County Commissioner Victor Crist

When looking through contributions made to Victor Crist during his run for District 2 Hillsborough County Commissioner, there are large amounts of similar contributions from relatable companies. The list ranges from agricultural companies to police and lawyers, bail bond companies to transportation services, and from green enterprises to manufacturing companies. Out of the monetary contributions of $151,675.71 only $5,880 was taken out by Crist in loans to help pay for his campaign.

A majority of the contributors to Crist’s campaign gave the limit of $500 while a large portion of the remaining contributors gave $100. Expenditures within the campaign remained along the lines of typical campaigning. Items like supplies, space rental, campaign development, advertising, and communication ranked among the top expenditures.

All the money paid off with Crist winning District 2 with 72% of the votes.

To better understand why there were so many contributions coming from similar companies one must look into the work Crist has done since his political debut in 1992.

Crist is not new to Tampa Bay or the political gamut. Crist’s family relocated from New Orleans, Louisiana to Treasure Island, Florida in 1968, and has lived in north Hillsborough since 1980. As a 1983 graduate of USF, Crist put his degree in Communications to work through his advertising business, Metropolitan Communications.

In 1992, Crist decided to make the adjustment from private citizen to public figure. Crist served in the Florida House of Representatives from 1992 until 2000. After eight year in the House, Crist was elected to the Florida Senate and re-elected to serve two full terms.

During his time as Senator Crist was extremely active in various committees.

Crist was chair of the Senate Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice Appropriations. This position entitled Crist to design the Florida budget for both public safety and the court system. He spearheaded legislation involving “10-20-Life” and the “3-Strikes Violent Felony Offender Act.”

Crist actively served on the Committee on Commerce to improve communities and begin economic job opportunities.

Crist served as a member of the Policy and Steering Committee on Way & Means. Ways & Means committee supported education, strengthen and protect Florida’s children and families and protect the environment. He was also nominated to serve on the board of the Institute for Non-Violence.

Crist also reviewed the issues revolving around lethal injection and served on the Florida Digital Divide Council from 2002 to 2004.

Throughout his time in office, Crist worked diligently as president of the USF Area Community Civic Association. His work with the community and law enforcement was able to improve “Suit Case City.” In a recent article in the Tampa Tribune Crist’s work with the USF community was mentioned in their endorsement. “Crist has worked hard to improve neighborhoods around USF. He can be counted on to study the issues and advocate low taxes and efficient government. In District 2, the Tribune endorses Victor Crist.” Crist also was involved in the review of bills like Background Screening Legislation, Medicaid Buy-In Programs for Persons with Disabilities, Restricting Sexual Offenders, Locksmith Services Act, Mental Health Parity, and Protect Consumers from Unwanted Solicitation on Cellular Phones.

“As a legislator, he focused on the struggling neighborhoods near the University of South Florida in north Tampa. He is also a good retail politician: accessible, open, hard-working and committed to constituent service,” St. Pete Times, October 2010.

Crist has made sure that through his political endeavors he has made his mark. With endorsements from the Tampa Tribune, St. Pete Times, Florida Sentinel Bulletin, NRA, Unified Sportsman of Florida and his long list of public service it is hard not to see where his views lie.

Some public service positions have included: Chairman of the University Community New Image Revitalization Task Force, former Treasure Island Volunteer Fire Department, Hillsborough County Audit Oversight Committee, Bay Area Legislative Delegation etc.

For all the public service positions Crist has held there is a slew of awards and honors to follow: L. Clayton Nance Award in Appreciation for Devotion to Public Service, Legislature of the Year from the Florida Juvenile Justice Board, Outstanding Dedication and Personal Support Award from the Florida Holocaust Museum etc. The total awards and honors extend past 100 since 1991.

Like his list of honors, Crist has kept his background very honorable as well. He has never been arrested or charged with any civil or criminal acts. No political contributions have been made under Crist’s name or under his wife Angela S. Crist’s name. His driving record is clean as well.

Crist and his wife Angela, were married in 2005 and moved to Tampa Palms South Area in December 2006. They live in a five bedroom, three bath house that was built in 1992 on a corner lot. The house was purchased for $370,000 at the peak of the housing boom. At current market prices the house has depreciated in value to $241,940. Current taxes on the residence near the $1000 mark. Each year taxes have been paid diligently.

Being able to better aspects of people’s life has been a large focus throughout Crist’s career which has shown through in contributions made to his County Commissioner campaign. Those organizations that protect and serve readily supported Crist. As well as organizations that has felt the effects of Crist’s leadership while elected as Senator.

“…citizens… who respect the strong and efficient enforcement of our laws… support… Victor Crist,” West Central Florida Police Benevolent Association.




Sources:
Hillsborough Supervisor of Elections- Victor Crist 2010 Election Cycle
VC Campaign Contributions
VC Campaign Expenditures
Tampa Tribune- ref Crist's Character/Endorsement
St. Pete Times- ref Crist's Character/Endorsement
West Central Florida Police Benevolent Assc- ref Crist's Character/Endorsement
VictorCrist.com- Public Service
VictorCrist.com- Awards and Honors
FormerFlStateSenator.com- Victor Crist Bio
FormerFlStateSenator.com- Senate Bill Summary
HCSO- Arrest Records/DUI
HCSO- Sexual Offenders
Opensecrets.org- Political Contributions
Opensecrets.org- Contributors of Crist while in Senate (FL Bankers Assn.)
HCPA- Property Appraisal/ when purchased/ taxes/ general warranty deed

Words that shouldn't be combined... True Enough

"...although I got annoyed with the stupidity it was a much appreciated emotion."

