BLOGGER TEMPLATES AND TWITTER BACKGROUNDS

Nov 13, 2009

family history

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Here's a poem from my great, great, great, great uncle Archibald Lampman, who was said to be the "finest 19th-century English-language poet."
I think he's pretty cool.

Winter Evening:
Westward the sunset is waning slow,
A far torn flame on the silent snow
And dies, as the vast night waxes higher,
In scattering lines of stormy fire.

The piled clouds are sinking dreary and dun


On the red wild track of the setting sun
Westward the fierce winds gather and fleet
Mightily down the frozen street.

Like the work of the painter's hand are pressed

On the pale clear brow of the yellow west,
The pointed spires and the dark and still
Towers of the town on the western hill.

Far through the firmament, misty fair,


Veiled and dimmed with their golden hair,
The moon and her chorus of sweet stars whirl
In their white torn mantles of cloudy pearl.

The hard snow shrieks on the beaten street —


Under the tread of the hurrying feet,
Sharp and shrill, like a thing in pain,
Bound in the winter's Titan chain.

Westward away the wan day sinks;


I see, as I pass, through the shutter chinks
The bright ruddy lips of children prate
Round the red warm hearth and the blazing grate.

Ah, bright bitter winter, I love thee still


For thy strong bright wine to the strong man's will:
For thy stormy days of tempest and moil,
And thy calm sweet peace that follows toil;

For thy bright white snow and the silver chime

Of bells that gladden the bitter time;
For the laughing lips and the children at play
And the long mirthful hours that sweeten day


For more, check out the
Poems of Archibald Lampman.

Nov 6, 2009

winter gloves

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Check out this fantastic video from the Winter Gloves.

Nov 1, 2009

age old question

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Why does it seem men get all the breaks?
Not only do they get the better jobs, make more money, take on less home responsibility, avoid menstruation and pregnancy, are less emotionally complicated, they also stay younger longer.
OK, much of that is an oversimplification, but the latter is true, according to Eastern medicine.
A phone call with my younger sister, who is studying for her doctorate in Eastern medicine, has left me even more miffed at the seeming myriad breaks those of the opposite sex have fall into their laps.
In asking my sister if there were any ancient Chinese herbs or creams I could take to essentially speed up the onset of menopause to avoid having to think about getting pregnant (Random, I know. This is a topic for a future post), she nicely tells me no but, don't worry, because I'm getting old.
Humph. Thanks.
I think she's getting cheeky with me — after years of sibling abuse, I deserve it — but, she explains, women's and men's life cycles differ.
For women, their body's change every seven years: At age seven, they have all their primary teeth, age 14, they have started their period's and ages 21 to 28 are the prime years for having children.
After two more cycles — the seventh cycle of seven years — at age 49, is when menopause starts to kick in and, according to the East, the woman's "essence" diminishes.
Or, in other words, she's old.
However, for men, the cycle is every eight years: At age eight, he has all his teeth, at 16 is considered at man and his prime lasts two eight-year cycles.
As a woman's essence is seven, seven-year cycles, a man's is eight of eight years, which means his "essence" lasts until age 64.
Well, la-tee-da, that explains a lot.
It could be why men cheat on their spouses, remarry younger women, and are described as handsome as they age, not old.
It's not their fault — it's their essence.


Oct 29, 2009

on writing

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Poignant and concise.
This seems to be the mantra for newspaper writing these days. Coming from a print-centric background, instinctually I thought shorter meant worse.
But, when it's done well, it's a joy to write and to read.
For a few tips, check out the succinct list by Roy Peter Clark from the Poynter Institute.
In it, Clark stresses to omit needless words, cut the weak, shorten sentences, revise, polish and focus.
He also says, "Read, study and collect great examples of short writing, everything from the diaries of Samuel Pepys to the tweets of your favourite twits."
However, a number of legacy media people — including my editor and other former editor — have deemed the 140-character social networking site the reason behind the death of the English language and the very tool that is making people stupid.
As an avid Twitterer, ouch.
Short doesn't necessarily signify rubbish — albeit, tweets about a meal or depths of sleepiness are crap.
In terms of journalism, short can be a beautiful way illustrate a moment in life that often go unnoticed.
A prime example of this is the 300 words series by Brady Dennis, who was a night cop reporter in the Tampa bureau of St. Petersburg Times.
A personal favourite is After the sky fell, which was published in January 2005.
As a reporter, it's difficult to switch out of the inverted pyramid, five Ws and how, but, once in awhile, there are stories that lend to this style of writing, like a story I did about a man who had a stroke and just wanted a hot dog.
As papers get thinner and page space gets tighter, this literary journalism approach could very well be the model for the future.

