Individual Blog Post

Word Count 156

Lexus Nexus is a very helpful resource for San Jose State students. The search engine can be found on the Martin Luther King, Jr. Library website. I am able to look up an endless amount of topics, from a huge variety of newspapers. All for free, of course.

I have used Lexus Nexus when I needed to look up creditable newspapers. The good thing about Nexus is that you can look up past topics. That the newspapers have published from the past couple of months or more.

Lexus Nexus has saved me a lot time when it comes to researching. Instead of looking up topics in the newspaper, Nexus finds the topics for me. Then all I have to do is read the articles. Nexus also gives the option of looking up local, national, and international publications.

I suggest this search engine for any student that needs to cite, or do research from a creditable newspaper.

Individual Blog Post

Word Count 167

Youtube is controlling my life! When I am extremely bored from doing
homework I turn to this website. I am not alone. I can name a couple of times that me, and my friends strayed away from more important things. Only so we could see if there had been a new Tourettes Guy video posted up.

But what is it about this form of mass communication that intrigues so many people. Who know’s. But when there is a new and exciting website out there, people take notice. However, youtube can be so much more than watch people cuss and do silly things.

This website is very helpful; it has videos of historical moments, things of educational interests, and tutorials on almost anything. I have gone to youtube and watched the tutorials of how to use photoshop. I have watched the videos about educational things just to learn more. So even when I am not learning the things I should be for class, at least I’m learning something.

Coffee Shop

Word Count 394

Who would have known that the local bagel shop is filled with characters from novella’s (Spanish soap operas). I sat quietly while I listened to the conversations of these melodramatic people across from me. They were three college aged girls, all drinking their non-fat, caramel, mocha latte some things. The letters Kappa Delta in elaborate prints were heat ironed on their sweatshirts.

I heard the first girl speak, she was of Asian descent. Her eyes closed gently every time she devoured another bite of her bagel. She was the ring leader of the group, when she spoke the other two girls had to listen. Her mouth barely opened when she spoke, like a calm opening up, just a little to see it’s pearl. Then it snapped back with a forcefulness, after scolding the other girls. Her upper lip was swollen and almost covered her lower lip. Her arms fell to the side as she leaned back in her chair.

“Jenny you know that wasn’t right what you did,” she said.

Jenny, a quiet and cutely chubby girl put her head down as she examined the cream cheese on her bagel. She was speechless, and did not know how to confront the leader. Jenny was pissed. Her face squinted a bit, which made deep indentations of crows feet. The layers of Mac cover-up began to crack a little. But she never said a word.

“Just leave her alone, we’ll talk about it later,” said the third girl.

A skinny brunette with a bit of an acne problem, desperately wanted a change in topic. Her long slender hands tore the bagel bit by bit. Then she popped each piece in her mouth, and chewed like a pigeon.

“No we need to talk about this now! So you better answer me Jenny, I’m not kidding,” the first girl said, with an annoying and demeaning voice.

This girl was a bitch. I knew it, Jenny and the brunette knew it, too bad she did not know. I could not understand why these girls would even break bagels with each other; it was obvious they disliked one another. But after that confrontational comment they all decided to eat in silence.

After they were finished, they got up; put there identically mini Jansport backpacks on, and headed back to their sorority house. I never did find out what Jenny did.

Focus Story

Word Count 146


Lillian Garland never thought that her new baby could cause her to be unemployed. Garland went on a pregnancy leave when she worked for the California Federal Savings & Loan. When she returned she was not given her job back.

After nine long nauseating months, she returned to work only to see her desk cleared, and a pink slip in her cubby. California law requires employers to pay their pregnant workers for four months under a disability leave. Employers are also required to give pregnant workers their jobs when they return. Garland did not receive anything and she sued her former employer.
Even though there are many laws against such treatment, many women still encounter the same situation. The U.S Supreme Court voted by 6-2 to uphold the rights of pregnant workers. However, the ruling was issued five years after Garland had her baby.

Japanesse Interment Camps

Word Count 538

The vignettes that I found most compelling were the barbed wire, the paper plane, and a Japanese family burning their culture items. The barbed wire went all around the memorial from the front to back. The paper plane was in the back of the memorial right above the barbed wire. The Japanese people burning their “ethnic” items were on the front of the memorial. This was compelling to me because it represented people of Japanese ancestry in the United States. The three vignettes paralleled many “minority” people’s experience of not being the “majority.”

The barbed wire was on the front, even before the Japanese people were put in the camps, and even after. This meant to me, that even though they were free there was still that resentfulness towards them. It’s significant because that is how a lot of “minorities” feel. The Japanese people might be out of the concentration camps, but many will still feel confined to one. Because of the racism towards them before the war, and the more they encountered after.

