inside-ireport

Michelle Obama answers your questions

hhanks — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:25:29 GMT

Last month, we asked if you had any questions you would like to ask for the First Lady, Michelle Obama on the anniversary of her “Let’s Move” fitness initiative. Nearly 100 questions later, today is the big day.

Mrs. Obama sat down with your questions on an iPad on Friday morning in Dallas, Texas. With so many excellent questions to choose from, it was a daunting task for CNN producers, but we think we chose some of the best to ask in the time we had with the First Lady.

Look for the CNN iReport interview with Michelle Obama on Monday on CNN.com.

Snowstorms, jetpacks and more: The best of iReport this week

davidw — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 15:09:10 GMT

We heard from iReporters all over Europe this week after the powerful blast of cold weather that gripped the region. iReporters also shared with us their thoughts on the GOP presidential race and wowed us with their inspired craft projects.

Europe in a deep freeze

Europe’s unusually cold weather turned the Kloveniersburgwal canal in Amsterdam, Netherlands, into a playground. Cecily Layzell took this photo on Wednesday from a bridge over the waterway. She says adults and children were skating and tobogganing under the bridge and between the boats moored in the canal.

Rina Rautenbach shared dramatic photos of thick layers of ice that collected on just about every surface near the shore of Lake Geneva in Switzerland. Rautenbach says it was minus 23 degrees Celsius (minus 9 Fahrenheit) and that spray from the waves froze instantly, forming icicles on top of icicles.

We also met Lala, an 11-month-old dachshund mix, who is having the time of her life in Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina. Her owner, Mirna Stankovic Lukovic, says Lala spends most of her time curled up on a leather sofa but has loved tunneling through the snow banks.

Inside the GOP race

Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney was in Atlanta, Georgia, this week and frequent iReporter Adriana Maxwell says he got a warm welcome. Maxwell says the crowd was friendly and seemed interested in what the former Massachusetts governor had to say.

Matthew Colver voted in Tuesday’s Colorado caucuses and shared his experience with iReport. It was the first time he had participated in a caucus and he said: “It felt good to actually be part of the process at a very local level rather than just sitting back and complaining.” Colver said 55 people voted in his precinct. Sen. Rick Santorum won Tuesday’s contests in Colorado, Minnesota and Missouri.

Inspiration soars on Pinterest

Jessica Archer was inspired by a post on Pinterest to create these cool rocket packs for her sons Jack and Ben. All she needed were a few soft-drink bottles, duct tape, silver paint and a few other supplies and the boys were ready to blast off. Pinterest is a “virtual pin board” that lets you curate content you love from around the web and share it with your friend. It’s also a good place to look for ideas.

The site is getting a lot of buzz lately, so if you’re a fan and have been inspired to make something, we’d like to see it.

Guilt-free chocolate

High school senior Zoë Taylor interviewed the owner of Sugar-Coated Radical, an Atlanta candy shop that only uses fair-trade products. She also talked with customers who liked the store’s ethical stance and loved its candy. Taylor photographed, edited and produced the story herself. You can read more about it on CNN’s Eatocracy food blog.

Do you have a favorite chocolate recipe? We invite you to take the iReport-CNN Freedom Project ethical chocolate challenge. Make your dish with fair-trade chocolate, and take a stand to end modern-day slavery.

Operation Valentine: Traveling for a cause

A group of iReporters in the Philippines traveled to Barangay Mandulog to help residents who are still recovering from Typhoon Sendong. Vincent Arenas, Sherbien Dacalanio, Andrew Go, Lia Ocampo and Veronica Mendoza and a few of their friends delivered hundreds of pounds of food, clothes and books for an elementary school library. The group first met last year for the iReport fifth birthday meetup in the Philippines and realized they shared a passion for charity.

“We do what we can with what we have,” Arenas said. “That’s way better than doing nothing at all.”

Do you have a story you want to share? Check out our assignment desk, or submit your own view of the news.

