Extra credit recorded broadcast for feature story

http://soundcloud.com/arhochmuth/tattoobroadcast/s-cPkD5

Copy Edit The World #3

This is from the MSNBC News app on my iPhone. The line in the middle accidentally spells blanket as "blacket."

The first word in this story spells the name of Anna Nicole Smith's daughter wrong.  Her name is supposed to be spelled "Dannielynn" instead of Danielynn.

To be fair, this isn't an originally found typo.  This was an amusing story I saw on the news about an elementary school that misspelled its own name for 9 years. Posters, flyers, t-shirts, and other memorabilia all used the spelling "Sunrise-McMillian" when it should really be "Sunrise-McMillan" with no extra "i."

Post #11 - IMHO (#2)

            A recent story I read on msnbc.com is about a woman who was fired from her job with Wells Fargo for a crime that she committed 40 years ago.

            Yolanda Quesada, a Wells Fargo employee for more than five years, was terminated last week after a background check revealed a shoplifting conviction from 1972 when she was just out of high school. 

            Judging from the online comments on this news story, many people are worked up about Quesada’s termination.  One of the most scrutinized lines in the story is a quote from a Wells Fargo spokesman that says, “We are bound by federal law that generally prohibits us from hiring or continuing the employment of any person who we know has a criminal record involving dishonesty or breach of trust.”

            Considering the recent controversies surrounding Wells Fargo in the last two years or so, I can see why this comment sparked a lot of discussion.  Wells Fargo has had incidents with tax evasion and has been accused in the past by public officials of misusing taxpayers’ money.  In 2012, the company was fined by a judge for unfair overdraft practices that misled customers.  Also, last month, they were ordered to pay $3.1 million in damages for mortgaging service misconduct.

            Based on these incidents, it seems a little ridiculous that Wells Fargo would fire an employee for a minor crime of 40 years ago when they haven’t done much to prove their own honesty as of lately.  I can’t disagree that this seems a bit hypocritical of a company charged with misleading customers and avoiding taxes.

            I am torn on this issue, however, because I also see the fault in Yolanda Quesada.  Wells Fargo has a written contract against hiring anyone with this kind of criminal record.  Quesada knew this when applying and knowingly lied during the application process.  In that respect, the termination is not unfounded. 

            I can see from the perspective of both the bank and the employee.  This, to me, reiterates the importance of understanding every angle of a story when examining the news. 

http://bottomline.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/05/07/11578176-wells-fargo-fires-employee-for-72-shoplifting-conviction 

Letter to the Editor

Dear Yahoo! News,

I just want to let you know how much I appreciate the story by Eric Pfeiffer about Hawaiian student Ciara Cetraro’s 13 years of perfect attendance.  It is truly refreshing to read a story about something good that someone has done and to see them recognized for it.  In a news world full of crime, violence, and celebrity garbage, it is nice to finally come across a story with a positive message.  Ciara deserves to be praised for her hard work and great achievement.  Thank you for using her encouraging story to spread inspiration to others.

Sincerely,

Amanda – San Jose, CA

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/13-years-perfect-attendance-student-nears-2-000-221116269.html

Advertisement Analysis

           

         The ad I am analyzing is for Metromint peppermint water and was found in a People Style Watch magazine.  Considering the magazine it was placed in, I would assume this ad is targeted specifically for young women.  The ad uses bold colors and a sleek design to perhaps appeal to a trendy audience.  This also goes along with its placement in a style magazine.  The ad makes an effort to promote the fact that the water is 100 percent pure, has zero calories, and uses no sweetener but still provides cool refreshment.  It specifically uses the phrase “100% guilt-free.”  This is likely to appeal to young women who are figure-conscious and are involved in an active and healthy lifestyle.

            I think the main message of this advertisement is simply that by drinking this brand of water you will be both trendy and healthy.  Even the graphic design of the label on the bottle looks modern and would appeal to a young, active generation.  I think the use of style, colors, and text does a good job of reaching the target audience.

Simile/Metaphor exercise

Metaphors:
She sat quietly on the front porch letting the sunlight embrace her.

He was a ticking time bomb ready to explode at any moment.

Similes:
The building stood tall like a proud soldier watching over the city.

Her harsh words felt like a knife twisting into my chest.

Post #8 - Japanese Internment Memorial

            The vignettes at the Japanese Internment Memorial depicted an emotional past of not just the artist, but the entire Japanese race. 

