves for their strengths and apply them to reach levels of success in whatever they choose to do is as much of a role of a teacher as lecturing on math, history or any other subject. In fact, reaching out to those children who perhaps don't have those supporters at home or who do not show sparks of ambition early on is perhaps paramount.
Kristin

I believe that ambition is taught, but I am not convinced that it could be instilled at school. We learn by mimicking and perhaps as pre-teens we are more perceptive and recognize the behaviors that are frequent in our households. Children whose parents are highly educated tend to seek education. This is most likely a combination of taught values as well as behaviors. Therefore even if schools modified programs in order to encourage children to become more ambitious I think a large portion of how we are act is out of the hands of school districts. Thanks,
Shoshana

I think persistence, and tenacity can be developed and encouraged in schools. Ambition(as a concept) maybe hard to teach, I believe it is something inherent to some degree in each and every one of us. Life experiences, role models, family, and friends can also motivate ambition. But I think the best gauge of one’s ambition is what value you place on your self-worth, and a healthy dose of self-esteem is a great precursor to an ambitious mind. If you think you’re
“Kind-of-a-big-deal” you’d probably be ambitious to succeed at everything you do and you would honestly believe you could accomplish those things. I’m on the side of the thinking that one might be born with that inner drive therefore we are lucky that we do have that natural ambitious gift and sit through class everyday and yet come back for more. I can’t say enough about the value of positive role models, wanting to emulate someone is a great ambition driver.
Helen

I don't know if ambition can be taught like other subjects. If people are becoming less ambitious in middle school, I think it's because of the drop in self-esteem that most people experience around the time they enter middle school. Isn't the low self-esteem biological and not something to be blamed on testing and separation of kids with different levels of ability? Maybe building self-esteem would build ambition too.
Kelsie

I lacked ambition in middle school. I almost failed out of school. The same thing goes for highschool. Ambition cannot be taught. Either you have it or you don't. It wasn't ambition that got me through school. It was the fear of the wrath of my mother.
Kim

2005-12-03T14:34:00.000-05:00

Hi I would like your opinion on a issue pertaining to quotes. How would you deal with a situation where you were interviewing a foreigner who made grammatical mistakes? Do you include them? There are plenty of story pieces on Bush that include his grammatical errors. Are they charming or do they just make someone look stupid? I interviewed a foreigner for my profile which is what sparked this question. I am assuming that in a journalistic piece you would include these mistakes (my professor at UCLA told me you could modify to some extent but you can't completely alter the quotes) whereas in a PR piece you can completely alter them. Even though this is a PR piece I am afraid that fixing the mistakes will imply that the person I interviewed speaks English better than he actually does. What do you think?
Shoshana

Hillary Magee
I think that although news writing professors would argue that altering the grammar and English misuse of words while interviewing a foreigner would run the risk of changing the style and significance of the interviewees thoughts, I don't know if this is necessarily true. Sometimes, we Americans, like foreigners make silly mistakes when speaking. Some people do it because interviews make them nervous. Some people do it because they have poor grammar. Some people do it subconsciously. I don't think people, in general, should be publicly embarassed when something reaches the newstands that they possibly didn't MEAN to say or certainly weren't conscious of.

Jasmine L Harris
For the sake of the person I think I would alter the quotes in brackets rather than including grammatical errors. I mean really, if you understand that this person is foreign and may not state something in the way he would if it were his own language then wouldn't you rather correct him than make him look idiotic? The only exception would be if you are trying to make a point in your article that his grammatical mistakes highlight. I've seen that done and it is completely acceptable. I think it's a matter of respect for the person you are interviewing.

Kelsie Roehl
I think I would include some of the mistakes, as long as a reader could still
understand what the person was saying. It seems like not including the mistakes would represent the person inaccurately. If I edited out all mistakes, I think important aspects of someone's (character?--I'm not sure what the word I'm looking for is) would be missing. If the interviewee is a foreigner, one would not expect his or her English to be perfect and mistakes in grammar would not make the person seem stupid. I think.

Kristin Kane
In my experience, yes, you correct them. It is the same as if an American makes a grammatical mistake. I think some writers take license on this -- and when they do, it is to get an idea about that person across to the public (perhaps, the writer of those Bush pieces wanted to show that he is a man in power who can't seem to speak proper English?) Yes, you can modify quotes. So long as the sentiment that
the source was trying to get across is there and your altering of his/her original phrasing is for clarity, you're fine. Sometimes writers also modify quotes to avoid reps or punch up the language.

Jennifer L. Unislawski

Even though I think it would be funny if press materials from the White House actually contained the word "strategery," that doesn't mean it's good PR. It wouldn't make any sense if a PR person were to disseminate information containing grammatically incorrect quotes from their orgnization's leaders, especially since many PR practitioners write the quotes themselves and run them by quoted individuals before publication. If it is an organization's policy to only use quotes that came directly from the horse's mouth, then it would also have to be their policy not to put bad quotes in press releases and such. As for doctoring a quote for PR materials, I think that it's not a problem as long as the speaker has given their approval.

2005-12-02T17:00:00.000-05:00

TOPIC:

A recent article on Reason Online says the following: "Hollywood's rapacious global audience, combined with the worldwide proliferation of cable programming and Internet content plus the mainstream media's doubling of entertainment coverage during the last decade, has created a situation in which too many reporters are chasing too few stars. Increasingly, publicists can dictate whatever terms they want to reporters desperate for a crumb." (Full article viewable at http://www.reason.com/0511/co.mw.the.shtml.)

While the goal of any PR practitioner is to get hits for his/her client, does an environment such as the one described in this passage undermine the credibility of the PR industry to the public? How about the editorial content in which the client is mentioned? In your opinion, is there any danger in a world in which publicists can increasingly wield control over the direction of editorial content? -Kristin Kane

Kelsie Roehl:
Celebrities are kind of irrelevant to society except that they make movies and play sports at an advanced level. That’s all they do though. It’s really dangerous if publicists are able to direct editorial content toward people who aren’t important, except to some people who are curious about them. That undermines the credibility of the PR industry because publicists can feed the media bad information, which the media will publish/broadcast when they have no other “credible” sources--how credible can honest PR people seem if their more visible counterparts lie? It also undermines the credibility of media
outlets when they run with bad information.

Shoshana Cohen:
Of course there is danger in a publist having control of editorial content. I suppose the real issue is why do we care so much about stars? I used to hate all the pop culture junk but something about being totally disconnected with the US has caused me to read about stars like Christina Aguilera (who's husband went to Tulane like me) as if they were something important. In terms of the press, clearly there is a danger in anyone having so much control of editorial content but in terms of relevance to life, I mean who cares in Britney Spear's rep controls what is written about her...

