Reading Writing and Chatter

First Year Comes Finally to an End!

2009-11-20T05:53:00.001-08:00

What a year! Exams seem to be the bane of my existence as I wait in anticipation to write my last examination on the 26th of November!It seems that this is the moment that I have been waiting for, to be able to say that I have an experience of university for an entire year! The hard work, pressure of assignments, tests, and trying to have a healthy social life. It has been challenging and at times I feel that I could have made better decisions but I believe that everything happens for a reason so I think that I had to experience some hardship in order to appreciate the good in my life. There's a binry opposition right there, ideology at work!
I believe that next year will bring with it greater challenges which I will tackle with graet determination and persistance. I believe in the power of positive thinking, if you say you can, you will!

Let's stand against child abuse in SA

2009-11-19T04:00:00.001-08:00

by Liza Smith

Read this alarming article on news 24 about child abuse in the country and keep the children of the world in your prayers.

Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika - in reggae style

2009-11-14T04:48:00.000-08:00

by Liza Smith

I have never quite heard the anthem done like this before, but reggae style just does not do it for me. What is even more atrocious is the manner in which the Boks responded to the anthem - did anyone see Schalk's face? Come on, Boks it should just have motivated them to kick French ass, not resulted in a defeat. When someone wrongs your country, you take your revenge.

Blood Diamond: off the record

2009-11-06T08:18:00.000-08:00

by Liza Smith

Blood Diamond is a film set in Africa and depicts the search for diamonds and family in a war stricken country. Throw a journalist seeking the truth in the mix and one of the greatest films ever made unfolds onto the screen. This film is absolutely above others of its class and strikes the viewer has a great piece showcasing journalistic endeavour.

Maddie Bowen, a print journalist, is in Sierra Leone searching for a connection between the Van De Kaap diamond cartel and diamond smugglers. Bowen finds the necessary human interest in Solomon Vandy, a man desperate to find his family, and is persuaded to help him by smuggler Danny Archer.

This powerful film has an intense shooting style (French, 2007) with a blend of African actors and landscapes which only adds to the viewer becoming part of the story. Murray writes that Maddie’s “enthusiasm, dedication, unflinching commitment to her work and her trying to accomplish something good” (2006) is what makes her such a believable journalist. With a film that shows it how it is one expects nothing less than an accurate portrayal of the hardships and dangers faced by war correspondents.

Blood Diamond will sometimes shock you but it will certainly get you thinking and talking about important issues (Murray 2006) and this is what investigative journalism is all about. The ability to spot sources and to persistently pursue the truth even against all odds is exactly what Bowen does. She did her research and uncovered what she believed to be the truth.

French (2007) wrote in The Observer that the tale of Blood Diamond is “molded on an armature of well-researched journalism” but it also shows what journalism can do. The full impact that Bowen’s story has can be seen towards the end of the film when Solomon pages through Bowen’s article. It is then that one realizes what great impact journalism can have on the world and its capacity to expose injustice and motivate movements to help others. It is also in this final article that the film touches on photojournalism. The dynamic photographs used in the article convey the story better than words especially as Solomon looks at the picture of Archer but it is the boy pointing a gun that truly captures what war does.

Journalism is powerful and can make a difference in the world. “Maybe we should all write about it” (Blood Diamond 2006), maybe we should.

80’s disco in the year 2009

2009-10-30T13:11:00.000-07:00

By Kirsty Hoggons
Lights, Camera Action. No, this is not the set of a latest blockbuster movie but rather a 13 year olds 80’s themed disco that I was helping to plan. It was my sister’s birthday party this weekend and I decided that this was in chartered territory for me. It took place at our house on the 24th of October. I helped organise and plan an 80’s themed disco party with a disco ball and flashing lights as well as helping with the music.

I was excited to help with this as I have never done something like this before and I thought that it might be quite a fun experience. My main aim in doing this was helping my sister to have a good party because it was her 13th birthday party and it was important to her. The reason why I wanted to do this was because I thought that it would be fun and I would also be mixing with people that I don’t usually mix with, in this case, 13 year olds, which I felt would be a new and interesting experience.

Sitting there for approximately three hours, taking requests from people for music, helping girls with their makeup, watching a dance off as well as 13 year olds attempting to do the Michael Jackson ‘Thriller’ dance, setting up and finally taking all of the decorations down was certainly an experience because it was quite exhausting, something that I did not think that I would be. Overall though, it was an enjoyable experience and I think that it was a good thing to do.

-Please Note the Following - "No Thanks"

2009-10-30T07:38:00.000-07:00

By Natasha Morbin

I decided to take a look at the blog named: Please Note the Following (http://pleasenotethefollowing.blogspot.com/). And since reading it, what have I noted? At the risk of sounding nasty, it’s boring. I glanced at a few blogs before this one and all of them were too interesting. Let’s face it; it’s a lot more fun to critique something that you think is bad than something you think is good. First let us take a look at the aesthetics of the blog: we have a navy blue, a dark blue and a dark green. Not the most exciting presentation out there. What was good about this blog was that the majority of the posts had photos attached which broke the monotony of it.
Focussing more on the actual content of the blog, it struck me that some of the posts didn’t really relate very well to the assignment topics. The post, Why Waste Time, doesn’t seem to correlate at all to any assignment topics. All it is, is one student ranting about how they don’t like going to lectures and how lectures are useless (this is the general idea you get from his writing). He mentions that he never goes to lectures – perhaps he should attend an English lecture so as to grasp a little concept known as grammar.
That brings me to my last point. In general, this blog had a vast amount of grammatical errors and the occasional spelling mistake. You have spell check on your PC – use it.

simply loveable

2009-10-30T04:02:00.001-07:00

Review of “ for the love of lace”
By blessing chiyekete

The title of the blog in itself draws interest from the reader and is eager to follow the blog. Interestingly the title itself unpacks a lot of ecstasy, fantasy, free will and the large than life image. “For the love of lace” it draws a lot of imagination and forces the reader to walk with them in the journey of unpacking their stories.
The blog tells a story of free will, free spirit and the celebration of the journey of being a journalism student at its cost. The blog appeals largely to all those who wish to walk on the path of journalism. The main theme centred upon includes free style writing and the expression of emotion and every day experience. Interestingly the blog attracts and command a lot of interesting story however despite their up to date and interesting topics, the reader feels incomplete as the blog title arose to much expectation on the part of the reader. Thus the blog fails to satisfy the reader’s interest.However the blog especially the top title “the never ending case” shows the ability to marshal serious state political matters into a piece which is enjoyable and of interest to a journalism student. Thus the blog is simply ideal despite a few shortcomings

Have We Already Won The Battle

2009-10-30T03:36:00.000-07:00

The Battle of the Sexes is one of the blogs which we were recommended to review on the list of blogs. I was drawn to it because it was one of the few blogs whose name I could discern, many of the blogs had complicated names which appeared cryptic and understood only by the group members. This is a fresh blog with three individuals as contributors who had a fresh outlook on life and their plans when they finish studying at Rhodes. Each of these individuals is female and this influenced to a large extent the type of topics which the members blogged about. Ranging from fashion to politics, this blog dealt with relevant issues, especially issues which face many young females.

The bloggers however, did not post any blogs outside of the required amount for which we could be assessed. This was a pity as this may have helped me understand them as individuals more. An example of a blog which uses this effectively is the blog, I Know what you wrote Last Semester (http://www.iknowwhatyouwrotelastsemester.blogspot.com ), they are able to reflect the characters of the bloggers more effectively because their character comes out in their own chosen blog posts. I did not enjoy the blog because. One would expect the blogging to be more inclusive of the battle of the sexes but I was disappointed in this regard. However I was impressed with a caption for one of their pictures titled “When the tough gets going, the going gets tough” (http://www.battleofthesexes.blogspot.com). I thought it was a witty use of phrasing.

To access this blog go to: http://www.battleofthesexes.blogspot.com

To access my tweet go to http://www.twitter.com/samthe

Mission: Polka Dot Sabotage

2009-10-30T02:47:00.001-07:00

By Natasha Morbin

The time: 23h26 on Friday, 23 October 2009. The place: a darkened room in Walker house. The faint sound of hairdryers and girls laughing is all that can be heard over the sound of scissors on newspaper. Snip. Snip. The warm, gentle breeze blows through the trees outside. Through the crack in the curtains students can be seen walking down the hill towards the centre of Grahamstown. The night is calling. Although it seems to be a fairly ordinary night – one which shall be forgotten by many – there is something different in the air. Something new. Something never before seen or sensed. This is a night for mischief...

