I read the blog "1 dead in attic" by Chris Rose. it wasnt really about what was going on as the hurricane was happening, but more as it was over and people were getting back to their life. i think this is a blog that maybe would relate to a lot of readers, in a way he says, his wife questions his decisions to go looking for something, but he doesnt know what. He should stay in the safe part of town but something is drawing him to the other side. Most of us know what thats like, when someone tells us dont, you want to even more.
as he gets farther along he says "I drive around and try to figure out those Byzantine markings and symbols that the cops and the National Guard spray-painted on all the houses around here, cryptic communications that tell the story of who or what was or wasn't inside the house when the floodwater rose to the ceiling. In some cases, there's no interpretation needed. There's one I pass on St. Roch Avenue in the 8th Ward at least once a week. It says: "1 dead in attic."
"It's spray-painted there on the front of the house and it probably will remain spray-painted there for weeks, months, maybe years, a perpetual reminder of the untimely passing of a citizen, a resident, a New Orleanian."
this is just the kind of thing that these people had to live with seeing everyday, as if they didn't go through enough. They have to now drive by these homes and see spray-painted across a house "1 dead in attic". that is terrible.
He then says, and i have to agree, that there should have been some other kind of coding so that people wouldnt have to be reminded of this everyday.
Then he comes up with some other good points that really make you think... "I wonder who eventually came and took 1 Dead in Attic away. Who knows? Hell, with the way things run around here -- I wonder if anyone has come to take 1 Dead in Attic away. And who claimed him or her? Who grieved over 1 Dead in Attic and who buried 1 Dead in Attic? " It at least makes me think, this would just be awful. How long did this person stay in this attic? who found them? why were they in the attic? why didn't they leave? who actually left them there?? just so many questions...
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Friday, November 2, 2007
I Saw It All. Then I Saw Nothing.
I read, I Saw It All. Then I Saw Nothing. By Daniel Henninger. I think the last sentence in his opening paragraph is very catching, and very much the title of the piece. "I have, in the past several hours, looked into lower Manhattan, and each time, where the World Trade Center stood, there is absolutely nothing." He talks about working across from these buildings for so many years, and then just in one day, something like this to happen, and then they are just goe forever, and just a memory.
"There is no benefit in being able to watch two 108-story office buildings fall to the ground after two airliners have been forced to fly into them. It all seems very compelling now, and when you are in this business and you are on the scene, it is your job to provide an account. So this is just such an account, because there is something about us that demands that we provide this detail for the record." He knows he has to do his just by writing a stoy, but he is also letting the public know that this isnt the kind of story he wants to write. it is almost like he knew everyone that was there was going to be writing about what happend as well, but he knew he had a job to do as all of this was taking place, so he was catching every detail as it happend.
"As I walked north along the West Side Highway, empty now but for a torrent of police cars and fire engines from distant New York suburbs, racing southward to help, I kept turning around and turning around to look, and look again. I kept looking up at the sky, above the famous old Woolworth Building, where the World Trade Center stood, its two side-by-side towers, so high against the sky. I always saw the same thing, which was nothing." Again at the end, he pulls in the title, of how there is nothing left, how something so strong was brought down so quick and easy.
i think this was a good article, probably a lot like many written around this time. you could feel in placs how scared he must have been, but in others it made you stop and think, how much time did all of this take. and the whole time was he thinking this is going to make a good story? or am i going to make it home? or how is my family? he doesn't mention anything except his colleague from work, getting caught and getting some help. it just makes me think about some of the things he was thinking about when he was writing his article.
"There is no benefit in being able to watch two 108-story office buildings fall to the ground after two airliners have been forced to fly into them. It all seems very compelling now, and when you are in this business and you are on the scene, it is your job to provide an account. So this is just such an account, because there is something about us that demands that we provide this detail for the record." He knows he has to do his just by writing a stoy, but he is also letting the public know that this isnt the kind of story he wants to write. it is almost like he knew everyone that was there was going to be writing about what happend as well, but he knew he had a job to do as all of this was taking place, so he was catching every detail as it happend.
"As I walked north along the West Side Highway, empty now but for a torrent of police cars and fire engines from distant New York suburbs, racing southward to help, I kept turning around and turning around to look, and look again. I kept looking up at the sky, above the famous old Woolworth Building, where the World Trade Center stood, its two side-by-side towers, so high against the sky. I always saw the same thing, which was nothing." Again at the end, he pulls in the title, of how there is nothing left, how something so strong was brought down so quick and easy.
i think this was a good article, probably a lot like many written around this time. you could feel in placs how scared he must have been, but in others it made you stop and think, how much time did all of this take. and the whole time was he thinking this is going to make a good story? or am i going to make it home? or how is my family? he doesn't mention anything except his colleague from work, getting caught and getting some help. it just makes me think about some of the things he was thinking about when he was writing his article.
Friday, October 26, 2007
Strangers' paths cross, and a boy's life hangs in the balance
I picked the article "Strangers' paths cross, and a boy's life hangs in the balance" by steve lopez, it can be read here
I think he brings the scene together really well. at first, it is kind of confusing on where it is going but it really comes together, and lets the reader know more about the people in the article.
