ePortfolio

Some students have expressed questions about the ePortfolio. It's a department requirement that you make a portfolio on this site and post your final stories in certain required classes, Reporting being one of them. I'm so sorry I didn't talk to you about it as I too was unaware of this requirement. I was under the impression that Reporting students no longer had to file on ePortfolio. If you have not created your folio site or if you have and want to post your story, you do it at http://login.efolioworld.com.

If you have any problems, I suggest you ask at the Journalism office next week.

I'm correcting your exams and finals now in the green lap of Vermont in the rain. It's quite enjoyable. Thank you again students for your hard work this semester.

Yvonne

Goodbye...for now...

This semester has been an adventure for me since day one. I can’t believe we are done with reporting, it was just yesterday our professor had us pick our neighborhood beat. At first I wanted to get the Mission because I speak Spanish fluently and my mother has lived in the neighborhood when she emigrated from Nicaragua. Although the Castro was also on my list I never expected our professor to pick it for me and to be honest I’m glad she did. As some of you already know I grew up in a very tight-knit Catholic family, which made the Castro appear more like a foreign country to me. After spending every week in the Castro I honestly wouldn’t mind living there (if I had the money), almost everyone had been extremely friendly, the restaurants were amazing, and I loved the old Victorian houses.

Since this is my final post for the class website I would like to get a couple things off my chest. First off, before transferring to SF State I had no idea what I wanted to major in. I took one journalism class from Contra Costa College and I was hooked. As strange as that sounds it was actually that simple, but I didn’t truly understand journalism until taking the reporting class. Lastly, I was so intimidated by my classmates because it seemed as though they were ahead of the game in terms of writing and reporting I almost lost sight of why I was there in the first place, to improve my skills. After the last couple articles I felt more comfortable with my writing and reporting ability.

I was told by someone that after you finish reporting class, the rest becomes easier. No offense to that person, but I think that’s a little white lie someone from the journalism department made up to ease other journalism students’ anxiety. There are going to be other classes that will probably drive us to tears, but in the end that “swift kick in the ass” will bring us success in the long run (at least that’s what my news writing professor told me).

Alright, enough of that long heart felt speech. I say we throw out our books and papers, go to a bar and drink to our hearts content. I’m not talking about beer either, I’m talking whiskey, rum, or tequila because god knows we deserve it after all the hard work we put in this semester (I know I do).

I’ll see you guys next semester, have a fun summer.

Last Post!

I'm finally done writing my final feature which compares North Beach during the day and North Beach during the night. I learned a lot about the neighborhood as well as some valuable reporting skills.

When I first started reporting I was really shy and paranoid. Now I feel very comfortable talking to people and striking up a conversation. Everyone has something to say, even if it's just "f*** off." I've also developed thick skin which I know will come in useful when I'm on assignment in Mexico.

North Beach has been kind to me. I made a lot of good contacts and even a few friends. So in keeping to the Italian spirit I will end this post by saying ciao fellow classmates and good luck with finals!

Getting to Know Noe Valley

This semester has been absolutely uh-mazing! I have made life long journalism friends and have written about things that I actually enjoyed, who would have thought?

This semester in particular has been one of growth. I have learned how to go out and find a story, been pressured by deadlines and have gotten over my fear of going up to strangers and asking them questions. I have learned a lot in JOUR 300 and will continue using all the techniques that Yvonne has taught us.

I remember when I decided to pick Noe Valley for my beat. I had never heard of it before. From what I read, it is a district where friendly people were always around in cafes or walking their dogs.

I have learned about the people, the businesses and the changes that will eventually come out of this district. It was a refreshing experience spending time in a place where I knew no one and coming up with stories.

Our last day of class is today and I am really going to be sad. Everyone in this class has so much talent and I can't wait to have class with you guys in the future! As for Yvonne, I have learned so much. Your experiences and stories are truly inspiring. I have never been more excited and anxious to get into the field of journalism.

I know I'm being super sentamental and corny but hey, that's just my personality. I like to gush from time to time!

A sigh of relief

Finally, the final story of the semester is done. I mean, I finished it last night and everything, but still. It was such a great weight lifted off my shoulders. Although, I do have two more papers to write for other classes. I just want this semester to be over so I can enjoy summer, hopefully land an internship, and save money.

The process of writing this final feature was a little difficult at first - I didn't know what lead I should use and how to format it. After I figured it out, the words came together and formed, what I think, is a great article about the Japan earthquake and tsunami and how San Francisco organizations are helping out.

I was able to get interviews with representatives from two big organizations donating funds, which was great.

