Carolina's Experiences Using On-Line Journalism

Installing Hurricane Shutters

2008-12-06T08:41:00.002-05:00

The Miami Herald posted a small graphic, titled Hurricane Shutters, which is a small computer generated how-to guide for the installment of hurricane shutters.

It was easy to understand and gave easy to follow step-by-step instruction on how to properly install a hurricane shutter.

The only thing I thought was odd with this graphic, was the timing. This type of graphic I would expect to see during the start of the hurricane season, and not towards the end of the season.

Deadly Journeys for Mexicans

2008-12-06T08:24:00.002-05:00

The Miami Herald featured another powerful multimedia slideshow, titled Tough Road North Walking from Mexico to Tucson.

The audio slideshow which has been exported to play as a flash movie, is a combination of narration and striking photographs documenting this sad journey for Mexicans.

I would have liked to share the slide show and embed it in my blog, but since it was from a flash program, it did not come with any sharing capabilities, so I have put in a link for the slideshow on the Herald website.

$15 Billion in Loans for Auto Industry

2008-12-06T08:18:00.002-05:00

Facing massive job losses, the White House and congressional Democrats are working to provide about $15 billion in loans to prevent Detroit's weakened auto industry from collapsing.

According to the Miami Herald article, Congress, White House work to Help Auto Industry, the legislation, which was being crafted this weekend, would act as a lifeline to General Motors Corp., Ford Motor Co. and Chrysler LLC while meeting demands from many skeptical lawmakers that Congress refrain from writing a blank check for the beleaguered industry.

Several officials in both parties said a key breakthrough on the long-stalled bailout came when Pelosi bowed to Bush's demand that the aid come from a fund set aside for the production of environmentally friendlier cars.

Caroline Kennedy Considers Senate Seat

2008-12-06T08:10:00.002-05:00

Caroline Kennedy, daughter of America’s most storied political family who for many years fiercely guarded her privacy, is considering whether to pursue the Senate seat expected to be vacated by Hillary Rodham Clinton early next year.

According to the New York Times, in their article Kenedy is Said to Cast her Eye on Senate Seat, Ms. Kennedy called Gov. David A. Paterson on Wednesday to discuss the position, Mr. Paterson confirmed Friday.

The governor will choose a replacement for Mrs. Clinton upon her expected confirmation as secretary of state next month.

Bill Cunnigham's Fashion Moment

2008-12-06T07:55:00.003-05:00

New York Times' Bill Cunningham, once again sets to the streets of New York to hunt down and analyze the latest fashions.

In this style multimedia project, titled On the Street: Riding High, Cunningham analyzes the trend of the winter boot.

Alongside his descriptive narration on some of the history and background of boots, he has inserted his photographs, which are almost candid-like images of pedestrians walking along the streets of New York.

Obama's Plan for the Economy

2008-12-06T07:50:00.002-05:00

President-elect Barack Obama committed Saturday to the largest public works building program since the creation of the interstate highway system, as he seeks to put together a plan to resuscitate the reeling economy.

According to the New York Times article, Obama Pledges Massive Public Works Project, Mr. Obama and his team are working with Congressional leaders to fashion a spending package that could invest hundreds of billions of dollars into the economy.

A large part of that would be infrastructure projects such as building or repairing roads, bridges, schools, sewer systems and other public utilities.

Democrats hope the new Congress that takes office in early January could pass such a measure in time for Mr. Obama to sign almost instantly after taking office Jan. 20.

First Cuban-American Female City Manager

2008-12-06T07:38:00.003-05:00

Two years shy of her retirement, West Miami City Manager Yolanda Aguilar, the first Cuban-American female city manager in the United States, reflects on her 26 years of service and whether she should stay on with the city, or spend her retirement baking cookies with her two granddaughters.

Born in Cuba, Yolanda Aguilar arrived in the United States in 1960 at the age of two. She was raised by both her parents and grandparents in their original West Miami home, in which her mother still resides in today.

Graduating from La Salle High School, Aguilar never attained a college degree, and was married at the young age of eighteen to her high school sweetheart.

“I never regretted my decision and 33 years later I am still happily married,” West Miami City Manager Yolanda Aguilar said. “I have struggled but in the end I am where I needed to be.”

Following the birth of her first child, Armando Jr. Aguilar, she spent the first six months as a stay-at-home mom. When the growing expenses of raising a family became too much, Aguilar set out in search for a job.

“It started off with that I needed a job close to home, since I had a young son that I needed to take care off,” Aguilar said. “So I went to my city, where I applied for a clerical position.”

On January 1, 1982, Aguilar was hired as the Water Department Clerk for the City of West Miami. A year later, following the recommendation of previous City Clerk, Boots Kleiner, the then mayor and city commission appointed Aguilar to hold the position of City Clerk.

“I worked 11 years as the City Clerk of West Miami,” Yolanda said. “It became a job where I realized that public service was rewarding and that you can do so much more for others.”

In 1994, Aguilar was appointed as the new City Manager of West Miami, in a unanimous decision by the then Mayor, Rebecca Sosa, and the City Commission.

“I would like to see more women undertake what she has done and excel as she has,” long time friend and West Miami resident Sarah Menendez said. “She has been very transparent, tight on the budget and never misused any funds.”

In a small city with a total population of 5,587 people, Onboard Informatics and City-data.com calculated that the majority of occupational females in the City of West Miami, a total of eleven percent work as secretaries and administrative assistants. Eight percent actually achieve clerical positions, but almost none achieve government leadership positions.

However, such positions don’t come without the expected challenges and hurdles public officials need to overcome on an almost daily basis.

In 2006, Yolanda Aguilar was under fire, by both city officials and police officers, for firing Police Chief Eber Afre, after he had suspended Police Capt. Nelson Andreu without documented cause.

“I am paid to be the City’s watchdog,” Aguilar said. “There are things you don’t compromise, and my integrity is nonnegotiable.”

One of Aguilar’s first real challenges as City Manager was that of a 52-percent budget deficit in the City of west Miami.

“My first real challenge as City Manager, was to recommend measures to bring the city back to financial soundness,” Aguilar said.

The City of West Miami was placed on a Possible Financial Crisis Watch List, following a financial audit.

“In a state of financial crisis, through the collective efforts of then Mayor Rebecca Sosa and the passion and leadership of the city and the legislature, we were able to emerge from a 52-percent budget deficit,” Aguilar said. “It was tough in a small city like ours.”

Eight years later, Aguilar was offered the opportunity to serve as City Clerk for the City of Coral Gables.

“I have the highest respect for her, both personally and professionally,” City of Coral Gables Interim City Manager Maria Alberro Jimenez said. “While I was disappointed that she left Coral Gables to return to ‘her’ West Miami, I recognize her love for that city as well as ours”.

Following a five-month service, Aguilar left the City of Coral Gables, and returned as City Manager to West Miami.

“I thought that the position would be a little bit more professionally challenging, and even though I was welcomed with open arms, I felt that both professionally and personally I had to go back to my city were I could make a difference,” Aguilar said.

Upon her return as City Manager to the City of West Miami, Aguilar together with the city’s leaders, set in motion various projects, including a multipurpose facility for the community, the development along the commercial corridors, a massive drainage improvement job, as well as an official web site for the City of West Miami.

“The overall economy needs to improve so that we can achieve these goals,” Aguilar said. “The decline in revenue in the last 18 months could take the city back into some sort of financial crisis in the near future, so we need to work in terms of budget revenue.”

The City of West Miami lost over 1-million dollars of revenue within the last 18 months, in part due to the decision of reducing garbage pick-up fees as well as overall cuts in funding from the government.

“My goal is to have a multipurpose facility which will be a venue for the arts and culture to accommodate our city and community, as well as the development along the commercial corridors of our city before I retire,” Aguilar said. “I believe that these projects which are in the pipeline will guarantee the much needed revenue for our city and improve the general aesthetics.”

Aguilar’s greatest legacy however, was the completion of $13-million dollars in drainage improvements for the city.

“It is through the collective efforts of the city that we have create a massive a 13-million dollar drainage improvement project, which promises to alleviate past flooding episodes, that kept some of the homes flooded for a period of weeks,” Aguilar said. “Any visions we share as a team, is for the greater well-being of the city; I was simply the conduit that was needed to accomplish the project.”

