Month: July 2024

Save Your Life: Essential Skills for Wilderness Survival ~ Episode 17

~ Tripping Raul

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In this episode of “Journalism 101 with Tripping Raul” titled “Save Your Life: Essential Skills for Wilderness Survival,” host Tripping Raul begins by indicating that this might be the last episode for a while unless she can gather some colleagues and friends to share their stories in future episodes. The episode centers on a survival piece she wrote in 2004 for a major metro daily, focusing on what to do if one is lost in the wild.

Tripping Raul starts by providing some ambiance about her current setting and the sounds in her office. She then transitions into reading and discussing the article which features advice from Don Davis, a wilderness survival instructor. Davis emphasizes the acronym “STOP”: Sit, Think, Observe, Plan, which is crucial when one realizes they are lost. He highlights the importance of mental preparedness, proper equipment, and knowledge in survival situations.

The host goes on to explain various tips and strategies for wilderness survival shared by Davis, including the necessity of carrying appropriate winter gear, constructing a shelter, handling dehydration, and the effective use of tools like knives, folding saws, and shovels. Davis also discusses survival kits, emphasizing the need for a personalized and well-thought-out pack rather than a pre-made kit from stores.

Additionally, building a fire and maintaining visibility for potential rescue are discussed. Davis suggests using colorful tarps and protective clothing to make oneself more visible in the wilderness and presents detailed advice on creating fire starters and selecting signaling equipment.

Toward the end of the episode, Tripping Raul shares a poignant personal anecdote connected to the theme of the article about a man lost in the wilderness after a snowstorm, reinforcing the importance of the survival information provided. It occurred one week after the article was published — if only the man had read it and taken it to hear.

Tripping Raul concludes by recommending listeners check out the survival kit list at the end of her article and promises to return to the podcast once she has more content. She ends with a farewell, leaving the next episode’s timing unspecified.

YES! I checked and they found Rudi Moder in November of 2021! I’ll post the story below.

Resources

Four-Way STOP, Dec. 29, 2004
You’ll note it says “Special to the News” in the byline. This is because I had already switched to a communications job at a higher education institution at that point, but I still loved the paper and enjoyed contributing! 

Remains found in Colorado National Park believed to be those of a German man who went missing nearly 40 years ago, CNN, Nov. 5, 2021

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Pizza and Pain: Navigating Newsroom Grief ~ Episode 16

~ Tripping Raul

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In this episode of “Journalism 101 with Tripping Raul,” the host, Tripping Raul, reflects on her experiences as a newspaper journalist during some of the nation’s most tragic events. The episode kicks off with Tripping Raul setting the tone with reminiscences of how, in newsrooms, pizza would often be ordered during major crises — a practice that might sound festive but was actually a coping mechanism during extended and grueling coverage periods.

Tripping Raul delves deep into specific tragedies that she covered or edited, including the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995, the Columbine massacre, the Missionary Ridge forest fire, and the infamous JonBenet Ramsey murder case. She vividly describes the intense environment in newsrooms during these events, noting the shared experience of grief and the need for journalists to work through their emotional responses to provide ongoing reportage.

Furthermore, Raul shares personal stories to illustrate the weight of these experiences. She recounts being at a family dinner when she was urgently called back to the newsroom for the verdict in the Oklahoma City bombing case and expresses the personal impact of watching a fire endanger her husband’s family ranch.

Throughout the episode, Raul communicates the emotional toll these stories took on those who reported and edited them. She mentions the use of substances like drugs and alcohol by journalists as a means to cope with the trauma, and emotional breakdowns, such as crying in bathrooms before returning to their desks. Although these topics are weightily emotional, she attempts to maintain a balance by explaining the importance and historical necessity of reporting these tragedies.

The episode concludes with Triroducing Raul promising to try to cover a lighter topic in the next episode, albeit acknowledging the lasting impact and perennial haunt of past reportage on her and her colleagues. This episode provides a poignant look into the personal sacrifices and challenges faced by journalists covering major tragedies, underlining the often-overlooked human element in news reporting.