---

Looking back on this semester in this class, it was by far the most difficult journalism class I have ever been in. The amount of work in this class should really make this class a 10 unit course. I'd graduate faster that way, too. The best thing I got out of this class, though, was meeting the people I did. We have such a great class and I'm thankful for being in it. Who knows... maybe we'll all be working with each other out in the "real world" and use our connections that we have made to our advantage.

Thank you, everyone, for a great semester! =)

Last day on assignment in North Beach!

Today I decided to spend all day in North Beach. I'm spent half of the day at Cavalli Cafe, from 2 p.m. until 5 p.m., and ate a delicious cannoli and drank a cappuccino.

It's now 9 p.m. and I'm still in North Beach hanging out with the regulars at Cafe Greco's. I went bar hopping mid-day with a friend and saw a couple of familiar faces. I got some good sources and I am almost ready to finish my final feature. I feel like tonight will be a hectic night, but it will all be worth it soon enough. I want to write a bit on what I learned from reporting on North Beach.

First of all, North Beach is a diverse neighborhood that is loved by both residents and out-of-towners. It is filled with amazing cafes, restaurants, bars and clubs. It is the type of place where you can relax OR get "fucked up" on alcohol or various drugs, specifically cocaine, according to sellers and police.

I've been hanging around North Beach for too long. I'm honestly getting sick of the place. Not because it's such a terrible place to be, but because I've been coming here every week.

It is also the type of place where a girl can easily get a boyfriend. I've been hit on by most of my sources, from bouncers to cops to bartenders to residents and employees. It's interesting because they open up to me and are willing to talk, at the same time it can get frustrating. I suppose it's like that for most women reporters, although I tend to keep my distance.

The strip clubs are merely entertainment and for most girls it's a great job. They get paid well and enjoy doing the work that they do. I don't judge them because I personally feel that they're nice people with a life of their own and they enjoy making money while giving customers shows of lust... it's a business.

All-in-all North Beach has been kind to me. I've made friends and have gotten to know some amazing people that have interesting stories of their own. The connections that I have made here are priceless. I'm even thinking of spending some extra money of you guys and buying delicious cannolis for everyone.

Turning Haight into Love (or at least, Less Hate)

Wow. It’s really over. We survived reporting. It kinda flew by, honestly, and it really wasn’t that hard. I mean, there were a couple of things I struggled with (obviously the whole talking to people part), but on the whole it really wasn’t all that bad.

The practical application of it all was actually really helpful, far better than newswriting. I think it would have been better to do more of this kind of thing – the crime story, scoping out a neighborhood, meeting story – all in newswriting so that we could get a better feel for it.

I feel like I learned a lot in this class. I didn’t exactly know how to just dive in and start discovering things about a neighborhood, or even how to find a story. Nothing seemed particularly newsworthy to me one week, and then everything did the next week.

At first, it was all ridiculously intimidating. I (almost) had breakdowns trying to talk to people on the street about what was going on in the neighborhood. It was absolutely terrifying. I hated it. After my first two stories, I was positive that I would have to find a way to get the hell out of journalism and get myself a new major.

Then we did the meeting stories, a ridiculously long haul for me, but hands down the easiest thing I’ve ever had to write. The redo wasn’t that bad, either. Once I got past the first interview in my profile, even that was easy. I somehow managed to hit my stride after the hardcore struggling to figure out what was going on in the Haight. The crime story was a piece of cake.

Now: the final story. Not my original idea, but it totally serves its purpose and fit the changes in the neighborhood that I’ve seen over the semester. All in all, not a bad story to write, even though the Whole Foods managers apparently aren’t allowed to give statements to anyone for any purpose whatsoever, or their names, for that matter. (Seriously: I went from press to project to paper to my teacher’s going to kill me if I don’t get something, and still absolutely nothing. Not one single manager would talk.)

Anyway, the Whole Foods story doesn’t apply everything I’ve learned over the semester, but I’m sure that’s not the point. I think it’s more to show off our skills, a shining example of how great we are now compared to how crappy we were in the beginning. I think I understand how to write a feature now far better than I did at this time last semester, and that’s probably the point.

I don’t want to change my major anymore, but I do plan on spending much more time writing about the things that interest me. Sorry, Haight, but that’s definitely not you, or HAIA, or the homeless, or Sit/Lie, or any of the issues that plague that little zone in the center of the city that I’ve haunted all semester. I think y’all know what I want to write about by now. Look forward to it in the future.

That’s the best thing I’ve gained from this class, I think: An absolute assurance of my interests, and the knowledge that I can write about anything under the sun, should I need to.

