http://homepage.mac.com/georgia.nesmith/iblog http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss en Georgia NeSmith Sat, 13 Sep 2008 13:08:10 -0400 Sat, 13 Sep 2008 13:08:30 -0400 iBlog 1.4.6 Random Acts of Love Wide-ranging commentary on everything from living with disabilities to media criticism; being a grandmother to being a political activist; being an artist, writer, photographer, and educator; living in Western New York; being a Quaker -- written with both humor and serious purpose. Random Acts of Love News http://homepage.mac.com/georgia.nesmith/iblog/C1827200293/E20080831185359/index.html A response to a homicide and shooting at Ellicott and Maxwell Streets in Rochester, NY. I used to own a beautiful home one house away from that intersection on Ellicott Street. I am deeply saddened by these events and what they represent in terms of an escalation of violence in our community. ]]> Sun, 31 Aug 2008 18:53:59 -0400 http://homepage.mac.com/georgia.nesmith/iblog/C1827200293/E20080831185359/index.html http://homepage.mac.com/georgia.nesmith/iblog/C1827200293/E20080831132527/index.html This is another post from my D&C weblog. I am posting it here for two reasons: 1) on my own blog the contents are "google-able," and 2) I am concerned that because it is a criticism of the D&C, the online editors will delete it. This has happened before.

In this piece I look at my own contribution to the discourse of negativity in the D&C comment sections and call on the newspaper to join me in this mea culpa. The purpose is to begin a discussion about how that discourse of negativity interferes with our ability to address the very real challenges we face as a community.

]]> Sun, 31 Aug 2008 13:25:27 -0400 http://homepage.mac.com/georgia.nesmith/iblog/C1827200293/E20080831132527/index.html http://homepage.mac.com/georgia.nesmith/iblog/C1827200293/E20080827015509/index.html Wed, 27 Aug 2008 01:55:09 -0400 http://homepage.mac.com/georgia.nesmith/iblog/C1827200293/E20080827015509/index.html http://homepage.mac.com/georgia.nesmith/iblog/C191060534/E20080622150435/index.html Sun, 22 Jun 2008 15:04:35 -0400 http://homepage.mac.com/georgia.nesmith/iblog/C191060534/E20080622150435/index.html http://homepage.mac.com/georgia.nesmith/iblog/C405848461/E20080411144810/index.html A version of this was posted earlier today in my D&C weblog. Within an hour it was deleted. I guess there are certain things you can't do on your D&C blog. One of them is you can't criticize Gannett. ]]> Fri, 11 Apr 2008 14:48:10 -0400 http://homepage.mac.com/georgia.nesmith/iblog/C405848461/E20080411144810/index.html http://homepage.mac.com/georgia.nesmith/iblog/C44378635/E20080410151740/index.html Thu, 10 Apr 2008 15:17:40 -0400 http://homepage.mac.com/georgia.nesmith/iblog/C44378635/E20080410151740/index.html http://homepage.mac.com/georgia.nesmith/iblog/C191060534/E20080407131925/index.html Wide-scale bad decisions impact everyone, not just the fools who made them. Whether or not taxpayers bail out the people who fell for the sub-prime mortgage schemes (and the banking industry that promoted them), everyone will pay for this fiasco. (Also a D&C blog post). ]]> Mon, 07 Apr 2008 13:19:25 -0400 http://homepage.mac.com/georgia.nesmith/iblog/C191060534/E20080407131925/index.html http://homepage.mac.com/georgia.nesmith/iblog/C44378635/E20080405224554/index.html Another from my D&C Blog: I've had a fascinating internet romp today. Chanced upon several news articles and other publications noting the surge of gang activity in suburban towns -- attributed, in large part, to successful police crackdowns on crime in the nearby cities. 

Hey, I think I've hit on something. If these articles are any indication, if the RPD is successful in cracking down on violent crime and drug dealing in the city, why it just might move out to the burbs.  ]]> Sat, 05 Apr 2008 22:45:54 -0400 http://homepage.mac.com/georgia.nesmith/iblog/C44378635/E20080405224554/index.html http://homepage.mac.com/georgia.nesmith/iblog/C44378635/E20080401091640/index.html This essay was declined for publication by the Democrat and Chronicle because in the process of submitting it I mentioned that I happened to have sent a version of it to Rochester Police Chief David Moore. Supposedly anything you write has to be "exclusive" -- never mind that one's creative processes do not always work that way. Originally I was afraid to have this published by the paper, but I gained courage after discussing my ideas with people on the 19th Ward Yahoo Group. What I have learned from this is this: never tell an editor anything about the process behind your work.

