Citizen journalism wins respect when the writer finds the story first and reports with accuracy. Those traits were on display in Kim I Hartman‘s timely feature on the West Virginia mine disaster. Kim was on the scene quickly, snapping powerful photos of the firefighters and worried residents. Her updates were also critical to getting the full story of this breaking news. The article won the kudos of Digital Journalist Carol Forsloff, who wrote: “This article is an example of superior citizen journalism, the way it was designed to be.”
Also exemplifying bootstraps journalism is KJ Mullins‘ article on a Toronto fire, complete with on-the-ground photos. She was able to snap pics unseen in the mainstream press, such as a cat being whisked away by firefighters. Another trophy for your mantle, KJ!
When fives home under construction in London, ON, suddenly collapsed during high winds, Ken Wightman wanted to find out the reason behind the devastation. In this well-researched article, Ken spoke to Prof. Greg Kopp, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at The University of Western Ontario, and residents who live nearby the toppled homes. What Ken offers us is an explanation of how this incident happened and dishes out a useful lesson on construction and physics.
If you want a taste of Louisiana and country music, look no further than Carol Forsloff‘s nicely written article on the Country Music Museum in Marthaville, La. Carol writes, “The Country Music Museum in Marthaville brings the country music of Louisiana to life with its concerts, artifacts and pictures of a time that made Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley rise to the top of the charts.” Be sure to enjoy her photos of the museum in order to get a sense of what the site is like.
As he often does, Riccardo Valsecchi shoots incredibly vivid photos on his journalistic assignments. This article/photo essay is no different – Riccardo writes on Miteinander Leben in Berlin, a trade show for elderly and disabled Germans. While the article is not lengthy, a picture can tell a thousand words, right? The photos are practically magazine worthy for their composition and colouring, especially the action shots.
Other stories gaining attention on DigitalJournal.com include:
• Earthquake rocks U.S. west coast by Justin Johnson: One of our newest Digital Journalists covers his community as an earthquake hits the American west coast. Justin is able to accurately report on what was being felt in San Diego, earning the kudos of various Digital Journal pros.
• Report: Col. Russell Williams attempts suicide in jail by KJ Mullins: To update you, Williams has been charged with the murders of several young women in Ontario, and recently in prison he tried to commit suicide by wetting a toilet paper roll and forcing it down his throat. He can’t escape that easily, and now he’s on 24/7 suicide watch. This case will continue to be reported on DigitalJournal.com so stay tuned.
• White supremacist Eugene Terre’Blanche killed in his bed by R. C. Camphausen: This news made headline across the world, and RC gives us a solid overview of Terre’Blanche’s history and controversies. His article sparked many commenters to offer their opinion of the deceased, so have your say if you want to add your insight.
• Iraqi civilians outraged over leaked ‘Collateral Murder’ video by Lynn Herman: When the WikiLeaks video of collateral damage in Iraq surfaced, we expected Iraqis to take notice. As Lynn reports, “the victims’ relatives want US personnel responsible for the deaths to be held accountable in court.” What do you think about this video? In the comments section, do you agree with the other users?
• German women try to take dead man on flight to Berlin by Stephanie Dearing: As mentioned earlier, this story reminds us of the classic film Weekend at Bernie’s. Stephanie writes about how London police claim two German women were attempting to smuggle a dead man onto a plane bound for Berlin. Supposedly, the women were travelling for 24 hours with the cadaver. Gross!
• Student gets sent home for wearing Lady Gaga T-shirt by Matthew Harding: Attracting significant attention is this story about a Tennesse student who wore a shirt with the word “gay” on the front, and was told to go back home and change his shirt. Evidently, the school board wasn’t feeling the overt message of homosexuality. The student said, “I just think my sexuality isn’t widely accepted around here, so of course they are going to single me out.”
• New study says breastfeeding could save lives and money by Cynthia Trowbridge: “A recent study revealed that breastfeeding a baby exclusively for the first 6 months of its life could prevent over 900 deaths and save the United States $13 billion in health costs.” With that explosive intro, how could this article not attract attention? Cynthia goes on to explain the benefits of breast milk, which include “vitamins and antibodies that help infants from germs and illnesses.” A great find, Cynthia.
• Manny Pacquiao forgives Adam Carolla for verbally attacking him by Leo Reyes: The Pacquiao-Carolla feud finally ends with the comedian apologizing for his remarks and the boxer then accepting his apology. Water under the bridge, right? Then again, we doubt many Filipinos will soon forget what Carolla said about their beloved boxer and the country itself.
Prawn cake in banana leaf. Chicken pai tee with chili plum sauce. Not familiar with this cuisine? That’s because these dishes make up the dining experience Johnny Summerton enjoyed in Malaysia, as related in Top Blog Post of the Week. Johnny gives us a culinary lesson on Malaysian cuisine, from the apps to dessert. His photos were also quite hunger-inducing, so now we’re going to have start looking for Malaysian restos in our respective communities. Is it us or is Malaysiatown pretty rare?
