The Diana Show!

Broadcast of Final Feature (Extra Credit)

2009-12-01T11:41:00.000-08:00

IMHO #2

2009-11-23T10:06:00.001-08:00

As the semester is coming to a close, I cannot stress how horrible this fall term was for me at San Jose State University. All of the students and faculty felt the effect of the budget cuts. Due to increases in tuition, budget cuts, and furloughs it was as though I paid for half of an education.

I cannot emphasize how important the California AB 656 Bill is to current and future students and faculty. This bill will allocate revenue back into the University of California system, California State Universities, and California Community Colleges. In retrospect, each and every one of these schools, big or small, will produce the future of our state of California. If we continue with half an education, there is no way we will have great doctors, lawyers, businessmen and women, or even journalists in the future. The graduates would be thrust into the world unprepared and unskilled. I feel as though the bachelor’s degree would no longer hold any credibility.

This semester, I was especially angered by how difficult it was to submit my graduation application and speak to advisors. When I went into the Admissions and Records building I was told that there was no longer a line for soon-to-be graduating students to discuss the last few steps of their college career. I basically had to turn in my graduation application blind and not know if I was missing anything else needed for my bachelor’s until halfway through the spring semester. By the time I will be informed of any missing components for my degree, I would be pushed back another semester! Who’s to say it will not happen for two semesters?

Speaking to an advisor was insanely difficult this semester because of campus furloughs, faculty furloughs, and holidays. The San Jose State University’s school of Mass Communications and Journalism has only one advisor for the whole department, Dr. Kathleen Martinelli. I tried speaking to her about my upcoming graduation but realized she had campus furlough and faculty furlough consecutively so it was impossible to even see her! In addition, she places a sign up sheet to speak with her for only 15 minutes each time.

Hopefully the California AB 656 bill will pass and education will be restored back to the way it should be.

(word count: 382)

Blog #10 – Fish Out of Water

2009-11-17T10:58:00.001-08:00

As a fish out of water, I was completely in awe of the classical Indian dance I watched called “Nritya Sangati: Dance Expressions.” The Abhinaya Dance Company of San Jose promotes classical dance forms of South India through instructional classes and professional performances like this one, which was held at San Jose’s Mexican Heritage Theater. Throughout the year, they also continue to host various shows outside San Jose, but within the Bay Area.

Since I am a fish out of water, there is no better way for me to explain it to another fish out of water without comparing it to something familiar. I would compare it to a traditional symphony equipped with singers, an orchestra, and dancers. The Abhinaya Dance Company, like a symphony, depicted South India life through their music and dancing. In our own symphonies, I feel our musical greats do the same, they depict nature, love, and life.

This dance was presented in the traditional Indian Bharathanatyam style. Nritya Sangati’s artistic director Mythili Kumar incorporated this concert with variations of all aspects of Indian dance such as laya (rhythm), bhave (expression), and raga (melody). The first half of the show portrayed progressions in relationships and present day Indian life. The clothing that accompanied each performance was amazing! The style and color of the garments seemed to express each individual’s own personality and the jewelry gave a glimpse into their culture and lifestyle. The second half of the show focused more on the history and methodology of their rich culture. The music for the second half was grimmer, but still as lively, like their culture.

I truly enjoyed doing this assignment because I would have never discovered such an entertaining concert. I feel as though I learned something new and witnessed a beautiful culture express itself. Nritya Sangati: Dance Expressions was like taking a trip to India because I was able to see their beautiful national costumes, jewelry, listen to their music, and watch their exotic dance. I would definitely see this show again, and maybe even sign myself up for their dance courses!

(word count: 352)

Targeting Audience

2009-11-08T23:42:00.001-08:00

The target audience for the Olay Professional skin care product is middle aged women between 30 to 50. Those who would be interested in this product could have any occupation and any educational level because this product is advertised as inexpensive and easily found in drugstores. This advertisement’s selling slogan is “As effective at wrinkle reduction as what THE DOCTOR PRESCRIBES. At half the price.” To express that this product works great at half the price of a doctors prescription, it is really telling audiences that you do not need a lot of money to look better, so therefore, you can have any income to buy this product. The advertisers for this ad are trying to target women who either work or are stay at home mothers that want to feel sexy about themselves by making their skin look younger at a low price. I would say this ad is information rich because it shows the product and describes it in detail for the audience.

