Author Archives: winterSmith

The Tiffany Martínez case and journalistic malpractice in the first degree

Journalism RIP: gone and apparently forgotten Here’s a sampling of the Google News headlines this morning for a search on [tiffany martinez]: Professor Leaves Racist Note on Student’s Paper – Yahoo News-22 hours ago The broader implications of unfairly accusing a Latina student of plagiarism – Inside Higher Ed-Nov 1, 2016 Professor accuses Latina student of plagiarism for using the

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#HopeTuesday: the sun is rising

#breathe #takebackourfuture Six years ago today – this is Ronan MacScottie hoping to make friends with a squirrel in Benedict Fountain Park. I was a few months into being single again, and was hoping to find some happiness after years in the darkness. The upper side of the park was frequented by homeless people, who I suppose were hoping for anything

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The Tiffany Martínez case: her post is long on emotional appeal and short on details

The trending case of a Suffolk University student accused of cheating in front of her class raises more questions than her manipulative story answers… On Thursday, a Suffolk University student named Tiffany Martínez posted a blog in which she described how her professor had attacked her in front of a class for using language that was “not her own.” This

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Dogs and fracking and beer is food – Denver deserves better than Mayor Michael Hancock

I asked Michael Hancock a straight question and got a dishonest answer. Then there’s his kneepads and chapstick service for the frackers… I recently sent an inquiry to the office of Denver mayor Mike Hancock asking about his position about the city’s recent crackdown on dogs being allowed in tasting rooms. We mile-highers love taking the pups to our favorite microbreweries, but

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Resolved: that future presidential debates ought to use the Lincoln-Douglas format

Partisan discourse can’t sink much lower. Now is the time to resurrect a format that was made for political debates. The third and final “debate” between presidential contenders Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump is now mercifully in the rearview mirror, but like a direct hit from an aggrieved skunk, it might take weeks for the stink to fully die down. This trifecta

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Nobel Committee gives Bob Dylan the wrong prize

Dylan is one of the greatest artists of his time. But his genius wasn’t about Literature. Part 1 of a series. The Nobel Committee today awarded American folk icon Bob Dylan its annual prize for Literature. Not surprisingly, reactions have been mixed. I’m a bit torn myself. There is no questioning at all the immensity of Dylan’s artistic accomplishments, and

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Donald Trump is a referendum on your character

I’m not asking who you’re voting for. I’m asking what kind of human being you are. I’m sure you’ve read what Donald Trump said by now, but let’s watch the video and read the transcript just to make sure we’re all on the same page. I was considering titling this essay “Donald Trump is a referendum on our character.” But it isn’t

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