Postscript

A Great Goodbye

2010-02-22T21:38:00.000-08:00

Thank you to all of my friends and family for a truly memorable last few weeks. I feel extremely blessed to have you in my life, and it is with your support that I go into the Peace Corps with high spirits and confidence in myself!

Thanks Jenna for my beautiful necklaces and coordinating a great last night out in Portland!

Katie, Karen, Kate, and Ashley. A special thanks to Karen for driving up from Eugene and my gorgeous journal!

Thanks Becca for making a special effort to fly to Oregon and for the beautiful book you made! It mean't so much to me.

Jon, Zach, and Joel (missing Fenny). You guys have been there for me since forever, especially you brother! Thanks!

5 at 25

2010-02-22T21:02:00.000-08:00

My brother, Joel Perez, has set out on a courageous goal of running 5 marathons this year. Joel is asking that you support him in his goal by donating to the Boys and Girls Club in Bend, Oregon.

I have set up a secure website on active.com for donations. Please visit Joel's website, 5 at 25, to learn more about his journey to the finish line.

If you are in one of the following cities during race day, please support Joel along the course!

Los Angeles Marathon : March 21

Eugene Marathon : May 2

San Francisco Marathon : July 25

Portland Marathon : October 10

Las Vegas Marathon : December 5

What i'm Listening to: MIXTAPE: 3

2010-02-22T20:48:00.000-08:00

Track ........................................................... Artist

1. The High Road........................................................................Broken Bells

2. Zebra........................................................................................Beach House

3. She's Got You High................................................................Mumm-Ra

4. There Goes the Fear..............................................................Doves

5. Furr..........................................................................................Blitzen Trapper

6. Lets Go....................................................................................The Feelies

7. Under the Milky Way............................................................Sia

8. Duet.........................................................................................Rachael Yamagata

9. Take Care................................................................................Beach House

10. Beach Baby............................................................................Bon Iver

11. The End..................................................................................Zee Avi

What i'm Listening to: MIXTAPE: 2

2010-01-21T13:03:00.000-08:00

See MIXTAPE: 1 here.

Track ................................................................. Artist

1. Wake Up...............................................................Arcade Fire

2. Sweet Disposition..............................................Temper Trap

3. Lisztomania........................................................Phoenix

4. Animal.................................................................Miike Snow

5. Stay Illogical.......................................................Under the Influence of Giants

6. White Sky............................................................Vampire Weekend

7. Fences..................................................................Phoenix

8. Silver City...........................................................Ghostland Observatory

9. Silvia....................................................................Miike Snow

10. Mama's Room..................................................Under the Influence of Giants

11. The Reeling.......................................................Passion Pit

12. Run......................................................................Vampire Weekend

Go Dad x 3!

2010-01-20T23:26:00.000-08:00

On Monday my dad, Carlos Perez, received the "Keep Alive the Dream" lifetime achievement award from the World Arts Foundation as we honored Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

The following is an article written on my dad's accomplishments in The Hillsboro Argus.

Perez to receive award for keeping the ‘Dream’ alive

By Kurt Eckert, The Hillsboro Argus

Kurt Eckert / The Argus

Hillsboro educator and activist Carlos Perez will receive the “Keep Alive the Dream” lifetime achievement award Jan. 18 as Greater Portland joins hands to celebrate the life and work of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

In 2004, Perez became a founding member of the Human Rights Council of Washington County and was recently behind the formation of the Latino Leadership Forum.

Perez, a teacher, counselor and administrator for the Hillsboro School District for more than three decades was shocked when in 2003, a newspaper survey found that Hillsboro residents’ least favorite part about living in the city was the influx of Latino immigrants.

Ever since he was a boy, when his teacher suggested he change his name to Charles to help him fit in better, he knew that assimilation was no way to promote the diverse nature of the great American way.

Focusing on academic achievement in an atmosphere free of bias, Latino Leadership Forum members serve as mentors for children of color. Hired by the school district in 1978, Perez was invariably the first Latino to hold each of the administrative positions he achieved.

Because of his experiences, he believes it’s important that children have role models who look like them and share some cultural experiences.

“These kids know that they can aspire to be in those positions if they choose to do that,” he said.

The Human Rights Council meets monthly to focus a lens on education about the value of diversity and advocate against civil injustice with the help of members in government, law enforcement and other agencies and businesses.

Members also hold listening meetings at local schools to identify human rights issues from the viewpoint of the younger generation.

In a lot of respects, talking with the students shows that while some issues surrounding prejudice and human rights have gotten better, there’s still a lot of work to be done, he said. This includes ending bias, whether based on age, gender, sexual orientation or disability, he said.

“The civil rights movement has existed for over 50 years, and we’re still dealing with (many of) the same issues that Dr. King dealt with in the 1960s,” Perez said. “We’re in it for the long haul. There is no quick fix. If we can learn to work with our differences, that’s where we break the cycle of mistrust.”

Perez is confused by a growing group who believes the way to solve differences is to remove foreign languages from American schools, while the rest of the world sees bilingualism as a huge asset.

“I don’t disagree that Hispanic students should learn English, but not at the expense of Spanish,” he says. “This mindset that you are less of a citizen because you speak another language in my view is (strange).”

In its 25 years of commemorating the life and legacy of MLK, “Keep Alive the Dream” attempts to give voice to common citizens and acknowledge the struggle for civil rights. Admission is $5 donation or five cans of non-perishable food.

New on DVD: Trouble the Water

2009-08-27T23:55:00.000-07:00

Trouble the Water is a gritty first hand account of Hurricane Katrina told by ninth ward victims. Recently featured on Time Magazine's Short List picks of the week, Trouble the Water allows you to experience the horror of Katrina like never before.

To read my review of Trouble the Water please click here.

Spotlight: Stephanie Whitney

2009-08-12T00:59:00.000-07:00

Please explore recent USF grad Stephanie Whitney's website swhitneydesigns.com. Not only is she my best friend, but she is also an extremely talented graphic designer who is dedicated and devoted to good design.

Here are few samples of her work that can be found at her website.

RVCA shelving for flagship store in SF

Regina Spektor redesigned CD cover

Dia De Los Muertos Poster for a USF event

What i'm Listening to: MIXTAPE: 1

2009-08-11T15:58:00.001-07:00

Track Artist

1. Skinny Love............................... Bon Iver

2. I and Love and You.................. The Avett Brothers

3. Marry Song............................... Band Of Horses

4. Blood Bank................................ Bon Iver

5. Paranoia in B Major................. The Avett Brothers

6. Bad Man's World...................... Jenny Lewis

7. Shame......................................... The Avett Brothers

8. Nude........................................... Radiohead

9. Laundry Room.......................... The Avett Brothers

10. Pretty Bird............................... Jenny Lewis

11. High and Dry............................ Radiohead

12. Silver Lining............................. Rilo Kiley

Go Dad x 2!

