"Oh no! My AP Stylebook Got Wet!"

Hopefully this short blog will encompass part of my professor's intrigue with on-the-go journalism. Granted this isn't the story of the year, but it's worth a shot. Those who have read any of my previous weather stories printed in the Columbia Missouri at the beginning of 2007 might find it humorous that I again find myself on the "weather beat."

As Rachel walks into the lounge area outside the classroom her curious classmates question her on the weather conditions outside.
"Oh my gosh," was her only response.

As winter weather conditions begin to pummel the Columbia area Tuesday afternoon, Bill Allen, an ag journalism professor at the University of Missouri, dismisses those from his senior capstone class who wanted to get home before the snow and ice got worse.

"It's better to be careful," Allen said.

According to the National Weather Service out of St. Louis, Columbia remains under a wind advisory until 9 p.m. Wind gusts of up to 45 mph are expected. Snow accumulation should not exceed 1/2 inches.

The 10 female students in Allen's class were pleased their professor cares for their safety on the roads and took full advantage of the opportunity to seek shelter from the storm.

Ok. So I editorialized at the end there, but as a hard news reporter, you never get to do that!

Blog Analysis

An interesting blog I found is based around the 2008 Presidential Campaigns . This particular blog does not support or favor any of the candidates. Instead, it contains news mentions, candidate announcements, videos, and even speeches, from all of the candidates. It even has archived its articles from candidates who have now dropped out of the race.
The set-up of the blog is very orderly. While on the main page the reader can see the most recent posts, on the right hand panel there are buttons that link to just a particular candidate’s information. The postings are also broken down by issue category, types of postings, information about conventions and polls. This organizational touch shows that the blogger or bloggers behind the site have put thought behind what they are posting on the Web.
The best aspect of this blog is that it allows readers to go to one place to read anything they want about the 2008 Presidential Campaign as it progresses, and it also allows them to form their own opinions about factual information given. To improve, I would like to see the compiler of the site show who is still in the race. Using the campaign stickers on the right, I think he could designate who is still in the running by marking the ones who have dropped and when they did so.

I'm a blogger! Does this mean I am now conforming to "the man"???

This whole experience started when I marked a box on a college major interest questionnaire for Mizzou. I was interested in pursuing a degree in Agricultural Journalism. Three and a half years later I am still toiling through reporting, editing and strategic communication classes for that piece of paper.  Now that I find myself in a capstone class that will put all these skills I have learned to use, I am told there is more to learn. More mediums to conquer for communication. That good ol' buzz word: convergence. This blog is step one. It will be interesting to see where it all goes from here.