Fundamentals of Interactive Journalism

View of a high point in Athens. Smoke from the wildfires nearby blanket the city.

By Anastasia Economides

A thick, black cloud of smoke blankets the city tonight as wild forest fires continue to consume villages near the capital.  A total of 65 fires all over Greece have been reported to have started today, according to the Greek Fire Department. 

Greece is no stranger to wildfires, due to its hot, dry climate and strong winds during the summer.

The temperature in Athens dropped to 27 degrees Celsius this evening, from the usual 30, as the heavy smog blocked the sun all day.  Satellite photos show the smoke to have almost reached Crete.

 With reminisce of the 2007 wildfire disaster in Peloponnese, which killed over 70 people, the Greek government declared a state of emergency at noon Saturday.  Some fires at the outskirts of Athens have been blazing since the night before.

So far, there are no reported casualties.

Over 200 firefighters with 85 fire trucks and more than 50 water tanks, along with hundreds of volunteers are said to be battling the flames.

Officials are recommending minimal water usage at this time.

Evacuations

Fires are said to have started in Grammatiko last night, quickly spreading down towards Athens, consuming large villages such as Dionysos, Stamata, and Marathon.

As to how the situation is being handled, there are rising issues such as not having enough equipment, ground forces having difficulty approaching fires due to the rough terrain, water trucks not knowing where to refill for water, and planes and helicopters not flying at night because of lack of visibility.

All day, residents watching their homes burn reached out to news stations first to request help.

A mother from Rodopoli, a village about 25 miles away from Athens also drowning in flames, called one of the popular radio stations, Skai, asking for fire trucks to come and save her home. 

“Where are they, what are they doing?” she pleads.  She is told to leave the area immediately. 

Skai Media have been providing full coverage of the fires since this morning, putting aside their scheduled programming of the annual Superleague Soccer Championship.

Talks about how the fires started are likely to come about later on.   State officials are slowly acknowledging arson as the probable cause.  An investigation by the District Attorney of Athens has been ordered.

Helpless

Residents and customers at cafes in Athens can be found glued to televisions.  Many look on in silence, some with their hands over their mouths. 

“This has to be one of the biggest fires here in the last decade,” warned Constantine Parganas, 26, a longtime Athens resident who has witnessed ashes falling from the sky during the 2007 fires.  “It’s going to be a long night.”

In honor of Black History Month, the student government of the City College Center for Worker Education presented Kim Osorio to speak at their Bowling Green campus location.  The event takes place today at 6PM, in the auditorium.

Osorio recently put out a book, “Straight from the Source: An Expose from the Former Editor-in-Chief of the Hip-Hop Bible,” which is more of a defense of her career as the first female editor-in-chief of The Source magazine.  After she was fired, Osorio sued the publication for gender discrimination, sexual harassment, defamation, and retaliation.  The verdict worked in her favor, and she won $14.5 million.

The following is a live blog of the lecture given by Osorio, followed by a book selling and signing:

6PM: Auditorium already packed, mostly women, lucky I found one seat in the front.  There is chatter of excitement among me, people have already read the book.

6:17: Elaina Romero, journalism professor of City College introduces Osorio, as a multi-racial woman trying to survive the male-dominated hip-hop industry.  She was around when the highest selling issue of The Source came out.  She has had over ten years experience in publishing, and is here to talk about gender issues in the hip-hop culture.

6:19: Osorio takes over the podium, admitting she arrived late.  First refers to Lilly Ledbetter, from Alabama, who filed a similar lawsuit of pay discrimination against her company, Goodyear Tire.  Only heard her name from President Obama, when he signed the Ledbetter Fair Pay Act.  Was first legislation act that he performed.

Osorio talks about growing up as a New Yorker, in the Bronx, of Chinese/African American/Puerto Rico descent.  She claims to usually identify herself not with the following ethnic cultures, but with hip-hop.  She even bought turntables.  Before she could make a joke out of it, saying that she wasn’t cut out to be  DJ, few chuckles were heard in the audience.

6:26: Brings up her other passion: writing.  Writing was therapeutic, as she would express her feelings whenever she ended relationships.  “It helped me get over things,” she said.