So here’s to our semester, growing up and all that jazz. I think we’ve earned the summer.

Yerba Buena Gardens Festival

As I was in SoMa yesterday looking for story ideas (with little success), I walked by Yerba Buena Gardens to find the park full of people and live music.  A stage was set up in front of the Martin Luther King, Jr. memorial and Ricardo Lemvo & Makina Loca, an Afro-Cuban fusion act, were performing.  It was a beautiful, sunny day Saturday (though a bit windy) and seeing people gathered in the park dancing to the music it made it more beautiful.  More than a hundred people were congregated at the park, with a large number of them actually dancing while others were laying out on the lawn soaking up the sun.

Turns out the performance is one of a series of free events held at the park for the summer, from May to October.  There are theater, poetry, and spoken word performances scheduled as well as a series of children and Latin Jazz acts.  Events are not limited to only weekends.  They have things scheduled for the week and even have lunchtime concerts on Thursdays.

This is a great characteristic of San Francisco: having many free events that encourage civic participation and builds community.  Many of these events take place in SoMa, which contributes to it's appeal.  For anyone staying in the city over the summer and looking for things to do (for free!), I suggest checking one of the scheduled events out.  You can check out the calendar here.

Final Project

I am officially drowning. Aside from all the work that has accumulated from my other glasses, I'm afraid of not getting a new perspective on this whole America's Cup final paper.
I know...you are all tired of hearing about this subject and believe me, I feel like I've beaten it dead. But there just isn't a lot going on in my neighborhood, and I have looked.

Now the problem is getting a new angle on this story. I tried making one of those web charts...you know where the main subject is in the middle and you attach sub-subjects. A sort of brain storming thing. I have interviewed officials (firemen and police), residents, merchants, tourists, a contestant, and of course the yachting community. Currently trying to interview my supervisor, Jane Kim, but failing. I'm hoping to talk to her about the finances of the whole event, because as of now, the only information on that is at least a year old.

I have now written two stories for this subject and I'm afraid I can't find a new angle and I'm nervous it's too late to change the topic. I'm hoping for a big change in direction, if not in the topic at least on this subject. Please, please let the next person I interview say something too opinionated and original.

late night sitting place?

Does anyone know where that late-night sitting place is? I've walked up and down.

ugh ugh ugh

My final feature progress...is going. I've contacted a few people on the Merchants Association, the Noe Valley Farmer's Market and PROSAC.

My final feature is dealing with the conversion of a parking lot that is used for various district activities like the Farmer's Market and for music performances to a Town Square. Blue prints have been drawn up of grass and plants adorning the space. It will look completely different.

I'm excited to write this story because I feel like its a big issue in Noe Valley that the city has not really recognized yet. I know a lot of residents, especially those who have been living in Noe Valley for a while have a lot to say about the issue. Parking is a huge issue and converting a space that will definitely affect the

Anyways I need to get back to stressing over finals, essays and various other projects that need to be completed this week.

K. Bye.

My Yachting Experience

I'm sure you all know by now I have been working on this story about the America's Cup coming to SF and South Beach next year. Yesterday after class I went and met with my buddy Leon who is a part of the South Beach Yacht Club. He took me out on his boat and I got to meet his wife and daughter. It was a great experience. Leon joked that his boat certainly wasn't the nicest but having never been on one so big I was pretty stoked. I learned a lot about the functioning of the boat (named "Rosely" after his sister) and about the rules of the race from Leon (even his daughter could work her way around the boat). They took me under the Bay Bridge near Alcatraz. The view of the city from the water was really beautiful and we sailed back into the bay just at dusk.

It was great day to go out, and I was really appreciative. I just wanted to take this opportunity to point out what amazing people we can meet with this whole journalism thing. I'm thankful to have met this warm and inviting family.

My Experience at KPIX News Studio

I parked my car on Broadway, put $2.00 worth of quarters in the meter and headed to 855 Battery Street in Downtown. I opened the door and walked up to the security desk and said, "I'm here to see Craig Franklin of CBS News." The security person at the desk said, "Your name is?" I replied with my name. She dialed Mr. Franklin's extension and said "Mr. Franklin, Leigh Walker is here to see you."

