Story ideas

1. In the economic stimulus package, $200 million is dedicated to support working college students. As a working student myself, I'm very interested in seeing where this money will go. I'd specifically like to see others' thoughts on the money.

Specifically, I'd like to talk to Christine Texiera, technology manager for the Fine Arts Center, to find out what this could to towards saving the students she has working for her.

The director of Financial Aid Services at UMass, Suzanne Peters, would be a great source for this story. If she is not available, I could talk to Anne Peramba, the associate director of Employment Services. Either one would know how this could potentially impact the status of work study.

And finally, I would talk to a student who is part of the work study program. I myself am one, and know many students at work who fit the bill. If names are needed -- Connie Wang (junior), Evan Storer (senior), and Jake Tavares (sophomore) are a few. I can ask them about their concerns and hopes for the money.

2. After reading this story in the Boston Globe about a possible weak link in every strain of the flu virus. If scientists can target this area, they could make a vaccine and end the need for yearly flu shots.

I saw posters all over campus for months about getting a flu shot. Donna Yezierski, Director of Operations, Systems, and Clinic Services at UHS has statistics on the amount of flu shots given this year. I personally do not know anyone who got a flu shot (at least at UHS) so I'm very interested in seeing the actual number.

Christine Horn, a nurse practitioner at UHS, would be a great source to find out how many people have actually come in with the flu. While a real number would probably be hard to track down, I could be pleasantly surprised. She would probably know if any of these people actually had a flu shot -- as it is posible to catch a different strain than the shot protected against.

Finally, looking to the future, Alan Calhoun, Medical Director at UHS could provide insight on a school-wide level. Would the vaccine eventually be available to students at UHS? Would it become a requirement, like many other vaccines are?

3. After reading another Globe article about the risks of teens going missing and dying at parties, I can't help but think the same thing applies at college -- even if it is less prevalent.

Everyone makes bad decisions when they drink, but it only takes one really dumb one to have terrible consequences. The other night, a bunch of my friends and I were walking back to my apartment when some other guy none of us knew was staggering and following us. When we asked what he was doing, he said "going with you guys." When we told him not to, and we wouldn't let him in, he persisted until he had to go to the bathroom (in a bush) and passed out on a snowbank. He was gone 10 minutes later, so we assumed he's ok.

I'm interested in talking to the UMass police on this matter. In the Globe article, one of the people who wandered off in a party admitted to hiding from police because he didn't want to get into trouble. Almost everyone I know would have done the same thing. What does that say about students' opinions of the police? Are the police more concerned with apprehending drunks, or helping them get back home? Johnny Whitehead, interim Chief of Police for the UMPD, can answer these questions, as well as give thoughts on how these situations can be averted.

A student who drinks a lot would be another good source. I'd talk to my roommate.

No, I'm kidding -- about talking to him. He does drink a lot. But really, I know a specific person would be good, but maybe a bunch of random people I could talk to for a bit would be even better.

I could talk to any of the UHS sources I listed for the story above for this topic, as well. They know how many people have come in with alcohol-related injuries of any kind. Their opinions on not only the medical but social aspects are not often discussed. Talking to them would be an interesting angle, outside of the usual student-versus-police debate.

A-Roid, day 2

Image obtained in Google Search. http://blog.silive.com/sportsstories/

Ok, so I've had a day to think about this mess Alex Rodriguez's leaked test results have caused.

Whether it's Buster Olney, Jayson Stark, or even his former manager Buck Showalter, everyone on ESPN has expressed his or her opinion on the matter.

Most writers seem to think baseball is tarnished forever. And in many ways, it may be:

The all-time hits leader (Mr. Peter E. Rose) won't be in the Hall of Fame.

The all-time home run leader (assuming that's where A-Rod's highway leads him) won't be in the Hall of Fame.

The man who broke Hank Aaron's record (Barry Bonds) won't be in the Hall.

The man who broke Roger Maris' record (Mark McGwire) won't be in the Hall.

