September 2010
1 post
WatchJon Stewart’s speech on the first episode of The Daily Show after Sept. 11. I watch it every year on this day.
August 2010
5 posts
Rain, Rain, Go Away
I wish I could say I have spent the past few days enjoying all that Seoul has to offer, from the majestic palaces and parks to the cultural shops and street cart food.
But I haven’t.
Instead, I’ve spent much of the two and a half days that we’ve been here hiding from the rain, which has been almost constant since our first morning here. It has fallen at a steady...
Halfway Around The World
If you were to fly completely around the world, you would cover a distance of about 15,500 miles. So at nearly 7,000 miles apart, the eastern coast of the United States and Seoul, South Korea, are about as far apart as you can get on this planet.
But somehow, just a few days after leaving Washington D.C. (more on that in a later post), I’ve found myself here, in a downtown hotel in Seoul....
In U.S., Confidence in Newspapers, TV News Remains... →
Another study has come out showing ridiculously low “confidence” in newspaper and TV news among the American public. In Gallup’s annual poll, just 25 percent of those surveyed reported a “great deal” or “quite a lot” of confidence in newspaper (TV news got 22 percent; it’s heartening to see the public is finalizing realizing how pointless TV news...
“All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is...”
– This quote by 18th century German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer is one of my “favorite quotes” on Facebook. But with the recent flurry of news about the legal challenge to California’s Prop 8, I’ve been thinking about the quote in terms of gay marriage.
In that case, the...
“When our individual rights are taken away - when the majority decides that an...”
– Attorney Ted Olson, one of two lawyers who led the fight against Prop 8 (California’s gay marriage ban), in a press conference after a federal judge ruled the law was unconstitutional.
As my brother, Harvard law student Danny Rosenthal, said: “It feels good to be a future lawyer...
July 2010
7 posts
Is The Death of Web Journalism Already Here?
Edelman exec Steve Rubel recently wrote a bold column, asserting “It’s Time to Prepare for the End of the Web as We Know It.”
I know what you’re thinking. Didn’t Web journalism just get here? It may seem like it did, as least to traditional journalists who were shamefully slow to react to the emergence of the Web as a viable place to publish content.
But in this...
College Journalists Are Good at Consuming... →
A fascinating and very true column on journalism students and new media.
“I think Alex is cute, but Alex isn’t cute. He looks like a cross between...”
– Sophia discussing Alex
On Women
Scene: Bertin randomly brings up the subject of abortion.
Bertin: well anyways, I'm thinking about becoming pro life
Me: haha why?
Bertin: not because I'm against abortion. I just don't want women to be making choices.
Watch“Let’s get South Carolina back to work from Alvin, South Carolina to Greenville, South Carolina.”
-South Carolina Senate candidate Alvin Greene, in his first campaign speech
“Another thing we can do for jobs is make toys of me, especially for the...”
– South Carolina Senate candidate Alvin Greene, responding to a question about how to create jobs in this recession
Hoping to get back into this, again...
March 2010
10 posts
12 Months, 4 Cities: Reflections On A Crazy Year
I have this habit when listening to music: I try to put myself in the shoes of a person described in each song. I think it helps me to appreciate and feel the song more. But it’s caused a problem this past year.
You see, there’s a song by Placebo called “Running Up That Hill” that ended up on my current favorite CD, so I’ve been hearing it a lot. I want to like...
My Favorite Videos From Seattle
WatchBehind the scenes at The Moisture Festival
WatchOlympic gold medalist Seth Wescott teaches snowboard clinic at Snoqualmie
WatchDemocrats discuss the Legislative special session
WatchInside the Seattle Kennel Club Dog Show
WatchYouth and Families Initiative meeting at Van Asselt Elementary School
My Favorite Articles From Seattle
“Apparent burglar freed after 3 hours in chimney”
“Kirkland elementary alters ‘Snow White’ and some parents object”
“Body of climber recovered from Mount St. Helens”
“A lot riding on ‘quiet pavement’ in Bellevue as testing continues”
“Redmond Marine memorialized as ‘gift to this world’”
...