I took a seat in the lobby, waiting anxiously for Mr. Franklin to come down the elevator. After a 10 minute wait, Craig Franklin, senior television producer and cameraman of CBSsf News officially introduced himself to me and we proceeded up to the newsroom floor and began the tour of the news station.
----
Prior to this meeting, Professor Jim Toland (here at SFSU) nominated me for a mentorship with a producer at CBS News. I e-mailed Craig Franklin and discussed a time when we could meet. We picked today at noon. Due to not wanting to be late, I left my house at 10:30 this morning and got to the news station 5 minutes after 11. I was early... What else is new?
----
The tour consisted of learning how meteorologists deal make sure the weather is accurate and how the process of showing it on the green-screen works. I was introduced to the website team, including the main blogger for the site. Mr. Franklin then introduced me to the production team and how the production of a newscast actually works. There is so much detail that goes into a 30 minute newscast. Everything is scripted and planned down to a tee.
----
At a little before noon, Mr. Franklin walked me up a flight of stairs and into the newsroom. It was bigger than I thought! It looks so much smaller on TV. I was even able to sit in the anchor's chair! The teleprompters and cameras move automatically and there are two teams of productions. In the backroom, there are a team of four people running the newscast and communicating with the two production assistants running the teleprompters out in the newsroom.
---
Overall, it was an interesting experience and I can't wait to go back and continue this mentorship through the summer and fall.

How Weird May Day

San Francisco residents congregated in the streets of SoMa to launch the city's street festival season with the 12th annual How Weird Street Faire.  Thousands of people took advantage of the warm weather Sunday exploring the "mythical realms" on Howard Street, dressed up in wacky outfits, dancing in the closed off streets, and simply enjoying the community's presence.  Nine stages with DJs spinning different styles of electronic music filled nine blocks, and the event really lived up to its name; the festival just kept on getting weirder and weirder.

The eclectic crowd didn't fail to amaze (or confuse).  There were capoeira dancers/fighters, numerous fairies, men and women wearing tutus, a pink devil, a queen with her entourage, and possibly everything else imaginable.  This year also featured an Art Alley showcasing local artists and live art, a May Pole ceremony and dance "calling forth the world of our dreams," and even an official flying saucer landing zone for intergalactic guests attending to participate in "universal peace."  (I don't know if any showed up.)

I first heard of the event through a friend and wasn't planning on attending because of an immense school load, but was convinced after seeing numerous wacky people heading to the festival.  Although I stayed only for a while, until I fulfilled my journalistic duty, the brief moment I was there really reinforced my appreciation for this city.  The civic participation is very impressive, especially in celebrations.  What, perhaps, is the best is that it is a free, all-ages event.  Yes, they ask for a $10 donation, which in turn gets you a Magic Sticker that is good for discounts with the many vendors.  You do see families, couples, and singles, and the party continues for those 21 and over at the nearby nightclubs after the street fair ends at 8pm.  It is ironic, though, that a city that takes pride in it's progressiveness and activism decides to celebrate International Workers' Day in such a manner.  How weird.

The Eagle's wake

Friday night a buddy of mine invited me to what he said was the last night of The Eagle Tavern as we know it. Apparently the iconic gay bar in SoMa is closing after 30 years because the landlord has other plans for the location. Many articles and blogs have been written about the abrupt closure (even city supervisors have shown concern) and all are begging the same question: what's going to happen next?

Well, Friday night no one knew the answer, but a few gathered to say a final goodbye. It very much felt like a wake, even the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence were there. Memories were written on the floor in chalk, one of them read, "I am going to miss waking up in the trough." I am unsure whether this meant an actual trough in the in bar, or the trough-like urinals in the restrooms; either one would make sense. Some talked sadly about the closure, others, like my buddy, just tried to get as much fun of the last night.

It is sad this bar is closing since it was more than a just a bar. It was a community gathering spot, where anyone was accepted whether they were gay, straight, male, female, into leather or not, and, yes, even the queens from the Castro. On Thursdays the bar would host live acts for its Thursday Night Live. Sundays was Beer Bust, where people would congregate for unlimited beer for $10 and proceeds would go to charity and organizations. It really is a pity that it's closing, but it is evidence of the changing forces and demographics of SoMA.

Appreciate the things and time we have, people, especially in a diverse and constantly changing city like San Francisco. The few times I have been here I had a real great time. I wish I would have spent more time here. I know that's how a lot of people feel at a wake, but hopefully this is not the last we hear about The Eagle. SFist, who first reported the closure, is now reporting that the bar might not close until later. We'll see how this will all turn out.

THIS JUST IN...

.... OSAMA BIN LADEN IS DEAD!

Vanguard Poems

In one of my older post I mentioned I had gone to the Vanguard's magazine launch party, well I was going through my file cabinet and I found a booklet of some of Vanguard's oldest pieces. Some of them are extremely graphic, but still thought provoking and I think you guys might enjoy them.