Jameson Bull:
While the power of celebrities over the content published about them
grows, it seems to suggest that publicists are being given more power
over exactly what is said about their client and journalists are given
less control over what they are able to say and what questions they
are able to ask.

While this situation has undeniably strong implications on both the
journalism and public relations professions, I don't think the exact
impact can be so easily predicted. Publicists have the opportunity to
throw an ultimatum at interested journalists (ask only these questions
and publish X type of story or you won't get an interview) or simply
use this trend as a bargaining chip to encourage a stronger
relationship with journalists.

If everything written by journalists about a celebrity is so polished
that it glows with that wonderful PR shine, the public will know it.
Publicists should not enforce absolute power over the journalists they
hope will write about their client, as it will clearly destroy the
credibility and the public's interest in the content. Without the
public trusting that what the journalist writes is fair and balanced,
we might as well just take out an Ad for our client.

Kim Gorode:
It says a lot about the growing power of the PR industry that a practitioner can control the media using his or her celebrity client as a pawn. Celebrity news is fluff. The real problem occurs when public relations practitioners have the power
to manipulate hard news. I do not think that the trend in celebrity news will play out in hard news arena. I do not think the public will allow it. I applaud the practitioners who are able manipulate the news the way they do concerning their celebrity
clients, because they have created a trend that benefits themselves and their clients, and that is generally accepted by the American public.

Helen Boyce:
Celebrities are a breed unto themselves. As a publicist, you would want to promote your client in the best light possible. Access granted comes at a price and the public determines what is hot and what is not. If your client happens to be on the hot list you pretty much have control as to what you want said about your client. More importantly, the stars themselves dictate to the publicist what they want and if they're hot enough the publicist has alot of wielding power. Ethically, PR practitioners should strive to uphold the profession, and it does compromise the profession if we give in to pressures/demands or wimps of our clients, the true grit of the job will be the balancing act between the client's supersize ego and towing the ethical line.

Hillary Magee:
I think that the fact that publicists have the ability to control the editorial comment of the news media in general is incredily damaging. Furthermore, because the world of public relations seems to always be caught up in the midst of the media frenzy, I think this could seriously damage our credibility. People who buy magazines and tabloids want variety and these
days the content is a far cry from what it used to be. Since the publicists are in fact acting as "self-censors" for their clients, public relations practitioners and news media in general will continue to run the risk of not only re-printing information the public is already aware of, but fabricating or for lack of a better phrase "making up" information that will suit the public's fancy. Where do we draw the line with publicists and their overwhelming control? Is their even a line to draw?

2005-11-10T21:53:00.000-05:00

Helen says...Watching "The Apprentice" gave me this idea... Whose apprentice would you like to be? For me it would have to be hands down Rupert Murdoch(News Corp), my first couple of questions would be.."How do you secretly rule the world?" and "How much money do you really have?" Share your ideas as to whom you see working for as an "apprentice" to learn the ropes of the biz.

Kate says...I want to be 50 Cent's apprentice to find out how to get rich or die tryin'.

Kelsie says...I would like to be Martha Stewart's apprentice. But I don't want to be on TV.

Kim says...I have several standards for whose apprentice I would like to be, though my standards are quite low. As it is now, I am unemployed and living off of my parents. I would like this to cease as soon as possible,
So I would like the person I apprentice for to:
1. Give me some money for my work (hopefully a livable wage)
The following standards are desirable, but optional:
1. Have an office located in NYC, preferably in the downtown area, so that I could go to good bars for happy hour after I get off work with my friends.
2. Not make me photocopy
The following are fantasy standards:
1. Apprentice for P. Diddy, because then I would be rich and live in NYC and get to go to the best bars.

Kristin says...That's a tough question. I guess there are a few people that I would want to apprentice. To start, how about Hillary Rodham Clinton to learn how she remains so tough and focussed in the face of public scrutiny and Helen Gurley Brown (back in the day) to learn from her trailblazing efforts that redefined women's magazines.

Sunanda says .....Probably Jennifer Aniston. She's always in the news for some reason and I would not be bored. If I get bored, I would take her secrets and run to the Branjelina camp :-)
Ohhh....and how can I forget Oprah ! Yeah , Boss 1 ruled out ! It's definately Oprah Winfrey !!!!!
I love her public image, sense of humor and warmth. Just being around her and soaking in the inspiration would be so amazing. I don't know if would want to hang out with Dr Phil though.

2005-11-09T21:21:00.000-05:00

An epitaph (literally: "on the grave" in ancient Greek) is text honoring the dead, most commonly inscribed on a tombstone or plaque. Poets and authors such as Jonathan Swift have been known to write their own epitaphs. After we're long gone, our respective epitaphs may be the last thing we're remembered by. As good PR practitioners we want to make sure our final words represent us well.

Kim Gorode
"A tomb now suffices her for whom the whole word was not sufficient."

Kelsie Roehl
Writing my epitaph is moot because my sister told me she’ll do whatever it takes to make sure I die first and she gets power of attorney so she can have me cremated. But these are some ideas should something go wrong with her plan. (Because murder is illegal.)

--“I told you I was sick”--I think those were someone’s last words and they would be fitting because Jasmine didn’t believe that I have the mumps, which I’m pretty sure I do. I’ll probably die of them because no one believed me.

--“Nuke the whales” because then one of my favorite sayings would be etched in stone instead of just on a bumper sticker, which is temporary.

--“Here lies Kelsie. She thought censorship is un-American.

--“I shut my eyes and all the world drops dead/I lift my lids and all is born again.” because I like that poem.

Jameson Bull:

--Here lies Jameson Bull, He was like Batman, but with superpowers.

--I'm only napping. I promise.

--Didn't your mother ever tell you that it is rude to stand on people?

Kristin Kane: A while ago, my aunt gave me a ceramic knick-knack with a saying on it that is way more profound that the item it is on. It has been a quote that I have related to all my life. If I had to choose an epitaph for myself, I'd like to use those words: "If you see someone without a smile, give him one of yours." I've been fortunate in my life to have many.

Helen Boyce: Here lies...ah what's her name!

Jen Unislawski: Can you hear me now?

Shoshana Cohen: Held her breath and counted to ten, Insisting that she'd be back again, the question is when.

Sunanda Seshadrinathan :

"I'm doing now what I do best "

" Oh she finally shut up and stopped asking questions"

" Rest o restless mind for you finally have been given some rest"

Hillary "Better Late Than Never" Magee: "Here lies Hillary Magee. A caring daughter, a loving sister, and a fabulous dresser."

2005-11-05T13:17:00.000-05:00

Halloween gives us a chance to return back to our youth. It is a time to remember what it was like to be an energetic little kid who would do anything for the 5-pounds of chocolate that were later consumed for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for three days straight. We went on “sugar highs” and did crazy things.

