Had a snowstorm in Athens on Saturday, which is always fun to shoot. Thank god college students haven’t grown up quite yet. Check out the “story” here and an actual story about power outages that they didn’t put the picture with here, guess it was too much of a stretch. Hopefully we’ll have a multimedia up, but I’m not really sure what’s going on. Enjoy!

In the process of their elaborate prank, these college students cleared a decent area of sidewalk and road of snow… and moved it onto their buddy’s car.

I apologize for end-of-the-day hair and my congested voice! Hope you all have fabulous weekends!

Ciao for now,

Kailey

QUESTION: Why did you start your blog? If you don’t have a blog, would you consider starting one? Why or why not?

You have heard of the Hilton, Trump and  The Waldolf?

Yes.

Well, how about the J Hotel?

No, because it never happened.

Mr. RocNation, Jay-Z, has  filed a $3.7 million lawsuit against a bank and investment firm as they made an attempt to profit from his vision.  All he wanted was a hotel in the Big Apple. This endeavor became penniless.

NBC NewYork states :

Jay-Z’s lawsuit says that Dallas based Highland Capital Management and NexBank “duplicitously stalled”  the renegotiation of his $52 million note, The New York Post reported. He claims that they profited $20,000 a day as interest and fees piled up while he tried to hand over the deed in lieu of foreclosure.

According to The Post, Jay-Z borrowed the cash in 2007 from Column Financial of Manhattan.  As his court filing spells out, the company then sold his loan to Highland.
In a statement, Highland, which refers to the rapper as Mr. Carter, said it believes the claims are “meritless.”  Highland  “will vigorously defend itself and intends to pursue the obligations owed to Highland’s investors by the borrower, Mr. Carter and the other guarantors,” the statement said.

That’s a double negative.  He’s so ambitious.

According to The Post, former Athens County Democratic Party chairwoman Susan Gwinn has threatened an Ohio University student with the possibility of a libel lawsuit. Her beef? A letter to the editor published in the Athens NEWS on Jan. 18, in which that student wrote the following:

Certainly the cleanup has begun with Gwinn, but Susan Gwinn has been mucking up the Athens County government and spreading the corruption around for a long time.

In her letter demanding a notarized correction, Gwinn declares that the above statement is “untrue and libelous.” For those who are not familiar with the back story, Gwinn was recently convicted of two misdemeanor charges related to falsifying campaign finance reports in her failed 2008 bid for Athens County prosecutor. Gwinn subsequently resigned as chairwoman of the Athens County Democratic Party, but is now seeking reelection to the county party’s central committee.

Now that the back story’s out of the way, here’s the upshot: I am the student that Gwinn has threatened with a libel lawsuit.

As I told The Post, I have absolutely no intention of retracting or “correcting” anything I said in my Jan. 18 letter to the editor published in the Athens NEWS. I don’t know why Susan Gwinn has chosen to single me out, of all the many people who have written and spoken about her. What I can tell you is that she picked the wrong person.

I believe that I have a First Amendment right to speak my mind about the job that my supposed public servants are doing. As a former county party chairwoman and current announced candidate for the county party’s central committee, Gwinn certainly falls into that category. I will not be silenced by her or any other politician because they don’t like what I have to say. If Gwinn didn’t know that about me before she sent me a letter demanding a notarized correction, she should have done her Google homework a little better. This blog would have been a good start.

I write because I believe that the written word makes a difference. I believe that it can change minds, move hearts, and, when necessary, cause the political equivalent of earthquakes and tsunamis to bring change to our government for the sake of the people of this country and, in this case, the people of this county. I believe I have a talent for this, however small compared to that of others, and I will never stop writing to take back this country — from an obscure, heavily Democrat county in Southeastern Ohio all the way up to the White House.

I will fight for my First Amendment right to use my God-given talent for the written word to make a difference in the world. Although I would prefer not to, I will take that fight to court if Ms. Gwinn decides that’s necessary. But I will not retract, I will not “correct,” and I will not be intimidated into silence. I will not back down.