Approximately 10-million dollars out of the 12.5-million were efforts of the then Mayor, Rebeca Sosa and her work through the Local Mitigation group formed after the 1999 and 2000 storms. These storms left three communities in Dade-County, including West Miami, under water for over eight days.

“Yolanda was very instrumental when working with the mayor and commission to improve the city’s sewer system,” Menendez said. “She worked hard to increase certain fees to develop this project.”

The city has received an additional 2.5-million dollars from the State of Florida through the South Florida Water Management District to complete the last phase of the project.

“Yolanda is the ultimate professional, she has great energy, great intellect and a true commitment to the force of public service,” Jimenez said.

To Yolanda Aguilar, the ties with her community are of extreme importance, especially in a city so small in size.

“It’s the small details, such as giving a senior citizen a ride home in our own vehicle, that make a difference,” Aguilar said. “That is how personal we are.”

While Aguilar’s retirement is imminent, West Miami residents hope that she will extend her service for their City for a couple more years.

“Yolanda has been a stability to West Miami, and I would most definitely like her to stay on with the city for at least five more years,” Menendez said. “She has the strength and youth to continue.”

Two years away from her official retirement, Aguilar will probably have the option of continuing her position as City Manager if she decides to go into the drop program.

“I am not going to fade away, that’s for sure,” Aguilar said. “I can either choose to stay on with the city, or stay home and bake cookies with my granddaughters.”

Coral Gables the City Beautiful

2008-12-06T04:04:00.002-05:00

New York Times Text Messages

2008-11-25T16:35:00.003-05:00

A couple of weeks ago, during the presidential elections, I logged on to the New York Times' text messaging feature, and requested that the latest news be texted to me.

I expected to get an immediate update as soon as the presidential candidate had been announced, instead I received three text messages back to back shortly after signing up.

The first message read, "Live Blogging Election Night", the second message read, "Covering the Coverage" and the third read, "Polls Begin Closing in Final Hours of Epic Campaign".

Following these three text messages, I never received the big news of who had become our new president, instead I had to surf the internet to find out which of the two candidates had won.

As a matter of fact, three weeks later, I have yet to receive another text message from the New York Times, maybe they just forgot about me.

The Fight Against Global Warming Faces a New Enemy

2008-11-24T23:49:00.009-05:00

All over the world, the threat to jobs, profits and government tax revenues posed by the financial crisis has cast doubt on commitments to cap emissions or phase out polluting factories.

According to the New York Times, the on-line article, Economic Slump May Limit Moves on Clean Energy, states that the combat in global warming and the plans to wean businesses and consumers from utilizing fossil fuels, may have come to a stand still, due to a poor global economy and plunging prices of coal and oil.

However, according to the NY Times, President Barack Obama and the European Union have vowed to stick to their commitments to cap emissions of carbon dioxide and invest in new green technologies.

However, even with the input of the new US President and that of European Union, the financial crisis has rippled across the nation, affecting other powerfull nations such as Europe and Asia.

It's unlikely that other leaders will join to support Obama's and the European Union's cause to combat global warming.

Miami Herald's Fun Approach in this Season's Event Calendar

2008-11-24T23:15:00.004-05:00

The Miami Herald featured an interestingly different if not fun way of utilizing a graphic to share this seasons special events and must be places.

The featured graphic, The Season, targets one special event per month, such as the Miami Book Fair International in November and Art Basel in December.

The graphic introduces the reader what there is to see and where to be seen in the next upcoming months. Each graphic is accompanied with a small synopsis of what to wear during these events, as well as several photographs of suggested attire.

Also included in the graphic is a small synopsis of the event and its history, as well as a basic itinerary of each event.

The graphic is definitely more engaging than some boring timeline or a list of events listed under each month. The only kink with the graphic is the loading time for it to materialize on the user's screen.

However, it's frustrating that the graphics on the Miami Herald do not give the user the option of sharing it's content with others, in-contrast to their shareable videos or photo slideshows.

City of Coral Gables Agrees on the University of Miami to Pay Impact Fees

2008-11-24T22:45:00.007-05:00

In a unanimous vote by Coral Gables Commissioners, the University of Miami has been added to the impact-fee ordinance that was passed in 2007.

Due to the planned expansion of the school, UM has been included in Coral Gables' program to mitigate traffic issues and increase cost of providing service due to growth.

According to Miami Herald's article, University of Miami to start paying Gables for increased burden, the City of Coral Gables had tied up UM's campus area development plan for two years while it tried to negotiate an agreement that would give UM more leeway to build in its inner core and provide the city with an impact fee to reduce the institution's impact on adjacent neighborhoods.
The article also stated that the University of Miami will have to start paying to fund road and infrastructure improvements, once the plan has been approved.

The Miami Herald Reviews the Blackberry Storm

2008-11-24T22:02:00.007-05:00

The above video is part of the Miami Herald's 60-second reviews featuring Bridget Carey's brief synopsis of Verizon's BlackBerry Storm cell phone.

Her short videos give insight into the newest little gadget that lands on the market. She makes sure to state the perks of the gadget as well as the kinks.

For instance, Carey states that the Storm's touch screen is easy to use and understand, since one has to apply pressure on the screen as if clicking a real button, thus making an accidental selection almost impossible.

However, some of the Sorm's flaws include the occasional longer processing time to open a command and that it does not have as big as a selection of applications as the IPhone or the Teen Mobile G1.

Traffic Light Cameras in South Florida

2008-11-24T21:25:00.005-05:00

Traffic light cameras are slowly infiltrating South Florida, and with that the fear that Big Brother will be watching. While it is said that these cameras will increase intersection safety, some believe that the true purpose of these cameras, is to generate revenue for cities.

According to the article, Red-light cameras may get green light in Hollywood, featured in the Miami Herald, roughly half a dozen South Florida cities have installed red-light camera systems, and others including Fort lauderdale and Miami are considering them.

In Hollywood, city commissioners are thinking of endorsing these cameras that would allow police to fine violators $125 for ignoring red lights at some of the selected intersections. However, at the price of $50,000 per intersection, are these red-light cameras worth the cost, when most cities are already facing budget cuts?

While the use of these cameras could influence drivers to stop at red-lights, thus eliminating accidents caused by red-light runners and freeing police officers to focus on other more important tasks, the Big Brother privacy concern remains an important issue.

In reality the use of these cameras might be no different than the government having tabs on your whereabouts through your cell phone, you would drive down the streets, knowing that someone was watching you and monitoring everyplace you would go.

The New York Times Utilizes Immediacy

2008-11-10T22:27:00.003-05:00

In the center of the home page of the New York Times, the top story is King.

The top story is always accompanied with an image of some sort and a larger and friendly to the eye headline.

But even the top story gets old, and online the King often lasts less than an hour, only to be replaced with another more timely if not relevant top story.

So what happens to the King, the top story you glanced at earlier? What if you wanted another glimpse and now its gone, lost in the whirlwind of search engines and databases.

Well, the NY Times is not so quick to see their latest King's head role, instead the top story that once was King, is simply moved below the new top story. It is still easily accessible to the reader without much stress and searching.

Additionally, the NY Times always posts the time that the story was released on the home page, making it easily accessible for the reader to determine which is the latest news and how long the top story actually sat on its so called throne.

New York Times Headlines

2008-11-10T22:04:00.004-05:00

The New York Times web site's use of headlines is very similar to that of traditional print headlines. They are often witty, have an underlying meaning or are simply used as a phrase to summarizing the story using some key words that the reader can easily identify.

However, none of the headlines would do well in a search engine, since there are no specific key words, with the exception of names which are used in stories centered upon a specific person.

In addition, the headlines which serve as links to the full story are exactly the same when the new page comes up. This is one of the most important aspects when using headlines on the web.

It is frustrating for the reader to click on a specific headline, only to end up with a page that has a different headline. Even though the story might be the same, a reader who simply glances over the headline might think they were sent to the wrong page and return to the home page to either restart their search or exit the site entirely.

Thus, headlines are a key component of on-line journalism. They can either make or break the reader.