Ahhhh my sentiments about Farhad Manjoo's book "True Enough" from a previous semester. They still hold true too because I have had a semester to witness the world around me fall prey to the many topics covered in Manjoo's book.

Last semester I lambasted my fiancé for his choice of selective perception/exposure. His enthusiasm for Glenn Beck is not a trait we had in common, but I have grown to tolerate Beck in small portions. My fiancé, however, still remains blissfully ignorant that there are other news sources out their besides Fox News.

You don't have to be a mass communication student to realize that objectivity in news appears to be a lost art.

"It's this system- the multichannel, watch-what-you-want-to-believe world...that is now working against the sort of "objective" news..."

Ask anyone you know and they have certain news outlets that are their regular sources. It is generally the outlets that agree with their personal beliefs. It's not a malicious act that they are taking part in; it's human nature. Our brain seems to be programmed to accept the things we agree with and be content with only that information. It takes a particular mind to research beyond what they believe to see what else is out there. The lack of objectivity in news helps to propel the instinct of "biased assimilation" that is already ingrained in people.

“…people accepted at face value the data that aligned with their position.”

It is not shocking because of obvious bias in news that people have become skeptical of the news. But it has gone past just basic skepticism of what people write. It is now what they see as well in photos. Photoshop and a few bad photojournalists have changed the outlook that “a picture is worth a thousand words” to “is that real.” It is a sad realization for those in the industry that are still true to the art of written word and photos, but a battle that has become common.

This semester I had the pleasure of working as an intern with Creative Loafing in the News and Politics department. On orientation day with my “boss” Mitch Perry (the only paid person in the News/Politics department) I was given a run-down of CL’s daily activities.

A day begins by reading the newspapers. I tried not to spit venom when he told me that because I am just old-fashioned enough to love reading newspapers. So you get the information from the newspapers to either help begin a story or to do a follow-up story. From there you do the reporterly duties etc etc. When the writing process begins, let creativity flow.

“We are a news source so we must have our stories BASED in truth but because we are TECHNICALLY a blog, we can add in some OPINION.”

That statement irked me to the core because I had already read Manjoo. A news outlet that I thought was new but reputable just sank to my “skepticism” list. How the mighty have fallen.

So I was sent on assignments to write about important events. Events I wanted to look at objectively because that is what I have been taught. I hoped my stories came out without bias and with as much concrete evidence as possible. But as I wrote my final article for CL, I could see that my agenda had shown through. I had broken a critical rule for journalists. My objectivity and bias, like my naivety, had ended with this internship.

How could reader’s who are not aware of CL’s opinion based reporting completely believe what they write? It’s a question asked about any blog someone reads. As one of my professor’s for beginning reporting Dan Ruth once said, “Blogs are like assholes. Everyone has one.”

There is actually a new superhero show coming out sometime on some channel I can’t remember, but the superhero’s object of affection is an investigative blogger!! I guess the producers were going for a high-tech Lois Lane.

Blogs along with technology in general have changed the way news is received. Everyone is trying to get their opinion out there and pass it off as real news. This makes it harder for those that still believe in the institution of researching and un-bias delivery. One begins to constantly question the expertise of the journalists and anchors. Who are they to say that this is correct or even news worthy?

It’s a part of life. Journalist will just have to work twice as hard to help re-create the expertise that has been lost through technology.

Traffic Court

Between classes, work and an internship my schedule is very hectic. So when looking for a court experience, my options were very limited. I was actually talking to a friend about my difficulties finding a time when I could get my court experience when the mentioned traffic court. It may not be the most glamorous experience but it is definitely a common experience among many people.

I have known people who have gone to traffic court as well as almost going to court myself, but the need to drive an hour for the court session made fighting the ticket less important.

Getting into Tampa Traffic Court was slightly difficult so I used my connections back home with police officers to get into the Brooksville Traffic Court. The appearance of our courthouse is less than awe-inspiring. It’s an old brick building that has all the appearances of an old-time courthouse with the white columns and statues. An annex of the courthouse that is the newest building in downtown Brooksville is where the Traffic Court was held. It is a moderate size 3-floor building that was built about 18 years ago. However, the inside has all the modern updates of 2010.

Like I said before, traffic court is not glamorous. You sit and wait for your name to be called. If your last name is towards the end of the alphabet you are going to be sitting there for awhile. Many times, cases get dropped because the officer who wrote the ticket does not show.

The area that encompasses Brooksville, Ridge Manor, Hill N Dale and Spring Lake is notorious for traffic stops. I went two months in Tampa without a headlight and never got pulled over. I was in Brooksville for 10 minutes and got pulled over. Luckily my car is a 1993, and water was in the headlight so bulbs blew out when turned on, so I only got a warning.

Traffic tickets can be issued for violations of traffic laws and other non-traffic offenses. Some people were at court not because they were speeding, head-lights weren’t turned on or broken etc, but were there for infractions they made on bicycles.

