1. Timeliness - How recent the event was.
2. Proximity - How close the event was.
3. Human Interest - How interesting the event is to the readers.
4. Prominence - How important/famous the event is.
5. Conflict - The problem that takes place in the story or event.
6. Interviews - The action of asking people questions to get quotes for a news story.
7. Research - The background knowledge attained about the topic that wasn't received by the interviewee.
8. Quotations - The exact words that an interviewee says in a news story.
9. Yes-No question - A non-depth question that is to be avoided in a journalistic interview.
10. Follow-Up Questions - Questions that an Interviewer asks in response to what the interviewee says, not necessarily scripted on a Question sheet.
11. Objective Writing - A news story based on strictly facts, no emotional persuasion or taking sides.
12. Transition Paragraph - A paragraph that is between two quotes to give background information and facts that explain the next quote.
13. Hard News Story - A story that is informational and strictly facts.
14. Soft News Story - A story that tries to entertain or advise the reader. ex, tips.
15. Inverted Pyramid - The structure of a news story that puts the most important information at the top and the least important information at the bottom.
16. Third Person POV - The perspective of the story, without any personal thoughts or first person pronouns.
17. 5W's and an H lead - The beginning of a news story that explains the Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How of the situation.
18. Editing - The changing of grammatical errors that you made in your first draft.
19. Attributions - The difference between research and plagiarism when gathering facts for a story.
20. Paraphrase - Rewriting someone else's words or ideas into your own structure.
21. Fragmentary Quotation - A part of a quote.
22. Direct Quotation - The exact words that a person says.
23. Partial Quotation - Giving a person reference in a story, but not using their exact words.
24. Uses of Quotations - Where a person is quoted in order to tell the story or get the point across.
25. When to Use Quotations - The appropriateness of using quotations.
26. Editorial - A feature story in a newspaper
27. editorial page - Where the editorials are located in a newspaper
28. columns - How the stories are organized in a newspaper
29. Editorial that criticizes - an opinions piece; gives a strong side to a situation
30. Editorial that explains - A story that just tells the story, nothing special or opinionated about it
31. Editorial that persuades - A story that tries to convince the reader to do or say something.
32. Letter to the Editor - A letter written with ideas and revision for past and future stories; the reader's opinion
Monday, December 14, 2015
Friday, December 4, 2015
Interview Quotes
Dad Interview:
1. Explain your profession and what you do.
I, by schooling, by trade, am an Electrical Engineer, but my job right now I do a lot more mechanical and software engineering. Some of that I've taught myself, and others I've taken classes for. What I do is I design new functionality, new sensors for the tools that my company builds. What I did is I equated it to you when the question was asked, 'hey, what do you do?' I say, 'Well, remember those cars that used to not have sensors in the tires to say what the air pressure was? Well, guys like me got together and thought about it and said, 'You know what? If we put a sensor in the tire, we could tell what the air pressure is,' That's what I do with my company's tools. Our equipment is eyed to design new things and go in there to add new sensors."
2. What were some things that you created/invented when you were younger?
I built Go-Karts before, with motors and without motors and I had to use my dad's wood-shop to build a lot of that stuff. I got myself in trouble once... One time, I audio recorded my sisters; I ran a wire and a microphone into their bedroom and I ran it underneath the carpet, around a corner into my bedroom and I recorded what they were saying when their door was closed. My mom caught me and I got in a lot of trouble for that.
3. How did they [sisters] react to that?
They were upset, but I told them that I couldn't really hear them anyway, which, I really couldn't. Just the threat scared them enough and my mom wasn't very happy with me.
4. Did you ever create/invent things because of what your parents did? Would you still have created those things if it hadn't been for them?
I think I would've, but his wood-shop allowed me to see raw materials and I could look at those raw materials and think, 'Well if I put these together in a certain way, maybe I could build something with it,' where if I didn't have that environment, then I probably would've had to find that design somewhere else. Having the wood-shop and the raw materials helped me to see like, 'what can I do with this?' If you give any Engineer two sticks and a round circle, they'll figure out something cool to do with it, and that's what I did. I looked in that shop, and I found this board and that board, that rope, these wheels, and that engine and I started to look at all these things and I was thinking, 'I could put these together and make a Go-Kart!' So without it, I wouldn't have been able to get where I was.
5. What is your thought process when creating things?
A lot of it is, I say this; I put on the hat of the end user. So, if the end user in my Go-Kart example, wanted a Go-Kart, I would think, 'Alright, they would need somewhere to sit, somewhere to steer, they'd need wheels, each little thing. I would do that, so today, in my job, I think about what the end user would like to see as, let's say, an output to a software program. I would write the software, so whatever it did, I put in the results in a way that would be favorable or pleasant to the end user. I can envision it and see the end product in my head before I even start, then go backwards to see the steps. I would then take that information and largely be successful.
6. Is there a funny experience that came out of one of your creations?
Later in life, we [his family] all laughed at the microphone in my sisters' room. One thing that we all laughed about once was that I had an old record player, and I didn't like the case it was in. So I took all the parts and pieces out of the case and I built my own wooden case that looked like a wooden record player, but it functioned exactly the same as the other one, except it looked cooler.
7. How did your family react to most of your creations?
I think positively. At first they didn't know what I was up to, what I was working on. If I ever asked my mom or my dad or my older brother, 'hey, could you go get me some raw materials', they learned to just stop asking questions because if I needed something, they would eventually see what it was used for.
8. Who has helped you along the way?
My dad, sorry to say, he might be able to build a box, but he really wasn't much beyond that with automotives or woodworking. I think probably my two grandfathers. They showed me how to use hand tools, they showed me the 'measure twice, cut once', that sort of thing, also patience.
9. So, are you more of an Independent worker? Do you rely on other people?
I'm very much more of an Independent worker. I think I could go out in my wood-shop now for a solid week, with no interaction with other human beings, and I think I would probably be okay.
10. Have you ever reflected back on your childhood creations to complete a project in your work today?
Yeah, once I took apart my grandpa's drill because every time I used the drill, it was in a metal case, I would get shocked. That's not supposed to happen, so I took it apart and I found where the wire was touching the case, and if the wire bends a certain way, it would give me a shock, so I repaired it. Nowadays, when I'm at my job, if I have to take something apart, I look for things like that and I design so that kind of behavior doesn't happen again to someone else.
11. Tell me about a time when a creation/invention didn't go as planned.
My Go-Kart. One of my Go-Karts; it was a great invention, but the steering mechanism, in order to turn just a little bit I used ropes and pulleys, and I had to turn the steering wheel five times in one direction for it to move just a little bit. I didn't think this through very well, and I went out and rode my Go-Kart down this big hill in my neighborhood. When I got to the bottom, I needed to turn to the right really sharply. I was turning that wheel like crazy, but the front wheels were not turning very sharp, and I hit the curb on the other side of the street.
12. How did you learn from that experience/invention?
I didn't take it personally, and I just realized, it needs to work whether I'm going straight, whether I turn very sharply, it needs to work in all different environments. It opened my eyes to designing with a greater use. I would look at all the different ways my designs could be used and then I would make sure that it would work in every environment.
13. How is inventing/creating as a child different from what you do today?
Oh, the parts and pieces just cost a lot more. Also, I'm not the only end user, so I'll design something as a child, and I'm the only one who uses it. As an adult, in my job, if I design something, I have multiple people using it, not just Native English speaking people, but I have Asians, Europeans, Germans, and Frenchman; all these people using it, so I have to write procedures, It really changes how designs are used. It costs more and my audience is different.
14. Describe a proud moment from any point in your Engineering career.
I think it was when I was awarded a patent for one of my inventions. I thought that was pretty great. I mean, [the invention] belongs to my company, but my name's on it. It made me very proud of the work that I put into it.
15. How did that proud moment change the way you performed your job?
It installed a sense of pride and I tended to take on the next project with just as much pride and just as much drive for perfection.
16. Have you always wanted to be an Engineer?
No, I don't think so. I bet it wasn't until I was a senior in High School that I really thought of what I'd like to do with myself. I wasn't sure what I wanted to do. As a matter of fact, in my age growing up, there wasn't a big of a drive then for post-high school career or education as there is today. There really was no discussion in my household of, 'what are you going to do after high school?', so I didn't give it much thought.
I'm glad I chose what I did, because I think I'm a born troubleshooter and if there's something broken, I can usually figure out how to fix it.
17. Do you know what other jobs you would've wanted?
In hindsight today, as an adult, I think I would've preferred to spend time in the military, just to serve my country, prior to getting out and moving into my career. However, I am where I am today because I didn't do that, so I wouldn't change anything.
18. What did you learn from creating as a kid?
I learned that I could actually build something cheaper than I could buy it. That told me, 'wait a second. This could be a good thing.'
My neighbor had a moped, and it was destroyed by vandalism, some vandals destroyed that little kid's moped. The kid's dad brought me the moped and he says, 'If [you] can fix it in five minutes, [you] can have it.' My friend next door, Mark, and I grabbed that thing and I started working on the wiring in the headset, and he started working on the wiring under the seat. Within five minutes, we had it started and running, and I got myself my own moped, just because of hard work.
19. Who do you work with?
My boss doesn't help me technologically, but he does help me by letting me do my own thing. He gives me room to create, and that's helpful.
