In case this didn't go through...

I've been having some issues with blogspot posts showing up in my dashboard, probably due to the fact that I have a number of blogs on blogspot registered with the same gmail address.  Anyhow, just in case, here is a blog post for our class (last one!):

"Asylum bid puts scrutiny on gangs" by Pamela Constable, Washington Post

The lede on this story immediately grabbed me...

At 14, Julio Martinez was a fatherless boy in El Salvador who fell in with a neighborhood gang.

The lede leaves the reader with an unusual situation - a 14-year-old fatherless boy, let alone the fact he was in a gang at such a young and impressionable age. 

The story immediately starts out with a humanistic angle which grabs the reader's attention, and then briefly describes what his life was like in the gang including how he was beat when he sought to leave the gang.  The story then contrasts with what life is like for Martinez who is now at age 34.  The story then shifts to more of an immigration issue as Martinez is seeking asylum in the United States. 

This is a great story that grasps the reader, all the while revealing news as to how our immigration laws are being fulfilled. 

"The Art of the Interview"

Great article from The New Yorker about interviewing:

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2014/04/07/140407fa_fact_mcphee

I find that the hardest part of interviewing someone isn't the interview itself but coming up with the right questions. It requires a great deal of foresight. You have to know, beforehand, how the interview is going to move the story forward and where the interview fits within the whole scheme of the article.

That's not to say that the act of interviewing is easy. It can be very difficult as well. Building rapport with your interviewee, guiding them in the right direction without being too pushy -- it requires both confidence and finesse.

I look forward to further developing the skill!

Cat person

I'm a cat person, so when I saw this video it made me happy that it didn't make them look like disloyal, selfish, and evil creatures.

They can be just a little mischievous, which makes them even more lovely.

Are you a cat or dog person?

Cure for Cancer at Mayo Clinic; Article with Embedded Video

I posted the article as it typifies the multi-media approach online.  One listens to a video and printed text is offered beneath the video.  Advertisements pop up  [java script pop-ups.]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2014/05/15/measles-vaccine-cancer-mayo-clinic/9115363/

I find the embedded videos with sound distracting. Perhaps some readers only attend to the video or only attend to the print.  http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2014/05/15/measles-vaccine-cancer-mayo-clinic/9115363/ Just wondered what others thought about it.  Interactive media is here and will only increase over the next few years.  How will this multimedia approach impact our ways of processing information? One feed was for advertising, another for TV coverage.

Emotional skeletons and the power of a good lede

I've never felt sorry for a skeleton before, but the Wall Street Journal managed to make  it happen. And it only took 12 words.

Researchers in Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula have discovered what is believed to be the oldest "complete, genetically intact human skeleton in the New World." The bones are 12,000 years old and belong to a 15 or 16-year-old girl.

The article's title, "New World's Oldest Skeleton Is a Key Genetic Link," got the science nerd in me all excited, but the author quickly reminded me that scientific discovery should take a back seat to humanity.

I'll let you read the lede for yourself. 

I read this in yesterday's Globe, an op-ed piece by Jeff Jacoby about the push for universities to divest from fossil fuel stocks. He attempted to draw a long, rambling three paragraph analogy to botched executions. Two paragraphs into it I actually thought the paper had made a mistake and posted the wrong title. I know it's an op-ed, but wow, a three paragraph intro before you get to your main topic!

http://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/columns/2014/05/13/fossil-free-isn-folly-free/j9GYKqitQMT5hUHKxkvNEI/story.html

High emotions?

When I shared my story about clergy sexual abuse last week in class, the question was raised if it was difficult to write about because I am Catholic. Was I too close to it? Was I too emotionally invested in it? The answer actually was no. Naturally, as with any story, I had to take a step (or sometimes two or three) back to look at the angle of the story, the people I was talking to, the questions I was asking and the way I was writing the story. I never felt driven by anger or anxiety. I was comfortable letting the story speak for itself. I believe that is the way it is supposed to be.

I was very intrigued by this topic, and I think that could have been a bit more of a distraction than emotional turmoil. I wanted to share about the process for handling cases in this diocese. As Jeremy can attest to in viewing the first draft, I was very caught up in the details. In that sense, I may actually have been too far removed from the emotional side of the story. In subsequent revisions, I have worked to bring in the empathy and more human side to the story. One piece of that I had hoped to include was the voice of a victim. Unfortunately, at this point, my resource for finding that person has fallen through. I have reached out to child services this week as well, so hopefully that will turn up today to avoid slanting the story and appearing to have that emotional problem.

Best of luck to you all on your final drafts!