Sitting on Gina’s bed, cutting newspapers into giant circles I think to myself, “It’s Friday night, what the hell am I doing arts and crafts for?” Then I remember the mission - to go boldly where no man (or... er... woman) has gone before. My accomplice (Gina) and I have devised a clever plan to severely piss off another student. Why? Well why not? We are planning to sneak over to Guy Butler’s parking lot and artfully arrange an assortment of newspaper circles all over their car. Failure is not an option.

“So are we ready?” I motion to the door. We check our supplies again: circle cut-outs – check, prestik – check, camera – check. We head out the door. To be seen by another Walker girl would surely jeopardise the mission. We stick to the shadows. Out the front door and into the clammy night air. We scurry across Prince Alfred Street and crouch behind some weathered looking bushes that form the outskirts of Guy Butler’s parking lot. It’s now or never.

We look around to make sure that we’re alone. The coast is clear; it’s time to make our move. We scuttle across the parking lot towards our “victim” – a little blue Dihatsu Charade. Carefully, and with great precision, we begin to stick on the circles. We try not to laugh. Making a sound runs the risk of us being caught. Suddenly a shadow moves behind us. A group of (slightly ‘plastered’) girls are walking our way. What do we do? We hadn’t planned for this. “Act casual or it’s all over” says Gina through gritted teeth. We may have overdone the casual vibe when we started whistling but the girls passed us, throwing looks at us that could only have meant “What the *$@% are you doing?” We watch them fade into the distance and then resume the mission. “I’m out of circles, you got anymore?” I ask Gina. “No, all out on this side too.” We check again to make sure we haven’t been seen and whip out the camera. Time to get proof that the mission has been completed. Click. Click. Click. Now it’s time to run. We don’t care about being stealthy now; we need to get out of here. We hurtle across the street and into Walker parking lot where we pause for a breath. We shoot each other a final glance that says, “Tell no one of what has just happened here tonight.”

Bundu Bashing In G'town

2009-10-30T02:45:00.001-07:00

The sound of rustling in the tall grass breaks the silence which has filled the space as seven Rhodents trek their way through the bundus of the university’s back yard. In case you didn’t know, which I didn’t until last week Saturday, there is a dam very close to campus, and in fact it is in walking distance from the Chris Hani residence of Rhodes University.

A rush of adrenalin pushes my unfit body to walk on through the bush, overcoming the mosquitoes, the insects crawling up my leg and the rash that I was soon to develop after my adventure in “the wilderness”. Armed with short skirts, hand bags, slip slops and sun screen lotion, my friends and I were ready to tackle the bundus. Little did we know how much of a challenge it would turn out to be! We soon discovered that it may have been a better idea for us to stay on campus, perhaps go to the pool if we felt like a swim. As soon as we reached the dam we realised how much of a “risk” it was and found ourselves making up all sorts of excuses not to swim in the dam water, for fear of being contaminated with an illness too awful for words! Of course we may have exaggerated the situation and perhaps been a bit squeamish and prissy, but we not about to take the chance and wander into the depths of the murky waters.

It is amazing how as youths we do not appreciate the wilderness as much as it should be appreciated. Although I wasn’t enthusiastic about it, this adventure gave me the opportunity to look around and realise that there is beauty everywhere.

The Flaming Testicles: to be extinguished

2009-10-29T09:26:00.000-07:00

pic: Ben Schumin

TOP: the alarm needs to be pulled on the Flaming Testicles

by Liza Smith

English writer, Rebecca West believed that journalism is responding to the challenge of filling up space. The challenge to journalism students to create blogs which communicate ideas around journalism, its future and current events, have been included in journalism courses since the rise of the Internet. English schools and now Rhodes University have entered into this domain, allowing their students to voice their thoughts on every journalistic topic imaginable.

Online student blogs are more than a medium of expression; they are a tool with which future journalists are carved into Pulitzer Prize winning achievers. Practise makes perfect. Or so I thought till I came across Flaming Testicles. If the name does not send the Norton parental function flying through the roof, the lack of content and originality will. No bylines, typos, grammar as well as tense mistakes haunt the eight available posts. The lack of headlines sends my non-existent testes into disarray – if it was possible to fully identify the members of “Team Testicles”, I would kick them in the balls!

Bizarre language usage: “It disturbs me to know that journalist couldn’t care” and no hyperlinks conclude the castration of this blog. Very little content actually refer to studying journalism in first year. Facebook groups like Humber College Journalism! can show this blog a thing or two. It seems that this blog is being run by teenagers obsessed with sex and who should remain playing with themselves and not be playing or filling up the World Wide Web with their nonsense.

Twinkle twinkle little star

2009-10-29T09:06:00.001-07:00

Text & pic by Liza Smith

LEFT: at night the sky of Grahamstown,

turns into a stargazing haven

I reached out and touched the surface of the moon. I spun round the rings of Jupiter and got bitten by a Scorpio. The archer hit me with his arrow and the water bearer drowned me with his water. Stargazing through telescopes bigger than me was the most amazing experience I have had this entire year!

Galileo Night was held in the Grahamstown Botanical Gardens on the night of the 23rd of October 2009. On a clear skied night and surrounded by complete darkness, my friends and I decided to attend this new adventure hosted by Astrosoc. Despite mosquitoes breathing down our necks and the unpredictable cold weather of Gtown, it seemed like the perfect night to do something none of us had ever done before.

For the first time in my 19 years I looked down a barrel of a telescope and fortunately my life did not flash before my eyes, instead I saw what mysteries the Milky Way holds. The full scope of how the earth turns hit me like the asteroid in Armageddon: the earth does turn therefore telescopes need to be constantly adjusted to keep in focus. The light of the moon is also so strong that it needs to be filtered by green light otherwise your eyes could enter into a black hole. I made a wish upon a falling star and saw satellites watching me from outer space.

Stargazing is one of the few things in life that really shows us as human beings how insignificant we are in the bigger scheme of life and the universe.

2009-10-29T00:30:00.000-07:00

World inside Another World
Truly, Madly, Deeply: it’s possible

By blessing chiyekete
It’s amazing how we tend to take things for granted. Almost everyone has a portrait of someone special, of some so dear to them. I usually wake and take a glance at a portrait which is beside my bed every morning. However this time around l did it differently l just spent the half of an hour staring at just one portrait. Within some moments l was lost into fantasy world. I was suffocating in the blanket outside reality
Once upon a time before l met my special partner l led my life the way l wanted it , the way l deemed necessary , however as l continued to glance at the portrait l realised that all my dreams, hopes , aspirations , wishes and desires were centred upon the person in the frame. The more l glanced the more it appeared that right in the middle , right at the centre ,right at the core of my very being and in the middle of my plans he was just there. Interestingly a mere glance at the portrait unveiled a lot of emotion, a lot of hope; a lot of what l want to be. Fear gripped my soul when l just realised how much someone who was a stranger three years ago now is the corner stone of my life and seemingly the reason of my existence l couldn’t imagine how l ever managed without them. How did l ever live without him?
Ironically the mere glance at the picture made me aware of the distance, it made me aware of the thousand miles between me and my special half. I was surprised by the strong and growing importance. It is just amazing to note how a simple portrait can draw a lot of emotion l felt cried and smiled. I was drawn into a different world, an ideal world. I was just staring into a portrait which drew me to somewhere l wanted to be. No today was different it was different, l was just looking at the portrait with a meticulous eye and held it with gentleness so afraid to let out of my sight, l then realised that that special someone was on my number speed dial list .Oh my God tears filled my eyes l realised that as much as l am in charge of my life, he was the very reason why l wanted to lead my life the way l am doing.
Its amazing how the portrait draw me back into the space of time, how my mind unveiled and just held on to the special moments, couldn’t help it but to smile and just wondered how and why some one can have the power to brighten someone’s life. Its just pure magic and its unbelievable. I then began to wonder how we ever met was it by chance, fate , fortune, circumstance or predestination by whatever name l was ( and am ) still grateful that l have .
My cell phone rand and draw me back to the world of reality and ironically it was my special half of course
Then l realised that for once in a life time , some people experience it every day , some people wait longer for a moment were there could be blown away into a far away. The fact it sometimes every one is wrapped in a world inside another world by special people in their lives.
Some call it magic, some call it destiny, some call it beauty l just call it love.