In honor of Halloween, we are going back to the days of being mummies, vampires, pumpkins, and ghosts to reminisce about our "Halloween Memories". These are anything from funny stories, to childhood pranks, to embarrassing costumes. Here are some of the memories we recalled:

Meg Vercillo writes:
“I went to a Catholic School for my sophomore thru senior years of high school. We had a strict dress code, so everyone always jumped at the opportunity to dress down on designated days. Halloween was infamous in bringing out the best (and sometimes the worst) in peoples’ tastes. I am not really sure why, but my junior year I decided to dress up as a French Maid (I know what you are probably thinking, but it was pretty conservative, all things considered). As the day went on, I got tired of carrying around my feather duster so I put it in my locker. I also became increasingly frustrated that my white apron would not stay on over the rest of my costume, so I eventually put that in my locker too. It got to the point where I was basically wearing just a black t-shirt, a black skirt, and tights. I was running late to class when the woman in charge of enforcing the dress code stopped me abruptly in the hallway and yelled, “Miss Vercillo, dressing like a you-know-what is not appropriate for Catholic School. If you do not fix your costume, I will be forced to send you home”. I tried to explain to her that I was dressed as an innocent French Maid and that I had absolutely no intention of being “promiscuous”. She later believed me, but I was so embarrassed!”

Kelsie Roehl writes:
Here is my Halloween memory: “One year at work we dressed as Kiss. Almost every 30-something male who came through was so excited. It was bizarre. They yelled things like “Rock on” and “Hey Gene, when’s Ace gonna be here?”

Kate Murphy writes:
I was a very literal child – big bird always had to be colored yellow, trees were always brown and green, etc. So it should be no surprise that I was uninventive and elected to be Mighty Mouse for 3 years in a row. As I recall, my brother was a pirate for four years running as well. At least we were cost effective children – Halloween costumes can be expensive. I estimate we saved my parents roughly $100 which is now a small consolation considering that that pays for roughly 1 college textbook.

Kim Gorode writes:
Every Halloween night, after my parents would go to sleep, my brother and I would come downstairs and eat as much candy as we possibly could. Every year, our parents gave all of our candy to a homeless shelter the day after Halloween. I don't think giving candy to charity is mean, but as an adult who now knows the price of candy, I now realize that my parents really could have forked out the $6 (if even that much, since candy goes on sale Nov. 1) to buy bags of candy for the homeless shelter instead of taking our candy.

Sunanda Seshadrinathan writes:
I do not have any great memories since noone was big on Halloween in India. I only used to read about in the books and comics.We used to have a rumor back in school that on halloween, if we walked alone into a totally dark room holding one candle and stared at the mirror, we would see the face of the person we would marry. When I was in high school, my friends and I swore that we would summon up the courage to do so.

And we never did :-(

Kristin Kane writes:

"I certainly have some gem costume moments from my childhood I can share. Cowgirl Barbie. Princess Leia from Star Wars, while my across the street neighbor went as Luke Skywalker (what a team.) Going as Madonna in her hats and men's clothing phase (yes, I raided Grandpa's closet for that one.) But the more Halloweens that passed, the my mother got tired of putting all this work into my ballet costumes for my end of the year recitals just to have to do it all over again come October for Halloween. So if there is something you can be that involves a leotard and some sequins, I've been it! But I have to say that my most priceless Halloween memory is more recent.
About two years ago my boyfriend and I went as a boy scout and a girl scout -- full uniforms and all (it was a proud moment to still fit into my sash after all these years -- and no, I don't still have all of the skills that earned me my woodworking patch.) The most hysterical aspect of the whole event was when my boyfriend ended up standing next to a man dressed as a priest at a party we were at. You can imagine the thoughts -- and laughs -- that ensued considering recent headlines!”

2005-10-20T10:59:00.000-04:00

As a frequent user of Myspace.com I was shocked to find out FOX bought it. What would a big corporation such as this want with this sort of space (hmmm, let me think). All we need is more right wing propoganda clouding our minds. I guess what they say is true, no space is free.

Kelsie Roehl
I don't think a large corporation's owning something like Myspace.com is a problem, whether or not that company is conservative or liberal or anything else. I think the problem would come if the corporation decided to start censoring people on Myspace because they had opinions contrary to what the company stands for. But Fox doesn't appear to censor Alan Colmes so I don't think it would censor liberals on Myspace. I have clearly have no clue what I'm talking about.

Jameson Bull
Within a medium which is almost run purely by its members, like myspace or facebook, its owner needs to have a lot of respect for its members that are diving traffic to thier site, giving them ad revenue, or whatever it is that pays the bills.
I have no worries about NewsCorp. If Bill O'Reilly starts spewing right wing propoganda into myspace.com, people will leave, they will find someplace else to go, they will create a whole new myspace to use where they won't have to deal with the feeling of a corporate giant looking over their shoulder. I think NewsCorp. understand this and if not, at least it will provide for some really interesting commentary to see how myspace users react.
After all, this is the internet, the most expansive and dynamic medium ever. People go to myspace because they like it. If NewsCorp. mucks it up, plenty of people will like it, and will go find someplace friedlier to waste away their time updating their list of favorite movies and which boys they think are dreamy and counting the reasons why Cady Heron is the coolest girl in school.

Kristin Kane
Rupert Murdoch, for better or for worse, has a core driven by one and only one thing -- money. While I do not believe that the homogenization of media is of benefit to the marketplace of ideas, I would venture to say that the unique atmosphere that is MySpace will flourish under its new ownership because it is that open environment that makes it of value. That is, its structure and function will remain. The real question is how heavy a grip will News Corp. have on its content? What will the definition of "appropriate material" be? MySpace is a space dedicated to the free expression of your own ideas. But, as on any site, some material can be deemed inappropriate for publishing. How will News Corp. react if a member starts bashing its company on the site? I'd venture to say that red pens would come out in full effect. So, to me, the biggest potential danger would not be a blatant pushing of a News Corp. agenda (what that could be, I have no idea…), but a silent shaping of content hidden behind the guise of the successful MySpace format.

Kim Gorode
Who really cares that Fox bought myspace.com? I understand that there could be political implications, right-wing propaganda, etc. But seriously, it is a Web site that people use to 1. Stalk 2. Proclaim popularity through the accumulation of “friends” and 3. Meet Internet boyfriends and girlfriends. If you find it really upsetting that Fox bought My Space, use Friendster or Facebook. Or better yet, get up from your computer and stop spending so much time playing on the Intenet.

2005-10-12T16:28:00.000-04:00

We’re Kind of a Big Deal…People Know Us
And if they don’t, they will soon
by Jen Unislawski

Bloggerati (n.) A-List bloggers in the blogging community; derived from the term literati.

