Thought + Action

Occupy Wall Street and FOIA Requests

On June 13, 2011 Adbusters, a Canadian magazine proposed a peaceful protest that would occupy Wall Street drawing attention to the potentially corrupt policies and decisions instituted by big business in America. September 17, 2011 was the first day of the protests and they continued, peacefully, until the 8th day when, according to OpEdNews.com, over 100 arrests were made at the New York location.

The arrests began to spread as the Occupy movement took hold the country. Most major cities had protestors, gathering groups as large as possible then occupying public spaces near important government buildings. According to the Wall Street Journal article, Protestors Clash With Police, many more arrests were made including 177 people arrested during a rally as they crowded an intersection near the New York Stock Exchange on Nov. 17.

Occupy Austin Photo: Christopher Kelly

Occupy Austin Photo: Christopher Kelly

With countless protestors being arrested around the country news organizations and the Occupiers themselves began to wonder if there was a national strategy in place meant to silence or contain the protests. The publication Truth-out.org submitted a FOIA request to the Federal Bureau of Investigation on Oct. 31, 2011 with an attempt to search for any information related to the occupy movement, including: “emails, memos, audio/video, transcript reports, and threat assessment.”

They received a timely reply. On Nov. 15 FBI FOIA Chief David Hardy responded with a letter stating that, “we were unable to identify main file records responsive to the FOIA.”

Since then another request has been made by the magazine with more specific search parameters, hoping that information will be provided.

According to The National Freedom of Information Coalition, the National Layers Guild and the Partnership of Civil Justice Fund have filed FOIA requests for information about the protests with the Central Intelligence Agency, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the National Park Service. Each request was made with specific search parameters, so that now information could be left out or misinterpreted.

As of Dec. 21, 2011 the CIA has refused to process the FOIA request and the FBI continuously claims that they do not have any documents on the protest movement.

While FOIA requests are important to journalists and often the information gained from these requests can help inform the public, there is no strict science and the information can be withheld.

These organizations are still trying to gather information from all potentially involved government agencies, but no involvement has been confirmed.

Know Your Rights: Trespassing and Journalism

“When using public property it is subject to rules. You can only use public property in accordance with these rules, regardless of your job or position,” Mark T. Kelly an Attorney practicing in Connecticut.

Journalists have always had to pay close attention to national and state laws while covering stories, particularly trespassing laws. The article, Tracking Journalist Arrests at Occupy Protests Around the Country, states that since the beginning of the Occupy Protests over 50 journalists or media gatherers have been arrested during rallies held by the Occupy movement.

Protester Occupy Austin - Photo: Christopher kelly

According to an article on Pixiq.com Jared Malsin from the New York Time, Karen Matthews from The Associated Press, and Seth Weing, a photographer from The Associated Press were just a few of the many journalists who were arrested for trespassing on Zuccotti Park during a surprise raid by police on the Occupy Wall Street protestors in Manhattan, NY.

According to Jared Malsin’s article, Video: Reporter for The Local Is Arrested During Occupy Wall Street Clearing on Tuesday November 15th nearly two hundred protesters and journalists were arrested while peacefully protesting with Occupy Wall Street. He states: “While some officers, many in riot gear, moved into the park, others blocked access to the park within a one- to two-block radius, also closing subway stations in the area as well as access to the Brooklyn Bridge.” This action taken by the NYPD isolated and trapped the protestors within the confines of a police made barricade.

Officer Occupy Austin - Photo: Christopher Kelly

As officers began to push the group of protesters and journalists down Broadway the arrests began. In the same article Jared Malsin commented on a video captured during the raid and described the arrest of a journalist, “one of the officers arrested him using plastic Flexi-Cuffs, even as he continued to identify himself as a journalist and called attention to press credentials hanging from his neck.”

So, what can journalists do to keep safe and avoid being arrested while covering stories that potentially involve breaking a law and trespassing? We spoke to Attorney Mark T. Kelly of Connecticut to find out. His best advice is to, “be sure not to violate any reasonable rules and regulations.” He discussed the importance of being informed of any ordinances or laws in the specific city and state you are working in that may affect the way that you do your job.

Net Neutrality and Occupy

“Freedom of information is freedom of information.” Dani Gonzales, Occupy Austin activist.

The Occupy Wall Street movement may, at first, seem a little unfocused. But with modern technology and the use of social networking tools this widespread protest has been able to define its mission and organize huge rallies, community improvement events, and distribute information to the public.

Net neutrality laws have aided the occupiers by guaranteeing that their information, ideas, and documentation are readily available and easily accessible to anyone who is interested in the mission of this group. According to the article Net Neturality and Occupy Wall Streat – Making a Connection, by Mark Scheerer the Occupy Chicago movement has more than 33,000 Facebook “likes,” 20,000 Twitter followers and thousands of website hits every day. These avenues have provided invaluable information to those that participate in the movement, keeping them informed where they feel that main stream media has let them down.