20. Are you happy with your decision to be an Engineer?
I am, I think that it kind of made me who I am. I built a piece of furniture in every room of our house. I don't think I would have been able to do that, but I don't know. Maybe I just wouldn't have put myself in a position to experience things that taught me along the way and as an adult; I wouldn't know what end of a hammer to hold.
21. Why did you want to create/invent?
It's a personal thing; it's a sense of accomplishment, it really is. You know, creating something that either is a copy of something very similar out in the world, or something that never existed whatsoever, that's pretty cool.
I built a stoplight in my garage. My truck is so long that when I pull my truck into the garage, there's only three inches from the front bumper to the wall, and three inches from the back bumper to the garage door. If I don't pull it in exactly, I either hit the wall, or I can't close the garage door, so I built myself a stoplight and when the garage door opens, it's green, and I pull my truck in. As soon as it turns red, it's perfect where my truck needs to be. I stop, and I can close the garage door, no worries.
-----
Alternate Interviews:
Mom -
1. Has dad's job affected your life? How so?
Oh, absolutely. I know that if should anything ever break down in this house, because he's an Engineer, he can't just let it go, or he won't call somebody to come fix it. His motto is always kind of like, 'Wait, if we can fix it or do the work, then there's no need to pay somebody to do it. He's very analytical, and he will research if he doesn't know how to fix it already, and he will figure out exactly how to fix it. He's very into making sure things are done right and safe, and so I never have to worry about, 'is he doing to do it half-way?' He goes to the other extreme and, well I say, overthink things, but he thinks things through and through and through and he fixes them. I usually don't worry about how he fixes them because I know he's already checked them all.
2. What kinds of things does he fix up?
He has fixed the lighting in the garage, he always changes out the plug in's and what have you. I keep canned goods and stuff outside in the pantry, and he was being nice and when you open the door, he designed this thing where when you open the garage door, the lights in the garage will go on and stay on for like one minute and then it would go off.
He also designed....
-secret garage door opener
-little stoplight thing for her car/sensor
-fixed my phone when it's broken
He's not an automotive guy, but again, the nature of an Engineer, he loves to figure out problems and I had something wrong with my car. He went and got the book on the car and researched and googled it, read the book, and he went and he fixed it. He's done that multiple times on all the cars that we have.
3. Have you helped him with anything?
I just do what he says. I try to stay out of the way, and yeah.
Another thing he did, because he writes a lot of software programs, at my work, [my boss] Romy thought it would be cool to set up [a lady I work for,] Joan's computer so when she wakes up, she's older, she doesn't remember what time it is, or what ever , and we wanted something more upbeat....
Michaela -
4. What traits would you say that he has to make him be able to do all of this stuff?
He's smart, very intelligent, he is very driven, he stays at something until he completes it. [He's] inquisitive; he questions things and he's very helpful. If you have any questions, he is pretty willing to help you.
1. Explain your profession and what you do.
I, by schooling, by trade, am an Electrical Engineer, but my job right now I do a lot more mechanical and software engineering. Some of that I've taught myself, and others I've taken classes for. What I do is I design new functionality, new sensors for the tools that my company builds. What I did is I equated it to you when the question was asked, 'hey, what do you do?' I say, 'Well, remember those cars that used to not have sensors in the tires to say what the air pressure was? Well, guys like me got together and thought about it and said, 'You know what? If we put a sensor in the tire, we could tell what the air pressure is,' That's what I do with my company's tools. Our equipment is eyed to design new things and go in there to add new sensors."
2. What were some things that you created/invented when you were younger?
I built Go-Karts before, with motors and without motors and I had to use my dad's wood-shop to build a lot of that stuff. I got myself in trouble once... One time, I audio recorded my sisters; I ran a wire and a microphone into their bedroom and I ran it underneath the carpet, around a corner into my bedroom and I recorded what they were saying when their door was closed. My mom caught me and I got in a lot of trouble for that.
3. How did they [sisters] react to that?
They were upset, but I told them that I couldn't really hear them anyway, which, I really couldn't. Just the threat scared them enough and my mom wasn't very happy with me.
4. Did you ever create/invent things because of what your parents did? Would you still have created those things if it hadn't been for them?
I think I would've, but his wood-shop allowed me to see raw materials and I could look at those raw materials and think, 'Well if I put these together in a certain way, maybe I could build something with it,' where if I didn't have that environment, then I probably would've had to find that design somewhere else. Having the wood-shop and the raw materials helped me to see like, 'what can I do with this?' If you give any Engineer two sticks and a round circle, they'll figure out something cool to do with it, and that's what I did. I looked in that shop, and I found this board and that board, that rope, these wheels, and that engine and I started to look at all these things and I was thinking, 'I could put these together and make a Go-Kart!' So without it, I wouldn't have been able to get where I was.
5. What is your thought process when creating things?
A lot of it is, I say this; I put on the hat of the end user. So, if the end user in my Go-Kart example, wanted a Go-Kart, I would think, 'Alright, they would need somewhere to sit, somewhere to steer, they'd need wheels, each little thing. I would do that, so today, in my job, I think about what the end user would like to see as, let's say, an output to a software program. I would write the software, so whatever it did, I put in the results in a way that would be favorable or pleasant to the end user. I can envision it and see the end product in my head before I even start, then go backwards to see the steps. I would then take that information and largely be successful.
6. Is there a funny experience that came out of one of your creations?
Later in life, we [his family] all laughed at the microphone in my sisters' room. One thing that we all laughed about once was that I had an old record player, and I didn't like the case it was in. So I took all the parts and pieces out of the case and I built my own wooden case that looked like a wooden record player, but it functioned exactly the same as the other one, except it looked cooler.
7. How did your family react to most of your creations?
I think positively. At first they didn't know what I was up to, what I was working on. If I ever asked my mom or my dad or my older brother, 'hey, could you go get me some raw materials', they learned to just stop asking questions because if I needed something, they would eventually see what it was used for.
8. Who has helped you along the way?
My dad, sorry to say, he might be able to build a box, but he really wasn't much beyond that with automotives or woodworking. I think probably my two grandfathers. They showed me how to use hand tools, they showed me the 'measure twice, cut once', that sort of thing, also patience.
9. So, are you more of an Independent worker? Do you rely on other people?
I'm very much more of an Independent worker. I think I could go out in my wood-shop now for a solid week, with no interaction with other human beings, and I think I would probably be okay.
10. Have you ever reflected back on your childhood creations to complete a project in your work today?
Yeah, once I took apart my grandpa's drill because every time I used the drill, it was in a metal case, I would get shocked. That's not supposed to happen, so I took it apart and I found where the wire was touching the case, and if the wire bends a certain way, it would give me a shock, so I repaired it. Nowadays, when I'm at my job, if I have to take something apart, I look for things like that and I design so that kind of behavior doesn't happen again to someone else.
11. Tell me about a time when a creation/invention didn't go as planned.
My Go-Kart. One of my Go-Karts; it was a great invention, but the steering mechanism, in order to turn just a little bit I used ropes and pulleys, and I had to turn the steering wheel five times in one direction for it to move just a little bit. I didn't think this through very well, and I went out and rode my Go-Kart down this big hill in my neighborhood. When I got to the bottom, I needed to turn to the right really sharply. I was turning that wheel like crazy, but the front wheels were not turning very sharp, and I hit the curb on the other side of the street.
12. How did you learn from that experience/invention?
I didn't take it personally, and I just realized, it needs to work whether I'm going straight, whether I turn very sharply, it needs to work in all different environments. It opened my eyes to designing with a greater use. I would look at all the different ways my designs could be used and then I would make sure that it would work in every environment.
13. How is inventing/creating as a child different from what you do today?
Oh, the parts and pieces just cost a lot more. Also, I'm not the only end user, so I'll design something as a child, and I'm the only one who uses it. As an adult, in my job, if I design something, I have multiple people using it, not just Native English speaking people, but I have Asians, Europeans, Germans, and Frenchman; all these people using it, so I have to write procedures, It really changes how designs are used. It costs more and my audience is different.
14. Describe a proud moment from any point in your Engineering career.
I think it was when I was awarded a patent for one of my inventions. I thought that was pretty great. I mean, [the invention] belongs to my company, but my name's on it. It made me very proud of the work that I put into it.
15. How did that proud moment change the way you performed your job?
It installed a sense of pride and I tended to take on the next project with just as much pride and just as much drive for perfection.
16. Have you always wanted to be an Engineer?
No, I don't think so. I bet it wasn't until I was a senior in High School that I really thought of what I'd like to do with myself. I wasn't sure what I wanted to do. As a matter of fact, in my age growing up, there wasn't a big of a drive then for post-high school career or education as there is today. There really was no discussion in my household of, 'what are you going to do after high school?', so I didn't give it much thought.
I'm glad I chose what I did, because I think I'm a born troubleshooter and if there's something broken, I can usually figure out how to fix it.
17. Do you know what other jobs you would've wanted?
In hindsight today, as an adult, I think I would've preferred to spend time in the military, just to serve my country, prior to getting out and moving into my career. However, I am where I am today because I didn't do that, so I wouldn't change anything.
18. What did you learn from creating as a kid?
I learned that I could actually build something cheaper than I could buy it. That told me, 'wait a second. This could be a good thing.'
My neighbor had a moped, and it was destroyed by vandalism, some vandals destroyed that little kid's moped. The kid's dad brought me the moped and he says, 'If [you] can fix it in five minutes, [you] can have it.' My friend next door, Mark, and I grabbed that thing and I started working on the wiring in the headset, and he started working on the wiring under the seat. Within five minutes, we had it started and running, and I got myself my own moped, just because of hard work.
