Shannon McDonald
Shannon McDonald
Phanatic praise and ‘Idol’ worship help
By Shannon McDonald | January 29, 2008 | The Temple News
After years of fighting a reputation of being dangerous, dirty and unattractive, Philadelphia is finally getting positive attention.
Recently, Forbes.com named the Phillie Phanatic as the top mascot in the country. The decision was based on the characters’ appeal, endorsement and trendsetting, among other things. Though there was never any question about this city’s love for the furry, scooter-riding Phanatic, national recognition isn’t something to shy away from. If the Phillies can’t win the World Series, at least local sports fans can be proud of the mascot.
If a loveable mascot wasn’t enough to bulk up Philly’s reputation, the city has also received tons of free publicity from its recent stint on American Idol. The national exposure Philly received as its residents sang their way to fame or shame was worth more than $2 million, as reported in the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Just a few months ago, Travel + Leisure magazine ranked Philadelphia as one of the most unattractive and unfriendly cities in the country. Our high murder rate also drew national attention.
Philadelphia Mayor John Street can go to lots of places, but not here
By Shannon McDonald | December 4, 2007 | The Temple News
Temple announced last month that Philadelphia Mayor John F. Street will become an adjunct professor of political science on Main Campus for the Spring 2008 semester.
Despite being highly criticized during his two terms as mayor, Street is slated to instruct two sections of an urban politics and policy class. My initial reaction to this was one of outrage. Along with the other residents of Philadelphia, I watched Street make one poor decision after another. Now Temple students are supposed to learn about urban policies from him. Maybe his curriculum will include corrupting a city and giving jobs to unqualified friends.
Randall Miller, a political analyst and St. Joseph’s University professor, agrees that Street has made some mistakes along the way, but said the mayor has also done some beneficial things for Philadelphia as well.
“Street doesn’t stand in the way of progress,” Miller said. “But he hasn’t encouraged it.”
He suggested that although Street may have honorable intentions for the city, his lack of enthusiasm makes him appear weaker.
Green-friendly should be ignored for Phila. Elections
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By Shannon McDonald | November 6, 2007 | The Temple News
The 2007 Philadelphia mayoral election is today, pinning the favored Democrat, Michael Nutter, against Republican Al Taubenberger. Both candidates have focused their campaigns primarily on green issues, often neglecting more pressing topics.
“That’s because they don’t know what the issues are,” said Albert Mills, an adjunct professor of political science and geography and urban studies.
He’s been active in politics for 40 years and considers himself “progressive.” Mills said the environment should be a national issue, not the city’s focus.
Nutter and Taubenberger have had a clean campaign; they haven’t attacked each other’s characters, and they’ve been in agreement on various issues, specifically environmental concerns.
Though the candidates have different ideas about how to make Philadelphia a greener city, they have both made the green issue a top priority in their campaigns.
Swingset homicides
By Shannon McDonald | Oct. 16, 2007| The Temple News
Seven shootings have occurred at Philadelphia recreation centers since January, leaving four dead and community members searching for answers.
“It’s senseless,” said Victor Richard. “It’s total disrespect for human life.” Richard is the commissioner of the Philadelphia Department of Recreation, and like everyone else, he is outraged that crime has penetrated the city’s safest havens. The four dead victims of these shootings are predictably young; three were only teenagers.
One of the surviving victims is 18-month-old Mehkee Gatewood, who suffered two gunshot wounds while at E.R. Tustin Playground in West Philadelphia in late September.
Something needs to be done.
Campus violence finds a match on North Broad Street
By Shannon McDonald | Oct. 9, 2007 | The Temple News
There hasn’t been a murder on or around Main Campus since 2005. Considering the high crime rates in the surrounding neighborhood, one murder in the course of three years is something to be happy about.
“Direct patrol is the best way to control crime,” said Charles Leone, deputy director of Campus Police.
There is no doubt the heavy police presence around campus is what keeps the crime rate so low. Campus Police not only patrol the central campus, but off-campus locations as well, monitoring the places students visit the most, and keeping their eyes on places where crimes occur most frequently.
In 2005, a stray bullet struck someone unaffiliated with Temple at 15th and Susquehanna streets. The victim lived. That same year, a Temple student was shot in his off-campus apartment after he got involved in a troubled lifestyle. That victim was not as fortunate.
Though these incidents may have hit close to home for some Temple students, the sense of security around campus remained intact because neither shooting was directly related to the school, and neither took place in the central part of campus.
Respect the city and it will respect you back
By Shannon McDonald | Sept. 25, 2007 | The Temple News
Philadelphia goes by many nicknames, some more pleasant than others. City of Neighborhoods, City of Brotherly Love, Filth-adelphia. As a life-long Philly citizen, I’ve heard them all, and even used a few on occasion. Call it what you want, but keep in mind that a person’s attitude toward the city is directly related to what that person gets back from the city.
Philadelphia has been slowly but surely building itself up over the years. Though it may not be as well known as New York, and not quite as glamorous as L.A., Philly has plenty to offer, as long as residents, visitors and tourists keep an open mind.
Much like any other bond, a person’s relationship with a city needs to be treated with care. Simply being in the city is not enough to warrant a good experience. Tourists seem to realize this, but Philadelphians often fail to consider this point.
The third-year divide
By Shannon McDonald | Sept. 4, 2007 | The Temple News
Ah, college. Parties, procrastination and 2 a.m. bowls of Ramen noodles. A place where going to bed at 5 a.m. and waking for class three hours later makes perfect sense. Then there’s the second half of college.
Like most, I spent my first two years of college enduring the days of seemingly endless classes and making plans to do whatever unscholarly activities
I could find at night. After long days of crunching numbers, observing rocks and writing until my hand fell off, the best way to unwind usually involved pajamas and a TV. Throw in some friends and a smörgåsbord of cheap food and I was set.
After just a week into the first semester of my third year, the second half of college is proving to be very different than the first. The classes aren’t harder, but the workload has my schoolbag bursting at the seams. Literally.
The amount of money I spent on books is twice what I’ve spent in previous semesters. Most of this year will be spent looking for internships. Forget movie marathons in pajamas, the only downtime I get is the short break between my classes. Before the semester started I didn’t even consider the possibility of this year being any different from my past experience. If anything, I thought it could only get easier. Continue reading
Hart’s hands-off housing stance is a tired Adamany rerun
By Shannon McDonald | Aug. 28, 2007 | The Temple News
A new year brings new issues, as well as some old ones with fresh angles.
Housing on campus is a hot topic, especially as we face another increase in university enrollment. It is up to President Ann Weaver Hart to decide the future of on-campus housing.
The logical solution to accommodate Temple’s burgeoning enrollment would be to build more on-campus housing facilities, more homes for the 4,300 members of the Class of 2011, a class six percent larger than last year’s group. However, President Hart is reluctant to lead the university in that direction.
“I believe that the best use of the university’s limited resources is to focus on teaching, research and student life, and to partner with the private sector to provide student housing,” President Hart said. President Hart also expressed the importance of private investors, such as those affiliated with Oxford Village, University Village, Kardon-Atlantic Terminal, and Elmira Jeffries.