Grad students can be bloggerati too. Just ask our readers…when we get some. How are we going to achieve Internet fame? Well, that’s what we set out to find out this week. A lot of popular bloggers get their status simply by being active in the blogging community instead of just posting and signing off. Our goal is to put some of our “chronic away message-checking” energy to some good use and start making our mark in the blogging world. I think that blogger Ken Leebow’s got a great idea. His blog, “Blogging About Incredible Blogs” (http://www.bloggingaboutblogs.blogspot.com/) is all about the lack of great blogs and how to make them good. Here are some comments and suggestions from our aspiring bloggerati.

JAMESON BULL:

Dear aspiring Bloggerati:

So you want your postings to actually matter? Here are a few tips from the pros.

1) Post frequently.
a. Example: the popular tech-gadget blog engadget revealed a blog-style play by play to the anticipated Apple announcement today. Postings came directly from the press conference, as it was all happening, and through the RSS feed, losers like me were able to find out exactly what good old Stevey-boy was up to just as the press was learning about iTunes 6.0 and the new iPod and the upgraded iMac G5 at just about the same time the press did.

b. Example: whether it is news about the creation of the OC fashion line, or all the shows that are actually worth watching tonight, or why FOX lacks the balls to support its best-written show, you can always plan on finding something new at http://www.tvsquad.com/.

2) Your horse ‘aint that high.

a. You are a blogger. Know your place. Sure, you can instantly distribute just about anything you want to readers all over the world, but where is your credibility? Feel free to spew whatever views you want onto your blog, but don’t expect anyone to believe it. Anyone in their right mind should take anything written on a blog with a 10 lb. bag of salt, no matter what the source.

3) Make me happy!

a. Make me want to come back. If someone somehow stumbles upon your stuff.. sure, that is great… but what is the use if all the readership you get is people who got lost, find their way here, and never come back? Give ‘em a reason to expect something worthwhile next time they stop by. Just like this link from the Jimmy Kimmel Show

And most importantly kids, don’t forget about those jazz hands!

-Jameson OUT!

KELSIE ROEHL XIV:

http://www.oregoncommentator.com/

This is The Oregon Commentator’s blog. The Commentator is an independent journal of conservative opinion published at the University of Oregon. I promise they aren’t right-wing crazies; there’s something for most (rational) political points of view. They’re anti-totalitarianism, believe apathy is a human right (I’m in love with the magazine’s mission statement). The blog is the best thing ever. EVER. It usually deals with politics and is always funny. And it’s not just for U of O students because their news and commentary is usually not campus-specific, although reading it was how I found out that I should have gone to the U of O for grad school. Apparently some of their students can get credit without going to class. See http://www.oregoncommentator.com/archives/000740.html

An excerpt:
"The beauty of blogging is that readers themselves (and not a few liberal newspaper editors) decide which material gets trafficked. Before, opinions were to be found amongst friends and in newspapers, both of which are rather select groups. Now the entire world has the potential of reading an individual's opinions, well-reasoned and researched or not. Readers are no longer limited to Jenny McBride's ramblings, your silly pap, or Ailee Slater's stoned gibberish." (The last part refers to several of the U of O campus paper's writers.) --Posted by Ian. Sorry, OC, for ripping this off, but it's really nice.
http://www.oregoncommentator.com/archives/000749.html

KIM GORODE:

My favorite blog link is http://www.livejournal.com/random.bml. It's not really a specific blog. If you click it, it brings up random a random LiveJournal. I enjoy reading random people’s LiveJournals, because 98 percent of the people who write blogs are so strange. One day, when my friend and I were reading random blogs, one of the blogs that came up was a boy who was auditioning at my school (I went to a music conservatory for two years of undergrad). Through reading his LiveJournal, we were able to get some pictures of him. These pictures made it possible to locate him in real life when he came for his audition. All of our LiveJournal-stalking fantasies came true. It was a great day.

KRISTIN KANE:

Ah, the wonders of technology. The birth and subsequent boom of blogging has given everyone from the literary genius to the flunky web troller equal opportunity to make their wisdom (or lack there of) available for the world to see. A cost-free outlet that allows writers of all walks of life to pump their ideas out into the world certainly makes for an ever-growing marketplace of ideas. For some, it's cathartic -- a way to get off their chests what's on their minds, or get through a tough time. For others, its a means of connecting to others going through something similar (like dieting) or who share acommon interest. And for many, it's a virtual soapbox. The reasons behind why blogs are created are infinite. But doing some brief blog surfing, I have to wonder who reads some of these! Take "Now Smell This"
(http://nowsmellthis.blogharbor.com/blog/_archives/2005/10/13/=201296389.html)
for example. According to its "about" section, this blog "is a blog about perfume. Regular topics include fragrance reviews news, interviews, perfume shopping tips, and new & upcoming fragrance releases. We also cover related areas such as home fragrance, scented bath & body products, and perfume books." Now I like to smell as fresh as a Sunripened Raspberry as much as the next girl, but who really wants to know THAT much about scents? Or loves them so much that they spend time writing and updating a page all about them? The occasional magazine piece on new perfumes may satisfy my flickering desire for scent news.

The Internet is loaded with blogs centered around the meaningful to the meaningless. The serious to the irreverent. But I guess my lack of a need for up-to-date news on the next lackluster eau de toilette Britney Spears is going to slap her name doesn't mean that there's no need for it at all. And really, whether there is or isn't, I'm happy to know that we are able to have equal opportunity to express ourselves...whoever we are, whatever our interests. Oh, and in case you are wondering, Marilyn Manson's forthcoming addition to the world of spritzes and dabs will be a cologne inspired by the "fashion-artcollaborations between Salvador Dali and Elsa Schiaparelli." Man, I hope it comes with a free gift.

JASMINE HARRIS

I know when we talk about blog's everyone likes to bring up the blogs they've read on political, social and economic issues so as to flex there intellectual muscle, but I'm going to be honest, I hate reading those types of blogs. It's like, what's the point? The people you agree with are only serving to stroke your own ego and the people you disagree with are not there to argue with you. Maybe it's just me, but the best part of having a political discussion is being able to spar face to face with the other person; without that the excitement is gone. And since I'm being honest I must honestly say that the blogs I enjoy reading the most are on Myspace.com. These are not just political arguments, they are someone thoughts, their personal conflicts and I find it far more enlightening and interesting to read than any other type of blog.

SUNANDA SESHADRINATHAN

I have a friend who goes by the blog name " Rat". Her blog is one of my all time favorites. She is a 24 year old professional and had written about her life, her jobs, her friends and the parties she attended. A nosey journalist came across her blog and published it in the local paper.

Here is what happened. The italics in red are bits from the news article that the journalist published.

