Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Word of the Week #5

Inviting a comedian to appear before a committee of the U.S. House of Representatives to poke fun at an issue as divisive and explosive as immigration is emblematic of what a joke Washington has become in the view of many Americans.

Emblematic- a visible object or representation that symbolizes a quality, type, group, etc, esp the concrete symbol of an abstract idea.


The rally cap in baseball is an emblem of hope.

Monday, September 27, 2010

Copy Edit the World

Today's Spartan Daily online version
The first snap by No. 13 Utah was a reverse play taken 43 yards to the house by sophomore wide receiver Reggie Dunn and the Utes never looked back, defeating SJSU 56-3 Saturday in Provo.
The Spartans played in Salt Lake City, not Provo.

Sanjose.com
Local celebrity Joey Chestnut has done it again. After losing to a petite Virginia woman in a Labor Day wing-eating contest, the man with the iron stomach won the burrito eating contest at the New Mexico State Fair, gulping down 47 4-ounce burritos with beef and beans in just ten minutes.
Ten should be the number 10.

Dodge City Daily Globe
The four powerhouse teams have combined for five losses this season, all but one were against one another.
I'd do this.
The four powerhouse teams have combined for five losses. All but one were against one another.

Phil. 66 Syllabus
Faculty Office Building 206. (The Faculty Office Building is a two-story building between the Spartan Complex and Dwight Bental Hall. English is on the first floor. Philosophy is on the second floor.)

Dwight Bental Hall should be spelled Dwight Bentel Hall.

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Blog #4 San Bruno explosion

I heard about this story on the news. What makes this story newsworthy is has a human element/impact with normal people like you and me dead. It also has proximity to San Jose residents, being just 30 miles away. When I first heard the story on the news it had novelty and was inherently timely.
I'd make this story more local by either exploring if other PG and E lines in the South Bay could explode, or if any of the people who died or are missing are from the San Jose area.

Word of the Week 4

Metro The Best OF Silicon Valley 2010 edition
Page 8
That ballot measure, which passed on June 8, allowed San Jose card clubs to expand in exchange for increased taxes earmarked for city services.

Dictionary definition- To set aside for a specific purpose or use.

My sentence
I wouldn't let myself use that money because it was earmarked for a trip to Monterey.

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Library Scavenger Hunt

Library Scavenger Hunt
Joey Akeley

1.What type of system is used to organize the books in the MLK Library? Briefly describe how it works.
Library of Congress Classification
Arranged by subjects

2. What's in the "Browsing Library" on the first floor?
DVDs, music and newer released books

3. What types of electronic databases are available in the MLK Library?
There are databases for many majors at SJSU. There are also online scholarly research databases.

4. Briefly explain how to access the library's electronic databases.
On the home page, go to find articles and books and choose the first link, articles and databases, and that will get you to each major’s database. If you go to sjlibrary.org, click databases, it will take you to the SJSU online scholarly research databases.

5. List 10 daily newspapers that are available in the MLK Library.
The New York Times, San Jose Mercury, Chicago Tribune, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Boston Globe, San Francisco Chronicle, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post

6. Give the title and call numbers of a video, DVD and CD.
Casablanca: DVD Casablan
Nickelback: CD ROCK Nickelba
A Guy Thing: VIDEO Guy

7. Find a reference book; give the title and call number, and briefly describe the type of information found in this book.

8. Find a DVD, CD, newspaper and book in a foreign language. Give the title and call number for each.
SJSU EARMARC DMH 229 Chinese: EAC2077

9. List five magazines available in the MLK Library.
Sports Illustrated, National Geographic, Electronic Engineer Design, Electronic Business, People Magazine

10. Locate a scholarly article on John Steinbeck. Give the call number, title and author.
Steinbeck Quarterly , no author, PS3537

11. Locate a book about Steinbeck. Give the call number, title and author.
John Steinbeck: a twentieth-century life, Milton Meltzer PS3537.T3234Z7422008

12. Find a book on farm labor in the California Room. Give the call number, title and author.
REF CAL 331.554 Guerin Mexican workers and American dreams : immigration, repatriation, and California farm labor, Camille Guerin-Gonzalez

13. Find a book on San Jose in the California room. Give the call number, title and author.
14. Find a book on California minorities. Give the call number, title and author.
A Yankee in Mexican California, Richard Henry Dana

15. What is in the MLK's Cultural Heritage Center collections?
A bunch of selections of different cultures in the San Jose area.