The man who was once the winningest right-handed pitcher of the live-ball era (Roger Clemens) won't be in the Hall.

The man with the most 60-homer seasons in baseball history (Sammy Sosa) doesn't look like he's headed for the Hall, either.

-Jayson Stark

Yes, there is no other sport that can claim that so many statistical leaders are or may be denied entry into their respective Halls of Fame. But the statement that A-Rod's test was an attack on the sport itself is ludicrous. He was doing what was best for him in a time when it seemed like the only way to get ahead. He wasn't the only one to do it, and I'm sure there are many other superstars that have used performance-enhancing drugs.

I'm not making an excuse for him. What he did was more than just a rules infringement; it was a poor moral decision. What I am saying is he wasn't thinking about baseball history or how this would hurt the game. A-Rod doesn't think that way. Through his relationships with his teammates and the media, it's clear he's only out to make himself the center of attention. 

This is why he was caught at a strip club with a woman who is not his wife in Toronto. 

This is why he has a strange relationship with Madonna. 

This is why he acts like everyone is out to get him.

This is why he is nicknamed "The Cooler" by former teammates, noting his negative effect in locker room chemistry.

This is why he used steroids.

But America's Pasttime is not destroyed or tarnished forever. These records held hostage by the steroid era will fall. Pete Rose will be allowed into the Hall. America won't care.

That's the thing that these sportswriters tend to forget -- America doesn't care what you've done. America forgives. America forgets. America will take repeated punishment as long as you make them smile once in a while.

One man isn't going to ruin this system MLB has installed. Baseball is only behind football in terms of revenue, when its life was once threatened by strikes by players and apathy by fans. Sportswriters have the ability to get the majesty of a sport get near and dear to their hearts, and are outraged by anything that might hurt its image in the public.

'A-Fraud' tested positive for steroids in 2003

Image found on Google Search. Hosted on askmen.com

Alright, by now I'm sure most of you have heard that New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez used steroids.

Sports Illustrated broke the story on Saturday, and everyone has been giving their opinions on the matter. I've been trying to avoid sports stories for this blog, but I figure this is too big of a deal to let pass by.

In 2003, the year he tested positive, steroids were banned in baseball but there was no penalty for using them. The over 1,000 tests taken were basically a survey by Major League Baseball to see if random testing with penalties was merited. 104 players were found to have steroids in their system, so baseball implemented new rules and punishments in 2004.

According to the SI report, A-Rod was one of these players. The records were supposed to be confidential, but there is nothing private in sports, and his name leaked out.

As a disclaimer, I'll tell you that I'm a huge Red Sox fan. Anything that can be used to laugh at the Yankees is great fun for me. I've never seen Rodriguez as a true Yankee; he seems to be more of an expensive rental.

Even still, I don't think he should be punished for what he did in 2003. He might have broke the rules, but there was no punishment set at the time, and if they went back and retroactively penalized everyone who used the "juice," the MLB would be a mess.

The most interesting part of this story for me is mentioned later in the article:

In September 2004, Gene Orza, the chief operating officer of the players' union, violated an agreement with MLB by tipping off a player (not named in the report) about an upcoming, supposedly unannounced drug test. Three major league players who spoke to SI said that Rodriguez was also tipped by Orza in early September 2004 that he would be tested later that month.

If A-Rod had stopped taking steroids when penalties were in place, why would he need to be tipped off? This is the bigger story than the fact that he took steroids the year before. Even if he didn't test positive in 2004, this illegal tip could put those test results in doubt. Random tests aren't very effective if the players know they are coming. The type of steroid Rodriguez took in 2003 was popular for the short span of time it stayed in the system. It is detectable for a shorter period of time than most steroids.

Whether or not more comes from this story, you can bet he's going to hear chants of "A-Roid" every time he comes to Fenway.

I could lose my job!

Image taken from umass.edu

With all the budget cuts and restructuring going on, I'm concerned for my future employment with the university. 

