Random stories that enter my life and or entertain me

So I realize I've failed in my upkeep of this blog, but I'm determined to keep it going. To get back on track, I will comment on recent stories of interest...


1. Unemployment and Recession

Well, I'm feeling the pain with the rest of America. The other day I attended a Career Fair with my friend. We drove an hour to get there and it was too packed to listen to any of the speakers. Instead we formed a line to enter the conference room with hundreds of other people. After standing in a dark crowded hall for over an hour, we were finally all poured into the auditorium where there were only about eight companies. What positions were they offering? Sales. Making a sale in a recession borders impossible and when a sales position offers pay based on commission—well, that makes a sales job the most pointless job to seek out, especially when you have no training or skills in the field.

* Image from a Career Fair in Detroit

Also, about a month ago the newspaper I work out passed out WARN notices to all of its employees. It was such a sureal feeling. One of those things you read or hear about but never think you'll experience. "Like others we are suffering too...," It's never a good thing when a newsroom falls completely silent...

2. Social networking

I've recently joined Twitter and am still attempting to figure out the site, but it seems intriguing. Certain jobs ask that you have an active social networking life on Facebook and Twitter... so I'm trying. It's a good platform to share short ideas or links to Web sites I suppose.

3. Random

I think this AP Sesame Street interview is incredibly entertaining. "How did you lose control of this interview?"



Also, it seems as though the fat cat from this summer ended up in a happy home.

*AP Photo

*Career Fair Picture pulled from here

Inauguration madness

*Out with the old, in with the new*

Election Day and Inauguration were field days for the media this election season. So in order to not repeat what you've already seen a hundred times, Obama's speech, or who wrote it, and so forth, I thought I'd share some inaugural stories from a young journalist.

Today I experienced the horror of any journalist, technical difficulties. I covered two events at two different schools with no photographer and because I have a camera-- I'm obviously being facetious-- I was supposed to take my own photos. That I did, until the end of the second event when my camera flashed the dreaded red screen reading "card error, to reformat card, press OK." DO NOT PRESS OK.

I know better because it erases the pictures, the only problem is getting the pictures requires data recovery and all other sorts of things a daily newspaper doesn't have time for. So plan B and C were set into motion and I managed to get photos from parents, teachers etc., but I'm sad that the little kids holding "hope" and "dream" posters, and the young woman crying while holding an American flag listening to Obama's speech are trapped hostage in my camera. It's beyond frustrating.

My other point of madness occurred when a Jersey City cop gave me a ride from one school to the other and the proceeded to ask me out. Are you serious? Wait, hold on, again, are you serious?

That all being said, I'm happy I spent the inauguration at a high school where today meant so much to so many.

*Pictures pulled from the Huffington Post

pre- Inauguration

The Mall looks like Times Square on New Year's Eve, except no one is drunk and more people are dressed in red, white and blue.

Right now, as I write, I know someone on a bus down to DC, wonder if he'll make it.

Social media sites

Internet News posted an article about the role social media sites have in breaking news.

Do sites like twitter and facebook do a better job with breaking news? Possibly, only in that, if an eyewitness sees a plane crash and immediately updates their status on facebook seconds after the crash, well then, he broke the story, but that's it. There's no "who, why or how" to it. Maybe there's the answer to "where the incident occurred?" because he saw the event occur, and sure maybe he answered "what occurred?" simply by describing the event, but we all see things all the time,... that doesn't mean we always know the answers.

I think these sites are important to the news industry and to some degree helpful, but I still think news sites, AP bulletins and so forth do a better job reporting the story. But citizen journalism should not be discouraged. With the downfall/major reorganization of the news industry we're going to have to start relying and falling back on the everyday people. Because honestly, the news industry doesn't have the man power it once did. We can't be everywhere and anywhere. But people are everywhere and anywhere and if they see something amazing, terrifying, incredible happen, well, then, I'm glad they've taken it upon themselves to inform the rest of us.



My advice is don't discourage news via social sites, but always skim with skepticism when the poster starts explaining things he didn't see or when he starts assuming and drawing conclusions from thin air. Just look on, but look carefully.

Plane crash into the Hudson

On perhaps one of the coldest days of the season US Airways flight 1549 went down in the Hudson River. The plane that just left La Guardia airport went down after hitting a flock of geese.

So far no deaths. Within 5 minutes of take off the flight went down. Can you imagine being on that flight? Luckily the pilot landed well in the river and they were close enough to the city to get help from officials.


*Gary Hershorn/Reuters
**AP photo

Video game recruits?

This is Ridiculous. Yes, let's encourage kids/ 18 + adults who might as well be kids to play video games and tell them the army is just as cool. Because as it's pointed out in the article, if you die in the video you start over, you die in life, you're dead.



Deception is key to persuasion apparently.

Well it's a new year with a new administration,... maybe they won't have to recruit as much. Who knows?

Till then, practice on your xbox and the army will tell you you're prepared for war.

* Picture pulled from here

here's to a New Year?

I keep saying 2009 has got to be better. My friends and family only inform me that life, the economy and everything else will get worse. What optimistic people they are.

