Joseph Akeley

Electronic Resume

2011-11-23T12:53:00.000-08:00

Joseph Akeley
1334 Burkette Dr.
San Jose, CA 95129
(408) 393 - 5980

Objective
To obtain an internship as a sports writer, editor, producer

Highlights
Executive Editor of the Spartan Daily, San Jose State's daily newspaper, Spring 2010
Special Budget Issue awarded second best special issue by California College Media Association

Experience
Silicon Valley Metro, San Jose, CA
Sports Intern, Fall 2010
Weekly sports columnist, covering major teams in the South Bay, including the San Jose Sharks, San Jose Giants, San Jose Earthquakes and Stanford

Spartan Daily, San Jose State University

Copy Editor, Spring 2011
Edited all stories involving the newspaper

Executive Editor, Spring 2010
Managed editors and first-time reporters
Made final call for everything involving the newspaper

Sports Editor, Fall 2009
Designed the daily sports section while covering the football, basketball and soccer teams

Online Editor, Spring 2009
Instructed staff writers in editing audio slideshows and podcasts
Maintained the Spartan Daily’s website and blogs
Wrote, broadcasted and produced weekly sportscast for SJSU sports

Access Magazine, San Jose State University
Copy Editor, Fall 2011
Edited all stories involving the magazine

90.5 FM KSJS, San Jose State University
Disc Jockey, Spring 2011
Broadcasted four San Jose State baseball games
Co-hosted a one-hour weekly sports show for the entire semester

Education
B.S. degree in journalism at San Jose State University, San Jose, CA
Expected graduation date: December 2011 SJSU GPA: 3.6

Spartan Daily Clips:
1. Adrian Oliver Feature
http://bit.ly/sBU5bI

Metro Clips:
1. http://www.sanjose.com/news/2010/10/22/stanford_star_christen_press
2. http://www.sanjose.com/news/2010/11/22/sports_rounup_nov._22

Spartan Football Previews:
http://spartandailysports.wordpress.com/2009/10/23/spartan-football-preview-10-22-09/
http://spartandailysports.wordpress.com/2009/11/13/spartan-football-preview-11-12-09/
http://spartandailysports.wordpress.com/2009/11/25/spartan-football-preview-11-24-09/
http://spartandailysports.wordpress.com/page/3/

KSJS Broadcast Clips:

Broadcast Script

2010-12-08T14:52:00.001-08:00

Late Fish out of Water

2010-12-07T18:32:00.000-08:00

My family has had multiple generations of college graduates. So, when I attended the First Generation Students Stress Management Workshop, I felt like a fish out of water.

Being the odd man out in the room made me feel a bit uncomfortable at first. But I quickly got used to it.

The lecturer began the workshop by asking the 35-person audience about the stresses they have faced as a first-generation college student. Their answers were similar to the stresses I've faced as well. they said they struggled with procrastination, adding classes and time management.

The lecturer then addresses those issues with a PowerPoint presentation. She encouraged students to make to-do lists, eat three meals a day, exercise more and consume less nicotine and caffeine.

I felt she had the attention of the room and that she knew what she was doing. But the class was shy to ask questions and to contribute to the conversation. Her teaching methods might have lacked a bit of charisma, but ultimately I believe it was the student's decision to be shy in class conversations.

Her last point of the workshop with six quick tips to release stress: deep breathing, muscle relaxation, visualization, warm bath or shower, massage and stretching.

She then ended the workshop with an 8-minute video that showed a muscle relaxation exercise. I felt the 8-minute video was the most effective part of her workshop. I felt very relaxed.

Ultimately, the workshop didn't focus specifically on how being a first generation student is more difficult than it is for multiple generation students. It focused on ways to help all students. And maybe I came to this conclusion because regardless of our backgrounds, most college students are stressed by similar things.

IMHO #2

2010-12-01T13:42:00.000-08:00

Title: All internships should be paid by law

John Doe needs to complete an internship to graduate this summer. Knowing that the SJSU internship policy requires a 240-hour internship, he chooses to quit his job. Knowing that he was only going to find an unpaid internship, Doe saved up enough money to pay his rent for three months. Little did he know that he had to pay the school more than $1,000 to take the course...

This scenario has become a reality for many students at SJSU.

According to an article in the New York Times, 50 percent of college graduates had to do an internship to graduate, up from 17 percent in 1992.