New York Times Multimedia

2008-11-10T21:42:00.006-05:00

The New York Times hosts some of the best multimedia packages, but whether it's a video, a sound-slide, audio or some type of interactive chart or graph they all have one thing in common.

All of the multimedia packages that are featured on the NY Times web page are available for the reader to share. In fact, they give you various choices from which to share their featured media.

There are three tabs to chose from: E-mail, Save or Share. The Share tab is the most useful since it allows the reader to establish a direct connection to the multimedia package that can be shared with others.

The Share tab allows you to use Linkedin, Digg, Facebook, Mixx, Yahoo! Buzz, and Permalink as doorways from which to share their media.

The New York Times Home Page Layout

2008-11-10T21:07:00.006-05:00

The overall layout of the New York Times' home page is a whirlwind of headlines and links that create a sense of chaos and visual exhaustion. While the usage of white space dominates the overall page, giving it the illusion of a clean and balanced layout there is just too much information on the page.

The sections that are clearly defined and easy to view is the main story, the video box and a bar which includes various topics called Inside NYTimes.com. The main story is easy to view as it is boxed in and accompanied by an image and lager headline. The video box is also boxed in and accompanied by a larger image making it easy to view for the reader.

The side bar however, is a jumble of titles of sections, that make it hard for the reader to find what they are looking for. And the advertising which is mainly located on the right side of the page is split up by various boxes such as the stock market results, which make it more difficult to distinguish one from the other.

The New York Times Home Page

2008-11-10T20:23:00.003-05:00

For the last two months, this blog has received daily RSS feeds from The New York Times, linking mainly to their home page and latest news stories.

Having viewed and skimmed through their home page on a weekly if not daily basis, I have gathered that they follow some of the key concepts that define journalism. Indeed, the home page displays fairness, attribution, accuracy, relevance, as well as newness.

One of the main factors found in journalism is fairness, which includes reporting both sides of the story and remaining unbiased throughout the process. Until the last day in which the election results finally came in, the NY Times has done a good job of posting stories on both presidential candidates and in reporting both the good and the ugly of each candidate. The home page constantly updated their main photograph, primarily switching between Obama and McCain.

Another important factor to consider is attribution, in which not only the facts are reported, but also the source of these facts and where they came from. The NY Times for instance, always lists the author's by line at the beginning of each story, and concludes with the names of the individuals that contributed to the overall story.

Accuracy goes hand in hand with attribution in the sense that the facts that were indeed attained are in fact accurate. From what I have read most of the posted articles are indeed accurate, but more importantly, when there has been a mistake, they make it their priority to update the story with a corrected version.

Relevance, was in fact the keyword for the topics that were chosen to compliment the Presidential Election. And while the home page was centered around Obama vs. McCain, they made sure to squeeze in some other international news breaking stories throughout the day.

Finally, newness is what ensures that the reader keeps coming back to visit the home page. When there is a subject of interest, the reader expects to be updated throughout the day with any new information, wether it's a new photograph, the addition of some multimedia package or simply a new headline. if there is nothing new, then the reader will look elsewhere on the world wide web. Just today, as the NY Times covered the Obama visit to the White House, a new photograph was up every time I went on the home page.

Poll feed to the Miami Herald at St. Michael's Church

2008-11-04T17:58:00.003-05:00

Tuesday morning, voters found short and quick moving lines as they arrived at precincts 548 and 562 at St. Michael’s Church in Little Havana.

“I got here at 6:20 a.m. just in case, but once the polls opened at 7 a.m. I only had to wait fifteen minutes,” Miami Dade Student and first-time voter Odel Mosquera said. “It definitely was not as bad as the lines during early voting.”

Within the first hour, Precinct 548’s line increased to 110 people, whereas Precinct 562 only had a line of 55 waiting to vote. Officials were letting in five at a time, as both lines were moving into the same building.

“This was my first time voting, and it went faster than what I expected. Hopefully there won’t be any problems with the machines,” Mosquera said. “Inside, all booths were occupied, and they would just rotate you out when someone finished.”

Not all voters however, found the waiting time to be short. Voters, who had waited in the wrong precinct line, were sent back to make a new line at their correct precinct number. Others left without casting their ballot.

“I arrived right at 7 a.m. and waited the entire line, only to be told that I had been in the wrong line and that I had to make the other line for my precinct,” Berta Lopez, 58 said. “I had to start all over again, and did not get out until 9 a.m.”

Many voters arrived not knowing which precinct they belonged to, and while some where helped others were sent away.

“I came in asking what precinct I belonged to, since I was taking my elderly mother who is 87 years old to wait in the line and I wanted to make sure we would not have to wait twice,” Ada Ramirez, 62 said. “They told me that I had to wait the line before they could help me.”

Ramirez, who decides to take the matter into her own hands, calls the 311 helpline to find out what precinct she belongs to. Having found her precinct number, Ramirez decides to help fellow voters also unaware of their precinct number only to be faced with another obstacle.

“When I called again, the lines were busy, and I couldn’t help the others,” Ramirez said.

In addition to the confusion between the two facing precinct lines, no signage was posted to indicate which precinct number they represented.

“I didn’t know that there were going to be two precincts at this site,” Juan E. Elias, 60 said. “I didn’t even know what line I was waiting in.”

Each line only had one worker to help direct the flow of people, and when they were questioned as to why there was no signage posted, the response was that they were not given enough. The clerk in attendance refused to comment.

St. Michael's Church Precincts 548 and 562 Polling Update: Miami Herald Tweet 8

2008-11-04T17:56:00.001-05:00

Two hours after opening, the lines of both precincts have diminished to half the size since this morning. l:2987 W Flagler Street, Miami.

St. Michael's Church Precincts 548 and 562 Polling Update: Miami Herald Tweet 7

2008-11-04T17:54:00.001-05:00

The line for precinct 562 on the other hand only had a line of about 55 waiting to be let in. l:2987 W Flagler Street, Miami.

St. Michael's Church Precincts 548 and 562 Polling Update: Miami Herald Tweet 6

2008-11-04T17:52:00.002-05:00

Forty minutes after opening the line increased to 110 people at precinct 548. Officials letting in 5 at a time. l:2987 W Flagler Street, Miami.

St. Michael's Church Precincts 548 and 562 Polling Update: Miami Herald Tweet 5

2008-11-04T17:51:00.002-05:00

Official have taken some who were unaware of their precinct number into the building to find out. l:2987 W Flagler Street, Miami.

St. Michael's Church Precincts 548 and 562 Polling Update: Miami Herald Tweet 4

2008-11-04T17:49:00.001-05:00

Voters who waited in the wrong line, were sent to make a new line on the other side with the other precinct. l:2987 W Flagler Street, Miami.

St. Michael's Church Precincts 548 and 562 Polling Update: Miami Herald Tweet 3

2008-11-04T17:47:00.002-05:00

Voters are upset and confused, not knowing to which of the two precincts they belong to. l:2987 W Flagler Street, Miami.

St. Michael's Church Precincts 548 and 562 Polling Update: Miami Herald Tweet 2

2008-11-04T17:44:00.002-05:00

Officials expect a 15 to 20 minute wait for each of the two lines outside the precincts. l:2987 W Flagler Street, Miami.

St. Michael's Church Precincts 548 and 562 Polling Update: Miami Herald Tweet 1

2008-11-04T17:37:00.002-05:00

At precincts 548 and 562 at St. Michael's Church, the doors opened promptly at 7 a.m. l:2987 W Flagler Street, Miami.

Where McCain and Obama Stand Graphic

2008-11-03T00:47:00.004-05:00

The Miami Herald posted another informative visual graphic on their website by the name of Where the Candidates Stand, which brings to light some of the key issues of both candidates and where they stand.

The interactive graphic consists of two half's. The fist half is a compilation of graphic images which represent some of the key issues. In the second half of the graphic there are the two images of the Presidential Candidates above a box, which fills with information as soon as the user clicks on one of the graphics.

The key issues to pick from include, taxes, defense, veterans, immigration, trade, environment, Cuba, Middle East, Russia, Iraq, Iran, social security, health insurance, deficit, education, energy and agriculture.

This graphic is simple, quick and a visual source of information for any user who wants to get a quick overview of the key issues and how both candidates stand when faced with each of thes issues. It also easily distinguishes the differences between both candidates in a chart-like graphic.