O'Reilly and Omekongo hash it out

jmsaba — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 20:41:32 GMT

We love it when iReporters sound off on current events, because they always have something interesting to say, and we know they aren't afraid to make their opinions heard. But here's something we love even more: When they do it face-to-face!

Yesterday, iReport commentators W.J. O'Reilly and Omekongo Dibinga did just that when they sat down in Alexandria, Virginia, for a confab that touched on politics, First Lady Michelle Obama, and why supermodel Gisele Bundchen may have been the downfall of the Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI.

Watch some excerpts from their discussion below:

"African-American" no longer the preferred nomenclature

Why partisan politics won't let us be inspired by Eastwood ad

Hope for American schools hinges on teacher attitudes

If you're aching to get in on the fun, here's your golden ticket: Join in the discussion. Or, better yet, make like Omekongo and O'Reilly and meet up with an iReporter in your town, chat it up, and post a video on iReport! But if you feel passionately about any of the points made by these fine gents, don't wait: Sound off below in the comments section.

iReport Roundtable: Thursday at 2:30 p.m. ET

davidw — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:05:25 GMT

Please join us here in the blog for our weekly roundtable chat. We want to tell you about a cool new project called "Destination U.S.A." CNN's travel producers are going to be working with the iReport community to create an insider's guide to some of America's great cities.

We also wanted to talk about our latest joint assignment with our friends at Mashable. We're asking people to show us projects inspired by Pinterest, a popular social network that makes it easy to share images and ideas that you love.

And as always, we'll be happy to answer any questions, comments or concerns you may have.

Comments will open at 2:30 p.m. ET. We'll talk with you then.

Team iReport is looking for a summer intern

katie — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:57:56 GMT

It’s that time again! We’re looking for a summer intern to join our team at the CNN Center in Atlanta, Georgia. (You can meet our current intern here.)

One lucky intern will work with iReport’s editorial team helping lead CNN’s user-generated news content, participatory media, and community efforts. In addition to vetting iReports, producing content, and participating in brainstorming and editorial planning, our intern will also have the opportunity to learn from a host of CNN professionals across platforms. Plus, you get to take part in croquet tournaments and other fun stuff.

The full-time, paid internship lasts about 12 weeks and is open to college students currently enrolled in school. Course credit is available, and preference is given to candidates who have previously contributed to CNN iReport.

Interested? You can see more details and apply for the position here.

Europe snow: Dangerous, but beautiful

ssesha — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 19:02:18 GMT

Everyone has been hearing about the unusual weather in Europe: non-stop snow for days on end, lakes and dams turned to ice, subzero temperatures and severely cold winds resulting in frozen rain, frostbite and even death.

The bigger picture is that Europe is not just having another snow day. More than 250 people have died across the region and 135 of those cases are in Ukraine alone. National highways have been shut down in a number of countries and the icy roads are hindering transportation.

However, many Europeans are enjoying this snowy surprise. iReporters across the continent have shared with us the beautiful, snow and ice-covered landscapes around them.

We've seen winter wonderland scenes from Romania, the Czech Republic, Germany, Corsica, Spain, Ukraine and Greece.

Albin Niederstrasser, a 52-year-old professional photographer, was shooting snow panoramas in the quiet, tranquil valley of Zillertal, Austria, when about 30 falcons flew above him, fighting. "And suddenly it was totally silent again," he says.

Some of these sights have not just been beautiful, but incredible. Nature draws attention to the laws of physics and chemistry and made us wonder how something like this happens:

Rina Rautenbach, 58, was driving home in Geneva, Switzerland, when she came across the spectacle of ice.

"During the night and the day before we had extreme temperatures, -23C, where it got so cold that the spray made waves on the lake," she says. "As it sprays up, it turns into ice immediately. It became layer on layer on layer." Rautenbach says they call this phenomenon "la beeze" in French.

One iReporter from Italy wanted to show that "there is more to Italy than Rome." Cheryl Ferguson of Urbino, Italy, says her town is in a state of emergency. Residents experience regular power outages and have almost five feet of snow. But despite being trapped in their house for more than a day, Ferguson says they are lucky to have electricity, water and gas.

