tag:bloggery.wlu.edu,2009:/rr/33 2009-11-19T22:24:23Z Movable Type Pro 4.23-en tag:bloggery.wlu.edu,2009:/rr//33.4777 2009-11-19T22:22:59Z 2009-11-19T22:24:23Z

The holidays are almost upon us here in Lexington, but for such a busy and festive time of the year, the town is pretty quiet. Sure, Christmas wreaths are already up (all in the name of putting on a show...

Michael todd The holidays are almost upon us here in Lexington, but for such a busy and festive time of the year, the town is pretty quiet. Sure, Christmas wreaths are already up (all in the name of putting on a show for WSLS out of Roanoke), but even that hasn't done much to liven up the atmosphere. Where are the bustling tourists? Where are the family members in for the holidays? Maybe it's the incessant rain keeping everyone inside, or maybe I'm just jumping the gun on my expectations of seasonal cheer, but in my four years here, this is the quietest holiday I've seen yet. I'm curious to see how this currently lackluster season will play out for local retailers. Business owners are already in a bind with the economy floundering as it is, and with the new health-care bill kicking around in the Senate, things could get even tighter. A 'yes' vote from them would make staying in the black even harder for retailers in town, who rely mostly on part-time employees. And while everyone was originally optimistic about the surge of new small businesses in Lexington, I have to wonder whether they can survive the winter. These new businesses are certainly attractive, but if the season is slow and the health-insurance mandate comes down from Washington, they face grim prospects. Newcomers, especially in the business world, have an uphill battle to fight for the first year or so before they can reasonably expect to turn a profit. Couple these inherent start-up losses with the fact that they just haven't had the necessary time to prove why they're equal competition in the Lexington market, and the red ink starts to bleed its way through their earnings sheets. Maybe I'm being a bit too harsh on them. Perhaps this chilly weather has dampened my holiday spirit. I just hope that all these exciting new ventures live to see the thaw. tag:bloggery.wlu.edu,2009:/rr//33.4763 2009-11-03T00:25:17Z 2009-11-03T00:26:21Z

All work and no play? It isn't exactly a journalist's credo. Last year the producers implemented an "About Us" page to put the faces to the hard work that goes into creating the news each week; the reporters and producers...

Michael todd All work and no play? It isn't exactly a journalist's credo. Last year the producers implemented an "About Us" page to put the faces to the hard work that goes into creating the news each week; the reporters and producers alike undoubtedly deserved that recognition and the recognition that giving you news that is timely, important, local, and accurate is a pretty daunting task. But what they failed to mention was how much fun it can be. I think sometimes we forget that, too. So before the madness of today's 4:30 p.m. deadline hits home I took some time to reflect on why the heck I find this so enjoyable. The people in news are terrific. I literally spend entire days in the journalism lab, but they're days filled with laughter and thought-provoking discussion. I sometimes wonder if I would spend less time working if I could isolate myself from the newsroom, but then I realize what a disservice that would be to the news; sharing perspectives both goofy and serious help balance the news and give it a fairness one person can't alone create. The product we finally produce every Thursday at 4:30 is usually worth the hard work, too. There's nothing like the feeling of seeing a great show on air after working for days after a week's worth of hard work went into it. Furthermore, there's nothing better than the feeling (almost a vindication, if you will) that you get when your audience comments on the end product. And even more, I've never seen a newsroom without Diet Coke and chocolate - the real fruits of the earth. I hope you appreciate what goes into our work. I'd love to hear what you have to say about it - good or bad, it's always good to know you're watching. But don't let any journalist give you the ol' martyr line; we wouldn't do this unless we love it and the sacrifices we make never go unredeemed. tag:bloggery.wlu.edu,2009:/rr//33.4224 2009-03-05T21:33:21Z 2009-03-05T21:35:41Z

The Italians have this thing called "sprezzatura." It's what our Italian friend referred to when, stomping around Rome earlier this year, we marveled at the perfectly "thrown together" model types traipsing down the Via del Corso. While our dear guide...