But I do think I touched a nerve. Don’t you?

So I made my normal summary of my weekly column for The Post video style. Check out the long text version here, or just watch the video summary below, if you know, you don’t feel like clicking a link.

I found out today that my column is the second highest viewed thing on The Post’s website.

How awesome is that? I think it just proves that me talking about all the embarrassing things I do either is relatable or frightens people so much they can’t look away. Either way I am a happy that me talking about walking into parking meters, not being able to get dates, and dancing around in my underpants is being used for good and not evil. Someone might as well take pleasure in my pain after all.

Anyhoooooo

While making the discraceful video about about what I do when I am alone on date night (see above), inspired by the below photo of me uh, well, I don’t know what the hell I was doing, I found out that I have seven S Club 7 songs on my Itunes. SEVEN.

That may be something to be ashamed of, but I have to say I was rather proud of myself. Who doesn’t want to listen to this when they are feeling a little sad face.

And now for my favorite segment of this post:

Embarrassing Moment of the Day:

I was sitting in class today before the lecture began and I decided it would be a good time to get on my phone and check my facebook. While reaching down to grab my bag I managed to knock my pen off my desk. Then in my excitement to try and catch the pen I knocked my binder off of my desk, and THEN to top it all off when I tried to reach down to get my binder, bag and pen I fell forward in my seat and practically broke the arm desk thing off. To top it all off I just happened to be surrounded by an entire legion of hot boys.

They all saw it.

SUCK.

<3 Keep Blabbing and REACH for the STARS as S Club 7 would say

Jane

The World Series Victors, The New York Yankees, Don’t Have Enough Money for Damon!

While most die-hard Yankee fans would make the claim that signing Johnny Damon is a no-brainer, Damon remains one of the few remaining free agents in the market. The Post reported that the Yankees are telling agents they only have $2 million to spend on a left fielder, a figure that would be acceptable for Brett Gardner, but not Damon who had a .282 batting average with 24 home runs and 82 runs batted in – he also stole 12 bases and without getting caught.

More than likely, the Yankees will either platoon LF or RF with the current starter Brett Gardner, or keep their fingers crossed during the preseason tryouts with the Rule 5 future prospect Jamie Hoffman. Whatever happens, happens. I don’t believe that the Yankees will surrender any chances of a repeat, and again, this entry is talking about the Bronx Bombers. Time will tell.

Sources:

• http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100113&content_id=7911176&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb
• http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/yankees/damon_yankees_haven_made_him_offer_eAcX0Lh6kk1DccMQINL8eP#
• http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=hoffma004jam
• http://twitter.com/baseball_ref
• http://www.baseball-reference.com/

After five quarters of working at The Post, today I published my 100th article.

The exact article that made 100 isn’t completely clear, two of mine were published in today’s edition of the Post. The tie is between a story about a blood drive and a story about the formation of a new student committee. Neither is particularly astounding, but 100 articles is still a great accomplishment, especially given my other obligations as a student over that time.

Oh the places I’ve gone in the process of writing 100 articles. I’m proud to call many of these articles my work, and among my best works. My editors seemed especially pleased about my recent investigations into a potentially unconstitutional university financial advisory group, a $500 million backlong in deferred maintenence, a rise in prescription drug abuse among students,  a peg on expensive prank prevention systems, and breaking news on meningitis throughout campus. In the course of the job, I’ve covered a children’s camp, a lawsuit, a protest and controversial preachers. I’ve worked beat coverage on the university’s student senate (includng an extended senate election campaign), sexual assault programs, campus maintenence and other things. From obituary pieces to investigation of Athens’ squirrel population, the first 100 articles provided a lot of experience in a lot of different fields.

Professionally, I haven’t been as concerned about being prolific as I have been with being accurate and meticulous. As I’ve become more comfortable producing content has been easier for me; I began the job averaging around a story a week, and have increased my output to over three stories a week last quarter. And I’m proud to say at that point only around five of my first 100 articles needed clarifications or corrections. It is my goal to continue this trend and continue putting out quality content and reliable coverage covering a variety of topics.