Oct 11, 2009

keeping on court

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As some of you already know, I'm covering Kamloops court as part of my beat at Kamloops This Week. Although I've been tweeting most of the stories, I'll be posting all-things criminal on this site in the event you missed a post or the paper.
Right now, I'm covering Allan Schoenborn's murder trial. He's the man accused of killing his three children in their Merritt home 18 months ago and has pleaded not guilty to three counts of first-degree murder. Tuesday marks the third day of the trial and it's expected Darcie Clarke, the mother of the slain children, will take the stand.

Oct 6, 2009

growing pains

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OK, so my issue can be likened to "blogging" pains — a painful time period in which one grows and develops their blog self.
The problem: Finding a look for my blog that's really cool and represents my personality at the same time.
Sounds simple enough, but five months and at least a dozen different templates, I'm about ready to throw in the webpage towel.
It's not that there aren't thousands of super graphic and and really unique templates available — for free! — on the web, it's just that none of them are representative of me.
So, I've opted for a simple, three-column layout and replaced the header image with a photograph I took while in Victoria, B.C. this summer.
Here's the full version:



It's a window front of a store in Fan Tan Alley, which is the heart of B.C.'s oldest Chinatown. The pane is plastered with original concert posters dating back decades — it was a gorgeous melange of music's past.
This image, taken by yours truly, is more telling of who I am than any other mass-downloaded, copy-and-pasted template. Plus, it will forever remind me of that trip to the island — which was my first time out there — with my younger sister.
Additionally, it's a pretty grown-up looking site that will take some tinkering — so please bear with me as I blindly fiddle with HTML codes.
Hope you like the new look.

Oct 4, 2009

reportedly human

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All day, I've been thinking about a tweet by 20-year newspaper vet Gina Chen about journalists remaining professional while still being human.
Using social media as an example, Chen pointed to the Washington Post editor abolishing his Twitter account because he feared the social media site went against the paper's policy.
She weighed in: "Puleeeze! Why is it that journalists don't think they can manage to be both human and good at their jobs as so many people in other fields can be."
And, if there was any discrepancy in various company policies, Chen pointed to a comprehensive list of organization's rules for social media.
The question remains, where does the role and responsibility of the reporter end and the rights of the person begin? Or, are they one in the same?
As a new journalist, I know what I can and can't post on my personal social medias. But, are journalism ethics a part of who I am or am I just self-censoring to avoid getting in trouble?
This inner dilemma reminds me of what Vancouver Sun managing editor Kirk LaPointe insists: New journalists must brand themselves online by getting a website with your namesake, start blogging, consume and participate in the news.
And there are lots of sites out there with a number of tips on how to accomplish this and take over the online media world, including one from student-driven Reporter Online.
Great advice, but how do employed journos make that separation between work and personal life?
Journalists are supposed to be non-biased and objective, but this isn't always the case when it comes to personal blogs. Should journalists have the freedom to articulate their personal thoughts or should professional duties trump personal desires?
If all goes well, there's still hope for the human.

Oct 3, 2009

week in tweets

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Tweets from @mlampy (that's me!) from court last week:

  • A new week and a new shirt - white - for the man accused of murder. No eye contact as he's lead to the prisoner's box. #crime #grimtweets
  • I wonder what a bag of scalp looks like. Some people have the most unique/horrifying/interesting jobs.
  • I wonder how the tragically sad-looking teen felt as she talked about her dead mother in front of the man accused of murder.
  • 12 sat staring at a pic of a woman. Body half sunburnt, half white and bloated, snagged on a tree in the river. Her hair was falling out.
  • A female juror looked at the pic of holes in the dead woman's head. Lips pursed, brows furrowed, she glanced at the man accused of murder.
  • Why are sheriff's uniforms so squeaky?
  • Do you know a dead body's various stages of decomposition? I now do. Gross.
  • Six years after Heather Hamill slaying, murder trial begins: http://tinyurl.com/lsyfp5 #kamloops #crime
  • Roe will get second murder trial in 2010: http://tinyurl.com/ll2n2q #kamloops #crime
  • Sting suspects back in court next week: http://tinyurl.com/lbogmy #kamloops #crime
  • Robert Balbar sat, head left-leaning, motionless for two hours. He wore no shoes. Jury didn't look at the man accused of killing his g/f.
  • Stephen Roe's new shoes squeaked as he walked by. They were auburn brown. He gets a new trial in 2010 for stabbing David Holditch to death.
  • I spent the majority of my day in the company of two alleged murderers. Who's hungry? I sure am...

