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Please join us here in the blog for our weekly roundtable discussion. We've missed talking with everyone over the holidays, so it will be nice to get back on track.
Since this is the first roundtable of 2010, it seems like a good time to set some iReport resolutions for the new year. Team iReport's big resolution is to spend as much of our time as we can on projects we feel passionate about.
I'd like to invite all of you to come up with resolutions of your own and share them at today's meeting. It doesn't have to be hard. Saying hi to a new person, or complimenting someone's work will go a long way towards making our amazing community an even better place.
You could also try doing something new. Check out our Assignment Desk if you're looking for inspiration.
If nothing else, I'd like for everyone to resolve to have fun here and to be as proud of what you're accomplishing as we are.
We'll open comments at 3 p.m. ET. We can't wait to talk with you.
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Hi everyone and welcome back. Hope you all had a great holiday.
Hello from New Mexico!
Woot, I'm on time today!
Hi folks! Hope your 2010 is off to a rollicking start.
It's snowing here in Marietta. Nothing is sticking though, a bit of dusting
hi y'all, when did you get to New Mexico maddogza?
@maddogza, how long til you head back to Swaziland?
Feliz Año Nuevo.
@adriana71 here too! going to snap a photo out the window. brb.
Greetings everyone! I just started snowing in Atlanta
Hey guys, happy snowday!
I was talking about iReport resolutions, so I'll go ahead and give mine while we're waiting for folks to arrived. I am going to work to reach out to at least 3 iReporters every day and to answer iReporters' emails in no more than 1 business day.
Hola @JoyFulGypsy Come te va?
Hi Wish you all a great Happy 2010
When will the people selected for the Fit Nation Triathlon Challenge be announced?
Hey maddogza, you were indeed pretty close to where I spent my New Year.
@davidw and @lila
I got to New Mexico in mid December - home for the holidays with my fam. Two weeks, ugh, until I have to get on the road again! Then it's a quick stop in the UK to say hi to grandma, and then back to school.
Guess who just got an HD camera...
@lila I just did too. On my deck, the twins just showed and left to enjoy Delaware weather in Atlanta
my year resolution? to try to quit smoking I have too I started smoking again and this time I will have to quit,
thanks happy to be here Larena and Jeke
Happy 2010!
Y a usted tambien, @JoyfulGypsy
Hola, adriana? Howzit?
Hello good day all
@davidw Reach out. Reach out. Reach out and touch someone.. heh heh
all CNN STAFF I thank you for being a great team
Nice to see you on "iReport for CNN," @maddogza
Buon Anno! How fun! I forgot it was Thursday. I've been home with the flu all week and bored out of my mind! Nice to see you all.
@David,those are very ambitious goals! Very nice of you to think of us.
Awesome resolutions, @davidw!
Well my first resolution will be to make more videos this year, second will be to find stories that need telling in Southern Africa...which will help with the first.
Hey @JoyfulGypsy - Not sure when the Tri-challenge folks will be announced. Let me follow up with the medical unit and see if I can get an answer before the roundtable ends.
@JoyfulGypsy -- I just asked our health producer and she said the announcement was coming soon. Not sure of the exact date though.
Great! Thanks, Tyson. :o)
UGH! The suspense is killing me, David. This old lady is so ready for the challenge! :o)
I hope for this 2010 to get a lot of my ireports vetted on CNN, I place so many and nothing thanks
@JoyfulGypsy It is well as can be expected. Hubs is oowrk again.
Thanks, @hhanks
Funny story behind that clip - I had just gotten home the night before so I slept in on the morning of the interview. Jessica and Errol told me we would do an interview at 2PM ET, but I forgot the ET part. So, at 11AM MT I was just waking up and checking my email when I realized they were on standby for the interview!
So you can imagine the commotion as I ran around in my pajamas trying to set up a webcam and etc...
Ok, so it's hard to see the flakes exactly, but you can definitely make out @zdan gazing longingly through the window. :) http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-379134
Can you tell us when the iReport TV show is on? Is it a regular date, or just sometime in the middle of the month? Is there a way to post on Facebook or somewhere the iReporters whose work will be used? That would be really great. I have noticed an increase of posts on Facebook, btw.
@maddogza -- I can't wait to see your videos from South Africa. It will be exciting to see the stories you come across.
