Thomas Christian's MCOM 100W Blog

 Cooking is a wonderful hobby to have, but a writer who enjoys cooking for others probably isn't the most entertaining subject for a feature story. I liked the idea of cooking being a "labor of love," but there should be at least one other theme in the feature, it is not strong enough to carry the piece by itself. It also makes Nguyen-Fleige seem a little weird; does she love everyone at the Spartan Daily that she spends her entire Sunday baking cookies? She really has nothing better to do? It may be helpful to this piece to portray Ngueyn-Fleige as more of a "sweet-old-grandma-lady." Maybe she is, but I have no picture of Nguyen-Fleige in my mind while reading the piece except for someone baking hundreds (really, hundreds?) of cookies on her day off. Also, it would have been helpful to interview more than just one guy for this piece. It is a good idea, but needs more fleshing out, and I am now left wondering if Nguyen-Fleige's cooking is so bad that the onl...

 The lead block I like best is number 1, the feature on Vyola Ortner. It opens with a short yet interesting line about her opinions and regrets, and then succinctly introduces her affiliations and life's work. She has 95 years of life experience, but I can get a picture of Vyola Ortner in 4 short paragraphs. In the last paragraph, the writer used the word "turbulent" to describe the atmosphere at the time of Ortner's career, which naturally piques the curiosity of the reader to want to know more, while still being able to smoothly transition into the specifics of what she did in her life. 

  Before the pandemic, working from home was seen as something a company asked someone when they were on the verge of being fired. Now, it’s the desirable alternative to going into an office, freeing up plenty of time for workers to focus on what they want to do most in life, and giving more freedom and flexibility while actually increasing productivity.  I always saw myself as someone who would spend their days saving for (and dreaming about) retirement, cooped up in a cubicle with nothing but office gossip to keep me entertained. Today, an entire generation is seeing how working from home can be a benefit to our society, and I want to be a part of a movement that sleeps in, works in sweats, and still gets more done in a day than regular office workers. Traditional journalists were required to come into an office every day just to be able to write their stories. Now, I only have to leave the house for interviews, field work, or the occasional game coverage. Quarantine has for...

 After a story featuring images as abhorrent as immigrants being whipped by border patrol officers on horseback, the only concrete response by the White House was to ban horses from being used at the border. The current administration employs the same Trump-era border policies and only wants to distance themselves from the bad press that they yield, thus the ban on horses. I'm sorry, were the horses the ones whipping defenseless migrants? Or was it the officers, who take orders from U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The current administration is attempting to paint this systemic issue as a malfunction. This is how our border patrol was designed to work, the actions taken by our border patrol officers were intentional, and our nation's leadership is only sorry they got caught in the act.

  September 26, 2021   Ralph Nichols Journalism Instructor San Jose State University One Washington Square San Jose, CA 95152   Dear professor Nichols,  California has been struck yet again by a vicious fire season. Destructive infernos displacing people and destroying crops have always been in the headlines in a typical fire season, but side effects of global warming are now pushing these natural disasters to the next level. Each year it feels like we have had more fires than before, and the one or two big ones that we have had in years past are now starting to become three, four, or five huge ones. In the future, these fires will add up and have a significant impact on all Californians with an increase in air pollution and contribute to global warming. Californians are already feeling the impact of the fires by burning crops and precious natural resources, driving up the prices for everyday goods. As a young person, I am looking at both these fire seasons and globa...

 https://www.theringer.com/nba/2021/9/14/22672540/marc-gasol-memphis-grizzlies-career I like this column by Dan Devine because its about one of my favorite NBA players, Marc Gasol. I could go on and on about his playstyle and the nuances of his game, or the fact that he totally opened the door for a new breed of centers in the modern 3-point era, but Devine does a great job of breaking that down himself. Gasol was recently cut by the Memphis Grizzlies after being traded by the Lakers, and his career is now probably over. This means it's great timing to come up with this kind of a story, and reflect on what the younger Gasol brother has given to NBA fans. 