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Beyond Belief: Horoscopes, Halloween and Witch Hunts at a New Mexico Daily ~ Episode 15

~ Tripping Raul

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 9:13 — 8.4MB)

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In the podcast episode titled “The Cost of Belief: Horoscopes, Halloween, and Witch Hunts at a New Mexico Daily,” host Tripping Raul discusses her experiences working at a New Mexico newspaper under a publisher whose extreme religious beliefs heavily influenced workplace dynamics and editorial decisions.

The episode starts with Raul setting the scene of her past work environment where the publisher, a self-proclaimed born-again Christian, imposed his radical beliefs on the staff. This included banning horoscopes from the newspaper, labeling them as “satanic,” and unreasonable firings based on minor infractions or personal beliefs contrary to his own, such as firing a reporter for being Wiccan and another for decorating her desk with mini pumpkins for Halloween.

Raul shares her ordeal of being falsely accused of selling colleagues’ names to headhunters and subsequently being fired. This accusation, she notes, was a fabrication by some members of the management as a pretext to terminate her, reflecting the toxic and oppressive workplace culture fostered by the publisher.

Despite the challenging environment, the situation took a turn when Raul, after her dismissal, decided to help her wrongly terminated colleagues by providing testimony and filling out paperwork for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). This initiative eventually led to the EEOC reaching a settlement with the publisher, which benefited Raul financially, helping her clear debts, support her family, and complete her education.

Tripping Raul concludes the episode by reflecting on the unexpected outcome of her actions, emphasizing the importance of staying true to one’s principles and the potential rewards of doing so. She also notes the death of the publisher at the age of 62, marking an end to his controversial influence over the newspaper.

Throughout the episode, Raul intersperses her narrative with broader commentary on the state of journalism, noting the challenges posed by the shift from print to digital media, the impact of social media, and the ethical dilemmas journalists face today.

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Sheriff’s Missteps and the Non-Cold New Mexico Murder Case ~ Episode 14

~ Tripping Raul

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 9:25 — 8.6MB)

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In this episode of “Journalism 101 with Tripping Raul,” host Tripping Raul reflects on a harrowing case from her days as a beat reporter. The case involves the disappearance and murder of 17-year-old Sandra, whose case Raul covered right before being fired from a daily newspaper in Northeast New Mexico.

Raul starts the episode by recalling the initial call from Sandra’s mother, Darlene, who was desperate because the local sheriff’s department dismissed her concerns, suggesting Sandra had likely run away. Raul contacted the sheriff, who maintained the stance that Sandra was a runaway despite the mother’s insistence otherwise.

For fear of bad publicity, the sheriff reluctantly started to investigate the disappearance.

The narrative takes a grim turn when Raul mentions that Sandra’s body was eventually discovered by a shepherd in a secluded area, not by law enforcement. The sheriff admitted that Sandra had gone to a restaurant to apply for a job, where she was last seen accepting a ride home from an unknown individual. This ride ended tragically when Sandra was kidnapped, attempted to be raped, and then strangled.

After the body was discovered, the sheriff posited that the murderer was a transient who had killed as he passed through town after taking a low-qualified job. He likely then left town to kill again, the sheriff said.

Raul discusses the lack of resources in the mid-1990s to link crimes nationally, which affected the investigation. She expresses her initial hope that revisiting her research would reveal a solved cold case. However, she finds out that the murderer was indeed captured after she had left the town, and contrary to the sheriff’s belief, he was not a transient but a local man named Timothy Allen. He had a violent past and had admitted to giving Sandra a ride on the day she disappeared.

Raul ends the episode emphasizing the critical importance of swift action in missing persons cases, citing statistics from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. She reflects on the crucial role the media played in bringing attention to Sandra’s case, which she believes helped to recover the body sooner and with dignity.

The episode concludes with Raul hinting at possibly discussing her firing in more depth in the next episode, leaving the listeners with a teaser for future content.

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