read a blog, forget books, a review on journ1 blogs

Blog review
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University is known to be the pillar and backbone of confused, young, zesty students trying to find their identity, enduring personal growth, learning independency, and ultimately get a taste of “life”. No parents, no headmasters, and no prefects, it’s your way or the high way. The RU scandalous blog (www.ruscandalous.blogspot.com)imagery encapsulates this idea precisely.

The colours are daring, bold, and adventures. Out in the big bad world, and away from parental guidance. The blog welcomes one with an image of the clock tower, which for me symbolises novel beginnings. However, the term “scandalous” has a sense of ambiguity. The images suggest outrageous, indecent behaviour, but the content proves other wise. The other understanding of the term “scandalous” suggests and re-enforces the idea of journalists driven and interested in the socio and political scandals of the world. Good use of imagery is used in most of the articles. However, it is very difficult to read as the writing is red and backgrounded by black.

The young cultures emporium blog (http://youngculturesemporium.blogspot.com/ ) has made use of simplicity rather that boldness. The blog is neatly coordinated. However, the blog could have made use of more images to accompany their stories.
Both the blogs have made use of the hard news reporting style, but especially the opinion style. Greater attention should be given to colour use, imagery, and not to come across as too informal.

Motorcycle crash course.. emphasis on the crash.

By Michael Moodie g09m2875



Riding a motorbike is something I have always wanted to do but just never quite had the chance. “We're never going to buy you a bike,” my parents told me. “We don't want you to become a big smudge in the middle of the road.” I've never given much heed to my motorbike dreams since then, not until I had a knock on my door and an offer to learn to ride.

I felt pretty apprehensive at first. When I was a kid I had always imagined riding a motorbike was like riding a very big bicycle. After my first try at getting the bike to move however, I found that there was much more to it than just that. Clutch left hand, front brake right hand, gears left foot, back brake right foot.. it is a lot to remember for someone who used to sit on his bicycle, “Vroom, vroom!!” and then ride off as fast as he could. After several tries and only two stalls later, I was off and moving at what felt like break-neck-speeds, but what the speedometer told me was actually 20 k's and hour. It was an accomplishment none-the-less, and from there on I only got better.

Eventually, after I had finally mastered moving the bike in the right direction, we decided to move on to dirt roads. It was much more challenging technically, but there was much less chance of me riding into something. I had started to master riding the bike well, and despite the sand and gravel sliding beneath my tires, I managed to stay on and look ever-so-slightly as though I knew what I was doing.

Riding that motorbike was an experience that I will never forget, and hopefully it is an experience I will have again. It gave me a sense of freedom and exhilaration that I had never felt before. One day I might just run the risk of becoming a smudge in the road and buy myself my own bike.

A Gem of a First Year Blog

Being a Journalism one student is by no means a pleasant walk in the park. With so many deadlines and specifications sometimes it is hard to put your all into one task. However, after sifting through various blogs, I found one that is truly inspiring: Journ-Inside Out.

Journ-Inside Out has a very attractive format. It resembles what a Journalists table would probably look like. The white background and black text makes the blog posts very reader friendly. There is lots of colour that inspires creativity. On the right hand side of the blog the creators have put information containing what their blog is about, relating websites that would interest the reader of this particular blog, fun quotes aimed at Journalists, and even a game. These little suggestions automatically create a closer bond with the reader and demonstrate purely, by their presence, that the authors of this blog care about their fellow readers.

The information content in Journ-Inside Out is of an extraordinary range. The authors of this blog have really taken pride and interest in filling their blog with information that pertains to first year Journalist and to educating them about current events. The articles cover a wide range of different topics such as politics, poverty, class, life worth, and even waitressing.

If you have not yet indulged yourself in the sweet treats of this blog, I highly recommend that you do so. There is so much to look forward to.

The Life of a Rhodent is a Life for Me

Inside the Union Club, mixture of my Rhodes friends and Nalson Mandela Metropolitan University friends having a good time.

The bragging had gone on since the begging of the year: My high school friends, now students at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, bragging about how much better the partying is in PE compared to the partying done by the students of Rhodes University. In opposition to these outrageous assumptions I argued that if they came to Rhodes to party it up, they would be embarrassed because they would only then discover the true meaning of the word party.

So the bet was on. Two of my Grahamstown buddies and I packed our bags, loaded up my car, and headed off to PE to experience the party life of a Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University student. This was a task that we knew was going to take us out of our comfort zone, but had to be done to prove a point. During the first night we found ourselves being mocked and judged because we where Rhodes students in a PE world. Although the mocking was light and very sarcastic it made us feel tremendously out of place and looked down on. However, us being the true Rhodens we are, pushed this aside, and put on our partying shoes. First up was a club called the College. The people where grossly overdressed, the music was average, and the friendliness of the people, non-existent. We ended up going home at 12 and my mates from PE thought this was an absolute joll. Second night, we were faced with the same story. They thought this club, the Collage, was the most hectic place on earth.

