jxiao1

Magazine project (radio)

2009-05-15T22:41:00.000-07:00

Radio:
Anchor: There has never been a show on television that has captivated the attention of so many people. Grey's Anatomy uses the popular concept of doctors and adds catchy dialogue and romantic ties between characters to give it that finishing touch. Five years ago, Grey'sAnatomy came into existence like a shooting star, surprising everyone at its impact and influence. Julie Toy, a follower of Grey's Anatomy.
Julie Toy: This show, each season, has gotten better and more entertaining. Since I followed it from the beginning, I know the characters as if they were my real friends.Their pains are mine and when they talk, it isn't completely in jargon and they use normal dialogue.Every episode, I have to make sure I do not have a lot of makeup on because it is just cried off during that hour.
Anchor: Tonight, the fifth season finale airs on ABC at 9 for a 2 hour event. It will be consumed with all the favorite characters and a death might be inevitable.

Magazine project part 2

2009-05-15T22:40:00.000-07:00

List
The Top Five Tear-Jerking Moments of Grey's Anatomy
(selected by a fan, Jennifer Xiao)
1. The death of Denny, a patient and love interest of Dr. Isabel Stevens. (season 2 episode 24)
2. Meredith proposes a future with Derek by building a house with candles (season 4 episode 17)
3. The death of Isabel and George (season 5 episode 24)
4. The appearance of Isabel's mother and the realization of the intensity of her condition (season 5 episode 21)
5. Two people are impaled by a pole and the decision to choose who gets to live (season 2 episode 6)

Magazine project

2009-05-15T22:39:00.000-07:00

Grey's Anatomy
There are many different things that affect a persons lifestyle. For some people, family always comes first. For others, their career is what they strive to achieve. For the minority few, a television show is their safe haven. It is absurd to think about how a television show could influence a person and their actions. However, an average person watches 3-4 hours of television a day. The fact is that television shows are a big part of a persons life.
One show in particular that has influenced the viewers at home is Grey's Anatomy. Not only does this show give people a view into the life of a surgeon's job, it also provides characters with believable personalities. In the last five years, Grey's Anatomy has proven itself to be a source of inspiration, drawing an average of 17 million viewers each week and more tears shed in a hour than imaginable.
Five years ago, the first episode aired, introducing all the main characters and paved the way into their long journey from being interns to residents at Seattle Grace Hospital. Meredith Grey, a cynical first year intern, follows her mothers footsteps in becoming a doctor at the same hospital. Christina Yang, an independent and career focused intern, strives to be the best of colleagues. Isabel Stevens, a model-turned doctor, breaks through the stereotypes and uses compassion as a tool. Alex Kurev, a pompous know-it-all, just trying to stay afloat while getting the ladies. George O'Malley, the weakest link, struggles to rid the name of 007, license to kill. The show follows these five interns through each surgical experience, family drama, and romantic endeavors.
As the seasons grow, so do the characters. Meredith falls in love with an attending doctor, Derek Shepard, also known as one of her bosses. She then proceeds to find out that he is married and is left hanging while Derek trial runs this marriage one last time. Then magically, they fall back where they belong, with each other. Meredith also deals with her mother's Alzheimer disease, death, and the discovery of her father and his other family. Christina, like her best friend Meredith, also gets involved with an attending doctor, Preston Burke, who inspires her to be a cardio-surgeon, teaching her everything, then leaves her at the altar. As Christina excels in the program, George struggles to keep up. After their third year of the program, a test is administered to wheel out the unqualified. George fails his test and is sent back to start over his internship while the rest of his group passes. Isabel, being an optimistic romantic, falls in love with a patient, who ends up dying, and resigns from the intern program. After realizing what she has done, she rejoins the program and ends up in a relationship with Alex. After being called out by many doctors, Alex loses his arrogance and becomes a team player.
Last night, the fifth season finale aired with two major punches. While love is the air with Meredith and her marriage to Derek and Christina and her love confession, death overshadows the finale. In the most recent episodes, Isabel spends it fighting her cancer and getting married to Alex. Unfortunately, the cancer takes a spin and she passes away. After pulling a girl away from an incoming bus, George is however, ran over and in critical condition. At the end, George and Isabel are seen all dressed up, as in an alternate reality.
As a fan, questions relating to the deaths and what will happen next are afloat. But as of right now, this show is more powerful and tear-jerking as ever. Grey's Anatomy makes people cry, laugh,yell, and even quote it. So to the deaths of George and Isabel, "seriously"?