The target audience for this ad, women’s new Rolex watch, focuses on wealthy women who are more established in their careers between the ages of 35-65. In the advertisement, the woman is dressed as a pilot and wearing the Rolex watch showing class and elegance. It would take a woman with a lot of money to afford this watch (which I researched and found out that it sells for about $10,000) meaning that she must have a very strong educational background and her income is high. I would imagine seeing a married woman wear this watch at a fancy dinner party or country club. The ad’s slogan is “Rolex. For life’s defining moments,” which translates to a successful person will have this watch because they have reached a moment in their lives that make them great. I would say this ad feature more peripheral qualities and attracts a less involved audience.

(Word count: 316)

Word of the Week #10

2009-11-08T23:38:00.001-08:00

1. Lascivious

2. Read in the textbook Cases in Communications Law by John D. Zelezny.

3. "The key to that holding was the Court's rejection of the claim that obscene materials were protected by the First Amendment. The Court sustained a conviction under a federal statute punishing the mailing of 'obscene, lewd, lascivious,or filthy...' materials."

4. Adj. Inclined to lustfulness; wanton; lewd; arousing sexual desire.

5. Playboy magazine publishes lascivious photographs of women.

Copy Edit the World

2009-11-04T10:21:00.001-08:00

I found this copy edit at a restaurant I always eat at. The menu reads "am" and "pm" when it should be "a.m." and "p.m."

I found this at Endless Beauty where I always get my eyebrows waxed in downtown San Jose. "Hi-light" should be "highlight"

I found this error in a shopping center down Hedding Road at a salon called Day Spa. "Higlight" should be spelled "highlight"

I found this at a Vietnamese grocery store on 4th Street called Throng Hung. "Russett Potatos" should be "Russett Potatoes"

I found this error in the Alvin Center on Tully Road. "Fasion" should be "Fashion"

Blog #9 - Japanese Internment Essay

2009-11-04T10:15:00.001-08:00

The attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 was declared as a day that will live in infamy. The Japanese bombed United States soil and caused fear among Americans, which eventually pushed President Franklin D. Roosevelt to pass Executive Order 9066 on February 19, 1942. The Executive Order forced the population of about 120,000 Japanese Americans into internment camps in hopes of preventing them from internally helping the true enemies abroad, when in actuality Japanese Americans have never caused such harm.

At the time, San Jose’s Japantown was completely devastated. All the Japanese businesses closed down as nearly 3,000 residents were being sent away to internment camps. Among the 3,000 residents, a handful of them were California State University students, some even attending San Jose State University at the time. San Jose State’s gymnasium once acted as a holding cell for Japanese American students before they were sent away to internment camps.

Among the 120,000 sent to internment camps, Ruth Asawa was one of them. At the tender age of 16, Asawa and her family were sent to a Japanese internment camp. Although she was fortunate enough to have been only subjected to a short stay, Asawa was opened to the world of art by fellow interned Japanese. There, she learned how to paint and draw from internees who were animators for Walt Disney Studios. All of her art today depicts what life was like for Japanese Americans during that sensitive time of the Pearl Harbor bombing and the rippling affects that came after.

Upon her release, Ruth Asawa pursued a career in art and became quite the advocate for Japanese Americans. Through her art, she shows the world what it was like to be an internee at the Japanese internment camps during a critical time in United States history. Her art, based on her experiences, created the Japanese American Internment Memorial at South 2nd and San Carlos Streets in San Jose, California. One of my favorite pieces was the bronze sculpture with images of people standing in lines and suffering during their stay at the internment camps. It touched me deeply because it felt like I was looking at a holocaust, however this was happening closer to home. During our trip to the memorial, I gained a more profound appreciation for life and compassion for those who had to go through such difficulties.