Michael todd The Italians have this thing called "sprezzatura." It's what our Italian friend referred to when, stomping around Rome earlier this year, we marveled at the perfectly "thrown together" model types traipsing down the Via del Corso. While our dear guide Francesco couldn't give us a direct translation, he described it as the art of making that which is hard seem easy. A Google search later, we found that it originated in Baldassare Castiglione's 16th-century Il Cortegiano. Castiglione describes the term as "an easy facility in accomplishing difficult actions, which hides the conscious effort that went into them." While Castiglione encourages courtiers to have an air of sprezzatura, I have found no better way to describe that which The Rockbridge Report embodies. The Web site is streamlined, and the anchors calmly smile, but rockbridgereport.wlu.edu and our corresponding newscast are the weekly products of hours upon hours of plain hard work from a small group of students. Every story is student-written, student-filmed, student-edited and student-produced. That's why you'll notice a new feature to our Web site this week -- photos and short bios of the reporters and producers who strive to provide the Rockbridge area with the best journalism possible. We're putting faces to names and showing you who we are. Hope you enjoy meeting us. - Monica Chinn tag:bloggery.wlu.edu,2009:/rr//33.4191 2009-02-27T13:26:01Z 2009-02-27T13:27:28Z

"Reduce your carbon footprint!" "Go Green!" "Wind energy!" Save money and save the planet!" It seems that these slogans supporting environmental causes are everywhere nowadays. This week our reporters followed a couple stories on the environment. The stories focused on...

Michael todd "Reduce your carbon footprint!" "Go Green!" "Wind energy!" Save money and save the planet!" It seems that these slogans supporting environmental causes are everywhere nowadays. This week our reporters followed a couple stories on the environment. The stories focused on air quality and even how having hens can help you save money and help the planet. Being an environmental studies and journalism major, I believe that the attention to these stories by the news media reflects the interest of the country in environmental issues. From small student-run media outlets like The Rockbridge Report to The CBS Evening News, journalists are running stories on alternative energy and other environmental issues. Public interest is needed to spark a change in our energy use and our environment, and the public surely has begun to be interested. And not just in a superficial way. Going green has become fashionable. Cars, clothing, electronics, you name it -- if it's green, it's most certainly cool. The new MacBook by Apple is advertised as the most green laptop on the market. What does that mean? Who knows? But it sounds cool. If this keeps up, the environment can change without people even knowing it, and that's a good thing for all of us. - Michelle Boniface tag:bloggery.wlu.edu,2009:/rr//33.4138 2009-02-12T21:30:44Z 2009-02-12T21:31:39Z

I guess it serves the government right for trying to do a good thing. It literally did a reverse Robin-Hood -- took money from the hands of hard-working taxpayers who are losing their jobs and facing foreclosure -- and put...