Companies, especially during the current economic crisis, are taking advantage of the system by offering unpaid internships.

But the Labor Department is trying to save the day.

“If you’re a for-profit employer or you want to pursue an internship with a for-profit employer, there aren’t going to be many circumstances where you can have an internship and not be paid and still be in compliance with the law,” said Nancy J. Leppink, the acting director of the department’s wage and hour division, in the New York Times article.

Leppink's words aren't being taken seriously at SJSU. Most of my friends have done unpaid internships to graduate from SJSU. In fairness, internship adviser Bob Rucker did ask me if I was OK with working for free. He put the onus on me to make a decision if I wanted to fight the company, and I decided not to fight.

I shouldn't have to fight to get paid for doing work. The United States has long been known for improving its labor laws. But for some reason, this country has been slow to end the cycle of college students working like slaves.

According to the New York Times article, companies that made their unpaid interns do unskilled work in a non-academic environment are clearly against the law.

In other words, if all your employer made you do was do coffee runs for three months, you could try to sue the company if you were unpaid.

And even for those companies that do provide an academic environment to their interns, it's still anything but fair that they contribute to the success of your business and get no funds in return.

I realize that getting experience in your career field is often unmatched by any class or lab. Making college students do an internship before graduating makes sense in that regard.

But for many, the internship kicked out a potential employer so the company could have someone do the work for free.

Part of freedom is not being forced to do things for free. And having to pay to do an unpaid internship sounds a lot like slavery.

College students already go through enough hoops to pay for their education, and not getting paid for an internship shouldn't be one of them.

Target audience

2010-11-10T14:57:00.001-08:00

In the Silicon Valley Metro, I found a full page ad from the company Planet Orange.

The target audience of this ad must be upper-middle class people of any gender. The picture of the house in the ad appeals to homeowners and the picture of the parents holding a child appeals to parents, mainly ages 25-50. The magazine likely supports the environment with an ad about saving energy and helping the environment.

The ad itself describes how Planet Orange Home Greening Services will save you money on your utilities. And the ad says you will receive a free home energy audit. Planet Orange is trying to appeal to an audience that is concerned about the environment.

Planet Orange also offers an in-home assessment. Clearly the company believes it can sell itself by offering its first services for no cost.

The company offers its phone number and website on the ad. The tag phrase, "living green can save you green," appeals to just about anyone. Just about everyone is looking to lower their energy expenses.

The company line, "Doing the right thing was never so easy," is almost an attack on people who don't save energy. This ad assumes that the audience's value is living a green lifestyle.

Word of the Week #10

2010-11-10T14:44:00.000-08:00

litigious- inclined to dispute or disagree; argumentative.

Apple's iOS 4.2 Update Boosts iPhone 3G Perfomance
But will it be enough to quiet litigious iPhone owners unhappy with Apple's last update?

The lawyer was litigious in court.

Media Ethics symposium

2010-11-05T13:42:00.000-07:00

At the third annual Spuler Media Ethics Symposium, four public relations speciliast stressed the importance of upholding your moral compass. Although I am a journalism major, I was able to apply much of what they said to my job.

Jonathan Hirshon brought up real examples of withholding information in a press release. He said, for example, if you know that one and a million people have a chance at getting cancer from a drug, and you withhold that information, then you aren't being ethical. I immediately thought about my journalism stories and how they need to be balanced. Presenting an unbalanced story is unethical in its own way, because readers may believe one side is true when in reality there is a huge opposing viewpoint that readers don't get.

The speakers also talked about the stakes being higher in today's market. "Google never forgets" was a line from one of the speakers. It was reference to the fact that if you do something unethical, it will never escape, whereas a few decades ago, that wasn't necessarily the case.

Ultimately, Hirshon said the moment you are considering if the ends just the means, you should stop yourself, because the day when you wake up and you can't look at yourself in the mirror is the day you've lost your ethical nature.

Word of the Week #9

2010-11-03T02:30:00.000-07:00

Scintillating- animated; vivacious; effervescent.

Jaguars at Bills halftime observations on ESPN.com
Roscoe Parrish has been criticized for his aversion to contact as a receiver, but he made a scintillating catch, leaping high for the ball and coming down with it despite a big undercut hit that sent him cartwheeling.

