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New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof, whose beat includes poverty, sex trafficking, and disease in the developing world, is holding a contest to find an American student to join him on a reporting trip to Africa.
He’s done this twice before, taking a journalism student to the Central African Republic and a medical student to Rwanda and the Congo. That second trip resulted in a documentary, “Reporter,” that will be shown on HBO later this year.
You can learn more about the contest in Kristof’s column and in his blog. Instructions for entering can be found here.
Update: Kristof recently wrote a column arguing that “sweatshops are only a symptom of poverty, not a cause,” and that “the best way to help people in the poorest countries isn’t to campaign against sweatshops but to promote manufacturing there.” Critiques of his stance can be found in letters to the editor here, as well as in this piece at TPM. Kristof expanded on his argument a bit further in this blogpost, which has attracted a bunch of comments.
Here is the text of President Barack Obama’s remarks at the youth inaugural ball, from a transcript provided by MTV:
“I’ve been looking forward to this ball for quite some time because, when you look at the history of this campaign, what started out as an improbable journey when nobody gave us a chance was carried forward, was inspired by, was energized by young people all across America.
“I can’t tell you how many people have come up to us and said, ‘I was kind of skeptical, but then my daughter … she wouldn’t budge. She told me I needed to vote for Obama.’ ‘Suddenly, I saw my son and he was out volunteering and getting involved like never before.’ And so a new generation inspired a previous generation and that’s how change happens in America.
“It doesn’t just happen in the election and campaign. It’s happened in service all across America. As this is broadcast all around the world we know that young people everywhere are in the process of imagining something different than what has come before us. Where there is war they imagine peace. Where there is hunger they imagine people being able to feed themselves. Where there is bigotry they imagine togetherness. The future will be in your hands if you are able to sustain the kind of energy and focus you showed on this campaign.
“I promise you, America will get stronger and more united. You are going to make it happen, and we thank you from the bottom our hearts. God bless America. Hit it, band.”
In 1964 students at the State University of New York at Buffalo pulled off an extraordinary prank.
While cramming for a botany final in late 1963, one student stumbled across the phrase “the thallus of Marchantia,” referring to a stem-like structure on a moss-like plant. Deciding that the phrase sounded like an Arab title of royalty, this student and his friends decided to send the local paper a press release telling them that the Thallus of Marchantia was coming to Buffalo on a state visit.
The prank snowballed from there, and by the time it was over the organizers had sent a student to New York City, flown him back to Buffalo dressed as the fictional potentate, staged a massive protest upon his arrival at the airport, and secured a limo and a police escort to take him to a meeting with the mayor.
The full story of this bizarre escapade can be found here.
We mentioned yesterday that MTV will be broadcasting from Barack Obama’s Youth Inaugural Ball next Tuesday, in a program that will feature musical performances and live coverage of Obama’s remarks to the ball’s attendees.
This morning the Washington Post is reporting that MTV paid $650,000 for that privilege.
According to the Post, the Obama inaugural committee sold exclusive broadcast rights to four inaugural events to four different networks — three of them on cable.
The most expensive event was Sunday’s Lincoln Memorial concert, which HBO paid $2.5 million to carry. HBO says it is “encouraging” cable and satellite providers to make the event available free of charge to non-subscribers, but many households will be unable to view it even so. Some providers carry the network on digital cable channels only, further restricting access.
In the creepiest bit of merchandising, the committee sold the rights to a prime-time Monday children’s concert to Disney. Michelle Obama and Jill Biden will host the concert, at which various Disney Channel stars will perform.
Ew.
January 21 Update: Obama’s remarks at the youth inaugural can be seen here.
MTV has cancelled its planned inaugural ball, and will instead broadcast live from the official Obama youth ball on inauguration night.
The MTV special, “Be the Change: Live from the Inaugural,” will feature live footage of Obama’s remarks at the Youth Inaugural Ball, as well as musical performances from that event.
Be the Change will run simultaneously on all American MTV networks at 10pm Eastern time on Tuesday, January 20, and will be made available to all of MTV’s affiliates worldwide as well.
January 17 Update: Turns out MTV paid the inaugural committee more than half a million bucks for the exclusive rights to Youth Ball footage.
January 21 Update: Obama’s remarks at the youth inaugural can be seen here.
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