2009-08-11T00:04:00.000-07:00

I am so proud of my dad! After over 30 years with the Hillsboro School District, my dad, Carlos Perez, retired in late June of 2009. My dad's career was recently featured in the Washington County Weekly, an insert of the Oregonian.

Beneath the calm, an educator who's passionate about rights

by Wendy Owen.

HILLSBORO -- Carlos Perez simply smiles when asked about his hidden artistic talent.

His secretary discovered the cartoonlike drawings on the margins of paperwork years ago.

"He's an excellent artist," said Charlotte Bramlett, who kept one of the drawings Perez doodled of himself, while talking on the phone.

But Perez isn't one to promote his own talents, be it doodling or his work as an educator. The Hillsboro School District deputy superintendent prefers to work on the margins, behind the scenes, making a difference but never taking credit.

It will be up to others to note his 31 years of accomplishments with the Hillsboro School District and in human rights before he steps into retirement July 1. A celebration is planned today at J.B. Thomas Middle School, where he once was principal. The photo slideshow probably will include the time Perez dressed as Capt. Stubing, from the 1970s sit-com "The Love Boat," for an eighth-grade graduation.

By all accounts, the 58-year-old Perez has been a top-notch administrator.

People in and out of the district use the same words to describe him: integrity, compassionate, funny.

"He is very much what you see is what you get," said Perla Rodriguez, a Forest Grove School District principal.

Perez rose quickly through the ranks in Hillsboro from counselor to assistant principal to principal and district-level administrator. He has served a decade as deputy superintendent. As second in charge, he was the "go-to" guy at the district level.

Student deaths, a bleacher collapse, new construction, student expulsions, boundary changes, parent complaints. Perez got them first.

"Sometimes the phone doesn't stop," Bramlett said. "When you're in that position ... it's just constant."

Somehow, Perez squeezed in time to mentor other Latino educators and work on programs for underserved students in the 20,300-student district.

He also helped found two locally based civil rights groups, the Human Rights Council of Washington County and the Oregon Association of Latino Administrators.

"Carlos is the guy who has kept (equity) in the forefront of our decision-making," said Mike Scott, incoming superintendent, who has worked with Perez for 11 years. "We've concerned ourselves with issues of equity for a number of years, and you see other districts just now getting on board with that work."

Human rights is his passion, and seeing them trampled is one of the few topics that causes the soft-spoken Perez to raise his voice.

A 2003 livability study of Hillsboro residents cited the growing presence of Latinos on a list of what "satisfies residents least about living in Hillsboro."

Perez was disturbed by the statistic, but what made him angry was the fact that it was publicized when only 5 percent of the 400 respondents -- or 20 people -- cited it as a reason. He was further irritated when he visited an elementary school and found the newspaper open to the glaring headline in plain view of Latino students.

"Just the idea that these kids were judged by the color of their skin," he said. "Seeing it in print, it was like a slap in the face."

L.A. and civil rights

Perez was born in the Los Angeles area and attended a high school where the majority of students were Latino. The youngest of seven children, he planned to follow in his siblings' steps and immediately join the work force to provide income for the family.

"The plan was for me to be a carpenter," he said. "I never aspired to be a teacher."

With little formal education, Perez's parents had worked in the fields, picking lettuce, melons, oranges. By the time he was born in 1951, the family was financially stable: His mother stayed home to care for the children and his father worked as a construction laborer.

The 1960s and '70s were a tumultuous time, Perez said, and Los Angeles was a hot spot for civil rights.

Few would guess the professorial man with the graying Vandyke beard once had long hair, a scraggly beard and shouted "Si, se puede!" ("Yes, we can") with the United Farm Workers.

He joined the thousands of demonstrators with the Chicano Moratorium in 1970 to protest the disproportionately high number of Latinos being sent to the Vietnam War.

"You protested the aggrieved," Perez said.

The experience shaped him as an adult.

"You're listening to Martin Luther King or Cesar Chavez or John Kennedy," he said. "They're talking about the rights of each and every man (but) you're witnessing injustices.

"It does raise you to be involved to ensure that every person has an opportunity to grow and develop."

Breaking the ceiling

A fellow activist, a mentor, persuaded Perez to attend college and helped him apply. He found an interest in elementary education and started his teaching career in Idaho Falls, Idaho, where he said people teased him about his hippielike appearance, not his ethnicity.

Perez was among the pioneers for Latino educators, said Gus Balderas, a Hillsboro assistant superintendent, who is 17 years younger than Perez.

"Carlos broke the ceiling," Balderas said. "I consider him one of the old guard in terms of Latino educators. That really helped to get us where we're accepted to fill positions. Thirty years ago, it wasn't the case."

In Forest Grove, Rodriguez, a member of the Oregon Association of Latino Administrators, also has benefited from the mentoring organization.

Perez is her mentor.

"I can't think of a single important decision that I've made without bouncing it off him," she said. "I don't always want to hear what he says, but 99.9 percent of the time, he's right."

Rodriguez said the work of an educator often is thankless.

"We just keep going on because we know in our hearts that the work does matter," she said. "I hope he knows how important he is to each of us. We get our resilience from Carlos."

-- Wendy Owen; wendyowen@news.oregonian.com

Carlos Perez

Born: San Fernando, Calif.

Age: 58

Family: Married 34 years to Corine, vice president of finance/enterprise services at Intel. Two children: Joel, 24, works in Bend for a business and print solutions company, and Carly, 21, attends the University of San Francisco.

Education: San Fernando Valley State College (now called California State, Northridge), where he signed up with a teacher corps program. Finished his bachelor's in elementary education at Idaho State; master's degree in counseling from Oregon State University.

Career: Grade school teacher in Idaho. In 31 years with the Hillsboro School District, he's been a counselor at J.B. Thomas and Evergreen junior highs; assistant principal at Evergreen and Poynter junior highs; principal at David Hill Elementary and J.B. Thomas; director of secondary operations; executive director of K-8 operations; associate superintendent of support services; deputy superintendent.

Heroes: Cesar Chavez, Martin Luther King Jr. and John F. Kennedy. Perez says they "talked about not only issues of social justice but of contributing to this country."

What's next? Perez said he's looking for a change but doesn't have any specific plans and expects to continue his human rights work.

Something that might surprise people: When traveling, "I'm the guy who wants to stop to see the world's biggest ball of yarn or the world's biggest treehouse."

