Sunday, February 22, 2009

Banning Homework?

I'm an indulgent of national news programs.  I can't get enough of CNN, FOX, and MSNBC.  I love it all.  I recently found a top-viewed video from Greg Gutfeld titled "Cruel and Unusual." He had an 11-year-old fifth grader on his show.  This boy's name is Benjamin Barrafato.  His teacher made him write an essay about three world issues he wold like to change for homework.  It turns out he couldn't think of any so he wrote about wanting to ban homework-he even began a petition and has 30 signatures! I loved watching Gutfeld and his co-hosts interview Barrafato.  I think Barrafato did a wonderful job, his answers were so honest as most children tend to be.  The whole time I watched the interview I thought about Wayne Freedman's book "It Takes More Than Good Looks."  In chapter three, Freedman says fifth graders are the best age to interview children.  I have to agree after seeing this interview between Barrafato and Gutfeld because Barrafato's answers were clear but still had the innocence of a child.  I think Gutfeld did a good job of asking the questions that showed Barrafato's emotions and thinking process.  It was a cute interview.  

Saturday, February 21, 2009

Frederick's Gluten Free Cakes






My Gluten Free Bakery

There are only three gluten free bakeries in Missouri.  One in Kansas City, one in Chesterfield, and now one in Jefferson City.  LaVerne Frederick decided to open her baking business three months ago. Frederick suffers from Celiac Disease and so did her dad until he passed away last year in July. In his honor, Frederick decided to open the gluten free bakery.  Maintaining a gluten free diet is part of the treatment for Celiac Disease. She sent out newsletters and spoke with some support groups to see what response she would receive.  There was also an article about her bakery in the Fulton Sun, that is how I found out about her.  The response was tremendous and Frederick decided this was something she needed to do to serve her community.  She said, "I may not be making much money, but at least I'm making people happy." Isn't that the truth? Can you imagine being a child with a food allergy and unable to eat birthday cake? cookies? cupcakes? Mitzi Morris came into the bakery when I was visiting Frederick.  Morris was buying bread and cookies for her 20-year-old son who is in college and runs cross country.  She said that the team will go out and eat, but he is unable to do so because like Frederick, he suffers from Celiac Disease. It's wonderful Frederick is able to provide gluten free products for people like Mitzi's son.  Frederick usually uses a two to three day shipping so she can serve people outside of her community. There is a list of all the goodies she offers on her website.  http://myglutenfreebakery.com/

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Defensive or Spot on?

Megyn Kelly from FOX NEWS got into it with PETA's spokes person Lisa Lange. Apparently the live interview is one of the most viewed online. PETA as an organization has had ad campaigns with two girls making out in public on an inflatable bed. (In Texas of all states, why one of the most conservative places like El Paso?) For obvious reasons, this has caused many viewers to become angry and very offended. This isn't the first time PETA has offended people with their advertisements. Remember their super-bowl commercial with women rubbing their bodies with vegetables? Although this may have gotten PETA attention and some people found it funny, is it the right attention or does it make the organization look ridiculous? For example, the message they wanted to send was that men become impotent by age 60 and that meat clogs vital organs... I'll leave it up to you to decide if two women kissing sends that message to the audience. On the other hand, it is apparent that PETA did get the attention they wanted with 3 million views online of their super-bowl ad. But is this the type of reaction they wanted? After watching the four minute video of Megyan Kelly going at it with Lisa Lange, I wondered if Megyn was to hard on the spokeswoman? Or did the spokeswoman just not give credible answers? I am torn on this because I do eat meat, but that doesn't make me view vegetarians in any different way; however, I don't see the message PETA wanted to send to the public through their ad campaigns. I mean really, can you "sex up" animal rights?
I'll leave that up to you to decide. You can view the video at http://www.foxnews.com/video/index.html.

