Web Geekin'

I never realized how much work goes into a Web site.

I mean, sure, I've managed my blog, An Ariel View, for about a year. Since last May, I've managed the college living and spotlight sections of newsrecord.org. When I was younger, I used to play around with html for Neopets (a Web site I try to deny any association with today). But until I started training to be managing editor, I never realized how much time and effort goes into running a Web site.

There are so many little things and minute details I have started to obsess over. Should there be a link on the front page to this blog? How should we showcase our top stories? How should the slide shows be lined up in the multimedia bar?

After winning second place for Best Collegiate Newspaper Web site at the Ohio Newspaper Association's annual convention, we've all become determined to own next year and beat the Kent Stater. So I've been stalking newspaper Web sites, trying to come up with brilliant ideas for the redesign we're working on. There are so many super cool things I want to try ... I can't wait to get started.

In other news, the Pie for 55s competition is still going on at TNR. As of today, here are the results (those who've had two pages run had their errors for both days averaged):

• Sports (Sam & Garrett): 29.5
• Entertainment (Sean): 35
• News (Gin & Amanda): 38
• College Living (Jayna): 53
• Opinion (Jamie): 55

As you can see, Sports is totally dominating. Only one more day of production!

I really hope I don't get pie'd.

- Ariel

Race for the Pie

We decided to have a little fun this week and host a news room competition. Every production, the pages in progress (referred to as 55s because they appear on regular paper at 55 percent the size of the actual paper) are read through by both the managing editor and the editor-in-chief before they're sent to the printer.

So this week, Taylor and I are keeping track of the changes we make to each page. Every error noted, every typo tallied. At the end of the week, whoever has the fewer number of errors on their 55s gets a prize ... or shall I say, a pie. The desk with the best 55s get to pie the person of their choice: whether it be the worst desk, the person they dislike the most or Taylor and I.

I'm really excited about the competition. Of course, I'm really banking on not getting pie'd in the face, but I can't wait to see who does. Taylor claims that she wouldn't mind a face full of pie goo; I'm waiting to see what she says when it actually becomes a possibility. :)

Today, thus far, the 55 tally stands as follows:

• Sports (Sam & Garrett): 28
• Entertainment (Sean): 35
• News (Gin & Amanda): 37
• College Living (Jayna): 53
  

Who will be the best? Who will fail fantastically? Stay tuned to Off the [News] Record for updates and (after the competition is over) lots of great pictures of the victors creaming the editor of their choice.

- Ariel

Top Chef UC stye

Last night, during production, I opened up an InDesign file for page two maybe page four of the issue we were working on. I saw this ad:


I called the staff over to check it out -- told people it would make a great story with a great opportunity for multimedia. They agreed. I thought to myself, "I wonder how they'll judge." By the time production ended around 1:30 a.m., I had forgotten all about the competition.

So it came as a pretty big surprise to me this evening when I opened my UC e-mail account with an invitation to be a judge for the competition. They needed an RSVP by Monday, but I didn't eve need to wait 30 seconds before I had already sent an e-mail saying "YES, YES, YES."

Who would be crazy enough to say no to a free 12-course meal? I don't know about you, but I'm excited to eat and report on the Top Chef competition.

-- Taylor