Long Time No See
So I know I’ve been MIA from this blog for a ridiculously long time. I apologize. No particular reason, just haven’t gotten around to it.
I’d like to tell you that I now am going to return to frequent posting, but I don’t know that I am.
One thing that I can promise: Over the next day or so, I’ll be posting three items to update you on my life. First, post some of...
January 2010
1 post
“In previous years, I used to gNash my teeth over the sluggish play of...”
– -Medill alum Jim Carper in an actual letter to the editor in Friday’s Daily
On a related note, big game today (against my 2nd favorite team in the country). Go Wildcats!
December 2009
3 posts
Escaping Espana
When I woke up yesterday morning, at the end of four months of living in a foreign country away from my family and closest friends, I wanted nothing more than to go home. The plan was to fly from Sevilla to Madrid to New York City to Indianapolis, arriving home the day after leaving.
Unfortunately, it would not be that easy. It’s as if Spain didn’t want to see me go.
I immediately sensed trouble...
Hasta Luego, Sevilla
As I prepare to finish my study abroad experience, I can’t help thinking about the city that has hosted me for the past four months.
Sevilla, Spain, is special in so many cultural and historical ways. But that’s not where my thoughts have turned lately. Instead, I’ve been thinking about Sevilla’s status as a tourist city.
I’ve never lived in a tourist city before (I will forever defend my...
Thanksgiving And The Unspoken Agreement Of Study...
Walking into the dining room last Thursday, I stopped dead in my tracks. A pumpkin centerpiece sat in the middle of the table, with hand-drawn paper turkeys laying on the plates and large helpings of mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce waiting to be eaten.
I didn’t understand at first. After all, I’m living in a country that doesn’t even celebrate Thanksgiving and I didn’t expect any recognition...
November 2009
5 posts
Scene: Talking with my roommate about his weekend in Madrid.
Me: What did you do in terms of sight seeing?
Gabo: I don't know. I mean, we ate at a bunch of places because, you know, we had to eat and shit.
On A Brighter Note...
I’m going to Paris in 2 hours!
Assaulted
Crime is beginning to get a little out of hand here in Sevilla.
When my cell phone and a friend’s bag were stolen while we were playing Frisbee a month ago, we didn’t really think anything of it. Petty crime like that is pretty common around here, we were told.
But since then, the incidents have piled up. A few weeks ago, a girl on our program had her phone stolen when she set it down for a...
Sevilla 5, Ciudad Lorqui 1
I’ll be honest: I’m not really a soccer fan.
That’s a blasphemes thing to say here in Spain (and if my host father finds out, he’ll be upset), but it’s true. I’ve always thought the sport was boring, with a monotonous pace prompted by to its running clock, conservative (but admittedly smooth) movement and lack of frequent scoring.
But knowing there is nothing more Spanish than soccer game, I...
Football Games, Hats And Halloween
Sorry for not writing for a bit. I’ve been busy, in part studying for midterms, which I finished yesterday.
If you’re wondering, the tests were pretty easy. I get the feeling the professors here want us to pass. After all, we are studying abroad, but let’s not kid ourselves—studying is not the most important part of our experience here.
Anyway, here is an update on what else has been going on in...
October 2009
10 posts
The Lesson Of The Tower Of Gold
Sevilla is without a doubt the most breathtaking city I’ve ever lived in (admittedly the competition is pretty weak—I love my hometown of West Lafayette, Indiana, but it is not quite as compelling).
The capital of southern Spain is home to the largest Christian cathedral in the world, the oldest still-functioning royal palace in Europe, the oldest bullfighting ring in Spain, the remains of...
A Typical Spanish Family: Mine
Sitting on the couch during a reunion of my Spanish “family” (the relatives of the people I’m living with) yesterday afternoon, I was startled by the sounds of high-pitched shrieking and laughter.
I looked up wearily, expecting to see more poor behavior from the 10-year-old twins who have become my brothers here. But the twins were sitting quietly in the corner, playing a Gameboy.
It was my host...