Michael todd I guess it serves the government right for trying to do a good thing. It literally did a reverse Robin-Hood -- took money from the hands of hard-working taxpayers who are losing their jobs and facing foreclosure -- and put it in the hands of greedy business executives. Before the check was even signed, they arrived by private jet to make the case that they can't afford to keep business afloat. Now all you hear about is the exorbitant bonuses executives are still receiving after having been bailed out. Then again, not all businesses that received bailout money continue to spend wastefully. Wells Fargo for example -- which benefited from a $25 billion federal rescue -- canceled a 12-night luxury retreat in Las Vegas for its staff. Now let's think about this for a second. The relative cost of this "luxury retreat" compared to a $25 billion-dollar loan... is trifling! When CEOs start pulling the Sarah Palin, and by that I mean selling company jets on eBay, then I'll be satisfied. While we wait for such a phenomenon to occur, word on the street -- Wall Street, that is -- is that greedy executives are finally going to get what's coming to them. Pres. Obama has announced a plan to cap the salaries of executives whose companies received bail-out money at $500,000. Now that's what I'm talkin' 'bout. My only question is: How far down the pole will these salary caps go? At some of the bailed-out banks, traders and bankers make more than the big boys on top receive. Now of course, adversaries are devising a slew of cockamamie excuses to challenge a cap on executive salaries. My favorite appeared on CNN earlier this week. Wolf and Andy were discussing how opponents believe a salary cap will drain the 'bail-out sector' of talented managers. Because why would a talented manager work for a company where multi-million dollar bonuses are no longer offered??? If by "talented" these people mean those who have received the highest salaries in the last decade, then the "talented managers" are the ignoramuses responsible for our current state of recession. I'm willing to bet that the statistical correlation between pay and performance of executives at these levels of corporate America is slim to none. While I find the continued greed on Wall Street atrocious, I have to admit that I'm somewhat sympathetic to those who stand to lose millions with an executive salary cap. Really now, how would you feel if all of a sudden your annual income was missing three zeros after the comma? Granted, these big wheelers weren't earning the salaries of the average Joe six-pack (another one for the Palin fans). For Joe, an annual salary of $500,000 is more than plenty to live a pleasant life. But for a business tycoon who's been pocketing millions, $500,000 is chump-change. More seriously, when you've living an extravagant lifestyle and are suddenly unable to afford it, you stand to lose important items like your home and car. Perhaps 'mansion and yachts' are more accurate in this case.... At any rate, I think a salary cap will provide Wall Street with a much-needed "corporate cleansing." If these pay caps help corporations get rid of people who work there only because they receive millions each year, then Obama is doing these corporations a serious favor. They'll actually start employing honest, ambitious leaders who want to do something other than line their own pockets as fast as possible. One can only hope. -Alisha Laventure tag:bloggery.wlu.edu,2009:/rr//33.4108 2009-02-06T16:13:22Z 2009-02-06T17:43:26Z

Sunday's Super Bowl was not supposed to be good. Of the teams assembling in Tampa--the Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers--neither were the Cinderellas of the season, nor the dominating powerhouses or sentimental favorites (sorry, Manning brothers). And at that,...

Michael todd Sunday's Super Bowl was not supposed to be good. Of the teams assembling in Tampa--the Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers--neither were the Cinderellas of the season, nor the dominating powerhouses or sentimental favorites (sorry, Manning brothers). And at that, the Steelers' star wide receiver walked onto the field with a bum knee, while a lackluster Cards defense lined up to meet them. The nation was coming off one of the coldest weeks of the year so far. Even Sports Illustrated and Playboy canceled their Super Bowl parties. The Super Bowl? Without an SI party? But the second the Vince Lombardi Trophy found its way into the hands of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and the rest of the Steelers, the exclamations began: This was the best Super Bowl. Ever. What happened? How can such a lackluster exposition give way to such a climax and even more exhilarating denouement? There's no answer; just the facts: The second quarter ended with a drive-stopping interception run back for a 100-yard touchdown by the Steelers' James Harrison. The Cards' first lead of the game came by way of a 64-yard touchdown pass to Larry Fitzgerald with 2:37 left in the game. The last Pittsburgh offensive drive ended with an impeccable perfect throw-perfect catch combination in the Cardinals' end zone ... and victory. Most importantly, America exhaled this Sunday. Everyone who tuned in got caught up in it, not just the 71,101 people at Heinz South Stadium. The emotionalism this game ended up capturing just proves that you can still expect the unexpected; that what is predicted is not always what is delivered. And now, when few things allow us to focus on something besides the state of the economy, that is something increasingly important to remember. We can barely get our morning coffee without hearing about this downturn's latest victim. The Super Bowl shocked and surprised. It made some of us cheer, some of us cry. So I'm going to give the advice that might get me excommunicated from the journalistic world: This weekend, put your newspaper down. Get your nose out of the newest article lamenting the absurd unemployment rate and miserable budget cuts. Put on your coat and gloves and go enjoy yourselves -- and each other. Walk around your downtown, meander down Main Street. We live in a beautiful place with great people. You might want to wait until Saturday, though. The forecast says Lexington's going to hit 62 degrees. -Monica Chinn tag:bloggery.wlu.edu,2009:/rr//33.4034 2009-01-29T21:38:25Z 2009-01-29T21:40:23Z

During a time when melancholy stories of budget cuts, job cuts and a failing economy dominate the news, it is refreshing to hear stories like that of the Sample of the City event in Lexington. Alicia Budich covered the story...

