Just another manic Monday…
Okay, not really a “Manic Monday”, but a day that I seem to have a lot on my mind…
It’s been a while since I’ve posted, and I apologize for slacking behind lately.
Today, as some of you may know, is International Women’s Day. To all of the Women around the world, I salute you. Sadly, not all women around the world are given the same respect and rights as human beings as we would all like to think. And for that, I say we all stand up for each other and pray that someday soon all women around the world will be loved and respected equally.
Another thing that has been fresh on my mind, and that I’ve been tracking all weekend are the elections in Iraq. This Iraq election is the most important to the Iraqi people, and to our U.S. troops who are scheduled to pull-out by 2011. One of my favorite journalists, NBC News Chief Foreign Correspondent Richard Engel, has returned to Iraq to cover the Iraqi elections. He recently left Iraq after spending five long years reporting during the height of the Iraq war from 2003 to 2008, in which he wrote of in his “War Journal” (a compelling, and terrifically written journal I’m currently reading). Because of his knowledge of Iraq, and years spent in the Middle East, I suggest turning to his reporting on the Iraq elections. He recently wrote an excellent piece for the NBC News World Blog, and lately you can always find him updating via Twitter at @richardengelnbc.
On a less serious note:
Also over the weekend was possibly the best Saturday night in a long time. Saturday Night Live that is… If you caught Zach Galifianakis hosting Saturday Night Live, most of you would agree. Sometimes the show just feels like it’s missing something, but this time Zach brought us back to realizing why it’s the greatest comedy show of all time! (many of you may have realized that he actually shaved his beard during the show.) Here’s the hilarious digital short, “Zach Drops By The Set”:
And last night was Oscar night. While I’m happy for all those who were nominated, and cheered on everyone who won an Oscar, I am mostly happy for all of the wins The Hurt Locker took home last night. It’s a very powerful (and lately controversial) film about members of the Army’s EOD squad (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) during the early years of the Iraq war. While it’s controversial, and there are several inaccuracies, it’s a powerful and compelling film, and most importantly raises the public’s awareness of a soldier’s life.
Finally, I wanted to share a few songs that I’ve been playing on a loop:
“Much Farther To Go” - Rosie Thomas = A lovely, lovely song that just makes me melt.
“Wedding Day” – Rosie Thomas = Leaves me speechless.
“The Man With No Skin” – Great Lake Swimmers = The greatest group (in my opinion) that BriTunes has ever shared! (so far)
“Change Is Hard” – She & Him = Because I adore this duo.
“Thieves” - She & Him = A new one from the group.
“April Come She Will” - Simon and Garfunkel = Just because Simon and Garfunkel will never get old.
“Long May You Run” - Neil Young = This one’s still playing in my head…
“TWEET OF TODAY: ‘I LUCKED OUT AGAIN!’”
Those are the words I read when I was told to visit the Today Show’s “allDay blog: Today’s Family Blog” this afternoon. This morning I walked straight into the college cafe, picked up my coffee, and speed-walked over to the vacant couch in front of the TV where the Today Show was on. (It’s rare that that seat is ever vacant in the mornings, so I’m always excited for the chance to sit there and watch my favorite morning people! ) Then I snapped a quick photo of my morning ritual: Coffee, Today Show, NewYorkTimes.com, and this time…a bagel. I sent it out as a tweet and later this afternoon was told by Ryan Osborn, a Today Show producer, that he had put it up on the Today Show blog as the “Tweet of Today”! I wasn’t expecting this at all, and as a loyal viewer and great admirer of the people at Today, it made my day! Thanks again, Ryan!
First photos with my first SLR
“Who dat say dey gunna beat dem Saints?” Nobody! They’re back.
Last night another great American city went out on top, and went home with the Super Bowl victory. Only this year, it wasn’t just another great American city, it was New Orleans. Just five years ago eighty percent of New Orleans was underwater after it was hit with the worst natural disaster to ever touch American soil. The New Orleans Saints Super-dome turned into a ‘safe-haven’ for only those lucky enough to be held in a shelter. But luck was not seen in that city after hurricane Katrina hit. Those of us watching the reports from home would think we were watching footage of a suffering third world country, and those reporting in New Orleans just in the aftermath of the storm actually forgot they were in the United States of America for a moment. In a documentary of compiled reports from Brian Williams’ reporting on hurricane Katrina, Brian says that while they were reporting in New Orleans he would say “, when we get back to the states…”, explaining that “there was absolutely nothing that would lead you to believe this is the United States”. Ever since I watched the documentary, that line has stuck with me. As an American, I was ashamed to see that we could let things get so awful and desperate for our fellow Americans that needed our help right away.