Presidential Candidates Obama and McCain Timeline

2008-11-03T00:14:00.010-05:00

One of the multimedia projects put together by the Miami Herald is that of a graphic titled The Lives Of The Candidates. The graphic consists of a timeline used to document some of the achievements of the two up-running Presidential Candidates: John McCain and Barack Obama.

It is an informative and visual piece, which gives easy access to some of the history involving both candidates. The user can easily navigate over the year of interest, and read a blurb of that years description accompanied with a relating photograph.

Only through the timeline does one visually realize the rather large 25-year age difference between both candidates. It also stated that McCain graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy at the bottom of his class, whereas Obama graduated Magna Cum Laude from Harvard Law School.

This small biographical timeline is a perfect source of information, for someone who has not read up on any information on either candidate, and does not have the time to read through a lengthy article before casting his/her vote.

Jackie Nespral, Life as an Anchor

2008-10-28T17:05:00.004-04:00

Jackie Nespral shares her life story as an anchor with Coral Gables War Memorial Senior Citizens, during their monthly lecture luncheon.

Nespral, who originally was a University of Miami psychology major, stepped into journalism quite by accident.

Nespral's name was entered into the Orange Bowl Queens Pageant by her mother, which in turn triggered a chain reaction from winning the pageant to getting a job on the Latin American show, Sabado Gigante.

Upon the completion of her degree at UM, Nespral decided that entertainment was not her passion, and hoped that news television would suit her better. Nespral left Univision, got herself an agent and shortly after interviewed in New York City for the NBC Today Show.

At the young age of 25, Jackie Nespral was hired as one of NBC's network anchors, and had the opportunity to interview on an international forum.

"I had the opportunity to interview all kinds of people, including my long-time hero, Barbara Walters," Nespral said.

Even though she loved NY, Nespral decided to return to Miami, commuting for several years between both cities.

Following the expiration of her contract, Nespral gained a permanent position in Miami.

"I went from interviewing international presidents to local politicians," Nespral said.

OxyContin Health Insurance Scam

2008-10-28T16:07:00.003-04:00

In a second wave since the initial arrest in 2005’s OxyContin health insurance scam, the Miami-Dade Police and State Department arrested 62 additional people, of which 56 were government employees, including a police officer, a felony court clerk, two corrections officers and 17 school bus drivers.

“We get people who get arrested for drug abuse and possession all the time, but it’s different when government employees are involved,” Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office Media Relations Spokesperson Terrie Chavez said.

All 62 people face charges of racketeering, conspiracy to commit racketeering and grand theft. According to prosecutors, the six so called recruiters found these public employees willing to use their health benefits for prescription fraud.

The initial scam dates to January of 2003, when six recruiters enlisted a group of mostly local government employees, to participate in an illegal drug ring in which they fraudulently obtained prescriptions from physician Ronald Harris for the painkiller known as OxyContin.

“The same doctor, Ronald Harris, was involved in both cases,” Chavez said. “In the initial arrest in 2005, all of the people that went down with him were the same type of people as in this current case.”

According to Federal Court documents, Dr. Ronald Harris, who is represented by the court appointed Jan Smith, has revoked his initial plea, and plans to plead guilty on five counts in a future hearing.

“During Ronal Harris’s initial arrest, a lessened plea was negotiated for further information, which eventually lead to these arrests,” Chavez said.

In August of 2005, a total of 29 defendants were charged by the Federal Prosecutors Office; 22 of which were county and city school board employees.

These public employees presented their prescriptions at local pharmacies to obtain the OxyContin tablets, which they would then sell for quick cash to their recruiters or pushers.

“The real villains are these pushers, who target the weak,” Chavez said. “They target bus drivers, who find themselves without employment for three to four months out of the year, with the prospect of easy money.”

In addition to claiming fraudulent prescriptions, the employees submitted their insurance claims to their employer issued health insurance company, fraudulently claiming reimbursement for the cost of the prescriptions.

For government employees, it was their taxpayer-subsidized health insurance benefits that allowed them to fill fake prescriptions for the painkiller and provide the drug to black market dealers.

“For the number of folks working for the government, including myself, there are a great deal of benefits which the private sector does not have,” Chavez said.” “When you abuse your benefits all of us end up paying for it, and these people abused their benefits.”

Since the initial roundup in August of 2005 by Mark Trouville, Special Agent in Charge of the Miami Drug Enforcement Administration, the State Department has conducted a three-year investigation to bring down this second wave of criminals.

“The first case was a federal indictment since it was an organized racketeering group,” Chavez said. “After that we continued our own investigation, and everything trickled down from there. You have to collect good evidence to prosecute, and with the first 29 they had hard evidence.”

As stated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, OxyContin is a prescription painkiller used for moderate to high pain relief associated with injuries, bursitis, dislocations, fractures, neuralgia, arthritis, lower back pain, and pain associated with cancer. It contains oxycodone, the medication's active ingredient, in a timed-release tablet. However, when abused, the drug can be deadly.

“It is a drug commonly misused to get high, but its purpose is to aid cancer patients to relieve pain,” Chavez said.

Authorities estimate that approximately 130 medically unnecessary prescriptions for OxyContin, more than 12,000 tablets, were presented to the pharmacies with an estimated street value of $400,000.

“There can never be an excuse for helping put dangerous drugs onto our streets,” Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle stated in a press release. “When public employees are a part of the problem and when public medical benefits are used to make the scheme work, these are shameful events. They are also crimes.”

According to Miami-Dade County Public Schools spokesman John Schuster, district employees who were arrested will be reassigned to positions were they will not come in contact with students.

“The impact we are most concerned with is people losing faith in their government workers,” Chavez said. “Luckily these school employees only passed the drugs back to their pushers, but there is always a lingering doubt in parents’ mind.”

The Miami Herald Features Cirque Du Soleil Sneak Peek

2008-10-26T23:21:00.003-04:00

In this multimedia presentation, the Miami Herald featured a video on Cirque Du Soleil as it gave residents of Miami a sneak peek of their upcoming show, Corteo.

Two of their acts were performed on the Lincoln Road Mall in Miami Beach to give people a taste of what Corteo is about.

Fashion On The Street In NY by Bill Cunningham

2008-10-26T20:45:00.006-04:00

The New York Times featured a small multimedia sound slideshow titled On the Street I Windward, by photographer Bill Cunningham.

The slideshow is a visual journalistic piece, describing the different forms of fashion that have made their way to the streets following an early start into winter.

Cunningham's voice accompanies his images, as he gives a descriptive narrative of the fashions as well as the decorative and natural signs of the approaching season.

This is a great example of a sound-slide, since both the audio and the photographs go well with one-another, and while individually they are both strong pieces, neither would do well on its own in this kind of format.

Presidential Debate Poll

2008-10-26T20:27:00.004-04:00

Following Friday’s presidential debate, the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute released their Swing State polls on October 1, suggesting that Sen. Barack Obama favors over 50 percent in Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

The poll consists of a study conducted prior to the presidential debate, in comparison to a study conducted subsequently to the debate.

The poll concluded that following the debate, Obama‘s favorability increased by two percent in Florida, one percent in Ohio and five percent in Pennsylvania, whereas Sen. John McCain’s remained the same in both Florida and Ohio and dropped down to four percent in Pennsylvania.

“It is difficult to find a modern competitive presidential race that has swung so dramatically, so quickly and so sharply this late in the campaign,” Peter Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute said in a press release on October 1. “In the last 20 days, Sen. Barack Obama has gone from seven points down to eight points up in Florida, while widening his leads to eight points in Ohio and 15 points in Pennsylvania.”

The importance these three states play to the overall poll is due to the fact that no presidential candidate has been elected president since 1960 without taking two of these three large swing states.

Even prior to Friday’s debate, a polling study conducted by Quinnipiac University from September 11 showed that Florida’s favorability towards Obama had increased from 43 to 49 percent whereas McCain’s dropped from 50 to 43 percent.

“Sen. John McCain has his work cut out for him if he is to win the presidency and there does not appear to be a role model for such a comeback in the last half century,” Brown said.
While the polls suggested that more than 84 percent of voters in each state did not change their mind following the debate, 13 to 17 percent of voters in each of the three states say that Obama did a better job and 15 to 27 percent of independent voters believed Obama to have won the debate.