(word count: 395)

Word of the Week #9

2009-11-02T09:48:00.000-08:00

Lurch

Hitler and Mussolini: The Secret Meetings by Santi Corvaja. Page 248.

"The enemies of the regime were spreading rumors in Rome that the Feltre meeting had been a failure and had yielded no results, that Germany was leaving us in the lurch, and that after taking Sicily, the British could reach Rome with little or no opposition."

Verb; To loiter about a place furtively: prowl or stagger.

Many fans lurched outside of the singer's dressing room in hopes of catching a glimpse of the rockstar.

Blog #8 - In My Honest Opinion

2009-10-25T14:56:00.001-07:00

Extra! Extra! Read all about it (because they so desperately want you to)! Colorado residents Richard and Mayumi Heene attracted worldwide attention when they concocted a hoax that their six-year-old son Falcon was in the homemade balloon that floated away from their home “by accident.”

The balloon boy hoax caused a media frenzy. The Heene family claimed that their young children were tampering with their father’s early prototype of a saucer shaped balloon. The balloon somehow launched itself and their youngest child was in it when it floated away. The authorities were alerted, search and rescue crews were out to find the boy, the Colorado National Guard sent helicopters and a black hawk to take the balloon down, and nearby airports grounded their planes. All of this was an attempt to rescue a boy that was really told by his parents to hide in the attic.

Shortly after the boy was found, suspicions quickly arose at the bizarre situation. In interviews, their stories did not add up and young Falcon even said on air that he “thought this was all for a show.” It turns out, the Heenes were already featured on Storm Chasers and Wife Swap, but they were desperately searching for a show of their own and publicity from a hoax was their way of getting it.

In my humble opinion, I find the parents to be selfish and irresponsible to thrust their children in the center of a hoax they carelessly created. This does not teach their children morals and brought shame upon their family.

The unfortunate thing is that the Heene family received the publicity and media attention they wanted. However, they now have to deal with multiple counts of felony charges. I hope the world can realize the Heene’s desperate attempt for attention, and in return, not give them any because they truly do not deserve it.

(word count: 312)

Word of the Week #8

2009-10-25T14:54:00.000-07:00

1. Epithet
2. Cases in Communications Law by John D. Zelezny. In the Milkovich v. Lorain Journal Co. case, pg. 79.
3. Noting that the published reports “were accurate and full,” the Court reasoned that “even the most careless reader must have perceived that the word has no more than rhetorical hyperbole, a vigorous epithet used by those who considered [the developer’s] negotiating position extremely unreasonable.”
4. Noun; any word or phrase applied to a person or thing to describe an actual or attributed quality.
5. “Richard the Lion-Hearted” is an epithet of Richard I.

Blog #7 - Drinking Coffee Elsewhere

2009-10-20T14:37:00.000-07:00

When I began reading Z.Z. Packer’s Drinking Coffee Elsewhere, I was expecting something dry and dull like most college recommended books. To my surprise, Drinking Coffee Elsewhere is probably one of the most visually descriptive books I have read in a long time.

I think what Z.Z. Packer does best in her writing is she masters the usage of metaphors and similes especially in the chaper titled “Brownies.” Her descriptions capture the readers and she makes it so that they can relate it to something in their lives. In addition, she uses human senses to describe everything, including small detailsm in her work. For example, she compares things together like a certain smell to wet dogs or blond hair like the girls you see on Playboy. I think Packer knows how to show readers what she is trying to say instead of just telling them.

As a journalist, I feel as though I can perhaps emulate her style of writing into my professional work so that I can capture the audience’s attention and sustain it for a long period of time like what Packer did to me. Her writing also flows nicely together and is brought to a full circle in the end. The beginning of each chapter also has an ending that gives readers the proper closure. I believe this style of writing connects to an audience and I enjoy it!