The Japanese Internment began shortly after Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941.  The Internment, authorized by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, allowed the confinement and relocation of Japanese and Japanese Americans living in the U.S to what were known as “war relocation camps.”  This was essentially prompted by racial prejudice and fear of the Japanese people in America revolting against their own country.  Eventually, President Ronald Reagan apologized on behalf of the U.S. government and attempted to distribute more than one billion dollars in reparations to the Japanese Americans who had been held captive in the country they called their home.

 In 1942, San Jose State University utilized their gym (what is now Yoshihiro Uchida Hall) to house and register Japanese Americans before sending them off to various internment camps.

Ruth Asawa was one of those interned during the 1940s.  An aspiring art teacher, she was unable to get hired for the prerequisite teaching that was necessary to complete her degree.  She instead became a sculptor, famous for her many different styles of art including stone and wire sculptures, paintings, and drawings seen all over the Bay Area.

In her Japanese Internment Memorial sculpture in downtown San Jose, Asawa portrays much of the angst, fear, and confusion of those dark days in American history.  Scenes are pictured of children being held in areas surrounded by barbed wire fences.  This makes them look more like herds of cattle being imprisoned rather than innocent young children.  The carved images show the discomfort of tight, crowded living quarters, with families practically piled on top of each other.  Overall, the murals convey a sense of fear and frustration from the hands of an artist with firsthand knowledge and experience of such devastating times.

In my opinion, it would be almost unthinkable for something like this to happen in the future.  It seems that our country is in a much different place than in the 1940s.  I think the events of the Japanese Internment will remain a sad but prominent piece of American history.

Post #10 - Fish out of Water

      (Warning... this is a little lengthier than the required word limit, but I felt it was necessary to completely tell the story!)     

           As many San Jose State students know, the start of a semester can sometimes prove to be quite a challenge when it comes to getting all your desired classes.  I was no stranger to this last semester, and unsuccessfully tried to get into three different classes at 12:00pm - the only time period I had available.  My attempts failed and therefore, desperate to keep my status as a full-time student, I joined the first available class I could find at 12:00pm.  And so begins my “fish out of water” story in Philosophy of Law.

            I regretted my decision to join the class almost immediately.  It was made up of about 15 students, all Philosophy majors or law school hopefuls.  In case you’re wondering, I am neither of those.  As the teacher droned on about in-depth philosophical scenarios that were way above my realm of understanding, I looked around to find all the other confused faces in the room.  Unfortunately for me, mine was the only one.  Some even nodded in agreement periodically while I sat dumbfounded, wondering how I was going to survive the next 18 weeks or so.

            As the semester progressed, I came to class each day promising myself that today would be the day I would learn something groundbreaking.  Each day I sat in the front row, desperate to take in something – anything – she said.  I felt like I was sitting in a room full of Latin speakers, trying to pick up at least one or two new words every day.  I debated withdrawing from the class several times, but my pride kept me from doing so.

            Some days, we would break into groups for intellectual discussions.  These were the times I felt the most uncomfortable.  As my group tried to figure out if A was more likely than B or if C was more likely than both, I tried to smile and nod along with my classmates’ awe-inspiring revelations, but I always felt as though I had the word “fraud” written across my forehead.

            Before my semester of discomfort came to an end, I had to complete two major tasks.  The first was a term paper discussing some kind of ethical debate and the philosophical pros and cons associated with it.  Luckily, my ability to write came in handy in this situation, as I was able to fudge my way through a seven-page paper sounding as though I knew exactly what I was talking about. 

            The second task was taking the final exam.  I did the best I could, based on the limited amount of information I was able to soak up from lectures and the textbook.  At the end of the exam, there was a space to write any comments you’d like to leave for the teacher to read.  I did not hesitate to tell her just how difficult this class was for me.  I told her that even though I never felt like I belonged, I still tried my best and wanted to be recognized for that.

            I’m not sure if it was my sympathy-invoking comment or my well-written paper that saved me, but somehow, I miraculously ended with an A in the class.  I have never been more proud in my life.  I talked about that A for weeks. In fact, I still bring it up occasionally.  The main point I’ve made to myself is that sometimes we are smarter than we think we are.  We should never let intimidation or fear of inadequacy allow us to sell ourselves short of our potential.  I’m so glad I got the opportunity to be a “fish out of water” because I was able to prove to myself just how far my own strength and determination could take me when I simply refused to give up.