She never thought it would turn into a career, changing her major many times while attending Fordham University, and finally settling on a Fine Arts degree.  Then she went to law school.  She shopped around her clips, which got in magazines like Billboard, and eventually landed a job at The Source, which was a dream for her.

Osorio at City College

Associate Music Editor was her starting title.

Some members of the audience are leaning forward, obviously interested.  Osorio is very conversational and casual, holding a cup of Starbucks in her hand.

Osorio acknowledged change within the hip-hop industry of the depiction of women- from Queen Latifah and Salt-n-Pepa as positive role models, to the more sexy Lil Kim and Foxy Brown.

6:31: Favorite artist is Notorious B.I.G. and watched the movie.  She recalls an intimate scene between BIG and Lil Kim.  Kim was reciting a rhyme that came to her head, and in response BIG told her to change it, “people aren’t interested in that, they’re more interested in sex.”  Mainstream image of female rappers is misogynist.

6:33: Osorio mentions how she hates the phrase, “scantily clad.”

6:35: Someone walked in late into the auditorium, slight disruption, but seemed excited, big smile on her face as she scurries to a seat.

Osorio hints at how hard she worked, climbing up the ranks of magazine staff to get to EIC position.

6:38: Talks about her firing because of an e-mail she sent complaining about being discriminated.

Reads excerpt from her book- about how woman’s reputation is based on the men she’s linked with, “The more successful I became, the harder it came to get people out of my personal business…”

6:42: Shuts book and shifts to  one-to-one tone with audience.  Admits she had relationships while being on the staff, and that some were sexual, shook her hand as she said, “Yes, I had sex.”  Audience laughs.  “But that was taboo in the industry.”

Filed for defamation because people from work spread rumors that she slept with rappers, which she denies.

6:44: “To each his own.”  Osorio refers to women having kids out of wedlock, meanwhile it looks normal for men in the hip-hop industry to have kids in this manner.

6:46: Special message that you can’t change the world unless you change yourself, “..and that’s what I did.”

6:49: Not easy to make decision, recalls incident of gender discrimination at a meeting with her boss.  Boss made a comment about how there’s too much estrogen in the room, while women, including herself were present.  Osorio says she didn’t say anything, but it bothered her.

6:53: “Although I love it, it spun out of control.”  She is referring to hip-hop industry.  But she does see positive messages shining through recently.

6:54: Q&A section.

A class was in the auditorium, and teacher announced for them to leave- about 15 people left.

First question from audience: What was your defense when people said you listened to hip-hop, you know hip-hop discriminates women, how could you be offended?

A: I always tried to avoid listening to the words, and just loving the beat.  I would say to myself that they’re not talking about me personally…but after getting involved with the industry, realized it was a bigger issue, all about content.

Osorio recalls testimony from another female worker during her lawsuit.  Boss told her she had a “fat ass.”  Worker’s response was that she didn’t find it offensive because she thought it was a compliment.

Audience cringes and grunts.

7:04: Osorio’s response to industry’s social responsibility, particularly The Source’s: video will be uploaded:

7:06: Question asked, where do we go from here?

A: Not everyone can be Mother Teresa.  But those who feel strongly, should stand up and do something about it.  Everybody has to do their part.  It all starts individually.

Comment from audience: Angie Martinez is annoying.  Osorio counteracts with Martinez being one of her closest friends, and though she may be depicted as partying all the time, she works just as hard.

Angie Martinez is a radio personality on HOT97, http://www.hot97.com/angiemartinez/

7:12: Question on how circulation was when she worked at The Source.

A: 500,000- 360,000 from newsstands.

7:14: Smell of popcorn, followed by announcement that one more question will be taken before reception.

Q: Who do you think is a positive role model, who do you think is a great example other artists should follow?

A: Kanye West, whose mother died in 2007 due to complications from plastic surgery.

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7:18: End of lecture, Osorio retires to back of room, where copies of her books are laid out.  Line forms.

Straight From the Source

7:26: I shake Osorio’s hand, and ask a question about what does she think women who face the situation of discrimination in the workforce should do?  She recommended I read passages in her book, probably to avoid being quoted, or was in a rush, as the line continued behind me.  But, she did offer me her AOL e-mail address.  She mentions that it’s a personal decision to overcome the fear of getting fired.  In her case, it was necessary.