A Review: Trouble the Water

2009-03-11T20:31:00.000-07:00

Beads were tossed, clothing was lost, and everyone paid a hearty cost… that is, the head-pounding hangover that followed the next morning. Ahh… Mardi Gras, a celebration best known in the United States down in the soulful south of New Orleans. The famous French Quarter of the city was flooded with natives and tourists alike last Tuesday, for the carnival celebration, showing no sign of the devastating category five Hurricane Katrina that whipped through the city just four years prior. At least that is the facade that is told through these happy go-lucky partiers- New Orleans is fine, the buildings have been rebuilt, and the city is flourishing. A different picture is painted however, in the documentary Trouble the Water, which shows just how ‘fine’ the ninth ward region of New Orleans is doing in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Nominated for best documentary at this year’s Academy Awards, Trouble the Water is the redemptive tale of Kim and Scott Roberts who filmed their horrifying Hurricane Katrina ordeal on their hi 8 camera (the amateur filming does not set well with those prone to motion sickness). The young couple, which at the time did not own a car, had no means of evacuating New Orleans before Katrina ravished the city. The Roberts, were not alone, as many in the working-class and predominately black neighborhood of the ninth ward were left with zero options for leaving, as the city did not provide any public transportation to evacuate, the ninth ward residents were just left to wait. And wait. And wait.

While waiting, the brash and outspoken Kim, 24-years-old, rides around the neighborhood on her bike saying a friendly hello to everyone from the cute kids next door to the drunks hanging around the corner of the liquor store. The neighborhood feels very connected, everyone knows everyone and is in everyone’s business, a certain warmth that makes the neighbors seem to be like one big family, accepting of everyone’s faults and fortunes. It is this very connection that holds this community together throughout the following days as Katrina barrels through their streets with no mercy.

The documentary is beyond powerful, as you are enthralled in the Roberts first hand account of Katrina, moving with them as they pile up their mattresses and head to the attic for higher ground, praying the roof stays attached to their house, praying the water stops rising. The film has a clear message backed behind the Roberts footage, that the Bush Administration, FEMA, and the officials of New Orleans failed miserably in preparation for Katrina and in it’s wake. A familiar story of criticism, Trouble the Water, gives it new depth as it’s more personal told through the Roberts, you see the struggles that hit them, one after the other… bam, bam, bam, you feel their emotion, their spirit, only leaving you left with a gut-wrenching frustration at the maniacal mistakes made.

The Roberts, despite all the adversity they face, refuse to allow Katrina to drown their will to survive. Their will to make tomorrow a better and more meaningful day than the one before is strengthened by the multitude of obstacles that they face. Formally involved with selling drugs and other illegal activity, Kim and Scott use Katrina to redeem their past bad decisions and unearth a new life filled with purpose. Scott begins rebuilding homes in the neighborhood and enjoys contributing to the community while Kim focuses on her hip-hop career, striving to become a famous rapper. One of the most riveting scenes is when Kim stands in front of an open closet, pops in the last remaining copy of her CD, and raps to her song, “Amazing.” Powerful in her delivery and aggressive in her lyrics, you hear all that Kim has experienced and you see in her worn and tired eyes a fire that will just not burn out, no matter how much water comes rushing down.

Trouble the Water amazes its audience by restoring your faith in people and their compassion to care for one another in times of need, while simultaneously crumbling your confidence of those who hold power. Trouble the Water did not walk away with the golden statue, but it is a true winner.

7th Annual USF Human Rights Film Festival!

2009-02-24T01:08:00.000-08:00

FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC!

Tuesday February 24

1:00pm Opening Remarks

USF Students' shorts

1:45pm FILM: 4 De Julio. La Masacre De San Patricio

4:00pm FILM: Promise to the Dead

6:30pm FILM: Nuevo Dragon City

7:00pm FILM: Sleep Dealer

Wednesday February 25

1:00pm FILM: Freeheld

2:oopm FILM: Burning the Future: Coal in America

4:30pm FILM: The Greatest Silence: Rape in the Congo

6:30pm FILM: Trouble the Water

Thursday February 26

1:00pm USF student shorts

2:00pm Alex Gibney: the Role of Documentary in Re-making the News

4:00pm FILM: Taxi to the Dark Side

6:30pm FILM: Dos Americas: The Reconstruction of New Orleans

A Review: Vicky Cristina Barcelona

2009-02-24T00:15:00.000-08:00

Monotony is scary. Stuck in the same pattern, life becomes a dull disease that slowly deteriorates pieces of your former self. In the latest Woody Allen film, Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Allen combats monotony with what he knows best, eccentric and twisted relationships of love rooted in sex and a need to escape.

Allen uses Vicky (Rebecca Hall) and Cristina (Scarlett Johansson) to depict his varying vision of love. In the film, the soon to be married Vicky, who is grounded and realistic, has her ideals of what life should be flipped upside down after a night with a mysterious Spanish painter, Juan Antonio (Javier Bardem). Not knowing of Vicky's misguided feelings of love, Vicky's best friend Cristina, a free loving wanderer that relishes in artistic expression, has an open and drawn out love affair with Antonio. The film is accentuated when the fiery ex-wife of Antonio, Maria Elena (Penelope Cruz), comes back into his life and joins the passionate relationship between Antonio and Cristina to strike the perfect balance.

The essence of the film is based in the altering views of monotony between the two friends which are punctuated by their interactions with Antonio; Vicky sees her life unraveling into a predictable cookie cutter routine where no true excitement exists, while Cristina becomes restless with even the most erratic of relationships only to suggest that she will never truly be satisfied.

Johansson's portrayal of the neurotic and impulsive Cristina is limited. Allen has an apparent affection for the 24-year-old actress (Johansson also stared in Allen's Match Point), but I find it hard to identify what makes this actress so noteworthy. Her performance is the same in nearly every film, as she heavily relies on her sex appeal and forces the emotion from her character. Unlike Johansson, Cruz plays the crazed Maria Elena effortlessly. The character is dynamic and full of spirit, which Cruz capitalizes on with the right mixture of passion, mystery, and insane behavior. Acknowledged for her brillance in the role, Cruz won for best supporting actress in this year's Oscars.

Last year's Oscar winner for best actor in a supporting role for No Country for Old Men was Bardem, whose performance in Vicky Cristina Barcelona revolved around one main stature, to look good. There was no real depth into Bardem's character, Antonio, other than he was an artist, he had had a dysfunctional relationship (Cruz), and he liked to make love to attractive American tourists. Bardem was the man candy of the film and his main role was to appear sexy and secretive as if he always had a hidden agenda. The real roles of the film were given to the ladies, and although she always seems to be forgotten, Hall, who plays Vicky, does her character justice. You don't like Vicky, as she seems pompous and above all things spontaneous and alive with adventure, I found myself wanting to jump through the screen to shake her and say, "live a little!" but nonetheless, her performance is believable and more realistic than the whimsical fantasy that Johansson's character lives by.