Michael todd During a time when melancholy stories of budget cuts, job cuts and a failing economy dominate the news, it is refreshing to hear stories like that of the Sample of the City event in Lexington. Alicia Budich covered the story for The Rockbridge Report, and her experience proved that, despite the hardships that Lexington residents and U.S. citizens are undoubtedly facing during these hard times, people can still find a way to have a little fun and eat some good food. Restaurants from around the city came together to show locals and out-of-towners what they had to offer and, despite the cold and damp weather, created a cheery and festive event. As a former longtime employee of local restaurant The Bistro, I like knowing that Lexington's small but impressive restaurants got to show what they are made of. Local restaurant owners take their importance in this small city seriously and it shows in their delicious refined dishes and excellent service. It is just another example of an American characteristic that I value above all else, that people in the United States will always find a way to get by, to persevere, and to have some fun. Even during the Depression, when it seemed that things could not get any worse, professional sporting events still went on and communities gathered together to celebrate holidays. During this recession we can all be assured that the same will be true. Maybe, with the economy slowing down and things getting "back to the basics," as my new favorite Allstate commercial says, people will be able to have a little more fun for a little less. - Michelle Boniface tag:bloggery.wlu.edu,2009:/rr//33.3991 2009-01-22T18:52:57Z 2009-01-22T18:53:22Z

Barack Hussein Obama is the 44th president of the United States. His father was not a former president. His last name does not denote the wealth that a name like Rockefeller or Forbes does. At first glance, the name doesn't...

Michael todd Barack Hussein Obama is the 44th president of the United States. His father was not a former president. His last name does not denote the wealth that a name like Rockefeller or Forbes does. At first glance, the name doesn't even seem American! But no one who was paying attention to his presidential campaign, the passion with which he speaks about our country, and the enthusiasm with which he recited the presidential oath of office on Tuesday can deny that he as red-blooded an American as George Washington himself. I still have a hard time believing that the first African-American president has been elected. I did believe that it would happen, one day. But never in my wildest dreams did I think I would see it happen so soon. I feel so blessed to have been a part of such an historic event. As an African-American, I am inspired by Barack Obama. He inspires me to believe that anything is possible - anything. Seeing the First Family, a black first family, shows another, less-often seen representation of the black American family. The last time such a family was seen on television -- two highly educated parents with smart, well-rounded, respectful kids -- was when The Cosby Show was on air. It is so refreshing to see such an image. But apart from being an inspiration to African-Americans, I have to believe that Barack Obama is an inspiration to the entire country, if not the world. His presidency shows us all that we are capable of change, great change. And with this change, I believe, comes a new era of prosperity and peace. - Alicia Laventure tag:bloggery.wlu.edu,2009:/rr//33.3990 2009-01-15T18:50:52Z 2009-01-22T18:52:27Z

So a new year has begun and a new team for The Rockbridge Report has been assembled. Being involved in The Rockbridge Report has long been a dreaded experience for new journalism students, but as a veteran of the j-school...

Michael todd So a new year has begun and a new team for The Rockbridge Report has been assembled. Being involved in The Rockbridge Report has long been a dreaded experience for new journalism students, but as a veteran of the j-school I can say that this semester's Rockbridge Report is going to be wild and crazy, yes, but I also have a feeling that my fellow producers and the reporters are going to make it run as smoothly as, say, a baby's bottom. So what will this new year of 2009 hold for us? For me, 2009 will be the year of my college graduation, filled with memories of friends, nights out in Lex Vegas, and of course my days in the j-school. For many of us, 2009 will also be the year that we struggled to get by, struggled to find a job, and prayed that the economy would take a turn for the better. It will also be remembered as the year of Barack Obama, the year that our country proved it was ready for change, politically and socially. Although there are inevitably going to be many challenges in 2009, maybe these challenges will allow us to cherish the small and simple things in life and, I hope, happy memories of graduations, family and friends will be the ones that we remember. -Michelle Boniface tag:bloggery.wlu.edu,2008:/rr//33.3771 2008-11-18T13:57:29Z 2008-11-18T13:58:33Z

Well, I think Jacob pretty accurately described the Supreme Court experience. I echo everything he said and add this: it’s much smaller than I thought and the security is insane. Seriously, a bulging, muscular security guard with an earpiece...