Topical Blog #3

2009-05-05T23:14:00.000-07:00

Fmylife.com

Everyone experiences bad days. There is no getting around it and how you deal with it is what makes each person an individual. Some people call and vent to their friends. Others, they blog. These days, while walking on the streets, you always encounter people saying "facebook status" or "myspace picture". Now there is another online website that has created a new saying, "F*** my life".

Fmylife.com is a website that sponsors peoples stories about their weird daily experiences. This website has become a phenomenon to the generation who has grown up with myspace and facebook. Whether you actually blog about your day or you just a reader of the material, Fmylife.com is something worth reading.

The topics that people usually write about include relationships, sexual episodes, family drama, money, school, health, and just everyday excitements like going to the dentist or riding the elevator. The subjects are widely spread and all end with the words, "fmylife". The reason to this being the theme is to show everyone else that everyone's life isn't perfect. With life's imperfections, its what makes it entertaining. Some of the posts on the website are emotional while most of them are hilarious.

Fmylife.com has become an everyday source of entertainment. Not only does it provide a good laugh, it is also a good stress releaser. It is similar to venting to your friends except your friends include the rest of the world. Whenever you are bored, just go to the website and check it out. Once you start visiting the site more and more, you vocabulary will include those famous words, "fmylife".

Focus Story Structure

2009-05-01T16:10:00.002-07:00

During a football game, a player rammed his head into the chest of the ball carrier, resulting in a cracked vertebrae in his spine. Although football injuries are common, the extent of its permanent damage has increased.

Pete Stenhoff, a junior at Chula Vista High School in Redmond, California, is now being confined to a wheelchair.

"I knew the risks involved when I decided to play football. I wish I would have known just how bad it could be", said Stenhoff.

Like Stenhoff, many of injuries are permanent. There 20,000 injuries in high school football each year and 12% of the injuries, include permanently disabling the victims.

Due to this accident, Stenhoff has not only suffered physical pain and weight loss, but also emotional pain of not being able to graduate with his class.

Find that feature lead

2009-05-01T16:10:00.001-07:00

While browsing CNN.com, I came across 2 stories that did not use just the basic lead. For one of them, it had the startling statement lead. The story was about the swine flu and its increase in numbers of cases around the world. It starts with this:

"The number of people confirmed to have been infected with the H1N1 virus stands at 331".

This statement alone makes me question going outside. That many of cases proves even more that the swine flu is nothing to taken lightly. Then it continues to say:

"The virus, commonly known as swine flu, has spread to 11 countries, but the hardest-hit areas were in the Western hemisphere".

Knowing that it is so wide-spread but especially influential in the areas that I live in right now, made me want to continue to read to know exactly what I am in for.

Another type of lead I ran into was the roundup lead. This article was about men and their habits of having to be the "macho man". It starts with a generalization and then spreads.

"Men don't have 'guilty pleasures.' We own, nay, celebrate what's bad for us. Our obsessions are points of pride, not shame."

This is speaking on behalf of all men. I do not know about others but the guys that are in my life and not entirely like this. Yes, some of them are, but only a select few.

The basic news lead is always reliable but sometimes it is nice to read an article that captivates your interest with just the first few lines.

Topical Blog #2

2009-05-01T16:09:00.001-07:00

Personal Meditation

After a stressful week at school or at work, a detox of all those troubles is necessary. For some people, it is alcohol, while for others, it is some form of exercise like yoga. For me, it is a road trip.

For a lot of people, being cooped up in a car for countless hours does not seem that appealing. But for me, it isn't about being stuck in a car but being able to escape the drama of my life.

With the windows down and music blasting from the speakers, that is where I feel the most free. It does not matter where I end up or who I am with, as long as I am on the road, nothing can touch me.

Every person goes through those days or even months where nothing seems to make them feel happy. It does not they have depression, but they just might have a lot on their plate at the moment. A road trip is not running away, but taking a break to think about things in a different environment.

A drive down the coast of California clears my head and sometimes even my heart. I like to think of myself as a strong woman but that does not mean I don't have my breaking points.