Overall, I found the film enjoyable. Although dealing with heavy-hearted themes, the film remained light with a fast rhythm made possible by the music, which varied from the relaxing Spanish guitar to the eerie staple song, "Barcelona." Where the film really hooks you however, is with unexpected instances of humor. Allen's direction for Vicky Cristina Barcelona has been his best work in years, as he tells the story with finesse amongst the beautiful Barcelona background.

A Review: Chevys Happy Hour

2009-02-11T20:22:00.000-08:00

There is a special time of day when one can relax, let loose, and just enjoy. Escaping the headache hassles of work and school, this time of day unearths the best versions of ourselves. It is the happiest time of day, and for that reason, we know it as happy hour.

This weekend I explored happy hour in all of its glory at Chevys. Now, I know what you're thinking, "shame on me" for going to a cookie cutter national chain like Chevys, a place that squeezes every ounce of originality out of the Tex Mex cuisine and serves it at a discounted rate. But hey, these are tough times. And with an economy that is down in the dumps and a 40,000-dollar yearly tuition to pay, I can't regularly afford to be inspired by the many affluent restaurants that San Francisco has to offer. Rather, I seek refuge in the reliable and the affordable that Chevys always delivers.

El happy hour at Chevys is simple, three-dollar drinks and three-dollar appetizers. The drinks include, original frozen margaritas, domestic draft beers, house wines, and well drinks. The appetizers include, a tamale sample (any two), crispy flautas, nachos grande, original fajitas nachos, and spicy wings. Offered from 4:00pm to 7:00pm Monday through Friday.

My four friends and I went to the Chevys at the Embarcadero Center (one of the four locations in San Francisco) on Friday where we found the fiesta to be in full swing as young professionals from the Financial District came ready to blow off steam and relish in the start to the weekend. With a full house, Chevys atmosphere during happy hour is lively and exciting. The standard decor is reminiscent of a laid-back Mexican cantina that you'd wander into on the streets of Puerto Vallarta - vibrant, eclectic, and fun. The wait staff mimics the crowd with a fun and inviting attitude.

Chevys happy hour offers more than an agreeable ambiance as the food and drink satisfies your hunger and thirst. When other happy hour specials water down their overly sweet and pathetically weak margaritas, Chevys margaritas are made with the top shelf tequila, Don Julio, making them strong enough to num the worries of the day. The appetizers are equally impressive as the portion of one appetizer is large enough to split between two people. The food is good, but not great, simple in its approach and execution. The beauty with Chevys is that they don't try to be something they are not. They don't over extend or reach to unknown culinary creations, they stay safe with food that is filling, fun, and most of all consistent.

Filling, fun, and consistent was reason enough for me to go to Chevys happy hour, but the price will keep me coming back. As a college student living in an expensive city during a recession it isn't always easy to feel good about eating out as your mind gets boggled down with guilt for spending money, but with Chevys happy hour you can truly enjoy your dinning experience. So head over to Chevys for the happiest hour of all!

Learning Some Common Sense

2008-08-22T13:24:00.000-07:00

This sunless and fog filled summer was a memorable one. I turned that longing age that every college student counts down the days for, moved into a new apartment, and had my first “I hope I don’t get hit” bike ride around this beautiful Bay City. But the most noteworthy experience didn’t involve champagne glasses or moving boxes or even bicycle spokes, rather it was my internship with Common Sense Media.

For the past three months I have been fortunate enough to be the PR and Communications Intern for Common Sense Media, a non profit non partisan media organization that provides tools and reliable information for families and kids as they navigate their way through our vast media world. Offering ratings, reviews, and an independent forum, CSM focuses on teaching families to be savvy media interpreters.

Having worked first hand with kids in the past, CSM was a different perspective, as I learned how to benefit kids and families indirectly while still providing a service. The need for the service that CSM provides is more prevalent than ever before as cyberbullying (13% of online teens reported that someone had sent them a threatening or aggressive email, instant message, or text message), online predators (32% of online teens have been contacted by strangers online), and media violence continues to rise in numbers.

Through this internship, I've learned the ins and outs of Public Relations, the significance of staying current on the news that affects your organization, and the need and importance for such an organization to exist. Most importantly I’m taking away the understanding that a company who is dedicated to a cause and making a difference provides for a positive and productive work environment that isn’t stuck in a monotonous, “just trying to make it through the day” routine. As soon as you walk into the vibrant office with lime green carpets and splashes of bold orange paint it is evident that CSM cares about what they’re doing and how they’re doing it. From the foosball table in place of a desk in the front hall to a good luck cake for a colleague’s first marathon, CSM’s distinct style motivates its employees to make a difference and have fun while doing so.

Thanks CSM, it has been a great experience!

Computer Class to Every Class?

2008-08-04T14:18:00.000-07:00

I remember it like it was yesterday… Applying a little lip gloss subtle enough to look like I had just sucked on a watermelon lollipop, saying a cool “hey” to friends that were – gasp- boys! While circling the florescent halls linked elbow to elbow with my four best friends.

For me, those menacing middle school years weren’t as bad as most had made them out to be. Instead, they were spent making friendships in a time when boy’s voices were squeakily transitioning from a high to lower pitch and girls were moving away from their perfectly parted pigtails. It was a time to be social. Learning to interact and become articulate from the timid elementary schoolers we were just two years ago.

So when I read a story about laptops for middle schoolers in Maine, I was skeptical. Take away the crucial time for kids to develop socially and stick them in front of a computer screen? I can picture it now… No more mini adrenaline rushes during algebra of, “will the teacher see me pass this note?” Because now I can talk to you through my screen name, “Cutie234.” And not just you, but five other of my tech savvy classmates. But if I’m not responding to your message right away, I’m probably googling Miley Cyrus, my hero, having the latest scandalous photos appear. "Uh oh," the teacher is starting to look my way! No worries; I have enough time (four seconds as she walks over) to “X” out of my aim chat and google image windows and safely return to my word document of algebraic formulas, the answers to which I already looked up because I am a child of the 21^st century.

Laptops in the classroom better for learning?

Maine seems to think so. Beginning in 2002, Maine’s laptop program started with 7^th graders and later expanded to 8^th graders and one-third of the state’s high schools. Spending $90 million through 2010, Maine is working with Apple to provide 43,500 students and teachers with their own ibooks.

Despite my skepticism students and teachers are enjoying the benefits of the laptop learning. As stated by the msnbc article, many teachers who were surveyed said that students using laptops are becoming better at combining information from multiple sources and expressing their thoughts. More than 80% of instructors say the laptops help them make lessons more personal to students, make it easier for students to study problems from the real world and to dig deeper into certain topics. Students in the program report that they understand the material better.