Word #8

1. Eschews
2. "David Carson eschews grids of any form."  Source: My textbook - "The Magazine from Cover to Cover" by Sammye Johnson and Patricia Prijatel
3. Part of speech: Verb.  Definition: to abstain or keep away from; shun; avoid
4. The tight knit community eschews the rebellious girl who does not belong.

Post #9 - IMHO (#1)

A current news story that has sparked controversy is one regarding photos that have surfaced showing U.S. army troops posing with body parts from dead suicide bombers in Afghanistan.  The photos, published in the Los Angeles Times, had been taken in 2010, but were recently given to the Times by a solider from Ft. Bragg.   Army officials have condemned the soldiers and have said that an investigation could lead to disciplinary action. 

This story upsets me for several reasons.  I find it disgraceful that American soldiers would stand posed with smiles on their faces and giving “thumbs up” to the camera while surrounded by death and war.  In my opinion, it doesn’t matter how horrible the enemy is, no one should be flaunting and celebrating death as though war is the epitome of happy times.  This makes American troops look arrogant and inhumane, which is unfair to those fellow soldiers that are respectable and would never degrade themselves to that level.

Another problem I have with this (which is also mentioned in the article) is that actions such as these could spark revenge attacks from the Afghan army.  These troops’ careless actions could actually be inciting violence upon their fellow service members, which is wrong.  The article mentions several recent “damaging and embarrassing incidents” involving U.S. troops such as: a video showing U.S. marines urinating on Taliban corpses, an incident at an American army base where copies of the Quran were burned, and the recent killing rampage of mostly women and children in Afghanistan by a U.S. soldier.  I believe the U.S. soldiers in this photo should absolutely have known better than to further prompt the embarrassing reputation being given to the U.S. army.  American soldiers should stand proud and hold to a higher standard, fighting with honor and respect, not with carelessness and mockery.

http://worldnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/04/18/11262685-us-condemns-troops-who-allegedly-posed-with-dead-suicide-bombers-in-afghanistan?lite

Post #5 - Mystery Character

The tabloids love me.  Maybe it’s the abundance of animal prints I display on my tiny 4’9” frame.  Maybe it’s my glossy, sky-high hair and orangey-brown skin.  Maybe it’s the eye-catching neon colors, sparkles, or oversized sunglasses I like to flaunt.  Maybe it’s even my partying addiction.  Whatever the case, there’s plenty to love, especially now that that I’m bringing another “me” into existence.  Get ready, world! 

If you haven't already figured it out who I am... CLICK HERE

Copy Edit the World #2

This is from a Yahoo article. In the first paragraph it should say "March 4" instead of "Match 4."

This is the back cover of SJSU's March 2012 edition of Access Magazine. It should say "St. Patty's Day" instead of "St. Paddy's Day."

This is from a Yahoo news article.  The sentence in the middle repeats a name twice.  It says "Oprah, Rihanna, Ryan Seacrest, Justin Bieber and Rihanna have already lent their support."

This is from a church bulletin advertising an upcoming fellowship day.  Instead of listing the movies as "Kung Fu Panda 2" and "Mr. Popper's Penguins" they are listed incorrectly as "Kungu 2" and "Mr. Poppin Penguin."

This is from my textbook "The Magazine from Cover to Cover."  It displays a random "fun fact" in a box in the middle of the page.  The quote cuts off at "It positions us for our" and doesn't continue the rest of the quote anywhere.

This dailymail.co.uk article reports Snooki wearing a "pink top with the words 'love being be' emblazoned across the font."  Clearly they should have written "love being me" instead.   

Word #7

1. Antiquated
2. "... A universe of antiquated customs long since observed in today's society..."  Source: Access magazine article "Play With Heart" by Brittany Patterson
3. Part of speech: Adjective.  Definition: Continued from, resembling, or adhering to the past; Aged, obsolete, no longer used, old-fashioned
4. The antiquated dress matched perfectly with the style of the 1800s.

Word #6

1. Ancillary
2. "Someone 'we know well' leaves the door open for it to be a (somewhat) extraneous, ancillary character."  Source: Tvfanatic.com article "Who Will Die on NCIS: Los Angeles?!" by Steve Marsi
3. Part of speech: Adjective or noun.  Subordinate, assisting, secondary; a subsidiary thing or person.
4. All that matters is being safe. Everything else is ancillary.