The paper plane is a symbol of childhood, and how Japanese children still managed to find fun during the interment. This also represents how some things cannot be broken. The Japanese people were enslaved for a period of time but still kept their traditions alive, and many still kept their faith in the United States.

The Japanese family burning their traditional items was the most compelling for me. Because these items are much more than material objects, they represented who they were. The Japanese people had to hide something about them because it was too “ethnic.” They had to cover up who they were in hopes that they would fit in to the majority culture.

I found these three particular vignettes compelling because it displayed a little bit of the Japanese experience at the time. I think that all of the things that have happened to the Japanese people have happened to other races at some point. Not the same exact thing as imprisonment, but a form of servitude to others.

It is a topic that people rarely discuss in history class. The way the Japanese people were treated before and after mirrors many immigrants. I do believe that something like this could and will happen again. The media and government can influence a great amount of people. They will able to ride on the fears of those non Japanese people who held resentment towards people of Japanese ancestry.

It really depends on how much people are willing to believe the media, in particular. A recent wave of racial profile like this can be seen towards people of Middle Eastern, and Indian descent after September 11^th. It did not go as far as the Japanese interment camps, but the situations are somewhat similar.

A major kamikaze bombing on Pearl Harbor, by a few extremists, caused dislike for an entire race. The internment camps could happen again because having a fear for something or someone is very strong. Fear does not have to be justified it just is. Many non Japanese people simply hatred Japanese people just because. This allowed the media and government to play on that hatred, and condition it to a fear.

Fish Out of Water

Word Count 370

This past spring break I went to New Orleans, Louisiana. During the week that I was there I spent a day with older people. The older people lived together in a large home called “Project Lazarus”, and their ages varied from late thirties to early seventies. They all were in a stage of the HIV virus, or had full blown aids. They now stayed in a home because they had no family to care for them.

I immediately felt like a fish out of water when I spent the day with these people. I could never again image what it would be like to have other people say what you can and cannot do. The residents were all limited to where they could go, and if they were able to go on different outings. I could never image having HIV/aids and watching my body slowly deteriorate.

“I can’t go! Because I called John a faggot,” said Ronicka Harrison a Project Lazarus resident.

I found this statement somewhat amusing, but it was a very serious matter for Harrison. The residents, other volunteers, and I were all going to the movie theater to see “Meet the Browns.” Harrison was punished for her statement, and could not attend the movies with us. This was a big deal, because the only time she goes outside is for her morning, lunch, and dinner smoke break. I felt that it was justified in her staying home, but at the same time it was sad to see her upset.

I felt like a fish out of water, because for the first time I truly felt sorry for someone else’s situation, it wasn’t the other way around. I felt that they were treated very child like by the workers. However, some residents still acted very child like given their ages. The people there had slowly lost their overall morale. The only things that brighten upped their day were having volunteers like myself go spend time with them. Because their families

It did not impacted me that day until I left and they were sad to see me go. Meeting these people changed me because it made me realize how simple things will make others feel better about themselves

Journal #2 - Media Audiences:

Word Count 336
I reviewed the news coverage on the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of

Latter Day Saints recent child custody cases in Texas.

News Paper

The article in USA Today, “FLDS Children moved to sports arena; Texas

separates those 5 and older from sect mothers,” was fairly short. It only stating the

important facts of the children and wives conditions. The source who was quoted was

Marleigh Meisner a spokeswoman for Texas Child Protective Services. She is the only

person who is quoted in this article. Though the article does mentions that the attorney for

the FLDS church, Gerald Goldstein, “did not return a call seeking comment,” (USA

Today, William M. Welch). There were no photos or charts used in this article.

Television

The television broadcast on the children and wives in child custody was also very

short, 2 minutes and 3 seconds. There were a total of four sources quoted, three men, and

one woman. Two of the men were fundamentalist Mormons, the third man was an

attorney, and the one woman was a current guardian of some of the children in custody.