Some critics of the program say the hardware hasn’t made an impact in the state's test scores, where improvement needs to be seen. “What we need to look at is the broader impact of student improvement,” said Timothy Magner, the director of the Office of Education Technology, in the msnbc article. “One of the key metrics is test scores. We’re keenly interested in that.”

Put aside the advancements made with the laptop program, and consider the risks. According to a Pew 2007 study, about one third of all teenagers have been contacted by strangers online. One Third of teenagers who use the internet, also said they have been targets of a range of annoying and potentially menacing online activities.

Sure, laptops are great. The media is great. I am, after all a Media Studies Major. This web 2.0 world excites me as technology continues to flourish. We now have friendships created and maintained solely in cyberspace, we have video games that allow us to get up off the couch and move, and cell phones that give us everything we could ever want at the touch of a fingertip. But shouldn't somethings be experienced and learned rather than simplified and stimulated? So my question is, are twelve year olds ready for a constant online flow during a six hour school day? During a crucial time when kids should be developing socially in preparation for the big leaguers of high school, when their most vulnerable to peer and media pressures?

It seems to me the kids of Maine would benefit more from the old school methods of middle school teaching… you know, listening to the teacher and writing in their five star binders. And by keeping the 21^st century teachings to computer class. Not every class.

The Best Education is Found Outside of the Classroom

2008-07-31T13:17:00.000-07:00

This past spring semester I was far from the bay breeze and routine I had nestled myself into at USF. I was now eating gelato daily, avoiding eye contact and causal smiles with men, laughing with friends amongst some of the world’s most celebrated sites, and every so often checking my purse to insure a gypsy hadn’t emerged victorious with my wallet and passport in hand. For four short months I was wandering the cobblestone streets living and learning in the Eternal City as I studied abroad at The John Felice Rome C en ter.

My experiences in Rome, all throughout Italy, and the three other countries I visited, can't be given justice with even the most extravagant and heavy hearted words. Sure, when your asked, “how was your time abroad?” It’s fun to say, “I skied the Swiss Alps, went to a famous Flamenco bar in Southern Spain, swam in the Mediterranean, took a gondola ride in Venice during Carnivale, went wine tasting in Tuscany, and even popped champagne underneath the Eiffel Tower.” But as I learned early on, the exuberant and giddy feeling that you get from sharing stories of abroad comes off as arrogant and showboating to others. I now tend to reply with a simple and understated, “amazing. Indescribable.” Because going abroad cannot be explained but rather must be experienced.

Luckily, students throughout the United States have started to take advantage of the study abroad experience. According to the Open Doors report in 2007, the number of American students receiving academic credit for their study abroad has increased 150% in the past decade, from fewer than 90,000 students in 1995/96.

Below, Vista w ide provides reasons for students to get those visas approved:
-It is the optimal way to learn a language
-Study abroad provides the opportunity to travel
-Allows you to get to know another culture first-hand
-Will help you develop skills and give you experiences a classroom setting will never provide
-Study abroad helps you to learn about yourself
-It expands your worldview
-Gives you the opportunity to break out of your academic routine
-Study abroad enhances employment opportunities
-Study abroad can enhance the value of your degree

For me, studying abroad truly was the epitome of the overstated yet underrated cliché, “time of my life.” Besides, how else are you going to learn how to say “cheers” in several different languages…

“Prost!” “Cin Cin!” “Salud!” “A Votre Sante!”

Our Time at the University of San Francisco

2008-01-06T23:29:00.000-08:00

Check out an audio slideshow about the University of San Francisco produced by my fall '07 Photojournalism class.
Photographed and produced by:

Eva Erickson
Christina Kho
Michael Vick

Jacob Marx

Samantha Blackburn

Carly Perez

Kate Elston

Lulu McAllister
and professor Brant Ward

Charming the Reporters

2007-12-04T19:19:00.000-08:00

With a 64 percent disapproval rating on how President Bush is handling his job as president (American Research Group, Inc.), it is rare to find an enthusiastic Bush supporter nowadays especially in the liberal loving city of San Francisco. But in Journeys with George, a 2002 documentary about Bush and his gang of reporters on the campaign trail, it is hard not to find President Bush (Governor, at the time)…as hard as it is to admit…likable.

Pushing all bad Bush politics aside, I found myself laughing at the boloney loving Bush, and thinking he’d be a fun guy to throw a beer back with. Throughout the documentary it is clear that the filmmaker, Alexandra Pelosi, Nancy Pelosi’s daughter, likes Bush too, as she falls under the charming spell of the relaxed cowboy from time to time. But in the end, despite Bush’s best rhetoric, Pelosi still ends up voting democratically (good girl). Pelosi didn’t allow her vote to sway from politics to personality, but it makes me wonder, how much a good joke or a friendly smile figures at the ballot box? According to Max Brantley, editor of the Arkansas Times, the charm factor is dishearteningly significant as a slew of national journalists find it more relevant to report on personality rather than policies.

“I’ve really been surprised at the utter absence of reporting that’s been done on Mike Huckabee,” said Brantley in an On the Media interview last week. “There are very legitimate issues on the national stage, whether it’s his fair tax proposal or his stance on some social issues, that deserve some examination, but they’re been put to the side to focus on his jokes and his charming manner and his pardoning of a Rolling Stones guitar player.”

Brantley has reason to be concerned, as he feels that his former Arkansas Governor and current red-hot Republican Presidential candidate is unfairly avoiding national criticism due to his likability factor. In the interview with Brantley, Bob Garfield host of On the Media, summed up Brantley’s complaint by saying, “Huckabee, he says (Brantley), has become the newest darling of the National media without any due diligence. He (Brantley) cites, for instance, a laundry list of Huckabee’s brushes with the Arkansas Ethics Commission, something he wishes those national columnists would take the time to learn about.”

These national columnists include the New York Time’s David Brooks who called Huckabee “funny and engaging,” while New Yorker magazine’s Hendrick Hertzberg finds Huckabee’s rhetoric, “almost impossible not to like.” Brantley finds the lack of actual reporting on Huckabee, a politician he is all too familiar with, to be a disservice to the public. After all, shouldn’t we, as the potential voters, be more concerned with Huckabee’s past mishaps (i.e. using his mansion operating account as a personal expense account when he first become Governor) rather than if he is funny or not? “I think the Bush record didn’t get fully and completely reported until his second term,” said Brantley, who is hoping that history doesn't repeat itself. The last thing the United States needs is to vote for another “funny” president who would be fun to have a beer with…look how well that turned out.

Are Bloggers Journalists?