Sep 29, 2009

courting

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So I've finally got a computer at home — I splurged and bought a MacBook! — so I'm back to blogging — albeit, my focus has changed a bit.
In addition to my current beats, I'm also the new court reporter and will be blogging about my experiences covering exciting trials, like the first-degree murder trial of Robert Balbar and the upcoming Allan Schoenborn, to the less-intense matters in provincial court.
Check back for more on the Kamloops crime beat.

Sep 3, 2009

RIVER NORTH

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My head is pointing North North crosses the mighty river
Flows constant with water Swift, decisive, cold
Never a question of direction
Of which I have none
Streaming, twisting, turning, thrashing
Drowning
Cannot ride the current to stay afloat
Only one thing constant
My head is pointing North

Aug 14, 2009

PUPPET FACE?

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I love the Internet.
Like I don't have enough crap to waste my time doing, but recent gossip about Lady Gaga being a puppet for the Illuminati has totally absorbed me — which is waayy more interesting than the rumours she is a hermaphrodite.
Illuminati — not to be confused with the Glitterati — refers to the secret Bavarian society founded in 1776 and means "enlightened."
It's argued the Bavarian society has survived to this day, forming the New World Order, a conspiracy theory in which a secretive and powerful group want world domination and have been conducting an elaborate plot to do so.
Thanks to an offhanded comment from a co-worker, explaining the gist of the story, I've now spent the better part of an hour — OK, more like 1.5 hours — researching this claim. And there are some serious connections and symbols that make for a strong case.
The Vigilant Citizen did a great exposition that — in my mind — outs the strangely vapid, yet utterly absorbing, songstress.

"Lady Gaga is a poster-girl for Illuminati mind control, a puppet who embodies exactly what the public represents in the eyes of the elite: mindless drones, mannequins, remote controlled robots, hypnotized degenerates incapable of thinking coherently. On the other hand, her symbolism is deep, esoteric and even spiritual. This paradoxical aspect of Lady Gaga is something that deserves to be analyzed and understood. While masses of young people imitate Gaga’s brain-dead persona, the subversive symbolism surrounding her art still reaches the fan’s subconscious. She is not the Antichrist though (last I’ve heard), she is simply one of the many pop stars sending out similar messages to the public. Combined with Hollywood movies, TV shows and commercials, media outlets are programming young minds to think and act a specific way."

Her songs, so repetitive and catchy, stick in your head all day. I don't know how many times I've caught myself singing Poker Face while cleaning the house or driving in the car.
And the videos — totally mesmerizing! I can't physically make myself change the channel when Paparazzi is on.



After a closer look, tons of Illuminati symbolism can be found: The satanic ram's head, masonic checkered pattern, the robot and Mickey Mouse clothing, the "seeing eye" thing (she does this a lot, actually), her bound by lights and lots more.
Seriously, after checking a few things out, Gaga is either under Illuminati control and l'm an off-my-rocker conspiracy theorist or she has brilliantly and single-handedly crafted a persona for herself that the public is eating up with spoons.


Aug 11, 2009

MIA

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Sadly, I am taking a bit of a hiatus from blogging. Temporarily.
It seems PCs and I cannot live harmoniously and, thus, I have killed desktop No. 2 this year.
So, I'm gonna gather my beans and buttons for the next while and — hopefully — splurge on a mac laptop. (For they are the superior product in the computer world.)
Until then, however, I might post quickies here and there, but, since it'll be done during working hours, they'll be brief, if anything.

Please stay tuned...