19. Who do you work with?
My boss doesn't help me technologically, but he does help me by letting me do my own thing. He gives me room to create, and that's helpful.
20. Are you happy with your decision to be an Engineer?
I am, I think that it kind of made me who I am. I built a piece of furniture in every room of our house. I don't think I would have been able to do that, but I don't know. Maybe I just wouldn't have put myself in a position to experience things that taught me along the way and as an adult; I wouldn't know what end of a hammer to hold.
21. Why did you want to create/invent?
It's a personal thing; it's a sense of accomplishment, it really is. You know, creating something that either is a copy of something very similar out in the world, or something that never existed whatsoever, that's pretty cool.
I built a stoplight in my garage. My truck is so long that when I pull my truck into the garage, there's only three inches from the front bumper to the wall, and three inches from the back bumper to the garage door. If I don't pull it in exactly, I either hit the wall, or I can't close the garage door, so I built myself a stoplight and when the garage door opens, it's green, and I pull my truck in. As soon as it turns red, it's perfect where my truck needs to be. I stop, and I can close the garage door, no worries.
-----
Alternate Interviews:
Mom -
1. Has dad's job affected your life? How so?
Oh, absolutely. I know that if should anything ever break down in this house, because he's an Engineer, he can't just let it go, or he won't call somebody to come fix it. His motto is always kind of like, 'Wait, if we can fix it or do the work, then there's no need to pay somebody to do it. He's very analytical, and he will research if he doesn't know how to fix it already, and he will figure out exactly how to fix it. He's very into making sure things are done right and safe, and so I never have to worry about, 'is he doing to do it half-way?' He goes to the other extreme and, well I say, overthink things, but he thinks things through and through and through and he fixes them. I usually don't worry about how he fixes them because I know he's already checked them all.
2. What kinds of things does he fix up?
He has fixed the lighting in the garage, he always changes out the plug in's and what have you. I keep canned goods and stuff outside in the pantry, and he was being nice and when you open the door, he designed this thing where when you open the garage door, the lights in the garage will go on and stay on for like one minute and then it would go off.
He also designed....
-secret garage door opener
-little stoplight thing for her car/sensor
-fixed my phone when it's broken
He's not an automotive guy, but again, the nature of an Engineer, he loves to figure out problems and I had something wrong with my car. He went and got the book on the car and researched and googled it, read the book, and he went and he fixed it. He's done that multiple times on all the cars that we have.
3. Have you helped him with anything?
I just do what he says. I try to stay out of the way, and yeah.
Another thing he did, because he writes a lot of software programs, at my work, [my boss] Romy thought it would be cool to set up [a lady I work for,] Joan's computer so when she wakes up, she's older, she doesn't remember what time it is, or what ever , and we wanted something more upbeat....
Michaela -
4. What traits would you say that he has to make him be able to do all of this stuff?
He's smart, very intelligent, he is very driven, he stays at something until he completes it. [He's] inquisitive; he questions things and he's very helpful. If you have any questions, he is pretty willing to help you.
Feature Story - Final Draft
An Eye For Invention
This eye for invention and creativity came at a young age for Johnson. Ever since he was a kid, Johnson was constructing all sorts of creations with materials he could find around the house or in his father's woodshop. Inventing wasn't serious and focused work all the time for Johnson, who created a few of them as practical jokes towards his siblings.
"One time, I audio recorded my sisters; I ran a wire and a microphone into their bedroom and I ran it underneath the carpet, around a corner into my bedroom and I recorded what they were saying when their door was closed," Johnson said. "My mom caught me and I got in a lot of trouble for that."
His sisters' reactions were priceless to 12 year old Johnson.
"They were upset, but I told them that I couldn't really hear them anyway, which, I really couldn't. Just the threat scared them enough and my mom wasn't very happy with me," Johnson said.
Along with the skills, such as basic tools and hard work that he retained from years of inventing, Johnson became interested in how technology works. Having the ability to create and repair technology-based items definitely came in handy for Johnson.
"My neighbor had a moped, and some vandals destroyed that little kid's moped. The kid's dad brought me the moped and he says, 'If [you] can fix it in five minutes, [you] can have it,'" Johnson said. "My friend next door, Mark, and I grabbed that thing and I started working on the wiring in the headset, and he started working on the wiring under the seat. Within five minutes, we had it started and running, and I got myself my own moped."
Now a Mechanical Engineer at Applied Materials since 1988, Johnson has referred back to his childhood creations to assist him in today's projects.
"Once I took apart my grandpa's drill because every time I used the drill, I would get shocked," Johnson said. "That's not supposed to happen, so I took it apart and I found where the wire was touching the case, so I repaired it. Nowadays, when I'm at my job, if I have to take something apart, I look for things like that and I design so that kind of behavior doesn't happen again to someone else."
Through storytelling to both his wife and kids and with projects he'd worked on at his house, Johnson's engineering personality has shown through.
"He's smart, very intelligent, he is very driven, he stays at something until he completes it," daughter Michaela Johnson said. "[He's] inquisitive; he questions things and he's very helpful. If you have any questions, he is pretty willing to help you."
Despite Mike's advancement in engineering, not every invention went as smoothly as it had in the past. While most of his creations resulted in success, such as a remodel of a record player and a homemade stoplight, Mike's original Go-Kart was not one of those inventions.
"One of my Go-Karts; it was a great invention, [except for] the steering mechanism. I had to turn the steering wheel five times in one direction for it to move just a little bit. I didn't think this through very well, and I rode my Go-Kart down this big hill in my neighborhood," Mike said. "When I got to the bottom, I needed to turn to the right really sharply. I was turning that wheel like crazy, but the front wheels were not turning very sharp, and I hit the curb on the other side of the street."
Aside from the failed Go-Kart attempt, the unexpected turn of events didn't cause any physical injuries. However, it gave Mike a new perspective about inventing.
"I didn't take it personally, and I just realized, it needs to work whether I'm going straight, whether I turn very sharply. It needs to work in all different environments. It opened my eyes to designing with a greater use. I would look at all the different ways my designs could be used and then I would make sure that it would work in every environment," Mike said.
Even without being skilled in a certain area of engineering, Johnson still takes on every challenge that comes his way.
"He's not an automotive guy, but again, the nature of an engineer, he loves to figure out problems and I had something wrong with my car," wife Charlotte Johnson said. "He went and got the book on the car and researched and googled it, read the book, and he went and he fixed it. He's done that multiple times on all the cars that we have."
After years of creating and designing new gadgets both for fun and for personal enjoyment, Mike has no regrets for choosing the path that he did.
"I think that it kind of made me who I am," Mike said. "I built a piece of furniture in every room of our house. I don't think I would have been able to do that, but I don't know. Maybe I just wouldn't have put myself in a position to experience things that taught me along the way and as an adult; I wouldn't know what end of a hammer to hold."
Even without being skilled in a certain area of engineering, Johnson still takes on every challenge that comes his way.
"He's not an automotive guy, but again, the nature of an engineer, he loves to figure out problems and I had something wrong with my car," wife Charlotte Johnson said. "He went and got the book on the car and researched and googled it, read the book, and he went and he fixed it. He's done that multiple times on all the cars that we have."
After years of creating and designing new gadgets both for fun and for personal enjoyment, Mike has no regrets for choosing the path that he did.
"I think that it kind of made me who I am," Mike said. "I built a piece of furniture in every room of our house. I don't think I would have been able to do that, but I don't know. Maybe I just wouldn't have put myself in a position to experience things that taught me along the way and as an adult; I wouldn't know what end of a hammer to hold."
Wednesday, December 2, 2015
CE 3.3
1. The goals that Mike Zuckerberg and his wife are "advancing human potential and promoting equality."
2. The three major reasons why the state is giving $130 million to Pre-K are to go toward small size classes, teacher training, and full-day schooling.
3. The new condo will be 58 stories high and will be significant because it'll become the tallest tower in Austin.
4. In the next 7 years, David Price will make $217 million dollars.
5. No, I wouldn't eat Texas Trash because the ingredients don't seem appetizing to me.
Short Answer:
Homeboy Industries is an organization that works to give second chances to former gang members and people that just got out of prison that want to change their lives. This story was a really compelling story to read because the whole idea of the organization makes me really happy and grateful for people that have the ability to change lives. This man, who had an awful life, had a breaking point and decided to change his life, despite the change and struggle. The story is so emotionally put together that held my attention throughout the entire story. I thought that this story was very impacting, not only for the organization, but with Javier Medina's story. I could almost feel Medina's emotions and happiness and gratefulness coming through to me with the words he spoke, and since I've been working with quotes a lot, I really, really liked how personal the quotes were. I really liked this story!
2. The three major reasons why the state is giving $130 million to Pre-K are to go toward small size classes, teacher training, and full-day schooling.
3. The new condo will be 58 stories high and will be significant because it'll become the tallest tower in Austin.
4. In the next 7 years, David Price will make $217 million dollars.
5. No, I wouldn't eat Texas Trash because the ingredients don't seem appetizing to me.
Short Answer:
Homeboy Industries is an organization that works to give second chances to former gang members and people that just got out of prison that want to change their lives. This story was a really compelling story to read because the whole idea of the organization makes me really happy and grateful for people that have the ability to change lives. This man, who had an awful life, had a breaking point and decided to change his life, despite the change and struggle. The story is so emotionally put together that held my attention throughout the entire story. I thought that this story was very impacting, not only for the organization, but with Javier Medina's story. I could almost feel Medina's emotions and happiness and gratefulness coming through to me with the words he spoke, and since I've been working with quotes a lot, I really, really liked how personal the quotes were. I really liked this story!
