Objectivity Report:

  The results to the survey I posted for my friends on Facebook weren't what I expected them to be.  Every question's answers were pretty even.  Even though most people seem to rely on online sources they added comments like; "I still read the news paper, why didn't you give an option for that?"  Or that they still enjoy reading the news paper.  I could have added a question asking about their age to see if that has anything to do with their preference in reading material.  Most rely on news sites for local news and entertainment not world news like I expected it to be.  When asked which type of news story they preferred they responded local news only because they want to be informed of what is going on near them.  They all responded no when asked if there sources had anything to do with their political party and 75% rely on the sites they use. The survey also showed that people check it most of the time.  To me the survey shows that online news sites are good sources that people should rely on, which means that they should be accurate and trustworthy.  People depend more on news sites for local news it seems a lot easier than to wait every morning for a paper or sit around waiting for the news show to start.  The online news sources are updated at any minute the world is impacted with a bigger story that people should and want to know about.

Issues in New Media Journalism Summary:

    The four online news sites I followed through out this course are very different from each other.  They have a few similarities but nothing major.  ABC News covers more of whats going on around the world and focuses more on important issues.  What I notice the most about this site is how it revolves around politics, natural disasters, and hard news such as the Arizona tragedy that happened on January 8th. Also ABC News tells stories that benefit everyone around the world not just one area or things that they feel are going to interest people.  ABC News has a lot of links to different categories and doesn't lack information; every story has proof whether it's photos or witnesses.
   Victorville Daily press news site also has a links to world/nation news but doesn't have that many sources.  It mainly focuses on things that have made an impact around the world.  This site is more about their local news and sharing it with people from this community.  It may also have many links to other news stories but they don't have as many options as ABC News does.  What I also notice is that the Daily Press keeps the same news stories for a couple of days on the main web page.  I'm not sure if it's to keep people informed just in case they didn't log on before or if it's because there isn't really anything interesting going on.
   Mouse Planet is a travel news site it gives you the latest information about Disney.  It can be from a new attraction at the theme parks or just a story about an old tale.  There is sections divided up for Disneyland and Disney World that way local people benefit from knowing what's going on in a certain part.  There is nothing on world news, politics, entertainment, or anything of serious issues for that matter.  It's focus is on having fun and vacations.  How you can get deals and save money. Very different from Daily Press and ABC News.
   The blog site I chose was Old Picture of the day.  It wasn't updated everyday till the 13th and it's been a while since a new picture has been uploaded.  There is pictures from between the 1920's and 1960's and everyone has a story to it thanks to the author.  His news focused more on the photograph and giving his followers information on these old school pictures.  Rather than uploading recent pictures that are all over news sites because it's recent events that are occurring.  This blog site was different and took a different challenge.
   Something that these four news sites have in common can be the use of photography, videos, quotes, and any other type of proof to back up their stories.  They all want to give some information of what they think is important to share with others.  For the most part I felt that every site has a different way of presenting articles to the people and have their preferences on what they feel people need to know.  Even if it's about the same things news site base their writing on who they know is interested on reading every link attached to their web page.

Sites:
http://www.mouseplanet.com/

http://old-photos.blogspot.com/

http://www.vvdailypress.com/

http://abcnews.go.com/

Cleaning the Garage.

In a few simple words I can describe it as: It sucks! Has anyone ever seen the show Horters? That's what our garage looks like I'm not even exaggerating.  Don't get the wrong idea though because we are really clean people trust me.  My mother is beyond a clean freak.  No one can explain what exactly happened as everything stacked up: clothes, tools, shoes, decorations, and extra random stuff.  I can tell you that it started when our garage door stopped working and since the truck was never in there everything just stacked.  Not even adding all the office stuff my dad brought home from his closed work. It's going to be a week of a tough mission.  Went in all clean came out looking like I rolled in a pile of dirt and bruised myself in the process. Whatever I can't wait till we finish but, I am exhausted right now.

Video Games

It's amazing how many people in this universe play these things.  I was never one of them but, lately being home has made me an addict.  I don't know if it has to do with hanging out with my brother and that's all he loves to do.  Or that video games are really that fascinating. It's the only time violence is actually accepted, not saying that I am raging with anger inside.  I guess it has to do with completing a mission you get to live your action fantasies through the games.  Makes you feel kind of like your own hero.  Video games give people a rush, interest, and desire.  It may sounds weird but this is what I'm assuming because I've never been a game junkie like I am now. Any one have a different opinion? I would love to hear it. :)

Birthday Bash!

Brother is finally turning 20! Oh my how the years have flown right past us.  We still fight like we're 6 and 8 years old.  Family and friends will be coming to his fiesta and everyone in this class is welcomed :) just saying.  No matter how old we are getting it still feels like we are kids and I feel that's the way we will always see each other.

