MacMillan: "The War Tends To Follow You When You Leave."

WHAT DID YOU THINK of today's guest, Jim MacMillan?

Here are a few things that stood out for me:

- Journalists are first responders: when everyone is running away from disasters, journalists are running in.
- The things journalists see can have an impact on their mental states.
- Few places deal with journalists suffering from trauma. The Dart Center is one.
- In Iraq, Jim survived two car bombs, three roadside attacks, two kidnappping attempts and he was shot in the helmet. He was also knocked unconscious at one point, and he suffered hearing loss.
- He did 200 combat missions while embedded with the military.
- 16 people he got to know died while serving the country.
- He lived in squalor with the troops.
- The war was not always portrayed in the American media as it existed in reality, Jim said.
- Being embedded is "a view through a straw."
- He was part of the team that won a Pulitzer Prize for their coverage. But he said, "You can't celebrate when 100,000 people have died."
- He's now a new media guru.

Football Coach to Reporter: "Go Cover Soccer."

AFTER THE UNIVERSITY of Wisconsin-Whitewater football coach read an editorial in the school paper, he decided that student journalists were banned from covering his squad. Coaches and players were not allowed to speak to student reporters for the entire 2009 season.

"The door is shut," the coach told the paper. "Go cover soccer."

The coach was responding to an editorial that was headlined, "Spoiled athletes need reality check."

Can he really shut out reporters like that?

(FYI: the next day, the coach apologized and retracted his ban).

Did TV Cause Your A.D.D.?

NBC'S CHIEF WHITE HOUSE correspondent and political director, Chuck Todd, recently did a Q&A with RealClearSports.com.

He mentioned that television programming is built to appeal to an audience with attention deficit disorder.

"ESPN, on television, has always seemed to be ahead in dealing with societies ADD issue," he said. "We’re an ADD society now. We’re entering an age in which there’s no more context."

My question to you is this: does television programming provide you info that you can absorb quickly because people's habits are changing? Or are they actually creating/ perpetuating an attention deficit disorder society?

Or did you quit reading this because it was too long?

Academic Freedom or Temple of Conformity?

DAVID HOROWITZ, the former liberal crusader who became a conservative activist, spoke at Temple last week.

"The courses at Temple are devoted to indoctrinating (its students)," he said, according to the Temple News.

Specifically, he was referring to professors preaching liberal values rather than trying to teach students to think for themselves.

How do you feel about your Temple education? Are you getting a well-rounded education or do you feel like the profs have an agenda?

Please be honest, and write comments using your name. All opinions are welcome as long as you support your arguments.

Cops Gone Wild? Journalists Who Won't Listen?

WATCH THE ABOVE VIDEO by clicking here. Was the police officer acting properly in detaining the reporter? Or did the officer overreact? What is the best way to handle such a situation?

"I Hope You Get Short Bowel Syndrome."

EVERY SEMESTER, 34th Street magazine, a student publication at the University of Pennsylvania, runs an issue where students get to slam each other anonymously in a section called "Shoutouts."

To my roommate: We all know your secret. Leaving Smokes early to call phone sex hotlines is not a substitute for the real thing.

And that, to say the least, is a tame Shoutout. Other shoutouts deal with sexual encounters, annoying classmates, random stalking, Greek life, religion, nerds and a lot more hooking up stuff. And they can get awfully mean.

To the annoying Wharton girl in my Tuesday Nutrition class: You fu**ing suck. Stop asking questions. I hope you get short bowel syndrome. Yeah, diarrhea for the rest of your life. Your friend sucks too.

Apparently, when this issue hits the streets, it's hugely popular. And the mag prints extra copies, even sells a lot of extra advertising. The next issue is due out this week.

Is it journalism? Is it selling out? Is it providing a service to readers? Or is it just plain mean (and mean fun)?

Newspaper Calls Bull**it, Denies Coverage.

THE FOLKS AT THE Red Bluff Round Up rodeo in California weren't happy with the press coverage they received at their 2008 event. That year, a bull jumped into the stands and injured six spectators, including three children.