Michael todd Well, I think Jacob pretty accurately described the Supreme Court experience. I echo everything he said and add this: it’s much smaller than I thought and the security is insane. Seriously, a bulging, muscular security guard with an earpiece bored laser beam holes into my scalp with his eyes. I’m just sayin’. Being in D.C. offered me more than just a look at the court of supreme-ness. It made me take a closer look at being a journalist. In Lexington, sometimes you forget that people are living and working outside of our bubble in the Blue Ridge. Not having covered more than what’s happening on Main Street or in the Commons, it seems daunting to think of reporting on something on such an important, national scale. I think to a certain extent the isolation is crippling—our students don’t get some of the opportunities that, for example George Washington University, students receive when attending school in a big city. Taking off class to see the arguments and making the three hour drive was a trek for us, but for the District journalism students, it may just be another day in the j-school. Jacob seemed to make a similar claim when he said that G.W. always wins big awards at the Society of Professional Journalists conferences because they’re right in the heat of the action. It’s not a huge undertaking for their newspaper to send out a photographer to get a shot of a political figure. On the other hand, I doubt the EC would fund a Ring-Tum Phi D.C. bureau. Taking the current job market and the state of the industry into consideration plus hearing about how so many professionals don’t envy my “situation” going into the job force, I found it refreshing how many of the people I met said that the future of news is in our hands. It wasn’t a trite Whitney Houston “I believe the children are our future” comment, but rather it was a call for a change in the current model to keep the business afloat. Many seasoned, well-respected journalists, like Kathy Kiely, said that their newsrooms have put them in the difficult positions of being left with a piece of equipment that they don’t know how to use, and being asked to integrate it into their piece. Print people have been forced to figure out how to use cameras and digital recorders in the field. It’s quite possible to say that many of our 202 students could more efficiently put together a package than many veteran reporters. And for that I am very thankful. Fixing the industry will be up to us. Luckily we will all be armed with the tools necessary to do this. W&L does a great job of making sure students know how to do it all—we write, record, shoot video, edit, and blog. Plus we’re required to take enough classes outside of the department to fit it all into the real world. It seems tedious to some of us now, but having seen “the other side” so to speak, we should all be grateful and know that we’re in good hands over in Reid Hall. tag:bloggery.wlu.edu,2008:/rr//33.3768 2008-11-17T13:16:52Z 2008-11-19T00:58:50Z

When our cab pulled around the Capitol and up to the Supreme Court, I looked with dismay at the line that stretched all the way across the plaza and down the street. Thankfully, Professor Locy’s years as a Supreme Court...