The following poem was written by transvestite prostitute from the 1960s:

"The Hustler"

I sell my love for dollars,
If you can spare the time,
A Hug is but a nickle
A kiss is but a dime.

I'll go to bed for twenty,
All night for just ten more.
Now don't get the idea
That I am just a whore.

For if I didn't sell my love,
Where else would it go?
I have no one to give it to;
No one who'd care to know.

So open up your wallet
and show me what you've got,
And whether I should love you
A little or a lot.

If you guys want me to post a couple more, let me know?

An interesting experience in Japantown

So, today I decided to run around San Francisco today, mainly because it was gorgeous, and decided to get a head start on my final feature story for this class. I have decided to take on the article about what people, organizations and stores are doing to continuously provide relief aid to those victims of the Japan tsunami and earthquake.

I was disappointed that in the center of Japantown no organization was out asking for donations or anything like that. It was only when I walked into stores or right before I was seated at Oksaya Koji restaurant that I saw my first sign of aid.

"Half of all proceeds made on Mon-Fri will go to tsunami relief." - Posted at Beni Hanna

"All proceeds of purchasing this wristband will go to tsunami and earthquake relief in Japna" - in front of Oksaya Koji.

Truly interesting. I'm determined to find out how and when those proceeds actually get to Japan.

Mr. Watters

I had just finished Ethan Watters' book and I must say I was impressed with how he reinforced his arguments using different a couple different countries as models for his book. Although some parts sort of dragged a little, but I thought he did a fantastic job in terms of how he conducted his interviews and background information he used for his book. Psychology isn't exactly my cup of tea, but the fact that he was comparing Western psych methods with other cultures made his book all the more interesting.

Before attending Ethan Watters' talk I was a little weary about going to the event because I was completely exhausted from all the work I had to do for other classes and I was afraid of falling asleep in the middle of Watters' talk. Thankfully I stayed awake through the whole thing, writing down any relevant information for the "Crazy Like US" assignment.

I was pleasantly surprised to see that Mr. Watters was just as impressive in real life as he is in the book. He had done a great job answering most our questions and was able to eloquently explain some of the psychological terms he used in his book. My favorite part of the event was when he told us about the "Top 10 things you need to know before going on the Daily show" (obviously he was on the Daily Show), which I thought was hilarious.

I'm not sure if everyone realized this, but we literally have two or three weeks of school left, wasn't it just yesterday we were working on our "HOOD1" assignment? Is it just me or has time gone by a little too fast?

Ethan Watters

Hi students, stuck in Richmond on my way to NYC. I'm happy to have heard from Rachele how well prepared & engaged you all were. Thank you!

Yvonne

Ethan Watters

Sir E. Watt

Yeah, I just saw all of the other posts and I thought I'd mix it up with the title.

ETHAN WATTERS WAS SO INSPIRING. I was so impressed with how well he handled all of the questions and how thorough he was at explaining himself.

One thing he made me think about was how we handle sources. In general, it seems, reporters don't really like sharing. That seems to be a lonely choice. Knowing how hard it is to collect the right sources for the story at hand (I guess that depends on the subject), I feel like it should be a no-brainer.

Anyway, those who were there (I think it was everybody- INCLUDING LUPE I HAVE THE PICTURES TO PROVE IT) know that he invited anyone who was interested to come hang out and have lunch at his fancy San Francisco Writer's Grotto. I think we should plan a day to go as a class. and YES THAT MEANS WE NEED TO START A DIALOGUE.

So maybe we should wait til a class day to talk about this? Or you could just write on this post?

I think the most valuable thing I learned from his talk was that a community is really important. Having a separate space to collaborate on content and people you trust to give you feedback is really important, and I hope that I can have that somehow when I get out of school and start my professional life.

By the way,
You guys are the best.

(And I'm sorry for using caps so much)

Crime Map for North Beach.

View Crimes in North Beach (94133, CA) in a larger map

Ethan Watters comes to SFSU

I will be honest...this was not one of the easiest readings I've ever had. In fact it was really hard and I kept zoning out BUT I did finish it.

I love having an author come to school to chat with us. I like hearing about their past experiences and all the various projects they have been involved in. Like Ethan Watters wrote for GQ and New York Magazine! Its so amazing to here about all of his accomplishments. This may sound corny but it gives me some much needed inspiration.


Anyways he discussed his book and the audience asked questions. It was cool hearing about his travels and what he thought of psychiatry today.

Thanks to my little recording device I can listen to the whole meeting when I write this paper. Its an hour of audio but I'm definitely grateful I recorded the whole thing.

I think Nelson had the most fun, he was very excited!