When I heard the case about the bicycle, I wanted to laugh. Apparently the bicyclist failed to follow protocol when crossing the street. This led to an officer pulling them over and giving them a $100 ticket. I couldn’t believe that they got a ticket and that it was $100!! I felt like the officer was just trying to get their quota. Ironically, the officer was not in attendance once the person’s name was called and the ticket was dropped.

There were more interesting cases for speeding where people chose to bring a lawyer. Speeding in excess of 120 mph is obviously frowned upon, but this motorcyclist thought he was king of the road. I should mention that this was on a 50 mph back road. His lawyer put up a fair fight about the motorcyclist needing to be somewhere important, but the judge wasn’t buying it. The motorcyclist had to pay his $700 ticket along with taking safety courses.

I was shocked to see so many people in attendance at traffic court, but growing up in the area I knew why. Some officers in the area make a name for themselves by pulling over so many people. A few people at court that day had indeed been pulled over by those officers. Unfortunately, for the offenders those officers are strict about their tickets. They were in attendance and the tickets did not get dropped.

Traffic Court may not be as glamorous as a murder case, but the hilarity of some people made it worth it. I am glad that I was able to do it in my hometown too because it made it all the more amusing.

The Hunt for Political Information

You hear it time and time again. It seems to be the mantra of every reporter. "Follow the money." When you are a political reporter like Windy March, money can lead to a variety of stories.

In the instance of Mark Jimenez, the money he contributed to the Clinton campaign led to a story of money laundering.

It was very interesting to see the many different sites used in order to comprise a story. While the FEC website seemed to be a given, I was surprised to hear that March uses the IRS website too. It makes sense though once you consider the work the IRS does.

When writing a story about a political candidate, those who give money to a campaign etc the steps are very similar to those of any other sotry.

Pick the subject of interest and research them.

Look for any anomolies in transactions or those surrounding them.

Follow the money. See if people donating money have donated before, if they are registered to vote, if they are donating money to the party they are registered. Also, check to see when/if they have voted.

Use your sources (many of which can be found online for a political reporter). Sites like: http://www.opensecrets.org/, http://moneyline.cq.com/pml/home.do , and http://thomas.loc.gov/ can prove to be very useful.

Opensecrets allows the public to track federal campaign finance records. Moneyline also allows the public to check federal records but can sometimes prove to be easier to use. Thomas.loc.gov can be used to research federal legislation by topic. With loc.gov, you are able to see who voted for what bill and which side of the line they fell on.

There are many sites available not only to reporters but also the public so that people can be aware of what is happening in politics. It helps though as a reporter to have the vast amount of information available regularly so that a story can be written well and useful to the public.

I still marvel at how much information you can find online.

The Wonderful World of Budgets

Budgets- something the federal government has forgotten about...

Is it bad that that is the first thing I thought of when I heard Preston Trigg say the word budgets? Oh well...lets try again.

Budgets- a surprising wealth of information for journalists when researching government's revenue and expenses

Budgets may be a wealth of information, but knowing how to read and fully understand a budget can be complicated. Like many other students, I am part of an organization on campus. Like businesses and state government, my organization has a budget. Each semester we adopt the budget after thorough deliberation. There's the typical arguments of why funds are being transferred, why more money is allocated to one area over another etc. It is the same situations every semester, and after 2 1/2 years of it I'm used to budgets.

But there is a key difference between the budget of a school organization and a government office. Government affects more than the 50 or so people involved in it!

As Trigg so aptly put it "Budgets are the heart of a government entity." One of the best ways to get a story out of a budget is to follow the money. Almost all budgets are balanced. Although the federal government is not required to balance the budget.

Budgets may include information like growth projection, population, number of employees or an organizational chart. Budgets also cover all aspects of revenues and expenses including debt which is usually in the form of bonds.

When looking through a budget check for noticeable decreases and increases. Those changes can lead to stories much larger than the projected number. Under the expenses section there are 3 sub-sections: personnel, capital and operating.

Capital means a one time purchase over $1000. If you see that there was an increase in capital, check out why the government is paying over $1000 for the specific item. The item may be necessary or it may be a frivolous expense. In relation to that item see if there was supposed to be budget cuts for the fiscal year. How does that capital expense effect the budget?

If you don't understand the budget ask someone. There are a million clues to look for in a budget that can lead to a bigger story.

The Thrills of Voting

I have been registered to vote since I graduated from high school, but I will admit in the last four years; yesterday was the first time I voted. I drove an hour to my hometown to vote because I wanted to make sure that my opinion was counted. I even wrote an article for my internship "Younger voters still excited in 2010" that was posted yesterday morning about voting.

I voted with my mom. It was a moment of nostalgia because as a child she would bring me with her while she voted in hopes to instill patriotism in her young daughter. My story of accomplishment in my vote is minimal to what I saw yesterday at my local voting station.

The lines were not long but the people coming in and out was in a steady flow. The people weren't angry. Even the police officer watching the polling station was in plain clothes. On a cloudy day in a small church in Brooksville, Republicans, Democrats and Independants alike said hello and held doors for each other. I saw a grandmother, mother and son (no older than 19)walk in to the church together to vote. Three generations came together to vote. What and who they voted for I don't know. But it was the fact they were there together that made an impression.