(word count: 218)

Word of the Week #7

2009-10-20T14:36:00.000-07:00

1. Appellate
2. Mass Media Law by Don R. Pember p. 395
3. His appeal to an appellate court was denied in 2005, and the Supreme Court refused to hear his case that same year.
4. Adj; concerned with appeals, having the duty to hear appeals.
5. Jessica is about to graduate from Stanford Law School, and she specializes in assisting lawyers who appellate cases.

News Story - AB656 Alberto Torrico

2009-10-14T09:27:00.000-07:00

Photo Credit: Diana Nguyen's Blackberry. University Room, San Jose State University.

Students and faculty joined Alberto Torrico at San Jose State University for a meet and greet and informational rally today in support of the AB 656 bill.

Torrico, Majority Leader of the California State Assembly, created the AB 656 bill and its goal is to get 100,000 people to support the bill in just 100 days. The AB 656 bill plans to create the California Higher Education Fund with funds from a new 9.9 percent oil and natural severance tax. This tax is expected to raise over $1 billion in revenue for higher public education in the state of California.

“All students should be given the right to higher education,” Torrico said, “and if we show that enough students want to see change, we can make this bill happen and Sacramento will be obligated to put money back to where it belongs, in our schools.”

The funds would be administered by the California Higher Education Endowment Corporation, which is created by this bill, that will annually allocated the revenue to the three college systems based on the following formula: 60 percent to California State University systems, 30 percent to University of California systems, and 10 percent to California Community Colleges.

The proposed bill is a response to increases in tuition, faculty furloughs, and fewer faculty and classes available caused by inadequate funding due to the current economic downturn.

Roberta Ahlquist, professor of secondary education at San Jose State, recently attended a union meeting and found out that some college campuses are already cutting programs that include foreign language, music, and the arts.

“I think they are brutal and devastating, and an attack on the master plan,” Ahlquist said.

The 1960 Master Plan for Higher Education established the University of California and California State University system with the goal to admit and offer a place to every California high school student who is eligible. With the current recession, this plan does not seem achievable.

The AB 656 bill passed in the Assembly Higher Education Committee in July 2009 and plans to go through a hearing with the Assembly Revenue and Taxation Committee in January 2010.

Blog - AB 656 Meet/Greet and Rally Reflections

2009-10-14T08:32:00.000-07:00

News assignments like the AB 656 bill were the reasons I went into journalism in the first place! I thought the bill was for an incredible cause and it brought forth a sensitive topic that united teachers and students. Not only did this story have great visuals and quotes, but it was easy to write about because there were so much facts. The rally that took place after the meet and greet was interesting because I was able to interview many students and teachers and they were very adamant in speaking to me in hopes that I would help shed more light on this bill if I was to publish it for others to read. The bill was targeted at oil companies and, in turn, it hopes to help with tuition and budget cuts at CSUs. I personally thought it was very difficult to write this story objectively because I am affected by this bill and I have a strong opinion about it myself. I learned a lot about myself as a reporter, and that is to dig deep and find a solid angle because the topic was so straightforward. I also feel as though I need to always have my voice recorder on me because the assignment was so unexpected that I felt unprepared. As a journalist, I should always be ready for unexpected breaking news. The whole time I felt like I was desperately trying to understand the bill, interview students and teachers for quotes, and reach Torrico for a comment. I have learned that it is always best to be prepared about a person/subject before doing the story because otherwise it would be ridiculously overwhelming!