Interviews: To prep or not to prep

[I apologize for the tardiness of the post.]

One of my struggles during this final project was preparing for interviews. I felt that the more questions I came up with, the better the interview went. (Granted, this is only based on around 10 interviews.) This simply could be that I devoted more time and thought to those particular interviews, or it could be that those people just liked to talk more.

Bulk questions is probably not the best way to go. I know it is a good rule of thumb to identify a small set of questions that need to be answered and then make the interview more of a conversation. This means really listening to what the interviewee is saying and asking questions based on their responses rather than simply reading down a list. This requires more thinking on the spot, and it probably helps to have a fuller picture of the story in your head. I think that can be hard sometimes. I did not know where exactly the story was going to go, or maybe I just did not know where it could go.

I wanted to ask the questions that no one was asking so I could write about what no one was writing about. It turns out that is harder than one might think.

Pasco, Wash. is considering a ban on public use of e-cigarettes - smoke 'em while you got 'em

Pasco, Wash. is considering a ban on the use of e-cigarettes in the same areas where tobacco is banned.  The article points to the fact that there are uncertain hazards associated with the use of e-cigarettes.  This is interesting in a state that allows the retail sale of up to 1 ounce of marijuana for those over the age of 21.  Although recreational use marijuana is legal, using in public carries a $100 fine.  At least state and local officials are considering the public with respect to all types of smoking.

Time to break out the Nicotrol patches!

Thoughts?

Link:

http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2014/05/13/2970797/pasco-to-consider-banning-e-cigarette.html?sp=/99/900/901/

Protect Members even if they are Criminals!

"Airbnb, the popular apartment-sharing service, won a legal standoff Tuesday when a state judge ruled that the company did not have to give up customer records as part of an investigation by the New York attorney general." 
Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/14/technology/judge-quashes-new-york-subpoena-for-airbnb-records.html?_r=1

I am a member of Airbnb. I had awesome guests until two weeks ago, when a 20-year-old male guest took my credit card out of my wallet while I was cooking his last breakfast to book for the next stay through Airbnb. He also stole all the cash that was inside my wallet. To protect this thief's privacy, Airbnb could not give me or the police officer this guy's date of birth. I was kinda hoping that Airbnb will lose this battle, but it seems like I am the one that should decide whether or not I will continue opening my door to the strangers.

"Use of marijuana in e-cigarettes on the rise, police say"

"Police are warning the public - and parents in particular - over an increase in the use of marijuana oil in electronic cigarettes among high school students."

Very relevant to last night's class!

Check out the link:

http://www.cbc.ca/player/News/Canada/Edmonton/ID/2455244755/

Russia Suprises Ukraine--Maybe

Neil MacFARQUHAR, "Putin Hits Pause in Ukraine Crisis Amid Skepticism, Intentions are Murky, A pledge to Draw Troops Back, and a Message to Separatists."

http://www.nytimes.com/images/2014/05/08/nytfrontpage/scannat.pdf

I suspect MacFARQUHAR understates the Ukraine crisis at times and on occasion eludes me, but never fails to teach.   A few examples follow from the article above revealing the beauty of the written word... and yes, analogies which can replace a thousand thoughts...

"... if this was just another of his [Putin's] judo-inspired feints."

"... heaving with violence..."

"..."black swans" refer to random, unexpected events with unforeseeable consequences."

"...stick Russia with a failed state..."

"Mr. Putin is known to loathe chaos..."

"...long, bloody and expensive slog, bruising the reputation he gained from annexing Crimea with virtually no blood shed."

"In Slovyansk, the ground zero of some of the toughest, most militarily experienced opposition to Kiev..."
  
Last Note:
 
MacFARQUHAR wrote, "First, there has been an increasing sense here, as elsewhere, that conditions in  Ukraine were rapidly approaching the situation in Yugoslavia in 1991, where the former Soviet satellite broke into pieces.  The violence among various factions was creating facts on the ground, they said, that nobody could predict or manage."

My brother-in-law emigrated from Ljubljana, Yugoslavia to the U.S. in the seventies.  Part of Yugoslavia became Slovenia in '89 to '91, during the breakup of the country.  Ciril has often told us at family gatherings, Slovenia had a bloodless revolution unlike the Serbs, Croats and Bosninaks.  A few people, he said, were thrown in jail in Slovenia and then released the next day.  The trouble makers were told to quit causing trouble with Slovenia, now a new country, and he claims, they behaved. I wish I had the time to research this more.  I do believe Ciril is knowledgeable and has integrity. 