“Sen. Obama clearly won the debate, voters say. Their opinion of Gov. Sarah Palin has gone south and the Wall Street meltdown has been a dagger to McCain’s political heart,” Brown said. “Roughly a third of voters, and almost as large a share of the key independent vote, say McCain did more harm than good in trying to resolve the financial crisis, and the share of voters who see the economy as the top issue has risen from roughly half to six in ten.”

Twitter 5: A Win is a Win

2008-10-12T14:49:00.001-04:00

Hurricanes defeated UCF 20-14 on Saturday at Dolphin Stadium despite what was considered to be a somewhat sloppy game.

Twitter 4: Voters Favor Gay-Marriage Ban in Polls

2008-10-12T14:36:00.002-04:00

According to the Miami Herald, a statewide poll in Florida shows voters favoring a gay-marriage ban.

Twitter 3: Bush causes Traffic Stand-Still in Miami

2008-10-12T14:32:00.002-04:00

Pres. Bush visits Miami to meet with Cuban-American leaders at Havana Harry’s, causing an hour-long traffic standstill on Le Jeune Road.

Twitter 2: Reopening of School Tests Iraqi Safety

2008-10-12T14:18:00.004-04:00

Iraqi safety is put to the test as Baghdad school reopens. NY Times reports that following a suicide threat the school is evacuated.

Twitter 1: How Accurate are Polls?

2008-10-12T13:58:00.006-04:00

How accurate are the polls projecting Barack Obama’s victory? The NY Times compares it to 2004, which predicted Kerry as the next president.

Bridget Carey Reviews the Click Free Automatic Backup

2008-10-07T02:27:00.003-04:00

The above video is part Miami Herald's 60-second reviews featuring Bridget Carey's brief synopsis of the Click Free Automatic Backup.

The external hard drive which offers simple computer file backups, is "easy to use" as stated by Carey.

New York Times' "In Poverty and Strife, Women Test Limits""

2008-10-07T02:00:00.005-04:00

New York Times' In Poverty and Strife, Women Test Limits, features a different kind of revolution in Bamian, Afghanistan.

It is one of the most peaceful corners in Afghanistan, and yet Bamian faces a new group of revolutionaries; women.

They are driving cars, working in public offices, and police stations and most importantly sitting in on local councils.

There is even a female governor, the first and only one in Afghanistan.

In order to effectively describe this story, the article is not enough, but with the aid of a few multimedia elements, the reader is able to complete the full picture.

As part of the packaging the New York Times included a map featuring the small civilization in Afghanistan.

It also includes a video, which features the interviews of various female professionals, who share their opinions of female empowerment in Afghanistan.

The inclusion of a photographic slideshow, is another element within the package used to give the whole story to the reader.

Even though the slideshow is a nice additional element, in this story however, both the map and video are more effective in conveying the importance of the story, since one acts as a visual informational tool, and the other gives the story the voice it requires.

Multimedia Packaging

2008-10-07T01:36:00.002-04:00

For online journalists, multimedia packaging is a form of combining key elements such as text, graphics, sound, video, rich content and links.

The combination of these elements, allow journalists to tell stories in a new and much more intriguing way, by overcoming the traditional limitations found in print and broadcast media.

Interactivity between these elements, allow the user to actually manipulate the information in a featured story, or construct their own story out of the individual media elements.

This type of interactivity with the media is done through the user making individual choices by clicking on links.

Interactivity also allows users to contribute to the story, by adding their personal opinions to the existing information.

As quoted by James C. Foust: "As an online journalist you have to be continually aware that graphics can be part of your storytelling arsenal and that some stories can be best understood only with a combination of words and graphic elements."

The National Geographic's The Daily Dozen

2008-10-07T00:11:00.000-04:00

The National Geographic's NGM Widgets page features a small collection of cool downloadable widgets, that one can insert into their blog or website.

The above widget is called The Daily Dozen, in which National Geographic's Senior Editor Susan Welchman selects photographs for today's Daily Dozen.

The photos from which Welchman makes her selection, are submitted by interactive viewers who hope to have their images published on their web site.

And then, each morning, the embed widget features 12 of Welchman's favorite selections.

This form of interaction between the user and the site, allows for direct communication between both as well as a form of interactive user participation.

New York Times' "A City Uses Murals to Bridge Differences"

2008-10-06T23:20:00.000-04:00

In a recent on-line article featuring the use of murals to bridge racial differences in urban Philadelphia, The New York Times utilized another subtle form of multimedia to enhance the readers experience.

The article, A City Uses Murals to Bridge Differences, focuses on a ten-year community project, in which Philadelphia residents of a racially divided neighborhood, worked together to paint a mural featuring racial unity.

The mural, titled The Peace Wall depicts an image of a dozen ethnically different hands uniting one another in a message of equality and unity.

The program which originally began as a anti-graffiti project back in 1984, has produced more than 2.800 murals throughout the city, a majority of them covering the walls of low-income neighborhoods.

Alongside this on-line article, The New York Times decided to use a silent photo slideshow named The Peace Wall, as their multimedia packet. Overall, I think that the use of the slideshow is a good example in depicting various different examples of these now famous compilations.

The photographs themselves are of excellent quality, as they not only depict the actual mural but actually cast them in their urban settings, demonstrating to the reader the effect they have on the community.

However, along with the slideshow, a collection of audio featuring the residents of the neighborhood, would deliver the emotions these murals have brought about in a more effective manner. This would deliver the full and complete story.

Multimedia Packet Featured on New York Times

2008-09-30T00:55:00.000-04:00

The New York Times recently posted a story on public transportation on the New York City subway system called The Curious World of the Last Stop.

Even though the story was well written, what truly made a difference to the story, especially for a reader who is not familiar with New York's subway system, was the addition of a multimedia packet.

The packet is an interactive tour of the stops on the New York City subway. Each image lets the reader explore in detail the different stops found on the subway.

As the mouse drags over the image, it shifts from grayscale into beautiful and vivid colors.

The packet also gives you the option of placing the images along a map, to visually enhance the understanding of the various routes.

Please visit this beautiful and practical example of a multimedia package: Going to the End of the Line.

Creating a Slide Show Utilizing Flickr

2008-09-30T00:09:00.000-04:00

As I was glancing over some of the other blogs, I notice that some of you guys had problems setting up a slide show on your blog. Don't worry, it took me about three hours to set up all my images.

Through Flickr you can upload your images for family and friends to see, add comments and edit your images.

Utilizing Flickr, there are two types of slideshows you can create: One can be a gadget on your side bar, and the other can be inserted into a post.

For the first slideshow, set up all your images in a folder on your desktop, and then retrieve them through Flickr.

After uploading and finalizing all your images, return to your blog.

From there go to the "Layout" tab, select a "Gadget", choose "Slideshow", select Flickr as the source, click user under option and then type in your username.

If your slideshow does not appear, then go back to Flickr, and make sure that your page has an official web address. This can be done by visiting your Flickr home-page, where you will find an option to create your web address for your account.

However, if you want your slideshow to appear in your post, the best thing to do is to create an account on Flickr and use their slideshow format.

Once your account has been created, go to your "Photostream" page which you will find under the "You" tab. On the far right hand corner you will see an icon for slideshow.

Once your slideshow has come up, click on the tab located on the right hand side that says "Share".

Then copy the HTML address that is listed and copy it into your post. Make sure that your post is under the HTML format and not under the compose format.

You may then publish your blog post and voila, you now have your own slideshow.

My trip to Germany

2008-09-30T00:04:00.000-04:00

Expected Outcome for South Florida’s New Voting System

2008-09-29T01:00:00.000-04:00

The approaching due date for the general election is only six weeks away, and while some public officials are confident in their new ballot system, others are watchful of potential problems that could once again put South Florida under the watchful eye of the nation as they await the results of the presidential election.

During the first countywide primary election with the newly implemented equipment, officials hoped to test for any problems that might arise, however, even with a low turnout of voters, several of the scanning machines in various locations brought on new problems.