My two Rhodent friends and I noticed the cliques of people that stuck together in the club. People were not open and friendly like in Grahamstown. The whole vibe and mentality of the people was also different. We noticed how many girls flaunted their high hill shoes and uncomfortable clothing all in the name of fashion. That’s when I realized that Rhodes is really laid back in comparison. We do not necessarily worry too much about what we wear as long as we have a good time. We also don’t worry as much about flaunting our valuables is order to gain status for what we own. The students of Rhodes just all mesh together and become equals in a vibe that is like no other.

Our stay in PE ended that Monday morning. A weekend was long enough in the city of PE and we were ready to head back to our beloved Grahamstown. Port Elizabeth is not a horrible place, but the vibe of Grahamstown is so much more welcoming. The people are friendly and laid back, the clubs all unique in their own ways, and to my surprise I learned we know how to handle our alcohol consumption; and are not afraid to experiment with the cheap stuff like Crackling.

Our turn was over; it was now time for my friends from Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University to pull their weight. When Inter-varsity time rolled around I gave my friends from PE a call. They came through and joined us Rhodents in one of the most legend parties known to student kind. They found themselves lying in, gutters, scoring random people, and much to my disgust puking on my kitchen floor.

When the discussion of whose University had the best parties came about, there was no argument. Rhodes had defiantly taken the trophy. My friends commented on the hospitality of the fellow Rhodent’s, the ability to make a party wherever they went, and of course the ability to hold the unnatural amount of alcohol and still function semi-normal. All in all, my uncomfortable experience in PE helped me realise that my university, Rhodes, has some of the best parties around, and for that I am proud.

True Grit

Experiences and our choices of experiences are what make our lives , hence the cliche life is what you make it. As a spontaneous need for something to do last weekend a couple of mates and I took of to do a bit of rock climbing in Morgan's bay , something which I had never done assuming that it wouldn't bode well with my fear of heights. The first climb we got onto was called 'True Grit' and as the name implied it tested your desire to make it and not bail out. Looking up at the half a meter wide crack which was ominously looming above me I was tied on and heard the command from Dave "climb when ready." With a racing pulse and a mind wracked with thoughts of what might happen I stepped onto the climb and began by hoisting myself into the crack. Accompanied by many jokes I slowly wedged myself up the crack. The experience of exerting yourself purely due to the fact that adrenaline had overtaken was exhilarating allowing me to forget everything else in the world. The feeling of finally finishing the climb was one which was fleeting but truly amazing. The accomplishment , fear , adrenaline and physical exertion all bundled into one euphoric breath. As life experiences go , this one trumps all. It is these experiences that I seek and that make my life meaningful to me. So why waste your life when you could be doing something completely pointless.

Wana bs dilemma

A blog is successfull by primarily the quality and quantity of its content however other side dishes entice the reader such as its layout , style , use of multimedia and when all of this is brought together how controversial the blog is . The blog Wanna.b.Journos ( http://www.wannabjournos.com/ ) is a blog which in aspects of this fails whilst in other aspects exceeds creating a dilemma for any potential reader. The content of this blog is varied ranging from well written critical anlyses of local and International controversial topics to excessivley personnel and slightly mundane experiences of the bloggers. The blog is filled with articulatley written pieces on issues concerning not only readers in Grahamstown but readers from across the globe and includes posts ranging from racism at Rhodes University to Barack Obama's Nobel peace prize. However this content is often personell almost to the extent of a stream of consciousness which detracts from the professionalism of the blog and bores the already inattentive readers. The layout of the blog echoes what it is about and who is writing giving the reader an immediate sense of what they are going to be reading. Multimedia included in this blog is lacking and the use of more photographs as well as video clips would enhance the readers experience. This blog has various admirable qualities could be enhanced to become like the blog Heavy Chefs ( http://www.heavychefs.com/ ) using large amounts of multimedia and keeping all content topic specific.

students pay doctors for laziness- the predicament of LOA's

Zama khumalo

Tweet: “Is it fair for others to pay themselves out of academic work?
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The "Duly Performed" rule applies to all academic departments at Rhodes University. Students are obliged to meet the DP requirements of each department. However, for some students the term DP and LOA (leave of absence letter) also stands for “I can pretend to be sick, because I can afford for a doctor to confirm me sick, when I am not”. Acquiring a leave of absence letter is made easier for students who can afford medical aid in Grahamstown.
It has come to my attention, disappointment and dismay at the number of students who miss their tutorials, and seek for a test or assignment extension, because they depend on a doctor’s certificate.
When the pressure is mounting and academic demands are escalating, students will turn to their medical aids for a doctor’s note to sign them off. Have you ever wondered why students who never attend tutorials, or hand in assignments on time still have their DP’s without warnings?
If you don’t have a doctor to pay you off, for lectures, tutorials and assignments in Grahamstown, then you are really out of luck, because the Sanatorium doesn’t dish out ‘leave of absence letters’ like hot cakes.
It is unfair and unjust that students who do not have medical aid and are rejected at the Sanatorium for a leave of absence, have to suffer the consequences of not having an LOA. We have all heard the saying “it’s chilled; I’ll just go the doctor and cough once or twice to get an LOA”.
I don’t have a solution for this increasingly common predicament amongst students, but university should aim to level the playing fields.