A number of tiny towns are experiencing difficulties like this. Yet the Europeans have taken it in stride. They are appreciating and cherishing the snow. iReporters continue to capture fun moments, whether it is a dog "dachscing through the snow" in Bosnia and Herzegovina or a fox jumping around in Southeast London.

Whether you're facing obstacles because of the snow or you’ve found an excuse to have snowy fun, we'd like to hear your story. Share your Europe snow stories and more importantly, stay safe and warm!

iReport crowns first-ever Pundit of the Week

jmsaba — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 15:31:04 GMT

Those in the know will always find a lively political debate brewing on iReport between our super-savvy politics junkies as they sound off on the most pressing issues of the day. With 2012 election mania in full swing, we’re kicking off a new weekly series at iReport: The Pundit of the Week.

Each week, we’ll introduce you to a member of the iReport community — liberals, conservatives, and everyone in between — who frequently engages in political debate and discussion with our community. Then, we'll do a Q&A for a look at the person behind the laptop camera.

Our first-ever Pundit of the Week is Cameron Harrelson. He hails from Baxley, Georgia, and at has been a regular iReporter since he first joined the site in 2009. At age 17, he’s also one of our youngest political commentators.

Affiliation: Conservative / Independent — "I always tell people: I'm an American first, a conservative second, and a Republican last.”

How did you get interested in politics?
"I remember watching the results of the 2004 elections and becoming instantly interested in the American political process. I recognized that my parents wanted George W. Bush to win, and were excited for that, but there was something that appealed to me beyond just that. Pretty soon after that, I decided that I wanted to get involved in politics at the local level, and eventually run for office.”

Why do you share your opinion on iReport — why should people listen to what you have to say?
“In my own way, I want to help improve the political dialogue in this country. It doesn't matter to me whether you're a Republican or Democrat, Conservative or Independent or Liberal. What matters are ideas, and how you express them. We all need to find a way to talk to each other respectfully, even if we totally disagree.

“Oftentimes, people tell me that I only have the opinions that I have because I'm copying my parents’ positions. I want everyone to know that's not the case. I do a lot of research on my own to arrive at these conclusions.”

Who’s your political hero?
“Honestly? Right now, and I know this is probably going to make a bunch of people write me off, but I have to say Sarah Palin.

“She took on some tough ethics issues while she was Governor of Alaska, she fought for her principles. And whether you love or hate her, you can’t deny that she made a huge splash when she arrived on the national scene. Sure, I do find some of her positions appealing, but the real reason she inspires me is because of her character and determination.”

What’s going to be the defining issue of the 2012 election?
“Far and away, the economy and jobs. There are other issues that are intertwined with this, like the runaway cost of healthcare, inflation, our huge debt and deficit, and wasteful spending. But when it comes to what’s going to be immediately on people’s mind, it’s definitely the economy.”

What’s something people might be surprised to know about you?
“I took maybe 2 months worth of piano lessons, and after that learned how to play music by ear. I taught myself some guitar chords by doing the same thing.”

Follow Cameron on Twitter at @Cam4573. If you’d like engage in spirited debate and throw your hat into the ring for Pundit of the Week, now’s your chance: Join in on the discussion at iReport.

New York Giants fans overjoyed by Super Bowl victory

rachel8 — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 17:11:03 GMT

Who wouldn't be thrilled by a Super Bowl win, after all? Giants fans took to the streets of New York last night to celebrate after their team beat the New England Patriots, 21-17. iReporters captured a taste of the festivities:

Tarik Falah watched the game at a friend's house, and when the Giants won, immediately jumped into his car to join the celebrations on the street. He spent about two hours honking his horn and cheering with the other revelers of Bay Ridge, Brooklyn.

Falah shot the above video while on the road celebrating. "I just figured people across the country would like to see," he said.

Julio Ortiz-Teissonniere, who shot the photo at the top, says local stores were prepared for the stampeding fans in the streets.

"The Times Square area went wild last night when the Giants beat the Patriots," he said. "One minute after the game ended, a local sporting goods store that was hosting a televised viewing of the game put out caps, t-shirts, posters and other Super Bowl champs merchandise."