Monday, November 23, 2015
Feature Story Brainstorm
1. My main subject is my dad, Mike Johnson.
2. For my other interviewees, I will interview possibly my grandparents (my dad's parents), my mom, aunts and uncles (brothers and sisters of my dad) and possibly my sisters.
3. The topic is about my dad's experiences with growing and discovering that he wanted to be an engineer. There are key childhood experiences that made him who he is today.
4. I will be writing a more Personality story.
5. My questions for my dad:
1. Explain your profession/what you do.
2. What inventions/creations that you made as a child affect who you are today?
3. When did you realize you wanted to be an Engineer? Is there a specific moment?
4. What did you create/invent when you were younger?
5. Explain a funny experience that came out of one of your creations.
6. How did your family react to your creations?
7. Who has helped you along the way in becoming an Engineer?
8. What was going through your head as a child when you made these creations?
9. Have you ever reflected back on childhood creations to help you with a project?
10. Tell me about a time when a creation/invention didn't go as planned.
11. How did you learn from that failed experiment?
12. How is inventing/creating as a child different from what you do today?
13. Describe a proud moment from your Engineering career.
14. How did that change the way you performed your job?
15. Have you always wanted to be an engineer? If not, what other jobs did you want?
16. What did you learn from inventing/creating as a child?
17. Who do you work with?
18. Are you happy with your decisions?
19. Did other people influence/affect your creations/inventions/job decisions? Who?
20. Why did you want to create/invent?
6. Questions for my Grandma and/or Grandpa:
1. How did you react to my dad inventing/creating?
2. What funny experiences do you remember of my dad's creations/inventions?
3. Did my dad's inventions ever get him into trouble? Tell me about the experiences.
4. What went through your head when my dad was creating these things?
5. What is the most memorable thing my dad created/invented?
Questions for my mom:
1. Has dad told you about any childhood experiences? Which ones?
2. Has dad's job affected your life? How so?
3. Tell me about one of dad's experiences that you remember really well.
4. Can you relate to any of dad's experiences? Which ones?
7. Background Research:
1. There's approximately 39% of Americans that are Engineers.
2. Engineering is divided into 4 major branches, or groups: Electrical, Mechanical, Chemical, and Civil, which all have sub-branches within them.
3. 30% of Americans have the job they dreamed of having as a child.
4. There are approximately 2 million practicing Engineers in the United States.
5. Engineering, unlike Science, is the creation of making systems to improve our daily lives.
8. I will conduct this interview anytime over the Thanksgiving break, either on Wednesday or Sunday, when my dad and I are the least busy. I will call my Grandparents when they're free over the break.
9. I will interview my dad at my house in person, as well as with my mom. I will interview my Grandparents over the phone because they live way out of state.
10. I will plan on recording the interview, as it's easier to get more information and have the quotes flow better. I might have to write down my grandparents' quotes because the interview will be over a call, but if I figure out how to record the call I will ask if I can do that.
2. For my other interviewees, I will interview possibly my grandparents (my dad's parents), my mom, aunts and uncles (brothers and sisters of my dad) and possibly my sisters.
3. The topic is about my dad's experiences with growing and discovering that he wanted to be an engineer. There are key childhood experiences that made him who he is today.
4. I will be writing a more Personality story.
5. My questions for my dad:
1. Explain your profession/what you do.
2. What inventions/creations that you made as a child affect who you are today?
3. When did you realize you wanted to be an Engineer? Is there a specific moment?
4. What did you create/invent when you were younger?
5. Explain a funny experience that came out of one of your creations.
6. How did your family react to your creations?
7. Who has helped you along the way in becoming an Engineer?
8. What was going through your head as a child when you made these creations?
9. Have you ever reflected back on childhood creations to help you with a project?
10. Tell me about a time when a creation/invention didn't go as planned.
11. How did you learn from that failed experiment?
12. How is inventing/creating as a child different from what you do today?
13. Describe a proud moment from your Engineering career.
14. How did that change the way you performed your job?
15. Have you always wanted to be an engineer? If not, what other jobs did you want?
16. What did you learn from inventing/creating as a child?
17. Who do you work with?
18. Are you happy with your decisions?
19. Did other people influence/affect your creations/inventions/job decisions? Who?
20. Why did you want to create/invent?
6. Questions for my Grandma and/or Grandpa:
1. How did you react to my dad inventing/creating?
2. What funny experiences do you remember of my dad's creations/inventions?
3. Did my dad's inventions ever get him into trouble? Tell me about the experiences.
4. What went through your head when my dad was creating these things?
5. What is the most memorable thing my dad created/invented?
Questions for my mom:
1. Has dad told you about any childhood experiences? Which ones?
2. Has dad's job affected your life? How so?
3. Tell me about one of dad's experiences that you remember really well.
4. Can you relate to any of dad's experiences? Which ones?
7. Background Research:
1. There's approximately 39% of Americans that are Engineers.
2. Engineering is divided into 4 major branches, or groups: Electrical, Mechanical, Chemical, and Civil, which all have sub-branches within them.
3. 30% of Americans have the job they dreamed of having as a child.
4. There are approximately 2 million practicing Engineers in the United States.
5. Engineering, unlike Science, is the creation of making systems to improve our daily lives.
8. I will conduct this interview anytime over the Thanksgiving break, either on Wednesday or Sunday, when my dad and I are the least busy. I will call my Grandparents when they're free over the break.
9. I will interview my dad at my house in person, as well as with my mom. I will interview my Grandparents over the phone because they live way out of state.
10. I will plan on recording the interview, as it's easier to get more information and have the quotes flow better. I might have to write down my grandparents' quotes because the interview will be over a call, but if I figure out how to record the call I will ask if I can do that.
Thursday, November 19, 2015
CE 3.2
1. Unusual requests made by the defense attorney for VonTrey Clark's murder arraignment is that the defense attorney came with a filing to prevent attorneys and witnesses from speaking publicly about the case.
2. Students at Princeton are sitting in the President's office because they are refusing to leave until their demands to improve the social and academic experiences of black students on campus are met.
3. The four teams expected to play in the college football playoffs are Clemson, Alabama, Ohio State, and Oklahoma State.
4. The five "platinum" biker-friendly cities in the United States are Madison, Wisconsin, Fort Collins and Boulder, Colorado, Portland, Oregon, and Davis, California.
5. The other films that were compared to The Hunger Games film are "Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi", "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King", "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn-Part 2", and "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2".
Short Answer:
I don't think that this is a good decision by the board because they made the decision not to proof-read the textbooks before sending them out to schools for students to use. Because of the board not checking the facts and wording, students who read these textbooks can receive false information and learn the wrong thing. This can cause many, many problems in the future. I think that the example explaining in the caption about how the slaves from Africa were workers is completely unacceptable. Students who don't know the real story about the slaves' journey from Africa to America could have the idea that these slaves came by choice due to the unacceptable word choice. These people were slaves, they were forced against their free will, but that's not what impression the textbook is giving. Yes! Textbooks should be checked by as many experts and officials as there can possibly be. The more accurate the textbooks are, the better information the next generations are getting. With inefficient information, the future adults can have learned the wrong facts that will hurt the world and the people that live in it. I did think that my textbooks were accurate, but after reading this article, I'm questioning if what I've learned is correct information.
2. Students at Princeton are sitting in the President's office because they are refusing to leave until their demands to improve the social and academic experiences of black students on campus are met.
3. The four teams expected to play in the college football playoffs are Clemson, Alabama, Ohio State, and Oklahoma State.
4. The five "platinum" biker-friendly cities in the United States are Madison, Wisconsin, Fort Collins and Boulder, Colorado, Portland, Oregon, and Davis, California.
5. The other films that were compared to The Hunger Games film are "Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi", "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King", "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn-Part 2", and "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2".
Short Answer:
I don't think that this is a good decision by the board because they made the decision not to proof-read the textbooks before sending them out to schools for students to use. Because of the board not checking the facts and wording, students who read these textbooks can receive false information and learn the wrong thing. This can cause many, many problems in the future. I think that the example explaining in the caption about how the slaves from Africa were workers is completely unacceptable. Students who don't know the real story about the slaves' journey from Africa to America could have the idea that these slaves came by choice due to the unacceptable word choice. These people were slaves, they were forced against their free will, but that's not what impression the textbook is giving. Yes! Textbooks should be checked by as many experts and officials as there can possibly be. The more accurate the textbooks are, the better information the next generations are getting. With inefficient information, the future adults can have learned the wrong facts that will hurt the world and the people that live in it. I did think that my textbooks were accurate, but after reading this article, I'm questioning if what I've learned is correct information.
Friday, November 13, 2015
Feature Writing Preview
1. The difference between a hard news lede and the one I read is that the one I just read had two words, that seemed to grab my attention. It focused more on captivating the reader (myself) than getting all of the information in one paragraph.
2. I learned the Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How from the second paragraph.
3. Yes, there are quotes in the story
4. No, the quotes aren't arranged in the same organizational structure as before, the "quote-transtition" structure. This is more loosely organized.