Happy volunteers greeted people and directed them to their voting stations. Thank you and have a great day was heard throughout the small room. A man brought his young daughter with him to vote. It made me smile thinking of all the times I went with my mom. I thought maybe she'll come here when she's my age with her dad again.

Many of my friends told me how they were excited about voting and making themselves heard. I know though that not all college students have the same mentality, but to know that there are some people out there my age that care enough to try is uplifting. I've been told before by strangers at political events old enough to be my grandparent that "it brings them joy to see so many young people invested in their country. Because when they are gone, they have hope that things will carry on."

The results of voting obviously made a huge statement, but it was people watching that gave me the most satisfaction. Maybe it was the small town atmosphere and the cordial people, but I felt proud to be apart of something bigger than myself in an place that makes you feel small.

Information and Curiosity

The amount of information that can be found through one outlet is incredible. I have already had experience searching through property taxes purely out of curiosity; a trait passed on from my mom.

It was actually my mom who introduced me to the Hernando County Property Appraisers website. I was curious about a historic house in the Spring Lake area of Hernando County that had been uninhabited for years that I had fallen into renovation love. I found out the house had been built in the early 1900’s. It was a two story, two bedroom, two bath house with a fireplace in the living room. The current owners came into possession of it when a trust was transferred into their names. The cost of the transfer was only $1000 which was thoroughly shocking. The owners however never lived there. In fact, they currently live in Georgia (GA address can be found on the website.) The house is in considerable dilapidation but still holds its historic charter.

I then proceeded to look at the worth of my moms house, my fiancés parents house, my sister’s house, my fiancés brother’s house, and anyone else I could remember full names and general location of their home. It was sickeningly compulsive. My curiosity had gotten the best of me. Consequently, all those numbers were pointless.

Even though I am familiar with the Hernando County Property Appraisers website, I never thought to look more deeply into the owner’s of the historic house. Mainly for the fact, the only time in the last 20 years the house had changed hands was when the trust transferred.

In a sense, having the ability to see if the person owning a house is delinquent on taxes, when they bought the house, names on the deed etc seems very voyeuristic. While that information can be pertinent for people running for public office, who cares if John Doe down the street owns a $250,000 house that was originally worth $500,000.

It was funny to see the look on the class’ faces when Trigg began to divulge all the information that can be found on the site. There were looks of shock, puzzlement and even a few dropped jaws. The information is out there. All it takes is an inquisitive mind.

As a journalism major I understand the importance of public records, but sometimes wonder if there is too much personal information out there. My line of thought is going towards identity fraud. I am fully aware how controversial my public records comment was too.

People are allowed to know what is going on in the world surrounding them especially if it affects their safety, and I am a full supporter of the Sunshine Laws. If I wasn’t a full supporter I would be graduating with the wrong degree in December. My question from Trigg’s presentation is when is the amount of information on the internet too much?

Maybe I’m just getting soft, but it seems like sometimes personal identities are not valued enough.

Innovative Information Outlets

When you think of police work the typical things of flashing lights, arrests, court dates, and bail generally come to mind. Unless you are a member of the media you don’t think of the criminal report affidavit, booking sheet or general offense hardcopy. All of which are important documents in order to write a story about the happenings of Hillsborough County.

While a reporter drowns in papers from the Hillsborough County Sheriffs Office and Courthouse there are other ways that social media allows for citizens to get the news “from the source” easily. This is where J.D. Callaway and Cristal Bermudez Nunez come into play.

Callaway and Nunez are a part of the HCSO Community Affairs Office. They answer the media inquiries from broadcasting, radio, print etc. They handle press releases which must meet three general standards. Is this information in public interest? Is there media interest? Will this helps us get leads?

Social media has allowed Callaway and Nunez to broaden the horizons of HCSO community affairs. Internet sites like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube have helped to revolutionize HCSO’s communication.

On Facebook, the “fugitive of the week” allows citizens to see who they need to be on the lookout for. Twitter allows immediate posting of important information, and YouTube broadcasts “pseudo-newscasts.” The pseudo-newscasts are of surveillance videos or press conferences in their entirety. These outlets allow citizens to be more informed and have transformed HCSO into a newsmaker and producer. Or as Callaway so aptly put it, “We don’t generate news. We release facts.”

Facebook, Twitter and YouTube may not be the conventional ways of emitting information, but they are the tools that allow places like the HCSO to reach the masses easily. Press releases are the traditional way, but with technology traditions change. The HCSO Community Affairs Office is working with today’s technology to help create a safer tomorrow.

Did he say math??

Hearing from your professor that a guest speaker is coming to talk about how charts, figures and of all things math help to create a story doesn’t exactly scream interesting. It really doesn’t help that half the allure of being a journalism major is the lack of math. But after hearing Matt Doig from the Sarasota Herald-Tribune speak; math in its relation to journalism actually doesn’t seem that bad. In fact, it almost sounds like fun.

The use of public records has the ability to transform and even create a story. It is “irrefutable evidence.” The information gathered from public records has the ability to bring to light evidence that many people would like to keep buried in a dusty file in Tallahassee. Doig gave thorough evidence of persistence and the power of public records.

Teacher Certification Scores are not something every parent thinks about when they send their child off to school. It wasn’t until high school that I found out that teachers are regularly tested so they can teach. This information was provided when I overheard my English teacher complaining because she had to take the math portion of the test for the fifth time. Thankfully she passed the English portion of the test with flying colors.