Excited Fan Getting Book Signed by Osorio

7:30: I spot a guest sign-in sheet.  Including my name, there were 41 signatures.  But from speculation, more people attended than that number.

I get on line to grab some appetizers, and speak to the women in front of me.  Sharon Bell, 58, from Manhattan, along with her goddaughter attended the event.  Bell’s daughter goes to school here.  Her daughter already read the book, and is recommending her goddaughter to read it as well.  They bought a copy here tonight.

Froma parent’s perspective, she found this enlightening.  “I remember hearing her case, how the media put her in a negative light.  They showed her with her cleavage showing, while talking about her discrimination lawsuit.”  After seeing Osorio tonight, dressed in a simple sweater and jeans, Bell said that no matter how the woman dresses, it’s never right to be harassed.

“A crisis is a terrible thing to waste.”  Says the man who once quoted philosopher, Ralph Waldo Emerson, during his resignation speech:

“Our greatest glory consists not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”

Eliot Spitzer is back- as a concerned citizen with insight on governmental affairs.  And how does one like Mr. Spitzer, with such a looming past of foul decision-making get heard?

By using the power of the pen, and getting published by Slate.com.  Definitely sets him apart from all the experts and publi figures spewing babble that favor a large bailout.

Eliot Spitzer returns. Photo by Getty Images.

His voice still resonates that of a former leader thinking of his citizens.  It’s straightforward and talks of pro-competition, a true American.

Spitzer proposes a “better” plan for the auto bailout crisis.  He’s weary of the government stepping in and leaving its imprint in the automobile industry, with the help of taxpayers’ money. 

 Instead, he offers the free market approach, where the two of the “Big Three” would battle out the $25 billion and make all sorts of reports and bids as to why they think they should be saved.  Because it’s just not fiscally possible to keep all three around, so he says.  So, the loser of the Three, would lose greatly, with consequences like massive layoffs, among other things.

Is this idea like communism- just good in theory?

Besides that, who else is surprised to find his byline in Slate?  He wrote another article a few weeks ago, also dissuading bailout plans.   Well, it definitely attracted a lot of readers…and comments.

His superhero name is Jimmy Justice, a citizen journalist who tapes and uploads videos of NY traffic agents said to be breaking the very same laws they enforce. 

He’s been on national television, such as on ABC’s “i-Caught,” MSNBC’s “Caught on Camera” and the “Star Jones” show.

“I’m an average working class guy with a passion for justice. What makes me different from others is that I am not afraid to walk up to a law enforcement officer and confront them,” he said.

Got that right. He isn’t intimidated by them, but he still rather hide his true identity and not his face, as shown in the following video clips. 

Though NYPD failed to provide a response to me, officials have spoken on television, obviously outraged and calling Justice’s actions harassment.  His response is, “I would not have the conscience to accuse someone of wrongdoing unless I was absolutely certain that according to the law they have done something wrong.”

Some find it refreshing that New York City’s “zero tolerance policy” carried out by cops is extended to include them as well.

Justice started video taping two years ago, when he found an officer parking his vehicle in front of a fire hydrant when it wasn’t an emergency, a move that would cost any other civilian $115.

“I could show the entire scene, and provide empirical proof, such as the officer leaving McDonalds holding a bag of food, and the officer would not have the opportunity to lie. “

Part of his confident stems from reading up on traffic law, along with privacy issues when filming in public.

So the government, specifically Internal Affairs Bureau, does reprimand their own, according to Justice.  The 311 procedure is shown below:

He has not yet been arrested or seriously injured for his “activism.”  However, he has been pushed around, punched, almost run over by a car, spit on, cursed at and had two cameras broken.

Oh, and has a day job, folks, this doesn’t exactly pay the bills.

“I always bring my camera with me to work in case I see something unfold that should be recorded. Manhattan is the busiest borough so therefore I get the most video there.”

Justice claims that he’s making a difference, seeing a reduction in the rate of recidivism in areas where he made a presence.  He even described a “success” story, after revealing the behavior of one highly ranked cop:

Justice receives about 200 emails per week, which range from fan mail, to death threats, to marriage proposals by German girls.  He won’t stop what he’s doing until he’s run out of material.