Who’s Write in the Blogging World?

2009-10-28T02:29:00.000-07:00

by Kirsty Hoggons

Trying to decide which of your peer’s blogs to review was a lot harder than I thought it would be. After looking through about 30 of the blogs I decided to review writerthanyou. This blog was different to any of the other blogs that I looked at because it had many different things on it apart from the actual blog posts.

There are music choices for the week, a poll and even a fishpond with fish that actually move. What I liked about this groups blog is that each member writes about different things. The blog rhodeblogk had a lot of posts that spoke about race in different ways and I felt bored by reading it. With writerthanyou however, I felt that I got to know each of the members through their blog posts.

Dance-Music-I-Love-Oxymorons was one of the funniest posts that I read on this blog. It was very tongue in cheek and it made me think about an issue that had never occurred to me. I would recommend this blog for people who pay large sums of money to watch a DJ spinning tracks the whole night. Readers of this post should expect entertaining subjects as well as serious issues. Although I do think that one of the blog posts that I read Sheep go to heaven, is a bit one sided and she is making a big generalisation. This blog is a good display of first year journalism students’ work.

Follow me on twitter at www.twitter.com/KirstyRose91

Shattered Glass: Read between the lies

2009-10-27T09:07:00.000-07:00

by Liza Smith

Journalists have “an obligation to get facts straight”, coming from Stephen Glass it must be true. Journalists are naturally sceptic individuals but never before have we needed to be sceptical of each other’s work. The film Shattered Glass depicts the real life case of Stephen Glass, a former associate editor of The New Republic Magazine, whom in 1998 was caught fabricating 68% of his articles for NRM.

Due to the overpowering effect of Glass’s deception this film has reached the main stream cinema’s and encourages both journalists and viewers alike that reading is not believing and that we should read between the lies or rather lines. The inserts of what Glass is imagining reveals the full extent of his deception and adds depth to his perspective on his actions. As the title suggests, Glass was responsible for his own downfall. The film’s low- budget look is striking and lends seriousness and authenticity to the ethics of journalism. The unfamiliar school scene is fascinating and emphasizes where Glass started and where he ends.

The film is not journalism itself but "a serious, well-observed examination of the practice of journalism” (Scott 2003). Rolling Stones reviewer Peter Travers (2003) describes Shattered Glass as a “compelling thriller…that puts journalistic ethics on trial” and the slight tension between hard working journalists, aspiring to excel in their work, and the journalists who fabricate their way through the ranks are clearly visible. The film actually captures the politics in the journalistic workplace to reveal the ambition journalists have to become the best. It is a great film that shows the hard hitting journalism world.

Buzz Bissinger (1998) wrote in Vanity Fair that Glass’ case was the biggest case of “fraud in modern journalism” and the film revisits the question of the integrity of journalists. In the cut – throat journalism industry one should try to be one step ahead of the competition but there is a line between fact and fiction that journalists dare not cross. The public relies on us as journalists to inform, evaluate and examine what we are made to believe by others even the press. Glass claims that he lets the public tell their stories because journalism is about what moves and what scares the public.

Shattered Glass wishes to educate aspiring journalists on the responsibility and privilege that journalists have to pursue the truth. The film is “probably more in keeping with the public's perception of journalists these days” (Stein 2003) but inspires one to look beyond words for the story behind the story.

Madeleine McCann's Mystery...

2009-10-26T05:54:00.000-07:00

Finding something that I am passionate about is one thing but trying to express those emotions with everybody else, is something completely different. There is a story that I have been watching closely since it started and this is the disappearance of Madeleine McCain , who was in a bedroom at a hotel in Portugal with her twin siblings, and disappeared two years ago while her parents were having dinner with their friends at a restaurant about 120m away. Her parent stated that they had left the bedroom door unlocked and every now and then someone would go and check on them. What parent leaves their 3 year old daughter and their twins alone in a hotel room and even more so with the door unlocked? This is why the parents were named as suspects in this case.

Sky news reports that earlier this year, the McCann’s few back down to Portugal for the first time since the disappearance of Madeleine to speak to their lawyers about an update on this case. SkyNews.com

Although both of Madeleine’s parents have since been dropped as suspects in this case, maybe it is not right to rule them out altogether. When you look at the circumstances, it makes it very probable. But with the case taking a new turn to a lead found from Australia. It is anyone’s guess what will happen next. Australian Suspect

Madeleine McCann could still be out there and somebody needs to find her.

The Power of the Pen

2009-10-26T05:30:00.000-07:00

by blessing chiyekete

to be human is to be humane, to be human is to have a conscience , to be human is to love , to be human is to tell the truth. this among other qualities makes us human and fit in our respective societies, being a journalism student is no expection. There is urgent need to encompass the essence of human qualities
there is a pressing urgency to tell the truth and report facts as they are. i strongly believe that the function of a journalist student is to present the facts as they are for people since people tend to believe things easily as they are.this has proven to be diificult since people are affilited to different groups and hence are bound to show favouritism.
if we take the most reported cases for instance the Zimbabwean crisis more questions are raised as to why the Zimbabwean crisis commands a wider coverage. Ist it beacause Zimbabwe is in much need of salvation? Is it because the country is in deep jaws of poverty? Is it because there is a political undertone underlying the whole report ? the point is it is difficult for the moderate Zimbabwean to understand for the reports in the media different from the zimbabwe they liv in everyday

the point is that the powerful the media instituion is the wider the large base of auidence it has and this becomes easier for it to manipulate people
there is urgent need for journalism student to note and learn the very essence of honset and truth

History Repeats Itself

2009-10-26T02:38:00.000-07:00

It’s just another 6.2 million Africans facing poverty. Do the starving Ethiopians a favour and don’t feed them, times online reporter says (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/guests_contributors/article6886167_ece). Ethiopia is a country dying of poverty with the second largest population in Africa (http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jdmNUNpcFmrmmhmJB1WEOZU1Uutg). Who could say such a thing as this? Humanity tells an individual to do the opposite. According to Oxfam, “Food aid saves lives but it crowds out other… initiatives that support communities’ strategies to prevent the next drought from becoming a disaster” (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/guests_contributors/article6886167_ece). So do we just let millions die because if they are aided it may affect the chances of a strategy which could be reworked in succeeding? They cannot think of alternative plans to grow crop that will sustain the masses even if there are many more. Surely when the lives of children are at stake there shouldn’t be opposition to the reception of food aid by Ethiopia from western countries.

How can one argue that they will need to be educated to sustain their own crops and harvest better when the population is dying out (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/guests_contributors/article6886167_ece). It seems better to save the population now, so that they may be given the opportunity to become more stable. The face of the 1984 famine; Birhan Woldu is an example of a success story. She was given food aid and was able to turn her life around by getting an education and helping her family create better living conditions for themselves. The mistake perhaps then is the constant food aid that Ethiopia receives from organisations such as Band-Aid (http://www.timeslive.co.za/news/africa/article163098.ece). Perhaps if African countries were given aid to help themselves they would not constantly find themselves in these situations.
Tweet: http://www.twitter.com/samsthe

Journalistic Suicide

2009-10-25T11:22:00.000-07:00

by Liza Smith

‘To be a journalist in Russia is suicide’ describes the challenges and dangers faced by independent journalists working in Russia. In the article the case of Mikhail Beketov is explored and facts are given as to why this statement is true.

Journalism is a controversial career but for journalists working out of Russia, the dangers they find themselves in are far greater than any other place in the world. It is this horrible truth that makes this article a very interesting read. Harding (2008) describes the challenges these journalists face day after day and this leaves most readers horrified. I find the censorship appalling and the way the political system governs and controls the freedom of the press in Russia is rather absurd.

This article gives the reader a glimpse through a mostly locked window into the realm of Russian journalists. Harding makes it clear that the justice system is non-existent and not applicable to journalists who are openly reporting what the government was to keep under wraps. The public has a right to know what is happening in their country and journalists have an obligation to report on what is in the best interest of the public.