The details on television are much more intricate because the use of the many graphics. It

also showed the Mormons speaking on their views, and their gigantic houses, and their

bus loads of families.

http://cbsnews.com

Website

The online coverage of the custody issue was extremely long compared to both the

newspaper and television. The story is about 40+ pages when it is printed out. The story

has many sources, and they are sources most people would take their word for. For

example the website quoted The Los Angeles Times, The Salt Lake Tribune, and etc. The

story was more like a print coverage. Because it was very informative and used sources,

it was not like the broadcast because there were not photos used at all. It was also very

different from both because at the end it allowed comments of random people. The

comments were both for and against the courts decisions.

http://messengerandadvocate.wordpress.com/2008/04/18/texas-judge-rules-all-416-must-remain-in-state-custody/

Drinking Coffee Elsewhere (Revision)

Word Count 230

Drinking Coffee Elsewhere was very humorous to read and had extremely vivid descriptions. ZZ would give a description that sometimes had nothing to do with the object but still described very well. She compared being in the bathroom to being inside the belly of a whale, using an effective metaphor.The scene-setting she wrote engaged me in the book and made it enjoyable.
Packer said the girls admired Octavia’s hair and listened to her every word “as though whatever she had to say would somehow activate their own follicles." I love that line because it shows me how attentive and patient the girls were when it came to listening to Octavia.
The chapter I read did not use many quotes. The quotes were very short and to the point which added to the scene. But for the most part there would be a short quote with a lot of description.
The dialogue between the characters was also short but it gave real sense of who the characters where. The way they called one character “snot”, and that they were going to have their “secret meeting”. If there had not been as much description I would still be able to tell that the characters where children. The strongest part of the chapter I read was the description. It really painted a picture of the characters and the scene.

NPR Analysis

Word Count 281

I listened to a radio interview entitled Hollywood makeovers, Frame by Frame on the website freshair.com. The interviewer knew about Hollywood film makers using digital enhancements for their movies. They do this because it greatly lessens the cost of production. The interviewer gave the example of how digital enhancements can change lighting, instead of using expensive lighting. The interviewer did mostly commentary and was “telling details” about the scene. She described a 40 something year old man working on a program called the “De Vinci”. The man worked in his “lonely” studio digitally changing skin tones, and even the weather in an upcoming movie.

She asked two questions, “You used the Da Vinci to get rid of Tom Cruise’s double chin?” and “Isn’t using this program dishonest, or the magic of movies?” There were no evasive answers they were all pretty straight to the point. The relationship between the interviewer and the interviewee was just that, they apparently had no prior connection to each other. The interviewer at first seemed to have a strategy to say that digital enhancements are a cop out to the real thing. However, toward the middle of the interview she mentioned the many perks to digitally enhancing feature films.

I learned a lot of things that I have always noticed, but have never really thought about before. For example, the films The Pirates of the Caribbean had almost every frame enhanced in some way to make it more believable. Today, about 95 percent of all films are color corrected, and digitally enhanced in some way. Many actors have color correcting written into their contracts. This interview definitely reinforced that old saying, don’t believe everything you see.

Newspaper Opinion Piece (Revision)

Word Count 307

Immigration is here to stay. My opinion on immigration is that it is a part of the United States when it began, and it is a part of the United States today. There are a huge number of people who cannot be accounted for because they illegally enter this country. However, I do not believe that building a fence, or puppy guarding the borders will lessen immigration. I do not know the resolution to the influx of people. People will go where ever there is work, and there is little to no work in Latin American countries.

Latin Americans are the biggest group of immigrants to the U.S especially in California. The United States has extremely questionable activities involving many Latin American businesses, and their government. The many Americans protesting and patrolling the boarders against immigration should first protest the U.S government for leaving their countries in the states they are in today. I think if immigrants lived in places were there was work, they would not want to leave in the first place.

I believe the bigger issue at hand, is that many immigrants provide a non-talk-back, non-pay- roll complaining cheap work force. If many of these people received armistice it would leave many California fields empty. In my opinion the immigration issue is not entirely about overcrowding and the loss of U.S resources. The immigration issue is about U.S corporations making big business, by keeping an entire group of people repressed. The fast food chains can give an immigrant lousy hours, with lower than minimum wage pay. The “illegal” person who does not comply will probably not find work elsewhere, because of their legal status. There is something that we can all agree on, immigration is not something that can be fixed over night. So as of right now immigration is here to stay.

Word of the Week #8

Appellant (noun)

A perosn who appeals.
A person or party who appleas a court's judgments.

I found this word while reading a court descison for Castillo v. State, for my MCOM 101 class.

The appellant walked out of court in hand cuffs because of the other party's complaint against him.

Mystery Character (Revision)

I thought it would be more interesting if I wrote the character as if I was the person.

202 Words

I am probably way too intelligent for you to guess who I am. Since you are college students you were probably up late smoking pot and eating Top Ramen. While if you think you have a shot let me describe my glorious self in great detail.

I live in the East Coast of the United States, with a dreadful family. The only one in my family who has any compatible intelligence to mine is the family pet. I especially loath my mother, and one day she will pay for making me eat broccoli.