Snow. Nuff said! For now anyways…
My photos from Roanoke’s second snowstorm. Saturday, January 30th, 2010.
Here also is a video I created as tribute to my dog: ‘A Dog Named Charlie Brown‘
It’s Friday…I’m in love.
Happy Friday everyone! And welcome to my blog.
The previous posts are (if it’s not already obvious) writing assignments for my English course in college last semester. I chose the topics, and very much enjoyed writing them – so feel free to give them a read. Since the recent posts were originally for my class, this is really my first actual blog post…so please forgive me if I’m terrible at this.
I would love to use this blog to reflect on things that are on my mind during the day, and also to share pieces I find on the internet. But, since I haven’t been able yet to take the time to read anything over the internet today, I’d like to share a post that my favorite news anchor (and biggest journalistic inspiration!), NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams, wrote and posted to his Daily Nightly blog Wednesday afternoon.
And I want to focus your attention back onto something you may be sidetracking from. Over two weeks ago now an earthquake hit a country already under the poorest conditions, full of children without parents living in orphanages. You saw the devastation, the helplessness, the desperation, and the faces of those children – and all of that still has a very long time to go. The people of Haiti are still suffering, and need our love and help. All I ask of you is that you please remember them, pray for them, and do all that you can to help these people. They need us, and frankly, we need them. Please visit this list of ways that you can help, and give as generously as you can.
A New Strategy for Afghanistan
Just moments after President Obama delivered his speech on his new strategy for Afghanistan, the chatter around the world began, and debates on whether this new strategy was a realistic or non-realistic one arose. There are a number of points of view on the new strategy; politicians, military families, normal everyday citizens – each one having their own right, and each one important. But there are no more important opinions on the new Afghanistan strategy than those of our United States troops fighting in the war in Afghanistan, and their commanding Generals on the ground. And of course, the Afghan citizens whose future lies in our hands, as well as their own.
A believed reality that many have stated, including the Taliban, is that the new strategy to send 30,000 new troops will lead to more American casualties. The Taliban are also aware of American’s ailing economy, and say that the surge of 30,000 additional troops will give insurgents an opportunity “to increase their attacks and shake the American economy, which is already facing crisis.” (Asharq Alawsat – “The leading Arabic International Daily – English Edition”) Despite these comments, commanding General Stanley McChrystal remains very hopeful and confident that the new strategy will be successful, assuring Representative Ike Skelton, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, that the troop infusion will work and telling the Representative “I believe we will absolutely be successful.” (Associated Press)
Psychology in Journalism
Over the years I have finally come to discover what my true passion is, and what I really want to become as an adult – a journalist. Journalism is full of different aspects of psychology, and while people could say that conclusion is an obvious one simply because they are human, I see several prominent aspects of psychology in the every day work of journalists. One of those aspects of psychology is persuasion. Persuasion has a large presence in journalism. A few key elements of persuasion are source, message, and audience – and the main purpose of persuasion is to seize and retain attention. While journalists aren’t necessarily aiming to persuade people to believe a particular opinion or belief, journalism is all about storytelling and getting out the message to the audience, and seizing and retaining the audiences attention in doing so.
Another example of psychology I see in journalism is adjustment. Journalists who are having to constantly report bad news, or those who report from war zones, are constantly having to work with the everyday stress so they can form some kind of adjustment without loosing their sense of realism. The purpose of adjustment is to prevent one’s stress from becoming physically and emotionally debilitating, which some would be surprised to learn is a big factor for journalists that are put under such stress from their everyday work.
The Vietnam war vs The Afghanistan war
Is history repeating itself, or is it just a coincidence? When taking a look at our current situation in Afghanistan, many people alive during the war in Vietnam might feel a sense of deja-vu. Even if you don’t know too much about the details of both wars, just by knowing bits and pieces of history you could see their striking resemblance.
In 1961, president Kennedy received proposals to Americanize the war in Vietnam, but he declined all of the proposals. He was skeptical about sending a massive deployment of additional troops, feeling it was an ineffective mission, and that it would only slow the Vietnamese military in taking the conflict into their own hands and defeating the Vietcong against their communist regime. Instead of taking others proposals, he took command of the decision making. In May of 1961, president Kennedy sent 400 United States Army Special Forces personnel to South Vietnam to train South Vietnamese soldiers, following a visit to the country by vice-president Lyndon B. Johnson. By 1963, feeling that they would lose South Vietnam to the communists, president Kennedy would eventually schedule a coup against South Vietnamese president Diem and his brother and political adviser, Nhu. The coup would end in a double assassination of Diem and his brother Nhu; a result of the coup in which Kennedy did not approve.