So this year, the rodeo organizers told the media that they would be escorted by rodeo officials to ensure "proper coverage." In the case of an emergency, the media would be escorted away to a designated area.

The journalists at the local paper, the Record Searchlight, didn't like the idea of being managed by public relations people. So they declined to cover the event.

They cited the principles of journalism as their support:

The reason we declined the press credentials is that one of the four basic ethical principles for journalists is to act independently. It's our job to bring you the news based on our best judgment, not to willingly submit to being "managed."

Should the newspaper have declined to cover the event? Did the PR people have the right to "manage" the media? Is the newspaper overreacting? Are they letting down their readers by not covering the event?

What if it was the Eagles or Phillies trying to control coverage? What would you do if they tried to control the message? Then could you ignore the game?

"You have to be nuts to be in this business."

WHAT DID YOU think of today's guest, filmmaker Tigre Hill?

Here are a few things that stood out to me:

- He approached the two campaign staffs before following the mayoral candidates in 2003. The Sam Katz team allowed coverage. The John Street team never responded.
- Tigre's goal was to become such a regular part of the scene that he was invisible with his camera.
- A television journalist was removed from covering the mayoral race after he badgered John Street during a press conference.
- Tigre was labeled a "conservative filmmaker" after his film was released.
- He relies upon facts, and doesn't start off the process with an established agenda.
- Once he's done gathering, he forms an opinion.
- He wants to have coffee with John Street.
- He said that while at Temple as a student, he was always thinking about what would be next, rather than appreciating the moment.
- His next film, The Barrel of a Gun, about convicted cop killer Mumia Abu Jamal, will be released in the fall.

What stood out for you?

A Photojournalist "Who Changed History."

APPRECIATE THE POWER and influence of the journalist, specifically photojournalists.

Sex & Sports: Is "Co-Ed = Mo' Head" acceptable?

AN INTRAMURAL, CO-ED softball team at Temple is named "Co-Ed = Mo' Head."

Temple News columnist Leah Mafrica took issue with the name, and wrote about it in this week's issue of the paper:

Contrary to what some may think, this is not as innocent as some might claim. This type of language is both sexist and immature, particularly when demonstrated at a function that serves to blend men and women as equals in relation to sports, a goal that has been hard to accomplish.

To wear a shirt that disrespects women at a sports function also disrespects the sport and undermines what universities attempt to accomplish by providing co-recreational sports. That is, to think of men and women as athletically equal.

Is this a free speech issue? Or is it offensive for the team to have such a name? Should the university take action, and force a name change? Or should everyone chill?

“I’m pretty sure I’m allowed to take pictures."

CLASSMATE BRIAN ROMANELLI was enjoying the day when a guy started flashing his goodies at students.

Naturally, Brian started taking pictures.

When campus security came along and escorted the flasher off the fence along Broad Street, near J&H, Brian continued shooting. Until an officer told Brian that he had to stop.

Brian said, "I’m pretty sure I’m allowed to take pictures.”

The officer allegedly responded, "Not when the police tell you you can’t."

Then they cited him. The University Disciplinary Council found Brian guilty of failing to properly identify himself or to comply with the instructions or directions of a person acting in duly authorized university capacity. He was sentenced to a semester of disciplinary probation and 20 hours of community service.

By the way, the pictures? He was shooting for a class, Photography for Filmmakers.

Who is at fault here? Was he allowed to take pictures? Or should he have left the scene after police told him to go away?

UPDATE: read Brian's op/ed piece in this week's Temple News here.

Desperate Times in La La Land: What Won't They Do For Money?

THE LOS ANGELES TIMES ran a four-page spread on Sunday pimping The Soloist, a movie based upon the life of an LA Times columnist and his homeless muse.

But in reality, the four-page spread was a paid advertisement made to look like a newspage. This comes only a few days after the LA Times ran an advertisement masked as an article on the front page - an ad for a new NBC television show.

