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.