‘To be a journalist in Russia is suicide’ is a well written piece stating the facts and willing the reader to respond to the inhumane atrocities suffered by journalists pursuing the truth. I acknowledge that Harding has done enough research but the article could have focused more on the global impact censorship of the press has in the other countries he mentioned e.g. Angola being published by a paper in Africa one expects the writer to elaborate more on that country.

I love the style of Harding’s writing especially the way in which he weaves the human interest into his article and the way in which he ends it. I would however have liked to know what we as the public can do to help in the fight against censorship in Russia and what power countries like the US and Britain is doing to help. Harding could also have explored the CPJ more and what the institution has done to help Russian journalists. A follow-up story needs to be done as well as a feature article to investigate this subject even further.

Discovering my Passion

2009-10-25T04:59:00.000-07:00

This year has been one of the most pivotal years of my life. Not only have I learnt a great deal in the classroom, I have also learnt more about myself, the person which I am still learning to be. Having come to Rhodes with a goal in mind: get a degree, work, work and more work! I have discovered that there is much more to me than just the institution where I get a degree. I have discovered my passion here at Rhodes. I have made some of the best friends here, ones which I will cherish for life. I have also learnt valuable life lessons, academically and socially.

To say that this year was all fun and games and getting to know each other would be wrong. There was a time when I felt as though I did not want to be at Rhodes. I felt alone and extremely lonely. I also felt as though I was finding it more difficult to adjust than most people and that made me more worried. However, I told myself that there comes a point in one's life whhere they have to make choices about their lives which will benefit them. I started to realise that feeling good about one's surroundings is more of a personal choice than one may realise. I chose to be happier, I chose to stop complaining about the differences that this place has in comparison to home, and I learned to start loving the people I meet, the friends I made and this way I was also able to enjoy my course more. I have grown and I am proud of myself. I am starting to become a person that I can recognise, someone that I am proud of. For this is only the beginning of a great adventure

Liquid Love

2009-10-24T10:10:00.000-07:00

As a young female living in contemporary society, I often find myself lost in thought. Thoughts about love. The big "L" word, that is said too much, but not enough(those are lyrics from Snow Patrol). The concept of love has changed over time and has become more and more abused. Having fallen in and out of love several times myself, I have yet to uncover the true meaning of this word.

In history we were introduced to the term, liquid love. It refers to the weakeninng of the human bonds which we are experiencing in modern times. One may find themselves in a series of relationships without ever settling down nowadays whereas before, things such as divorce were uncommon to society. It is true then, generally speaking, that humans have adopted the ideas of liquid love, we are living in an age of consumerism where we are much more concerned with advancing ourselves in terms of finances and material assets that some of us are losing the ability to love one another genuinely. I mean when I think about it, I cant remember the last time my family spent quality time with one another and by quality time I do not mean the entire family glued in front of the television, watching a family sitcom; I mean talking and strenghening our bond as a family.

It is sad to think that many people will go through life without ever experiencing true love, half of those who decide to get married will get divorced and our lives may be built on weakened bonds.

Proudly Mzansi Afrikaans

2009-10-24T09:19:00.000-07:00

text & pic by Liza Smith

RIGHT: The beautiful South African sunset as seen
in Grahamstown

The most famous words ever spoken by JFK must be: “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country”. Strange as this might seem, I cannot help but still feel patriotic about South Africa – there just is no place like SA!

We all live in the same country, we know that you cannot sleep with your windows open at night and you cannot afford to switch the aircon on either. Yes, we are tot hier toe with the high crime rates and crazy ESKOM. As a proudly South African individual I can say that I am willing to live alongside these things when I can breathe the Bushveld air in the morning and smell the braaivleis at night.

I have been living in this country for 19 years now, with the colour of my skin and the language I speak counting against me under the New South Africa. I have experienced crime and trauma and lack of service delivery and corruption…the list can go on. Despite this South Africans can do their shopping at Nelson Mandela Square or at traffic lights on their way home. Vetkoek, potjiekos and bobotie can be found at the KKNK and the seven world heritage sites are in our own backyards.

We have eleven official languages in which we support the Springboks and swear at the SABC. Let’s hold hands South Africa, and show the world we are ready for 2010 because at the World Values Survey proved in 2005, 96 percent of South Africans are proud to be called South Africans!

Follow me on twitter!

Soldier for God

2009-10-24T09:04:00.000-07:00

by Liza Smith

Tightly laced boots adorned with the smell of fresh polish round off the authoritative figure. The hat not so straight after a long day at work, only adds to the enigmatic air of Dumisa. Standing in a long line he says “A soldier needs patience but South Africans have more than enough patience”.

A corporal in the army stationed in Grahamstown, Dumisa is also a soldier for God. A qualified minister for the independent church, he reveals that soldiers need “more spiritual guidance than ever before”.

Much has changed over the last 23 years. “There was some apprehension because of my black skin but the country has changed and so has the army, I have proved myself worthy of wearing the uniform”. The fast eyes behind the efficient spectacles miss absolutely nothing. It wasn’t an easy road to follow but Dumisa pushed through and lights up when he recalls receiving his medal of honour after saving his fellow white soldier’s life. “It didn’t matter what the colour of his skin was, black and white fought together to defend their country. There was no apartheid on the frontline”. For Dumisa the highlight was being hugged by the soldier and to finally be equal.

Dumisa ate supper that night in the presence of the Colonel, was widely respected by his peers and even today remains friends with his ex-compatriots.
Dumisa is proud of how far the army and country has come when he sees the long line of soldiers from all backgrounds join the army family. “My heart rejoices when my soldiers bond and I thank God for being able to live in such a great country”.
Although Dumisa is satisfied that he has reached his lifetime dream, he still aspires to reach the highest ranks. The waft of polished air, excuses himself, pulls his hat straight and salutes.

*I met this soldier while waiting in line at the local supermarket - just goes to show you never know who you might meet :-)

Love at first sight

2009-10-23T09:10:00.000-07:00

by Liza Smith

Since Sammy D published her poem, I thought I would challenge her & we can have a poetry off!

Love at first sight

For a second,
my heart cut a caper
and my nerves ran amok.
For a second,
my heart was on my sleeve.

For a minute,
I made eyes at you
and I could see the twinkle in yours.
For a minute,
I made a wish upon a fallen eyelash.

For a second,
you brought me to my knees
and left me stranded in the middle of the street.
For a second,
you were my knight in shining armour.

For a minute,
my cheeks were flushed
and my lust written all over my face.
For a minute,
we were cheek to cheek.

In a minute it was all over.

And it's back to Brazil for Bafana Bafana

2009-10-23T07:44:00.000-07:00

It is official. A new Bafana Bafana coach has been appointed and it is none other than Carlos Alberto Parreira who coached the national side just three years ago. According to reports by www.sport24.co.za, Danny Jordaan flew to Rio de Janerio on Thursday for negotiations.
http://www.sport24.co.za/Content/Soccer/266/17d463acc5c549a08d5d142e83fa7aad/23-10-2009%2001-12/It%E2%80%99s_Parreira_again

People fought with the decision to bring Santana into the picture yet they have no problem with bringing back an old coach, who also did not win a major trophy for us. I understand that it is important for us (as the 2010 World Cup Hosts) to actually have a coach but shouldn't they have looked at a coach that was maybe a bit younger (Parreira is 66) and also a coach that knows how to adapt to the South African playing style.

Being a Brazilian coach is a great advantage but Brazil have some of the best players in the world and South Africa is not quite at that level.
Maybe it is time for SAFA to re-evaluate their own team instead of the coach and maybe that will see us winning the FIFA World Cup next year (or at the very least, making it to the knock-out stages).