Due to technical difficulties in the electronic transmittal of the precincts’ scanning machines, and the rejection of ballots with perforated stubs, Broward County took a total of 21 hours to collect and tally their precinct’s results.

“Fortunately for our department we had no problems during the primary elections,” Assistant Miami-Dade County Supervisor of Elections Christina White said. “And we should not have any problems since our ballots don’t have any perforations on them.”

Originally, all machines in South Florida consisted of the newest technology in touch screen computer equipment. Following the 2000 presidential election, however, voter confidence took a dramatic toll, when an accurate recount of votes was impossible to attain electronically.

November’s anticipated high attendance during the upcoming presidential election, will be the true test of Florida’s newly mandated optical scanning equipment.

“We have 1.1 million voters in our county,” White said. “We are expecting an 80 percent voter turnout including absentee ballots, which is about the same turnout as in the 2004 elections.”

The new ballots are based on a paper optical scanning voting system, implemented to increase voter confidence by providing a voter verifiable paper trail.

“I do think that this system will increase voter confidence, since it is a blended system in which the votes are captured on paper and then transmitted electronically,” White said. “After the elections when we have an audit or a re-count, we can go back and count the votes on the original paper ballots.”

While Broward County officials have assured the public that the various kinks in transmittal and software problems have been worked out, they did not respond for further comments. The public however, is voicing new concerns.

“I’m not worried about the new voting system, but I am worried about not getting enough quality poll workers for the general election,” Miami-Dade Election Reform Coalition President Sandy Wayland said. “The new system requires twice the amount of poll workers.”

Poll workers, now have the additional duty of guiding voters through the process of feeding their ballot through the electronic scanning system. And if a vote is for some reason rejected, workers have to place the ballot in an emergency locked box and re-attempt to scan them later in the day.

The Miami-Dade Election Reform Coalition went as far as to partner with the University of Miami in a project meant to alleviate this specific problem.

“The University of Miami actually partnered with us in a potential poll worker project, to give employees a paid day off of work to volunteer as poll workers,” Wayland said. “The University of Miami happens to be the biggest private employer of Miami-Dade County.”

For voters new to the updated system, the voting process, consisting of a bubble sheet-like scantron, should be nothing out of the extraordinary.

“The difference between this system is the technology…these new ballots you bubble in just like a scantron sheet,” White said

After bubbling in their selection, the voter inserts the paper ballot into the optical scanning unit, which automatically scans and tabulates the results.

“There was nothing to it,” South Miami resident David Brummer said after attending the primary election.

In order to ensure a flawless outcome of the 2008 primaries in their county, Miami-Dade has undergone various projects of re-training their poll workers and re-educating voters.

“In order to re-educate our voters we are sending out sample ballots in the mail. Every household should have a sample ballot by October 17,” White said. “The sample ballot will have all the questions that will appear on any given ballot depending on the district. This way the voter can make an informed decision.”

To avoid long lines and other potential problems, White suggests taking advantage of early voting or the possibility of requesting an absentee ballot.

“Voters should definitely attend early voting to avoid waiting for long periods of time. We have spread it out in the course of an entire week, and voters may also attend any site during early voting which does not have to be the one they registered under,” White said. “You can also request an absentee ballot. You are not required to give a reason to request an absentee ballot and this way you can do it from home.”

Despite much critique of both fearful voters and public officials, the unanimous response is the positive increase in expected voter confidence.

“Due to the fact that you have it on paper, I definitely think that the paper-based system is going to increase our trust,” Wayland said. “I am confident in the new system.”

Hotel Bombing in Pakistan Re-Write

2008-09-28T23:48:00.000-04:00

After following the New York Time's on-line version of what transpired during the hotel bombing in Pakistan, I have re written the story, using a compilation of the final facts as the story progressed over the period of three days.

Death Count in Pakistan Hotel Bombing Rises to 53

Just a few hundred yards from the prime minister's house, where all the leaders of government had gathered during a dinner following the president's address to parliament, a bomb exploded at the entrance to the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad on Saturday evening.

The bomb originated from a large truck located by the entrance of the hotel. The blast, which has been considered as one of the worst acts of terrorism in Pakistan's history, left a 40 feet wide crater, killing at least 53 people and wounding at least 266, as stated by the acting interior minister.

The hotel, a favorite meeting place for both foreigners and well-connected Pakistanis, was quickly engulfed in flames following the attack.

Among the counted dead, were the Czech ambassador, two American citizens and a Vietnamese woman. Eleven other foreigners were also injured.

The bast of the bomb, buried security guards under mounds of rubble, and left cars and trees charred and mangled across the street. The blast also caused windows of buildings hundreds of yards away to shatter.

The bombing may have been timed for the day that the President Asif Ali Zardari made his first address to parliament since his election two weeks ago. Mr. Zardari, whose wife, former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, was assassinated in december by a suicide bomber, vowed in his speech to root out extremism and stop terrorists from utilizing Pakistani soil to attack other countries.

As reported by The Associated Press of Pakistan, both he and the prime minister, Yousaf Raza Gilani, condemned the attack and repeated their determination to deal with terrorism with an iron hand.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but pakistani analysts say that the bombing may have been in retaliation for recent army operations that have reportedly killed scores of militants in the tribal area of Bajaur, near the border with Afghanistan, and the adjacent area of Swat.

The Islamabad Marriott has been attacked by militants at least twice i the past, including a suicide attack in January 2007 that killed a policeman.

What are Blogs?

2008-09-21T13:32:00.000-04:00

A relatively recent phenomenon, blogs are considered the ultimate outlet for free expression.

The term "blog" stands for web log also known as a personal web site, usually maintained by an individual, with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in reverse-chronological order.

Many blogs provide commentary or news on a particular subject; others function as more personal online diaries. So the question is if Blogging can be considered a form of journalism?

According to James Foust, the author of Online Journalism, blogs represent the true promise of the internet, allowing millions of voices to be heard on a nearly infinite array of topics.

For independent bloggers, there are no gatekeepers.

Thus, blogs have the potential of modeling what journalism will resemble generations from now. It will be a marketplace for ideas, unfiltered by media corporations and editors.

Bombing at Hotel in Pakistan Kills at Least 40 Update 3

2008-09-21T12:20:00.000-04:00

Another key element in analyzing online articles, is the placement they receive on the featured page, since it is a technique from which the viewer or user is able to recognize the importance of the article.

The featured article on the hotel bombing, which was taken from the home page of the NY Times, was originally the top article. It was given a larger space on the web page, along with a photograph and a larger excerpt of the article.

At this moment however, the importance of this news story on the home-page has slipped down to spots, and is nothing more but a small headline and by-line underneath the newest two top stories.

Bombing at Hotel in Pakistan Kills at Least 40 Update 2

2008-09-21T11:53:00.000-04:00

With this new updated, the news update of the article has undergone a drastic change. A change so large, that the headline for the article now reads: "Bombing at Hotel in Pakistan Kills at Least 53"

Whereas the first graph of the first story read:

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — A huge truck bomb exploded at the entrance to the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad on Saturday evening, killing at least 40 people and wounding at least 250, the police said.

The first graph in the updated version of the article reads:

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — A huge truck bomb exploded at the entrance to the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad on Saturday evening, killing at least 53 people and wounding at least 266, according to the acting interior minister.

Thus, even though the graphs are almost exactly phrased the same, the content has changed, in which the numbers of people dead and wounded have been updated, and where the source of information has been changed from the police to the acting interior minister.

Bombing at Hotel in Pakistan Kills at Least 40 Update 1

2008-09-21T11:26:00.000-04:00

Throughout the course of the day, the main changes to the article were not just updates on the actual story, but on the page in specific and what additional sources of information it offered.

For instance, the page was updated with a live footage reel capturing the event on film and adding live interviews. The page was also updated with a map of the location of the hotel and where the bombing occurred, as well as links to related articles.

A multimedia package of photographs capturing the event was also added, in which new photographs were added through the course of the day.

Bombing at Hotel in Pakistan Kills at Least 40

2008-09-21T11:05:00.000-04:00

Over the next several posts, I'll be monitoring and analyzing how an online story (this one in specific) is updated throughout the course of two days. My story is a news story following the Bombing of a hotel that occurred in Pakistan on Saturday evening.