Ukraine is a scary place for those living there now.  And Putin has tried to force a referendum--he claims he has withdrawn this recommendation--eastern Ukrainian leaders say, east Ukraine is not ready to align itself with Russia and wants to separate.

Putin says Russian troops are moving away from the border, but evidence does not support this--one battalion, it's reported by MacFARQUHAR, moved off, but not significantly from the Ukrainian border.

I was finally able to document through travel.state.gov, May 1st, Elana's statements two weeks before were true.  The U.S. Department of State is referring people who want to go home with their Ukrainian passport to verify Russia's new regulations.  A Russian visa is required to enter Crimea "by land, by air and sea."  Those holding Ukrainian passports will need to apply to return to their homeland.

Marijuana Infused Baked Goods - One Cookie Monster is Facing Hard Time

Ok.  Here is yet another example in the Tri-City Herald where the state has set a fine line with respect to the legalization of marijuana.  The man in the article, a medical marijuana user, eats marijuana infused cookies to ease his suffering.  Unfortunately, his farm was recently raided and he now faces serious time. 

I failed to address infused solid or liquid products in my second draft.  In addition to the 1 ounce of usable marijuana, it is also legal to have up to 16 ounces of marijuana infused solid goods (e.g., cookies, brownies, etc.) and up to 72 ounces of marijuana infused liquids – Ice-T anyone?

Do you think I should mention this in the final revision?  I knew people ate things that are infused with marijuana; however, I didn’t get much from my sources on it.  It would be interesting for Capt. Cobb to pull someone over and say, “Sir...I’ll need to test that brownie on your dash.”

I googled photos of these products and it is impossible to tell...except for the cookies shaped like a marijuana leaf...that kind of makes it obvious.  Apparently, there is cooking oil and all types of other products.  

The next time you find that someone has left a big piece of birthday cake or a batch of those irresistible chocolate chip cookies on your desk...straight to the trash!  In a state where this stuff is legal...I trust no one.

Thoughts?

Thanks again for the comments.

Link:

http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2014/05/08/2962910/washington-man-says-pot-cured.html?sp=/99/177/&ihp=1

Dr. Max Gomez writes about "Cold Myths"

I thought this was a great article and definitely provides a fun piece of education for people. The message is also reflected in Dr. Max Gomez's video. In addition, the photos make sense and match the article. It can be difficult to blend the video content with the written content, but Dr. Max Gomez does it perfectly.

Check it out here:
http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2013/01/24/dr-max-gomez-exposes-cold-weather-myths-and-realities/

Dr. Max Gomez Exposes Cold Weather Myths And Realities

January 24, 2013 4:54 PM

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A woman covers her face from the cold as she walks down 5th Avenue in New York January 24, 2011. (credit: Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images)

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Dr. Max Gomez

Award-winning broadcast journalist Dr. Max Gomez rejoined WCBS-TV as a...

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CBS New York (con't)

Affordable Care Act Updates:CBSNewYork.com/ACA

Health News & Information:CBSNewYork.com/Health

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – The bitterly cold winter weather frosting the Tri-State Area has brought out some of the old wives tales about being out in the cold.

Most winter-time myths have to do with the common cold, like “starve a cold, feed a fever.”

So how about some other myths?

Does a Hot Toddy or shot of whisky take the chill off?

“It can make you feel warmer because [alcohol] opens up your blood vessels, but you can lose more heat that way,” explained Dr. Amy Caggiula, and emergency room physician at Roosevelt Hospital.

PHOTOS: Bitter Cold Snap Grips Northeast

Caggiula says losing that heat through your skin actually lowers your overall temperature. So don’t drink if you’re going out in the cold.

What about going out in the the cold with wet hair?

“It might make you uncomfortable, but you’re not going to get sick from that,” Caggiula said.

Can you can you catch a cold by being out in the cold too long? The answer is no. Cold temperatures don’t cause colds, viruses do. In fact, when it’s cold you tend to stay cooped up inside where it is actually much easier to catch a bug from people coughing and sneezing nearby, Dr. Maz Gomez reported.

Can you suffer from allergies in the cold?

“Pollen allergies, no, but indoor allergies like mold and pet dander, yes,” Caggiula said.

Do you need more sleep in the cold? No, although you might want to stay curled up under the covers when it’s real cold. But you don’t need more sleep.

What about the claim that you shouldn’t exercise in the cold? That, it turns out, is no myth.

“It’s OK to exercise, but really cold air can irritate your airways and trigger asthma in susceptible people,” Caggiula said.

If you do exercise indoors and work up a sweat, try to towel off before going out in the cold. Wet skin loses heat much more quickly than dry skin, and it’s also more susceptible to frostnip or even frostbite if you stay out in the cold long enough.