I consider myself to be an attractive young lad. I have an elliptical-shaped head, and I have extremely dreamy big eyes. So go eat your heart out Bette Davis! I am of humble stature, but what I lack in legs I make up in my extreme intelligence. I can sing too, I even had my own show on the road, until it got canceled due to my talent-less stage partner.

My most awkward moment was when my father tried to breast feed me. Oh well that is a different story, and you don’t have all day to read this. Good day to you all! Who am I?

Copy Edit the World

Coffee is spelled coffe,












aluminum is spelled "alumium"





Spaghetti is spelled "spagheti"












Trespassing is spelled "tresspassing"

















Jewelery is spelled "Jewellery"

Exchange is spelled "exchang"

Word of the Week #7

Seditious (adjective)

Given to or guilty of engaging in or promoting sedition. In opposition to civil authority or government.

I came across this word while reading a text book entitled Communications Law, for my MCOM 101 class.

The anti-abortion group acted very seditiously while protesting against California's pro abortion laws.

Word of the week #6

Emulsion (noun)
I found this word when I was reading my visual communications text book for MCOM 70

A photo sensitive coating, usually of silver halide grains in a thin gelatin layer, on photographic film, paper or glass.

The photograph was ruined by the bright light, and the emulsion was completely burned off.

Word of the Week #5

Amortization (noun)

An act or instance of amortizing a debt or other obligation. The sums devoted to this purpose. The money set aside for this purpose.

I came across this word from reading a textbook for MCOM 70.

The man had an amortization to go through before he could buy a new car.

Word #4

Histogram (noun)

I cam across this word while reading my BUS 90 text book.

A graph of a frequency distribution, with bases on the horizontal axis are given widths equal to the class intervals and heights equal to the corresponding frequencies.

I made a histogram to show the correlation between how often students study, with the grades they received on exams.

Library Scavanger Hunt

Word Count 113


23. There are thirty three pieces of art work in the Martin Luther King Library. My favorite

piece of art work in the library is the "wise cracks" on the 7th floor bridge. The bridge on the 7th

floor appears to have cracked glass. However, I looked closer and I could see that those cracks

are comprised of various jokes, and puns. The different jokes and puns were created by one

artists/funny man by the name of Marcel Duchamts. The wise cracks is my favorite piece of art

because I have never seen anything like this before. It is very creative and interesting, because

it is a cleaver trick by deceiving our perception.

Telling Details (Revision)

Revision 274 Words

There was an extremely pleasantly plump girl on her way to one of her classes. The manner in which she presented herself seemed a bit awkward. She had electrified Shirley Temple curls, very brittle and wooly hair. So curly if you were to pull it, it would snap right back likes a pig's curly tail. The color of her hair resembled slightly burnt French fries. All of this was wrapped up into a messy half way bun.

The girl was listening to her earphones, acting as if she was in her own world. Her body posture was extremely hunched over, to the point that she almost looked like Quasimodo.

Her shoulders looked like she was wearing football gear twenty four seven. The way she kept her curvy hands to her side, and slouched made a very unflattering S shape posture.

Her face was motionless, only a blink of the eyes every now and then. Her mouth was stapled shut, but her eyes mouthed to the rhythm of the music. Two big round listening devices plastered on her ears, with the volume barely up two notches, was she even listing to music? I looked at her Sony ear phones, and imaged she received them as a Christmas gift, back in 1995.
Number 3 dimly light up as everyone exited the elevator, and on to another day of class. She strolled outside the sliver doors, and took very petit steps toward her destination. Her upper body trembling with every step, as she treaded faster to not be late for class. This girl was no lollygagger she was there to get to class and do her work.

When I was walking with my friend to her class I noticed an extremely beefy girl happened to be one of her classmates. Of course that is not what surprised me about this individual, it was the manner in which she presented herself. She had electrified Shirley Temple curls, very brittle and wooly hair. So curly if you were to pull it, it would snap right back likes a pig's curly tail. The color of her hair resembled slightly burnt French fries. All of this was wrapped up very un neatly into a messy half way bun.

As my friend and I were on the elevator, the girl was listening to her air phones, in her own world. Her body posture indicated that she felt unconfident, and stopped caring a long time ago. Her shoulders looked like she was wearing football gear twenty four seven. The way she kept her curvy hands to her side, and slouched made a very unflattering S shape posture.