Rat says

I was featured ( with link and all) in a rather derogatory article titled "Bimbodom's new Bridgets " about chick Indian Bloggers in a national newspaper. Not only do I think that the journalist was wrong in publishing an entire post of mine in the article without seeking my permission but I think its sad and rather pathetic that modern Indian women can be so narrow minded in their thinking.

Anyway Ms. Kanika Gahlaut this is for you if you are reading this ( Which I'm sure you are considering you managed to dig out a post from my March Archives ), Seriously you should have just saved yourself the time and contacted me like any other professional journalist would have and I would have given you a post that best describes my attention seeking , perennially single ,single-mindedly self-indulgent and grammatically challenged personality.Hmmm, Im sorry Professor Higgins if I don't match up to your standards of perfect grammar."Yet, her candour is seen as "fresh".

Her directness has a lot to do with the medium she writes in. She's the Internet's answer to reality TV, with a lot more sexthrown in.

"A lot of sex thrown in ? Please show me my posts where there is lots of sex thrown in ?? You seem to have seen aspects of my life which even I didn't know existed.Indian chick-click blogs are if you look beyond the grammar and skip over the purple prose a case study on the schizophrenic nature of being young andworking in India.

You sound a bit insecure? Bringing up this "bad grammar point " repeatedly.Worried you might lose your job to a member of the chick click blogger group ????"

And finally please do some real work and if you must critique writers find some real ones. Im just a jobless chick writing about my "raunchy" life. Don't waste your time honey.

Is this allowed ? Is it fair to publish a person's blog and critique it without their permission ?
Should there be a new set of blog ethics ?!

What do you think ?

2005-10-05T16:46:00.000-04:00

College Mascot Controversy
by Kelsie Roehl

This summer, PETA got angry again; I care because this time their anger might actually affect me. The organization asked the University of South Carolina and Jacksonville (Ala.) State University to change their mascots, the Gamecock. The gamecock is a bird used in cockfighting, which is illegal in 48 states, including Alabama and South Carolina.

I’m worried because the University of Oregon’s mascot is the duck. Would the U of O really want to be seen as exploiting such a majestic water fowl? I love U of O, I went to school there. It is very concerned with its public image. With PETA’s demands and new NCAA regulations about mascots, will we become the U of O Fighting Fir Trees? (And risk offending environmentalist groups, I’m sure.) I realize that the NCAA regulations are for Native American themed mascots, but will it end there? People are easily offended--if you don’t agree, go to PETA’s website.

On to the NCAA regulations. NCAA schools with Native American-themed mascots (University of Illinois Fighting Illini for example) that want to participate in NCAA tournaments starting in 2006 will be able to use their mascots during the regular season but will have to change them for tournaments. Do people realize, by the way, that Illinois was named after the Illini? Maybe Illinois and Utah (named after the Utes) should consider changing their names.

I’m not saying that there aren’t people who find these names offensive. But what about Sun Devils (Arizona State)? How is that not offensive to Christian groups? Would Arizona State become the Snow Angels? But that might offend Christians who don’t want Angels associated with the “violence” of contact sports. Are Huskies (University of Washington, UConn) offensive to chubby people or maybe sheep ranchers? And the Syracuse Orange. Do Florida citrus growers want to be associated with the football team’s fairly weak performance thus far this year?

And finally, an interesting piece of trivia and a warning that proves my point. Stanford, in the early 1970s, changed its mascot from the Indians to the Cardinal--the COLOR! Not the bird. It’s the worst mascot in the Pac-10 conference. They’re really politically correct. I don’t know if Crayola has a cardinal-colored crayon, but as long as Stanford sports are decent, Crayola shouldn’t mind, and I can’t think of anyone else who will be offended either.

This is the only thing I find offensive about the Duck mascot--it’s our mascot for a new generation. (Or something like that--I don’t know exactly what the thinking behind it is, but the image it puts out to the public is not a pretty one.) Fortunately Mandrake/RoboDuck/Duck Vader makes rare appearances. Our regular mascot, Puddles, looks like Donald Duck and is very loveable.

http://media.dailyemerald.com/vimages/shared/vnews/stories/3f9939a83c7df-26-1.jpg

I'd love to hear what our readers think about mascots. Post your comments! I'm especially curious what Syracuse fans think of the attempt several years ago to change our citrusy mascot to something more fierce--a wolf, I think I heard. Below are my are my beautiful, fabulous classmates' opinions on the mascot issue. --Kelsie

Kristin Kane:
While I do agree that any mockery or trivializing of any group of people is not appropriate, I do not believe that mascots fit this accusation. A mascot, by definition, is something used to symbolize good luck and represent a group. In the case of sports teams, mascots are chosen many times for their symbolism of strength and honor. Therefore, it is inherent that whatever is selected to be a mascot is held in high regard by the organization that chose it.

I think the argument posed is a bit of a slippery slope, as some of my colleagues have indicated. Will all teams be reduced to being called by meaningless titles, like colors or shapes? Hofstra University's teams used to go by the Flying Dutchmen. Now, they are known as the Hofstra Pride. A noble name, indeed. But what the heck is a "Pride?" It's not a thing, it's an ideal -- and I can't remember the last time I saw an ideal walking around and getting a crowd into the game. I'd even go further as to guess that dutch individuals worldwide were not assembling on the Long Island campus of HU to protest the former mascot.

I believe that our overanalization of how "PC" something is is to our detriment in this case. Certainly, if a group were being portrayed in a defamatory light, there would be reason to argue and reconsider how a mascot was representing itself. But I believe that mascots celebrate groups more than they portray them negatively. To argue to the contrary would mean that Notre Dame's Fighting Irish send the message that irish-americans are ready to rumble at all times -- which certainly is not the idea that fans cheer behind every football season. Should someone raise concern over the image of the groups mascots portray, I encourage him/her to consider the reasons why these mascots were chosen and the scope of what they stand for. If I were selected to be the sole representation of excitement, strength and unity for a group, I think I'd be pretty thrilled. The Lithuanian Warriors, anyone?

Jen Unislawski:
Once again, PETA's freaking out over nothing. At least the Gamecock is an amusing mascot. I agree with Kate that there are much more embarrassing mascots out there. I’d probably be a little pissed if I was a Black Fly from the College of the Atlantic or a Poet from Whittier College, but I'd get over it. I went to a school with a crappy mascot. For four years, I cheered on the Saxons at Alfred University. No disrespect to my alma mater, but for some reason I’m suddenly thinking of the W.A.S.P.s from “Not Another Teen Movie.” Anyway, i'm not about to protest or donate my life savings to the school just to try and have the teams changed to the Snowflakes. If groups like PETA had their way, every school mascot would be a vegetable or a flower. Go Pansies!

