Russell Mikols' Blog

Feature Story

2009-05-19T05:29:00.000-07:00

Less Bitter More Sweet

It isn’t often that you see a married couple able to coexist in the work force, let alone excel in it. Then again, Thomas and Elizabeth Vinolus have always done things their way – a quality that has surely helped with their success to date.

From as far back as he can remember, Thomas Vinolus has had a strong passion for food and fine dining. His wife and working partner, Elizabeth feels the same way. So after tying the knot many years ago, they figured what better idea than to run our own restaurant. Boy was that a good decision. Thomas and Elizabeth are now the current owners of Bittersweet Bistro. Located in the beautiful beach side town of Aptos, CA, just south of Santa Cruz, Bittersweet Bistro really is the total package when it comes to restaurants.

Originally, in the 1930’s, the building where Bittersweet currently resides was used for the popular bar, diner, and meeting place – The Deer Park Tavern. According to Elizabeth Vinolus, the Tavern was the “ place to be ” in the early 1930’s. Celebrities and elites all the same would come from far and wide to get a taste of what the Tavern had to offer. After going through various renovations and seeing its share of both productive and lack-luster owners, the place that was once the historic Deer Park Tavern fell into the lap of a couple who enjoyed the restaurant business and were looking for an opportunity. After previously denying a chance to take over the restaurant, the Vinolus’ were again approached two years later. This time they didn’t say no.

After originally opening Bittersweet Café in Santa Cruz, the Vinolus’ moved the American Bistro-style restaurant to Aptos and its historic location in the Deer Park Shopping Center. The Vinolus’ do a great job of presenting an innovative menu with bright flavors and high quality, fresh ingredients as well as an appealing menu to look at and read which is crucial in the restaurant business. According to Ann and Arnold Zwicky – who co-wrote an article examining the language of restaurant menus – “ the way a single menu item is written and placed on the menu can have a huge effect on the appeal to the customer” (Zwicky). I sat down with Thomas, who is the head chef and in charge of all the food and menu items. I also sat down with Elizabeth, who is in charge of the business side of Bittersweet . Thomas Vinolus is very clear on the style of food presented in his restaurant. He describes it as “ an American bistro-style that is simple and focuses on the subtle things such as using fresh ingredients and bringing the food out hot. ”

Who ever knew that subtle could be so tasty. People come to the restaurant from all areas, although not purely for the food. A very crucial aspect of Bittersweet’s success is the ability of Thomas and Elizabeth to create a bond with their customers. By having promotional nights such as 1/2 off wine and pasta every Wednesday, the Vinolus’ have firmly cemented their fair share of regulars. Marji Knapp – local realtor and wine lover hasn’t missed her glass of wine and dish of pasta in months. “ I just love Thomas and Elizabeth’s outgoing personalities. They don’t just serve their customers, they build relationships with them. ” And that’s just it. The Vinolus’ are more than willing to interact with the people they serve. It’s not rare to see Thomas – the head chef mind you – come out and sit down at the bar to check how the customers like their food. That simply does not happen most places. Or you might see Elizabeth – head manager and very busy women – sit down with you at your table to talk about how things are going in your personal life. Once again, this just doesn’t usually happen in most restaurants.
Because Thomas has such a strong passion for food, he takes pride in what others think of it. In order to find out, all you have to do is visit Bittersweet’s website. Thomas and Elizabeth’s restaurants have won over 50 prestigious local awards dating back to when the restaurant was located in Santa Cruz. The awards range from Best Innovative Cuisine to Best Place to Splurge (bittersweetbistro.com). The proof is usually in the pudding, although in this case, it would have to be in Thomas’ famous chocolate trio dessert – filling the plate with a sampling of chocolate mousse, chocolate brulee, and warm chocolate pudding (bittersweetbistro.com).
Thomas and Elizabeth say their working relationship has affected their marriage, but in a “ purely positive way ”. The couple knows that arguments will happen, as they do in all relationships and have learned through many years of experience that the nicer they are to each other, the easier life becomes for the both of them. More importantly, Thomas knows that when it comes down to it, “ the wife has the final say.”

In today’s day and age – when you only see the owner of a restaurant when they come out to handle a complaint, we need to start appreciating owners like Thomas and Elizabeth. Not just for the people they are, but for the type of business they represent. If more business owners were as kind and compassionate as the Vinolus’, they wouldn’t have to spend boat- loads of time and money digging themselves out of problems created by simply being rude.
So whether you are looking for that certain restaurant that gives you exactly what you need, or you are just passing by the area, stop on by Bittersweet Bistro in Aptos. The Vinolus’ will welcome you with open arms.

Works Cited

"Bittersweet Bistro | Dessert Menu." Bittersweet Bistro | Fine Dining in Aptos, California | Santa Cruz County, Monterey Bay Area. 18 May 2009 .

Zwicky, Ann D., and Arnold M. Zwicky. "America's National Dish: The Style of Restaurant Menus." American Speech 55 (1980): 83-92.

Word Count: 1011

Broadcast-style script for feature story

2009-05-19T02:42:00.000-07:00

Thomas and Elizabeth Vinolus Script

INTRO: HAVE YOU EVER DRIVEN THROUGH A CITY OR TOWN WISHING YOU COULD FIND THAT ONE RESTAURANT THAT COMBINES GREAT FOOD, GREAT SERVICE, AND A GREAT LOCATION, WITH SOME HISTORY BEHIND IT? WELL OWNERS THOMAS AND ELIZABETH VINOLUS BRING YOU JUST THAT WITH BITTERSWEET BISTRO. (Me in standing in front)

VO: LOCATED IN THE BEAUTIFUL BEACH SIDE TOWN OF APTOS , CA IN THE HISTORIC DEER PARK SHOPPING CENTER, JUST SOUTH OF SANTA CRUZ, BITTERSWEET BISTRO IS REALLY THE TOTAL PACKAGE WHEN IT COMES TO RESTAURANTS. (View of deer park area)

HISTORY, VO: ORIGINALLY, IN THE 1930’S , THE BUILDING WAS USED FOR THE POPULAR BAR, DINER, AND MEETING PLACE, THE DEER PARK TAVERN. AFTER A FEW CLOSE-CALLS, WHERE THE CLASSIC, FRIENDLY RESTAURANT WAS SHORTLY MODERNIZED AND RE-OPENED AS LESS THAN SPECTACULAR, NEW OWNERS TOOK OVER—REVIVING THE OLD TAVERN’S SPIRIT WHILE ALSO ADDING SOME SHEIK DESIGN. OWNERS AND COUPLE, THOMAS AND ELIZABETH VINOLUS HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB MAINTAINING A CLASSIC PLACE WHILE ADDING SOME NEW FLARE.. (Inside shots of restaurant and outside)

Food, VO: ALONG WITH ITS RICH HISTORY, BITTERSWEET BISTRO WILL CERTAINLY GIVE YOUR TASTE BUDS A TREAT. IN CHARGE OF ALL OF THE FOOD AND BUSINESS ASPECTS, THE VINOLUS’ DO A GREAT JOB OF PRESENTING AN INNOVATIVE MENU WITH BRIGHT FLAVORS AND HIGH QUALITY INGREDIENTS.

VO: I SAT DOWN WITH THE CO-OWNER SLASH COUPLE TO ASK THEM A COUPLE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PLACE THEY CARE SO DEARLY FOR.

Interview: 1.Can you talk a little bit about the history of this location and how Bittersweet Bistro came to be?
2. Can you tell us about the style of cuisine or food you serve and what some of the favorite dishes are?
3. Is it important that you are in a smaller, local community?