Sam's Poem

2009-10-23T06:18:00.001-07:00

I'm not a poet, but this is one of my first attempts at writing poetry in a lon time. I haven't been in touch with my feelings lately and think this is a great way to release my inermost feelings
LIKE A RAINDROP
Like a raindrop, it fell
Like a star, it shone
Like water, it gleamed
Like a flower on a warm summer's day,
it longed to be hydrated
Like my poetry, it failed to
Give a clear understanding of
My innermost feeling
My darkest moments
My fears
My insecurities
The darkest component of my being
A deep dark hole
It draws me in, at moments unexpected
There comes a time when I wish I could surrender
Yet it is not ennough
I will keep pushing

I Dreamed of Africa by Kukie Gallman

2009-10-23T05:54:00.000-07:00

Ever since I've read this book, I have wanted to go to Kenya and see for mysellf the beauty described in this book. This story captures the essence of the life of Kuki Gallman, a young Italian woman who moves to Kenya as a young woman and takes it her stride to learn about the different tribes in the land. The book is a true account written by Kuki of her life, and the tragedy of losing both her husband and her son in Africa. One of the characters which intrigues me is Kuki's son, Emanuelle. The book makes hima ahero ina sense as he becomes the man of the household after the death of his step-father. Emanuelle is a deep thinker and grows into a handsome, brave young man. His love for snakes becomes the cause of his death as he dies from a snake bite during one of his snake discovery adventures.

Kuki Gallman becomes a conservationist in Africa during the 1970s, this makes her grow as a person as she discovers her purpose in life. She learns a great deal about the culture of different tribes in Kenya, she learns a great deal about the people that work for her and her life seems to be perfect until the tragedies which occur. The book is interesting especially for those wanting to travel and those with a passion for adventure. However it also makes one think about how much the situation may have changed in the country as more elephants have been poached since then.

Lost in Translation

2009-10-22T09:10:00.000-07:00

by Liza Smith

Frank Smith said that you can’t see other people’s point of view, when you only have one language. As a travel journalist I agree with Smith because the ability to communicate, even in general conversation terms, are key to forging a bond with locals and ultimately obtaining stories or information that would have gone lost without first-hand knowledge of the language.

The Rhodes Schools of Journalism and Languages are currently doing a survey to determine if isiXhosa should be integrated as compulsory in the journalism courses. Living in a country with 11 official languages, I absolutely understand this point but participation in this course should be a personal choice as languages are quite hard to learn when isiXhosa is the furthest language from your own.

The Schools are also thinking of either offering a journalistic isiXhosa or general isiXhosa course. Why not combine the two courses to create a comprehensive understanding and communicative abilities of the language? Journalists should be able to have a conversation in isiXhosa to improve their journalistic proficiency in this language. In the South African context, it would be wonderful to be able to speak to people in their home language as this makes interviewees feel more at home.

I aim to focus on travel journalism therefore having the ability to speak, read and write in isiXhosa would contribute greatly to my career. I want to challenge all the other first year journos out there: let’s create a better communication with people in our own countries by aiming to learn a new language before completing our degrees!

He Put his Foot in his Mouth, Again!

2009-10-21T12:51:00.000-07:00

I'm sure everyone is tired of hearing how Julius Malema said something to infuriate not only the public but also his peers. He is a poor representation of the youth and his statement are always either completely unjustified and stupid or downright rude. However he is not only embarrassing the youth of South Africa, it has been reported that Julius Malema has a few enemies in government. ONe would think that since they haven't put someone new in the position of president, all memebers of parliament would be in support of his views. However this is not the case. Julius Malema has mastered the art of blackmail and uses it to his own personal gain. It is almost as though he has control over them, holding them hostage from voicing their true opinions of him. He does this by finding out a secret about a certain politician, especially about how they gained their wealth and he uses it against them when they differ from his opinion.

However, it is clear that Malema is almost used as a tool for the ANC. He is able to say things that ANC politicians cannot say, and he can get away with it. A week before ANC NEC made the decision to relieve Mbeki of his duties as president, Malema "predicted" that this would happen. However what makes Malema special according to the ANC is the fact that he was bred in the ANC. Many politicians see a bright future for him as president of the ANC.As a teenage boy, he protested against the late delivery of stationery at schools,corporal punishment and "ineffective" school principals. He gained momentum and was later joined by hundreds of schoolchildren. This was to pave the way for his career as ANCYL member. What Malema learned quickly was that the only way he was going to be heard by either the politicians or the public was if he learned to shoot his mouth off, sometimes at inappropriate times. And he has been doing so ever since. This ridiculous strategy is working for him!

Source: the mail and gaurdian October 9-15

The Silent Screams of those Without a Voice

2009-10-21T12:49:00.000-07:00

By Natasha Morbin

Jeremy’s nose twitched. His whole body was shaking. He’d been sitting in his cell for weeks with very little food and water. The smell of old urine and faeces filled his nostrils. He knew something terrible was about to happen. He could sense death in the air. As the door to his cell opened, a huge gloved hand reached in and seized him by the scuff of his neck.

Jeremy is one of the estimated 100 million animals that are tested on every year in the name of science and cosmetics. As a member of ROAR (Rhodes Organisation for Animal Rights), vivisection (experimentation on live animals) is something that makes me sick to my stomach.

Some argue that these tests are needed for medical breakthroughs but animal testing played no role in the following discoveries: anaesthesia, morphine, penicillin, antiseptics, artificial respiration, various scans and X-rays, the discoveries of the relationships between cholesterol and heart disease, and between smoking and cancer, and the isolation of the virus which causes AIDS. In some cases, animal testing has just slowed down medical breakthroughs.

Next time you reach for that shampoo, just stop to think about what it took for it to reach you. The chances are that your favourite beauty product was either, squirted into the eyes, down the throat, pumped into the stomach or sprayed into the face of some poor defenceless animal who would eventually die while bleeding out of its eyes, nose, mouth and genitals. I hope your new deodorant was worth it...

For more info on the subject, take a look at Peta’s website: http://www.petaindia.com/campaigns/vivisection.asp
Picture courtesy of http://ultraorange.net/media/2008/02/nature-very-cute-bunny.jpg

Santana Resigns...or did he?

2009-10-21T10:25:00.000-07:00

So it is true, Joel Santana, Bafana Bafana coach, has resigned, just eight months before the World Cup finals.
According to Raymond Hack, the CEO of SAFA (South African Football Association), Joel Santana resigned by mutual consent, he was not fired. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1221513/Joel-Santana-resigns-coach-South-Africa-miserable-run-results-World-Cup-hosts.html

But honestly, who could really blame him. Having 3 of your 'peers' evaluating your performance and reporting back to the big man in charge is hardly a good way to coach, especially when these people are not fans of yours.
The current assistant coaches, Pitso Mosimane and Jairo Leal will be coaching the team until a new coach can be appointed (at this stage, Carlos Alberto Parreira looks favoured to make a comeback).

Having won only 14 from 27 matches as Bafana Bafana coach, this resignation won't come as a shock to most people but the real question remains. How much of this resignation was decided by Santana himself and how much of it was pressure placed on him from the country, the media, and SAFA itself?

Only time will tell where Bafana's future will go to from here. The whole country will undoubtedly be waiting for the news on the new Bafana Bafana coach to see if this coach can take us to a memorable (in a good way) 2010.

Bitches' Brew

2009-10-20T10:20:00.000-07:00

Fred Khumalo has proven to be one of South Africa's finest contemporary writers. His masterpiece, Bitches Brew,focuses on the epic love story between a shebeen queen and a former bootlegger, killer and passionate musician. The narration takes the form of letters written by Lettie to her life long lover, Zakes. Their love is tried by the hand of history as they find that they are unable to be together because of their differences.Their love is symbolized by butterflies only seen by them, but it seems to be doomed from the beginning as they find that throughout their lives they find themselves in the same location yet cannot seem to get it together. Even though they have different lovers, their love for each other is so strong that they cannot let it go.

Khumalo's writing is like jazz music, a subtle melody with dramatic interludes and crescendos when one least expects it. He introduces characters who seem dangerous and notorious yet have a longing for love, influence and recognition. The characters such as Dlamini, Bhazabhaza, Sibisi, Zorro and not forgetting ZAkes himself are men with ruthless power and they use it with no sympathy.

The book captures the essence of what it meant to live in South Africa in the 1970's. The jazz music, the booze were at the centre of these people's lives. Their nonchalant attitude towards autority is demonstrated perfectly. Bitches Brew is a riveting read, worthwhile and absorbing.

Some of my Best Friends are White

2009-10-19T10:54:00.000-07:00

Some of my Best Friends are White by Ndumiso Ngcobo

The tale of "an urban Zulu warrior" with the backdrop of KZN's townships is the perfecty setting for the tale of Ndumiso's life and experiences. This highly controversial, hilarious account from Ngcobo, a successful businessman for whom this is his first book, is an un-put-downable read.