As of September 21, 2008 in the morning, this is how the story read:

September 21, 2008
Bombing at Hotel in Pakistan Kills at Least 40

By CARLOTTA GALL
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — A huge truck bomb exploded at the entrance to the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad on Saturday evening, killing at least 40 people and wounding at least 250, the police said.

The blast, one of the worst acts of terrorism in Pakistan’s history, went off just a few hundred yards from the prime minister’s house, where all the leaders of government were dining after the president’s address to Parliament.

The toll was expected to grow because of reports that people had been trapped inside the six-story hotel, which has been a favorite meeting spot of both foreigners and well-connected Pakistanis in the heart of the capital. The building was quickly engulfed in flames and continued to burn for hours Saturday night.

The bomb left a vast crater, 40 feet wide and 25 feet deep, at the security barrier to the hotel. Witnesses said security guards were buried under a mound of rubble. Cars across the street from the hotel were mangled, and trees on the street were charred and stripped of their branches. The blast shattered windows in buildings hundreds of yards away.

Witnesses said they dragged dozens of bodies from the lobby of the hotel and an adjacent parking lot, including those of a number of foreigners. Sean McCormack, a spokesman for the State Department, issued a statement saying at least one American citizen was killed and several others were injured.

The bombing was the deadliest to take place in the well-guarded capital and may have been timed for the day that President Asif Ali Zardari made his first address to Parliament since his election two weeks ago. Mr. Zardari, whose wife, former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, was assassinated in December by a suicide bomber, vowed in his speech to root out extremism and to stop terrorists from using Pakistani soil to attack other countries.

Both he and the prime minister, Yousaf Raza Gilani, condemned the attack and repeated their determination to deal with terrorism with an iron hand, the state news agency, The Associated Press of Pakistan, reported.

On national television late Sunday, Mr. Zardari said most of the victims had been security guards at the entrance to the hotel. “These are not the acts of a Muslim,” he said. “We will get rid of this terrorism cancer.”

There was no immediate claim of responsibility. But Pakistani analysts said the bombing may have been in retaliation for recent army operations that have reportedly killed scores of militants in the tribal area of Bajaur, near the border with Afghanistan, and the adjacent area of Swat.

An American intelligence official said the attack “bears all the hallmarks of a terrorist operation carried out by Al Qaeda or its associates.”

The tribal areas have become a safe haven for insurgents linked to Al Qaeda and the Taliban, whose attacks on targets in Pakistan have become increasingly frequent and lethal. Coming after a bombing this year at another gathering spot for foreigners, the Serena Hotel in Kabul, Afghanistan, the Marriott attack seemed intended to send a message to Washington and other allies of Pakistan.

Despite the tough talk by the president and prime minister, it was unclear what kind of response the government would mount. Pakistan has been in a state of political turmoil for months, and from the American perspective at least, the new civilian government has so far shown little interest in pursuing a campaign against the militants.

President Bush denounced the attack on Saturday. “I strongly condemn the terrorist bombing in Islamabad that targeted and killed many innocents,” he said.

The Islamabad Marriott has been attacked by militants at least twice in the past, including in a suicide attack in January 2007 that killed a policeman. A senior police official, Ashfaq Ahmed Khan, said initial reports suggested that an explosives-laden dump truck had been detonated near the entrance.

“The Marriott is an icon,” said Abdullah Riar, a former aide to Mrs. Bhutto. “It’s like the twin towers of Pakistan. It’s a symbolic place in the capital of the country, and now it has melted down.”

One wounded American who works at the embassy here said he was unlocking his car when the bomb exploded. The American, who gave only his first name, Chris, had injuries to his face, neck and shoulder, and was holding a bloody T-shirt to his face.

American Embassy personnel members at the scene said they had come to help American citizens caught in the blast.

Amjad Ali Khan, a guard on duty at a side entrance to the hotel, said that he had seen four to five bodies in the hotel parking lot and that he helped carry out 40 bodies from inside the hotel. He said they had been “in the lobby and in the restaurant and everywhere.”

“There were very few people injured,” he said. “They were all dead.”

When asked who he thought was responsible for the blast, he responded, “They are terrorists.”

The Interior Ministry had warned several days ago that it had information that four or five suicide bombers had been dispatched on missions around the country. The government enforced tight security during the president’s 3 p.m. address, posting Army Rangers and police officers in rings around the Parliament and government buildings.

The Marriott is nearby, but security may have been reduced after the speech and ahead of the evening meal, when Muslims break their fast during the holy month of Ramadan. The bomb exploded at 8 p.m., when many Pakistanis were inside the banquet hall at the back of the hotel.

Asmatullah Marvat, a paramedic for the Capital Development Authority, said rescue workers had taken 70 to 80 people to different hospitals in the city.

Hotel workers said that they had heard a loud explosion and that the east wing of the hotel was on fire. “I was inside the Marquee Hall,” said a man who identified himself as Kaleem. “It was iftar time. All of a sudden there was a massive explosion. The roofs collapsed, and we ran out the back.”

Zahid Ahmed, a businessman who rushed to the blast site from a nearby neighborhood, was standing near the wreckage of mangled cars across the road. “I saw dozens of casualties,” he said. “People were trying to help but it was such a depressing sight that I cannot describe it”, he added, with moist eyes and shaking his head.The Islamabad police asked the army to assist in the rescue work.

The F.B.I. offered to send special agents to help investigate, said a senior American official, who declined to be identified because of the nature of the matter. The F.B.I. is awaiting approval from the Pakistani government, the official said.

Reporting was contributed by Salman Masood from Islamabad, Jane Perlez from London and Eric Schmitt from Washington.

The new studio at the Miami Herald

2008-09-16T18:00:00.000-04:00

A Tour of the Miami Herald

2008-09-15T23:21:00.000-04:00

When students registered for their on-line journalism class, the last thing on their mind was that they would have the opportunity to learn from one of the Miami Herald's very own, not to mention a private tour and class at the Miami Herald building.

The eight students who took advantage of stepping into the Miami Herald, were greeted by Rick Hirsch, the managing editor of Multimedia and New Projects.

Sitting in one of the large conference rooms overlooking the Miami port, Hirsh began introducing the concept of the continuos news desk. Nothing more than a few connecting tables surrounded by television and computer monitors, the continuos news desk provides the home-page with a ongoing updates from five to one in the morning.

Hirsch states that the busiest time on the home page is between 8 and 9 in the morning, as most arrive at their office desks and start their mornings to catch up with the most current news.

When comparing the type of stories that are used both on-line and on the web, Hirsch describes the difficulty in not repeating yesterdays news, and if it has already been posted on the web to make sure that the printed story has some new spin or is a more detailed continuation of the previously posted story.

"What do we tell people, what did not already happen today?", Hirsch said. "Producers replace earlier stories with more polished stories."

Prison Thriller

2008-09-15T04:50:00.000-04:00

This video is a must see!
It is almost creepy, but so funny.

New York Time's Policy of Confidential Sources

2008-09-15T04:28:00.000-04:00

According to the New York Times 2004 Confidential News Sources, their main concern for using anonymous sources is the trust they uphold to their readers. The New York Times is highly regarded for its trustworthiness, and their readers demand to know as much as possible about where the information is obtained. For that reason, they observe the principle of identifying their sources by name and title or, when that is not possible, to explain why they are considered authoritative, why they are speaking to them and why they have demanded confidentiality.

Unidentified sources are only to be used in situations in which the newspaper could not otherwise print the information is considered reliable and newsworthy. Anonymity should never be offered to a source, unless in the reporting of highly sensitive stories, when the reporter has sought out a source who might face legal jeopardy or loss of livelihood for speaking to them. Also, government sources who as a matter of policy do not speak for attribution, make be used anonymously as a way to make a telephone contact, get an interview or learn a fact. In such cases, the reporter should press the source to go on record with the newsworthy information that has emerged.

It is imperative that the source has first hand knowledge of the facts, and if not they must be the authorized representative of an authority, known to the reporter, who has such knowledge. Also, anonymous sources should not be used when sources that can be named are available. Anonymity should not be granted to people who are engaged in speculation or who use it as a cover for a personal or partisan attack.