  1. A Delta Air Lines plane crashed shortly after take off Sunday in San Jose. A Delta Airlines plane crashed shortly after take off Sunday in San Jose. 2. At least 3 deaths have been reported along with twelve injuries. At least 3 deaths have been reported along with 12  injuries. 3. Among the survivors in the plane crash was a 97 year old man and a baby who was 3-months-old. Among the survivors in the plane crash was a 97-year-old man and a baby who was 3-months-old. 4. Joe Blow, a spokesman for Delta, said names of the deceased could not be released until the passengers' next of kin were notified. Joe Blow, a spokesman for Delta, said names of the deceased could not be released until the passengers'   next-of-kin were notified. 5. A list comprised of 87 known survivors is available for members of the Media to view. A list comprised of 87 known survivors is available for members of the media to view. 6. A more complete list is expected by next Friday. A more complete...

Your Word Where you read it (source info). The entire sentence in which you found this word. Dictionary definition for this word; part of speech (noun, verb, etc.). Use the word in a new sentence. Your sentence should make it clear that you understand the meaning of this word and know how to use it. draconian Human rights groups, however, said the measures were " draconian " and counter-productive. (To Stop Isis, Britain is Set to Stop Free Speech, Nico Hines, November 25, 2014) adj. - something that is excessively harsh and severe; prescribing death for almost every offence. Beheading was quite a draconian penalty for stealing an apple. cacophony Overtoning allows us to incorporate plenty of herbs, spices or other closely related ingredients in a dish without it turning into a cacophony  of contrasting elements. (There's a Science to Food Pairing, And You Can Learn It Here, Peter Coucquyt, Bernard Lahousse, and Johan Langenbick, October 22,2020) noun -  a harsh mixture o...

  Q:   It's a little overwhelming when you first walk into Plants R Us. How would you describe your style? A:  "It's bohemian and ethnically driven. It's more than just plants. Ninety percent of our home decor is from a charitable organization or by artists from around the world. We represent almost every country on this planet. I love that people come in to ask us, 'Do you have anything from Portugal?' and we can say 'Yes.'" 1. During the 6 months that your store was closed, how did you handle the plants? Did you have to transport or care for them or replant? 2. You started a business at 50, what did you do before "Plants R Us?" How did you become an exotic plant seller? 3. San Francisco has a lot of public parks and botanical gardens. Do you draw any inspiration from these in your own work? Why or why not? 4. What's the most famous plant you've sold? 5. How do you grow plants from all over the world in the same conditions? Do yo...

Sporting a short haircut and scruffy beard, he is best known for his abilities on the hardwood. Very little can be held against him in his own personal life, since he is a family man who never gets into any drama. His many fans still think of him as a kid, but with the bulk of his prime now behind him it's time for him to start getting some respect. Drafted in 2009, there were 3 players of the same position picked before him, and by now he's completely lapped the three of them combined based on what he's achieved in the NBA. Remarkably, he was born in the same hospital as LeBron James, someone who he went on to tangle with many times in his career. His best attribute on the court is his ability to shoot 3-pointers, and 3 is also the amount of championships he has. He is essentially unanimously considered the greatest shooter of all time, which is quite a coincidence because he is also the only unanimous MVP in league history. Moving from the roar of Oracle Arena to the soph...

  What  is the focus of the story? The focus of this story is the advantages and disadvantages of how texting other family members texting each other in the same house works.  Does the writer do a good job of drawing your interest to the story? Why or why not? Yes and no. The story serves its function to bring the reader into a scenario that will be subsequently explored. But with this topic, there could be more interesting scenarios then afterschool snacking. What is your favorite quote from the story?  “A couple of times I thought my daughter was being sarcastic, but she wasn’t,” Offner said. “And when I didn’t use an emoticon, she took my message to be harsher than I meant it.”  This is my favorite quote from the story because I have also been called a "mean texter." Meaning I text with too much sarcasm and not enough emojis to convey what I am saying, it's easy for me to relate to this aspect of texting. 