Jul 22, 2009

HIPSTERDOM

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Hipster Olympics

An epic battle of apathetic grandeur . . . and hilarious, yet sad, commentary of the state of society.

Jul 21, 2009

HANGDOG

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What could have been
That's what I see in you
I let it slip through
"A fresh start"
Is what you deserve
Things once admired
Now what I abhor
What I see in you
That will never be

Jul 15, 2009

GROWING PAINS

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I miss Mackenzie.

He's my son. He's going to be 13 on Dec. 13. He was born on Friday the 13th.

Figures.

I miss him, not only because he's in Alberta with his grandparents - who I am eternally indebted to, but that's another story - on summer holidays, but also because he's growing up so fast.

For those of you who don't have kids, the latter statement probably sounds like something your parents told you while you rolled your eyes and exhaled noisily.

For those of you who do have kids - you know what I mean.

One second you're cradling this tiny life form in your arms, the only they have and depend on is you, and then you blink and your beautiful baby has long shaggy hair, is only home to eat or play video games (in his room, with the door closed, in the dark) and you're lucky to get a text message letting you know he's OK, which looks something like this: momz im @ devins b bk @ 6 wts 4 sups? lolz.

Sigh.

It was at Mackenzie's Grade 7 graduation ceremony - yes, my child is entering high school in the fall, also another story - that just how independent he is hit me.

His teacher, who was incredible, was talking about what a great kids he is and just how much he's grown during the past year - and, you know, he was so right. I watched from the back of the room as my son - who recently used hair-removal cream to get rid of a prepubescent mustache - walked across the stage to pick up his school crest as his class cheered and shouted his name.

I even heard a girl shout: "I love you, Mackenzie!"

Shudder.

Then, there was a slideshow, with photos set to music of Mackenzie and his classmates during the past year.

Low in my chair in the back of the darkened room, I had a good cry.

It was a side of my son that I'd never seen: Him laughing, goofing off with friends, working on class projects and having a blast at Eagle Bay, the end-of-year class trip.

He is his own person. His own thoughts, dreams and quirky humour. Words cannot describe what a wonderfully unique, teen-aged individual he's turned into.

When I wasn't looking, it became time for me to let him down from my arms, be there for him always, but let him do it on his own terms.

Now, if only I could let go.

Jul 3, 2009

FORGOT ABOUT DRE?

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I guess original gangsta Dr. Dre was seriously developing a complex about fans really forgetting about him so he sold out for mechandise promo commercials.

The new ad for the soft drink — in which he so happens to debut his long-awaited album Detox in — is a total disappointment to this Andre Young fan.

What happened to the OG from the N.W.A days with rappers Eazy-E and Ice Cube and their hard-core explicit lyrics about violent street life? Or the days with Death Row Records and Snoop Dogg and even the Aftermath with rappers Eminem and 50 Cent?

Now the rapper, producer, record executive and actor has turned to soft drink commercials telling people to drink up because the doctor is in?

I think Dre's the only who forgot who he is....

Jun 23, 2009

SD73 OVERHAUL

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Up to 11 elementary schools and two high schools could be closed as soon as the 2010-2011 school year as part of a total Kamloops-Thompson school district overhaul.

It was standing room only as the 50 recommendations were made in the reconfiguration report presented at Monday night’s board of education meeting in Kamloops.

Board chairman Ken Christian said it was the most significant report he has seen in his 16 years on the board.

“It speaks to the very fabric of this school district and it affects virtually the entire district,” Christian said, adding area mayors and MLAs have been sent copies of the report.

“It’s recommending massive school closures, consolidations and reconfigurations.”

In addition to closing one-third of the district’s elementary schools and one high school on the North and South shores, other proposals include making South Sa-Hali and Lloyd George elementary schools solely French immersion, switching Logan Lake to a kindergarten to Grade 10 school, reconfiguring Beattie School of the Arts secondary to a grades 8 to 10 junior high school and separating high schools into grades 8 to 10 and grades 11 to 12 models.

Under the junior and senior high-school model, NorKam and South Kamloops would become senior high schools housing Grades 11 and 12.

The remaining secondary schools — Brocklehurst, Sa-Hali, Valleyview, Westsyde and the John Peterson building at South Kam — would house Grades 8 to 10, with about 500 students each.