@alisonv The iReport for CNN show is on CNN International. Here's the page where they update showtimes: http://www.cnn.com/CNNI/Programs/ireport/
Just wanted to say that I find it very helpful when deadlines are posted on assignments. Thanks for that.
Madoggza, it's a good thing you are a man. I would have needed at least 15 minutes to put my make-up on!
Thanks Lila.
@alisonv - Not only that, the episodes are posted at that link as well
@JoyfulGypsy -- Thanks for the feedback on the deadlines. We were hoping that it would help since we don't always vet stories right away if it's for a longterm project.
Looks like the third weekend of every month. Thanks.
I'd love to hear some more resolutions! Here's mine for iReport: vet more iReports! Talking to people about their fascinating stories is my favorite thing about being an iReport producer. I've got to carve out more time to do it.
Haha, that's true @alisonv
Check out me at my scruffiest, waking up to Obama's Nobel speech, haha:
http://us.cnn.com/video/#/video/ireports/2009/12/11/nat.irpt.obama.nobel.reax.cnn
Hey gang, it looks like I brought the snow back with me from home!
Yes deadlines are very good thing. Just question abt the rule governing how many photos are they hard and fast or can they be viewed more like guidelines?
I really do hope that everybody tries to do something they've never tried before here on iReport.
Maybe interview someone who's really interesting or does something cool, or take a video instead of a photo. Maybe submit a photo gallery instead of just one image.
I think it will make being an iReporter a little more fun.
I resolve to summit Mount Kilimanjaro this year.
@JoyfulGypsy -- Wow, that will be really remarkable.
Maddogza, just saw you at your scruffiest on that link. Bet you didn't know you were going to be on TV! It's kind of endearing, actually. Not unpleasantly scruffy. Anyway, loved what you had to say.
@tyson!
Your box is full - I replied via email
@adriana71 Great question. When we post specific guidelines, like photo limits and video length, it's because we have a specific idea of what we want to do with the submissions in terms of putting that content back on CNN.com.
Our hope is that users will follow those instructions as closely as possible, but we don't want to restrict or inhibit creativity.
We realize some folks aren't always going to follow the guidelines, and that's OK too. We just want to be clear up front what we're looking for to give users a better chance of being part of our coverage plans.
If you ever have a question about an assignment, please feel free to ask.
Tyson.Wheatley@cnn.com
My resolution is a get a job that I don't mind not going on vacation. :)
I plan to document my journey to and in Tanzania and my climb up Mt. Kilimanjaro. Plan to take lots of pictures.
My resolution is to try to do at least one "man/woman on the street" interview here in Italy about some current event. It isn't easy because people here aren't so willing to talk to a stranger--especially one with a camera. But I'd like to try it anyway because it is out of my comfort zone.
@alisonv - that will be great. It will be really interesting to hear the Italian perspective on things.
Ha, thanks Alison. Sei vita in Italia? La famiglia di mio padre è da Italia.
Wow, Joyful, that sounds exciting!
My other resolution is to buy a decent directional microphone. Anyone have any ideas on that? I have a Cannon (which was of excellent quality when it came out 10 years ago.)
Still not smoking!
Maddogza, Si. Vivo qui da 10 anni.
Any progress on the superstar status changes or the ability for iReporters to recommend iReports?
Congrats @WausauFamily!
Hi @alisonv, I find the equipment recommendations on transom.org are really helpful. It's a site for radio producers, so their microphone expertise is right on. http://www.transom.org/tools/faqs/faq.mics.html
@WausauFamily -- That's the best news I've gotten all day, and I've had a really a good day. Congratulations.
It sucks! lol just kidding
@WausauFamily Whoohoo
Thanks crew!
Yeah WausauFamily! How long?
@Lila, thanks, I'll take a look.
@all - I can't remember who suggested the iReporters being able to recommend an iReport. It might be a good alternative to the old star system where people gave stars (many or few) based on whether or not they agreed with the person's opinion. We could recommend individual iReports and maybe there could be a category for those with the highest recommendations. Sometimes I just don't know where to start to get to know other iReporters. If I don't happen to catch the report when it first comes out or I'm not already following the person, I'll miss a lot of good reports.
I must get back to work now. Happy new year, everyone. See you next week. :o)
@davidw just sent you a lil msg!
@WausauFamily - did you go cold turkey or are you taking something to help? I used nicotine gum when I quit about 4 years ago.