It’s Saturday night in Exarchia, a district in Athens where many college students reside and socialize. Outside of a café, a heated argument between two cops and defied teenagers erupted. The situation was nothing out of the usual-until three shots were fired, one of them killing 15-year-old Alexandros-Andreas Grigoropoulos. While a crowd formed around the boy, the policemen fled the scene. He was pronounced dead by the time he reached the hospital.

Though some news outlets claimed the two cops involved in the shooting were attacked by the gang while in their patrol car, the details leading up to the tragedy is still unclear.

Authorities tell media that the shots fired were warning shots, and that the boy was carrying a firebomb. In contrast, witnesses claim the gun was directed at the boy. They also said the boy didn’t have anything in his hands, and hence, no reason to pull out the weapon.

But the story doesn’t end here. In an hour, everyone knew that a young boy was shot by police, and that’s when one of Greece’s worst riots began.

Grigoropoulos, 15, was shot and killed by officers, causing days of rioting all over Greece. Photo from Facebook.com

Spread like a Wildfire

Scattered broken glass and the smell of burning are debris of what some call the verge of a long awaited revolution.

Overnight and throughout Sunday, intense rioting led by left-minded youths took place in central cities all over Greece, among them, Thessaloniki, the second largest city. There, over 1,000 marched and attacked a police precinct by the port.

Clad in black clothing and wearing motorcycle helmets, protesters in Greece threw Molotov cocktails (lighting bottles of alcohol on fire) and stones at police, armed with tear gas. In Athens, windows of local shops were smashed, and banks and embassy buildings were burned and damaged. Greek flags, trash bins and random cars were also set on fire.

Not intimidated by police, these individuals have less tolerance and respect for “power-hungry” law enforcers than other countries.

Brady Kiesling, former U.S. diplomat based in Greece told reporters that police are cautious and stay out of certain areas where “reformers” gather. “… unless there’s a major emergency, and the anarchists don’t trash things badly unless there’s a good reason,” However, he said, “Once someone gets killed, the doctrine is massive retaliation.”

The civil rampage prompted swift action by the government, as the two cops are currently detained. The one who shot the boy is charged for manslaughter. Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis already made a public apology to the Grigoropoulos family.

A burning Greek flag symbolizing overthrow of establishment at the spot where Grigoropoulos died. Photo by Getty Images.

Old Flames Die Hard

What many are just realizing is that one boy’s death isn’t what sparked such opposition. This was just adding fuel to an existing fire. Anarchists and leftists, known in Greece as “γνωστουs αγνωστουs,” or the “known unknowns,” have been around. Lately, they were protesting in response to university reform policies, and exposed government scandals of political officials.

Constantine P., 26, of Athens, who requested that his last name not be used, confirmed that left-minded protestors have always been around.

“This is a long standing issue that people don’t know about.”  Until something like this happens.

This is not the first time the Greek police was involved with killing a minor. In 1985, a similar incident involving another 15-year-old resulted in months of violent clashing on the streets.

A Facebook group in memory of Grigoropoulos generated over 21,000 members as of Sunday night, a day after he died. Web pages and video clips have also been been created, hinting at past rebellions. Comments referring to cops as “murderers” and “pigs” strewn all over. While wishing Grigoropoulos a “good trip,” supporters are passionately calling to take matters into their own hands.

“This is disgusting. Where there is act, there is react,” said a protester from Athens, who didn’t reveal his name.

Fear looms among the Greek population as they wonder where they would end up should another life be taken away as a result of years of pent-up rage against authorities.

“Justice won’t be served like this,” warned Constantine.

Another demonstration is set to take place in Athens on Monday.

On the night of October 18th, 1988, Police Officer Michael Buczek was killed while working undercover on a drug bust in Washington Heights.  One of the two suspects shot him while fleeing the scene.

Twenty years later, members of the 34th Precinct and children from P.S. 48 Michael J. Buczek School in Washington Heights attended a  memorial service held at St. Elizabeth’s Church on 181st Street.