The soccer player's scintillating shot that traveled perfectly into the corner of the net from 30 yards away was the game's lone goal.

copy edit the world part 3

2010-11-03T01:50:00.000-07:00

Spartan Daily article SJSU men's water polo team prepares for 2010-11 season
November 2, 2010
assion, commitment and team camaraderie have helped the SJSU water polo team fight through past struggles and gain a positive outlook towards the future, said the team’s treasurer.
In the AP Style Book, "towards" doesn't work. It's "toward."

The same year the team also had access to a huge recruiting class, with ten new freshman added to the roster.
"freshman" should read "freshmen"

In 2006 the team held a fundraising campaign and was able to easily pay off all of their league fees, Wagner said.

team is a collective noun, "their" should be "its"

Spartan Daily article: Giants win the World Series
November 1, 2010

The Giants pitching lead the major leagues with a 3.36 ERA (earned runs allowed) during the regular season, according to the MLB website.
"lead" should be past tense "led"

Spartan Daily article: San Jose Sharks beat out New Jersey Devils in Oct. 27 game
October 27, 2010

The Sharks top-line of captain and center Joe Thornton, along with wingers Patrick Marleau and Dany Heatley, took it upon themselves to get carry the Sharks out of their early season funk.
the word carry should be deleted. The sentence makes no sense.

Japanese Internment Memorial Essay

2010-11-03T01:01:00.000-07:00

1.The Japanese-American Internment was an American reaction to the bombing of Pearl Harbor in World War II. Immediately following the bombing, the FBI raided the houses of Japanese-Americans and sent them to internment camps.
2. Ruth Asawa was one of the approximately 40,000 Japanese-American children sent to internment camps. In her free time, she would draw and paint with other professional interned artists. Asawa used her experiences to her advantage, becoming one of the most decorated sculptists of all time.
3. In Japantown in San Jose, every single business was shut down because of the internment. Within the next decade, post-internment, Japanese-Americans rebuilt their businesses in San Jose.
4. At SJSU, 125 Japanese-Americans were forced to out in the middle of their education. That numbered represent more than half of all interned people in the CSU system.

The Japanese Internment Memorial shows a timeline for Japanese-Americans in America symbolized by vignettes. The vignettes show the culture that Japanese-America brought to the U.S. before they were interened. Once they were interned, the vignettes show the suffering of families broken apart. The vignettes accurately show how Japanese-Americans were void of a free life. Rather, they were trapped in an internment camp while guards in watchtowers made sure they couldn't escape. And lastly, the vignettes show that the Japanese-Americans overcame the internment and can live life freely now.

The first vignette that stood out to me was the two FBI agents forcing a Japanese-American to leave. This marked the beginning of the internment, and eventually 110,000 Japanese-Americans were forced into military areas. The American government had no evidence to suggest that Japanese-Americans were going to organize and attack the homeland, yet the FBI forced them to move anyway.

The next vignette that spoke to me was the one of two families separated by a curtain. Living conditions were inhumane, yet some Japanese-Americans made the best of them. Ruth Asawa used her free time to practice her artistic abilities. Asawa's experiences at the internment camp paved the way for a lot of her art.

The last vignette that had significance to me was the paper airplane. As Professor McCune said, things could get out, but the Japanese-Americans couldn't. I think it was a symbol of freedom for everyone but the Japanese. The effect of your freedom for an extended period of time can't be measured. The people in the internment camps lost their privilege of receiving the highest education. One-hundred and twenty SJSU students were interned. Not only did they lose valuable time for education, they might have lost their innocence of humanity as well. Overall, Japanese-Americans moved past the internment, and in San Jose, they rebuilt Japantown as if the internment never happened.

Unfortunately, I do think something like this could happen again. My trust in humanity isn't as high as I want it to be. If war is possible, then an internment can't be out of the question. After 9/11, Muslims in America faced discrimination. I fear that all it would take is one more organized attack by Muslims for American to overreact. In other countries, this type of hatrid still exists. For example, North Koreans would very likely imprison South Koreans if they entered their land.

IMHO #1

2010-11-01T02:05:00.001-07:00

Title: NFL fines players left and right

On any given Sunday, you will find 22 of the most athletically gifted people in the world attempt to bruise each other on the gridiron.

The picture I'm describing is the National Football League.

I have been a fan on the NFL for years because it is a forum for bone-crushing hits, jaw-dropping runs and unbelievable plays.

But when do you decide that players are at such a high risk for injury that the game needs to be changed?

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has been coming down hard on players lately for nasty hits. With an influx in dangerous hits in recent weeks, fines have reached $75,000.