The Road Not Taken   Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long I stood And looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth; Then took the other, as just as fair, And having perhaps the better claim, Because it was grassy and wanted wear; Though as for that the passing there Had worn them really about the same, And both that morning equally lay In leaves no step had trodden black. Oh, I kept the first for another day! Yet knowing how way leads on to way, I doubted if I should ever come back. I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference. Robert Frost's "The Road Not Taken" can make anyone feel nostalgic, and its abstract and delicate brilliance is why it is my favorite piece of writing. "The Road Not Taken" harkens back to a crossroads that everyone has experien...

 I chose to submit a trend feature on the "Milk Crate Challenge," a viral trend where a group of people stack up milk crates into a stair-like formation and then try to walk up and down them. It sounds simple, but it has created some hilarious viral moments, and one of it's signature elements is the very real and present danger and risk of injury, which only contributes further to the viral insanity.  " Step by step, the participant walks precariously up a pyramid of milk crates, inching closer to greatness or, more likely, a wipeout viewed by millions — and maybe a trip to the emergency room. When the person falls — and they usually do — throngs of people who’ve helped make the social media spectacle known as the Milk Crate Challenge the latest viral phenomenon proceed to sing a chorus of “Oh!” and “Ah!” as the pyramid collapses and the climber lands painfully on a milk crate or the ground. This was the case for one Atlanta-area man over the weekend who flashed two ...

  Choose the correct answer for each of the following capitalization questions 1. a. The all-stars included Outfielder Brian Jordan of the St. Louis Cardinals. b. The all-stars included outfielder Brian Jordan of the St. Louis Cardinals. 2. a. The latin population is the fastest-growing in the region. b. The Latin population is the fastest-growing in the region. 3. a. The fm band is now the most popular on the radio. b. The FM band is now the most popular on the radio. 4. a. She bought a jeep so she would have no trouble in the desert. b. She bought a Jeep so she would have no trouble in the desert. 5. a. ''I'd walk a mile for a camel,'' the cigarette commercial actor said. b. ''I'd walk a mile for a Camel,'' the cigarette commercial actor said. Choose the correct sentence based on correct abbreviations   6.a. He was going 25 m.p.h. in a 15 m.p.h. zone. b. He was going 25 mph in a 15 mph zone.   7. a. The deadline is March 19, but may be extended...

Myriad noun - countless or extremely great in number "The student gave a myriad of excuses, but none explained why he was late to class." Innocuous adjective - not harmful or offensive "Though he thought his comments innocuous, she still would not forgive him." Feign verb - to give a false appearance of "He wanted to feign left and move right, but the tackler stopped him soundly." Temerity noun - excessive boldness or confidence "I cannot believe you have the temerity to air such an insensitive query!" Affront noun - an action or remark that causes outrage or offense "The soldier forgot to salute his commander, an affront not taken lightly in the military." Acquiesce verb - accept something reluctantly but without protest "The player disagreed with the referee's decision, but had to acquiesce nonetheless." Interim noun -  the intervening time adjective - in or for the intervening period; provisional or temporary "The ...

  1. The grain elevators were flattened by the tornadoes. Grain elevators flattened by tornadoes. 2. There were many peaceful demonstrations following the execution. Peaceful demonstrations followed the execution 3. Hector hopes to get many hours of overtime work. He assembles cars at the local General Motors plant. The General Motors plant has just been awarded two large government contracts. Hector hopes to get overtime hours at the local General Motors plant where he assembles cars because it was just awarded two large government contracts. 4. We reviewed the basic and fundamental principles of public speaking. We reviewed the principles of public speaking. 5. The supermarket where people buy their groceries extended its hours. The supermarket extended its hours. 6. The area of linguistics attracts researchers from many disciplines. Different researchers are attracted to linguistics. 7. In my opinion, the orchestra performed really well. The orchestra played beautifully. 8. We w...