5. Quoted:
- Kevin McLoughlin, director of post-production films
- Doral Chenoweth III, Dispatch videographer
- Ken Andrews, volunteer & vetran
- Tony Florentino, WNCI program director
- Shane Cormier, Los Angeles agency owner
- Patrick Harris, spokesman
- Ted Williams, the man with the voice
6. In my opinion, I think that the most powerful quote is "My boss said to me: 'If you don't get him hired, you're fired'" - Kevin McLoughlin. I think this because it really emphasizes how powerful Williams' voice is, how the boss is getting involved just for a homeless guy with a voice.
7. There are 33 paragraphs.
8. There are 762 words.
9. The lede and the final paragraph of the story both end with very minimal words that leave you wondering what is next to come.
10. Like my response in question 9, I think that the author left the smallest amount of information to leave you curious about what the story is about or thinking about the story after you finish reading it.
11. Yes, the story was interesting to read because its new information to me that is about someone small that makes it big. It just makes me really happy that these people are noticed, but the video really topped it all off.
12. Yes! I wanted to hear his voice so bad from all of the talk about how amazing and big 'the voice' was.
13. Watching the video after reading the story added the voice aspect to the story and had more of an impact on my interest and understanding of this 'voice'. Because the story was about how amazing this voice was, it really made sense to include an audio of it.
14. Yes, I feel that the story would have lost some of its impact without the video, but not all. The author still did a good job of explaining the voice so thoroughly that I could just hear the voice in my head, but the video made the story so much better.
15. Yes, the author did try to help me imagine the voice and describe it by italicizing what Williams says in the interview. I knew that these words were special, so even though the author didn't tell me those were the words, I knew.
16. Like my answer in question 15, the author showed/described the voice and what Williams said by italicizing the words to make them stand out more.
2. I learned the Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How from the second paragraph.
3. Yes, there are quotes in the story
4. No, the quotes aren't arranged in the same organizational structure as before, the "quote-transtition" structure. This is more loosely organized.
5. Quoted:
- Kevin McLoughlin, director of post-production films
- Doral Chenoweth III, Dispatch videographer
- Ken Andrews, volunteer & vetran
- Tony Florentino, WNCI program director
- Shane Cormier, Los Angeles agency owner
- Patrick Harris, spokesman
- Ted Williams, the man with the voice
6. In my opinion, I think that the most powerful quote is "My boss said to me: 'If you don't get him hired, you're fired'" - Kevin McLoughlin. I think this because it really emphasizes how powerful Williams' voice is, how the boss is getting involved just for a homeless guy with a voice.
7. There are 33 paragraphs.
8. There are 762 words.
9. The lede and the final paragraph of the story both end with very minimal words that leave you wondering what is next to come.
10. Like my response in question 9, I think that the author left the smallest amount of information to leave you curious about what the story is about or thinking about the story after you finish reading it.
11. Yes, the story was interesting to read because its new information to me that is about someone small that makes it big. It just makes me really happy that these people are noticed, but the video really topped it all off.
12. Yes! I wanted to hear his voice so bad from all of the talk about how amazing and big 'the voice' was.
13. Watching the video after reading the story added the voice aspect to the story and had more of an impact on my interest and understanding of this 'voice'. Because the story was about how amazing this voice was, it really made sense to include an audio of it.
14. Yes, I feel that the story would have lost some of its impact without the video, but not all. The author still did a good job of explaining the voice so thoroughly that I could just hear the voice in my head, but the video made the story so much better.
15. Yes, the author did try to help me imagine the voice and describe it by italicizing what Williams says in the interview. I knew that these words were special, so even though the author didn't tell me those were the words, I knew.
16. Like my answer in question 15, the author showed/described the voice and what Williams said by italicizing the words to make them stand out more.
Tuesday, November 10, 2015
Peer Reflection #2:
1. Claire
2. This story is about the negative effects of giving a child allowance for things such as chores, grades, etc.
3. "I do not think that parents should give their kids allowances."
4. Yes, Claire mentioned the argument from parents who want to give their kids allowances and their reasons behind it.
5. No. Claire was strong in saying that she doesn't believe kids should be given allowance.
6. There's an embedded quote from a professor that says, "This being because these kids 'think far less about money in general.'" (paragraph 6)
7. 1st person
8. I could tell that Claire was writing an opinions piece (straight commentary) because she used first person pronouns and had her own personal opinions.
Comment Link:
http://clairesjournalismblog.blogspot.com/2015/11/2nd-opinions-piece.html?showComment=1447185495795#c3490677674289170727
2. This story is about the negative effects of giving a child allowance for things such as chores, grades, etc.
3. "I do not think that parents should give their kids allowances."
4. Yes, Claire mentioned the argument from parents who want to give their kids allowances and their reasons behind it.
5. No. Claire was strong in saying that she doesn't believe kids should be given allowance.
6. There's an embedded quote from a professor that says, "This being because these kids 'think far less about money in general.'" (paragraph 6)
7. 1st person
8. I could tell that Claire was writing an opinions piece (straight commentary) because she used first person pronouns and had her own personal opinions.
Comment Link:
http://clairesjournalismblog.blogspot.com/2015/11/2nd-opinions-piece.html?showComment=1447185495795#c3490677674289170727
Peer Reflection #1:
1. Alyssa
2. This story is about a review of the movie, "The Martian".
3. "I was thoroughly impressed...", "I loved how realistic everything on Mars was..." , "I loved how the movie ended..."
4. Yes, Alyssa explained the side that doesn't like the movie.
5. No, Alyssa stayed on the side of liking the movie.
6. No quotes
7. 1st person
8. Yes, Alyssa was writing in a straight commentary piece because she used 1st person pronouns and spoke for herself.
Comment Link:
http://alyssasjournalismblog.blogspot.com/2015/11/opinions-writing-2.html?showComment=1447184692239#c4343430446213462806
2. This story is about a review of the movie, "The Martian".
3. "I was thoroughly impressed...", "I loved how realistic everything on Mars was..." , "I loved how the movie ended..."
4. Yes, Alyssa explained the side that doesn't like the movie.
5. No, Alyssa stayed on the side of liking the movie.
6. No quotes
7. 1st person
8. Yes, Alyssa was writing in a straight commentary piece because she used 1st person pronouns and spoke for herself.
Comment Link:
http://alyssasjournalismblog.blogspot.com/2015/11/opinions-writing-2.html?showComment=1447184692239#c4343430446213462806
Friday, November 6, 2015
Editorials and Personal Columns
Ideas for future Editorials:
1. Issues involving teachers that don't do their job
2. School parking traffic before and after school
3. Lack of funding for the school
One columnist I read/watch on a regular basis is Connor Franta. I continue to read/watch him on a regular basis because the content he produces is inspirational, thoughtful, and interesting. He writes about things I can relate to and he talks about things that help me with issues I have.
Opinions Piece on Social Media:
Social Media is being used by nearly fifty-nine percent of children by the age of ten. This has grown over the past few years. Less children should be introduced to technology and social media because I feel it's taking a toll on their minds, but they don't realize it.
When Social Media is introduced to a child's life early on, this can affect their ability to interact face-to-face and have an in-depth conversation. With Social Media acting as a mask, children lack the social development that is necessary for their life.
Along with the incapability to socialize in person, a child can establish a hate speech. A child who is exposed to Social Media sites has a higher chance of being introduced to discrimination. They are more likely to develop disrespectful behavior, especially if the child is part of a minority being discriminated against.
One of the main reasons why Social Media shouldn't be introduced to children at an early age is the issue of cyberbullying. A poll showed that twenty-one percent of children have posted negative comments starting from age eleven. Another twenty-six percent of children went on another's account and posted without permission. A child can be a victim of this common problem. They can feel insecure or lack confidence needed in life. This can require a long process to replenish what they have lost.
More than half of eight to sixteen year olds have ignored the age limits for Social Media sites, including Facebook, Snapchat, and Ask.fm. According to Dr. Richard Woolfson, child psychologist and Knowthenet spokesman, this is not only unsafe, but can expose a child to content, people and situations that they aren't comfortable with and prepared for. This can tamper with their mind and leave negative effects on their state of mind.
Not only is Social Media content inappropriate for children, they are also in danger of online grooming. Approximately forty-three percent of kids have confessed to messaging a stranger by the age of ten. It is growing increasingly common for pedophiles to make fake profile accounts in order to become friends with the kids. They can then gain access to personal information, such as their school or city, and use that information to hurt the child.
With that being said, Social Media can persuade children to easily give out personal information, which can lead to identity theft. They most likely don't have experience with internet safety, and a survey showed that twenty percent of children feel it is okay to share this sort of information.
People may argue that Social Media is good for a child's confidence and help them express themselves, but studies have found that a child can feel put down or judged by other accounts. Being at such a young age, that child can judge their success with how many followers they have gained or if they are being included in social topics.
Social Media is being used by young children all around the world, and it is harming the child's state of mind. The issue of insecurity and lack of safety will continue to grow if children join Social Media before they are prepared for the content.
Word Count: 528
1. Issues involving teachers that don't do their job
2. School parking traffic before and after school
3. Lack of funding for the school
One columnist I read/watch on a regular basis is Connor Franta. I continue to read/watch him on a regular basis because the content he produces is inspirational, thoughtful, and interesting. He writes about things I can relate to and he talks about things that help me with issues I have.