The NFL is under some serious scrutiny for its protection of its players. Just as boxing has lost much of its lore over the years for being too barbaric, the NFL potentially faces that same consequence.

Goodell has fined players on a weekly basis for illegal hits since he's been commissioner. I believe that he is doing the right thing by attacking players' wallets for some malicious hits that truly deserve fines.

But suddenly upping the ante to $75,000 for some hits that weren't even illegal bothers me. The Pittsburgh Post Gazette reported that Steelers linebacker James Harrison was unfairly fined for a hit that was legal. http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10292/1096447-100.stm

I agree with Harrison, and his hit was one of many over the last couple weeks that has been wrongly fined.

Part of what makes football so great is that it is so violent. Unfortunately, players have been restricted over the last few years by rules that intend to make the league less violent.

For example, it is now illegal to hit a quarterback high (helmet area), or low (below the knees). Although these rules have the right intention, "illegal" hits are just as common as ever.

I believe the reason is the game is happening so fast that they are inevitable. I don't think fines or rule changes are acting as a deterrent for players to hit illegally.

I believe Goodell is panicking that the NFL may lose some popularity by its violence, but I don't like that he is overreacting by fining players inordinate amounts because of the pressure he is under.

Plus, some of the players who are being fined aren't hitting illegally, but the result of their hits look so bad that they are getting fined.

Ultimately, if an NFL player walks on the field with the intent to maliciously injure the opposing team, then that player should be fined, suspended, or even imprisoned.

But until we can prove the intent of such players, changing the game with ridiculous rules and raising the amounts of fines isn't going to solve the inevitbale problem that the NFL is violent.

If anything, Goodell's actions will alienate his diehard fan base, including the author of this column.

Blog #8 Drinking Coffee Elsewhere

2010-10-25T12:15:00.000-07:00

In "Brownies," the short story from the book "Drinking Coffee Elsewhere" by Z.Z. Packer, Packer uses quotes to personalize what is going on at Woodrow Wilson elementary. She uses anecdotes to describe whey all the girls were laughing so hard. They laughed hard because they thought the use of big words that they didn't know was funny, especially the word Caucasain.
Packer sets the scene in the first few pages piece by piece. Instead devoting a page to explaining the situation, she strings the reader along. She put in a bit about the troop girls, follow it up by talking about religion, and then she goes into how Woodrow Wilson is a school in South Atlanta that is almost entirely African American.
She uses dialogue to show what the group of girls of thinking of doing after someone of non-African American descent called another girl a nigger. The girls all give their ideas of what to do in a round robin discussion.
I like how I don't know the protagonists name after the first few pages. The only way we know the protagonist is as "snot," the name a fellow-girl gave to her when she was in the first grade, which was another anecdote.

NPR Interview

2010-10-24T23:59:00.001-07:00

Terry Gross interviewed Jon Stewart in September.
Terry definitely did her homework. She told Stewart what he said at one moment in his life and asked questions about it. She asked questions about Stewart's Jewish background, his view on politics and his TV show.
She would ask a general question and follow it up with a more personal question. For example, she asked a question about Stewart becoming more political through his show and followed it up with one of his serious moments on the show. Some questions were serious and some were humorous. At one point, she stopped Stewart to ask a specific question about the war in Iraq.
Terry clearly had a strategy. She kept the interview fairly fun despite many questions being very serious. Asking a question about Stewart being voted the most funny person in high school was definitely an example of asking a question to keep a light feel on the interview. Also, making fun of Stewart's athletic ability, or lack there of, kept the interview fun. Gross's job is to conduct an entertaining interview so her audience is satisfied, and I believe the mix of quesitons helped entertain the crowd.
Any evasive meaning to a question was answered with humor, which isn't surprising because Terry was interviewing a host of a comedic show.
The relationship between Terry and Jon appeared to be comfortable. Both seemed to have a lot of respect for each other.
Terry Gross taught me that you can never do too much homework for an interview. She was prepared, and that's the most important thing. Terry also listened closely to Stewart and asked several follow-up questions. These follow-up questions enhanced the interview. No amount of preparationg can replace being inquisitive and looking for moments to get a deeper, richer answer. I will look to be more attentive in my interviews.

Copy Edit the World Part 2

2010-10-23T16:03:00.000-07:00

But Florida (4-3, 2-3 SEC) can still get to the SEC title in Atlanta if it wins its final three conference game.