Every so often, I take a trip to San Luis Obispo or Santa Barbara, and it makes me feel great. Seeing my favorite sights, listening to my favorite artists, and bonding with whoever I bring are just the icing on a road trip. The destination is never the same because you are never the same person traveling.

Topical Blog #1

2009-04-25T02:48:00.000-07:00

Tween fever

During the week, I decided to follow my guilty pleasure and went to see Hannah Montana: The Movie. I went with pride and came out embarrassed. Not only was the theater filled with teens but also I felt much older than the normal movie watcher.

Hannah Montana: The Movie continued the story based on the hit television show. Miley Stewart, a normal girl by day and pop star by night, is sent back to her hometown Tennessee to rediscover why she wanted to sing in for first place. The movies takes you to the sights of Tennessee and showcases how the pop star came to be. While keeping the original cast, the movie also adds on members of Miley's family and a love interest.

Hannah Montana: The Movie explores the wild life and features 12 new songs from artists like the Rascal Flatts, Taylor Swift, and Miley Cyrus.

This movie, not only is entertaining, but also provides a good story line and lesson to be learned. It teaches young girls that you should never forget where you come from and that all the money in the world, will not make you happy. It also shows that family is the most vital piece in each persons life.

Due to its popularity, the movie has gained lots of followers and with good reason. Hannah Montana is a great role model that resembles what lot of teenagers want to be.

Whether or not you are a fan of Hannah Montana or not, it is inevitable that people you know will see the movie or at least know about the character.

With this movie, the actress/singer that plays the character has risen to fame within the last 3 years. With sold out concerts, number 1 albums, and autobiography out, Miley Cyrus has ascended to a status that rivals Britney Spear.

Hannah Montana: The Movie is a fun filled movie that has great music and funny dialogue.

Magazine

2009-04-24T16:15:00.000-07:00

Fashion is and will always be a topic of concern for magazines. Vogue uses that information and expands on it in a way that is beyond amazing. Vogue is a top fashion magazine that not only displays the upcoming trends but also does in an artistic way.

From everyday clothing to vintage couture gowns, Vogue showcases the variety of clothes available to the human population.

Its target audience is mainly women in their teens to mid-forties. This age group are the main consumers who will actually want to go out and buy outfits that are now trendy. Vogue is for all social classes because anyone can dress according to their guidelines, as long as you know how to accommodate and shop on a specific budget.

Vogue's focus is to provide the population with a look into the future of fashion. It helps launch designers by making them more of a household name. Its job is to be the media outlet where fashion reigns through.

The writing style of Vogue is very fluid and easy to read. It is written for the everyday woman. Some of the topics of articles are in the genre of health and fitness, entertainment, influential women, and of course, fashion.

Some of the articles and photos in Vogue are a little eccentric but that just goes to show how "out-of-the-box" they think and are willing to take it. For many people, Vogue is their source to being ahead of the pack.

http://www.style.com/vogue/

Broadcast: 45 radio

2009-04-16T17:11:00.000-07:00

THE LUCK OF THE IRISH

SHAMROCK SHOWCASE, AN ANNUAL LIP-SYNC AND DANCE CONTEST, WAS PUT ON BY THE LADIES OF KAPPA DELTA SORORITY. THIS EVENT RAISES MONEY FOR 2 MAJOR CHARITIES: PREVENT CHILD ABUSE AMERICA AND CHILD QUEST INTERNATIONAL. THE NIGHT WAS FILLED WITH OVER 800 STUDENTS, RIDICULOUS OUTFITS, AND ENDLESS MUSIC. CINDY TSUI WAS SHAMROCK DIRECTOR.

TSUI: "WE HAVE TO BOOK THE LOCATION, PUBLICIZE THIS EVENT TO THE STUDENTS OF SAN JOSE STATE, AND PREP FOR THE ACTUAL PERFORMANCES."

THE PLANNING FOR SHAMROCK START 6 MONTHS PRIOR TO THE EVENT AND RESULTED IN A SUCCESS. PATRICIA PLASCENCIA WAS A GUEST TO THE SHOW.

PLASCENCIA: "I LOVE SHAMROCK! I LOVE WATCHING THE TEAMS MAKE FOOLS OF THEMSELVES ON STAGE. THE RAFFLE PRIZES DON'T SUCK EITHER."