Opinions Piece on Social Media:
Social Media is being used by nearly fifty-nine percent of children by the age of ten. This has grown over the past few years. Less children should be introduced to technology and social media because I feel it's taking a toll on their minds, but they don't realize it.
When Social Media is introduced to a child's life early on, this can affect their ability to interact face-to-face and have an in-depth conversation. With Social Media acting as a mask, children lack the social development that is necessary for their life.
Along with the incapability to socialize in person, a child can establish a hate speech. A child who is exposed to Social Media sites has a higher chance of being introduced to discrimination. They are more likely to develop disrespectful behavior, especially if the child is part of a minority being discriminated against.
One of the main reasons why Social Media shouldn't be introduced to children at an early age is the issue of cyberbullying. A poll showed that twenty-one percent of children have posted negative comments starting from age eleven. Another twenty-six percent of children went on another's account and posted without permission. A child can be a victim of this common problem. They can feel insecure or lack confidence needed in life. This can require a long process to replenish what they have lost.
More than half of eight to sixteen year olds have ignored the age limits for Social Media sites, including Facebook, Snapchat, and Ask.fm. According to Dr. Richard Woolfson, child psychologist and Knowthenet spokesman, this is not only unsafe, but can expose a child to content, people and situations that they aren't comfortable with and prepared for. This can tamper with their mind and leave negative effects on their state of mind.
Not only is Social Media content inappropriate for children, they are also in danger of online grooming. Approximately forty-three percent of kids have confessed to messaging a stranger by the age of ten. It is growing increasingly common for pedophiles to make fake profile accounts in order to become friends with the kids. They can then gain access to personal information, such as their school or city, and use that information to hurt the child.
With that being said, Social Media can persuade children to easily give out personal information, which can lead to identity theft. They most likely don't have experience with internet safety, and a survey showed that twenty percent of children feel it is okay to share this sort of information.
People may argue that Social Media is good for a child's confidence and help them express themselves, but studies have found that a child can feel put down or judged by other accounts. Being at such a young age, that child can judge their success with how many followers they have gained or if they are being included in social topics.
Social Media is being used by young children all around the world, and it is harming the child's state of mind. The issue of insecurity and lack of safety will continue to grow if children join Social Media before they are prepared for the content.
Word Count: 528
CE 3.1
1. Travis county wants to ban the Confederate flag from a parade this month because they claim it is a "a political symbol of hatred and racism."
2. Julian Hernandez found out from a discrepancy involving his social security number when applying for colleges.
3. A group of kids have to climb a ladder to get to school because if they didn't, the kids would have to walk 1.5 miles around a neighborhood to get there.
4. Whole Foods is an Austin-based organic foods business. Amplify Snacks is an Austin-based business of popcorn and tortilla chips for health-conscious consumers. HomeAway is an Austin-based business in the online vacation rental industry.
5. Elena Donio is trying to coach women who want a career in tech and a family, and she's doing that by organizing dinners and mentoring MBA students at the University of Washington.
Short Answer:
This is a Personal Column article because Brooks is sharing his insights on something he believes. He is using personal experiences and there's no quotes. David Brooks was making the argument that a person should live for a simpler life in order to live life fully rather than trying to do everything and have everything. Brooks proved his point by agreeing with April Lawson when she says "...many of us are on a wireless hamster wheel, running furiously to keep the inbox in the same place." He also argues that "The things they call good, like riches, are really bad." I think that the article was termed 'From the Right' because the left-side story is the other argument against Brooks' points. The left-side article is supporting politics, while Brooks' story is arguing a more natural life without complexity. This could also be termed 'From the Right' because this is the 'right' side of the story, it is the better half of the story. Brooks didn't really convince me of his point. I already agreed with some things he said, but the other points he made didn't affect me. He was more telling the reader (myself) of the things he believed, and didn't try to convince me of pursuing a better life.
2. Julian Hernandez found out from a discrepancy involving his social security number when applying for colleges.
3. A group of kids have to climb a ladder to get to school because if they didn't, the kids would have to walk 1.5 miles around a neighborhood to get there.
4. Whole Foods is an Austin-based organic foods business. Amplify Snacks is an Austin-based business of popcorn and tortilla chips for health-conscious consumers. HomeAway is an Austin-based business in the online vacation rental industry.
5. Elena Donio is trying to coach women who want a career in tech and a family, and she's doing that by organizing dinners and mentoring MBA students at the University of Washington.
Short Answer:
This is a Personal Column article because Brooks is sharing his insights on something he believes. He is using personal experiences and there's no quotes. David Brooks was making the argument that a person should live for a simpler life in order to live life fully rather than trying to do everything and have everything. Brooks proved his point by agreeing with April Lawson when she says "...many of us are on a wireless hamster wheel, running furiously to keep the inbox in the same place." He also argues that "The things they call good, like riches, are really bad." I think that the article was termed 'From the Right' because the left-side story is the other argument against Brooks' points. The left-side article is supporting politics, while Brooks' story is arguing a more natural life without complexity. This could also be termed 'From the Right' because this is the 'right' side of the story, it is the better half of the story. Brooks didn't really convince me of his point. I already agreed with some things he said, but the other points he made didn't affect me. He was more telling the reader (myself) of the things he believed, and didn't try to convince me of pursuing a better life.
Monday, November 2, 2015
Peer Reflection #2
1. Ellie
2. The Bowie High School schedule (Fit and A & B days)
3. "Although I disagree with the 'A' and 'B' day schedule, I completely agree with having Fit everyday."
4. Yes, the people who oppose having Fit every day of the week and the disadvantages that can come from having Fit every day.
5. No, Ellie was strongly on the side of having Fit every day (or most days) and opposing the A & B day alternating schedule.
6. No quotes
7. 1st person
Comment Link:
http://elliesjournalismblog.blogspot.com/2015/10/the-schedule-at-bowie-high-school-had.html?showComment=1446492938979#c7694589650045746708
2. The Bowie High School schedule (Fit and A & B days)
3. "Although I disagree with the 'A' and 'B' day schedule, I completely agree with having Fit everyday."
4. Yes, the people who oppose having Fit every day of the week and the disadvantages that can come from having Fit every day.
5. No, Ellie was strongly on the side of having Fit every day (or most days) and opposing the A & B day alternating schedule.
6. No quotes
7. 1st person
Comment Link:
http://elliesjournalismblog.blogspot.com/2015/10/the-schedule-at-bowie-high-school-had.html?showComment=1446492938979#c7694589650045746708
Peer Reflection #1
1. Kelly
2. Freshman taking the PSAT
3. "If I had a choice, I would take the PSAT because it further prepares me for life changing tests that will determine what kind of university I could get into."
4. Yes, she addressed the disadvantages to Freshman taking the PSAT.
5. No, Kelly was really supporting the idea that Freshman should take the PSAT.
6. No quotes
7. 1st person
Comment Link:
http://kelly-sjournalismblog.blogspot.com/2015/10/commentary-article.html?showComment=1446492248588
2. Freshman taking the PSAT
3. "If I had a choice, I would take the PSAT because it further prepares me for life changing tests that will determine what kind of university I could get into."
4. Yes, she addressed the disadvantages to Freshman taking the PSAT.
5. No, Kelly was really supporting the idea that Freshman should take the PSAT.
6. No quotes
7. 1st person
Comment Link:
http://kelly-sjournalismblog.blogspot.com/2015/10/commentary-article.html?showComment=1446492248588
Thursday, October 29, 2015
My 1st Commentary Article
Art
Supplies -
In
the art department at Bowie High School, supplies are being used daily by
students in multiple classes. Because of the continuous use, the art supplies
are in bad condition and need of replacement. I feel that new art supplies are
to be purchased and made available to the many art students around campus.
After
signing up for Art I in hopes of improving my art skills, I was shocked to
discover that the brushes and paints, along with other supplies, aren't
sufficient. The colors in the watercolor palette were mixed together, making
the entire palette unusable and preventing me from completing my project.
How
are students expected to make these outstanding pieces if they don’t even have
supplies to make it acceptable?
The
teachers tell students, including myself, to sign up for contests. I would be
compatible with entering the contests, but an issue is that it takes me too
long to complete my submission.
This
may be partially from my details and precision, but the majority of my time spent
is trying to find a watercolor palette that has all of the colors, or
paintbrushes where the brush doesn’t fall off when I try to wash it off. The
paper we receive can’t withstand the amount of paint being put on it, and I’ve
resorted to bringing my own colored pencils to get my work done.
At
the beginning of the year, all art students were required to pay a
twenty-dollar art fee. I assumed this money would go towards supplies, but
after ten weeks in this class, no noticeable things were updated. The paints
are still a mix of colors and the brushes still come apart while using them.
Another
issue is the sketchbooks. Art students were told they were to be given a
sketchbook for the year that they could complete weekly assignments in.
Everyone I talked to assumed we were getting a real sketchbook, not the stapled
piece of slick paper we received.
I
realize that art supplies are expensive, especially for the amount of students
taking this course. This might be a pull factor for less expensive supplies,
but the current cheap supplies just aren’t cutting it.
This
doesn’t mean that the most expensive paints, colored pencils, or brushes are
needed. For example, a Prismacolor 72-set of colored pencils are approximately
sixty dollars. A watercolor palette can get up to around four hundred dollars,
but most 16-set paints are found for approximately twenty dollars. The art program
doesn’t need the best supplies, but a step up from Crayola can only improve our
work.
In
order to get these new supplies, money has to be gathered to purchase them.