Once a week for the next few months we will be introducing members of the WSWCA board. First up, is Jack Barry. Here’s a little about Jack, in his own words:

I represent buyers and sellers of residential, investment and commercial real estate in all areas of Philadelphia and specifically in Wash West.  I love the area and can be found walking around or at the coffee shops most afternoons.  Please introduce yourself and let me know how we can be of service to you!  I am the advertising coordinator of The Post and have probably visited your business; if that is not the case I will be stopping by in 2010! We need the WSWCA to have as many members as possible; our legislators listen when we represent the voices of many.

Just in case anyone is interested here’s an interview with me conducted by a very nice person from h2g2 for their “newspaper” The Post.

Nice people in h2g2. Very, very nice.

Post Office, Cabezon by Evangeline Chavez

The village was started in the 1870’s and was originally called Posta, (the post),  It was the focal point for farming and raising sheep. It was also a stage stop between Santa Fe and the military outpost at Fort Wingate. It quickly grew with the mandatory saloons, blacksmith shop, stores.  Richard Heller ran the Heller Store and post office for a good many years.  Cabezon flourished  until the 1940’s. Mr. Heller died in 1947, and the Rio Puerco dried up. The post office officially closed in 1949

Two things about me:

1.  I LOVE reading the comics.

2.  I prefer sharpened pencils.

Check out my thoughts on the second one over at The Post.

Some unexpected coverage in Scottish Newspaper ‘The Sunday Post’ at the beginning of this month.

Nil’s shot of the Organic Moose hat and mittens was amazingly good quality on the page, I’ve never seen such a sharp image in newsprint! Shame about some of the other brands, not really the same idea we’re going for……but seriously Gilly, don’t look a gifthorse in the mouth! haha

Casual workers at the Royal Mail.  System is in disarray.

“There’s no induction, no training and no health and safety brief,” according to a SkyNews undercover reporter. Read the report here.

One of Royal Mail's rivals

Royal Mail’s rivals have admitted that they might not be able to cope with the extra business that is coming their way as a result of postal strikes.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/royal-mail/6336332/Postal-strike-Royal-Mail-rivals-say-they-cant-cope.html

Still from 'Night Mail'

The classic film made by the GPO film unit.

Words by WH Auden. Music by Benjamin Britten.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gmq6mFAEqNQ

The case against news editor, Chansa Kabwela, from Zambia’s newspaper The Post has  been thrown out after the court failed to prove their case against the journalist.  Kabwela faced pornography charges and jail time after sending graphic photos of woman giving birth on a pavement to the country’s president.

The photos were taken during the country’s doctor strike in June, which left many in the country without proper medical help.  The infant, unfortunately suffocated and later died.

Ms Kabwela told reporters, including those from The Telegraph,

“This victory to me is a victory for those that suffered during the strike. I was confident that I would be acquitted.”

The Post is Zambia’s only private newspaper and there is speculation that the charges may have been a politically move to halt the reporting of corruption in the government.

In article in The Post, Professor Muna Ndulowritten, an Ivy League law professor, writes,

“The average person in Zambia, while no doubt being shocked and disgusted by the picture, would not regard the publication of pictures of a woman giving birth in order to expose the plight of ordinary people during a national strike by medical personnel as being prurient and having the effect or as intended to deprave and corrupt morals.

Instead, the pictures should lead to outrage and anger at those who were not making maximum efforts to end the strike.”

Click here to hear more about the strike earlier this summer in an interview from the BBC.

The Washington Post on BHO’s Asian trip

The second most liberal newspaper in the nation, The Washington Post, has this to say in its editorial on Saturday November 21, 2009 about BHO’s trip to China:

“BHO was elected in part because he promised a more cooperative and pragmatic leadership in world affairs, but he should also be willing to stand up to Beijing.”