Jasmine Harris:
I think the mascot controversy just highlights how wrapped up our country is in being politically correct, which, in my opinion, is easiest way to make a fool of yourself. The NCAA does not want to seem racist by allowing schools to have american indian mascots or cheers and gestures that could be interpreted as stereotyping american indians, but a lot of schools have already gotten permission from the tribes in their area to continue using the mascots they have in place. So, if the people the NCAA is trying to "protect" by envoking these rules are as ambivalent about the topic as the rest of the country, why continue to push it? It is because of the eagerness of a majority white council to look as though they are trying to make a difference in world full of prejudice, but they are barking up the wrong tree.

Shoshana Cohen:
I am surprised that so much controversy over mascots even exists
although I understand that some people might be offended. I guess a
school really needs to think about what it wants to represent. If a
mascot is possibly offensive, does a school really want to promote that?

I went to Tulane in New Orleans. For years I asked myself, why exactly
are we the green wave? Our spirit club was called Tsunami, a name we all
found entertaining at the time. I guess we all know now what the Tulane
green wave was named after now... but should Tulane change its mascot
too? It's not an animal or a representation of a tribe, but it certainly
isn't an entertaining image anymore.

Kate Murphy:
Soon after I started grad school, my brother found out that the SU mascot was an orange. He called it “perhaps the most embarrassing mascot ever.” But then I did some searching online and found that there are much MUCH more embarrassing things to be called. For example, if you went to the University of Nebraska at Kearney you would be an antelope; you could be a camel at Connecticut College; or you could be the oh-so-terrifying dolphin by enrolling at Le Moyne in Syracuse; perhaps you’d rather be a humpback whale while attending the University of Alaska; or better yet, you could be a kangaroo, and all it would take is paying the U of M-Kansas City a couple grand a year.

In my opinion, the NCAA didn’t think its plans through. At my alma mater, Iowa, there’s been an uproar over the fact that our recently renovated visitors’ locker rooms were painted pink (in honor of Hayden Fry who originally painted them pink to “disarm” opponents). An associate professor called the pink locker rooms “sexist” and petitioned the NCAA to force the UI to redo the already re-done locker room. The response from the Hawkeye nation wasn’t pretty. There are many people who function under the belief that you don’t mess with tradition. The NCAA attempted to mess with tradition and now has backpedaled in the wake of angry Florida Seminole fans who, by the way, will be seeing their mascot in post-season play. If the NCAA was really going to take a stand against so-called “offensive” mascots, it should have done so across the board. In that, it has failed.

Kim Gorode:
Though I am not personally offended by mascots depicting Native Americans, I can understand how they are offensive to some. The problem is that mascots such as these have become an acceptable part of our culture. When they were first established as mascots people were not as concerned with being politically correct as they are today. Today, we are a more sympathetic culture. The problem, however, is how do we fix something that is so deeply rooted in American sports? I think we should eliminate offensive team names. This short-term disruption is outweighed by the long-term benefits.

Sunanda Seshadrinathan:

The whole concept of mascots in college is something I am not very familiar with.

I think the first college mascot I was exposed to was Otto the Orange and Tommy Trojan in USC. In India, Colleges neither have mascots nor school colors :-(

In my undergraduate college, boys and girls were not allowed to talk to each other !

If we were caught talking to a boy, we would be sent to the School Director and severely reprimanded. We had to wear Indian clothes with shawls covering our chests. Failure to do so would involve paying a fine or something ridiculous like that.

Perpetually depressed faces of students trapped in a 1600's educational system in 2000 was our college's mascot :-( Sorry I digressed...........I could not help turning back time.......

When I took back S.U. school gear to India, my sisters made so much fun of the bright orange and asked me how I did not feel shy to wear such a bright color in public. I used to feel like that initially but now the color has grown on me and so has Otto. I feel that once the hype and initial reactions die, mascots grow on you.

After all, they are all over the place....

I feel that there are so many other issues that people need to be concerned about over the hidden meanings of mascots. In a diversity sensitive school culture, I do not think that anyone would have a mascot to intentionally hurt a particular race. It is people's perception of how they choose to view it.

I am not able to understand why PETA would make an issue about using a bird as a mascot in a country where it is a struggle to eat in a restaurant as a vegetarian. People are adviced to avoid red meat and encouraged to eat lean meat such as turkey. There are more overwhelming issues about abuse against animals and I feel large organizations tend to focus on smaller ones since they feel it may be easier to get media mileage from them.

There are worse evils than bad looking mascots. In a culture where ribald jokes and yo-mama humor is acceptable, I feel we should not make such an issue over a mascot !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2005-10-03T14:02:00.000-04:00

This section of PR students have been asked to form a strategic plan to improve the U.S image abroad by making optimum use of the diverse skills of every individual in the class . Each of their plans have a unique name :)

Kelsie presents to you ............................................................:-)

Our plan is called Operation Charm Offensive.

Our mission would be to charm people into liking our country through speeches and pamphlets telling them that our country is a good place.

Vernedra, because she is so dynamic, would be our spokesperson.

Kate, Helen, Kim, Jen and Kristin would be in charge of written communication.

Jamie would be in charge of visuals.

Hillary, Meg,Jasmine and I are all multi-lingual which is important in communicating in other languages--mistranslations can be ugly.

Sunanda is from India so she understands the culture there and Shoshana has lived in Europe, which gives her an understanding of the culture there. Meg has worked with the UnitedNations.

They would be in charge of making sure we respect the cultures inthe various countries we tour so we don’t offend the people there, thus defeating the purpose of our visit.

And here is Kristin's plan .......................:-)

NAME American Outreach

SLOGAN Helping build a better tomorrow

APPROACH The task of addressing the United States' image abroad is a large one and something that would require tailored approaches depending on the countries being targeted and the audiences within those countries that are to be addressed.

The truth is that if a citizen of another country already has a negative view of the U.S.,there has to be special attention paid to identifying ways to go about administering our PR campaign to make them pay attention to the messages. I propose alignments with foreign organizations/associationsthat would give us a platform to address foreign citizens via public forum speeches, website entries, etc.

Not only will that help our initiatives gain footing on foreign soil, but it will give our campaign the added advantage of being associated with a group that's already familiar to/accepted by foreign communities. Literature can certainly play a part. But they key is making these audiences receptive to reading them. Focusing on alliances with organizations, institutions of higher education, etc. will give us that edge. Examples of how America's initiatives are directly helping each of the communities will need to be clearly presented.Events targeted to that end would also be of benefit in delivering our message.

RESPONSIBILITIES : Because of their language skills and/or familiarity with countriesabroad, Hillary, Meg, Sunanda and Shoshana would be charged withidentifying target audiences and prospective alliance organizations,message.

Kate, Jasmine, Helen, Jen and myself would head up research on how to best target foreign audiences via written communication. We\'d alsohandle the crafting of materials\' text.

