Media excitement, one out too soon

10/31/11 11:35 AM

By Katie Tufts / Big D Blog
 
ktufts@smu.edu Twitter statuses exploded even before the final pitch was thrown. The Rangers almost won the World Series for the first time. And the Dallas media was right there counting down the outs. But it was only game six. And St. Louis was not going down easy. The DFW media has been focused on the Texas Rangers more and more over the past few weeks, culminating on Friday, when the Rangers lost the World Series Championship for their second year in a row. It was a heartbreaker and the media was there for every step of the way. And even some steps ahead. Following Twitter in game six was truly baseball torture, and when the Dallas FOX affiliate prematurely congratulated the Rangers on a win that never came, the Rangers fans on Twitter...

Local Dallas LegacyTexas Bank Gives Back To the Troops

10/28/11 13:33 PM

By Anna Kiappes/Big D akiappes@smu.edu While looking around the Park Cities People site, I found an article about LegacyTexas Bank giving back to our troops by sending them care packages. Now through November 12, all 19 DFW banks will be accepting contributions and ship them to the troops for a Lone Star Salute. Some things they will be collecting are: · Baby Wipes · Sunscreen · Packaged Snacks · Games/Puzzles · Personal Notes · Hand Warmers · Zip Lock Bags If you are looking to contribute to the Lone Star Salute, check out the LegacyTexas site here and see how you can give back to our troops. Big D is a digital journalism class blog produced independently of The Daily Campus....

Occupy the Students

10/27/11 11:42 AM

By Christine Jonas/ Big D Blog cjonas@smu.edu If you do not follow the news, or you happen to live under a rock, you may not have heard about the Occupy Wall Street movement started in New York City on September 17, 2011. And if that doesn’t ring a bell, than the Occupy movements that have popped up in 1,600 cities around the world might not sound too familiar either. Let me tell you, it’s kind of a big deal. What is this movement all about? The answer is different for each person and each movement. For Occupy Wall Street, their website says their commonality is, “that we are the 99% that will no longer tolerate the greed and corruption of the 1%.” For our local movement, Occupy Dallas, one of their leaders, Robert Porter, says their commonality lies in the...

Deep Ellum is transforming

10/25/11 15:09 PM

By Joe Richardson/ Big D Blog joeyr@smu.edu Young people might not remember how dangerous Deep Ellum was, but their parents sure do. For the better part of the 80s and 90s the music scene there was served up with a large helping of crime and violence. But now things have changed. The area is transforming. With live music on nearly every corner, the new DART Green Line, new art galleries, and increases in police presence, Deep Ellum is a far cry from the days of the Brawl at Gypsy Tea Room. The neighborhood, however, might not return to the way it once was. And, according to an article in the Dallas Morning News that’s what people in Deep Ellum want. Big D is a digital journalism class blog produced independently of The Daily Campus.  ...

Hot Topics in LGBT News

10/24/11 10:43 AM

Logan May/Big D Blog ljmay@smu.edu This week, instead of focusing on one story, I am going to give you a play-by-play of the biggest happenings in LGBT news. - Presidential candidate Herman Cain said in an interview last week that he will support the federal ban on gay marriage. He said, “I think marriage should be protected at the federal level… it’s between a man and a woman.” - A man in Pennsylvania was set on fire by his friends after a night of drinking — all because he was gay. Steven Iorio, 37, says he woke up around 3 a.m. at his friend’s house with his leg on fire. “They wrote disgusting things on his pants,” Iorio’s friend, Tina Cook, told WPXI News. “They even drew on his face.” - New York City will open...

SMC Dallas: Smart Speaker, Social Speaker

10/23/11 23:19 PM

By Katie Tufts / Big D Blog
 ktufts@smu.edu You could definitely say that Social Media Club Dallas speaker, Michael Brito, fit right in at the SMC on Thursday evening. Brito, from Edelman Digital Silicon Valley, gave a humorous yet insightful look into what his book, “Smart Business, Social Business: A playbook for Social Media in Your Organization,” is all about. Brito’s book gives an inside look beyond the simple integration of social media into businesses and shows how companies can use the people, the process, and technology to build a solid internal foundation and optimize and engage in the online arena. Audience members laughed, tweeted and joined together in celebrating the growing success of social media. Brito chatted with audience members after his...

Dallas goes crazy for apple's latest

10/20/11 14:47 PM

By Katie Tufts / Big D Blog ktufts@smu.edu Christmas came early for some on Friday with the arrival of Apple’s iPhone 4S. Though the iPhone 5 release date was pushed back to next year, many Dallasites waited in long lines over the weekend to get the latest version of the iPhone. What has come to be the media tool of the future, the iPhone can be used to record sound, take relatively good quality photos and video, and access social media outlets in seconds. As a journalism student, I wouldn’t be caught covering an event without it. The main addition to the new iPhone is the Siri voice recognition software. However, according to Charlie White’s Mashable review of the iPhone 4S, this software has been around for quite a while. From testing Siri over the weekend, I...

OSU Student Flees University after controversial article causes backlash

10/19/11 22:32 PM

By Logan May/Big D Blog ljmay@smu.edu Oklahoma State University student Bethany Duarte has dropped out of school due to backlash for her controversial newspaper column on Chaz Bono. She wrote the following in the The Daily O’Collegian: “It is one thing to accept and live a homosexual lifestyle; that is an internal decision. Taking it to the point of gender reassignment crosses a natural line by more or less playing God. By idealizing Bono’s choice, supporters and activists promote the idea that everything about you could be wrong, and that everything about you can be changed.” Reactions to the column were immediate. Letters and complaints started streaming into the newsroom from angered students. On Oct. 2 a staff editor published a statement on behalf of...

Bush Defends the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars at Warrior Open

10/19/11 22:29 PM

By Sara Carabasi scarabasi@smu.edu It’s no secret that Bush has certainly received his fair share of criticism over the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. But he defended his decisions at the recent Warrior Open. The golf tournament, hosted by the George W. Bush Institute, was an effort to aid wounded veterans from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. So what did the former President have to say about the wars? While many people would disagree, Bush hopes that in time history will prove the wars were worth fighting for. Opinions may vary, but it is important to honor the veterans for their duty and service to our country. The golf tournament was a great tribute to the soldiers who all seemed proud to have served. Time tells everything. Do you think opinions of the wars in Iraq and...

HP Middle School Presents Aladdin and Sleeping Beauty

10/19/11 08:56 AM

By Anna Kiappes/Big D akiappes@smu.edu Looking for something different to do this weekend? Fan of Disney classics like Aladdin and Sleeping Beauty? Then why not check out Highland Park Middle School’s production of Aladdin and Sleeping Beauty. When: October 20 (7:00 pm), 21 (4:00 pm), 22 (7:00 pm), and 23 (2:00 pm). Where: Highland Park Middle School Auditorium; 3555 Granada Ave, Dallas, TX 75205 What: A one act play of Aladdin and one act play of Sleeping Beauty with an intermission in between. How much: $5 This production is just one of the many that the Highland Park Middle School and Highland Park High School will put on this year. Big D is a digital journalism class blog produced independently of The Daily Campus.  ...