However I must admit that the author makes some stark generalisatioons about people from different race groups living in South Africa. The book challenges the idea of a "rainbow nation" which seems like a myth in the current state of our country. The book introduces us to the realities of our country, South Africa. This book finally gets it right and is able to discuss the crazy mix of cultures in our country with brutal honesty.

The book is a collection of sharp, witty essays of Ndumiso's experience as a Zulu man living in post-Apartheid South Africa. It explores racial issues which people of different races would not be comfortable discussing and it does this in the most humourous light possible. Some of my Best Friends are White is not only hilarious it is also thought provoking as one realises their own prejudices when they find themselves nodding in agreement with his somewhat ludacrous statements. This book discards the concept of political correctness and gets down and dirty with issues in our country. Ngcobo says it as he sees it,an opinionated man with a whole lot of funny in him.

Tutorial 5 on Identity

2009-10-19T03:25:00.000-07:00

By Samkelisiwe Dlalisa

1. The tutorial which I had on Monday was interesting. When I was asked to put down the names of the people who are close to me the first person to come to mind was my mother. This surprised me because although we are separated by space, I still consider m y mother closer to me than my friends or the people who are in close proximity with me. I was also surprised that I put Barrack Obama in the last circle because I do not k now him from a bar of soap but I assume I feel I have some sort of connection with him so I felt it necessary to put him down.
2.In this tutorial we were also required to write a caption to express emotion, I found this exercise particularly difficult as I could not think of something to say that would describe my feelings. I also feel that as the year has progressed I have started to change in terms of what I consider important in my life, and what I am passionate about.
3.Another important thing which was discussed in the tutorial for this week was the effects of writing in expressing one’s feelings. I was able to engage with feelings I didn’t realise I had bottled up inside me.

Chuene's Trail of Lies

2009-10-19T03:20:00.000-07:00

In the Mail and Guardian dated September 18 to 23 2009, there is an article which states that the Athletics South Africa boss, Leonard Chuene knew about the sex test which were performed on Caster Semenya, earlier on this year as she was suspected to have been a man by the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) after she broke world records in the World Championships for Athletics earlier on this year. After denying any knowledge of the gender tests, Chuene had been proven to have known about South Africa’s own gender tests before Semenya left the country. The emails found between himself and the doctor of the South African athletics team requiring his permission to perform the tests proved this.

An article which interested me in the Semenya debacle was the decision made not to suspend Chuene as president of ASA. I found this on politicsweb. It demonstrates how politics has a great influence in this country over virtually all aspects of our lives including sports. The corruption which exists in politics flows over to other aspects of lives. The ANCYL is in support of the ASA in the decision not to dismiss Chuene even though he shoud be.

The fact that they decided to discuss his fate “behind closed doors” makes it an even more unfair decision as the general South African public was not consulted in his dismissal or suspension. Although the ANCYL and the ASA do not want him gone, a range of individuals such as the DA Youth, the Deputy Minister of Sport, SASCOC and various other individuals would have liked to see Chuene suspended. This is clearly a demonstration of the effects that power has on matters.
Follow me on twitter: samsthe
http://www.politicsweb.co.za/politicsweb/view/politicsweb/en/page71654?oid=144701&sn=Detail
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=nw20090924132814413C870760
http://www.eyewitness.co.za/articleprog.aspx?id=22846

Is Joel Santana's Job Safe?

2009-10-18T02:40:00.000-07:00

For this assignment I have chosen to focus on the future of Bafana Bafana’s soccer coach, Joel Santana. I find this interesting because I am a big supporter of South African sports and I am tired of the people in charge blaming the coach when things go wrong. I believe that although the coach is in part responsible, there are other people, like the players and the management team that also need to take responsibility.

The Mail and Guardian reported that a committee consisting of three men would monitor Santana’s team and then report to the executive of SAFA (South African Football Association). The team is made up of Santana’s biggest critics which puts it into perspective. Santana was not told about these developments but in the football world, when three peers are asked to pass judgement, the person in question, in this case Santana, usually resigns.

I understand that South Africans are tired of Bafana Bafana not performing but they only focus on the bad things. What about the brilliant performance against Brazil in the Confederations Cup earlier this year? As well as the fact that they have improved their FIFA ranking from 77 to 72 in just a short while which was reported by the Mail & Guardian Online a few months ago.

The first place people look when they are performing badly is the coach, even though he is not the one running around on the field for 90 minutes. Next week South Africa will take on Iceland and Santana is upbeat that it will not be his last game as coach, “A am not afraid; I am confident that this team will perform. I am optimistic.”

Even though he is the coach and he is supposed to say this, why can’t the rest of the country start looking at him and agreeing with him on this point? It’s time for South Africa to wake up and start supporting the coach because without him, we will drop back down to a ranking of below 80.

You can follow me on twitter: www.twitter.com/KirstyRose91

If you are interested in reading more about these stories, visit the following websites:
http://sports.yahoo.com/sow/news?slug=goal-southafricacoachjoelsantana&prov=goal&type=lgns

http://www.goal.com/en/news/1659/south-africa/2009/10/13/1557698/south-africa-coach-joel-santana-promises-to-fight-in-iceland

http://blogs.reuters.com/soccer/2009/10/16/can-santana-cling-on-to-south-africa-job/

http://www.mg.co.za/article/2009-10-08-assessing-bafanas-assessors

What I Learnt...

2009-10-18T02:12:00.000-07:00

In this week’s tutorial I learnt that although we have people that are close to us, it does not necessarily mean that we know what they go through on a day to day basis. Having to try and think of what the four people closest to us do on a daily basis was quite difficult.

I also learnt that the people around us have very different relationships to people in their lives, and some of the things that they do are similar to the people closest to them. This interested me because someone else and I can both wake up at 08:00 in the mornings but the people that we are close to might wake up at completely different times. As a journalist you have to think of other people, that you might not even know and try and imagine how their lives might be.

It also made me realise that as a journalist you have to be able to look at people from all walks of life and learn things from them as well as look at and try and understand what they go through in their lives on a daily basis.

I also learnt the importance of punctuation. When trying to punctuate a paragraph that had two different meanings, it showed me that when punctuating, you have to be very careful how you do so because if you put one full stop or comma in the wrong place, it can completely change the meaning of what you are trying to say.

And the Nobel Prize Goes to...

2009-10-17T08:25:00.000-07:00

By Natasha Morbin

On Friday, 9 October 2009, Barack Obama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. I don’t think I’m the first person to say: WTF (What the f**k)? This man has been in his position of presidency for only 9 months and he’s been given an award of this magnitude. I personally find this to be absolutely ridiculous for a number of reasons. Firstly, according to Times Online, Obama had taken office a mere 2 weeks before the deadline for the Nobel nominations. This hardly seems like enough time for him to have done anything significant enough to warrant being nominated. I don’t see why on earth he has been given this honour. Sure, I do understand that he is like a “beacon of hope” for the American people (and the rest of the world) and that he has big plans for the future. He’s hoping to rid the world of nuclear weapons. That’s all fine and dandy but at the end of the day, these are plans. I plan to one day bring about world peace, does this mean that I should win the Nobel Peace Prize? No, it doesn’t, so why then has he been given this honour? He hasn’t done anything yet. In fact, he ordered another 20 000 troops into Afghanistan after being appointed president. According to one article by Times Online, the Taliban leader believes that Obama should have been awarded the Nobel Prize for violence – not peace. He’s even been quoted as saying that he knows that his vision of nuclear disarmament probably won’t be achieved in his life-time.
If you look back over the years at previous winners of the Nobel Peace Prize, you’ll see incredible people like Nelson Mandela, the Dahlia Lama, Martin Luther King, Desmond Tutu but to name a few. All of these people have suffered in their efforts to bring peace. What really ticks me off is when you read an article (like one in the Mail and Guardian), where Obama has been likened to Mandela. In what world would Obama even come close to Mandela? He set people free from Apartheid and in doing so, brought a greater sense of equality to South Africa.
I strongly agree with an article on Mail and Guardian website which said simply that Obama has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize not for what he is, but rather for what he isn’t. Being that he isn’t George W. Bush. And really, is that enough?