2007-11-28T16:50:00.000-08:00

If you are a part of the conversation in the new web 2.0 world sooner or later you will journey into what is becoming a classic debate (at least in the study of journalism)- should bloggers be considered journalists?

The debate crept its way into my Journalism Ethics class this Wednesday as we began the discussion with Rebecca Blood’s guidelines for bloggers:
1. Publish as fact only that which you believe to be true.
2. If material exists online, link to it when you reference it.
3. Publicly correct any misinformation.
4. Write each entry as if it could not be changed; add to, but do not rewrite or delete, any entry.
5. Disclose any conflict of interest.
6. Note questionable and biased sources.
Blood believes that these six standards are the “sufficient” means to which blogging should be conducted and considered credible. A particularly nice point that Blood makes on the difference between blogger and journalist is, “rights have associated responsibilities; in the end it is an individual’s professionalism and meticulous observance of recognized ethical standards that determines her status in the eyes of society and the law.”

In other words, if you are going to fancy yourself a journalist than you better conduct yourself in an ethical and professional capacity (in which you can be held responsible) by not only Blood’s standards of “believing” what you write to be true, but by knowing what you’re writing is true through a systematic approach of researching your topic and gathering sources and opinions just as any other print journalist would.

Furthermore, I find it outlandish for someone to completely dismiss the idea of bloggers being considered journalists when there is no clear distinction of what constitutes a journalist. There is no journalism license as there is for lawyers or doctors there is no bar to pass or MCATS to Ace, so why discount citizens who are responsibly reporting relevant and provocative information via a blog?

Ultimately, you cannot label all bloggers as journalists or all bloggers as non journalists. It should be viewed only on a case-by-case blog by blog distinction. You can label Joshua Marshall of Talking Points Memo a journalist, but I would be hesitant to say that my friend’s anonymous blog about their weekly routine is up to journalism’s standards.

The Ethics of Privacy

2007-11-14T21:41:00.000-08:00

Privacy…an aspect of life that us “ordinary folk” often take for granted. Typical America isn’t plagued by fears of someone rummaging through our garbage and analyzing our latest Safeway purchases. Nor are we in a constant state of worry over what people are saying about us, thinking about us, and seeing of us. But this isn’t America. This is Hollywood, where nothing is typical. It is where celebrities are flocked by herds of ferocious photographers and reporters, as the aspect of privacy goes straight out the door. But how far is too far? What are the ethics of invading the privacy of the rich and famous?

Perez Hilton, a blogger who has become famous for blogging, would say they are fair game. He happily flaunts the flaws and misfortunes of celebrities by showing the latest panty-less party of Britney Spears and the naked naughtiness of Vanessa Hudgens. Hilton isn’t the only one, as the industry of celebrity obsessing has grown to an obscene degree with the Usweeklys, Peoples, and In touchs of today’s newsstands. Last March, the celebrity news blog Gawker.com began taking advantage of the Google Maps tool to show exactly where and when a star was spotted just moments after a sighting.

But for celebrities, the industry of obsessing over their everyday routines is invasive and often dangerous. Earlier this month, video obtained by tmz.com showed George Clooney scolding paparazzi for driving recklessly while following him on his motorcycle. "What they're doing is illegal," said Clooney in an interview on Entertainment Tonight. "It's high-speed chases and they're competing with each other. They're not trying to catch me doing something stupid, they're trying to create me doing something stupid. You don't get to break all these laws and then say, 'I'm just doing my job.'" And although some would argue that they asked for this, because they are in the spotlight, it is the degree to which it has been taken, that has gone to far. "You can drive all you want, you can take my picture all you want, but what you cannot do is put people in danger," said Clooney.

I admit, that the consumption of these magazines can be a guilty pleasure (only People for me!), in which the average girl can phase out the stresses of their daily lives and contemplate that of others. However, I fundamentally disagree with the lengths to which it has been taken and believe that the youth of today’s generation should be concerning themselves with issues of true importance (like the Iraq war, our upcoming election) in which the invasion of privacy is a necessity in furthering our social education.

A New Semester = A New Class Blog

2007-08-29T14:02:00.000-07:00

To find out what is happening in Professor Robertson's American Journalism Ethics at USF check out the class blog.

It's Finals-Have a Laugh

2007-05-11T22:24:00.000-07:00

In case you haven't already seen it-or if you can watch it multiple times without it ever getting old (like myself) here is The Landlord. Featuring Will Ferrell and Adam McKay's (director and co-write of Anchorman and Talladega Nights) two year old daughter, Pearl.
The Landlord

Conan Comes to SF

2007-05-07T15:01:00.000-07:00

Would you be herded like sheep into a caged claustrophobic line for at least five hours on bustling Market Street? Would you be forced into a chaotic stampede within the famous walls of the elegant Orpheum Theatre? And would you do all of this for a lanky redheaded man who enjoys horny manatees? I would- And I did. But this wasn’t for any man-it was for Conan O’Brien.

For one week only Conan O’Brien moved his famous string controlled hips out west to San Francisco to tape his show, Late Night with Conan O’Brien. The NBC show, which airs from 12:35am to 1:30am, attracted 3,000people (who emailed for the free tickets months in advanced) a day to the Orpheum Theatre to see celebrity guests, which ranged from the raunchy Robin Williams and Snoop Dogg to the creative genius of George Lucas. I was lucky enough to attend Monday’s show, which featured actor Dana Carvey, comedian Jasper Redd, and musical guest the Arctic Monkeys.

When the Emmy award winning O’Brien made his way to the set, which featured an elaborate replica of the Golden Gate Bridge, he easily joked, “we had a replica of the bay bridge but it collapsed,” the audience erupted into a roaring frenzy. “I can’t explain the energy that was going through the room,” said 2nd row fan, Jason Palone. “I lost my voice by the end.” The ecstatic cheers reached deafening levels for a video short of O’Brien sightseeing in China Town, pretending to be a tour guide at the “penis tower (Coit Tower),” and loudest of all, was when O’Brien went to the Full House house in Alamo Square and was greeted by Danny Tanner himself (Bob Saget).

The rowdy and reactive crowd was so loud that O’Brien was quoted later that night by NBC11 saying, “tomorrow we are going to encourage the crowd to start drinking two hours before, so by the time they get here they are in nap mode.” But the cheers could not be subsided even with O’Brien’s signature “simmer down my babies,” when O’Brien and Marin County resident and Saturday Night Live Alum, Dana Carvey, who wasn’t promoting any project, burst into the songs “San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Some Flowers in Your Hair)” by Scott McKenzie and “Lights” by Journey.