WHETHER FROM TICKET SALES, T-SHIRT SALES, OR RAFFLE SALES, THE MONEY GAINED WAS OVER THE ANTICIPATED AMOUNT.

TSUI: LAST YEAR, WE MADE AROUND 7,500 AND THIS YEAR WE SET OUR GOAL TO HIT 10,00. NOT ONLY DID WE [REACH] OUR GOAL, WE MADE A NEW RECORD. WE MADE OVER 12,500.

Broadcast Governor Story

2009-04-09T19:31:00.000-07:00

SCHWARZENEGGER DECKS CAPITOL

20 seconds

IN THE CAPITOL HALL, VISITORS WILL NOTICE THE ARRIVAL OF A NEW STATUE IN THE HALLWAY RIGHT OUSIDE THE OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR.

A GIANT BRONZE GRIZZLY BEAR, PURCHASED THROUGH ASPEN, COLORADO, WANDERED INTO THE CAPITAL HALL.

SPOKESMAN AARON MCLEAR SAYS THAT IT WAS BOUGHT WITH SCHWARZENEGGER'S OWN MONEY AND IS FOR ENTERTAINING THE SCHOOL CHILDREN BY ALLOWING PICTURES TO BE TAKEN WITH IT.

THE STATUE IS THE SAME BEAR THAT IS DECORATED ON THE STATE FLAG.

-END-

Broadcast Style Exercise

2009-04-09T19:05:00.001-07:00

NORTHQUEST AIRLINES ANNOUNCED TODAY THAT IT IS CUTTING ITS DOMESTIC FARES BY UP TO 40- PERCENT FOR HOLIDAY TRAVELERS.

THE CEO OF NORTHQUEST AIRLINES FRANK DEVITT SAYS HE LIKES TO THINK OF IT AS A HOLIDAY GIFT TO THEIR CUSTOMERS.

TICKETS MUST BE PURCHASED BY FRIDAY FOR TRAVEL BETWEEN NOVEMBER 12 AND JANUARY 14 IN THE LOWER 48- STATES, ALASKA, AND CANADA.

DISCOUNTS VARY DEPENDING ON TRAVEL DATES AND ARE NOT AVAILABLE ON CERTAIN POPULAR DAYS, INCLUDING NOVEMBER 23, NOVEMBER 26, DECEMBER 23, AND DECEMBER 26.

WITH THE DISCOUNTED, NON-REFUNDABLE FARES, A PASSENGER CULD TRAVEL ROUND=TRIP BETWEEN BOSTON AND SAN FRANCISCO FOR 400- DOLLARS ON CERTAIN DAYS.

Soft broadcast lead

2009-04-04T11:31:00.000-07:00

It was Sept. 27th, just a normal day in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Mabel McCullough was celebrating her 95th birthday in the company of the First United Methodist Church women's group. With a carrot cake carrying 95 candles right before her, McCullough went to blown them out and instead of getting her wish, she instead received a big cloud of smoke hovering over her and her friends. That is unless her wish was for 24 firefighters to show up at her party.

"There wasn't an inch to spare. By the time we had them all lit, it looked like a torch," said Eddi Carlin, a guest of the birthday party. "We had just sat down to eat when we saw them in the doorway."

The smoke from the blown-out candles set off the smoke alarm and resulted in the fathering of five engines and two ladder companies. After realizing that a fire was non-existent, the firefighters left, but not without taking a picture with the birthday girl first.

"In my 23 years on the job, I've seen a lot of things set off a fire alarm, but I don't think I've ever heard of one going off because of a birthday cake," said Fire Chief Lonnie Lamb.

Play Editor

2009-03-14T15:54:00.000-07:00

After reading the article , I have come to the conclusion that it is a very strong accusation to make. Without sufficient evidence, the publishing of the article makes the newspaper libel for the consequences. Also seeing the fact that the article was published before any charges were made, the names of the people involved should have not been in the article itself. If however the charges were already made by the time the article was published, then the accusation would be legitimate.

Also this article doesn't give a lot of information. It just gives a basis of what is going on but not actually the details of the people and the situation. If I was the editor, I would have waited to run the article, at least until there was more information to be added.