And fans who stayed home didn't leave the partying to those in the streets, either. George Nikolis his friends jumped and screamed at a buddy's place in New Jersey when the Giants won. His friend Patrick was so excited he ripped off his shirt:

"It was a nail-biter all the way down to the end," said Nikolas. "You knew it was going to come down to the last two minutes of the game. It was very exciting."

Fans are now preparing to welcome the championship team home to New York City with a parade tomorrow. Nikolas and his friends say they can't wait. Be sure to share your photos if you attend!

Not just for the birds: The best of iReport this week

elchueco — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 14:25:00 GMT

With the week drawing to a close, it's time to look at some of the best birds stories that landed on the iReport desk.

Feathers ruffled over real-life "Angry Birds"

Thanks to Manila's Linus Escandor we learned about the controversial, if colorful, practice of dyeing baby chicks for quick sale to wide-eyed kids. The practice is not isolated to the Philippines. A quick web image search for "dyed chicks" will surface hundreds of images from all around the world showing the colorful little cluckers in crates, cages, and in the hands of children. "The chicks have to be soaked and sprayed in food color," Escandor said. Unfortunately, when children play with the chicks, they tend to treat them as toys. The baby birds suffer stress and this sometimes leads to death, he said.

Flying glitter, nude protesters at DC gala

Occupy DC sent glitter flying into a crowd of elegantly dressed banquet-goers outside the Capitol Hill Hilton Hotel, where the Alfalfa Club was hosting its annual fete. Armando Gallardo did an amazing job of putting you in the middle of a heated protest involving "glitter bombs," nude protesters, mounted police, and the Washington elite.

Gallardo, who covered the protest as a freelance photojournalist, said, "For someone who has been covering the Occupy DC camp for a while, I was surprised nobody got arrested."

The pigeon lady of New York City

From New York City comes the story of Jewelene, a local woman who rescued a pigeon, named it Petel, and raised it as her pet. It's a great story about love, fate, and overcoming the odds. Freelance photographer Harry Peronius says Jewelene is well-loved by city pigeons, who she meets on Chambers Street in the New York City neighborhood of Tribeca: "Many of them she has a name for. When she arrives to the spot, the pigeons recognize her and fly down to her. I've seen it with my own eyes, amazing!"

Customs Day celebration with fire, alcohol, and drugs

iReporter and freelance photojournalist Syed Yasir Kazmi sent us photos from Karachi, Pakistan, where last week they held a celebration for the World Customs Organization's International Customs Day.

Now hold your breath for this: The celebration included the burning of alcohol, drugs, and other contraband materials seized at the country's customs. The event is based around the idea that "borders divide, customs connect," according to the WCO's website. "There was lots of heat and smoke when they burnt drugs. My reaction was to save myself from that heat but [I took the best photos] I could take," Kazmi said.

Chinatown celebrates the Year of the Dragon

Finally, we'd like to highlight the great submissions we received from the Chinese New Year Parade in New York's Chinatown by Rachel Cauvin, Daniil Sosonkin, and freelance photographer Patrycja Adamowska, whose photo you see above. She tells us it was cold and quite crowded last Saturday, January 29, but that didn't dissuade people from sticking around to enjoy the colorful floats and costumes on display.

Happy Year of the Dragon! Here at the iReport desk, we're going to celebrate the week of the bird.

Let us know in the comments which of these stories was your personal favorite, or tell us about other iReport stories that resonated with you this week.

Do you have a story you want to share? Check out our assignment desk, or submit your own view of the news.

iReport roundtable: Thursday @ 2:30 p.m. ET

davidw — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 17:34:50 GMT

Please join us here in the blog for our weekly roundtable discussion. We are looking forward to talking with everyone about what's going on in the community.

If you've got questions, suggestions or concerns, this is a great time to share them. We'll open comments at 2:30 p.m. ET. If you can't make it then, feel free to private message anyone on the iReport Team or email me at david.williams@cnn.com