External Links:
http://www.timeslive.co.za/news/world/article144639.ece
http://www.timeslive.co.za/news/world/article144339.ece
http://www.mg.co.za/article/2009-10-09-obama-wins-nobel-peace-prize
http://www.mg.co.za/article/2009-10-10-barack-obamas-nobel-prize-why-now

can journalisim mediate ?

2009-10-17T01:28:00.000-07:00

By blessing chiyekete
Recently The Star newspaper published a story concerning the story of the police commissioner declaring that they were going to do what is in their power to stop crime. This comes after accelerating rate of crime in South Africa. This has in town resulted in the deadly use of force by the police force within various provinces in South Africa.
The issue of violence seemingly is an international concern for different countries are going through a violence phrase .Countries going through a violence phrase stretch from developed to developing and this attract worldwide concern amongst an international times
The Zimbabwean Herald published story about the massive use of force in the Asian continents, thus the concept of violence is stretching over a great magnitude and is bad news to the world which is in much need of peace.
Thus it becomes crucial to the journalism world to act, to either continue reporting and highlighting the deadly violence or to advocate for peace. This becomes difficult but what is real is that violence affects everyone at an international level, it hinders progress and lives are lost. Thus were l believe journalism pays a role to unite and advocate for a peaceful nation, for instance the journalist in South Africa can condemn intensely the use of violence through the power of media and surely l don’t think the police force would want bad publicity
Maybe thus the only way to stop violence
check my tweet on twitter.com/martyzoey

dicovery of myself

2009-10-15T23:30:00.000-07:00

By blessing chiyekete
Each day of our acts as a stepping stone, we learn new things meet new people, as we grow older we experience new things different world of adventures open up and we make our own choices. What l have noticed is that as mush as we drift away from home, a part of who l am what l do what l plan to do my family is right at the core of plans. I am a thousand kilometres away from home, but ironically the closest person l could think of was my family. I realised that family is a bond so strong that can withstand the taste of time
I was also amused by the amount of time l spent on the phone talking to me, l have noticed that my whole is build upon people who are long distant from me. People who are grew up with and plan to spend the rest of my life with. I realised that no matter how many friends l have, l still hold on to my original life
Importantly l noticed that l kind of live a programmed life , for instance l use the same routine i.e. wake up in the morning before everything else talk on the phone and the bath and then the rest follows. Essentially l noticed that life is a journey we are all in the process of discovering our real self .It appears like l am in journey, a journey of discovery, it is a journey l can not walk alone but rather depend on the closest people around me to give strength. The tutorial taught me to understand that it seems like l give my love to people around me with caution.
Importantly my family are a pillar of strength just like an afides achicate

The travel world needs a niche

2009-10-15T09:31:00.000-07:00

by Liza Smith

The New York Times recently reported that although general book sales are on the rise again after the recession, travel book sales have been declining. The paper reported in March this year that European sales are up from 2008, but that travel books were just not making the cut.

There are definitely different reasons for this, including that the recession has caused many people to travel less but one should not neglect the impact that novels such as Twilight have on the book market. Travel writer, Tom Swick, writes on Worldhum that the next big travel book will have to focus on an ancient conspiracy (absolutely referring to Dan Brown) and vampire stories to sell worldwide. I believe that what the market needs now is something unlike anything the world has travelled before – something magical and fantastical – travel books need to focus on a niche.

As a travel writer, I think that travel books have the unique ability to show the world what is truly out there. Books depicting routes to travel, famous for ghostly encounters such as South Africa’s own Uniondale ghost or compiling a collection of so-called fairy encounters will become a collector’s item.

Swick might be taking a satirical and sarcastic approach to what travel books will sell but as The Independent proved, the most unlikely books sell by word-of-mouth. Writing these travel books and giving teasers online or launching an internet marketing campaign, can only bear fruits for the overall sales after publication. As Chris Anderson wrote in The Long Tail, it is a market of niches out there!

Following me @ twitter.com/doelie

Me, myself & I - the sequel

2009-10-14T00:54:00.000-07:00

by Liza Smith

Booker T. Washington, a renowned American politician, believed that excellence is to do a common thing, in an uncommon way. Of late I have realised that I tend to go about most things in life in an uncommon way. I aim higher; I reach for the stars and my interest in travel photojournalism knows no bounds. These are all things that make me who I am.

In my tutorial this week, I learned that I have a different approach to the people I feel a connection with. From my best friend to the man on the street – there is always an invisible tie binding us, as human beings, together. Through travel journalism, I aim to tie the world together, so that Mexicans can explore Macedonia and South Africans can trek through the Malian desert. Creating bonds are an essential and intricate part of journalism because to be excellent journalists, we need to find a common denominator in all stories so that readers can feel connected to a story. Lastly, I realized that that all journalists should reach for the stars and aim to do their best in all assignments. After all, the Pulitzer prizes are always up for grabs!

The essence of a phenomenal woman

2009-10-09T07:31:00.000-07:00

by blessing chiyekete

KIDS IN JOZA

2009-10-09T07:26:00.000-07:00

South Africans Abroad

2009-10-09T07:03:00.000-07:00

Photo: Katharine Holmes

Rhodents Protest the Dissection of Rodents - Natasha Morbin

2009-10-08T13:18:00.000-07:00

As mad as a hatter

2009-10-07T10:37:00.000-07:00

The six word novel

2009-09-30T09:11:00.000-07:00

by Liza Smith

In class today we were reminded that headlines need to be short and how to effectively use words in a short but yet potent manner. Alette Schoon, one of our lecturers, illustrated this point by introducing us to the six word novel made famous by Hemingway.

We had to make our own six word novel and I want to share mine with everyone and everything out there:

AMBITION: THE ONLY THING THAT CREATES.

Intshonalanga:The Sunset

2009-09-28T04:23:00.000-07:00

Samkelisiwe Dlalisa

When the sun sets in the evening, will I know what it meant to be me? What it felt like to take a walk in my shoes and go for miles without ever thinking about stopping for fuel. When the sun sets I will cherish the moments spent in determination to change my world and the lives of those around me. What it truly means to me to be a journalist. In one way or another the media shapes the world we live in and taking part in it is important to me.

South Africa is a country which is close to my heart, my homeland and the land of my forefathers who have longed to see the day when young people of colour would be given the opportunity to have a voice in the world of mediated politics and social inequalities. Being a journalist, one carries many responsibilities, one of which is to give a voice to those who cannot be heard. this mainly includes young people, who aren't taken seriously because they haven't lived long enough to give a true reflection of life and all that it involves.

This blog is aimed at the young journalist across the globe and others who have a burning desire to know about the world they live in and are not reluctant to voice their opinion and engage in debate. Unfortunately in this age of technology, many young people do not read and this is vital in order to have an age of deep thinkers who can bring about transformation in the society in which we live in.

Being female is something which should be embraced. It has affected my life in both a positive and negative manner. It would be ignorant of me to say that society is equal because I experience inequality everyday, constantly feeling that I have to prove my worth, and feeling that this society was never built with the ideas of women ever being successful or never having a situation where they feel let down by the system. It would also be ignorant for me to say that it is not changing though. Having come from a patriarchal background where men dominate, I feel it is my calling to change the way women views themselves so that they can gain the respect they deserve in the social order.

When the sun sets I shall look up at the clouds and be grateful that I was blessed with yet another day to do what I was put on this Earth to do: read, speculate, ponder, understand and discuss my own thoughts, to have a voice of my own.

Sports, Photos, Life and Friends

2009-09-27T10:48:00.000-07:00

Kirsty Hoggons

Journalism students have very different ideas about how blogs should look and also what they should write about. I have decided that in my blog I will write about the things that I am most passionate about. I will write about sports, photography, and everyday life I will also write about what it is like to be a journalism student.

I want people to be able to relate to my blog and I also want it to help them in some way. I want people to read my blog and get excited about it. I also want you, as the readers of my blog to give me your feedback and comments on my blog so that I know what the audience wants and is interested in. It is often hard to find a blog that you find inspiring and so I hope that by reading this blog you find a small bit of inspiration. Although I would like you to find something on my blog that speaks to you on a personal level, if you are looking for inspirational stories that will change your life and that have big revelations, unfortunately I do not think that my blog is for you.