Declining enrolment, frozen per-student funding, rising operating costs and a district that’s simply too big for the student population are all factors behind the many recommendations with which the board will grapple.

If all 50 recommendations are carried out, it could save the district a potential $3 million for one year.

If nothing is done, the district will be faced with a $12.8-million deficit by 2013.

“The status quo is not an option,” Christian said.

“We will be smaller, we will be leaner but, at the end of the day, we have to be educationally sound and viable.

“And I think we can do it.”

No decisions have been made and the board plans to set a date for community public consultations about the future of the district.

The full report is available online at sd73.bc.ca.

Possible closures:

• Haldane elementary annex

• Vavenby elementary

• Logan Lake elementary

• George Hillard elementary merging with Kay Bingham elementary

• Heffley Creek

• Arthur Hatton elementary merging with Jon Tod elementary

• Pinantan elementary

• Savona elementary

• Ralph Bell elementary

• Westwold elementary

• One North Shore secondary and one South Shore secondary by 2013.

Reaction to the report:

Art McDonald, director of facilities, chairman of facilities report committee:

“What we focused on is how to improve the system while enrolment continues to decline.

“Everything we looked at was about preserving the quality of our education and making sure we can improve our system over time.

In the next three to five years, McDonald expects enrolment to level out at about 13,000 students. But the district has the capacity for 18,000 students.

“So we have a significant capacity issue,” he said, noting the recommendations will address the space issue.

“We’ll be able to better place students in classrooms, class sizes will be bigger so they can be staffed better and, yes, there will be some costs incurred to do these things, but those things have been taken into account in the savings numbers.

“We realize the impact of this — this is lives, this is jobs, this is children. We understand that.

“We also understand we have tremendous financial difficulty every year because of the way we’re funded by the ministry and we need to deal with that as well.”

Leigh-Anne Larsen, DPAC spokeswoman:

“It’s a wow factor,” Larsen said.

“We did expect big changes, but I don’t think anything quite prepares you for 11 school closures.

“The district was very diligent in laying the foundation and being up front about the declining enrolment, so we knew it was coming.

“We encourage and expect further dialogue with the district as we face these challenges.”

David Komljenovic, KTTA president:

“It’s a devastating report and it’s unfortunate that the district is playing into the hands of the ministry and creating these efficiencies at the costs of our students and on programming.

After looking at the budget and the different scenarios, Komljenovic believes there were other ways to approach it.

“Even the best-case scenario has a $9.6 million shortfall over five years and that’s a concern.

“My question is: What is ministry doing to public education in this province? My concern is, I don’t know if anyone can ease the fears of the membership, of students, of parents — it’s devastating what is happening to our public education system here in Kamloops.”

John Hall, president CUPE 3500, union for the 701 support staff in district:

“It was an excellent report and I can’t really disagree with anything in the report itself,” he said, noting his concern rests in the breadth of the document and the uncertainty of just what will come to fruition.

“But anything that is implemented, there is going to be some disruption, there is going to be some pain, going to be some hard times for families within the district.

“There’s going to be some significant reductions of support staff — that’s going to be for sure.”

Hall said recent senior-management and administration raises puts families on different playing fields.

“The rest of us are going to be left behind and it really bothers me that we’re not all in this together.

“I hope they can sleep well tonight.

“You’re trying to look for a positive and you’re having a hell of a hard time finding it.

“I can’t ease anxieties other than this won’t happen overnight and you can plan your future — and the future isn’t looking too bright.”


Jun 18, 2009

POWER OF ONE

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Because I really believe in what this man had to say....


What does 12 + 26 + 3,200 + 12,000,000 equal?

The answer — one.

OK, that’s not a real math question.

But, at 12 years of age, a now 26-year-old man started a movement that has helped children in 3,200 villages across the globe and has a following of more than 12 million students worldwide.

One man — Craig Kielburger.

The international child-rights activist, three-time Nobel Peace Prize nominee, author and co-founder of Free the Children and Me to We was in Kamloops last week with his conviction that one person has the power to revolutionize the world in which they live.

And Kielburger’s enthusiasm and passion for this belief was evident when he spoke to the near-full house at the Sagebrush Theatre: “Imagine the power if everybody stood up for what they believe in? It is possible.

“This is how change happens — through just one act of kindness.