The Fog Index

2009-03-14T15:06:00.000-07:00

I choose a news story to use for my fog index.

News story:

A fire broke out in a single home on Annapolis Way in San Jose yesterday. Robert Kent, the man from the burning house, was pulled out from the kitchen when he was surrounded by flames.

The fire started in the kitchen and then spread to the attic. After being engulfed by smoke and then being pulled out by the firefighters, he is said to have second and third-degree burns on 50% of his body, according to the San Jose fire Captain Rob Piper. A nursing supervisor at Valley Medical Center said that Kent was listed as in grave condition.

Avg. words per sentence- 18

Hard words- 6

Added- 24

Index- 9.6

I am glad that my fog index made the cut by being over the average index of 7 or 8. I believe that my fog index could be higher but because of the subject that I was writing about, there wasn't any big opportunity to use my writing skills.

Got what it takes?

2009-03-14T14:36:00.001-07:00

Talent:

1. true

2. not true

3. not true

4. true

5. true

6. not true

7. true

Temperament:

8. true

9. true

10. not true

11. not true

12. true

13. true

14. not true

My total score was 23, which stated the fact that journalism was a good fit for me, mostly, but it may require you to change your attitude or improve some skills.

I feel like this quiz did determine where I stood with journalism. I am interested in the career but I do not have the skills to back me up. This test made me realize that I do not know a lot about the field and my personality doesn't quite match up. While a lot of the questions point to me not being able to succeed in this field, I still am very interested in learning and expanding my knowledge.

Reporting with Numbers

2009-03-07T14:18:00.000-08:00

1. 67% of the funds come from the state, 5% comes from the student tuition, and 28% comes from fees, rants, and gifts. The funds coming from the state include a lot more money than others because they have more money to give. The funds from student tuition are limited due to it coming from a smaller group of people, therefore limiting the amount of money available to be given out.

2. The average prison term for people convicted of aggravated assault is just over a year. The average probation time is 13 months. The median for prison term and for probation time is a year.

The median is a better estimate of the time people serve in prison and with probation time because it estimates the time without being completely influenced by any outside factors. Since there is one figure that is out of the ordinary, it would throw off the numbers when calculating the mean, but it does not affect the median.

3. California's sales tax is 7.25%.

For people who pay $5 per meal and only eat out once a week for a year, they would save $18.85.

For people who pay $20 per meal and only eat out once a week for a year, they would save $75.40.

AP Style#5

2009-03-07T14:13:00.000-08:00

1. He thought of Smokey Bear every time he got near a smoldering fire or entered a smoky room.

2. The forecast is for lower temperatures, falling to the low 30's by tonight. If the rain continues as expected, there could be a travelers' advisory.

3. To celebrate Veterans Day, the anniversary of the armistice that ended World War I. Troops of former soldiers will march down Main Street carrying U.S. flags.

4. His weeklong ordeal will be finished when finals week is over. Until then, his well-being is in doubt.

5. 19-year-old man was arrested Monday for caring a Saturday night special without permit. After being released on bond, he disappeared. His whereabouts is unknown.

6. She'd hoped to be able to trade in her car after getting a tuneup, but she totaled it last night.

7. Could you Xerox that invoice for me? I need it for our year-end budget.

Top News #5

2009-02-28T15:46:00.000-08:00

This week, the article "Body of man found in San Francisco department store bathroom" cauht my eye. It is about a body of a dead 44-year-old mean being found in the bathroom in Bloomingdale's. Patrick Callahan, the San Francisco man, died accidentally in the store's bathroom on Thursday night or Friday morning. His body was found when the workers arrived for the day. Authorities have said that Callahan either broke into the store and hid in the bathroom or he was there before the store closed and just felled unconscious.

This story appealed to me with its randomness and its proximity to death. I always feel like life goes on and it never really ends. Whether Callahan did break in or just passed out before leaving the store, it made me realize that life should be lived to its fullest. Its impact on people might make people live more. There really is no immediacy about this story because its death and it is in the past already.

AP Style#4

2009-02-28T14:31:00.000-08:00

1. He hopes to make a billion dollars by the time he is 40 years old. He already figured out his net worth is between $2 million and $3 million, depending on current stock prices.