VO: THE VINOLUS MAKE SURE THAT EVERY ASPECT OF THEIR BUSINESS REPRESENTS THEM WELL – INCLUDING THE IMPECCABLE SERVICE AND FRIENDLY VIBE

OUTRO: SO WHETHER YOU ARE LOOKING FOR THAT CERTAIN RESTAURANT THAT GIVES YOU EXACTLY WHAT YOU NEED, OR YOU ARE JUST PASSING BY THE AREA, STOP ON BY BITTERSWEET BISTRO IN APTOS. THE VINOLUS’ WILL WELCOME YOU WITH OPEN ARMS.

Research Paper: How the California Budget Is Affecting SJSU

2009-05-19T00:58:00.000-07:00

State Budget Affecting SJSU

The California budget crisis is continuing to be a major factor in all walks of life -- including affecting students at San Jose State University. Major problems lie ahead for SJSU including numerous budget cuts. After reading various articles and listening to Associate VP of Public Affairs for SJSU, Larry Carr, it seems as if the students and workers of California are in this for the long hall.

According to an article on MSNBC.com, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger stated that the current budget deficit facing California "tops $15 billion and could widen within days" (msnbc). This means that budget cuts are more than necessary to regain financial stability in our state. The question that is still trying to be answered is where will these cuts come from and who will they affect the most?

Previously this semester, I had a guest speaker in one of my journalism courses. Associate VP of Public Affairs for SJSU, Larry Carr spoke about how the budget deficit facing California would affect San Jose State -- in terms of both students and faculty. Many questions were asked and some of the answers given were quite frightening. According to Carr, the current proposal on the table would cut 10% of the CSU's budget, although they are still not sure about the baseline. This means that upwards of $10 million would come out of SJSU. Because SJSU is overenrolled by 12% of what the state funds, the projection for the fall 09' semester would mean that 3,000 fewer students would be admitted (Carr). After asking Carr how they would determine who would be let in he said that some things would have to change, such as students no longer being admitted for simply meeting the minimum requirements for enrollment. SJSU would also give first priority to students in the service area. They would then look outside the service area. Next they would look at things like test scores and when they applied. (Carr).

Along with fewer students allowed in, the students who are enrolled would see a 10% increase in student fees (Carr). This means things like increased tuition as well as a raise in the price of on-campus housing – all things that students are already having trouble paying for. What may be most disappointing is the fact that the student’s fees would only be able to go towards certain things such as rebuilding the student union and student health care center (Carr). There was no mention of fixing parking or accommodating student’s needs.

In order to advance the university, they plan to raise private dollars for education being that about 50 % percent of SJSU’s budget comes from California and 50% does not (Carr). According to Carr, more Pel Grants are becoming available due to the stimulus package.

Enrollment today at SJSU is just over 33,000 and the number keeps breaking records causing the University to become overenrolled in recent years (SJSU). The proposed plan would attempt to get the number of students down to about 30,000. They would like to be about 2 or 3% under what the state provides (Carr).

In conclusion, we must realize that the budget crisis going on in California has already hit close to home. In fact, it is already being seen in our schools and affecting how San Jose State is being operated. What remains to be seen is what our Governor and State officials will do to help us climb out of this mess and where and how long these cuts will continue to affect our university.

Works Cited
", Long-term Trends." Office of Institutional Research at SJSU. 18 May 2009 .
"Calif. proposes laying off thousands - Life- msnbc.com." Breaking News, Weather, Business, Health, Entertainment, Sports, Politics, Travel, Science, Technology, Local, US & World News- msnbc.com. 18 May 2009 .
"Larry Carr Presentation." Larry Carr Presentation. San Jose State University, San Jose. 20 Feb. 2009.

Word Count: 592

Scholarly Journal Article #2

2009-05-19T00:27:00.000-07:00

Ranking Outstanding Sports Records

I chose this article to summarize because it immediately jumped out at me. I have always loved sports. For this reason, I have always pondered which sports records meant the most. Which ones were the most important? Can you even compare different records? Can you compare a career record to a single season record? These are all questions asked and examined in the article written by Bruce L. Golden and Edward A. Wasil.

In order to truly examine sports records, the authors decided to break the records down into three categories: single season records, career records, and single game records. This is important because the great debate in sports usually deals with this exact scenario.

In order to ensure that they would be able to accurately compare records, the authors only chose records in which there was sufficient statistical data to back them up. They were able to compare 8 season records, 10 career records, and 4 day/game records. Of course no analysis can on a topic like this can be perfect, but the authors did a good job of compiling data sets that were very relevant to compare. They also filtered out numerous issues that would enable certain records to be compared. In the end, they were able to effectively show what they thought were the best records of all time.

Source

Golden, Bruce L., and Edward A. Wasil. "Ranking Outstanding Sports Records." Interfaces 17 (1987): 32-42. JSTOR. MLK Jr. Library, San Jose. 18 May 2009 .

Scholarly Journal Article #1

2009-05-18T23:13:00.000-07:00

America's National Dish

For my first scholarly article, I chose to read about something that I love and that I am greatly interested in. It is also related to the topic in which my feature story is on -- food.

The article that I read, written by Ann D. Zwicky and Arnold M. Zwicky examines a certain aspect of food and restaurants in a very unique way. They dive into the topic of examining restaurant menus and the language that is used in them. The article was very interesting and brought about many issues that I had never related to food or restaurants.

In the article, one of the main points that they try to drive home is the fact that a lot of the time, the language used in menus substitutes affect for content and showmanship for information. The authors feel that there is a big difference between the forms of language and the functions of those forms. I completely agree, although I feel that it is a bit obvious. Anytime anybody uses language -- whether it be in everyday conversation or in a menu -- they change the form of that language to fit the style of that particular setting. This is what is being done on menus across the country.

A lot of the time, restaurants will not simply put the dish itself and what is included in the dish. Often times, they will write the dishes in a manner that makes the dish seem positive and delightful. Whether you are eating the cheapest, most plain salad or the most expensive, intricate cuisine, all menus are written in a way to entice the customer and why not?

Source

Zwicky, Ann D., and Arnold M. Zwicky. "America's National Dish: The Style of Restaurant Menus." American Speech 55 (1980): 83-92.

Individual Blog Post #2

2009-05-18T21:07:00.000-07:00

The Unbelievably Advanced iPhone

For this blog, I would just like to rant and rave a little bit about the iPhone. First of all, lets get things straight here. I am not a very technologically savvy person. I just switched my laptop computer from a PC to a Mac. I was hesitant at first because I never could figure out how to work a Mac. It turns out that these devices are not too tough to handle -- other than the occasional, "Where did I save that?" or, "What the hell is the shortcut for select all?" But enough about me. Lets talk about how dam unbelievable the iPhone truly is. Not only was it the first phone made by apple (which means it's gonna be cool) but it has so many cool and handy applications. Some of them are truly amazing.

Just the other day my girlfriend told me about a new application for her iPhone. She explained to me that for $30 she bought an application that allowed her to pull up exactly what is on her laptop onto her iPhone. This means that if she forgot to print her English paper and doesn't have her computer with her that she can pull up her saved documents, and print them out through Microsoft word. How amazing is that? If you don't understand what I mean, don't worry I had trouble grasping it at first too. Basically, you are able to see on your phone exactly what is on your computer at home or wherever it may be. You do not have to be in short distance for it to work. This is like having a computer in your phone. Hell, its not like having one, it is having one!

If this application isn't enough, I heard that they are coming out with new applications in the near future that allow you to do things like check for diabetes and check blood pressure. Crazy right? This isn't too mention the applications that allow you to play games wireless against your friends across the country.

So although I'm not the most technological savvy person in the world, I am smart enough to realize that this phone is taking the world by storm.

Individual Blog Post #1

2009-05-18T20:36:00.000-07:00

My First Job Interview

I am pretty excited due to the fact that I recently got an interview for an internship with KNBR 680. They are a very popular sports talk radio station that represent relevant sports teams in the bay area such as the Golden State Warriors, San Francisco Giants and San Francisco 49ers. Being that I am a broadcast journalism major, and an unbelievably huge sports fan, I was ecstatic after finding out that I would even get a shot to interview to work for a place like KNBR.