Game should be games.

He's completed just 42 per cent of his passes and was missing badly on deep balls before he was benched.

per cent is one word. Percent

Word of the Week # 7

2010-10-13T14:57:00.000-07:00

The Denver Post
Then again, the Obama administration's preposterous attack on the U.S. Chamber of Commerce does nothing to help Democrats and everything to reinforce the moderate voter's perception that the president's party has gone bonkers.

Dictionary definition
Contrary to reason or common sense; utterly absurd or ridiculous

My sentence
The ending to "Fight Club" was preposterous because it made no sense and it boggled my mind.

Mystery person

2010-10-11T14:54:00.000-07:00

I was a four-sport star at UCLA in the early 1940s, playing football, basketball, baseball and track. I am the only player to have my number retired by every single major league baseball. I played most of my baseball career for the Brooklyn Dodgers. I broke the baseball color barrier in 1947.

Word of the Week #6

2010-10-06T14:47:00.000-07:00

Tiger Woods' annihilation was key to Super Sunday, says Europe captain Colin Montgomerie

annihilation- total destruction

The atomic bomb caused annihilation of Hiroshima.

News release assignment

2010-10-06T14:46:00.000-07:00

Scholar Series focuses on economic crisis

SJSU sociology Professor Scott Myers-Lipton will discuss his most recent book on Oct. 13 as part of the University Scholar Series.

Myers-Lipton’s book, “Rebuild America: Solving the Economic Crisis through Civic works,” focuses on ways the government can increase employment and gives readers a history of public works in America, according to the SJSU events website.

The events of the University Scholar Series, which are co-sponsored by the Office of the Provost, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library and the Spartan Bookstore, are free of charge and open to all members of the public.

According to its website, the University Scholar Series provides a unique opportunity for showcasing the important research and scholarly activities of SJSU faculty members.

Myers-Lipton is the second of three speakers, with history Professor Mary Pickering scheduled on Nov. 17.

The event will take place from noon to 1 in Rooms 225-227 of the King Library.

For more information, contact Gina Marin in the Office of the Provost at 924-2404 or Elisabeth Thomas in King Library at 808-2193.

Word of the Week #5

2010-09-29T14:43:00.000-07:00

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.

Copy Edit the World

2010-09-27T14:49:00.000-07:00

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.

Blog #4 San Bruno explosion

2010-09-22T14:59:00.001-07:00

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

2010-09-22T14:54:00.001-07:00

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.

Library Scavenger Hunt

2010-09-15T15:05:00.001-07:00

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

2010-09-15T14:46:00.001-07:00

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.

Fly on the Wall

2010-09-12T22:11:00.000-07:00

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.

Word of the Week #2

2010-09-08T14:55:00.000-07:00

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

2010-09-08T14:46:00.000-07:00

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.

About Me

2010-08-30T15:46:00.000-07:00

My name is Joey Akeley. I'm a 21-year-old reporting and editing student. I enjoy reporting and writing about sports. My plan is start of writing sports for a newspaper and letting that road take me to whatever's next. In my spare time I like to be active. I tend to jump on competition through sports and games. I also like to relax and watch movies. I hope this class cleans up any writing flaws that I've accumulated in my life.

My favorite color is blue, which is good because the Spartans colors are blue and gold. Of course the Dodgers main color is blue, and I hate the Dodgers. I love watching the Giants play, and I think they will have a great September and make the playoffs. I also love the San Francisco 49ers, and I think they will win the NFC West this year.

Final Leads

2008-05-12T12:18:00.000-07:00

Who lead
Two robbers beat up a 24-year-old man using a toiled lid and went on to steal the man's car yesterday.

What lead
A violent robery took place yesterday when two unidentified men beat up a 24-year-old man with a toilet lid and stole his car.

Where lead
At the 2200 California Street apartment complex in Mountain View, two unidentified men beat up a man using a toilet lid and stole his car yesterday.

How
Using a toilet lid as a weapon, two unidentified robbers beat up a 24-year-old man and stole his car yesterday.

The most appropriate lead would be the How lead. The most eye-popping part of the story is that the 24-year-old man was beaten by a toiled lead.

Who: Two unidentified robbers
What beat up a 24 year old man and robbed him of his car
When Yesterday at 9:00 a.m.
Where: Mountain View apartment complex at 2200 California St.
Why: To steal the guy's car
How: Beat with a toilet lid.

