Feature Story

Tate James' heart is in the right place, but it has yet to find a home.
His nonprofit organization, the Norman bike coop, is in danger of coming to a screeching halt since their former workspace was condemned.
Beginning as a bike library, James said the Norman Bike Coop offered to "check-out" refurbished bicycles to those who donated their old bikes.
Eventually, word of mouth worked its magic and cyclists were coming in with questions about repairs, cycling laws and biking events they could attend.
Along with co-founder Chris Bowles, james decided to help their customers become more independent in their bicycle needs by teaching classes on bike repair and safety.
"In every city there's usually a nonprofit bike shop, but there aren't as many places where you can go and learn how to work on your bike for free," said Bowles.
As a serious cyclist, Colin Stringer understands the potential high dollar amounts of bicycle repair and therefore saw the value in these classes.
"I was building a bike from scratch and, you know, bike tools are expensive," he said. "It was nice to have a place to go where I could use what I needed without having to worry about the cost."
Overwhelmed by the response to these classes, the nonprofit founders wanted to widen their spectrum of the project to make a bigger impact in the community.
"What they're doing is so important," said Stringer, "because if you know how to build your bike then you know more about how it works and how to maintain it properly."
So far, James said they recently pushed legislation through citiy council to replace all outdated bike grates, and continue to post cycling news and updates in their online blog, www.normanbikecoop.com.
But their exploding success came to a standstill when their garage space was conedemned by its landlord, forcing them to temporarily abandon the organization.
"We are currently shopping around for a new space, but since we are an unofficial nonprofit organization, it has to be completely donated, which is difficult to find," said Bowles.
James isn't picky and said any two-car garage with electricity will be more than substantial.
The founders also say that for the nonprofit to thrive again, they will need many more volunteers to handle the influx of bicycle parts.
"Everyone loves the idea, but no one wants to volunteer," said Bowles.
But until they find a new space, they said they wish to focus on cycling issues in and effort to continually improve their community.
"It's a constantly moving and changing project," said James.
James adds that the community was obviously already there, they just gave it a venue.
But now that venue is in danger of dissapearing.
One can only hope that these philanthropists will find a heart kind enough to lend them a more permanent home.

Meeting with Lance Barrow

Lance Barrow, producer of CBS Sports, provided a fountain of industry knowledge and an abundance of anecdotes for the attentive audience of OU journalism students last Wednesday.
His personable, southern-hospitality attitude provided a judgement-free forum for students to ask whatever they wish of the 30 year CBS veteran.
"I thought it would be an excellent opportunity to meet and hear a successful sports producer talk about his career," said Leslie Metzger, OU journalism junior and sports anchor for OU nightly.
Barrow emphasized the importance of asking questions because he did not do the same when such opportunities were made available for him in college.
"As a student, I sat in the back and didn't really engage and couldn't wait for the bell to ring or get out of the class. I think about four years of college that I really wasted," he said.
But OU students certainly did not waste their opportunity to pick his brain, as questions rapidly fired from almost everyone present.
And to each answer, Barrow stressed the importance of proper writing techniques, something he said he missed during his education and regrets not doing.
Even for sports broadcast, Barrow said writing well leads to speaking well and, ultimately, earns more respect from one's peers if one is successful in doing so.
Also, he said immersing oneself in the field through volunteering or internships will help better prepare a journalism major for employment after graduation.
This intimidated one student in the audience, Brian Pelts, who returned to OU this semester after dropping out 15 years ago.
"I already feel way behind because I'm beginning this career in my mid-thirties. After listening to him, I need to make up for my lack of experience."
This sentiment was shared by many of the audience members, their attention rapt as Barrow told his tale of how he bravely knocked on the door of the local ABC station without any invitation and asked if they needed someone to work.
"His confidence is inspiring. It's something I'd like to find in myself." said Metzger.
But Barrow waved away any inkling of an over-confident attitude with his casual Texas style and warm sense of humor.
"It's like being in the mafia," said Barrow, "It's hard to get into the business, but once you're in the business, it's hard to get out."
However, he said journalism students will have no trouble finding employment as long as they are brave enough to introduce themselves and take whatever work is given to them.
But the CBS producer will only go so far to help job-seekers.
"If the first two things you're worried about are pay and time off," he said, " then you're not working for me and you're not working for the right reasons."
Loving what you do is prudent to Barrow's mantra.
He said because he enjoys his job, he's never had to work a day in his life.
Pelts, now a Public Relations major, said Barrow's passion for work re-ignighted his passion for sports broadcasting.
Barrow has produced three superbowls and many national golf tournments.
Barrow also assisted students in developing story ideas for last Friday's sports broadcast.

Review Over Backstreet Boys

Backstreet's back. Alright? Released today, their comeback album "This Is Us" proves to be chock full of sugary sweet teen angst, from finding the loves of their lives all the way to the hurtful moment when they break up with said love. Even though it's been ten years since the "Millenium", the boys of pop have yet to musically evolve into men. While sure to entice the then-eight-now-eighteen-year-old girls back into their childhood obsession, the album fails to attract new audiences with it's dated mass-produced electronics and transparent lyrics. If you told this writer that this was their very first album, she would have believed you.