Ethan Watters

The obvious choice, yet again, to blog on, but oh well. Y'all can enjoy my thoughts anyway.

First off, I want to take the opportunity to clarify that I really enjoyed the book. I thought it was absolutely fascinating and I like that he kind of kicked the western world off its high and mighty perch a bit, too. On the other hand, it could have been way shorter, but I somehow survived.

I'd never met the author of a book after I'd read the book before, so that was kind of a cool experience. Not that I hung on to every word, but I did take pretty copious notes. I liked that he went into detail about why he chose the topic that he did and why it interests him. I also really liked that he gave us all little nuggets of journalistic wisdom from his experience to guide us all, nuggets which I find highly valuable, actually.

I feel like at this point in our careers, everything spells DOOM. It's like journalism is shifting to the point that we professionally-trained may not even have a great place to mold our craft to be something valuable for society to partake in.

Watters didn't really console much on that, which I really liked, because I'm tired of hearing those consolations. Everything is changing, yeah, but you don't know what the future holds any more than I do, so why try to predict it? Let it be.

He instead chose to tell us HOW to pick what we want to do, which is amazing to hear since everyone keeps saying that to be a journalist these days you kind of have to be a jack of all trades, so to speak, and I'd rather not do that. I've already found those specific little niches that fascinate me in the world and have every intention of following through with discovering everything I can about those, which is exactly what Watters said to do.

I also thought that it was awesome that he told us about treating people nicely to get information out of them and then making them look bad (something I have some recent experience with, unfortunately). I really never want to do that again, and I enjoyed that he said that he wasn't okay with doing it either. I felt like I could effectively identify with that.

I liked the anecdotes. I liked the advice. I liked the 10 tips for being on the Daily Show. I liked hearing the story from the man himself. I liked attending the talk. I feel like I actually learned something, like a great little supplement to reading the book.

Ethan Watters

Pre-lecture questions

Getting excited for the lecture!!

Best. Class. Ever.

Well... If you look at the pictures above, it really is Crazy Like Us!

Ethan Watters drinking his diet coke before the hour and four minute lecture

I attended the Ethan Watters "lecture" yesterday. I didn't feel like it was a lecture, but rather an explanation of how he came to write Crazy Like Us. It was interesting, engaging and I think very few people were zoning out and falling asleep.

What interested me the most about Ethan Watters' discussion, was when he talked about his freelance work and how he got to where he is now. The Writer's Grotto is an office space where over 30 writers can come and write their articles and have it reviewed by other members of The Writer's Grotto.

After reading Crazy Like Us and hearing Mr. Watters' writing process and research process, I am intrigued to read his other books and articles in the New York Times Magazine, as well as checking out The Writer's Grotto.

Oh, and he also told us 10 Things Not To Do Before Going on The Daily Show. That was funny.

The famous piano incident at the Condor Club.

The Condor Club was the FIRST ever topless club that opened in the United States. After talking to quite a few bouncers at the clubs for my crime story, I've noticed that the bouncers at strip clubs are usually the friendliest and most eager to talk to me.

I met a bouncer who works at the Condor Club by the name of Ben, and he told me about an interesting incident that happened in 1983 which made headlines:

A bouncer,  Jimmy Ferrozzo, was having sexual intercourse with his girlfriend on top of a piano when suddenly the piano lift was accidentally activated and crushed Ferrozzo to his death. His girlfriend survived was found in the morning pinned underneath Ferrozzo.

The club has a specialty drink named after the incident called Sex on the Piano.

Ben told me to come check the club out, he claims it is haunted. Spooky!

Hang in there, comrades.

With my debatable skills at multitasking and general impatience with my surroundings, I think I may be on my way to really 'getting' how to do this.

I'm aware that I can become overly invested in my stories, and that the shock of certain truths can catch me by surprise, but I've noticed that the more I do this, the easier it is to jump between subjects.

The easier it is to disconnect from unpleasantness.

Or at least that's what I'm claiming.

I'm at school waiting for the presentation from Ethan Watters. I've been flipping through 'Crazy Like Me' like a mad woman trying to squeeze every ounce of his excellent research and calculated preparation into my own psyche.

I'll let y'all know if it works.

See you guys in about half an hour.

Story dilemma (Blog 11)

Last Tuesday was probably one of the longest days of my life. It wasn’t that the Chauncey Bailey trial was boring it was all the bureaucratic garbage being spilled in the courtroom. Obviously I didn’t go into the courtroom thinking it was going to be like Law & Order: SVU (one of my favorite shows) in which I would understand everything that is going on. Everything that was discussed in the courtroom such as the evidence and key witness testimonies sounded like Japanese, I couldn’t understand 50 percent of it. Although I jotted down copious amounts of notes, I should have gotten more background information before going to the trial, but to my dismay I had tons of work from other classes that I couldn’t ignore.