This doesn’t have to come from the teachers or staff. Students can donate a
small amount of money that goes directly towards supplies, or the art program
can host a fundraiser to raise money. If
all classes donate or raise money for supplies, the art program will have
sufficient materials in no time.
Sports
and other common clubs get new equipment, etc. every year, but the less popular
organizations don’t. This needs to be changed. Every class, specifically art,
deserves better supplies and materials to make the program successful.
In
conclusion, I believe that the art program needs better supplies, as the current
materials are falling apart and in need of replacement. For as many students as
there are, this seems like a reasonable request.
Word
count: 572
CE 2.3
1. The speaker of the house is Rep. Paul Ryan and he's aligned with the Republicans.
2. The law in Texas specifically says that "...failure to identify becomes an offense if the person 'intentionally refuses to give a name, residence address, or date of birth to an officer who has lawfully arrested the person and requested the information."
3. Two teams playing in the World Series are the Mets and the Royals.
4. Two Do's for bringing autumn into your home decor are one, buy high quality decor so it's worth the purchase and two, choose unexpected color combinations that allow the decor to be used for more than one season. Two Don'ts for bringing autumn into your home decor are one, don't buy decor that can only be used for one season or else they aren't used and two, don't overboard with season decor.
5. Out of the five things to do on the long weekend, I would want to go to the Umlauf Sculpture Garden.
Short Answer:
Yes, I've seen the video of the girl being thrown across the room by a deputy after flipped out of her desk. In my opinion, this incident is unbelievable. What this deputy did was unnecessary and he could've resolved the issue some other way. I understand that the girl was being disruptive, but physically flipping her out of her desk and throwing her is not the way to solving the issue. The deputy should be punished. Yes, I do think that police brutality is a problem in our country, because I think that police officers abuse their power and control. They think they can get away with illegal issues because of their position. I think there is racism behind these issues, as sad as that is. All of the incidents I've seen have a dark-skinned person as the victim, even if they weren't doing anything necessarily wrong. In this issue, social media and cell phones plays an important role. This was the reason behind this incident, and if the girl hadn't disrupted the class with her cell phone and herself on the cell phone, this mess could've been prevented. I think that it's important for other people to see what is happening in other parts of the country or the world. It helps bring awareness to different situations, although I do believe that there is an excessive amount of publicity and broadcast that can harm a person as an individual if they were involved.
2. The law in Texas specifically says that "...failure to identify becomes an offense if the person 'intentionally refuses to give a name, residence address, or date of birth to an officer who has lawfully arrested the person and requested the information."
3. Two teams playing in the World Series are the Mets and the Royals.
4. Two Do's for bringing autumn into your home decor are one, buy high quality decor so it's worth the purchase and two, choose unexpected color combinations that allow the decor to be used for more than one season. Two Don'ts for bringing autumn into your home decor are one, don't buy decor that can only be used for one season or else they aren't used and two, don't overboard with season decor.
5. Out of the five things to do on the long weekend, I would want to go to the Umlauf Sculpture Garden.
Short Answer:
Yes, I've seen the video of the girl being thrown across the room by a deputy after flipped out of her desk. In my opinion, this incident is unbelievable. What this deputy did was unnecessary and he could've resolved the issue some other way. I understand that the girl was being disruptive, but physically flipping her out of her desk and throwing her is not the way to solving the issue. The deputy should be punished. Yes, I do think that police brutality is a problem in our country, because I think that police officers abuse their power and control. They think they can get away with illegal issues because of their position. I think there is racism behind these issues, as sad as that is. All of the incidents I've seen have a dark-skinned person as the victim, even if they weren't doing anything necessarily wrong. In this issue, social media and cell phones plays an important role. This was the reason behind this incident, and if the girl hadn't disrupted the class with her cell phone and herself on the cell phone, this mess could've been prevented. I think that it's important for other people to see what is happening in other parts of the country or the world. It helps bring awareness to different situations, although I do believe that there is an excessive amount of publicity and broadcast that can harm a person as an individual if they were involved.
Friday, October 23, 2015
Personal Essays
1. One idea that the writer gave that I can use to start deciding on a topic is to pick a topic that interests you, that you care strongly enough about to write about.
2. One idea that the writer gave to remember when writing my piece is to use a lot of details and avoid using abstract expressions and phrases.
3. Three suggestions the writer makes to use as I write are firstly, to write from a personal perspective, but keep in mind of the construction. Secondly, avoid philosophical rants about your topic that make no connections to the reader. Lastly, grab the reader's attention with a strong hook.
Story 1 - Focusing On What's Important in the Wake of Tragedy (The Talon)
1. Matt Davenport
2. This story is about an incident that occurred at the school, where a frame of construction fell and killed one worker and injuring three others. Both students, teachers, and others are trying to cope with this situation and figure out the cause.
3. "But more than anything, keep in mind what is really important while the school endures this ordeal, and keep your thoughts and words in line as you do."
4. No, didn't address other side of story.
5. No, Matt wasn't wishy-washy about their opinion. He was strongly on the side of staying supportive and understanding about this situation and to keep the killed and injured in their prayers.
6. No quotes
7. 2nd person
Story 2 - Making Mum Preferred Rather Than Buying (The Outlook)
1. Paulina Zuleta
2. This story was about whether a student should purchase or make a mum, and which is more expensive. Paulina shares advice in order to get the best price for the mums.
3. "I feel it's better to make your own mum because you know what you want."
4. No
5. No, Paulina was pretty set on saying a student should make a mum as oppose to buying one.
6. No quotes
7. 2nd person
Story 3 - A Case Against Valentines Day (The Prowler)
1. Damon Fullington
2. This story is about the bad things that take place on Valentines, with added humor and strong personal experiences from the writer, Damon.
3. "While there is no shame in having a day set aside in the name of love, there are lines that should be drawn"
4. No
5. No, Damon was strong on the idea that Valentines was over the top.
6. No quotes
7. 1st person
2. One idea that the writer gave to remember when writing my piece is to use a lot of details and avoid using abstract expressions and phrases.
3. Three suggestions the writer makes to use as I write are firstly, to write from a personal perspective, but keep in mind of the construction. Secondly, avoid philosophical rants about your topic that make no connections to the reader. Lastly, grab the reader's attention with a strong hook.
Story 1 - Focusing On What's Important in the Wake of Tragedy (The Talon)
1. Matt Davenport
2. This story is about an incident that occurred at the school, where a frame of construction fell and killed one worker and injuring three others. Both students, teachers, and others are trying to cope with this situation and figure out the cause.
3. "But more than anything, keep in mind what is really important while the school endures this ordeal, and keep your thoughts and words in line as you do."
4. No, didn't address other side of story.
5. No, Matt wasn't wishy-washy about their opinion. He was strongly on the side of staying supportive and understanding about this situation and to keep the killed and injured in their prayers.
6. No quotes
7. 2nd person
Story 2 - Making Mum Preferred Rather Than Buying (The Outlook)
1. Paulina Zuleta
2. This story was about whether a student should purchase or make a mum, and which is more expensive. Paulina shares advice in order to get the best price for the mums.
3. "I feel it's better to make your own mum because you know what you want."
4. No
5. No, Paulina was pretty set on saying a student should make a mum as oppose to buying one.
6. No quotes
7. 2nd person
Story 3 - A Case Against Valentines Day (The Prowler)
1. Damon Fullington
2. This story is about the bad things that take place on Valentines, with added humor and strong personal experiences from the writer, Damon.
3. "While there is no shame in having a day set aside in the name of love, there are lines that should be drawn"
4. No
5. No, Damon was strong on the idea that Valentines was over the top.
6. No quotes
7. 1st person
CE 2.2
1. The two potential causes of the Hidden Pines fire in Bastrop are one, an intentionally set burn pile and two, an overheating shredder.
2. Alan Glukian was nominated for a music educators award because SaulPaul was impressed with how he interacted with students, he had a great passion for it, and went above and beyond to keep the program running.
3. The favorite to win the F1 race is Lewis Hamilton.
4. 3 types of apples mentioned in the article are Ginger Golds, Honeycrisp, and Jonagold.
5. Out of the 8 items mentioned, I would definitely splurge on good dark chocolate.
Short Answer:
Yes, I've considered buying a textbook to compensate for the digital version available to me. Some of the online textbooks take a long time to get to, or make it really hard to find the page I need in order to complete my work in time. Not having a textbook has actually hurt my grades. One time, I was required to complete a review for a test, and a portion of it was on the online textbook. I tried to access the textbook for around an hour and a half, with no luck, so both my grade was docked and time was wasted. No, I don't think going all digital has been a good decision, although it is more convenient in certain situations. Sometimes the server is down or I don't have access to an online source, so I can't complete my work in time. I do believe that this trend will continue in the United States, because of the advancement of technology and the familiarity and access to everything technology. I think that schools and districts decided to do away with textbooks because it was a hassle to give all the students their own hard copy of a textbook, and they think the new system would be more efficient and easier to access and complete assignments.
2. Alan Glukian was nominated for a music educators award because SaulPaul was impressed with how he interacted with students, he had a great passion for it, and went above and beyond to keep the program running.
3. The favorite to win the F1 race is Lewis Hamilton.
4. 3 types of apples mentioned in the article are Ginger Golds, Honeycrisp, and Jonagold.