Vern, Jamie, Kim and Kelsie would assist with identifying target audiences and brainstorm ways to best present our materials-- both written communications and live presentations

And now it's Vern's Turn ..........in her own unique dynamic style .........

An America for Aethetics

What's the point in going abroad to mend relationships when you have everyone mad at you in your homeland? That's like my mom fixing our neighbors roof, when the rain is leaking in her own.(This is not the real situation...we did many home improvements this summer)

I would not take the job ..........

I would suggest that we do a nation-wide tour.We would seek to find out what American citizens want us to do on a state by state basis.

Helen would handle issues of health seeing as that is her passion.

Jen is so nice and Kristin is always smiling so they would be perfect for community relations. This might entail getting displaced people of Lousianaj obs from the CDC's database.

Jamie knows how to say cool, and doesn't usually show too much emotion....so he we handle crisis communication.

Sunanda has the IT background, so she would help us consider the differnet communities technology needs.

Jasmine and Hillary would be in charge of event planning.

Katie and Shoshana always have a refreshingly unique perspective so they wouldbe in charge of research methods and facilitating focus groups.

Kim Gorode is so cool she would be in charge of creating the two-waycommunication between the government and the school.Because I came up with such a great idea....I pat myself on a back, hiremyself an administrative assitant, and tele-manage from my office while I enjoy my favorite snack, Little Debbie Honey Buns. Of course my girl Kelsie would join me because she made me spokeswomen in her blog!!

Sunanda Speaks ...................................

PR People Rockkkkkkkkkkkk

Jamie : Cool and Confident ! In charge of strategic planning and technical troubleshooting . A man of few words but well spoken when they are

Also, will protect us PR beauties from the roving eyes of foreign men !:-)

Kate : Dedicated, sincere, timely and neat . She would be a CEO and be involved in planning the campaign and managing the nitty gritty.

Jen : Head of Communications . With her sweet smile and social skills, Jen would charm the other countries into helping us boost image.

Kelsie : The sweetheart of the group ! Enthusiastic, involved and friendly. She would assist Kate and Jen

Kim : Cool, composed and collected. Kim with her specialized skills in collecting news briefs would help us get reports and news items on what other countries are saying.

Hillary: Hillary would be the head of communications efforts and the person in charge of Media Kits and Press releases. She would also give the local merchants business with her penchant for exotic accesories :-)

Meg: Her kind heart and quest for supporting good causes, may inspire her to stay on and help people in developing countries. She may speak Indian languages better than me when she comes back. She would assist Hillary in all her operations.

Helen : The Healthcare queen will be involved in all PR planning assignments. She would also help those who have the Indian spicy food attack ............................................

Vern: Words fail me . People would love the US just cos it creates cool people like her..........She'd say " You wanna be a cooler you " ? " Its America all the way !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kristin : Kristin would definately be co-CEO with Kate. She would come back with a plane full of new recruits and give diversity in SU a whole new meaning.

Shoshana: Shoshana would handle the Image Management efforts using her communication skills and analytical thinking to the best.

Jasmine : Jasmine would be official spokesperson. Her friendly nature and convincing way of talking would help us for sure.

Prof Lee : Mentor : All media related efforts. We will convince a car company to gift her an Asian made car when we come back !

Prof Wrigley : The Go-To person for any doubts, queries or concerns

Prof Kinsey : How can we forget our favorite Program director ! He would give us free cd's to charm the public.........................

Sunanda : Er ..........I'll say Im improving image in India, go home and keep the house nice and neat for you guys to come and stay over !

2005-09-16T09:22:00.000-04:00

A Comma Can Change Everything
By Kate Murphy

A personal pet peeve of mine is the incorrect usage of “its” and “it’s.” It’s a simple distinction:
it’s = it is
its = a possessive form of “it”

One misplaced or missing apostrophe is all it takes to irritate me, but I’ve never claimed to be a patient person.

As evidenced by Lynne Truss’ book “Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation,” a simple comma can change everything. Either the panda eats shoots and leaves or the panda eats, shoots and leaves.

Even the Supreme Court of the United States acknowledges the power of punctuation. In Masson v. New Yorker Magazine, Inc. (1991) Justice Kennedy delivered the opinion of the court in which he wrote: “The use or absence of punctuation may distort a speaker’s meaning, for example, where that meaning turns upon a speaker’s emphasis of a particular word.” Adding later, “…words and punctuation express meaning. Meaning is the life of language.”

Whether it changes meaning or is just a careless error, misuse of punctuation occurs everywhere. Take, for instance, this sign at the 2005 New York State Fair:

Still, I admit that even my own writing can contain punctuation errors. But it is by recognizing these errors that we become more critical writers.

Below are just a few examples that our class collected of punctuation gone awry:

The case of the missing colon

There's just no excuse for this ...

From fyvie.net:

From The Post-Standard (Syracuse, NY) on 9/20/05:

These aren't punctuation errors, but we couldn't resist:

Another gem from the NY State Fair:

From a sign in a local apartment building:

2005-09-05T13:09:00.000-04:00

Writer Bios:

JAMESON BULL
Welcome friends. We are glad you stopped by. I am one of the three males within the sea of almost thirty female students in the '06 class of Newhouse's graduate public relations program. But don't get me wrong, I could not enjoy the company of my female colleagues any more than I already do. It does seem to be bringing out my feminine side, which I have yet to decide whether it is a welcome change or not.

I graduated with a B.A. in public relations in May '05 from Quinnipiac University in southern Connecticut. I fell in love with the profession early as an undergrad and hope to someday run the consumer or media relations department of a major technology company or cable network.

I enjoy running, cycling, pretending to be a triathlete, snowboarding, NPR, anything related to New England, peppermint stick ice cream, barbecue chicken, and watching Arrested Development.

VERNEDRA WILLIAMS
Greetings! My name is Vernedra and I am 22-years old. I was born and raised in Englewood, New Jersey but my temporary home is Syracuse where I am a graduate student in the Public Relations. My goals are to work in the music and athletics industry before starting my own agency. In my spare time I like to cook, get involved with activities that increase my heart rate, or succumb to the peer pressure of my friends! I hope you enjoy the clever deep sights of me and my classmates. Have a great day!

JENNIFER UNISLAWSKI
My name is Jennifer Unislawski and I’m a graduate student in public relations at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. I got my bachelor’s degree in communication studies from Alfred University in western New York this past May. I’m originally from Johnstown, N.Y. which is just a small town about halfway between Albany and Utica. I chose the PR program here at Newhouse because they offer the training and hands-on experience that someone like me who doesn’t have any experience in the field will need to succeed. My aim as of now is to head toward organizational and corporate public relations.

HILLARY MAGEE
Hi there! My name is Hillary Magee and I am from Madison, Conn. I recently received my undergraduate degree from Union College in English and Spanish. Currently, I am pursuing my M.S. degree in public relations from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. I hope to graduate in May and then move to either New York or Boston to embark on a career in corporate public relations.