“This is how movements are born.”

It was amazing to watch the dynamic philanthropist evoke gasps of outrage and tears of sadness from the audience during his presentation, which included video, photo slideshows, music and fascinating information.

Did you know $11 billion was spent on ice cream just in Europe last year?

Or that North Americans spent $18 billion on make-up and cosmetics and $400 billion on cigarettes? Or that $1 trillion was spent on armaments and munitions?

I certainly didn’t.

Those figures are staggering.

Kielburger’s entire presentation was powerful.

It was inspiring, a call to action.

Free The Children was founded in 1995 by Kielburger and is the world’s largest network of children helping children through education and development programs in 45 countries.

Me to We is a new social enterprise for people who want to change the world through daily choices, be it the clothes they wear, the books they read or how they spend time travelling.

It supports the Free the Children’s work with youth, creating global change by building schools, creating alternative incomes, initiating health-care systems, finding clean-water sources, education about sanitation and peace building.

It’s bricks, books and beyond.

But, it’s a daunting, almost pie-in-the-sky idea that one can make a difference.

It’s so easy to get bogged down in daily life — work, school, family, bills — but, as Kielburger said: “We’re so lucky. So just take minute to sit there, recognize it and be thankful for all that we have. We have a lot to give — we have a lot to share.”

But how can I help?

How much can I afford?

How and where do I start?

Kielburger’s suggestion — find your passion and start small.

Here are some of his propositions:

For students:

  • Participate in We Day, an annual celebration of the power of young people to kick off youth-led world-changing actions.
  • Volunteer.
  • Adopt a village or sister community with your school or group of friends.
  • Wear a bracelet for a cause in which you are interested.
  • Take a stand every day by choosing recycled materials, wearing eco-friendly clothing or using refillable water bottles.

At the workplace:

  • Team building with a purpose, such as choosing one day when the whole office does some sort of service in the community.
  • Company matching donations.
  • Support local groups and clubs.

For parents:

  • Use the newspaper as a menu and look for things you want to see changed.
  • Change or start new family traditions to involve community service.
  • Issue plus gift. Choose one area you’re interested in and decide on a gift to help, whether it be giving to a local charity or spending a day volunteering at a community organization.

“Something happens when you step outside of yourself — it changes your perspective,” Kielburger said.

So, what step will we all take?

Let’s start with one.

Copyright Kamloops This Week 2009

Jun 4, 2009

ME TO WE

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Amina.

The spelling is different, depending on where it’s spoken, but the meaning is always the same.
It’s the coming together of people to work for the collective good in Quichua, the language of the Inca.

When the indigenous Puruha use the word, everyone – men, women and children from villages as far as five walking-hours away – come to help.

There’s no English equivalent.

Craig Kielburger’s tried to find one: Volunteerism, barn-raising, rioting for a good cause.
But nothing’s come close to equal the ferocious community spirit he witnessed in a little village in South America when they needed to build a school.

“Language reflects the culture – the more words you have for something, the more important it is,” Kielburger said, noting how many words Western society has for money.
“We need amina in schools, in families, in workplaces, in communities.
“We need amina on a global level.”

And cultivating that sense of togetherness and encouraging people to be the change they want to see was the purpose of his presentation at the Sagebrush Theatre on June 3.

Kielburger, international child-rights activist, three-time Nobel peace prize nominee, author and co-founder of Free the Children and Me to We, said each person has the power to revolutionize the world they live in.

“All of us, at some point in our lives, will see something so fundamentally wrong that we have to do something about it,” he said, adding it doesn’t matter that size of the issue, but rather to just get involved.

“This is how change happens – through one act of kindness.

“This is how movements are born.”

After reading an article in the Toronto Star about child poverty, the then Grade 7 boy decided he would travel south east Asia and research children’s issues and find ways to overcome them.

And he did. He started a movement.

He’s now 26 – and he still believes it starts with one.

It started with Kielburger and 11 friends 14 years ago and has since has grown into a group of 12 million students across the globe.

Free The Children was founded in 1995 by Kielburger and is the world's largest network of children helping children through education and development programs in 45 countries.

Me to We is a new social enterprise for people who want to change the world through daily choices and supports the Free the Children’s work with youth, creating global change.