The album opener, "Straight Through my Heart", is a feeble attempt to explore the band's 'emo' side, with dramatic lyrics such as "A single bullet got me, I can't stop bleeding, straight through my heart". But the Kylie Minogue-inspired electronica bumping in the background creates a complete discord of genres and is confusing to the ear. Combined with the too-smooth harmony of the four boys (Kevin Iverson did not join the reunion), the song is complete cacophany. In an unwise choice, they repeat this trend in "Bye Bye Love", "All of Your Love", and "Can I Be Your Man"

The band also reached their alternative fans with "Bigger" and "This Is Us". Both begin with melodic guitar strumming similar to the whiney ballads of Dashboard Confessional and My Chemical Romance, and then electronic beats crescendo from the first chorus until they reign the speakers entirely. Also still included are the overly-cheesy lyrics of boy bands past, such as "Can I change the meaning of you?"

Thank God for the breath of fresh air T-Pain obviously provided as producer of "PDA" and "Masquerade". The only modern tunes on the album, these tracks more closely resemble the styles of successful rap and pop artists of today. While still sounding as if they were produced on a cheap keyboard, they serve as a relief to the listener, having been subjected to gag-me pop for the last half hour. The composition of beats are much more catchy and danceable, a key factor in success for today's pop radio.

This is because fans are much more savvy than they were 10 years ago, thanks to the internet. They are very aware that there are old men in suits writing all the lyrics and that the band is just the face. That fantasy was cracked long ago. So while the lyrics of both songs are quite explicit and club related, they're probably the only ones that have a shot for the billboard charts. The boys of the backstreets should have given the producers more control, rather than attempting to revive their successful yet pubescent earlier work.

However, one must not forget the masses of teens and early twenty-something girls who will purchase the album simply out of nostalgia. Many of us have fond childhood memories associated with the Backstreet Boys, and while this album will probably be short-lived on these girl's "favorites" playlists, it will serve as a momentary glimpse into a time when they were younger and less wise. But this writer does not care to reminisce, and, more importantly, was an N*Sync fan.

Synopsis of amazing story.

A certain world-famous band wishes to grace Campus Corner with their presence after their concert in Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium Oct. 10.

U2 has reserve an entire upscale venue somewhere along Boyd St., and the venue is more than ready for the band's arrival.

The private party will include a VERY exclusive guest list, multiple security guards, and all the delectable delicacies a band of such stature desires.

"It's drawing the line between wanting to clean up their vomit, or do you want to lay tape around it and say 'Bono vomited here,' " says an assistant manager of the venue.

The importance of NLGJA

Gay Marriage is one of the most prominent issues of our generation. The subject was well discussed among mass medias in 1996, when the "Defense of Marriage Act", or 'doma' for short, was reviewed and passed by the Supreme Court. Where were it's defenders? By that time, one would assume the proliferators of this-and-that on the grasses of Berkeley had few minds left to persuade. The only coverage I remember of this issue (granted, I was only 8 years old) was of graying and balding men speaking harshly and unfavorably, serving as a catalyst for similar discussions held by the parents of my peers. One organization sought to increase the fair-sided coverage of this and other LGBT issues: The National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association.

Having an organization working within the media to press LGBT issues is as necessary as having a US Ambassador for the UN, or a defendant in a ANY trial. How will their side be heard? How can one claim to understand the issue when they have not researched both sides? To fill the 'fair and balanced' shoes our nation so proudly claims, there must be a yang to the conservative's yin. Both sides of an issue must be exposed, even if some points may hurt the fight. This ensures the endurance of democracy by allowing viewers to decide for themselves. And even though organizations such as the NLGJA may not win every battle, their existence and persistence is slowly winning the war.

How can, or do you, treat minorities with respect in the media?

How do you make everyone happy when writing a news article? Yes, the PC terms are always acceptable, but they're the most vanilla as well. And what of certain races who use their own defamatory descriptions as a warm greeting? Where does a journalist draw the line? I find the only way to stay neutral in such an article is to use as much vanilla as possible, and ask. Ask the people you interviewed: what do they prefer to be called? Ask the internet. Ask the editor. Blacks no longer want to be 'African Americans'. Just 'Blacks'. But since my education stressed the use of the latter term, this is like nails on a chalkboard. However, chances are a writer doesn't need a racial slur to make their story interesting. If they do, then they're not effective writers.

Is journalistic writing hard?

As mentioned in the previous post, I have always had trouble truncating my language. Little did I know this would be the entire premise of the field I was entering. Goody! I find it almost boring to write in what is called a 'journalistic style'; cold, hard facts have never been my forte.

And yet, as I began the writing and editing process, I found that the journalistic style is surprisingly uncomplicated and requires so few elaborations. It's almost as if I can have a checklist: Lede, body, least important info, who, what, when, where, how, why, check, check, check. I'm becoming addicted.

Chelsea