2. Lt. Colonel John Carpenter was a midshipman at the U.S. Naval Academy and also served in the 7th Fleet.

3. Twenty-one winners were named two days after the 3rd Annual Procrastination Awards ceremony.

4. It was a one-sided game and he was a sore loser. After losing the playoff when his ball went out of bounds, he made an off-color remark that could be heard in the stands.

5. Hundreds of people attended the Sunday's race to watched 74 top bicyclists peddle across the finish line.

6. Every winter, the Jones and the Kinneys pore over travel brochures, planning their summer trip together. This year, they are hoping to go to Panama City.

News Story #5

2009-02-28T14:26:00.000-08:00

Havoc broke out when a runaway truck knocked out the power in El Cerrito, injuring several amounts of people. A big, asphalt truck overturned and smashed against someone's house, leaving the truck and house smoldering. The truck created destruction when it snapped a power pole and damaged five vehicles on Moeser Lane.

Dectective St. Shawn Maples, one of the first rescue workers to arrive on the scene, heard cries coming from the truck and house and proceeded to dig through the debris. A driver was stuck between the wheels of the trunk, as it was flipped on its side. The driver was pulled out to safety "in a heartbeat while the truck went up in flames", according to Maples.

Ruben Sharma, a resident of a home that was destroyed in the fire said, "first, I thought it was a major earthquake. This is unbelievable."

The San Jose man whose name was not releases, broke both of his legs in the crash and is listed in serious, but stable condition at John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek.

Top News #4

2009-02-21T00:51:00.000-08:00

After reading the news this week, the one that caught my eye was "Shotgun fired into Hayward classroom full of preschoolers, parents, no one injured". The Hayward police say that a man fired shits into a classroom full of preschoolers and parents on a Friday. The kids were in the middle of a reading program when the shots were fired. While the shots were a close counter, the police believe that the school was not the target. After the shooting, the gunman jumped into a stolen car that was being driven by another man.

This story is appalling to me because of the stories that are already out there like Columbine. This story has all of its news values. The impact of this incident brings out dislike and hatred of people who think life is so easily to be taken away. The immediacy of this story is within the last 24 hours and since Hayward is only 30 minutes away, proximity playas a big role too.

Feature Leads #1

2009-02-21T00:27:00.000-08:00

A squirrelly situation

What do you get when a squirrel crossed the path of a railroad? An electrical power surge. When a squirrel climbed into the Metro-Noth Commuter Railroad power lines, it caused an overhead bracket, leaving trains not to arrive. While the service was restored by crews on Tuesday, the squirrel was being electrocuted. The tie-up affected 47,000 rail commuters, leaving the blame all on the little squirrel.

News story #4

2009-02-21T00:21:00.000-08:00

The early days of marriage

With a newly married woman sitting in the passenger seat, a 21-year-old man ried to steal that car on Saturday night. Alan Ticas-Soto, the carjacker, now faces felony carjacking charges and misdemeanor drug charges because apparently he was high on methanphetamines.

Even though Ticas-Soto does not have a criminal record, he could face up to nine years in a state prison. No attorney has yet been assigned to the case and the preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 10th.

While on their way to spend their wedding night at a nearby Embassy Suites, this incident "took them a little off-track", according the San Mateo County deputy district attorney Sheryl Wolcott. The engine was left running while the groom headed towards the restaurant and that was when Ticas-Soto attempted to steal it.

After he had gotten into the car, he put the car into reverse and struggled with the gear shift. The groom notice this incident and ran to open the passenger-side door open, causing the bride to tumble out. Then Ticas-Soto crashed into a Taco-Bell sign, chased down South Delaware Street and Ninth Avenue, and then arrested without incident.

News story #3

2009-02-21T00:17:00.000-08:00

Irritated residents of San Francisco

A gap pipe ruptures after being severed, while a construction crew attempts to repair swer lines. A Pacific Gas and Electric Co. worker says it happened a little before 12:30 p.m. Off of Folsom and 11th, the traffic reminas at a standstill while the 100 people, who were forced to leave the area, stand around the edges of the area. The 100 people, including business owners, customers, and neighborhood residents , gather around looking irritated at the loss of business.

Wa-Ha-Ka restaurant manager, Samantha Feldman, says her employees and patrons were forced to leave, costing about $500 worth of business during the period of shutdown.