A little league has been named after the slain cop, along with the playground where they practice.  Many of the precinct officers are coaches of the football and baseball teams.  It’s their way of continuing Buczek’s legacy of protecting the neighborhood.

Though Washington Heights is not considered as dangerous as twenty years ago, Rick Huerta, VP of the Little League, said, that they strive to keep kids off, not on the streets.  As a result, children gain a different outlook on authorities, seeing them as friends, rather than “out to get them.”

Many never met Buczek, but young team members are grateful that the Buczek family helped in donating money to fix up the once dirt field they now play on.

I walk up to my bank only to think I have taken a wrong turn…where’s my familiar red “C?”  Instead, a blaring green sign with a seemingly generic name is in its place- TD Bank.

Commerce bank, most identified by its American colors, is now TD Bank.  Yep, not so exciting, just another financial institution, in this case, TD Banknorth, merging with another.  Besides losing the free, transparent ballpoint pens we used to get, people will also lose jobs from this merge.

But, TD wants the transition to be smooth for their customers.

So they’re showing how much they appreciate them by giving them a chance to democratically choose the color of their free lollipops.  Voting closed Thursday at 11:59pm, and last time I checked, purple was winning by 59%.  But come on folks, a cherry lollipop that’s green?  Won’t that make your day while you’re withdrawing more and more cash out of that account of yours?

TD Bank

The winner will be announced at a special event in NJ- suits would find just about anything to celebrate at a fancy plaza with food and crazy decorations. 

Playing on the election, they’re urging everyone to cast their vote between two candidates during the “Pick Your Pop” race – green or purple!

They even have their stances available online.

Green is apparently associated with money and security.  Purple is fun and exciting, and if you remember your color chart, when red and blue (colors of Commerce) mix together, you get purple.  That’s their reasoning for the existence of purple as a candidate…

Both promised the same services customers are already getting with Commerce, reminding that no matter which color chosen, it’s still “America’s Convenient Bank.”

There have been campaign rallies going on all over the nation, one already occurred in the city last Tuesday.

Wow, if only deciding for a president was this easy.  Sadly, for some, it will be.

I don’t want to admit that I’m associated with an institution that would take such trivial matters over the top, so here’s something I found by spokesperson Rebecca Acevedo of Commerce Bank.

She explained that the idea for “Decision ’08: Pick Your Pop,” came out after research concluded that some of the services Commerce customers cared about most included the bank’s hours, Penny Arcade and the pops.

Now why couldn’t they change the flavor?  It will remain cherry, the kind that reminds me of Children’s Tylenol Cold Liquid.  You can challenge me on that.  I guess taste is too much to ask for for now

UPDATE: And the winner is…

Check out the crowd.  So, even though the online poll was showing purple winning, I guess my bank didn’t want to risk losing customers who preferred having a green tongue after eating either.  

A large portion of my CD population consists of senior citizens.  As the older, wiser generation, I figured these people, who have experienced the cost of living rise and fall while presidents came and went, may have a more reliable outlook on how we’re faring out.   

Are we really going through some rough times?  Can it be compared to the Great Depression? I spoke with three elders who went through the Depression and all agreed that life is definitely more difficult today.

92-year-old Betty Priori from Sunnyside is a retired furrier who worked until the age of 73.  She was first pushed into the working world during the Depression when her family faced foreclosure.

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She said that life is harder today in that people need more money. “My children almost lost their home, but thank god their mortgage was paid.  My daughter is working two jobs, I expected them to have an easier life.”

Annabel, 91, who withheld her last name, recalls her mother taking care of four children.  Her father died of the influenza epidemic. 

“Whatever she gave us, we ate.  Sometimes it would be a box of sardines” for dinner, she said.  Annabel added that other times it may be tomato herring, which would be sold as two pieces for a dime, and with those two pieces, her mother would make four sandwiches out of them.

She believes it isn’t any better today financially and continues to accommodate.  “I don’t complain, if I can’t afford it, I don’t buy it,” she said.  Annabel is worried about her Medicare, and doesn’t believe it should be privatized, as it is hard enough for people to come up with money to pay for insurance, according to her.

 During the Depression, Carmelo Deprima earned nickels by shining shoes in Manhattan.  He is now dependent on his Social Security check to pay for rent, which increased in the past few months.