Doig’s investigation into teacher’s scores was very elaborate, but was made easier by a computer program that allowed a classification system. Doig was able to categorize teachers throughout the state by name, race, district, school, social security number, and test scores. There were also indicators about the school grade, how many students were in gifted etc.

It was sad in a sense to see that a teacher could fail a test 65 times and still be allowed to teach. The teachers who failed more were put in poorer schools. How does that set children up to succeed if their teachers aren’t capable enough to pass a test?

The use of math helped greatly with the teacher’s scores but what about a database of 19 million. Add in some parameters of 30 days with a 30 percent increase, a computer to handle the load and you have “Flip that house fraud.”

The philosophy of “If it’s happening in one place; it’s probably happening in more places” led to a substantial wealth of information regarding housing fraud. In fact, it led to 55,000 incidents of house fraud, billions of dollars, and the realization that Florida is now considered the #1 state for housing fraud.

The process of compiling the information and relaying it to the masses took a year. The knowledge gained though was very pertinent to understanding locally why the housing market turned out the way it did.

My hostility towards math has been slightly diminished after Doig’s compelling stories of how math and a computer program can help to create a beneficial story for the readers. Public records provide the information needed to begin the story and sometimes math helps to finish it.

Tim Nickens

I have learned a lot over the last few semesters about journalism, and as my time at USF comes to a close, I am learning even more information relevant to my future. Tim Nickens, editor for the St. Petersburg Times editorial pages, helped to solidify the importance of using public records as a source for a news story.
Nickens coming speaking to the class could not have come at a better time. The Wednesday following his visit I learned the fundamentals of my internship with Creative Loafing. I will be writing for the news and politics section. What better use for public records than in news and politics?
A statement that was particularly true for me may seem insignificant compared to the stories Nickens told of public records bringing about valuable information about politicians. “It is one thing to have a record. It is another thing to know what it means,” said Nickens. In news and politics, knowing what you have in front of you is extremely important so that you can quickly and reliably report a story. Knowing what you’re talking about has the ability to give you credibility.
Sometimes I feel like I let myself become victim of not asking enough questions, but Nickens was able to thoroughly reach me to help me to better understand the importance of asking questions. The questions can be about the documents in front of you or the actions taken in order to get a piece of legislature passed.
Along with questions, good sources are invaluable. A good source can lead you to the documents needed to complete the story. Reporters learn to think in terms of “not why is something open, but why is something closed?”
I was able to take from Nickens visit the different avenues in which to pursue a story. Documents from the property appraiser, courthouse, money appropriation committees, arrest records etc are all tools that can help complete a story.
When I found out the type of writing I would be doing for Creative Loafing, I was glad I had the knowledge from Nickens visit in order to be able to dig a little deeper into stories. I have to know where to look and what I am looking at.

Farhad Manjoo "True Enough"

For this blog I decided to listen to my muse talk for a couple days instead of ignoring his political babble. A wealth of information regarding current politics and foreign affairs, my fiancé, JT can tell anyone the current events in Washington D.C. Many of this information regarding health care but also gun policies, illegal alien acts, debt margins etc. If you choose to listen it never ends.

“True Enough” is an apt title for a book that discusses selective perception, questionable expertise, reality, etc. If you are a critical reader/ listener of the news you will understand that many things are not 100 percent true. So essentially, if it is “true enough” it must be reputable news. Too bad that truthiness has become based off of the political views of the network with which you get your news from.

While reading Farhad Manjoo’s chapter on objectivity, I couldn’t help but laugh. I have never taken any reporters word for the truth without question. JT, has become one of the avid Glenn Beckers who take Beck’s word for the gospel truth. An attribute he gained through exposure from family. I realized that JT has become the epitome of an individual with “biased assimilation.”

Fox News is considered the conservative voice in news with Glenn Beck at the forefront spewing information regarding the administration’s work. Beck has proclaimed himself as “not a reporter.” In a current disagreement between JT and me, JT tried to justify that statement. My response; “He talks about the news so he reports information? He’s just a reporter with his own TV show.” JT was quick to stand up for his idle with fervor only to meet my stubbornness. I will admit that Beck does have the most watched broadcast from 5pm – 6 pm.

There are many events and legislation that only Fox News covers which is highly commendable. While CNN was having a marathon on Michael Jackson’s death, Fox News was covering the earlier stages of the Health Care Bill. Fox is more about the hard news, things that “should” matter to the masses. CNN covers many of those issues as well but with a more tender approach.

JT bases all his gathering of news from the reports that Beck makes. There is no variation whatsoever. Biased assimilation says that people tend to interpret and understand new information in a way that accords with their own views. In JT’s situation, makes his gathering of news very limited. It is then that news that he passes along to all those willing to listen. “I feel that Fox is more accurate then any other news source because they cover a wider variety of information and they do plenty of research so that they are informed,” JT said during one of our many political conversations.

After going through a few semesters of journalism classes and being aware of the world around me, I understand the importance of hearing many different sides of the story. Sometimes my opinions change and sometimes they don’t. At least, I cannot say that I have a tendency for biased assimilation or selective perception.

