Category Archives for Writer

More BRHS Numbers

Classroom with Three Figures by Lavern Kelley, painted white pine, plywood, brass, and plastic, 1979, 1984–87. Photo by cliff1066™ on Flickr

While waiting on additional interviews, I continue to occupy myself by trying to find figures to compare and contrast BRMHS with other schools in the state.

This time I’m looking at GEE test results, for 2011:

http://public.tableausoftware.com/views/spring2011gee/Dashboard1?:embed=y

Not as interesting as the prior table, but these numbers seem to dive a little deeper into actual achievement levels at the school, so I like them.

Messing with the Numbers

For my journalism class final project, I have to research and write an article about a subject of my choosing.

I went with the refurbishment/rebuilding of Baton Rouge Magnet High School. I’ve gotten my first interview under my belt, and am working on lining up my secondary interviews (students, teachers, and former students) so that I’ve got more quotes & info to draw on.

I’ve already finished up one piece I’m excited about: A table which pulls performance ratings for every school in the state of Louisiana from 2007 through 2011, and allows you to select which of that data is displayed. It defaults to a short list of high-performing high schools that includes Baton Rouge Magnet High School in its list.

http://public.tableausoftware.com/views/LAStateEducationSPS/Dashboard1?:embed=y

Numbers are fun to me, and these numbers allow anyone who wants to do so to compare figures for any school in the state, once they mess around a bit. It means I don’t have to talk about these numbers much in the body text of my article, and that I’m not leaving anything out in case a reader has a question I never thought of.
Now, if I can just get my interview subjects to kick in some great quotes or background, I’ll be all set. Oh, and I still have to go wander around the BRHS campus and take some photos… But that can probably wait.

Wouldn’t mind figuring out how to make the tableau table scaleable so it will fit in the WordPress post, but I haven’t quite managed that yet. When I’ve tried to use its embed code it is too wide to look at, and the controls don’t work, either.

Oh, Oreo

It’s funny, as a celiac, I haven’t been able to eat an Oreo cookie in years.Image Yet they still hold a warm spot in my heart. I don’t even remember when I became their fan on Facebook, or why, but at some point I started noticing them on my news feed. Always innocuous, yet just a little bit clever, or interesting, or heartwarming. Compared with other companies, like Sears, where I sometimes felt like I was being pitched something, Oreo seemed intent on just being, well, nice. Frankly, I appreciate it. My only real complaint is that these posts don’t always show up on my feed. That’s probably Facebook’s fault; or mine. The one thing I’d love to see out of you, Oreo, is something I know you’re probably scared of: A little more bite. Some edginess. The rainbow Oreo was a nice first step. Taking the occasional good-natured stand could be a great thing for all of us. Nice doesn’t have to be meek.

Just One of The Girls

It is now day three of my hanging out on Pinterest, being one of the girls. Somehow I’m reminded of how I felt reading Judy Bloom back in fourth grade. Oh, obligatory image of a wedding cake to set the mood follows:

Image
What the hell. I’ve always been pretty for a guy, I guess. One more reason I avoided prison. Bad place for that, from what I hear.

In case it isn’t blatantly obvious, I still don’t remotely get it. Is the whole point just a weird exercise in shared vanity? Nothing but a pure-Ego collage scrapbooking expression of shit we dig? With a few exchanged recipes and shopping wish lists thrown in? I mean, yeah, I sort of get the appeal of hunting around for a few of your favorite things… More than that, I could see the appeal if there was some way to find people who matched up on a significant number of the things you find cool. But that’s not going to happen. Just check out my Pinterest board:

http://pinterest.com/jaredwk/bored-board/

Several of the things I love most I had to upload myself. Nobody had a good image of the plutonium atom, for instance. How can plutonium be missing? That’s an important oversight. The unnamed molecular model I uploaded, as well, had been missing. It’s one of my favorite molecules! Am I *really* the only person on Pinterest to be a fan? To find it pin-worthy? Or am I *totally* missing the point of these pins?

I really don’t know. But I know this much: My blog has completely abandoned the rules of AP Style. Suck it, higher education. You can lead a horse to knowledge, but you can’t keep him from wanting to chew on sugar cubes instead.

An Educational Change

I knew college would change me when I decided to go back and finish my degree. I had no idea how much, or how quickly.
Yesterday, I joined Pinterest.

In the interest of full disclosure, I should point out that I’m a guy. Always have been, as far as I know. When I first heard of Pinterest, I didn’t get it. Eighteen hours in, I still don’t. But there I am, pinning crap I like onto my first board – Bored Board.

My Pinterest page, in case you want to see what  happens when a confused male joins, is here: http://pinterest.com/jaredwk/

Again, I don’t get it. But it’s something different. Something I’ve never done before. And I’m starting to think there’ll be a lot of that now that I’m back in school. This blog, for instance. Another first. At least the blog makes more sense. It’s just words. And words have been my friends for quite some time now.