Blog #6 - NPR

2009-10-14T08:30:00.000-07:00

NPR has a wide range of interviews to listen to, from basic news to arts and entertainment. I decided to analyze an interview conducted by Fresh Air’s WHYY with Jason Segel entitled “Jason Segel Explains the Mystery of Guydom.” The interviewer was named Terry Gross and it was obvious that she was very well up-to-date about her subject before the interview. She gave a very well concise and detailed overview of Jason Segel and his credits as an actor before the actual interview began so it is clear that she did her homework. The interview was based on Segel’s current movie “I Love You, Man” and the interviewer asked very good questions that related to Jason Segel and how he felt towards “bromances.” In a sense, she was giving more than just an interview about a movie; rather she was bringing the character and the origination of the movie to life for listeners to understand. I believe the interviewer asked very good follow up questions, which means she has excellent listening skills. At times, Segel was having a difficult time explaining a scene for listeners to understand so she stepped in an explained it for him. I think the interviewer, Terry Gross, was very well qualified for her job! I am not much of a radio listener because I depend on visuals to help me understand, but the way she explained things helped me picture it in my mind. It was apparent that the interviewer has a strategy, and that was to help promote the movie as well as finding out who the real Jason Segel is…his likes and dislikes, etc. Overall, I think the interview was handled smoothly and there were plenty of great questions (both building up and following up to the answers).

I learned a lot about interviewing in this NPR piece with Jason Segel. Before an interview, it is always best to be as informed as possible about your subject. This is what leads to great questions and an interesting interview. I have also learned that being on radio is somewhat difficult because it requires more effort to help listeners understand what is going on, so being descriptive is a must! Lastly, I think it is important to try and push your boundaries and not be afraid to ask some personal questions and challenge the interviewee.

Blog #5 - Mystery Character

2009-10-12T00:43:00.000-07:00

He can dance and sing like no other person on this planet!!! This person was born with a gift that the world over was able to recognize and attempted to imitate, but was never able to duplicate. That smooth moonwalk, the crotch grab, and the crazy women’s outfits he wore created a press frenzy through the years. Although he is of African American decent, his skin color gradually lighten through the years due to a disease called vitiligo. His face obviously had one too many plastic surgeries performed on it, although he claimed to only have two. His nose eventually collapsed beyond repair, but it was due to his deep insecurities he has had since childhood that pushed him to change his appearances. He sings in a high-pitched voice and speaks in a shy, quiet voice. As a 50-year-old man, his death came to soon.

Word count: 145

Word of the Week #6

2009-10-12T00:24:00.000-07:00

1. Invective
2. Mass Media Law 2009-2010 Edition, Don. R Pember
3. The government cannot prohibit invective or epithets that simply injure somone's feelings or are merely rude or discourteous.
4. Adjective; of, relating to, or characterized by insult or abuse.
5. The ku klux klan say very invective things about people of African-American, Jewish, and other minority decents.

Word of the Week #5

2009-10-05T11:15:00.001-07:00

1. Succumb
2. Time Magazine (October 2009)
3. In an area where medicine is scarce, people succumb to it.
4. Verb; to yield to superior strength or force or overpowering appeal or desire. To die.
5. The cancer was taking over his body and when it was too much for him to handle, he finally succumbed to it.

Copy Edit the World

2009-09-30T00:22:00.000-07:00

I found this at Josie's Salon and Spa by the Berryessa Center in San Jose. "Higlight" should be "Highlight". (4 points)

I found this at the North Valley Plaza in San Jose (it is just down Hedding Street). This salon was Called Hair City and they had two errors! "Reffill" should be "Refill". (4 points)

This was the same place as the above picture. "Tatoo" should be "Tattoo". (4 points)

Fly on the Wall

2009-09-27T23:48:00.001-07:00

Coffee shops are constantly bustling with different sounds and chatter especially at the Starbucks located near San Jose State University. In the air, there is a thick and delicious aroma of coffee beans that can be appreciated within a two-block radius. At around 8 o’clock in the morning, students and business people crowd the small store. The people in the line are all wearing either business attire or backpacks. Obviously, the people in line are anxiously waiting for their morning treat before heading off to their destinations. Students are desperately in need of some caffeine before sitting through long lectures and the business people are headed off to City Hall to handle the city’s needs.