This is about observations of mine from "the trenches" -- living as I do on a street and near an intersection notorious for crime, especially gang activity. I have seen many improvements in the nearly two years I have been here, and especially recently with the stepped-up policing that came with the Zero Tolerance initiative. I am not, as my D&C critics would have it, a "Mary Poppins" blithely unaware of the very real problems in certain neighborhoods, including my own. I decided to publish this despite the fact that it could fuel more of my critics' fire. I decided to publish this because the truth needs to be told, unvarnished. And while we are telling the truth, we need to take note of progress and hopeful signs. As I have argued repeatedly, it is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness. ]]> Tue, 01 Apr 2008 09:16:40 -0400 http://homepage.mac.com/georgia.nesmith/iblog/C44378635/E20080401091640/index.html http://homepage.mac.com/georgia.nesmith/iblog/C44378635/E20080329140837/index.html Every day thousands of people in this city go about their business, resolving conflicts without resorting to violence, helping out friends and neighbors, doing the right thing. None of that will make the newspaper. When people get along the way they should, what's to report?  ...If your understanding of city life comes from the newspaper, what do you expect you will see? You will not see the Odis Nicholsons until somebody kills them. ]]> Sat, 29 Mar 2008 14:08:37 -0400 http://homepage.mac.com/georgia.nesmith/iblog/C44378635/E20080329140837/index.html http://homepage.mac.com/georgia.nesmith/iblog/C191060534/E20080329121653/index.html Here we go again. A crime story gets posted on the D&C online. And someone has to pounce on that. Eventually the comments turn the story into evidence that the city is a "sewer."  ]]> Sat, 29 Mar 2008 12:16:53 -0400 http://homepage.mac.com/georgia.nesmith/iblog/C191060534/E20080329121653/index.html http://homepage.mac.com/georgia.nesmith/iblog/C191060534/E20080323112841/index.html Found this yesterday on the Reuter's news site. Another of my D&C posts. An answer to why the comment sections in that paper are so full of people who love to hate not only the poor but working stiffs who have a hard time making ends meet. ]]> Sun, 23 Mar 2008 11:28:41 -0400 http://homepage.mac.com/georgia.nesmith/iblog/C191060534/E20080323112841/index.html http://homepage.mac.com/georgia.nesmith/iblog/C44378635/E20080322104523/index.html Another post from my D&C blog I am making available here. ]]> Sat, 22 Mar 2008 10:45:23 -0400 http://homepage.mac.com/georgia.nesmith/iblog/C44378635/E20080322104523/index.html http://homepage.mac.com/georgia.nesmith/iblog/C44378635/E20080321225036/index.html I wrote this on my blog on the Democrat & Chronicle pages. Since I know the reader-interactive pages are not google-able, I am also posting it here. This is about a 48 year-old Iowa farmwoman, who as a freshman at the University of Iowa had much to teach me as a graduate student. ]]> Fri, 21 Mar 2008 22:50:36 -0400 http://homepage.mac.com/georgia.nesmith/iblog/C44378635/E20080321225036/index.html http://homepage.mac.com/georgia.nesmith/iblog/C1228554741/E20080318000242/index.html I've just had a boatload of fun arguing with someone who goes by the handle of "oreilly" on the Democrat and Chronicle reader-interactive comments section. Well, not just oreilly, but "originalaveragejoe" and a few others. This is all about the controversy over the search process for Monroe Community College . ]]> Mon, 17 Mar 2008 00:02:42 -0400 http://homepage.mac.com/georgia.nesmith/iblog/C1228554741/E20080318000242/index.html http://homepage.mac.com/georgia.nesmith/iblog/C44378635/E20080316000800/index.html Posted these two pieces on my Democrat and Chronicle blog and decided to put them here, too. Who knows how long that blog will be accessible, and besides I think my regular readers would enjoy these too. ]]> Sun, 16 Mar 2008 00:08:00 -0400 http://homepage.mac.com/georgia.nesmith/iblog/C44378635/E20080316000800/index.html http://homepage.mac.com/georgia.nesmith/iblog/C44378635/E20080313235513/index.html A chance meeting with three remarkable young black teens gives me hope for Rochester's future. ]]> Thu, 13 Mar 2008 23:55:13 -0400 http://homepage.mac.com/georgia.nesmith/iblog/C44378635/E20080313235513/index.html http://homepage.mac.com/georgia.nesmith/iblog/C44378635/E20080310182438/index.html Noticed today how the hits on my "Homicides 2006" video on YouTube just keep climbing. Up to 1,546 as of today. I seem to have touched a lot of people with this. ]]> Mon, 10 Mar 2008 18:24:38 -0400 http://homepage.mac.com/georgia.nesmith/iblog/C44378635/E20080310182438/index.html http://homepage.mac.com/georgia.nesmith/iblog/C44378635/E20080229131544/index.html Wrote this in response to a column by D&C editorial page editor James Lawrence in today's paper.