Fortunately I had received contact information from Melissa Krum (prosecutor) and Gary Sirbu (Mackey’s lawyer); I was amazed with how helpful they were. After talking to the lawyers and diving into a whole mess of research I was able to connect with what went on in the trial to Chauncey Bailey’s murder and presto story complete. I had no idea how complicated the case was going to be, who would have thought so much crime would come from a small little bakery of all places. The case is so complex if someone were to make a movie out of it, they would have to turn it into a mini-series just to get it right.

I’m not sure how our professor would feel about my article since it was my first time covering a trial, but at least I completed my story on time with the format she asked for. All I can do is hope for the best at this point.

As for my final story it seems that all arrows points at nude people in the Castro. I’ve done a little bit of research on the subject while I was working on my crime story and it seems like too many people have written about nudists in San Francisco. Some of them were positive others were negative, either way I have to go with a different angle. I would like to write a profile piece on one of the nudists I spoke with a couple weeks ago I don’t think anyone has used that angle yet (at least not to my knowledge).

I may consider writing about the Castro’s night life because I heard it can get a little wild after a certain, especially in the bars. But if you guys have any story ideas I could use please feel free to send some my way, I would really appreciate it.

Drug and Alcohol Related Arrests 1/1/2011-4/25/2011

Total 108 Drug and Alcohol Related Crimes Plotted.


View Drugs/Alcohol related crimes in a larger map

Data from http://www.crimemapping.com/map/ca/sanfrancisco
and the San Francisco Police Department Website

Drugs and SROs in the TL

I started some of the groundwork for my final piece and thus far here is what I'm thinking.

My final is going to be an examination of the issue of drugs in the Tenderloin. According to crime statistics its still the #1 crime in the Tenderloin. But I want to try to go deeper.

According to a social worker at the St.Anthony's foundation, the root cause of crime in the Tenderloin is poverty. This includes crime related to drugs. 

What I am trying to understand is why is it so prevelant in the Tenderloin? Why not anywhere else? Other places have poverty so why is drug related crimes so high in the TL?

A couple of theories:

- Drug sale and use is more permissible in the TL. People in the TL have less means to report drug activity.

- There is a high demand for drugs from people living in the TL and coming to from outside the TL to find drugs.

- There is a high supply of drugs in the Tenderloin giving easy access to people that are vulnerable.

-Police are slow to react to drug calls in the TL.

There may be a link not only between poverty and drugs, but also between drugs and inadequate housing. Many people that live in single room occupancy in the Tenderloin are at risk for addiction. However, the only place they can find housing is in SROs. She said that SROs can become a hub for drug avtivity making it difficult for someone to recover. 

Also, sellers of drugs may do so as a way to survive.

Any feedback woukd be greatly appreciated.

Chauncey Bailey: Video editing

I went to the Chauncey Bailey trial on Tuesday... Boring. Most what was talked about seemed relevant and important but it wasn't exciting. The day began with finishing testimony of Joshua Bey, an associate of the Your Black Muslim Bakery and half brother of Yusef Bey IV. The judge presidig was Thomas Reardon. Reardon was strict on the rules especially no electronic devices. Also, his baliffs seemed either bored or doing their jobs extremely well as they glared at anyone that made any movements or noise. 

There were only a few people there. Two of the people there were journalist the other was a law student. The law student asked ME of all people to help him catch up and better understand the trial. I was actually surprised myself with how much I knew about it.

Also I  briefly met the prosecutor Melissa Krum. She seemed very pleased that students were taking interest in the case. 

On the other hand, Gary Sirbu, Antoine Mackey's attorney seemed disappointed after the trial because so much of the video was left in. He said, "the judge gets to decide what goes into the box and what doesn't."

Reardon said he woukd order the jury to consider the video only as to how Bey IV controlled
Mackey and others to do his bidding. The jury would be ordered not to think of Mackey as a "bad person" based on the video.

By the end of the day we had seen two witnesses testify for the prosecution and omissions to the "secret video".

Reardon allowed most of the video to be shown to jurors only some to be ommited. One of the parts ommited was a conversation about cheese and food.  

Ingleside Area Crime Map

View Ingleside Crime Map in a larger map

Crime Map - How To Post on Blogger

So you finished your Crime Map on Google Maps and now you want to embed it in Blogger.