Fitz!
Me: ok explain Michigan to me. they've used 4 quarterbacks today, each with more than 1 and less than 10 attempts
Dan: rich rod doesn't know what they're doing
Me: clearly
Dan: but he's still better than hack fitzgerald
Me: shut up, I love Fitz...as does NU. I mean everybody at NU
Dan: yes, but everyone loved hitler too.
The Dangers Of Guided Tours, And Observations On...
I was on the beach when it hit me. We were playing Frisbee, surrounded by dozens of young boys doing back flips in the sand, men chatting quietly amongst each other and women in hijab walking silently. As I peered at the people staring at us, puzzled by our game (or, as I prefer to think, amazed by our skill), it hit me: I’m in Africa.
More specifically, I was in Morocco. Now, three days after...
Link: Language Barrier Love - Surprising... →
Why I need to hook up with a Spanish chick ASAP.
The article lists several advantages and disadvantages of dating someone who doesn’t speak your primary language. Disadvantage #1: “It can promote over-emphasis on physical (vs. intellectual) compatibility. “
This is a problem how?
Robbed!
My cell phone got stolen last Friday.
When I told my host father about the incident and mentioned it to a teacher, they each shrugged their shoulders. It’s pretty common around here, they said. So I’m not going to dwell on it.
OK fine, I’ll tell you how it happened. About 15 people from my program were playing Frisbee in the park and we all put our stuff down next to the...
Spanish University Classes, Or Lack Thereof
It started like every other first day of school in my life.
I woke up early, showered, put on nice-ish clothes, made sure I had all of my needed supplies and headed for my first class at the University of Sevilla.
I arrived at the classroom seven minutes early, double-checked to make sure I was in the right place and nervously waited for the teacher and other students to arrive. I waited…and I...
September 2009
18 posts
My First Bullfight
As the large dark brown beast bolted into the arena at full speed and headed straight for a man holding a yellow cape, a crowd of more than 10,000 jumped to their feet and shrieked in excitement.
I shrieked with them. The bullfight was underway.
Now I don’t know how you feel about slaughtering animals for human enjoyment and I’m not really sure how I feel about it either, but I can tell you...
Three Weeks In, Still Fighting To Feel Like A...
A few days ago, I was walking to class when I encountered an elderly man lying on the sidewalk with blood gushing from his head.
I wanted desperately to help the man, but I couldn’t understand what he was saying, I didn’t know how to call an ambulance and I wasn’t strong enough to lift him from the ground. So I stood there, almost breaking into tears myself, as blood continued to flow from this...
Reno Wrap Up
Loyal LtD readers probably noticed that I stopped posting links to my articles around Aug. 1. I apologize for this - my last few weeks in Reno, my 1.5-day, 2,200-mile drive from Reno to West Lafayette, my four days at home and my first few weeks in Sevilla have all been incredibly busy.
You won’t be able to read the articles now - RGJ articles are only visible for a month before they become...
The Real Impact Of The Economic Stimulus
Over the weekend, the Reno Gazette-Journal published a big package on the impact of federal stimulus money on Nevada. The package included two articles written by me - the last articles I wrote in Reno and some of the most difficult/most important. While my colleague and role model Anjeanette Damon conducted an analysis of where the early stimulus money is heading, I picked a couple specific...
Link: Inquiry Finds Gaza War Crimes On Both Sides →
“A United Nations fact-finding mission investigating the three-week war in Gaza last winter issued a highly critical report on Tuesday detailing what it called extensive evidence that both Israel and Palestinian militant groups took actions amounting to war crimes, and possibly crimes against humanity.”
While the long-anticipated, 575-page report condemned rocket attacks by...
On Attempting (Unsuccessfully) To Meet Spanish...
We’ve been told repeatedly that we need to make Spanish friends to truly experience the culture here. Naturally, I think this would best be done by hitting on Spanish chicks. But after a week of trying, I must report that it’s easier said than done.
First, girls don’t really shake hands here. Instead, when you meet a girl you have to do this double-cheek kiss thing that looks cool but is...