lately - Yes, it's been a while

So over the last three days there was a power reporting conference. Then I wrote my investment exam. I wish I knew covariance of share with respect to market over variance of market "equalled" beta. I just didn't remember it.

Power Reporting was quite interesting. I learned a fair bit about how to conduct effective investigative research. Unfortunately, I don't think the conference did much for me in terms of getting a job or even basic networking; it seems the older people are willing to give advice, and the younger ones are just plain arrogant. I'm not sure what they're arrogant about.

Still, I was inspired by Raphael Rowe's story. He was jailed but later released as his punishment was a miscarriage of justice.

I might do journalistic work in this field. "Justice" is an entity that I hold very dear to myself. I think if journalism helps just one person; that's enough. However, I won't let anyone story overcome my life. I might be arrogant to say that one will anyway and I will remember writing this post, where I said that one wouldn't.

There were also some business journalism seminars. They were O.K.. I learned that my BCom degree should help in business journalism in a big way. Quite a bit of the stuff discussed was hence simple to me, but I tried to get a few "good" questions across, so I could learn answers I have wanted to know for a while.

I await my Investment 2 exam result after writing the exam today. It was a rough exam.

After the exam, I had a meeting with my team for the Jukskei project to discuss which stories were definitely going onto the website.

Tomorrow, I am going to try to edit at least one of the stories out of my litter trap footage. It will be how the trap works because I believe this is the harder piece to edit than the "Meet Edmund- the person who looks after the trap" piece.

This is mostly because when he described how the machine worked, Edmund pointed at things. I filmed Edmund pointing and then afterward, I tried to film that at which he was pointing.

I hope I can work out what he pointed at when!

Tomorrow, I am going t



The business stuff

The Great Bodman Search

I have been trying to locate Wendy Bodman - the once river guardian. She mapped out the water system of Johannesburg. A walking trail in Sandringham was named after her. I think I have enough information to write a side-bar about her but I would like to speak to her family and/or friends. Se passed away you see. Marianne Laserson - one of the river guardians with Paul Fairall said their kids went to preschool together in Sandringham. Unfortunately neither me nor Marianne can find the name Bodman in a phone book.

I have also tried South African genealogy websites. All I know is that Bodman is a German name - I knew that before looking for it on the net - and that some Bodmans live in Australia.

Best I keep hunting! Apparently Wnedy's husband was at Elphin estate?

SIDEBARS

I have been trying to find Wendy Bodman's family. I want to write a sidebar on her. My canal side bar will still happened as I have the odd bit of info and some pics and video.

Johannesburg Roads Agency - meeting Mr Hira

I went to the JRA on Tuesday with Zaheer. We met who I assume is an engineer. At first his demeanor matched the organisation's heavy security but after a few questions, he seemed to warm to us. I'm glad. He gave us an excerpt from a plan. I could more or less understand it. He told us how expensive it would be to fix all the roads in Joburg. To him, too much money had gone to the 2010 World Cup and to the Bus Rapid Transit System.

This guy seemed to take this depressing reality in his stride.

We then spoke to Mr Nellemans. He had an FHM picture or something in his office- at first I thought it was a mug of Vicky Beckham.

A lack of money seems to be a major problem for the JRA, not a lack of will to fix this city's problems. Hira said the JRA basically dealt with crises only because they never had the money or allowance granted to them by the government, to produce infrastructure and to upgrade things.

Then - on Wednesday - I went to Joburg Water - looking for old pictures of or plans for the culvers system (the canal system). No luck with Joburg Water - they were all on lunch.

We also got some maps and aerial pics of JHB from the JRA. However, the guy there idn't have the old plans pics I had asked him for the day before. He wasn't MR Hira. I don't think my request earlier was made clearly.

I have emailed and phoned Joburg Water but no one has responded to me.

At least I got pics of a culver by Bez Valley today. I walked in it. There were also people wlaking in it. t was viel spass ins canal. (It was lots of fun). Stevi and I tried to get into Gillooly's Farm but construction meant we didn't manage to find an entrance!

Back at the litter trap

Stevi-Mae and I went back to the trap today. Following the training session with Dave Mayers from Columbia yesterday,I looked at my litter trap footage from Monday. It was very shaky even if my composition was impressive - he said. I went home and did a shot list.

Stevi-Mae and I then went back to the trap today. MY visual piece is all about Edmund while she'll deal with the more technical aspects about the litter trap. Apparently, the Thames has nine litter traps for example. I'm sure the Thames is smaller than the Jukskei. There are even companies that make he traps which are rather simple in design.

I just looked at the footage from today and quite a bit looks usable. My video does jitter a bit nonetheless. I hope it comes right in the edit!

I feel that Edmund responded quite well to my questions today. I tried not to position him around too much - since I'm dealing with video journalism and not film.

I had a check list of the things I needed from the shoot. I more or less got them - even if Edmund had some fresh things to say today. I knelt in sewerage to improve shots-well, at least i hope it worked.

I also did some establishment - I'm here at the Bez Litter trap pieces with Stevie-Mae - the interviewer in my shoot. I rate I will use a piece where he discusses how the trap works to strengthen Stevie's story and then do a piece abot Edmund's work, his pay, the reason he does the job, etc.

I have about 2hrs of footage - so surely there's about 5 min of at least barely usable stuff in there.



EDMUND SIBISI

Economist with enviro interest wins Nobel prize

(PHOTO courtesy of http://newsinfo.iu.edu/news/page/normal/12185.html
Elinor Ostrom shared this year's Nobel Prize for economics with Oliver Williamson. Ostrom is the first female winner of the award.

"Ostrom has demonstrated how common property can be successfully managed by user associations", the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said.

Ostrom is an Indiana University professor. She was born in 1933. Her research looks to identify political legal and economic rules that prevent or help efficient and sustainable resource usage.

It's good to see the Nobel committee recognising the link between the economy and the environment.

Shot list for Litter Trap film

I'm filming at the litter trap again today after Dave was very constructive with his criticism yesterday.

dang, celtx not on this comp

do at home