No matter the person, they can fall prey to selective perception. People tend to see or believe what they want to be true. This is where conspiracy theorists come from and those crazies on both sides of the political spectrum. Theories like the government blew up the World Trade Centers, JFK’s assassination and the Lone Gunman theory are all brilliant examples of selective perception. Those so jaded by the government that they would give anything for a big conspiracy to damage it will find anything to prove bad practice in government.

Manjoo provides shocking statistics about the amount of people who actually trust the news. “Since the 1990s, people have become far more skeptical about what they watch, read, or listen to. The numbers for CNN are illustrative of what’s happened throughout the industry. In 1998, 42 percent of the people whom Pew surveyed said that the believed “all or most” of what they watched on the network. In 2006, only 28 percent said the same.”

When it comes to selective perception, “trusting your senses” is critical. While trusting your senses cannot save everyone from falling prey to idiotic theories, the normal, sane person will be able to keep their sanity intact.

Manjoo’s book was a slap to the face for all those that thought everything was done by the book which is one reason why I liked it. Manjoo eloquently portrayed the realities of news media. He did not sugarcoat anything, and although I got annoyed with the stupidity it was a much appreciated emotion.

Best of Blogs: Third Times a Charm

Blogs, blogs, blogs! I feel like my mind is a swirl of blogs. Trying to find ones that I feel are interesting and noteworthy is not as easy as it may seem. There are so many pointless blogs out there filling up the blogosphere. So I search yet again; clicking next blog more often then not. I get excited and then realize the title is more interesting then the writing underneath. Oh well. By now, I am well versed in blogs. And considering this is the most I have written about blogs, it seems I have found a good spot.

Blog 1: Venture Bound
http://www.venturebound.net/

My great grandmother was 100 percent Cherokee Indian. That fact made this blog extremely interesting. The pictures as well as the words portray vividly the lives and pertinent information about many different types of Native Americans. Since the author of the blog writes for a travel column it gives the blog the necessary background. The author is very educated and editing is apparent in his writing. The amount of information in the blog is not overwhelming. Navigating through the different articles is also easy.

Blog 2: White Trash BBQ
http://whitetrashbbq.blogspot.com/

Even though Florida somehow is not considered part of the south, good ol southern bbq is not something people joke about. People roast hogs for weddings and smoked ribs stands can be found fairly easily. When I saw the title of this blog, I was amused. After looking over the many pages, I wasn’t only amused but also hungry. Pictures showed any type of meat smothered in bbq sauce. Recipes were provided and a long list of meals scrolled across the pages. Links to explore and restaurants that are recommended were on the right side of the page allowing for more mouth watering occurring.

Blog 3: Around the World “L”
http://www.aroundtheworldl.com/

I’m a sucker for anything foreign. I love learning about different places and people. How people’s day to day activities vary depending on location excite me. An Australian friend of mine frequently laments about the lack of Reeses Peanut Butter Cups. America gave her that love for the mixture of chocolate and peanut butter. So yet again I am attracted to a blog from foreign countries. This blog covers anything and everything from a funny sign in Barcelona to Day Traveling Packages. It is well written with plenty of pictures, easy to navigate and spontaneous. It comes from an Americans stand point while she travels the world for a year or so. That must be nice…

Best of Blogs 2

Yet again I am at a loss for blogs. So I turn to my trusty sidekick the “blogs of note” button at the bottom of my dashboard on BlogSpot. There I can find a plethora of interesting blogs from scrapbooking to news. There is some searching required but it allows for me to stumble upon some unknown blogs. This week I have stumbled upon blogs that express one of my passions. Photography.

Blog 1 http://runningfromcamera.blogspot.com/2006_06_01_archive.html
Running from Camera:

This blog is one for those who love photography and foreign countries. The concept is easy. Put the self-shutter on for two seconds and run from the camera. I enjoyed the blog because I am able to see different parts of the world. The photography was also well executed. The layout was easy to follow with the older photos separated into files by month. However, after a few photos I got tired of the running man unless the timing caught him when he was not touching the ground or blurred.

Blog 2 http://inplainview1.blogspot.com/search?updated-min=2010-01-01T00%3A00%3A00-05%3A00&updated-max=2011-01-01T00%3A00%3A00-05%3A00&max-results=9
In Plain View

If you like unique ways to takes photos you’ll love this blog. The first photo intrigued me because of it simplicity but also beautiful colors. How many people think to make art out of Sharpies, a card, or colored salt? The photographer has a list under each photo of the camera used, the f-stop, ISO, and mm. On the side of the page she also has a list of cameras she uses for her photography. The photos are well organized and easy to access. She also has a search by word on the left side of the page. The colors of the photos are vivid. I really enjoyed her use of different focuses and points of visual impact.

Blog 3 http://rezamasoudi.blogspot.com/?expref=next-blog
Reza’s Photo Gallery

The way architecture should be photographed. As a former architecture major I loved this blog. The photos were remarkable. It was extremely interesting to see architecture from different parts of the world portrayed in such an artistic manner. I also enjoyed the nature pictures that were included in the older files. The site was slightly difficult to navigate because the files were at the bottom of every page instead of on the side. The work was still excellent quality even if navigation was difficult.