Another myth is people are more depressed in the cold. There is no evidence that there’s moredepression symptoms when it’s cold. There is something called “Seasonal Affective Disorder” which can make you feel blue during the winter, but that’s due to a lack of sunlight, not cold temperatures.

Can chicken soup zap a cold? There may be some truth to it. Some small studies have shown that ingredients in chicken soup have an anti-viral or anti-bacterial effect and may shorten the duration of a cold.

Is Graphic Design Murdering Journalism?

Graphic design isn't journalism, and journalism isn't graphic design. Designers aren't typically concerned with prose, and journalists don't usually care about layouts. But they’re always tethered together in a three-legged race of communication. And sometimes I feel like good journalism is being slowly murdered by poor design.

At the end of the day, designers have the final say about how a story looks and reads, and most designers don't actually read the article before it goes live. Or, worse yet, the website's content management system automatically controls the layout.

However, there are a few publications that fuse journalism with graphic design, and the results are incredible.

In 2013, the New York Times won a Pulitzer Prize for SnowFall, an interactive report about the 2012 Tunnel Creek avalanche. And last year, a couple of journalists launched Epic Magazine, which concentrates on long form non-fiction.

The news cycle moves far too quickly for journalists to partner with designers on every story. But are we using the Internet effectively when designers are a necessary evil instead of an intricate part of the journalistic process? After all, that's not how we feel about photographers.

Looking through the Boston Globe this morning, I stumbled across this journalistic gem. :)

http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/regionals/north/2014/05/07/spring-brings-return-hot-dog-season-lake-quannapowitt/I3qIzy7KFqDCEA8dizDBeL/story.html

Special thanks to my editing team, and to Jeremy, for their feedback and suggestions.

Don

Different writing styles that come from different places

I can also find Propp's struggle function in my experience this term (this is a joke...if you want to understand it, read my previous post :) )

Writing style is different in America than in the Spanish-speaking world. There are formal differences that I had to learn in these months so not to lose the credibility of my voice when I wrote something. I hope it worked!

- One difference, for example, is that months and days in Spanish are lower case. You say abril, not April.
- Other, is that, when you quote, the punctuation goes outside the quotes. For example, you would say "I cried at Paul Mc Cartney's show last week", he said, "He is the best musician in the planet".
- Languages are upper case in English, not in Spanish.
- About titles, we usually upper case them when they are not with a name itself, but refer to some specific person. Example: The President wrote a piece that was published in The Boston Globe.
We lower case when the name is present. Example: The president, Rafael Correa, wrote a piece that was published in The Boston Globe.

Apart from these examples, there are also structural diferences. In American style it is common to write a narrative lede, something that would engage the reader. This also happens in our style, but it is not as common as it is in the United States.  New, narrative ways to present stories are not as common as they are in America. In Ecuador, this kind of narratives can be found in the Culture section, but it is not a general rule to find that kind of stories in every section, or related to any topic.

Reaping Tomorrow at Circus Juventas

Minnesota is home to a performing circus school for children called Circus Juventas. I'm posting a link to the feature story I wrote for class and offered at our literary journal Grey Sparrow.

Thought you might enjoy it.  I don't contribute poetry/prose etc., to the journal which I've noted before.  I do cover an occasional event, interview with an author, and quarterly intro as part of my role as editor.

The kids were a blast--one rode a unicycle by me as I was trying to interview--others chatted about their classes--in the arena people were flying through the air.  I had fun writing it, but was exhausted when I left the school having interviewed about five people. This article is longer than the class article as I interviewed Dorchner and included her.

Reaping Tomorrow at Circus Juventas, by Diane Smith

https://greysparrowpress.sharepoint.com/Pages/Spring2014CircusJuventas.aspx

Should Donald Sterling Get the Boot?

It looks like NBA owners are siding with Commissioner, Adam Silver, to give LA Clippers owner, Donald Sterling, the boot.  The 10-member committee, comprised of other NBA owners, voted unanimously to move forward in the process.

It’s interesting that his comments were recorded during a private interview and later made public.  Obviously, his comments were completely unacceptable.  Should they cost him the team?  If not, what alternative punishment would be appropriate for something like this? 

I can’t help but wonder if this was “off the record” or did he know they could be made public?  Given his history, it doesn’t seem like he would care.

This makes me think about how journalists record interviews.  Based on this issue, do you think people will be more cautious with respect to the comments they make in the future (especially if they are being recorded)?  

Link:

http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2014/05/01/2952578/owners-meet-hope-to-move-quickly.html?sp=/99/995/1082/1130/