As we all know, the world of journalism is not a thriving business at the moment. In fact, some forms of journalism are fearing closure. This being said, I think that there will always be a place for talk radio and sports talk radio. The reason being that people are always going to want to voice their opinion about their favorite sports teams and how they are being run. Having listened to KNBR pretty much everyday, I have seen the huge following that they have throughout the greater bay area. Every show, from 5 a.m. until 7 p.m. has people calling in frequently.

I was very excited after walking into the 11th floor of the Cumulous office buildings. Right away, I saw the radio show and all the personalities that I have enjoyed listening to so often. I think I did pretty well in the interview so hopefully I will be a future KNBR employee who can live my dream of working in the field of sports and journalism.

IMHO #2

2009-05-18T19:56:00.001-07:00

Kobe vs LeBron

The NBA playoffs are now under way and it is time for the true stars to shine. Playoff time is when champions are made, when we separate the men from the boys and when we truly see who is the best of the best. Ever since Michael Jordan retired, the game has been looking for someone to carry the torch. When Kobe Bryant entered the league, the NBA found their new star. He had his time to shine for the first ten or so years of his career, but now a new king is ready to take the throne. LeBron James has taken the NBA by storm at an age that few people would believe possible to do so. An incredible athlete and person, LeBron has brought the game exactly what it needs -- class, dignity, and most importantly -- star power.

So now we have two world class basketball players and super stars, but the question I have is very simple. Who is the better player. My answer is also simple. LeBron James. Few have dared to crown LeBron James the real king of the NBA at such a young age. Considering that he is just 24 years old, he has not yet won a championship, while Kobe has won three, although I do see LeBron surpassing that number by the time his career is done. But let's get to the basics. At this point in his career, LeBron is already the total package as a player. He has the body of a god, is an excellent leader and floor general, is one of the strongest and fastest players in the league, can score with the best, pass with the best, and beat the best. While Kobe Bryant is no scrub by any means, he is just not the complete player that LeBron is. Kobe can score like nobody else. But when Kobe is double-teamed, he does not have the same ability to pass out of it that LeBron does.

So when you look at their current stats this year -- LeBron being 24-years-old and Kobe being a savvy veteran at age 30 -- LeBron's numbers are just about better across the board. Averaging just about 2 more points per game, 2 more rebounds per game, and two more assists per game, LeBron has shown his ability to be the complete player. Only time will tell who will cement their legacy more firmly into NBA history. The good thing is, both Kobe and Lebron's teams have the two best players playing on the two best teams in the league. This could mean great ratings come NBA Finals time. Thank god for the playoffs.

Source:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/columns/story?columnist=hollinger_john&page=GreatDebate-090518

Japanese Internment Memorial Essay

2009-05-04T20:31:00.000-07:00

What A Shame

On December 7, 1941 Pearl Harbor was attacked by Japan and WWII was underway. This was not the only thing about to begin. About 120,000 people of Japanese descent would be viciously treated and forced into internment camps, where most would stay for years and many would die. To the U.S. Government, it did not matter whether or not these people were from America or not. If you looked somewhat Japanese, that was enough to get you thrown into the camps.

Today there stands a memorial on the corner of 2nd Street and San Carlos, remembering all those who were wrongfully accused, held, and killed. Ruth Asawa -- an internee herself, sculpted various vignettes along a wall, giving viewers a chance to see what real, intense, emotional and painful moments occurred during that time. There are many pictures and various pieces of art in the building. The memorial is split into various sections, with each one adding something special to Asawa. Whether it be the Japanese arriving in the United States or Asawa herself being forced to live in horse stalls, each section brought out many emotions inside of me.

During this time, many of the Japanese were living in Northern California and San Jose. In fact, SJSU was a place where the Japanese would register before being sent off to the camps. For this reason, SJSU played a pretty important role during this time of evil.

One piece that stood out to me was entitled "Hysteria of War". I thought that this vignette painted a perfect picture of the stupidity and evil that went on some time ago. The vignette showed exactly what it was titled, hysteria. I could only imagine the stress, anxiety, and depression that many of these Japanese families had to go through. Not only did they have to worry about the simples things like food and shelter, they had to always be wondering if they would be separated from their family, or how long they would have to stay in the camp, or worst of all, they had to wonder if they would make it to the next day. This vignette really struck a chord with me. It angered me that America could be so ignorant just a few decades ago.

Another vignette that really got me was a man being pulled away by the F.B.I. I don't know why, but this one really made me think about my own family. The authorities who pulled these men away from their families had absolutely no respect or remorse. I'm sure they did not tell the Japanese why they were there or where they would be going. If I were a child and some strange men took my father away, I would be absolutely devastated. I could only imagine what it must have been like for the children and wives of these men who were torn away from everything they knew. It does not seem like the justice system was used back then. Apparently racial profiling and breaking laws did not matter back then. Just imagine if today, post Sept. 11, our government rounded up thousands of people who simply looked Middle Eastern. This would be a complete crime and outrage. I am glad to see that our country as a whole has made strides forward since the time of WWII.

What happened to the people of Japanese descent just after the bombing of WWII makes me -- for a moment -- embarrassed to call myself an American. I wish I could visit every Japanese family who were effected by all of this and apologize to everyone of them on behalf of my ignorant country.

Similies and Metaphors (Revised)

2009-05-04T20:01:00.000-07:00

Simile:

He walked a steady pace, getting his evening workout in while still taking time to enjoy the beautiful scenery around him. Amidst the small grass area in front of him laid a tired, beat up Doberman -- stray and staring into the man's eyes. To his surprise, the dog jumped on him -- licking the man up and down and begging to be pet. The man smiled and breathed a sigh of relief, as if the weight of the world had been lifted from his shoulders.

Metaphor:

The slugger stood up to bat. To an onlooker, the boy stood in his backyard. To the boy, he stood in Yankee Stadium -- batting with 2 outs in the bottom of the 9th inning. The pitch came and the boy crushed one over the fence. Crash! The ball shattered through his neighbor's window. The boy stood in fear as the angry old lady came storming out of the house.

Journal #6 Fish out of Water

2009-05-04T19:27:00.000-07:00

For this assignment I wanted to do something a little bit different than writing about an event I attended. After reading the directions, I realized that this would be a perfect opportunity to talk about my experience taking the course African American Studies 2A and 2B at SJSU. This course was taught by two extraordinary teachers as well as human beings -- Dr. Steven Millner as well as Dr. Ruth Wilson. I was not very hesitant when deciding to take this course because I needed a history course and I wanted to find out a little more about the African American culture. When I walked into the class for 2A I realized that I was of the few Caucasian people in the class. It was primarily African Americans. Because the course was about the history of African Americans and the terrible things they had to go through, I naturally felt a little out of place after the first day. Little did I know that this course would turn out to be the best class I had ever taken.

It only took me about a week to settle in to the class and feel very comfortable on a daily basis. The first semester I took 2A, which examined the early history of African Americans during the slave era. After listening to Dr. Millner and Dr. Wilson give daily lectures I learned for the first time how important a caring professor could be. The way those two teachers were able to convey such passion and knowledge about their culture's history and still help us students follow along inspired me in a way that I had never felt before.

Midway through my first semester taking the course, I began to develop a good relationship with Dr. Millner and he would often find humor at my ability to blush when called upon. I seemed to grow on him and become one of his favorite students. Although the work was difficult, it was okay because I was enjoying being in the class and learning new things. It meant a lot to Dr. Millner that I stayed in the course -- not only for the first semester, but I came back for the second semester as well.

