Goodbye? or Hello?

As my blog comes to a close, I am a little saddened.  Which makes me think that this won't be the last time I'll be writing in it.  I will be taking Journalism 225 next semester, with Mr. Perkins, which makes me doubt that this will be my last assigned blog-post ever.

My closing thoughts for this semester are thoughts of relief.  First of all, I made it through my first college semester without having a single mental breakdown, or running home to my family too much.  I will be officially declaring my major in journalism once my grades are submitted and my gpa can be calculated.  I also plan on declaring Communication once the spring semester comes to a close, which then requires me to minor.

That is one scary thought.

I will be stressed, I will be overwhelmed, and there will be times that I want to pull my hair out.  But I hope and pray that I will be able to get a decent job that I love.  In the end, that's what college is all about. I question myself everyday about what I want to be, and I think I've finally figured it out.

I just want to be happy.

Pioneer Magazine

Hearing the Pioneer Magazine Volunteers come to talk to us, made me want to become involved.  I would like to shadow a photographer and see how photojournalism actually works.  I admire what they are trying to do, and would like to learn more about how they will keep this magazine running.

However, while listening to them, I had some doubts.   I don't really understand where there funding is going to come from until they develop regular readers.  I understand that they are applying for grants from the University, but it is only so long before that funding can end, right?   I also don't understand how they are going to keep such diligent workers without paying them. Eventually, people want to get paid for their hard work, so I would like to know if they plan on eventually paying their workers.

Overall, I did like the first edition of the magazine.  The photo of the man on the cover was amazing and deep.  I immediately wanted to read the article about him.  I did like the full page photos as well, but I found that I did not like many of the other stories printed inside.  I think that they need to figure out a way to connect with a young audience, specifically the UMass community, before the magazine will be successful.

An article written for the Daily Collegian for UMass was recently published about how the Freshmen 15 is avoidable. The title, "UMass dietician, students find “Freshman 15″ easily avoidable" basically explains the entire article, making it not very interesting to read.  I think a clever lead would have made this article more eye catching.

However, I do agree with this statement, as it pertains to my final article.  UMass has so many healthy food choices, and my focus, the Rec Center, is a great way to keep the extra pounds away.  It's a beautiful facility that I will see if it was money well spent for the University after I survey students.

The article written on the Amherst business's being affected by UMass football being moved to Gillette Stadium has a very boring title, but I can't think of another way that it could be written.  I never thought of how the local business' would be affected and this really opened my eyes.  The lead of the article was strong and to the point however I think that they should have mentioned Amherst in the lead.

The story about the UMass student's death, I feel should not be saying anything about the UMass drinking culture considering it still is a very sensitive topic.  Many people would find that offensive because although the drinking culture is a problem, a student lost their life.

Pulitzer Prize, Photo Journalism

Photographer G. Marinovich was sent to Africa to take photos of the Zulu's protests to being forced out of their homes.  They raided towns killing thousands.  It was a horrific few years for South Africa.  Marinovich won a Pultizer prize after taking this photograph.

The photograph is breathtaking.  From a technical side, as a photographer, it follows the rule of thirds.  Having each person in one third, the one all the way to the right is in the foreground which gives the photo depth.  Your eye immediately goes to the burning man and then must decide whethor or not the man is helping the burning man or not.

It just so happens that the boy in the front is running in a celebratory way, he is very proud of what he has done and the brutal murder taking place. The man to the left is brutally killing the burning man with a machete. 

Marinovich said, "This was without doubt the worst day of my life, and the trauma remains with me, despite some twenty years and a lot of coming to terms with the incident, my role and what it means to be involved in murder. This mudered happened a month after I had witnessed the one in Nancefield Hostel, and I was determined to redeem myself by not just being an observer. I neither saved him, nor redeemed myself, though at least I did not act shamefully.”

I find what he said to be touching, but I cannot imagine seeing that and not attempting to do something.  I don't feel that there is anyone in the world that deserves to die such a painful and brutal death.

# Hashtag #

As most of us know, a hashtag is something used on twitter, allowing topics to trend and related tweets to be found.  But the world is becoming just a wee bit too involved in the social media.

Last night, on Nov 26th at 10 p.m. a baby was born.  That baby now has to live with their parents obsession with the social media after being named Hashtag, yes, Hashtag. What is wrong with the world?

First of all, I hate hashtags.  I love the idea of them, and the purpose behind them, but I cannot stand when I see twitter users using them incorrectly. A fellow UMass student once tweeted #jumpingoffthe25thfloorofthelibrarybrb.  That is not a hashtag. That is not going to bring together a communal topic. The use of hashtags is now being abused, and naming your child hashtag is almost abusive.

I guess the family wanted their last name to be a trending topic. Hashtag Smith. #Smith.

Maria Santos Gorrostiet, Mexican Mayor, Assassinated

Maria Santos Gorrostiet had been kidnapped on November 12th 2012.  She was abducted in front of her young daughter, as she pled that they take her and leave her daughter unharmed.  

The Mayo stood for what was right, and against the Drug War in her country.  The gangs had made two previous attempts to assassinate her, once shooting her three times, but she survived.  After the shootings and the doubt of her people she released pictures proving the attacks.

After days of torture after Nov. 12th, Gorrostiet was found dead on the side of a road.  

It appalls me that I am only learning of this through a feminist blog I check weekly.  This is groundbreaking, important news. It's showing the lengths that the Mexican Drug Gangs will go to, and the power that they have in that country.  As far as I am concerned, Maria Santos Gorrostiet is a hero, who fought for what is right, was an outstanding mother and role model.  

Reading quotes that she has said, I am moved.  "'Despite my own safety and that of my family, what occupies my mind is my responsibility towards my people, the children, the women, the elderly and the men who break their souls every day without rest to find a piece of bread for their children.

'Freedom brings with it responsibilities and I don’t dare fall behind. My long road is not yet finished - the footprint that we leave behind in our country depends on the battle that we lose and the loyalty we put into it.'

She was a beautiful woman, inside and out and her mark should be left on the world.

Hurricane Sandy

Being up here, in cozy Amherst, I had no idea how bad things were in the devastated areas affected by Hurricane Sandy.  I went home the next weekend, and on my way my parents called, begging to buy gas cans and fill them up to bring home. Bringing six gallons of gas from Massachusetts kept my basement from flooding for three days.

The state was in a chaotic state. As funny as that sentence sounds. People were screaming, honking and fighting at gas stations.  Malls were overflowing with people trying to escape the boredom they were experiences.  Homes, including mine, were the temperature of the outside, which happened to be 45 degrees. It was horrible.

As strange as it sounds, I was finally happy to be coming back to Massachusetts.  I'm usually sad and upset, and already homesick the second I step into the car, but that ride home was sweet.  However, now I am excited to be going back for Thanksgiving to the inches of snow on the ground that refuse to stick here in Amherst.