Feature Article: Minorities and Outdoor Pursuits

I am black, and in the kayaking world I’m an anomaly. In most outdoor pursuits, I am a complete rarity. 

For Whom the Fake Smile Tolls

Smiling, it’s something everyone does. A smile is a facial expression that conveys happiness, confidence and heart. It’s projected for the whole world to see. We are judged by it. The pressure to exude this positive expression is great, so faking a smile has become very common.

Fredrick Cole Opens Up on the Current State of Journalism

"We want young reporters who have enough imagination to go after the stories that are not usually done and to write them with a style and flair that will excite our readers." - Fredrick Cole.

Front Range Trail Changes

Sombrero Mars

As hundreds of thousands of people hike the trails of the Front Range; they enjoy the access, the natural beauty of the mountains west of Boulder County. The public may not know that changes are in the wind in regards to these trails. 

Making Connections with ADHD

As one walks into the main lobby of the Auraria Library, there is a structure that stands in its center. It’s artwork, but there is a message that it wants to convey. One’s attention immediately goes to the top of the structure; the title jumps out and says, “Connections”. The structure is rectangular, black and covered with tiles, each tile was done by a child with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). ADHD is a problem with inattentiveness, over-activity, impulsivity, or a combination.

The tiled piece is a reminder that your fellow student may have this disorder, and the normal day-to-day events may distract them or be huge obstacle to their academic success.

The tiled artwork is taken care by two volunteers: Kim and Erik Hornak. They represent the Denver Metro chapter of Children and Adults with ADHD (CHADD).

CHADD provided support for anyone who has been diagnosed with or has a loved one with ADHD. They have support meetings, seminars, and provide information about ADHD.

The have their next meeting Monday, February 7, 2011 at the Southglenn Library, Centennial, Colo. It is from 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. This meeting is a networking event. Members share their experiences, exchange ideas and give each other hope.

For more information, please contact the Hornack’s by calling 303-753-1783 or visit this web site: http://www.adult-adhd.com/college_students_with_adhd.php

Five Sources of News

Walt House
Jan. 24, 2011
Five Sources


As a person who seeks information on a daily basis, I have found there are many options that provide useful and insightful information, but there is a duality in my consumption of that information. I am a consumer and a writer. As a consumer, I have a range of interests and it is reflected in the commercial news outlets that I visit, here is a list of the site I like to visit: The Economist, BBC, CNN.com, Chicago Tribune, and Sports Illustrated.com. As this list shows, I am interested in world news, economic and political events, the local news of Chicago, and sports events.

As for the writer in me, I cannot use secondary or tertiary sources. The information has to come from the source or is a subject matter expert. The sources that I use or have used will vary depending on the subject I am researching. I have written papers on the current state of the outdoor industry, so I went to http://www.outdoorindustry.org/, for my research. For another paper I wrote, I needed to know what the current governmental policy for water rights. USA.gov was my base source. News can be gotten from even more sites, The North Face has listings of events they are sponsoring and new clothing technology it is using. Sarah Palin’s Facebook page is a source of news. Or to know which visiting dignitary will be speaking at the United Nations, http://www.un.org/ site has a list.

News is subjective in it use, each person consumes it differently. It reminds me of a quote, “One man’s treasure is another man’s trash.” News is the same way.