2008-04-28T11:00:00.000-07:00

Outline

Magazine: Baseball Digest Magazine

Article Title: Baseball Needs a Salary Cap

Reason 1: A more level playing field.
Interview a baseball fan whose team has been struggling for years.
Explanation- with same money, all teams will compete.

Reason 2: More fans will come to games which leads to more popularity.
Interview an A's fan who would come to more games if the A's stopped trading all their players.
Explanation- Direct cause effect relationship with a competitve team and more fans coming to games.

Reason 3: Baseball will make a lot more money.
Explanation- more fans equals more spending on tickets, more spending at games, more tv ratings and ultimately more money.

Tunnel of Opression

2008-04-09T12:25:00.000-07:00

I came to the Tunnel of Opression thinking that whatever I saw wouldn't faze me. I was confident that no matter what was thrown at me, I could handle it. I could not have been any more wrong. The Tunnel of Opression changed my perspective on my life.

I am a typical silicon valley teenager. I go to a college and my parents pay for most of my expenses. My biggest issues are finding what I want to do with my life and social problems amongst friends and family. My life is so good that sometimes I forget. I have food on my table, which more than a billion people don't have. I have no life threatning diseases unlike virtually all of African families do. I was never sexually assaulted as a child, and there is a very good chance that I will never be raped. With starvation, disease, sexaul assault and rape, you are at least temporarily hurt physically, but the lasting effect is psychological.

I thought long and hard about how much suffering the world encounters today. And then I thought about my Aunt who has had ALS for 6 years. I thought about the adversity it must take for her to attack the world everyday. The only parts of her body that can move are her eyes and mouth. And with these alone, she spreads hope every day. She is constantly smiling, seizing every moment to enjoy life. She can not talk, but it is not hard to understand what she would be saying. She loves me and our entire family more than any in the world.

In the end, I realized that everyone is either suffering or closely connected to some type of suffering in their lives. The question is how do they react to it? Personally, all I can do is love my Aunt as much as she loves me. And in this world, that may be all it takes.

Broadcast

2008-03-19T12:48:00.000-07:00

Defense and Special Teams led the way in the SaberCats 63-43 win over the Arizona Rattlers on Saturday.

A.J. Haglund tied a franchise record by making four field goals. The SaberCats special teams also blocked a field goal for a safety.

The SaberCats defense forced five turnovers and recorded four sacks. Clevan Thomas sparked the defense when he recovered a fumble for a touchdown and had an interception on 4th and goal.

Wide receiver Cleannord Santil was the offensive star with 110 yards receiving and two touchdowns.

This was their 15th consecutive home victory, which is an Arena Football Record.

Sports Story

2008-03-19T10:58:00.000-07:00

SaberCats beat down Rattlers in home opener

In a game dominated by intimidating men trying to punish the opposition every play, the smallest player on the field made the biggest difference.
San Jose SaberCats kicker A.J. Haglund tied a franchise record by making 4 field goals and was also named the Offensive Player of the Game, which is a rarity for a kicker.
"Kickers get a lot of work in this game, but usually not field goals," said Haglund, who only attempted 18 field goals last season. "Four of them was crazy."
Haglund and SaberCats won their home opener easily 63-43 over the Arizona Rattlers after celebrating their 2007 ArenaBowl Championship before the game.
With the SaberCats struggling offensively, the Defense picked up the slack by forcing five turnovers, posting four sacks and allowing just 7 first half points.
Defensive Back Clevan Thomas received Defensive Player of the Game honors for his fumble recovery for a touchdown and his interception on 4th and goal.
Defensive backs Marquise Floyd and Omar Smith also picked off Rattlers quarterback Brian Smoker, who looked flustered at times while replacing injured starter Lang Campbell.
Two-time Arena Bowl MVP Mark Grieb followed last week’s 6 touchdown no interception performance, with a lackluster 3 touchdown, 2 interception performance.
Grieb said, “ We did just enough to get the win. I wish we had been more crisp, but it was what it was. Fortunately our defense came up big.”
The one positive that came from the SaberCat offense was Grieb’s ability to connect with Cleannord Santil. Santil caught 6 passes for 110 yards and scored 2 first half touchdowns that led the SaberCats to a huge 27-7 lead at halftime.
The SaberCats held off a potential Rattler comeback by rushing for 3 second half touchdowns, including the first two rushing touchdown’s of wide receiver Jason Geathers’ career. Geathers also caught 7 passes for 64 yards while replacing Rodney Wright who missed Saturday’s game with an apparent injury.