I think this is a very good article for both the point of view and the narrative voice, you can see and hear what lopez is describing. "He was dragging sneakers to slow down at the driveway, but scooted a bit farther than he intended, and the Honda Pilot was on him before he could avoid it," lopez talks about the boy being knocked down by the car, i can just seet his happening and wanted to help, and wanted to keep reading to see whats going to happen.
I think this is a very well written article, and people would want to read it, because it is something that might happen to them, or someone they know. They might be the parent out walking with thier kids, driving the car, or they might be the on-looker. They are going to be more likely to read it if its going to happen to them, rather than some freak accident.
I think he brings the scene together really well. at first, it is kind of confusing on where it is going but it really comes together, and lets the reader know more about the people in the article.
I think this is a very good article for both the point of view and the narrative voice, you can see and hear what lopez is describing. "He was dragging sneakers to slow down at the driveway, but scooted a bit farther than he intended, and the Honda Pilot was on him before he could avoid it," lopez talks about the boy being knocked down by the car, i can just seet his happening and wanted to help, and wanted to keep reading to see whats going to happen.
I think this is a very well written article, and people would want to read it, because it is something that might happen to them, or someone they know. They might be the parent out walking with thier kids, driving the car, or they might be the on-looker. They are going to be more likely to read it if its going to happen to them, rather than some freak accident.
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Read this, you @#$%!
Is he insulting his readers, or giving them a sly pat on the back?
- i think it just depends on how you would want to take this, you might be offended if you read it that way, or you could honestly care less. i personaly care less. im not the kind of person who would really pay that much attentoion to something like this if i saw it, but i could see how some readers might take it very offensive.
(2) What things about Morford's style of writing appeal to you, and what things turn you off?
-I dont really like his style of writing, i almost feel like in some parts of the article, he is yelling. that is probably the point he is trying to get across, but if i want to get yelled at im sure i could find a real person to yell at me and not have to read about it and imagine someone yelling at me from a newspaper article.
(3) How well suited would you guess his style is for readers in San Francisco? For online readers irrespective of location?
- i guess it would be fine? i dont know i have never been there, or dont know anyone from there, so i guess it would be alright? i couldnt really say.
(4) How would Morford's column fly in a conservative, Midwestern town like Springfield? With older readers? With people in your demographic? Could it be toned down without losing its appeal?
- i dont think his article would go over very well in a place like springfield. Not a lof of younger people read the newspaper, they get most of thier information online, and the older people get read the newspaper, so they would be the ones reading this article and i think they would take it very offensive. I think it would lose something if some of the violence was taken out.
- i think it just depends on how you would want to take this, you might be offended if you read it that way, or you could honestly care less. i personaly care less. im not the kind of person who would really pay that much attentoion to something like this if i saw it, but i could see how some readers might take it very offensive.
(2) What things about Morford's style of writing appeal to you, and what things turn you off?
-I dont really like his style of writing, i almost feel like in some parts of the article, he is yelling. that is probably the point he is trying to get across, but if i want to get yelled at im sure i could find a real person to yell at me and not have to read about it and imagine someone yelling at me from a newspaper article.
(3) How well suited would you guess his style is for readers in San Francisco? For online readers irrespective of location?
- i guess it would be fine? i dont know i have never been there, or dont know anyone from there, so i guess it would be alright? i couldnt really say.
(4) How would Morford's column fly in a conservative, Midwestern town like Springfield? With older readers? With people in your demographic? Could it be toned down without losing its appeal?
- i dont think his article would go over very well in a place like springfield. Not a lof of younger people read the newspaper, they get most of thier information online, and the older people get read the newspaper, so they would be the ones reading this article and i think they would take it very offensive. I think it would lose something if some of the violence was taken out.
feature
Don't Google My Girlfriend
I found this artice on People.com, and i think it's a very good feature article. If i didn't read it i wouldn't be out a whole lot, but since i have read it i do know that Jenny McCarthy has a son with autism, and her and her boyfriend are raising awarness for it. Jim Carey, isn't only raising awarness for autism, but is helping for caner as well.
I found this artice on People.com, and i think it's a very good feature article. If i didn't read it i wouldn't be out a whole lot, but since i have read it i do know that Jenny McCarthy has a son with autism, and her and her boyfriend are raising awarness for it. Jim Carey, isn't only raising awarness for autism, but is helping for caner as well.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
the line
the line: i think the line was the interviews, home movies, photos, whatever they could their hands on to help get more information. they didnt know what they would find but maybe in the middle of that huge mess would be the key to their story
the tension: they didnt go to the books for the information they went to the people and places who lived through it and knew it best, and could show and tell what they knew
the tension: they didnt go to the books for the information they went to the people and places who lived through it and knew it best, and could show and tell what they knew
Sunday, September 16, 2007
observations
1. smoke breaks
2. no work getting done
3. talking
4. happy moods
5. everyone snacking
6. radios/music
7. frequent breaks
8. talking about weekend plans
9. leaving early
10. lots of yawning
11. "is it time to do yet?"
12. no boss
13. on internet
14. bad mood for weekend workers/troopers
15. people talking on cell phones
2. no work getting done
3. talking
4. happy moods
5. everyone snacking
6. radios/music
7. frequent breaks
8. talking about weekend plans
9. leaving early
10. lots of yawning
11. "is it time to do yet?"
12. no boss
13. on internet
14. bad mood for weekend workers/troopers
15. people talking on cell phones
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