After returning for my second semester of the course, 2B, I walked in the first day of class as I had done before. This time was different. I still was one of two Caucasian males in the class, but I now knew that I had nothing to be nervous about. Throughout the semester I felt more like a veteran, having taken the similar course the semester prior. This course was about more recent history -- discussing things like Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcom X, along with the Watts riots and so on. When I walked out of the final on my last day of class, I shook Dr. Millner's hand and thanked him for an amazing year. I told him what a huge impact he had on me and he told me how much he enjoyed me being in his class. Who would have thought, the one class I was most nervous about day 1 was the class that I felt most comfortable in. Go figure.

Journal #5 - Drinking Coffee Elsewhere

2009-04-21T20:27:00.000-07:00

In my opinion, Z.Z. Packer is a brilliant writer. It takes a very talented writer to write the way she does -- so sarcastic, blunt, in your face, and brash -- all while still being able to beautifully articulate her sense of place an atmosphere. Packer has a very distinct writing style. She does a great job using quotations and dialogue.

After really trying to focus on the more subtle parts of Packer's writing style, it seemed to me that she is able to make is exactly as if the reader were in the scene. She executes this style well -- pausing at various points in her stories or commentary to take the reader off in some other direction or thought. I believe that is her way of really putting the reader in the story. Packer is also not shy in her use of..... well.... lets say verbs. Some people may feel this style of writing is too in your face or up-front, but I think that is exactly what Packer is looking for. Packer is not afraid to curse or use slang in her stories. This brings a real authentic feel to them.

I think that all in all, Packer uses her different styles for one main reason -- to get the reader more involved in the story. Whether she be using similes and metaphors, sarcasm, or quotes, it is all done in order to give the story authenticity. Packer throws in whatever words will make the story flow in a very distinct way. It is almost as if she is poetic in her speech. When she does things like compare the Dean lighting his lighter to a detective, it allows the reader to see and feel the specifics of what went on.

Midterm

2009-04-09T20:03:00.000-07:00

I read two articles with variances in their story-telling, but very similar in their content. The two articles that I read were, "The Associated Press Is Angry at the Web", by Rob Pegoraro and "Kachingle: "Wait until the summer; we'll save journalism then", by Mark 'Rizzn' Hopkins.

After reading the two articles, I realized that I strongly agreed with what both of them had to say. The first article, written by Rob Pegoraro discusses why the print media (in particular the AP) is so pissed off at the ever growing phenomenon that is "online journalism" as I like to call it. Pegoraro discusses the various reactions to Associated Press chairmen Dean Singleton. Singleton was very angry in speech, saying, " We can no longer stand by and watch others walk off with our work under misguided legal theories. We are mad as hell, and we are not going to take it any more." Singleton is angry at Internet sites that both copy and paste entire news articles taken from the AP and also at sites that merely takes bits of information to use in their news stories. Throughout the article it becomes clear that Singleton is one of many print journalist members who are very, lets say displeased to see that print journalism is dying.
The second article I read, written by Mark Hopkins, is similar in the sense that it also conveys the anger that print media has towards the web. In the article, Hopkins discusses the idea of a start up company called Kachingle that " functions just like an ad network for bloggers, but instead it’s a communal donation network." He feels that could have been a solution to the dying print business IF it would have been done sooner, which it was not. Hopkins goes on to talk about how all the solutions that the Old Media have are " either self destructive or unavailable". Saying " they'd literally rather die than adapt."

At what may be one of the toughest times in the history of journalism to get a job, I will be honest, I am terrified. As a junior Broadcast Journalism major, I am having to realize -- whether I like it or not -- that the entire business that I am trying to work my way into is in decline. Now I know that broadcast is not being threatened with its demise, like print is, but who is to say that I would not want a job in print as well as many of my fellow classmates. All of this being said, I understand that things are changing. Why can't the rest of the bitter print media understand as well. All I ever hear from print journalists is how angry they are at every web page and blog they see. Get over it already. Since the beginning of time things have evolved. That's how the world works. We are at a point now that is tough, no doubt. But the thing that really bugs me is that the print world blames the bloggers and the web sites. It isn't their fault. If anything it is the fault of the newspapers who refused to change when they saw this new movement coming years ago.

I was listening to one of my favorite sports talk radio stations, ESPN radio. The host had previously written for a prestigious newspaper. Although the topic was sports writing, I feel it definitely applies to this topic. The host brought up a really good point. He said that reporters in print, including himself, should not be angry at the online media or digital world, but rather they should be angry at themselves -- for being lazy, stubborn, and arrogant. One example he explained was the idea of college basketball teams recruiting high school kids and how the print reporters at every newspaper who he talked to felt it was "beneath them" to cover petty high school kids. It turned out, covering petty high school kids made the online media over $100 million. This is why print reporters must lose their egos and think of a real plan.

There is no doubt that the changes currently occurring are scary, new, and intimidating but it is also a time to be open minded and realize that many new opportunities are opening up. I could take the approach of simply giving up -- realizing that I have no chance to get a job and try to get out of the field as quickly as I can. Or, I could take the approach of continuing to do what I love to do regardless of the times we are in. In the end, the most important thing to me is being able to be a journalist. Period. I choose to not worry about the adjective that comes before it.

Sources:

1. "Kachingle: "Wait until the Summer; we'll save journalism by then" By Mark 'Rizzn' Hopkins

2. " The Associated Press Is Angry At The Web" By Rob Pegeraro.
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/fasterforward/2009/04/the_associated_press_is_angry.html

IMHO #1

2009-04-08T18:18:00.000-07:00

Once in a great while I come upon a story that makes me want to kill someone. Recently, this was exactly the case. After reading an article that my girlfriend stumbled upon and decided to show me, I literally wanted to jump up, find the man whom the article refers to, and simply end his life. Of course I did not do this -- one reason is because the man lives in Poland and the second reason is that I do not want to spend time in prison.

The story that I am referring to is about a man who was recently arrested in Poland and accused of holding his daughter captive for six years -- repeatedly raping and abusing her, forcing her to give birth to two children. The police caught the man at a train station where he was allegedly trying to escape abroad. The investigation began when the 21-year-old daughter of the man approached police with her mother and began talking with the policewomen about her incredibly horrid ordeal. Amongst other things, the daughter says that she was raped, beaten, and kept as a slave in the basement of his home.

Much of this case is still unknown such as whether or not the mother had any knowing of what was going on or how the daughter managed to escape.

When I first heard this story, my blood simply boiled. How could any human being possibly be so sadistic, crude, evil, disgusting, impassioned, and down right sick? Sadly this is not the first time I have heard of something like this. There was a similar case to this one which happened not too long ago. Another man -- Joseph Fritzi is accused of holding his daughter captive for over 24 years and fathering six children incestuously.

How many times do we have to hear the same stories before something is done about this. How could not one person have known what was going on. Maybe I am being naive to think that this could have been prevented, but my heart breaks every time I think about what these poor girls must have had to go through and the awful memories I'm sure they will carry with them for the rest of their lives. I have always been the type of person who feels that sick, evil criminals such as these men, should receive equal amounts of punishments that actually FIT the crimes they committed. To me, jail is not enough. Honestly, I don't even believe the death penalty is enough punishment. That lets them off too easy. I would like to see them tortured in various ways and have to hurt and feel as much, if not more pain as those poor girls did.

Too many people these days are allowed to get off because they plead insanity or that they weren't in the right "state of mind" when they committed such crimes as enslaving young children. Well I am definitely in the right "state of mind" when I say that these people should get what they deserve! I have grown up in a world where crime rates have never been higher. Although these crimes did not happen in the U.S., it is not as if many similar ones do not happen here every day. I wish that I could fly overseas and try and comfort those poor girls who most likely did not know any better. If I could meet with them, I would make sure to let them know how important they are to this world and how much a difference they can still make. I would tell them that their fathers do not deserve to ever be in their presence again and they will still be able to have a family that loves them.

