APME Student Newsroom

What happens in Vegas is APME

APME is hoping that what happens in Vegas next year stays with you. Organizers expect about 1,000 journalists to gather at the Red Rock Casino, Resort and Spa from Sept. 7-10, 2008.

Those who show will help celebrate APME's 75th anniversary. APME pushed the conference ahead of its usual October date to accommodate the Society for News Design, a new partner.

And it doesn't hurt to gather just days after each political party's national convention.

That's because APME plans to invite the 2008 presidential candidates to speak.

If you want more details, check out apme.com.

See ya there?

Going, going, gone

Editors helped raise nearly $11,000 in the live auction tonight at the National Press Club. That is not including the money raised through the silent auction. As the auction lasted too late into the night, some items will be available for silent bids Friday.

Here's what everything went for:

Theatre tour of New York --  $875

Two tickets for the Philadelphia Eagles -- $230

Four tickets for the Seattle Seahawks -- $600

Four tickets for the Seattle Mariners -- $500

Two tickets for the Memphis Grizzlies -- $300

Two tickets for the Washington Nationals PLUS hotel -- $300

Four luxury box seats at the Nashville Predators -- $200

Mike Luckovich Cartoon -- $450

Spa escape for two -- $750

The Newseum "NewsHound" and two annual passes -- $200

Two API vouchers -- $400

Two tickets for a University of Kentucky wildcats basketball game -- $425

Night in New York -- $650

Autographed hard cover copy of "The Race Beat" signed by Gene Foreman and Hank Klibanoff -- $325

Autographed paperback copy of "The Race Beat" signed by Gene Foreman and Hank Klibanoff -- $150

Scarf made and donated by Annette McGruder -- $450

Stop the Presses control panel -- $100

Lithograph of "The Car Trip: Garfield meets Rockwell" -- $300

Doonesbury lithograph -- $100

Front page of The Commercial Appeal announcing Elvis' death -- $30

Front page bracelets -- $250 and $275

Clark Kent bracelet -- $250

Set of three AP photos -- $500, $400 and $600

Editorial cartoons by Paul Berg -- $200 & $350

Old Editors Reserve bourbon with APME label -- $400

Typewriter -- $300

-- Ginger Gibson and Marissa DeCuir

Party at the Press Club

The all-journalist band Anonymous Sources rocked the Press Club on Thursday night, delighting conference attendees with hits like Mustang Sally and Back on the Chain Gang, which drew cheers and applause from USA TODAY Editor Ken Paulson.

The dance floor remained relatively empty while editors ate dinner, had a few drinks and participated in the silent auction. The auction included photographs, jewelry and a myriad of souvenirs and treats. More on the proceeds from the silent and live auctions to come.

-- Ginger Gibson

Journalists rock

Bucking the trend for protecting anonymous sources, we're outing them. Or at least, the Anonymous Sources, tonight's band at the APME auction. According to our own Deep Thr..., er, Golden Throat, they are:

Ken Barnes (rhythm guitar): Music editor, critic and blogger (Listen Up and Idol Chatter), USA TODAY's Life department and USATODAY.com

Kristi Barnes (vocals, rhythm guitar, percussion): Copy editor for USA TODAY's News department and member of classic rock/pop/country/blues cover band the Big Guise

Robert Brown (vocals, rhythm guitar): Bass player for the Big Guise (non-journo)

Jim Garrison (drums): Works in the circulation department of the Washington Post and is the Big Guise drummer

Randy Lilleston (vocals, harmonica, percussion): News editor for USATODAY.com and freelance musician (a veteran of many bands)

Steve Privott (lead guitar): Lead axe-slinger for the Big Guise (non-journo)

Joel Sucherman (bass, vocals): Executive producer for USATODAY.com and member of the acoustic originals/blues/pop band Blue Daze

Greg Toppo (keyboards): Education reporter for USA TODAY's Life section and member of the classic rock cover band The Chameleons

Golden Throat, whom we can identify only as a vocalist, rhythm guitar player and percussionist, says they've "come up with about 20 popular, danceable tunes that most everyone knew." She added that USA TODAY editor Ken Paulson offered some guidance. Just like an editor.

"I was a nervous wreck," Barnes, I mean, Golden Throat, said, "until I heard everyone. Now I can't wait to share this amazing band with you! Since this is a very special, one-time-only performance, photos and sound clips are not available. The only way you can experience the Anonymous Sources is to attend the auction tonight."

Bidding starts at "Freebird!"