Here is Deprima comparing shelter and food needs back then and now:

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In light of the financial situation, when Deprima is not eating reduced-fare meals from the senior center, he makes soup. “My [late] wife used to cook…now I cut down on cold-cuts and Entenmanns’s cake.” 

Yet, when referring to the younger generation, he predicts the cost of living will only get worse.  “I feel sorry for you people.  I’m glad at least I already have one foot in the grave.”  

Bagpipes and children were the mournful sounds of rememberance in uptown Manhattan Friday morning.

This marked the 20th anniversary for the deaths of two NYPD cops who were killed while in the line of duty.  Never in the history of NYPD, according to 34th Precinct Sgt. and President of the Little League, John Moynihan, has there been two officers handling different cases dying the same October night.  Phone calls to the 34th Precinct in Washington Heights that October evening were about the slain Michael J. Buczek and Christopher G. Hoban.

Because this is part of a project I’m doing, my partner and I decided to focus on the story of one cop, Michael J. Buczek.  Buczek was only 24 years old, working for about four years on the force as an undercover.  He and his partner were up against three drug lords when he was fatally shot by one of the suspects.

P.S. 48 on 187th Street was named after him, along with a nearby field where the Michael Buczek Little League practices and plays.  In addition, the school has student scholarships in honor of him.

Along with officers from the precinct and Buczek’s friends and family, the students from P.S. 48 lined up on the street and marched to St. Elizabeth Church, at 286 Wadsworth Avenue, where a memorial service took place Friday.  Police Commissioner Ray Kelly also attended and said a few words of respect.

Students of P.S. 48

Marie Leoniak, 65, of Brooklyn, has a son in the squad who knew Buczek.  She first met Buczek’smother after he dies.  ”We [parents] only meet after unfortunate things like this happen,” she said somberly.

Retired Sgt. Anton Kuzlowski of 32nd Precinct recalled meeting Buczek at a Polish get-together.  He commented on how Buczek was very active  and dedicated in protecting a community where he never grew up in, earning 40 citations and making many arrests in the short amount of time he worked.  He was especially known among children in the neighborhood.  ”Kids would come up to him and say, ‘Hey Michael, how’s it going’…the kids learned to look at police as friends, not the enemy,” said Kuzlowski.

To continue his dedication to Washington Heights, Buczek’s father, Ted Buczek helped initiate and coach the Little League.  Though he can’t visit often (he and his family live in NJ), he manages to contribute $10,000 every year, according to Assistant Coach Rick Huerta.

“A lot of the players have grown up to become police officers, too,” Huerta said.

Huerta, who attends the service every year, is much grateful to the Buczek family:

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Among the blue uniforms huddling outside of the church was Detective Andy Lewis.  Lewis provided an optimistic look to the gathering, adding another meaning to Kuzlowski’s quote of “making good out of something bad.”  He said like others, he spends more time at work than with his brothers and cousins.  ”These kind of events are like a family reunion.  You never forget about family.”

A plaque will be hung in 34th Precinct.

     Skillman Avenue, an alternative road to Queensboro Bridge, is competing for Queens Boulevard’s title, “The Boulevard of Death.”   There have been 11 known pedestrian-related injury cases due to crashes on Skillman Avenue alone from 1995-2001.

     That’s when the “Safer Skillman Avenue” coalition decided to step up and take action.

     The group of residents and parents volunteer to raise public awareness about the dangerous avenue where schools and parks are located.  After working with Transportation Alternative, they recently handed out a petition to implement the daylighting technique to make one intersection, 52^nd street, safer. Daylighting involves removing street corner parking where parked cars can disable the vision of both pedestrians and drivers.

     Alice Farrell, a 52^nd Street resident is an avid supporter of the group’s plans:

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     Still, some are not happy about taking away parking.  Al Volpe, is a 40-year plus woodside resident and 6-year community board member:

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     Farrell’s response on safety, “A human’s life matters more…” 

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     Though some are weary of hearing spots being removed where it’s tough enough to find parking, 270 signatures prove otherwise. “Safer Skillman” plans to present them to their community board.

Petition signing on September 19, 2008, to increase visibility on 52nd Street./ Photo Credit: Economides