Crocker's Lockers manager, Carlann Lauria, says her customers were irritated and her employees had to collect payment checks from the customers.

AP Style#3

2009-02-21T00:14:00.000-08:00

1. The last time she played soccer, she received a serious injury to her knee. Sometimes it is hard to understand why she wants to keep playing.

2. He was indicted on an assault charge, but his lawyer said the case against him is circumstantial and she is sure the inquiry will exonerate him.

3. He knows it isn't kosher, but green Jell-O is his favorite dessert. This admission has prompted his friends to question both his taste and his judgment.

4. Now that he has DSL, he finds it much easier to go line to check his e-mail and download files.

AP Style#2

2009-02-14T11:55:00.000-08:00

1. His new book on elections and the Electoral College, is titled "Does your vote count"?

2. Brianna looked so sad that he wanted to wrap her in his arms and give her a big hug, but he was afraid that the attention would phase her.

3. They were so impressed by her flair for decorating that they offered tremendous praise and agreed to distribute her promotional flyer.

4. He suspected his neighbor was selling drugs, so he called the bureau. His neighbor however, cried foul at the accusation.

5. The boy's stories didn't jibe so their father threw down the gauntlet and demanded the truth.

6. My great grandfather is a real gourmet, so I always let him pick the wine whenever we have dinner.

Top News #3

2009-02-14T11:44:00.000-08:00

While reading the news on mercurynews.com, I came across one titled, "USF student arrested on suspicion of rape". The article went on to talk about an University of San Francisco student being arrested on suspicion of raping 4 fellow students. The police say that 21-year-old Ryan Caskey was arrested Thursday on campus after the alleged victims came forward. Since the events had taken place over the course of a couple of months, more information was not provided.

Among the new values, a couple pop at me. The influence of this story affects me because being a woman, safety is always an issue. We always thing that the campus is safe and there are no predators, but what we do not realize is that anyone can be a predator and anyone can be the victim. Proximity also plays a key role especially since San Francisco is so close to San Jose. It makes it more clear that this type of ordeal could happen anywhere. This story makes me very angry because of its content. Women have gone through so much and it makes it hard to bare that there are such people who take whatever they want, no matter the limit.

News story #2

2009-02-14T11:39:00.000-08:00

A robbery took place in the parking lot of Saint Mary's Cathedral. According to the victims, WeiMing Chen and his wife Li Lu, they were with their tour group while visiting the Cathedral in the morning when a man approached them, flashed his pistol, and demanded their money.

The police says that the assailant was a 18-year-old man and wanted not only the victim's cash, but also their credit cards, passports, airline tickets, and camera. Because of the robbery, nobody knows if the couple was able to make their flight to Taipei, along with the members of the tour group.

News story #1

2009-02-14T11:33:00.000-08:00

A fire broke out in a single home on Annapolis Way in San Jose yesterday. Robert Kent, the man from the burning house, was pulled out from the kitchen when he was surrounded by flames.

AP Style#1

2009-02-07T00:48:00.000-08:00

1. Mayor Richard Wrigley expressed confidence that the gubernatorial debate, which begins at 7:30 p.m., will have a positive effect on his presidency. He added, "Governor Red Davidson is a master at dirty politics, but I won't take any of his baloney."

2. For her birthday, the nine-year-old girl invited five good friends over for ice cream and cake. The chocolate cake was so tasty that any one of the children could have eaten it all, yet they carefully divided it amongst themselves.

3. Persuaded by the bill's importance, members of the Democratic and Republican parties came together on Capital Hill to support anti-terrorism legislation, despite their difference on other issues.

4. Rome, Italy- Roman Catholics all around the world listened today as the Pope delivered his homily.

Leads #5

2009-02-07T00:20:00.000-08:00

Pipe:

Springfield resident, Duane La Chance, suffered 3rd degree burns while installing new pipes. It occurred at Springfield Municipal Power Plant and La Chance was listed in the intensive care unit at Springfield Hospital yesterday.

A Springfield resident was hit with 15,000 volts and as of yesterday, in serious condition. Employee of Gross Enginer, Duane La Chance suffered 3rd degree burns.

Car:

James Cunning and Wayne Clay, Springfield residents, were in a car collision today and resulted in Cunning being in satisfactory condition, according to Lincoln County Sheriff's Department.