In today's day and age. Loneliness is a scary thing. Just imagine how terrified those young girls were trapped underground not knowing if they would ever be free. This is not some horror movie that we get enjoyment out of. This is real life and we need to be aware of that.

Sources:

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/europe/09/09/poland.captive.daughter/index.html

http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,24324295-5006003,00.html

Pitch for final feature

2009-04-08T17:49:00.000-07:00

Dear Professor,

Have you ever visited a new city or town, eager to go out and have a nice meal, only to find out that you are surrounded by fast food nation?

Yes, Santa Cruz County has its fair share of fast food chains, what place does not? Yet one place, located in the beautiful town of Capitola gives you great food, old time charm, seaside views, and did I mention the easiest way to get there is by cable car or through their beautiful garden path?

Since 1947 Shadowbrook Restaurant has been pleasing both locals and visitors world wide. Its old time style and romantic feel take you back to the days when dining out was a privilege and not a weekly chore. Its historic setting and unique accessibility make it one of the most diverse restaurants on the central coast.

Having won numerous awards, such as Most Romantic Restaurant by the San Jose Mercury News and Good Times, Santa Cruz, Shadowbrook has long been recognized locally. Living in Santa Cruz my whole life, I would love to give this great, classic restaurant the credit it deserves and share its appeal to the masses.

The subject of food has always been near and dear to my heart and when the opportunity arose to do a feature story, this was the first and only thing that came to my mind. I also believe that good food is becoming more popular. Channels such as the Food Network are beginning to thrive with young adults.

I would be honored if you gave me chance to give this great place its due praise through a feature story. Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Russell Mikols

Journal #3 NPR Interview Analysis

2009-04-07T23:20:00.000-07:00

I recently listened to an interview on NPR. The show was Fresh Air hosted by Terry Gross. She interviewed Mike White -- a writer who has written the screenplays for such Comedies as School of Rock and Nacho Libre, and his father, Mel White -- a gay activist who has devoted his time to stop religious oppression towards gays. The father and son pair were partners in the popular reality show Amazing Race.

It seemed as if the interviewer knew both of men relatively well mostly because she had interviewed both men individually on separate occasions. Although she had previously interviewed these men, the topic of this interview was different and it did seem as if the interviewer was well prepared.

Most of the questions asked by the interviewer seemed to be well thought out, but more importantly they gave the two men being interviewed a chance to expand on the question and talk about the issues they wanted to. It was almost as if the questions were a sort of forum for the interview subjects to discuss their view points.

The interviewer seemed to build up to her questions by giving a little background to back up her point. For example, when she was going to ask a question about how it felt to be on the reality show, she would cite specific examples from the show. This gave her instant credibility on the topic. She also did a good job with follow up questions. Whenever either of the two men would respond with something interesting, she made sure to follow up. It seemed as if the strategy of the interviewer was to give the two men a forum to speak on. Because one of the men was talking about the serious issue of oppression against gays in the church, it seemed as if the interviewer knew that and wanted to give the men a chance to express how they felt.

The two men seemed very kind, honest and sincere so there were not too many questions that they shied away from. The interviewer was also very modest about the questions she asked. The interviewer seemed to have a very friendly relationship with the both men. She had interviewed both of them previously and drew back on numerous things that they had discussed before. This also allowed the interview to be very conversational and at the same time informative.

The main thing I learned about interviewing from listening to this one is the fact if you are prepared you will sound much more intelligent. It seemed to help that they had a past relationship as well. I also learned that when interviewing someone, give them questions that are intelligent, but at the same time allow them to expand on them and give great incite. This is what Terry Gross did very well.

Copy Edit the World (last 15 points)

2009-04-07T22:47:00.000-07:00

Errors are in red

1. Santa Cruz Sentinel
"Witnesses called 911 around 3:30 p.m. saying someone had sat a tree on fire."
- "sat" is supposed to be set. (2 points)
2. The other day I saw something shocking. It was a sweet n' low packet at my dinner table. This is how it was spelled on the packet. "Sweet 'N Low". The apostrophe was in the incorrect spot. (4 points)
3. NBA.com
"Hornets nock off Heat"
- This was a Headline I read about a game that had been played. "nock" should be spelled "knock". (2 points)
4. Sofias Mexican Food Restaurant
" Two tacos with ric and beans."
- The word "ric" should obviously be "rice". (4 points)
5. Aptos Burger Company (restaurant)
" All spcials include a side of fries, soup, or salad"
- The word "spcials" is missing the "e" and should be "specials". (4 points)

Personal Obit

2009-04-07T15:24:00.000-07:00

WATSONVILLE -- Longtime NBA superstar and loving family man, Russell Mikols died yesterday, in his sleep, from what his family believes to simply be old age.

Mikols, 84, was well known for his 18 year carrer in the NBA. He played for both the Dallas Mavericks and the Golden State Warriors over the span of his career-- his two favorite teams growing up. After his playing career Mikols devoted his life to taking care of his family. He loved his wife Sierra and two children (to be named later) more than anything.

As a youth Mikols always dreamed of playing professional basketball. From the moment he could walk, he loved sports. He shared his passion for athletics with both his family and friends. In fact, many of his closest friends to this day were friends he formed as a child.

Before his first year of college, Mikols met the love of his life. She stood by his side as he made the leap to the NBA and conquered every record. The two of them started a family when Mikols was 30 and had two beautiful children. Mikols lived his life happy -- putting the most important thing first -- his family.

Mikols is survived by his loving wife, his sister Rachael, his two children, and five grandchildren in his hometown of Santa Cruz.

Mystery Character

2009-04-01T21:31:00.000-07:00

He entertains millions of people around the world on a nightly basis. His strong, epic, and godly athleticism matched with his sleek, swift, and picturesque gracefulness allow him to dominant his craft. Not only a master of his profession, this man is an entrepreneur -- with many talents making him one of the most successful people in the United States. His ability to act, dance, and interact with people have made him loved by most. His distinct fashion sense gives all youngsters just one more reason to idolize him. He will go down in history as one of the greatest icons in history -- having mastered his craft at an astonishingly young age. His chiseled body matched with his boyish, yet determined face allow almost every person to pick him out of a crowd.

Word of the Week #8

2009-04-01T21:21:00.000-07:00

Word: Thwart
Source: MSNBC.com
How it was used: "The Obama administration plans to spend more than $400 million to upgrade ports of entry and surveillance technologies to help thwart drugs and arms smuggling along the U.S-Mexico border."
Definition:to run counter to so as to effectively oppose or baffle : b: to oppose successfully : defeat the hopes or aspirations of
My Sentence: My attempts to make the shot were thwarted when my opponent swiftly swatted the ball away.

Word of the Week #7

2009-04-01T21:12:00.000-07:00

Word: Repeal
Source: MSNBC.com
How it was used: "The plan, drafted by Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan, the top Republican on the Budget Committee, also freezes overall spending on domestic programs passed by Congress each year and repeals most of the spending in Obama's recently passed economic stimulus bill."
Definition: To rescind or annul by authoritative act. (n.)
My sentence: My ability to enter the building was repealed after I got into an altercation with the officer.

Word of the Week #6

2009-03-18T10:41:00.000-07:00

Word: Profusion
Source: Findarticles.com
How it was used: -- "BIGWORDS offers students a profusion of benefits such as

convenience, great prices, a prodigious selection of new and

used books and a happy life free of book-related hassles."

Definition: lavish expenditure; great quantity. (n.)

My sentence: Because my sister did well in all of her classes, she received a profusion of praise from my parents for the rest of the month.

Pitch Letter

2009-03-08T23:57:00.000-07:00

mm-dd-yyyy

Mr. Joe Smith
Features Editor
Los Angeles Times
City, State, Zip

Dear Mr. Smith,

One fascinating Packard Bell employee is defying the odds, proving that sight is not always needed to be the best at your craft.