I work for the Fine Arts Center.

No, I'm not creative or anything like that. I work with computers. My boss, Christine Texiera, is the technology manager for the whole Fine Arts Center. If any problem comes up from hackers to broken keyboards, she is the one called. I deal with the easier problems, that she probably shouldn't be wasting her time on.

There five of us students working under Christine, and all of our jobs are in jeopardy. Actually, according to Christine, even her job might be lost.

She told me she doesn't know what she would do without the use of work-study students helping her. We are usually overwhelmed with what needs to be done with six of us working; I can't imagine what she would do by herself.

The FAC would probably fall apart.

I'm not saying that as a joke. It's a legit possibility. I see all Christine does already, and what happens one day when she's sick and something goes wrong? She controls everything from the website to mailing lists to ticket orders. Think the FAC can be alright without those key features?

I can't imagine how many situations like this arise around campus. While UMass has a current hiring freeze, that's clearly not going to be enough. Eventually, jobs are going to be lost.

It's a vicious cycle we've gotten ourselves into, and one we'll probably experience again 80 years from now.

Seems dumb we spent so much money on signs now, doesn't it?

I realize I'm throwing a lot of links at you, and the Great Depression one was an attempt at dark humor, but you should take a closer look at the budget situation. Everyone has been sent e-mails from Chancellor Holub, but many people (including, until recently, me) should take a look at them.

Do you do your assigned readings?

Image taken from Google Image Search, source: liberty.edu

Whether you don't have the book or you're just lazy, there's a good chance you have skipped some assigned readings in the past.

I've done it frequently, especially in my journalism classes, because I feel they can be very irrelevant to the discussion. In a class I had last semester, which will remain nameless, we had assigned readings each week that we sometimes discussed in class. I did half of one week's readings and no more.

I got an A- in the class.

As S.P. Sullivan states in this Daily Collegian column, readings usually aren't seen as important by students. He seems to believe, at least in the past, that there was an understanding between student and professor:

‘This is too much reading. I know this. Only a small percentage of you will do all of it. But enough of you will read Book A and enough of you will read Book B and enough of you are prodigious-enough bullshitters that we’ll be able to keep the conversation going all semester.’

He concludes that we probably should put the money we spend on books to good use, but I have an even better idea: don't buy the books in the first place. As much as I might be able to learn by reading in journalism classes, I've been helped much more by the critiquing of my writing and the sharing of real-life experiences from my professors.

School for Flirts

Image taken from howstuffworks.com (I did a Google image search, I didn't actually look up how flirting works).

My title is misleading. It really should be, "School for People Who Are Bad at Flirting." But the other one sounds nicer.

With Valentine's Day now a mere 10 days from now, maybe some of you would like to check this out. This article in the Boston Globe chronicles writer Meredith Goldstein's attendance to a flirting class in the Boston Center for Adult Education.

When I read the first few paragraphs, I was ready to blast this piece, as well as the people who attended the seminar. But I'm here at my computer alone and they're at least out trying to improve their lives romantically, even if it is at a cost of $51. 

Goldstein informed them of her status as a journalist, but that didn't seem to bother anyone.

Swack made me pair up with the defensive guy from Fidelity.

He complimented first: "I like your sweatshirt," he said.

I wasn't wearing a sweatshirt. It was a sweater. It was just baggy.

It was my turn to compliment him, so I told him that his questions in class made him sound smart and thoughtful. I didn't mean it, but it seemed like something nice to say.

Swack interrupted us and told me I wasn't really flirting. She said I sounded disingenuous.

"Tell him he's smart," she said. "That's a compliment."

"How do I know he's smart?" I asked, frustrated.

I told him I liked his sneakers.

While I would still never go to some class like this, I can understand why some people would. She described the crowd as predominantly middle-aged and presumably divorced. I can't make fun of a group of people like that.

I'd rather wish them good luck...

...and hope I never am in the same situation.