As I have mentioned I will be writing mostly about sport, photography and being a journalism student. I will be writing about sport because it is something that I really enjoy. I am an avid spectator and I enjoy going to watch sports matches (mostly cricket) whenever they are in my town. As I am planning on being a sports photojournalist one day, photography is my next great love. I love how taking one photo can tell an entire story. Take a photo of a goal keeper lying on the ground and chances are he has let a goal go in, or take a photo of friends laughing and it can tell you what they are thinking about or talking about. A picture says a thousand words is indeed the most accurate description of photography and why I love it so much. The last thing that I will be blogging about, as I mentioned is being a journalism student. As this blog will be aimed at journalism students, (although if you are not a journalism student please continue reading anyway), I think that it will be interesting if journalism students from across the country, and even the world, can share their feelings about journalism as a subject and in doing so, we can hopefully all become better journalists.

If you are interested, feel free to follow me on twitter.. www.twitter.com/KirstyRose91

A sign of... well... interesting things to come

2009-09-27T06:51:00.000-07:00

Natasha Morbin

Blog manifesto

When asking myself the question, "What kind of blogger am I?" The usual cliche adjectives spring to mind. Words like reliable, logical, critical, articulate and informative are only a few. But I think there's so much more to being a blogger than just being able to provide accurate facts in a logical way. Sure, this is a very important aspect of blogging that will determine whether or not people will read your blog and, perhaps even more importantly, trust your blog. It's one thing to attract readers but it's quite another to keep them. I plan on being a blogger who captures the reader's attention and keeps it right up until the very last full-stop of every post. Just like a child can't wait to hear the next instalment of their favourite hero's adventures, I want my readers to be anxious to read the next update from me, Natasha Morbin, soon-to-be blogger-extraordinaire. What will I be writing about? Well, everything and anything that has to do with being a student in the ever-changing world of Journalism. What Journalism was 5 years ago is something completely different to what it is today. How much more change can we see? Is this all good change? We'll look at technology's role in Journalism, where Journalism is going, and if you have what it takes to keep up. Do you think that Journalism today is less morally-sound than it was in the past? Is spilling the most intimate secrets of a country leader's debauchery right or wrong? Are we, as journalists, denying society's right to knowledge if we ton't reveal these things? Or are we punishing the "culprits" if we do reveal it? These are the kinds of issues that face us today as young journalists. Another important issue; how crucial is the role of reading in a journalist's world? (It's got to be pretty damn important, I would think).

I'm not here to dictate; I want you to tell me what you think. I'm also not here to feel you and endless array of (for lack of a better word) crap. Too often you read blogs that, at the end, you have no idea what the point was. But if that's all you're hoping for then keep looking, you won't find it here. Happy reading.

The blogger me - a mission statement

2009-09-26T05:10:00.000-07:00

by Liza Smith

An American publisher, Henry R. Luce once said that he became a journalist to come as close as possible to the heart of the world. As a travel photojournalist in the making I want to get to the heart of people of as many nations as possible. I want to write about others for others, I want to write about the people, culture, music, colour and food of Macedonia, Tuvalu and Bhutan - that which makes every place on earth different from one another.

I believe that photography and journalism are mediums whihc I can use to change the world. I love the fact that through photojournalism one can encourage people to see an ordinary subject in a totally different light! I can't wait to show South Africans what is right around the corner, the unexpected beauty of our own country as seen through my lens, writing and critical reading of other works.

Through this blog, I will critize and evaluate photographic features, travel journalism books, travel articles and give an opiniated outlook on these symbolic forms in aim of finding my own style and voice in the world of journalism. I encourage other journ students to help me in my journey of discovering the realm of travel photojournalism and would love ideas, tips and comments on interesting towns, galleries, lekker restaurants, museums, shops and accommodation to visit in South Africa. I f you are a journalism student outside of South Africa let me know of places, towns or provinces you want to know more about, I might even help you find a place to stay if you want to come visit our country!

Photography is one of my great passions in life and because I will (you do not want to, you will!) become a photojournalist travelling the globe and bringing the four corners of the earth to the people living in it, please share stories and photographs of interesting trips around the world! Through this blog I want to start a world-wide movement of appreciation for travel journalism; I want to get the world travelling even if it is just to a cafè around the corner from your house which you have never been to before!

Journalism and especially photojourn is all about marketing yourself and establishing contacts in the industry, so if anyone knows about travel writing courses or self-help photography books, tell us about it!

Check out my tweet @ http://www.twitter.com/doelie

mission statement

2009-09-26T00:16:00.000-07:00

By blessing chiyekete
To be human is to dream, daydreams, and sweet dreams of a prefect love or a brilliant career we all tend to be castles in the air of a brighter future. Everyday tends to be a discovery process as we discover ourselves. Life is a circle was we tend to learn from our past hopes, aspirations and dreams. As journalism student l am eager to find out what the world is in store for me and l am more than willing to explore different avenues of adventures. The world has much to offer be in all aspects of life be it entertainment, education and informative sectors.
Notably the 21st century has been characterised by vast and advanced technology. The world has embraced technology with alarming interest everything seem to be instant i.e. instant food , instant films , instant transport , instant bookings hence there arose an urgent need for fast and instant news. Journalism has taken a fundamental role in the global society. Consequently as journalism students were are faced with a task to entertain and inform the world at large with instant, fresh and reliable news. Notably the task of informing, educating and entertain require the journalist to be abreast with almost every fundamental development across the globe, as journalism student we can rely highly on the use of satellite, video calling and other different technological gadgets. There fore the point of this blog is to join hands together as journalism students. The whole idea is to exchange information, ideas and share stories at a global scale; the aim is to appeal to a large and vast international audience.
I believe that sharing of ideas has great impact in informing others since we can’t all be at different spots at the same time. The whole idea is to develop a journalistic approach and networking among people with a passion for journalism. The idea is to dwell upon different conceptual issues t and cover a broad base of different forms of media , to dwell upon the ideas of different literal works by the greatest writers of all times . Essentially the idea of the blog is to have fun at the same time grasping new ideas and news, thus a certain attention will be placed on the power full elite and the glitz and glamour behind our and international celebrity
One greatest writer once said a pen is mightier than a sword. Thus l am looking forward to having fun.

Me, myself & I

2009-09-25T03:59:00.000-07:00

by Liza Smith

Activist Frances Moore Lappe once said that the root of all fear is that we have been forced to deny who we are. Of late I have come to accept that journalism is an undeniable part of who I am as a human being - I am who I am and I am proud to admit this. In my journ tutorial this week, I learned that I am proud to be a creative and ambitious individual who is not afraid of hard work. I strive to go beyond journalistic expectations and lame as it might sound, I reach for the stars. As a future photojournalist, my camera is surgically attached to my body and has become my shadow; I have even caught myself eavesdropping on conversations (this is debateable however since some might consider it a bit rude but you never know what you might hear) and I am the ever opportunist: always searching for the story behind the story because as we all know there always is one just like there is a good woman behind every successful man!

I believe that a passion for journalism is something all journ students should have and although we all have different reasons for wanting to be journalists, we have a common goal of truly believing in what we do.

What Did I Learn?

2009-09-24T13:59:00.000-07:00

by Kirsty Hoggons

This week in our tutorial I learnt that everybody sees themselves differently to how other people see them. This also makes it more difficult to try and describe what you look like. When you describe yourself to someone you might not necessarily say that you have a straight nose, thin lips and a short neck. You would probably say that you are tall and fat or short and thin or that you have long hair. By filling in the identikit I learnt that it is difficult to try and describe yourself to somebody and you have to look at more than just the obvious things when doing so.

I also thought about why I wanted to be a journalist and also about what kind of journalism I would like to go into one day. I think that this is very important because as a journalist you have to be passionate about the kind of journalism you are going to do because if you don’t then you will not be as good a journalist as you could be. I thought about this and I believe that it helped me a lot to decide what direction I would like my journalism career to take.

When I had to choose from a list of adjective which best described me in the given situations I found that the adjectives reliable, opinionated, honest and thoughtful came up the most often. Reflecting on this, I believe that these describe accurately the kind of person that I am. Although there are other words that describe me as well, I think that these words are important because they are truthful as I believe that I am all of these words. I am an honest person who is reliable. I am also opinionated while being thoughtful at the same time. I believe that in this tutorial I learnt a lot more about myself even though I thought I knew myself pretty well to start off with.