Doug Rose, sightless since his childhood, is a self-taught electronics wizard who is one of Packard Bell's leading technicians -- using Braille and voice recognition software to tell him what is on the screen.

Not only does Rose memorize the information -- helping him to identify the issue at hand, he uses his other senses as well. Rose listens for certain sounds that the PC makes, allowing him to diagnose certain problems -- often times correctly.

Rose's desk looks just like all of the other employees, aside from the few pieces of extra equipment which allow him to do his job so well. Visitors are even allowed to hear him in action as he takes calls -- many of whom never knowing Rose is blind.

Doug Rose is an extraordinary human being and employee who has exceeded all odds despite his disability.

I hope to be in touch soon to discuss a possible interview. I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Russell Mikols

Finding Features in the News

2009-03-08T23:32:00.000-07:00

Cohabitation: Just a Phase?

This story deals with the question of whether or not cohabitation is a way to prepare for marriage, or if it even has to do with marriage at all. This brings up a very interesting topic that I believe could very easily be shaped into a local story.

I think the best way to take a local angle on this story would be to find the most common place and age group that cohabitation occurs -- amongst college students. I think it would be a great idea to find the percentages of students at SJSU who are 1. involved in relationships and 2. how many of those relationships involve living together. After I have figured this out, I would then see how many of those couples living together had ever discussed the possibility of marriage and if cohabitation was the leading cause of their preparing for marriage.

The people that I would interview for this story would simply be the college students at SJSU who had been living together for a steady amount of time. I would ask them various questions such as, have they considered marriage before? Was moving in together a step in preparing for marriage? Did money and paying the rent play into their decision to move in together? And various questions similar to those to find out the real reason for cohabitation amongst college students.

N.C. Jury Trial Exercise

2009-03-04T15:35:00.000-08:00

Hard news lead

Local resident, 40-year-old Susie Jones, was awarded $1 million dollars earlier this morning after winning a civil suit for alienation of affection against 39-year-old Mary Smith.

Witnesses claimed that Susie Jones' ex-husband and father of their three children, 43-year-old Joseph Jones, began going on business trips with his secretary, Smith, while the couple was still married. Joseph Jones and Smith are now married.

Feature-style lead

It was a bittersweet, yet gratifying day for a woman who felt that the only way she could stand up for her family was to file a law suit against her ex-husband's mistress for alienation of affection.

It took just three hours for a jury of seven women and three men to come to a decision that would end up paying 40-year-old Susie Jones $1 million -- one of the biggest cash awards ever given out for an alienation lawsuit.

Library Scavenger Hunt

2009-03-02T20:01:00.000-08:00

1. They use the Dewey Decimal System. As in most libraries, the Dewey Decimal System is a system that uses numbers to classify books.

2. There are various CD's and movies and different types of casual readings available such as magazines and things of that nature.

3. Academic Earth, Academic Search Premier, Humanities, and Music.

4. By going on sjsu.edu and going to the King Library link. From there, you click on electronic databases.

5. There are 27. 1. San Jose Mercury 2. San Francisco Chronicle 3. New York Times 4. Spartan Daily 5. LA Times 6. Financial Times 7. Wallstreet 8. Investors Business Daily 9. Napa Valley Register 10. The Bakersfield Californian

6. Video: Baby good sports, call number: J DVD 641.3 Baby
DVD: Jimmy and Percy Heath, call number: XD1300
CD: The complete Bang sessions, call number: CD ROCK Morrison

7. The World Book M 13 (Ready Ref AE 5) An encyclopedia on things beginning with M

8. Federal Regulatory Directory (Ready Ref JK 610) Go to on federal regulations

9. CD: Haiti Cherie Meringue (CD WORLD Meringue)
Book: El cumpleanos de Bob (JSPA Picture Book Bob)
DVD: El amor y el espanto (SPA DVD Amor)
Newspaper: Carriere Della Sera (no call number on newspapers)

10. Sports Illustrated, Sports Illustrated for Kids, Martha Stewart Living, Consumer Reports, and Bird Talk

11. The Steinbeck review. /
v. : ill. ;
Call Number(s): PS3557.T3234 Z4585

12. John Steinbeck : a twentieth-century life / by Milton Meltzer.
237 p. : ill. ;
Call Number(s): YA 813.52 STEINBEC Meltzer

13. Mexican Workers and Ammerican Dreams: immigration, repartriation, and Califrona farm Labor. Guerin. Ref CAL 331. 544 Guerin, HD1527 C2 G84 1994

14. History of San Jose. Arbuckle. CALIF 979.474

15. Minorities in California History. Solberg, Curtis. Ref CAL 301.4509

16. Different pieces of art and collections from different cultures such as the Africans, Chicanos and Asians.

17. Lock of Beethoven's hair, replica of clavichord pianos from Beethovens era, and original manuscript of his music

18. Child Psychology: contemprary point. Park, Ross. D. BF721.P279 2009

19. New Boundaries and Political Science. PN3433.6N49 2008

20. American Military History. Blewett, David. E181.B64X 2009

21. Magazines are usually on a vast number of topics -- it could be anything from sports to cooking and usually staff writers write for most magazines. In scholarly journals, there are collections of articles that are reviewed by their peers and most of them deal with academic issues.

22. Ad Age, Adweek, Journalism Quarterly, Journalism Practice, Public Relations Journal

23. 33 Installations

Journal #2 Media Audiences

2009-03-01T00:30:00.000-08:00

News Story: Pittsburgh Steelers Win Super Bowl XLIII-- all stories from Feb. 1, 2009

Newspaper: I found a newspaper article out of the Seattle Times about the Pittsburgh Steelers winning Super Bowl XLIII. The article was just over 1,100 words. There were six sources used in the article-- all of them were either players or coaches. The story was accompanied by four pictures which emphasized some of the major plays that occured in the game.
Television News: I found a television newscast from KCRG-TV sports. The story was a little over two minutes long. There were three sources quoted-- all three were players who played in the game. The way the newscast covered the game was much different than the newspaper. The newscast provided a present tense, descripton of the highlights that were being shown on the screen. There was more detail in the sense that the viewer was able to see more of the plays that happened. The newspaper covered more of the big plays in the game.
Web: The web article I found was from ESPN.com as was about 2,000 words. This article was most similar to the one I found in the newspaper but it was much longer and went into much greater detail. There were four sources quoted in the article-- three from players and one from the owner of the Steelers. This story, overall, was very similar to the print story that I read.

Word of the Week #5

2009-02-28T23:58:00.000-08:00

Word: Nebulosity
Source: A Tour of the Monuments of Passaic New Jersey. Robert Smithson: The Collected Writings
How it was used: "Everything about the site remained wrapped in blandness and littered with shiny cars-- one after another they extended into a sunny nebulosity."
Definition: 1. A cloud or haze; hazy 2. (of a concept or idea) Something that is unclear, vague, or ill-defined. (n.)
My sentence: As a began to lose consciousness, the world around me turned into a opaque nebulosity.

Copy Edit the World

2009-02-25T20:52:00.000-08:00

Words in red are errors

1. Ninersnation.com: "I recall hearing somewhere that McCloughan (or maybe it was Nolan) didn't hav much interest in doling out big cash for guards, thus the reason Justin Smiley walked."
Correction: The word "hav" is misspelled. It should be "have". (2 points)

2. Cancun Taqueria Menu: "* Includes your choice of one ;:;rtree. All entrees are serve w / rice choice of beans, corn or flour tortillas, Queso fresco, Guacamole, nopales salad, chips and a salsa bar."
Correction: The word ";:;rtree" is completely messed up. It is supposed to say "entree".
(4 points)

3. Butter Restaurant Menu: " DUCK, GOOSE AND CRIPSY PORK "CRACKLIN" SALAD"
Correction: The word "cripsy" is misspelled and is supposed to be "crispy". I was very surprised when I saw this considering the chef who owns this restaurant is very well-known.
(4 points)

Beer Truck Exercise (revised)

2009-02-23T19:41:00.000-08:00

A beer truck caught fire on the Bay Bridge just after 1 p.m. yesterday, causing the California Highway Patrol to shut down all of the bridge's eastbound lanes.