After a car collision on US 63, a Springfield resident was hospitalized. Sheriff's Department state that James Cunning was taken to Springfield Hospital after being hit by a car crossing into his lane.

Top News #2

2009-02-05T17:42:00.000-08:00

On Wednesday, there was an article posted titled, "Boy, 6, killed in San Jose traffic collision; man suspected of DUI". While heading home from church on Tuesday night, Issac Young was killed when a man, who was suspected of driving under the influence, ran a red light and collided with a minivan.

The man, named Gary Westover, 36, was injured and arrested on the scene. While the boy's mother is still in critical, yet stable condition, his father and 8 year old brother were treated and released from the hospital.

This story is important to me because in high school, one of my friends was killed by a drunk driver. I learned a lot from that experience to never drink and drive and to also never allow my friends to drink and drive. When someone that young is killed, it shows me that life is short and death is unpredictable.

Available online at

Leads #4

2009-02-05T17:22:00.000-08:00

4a) At the LaCrosse, Wis., Municipal Airport, 40 passengers evacuated from Northwest airline jet today.

After a landing tower employee spotted smoke near the wheels, Flight 428 took safety precautions.

4b) On Thursday night, a 7 year old missing boy was found in Brick Township, NJ. After being missing for 3 years, he was recognized by a neighbor when seeing the movie Adam: The Song Continues. The police arrested the boy's mother, Ellen Lynn Conner, and she is facing charges of kidnapping and interference with a custody warrant.

Leads #3

2009-02-04T23:22:00.000-08:00

Yesterday at 1:30 p.m., an Amtrak train called the Colonial near Chase, Md. collided with three Conrail locomotives on a switch that merges four tracks into two. The amtrak was hit by the Conrail, when it ran the stop sign, while going northbound.

Top News #1

2009-01-31T10:22:00.000-08:00

While catching up on my news, I came across one that caught my eye. It was on Jan. 30th and in the San Jose Mercury News and its title, "Republicans Select First African-American to Lead Party". The articles goes on to introduce Michael Steele, as the new Republican National Committee party chairman, and how both parties are now led by black men. After a big defeat in the 2008 elections, the Republicans wanted to find someone who could relate to the majority of the population. Steele's "presence and TV skills" made his party feel like he could be a worthy opponent to the already well-liked President Obama.

I feel that this is an important story due to the fact that Steele is a first. He is the first African-American to lead the Republican party and that is a major step for that political party. The fact that his personality is said to be similar to President Obama's is actually quite funny. After being teared apart in the 2008 elections for his youth-like personality and ambition, the Republican party has now selected a major player that is said to be very similar to their once rival.

Here is the link to this article:

Leads #2

2009-01-31T10:13:00.000-08:00

An US AIR airplane crashed, just outside Pittsburgh, while preparing to land. Considered as the worst air crash in the US in the past 3 years, its casualties included all 131 people on board.

Leads #1

2009-01-31T10:09:00.000-08:00

1. At the Butte County Court, a local couple was awarded $150,000 yesterday following the injuries suffered during a traffic accident last March.

2. Forecasters predict that in the Sierras, a snowstorm will hit and following it, a series of more snowstorms.

3. According to the police, the fire today on 204 Union Ave. involved 3 firefighters and 41 families. While successfully evacuating al of the families out of a 6 story burning building, 3 firefighters were injured.

About Me

2009-01-23T13:37:00.000-08:00

Hey! My name is Jenny Xiao. I am a newly 21 year old and a third year at San Jose State. I am from Beijing and moved to San Jose 2 1/2 years ago. My major is international business but I am in the process of changing it to public relations. My goal is to have a career dealing with companies who want to spread out their business to countries like China. My dream is to be able to live both in China and America.

Some people think I am little crazy but it is just because I love life and plan to live each moment to its fullest. I am laid back and have a crazy laugh. I love to travel. Even though I go to China 3 times a year, I am still scared of flying. This January, I had the chance to go to Japan, an all-time dream of mine. There was a big culture difference and I loved every second. I have never eaten that much sushi in that short amount of time before. Next stop, Africa!

What I hope to get out of this class is a better understanding of the media world. With this, I hope to become a better writer and reader at the same. I enjoy reading all different types of material and hope to expand my knowledge.