SaberCats

2008-03-17T12:38:00.000-07:00

In a game dominated by intimidating men trying to punish the opposition every play, the smallest player on the field made the biggest difference.
This player was San Jose Sabercats kicker A.J. Haglund, who tied a franchise record by making 4 field goals and was named the Offensive Player of the Game.
Kickers get a lot of work in this game, but usually not field goals," said Haglund, who only attempted 18 field goals last season. "Four of them was crazy."
Haglund and Sabercats won their home opener easily 63-43 after celebrating their 2007 Arena Bowl Championship before the game.

Column

2008-03-03T12:08:00.000-08:00

The trouble with women is they either lead you on or they are completely silent. Why can’t they just tell you how you how they feel? Instead it always gets messy. I like girl number one, but she has no idea. I want to go to the dance with her, but I don’t know when to ask. We are in class together sharing stories, always having fun. When I am about to ask her to the dance, I found out that not only does she not like me, but she likes one of my friends. I thought she liked me, but instead she was just leading me on.
How about the girl that keeps everything to herself. I like a girl and I want to ask her to Senior Prom. We each have no dates, so this should be easy. But when I talk to her, she seems entirely uninterested. When I bring up anything that has to do with the dance, she always changes the subject. This makes me very confused, and because girls are being taken left and right, I decide to ask another girl. I’m a little disappointed with my date, and I wish that I would have gone with the girl I liked. The next day of school after the dance, she tells me that she wished she would have gone with me.
The point is I will never be able to figure out how women feel. When I think a girl likes me, they don’t. When I think a girl doesn’t like me, they do. The best solution to all these problems would be telling the truth at all times. This solution is possible, but it is not very probable. Women are afraid to open their feelings to men, and vice versa. I will conclude by saying that women will always drive me crazy.

Spartan Daily Story

2008-02-27T12:17:00.000-08:00

Saturday Classes at San Jose State
Who- Students, Teachers, Administrators.
What- Saturday Classes
Where- San Jose State
When- Next Year
Why- Provide more oppurtunity and flexibility for students.
How-

I would interview my English Teacher Charles McLeod to see how he would react to less time off and more teaching.
I would interview an administrator such as Maria Luiza Alaniz to see how our budget would change and how they would react to having to be responsible on weekends for the students.
I would interview Students with jobs such as Troy Varenchdom to see if they would take advantage of the Saturday Classes.

I plan to investigate the reason why San Jose State offers no Saturday Classes. I also want to see if Saturday classes is a possibility in the near future. What would it take for San Jose State to have Saturday classes, and would it be practical for students and teachers to use them.

Immediate and Delayed Identification Leads

2008-02-22T23:13:00.000-08:00

Pipe Fitter

Immediate Identification Lead

Pipe-fitter Duane La Chance was listed in critical condition after suffering third-degree burns from a 15,000 volt power line yesterday.

Delayed Identification Lead

Working at Springfield Municipal Power Plant, a Gross Engineer pipe-fitter suffered third-degree burns yesterday. Duane La Chance, 55, was listed in serious condition by the Springfield Hospital after he accidentally touched a power line carrying 15,000 volts with a piece of angle iron.

Car Accident

Immediate Identification Lead

Wayne Clay, 19, and James W. Cunning, 20, were involved in a crash on U.S. 63 yesterday.

A two-car accident occurred on U.S. 63 one-tenth of a mile north of Blue Ridge Road yesterday. Wayne Clay crossed the center line and struck the 2005 Ford Focus owned by James W. Cunning, who is currently in satisfactory condition at Springfield Hospital.

Fairy tales

2008-02-20T12:57:00.000-08:00

Casey at the Bat

Direct Lead
Casey struck out as Mudville's rally fell short yesterday.

Indirect Lead
The air was filled with anticipation as thousands of fans witnessed Mudville rally in ninth down 4-2. With runners on second and third, star player Casey struckout, ending Mudville's bid for a stunning comeback.

4 weird AP Style rules

2008-02-13T12:59:00.000-08:00

1. Kickoff is one word as an adjective and two words as a verb. This also applies to face off and tip off.
2. Racket is spelled differently than Racquetball.
3. You capitalize Boston in Boston brown bread, but you do not capitalize manhattan in manhattan cocktail because the cocktail is not dependent.
4. The word minister is not a formal title in most religions so it is not capitalized. In a few religions it is a formal title so it is capitalized.