16. List three things you'll find in the Center for Beethoven Studies.
You'll find his piano, a lock of his hair and sheet music

17. What is the difference between a scholarly journal and a popular magazine? How can you tell them apart? (2 pts.)
Scholarly journals are peer reviewed whereas popular magazine aren’t.
18. List five mass comm (journalism/PR/advertising) journals available in the MLK Library.
Journal of Advertising,
19. How many art installations are there in the library. Briefly describe your favorite one.
There are 30 art installations in the library

Word of the Week #3

The new system consolidates the three current ways of reporting crime tips such as e-mail, voicemail and the MySafe Campus website, into one central system, Aguayo said.

consolidates- bring together into a single, unified whole

Apple consolidates its Ipod lineup into one database.

Sunday, September 12, 2010

Fly on the Wall

My body is motionless, yet I'm moving back and forth. I stay in a seated position as the swing propels me north to south. I see tall trees, green grass, a vast playground -- all the necessities to a park. At times I hear nothing but a slight breeze in my face. At other times, I hear cars speeding along on a nearby expressway. I can still taste the remnants of the yogurt I had recently. The swings handles have a rough exterior, making crevises in my hands. Behind me are rich houses and safe streets -- you're typical suburbia. Several passersby walk their dogs with smiles on their face. I start to think that the people that live here and walk through this park are living the dream. Walking on the pavement of a park without distraction -- it's as if life is effortless. Which takes me back to this swing, as I sway effortlessly.

I can remember when I was kid, taking flight down the slides at this park. I remember feeling like the whole world was this park. It was easy, stress free, maybe even effortless.

I jump off the swing and realize that I loved being a kid, but being an adult can be so much more rewarding. Maybe I wont spend time on the playground any more, but I can still take a stroll through the park and forget my responsiblities. And then it's back to life, with all my effort.

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Word of the Week #2

Silhouette- the outline of a solid figure as cast by its shadow.

The year after Battier joined the Grizzlies, the team’s general manager was fired and the N.B.A. legend Jerry West, a k a the Logo because his silhouette is the official emblem of the N.B.A., took over the team.

My silhouette scared my baby cousin because he thought it was a ghost.

My favorite writing

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/15/magazine/15Battier-t.html

This story made me want to be a sports columnist. Michael Lewis explains how Shane Battier (one of my favorite players) is successful in the NBA despite not being the most athletic player.

This story begins and ends in an NBA game, and Lewis writes it in the present tense. The lead is actually Battier describing how he doesn't feel anything when the crowd screams his name anymore when he's announced. Battier says, "If you had filet mignon every single night, you'd stop tasting it." It's a brilliant quote taht totally wraps me into the story.

In the game, Battier is guarding Lakers' star Kobe Bryant. Bryant is the game's most prolific story, and he ends up being the game's point-scoring leader. But Battier forces Bryant into so many missed shots that the Rockets have a chance to win.

The middle of the story is a riveting profile of Battier. It includes tons of insight to how general managers grade NBA players. This is the type of insight I want in a story, and Lewis provides it.

The end of the story is the conclusion of the game, where Bryant makes a nearly impossible shot with Battier guarding him closely. But instead of being frustrated, Battier basically says that he would take his odds and Bryant missing that shot any time. It's the perfect closer. Battier falls short, but he did everything fundamentally right, and chances are if he did the same thing the next time they played the Lakers, the Rockets would win.