5. Out of the 8 items mentioned, I would definitely splurge on good dark chocolate.
Short Answer:
Yes, I've considered buying a textbook to compensate for the digital version available to me. Some of the online textbooks take a long time to get to, or make it really hard to find the page I need in order to complete my work in time. Not having a textbook has actually hurt my grades. One time, I was required to complete a review for a test, and a portion of it was on the online textbook. I tried to access the textbook for around an hour and a half, with no luck, so both my grade was docked and time was wasted. No, I don't think going all digital has been a good decision, although it is more convenient in certain situations. Sometimes the server is down or I don't have access to an online source, so I can't complete my work in time. I do believe that this trend will continue in the United States, because of the advancement of technology and the familiarity and access to everything technology. I think that schools and districts decided to do away with textbooks because it was a hassle to give all the students their own hard copy of a textbook, and they think the new system would be more efficient and easier to access and complete assignments.
Wednesday, October 21, 2015
Opinion Writing
Story 1:
1. Editorial staff (no specific name)
2. This story is about the Fit schedule and the policies of Fit, the opinions of the writer, and how the students don't have a say in the schedule.
3. "While I think we should have FIT everyday, I don't think that FIT is more valuable than actual class time." Another quote: "I think that shorter class times are with the extra 30 minutes of study time."
4. Yes
5. No, there isn't any back and forth opinions. The writer/s is strongly on the side of more FIT, but it's less valuable than regular classes.
6. No quotes
7. 1st person
Story 2:
1. Kelsie Stella
2. This story is about the new online services, the V.O.E. forms and parking permits, offered to students at the school and her opinion about how they will affect the school and students.
3. "I think that moving toward a more technology-based system for these two documents, especially at a school like this, is going to prove to be extremely successful."
4. Yes, the students that don't have access to the internet.
5. No, Kelsie is strong on the side of promoting these new online services.
6. Yes, but it's words taken from the article (writer's words)
7. 1st person
Story 3:
1. Nya Martin
2. This story is about the incident where Blue Bell ice cream gave people food poisoning, then came back to the market too soon and at a too high of price.
3. "I understand that everyone makes mistakes, but if a mistake that could've been avoided by doing your job drastically affects other people's lives, you should be held accountable and punished."
4. No
5. No, Nya was strongly against Blue Bell's decisions and how they made of the incident.
6. No quotes
7. 1st person
Story 4:
1. Annika Holm
2. This story is about the problems with our school's pep rallies, and how the problem can be fixed.
3. "The problem with pep rallies is that they don't inspire pep, nor do they rally support for the school." and another quote: "Though the general idea of a pep rally may be to encourage student support for all sports, it just comes off as a hard sell for football, and nothing else."
4. No, nothing on students who like the way of the pep rally.
5. No, Annika is strong on the rally for a better pep rally.
6. No quotes
7. 3rd person
Story 5:
1. Amaya Marquez
2. This story is about how some school sports, specifically lacrosse, doesn't get the same representation and equality compared to other common sports.
3. "...all we need is a lacrosse field, and a class. Which would make things so much more easier, as well as making it better for lacrosse players."
4. No, she didn't have anything on people not on these uncommon sports
5. No, Amaya was strong on lacrosse 'equality'.
6. Yes, said by writer Amaya
7. 1st person
Story 6:
1. Melissa Weprin
2. This story is about the problems relating to the S.E.L. lessons that are currently ineffective to students, who are unaware they are even learning the lessons.
3. "If there was an introduction to S.E.L. as well as an explanation as to what it is, it could potentially stick better with the student by letting them know it's important and not just a way to fill time in the hour and a half class."
4. No
5. No, Melissa was set on saying that the current way the S.E.L. lessons are taught are ineffective.
6. No
7. 1st person
A. Three major differences between an hard news story and an opinions piece are one, the content. A hard news story is strictly facts, while an opinions piece is well, opinions from the writer. Secondly, a hard news story has quotes from various sources (not quotes from writer either) while an opinions piece typically has one or none, and it is pulled from the article itself. Lastly, an opinions piece is typically one sided, while the hard news story tells the entire story.
B. I think that there aren't that many photos on these pages because the stories are less informational and more opinionated. You can't easily take a picture of an opinion.
C. Three topics that I think would be good to write an opinions piece on are firstly, the appropriateness of the additions to the school campus. Secondly, the new technology (phones, etc.). Lastly, the outdated supplies for art courses.
Monday, October 19, 2015
Earthquake Story
who: residents in the San Francisco area
what: were injured or killed
when: Monday morning, 8:12 a.m.
where: San Francisco area
why: buildings collapsed
how: an earthquake occurred
Yesterday morning at 8:12 a.m., residents in the San Francisco area were hurt after McHenry's Auto Supply building collapsed from an earthquake the Hayward area.
The fall of this building on 2342 Plum St. killed two people and injured six, according to Jennifer Vu, public information officer from the Hayward Fire Department.
"When the building collapsed, three of the six people were injured enough to be taken to the Hayward General Hospital. It was a sad moment; I couldn't help but wonder how their families must be feeling," Vu said.
People from as south as Los Angeles and as far north as Redding felt the earthquake.
"Luckily, no other serious injuries have been reported in Hayward," Vu said.
McHenry's Auto Supply building is located next to resident Mike Beamer's apartment building.
"I was eating my breakfast when the room started rolling," Beamer said.
People from as south as Los Angeles and as far north as Redding felt the earthquake.
"Luckily, no other serious injuries have been reported in Hayward," Vu said.
McHenry's Auto Supply building is located next to resident Mike Beamer's apartment building.
"I was eating my breakfast when the room started rolling," Beamer said.
The rolling motion that Mike Beamer felt lasted for about a minute, with a big jolt in the middle.
"I dove under the table just as I heard the explosion outside and a chunk of cement flew through my kitchen window. That's when the screaming started across the street," Beamer said.
Shortly after the collapse, Hayward firefighters and other services came to stabilize the building with ropes and after finding a gas leak in the building, capped a gas line.
"Twenty-one fire personnel, 12 police and five American Red Cross workers responded to the building collapse, with some arriving within four or five minutes of the quake," Vu said.
Under the Richter scale, the epicenter of the earthquake measured a magnitude of 6.4.
"The earthquake occurred on the Hayward Fault. It runs along the [Hayward] hills, so this was a strong one," Scientist from the U.S. Geological Survey in Menlo Park Penny Gertz said.
Word Count: 301
Shortly after the collapse, Hayward firefighters and other services came to stabilize the building with ropes and after finding a gas leak in the building, capped a gas line.
"Twenty-one fire personnel, 12 police and five American Red Cross workers responded to the building collapse, with some arriving within four or five minutes of the quake," Vu said.
Under the Richter scale, the epicenter of the earthquake measured a magnitude of 6.4.
"The earthquake occurred on the Hayward Fault. It runs along the [Hayward] hills, so this was a strong one," Scientist from the U.S. Geological Survey in Menlo Park Penny Gertz said.
Word Count: 301
Huntington Story
who: Janice Jones
what: was shot in the right leg
when: around 10 p.m. Wednesday
where: parked on Beach Boulevard near Highway 1 in the back of her motor home
why: her dog knocked a 9 mm handgun off a seat
how: the gun was discharged when it hit the floor
At around 10 p.m. Wednesday in the back of her motor home, 53 year old Janice Jones was shot in the right leg after her dog knocked a 9 mm handgun off a seat and it discharged when it hit the floor.
Along with hitting Jones' leg, the bullet also passed through the side of the vehicle according to California Highway Patrol press liaison Tammy Rye.
"It could've been worse," Rye said. "The bullet hit two inches from the gas tank."
Tombo, Jones' Pomeranian, was placed in the care of the Huntington Beach Animal Control officers, and according to animal control officer Janet Ngo, the dog had fresh cigarette burns on its forehead and seemed to be malnourished.
"It could've done with a little less abuse and a few more of those pork chops," Ngo said.
Jones was taken to the Huntington Beach hospital and then transported to the Irvine Medical Center.
"First my dinner gets interrupted when my dog shoots my leg, then here I am, being taken to multiple hospitals to be treated. This is ludicrous." Jones said.
Along with possible animal charges against Jones, Rye cites her for expired license plate and no permit for her gun.
what: was shot in the right leg
when: around 10 p.m. Wednesday
where: parked on Beach Boulevard near Highway 1 in the back of her motor home
why: her dog knocked a 9 mm handgun off a seat
how: the gun was discharged when it hit the floor
At around 10 p.m. Wednesday in the back of her motor home, 53 year old Janice Jones was shot in the right leg after her dog knocked a 9 mm handgun off a seat and it discharged when it hit the floor.
Along with hitting Jones' leg, the bullet also passed through the side of the vehicle according to California Highway Patrol press liaison Tammy Rye.
"It could've been worse," Rye said. "The bullet hit two inches from the gas tank."
Tombo, Jones' Pomeranian, was placed in the care of the Huntington Beach Animal Control officers, and according to animal control officer Janet Ngo, the dog had fresh cigarette burns on its forehead and seemed to be malnourished.
"It could've done with a little less abuse and a few more of those pork chops," Ngo said.
Jones was taken to the Huntington Beach hospital and then transported to the Irvine Medical Center.
"First my dinner gets interrupted when my dog shoots my leg, then here I am, being taken to multiple hospitals to be treated. This is ludicrous." Jones said.
Along with possible animal charges against Jones, Rye cites her for expired license plate and no permit for her gun.
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