-- Joshua Hatch

Your pictures will be ready in 5 seconds

The Associated Press’s Santiago Lyon and Victor Vaughn’s presentation had some parallels to a Penn and Teller special, just without the obscenities and abrasive tone.

Lyon walked around Salon I and II with his camera. He snapped photos of the crowd members as they listened to Vaughn discuss the photography innovation Lyon was using. Like magic, the faces of attendees popped up on the large monitors on either side of the stage via a PDA connected to the camera. The PDA wirelessly uploaded the photos to an editing station within seconds of the capture.

This technology limits the necessity of the “sneakernet,” which would have required the photographer or an assistant to carry the photos to a feed station and then send them to the appropriate editors.

AP has already used these PDAs while covering this last year’s Super Bowl, and it gave the photographers a 20-minute advantage over their competitors.

-- David Dinsmore

Makes you want to shout

The ESPN Go Zone hosted last night's festivities and conference participants got to let loose on the dance floor. The dancing was closed out with a popular tune, Shout. Here are a few clips from the fun times had on the dance floor:

Participants jump on cue to the sounds of Shout.

Adell Crowe, standards and development editor for USA TODAY, dances to the closing tune.

--Ginger Gibson

They really ARE the Secret Service

DId anyone notice the Secret Service agents at Nancy Pelosi's speech?

Exactly.

For half of the Speaker's speech, I was looking around the room for them. I was in the back, and there were a lot of men in suits standing around.

Still, I didn't see an agent -- or someone who appeared to be an agent -- until a man shifted his weight to the audience's stage right. He was hidden in the black shadow between the red lights.

-- David Dinsmore

'Tired and hungover'

The stereotype held true. Journalists are late. They aren't morning people -- especially after a late night of drinking.

Editors trickled in clinging to their coffee mugs up until the last joke of the comedy session this morning. Slowly but surely, they came. But only about 30 conference participants made it for the first laugh.

"You don't exactly have a packed house of journalists at 8 a.m.," said Rob Humphreys, managing editor of The Culpeper Star-Exponent.

The editor wasn't alone in his thinking. Wayne Carter, copy editor at Westminster's Carroll County Times, said the early show was something unusual, especially for a copy editor.

"I'm going on four hours of sleep, but I'm ready," Carter said.

The reason for the early meeting: Chris White, a copy editor-turned-comedian was delivering a familiar routine with jokes catering to those in the newspaper industry. White said most comedians dream of performing in front of about 1,000 people on a Saturday night.

"But my dream is seven people in a room with a capacity of about 400 on a Thursday morning," he joked. White said "journalists at a conference" is interchangeable with "tired and hungover."

Humphreys, running on only three hours of sleep, said he thought the show went well.

"A few more beers and people would have been out of their seats," he said, admitting he had a few to drink last night, but not "too much."

-- Marissa DeCuir

Coffee and comedian call out early birds

In addition to a light breakfast spread and a vat of coffee, comedian Chris White helped early risers greet the day with quick quips and punch lines. The former Washington Post copy editor shared stories about growing up, going into journalism and being a Quiz Bowl athlete for an audience.

For those who needed a little more shut-eye, here are a few highlights:

• "In college, I think I chose journalism for probably the same reason you guys did. It was the easiest major at my school."
• "My mom told me 'Freckles are the marks you get when you disappoint Jesus.'"
• "I got drilled in the face with a fastball, which was strange because we were hitting off of a tee."
• "When you wear your Boy Scouts uniform to middle school, you have to be prepared, because stuff is going down that day."
• "I didn't make the Quiz Bowl team at first, because my brother and I learned our trivia on the streets."

Though I did not get a chance to tell White, I think he and Lewis Black should collaborate on a series of shows, because the tour name possibilities would be endless. If they could get Michael Jackson -- or at least an impersonator -- to open, they could name it the "It Doesn't Matter if You're Black or White Tour."

-- David Dinsmore

It's a wonderful day in the neighborhood

Hailing from Louisiana, Marissa DeCuir, Ginger Gibson and I know humidity. Some might say nature used Louisiana as a launching pad for the concept of humidity. Yet, the weather here today stunned all three of us this afternoon.

I arrived Tuesday night, so I had time this morning to walk around the neighborhood. By the time I wound up at the Lincoln Memorial, it was evident my Tommy Hilfiger pullover had to come off.

Still, despite the hair-frizzing conditions, first-time visitors to the nation's capital should take advantage of the prime downtown location of the J.W. Marriott and do some sight-seeing.

Try visiting the neighbors...

Or pay homage to fallen heroes.

Just remember your Reeboks and Aquafina.

-- David Dinsmore