Hey everyone! Happy New Year!!!!!
@alisonv Thank you - 7 days in the morning
@maddogza -- I'll try to talk to him about world cup stuff today.
Thanks @davidw!
Hi @KyleHD - Soon to appear in our "Guilty pleasures" video coming next week to CNN.com!
any new assignments coming out soon?
Wanted to tell ireporters and staff the good news. Just signed a contract with a literary agent today. This was accomplished by using iReporting. Dreams do happen if you believe. Still plan to keep real people and their lives lifted up through this program. Many thank you's!!!
@hhanks! i'm excited to see it!!! That was one of my favorite's to do...mostly because i got to eat!!!! haha
Funny you should ask, KyleHD! We have a new assignment asking for Elvis fandom!
http://www.ireport.com/ir-topic-stories.jspa?topicId=379133
Better hurry, the deadline is tomorrow. There's a bunch of others, too.
We're looking for career advice questions from Kelly Cutrone, reality TV's baddest boss - http://www.ireport.com/ir-topic-stories.jspa?topicId=379032
Wausau, wow, you are really still in the thick of it then in terms of physical and psychological withdrawal. I never smoked, but several people close to me did and I think it is one of the hardest things to do. But most rewarding. The biggest problem my friends (and ex) had was long after quitting, thinking, "I'll just have one." Then they started over again. Anyway, you are doing great and I wish you lots of luck.
Wausau, great news! How was your iReport experience part of it?
@alisonv psychological has always been the biggest problem..lol go figure!
Looking for Questions for Kelly Cutrone that is...
Their saying on WHIOTV that it was a load of adults coming home from a trip.
Till next time bye all
@alisonv-iReports has been a great way for others to see what gifts your good at. I challanged my love to write with it. It would never had happen without it.
@Wasau, what kind of stuff do you write?
have you all seen the new stuff coming out at CES!!!!! It's incredible!
Oh, and two more assignments just posted this week - both part of Special Projects.
The first is for a series called Going Solo, and it's asking for portraits of life for people who work from home.
http://www.ireport.com/ir-topic-stories.jspa?topicId=379044
The second is part of our Winter Getaway series. While it's winter here in North America, we're asking for vacation photos from places south of the Equator.
http://www.ireport.com/ir-topic-stories.jspa?topicId=376656
In case y'all didn't see it, I want to tell you about katie's blog post about Betsy Badwater, a singer and tattoo artist profiled for an iReport story. The video was really well done and she has an amazing voice that touched a lot of people. http://www.ireport.com/blogs/ireport-blog/2010/01/07/tattoo-artist-inspires-other-single-moms
4 died and 6 injured last updated 3:36 pm
Better late than never! hello all!
@alisonv - Just heard from the producer of "iReport for CNN" and the iReports saying that the iReports from each edition of the show will be posted on their Facebook! http://www.facebook.com/iReportforCNN
@Atch, what are you referring to?
Thanks for a good conversation, @everyone, but I gotta go work on a stupid research paper for school.
Peace!
@David, I'll check it out. I missed it.
Ciao maddogza!
I can't say enough about your writing. Wife still can't read it without crying. Very humbled by it. Thank you. The comments left by my children made it so special.
@alisonv - He may have been referring to this story - http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/01/07/ohio.van.crash/index.html
Hhanks, thanks!
Thanks for a great visit everyone. We'll be back same time next week.
Take care
Welcome back @GoldenEst82 (another iReporter in the upcoming "Guilty Pleasures" video)!
Bye and thanks.
Ciao one and all Catch you next week.
sorry gues should have said in SPRINGFIELD OH
Take care everyone. See you on site!
@hhanks
Thanks, its good to be back. (in some measure)
Looking forward to more iReports from you @GoldenEst82, and the same goes for all of you! See you next time!
SEMI TANKER hit a bus on I-70E and STR40 IN oh
I would like to encourage the President and his hard, smart and sincere work in this country for our people.
How can I help ..We can start by helping One Another , the Doctors are overwhelmed and so is the state agencies,how can we help unburden the system.. We can by Helping One Another ...Let us Let Go of our Fears and Let God Guide us All..It has to Start in the communities, Doctors, neighbors , County agencies, Government agencies , Churches & Collages & Schools ..We need to bring Compassion for one Another back .. We can Do this ...God Bless Everyone.. Thank you
Post #2
Ruthann Haluschak wroteon December 22, 2009 at 5:58am
I agree wholeheartedly with you Cheryl but people are afraid to step up because they're in need as well and may not be aware of the Law of Attraction or the Golden Rule or even what it feels like to be merciful to others.