Finally, sources should not be promised that they (reporters) will refrain from additional reporting or efforts to verify the information being reported, as well as seeking comments from others on the story’s subject.

Graffiti v. Advertising

2008-09-15T04:21:00.000-04:00

Crossing the streets of New York, it’s everywhere: public and private buildings, walls, buses, trains and subways. Outdoor advertising and graffiti are both forms of artistic expression that are forced upon the public without prior consent, however only one is protected by the first amendment, while the other is punishable by law.

In 1977, city dwellers saw an average of 2,000 ads each day, in 2007 that number increased by 3,000 ads. A grand total of 5,000 ads that the consumer is forced to absorb on a daily basis. Its on the flyers, billboards, television, commercial vehicles, bus stops, street bulletins, internet, food and beverage labels, newspapers and magazines, radio, banners and the list goes on.

Outdoor advertising has become unavoidable. In urban areas commercial content is placed in our sight and into our consciousness every moment.

Over time, advertising’s dominance will become the “natural” state. Through long-term commercial saturation, it has become implicitly understood by the public that advertising has the right to own, occupy and control every inch of available space.

Graffiti on the other hand is a crude form of self-advertising, not much different from the billboards, posters and flyers that litter city buildings and walls. Then why is it that advertising is viewed as a legal business but graffiti as an illegal form of vandalism?

Paid advertising is considered a legal form of artistic and consumer friendly marketing. It is also considered a form of artistic expression, protected by the first amendment.

Graffiti painting done without the property owner's consent, can be considered vandalism and obstruction to private property. In the U.S. Graffiti is considered up to a fourth degree felony, punishable by a maximum of 163 hours of community service and a $1,000 fine.

Keith Haring, one of the first leading graffiti artists for instance, began his graffiti career using a legal form of self-advertising by placing posters of his uniquely drawn figures and characters in public places. However, as he began drawing directly on subway walls and transit posters, his art under the eye of the authorities altered into a form of vandalism. Only because of the uniqueness of his drawings, were they shown in galleries, published in books and eventually considered “legitimate”.

As the consumer we don’t ask to be subjugated under advertising or graffiti in such a grand scale. However, to the artist, graffiti is in fact no more than an expression of the human spirit; an art in one of its most liberal and expressive forms, and like any other form of art it should be protected by the first amendment.

Both are forced upon us on a daily basis without prior consent, yet advertisers are free from legal restrictions and repercussions.

Thus if one is allowed to freely advertise, then there should be public areas to freely express oneself no matter what form used. Moreover, if freedom of expression under the first amendment protects advertisers why should it neglect to protect modern day graffiti artists? Yet, the individual remains exposed to punishment, while commercial and corporate America remains shielded.

No voice should be silenced!

Have you heard of Product (RED)?

2008-09-15T04:07:00.000-04:00

(RED) was created by Bono and Bobby Shriver, Chairman of DATA to raise awareness and money for The Global Fund by teaming up with the world's most iconic brands to produce (PRODUCT)RED branded products. A percentage of these products is then given to the Global Fund.

The Global Fund is an innovative partnership of governments, non-profit organizations, and the private sector, working together to rid the world of AIDS, tuberculosis (TB) and malaria. Its sole purpose is to raise funds and make grants to countries, organizations and communities that urgently need financial help to allow them to respond to these epidemics.

What is the meaning of the parentheses or brackets?

Well, they call them "the embrace." Each company that becomes (RED) places its logo in this embrace and is then elevated to the power of red.

Thus the name -- (PRODUCT)RED.

What is Hip Hop?

2008-09-15T03:54:00.000-04:00

First and above all hip-hop is a form or style of art. It is closely entwined within this era, where everything urban is fashionable.

Hip-hop is more than just a gritty and evoking form of music, it is a lifestyle and a representation of a culture screaming to be heard. From the form of dress, style of dance, and above all music; hip-hop is its own sub culture.

Hip-hop is often believed to be the evolved descendant to the music of African slaves in the United States. A tradition within this culture, passed down for many generations. A closer ancestor to this style of music would be that of Jazz, a form of music closely linked to a time period of atrocities and pains in racist America.

Early hip hop has often been credited with helping to reduce inner-city gang violence by replacing physical violence with hip hop battles of dance and artwork. However, with the emergence of commercial and crime-related rap, an emphasis on violence was incorporated, with many rappers boasting about drugs, weapons, misogyny, and violence.

While hip-hop has indeed deep African roots, it has evolved into it’s own subculture, belonging to a younger, grittier, tougher, and lower class population. Even though it first belonged to an all black culture, it has further evolved to include all cultures, whether it be Latino, White, African or even Asian.

What is Rhetoric?

2008-09-15T03:46:00.000-04:00

Originally derived from the Greek language, rhetoric is one of the three original liberal arts. Having undergone various transitions in its 2500-year history, today it is defined as the study of effective speaking and writing; also known as the art of persuasion.

According to Aristotle, rhetoric is “the ability, in each particular case, to see the available means of persuasion”. He further lists three rhetorical appeals, also known as the three main forms of rhetoric: Ethos, Logos, and Pathos.

Ethos is appeal based on the character of the speaker, thus the document relies highly on the reputation of the speaker or author. In a way it describes the audience’s perception of the authors credibility and authority.

Logos on the other hand is appeal based on logic or reason. Its true effect on the audience stems from the fact that a logical argument convinces its audience due to the perceived merit and reasonableness of the claims and proof offered in support of the overall thesis, rather than the emotions it produces on the audience, or because of the speaker’s credentials.

Ultimately, Pathos is an argument based on emotion, playing on the audience’s sympathy, fears, and desires. It appeals to the audience’s sense of identity, their self-interest, and their emotions. Most commonly used in advertising, the consumer is swayed through the emotional messages within the context of the ad.

Thus each of the three appeals of rhetoric should be used in context to its audience and how best to persuade them.

The UM Bookstore

2008-09-15T03:39:00.001-04:00

On a sunny afternoon, life outside the bookstore is noisy and swamped with students crowding the hallways to get to their next class or heading to the food court for a quick bite to eat. While some excuse themselves, others absentmindedly push through the crowd, holding an intense conversation over their cell phone.

For those who step through the doors of the University of Miami Bookstore, the deafening noise of student chatter abruptly ceases and is replaced with a friendly greeting a breeze of cool air and soft background music.

Even though it is officially called a bookstore, the bottom half of the store is solely dedicated to the display of UM labeled apparel and knick-knacks.

“I like to buy clothes like sweatshirts and t-shirts and stuff like that, oh and I guess books too, more clothes though,” sophomore Julie Schollenberger said. “But I expect a college bookstore to have clothes in it.”

The bookstore is home to a vast amount of supplies, from books, clothing, art and stationary supplies to iPod accessories, soft ware packages, XBOX and PlayStation games. Textbooks are not the only books sold, there are a vast amount of shelves displaying magazines and books of leisure commonly found at any bookstore.

But not all days at the bookstore are this peaceful. During the beginning and end of each semester, the bookstore is filled with noisy students and parents, and a dozens of working cashiers and sales personnel.

“The first three weeks of the semester are the worst,” senior and employee Lauren Vandepas said. “During the first two weeks everyone comes in to buy their books and during the third week every one comes back to return some of their books.”

Aside from students, the bookstore’s key customers include the student’s parents.

“Most of the customers that we see are parents buying books for their kids,” junior and cashier Ima Altidor said. “You have two extremes, the parents that are apathetic and those that are bursting with excitement. Also, books are expensive and most kids don’t have well paying jobs.”

For students looking for a job, the bookstore offers flexible hours and hands on experience with customer service.

“It’s all right I guess, but its got flexible hours,” Altidor said. “You have to deal with customers who are rude at times. I remember one girl who walked up to the register talking on her cell phone about things her and her boyfriend did, she ignored me and kept talking.”

The bookstore is open year round Monday through Saturday.

Intro to On-Line Journalism

2008-09-02T19:54:00.000-04:00

What is on-line journalism? No, it's not an on-line class on journalism, but the development of a combination of tools used to expand the way journalism is presented.

It is the use of a new use of media, unlike the traditional formats that included newspaper, radio and television.

Today, on-line journalism is a form of multimedia which utilizes all three traditional formats to distribute information through the world wide web.