My Kind of Divas

Great fashion at an affordable price is the kind of shopping I love. Getting a pair of $90 Guess white leather heals for $11 is the rush that every woman dreams about. I have had that rush and loved every moment of it.
Walking into a store at the peak of a sale is exhilarating. Seeing the savings amount at the bottom of a receipt is always fun especially if it’s over $30.
Shopping is not just a fun past-time for some women; it is a necessity. Women shop when they are happy and when they are mad. Finding a good buy when you are angry makes everything seem a little better.
The Deal Divas write about the deals that give women a rush. The fashion, lotions, and fun events centered on fashion are their topics of conversation. They also allow for the readers to give their opinion on the deals or fashion ideas they have.
Their blog about capris has started a nice argument between the people that believe capris are “fab” or “fug.” It is amusing to see what people have to think about a seemingly uneventful piece of clothing.
It is a fun and refreshing blog. It is not the typical stuffy information about clothing like don’t wear white after Labor Day. They add little quips like “The haters sound off” or “my soul rejoiced.” It is these fun little things that make it enjoyable for readers.
It is also nice that each blog has pictures to go along with the story. While I know the new line at Target other people might not know the whimsical designs. The photos help to give even the least fashion forward person an idea of the cute styles hitting the stores.
The women are young professionals who have found their niche in the world of media. They offer a fun outlook on being a reporter and blogger.
Before now I had not heard of the Deal Divas, but I thoroughly enjoy their blogs and found them refreshing.

Best of Blogs

BLOG 1

http://chune123.blogspot.com/ Serendipitous

I like this blog because it celebrates the simple things in life that so many people have grown to no longer appreciate. There are pictures and explanations for some things. While sometimes it is the beauty in the pictures that makes you think. The blog is well formatted without any clutter. You are able to fully appreciate each picture. The pictures cross a wide spectrum from nature to family events. I also like the layout. It was very inviting and serene which went well with the information provided on the blog.


BLOG 2

http://historymike.blogspot.com/?expref=next-blog History Mike

I like this blog because it explains things Mike is curious about or believes in in an intellectual manner. It’s not the illogical banter of someone with a grudge. It is a curious mind explaining the things around him with a fair amount of research. Mike is also a historian and journalist so it makes the blog more reputable. It is an extremely well written blog with good word usage. It is apparent without looking at the writer’s information that he was well educated and understood the importance of proper English.

BLOG 3

http://herecomesizzah.blogspot.com/?expref=next-blog Izzah in the sky with diamonds

This blog is interesting because it takes the everyday life and makes it amusing. There are also different things from the everyday as well like short notes on what is sexy: subway and what is not sexy: pretentious people who suck up to their “friends.” It’s a unique and slightly whimsical blog. Many times it has the ability to make the reader laugh. I like the way the blog was laid out. It was in chronological order and there wasn’t anything too distracting in the background. I could have gone, however, without the Lizzie McGuire song playing while I was trying to read.

Martin Fennelly: Sports Writing Done Right

Martin Fennelly, a sports writer for the Tampa Tribune, is a memorable person to have a conversation with especially if you are an aspiring writer. His quick wit and portrayal of athletes is unlike that of many of his fellow writers.
An article that had impact on Fennelly was when he was younger at the time of the Kennedy assassination. Tom Breslin was assigned to cover the funeral. Instead of covering the typical outlets of family and friends, Breslin interviewed the grave digger. “Breslin covered the story in terms that people could understand,” Fennelly said. It was a story that touched Fennelly and helped to give inspiration to Fennelly’s writing.
Fennelly also grew up in a family that constantly had newspapers in the house. At anytime there was the possibility of five or six newspapers in the Fennelly residence.
Fennelly loves to be entertained and amused which he incorporates into his writing. Fennelly believes that part of his job as a writer is to entertain the readers. “Sometimes when I write people don’t know if I’m praising them of ripping them.”
Fennelly explains to a rapt audience that in reporting it is key to stay in touch with your sources. “So much of reporting is observing.” Along with keeping in touch with an audience, painting a scene or offering anecdotes is beneficial to the reader. Fennelly likes writing to where people can see or make their own decision.
Fennelly also explains that there is a problem that writers can come into contact with.
Cynicism can be beneficial to any column, but it is when cynicism cannot be held up against something that a writer believes in is when cynicism goes wrong. “The day you cannot say something cynical about something, but can back it up with something you believe in then you should start laying bricks.”
Cynicism has caught up with Fennelly but not because of the reason stated above. The article that Fennelly wishes he had never written was about a Lightning goal tender who continually had had back surgery. He mentioned that dead people had backs better then the goal tender. This did not work well because a member of the goal tenders family had recently passed away.
Fennelly believes that a big problem with many writers is that the writers rip into athletes easier because they do not know then as well. “Rule 1: If you are going to rip someone, be within shouting or hitting distance within 16 hours,” Fennelly said with a laugh.
Fennelly is very outspoken about his writing beliefs which are invaluable especially to young writers with the hopes of sports writing. “Remember that you are still writing about people.”
While talking about his version of how to write, Fennelly mentions how he still has to finish a column due later in the night. “My editor’s don’t worry about the columns I have to do in 20 minutes. They worry about the ones I have with all day deadlines. I tend to take my time then.”
Fennelly may take his time, but his final work is very clean. He prints out his first draft, goes over it with a red pen, and repeats until he is happy with final draft.
Fennelly has an outlook about writing that every writer whether they have been in the field for years or brand new to the beat.
“Any writer who thinks events are small is small writers.”