Word #5

1. Psychographics 
2. "Although advertising is sold based on a clear delineation of reader demographics and psychographics, much editorial content is based on the editors' inherent understanding of their audience."  Source: My textbook "The Magazine From Cover to Cover" by Sammye Johnson and Patricia Prijatel
3. Part of speech: Noun.  Definition: The study and grouping of people according to their attitudes and tastes, especially for market research.
4. Advertising agencies must be familiar with an area's psychographics to know what will be useful and appealing to them.

Copy Edit the World #1

This was printed on the thermostat at a Wendy's fast food restaurant. I'm assuming it's supposed to say "Do not touch."

This was an error in my church bulletin. The word "grateful" should have been used instead of "gratitude."

This was an email ad I received.  There are two errors. The first is under the SHOP heading where it says "Shop springs's must-haves." Springs's should be spring's instead of having two S's.  Also, the bottom text says "Submit you statement" instead of "Submit your statement."

Word #4

1. Addendum 
2. "He's made himself a target for years because of his curious choices off the court, and the addendum to the Delonte West rumor are the whispers that 'helpers' inside of James' camp actually started that nonsense in a moronic attempt to divert some criticism away from LeBron..."  Source: Yahoo Sports Article "LeBron threatened to beat up heckler. You gotta problem with that, tough guy?"  By Kelly Dwyer
3. Part of speech: Noun.  Definition: Something added; an item of additional material, typically omissions, added at the end of a book or publication
4. The new application will be a significant addendum to the iPhone's existing capabilities. 

Word #3

1. Disseminated 
2. "The information disseminated via ALERT SJSU will describe the emergency and may caution you to avoid certain areas of campus..."  Source: SJSU's "Annual Security And Fire Safety Report" booklet
3. Part of speech: Verb.  Definition: To scatter or spread widely, as though sowing seed; broadcast, disperse.
4. The teacher disseminated important information students should not forget.

Post #4 - What makes it news?

            A recent news story I find significant is the story of an 18-year-old girl from Missouri who was sentenced this past week to life in prison for the murder of her 9-year-old neighbor.  Alyssa Bustamante was just 15 years old when she stabbed, strangled, and slit the throat of Elizabeth Olten on October 21, 2009.  This story becomes even more disturbing with the revelation of Bustamante’s journal confessions.  She describes the feeling of killing as “ahmazing” and added, “As soon as you get over the ‘ohmygawd I can’t do this’ feeling, it’s pretty enjoyable.”  Her journal then continued with, “Kay, I gotta go to church now…lol.” 

Originally charged with first-degree murder, Bustamante pleaded guilty to a lesser charge in order to avoid a courtroom trial and gain the possibility of parole.  She will now have to serve a mandatory 35 years and 5 months in prison before becoming eligible for parole.

This story is newsworthy for several reasons.  The most obvious reason is the unusualness of it.  It's not every day that people hear stories of teenage girls killing their neighbors; much less admit to enjoying it.  The story also has an impact on people, especially those with teenage daughters or young children.  It makes parents think twice about letting their son or daughter go over to play at the neighbors’ house if they are not very familiar with them.  It causes parents of teenagers to look for “red flags” in recent behavior that might indicate something bigger going on.  The tragedy of the story sparks natural human interest as well as emotional appeal.  And of course, the timeliness is relevant in that Bustamante's sentence was handed to her just this past week.

I think this story could be made local by talking to parents of young children who are unfamiliar with many of their neighbors, and allowing them to share safety tips they practice.  Obviously not every neighbor is a killer, but by encouraging parents to use caution for the safety of their children, preventative steps might be taken to ensure similar crimes don’t happen again.  Also, by referencing local centers where troubled teenagers who have expressed harmful or suicidal thoughts can go to receive help, more people may think about getting help for their loved ones to prevent similar instances from occurring.