Here's what you do.

1. Finish and Save your map.

2. Go to the "LINK" button in the top right hand corner of your map.

3. Click on the "LINK" button, and this menu should come down.

4. Click on "CUSTOMIZE AND PREVIEW EMBEDDED MAP".

5. Change your size to Medium, and then go to the bottom of this window.

Select this text, and paste into a blog entry. Tada! You're done!

Noe Valley Crime Map

There aren't many crimes that occure in Noe Valley. Although the crimes that do occure there are assult/battery, citizen arrests and vandalism.


View Noe Valley Crime Map in a larger map


Did it work....??

Dear students,

I hope you have had a fine weekend and are enjoying the various religious and seasonal events. I'm in southern Florida, fabulous weather and good book events. I've been reading your crime posts with great interest. Sounds like those of you who went to Chauncey Bailey's murder trial have gotten a lot out of it. Hope the rest of you are having good luck.

Here are some instructions on your assignment on how to write a response paper to the book we all read:

Crazy Like Us, Ethan Watters,

Please ask Ethan Watters questions about how he conducted his reporting, how many of the actual people affected by these various situations he talked to, especially the tsunami victims. I'm also curious about whether he heard from Amatruda after he published the book and what she thought of his conclusions. You, of course, will also have specific questions arising from reading the material. Remember to get some biographical information about him: age, education, where worked, why this story?

Your essay:

An opening paragraph that could do some or all of the following:

summarizes the main point of the book and the fact that Watters came to San Francisco State University's journalism department to talk to students about the book;

summarize Watters' research process and the reaction -- example: Journalist Ethan Watters spent five years researching his book, "Crazy Like Us, the Globalization of the American Psyche," but says his goal to raise issues about how Americans export both mental illnesses and their treatment protocols have had little impact. (I'm making this up; write what he actually says.)

It was while he was covering the tsunami in Sri Lanka and wondering about the hordes of mental health volunteers he kept running into that journalist Ethan Watters first decided to research how American culture, attitudes and treatments were affecting people in foreign lands. (I made that up too but something like that may prove to be true.

Nut graph(s) possibility: In a meeting with San Francisco State University's journalism students, Watters discussed his book Tuesday and said …. most important things he said. Which you can develop in a few subsequent paragraphs.

Background section: Summarize the book in less than a page, using examples (quotes) from the book to back up your main points, and using journalistic attribution combined with page numbers. For example:

Watters reported that much of the response to the Sri Lanka tsunami by Western therapists was disorganized and that the therapists sometimes competed with one another, "sometimes caus(ing) bad confusion and bad feelings among the survivors." (P. 78) He concluded that this caused not only confusion but also widewspread distribution of pharmaceuticals without adequate record-keeping or medical justification. "According to World Health Organization observers," Watters wrote, "fewer than half of the trauma counseling groups that flooded the country bothered to register with the government. Fewer still worked to coordinate their efforts with each other. 'There was no checking,' John Mahoney, the director of the World Health Organization's mental health initiative in Sri Lanka, told a reporter. 'We found one organization just handing out anti-depressants to people.'" (P. 81)

Your response to the book section (should be about a page and a half or a bit longer: Address the following questions, using examples as shown above, to support your reaction:

How does Watters do his reporting:

Example: Watters talked to many psycho-therapists and other mental health counselors who traveled to Sri Lanka after the tsunami that killed more than a quarter-million people on Christmas Day 2004, but often reached different conclusions about the validity of their work than they had. Watters tried to get one therapist, Kate Amatruda, nicknamed Kate Chaos because of her proclivity to respond to world disasters, to address what particular practices or ideas she had brought with her to Sri Lanka. Rather than detail what help she brought to the people there or what training techniques she had taught to native people, Watters reported that Amatruda declined to be specific. As he wrote, "It almost doesn't matter what you do," she insisted. "So much of it is showing up. It matters that you're there and that you're really there and you're able to witness the pain and the horror. You're there to witness and receive." (p. 95)

However, in this section he does not seem to have interviewed any of the clinicians that Amatruda trained or the survivors with whom she worked. (If I were there, I would ask him if he talked to many of the survivors in Sri Lanka who had contact with the mental health workers from America and other countries.)

This is only one example. Please analyze whether you thought he stepped into the story -- was he objective or trying to make a point? Did he do enough research to disprove his thesis?

Did you feel that he got both sides of each argument he made?

What was your personal reaction to the book?

It may be useful to respond to each chapter or some small anecdote from a few chapters.

I hope this is useful.

See you in a week and a day.

Yvonne

Thanks for your hard work, students.