According to the CHP, neither the driver of the truck, nor any other drivers were injured.

Traffic was clogged for around 45 minutes along a number of Bay Area freeways due to stranded drivers getting out of their vehicles.

The burned truck was finally cleared from the roadway just before 6 p.m.

Word of the Week #4

2009-02-23T18:58:00.000-08:00

Word: Stagflation
Source: MSNBC.com
How it was used: And if you have inflation in a recession, you get stagflation, the disease that left the U.S. economy and stock market in ruins throughout most of the 1970s.
Definition: An inflationary period accompanied by rising unemployment and lack of growth in consumer demand and business activity. (n.)
My sentence: The stagflation period that we are currently experiencing in the U.S. is full of inflation and job loss.

Telling Details (revised)

2009-02-17T21:32:00.000-08:00

As I walked through the double-doors at Starbucks, I noticed the refreshing smell of coffee, the all so common background noise of blenders, and heard the quiet chatter of my peers around me.

I saw what looked to be a couple sitting down on a comfortable sofa near me-- both the man and woman keeping in constant contact as they enjoyed their coffee and muffins.

While observing these people was also struck by the sights and sounds of the rain leaving its mark on the building. A collection of water ran down the window sills as I heard the popping noise of the water droplets bouncing off the roof.

Word of the Week #3

2009-02-17T21:21:00.000-08:00

Word: Poignant
Source: HOW TO WRITE TELEVISION NEWS
How it was used: It is often what makes a story poignant and interesting.
Definition: 1. pungently pervasive 2. deeply affecting 3. pleasurably stimulating (adj.)
My sentence: After reading the poignant article in the newspaper, I was inspired to follow it's message.

Word of the Week #2

2009-02-08T21:02:00.000-08:00

Word: Dint
Source: Everything They Had: Sports Writing from David Halberstam
How it was used: " He has had very good players, by dint of George Steinbrenner's passion to win, and his players are by and large, mature, unusually self-reliant men (especially when calibrated on the Richter Scale of contemporary athletic maturity..
Definition: 1. archaic 2. force power (n., transitive verb)
My sentence: I knew that I should not talk back to my teacher, by dint of her failing me.

Journal Writing #1- My favorite writing

2009-02-08T20:16:00.000-08:00

The article that I chose to discuss is from a compilation of sports articles written by the journalist David Halberstam. After reading this article, I realized that I could read it over and over again until my eyes begin to hurt. Growing up as a basketball player and fan throughout the 1990's, there was always one iconic figure who stood out above the rest. This man was Michael Jordan. The main reason I love this article and writer is because of the unique writing style Halberstam uses. Most sports articles are known for simply eliciting the facts to the reader- the score, the lineup, who played well, and who did not. Halberstam, however, is far different, telling a story and evoking emotion out of the reader.

In the article, Say it aint so, Mike, Halberstam perfectly depicts the intimidation I get from Jordan's larger than life persona. " I realize, having watched him for many seasons from a distance, and up close in what was at the time his final season, that the most dangerous thing in the world is to tell Michael he can't do something-- he almost surely will then go out and prove you wrong, just for the pleasure of that, of humiliating not merely opposing defenders, but writers as well."

Halberstam goes on to reveal his opposition of Jordan's return to the NBA after his magical season with the 1998 Chicago Bulls. The main reason why I love his writing is his ability to convey an argument that I agree with through his story telling language and style.

Author: David Halberstam
Book Title: Everything They Had, Sports Writing From David Halberstam
Page: 206
Date of Publication: 2008

Word of the Week #1

2009-02-08T20:05:00.000-08:00

Word: backlog (n.)
Definition: An accumulation of something, esp. uncompleted work or matters that need to be dealt with.
Sentence: It exhausted the allocation each of the last four years within six months as the money went to pay a backlog of claims.
Source: States struggle to fund crime compensation. www.msnbc.com
My Sentence: My procrastination led to many hours of working on a backlog of homework.

All About Me

2009-01-28T12:50:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone. My full name is John Russell Mikols but I go by Russell. I am currently in my third year of college but my second here at SJSU. I attended Chico State University my freshman year and realized very quickly that it is tough get much done there (except party).

I am majoring in broadcast journalism and so far it has been an interesting, fun, and tough experience. I am planning on graduating about one semester late due to some complications with my transfer from Chico State.

Many of my interests in life pertain to sports. My favorite sport is basketball. I have been playing and watching basketball and most other sports since I was very young. I am hoping that my love for sports will lead to some sort of career in that field. My dream would be to work for either the bay area radio station KNBR, or the mother-ship network that is ESPN.

I hope to get a lot out of this 100W course. I would like to think that my writing skills are good, but I know they are not great and can be much improved. I am hoping this course will teach me how to write in the various styles of media that I will need to succeed in the work force. Overall, I just want gain the knowledge and skills necessary to be successful in life. I am looking forward to this semester and am eager to get it over with!

Final Leads

2008-05-12T12:13:00.000-07:00

1. Who Lead:

A 24-year old man, whose name has not been released, was robbed and beaten outside of his own apartment complex in Mountain View yesterday morning.

2. What Lead:

An unidentified man was robbed and beaten yesterday morning when two men repeatedly struck him with a toilet lid and stole his car.

3. Where Lead:

While inside his own apartment complex at 2200 California Street in Mountain View, a 24-year old man was robbed and beaten with a toilet lid yesterday morning.

4. How Lead:

After using a toilet lid as their weapon, two unidentified men robbed and beat a 24- year old Mountain View man inside his own apartment complex yesterday.

5. I feel that the where lead is most important because the readers will want to know if there is violence going on in their communities.

Tunnel of Oppression

2008-04-09T12:29:00.001-07:00

In my twenty years on this earth I have read, watched, listened and observed what the world has to offer. Through those years, the world has taught me many things. One thing the world has not taught me is why oppression is such an accepted and used idea.

As I started my walk through the tunnel of oppression my mind immediately began to switch gears. No longer was I thinking about where I would eat after class or how tough school was. Now I was beginning to think on a much superior level, a level that I believe every person on this earth should start to think. With every step came the grueling anticipation of so many horrific truths seen throughout the world today and in it's history.

As I turned the corner of one room where I had just seen numerous hate words and ideas, I entered another where a certain story struck me deep. This story about six black men in Jenna Louisiana showed me just how far from perfect this world is. Along with pure racial injustice, the story made me aware of something that I feel leads to so many negative things today. Ignorance is behind so much of what I saw that day. I began to realize that when you look at the human aspect of oppression, the simple fact that people are not educated enough to know what they are doing makes me have a certain doubt about people today.

Sadness, anger, regret, sympathy, and passion are all very strong emotions that I felt as I walked from room to room. Sadness for the unfortunate situations of so many helpless children in Africa, anger at the sick human beings who get joy out of raping children, regret that I may have said or done things in the past to hurt others, sympathy for so many who are oppressed today, and most importantly I have the passion to change the way I think today.

Broadcast Sabercats

2008-03-19T12:42:00.000-07:00

The Sabercats beat the Arizona Rattlers 63-43 on Saturday night due in large part to A.J. Haglund’s franchise tying four field goals.

The Sabercats made their mark on defense, forcing five turnovers and recording three interceptions.

The game itself seemed more like a side note due to the extravagant pre-game ceremony honoring the Sabercats’ 2007 AFL championship.

Mark Grieb had a decent performance, throwing three touchdowns in the Sabercats’ second win of the season.