I think if we ALL get beyond the fear of helping others, strangers, then we'd see a great, positive impact in the US that might extend Globally. Yes, we can do this. One person at a time and let it snowball.
Thank you for a wonderfully positive post Cheryl.
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Post #3
Lillie Simon wroteon December 22, 2009 at 6:13am
true both ruthann and cheryl....there are many ways to help that don't take money or much money...just compassion and time...help out at a rescue mission or homeless shelter...go thru your clothes and find those things you know you'll never wear...take them to the shelters....everytime you are shopping and see a hat, gloves, scarf for a few dollars - buy a pair, donated them....clean out your pantry and take the food to a church food pantry or food bank....always have dollar bills in your pocket and use them every single time you walk past a salvation army kettle....keep a bag and few cans of dog food in you vehicle...when you see a loose, lost, homeless dog...feed it....
this is the worse time of the year for the lonely, homeless, poor, and needy...but we can all make it better....we spend christmas day at a local charity christmas dinner feeding over 10,000 people...and probably more than that this year.....
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Post #4
You wroteon December 27, 2009 at 8:29pm
I have done all that you speak of.and I will do more
Delete Post
Post #5
Diana Malette wroteon December 28, 2009 at 4:33am
Sometimes it's as simple as a smile to a passerby.
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Reply
Hi! Happy 2010 to everyone! Take care and God bless!
great website haveing fun posting stories i do hope they are ok doing my best its a fun website i love doing offbeat stuff happy 2010 to all
Let the 2010 New Year begin with looking forward and not back. The world is full of news worthy of reporting but not worthy of repeating it upto 20 to 30 times. OK we get it, Reid comment was said, it was not a derogatory statement, it was what he believe was correct, he has been corrected with his choice of words. I really know why someone placed a blind fold on the statue of Justice. I get it, we put this conversation on to see who is offended and who is not. Where are all the black Americans in the discussion over Health Care, or Terroristic Threats. When it comes to decision on what to encourage blacks to participate in this country still has a long way to go. Yes the President is a Black man, but can he run this country, can a white man discuss racism, we need to get back to the future here. We need Jobs in America, Health Care, Affordable medication, and a Great Educational financial program. Can you find answers on how 175,000 people in Georgia can get back to work, or should we all waste valuable time talking about the race card in our conversations. Here is a topic, Why can employers check credit before hiring and not have to give the person a reason for not hiring them after they have gone into your personal life other than your credit check. This issue is racists, Laws should be created that employers must interview or at least advise the individual they are a candidate for hire before they are allow to run their credit. Make this a topic of conversation so we all can get back to work.
Welcome to 2010, the beginning of the New Ice Age. With all the talk about Global Warming, its hard to believe that the next Ice Age started on 01/01/2010 or thereabouts. I know you’ve all been distracted by Al Gore, Nobel Loriet and all, but it turns out it
wasn’t the Carbon Dioxide after all.
Looking over the “Ice Age” chart, that he is so fond of, shows an interesting fact – every Ice Age has a period or definite length about 100,000 years. The only thing we may have done over the past 100 years is moved the beginning a few decades earlier than it would have naturally occurred. I know that it’s pretty easy to see the cycle of colder and warmer temperatures on the charts, but what caused the Earth to periodically get warmer then start to cool off?
Let’s start where we are now. The Earth is warming up, which means the poles are warming up. As they warm up there is more moisture in the air over the poles. The increased moisture makes the cold air over the poles denser. Dense cold air can push warmer air around better than less dense air, which is why the cold polar air is pushing further south than it has in recent history
- making say, North America colder than usual.
Another thing moist air does is spawn clouds, which block sunlight from reaching the ground and keeping the Earth warm. Thus, you can see how the cooling cycle starts and our Ice Age begins.
Let’s say, you believe the scenario I’ve laid out and can see how the Earth could just keep getting a bit colder every day for 50,000 years. So you ask, what would warm it up?
As the Earth is cooled, it begins to condense – remember that old Physics experiment with the brass ring and sphere. When the sphere was hot it would not pass through the ring (because the sphere expanded), but as it cooled it became more dense and smaller; finally passing through the ring easily.