It's about time for black youth to look to the real black celebrities: not the rappers, not the basketball players, not any of those who seem to have no moral compass nor concern for anyone but themselves -- no, the real celebrities are all those amazing people who risked their lives (and in some cases lost them) to fight for civil rights and justice. ]]> Fri, 29 Feb 2008 13:15:44 -0500 http://homepage.mac.com/georgia.nesmith/iblog/C44378635/E20080229131544/index.html http://homepage.mac.com/georgia.nesmith/iblog/C44378635/E20080228145119/index.html I didn’t really intend to end up being the lead and a major source in this reporter’s story in the Catholic Courier, but I guess she really liked what I said. ]]> Sat, 23 Feb 2008 14:51:19 -0500 http://homepage.mac.com/georgia.nesmith/iblog/C44378635/E20080228145119/index.html http://homepage.mac.com/georgia.nesmith/iblog/C44378635/E20071121145220/index.html Wed, 21 Nov 2007 14:52:20 -0500 http://homepage.mac.com/georgia.nesmith/iblog/C44378635/E20071121145220/index.html http://homepage.mac.com/georgia.nesmith/iblog/C610178968/E20071113114514/index.html Have found another way to occupy myself: the virtual world known as "Second Life." ]]> Tue, 13 Nov 2007 11:45:14 -0500 http://homepage.mac.com/georgia.nesmith/iblog/C610178968/E20071113114514/index.html http://homepage.mac.com/georgia.nesmith/iblog/C44378635/E20071111113819/index.html When the day comes that what is unacceptable on the corner of Park and Berkley is also unacceptable on the corner of Union and Weld and other major drug corners -- on that day, Rochester becomes a civilized city, a city of order, a city of safety and peace. ]]> Sun, 11 Nov 2007 11:38:19 -0500 http://homepage.mac.com/georgia.nesmith/iblog/C44378635/E20071111113819/index.html http://homepage.mac.com/georgia.nesmith/iblog/C44378635/E20071107123533/index.html Wed, 07 Nov 2007 12:35:33 -0500 http://homepage.mac.com/georgia.nesmith/iblog/C44378635/E20071107123533/index.html http://homepage.mac.com/georgia.nesmith/iblog/C1886415635/E20070921095347/index.html Big reason why I haven't posted much here is that I've spent my "blogging time" posting responses in the story/editorial discussions sections of the online Democrat and Chronicle. I'm going to put some of those here, but for now, here's a link that will take you to all of my D&C forum posts. ]]> Fri, 21 Sep 2007 09:53:47 -0400 http://homepage.mac.com/georgia.nesmith/iblog/C1886415635/E20070921095347/index.html http://homepage.mac.com/georgia.nesmith/iblog/C191060534/E20070119104745/index.html Fall is upon us, though right now it still feels like summer, with temps in the 80s. Beautiful and sunny, but to be honest, I want fall to be fall. Love the crisp, cool weather, with the leaves turning. Thought this might be a good time to re-post my tips on how to survive winter in Rochester. ]]> Thu, 20 Sep 2007 10:47:45 -0400 http://homepage.mac.com/georgia.nesmith/iblog/C191060534/E20070119104745/index.html http://homepage.mac.com/georgia.nesmith/iblog/C347254837/E20070921002707/index.html Suddenly I'm an expert again! ]]> Tue, 18 Sep 2007 00:27:07 -0400 http://homepage.mac.com/georgia.nesmith/iblog/C347254837/E20070921002707/index.html http://homepage.mac.com/georgia.nesmith/iblog/C191060534/E20070917105954/index.html Had a blast Saturday night at the Cajun/Zydeco dance at the Harmony House in Webster, hoofing it to Curley Taylor & Zydeco Trouble. Post includes schedule of upcoming Rochester Cajun/Zydeco Network events.
  ]]> Mon, 17 Sep 2007 10:59:54 -0400 http://homepage.mac.com/georgia.nesmith/iblog/C191060534/E20070917105954/index.html http://homepage.mac.com/georgia.nesmith/iblog/C493601191/E20070911102057/index.html I have posted pdf files of my dissertation, "Feminist Historiography, Journalism History, and the Problem of Human Agency," on my .Mac website. I completed this in 1994. Although it is somewhat outdated, particularly in its discussion of various theoretical versions of feminism, as well as its discussion of the state of journalism historiography, much of it is still relevant.

Abstract below. ]]> Tue, 11 Sep 2007 10:20:57 -0400 http://homepage.mac.com/georgia.nesmith/iblog/C493601191/E20070911102057/index.html http://homepage.mac.com/georgia.nesmith/iblog/C2102422958/E20070909205302/index.html Adding a new feature to my YouTube site. I am reading some of my own poetry. ]]> Sun, 09 Sep 2007 20:53:02 -0400 http://homepage.mac.com/georgia.nesmith/iblog/C2102422958/E20070909205302/index.html