A Transgender Transamerica Building driving a Trans Am, the endorsement of Sam Wong’s restaurant in China Town, traffic insights on “Late Night Talk,” and trips to the winery bliss of Napa County, made Late Night with Conan O’Brien an unforgettable San Francisco treat. The tailor-made San Francisco pokes and jokes could only be heard on the shows during April 30th to May 4th but it’s never to late for insomniacs, night owls, and camera happy tourists visiting the Big Apple (where O’Brien is based), to catch the charismatic Conan for some late night laughs.

Butter and Egg Days Parade

2007-05-01T01:47:00.000-07:00

Mouths watering, taste buds buzzing with delight, and stomachs brimming over our jeans to the point of unbuttoning. What sinful combination always hits these marks? Butter and Eggs. The quaint town of Petaluma, California understands the capability of butter and eggs and relishes in it every year as strollers and straw hats cluttered Petaluma Boulevard for their Butter and Egg Days Parade.

Situated in the winery bliss of Sonoma County, Petaluma, has been celebrating their agricultural heritage and close-knit community with the Butter and Egg Days Parade for the past 26 years. This year on a sticky 80 something Saturday, the theme of the parade was “Super Town, Super Heroes,” with the fire department, who is celebrating their 150th anniversary, as the grand marshal. Other parade floats and participants included Boy Scout troops, Churches, Banks, High School cheerleading squads, Vietnam vets, and a group of mothers who were representing their soldier sons that are serving in Iraq.

But before the two hour parade got under way there was cow chip throwing contests, a multitude of arts and crafts for the kids, and the Cutest Chick Contest, where parents were given the guilt free pleasure of dressing their toddlers up in fluffy feathered frocks. Despite the cuteness of these kids the highlight of the parade was celebrating the Petaluma Fire Department, which is the third oldest Fire Department in California. Because of this landmark year for the Fire Department, 20 firefighting vehicles which ranged from modern to historic, paraded throughout town as firemen traded their hoses for squirt guns to relieve the fiery heat. And as the sun began to set behind the Petaluma hills, hotspots like McNears changed the atmosphere from parade to party as Petalumans spilled out onto the streets with red cups in hand.

Awwwing at the ‘cutest chick,’ sucking down some cold brewskys, and leisurely viewing float after float makes for the community warmth only found in small towns and at the Butter and Egg Days Parade in Petaluma.

Don't Make a Promise You Can't Keep

2007-04-29T16:23:00.000-07:00

And be these juggling fiends no more believed,
That palter with us in a double sense,
That keep the word of promise to our ear,
And break it to our hope.
-Shakespeare in Macbeth

Decoding Shakespeare’s famous words is always a daunting task. Yet from this excerpt I reason that Shakespeare meant, promises are serious-and when broken the results can be devastating. President Bush’s recent promise of combating HIV/AIDS through a five-year plan and $15 billion dollar budget is one promise that we all hope he can keep.

The United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) was announced by President Bush at the State of the Union address in 2003 and was to occur over the following five years. The plan is the largest commitment ever by a single nation toward an international health initiative with the goal of support for treatment for 2 million HIV infected people, support for prevention of 7 million new infections, and support for care for 10 million people infected or affected by HIV/AIDS (according to PEPFAR). Last Thursday, U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator, Ambassador Mark Dybul and Executive Director of the AIDS Support Organization (TASO), Dr. Alex Coutinho came to the University of San Francisco to discuss PEPFAR amongst Nursing students, African Studies students, and students with a global perspective and concern.

PEPFAR is a plan that incorporates many strategies and partnerships in its fight against HIV/AIDS. One strategy is the ABC (Abstain, Be faithful, and the correct and consistent use of Condoms) approach. Ambassador Dybul said that this approach specifically aids children, as they are able to remember a simple acronym that is often accompanied with a song and dance. “With sensitive topics, especially dealing with sexuality we use music, dance, and drama to make topics non threatening,” said Dr. Coutinho. Methods like ABC are teaching preventative measures in the 150 countries that PEPFAR is associated with. However, PEPFAR specifically focuses in 15 countries, which is where half of the world’s HIV/AIDS disease is: Botswana, Côte d'Ivoire, Ethiopia, Guyana, Haiti, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanada, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Vietnam, and Zambia.

And although results are occurring, “if PEPFAR hits the target, my estimate is that it will avert eight million orphans,” said Dr. Coutinho, there is still much to do. What can we do now? “What’s most important is your compassion,” said Dr. Coutinho who suggested raising money to send over soccer balls which helps children who are infected with HIV/AIDS to rise from the stigma of the disease and enjoy the simple pleasures of childhood. “We need more innovative approaches,” said Ambassador Dybul. “This isn’t just a medical problem, it affects every aspect of life.”

Lets hope Bush and company deliver on their promise. And, we need to take it upon ourselves to do more to help the more than 39 million people currently living with HIV worldwide.

I don’t believe those evil creatures anymore.
They tricked me with their wordgames, raising my hopes
And then destroying them.
-Translated version of Shakespeare's excerpt from Macbeth

Go Dad!

2007-04-25T11:03:00.000-07:00

According to Hands on Greater Portland:

Carlos Perez,
Individual Volunteer Award

As Washington County experiences unprecedented growth and change, Carlos Perez, Deputy Superintendent of Hillsboro Public Schools, is helping to ensure that this transition will result in unifying experiences for its residents. In response to an article released by the Oregonian in November of 2003 entitled “Experts: Findings On Latinos No Surprise: Experts say anti-Latino views expressed in a survey reflect Hillsboro’s growing diversity and economic stress”, Carlos formed “Hillsboro For All”, a group that included leaders from across the community (including the chief of police, CEO of the community hospital, and many others) in an effort to combat the potentially negative impact on the community’s Latino residents. As a board member of Vision Action Network, a catalyst for new initiatives that meet emerging community needs, Carlos also provides leadership for VAN’s Diversity and Human Rights initiative. During his tenure, Carlos has helped create the first-ever Human Rights Council of Washington County. He is currently serving as the Council’s initial chair.

Happy Earth Day!

2007-04-23T00:16:00.000-07:00

Dread heads, deadheads, hippies, and more…Families, fairies, ganja galore, converged together to form an eclectic crowd, that San Francisco is synonymous for. Unlike 4/20, this time it was for a cause, as the Green Apple Music and Arts Festival hosted a celebration for Earth Day, April 22nd, in Golden Gate Park.