Dan Ruth: A No-Nonsense Approach

Dan Ruth was my professor for Beginning Reporting so hearing him talk about his no nonsense approach was like I had stepped back in time to last semester. Classes were always filled with stories of his escapades as a police reporter and reactions he received from his opinion pieces.
The reactions the class would give to his stories were of awe and amusement. Discussions were begun about his stories because he wanted to know how we felt about the subject. He seemed to always be looking for a reaction whether it was for or against what he thought.
A good reaction is what Ruth looks for in his pieces and he feels that his best work has been those that have stirred up good reaction. In our Critical Writing class Ruth said, “The purpose of writing a column is to make people think. It is the market place of the newspaper.”
One of the most memorable reactions that Ruth received was when he wrote about the League of the South, a group that believed they should be allowed reparations from the north because of the Civil War. The group claimed the north disrupted their lifestyle of slavery.
Ruth made several quips about the idiocies of their allegations including that the north should get something from the south for the amount of kerosene they had to use.
Ruth appreciates a good or bad response from readers.
In Critical Writing, Ruth elaborated on the uses of a column as a means to improve reader’s citizenship, and in his sense, use some satire to make the column more interesting.
Ruth grew up with three other brothers so his use of sarcasm comes naturally. “If you get the reader laughing, they’ll read until the kicker.”
Columns can also vary in the sense that there is reporting columns and in the head columns.
With column writing you essentially “honor the muse.” You must be informed but you do not have to give the opinion of the institution. You can do the same amount of reporting for both sides but you can pick the side you agree with.
Of course whenever journalism is present the effects of the internet are brought into conversation. Ruth believes that blogging doesn’t act very responsibly and does not allow for the value that can be created by the cycles of the newsroom. As Ruth eloquently said in his conversation with the class, “Blogs are like assholes. Everyone has one.”
Ruth is a force to be reckoned with and if your group, institution, etc. ends up on the end of his battering ram you better watch out.

Guest Speaker Vickie Chachere

On Monday, Vickie Chachere came to class to explain to us the different aspects of the editorial pages as well as what how to go about writing an effective editorial.

One of the things that I took away from her speech is the importance of researching the stories that you are writing. Chachere gave an example of her determination to find the truth when there was notification that Florida government was putting $10 million into AP classes.

Many students were being put into AP classes because they were failing the FCAT. This action was taken in efforts to improve their scores, but many times did not work. Students continued to fail FCAT. Also, the students who were in AP classes because they chose to be were suffering because the curriculum was not as difficult. Chachere investigated the situation by going to the Florida Department of Edition to research test scores as well as looking at the pilot projects in Orlando, Jacksonville and Tampa. Chachere also researched the citizens would deem successful. Chachere interviewed many people including AP professionals and education experts in Texas and Florida.

Chachere researched this issue for a month before she wrote her editorial. This determination for the facts was impressive. It showed the amount of work that can be put into a well written editorial.

Chachere also conveyed to the class the difference between cynicism and skepticism. Cynicism is a malignant nature about the information or people in which you are involved. Skepticism is the mentality of “show me the facts.”

Towards the end of her speech Chachere explained the herd mentality of framing stories and the brain of newspapers.

The herd mentality of stories represents the similarity of how stories are written or framed. Each story should have a strong point of view. Even if the writer does not agree with the point of view, they must still make it convincing. There is also the typical inverted pyramid with the most important information at the beginning working to the least important at the end of the story. Bias is also supposed to be present in the writing but to the point where it is effective not rambling.

Chachere concluded her speech with the explanation of the brain of newspapers. As of 2005 newspapers looked to the New York Times as the source of all conclusive information. If a national or world story varied from the New York Times questions arose. However, with the use of technology and online media the New York Times is not the only source of conclusive answers.

Chachere’s speech helped me to better understand the importance of research during the editorial writing process. I also learned some of the basic differences in story structures. Chachere’s speech was another amazing learning experience.

Guest Speaker Rosemary Goudreau

Throughout Rosemary Goudreau’s speech there were several points made about the importance of the editorial ages to the community. Even though I have read many editorials over the years, it never truly occurred to me what they were written about and for whom.
Goudreau explained how the editorial page is the guide for the community and the voice of leadership. Editorials are not to a specific interest although political views are generally understood by the newspaper. Goudreau used the example of political understanding when the Tampa Tribune did not endorse George W. Bush for re-election. This act outraged many Tribune readers as well as enthused many others. The Tribune went against its general backing of Republican candidates yet still did not endorse Kerry.
The editorial pages ask for the attention of public meetings. Many times editorial pages have helped members of a community fighting for a cause to be put on the public agenda. Goudreau also remarked that the editorial pages help to capture and amplify conversations. They allow for people to talk about a common interest whether it is for or against a subject.
Goudreau also explained how being unpredictable is a value in the editorial pages. Also, adding photos or cartoons to add to the appeal to the story is beneficial. The photos or cartoons help sell the story to the readers. These tactics help to overcome the initial challenge of engaging readers past the first couple sentences.
When prompted with the question of online editorial pages Goudreau replied that she feels there is no place yet that can reach the people like an editorial page. This made me think because growing up in the information age the internet has been the resource or answer to many of my questions. She made the point that online is more personal rather then overview of citizen concern.
I have learned the importance of the editorial pages to the community as well as the importance to keep things different and interesting.