Although I have not technically worked in the public relations field prior to enrolling at Newhouse, I have had some experience in the Union admission office interviewing prospective students and representing the school at events. I look forward to learning and growing in the public relations arena through work with my professors and fellow graduate students here at Newhouse! What an awesome bunch!

HELEN BOYCE
My name is Helen Boyce, and I am from Hamlin, NY (town that still has only one traffic light, but we're getting there). I am a registered nurse with an interest in public relations in the healthcare arena. I have a double major in journalism and health science from SUNY Borckport (an excellent school), and coming to S.I Newhouse School of Public Communications has been a dream come true. I hope to someday end up in the pharmaceutical industry and be a part of bringing a more palatable and friendly face to the industry (in light of the "evil picture" that is currently portrayed in the media). Most of all have a full and rewarding run at the school and make the most of my time here at Newhouse.

MEG VERCILLO
Hello! I’m Meg Vercillo. I am from Fayetteville, N.Y., and am pursuing my M.S. in public relations at Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. I received a B.A. in political science and Spanish and a minor in Chinese from Union College in Schenectady, N.Y in June 2005. I enjoy traveling and speaking languages. I speak Spanish and Mandarin Chinese, and have just begun learning Arabic.
During undergrad, I did an internship with the Children’s Rights Council in Washington, D.C., where I worked as a legislative assistant. I also worked as an intern at the United Nations World Food Programme in New York, N.Y. I am mostly interested in government public relations, non-profit public relations, or working for a company where I can use my language skills and travel.

KATE MURPHY
I am a graduate student from Chicago, Ill. studying public relations at Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. I received my bachelor’s degrees in journalism and English from the University of Iowa in 2005, and have worked as an intern doing public relations for an Illinois park district, the Lincoln Park Zoo and the University of Iowa’s Dance Marathon. I hope to do public relations for a cultural entity like a zoo or museum upon completion of my master’s degree.

KELSIE ROEHL
I’m from Eugene, Oregon, and lived there for most of my life. I worked at a coffee shop in Eugene for several years during high school and college. It was fun for the most part, but never again do I want a job serving people who call me “stupid” to my face. In 2004, I graduated from the University of Oregon with a degree in journalism. In June of this year, I started my master’s degree program in public relations. During the year in between graduation and moving to Syracuse, I did public relations for the coffee company I was working for while I was in school.
I’m excited to be here at SU, but I’m terrified of the upcoming winter--I’ve never lived in a place that is known for its snowy winters.

JASMINE HARRIS
I am not a feminist. Even though I minored in women’s studies during undergrad I do not take feminist ideology as absolute truth. I believe it is a set of ideas that should be taken into consideration when developing public relations campaigns and platforms, but should not define them. I make this statement because it is an argument I have had to make for the last four years. I recently received my B.A. in sociology from Vassar College where extreme liberalism is not only encouraged but is expected and to take women’s studies classes marks you as a particular form of extremist. My views are a bit more moderate. I am interested in entertainment public relations and hope to put my combined knowledge of sociological and feminist theories to use in unorthodox ways.

KRISTIN KANE
After spending a number of years in New York City as a magazine editor for Time inc.’s PARENTING magazine and Condé Nast’s SELF magazine, I headed back to my alma mater of Syracuse University in spring 2005 to assume the role of assistant director of career development for the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. At Newhouse, I serve as both an undergraduate/graduate student and alumni career advisor and a recruiter relations representative. My job? A stimulating and rewarding position that never has a dull moment. Any downfalls? It's moved me 300+ miles away from my beloved dachshund, Tucker.
I continue to write magazine articles on a freelance basis for PREVENTION, SELF, PARENTING, Time Inc. Strategic Communications and other national magazines and publishers. My specialties include women's health, nutrition and wellness.
I earned a B.A. (dual) in magazine journalism and political science from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and SU's College of Arts & Sciences.

KIM GORODE
My name is Kim Gorode. I’m from Baltimore, MD. I graduated from the University of Rochester with a BA in History. My interests include politics and current events, indie rock, reading Newsweek, doing arts and crafts and happy hours. My favorite book is “The Great Gatsby,” and I enjoy running.

SUNANDA SESHADRINATHAN
My name is Sunanda Seshadrinathan and I am proud of having the longest last name in this class. It takes me longer when I make customer service calls but always serves to be an ice breaker.
I have an engineering degree from India and specialized in electronics and communications. I struggled through studying about transmission waveguides and solid state circuits and it took me 4 attempts to pass my first year math paper. All that time I promised myself that someday I would study something I liked and something I cared about. I already have a Master's in Information Studies from Syracuse University. However, I finally feel at home in Newhouse. Feeling the creative energy flow around me everyday is a nerdy kind of high.
I am so happy to be here with this great PR section and hoping that we will all have a great semester, do some great writing, and make Prof. Lee a happy person.
I just started my own personal blog http://www.sunandaforever.blogspot.com
How would I descrive myself in three words ? Wreck in progress :-)

SHOSHANA COHEN
Even though I am technically a native New Yorker, I saw snow fall for the first time last year. My mom got her M.A. at Syracuse and then headed west to escape the cold. I was raised outside of Los Angeles but have also lived in New Orleans, Costa Rica, Madrid and Majorca during the course of the last 7 years. This summer I moved back to the U.S. in order to begin my graduate work in International Relations at Syracuse after a 3 year hiatus from the academic world. I earned my B.A. from Tulane University in creative writing and Spanish is 2002.

2005-09-05T11:52:00.000-04:00

We exist, therefore we are.... in Prof. Lee's Class
This is what happens when more than a dozen of the nation's best communications graduate students get together, stop being polite, start getting real, and are assigned to create a blog.

Grad's Eye View might document the inner workings of the intricate minds behind the Newhouse School's graduate PR program, or it might just shed light on why anyone might choose to endure a workload heavy enough to squeeze the juice from even the toughest of oranges, just to enter a profession where only those within it respect their efforts.

Check back here weekly and gawk at the inspirational commentary, fiery intellectual debate, or maybe just a few intriguing grocery lists and ramblings about ex-boyfriends. It is too early to tell, but only one thing is for sure. We may be cute and cuddly, but don't put your fingers in our cage. We do bite.

-Jameson Bull

2005-09-02T12:50:00.000-04:00

A Grad's Eye View

Birth Certificate for a newborn baby blog

DOB: 09/02/2005 12:34 p.m.
Weight: 9.81 lbs
Length: 14 inches
Parents: Jameson Bull/Samuel Irving Newhouse
Hometown: Syracuse, NY
University: Syracuse University
School: S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications
Program: Public Relations
Course: PR Writing