Bryan Givens Movie Club

Have any of you heard of the Bryan Givens movie club on campus. Apparently he is show Braveheart in the CAC 123 today at 4 p.m. This event is brought to you by Phi Alpha Theta, the History Honors Society.

Sounds interesting.

Deer on campus

Graphic Budget Meeting/Awards

Every Thursday the Graphic staff meets to share what stories are being work on for the next weeks issue. Two years ago former Graphic Editor in Chief, Crystal Luong, started a good tradition of the staff picking what we believe are the best of stories, photos and art for the issue that just came out.

Here are the results of today's meeting:

Best story: Africa home to new international program

Best photo: Putnam taken by Mack Carroll

Best design: A1 (the frontpage)

Funny story from laobserved.com

Worst City Hall red tape story ever?

Kevin Roderick

UCLA law professor Stephen Bainbridge blogs about applying to remodel his Los Angeles home and being informed by the bureaucracy that, on paper, his house doesn't exist. Nor does his street. He was told it will take at least a year to go through the process leading to a hearing on whether or not his home is legal.

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Former Graphic Editor's first articles in new job

Lights out at lamp shop
Covina retailer to close after 54 years in business

By Audrey Reed, Staff Writer

Article Launched: 09/06/2007 06:45:03 PM PDT
COVINA - The city will soon be a little dimmer.

Come Dec. 1, Lighting Elegance Lamp & Shade Shop will close its doors and turn off its lights after 54 years of business.

The closing sale started off strong Thursday with about a dozen customers waiting outside before the store opened and a steady stream of shoppers looking to make their last purchases.

But that kind of traffic is unusual for Lighting Elegance.

Owner Dennis Phillips attributes the closure to competition from big-box retailers like Wal-Mart, Home Depot and Lowe's, which sell cheaper, imported products.

Lighting Elegance carries a higher-end product line than chain retail stores.

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Graphic meets Facebook

We may start using Facebook to deliver some of our content to the Pepperdine community. I will keep you posted.

-Chris

Pay Tribute Where It's Due

BY SHANNON KELLY
Graphic Editor in Chief

Last night, as the Living and A&E sections were nearing their deadline, the staff members lingering in the newsroom began reflecting. The last minutes of Sept. 11 were ticking closer to Sept. 12, but before the seconds passed, we took a moment to remember.

“Where were you that morning?” one editor asked.

“I was getting ready for school and I heard the T.V,” answered her assistant.

“I still remember every single thing about where I was,” our advisor added.

I was driving to school when I heard a confused radio host interrupt a broadcast to say, “A plane just crashed in to the World Trade Center. I remember thinking, “that’s a pretty distasteful attempt at a joke.”

But his report was no joke. It was a tragic reality.

Our newsroom commemoration was brief, but respectful and real.

Today I read a letter to the editor in USA Today. “Coverage of 9/11 anniversary needless,” it read. “The media have an obsession with 9/11… we don’t need to be reminded of it with mindless documentaries or special news reports.”

I couldn’t disagree more.

Memorializing the 2001 assault on our country is not about remembering the vicious, inhuman people who flew planes into our buildings. It’s about paying tribute to the Americans who perished with the towers and to those who risked their lives to save others.

Every year, the anniversary should be observed as another day to honor our country and its people.

The Graphic not only commemorated the day privately Tuesday night, but it will publicly pay tribute on Thursday (probably on the front page).

It’s respectful, it’s right; it’s what we owe our country, our community, our classmates and one of our own — Pepperdine alumnus and Flight 93 passenger, Thomas Burnett.

Lunch at Marmalade: PROOF

Shannon Kelly, Graphic Editor in Chief, and I took Alan Beard to lunch today since he was the first person to post a comment on my blog. We had a great working lunch and talking about things the Graphic and our blogs do well and things that we need to improve on. Here's a picture of us inside my favorite Malibu restaurant.




On a side note my favorite waiter Brent was working today. I have not seen him around in awhile so that was as noteworthy for me at least.

Online Graphic Video

Make sure you check out our video of Frosh Follies on the Online Graphic.

Malibu Sign

Is this some new Malibu gang sign that I am unaware of? If you happen to travel to Neptune's Net for some seafood like I did last weekend be on the lookout for this - and big bikers (which I was afraid of taking a picture of).

8 a.m. classes

I do not understand why it is so hard to find parking for my 8 a.m. class. I thought no one took early classes besides dumb people like me that have been putting off certain courses that I now need to take to graduate.

Online Graphic numbers/table

For the first time since I have been at Pepperdine the Graphic setup a table in the Caf on a Thursday to distribute the newspaper and talk to students. We also gave out 50 free movie passes to the Malibu Theater in return for students filling out a survey about the Online Graphic.