http://news.yahoo.com/mo-teen-gets-life-possible-parole-killing-141938731.html

Post #3 - A Fly On The Wall

           As I soak up the warmth from the sun rays breaking through the window, I take in the sundry scene around me.  I hear a bell ring in a perfect, familiar rhythm.  I feel movement as trees and busy streets rush past me in a blur.  A woman sits across the way with perfectly manicured hands folded in her lap. She stares straight ahead with sunglasses firmly planted on her face, hiding in plain view.  The sound of happy children floats from somewhere beyond what I can see.  Two young men sit across from each other laughing and joking while one reaches over to playfully hit the other’s arm.  Three gray-haired gentlemen sit in close proximity, similar in age, but separated by silence.  A dark-haired, petite girl laughs into her cell phone as she peers out the window into the beautiful day.  A dark-skinned man with shoulder-length hair pushes a curly-haired, smiling baby back in forth in a stroller. He picks up the baby who joyfully laughs and begins drawing invisible shapes on the window with his tiny, delicate fingers.  A lonely purple bicycle stands planted on the cold, metal rack which seems to have become its home during this journey.  This is a journey we all share, yet with an array of destinations.   As I step through the automatic doors and onto the broad platform, I leave the light rail behind and breathe in the air of a new day.

Word #2

1. Proprietor 
2. "He added: 'The proprietor of a cafe doesn't use personal information about me and my friends to make money.'" Source: New York Times article "Disruptions: Facebook Users Ask, 'Where's Our Cut?'" by Nick Bilton
3. Part of speech: Noun.  Definition: The owner of a business, or holder of a property.
4. Facebook's proprietor should do more to acknowledge the role of its users in contributing to its overall success.

Post #2 - Your Favorite Writing

I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings - by Maya Angelou


A free bird leaps on the back
Of the wind and floats downstream 
Till the current ends and dips his wing 
In the orange suns rays
And dares to claim the sky.

But a BIRD that stalks down his narrow cage
Can seldom see through his bars of rage
His wings are clipped and his feet are tied
So he opens his throat to sing.

The caged bird sings with a fearful trill
Of things unknown but longed for still
And his tune is heard on the distant hill for
The caged bird sings of freedom.

The free bird thinks of another breeze
And the trade winds soft through
The sighing trees
And the fat worms waiting on a dawn-bright
Lawn and he names the sky his own.

But a caged BIRD stands on the grave of dreams
His shadow shouts on a nightmare scream
His wings are clipped and his feet are tied
So he opens his throat to sing.

The caged bird sings with
A fearful trill of things unknown
But longed for still and his
Tune is heard on the distant hill
For the caged bird sings of freedom.


This well-known poem by Maya Angelou has always stood out to me every time I have encountered it in my various English and/or writing classes.  She writes about a free bird and a caged bird, which represents the free white man versus the enslaved black man in the days of racial segregation.  I like it because of its graceful flow and literal rhythm when speaking it aloud.  It makes use of beautiful metaphors such as "leaps on the back of the wind", "bars of rage", and "stands on the grave of dreams."  In addition, her use of adjectives such as "orange sun rays" and "fearful trill" give distinct pictures and conjure the actual emotions of the bird itself, which is the imprisoned slave.  The imagery is powerful and the main message of the poem is inspiring as well.  Angelou is encouraging the slaves to "sing" and have hope. Even though they are caged, they must never surrender their spirit and their internal freedom to dream.  Just because their body is enslaved does not mean their mind cannot be free.  I believe this message of hope and perseverance is still relevant today.  I think the combination of beautiful imagery, powerful metaphors, and a timeless inspirational message makes this a great piece of writing.

Word #1

1. Scatological
2. "It is often criticized for being too violent, too scatological, and for using language too strong for children." Source: My textbook Visual Communications: Images with Messages 
3. Part of speech: Adjective. Definition: Characterized by obscenity or preoccupation with obscenity, especially in the form of references to excrement.
4. His scatological sense of humor was inappropriate in front of the children.

Post #1 - All About Me

My name is Amanda Hochmuth and I’m a Journalism and Mass Communications major (and hopefully a Legal Studies minor) at SJSU.  After three years of community college, I am now beginning my second semester at SJSU.  I do not have a specific, detailed vision of my future career, but I do know that communication – specifically writing – is a strength of mine.   Aside from writing, I also enjoy singing, art, travelling, and outdoor activities.  When I’m not in class, I'm working as a server at a restaurant/brewery and currently saving up for a Spring Break trip to Spain to visit my best friend during her semester abroad.   I also sing in my church's worship band and am involved in many extracurricular activities.  I come from a large family and there is always something going on! My life consists of juggling a very hectic schedule, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.  I am making an effort to put school at the top of my priority list and perform to the absolute best of my abilities. I am driven, motivated, goal-oriented, and not afraid to work hard.  This class has been said to intimidate some students, but I'm excited and looking forward to improving and expanding my writing abilities.  I think this class will be a good experience for me.