Sunday, February 15, 2009

Plunge for Special Olympics

285.... That is the number of people who jumped into Steven's Lake this Valentines day.  That is 82 more people than last year's Polar Bear Plunge. Over the past 14 years there has been 8,527 participants in the Polar Bear Plunges in cities throughout the state of Missouri.   This year the plunge raised over $32,000 dollars.  The earnings go towards 15,000 Special Olympics athletes in Missouri.  Brooke Ballew is the Venue Coordinator for Special Olympics in Columbia. She has participated in the Polar Bear Plunge the last two years Columbia has hosted it.  She said her cousin is the one who got her involved in Special Olympics and in the past two years she has helped out with district golf and basketball.  She plans to keep participating in the Polar Bear Plunge in years to come.  This year each participant paid $50 dollars to join a team and jump into the frigid 33 degree water.  There were 28 teams and each had a theme with creative costumes.  

There are two more Polar Bear Plunge dates for Missouri. 
February 21 - Lake Viking, Mexico, and Joplin
February 28 - Maryland Heights, and Osage Beach

Monday, February 9, 2009

A Journalist Reflects...

Today CNN posted an article on their website, "In Rural Alaska villages, Families Struggle to Survive." It was the top story under US News.  The article started out with describing how little resources residents in rural Alaska have to survive.  Then, the author focuses on the Strongheart family.  She describes the changes they have had to make to save money. She tells the reader that the family used to take two snow mobiles to the grocery store to be safe, but since the economy is in a recession they are forced to only take one to save on fuel costs.  She also said that the family buys only enough groceries to put on the snow mobile, but the cost for all of it was over $400 dollars. The author ends the article by going broad again, and talking about what Alaska is doing to help families in need.  As a journalist, I thought it was great that the author immediately jumped into her central character, the Strongheart family.  I also liked how she was able to broaden the focus back into how Alaska plans to help the families, even though they haven't declared emergency yet.  The bulk of the story focuses on the Strongheart family which humanizes this article and makes the reader feel for the family. Not only does the article grab the readers emotions, it gives hard facts like Alaska plans to give residents $1,200 dollar energy rebate checks.  I am tired of reading articles all about the economy, but since it is in a recession that is what's making news.  I thought that this would be another bad economy, poor people piece of journalism; however, it surprised me and I think it is because of the way the author focused on the central characters in this article.  

Sunday, February 8, 2009

Paquin Tower

Paquin Tower 
Columbia, MO

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Paquin Tower's Rec Funds

Art supplies run low at Paquin Tower, a low-income housing facility, in Columbia MO. Paquin residents had their recreational budget cut from $88,000 to $72,000. That's a $16,000 dollar cut! That $16,000 dollars supplied their transportation around town and all their recreational activities.  

Although it seems terrible to cut $16,000 dollars from Paquin's budget, I'm sure the city had a reason; however, the City Manager Bill Watkins said nothing to the press about why such a drastic cut was made. Democratic Representative Sean Spence along with a committee of Paquin residents, workers, and volunteers decided to fundraise to help with the lost costs. They plan to hold various events in the next couple months trying to raise enough money to keep their recreational activities such as ceramics and painting classes. Hannah Rucker lives in Columbia and visits her friend Sandra, a Paquin resident, frequently. When she found out about the budget cut, she immediately started to petition.  When I asked her what her next step will be once the city makes it's new cut this year, Rucker said she would be right back out there getting signatures.  The social activities help residents get to know one another and also help with eye-hand coordination since many of the residents are disabled. 

To get more information I attended a ceramics class at Paquin, I saw the residents' faces light up when one of their friends would come into the craft room.  I spoke with many residents, the social worker at Paquin Tower, as well as the Park and Recreation specialist, Sarah Bowman. Bowman says that one of Paquin's fundraising events will be a silent auction possibly held this April. Another way for the program to make money is for the people of Columbia to get involved in the recreational activities since it is open to the community.  

This coming July, the city meets again to discuss additional cuts.  Paquin residents worry that the budget might be cut all together, leaving them nothing.  Sean Spence serves as the committee chairman of the fundraising efforts for Paquin.  The committee plans to meet the second Tuesday of each month to plan events.  Any one can join the committee and is able to do so by contacting Sean Spence at seanspence@earthlink.net.