Author Archives: Ralph Hanson

When is a meme inappropriate?

Posted on October 6, 2015 by Ralph Hanson

Long time readers here will know that I’m more than a little obsessed with the Star Wars movies. So the release of Star Wars VII – The Force Awakens directed by the ever brilliant J. J. Abrams on Dec. 18, … Continue reading →

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Julia Kozerski looks back at how losing 160 pounds made her feel miserable

Posted on October 1, 2015 by Ralph Hanson

UPDATE: 9/24/20 -Julia Kozerski’s web site is apparently no longer up and running.  Here are some links that are still working: NPR: Losing 160 Pounds, One Photo at a Time Good interview and a good collection of photos. The Guardian: Life … Continue reading →

Posted in Chapter 5 | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Looking back at the Unabomber and the Washington Post

Posted on September 29, 2015 by Ralph Hanson

What has been the lasting lesson of the Washington Post publishing the Unabomber’s manifesto? Twenty years ago the Washington Post published a long and rambling manifesto written by a terrorist known as the Unabomber.  The Unabomber said he would send another package … Continue reading →

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Me and the Bishop

Posted on September 28, 2015 by Ralph Hanson

Those of you who have been reading my blog over the summer have seen a great deal about my motorcycle travels and my following the Trail of the Whispering Giants. A big part of that story has been my travels … Continue reading →

Posted in Motorcycling, Travel | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Telling Data-Driven Stories

Posted on September 22, 2015 by Ralph Hanson

This morning our Comm students at University of Nebraska at Kearney were fortunate enough to have a virtual class visit from Dr. Jan Boyles from the Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication at Iowa State University.  She talked with us about some … Continue reading →

Posted in Chapter 6 | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Return of the Trail of the Whispering Giants

Posted on September 15, 2015 by Ralph Hanson

I moved back to the cusp of the West a little more than 7 years ago, and up until now I’ve viewed my motorcycling home as being back in the Southeast.  Yes, I took a ride down into Kansas, Oklahoma, … Continue reading →

Posted in Motorcycling, Travel | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Body Image in the Media

Posted on September 15, 2015 by Ralph Hanson

Flight attendant tells moving story on what her uniform taught her about body image She was feeling great about how she felt about her looks after putting on an old uniform skirt until she made a surprising discovery. A beautiful … Continue reading →

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The World Trade Center in the Movies

Posted on September 11, 2015 by Ralph Hanson

Reposted from Sept. 11, 2011. Before 9/11, the silhouette of the twin towers of the World Trade Center were one of the quickest ways movie makers had of establishing that we were looking at the NYC skyline.  Here’s a beautiful … Continue reading →

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A Motorcycle Ride to the United 93 Memorial on a Rainy Summer Day

Posted on September 11, 2015 by Ralph Hanson

This has nothing to do with the media. It’s a brief story about a ride I took on my motorcycle to the United 93 Memorial on a rainy June day back in 2004. It was written shortly after I had … Continue reading →

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Questions Worth Asking (Maybe)

Posted on September 10, 2015 by Ralph Hanson

What’s going to happen now that Rupert Murdoch’s 21st Century Fox now owns National Geographic magazine? National Geographic magazine, long known for its serious presentation of complex scientific issues, is now owned by a climate change skeptic.  What could possibly … Continue reading →

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