Kielburger admitted he is “shamelessly idealistic” but said his organizations are just one example of the power if everybody stood up for what they believe in.

And Kamloops proved his theory true.

At $15 at ticket, the fundraising event sponsored by Investor’s Group garnered $8,500 – all of which was given to Free The Children and used to build a school in Africa.

But, he said, there’s no reason to stop and urged people to continue on the impetus.

“The easy thing would be to leave here, crank the tunes, go home, finish work from your job or from school, turn on the TV and veg out.
“The harder thing would be to keep the radio off and start that conversation . . . what is the issue your passionate about? What is the gift you can give?
“You don’t have to finish that conversation – but at least start it.”

Copyright Kamloops This Week 2009


Jun 1, 2009

COOLEST JOB - EVER

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"Let the world change you... and you can change the world,"
~ Ernesto 'Che' Guevara.

After listening to stories of doom and gloom, utter chaos and total a
rmageddon when it comes to the state of the newspaper industry, it's hard to not think about a possible career change.

I'm (barely) still young enough, I've got some experience and some unique qualifications under my belt. So, I think I could land a job in another
field - preferably one that's not sinking.

But, when I think about what it is I could do every day for the rest of my life, I draw a blank. Save for travelling the world or being super rich - but, lets be realistic, here - I cannot imagine what would make me more happier than being a journalist.

Think about it with me for a sec.

Every day I learn something new or meet someone new. No day is ever the same. I'm like a mini expert in myriad areas after doing the reasearch to accompany stories. I get to ask people - perfect strangers - the most random questions... and they usually answer. I get to be creative and write compelling stories about these strangers I meet. I can be inspired by others in the community. And hopefully just one reader is moved by that same story.

In effect, I can change the world.

OK, the last maybe a little bit far-fetched, but you know what I'm getting at.

May 27, 2009

PHARMACOLOGICAL ENTHUSIASTS?

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"No More Games. No More Bombs. No More Walking. No More Fun. No More Swimming. 67. That is 17 years past 50. 17 more than I needed or wanted. Boring. I am always bitchy. No Fun — for anybody. 67. You are getting Greedy. Act your old age. Relax — This won't hurt."

This note came fours days before Hunter S. Thompson shot himself in the head in his Owl Farm home in Woody Creek, Colorado at 5:42 p.m. on Feb. 20, 2005. Renowned for Gonzo journalism and his leading role in the New Journalism movement, Thompson was also described as callous, erratic and self-destructive as the result of his heavy drinking and hallucinogenic drug use.

After reading an article the Guardian recently did about media workers being the heaviest drinking professionals in England, knocking back the equivalent of more than four bottle of wine or more than 19 pints of beer a week, I got to thinking about writers and alcohol.

Unfortunately, Thompson is just one of too many 20th-century writers who seemed to find their creativity in a bottle. Truman Capote, Ernest Hemingway, William Faulkner, Sinclair Lewis, Scott Fitzgerald, George Sterling, Dylan Thomas and John Steinbeck — some of the greatest writers of all time and they all drank.

Is there a link between creativity and alcohol? Do writers drink more than other people? If so, does the nature of the profession result in alcoholism or are some prone to the disease drawn to the profession?

Seems chicken-and-the-eggish. I don't know the answers. Just some drink for thought... just be sure to roll your ice cubes in chlorophyll before you start sipping.







May 25, 2009

BRIGHT FUTURE POSSIBLE

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Here's the presentation I made at the CAJs this past weekend in Vancouver about why I think community newspapers are a viable business model for the future:



In my first class as a journalism student, a professor asked, by a show of hands, who reads a newspaper. Out of 25, just me and one other student raised an arm.


I should have known then the industry was in trouble — and that just four years ago.


In my two short years as a working journalist, I cannot believe the 180 newspapers have done. Worldwide, companies are now under pressure from investors and banks because revenues have nose-dived as a result of the tumultuous economy. Declining ad revenues, rising print costs and shrinking subscription sales have resulted in cut backs, layoffs and bankruptcies.


However, if there's one business model that seems to be fairing better than others, it's the community publishing model. Granted, I'm slightly biased in that I work for Kamloops This Week, a tri-weekly community newspaper within Black Press. But, the fact is, community papers aren't being hit as hard as the larger papers.