The orders need to be spoken loudly to the cashier because the sound of blenders and milk steamers never stop. As each drink is finally made, the barista calls out and order and rests the beverage on the wooden tabletop. The first drink is a Venti Carmel Frappacino with extra whip cream. The drink sits there waiting for its owner to come, but still, no one claims it. Slowly, the beverage produces cold sweats, and from far away each person can see that inside the cup rests a frosty, creamy treat. The sounds of the blenders keep roaring and the milk steamers keep whistling. The line grows longer and more impatient as every minute passes and to distract themselves for the wait, the customers occupy themselves by taping away at their cellular phones. One girl, with a backpack as heavy as car, smiles to herself at her phone and giggles. Another man restless paces back and forth looking at his watch and decides whether it is worth being late to work for a delicious cup of joe.

This is the Starbucks experience from the perception of a fly on the wall.

(Word Count: 306)

Word of the Week #4

2009-09-27T22:11:00.000-07:00

1. Chador
2. National Geographics (October 2009)
3. Romaeni binti Hasan Basri (second from left) began wearing a chador during her last semester studying theater at the Jakarta Arts Institute.
4. Noun; A loose, usually black robe worn by Muslim women that covers the body from head to toe.
5. Iranian women are not required to wear chadors. Some do so, as wearing it is a claim to respectability and Islamic piety.

Comparing Media

2009-09-21T09:57:00.001-07:00

There has been extensive, international coverage of the Jaycee Lee Dugard kidnapping the past few weeks. Jaycee Lee Dugard was kidnapped from a bus stop in front of her home 18 years ago, and has recently been discovered to still be alive and living in a backyard compound of her two abductors. She was said to have been living in the backyard for almost 2 decades without leaving and bore 2 of the abductor’s children.

For this assignment, I chose to compare three different types of media outlets that covered this story on the same day: newspaper, television, and online news.

For the television media, I watched and listened to a reporter telling the story as much as she could within a two-minute time span. As she spoke and gave her report, the video that was playing was of a helicopter view of the backyard compound. I felt like I receive a quick glimpse of the story, however, I wanted to know more.

I turned to a newspaper, printed the same day I watched the Jaycee Lee Dugard story on television, and found most of the facts I knew repeated in the newspaper. Although I was hoping to find out more, I realized that the news report I just watch had much more update information about the continuing coverage of the kidnapping. Obviously, since the paper was out today, the news was from last night and since then there has already been breaking news.

The best source to find out the most recent, up-to-date news about the Dugard kidnapping was with the online media. Once I logged online there were endless websites, along with live streaming video of the backyard compound describing the abduction, the current state of the girl (now a women), and every other detail that was just emerging. I even read breaking news on CNN that had just surfaced 10 minutes prior that the reason the missing girl was found was because a UC Berkeley female officer felt internal instincts that something was wrong with the two girls Jaycee had bore with her abductor.

Obviously, the news media is changing rapidly, and how we get our news varies. I feel that it is unfortunate for newspapers today because of the online media, and once the newspaper comes out, it is already yesterday’s news. Instead, people turn to the Internet for reliable, fast facts. I feel myself doing the same.

Word of the Week #3

2009-09-19T20:32:00.000-07:00

1. Pedagogical
2. Mass Media Law 2009-2010 Edition, Don. R Pember
3. Educator do not offend the First Amendment by exercising editiorial control over the style and content of student speech in school-sponsored publications as long as their actions are reasonably related to "legitimate pedagogical concerns."
4. Adjective; of, relating to, or befitting a teacher or education.
5. His felt his sole purpose in life was pedagogical; educating others around him as much as possible.

Extra Credit - Professor Kim Komenich BBQ

2009-09-18T12:24:00.001-07:00

With free food and refreshments, students gathered at the barbecue pit outside the Event Center to meet the new addition of the journalism department, Professor Kim Komenich.

Professor Komenich is an award-winning photographer who has worked for several newspapers in the Bay Area including the San Francisco Chronicle and the San Francisco Examiner. As an alumnus of San Jose State University, Komenich mentioned at the barbeque that he was excited to be coming back to SJSU to teach. Students, colleagues, and even his old high school photo teacher came out to mingle.