On that happy note, I'll leave y'all with some crazy OTHER ways to celebrate New Year's Eve, ... other than the Times Sq. Ball and other than thinking about the recession. Yeah economy!

Check out this story,... it might just make you laugh...


*Allen Sullivan/The giant peach for Atlanta’s New Year’s Eve celebration is hoisted at the Underground.

Tough times

I never thought I'd work on Christmas Eve, actually I never really put much thought to it.

I don't think it's a reflect upon tough times, I think it's the nature of the beast. Often I feel people blame things on some external force that actually has no impact on them, the news is happening at all times, that's why we work on the holidays. The news is life, it's what happens and life happens on holidays.

That all being said, of course the news industry has been affected by the economy. It was already suffering. The industry got kicked while it was already down.


That doesn't mean that people don't want the news. People strive more than ever before to know everything without doing anything... and that is what journalists provide. We give summaries, pictures and videos of what happened without you having to do more than click a button. Now why would people not want to support that type of industry?

Because people are doing it for free...

*Picture from HERE

Shoes and monarchy?

So by now everyone has seen the Bush/shoe incident. What amazes me is how fast President Bush is. I mean really, I guess all those years of baseball finally helped his presidency. So maybe he can't successfully lead a country into war, but he can successfully dodge a shoe. See Bush duck HERE.



Caroline Kennedy is hoping to land Sen. Clinton's Senate seat. Between the Bush's, the Kennedy's and the Clinton's - we might as well have royal families?

The Kennedy's fascinate me. In spite of all the terrible things that have happened from JFK to Bobby to all the issues the family was forced to face in the eyes of the public, it amazes me that they still pursue politics.

*APTN/AP photo

Running is in the job details

Very few jobs require you to actually run. Yesterday it struck me how different journalism is from other jobs. While I was trekking out to Bayonne via PATH and Light Rail the photographer got held up in court fighting a parking ticket. I'm running late, he's running late,... great.

He calls me and says "I'm literally running." (Running to his car).

I sat on the Light Rail and laughed because I'm sure he actually was running. It's so important to be "there" when something is happening, especially when you are a photojournalist.

Then I found myself in a similar predicament. After exiting the lightrail and walking in the wrong direction I finally managed to point myself in the right direction. Then, I started to run. Wearing my pink puffy Northface coat on top of a furry Northface fleece and snow boats, I started to sweat. So then as I was running I started delayering, stripping off my coat and fleece.

Long story short, I made it, I felt disgusting, but I made it. In fact, we both made it.

So I guess there's even more motivation to go to the gym. My training is starting to pay off...

so it's been a while

So after the election I've been pretty bad about posting.

Let me start out by saying that Election Day was the craziest day of my career and it was wonderful. So many people combining efforts to tell one story,... very cool.

So what's new in the world? The economy still sucks, there are even more layoffs and it's colder outside. Things are pretty bleak. Today's New York Times quote of the day is

"In the last year, I’ve put in for more than 100 jobs. I stopped counting after 110. It’s just so defeating."
PAT WEBER, a construction administrator in Fennville, Mich., who was laid off.

In the news:

Clinton as Secretary of State....

I'm actually happy about that role. For a while I critisized Obama for not picking Hilary as VP because I thought it would have made him unbeatable. But now he's given her a role that actually maters - a role where she can make a difference.

Check out this slideshow from the Los Angeles Times on the wildfire devastation. It's hard to believe this actually happened.



The Huffington Post has a pretty amusing feature up, the 100 greatest April Fool's Jokes of all time... their number one?

"In 1992 National Public Radio's Talk of the Nation program announced that Richard Nixon, in a surprise move, was running for President again. His new campaign slogan was, "I didn't do anything wrong, and I won't do it again." Accompanying this announcement were audio clips of Nixon delivering his candidacy speech. Listeners responded viscerally to the announcement, flooding the show with calls expressing shock and outrage. Only during the second half of the show did the host John Hockenberry reveal that the announcement was a practical joke. Nixon's voice was impersonated by comedian Rich Little."

I don't really understand why it's posted in November, but whatever. I guess not all news can be serious. When I worked at a broadcast network the anchor once said, "Remember the summer of the sharks?" (Everyone thought that reporting on all the shark attacks was really silly and repetitive.) Then he followed up with, "that was the summer before 9/11, so be thankful for the funny stories." It always stuck with me.

With a lack of good news I can, and do, appreciate the features.

*fire photo taken by Brian Vander Brug/LA Times pulled from here

ELECTION BLOGGING

Today I blogged for other blogs... here are my stories...

interview with jersey city mayor: http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/2008/11/healy_casts_his_ballot.html

Interview with United States Senator: http://www.nj.com/hobokennow/index.ssf/2008/11/menendez_and_hoboken_democrati.html#more

my other posts throughout the day.....

http://www.nj.com/hobokennow/index.ssf/2008/11/free_coffee.html
http://www.nj.com/hobokennow/index.ssf/2008/11/after_voting_its_time_to_canva.html
http://www.nj.com/hobokennow/index.ssf/2008/11/grassroot_efforts.html
http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/2008/11/journal_square_and_the_polls.html

Check out Rockefeller Center tonight as NBC lights up states according to their political orientation.