Something else you should remember from physics, when you compress matter it becomes warmer. All you need to do to prove that is pound on a nail lying on something hard (like cement) with a hammer a couple of times then try to pick it up – ouch!
As the Earth cools it condenses. Another thing that happens is that miles of ice begin to pileup on the surface of continents. This compresses the land masses ever farther.
Interestingly, the pressure over the sea floor becomes less, as more water turns into snow and rains down on the tops of glaciers around the world. You’ve probably all seen the lava squeezing out between the tectonic plates where they rub together (Black Smokers, under water volcanoes, etc.)
As the internal pressure in the core of the Earth increases and the depth of the oceans decrease, the molten core of the Earth has to go someplace and volcanoes begin erupting. The erupting volcanoes warm the air slightly, but not enough to melt all the
ice. It’s the ash that is responsible for the real warming.
Dropping on the ice it captures sunlight. Gradually, the combination of volcanic activity and the absorption of more of the Sun’s energy begin warming the Earth for about 50,000 years – then the whole thing starts over again.
I like my theory much better than Al Gore’s and I could certainly use the money more than him. So if someone asks you about Global Warming remember Occam's Razor - The simplest answer is often correct.
For more additional success unreported rescue success stories please log on http://www.jw-media.org/
Witnesses’ relief efforts well under way for victims of earthquake in Haiti
NEW YORK—Jehovah’s Witnesses are actively providing local and international assistance for victims of the massive earthquake that struck Haiti on the evening of January 12, 2010.
In cooperation with local authorities and other relief agencies, the Witnesses organized to help meet the immediate needs of their fellow worshippers and other victims in Haiti and care for them. The Witnesses’ branch office in the Dominican Republic quickly sent six tons of food and medical supplies to the branch office in Haiti. These supplies were received the morning after the disaster. Witnesses at the Haiti branch office then prepared 700 bags with basic necessities. These bags, weighing 10 kilograms (just over 22 pounds) each and providing 2,800 meals, were transported to Kingdom Halls of Jehovah’s Witnesses that were designated as relief distribution centers. From the first shipment, three-day rations were distributed to 4,700 people. This was followed by twice-daily shipments of relief materials, including boxes of clothing.
Arrangements were also made to send fellow Witnesses who are medical professionals from the Dominican Republic to Haiti to assist in rendering urgently needed care. An Assembly Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses remained intact after the quake and is now serving as a temporary clinic and medical center for the injured. Three different Kingdom Halls in the affected area are being used similarly, with local Haitian Witnesses who are doctors providing medical attention. At these makeshift facilities, efforts are made to stabilize the patients’ condition. However, if the injuries are so severe that the patient needs a procedure that would use equipment and/or medication beyond what the Witnesses have on hand, arrangements are made to transport such a critical care patient to nearby hospitals. Initially, 12 Witnesses were transported to a hospital in Jimaní, Dominican Republic, near the border with Haiti. Critical care patients are now being taken to a hospital farther away, in Barahona, Dominican Republic, approximately 50 miles from the border. The Witnesses’ assistance in caring for the medical needs of their fellow worshippers and others is proving to be valuable, since several hospitals in Haiti were destroyed by the quake and the remaining area hospitals are overwhelmed. Two teams of Jehovah’s Witnesses who are medical professionals from France, Germany, Switzerland, and the United States volunteered to travel to Haiti and to work directly with the relief efforts that the branch offices in Haiti and the Dominican Republic are coordinating. These teams are expected to arrive by Tuesday, January 19.
There are an estimated 10,000 of Jehovah’s Witnesses in the disaster area. Sadly, the latest reports from the Haiti branch office confirm that the death toll among the Witnesses now stands at 103, and that number is expected to rise as more reports are received. The Witnesses continue coordinating their international relief efforts from their world headquarters in Brooklyn. The Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses is caring for these expenses by utilizing funds donated to the Witnesses’ worldwide work.
Media contact: J. R. Brown, telephone: (718) 560-5600
Last updated 19 January 2010 18:12:19
hello all. i have only 1 question. when is the government going to do something about some issues that dont have to do with humans? the polar bears, panda bears, clouded leopards, and so many more!! and then theres global warming to, and all we do is make it worse with our factories and hunting for sport and for fur. :-( :-0