Her face was motionless, only a blink of the eyes every now and then. Her mouth was stapled shut, but her eyes mouthed to the rhythm of the music. Two big round listening devices plastered on her ears, with the volume barely up two notches, was she even listing to music? I looked at her Sony air phones,and imaged she received them as a Christmas gift, back in 1995.
Number 3 dimly light up as everyone exited the elevator, and on to another day of class. She strolled outside the sliver doors, and took very petit steps toward her destination. Her upper body trembling with every step, as she treaded faster to not be late for class. This girl was no lollygagger she was there to get to class and do her work.

Word #3

Syzygy (noun)

Anlignment of three celestial objects, as the sun, the earth, and either the moon or a planet. Any two related things, either alike or opposite.

I came across this word while taking notes during my Geology lecture.

The syzygy of the sun, moon, and all the other planets in a perfect sequence, has never happened before.

Primary Election (revision)

The primary election was held yesterday, and sadly I did not have a chance to vote. I was also sad to hear that Senator Hilary Clinton was currently ahead of Senator Barack Obama. According to Wednesday’s Spartan Daily Clinton had 54.6 percent, while Obama had 34.3 percent of the vote. However, I am not completely disappointed with the outcome of the primary election. At least Barack Obama might have lost the Democratic vote to an honorable man. Of course I feel I have no room to complain about the primary vote. I am a registered voter, but you did not see my fat ass out there voting for Obama. I was too lazy, and had school work, very valid excuses of course. If the voting trends continue as they do now, Clinton will most likely be competing against old man McCain this year. I think or least I hope Hilary Clinton will win the president election. Clinton will then finally put an end to the sausage fest of a White House; and I will make sure to get out there and vote for this year's election.

Journal #1 My Favorite Writing (revision)

One of my favorite types of writing is poetry, and slam poetry. I really love how this writer expresses herself through her poetry. I like slam poetry because of its message, and so much can be said in a few simple lines. I especially enjoy writing that I can relate to, and understand the author's point of view. The name of the poem is Phenomenal Woman by Maya Angelou. I think this is an excellent example of writing particularly poetry. It was interesting to read about how she explains how she is beautiful; without having to look like a Barbie doll. The repetition of “I’m a woman Phenomenally. Phenomenal woman, That’s me,” adds to the effect and flow of the poem. That is why I like this piece of writing because of the message, and the rhythm of the poem.

Phenomenal Woman by Maya Angelou
"Four Poems for Women" 1995

Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.
I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size
But when I start to tell them,
They think I'm telling lies.
I say,
It's in the reach of my arms,
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

I walk into a room
Just as cool as you please,
And to a man,
The fellows stand or
Fall down on their knees.
Then they swarm around me,
A hive of honey bees.
I say,
It's the fire in my eyes,
And the flash of my teeth,
the swing in my waist,
And the joy in my feet.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Men themselves have wondered
what they see in me.
They try so much
But they can't touch
My inner mystery.
When I try to show them,
They say they still can't see.
I say,
It's in the arch of my back,
The sun of my smile,
The ride of my breasts,
The grace of my style.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Now you understand
just why my head's not bowed.
I don't shout or jump about
Or have to talk real loud.
When you see me passing,
It ought to make you proud.
I say,
It's in the click of my heels,
The bend of my hair,
the palm of my hand,
the need for my care.
'Cause I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Word #2 (revision)

Graft (noun) found when reading the Near v Minnesota Case

The acquisition of money, gain, or advantage by dishonest, unfair, or illegal means, esp through the abuse of one's position or influence in politics, business, etc. A particular instance, method or means of thus acquiring gain or advantage.

The president grafted his way into office by bribing local politicians with large amounts of money.

All About Me (revision word writing)

Hi my name is Gloria Trinidad and this is my first blog posting. I am in my 3rd year here at San JOse State, my major is Advertising and I have two minors, Business and Français. I currently work for AmeriCorps.

I would like to become a better at writing at the end of this class.

I hope this will be a good semester, and I hope you enjoy my writing. I always try to make writing fun, so I often try to write interesting and humorous.

Word #1 (revision)

Sentry (noun) came across this word when I had to listen to Michael Savage on KNEW for a MCOM 101 assignment.

A soldier stationed at a place to stand guard and prevent the passage of unauthorized persons. The duty of a sentry; watch.

Michael Savage said Obama is a puppet presidential candidate; because he was only put in the race to act as a sentry against Clinton.













Synergy (noun)

from dictionary.com

Expected synergy is the justification behind most business mergers.

Combined action or functioning, the cooperative action of tow or more muscles, nerves, or the like, the cooperative action of two or more stimuli or drugs.

The synergy of the marijuana and the cocaine I took worked perfectly together.