Mock vote

T minus two days. America is excited, ...even the underage.

Mock the Vote- See who young Americans are voting for HERE.

Looks like the blonde got it right in this scenario.

*Reed and Lily Zimmermann

Proud to be an American

Every 4th of July in St. Louis they play "I'm proud to be an American" while my cousins and I watch the fireworks underneath the "Gateway to the West" (aka the St. Louis arch) alongside the Mississippi River.


Really how much more American can you get than that scene? It's right out of a novel, except it's better because it's real.

I've seen propaganda videos using this song to support the war in Iraq and though it makes sense to use this song- it makes me sort of sad. I don't look at this song for political reasons, it's a corny patriotic song that my cousins and I belt loudly out once a year.

In short, to me this song unites people, brings us (my family) together with the hundreds of others standing along the Mississippi to watch the Fair St. Louis- I just never thought it'd be used to divide.

Looking at the lyrics it was clearly chosen for a reason.

*Fireworks by: Eric Zimmermann
*Arch pulled from here

Looking ahead

Looking at my own pole, I don't think I realized how soon around the corner the election actually is happening. I mean, I feel like it's been election season since last summer. Just 12 days until Americans will get to "make a difference" by casting their ballots.

Tell me what you think of the American voting system? Do you agree with the electoral college? First past the post?

If any state screws up counting votes this year, which state do you think it will be?

Which state do you think will be the closest?

What state do you live in and which way do you think it will swing...red or blue?

What they think

"I'm voting for John McCain for several reasons. First I know who he is and what he stands for. He answers questions directly. Secondly, there's no better commander in chief than a former POW who currently has two sons stationed in Iraq. Thirdly, he isn't going to raise corporate taxes that will send American jobs overseas. And lastly, he wrote a nice letter to my son --- what a way to get a mom's vote!" - NANCY, DALLAS, TX

And just for fun, here's what my 7 year old brother and 4 year old sister have to say...

"I am for Obama and my Pink Bear is for McCain." - LILY

"I support John McCain because he is a Republican and a brave soldier. Also, I do not like that Obama tells parents to turn off TV and video games." - REED

Endorsement, baseball and skit...

Colin Powell, perhaps one of the most esteemed men to work for our government in the last two decades, endorsed Obama. Donations soar.

Sox lost to Tampa Bay, leaving Tampa to play the Phillies in the World Series. Below is a photo of the Mike Timlin with his son packing up his locker.



Palin made her own appearence on SNL. See Fox News coverage HERE. Watch Sarah rock out to Amy Poehler rapping about Alaska.












*Powell picture from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Amy McConnell Schaarsmith
*Red Sox photo from the Boston Globe, Suzanne Keiter
*Palin picture grabbed from NBC Dallas affiliate

Always Amazed

How about that game?

Seriously, talk about waiting until the last minute. Boston Red Sox come back.

"The seven-run deficit was the largest overcome in a postseason game since Game 4 of 1929 World Series, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. In that one, the Philadelphia Athletics trailed by eight before a 10-run seventh inning powered them past the Chicago Cubs 10-8." - AP

Debate

From taxes to terrorists, last night's debate was by far the best.


My favorite part would probably have to be the overkill of "Joe the Plumber," mainly because though the catch phrase sounds like just that, another catch phrase, Joe is a real man who Obama spoke with on Sunday.

Maybe Palin really is the bulldog. If she's not going to correct people from calling Obama a terrorist during rallies, but McCain will. Well, to me that just looks like she's doing the dirty work.

Attack ads- they both got angry with each other over the issue. Personally, I think attacking someone's policy is different than attacking his person. So calling a man "a liar" or "a terrorist" is different than saying, hey, this policy won't work.

I watched the debate with a friend last night who said she thinks she's going to vote for Obama. Her logic was as follows. "If Obama dies, Biden knows stuff. If McCain dies, Palin's an idiot."

More commentary on the debate later today...

*Debate picture: Dharapak/Getty pulled from the New York Daily News
*Obama/Joe picture: Hong/AP pulled from the New York Daily News

Debate Tonight

Don't miss the third presidential debate on tonight at 9 p.m. It will most likely be more of the same repeated over again. McCain will try to re spark some of the former energy that has recently faded.

A New York Times poll suggests that McCain's attacks might be hurting him more than helping him. Ignoring the fact that the majority of people who voted on the New York Times poll were probably liberal in the first place- it's hard to see how his attack ads wouldn't be looked down upon.

It reminds me of the 2006 race for Governor in Massachusetts when Kerry Healey (former Lieutenant Governor under Mitt Romney) kept launching attack ads against Deval Patrick. At the time everyone I spoke with couldn't stand her ads, and several of my friends decided to vote for Patrick simply because of this.

And, as we all know now, Patrick won the election.



Advertising is key if, and only if, it's done correctly. Otherwise you're spending millions to shoot yourself in the foot...

Don't miss tonight's THIRD PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE.

*AP photo, pulled from foxnews.com