The second annual Green Apple Music and Arts Festival, presented by JP Morgan Chase, was held on a sunny Sunday afternoon in Speedway Meadows of Golden Gate Park. The festival, accommodated over 30 booths that included the San Francisco Green Party, Greenopia, a massage parlor, and a global mourning-global awakening area by Creative Community Catalysts, where artists work to inspire more ecologically sustainable and socially connected communities. The main attraction to the event, however, was the free musical line up that brought San Franciscans out in throngs, to hear Bob Weir and Rat Dog, Stephen and Damian “Jr Gong” Marley, The Greyboy Allstars, Martin Sexton, and Jonah Smith all in the name of mother earth. Earth Day, was created as a result of the conscious awakening by Rachel Carson’s bestselling novel, Silent Spring. Silent Spring, among other things, inspired United States Senator Gaylord Nelson, to speak out on a need for an environmental teach-in. Thus, Earth Day was created and began on April 22, 1970 with the participation of more than 20 million people. Today, the once grassroots rally, has turned into a celebration by more than 500 million people in 175 countries.

The Green Apple festival held in San Francisco was also held in New York and Chicago, and celebrated by 15,000 people in each city, said the MC for the event (event staff declined interview). For one of the 15,000 in attendance, Brandon Redman, a student at the University of San Francisco, Sunday turned into Funday as he described the celebration as “a well organized event that did a good job of bringing all different types of people together to celebrate Earth Day.” Emily Stetson, a young adult festival goer, said “I’ve never seen this at a festival before,” in response to the overwhelming large attendance as she waited for her garlic fries.

As bubbles and smoke hovered above the crowd, San Franciscans enjoyed free music and good food as the need for global environmental awareness grows stronger with every passing gas guzzling Hummer. Which begs the question, shouldn’t Earth Day be everyday?

In Remembrance

2007-04-18T14:38:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, April 22nd, at 9:00 p.m. in Xavier Chapel/Fromm Hall, a special mass will be held for all affected by the tragedy at Virginia Tech.

USF will join numerous colleges in gathering books of prayers that will be sent to the Virginia Tech ecumenical/interfaith campus ministry group. These condolence books will be placed in Koret, the Outtakes Café on Lone Mountain, and the Market in University Center.

Surviving Reality Television

2007-04-18T10:49:00.000-07:00

Dropped in the middle of nowhere. Secluded and scared you nervously scour this unknown territory for food and water. Overpowered by your stomach’s undying growl you result to eating bugs and drinking dirty water. All the while the scorching sun is beating upon your hot, tired, and neglected body. Bad dream? No, because a Pontiac Aztec SUV is just around the corner, and a million dollars is up for the taking. This is reality… or at least, reality television. Hotter than ever, reality television (like the overwhelming popular show Survivor) is creating cause for concern. As promotional plugs for reality shows consume their affiliated news program, as advertisements are no longer subliminal, and as the importance and visibility of the public sphere model continues to dissipate.

The public sphere model focuses on informing the public strictly on the issues, and allowing for the viewer to make their own informed opinion. The best example of this model is seen with Britain’s BBC. The United States, however, has adopted the commercial or business model, which is “based on attracting audiences to be ‘sold’ to advertisers,” explains John Sinclair, in his essay, Contemporary World Television. This approach along with other factors has lead to the creation of reality shows.

In Matthew McAllister’s essay, Selling Survivor, The Use of TV News to Promote Commercial Entertainment, he evaluates Survivor, a ‘backstabbing survival of the fittest’ show that bombards viewers with advertisements. An example of this is seen in an episode of Survivor. Before the show began, a commercial for the Pontiac Aztec SUV popped up on the screen as the shows sponsor, then a contestant won a challenge, his reward? A Pontiac Aztec. The contestant then continued to plug the “coolness” of the Aztec until commercial break, which just happened to be a commercial for the Aztec.

McAllister finds that this type of advertisement, which is becoming more prevalent in reality television, disheartening, “blatant blurring of commercial and program raises concerns about the control over programming decisions that may be relinquished to marketers and promoters.” McAllister finds the promotion of these content-less shows even more alarming, “the mixing of the commercial and the promotional with news programming is more problematic and has been an enduring concern in the field of media studies.” McAllister, then goes on to discuss the Early Show, the morning news program on CBS, which features the newest contestant to be kicked off from the Survivor the night before.

This mergence of lines between promotion, advertisement, and reality shows isn’t seen only on the CBS network. When it was wildly popular, the Apprentice contestants seemed to be guaranteed a spot on the morning news program, the Today Show, to let us in on the Donald and other juicy gossip that the American people just can’t seem to get enough of. McAllister believes that these shows, “represent many disturbing trends in modern commercial and promotional culture: the power of commercial sponsorship to influence content; the invasion of entertainment texts by product placement; the increased media life of promotional messages through the Internet and, the most significantly for this essay, the use of news to promote corporate holdings.”

The role that network news has taken to promote their television shows, or other products (ex. Oscar gowns for less by this brand…) takes the information out of the program and puts the commercial in. The American people who still watch the news should care that they are now learning less about political and social issues and more about how to “outwit and outlast” on Survivor. “Ultimately CBS’s use of news to publicize Survivor sets the promotional bar higher than it has been before for television news and paints one particularly disturbing picture of the role of news in commercial culture. Although this role may be beneficial to corporate owners and advertisers, it also undermines the needs of a democratic society,” said McAllister.

A Distracting Obsession

2007-04-18T00:21:00.000-07:00

There is something taking over the lives of college students across the United States. It never sleeps, it never eats, and it’s often changing its appearance. Some might call it a monster, invading the land of Cyberspace and taking over helpless mouse pads. Others might say it has god like qualities, able to create anything and see everything. Others however, simply call it, Facebook.

Regardless of how you feel about Facebook.com, a popular social networking site, there is one common description that Facebook believers and objectors can agree upon, Facebook is a distraction. And since its creation in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook now has over 19 million registered users, spanning over 47,000 regional, work-relate, and collegiate and high school networks. One of which, is the University of San Francisco, where out of 264 students surveyed by a USF journalism 2 class, 42 percent said they log on to Facebook multiple times a day. Nearly 30 percent of those students, also admitted to logging on to Facebook during their valuable and pricey class time. Through an email exchange, Assistant Professor of Media Studies at USF, David Silver explained that a reason for the popularity of Facebook is because it is, “an example of customizable or personalized media,” said Silver.

Sophomore Amanda Niello, Media Studies Major, agrees with Silver and says, “Facebook is very distracting. I’ll be on the computer writing a paper and I will suddenly get the urge to see if there are any new pictures tagged of my friends from home or if I have gotten a new wall post about the past weekend.”

Regardless of whether you find yourself as a friend or foe to the overwhelming popular Facebook, which according to comScore, is the sixth-most trafficked site in the United States and is the number one photo-sharing site, it is undeniable that the social networking site serves as a both an obsession and distraction for countless college students across the country. “College students, like so many other contemporary Americans, love thinking about, talking about, and hearing about themselves,” said Silver. “This may explain the root of the obsession.”