Are you surprised? I am because The Post has been in the pocket of BHO from .the early days of his presidential campaign. I was particularly shocked to see this kind of language from The Post:

“He was too deferential; he didn’t speak out enough on human rights; he failed to press Beijing firmly on revaluing its currency; he achieved no concrete results.”

Let me also remind you that he also

• Didn’t get any help in Iran’s nuclear weapon matter,

• Didn’t get any cooperation on Copenhagen conference,

• Didn’t achieve his goal of asking China to limit North Korea’s nuclear weapon program and

• Didn’t press hard enough to have China raising the value of RMB.

His speech and town hall meeting weren’t broadcast live. Questions weren’t allowed at his press conference. Knowing all this, he went along with China’s decision which showed his beta male and appealer characteristics.

The Post also said in it Editorial:

“He was too deferential; he didn’t speak out enough on human rights; he failed to press Beijing firmly on revaluing its currency; he achieved no concrete results.”

Other words in the editorial were: “especially disappointed”, “dispiriting” and “acquiescence.”

The Post concluded its editorial with this:

“But the American president must always be willing to stand up to Beijing in defense of core American interests and values.”

In other words, The Post finally realized that this was the worst performance ever for an American President in the world stage.

Oh yes, I forgot about his other accomplishments from his vacation in Asia:

He agreed with South Korea not to engaging in endless talks with North Korea but didn’t offer any proposal to bring this matter to a satisfied conclusion. He also said that The U.S. and its allies will send a “clear message” to Iran on its nuclear weapon program.

He also bowed to Japan’s emperor. He remembered having an ice cream in Japan. He reminded the world his tie with Indonesia. He couldn’t give up the chance to tell Asian people that he came from Hawaii. He even told Chinese about his Kenya father, Kansan mother and his sister who is ½ Indonesian and married to a Chinese-Canadian. He even said that “So when you see family gatherings in the BHO household, it looks like the United Nations. As if these personal issues matter to Chinese people.

Well, in the words of a common Chinese saying” ”他丟盡了美國的臉! ta1 diu1 jin4 le1 mei3 guo2 de1 lian3“ or lost face on behalf of all Americans.

Well, what else can you expect from a beta male?

I also can not ignore his accomplishment in the U.S.:

He will raise our taxes, our children’s taxes and our grandchildren’s taxes. He has quadrupled nation’s deficits. He will pile on record deficits for as long as our eyes can see. He is on the verge of drastically increase the size of the federal government. He may take over our health care. He will greatly push America into socialism. He has raised nation’s unemployment rate to 10.2%. He hasn’t created any jobs with his $787 billion stimulus plan.

Americans should be ashamed to have such a spineless president. Chinese should be proud of China’s firm stand against the strongest nation is the world.This is in far starker contrast to China in 1842 at the end of opium war. The signing of Treaty of Nanking “南京條約 nan2 jing1 tiao2 yue1″ marked the beginning of more than 60 years of the darkest history of China’s 5,000 years of history.

China has come out of that dark shadow and every Chinese should be proud of this moment in our history.

Book cover

Roy Mayall’s book now available to order on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dear-Granny-Smith-Letter-Postman/dp/190602197X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1258530300&sr=1-1

Senate intern rolls over opponent to win Wellston city council seat (Tristan Navera, The Post)

Talking to an 18 year old who won political office is intimidating. I wasn’t anywhere close to accomplishing something like this three years ago, and I lamented on my own life’s accomplishments while writing this story. I look forward to seeing where Luke Scott’s political career takes him in the future, talking to him definately gave me the sense that he has a lot of ambition.

Back to work

The postal strike is off. You don’t need me to tell you that. What you may not know is how this has affected us posties.

http://www.lrb.co.uk/blog/2009/11/11/roy-mayall/out-of-kilter/

Dave Ward, deputy general secretary CWU

You’re our union so listen to us posties.

Postal workers fear the CWU is not interested in their position. Here are a few suggestions as to how it could enter negotiations.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/nov/10/union-posties-postal-workers-cwu