Homework 5 W's and H

2008-02-08T23:00:00.000-08:00

Who: Stacy Johnson-Klein, former Fresno State women's basketball coach.
What: She was awarded 19.1 million dollars for gender discrimination.
When: December.
Why: Her gender was discriminated and she was sexually harrassed because she spoke up for female athletes.
Where: Fresno, California.
How: A jury and a judge decided that Johnson-Klein should be awarded that amount of money from her lawsuit.

Judge tosses $19.1 million sex discrimination award in Fresno State case
By Garance Burke Associated Press
Article Launched: 02/08/2008 12:11:47 PM PST

FRESNO, Calif. - A judge on Friday threw out a $19.1 million judgment awarded a former Fresno State women's basketball coach who had sued the school claiming gender discrimination, and ordered a new trial unless she accepts a smaller sum.
Former coach Stacy Johnson-Klein has until Feb. 22 to decide whether she'll accept a $6.6 million award instead, the judge said.
Johnson-Klein sued Fresno State claiming gender discrimination, sexual harassment and retaliation because she spoke up for female athletes. The university said Johnson-Klein was fired because of her job performance.
A jury awarded the coach the historic judgment in December. Fresno State attorneys asked the judge to overturn the verdict, claiming Johnson-Klein showed insufficient evidence.

5 W's and H

2008-02-06T12:46:00.000-08:00

Who: Shaun Hill, backup 49ers quarterback
What: Signed 3 year contract
When: Tuesday, February 5th
Where: N/A
Why: to compete for next years starting quarterback job.
How: 49ers and Hill came to an agreement.

49ers give Hill 3 year contract

Shaun Hill, who led the 49ers to consecutive victories after injuries sidelined their top two quarterbacks this season, will be back with the team after signing a three-year contract, his agent said Tuesday.
Robert Lattinville declined to disclose the terms of the deal, which won't be completed until the NFL office finishes its review this week. The contract contains performance and playing-time incentives that could boost Hill's pay significantly, the agent said.
"He's thrilled about the opportunity to come back to the 49ers," Lattinville said of Hill, who was eligible for free agency.
Hill and Alex Smith will compete for the starting job next season, Coach Mike Nolan has said.
Smith, the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2005, struggled with his passing accuracy this season while trying to play through a shoulder separation that led to season-ending surgery in mid-December.
Backup Trent Dilfer went down with a season-ending concussion against Minnesota on Dec. 9, leading to the first extensive playing time for Hill in his six-year career. Hill, 28, completed 22 of 27 passes in relief of Dilfer that day.
Hill, who fractured his right index finger in an early December practice, made his first NFL start in a 20-13 win against Cincinnati on Dec. 15. He also led a 21-19 victory against Tampa Bay the next week but injured his lower back, forcing him to miss the season finale at Cleveland.
Hill finished 54 of 79 for a team-high 68.4 percent

Smoking Wheels and Missing Boy

2008-02-06T12:19:00.000-08:00

40 passengers were evacuated from Northwest Airlines flight 428 at Municipal Airport in Lacrosse, Wisconsin Wednesday.
A landing tower employee spotted smoke near the wheels following a flight from Minneapolis.

Missing Boy
Missing for three years, a 7-year old boy was found as Police arrested the boy's mother for kidnapping and interference with a custody warrant.
On Monday Night, a Brick Township, N.J. neighbor recognized the child's picture when it was shown after the movie Adam: The Song Continues and called the police.

Chevy Chase

2008-02-05T20:31:00.000-08:00

Actor and comedian Chevy Chase was appointed board of trustees to Bard College Tuesday,
where he once was an alum.

Air Crash

2008-02-04T12:38:00.000-08:00

All 131 people were killed aboard a US airplane when it crashed Sunday, which was preparing to land outside of Pittsburgh .

First Post

2008-01-30T12:46:00.000-08:00

My name is Joe Akeley. I am interested in all sports. My favorite hobby is playing basketball. My plan right now is to be a sportswriter. When I heard you were a sportswriter I became very excited to learn from the best.

I am a freshman here at San Jose State. I believe my major is communications, but I actually want to me a Journalism major. All I have to do is go change it. I have a sister who is graduating from San Diego State. She continues to help me get through school.