The table was off to a rough start because we did not get the Graphic's until 3 p.m. More than a little past the lunch rush. The papers got here so late because the final pages were not sent until 6 a.m. on Thursday morning.

Here's a breakdown of some of the stats we got. There were 32 people that took the survey. Out of that 20 knew there was an Online Graphic and 13 had visited the site before. I think it is surprising that more students said they would not be willing to send in their cell phone photos of events like formal, recruitment or campus retreats. The vote was 13 in favor and 18 against. Any thoughts on that.

Free lunch no more

As you can see I got a few posts on the blog. This means that tomorrow I will be taking Alan Beard out to lunch at Marmalede.

News Pulls An All-Nighter

BY SHANNON KELLY
Graphic Editor in Chief

I’ve got to do better with this blogging situation!

No excuses, but the blog snuck its way to the bottom of my priorities list this week. With last-minute news stories, a couple of staff problems and a generally hectic week, I realized that I’m going to have to do this thing a little differently.

So I’m going to limit each entry to about 200 words and post more often (at least that’s the plan … and it’s starting after this one).

I should have been on the blog at 6 a.m. Thursday morning to post a simple: “The sun is rising and the paper still hasn’t been put to bed!” But, I’m a horrible blogger so I did no such thing.

Here is what I would have said had I been on my best blog behavior:

Thursday 6:15 — While most people are minutes away from waking up for their 8 a.m. classes, the news editors are finishing their pages and I’m sending the other sections' pages to the printers. Jane (news editor) is putting headlines on the front page, while Sam (assistant news editor) makes some last-minute edits to another page. Both girls have been in here since around 10 a.m. (Jane hasn’t even been outside today…or I guess that was yesterday).

Usually, deadline nights end at a semi-acceptable hour (2 a.m. or 3 at the latest). But sometimes no matter how hard we’re working, there are hold-ups and it’s hard to put a finger on what they are. This week, the news editors, their assistant and I wrote most of the news. That puts a strain on production since we aren’t able to design pages and edit articles while we’re reporting and writing ourselves. But it’s week two. We’re still training new writers and recruiting, so I think we did the best with what we have.

Finally the front page was sent (6:30) and Sam, Jane and I deliriously slumped out of the newsroom doors to my car. We were laughing when Sam opened the door on to the sidewalk and we were stuck there for a few minutes. Then, Jane sat on my emergency brake, causing minor problems (she and Sam were sharing the front seat because Sam was too tired to climb in the back). I dropped them off at their on-campus apartments after our clown-car ride.

Neither of them was off to bed — both had studying to do before their 10 a.m. classes.

They didn’t sleep, but they got the paper out.

They’ll sleep this weekend.

Free lunch or something similar still available

My blog post and column from last week has still gone unanswered. If you would like a free lunch all you have to do is post a comment.

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Online Graphic uploads first video

THE FIRST VIDEO HAS BEEN UPLOADED TO THE ONLINE GRAPHIC. TO SEE A VIDEO OF FROSH FOLLIES VISIT OUR WEB SITE.

GRAPHIC.PEPPERDINE.EDU

Spumoni???

What happened at Spumoni in Calabasas? I went in on Saturday night and it turned into a night club instead of the normal neighbor restaurant. Do you like or hate the new Saturday nights at Spumoni???

Maybe I will see you there this Saturday.

Malibu Chili Cook-off: First Time

I went to the Malibu Chili Cook-off for the first time. As a senior I felt is was about time to experience one of the only events that takes place in Malibu during the year that is actually open to the public - also my friend Megan picked me up and dragged me to Malibu.

I must say I was disappointed for a Saturday afternoon, I only saw 3 chili places. My idea of a chili cook off is eating lots of samples of different types of chili and voting on a favorite. The chili that gets the most votes then wins the Chili Cook-Off.

Apparently this is not the case in Malibu, I think the sign for the outcome of the event were the tons on "No Refunds" signs hanging up everywhere outside the event. It cost $10 to get into the event and then you had to buy food tickets to get food and ride tickets to ride any of the carnival rides.

The Chili cost $8 per cup, you have got to be kidding me. I know the money goes to a good cause but I spent $35 in the first 30 minutes at the cook-off and I did not really do anything. I did see Gary Busey at the event though.

I just Malibu would follow in the tradition of a Chili Cook-Off instead of a good old fashion Malibu "Rip-Off."

On the positive side I did get my picture taken in front of a giant hot dog.

Orange County Register Tour

While the rest of the Pepperdine community was attending classes and reading the e-mail from Public Relations about the potential bomb threat a group of senior editors from the Graphic were on the road heading to a tour at the Orange County Register.

The hour drive down gave us time to make phone calls and send out some e-mails, which lead to the posting of a breaking news story about the bomb threat.