The Sabercats will face the Dallas Desperados this Saturday in what may be a preview of this year’s Arena League championship.

A.J. Haglund leads Sabercats to victory in home opener

2008-03-18T22:25:00.000-07:00

A.J. Haglund's franchise tying four field goals and all out hustle led the Sabercats to a dominating victory in their home opener.

Haglund is well on his way to surpassing his total of only 10 made field goals in just 18 attempts in all of last season.

“Kickers get of lot of work in a game, but usually not field goals,” Haglund said.

By work, Haglund is most likely referring to the gritty, smash-mouth attitude that some kickers in the league such as him have.

In the 2007 season Haglund recorded 15.5 tackles in 16 games which broke Dan Frantz’ 2004 season mark for tackles by a kicker.

Haglund was not the only Sabercat putting forth a terrific effort Saturday night, although a lot of players felt they could have played better in their 63-43 win over the Arizona Rattlers (1-2), which was San Jose’s second victory of the season.

“We did just enough on offense to get the win,” Grieb said. Grieb had a decent night, throwing three touchdowns with two interceptions, but making big plays when they were needed.

The Sabercats built a steady lead throughout the first half behind two field goals from A.J. Haglund, leading 27-7 at halftime.

The Rattlers cut the San Jose lead to 10 twice in the second half, while scoring 36 points, but the Sabercats’ offense did just enough to keep the lead out of reach, mostly because of Jason Geather’s two rushing touchdowns.

“ We came out with a lot energy and then we had a little lull,” Coach Darren Arbet said. “We’ve just got to get better every week.”

Prior to the game, the Sabercats were presented with their 2007 Arena Bowl Championship trophy in a concert-like atmosphere that was filled with bright lights and loud pyrotechnics.

After a night that included a championship ceremony and an overall convincing second win of the year for the Sabercats, A.J. Haglund definitely stole the show with his terrific all around performance, showing why kickers aren't always what their cracked up to be.

Sabercats story

2008-03-17T12:38:00.000-07:00

Column

2008-03-03T12:07:00.000-08:00

The trouble with women can’t completely be described in one single column. As with most things in life, there is both a lot of good and a whole lot of bad things that can be associated with them. First, let’s deal with the good things. In my opinion, women are a whole lot more responsible than men, especially when it comes to issues such as being on time, getting things done in a quick and orderly fashion, and most importantly showing how much they love you.
My main problem with women is that they sometimes have a very “different” way of showing you how they really feel. The most typical and reoccurring example I can think of is the famous question, “do I look fat?” As a man myself, I don’t think there is any possible way of answering that question correctly. If I say no, which I do every single time, then she will say, “you’re just saying that to be nice”, and if I make the grave mistake of saying yes, boy does it really hit the fan. I will definitely be in the “dog house” for at least the next couple weeks.
To me, the difference between men and women can be summed up in a single sentence. Men want things done the easy way and women want things done the hard way. Women feel the need to hang on every word us men say and punish us if we say one that doesn’t please them. It is very hard to have conversations with women without them correcting you at least four or five times.
Through my twenty years here on this planet, I have figured out one very important thing about women, men will never be able to figure them out!

Dwight Lowery entering the 2008 NFL Draft

2008-02-27T12:24:00.000-08:00

Who: Dwight Lowery, Jared McNulty, Brett Norris

What: I will be writing a story about Dwight Lowery. He is a former student and football standout at SJSU and is also someone that I know. He is from my hometown of Santa Cruz and was the roomate of one of my good friends. Dwight will be entering the 2008 NFL Draft in April and is currently working hard in order to get drafted in the first few rounds.

Where: Santa Cruz and San Jose State University

When: April 26, 2008

Why: I feel that this is a significant story, especially for readers of the Spartan Daily because Dwight is an alumni of San Jose State. He is entering the draft because he wants to take his game to the next level and compete against the best.

How: I will hopefully be able to get a few interviews with Dwight and I will also interview a couple other people who are in similar positions to him.

I will be interviewing different types of people to get different aspects of the story. Some of the people I will interview include a local college football player, students at SJSU, Dwight's former roomate, and Dwight himself.

Car Accident and Pipe Fitter leads

2008-02-22T23:13:00.000-08:00

Pipe Fitter Lead

Immediate Lead

Duane La Chance, 55, of Springfield suffered third-degree burns and was listed as in serious condition in Springfield Hospital's intensive care unit Wednesday, according to Henry Rosen, project manager of Gross Engineers.

Delayed Lead

While installing new pipes on the roof of Springfield Municipal Power Plant, Duane La Chance accidentally touched a power line carrying 15,000 volts with a piece of iron angle, resulting in third-degree burns and him being placed in intensive care.

Car Accident Lead

Immediate Lead

James W. Cunning, 20, is in satisfactory condition after being in a car accident on U.S. 63 when a vehicle driven by Wayne Clay, 19, crossed over the center line and struck Cunning's vehicle, according to the Lincoln County Sheriff's Department.

Delayed Lead

While driving South on U.S. 63, Wayne Clay, 19, crossed over the center line and struck a vehicle being driven by James W. Cunning, 20, yesterday. Cunning is now in what is listed as satisfactory condition at Springfield Hospital.

Fairy Tale Leads

2008-02-20T13:18:00.000-08:00

Direct Lead for Shrek

Princess Fiona finally looked past the big green body and impolite manners when she realized she was in love with Shrek yesterday.

Delayed Lead for Shrek

With the guidance of a loud mouthed donkey and a sword fighting cat, Shrek finally built up the courage to confess his love to Princess Fiona.

A.P. Style

2008-02-13T12:54:00.000-08:00

These are four wierd rules in the A.P. Styles book.
1.) Compared to, Compared with
-Use "compared to" when the intent is to assert, without the need for elaboration, that two or more items are similar. Use "compared with" when juxtaposing two or more items to illustrate similarities and/or differences.

2.) Flautist
- The prefered word is flutist.

3.) Korean names
-North Korean names are generally three seperate words, each starting with a capial letter. South Korean names are three words with the second two names hyphenated and a lowercase lettr after the hyphen. (VERY CONFUSING)

4.) Mishap
- A minor misfortune. People are not killed in mishaps.

Missing Boy

2008-02-06T12:41:00.000-08:00

A 7-year-old boy, missing for three years, was found Monday night in Brick Township, N.J.

A neighbor recognized the child's picture when it was shown after a movie and called the police.

Police arrested the boy's mother, Ellen Lynn Conner, 27, who faces charges of kidnapping and interference with a custody warrant.

Smoking Wheels

2008-02-06T12:36:00.000-08:00

Forty passengers were evacuated from Municipal Airport in LaCrosse, Wisconsin Wednesday, follwing a flight from Minneapolis.

This occured after a landing tower employee spotted Northwest Airlines jet, Flight 428 with smoke near the wheels.

Chevy Chase

2008-02-05T17:14:00.000-08:00

Actor and comedian Chevy Chase was appointed to the board of trustees yesterday in Annandale-on-Hudson, N.Y. at Bard College, where he is a famous alumnus.

Air Crash

2008-02-04T12:56:00.000-08:00

All 131 passengers were killed yesterday in the worst air crash disaster in the past three years, after a U.S. plane tragically crashed outside of Pittsburgh.

About Me

2008-01-30T12:46:00.000-08:00

My name is John Russell Mikols. I go by Russell, which is kind of hastle when it comes to school related things. My main interests pretty much all have something to do with sports. I have been playing basketball and other sports ever since I can remember. I am currently in my second year of college. I transfered here to San Jose State last semester. I went to Chico State last year. Hopefully I will find the area of journalism interesting enough to make it my major.

I grew up in Watsonville which is just south of Santa Cruz. I love it there. Even though I have a studio apartment on Winchester in San Jose, I still find myself back home most of the time.