During the barbeque, Professor Komenich confessed (however, stayed humble) to recently being published in a feature story of the popular magazine People. Years ago Komenich was sent out to do a story about Jaycee Lee Dugard, a missing 8-year-old girl at the time. Now that the Dugard story has caught international attention, a photograph Komenich took years ago is being reused and circulated worldwide. The picture he took was of another picture and it was a black and white photograph of Dugard’s mother holding Jaycee years before the kidnap took place. I thought that was very impressive!

Professor Kim Komenich teaches new media (MCOM 63) and visual communications (MCOM 70) at the Department of Journalism and Mass Communications at San Jose State University. I happen to be in his MCOM 70 class!

Word of the Week #2

2009-09-13T14:52:00.000-07:00

1. Ostensible
2. Mass Media Law 2009-2010 Edition, Don. R Pember
3. Near and Guildford were self-proclaimed reformers whose ostensible purpose was to clean up city and country government in Minneapolis.
4. Adjective; represented or appearing as such.
4. His obtensible purpose was charity, but his real goal was popularity.

My Favorite Writing

2009-09-08T23:35:00.000-07:00

I personally enjoy all types of writing, whether it is non-fiction, poetry, or just plain news. Unlike many others who enjoy gossip magazines, I enjoy reading something with substance and allow my mind to create pictures through what I read. However, since I began this journalism program at San Jose State University, some of my professors have turned me on to something I never knew I would enjoy; National Geographic Magazine. National Geographic Magazine is not only educational from beginning to end, but the writing is like a combination of news, non-fiction, and poetry writing!

Here is an example from the August 2009 issue of National Geographic written by Natalie Angier on page 74 (it is about animals that camouflage into their surroundings):

“When Macbeth was told he had nothing to fear until the local woods started ambling up to his castle, the tyrant signed with relief, for ‘who can impress the forest, bid the three unfix his earth-bound root?’ Macbeth obviously had never been to Barro Colorado Island in Panama. It is 9 p.m. and as dark as a witch’s mummy, but in the cone of light cast by my headlamp, parts of trees seem to be unfixing themselves and wandering at will. A four-inch twig buzzes overhead and thuds onto a nearby branch. A lime green leaf scratches through a pile of brown leaves, finds nothing of interest, and crawls toward another pile.”

This writing is simply…amazing. I can read it for hours and days on end. Just this excerpt itself already paints a beautiful image in my mind. The best thing about my “favorite writing” is that not only does National Geographic Magazine captivating to read, but the pictures they are accompanied with makes it even more enjoyable to read. I think everyone should try reading a National Geographic Magazine from time to time.

Word of the Week

2009-08-31T21:00:00.000-07:00

1. Indigenous
2. National Geographic (September 2009)
3. For the past four years Spencer Wells and his colleagues with National Geographic and IBM's Genographic Project have been traveling the globe, collecting DNA in cheek swabs and blood samples from hundreds of indigenous groups.
4. Adjective; having originated in the being produced, growing, living, or occurring naturally in a particular region or environment.
5. Indigenous peoples confront a diverse range of concerns associated with their status and interaction with other cultural groups, as well as changes in their inhabited environment.

All About Ms. Diana Nguyen

2009-08-26T00:20:00.000-07:00

My name is Diana Nguyen and I just turned 22 years old. I am currently a journalism major and political science minor here at SJSU. I've intern for KRON 4 News for 8 months and worked as a production assistant and associate producer for KSBW 8 Action News for over a year. I'm taking this MCOM 100W course because, first and foremost, Professor McCune is the best teacher at SJSU and because I am 5 classes shy of a bachelor's degree in Journalism, this being one of them. I'm sure I'll learn a lot and work out some of the kinks I have in my writing!

Some fun facts about me are that I am an avid surfer. I also like to try anything and everything that is new!!! This year alone I ran the San Francisco Marathon, competed in a beauty pageant (I won Miss Congeniality), and traveled to some of the most amazing places on this planet: France, England, and Hawaii. Next year I'll be studying abroad at the University of Stellenbosch in South Africa. I love Africa, it's my favorite continent because of the amazingly nice people and extraordinary wildlife.

Thanks for tuning in!