This use of social media, small independently run websites and blogs has helped balance traditional media outlets. Today, when searching Occupy Wall Street on Youtube there are over 91,700 results, which included posts from traditional news sources as well as user posted video blogs and video coverage demonstrating police brutality, personal opinions and contradictions about facts reported through other outlets. “It provides a defense, it keeps traditional news honest,” said Dani Gonzales when asked about how new media helps this movement.

In the CNET article Verizon CEO Slams Net Neutrality, Verizon CEO Ivan Seidenberg talks about how Net Neutrality is horrible for big business and would weaken the economy. Mr. Seidenberg also stated that priority needed to be given to service providers over applications. Google, Facebook and other large web organizations support net neutrality.

If the net neutrality laws are reversed organizations like Verizon and other internet service providers will be able to charge websites a fee that will determine how quickly their website will load and how quickly content will become available.

“People still would have participated. People are frustrated and they want change; it just would have taken a lot longer to organize and would have taken a much greater effort,” Dani Gonzales speaking about how Occupy Austin would have been different without easy access to information via the internet and a reversal of Net Neutrality.

River City Ballet’s Annual Nutcracker Suite

River City Ballet and Central Texas Ballet Conservatory’s annual performance of The Nutcracker Suite and Ave Maria are happening this weekend! Get ready for a beautiful evening filled with your favorite characters from this classic ballet.

Tickets are available at the Hays County Performing Arts center and at Central Texas Ballet Conservatory. Discounts are available for groups of ten and over.

This year guest stars will be traveling from The Canadian Ballet Company to help round out this cast of talented ballerinas.

River City Ballet is dedicated to raising community awareness about the arts, providing children with experience in the world of professional dance, and creating opportunities for youth to perform.

If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to contact River City Ballet at rivercityballet@yahoo.com

Showtimes are this Saturday at 7pm and Sunday at 2pm.

Apple Inc. and the Future

The late Steve Jobs incorporated Apple Inc. on January 3, 1977. His unique vision of superior products and of a strong, responsible company have guided and inspired his company, Apple, for over the past 30 years. Throughout his career he took huge leaps of faith and introduced phenomenal new technology that has forever changed the way that we interact with ideas about learning, creating art, and connect with each other.

From Apple's environment page

More than a company focused on technology, Apple has aimed to remain a socially responsible and environmentally friendly organization. This goal has been demonstrated by transparent reports focusing on the company’s carbon footprint. By focusing on the products and how each effects our environment throughout their lifecycle the company has been able to influence other companies standards.

In 2008 Apple’s revenue grew 74 percent. During that time their greenhouse gas emissions grew only 57 percent. When considering the amount of employees, products, plants, and materials that were consumed and used throughout that process it is a truly honorable achievement. According to an article published in The Economist Magazine, the amount of energy used on electronic data has doubled between 2000 and 2005. The European Social Investment Forum declares technology and data are responsible for 2% of the world’s carbon emissions, as much as air travel. This number is expected to at least triple by 2020.

According to Apple’s website it is the only company in it’s industry where every product has met the stringent guidelines of Energy Star. Apple is committed to minimizing the impact of their growth.

Writing About Illness: A Response

Writing about depression and mental illness is not easy. Sifting through research, personal stories and the creative works of those afflicted with mental illness is a painstaking process that I take the upmost care in doing.

There is a lot of speculation about the relationship between creativity and mental illness. I have read blogs, articles, and listened to many talks discussing the topic and while it is clear that there is some connection between the two, I am by no means trying to imply that one can not exist exclusively without the other.

My thesis project for my Masters Degree in New Media Journalism is going to explore this topic in much greater length than my previous articles, and while objectivity is key in this process it would be unfair to continue with out disclosing my own personal past struggles with depression and creativity.

The two have most often come knocking on my door hand in hand. My most successful artwork has come out of deeply depressive cycles and this project is not only fueled by a desire to inform, but a desire to understand truly and objectively.

Through the years I have found methods to manage and become aware of my own condition and I hope my continued work on the subject will help others to do the same.

My story Depression, Illness, Heredity and the Creative Person was written to help illustrate the connection between illness, creativity, and family life. This story was not meant to indicate that every depressed person comes from an un-well family, or that every creative person has come from an unhealthy environment. This article simply highlights the fact that there are many creative people that come from a similar home situation.

On a positive note I have provided a video below that features Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat Pray Love, speaking about creativity and how it does not, necessarily, need to come from a dark and depressive place.

Please continue to come back to my site and explore as continue to build toward my final thesis project. And thank you for your comments.

Depression, Illness, Heredity and the Creative Personality

The following story was created using Spotify.

Rumination, Depression and Creativity

“That all men who have attained excellence in philosophy, in poetry, in art and in politics, even Socrates and Plato, had a melancholic habitus; indeed some suffered even from melancholic disease.” – Aristotle

Jackson Pollock suffered from Major Depressive Disorder

Depression and mental illness have long been considered creativity’s unwanted partner. The some of the great thinkers and creators from our past have struggled with undesired and misunderstood melancholy. From Darwin to Van Gogh there are many historically notable people who have documented their mental struggles in the form of letters, artwork, and journals.