And why? One word: Hyperlocal.


This means all local editorial content and strong local advertisers, creating a sturdy community following. With content that's informed, current, intelligent and creative, community papers fill a very specific need for readers. And, I think, it's this connection that allows this type of paper to adapt to reader's needs while developing a viable and potentially robust business model. All of which puts community newspapers in a prime position for evolution — something which, at this point, is inevitable.


Regardless of the quality of journalism, a successful model must make money. Community papers, however, aren't immune to the current recession and are getting squeezed by rising paper costs, declining national ad revenue and — surprise, surprise — the Internet.


Like most things, paper keeps getting more expensive. Last year, it cost about $570 per tonne for paper. This year, that's nearly doubled to just more than $1,000. KTW, for example, is less impacted because we only print three times a week and we've mitigated some loss by shrinking down the page size by half an inch and moving from six to seven columns. Those are just a couple of small change, but they've had positive results because advertising prices have remained the same although the actual ad sizes have been slightly reduced.


Which brings me to the necessary evil of community papers — especially free ones: Advertising. Ad revenue for many papers is anemic at best these days, especially in the national ads department. In Kamloops, KTW claims about 38 per cent of the national ad market — not bad, considering we compete with a daily newspaper as well as a TV and radio station.


But the biggest coup for community papers — especially now — is the amount of local advertising. At KTW, local verses national is split 70/30. So, even though we're losing national ads, our locals are marginally up from last year. This even more so since the introduction of online advertising, which includes classifieds, and both are slowly making gains.


Honestly, the industry's reaction to the Internet, for the most part, is really disappointing. Many companies were either complacent or outright resistant to the emerging technology. And, the irony is, the Internet could have helped newspapers make money — it's relatively cheap and can reach a wide audience. Over the years, this complacency has led to a sort of defeatism.


But, most national and many community papers are slowly coming around — better late then never. And that's the point: Nothing is lost forever, technologies change and now is the time for newspaper industry to reinvent itself. Clearly, I don't know what that entails, but I imagine newspapers to be multi-social-media news outlets.


One very easy way to bring this to fruition is the Internet. And I think Black Press is largely leading the way in the community paper category. At KTW, we've moved away from just shoveling old content onto the web. We've added video clips, photo slideshows and breaking news before stories hit print.


Furthermore, KTW is twittering. Nothing new to many of you — but was and still is totally unknown to most people working in our office. And, in the first two weeks of operation, twitter has boosted website traffic by nearly 8,000 unique visitors.


To further KTW's exposure to the community, we've set up a facebook account — who doesn't have one of these nowadays? And, by linking the twitter to facebook, we can update both accounts simultaneously. But, we didn't set it up as a business page on facebook. Instead we opted for the regular person profile. The message: KTW is your friend. Send us a message, post on our wall, give us feedback. We also have photo albums of the editorial team, a casual one showing all of us outside of work as well as a photo of the week album, which our friends can submit their pics.


This is just one small part of the social aspect of the new newspapers. We can't just disseminate information to passive audiences. The community needs to be included, we need them to participate. There's the traditional letters to the editor portion in newspapers and comment sections online, but I think we can further engage readers with online open-chat forums, or a rate your city section, where readers can write about experiences at new restaurants, live performances or movies, or even have links to personal blogs.


Now, I don't mean citizen journalism, where the news is reported by non-professionals. Journalists are trained, know the usefulness of information, can translate intricate issues into common, understandable language and transform these facts into rich, compelling stories that are upheld by truth, accuracy and transparency.


However, I do feel there needs to be a shift in the way written information is presented. In some cases, but not all, inverted, pyramid-style reporting is dead and we're seeing a real demand for a human approach to some issues. I think there's a place for a sort of hybrid between civic journalism — in which readers are treated as participants, not spectators — and literary journalism — which uses literary styles and techniques to create factually accurate narratives.


What will happen in the next couple of years will be interesting to watch and be a part of. And whatever it may look like, I know there will be newspapers and journalists. Journalists have long had an obligation to public life and played an integral role in society for centuries. We have informed, educated and recorded history.


But, now is the time we decide our future. I believe, if we can change archaic practices and evolve into something astute and participatory, turning new practices into philosophies, we will have a solid place in society for centuries to come.