Last week, the Daily Bruin at the University of California at Los Angeles ran an entire advertisement on their front page - and the ad was designed to look like the real newspaper (right).

Is there anything wrong with newspapers selling ads in this fashion? The ads are labeled as "Paid Advertisements" so what's the problem?

Or are we endangering the integrity of the news by selling ads that look like news?

The World For $1 Per Month? What a Bargain.

YOU CAN HAVE THE world delivered to your home every month and it will only cost you $12 per year.

That is how much a subscription to Conde Nast Traveler costs - about $1 per issue.

If you subscribe to Newsweek, you get issues for about 47 cents each. The New Yorker is about 87 cents and Allure is about 89 cents per issue. They are all chock full of information and beautiful images. And they are dirt cheap.

Mag owners are considering raising prices slightly now that advertising revenue is slipping. Would you pay more?

Journalism outlets are trying everything they can to raise the money they need to produce their products. And while there has been great outcry about the potential loss of newspapers, few people are harping on the difficulties of magazines.

But reality is upon us. So, would you pay $3 per issue for a subscription to People magazine? When you look at what you get, isn't that really a bargain? And isn't a subscription still crazy cheaper than buying issues at newsstands?

Why do we expect information to be free or cheap?

Gensler: "You Suck. I Read You Every Day."

WHAT DID YOU THINK of celebrity gossip writer Howard Gensler?

Here are a few things that stood out for me:

- Tommy Lee Jones dresses well but is kind of a jerk.
- Eva Mendes? Also kind of a jerk.
- Celebrities are public figures and publicity whores.
- It's not easy being a beat writer, even on pop culture stuff. It takes knowledge of trends and history to be good at the job.
- News is disposable.
- Gossip news is an enjoyable break between the news and sports. You don't have to take it that seriously.
- Publicity agents try to manipulate the media to make their clients look good.
- If you spite Howard, he may write awful things about you.
- Junkets tarnish the image of the media outlet.
- Howard loves Bennifer.
- And he thinks marijuana should be legalized.

What stood out for you?

Celebrity News? I Want To Know!

THE WORLD IS A CRAZY PLACE. President Obama shuttles off to meet with world leaders in London and the media spends crazy amounts of time talking about how Michelle Obama had a wardrobe change ... during the flight!

It's not like the London G-20 Summit was about anything of real significance (they were just trying to resolve the global financial meltdown).

But wait a second. Is it really wrong to blame the media for providing stories about Michelle Obama and her clothes? Aren't the media really just feeding the demand from the public? Don't people want their rumors and gossip about the rich and powerful, the famous and infamous?

On Thursday, we'll delve into the seedy world of celebrity news with Howard Gensler (below), the celebrity gossip columnist for the Daily News. He'll talk about why the media spends so much time and energy on covering the stars.

In the meantime, let me know what you think about the clip above, and celebrity news in general. Is it necessary or does it just make the public more and more stupid?

Fornicating Pirates ... But With a Plot!

STUDENTS AT THE University of Maryland wanted to show "Pirates II: Stagnetti's Revenge" at their student union on Saturday. Then a bunch of politicians jumped in and forced the school to shut down the show.

Turns out the politicians think the film is pure pornography.

Sen. Andrew P. Harris was so upset that, according to the Washington Post, he offered a budget amendment: Any public university that allowed the screening of a triple-X film would forfeit state funding -- about $424 million next year in U-Md.'s case.

Should the film be allowed on campus? Is this a free speech issue? Or is the film pure obscenity, and therefore not subject to first amendment rights?

Would you be OK with students showing a nudey film on campus?

(And, is it wrong for me to post a link to the nudey movie's website on a student-read blog?)

Whoa! I See Man Ass!

THE COVER OF THIS week's Philadelphia Weekly features writer Steven Wells in a backless hospital gown. And his bare ass is exposed to anyone who walks by a PW newspaper box on the street.

The story, by the way, is about Wells' struggles with cancer.

Is it wrong for his bare ass to be offered to the public in such a manner?