Michael todd When our cab pulled around the Capitol and up to the Supreme Court, I looked with dismay at the line that stretched all the way across the plaza and down the street. Thankfully, Professor Locy’s years as a Supreme Court reporter were about to come in handy. Skirting the tourists, protestors and other crowds milling outside the main entrance, she led us in a quiet side door … and right into a scene almost as chaotic as the one outside. Let’s say this about the court: they need a lot of employees just to herd crowds around the building. We were slated to hear two cases: Summum v. Pleasant Grove, Utah and Bell v. Virginia. The Bell case revolved around a very narrow section of Virginia law. While it was technically a case about the death penalty, it really focused mostly on whether or not poor representation in state court was enough to lead to new hearings in federal court (at least that’s what I think the case was about). The Summums, however, were a different matter entirely. That case focused on whether or not the City of Pleasant Grove, which allowed the Fraternal Order of the Eagles to put a Ten Commandments monument in a city park, must also allow the Summums – a small sect that combines several faiths – to post a monument of their Seven Aphorisms. The lawyers for the city went first, but Chief Justice John Roberts interrupted the city’s lawyer with a question before a minute had passed. The frantic pace kept up after that, as every justice but Clarence Thomas piled questions on the city’s lawyer, a member of the U.S. Solicitor General’s Office (who was arguing in favor of the city) and then the church’s attorney. Everyone seemed to have a question, and it was impressive to watch the lawyers manage to keep up with the judges and sometimes answer several questions at once (I’m also amazed that the reporters can write fast enough to keep notes on all of the questions). When the court is dealing with a technical case like Bell v. Virginia, the courtroom is usually half full and sometimes seems a bit sleepy. That wasn’t the case during the Summum case. The courtroom was packed, and everyone was leaning forward to catch what the justices and lawyers would say next. Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah sat in one of the front rows to see how his constituents would fare. The justices seemed torn as they debated the case, and I left with no clear idea of who would prevail when the opinion is released. On the one hand, if the monument was really a form of government speech, as Pleasant Grove’s attorneys argued, that might create concerns with the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. But on the other hand, you could tell that the justices worried that a finding in favor of the Summums would open our nation’s parks to a raft of unusual, pointless or even frivolous monuments. The case revolved around terms like “limited public forum,” “government speech” and other items we’d covered in Journalism Law. The press sits on the side of the courtroom near the front in a series of benches reserved for their use. It was fun to watch them all go careening out of the courtroom after the Summum case ended, leaving behind a half-empty courtroom for the Bell case. When we went down to the pressroom at the conclusion of the arguments, they were all filing their first Web updates for a decision that Chief Justice Roberts had read out at the start of the session. That case involved a suit between the Navy and environmental groups who wanted to restrict the Navy’s ability to use sonar in training exercises near the California coast. The environmentalists argued that the sonar was harmful to marine mammals. The court sided with the Navy, and the Chief Justice finished reading a summary of his opinion at 10:10. The Wall Street Journal had an e-mail alert out by 10:18. Now that’s a quick turnaround. It seems like the court beat is sometimes a quiet, slower-paced one as reporters work on preview stories, prepare for upcoming cases or read through opinions. But on days like this one, when a major oral argument coincides with an important opinion, the job is full of breaking news. One of the hardest jobs is translating difficult legal arguments into clear, articulate prose that readers can understand even if they don’t have a law degree. That is relatively easy in a case like Summum v. Pleasant Grove or the sonar case, but on other days it can be a difficult task. There was one wonderful irony in our visit to the court’s pressroom. Inside we met Lyle Denniston, the dean of the press corps and the longest-tenured reporter on the court beat. He wasn’t working for AP, Reuters or a major newspaper, however. Instead, he was the lone reporter in the press room who works for a blog: Scotusblog.com. Maybe veteran reporters can adapt to the brave new world of journalism. tag:bloggery.wlu.edu,2007:/rr//33.2672 2007-11-15T19:33:05Z 2007-11-15T19:34:31Z

Add your message of thanks to our veterans....

Michael todd Add your message of thanks to our veterans. tag:bloggery.wlu.edu,2007:/rr//33.1901 2007-01-18T19:41:41Z 2007-03-01T17:11:38Z

Busta Rhymes performed in front of a packed house this week at Washington and Lee. Share your experience with the Rockbridge Report....

Michael todd Busta Rhymes performed in front of a packed house this week at Washington and Lee. Share your experience with the Rockbridge Report. tag:bloggery.wlu.edu,2006:/rr//33.1805 2006-12-05T15:20:29Z 2007-01-24T16:15:45Z

Please post your comments about the attractions in Natural Bridge, Virginia....

Michael todd Please post your comments about the attractions in Natural Bridge, Virginia. tag:bloggery.wlu.edu,2006:/rr//33.935 2006-03-13T18:22:13Z 2006-09-20T13:19:40Z

What do you think about the new courthouse design?...

Michael todd What do you think about the new courthouse design?