The tour was a lot of fun and very educational for our group. We learned out the importance of online and breaking news. We also were able to bounce ideas off of some Register editors in how we should cover the bomb threat.

Here Goes a New Year

BY SHANNON KELLY
Graphic Editor in Chief

We’re trying something new at the Graphic. Actually we’re trying a lot of new things, but blogging is one that we hope will open the newsroom doors a little wider to students, faculty and staff. Bear with me while I adjust to this new forum and begin updating and changing this blog (I’m thinking “Editor In Chief Blog” is a pretty boring title and a lack of links and photos makes this unbearably dry). But for now — a quick briefing.

The Graphic staff started last Sunday and worked non-stop, with only half of our staff and few sources on campus, to get the paper out on the first day of school.

While production was in full swing, we were also holding meetings with SGA, SPB and President Andrew K. Benton (and many administrators). At the same time, we were conducting training sessions for our freshmen and new staff members (look for their bylines in this first issue!)

We were busy, but it was worth it (although I think my staff averaged six hours of sleep for the entire week). It’s going to be a great semester for the Graphic and we’re doing everything we can to make this newspaper an outlet for everyone on campus.
On that note, our meetings with SGA and administrators were extremely encouraging (and I’ll update this site with more detailed blogs concerning both discussions).

President Benton offered his continued support, with many chief administrators by his side, and vowed to be as available as possible to the Graphic. His administrators agreed to do the same and each spoke to our editorial board (all of our sections editors and their assistants) in order to let us know what we can do better and what they can do better for us.

I’m looking forward to future meetings and a continued discussion with the administration about how we can work together to serve Pepperdine to the best of our abilities. I’m encouraged and grateful by President Benton’s support and by his administration’s input as well.

SGA and SPB were wonderful when we met with them last week. We gathered in the newsroom for lunch and sat down for an informal discussion about how the Graphic can work together with student leaders to keep everyone on campus informed and involved. I think we’ll have a strong working relationship this semester, which I think will benefit the newspaper, their groups and the entire Pepperdine community.

Please feel free to use this blog to tell us what you want to see in the paper, what you don’t want to see in the paper and what we can do better.

If you don’t want to comment on the blog, call me and we’ll talk. My cell phone number is (310) 283-6434 and my office extension is x4314. Or just drop by. The newsroom is open and so is my office door (we’re in the CCB next to Public Safety).
Good luck to you all on your first day of school and have a wonderful year!

All my best,
Shannon Kelly
Editor in Chief

Post a comment and get a free lunch

Blogging will add awareness to Graphic

CHRIS SEGAL
Director of Strategic Planning

I have seen you do it, your friends watch you do it and professors are obviously aware of it. The “it” is reading the online Graphic while you should be taking notes or paying attention in class.

If you keep reading this column here in print, or online, you may even get a free lunch out of the deal.

Our online numbers have shown that high traffic times, which are between 7:30 and 9 a.m. and 5:30 and 7:30 p.m., coincide with typical class times. Certainly paying attention in class is important but reading the Graphic is necessary as well. The Graphic is one of the few places to go to read about the entire Pepperdine community.

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Piraate in Camarillo

I love pirates as much as the next person, I even have a personalized license plate. It takes a certain person though to get a Piraate personalized plate.

TV-26

This summer, the other people that share the first floor with us (broadcast) received an awesome new set. Here's a picture of Jonathan Tamayo from NewsWaves checking out the new set.

There will be an information meeting Wednesday in CCB 100 for all students interested in participating in student programming.

First Issue of the Graphic

It is currently 1 a.m. on Saturday morning and I am sitting in the newsroom on the first floor of the CCB with Shannon Kelly (Editor in Chief) Jane Lee (News Editor) Sam Blons (Assistant News Editor) and Elizabeth Smith (Assistant Director of Student Publication) working on the first issue of the Graphic.

We will be distributing the first issue this Monday.

Ventura County Star Publisher resigns

Today Ventura County Star Publisher Tim Gallagher resigned from his post. Pepperdine is losing a friend and a supporter.

Publisher to leave The Star

Originally published 11:34 a.m., August 24, 2007
Updated 11:34 a.m., August 24, 2007

CAMARILLO, Ca – The E.W. Scripps Co. and Ventura County Star Publisher Tim Gallagher today jointly announced a new role for Gallagher in the company that also allows him to pursue other business opportunities.

Gallagher will continue to be an employee of Scripps who will work on special assignment as an assistant to Scripps Howard Publishing President Mark Contreras. He will step down as publisher of the Star and begin his own business consulting in the areas of media and management that do not compete with the Star.

“This is a great opportunity for me to continue my 30-year association with Scripps, a company I dearly love, as well as the chance to do some things I have really been wanting to do,” Gallagher said. “I could never thank the folks at Scripps enough for their willingness to work with me and allow this to happen.”

Tim Gallagher

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