News Story: Holy Innocents Church

  Holy Innocents Catholic Church in Victorville, Ca hosted a celebration party for the day of the Three Wise Men.  This celebration consisted of food, dances, a reenactment of the arrival of the Three Wise Men, and Mass.  Holy innocents always has a special ceremony for this day of the year.  Many people show up from the early morning till late night.  They announced this event on Sunday on January 2, 2011 during mass and pass out a reminder of important dates from confessions, church hours, to events like this.
  During the day the church is decorated with festive colors, decorations, and a stage.  The event started at 4 p.m. this afternoon since it's a school day and the church really pays attention to the teenagers.  Holy Innocents focuses on teens to inform the about their religions and the importance of it but, mainly the church wants them to be closer to God and keep them out of trouble.  The food was set out in a long table where everyone helped themselves to the pot luck.  Their was traditional Mexican dishes from tamales, rice, beans, posole, carne asada, etc.  As the people ate performers from the church played music and watched people dance the Mexican folk dance.
  Around five o'clock everyone was invited in to watch the play of the three wise men.  It was a very beautiful and thought out show for people to really feel inspired and understand the story.  Everyone sat in their seats as Mass started at 7 p.m. till 8 p.m.  It's a very beautiful tradition that the Catholic church has. For Hispanics when they are young kids they are taught to leave their shoes in front of their room doors to see what the wise men would bring.  To them the Three Wise Men are their Santa Claus.
  Unfortunately in Holy Innocents we weren't allowed to take pictures inside.  Which is very understandable and chose to respect their rules.  It's difficult to hide a big camera. People who are curious to different traditions should witness one of these festivals "posadas" as its called in Spanish.  Not only do you taste traditional Mexican show but, you get a very inspiring show.

Here is an example of the people that gather for special celebrations like this one "Nuestro Senior Jesus Cristo" in Lagos de Moreno, Jal. Mx.

Living in Fear

Personally besides fear of failing or the fear of the Devil I don't know any other fear.  Sometimes I wonder how my life would have been if I would have stayed in the area I was born, Santa Ana, California.  I'm not sitting here typing this to point fingers but it's the truth. People there fear to come out the door at night, walk around even during the day.  Gangs run roads and make people fear them.  I don't mean to point the fingers at people I know personally from there.  Sometimes I don't know if it has to do with where I grew up or how my parents raised me.  Personally me and my siblings have done everything in our powers to be the good kids we are but, our family is the one who is constantly getting talked about.  I didn't know I had to be on the streets, cursing my parents to get the sympathy note from everyone.  My cousins chose the path that they chose for their own reasons.  They can call me all the white names in the book doesn't really matter. I'm living up to my expectations for myself and not for anyone else.  The world can talk up hard words and throw up their hands.  In the end it's the person who can juggle competition that keeps moving forward not the one who keeps looking back to watch their own self.

Go ahead and Stereotype.

I know a lot of people have their opinions about Mexicans some good, most bad.  Well at least that's what I hear.  Let me fill you in on something though this whole stereotyping it's getting pretty damn old. Yeah some are immigrants and take the jobs that people here in American don't consider a worthy job because they're to embarrassed of picking crops, mowing lawns, or taking out the trash.  They can be all the names you can think of that are not nice but, Mexicans do whatever it takes to push their family forward.  If they didn't think it was worth everything to them they would stay home.  Deep inside they know their land is beautiful, their air is clean, the love is much greater, food is amazing, and their culture is the most wonderful thing you can be apart of.  Yeah there are areas in Mexico that are not safe but, that has nothing to do with more than half of the Mexicans in this planet.  I am proud of where I come from never ever will I be ashamed. Go ahead and point fingers and feel free to judge.  I don't think people have realized that their hurtful words give them drive and more desire to stay and prove people wrong. Racism is over rated.

Sleep is not longer needed.

I've made a new tradition and that is stay up as late as possible.  Then wake up and hour or two later. If you ask me why I stay up so late, I couldn't even give you a good answer.  Unless you find watching youtube, video games, listening to my ipod an excellent reason.  My favorite is day dreaming and believe me I have an amazing imagination and I can create any type of scene in my head.  Last night was pretty horrible though.  I was trying so hard to sleep and it felt impossible as you see in one of my blogs posted I haven't been having such a great time with my noggin.  I feel like I have no moment to myself and here I am spilling my guts to you guys with this knot in my stomach.  I used to be this fun, free, living person, who always was a step ahead and now I don't even know who I am at times.  I need to snap out of it and join reality again to get my shit together. Just saying. Well I am going to attempt and sleep...wish me luck! Night Reality.

Pretty Little Liars

On ABC family season 2 premiers today at 7:58 p.m. The funny thing is I didn't watch all of season one.  All I had to see was the last two episodes and I became addicted.  This mystery show has me on my tip toes trying to figure out the killer of a teenage girl.  Four girls who we close to the girl receive text message from a mysterious person who accuse them of killing her.  If you haven't watched it you should. This what my Monday has consisted of: waking up late, cleaning, eating, and ABC family.

Why do people bother?

You know how many people complain about other people? their friends, boy friends, girl friends, parents or whatever the case might be.  Why do some people tend to keep falling back into the footsteps that lead them to getting hurt? Are they really that special?  I get people who are in a relationship and try to fight for what they have, but what about the others? Who never really had or have a chance? People that are just being played with? The worst part is that some people know they are getting played with and act blind so they can be around that monstrous person.  It's crazy how much impact someone can have on somebody. To those people who I just described... Good luck! I'm in the same boat and writing this.  Clearly I need all the luck I can get.

2011 has finally Arrived

We introduced the New Year with a Mexican spice to it and I don't just mean the food.  My mom and dad's sisters and brothers came over with their families to celebrate the new coming year with us.  We had so many trays and pots of food that I'm not surprised that everyone complained about how full they were.  Since we tend to believe that how ever you start the new year is the way you will feel all year long.  At least we know we will have food on our table :) Tequila shots we're being passed around by the end of our fiesta we had our own performers at my house.  Its a blessing.  Well not the tequila shots that's just a plus but, being around family you just know you will never be alone. My New York friends text me at my 9 o'clock which made it seem like they were living in the future.  I hope everyone has an amazing 2011 with family, friends, or who ever they desire to spend it with.  Just make sure you make it something to remember.