As scientists continue to study depression and it’s possible benefits it is becoming clear that Charles Darwin sentiment that depression was beneficial to his scientific theory and research had been proven. Dr. Joe Forgas, a social psychologist at the University of New South Wales in Australia has spent more than a decade exploring the benefits of negative moods. He has concluded that when we are sad, or depressed that we are more able to focus, remember and judge accuracy of rumors.

These traits are largely due to the depressive person’s tendency to ruminate. Rumination is described as thinking over a topic, and repeating this process over and over again.

According to the article Feeling Sad Makes Us More Creative by Jonah Kehrer rumination leads to depression. The constant and obsessive habit can cause someone to discover unpleasant truths and become unhealthily self aware and critical. This process encourages the depressed person to become almost obsessive with a task, unable to abandon it until it has reached perfection or its greatest possible outcome – a place determined through rumination.

Vincent van Gogh also suffered from depression

While the nature and causes of depression and it’s relationship with creativity are still unclear the scientific community has begun to accept and slowly understand that there are benefits, however painful to depression and that it does, at least when paired with ruminative thought, help produce creative work.

Some notable people who have struggled with depression include: Vincent van Gogh, Hans Christian Anderson, Sir Isaac Newton, Kurt Vonnegut, Sylvia Plath, and Abraham Lincoln.

Enchanted Rock

Enchanted Rock State Natural Area is one of the most unique parks in Texas.

Photos taken with a Blackberry smart phone and edited in Adobe Photoshop. Click to see a full view.

This park is a popular destination for tourists, rock climbers, hikers and weekend adventurers alike. This interesting rounded batholiths of pink granite rises 425 feet above the surrounding towns and counties. According to local legend the area is haunted by spirits and cursed by a Spanish Conquistador.

This park is littered with ghost stories and lore. The Tonkawa Indians who, because of odd creaking and popping sounds, believed that ghost flames flickered atop of the batholiths at night. Today researchers know that the noises came from the sounds of the overheated granite cooling as evening temperatures dropped.

There is also a tale of an old, captured Spanish conquistador who escaped from the tribe and disappeared into the rock. He returned to them, and was received as one of the tribe members, claiming that he spent time with the spirits of the place who enchanted him and sent him back to the tribe, which is how the formation gained the name Enchanted Rock.

Enchanted Rock State Park is also known for its interesting and rare natural features. The formation is covered with vernal pools, which help feed the rare plants and animals that have made this protected space their home. If you are interested in local wildlife Enchanted Rock is home to wild cats, deer, turkey vultures, fox squirrels and armadillos.

Great for family vacations, wildlife adventures or even a quick hike Enchanted Rock provides ample activities to keep you busy. Backpacking, hiking, and rock climbing will entertain you all day and the designated campsites will allow for quite relaxation at night. Enchanted Rock is one of the few areas in Central Texas with very low light pollution, so bring your telescope and enjoy the night sky the way it was meant to be.

“I have been driving up here for years, the city can get a bit congested, so I like to get away and check out the stars,” said Brendan Scott when asked about his appreciation for Enchanted Rock.

If you are interested in visiting or would like to find more information please visit the Texas Parks and Wildlife website.

Mobile Media and Journalism

Technology continues to morph, change and multiply. Ten years ago the idea of a smart phone seemed about as realistic as a superhero’s trusted super gadget than a practical reality. With today’s technology and resources every journalist can maximize their own potential by embracing their own super gadgets. With the ever expanding development of mobile applications, social networking at your finger tips, and the ability to communicate instantly from anywhere around the globe journalists are no longer strapped to news rooms or tethered to their computers.

From WordPress Mobile, a website publishing app, to Blurb Mobile a slideshow development and publishing app it appears that the journalists toolkit is evolving. By embracing today’s development of applications for mobile devices Journalists are able to focus on content. By recording audio and video, taking pictures, making notes, writing articles and linking to other websites all from their mobile devices journalists today are not only producing more media, but more full, visually oriented pieces. Stories can be executed in whatever creative way today’s journalists see fit. Here is a short documentary about the photographer David Olkarny; it was filmed entirely on an iPhone 4.

Mobile technology also helps the modern journalist communicate their story across many platforms and demographics. With the ability to aggregate social feeds, share with all social networks and distribute globally from anywhere news is instant and accessible. Some of the mobile applications currently available allow the user to monitor, update and publish to their social networks instantly, from photos to video, to text a journalist’s work can be published in real time, as it happens.

Mobile technology has also helped journalists provide information to those under informed and without other news recourses. Through out the Arab Spring mobile technology has been used to organize, update and bring change to reality. Twitter and Facebook have been noted as among the revolutionaries most valuable tools. Without new mobile technology and the ability to communicate real time information this movement may not have gathered as much traction and been as successful.

As we move towards the future and media continues to diversify the journalist will continue to have to adapt to device technology as it becomes reverent. Today, it is Louis Lane’s chance to step into superman’s shoes and utilize her technology to tell a story in a new and mobile way.